Dolls
The Original Pistols Lyrics
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You're made in Japan from cheese and chalk
You're hippy tarts hero 'cos you put on a bad show
You put on a bad show, oh don't it show
Still, out on those pills
Do you remember?
You're looking bored and you're acting flash
With nothing in your gut you better keep your mouth shut
You better keep your mouth shut in a rut
Still, out on those pills
Do you remember?
Four years on you still look the same
I think it's 'bout time you changed your brain
You're just a pile of shit, you're coming to this
Poor little faggot, you're sealed with a kiss
Four years on you still look the same
I think it's 'bout time you changed your brain
You're just a pile of shit, you're coming to this
Poor little faggot, you're sealed with a kiss
Still, out on those pills
Thought you cahnged
Looking for a kiss
A kiss, a kiss you're looking for a kiss
Looking for a kiss, you're coming to this
Four years on you still look the same
I think it's 'bout time you changed your brain
A kiss, a kiss, looking for a kiss
Now, now, now
The Original Pistols' song "Dolls" is a scathing critique of the manufactured pop stars of the time period. The lyrics call out the fake personas and lack of talent of these artists, particularly those from New York and Japan who are imitations of the real thing. The chorus repeats the phrase "Still, out on those pills, do you remember?" to suggest that these stars are only able to perform with the help of drugs, and cannot even remember their own performances. The song also references Max's Kansas City, a famous club in New York City that was popular with the punk rock scene at the time.
The lyrics paint a picture of boredom and emptiness, with the artists having "nothing in [their] gut" and being "just a pile of shit". The homophobic slur "poor little faggot" is used to further denigrate these fake stars, who are seen as pathetic and deserving of contempt. The repeated refrain of "looking for a kiss" is a nod to the song "Looking for a Kiss" by the New York Dolls, a band that The Original Pistols were heavily influenced by.
Overall, "Dolls" is a commentary on the commercialization of pop music and the emptiness of manufactured pop stars. The song is a reflection of the punk rock ethos of rejecting the mainstream and the establishment, and seeking authenticity and realness in music.
Line by Line Meaning
An imitation from New York
You're a fake copy of something from New York
You're made in Japan from cheese and chalk
You're poorly made and fake
You're hippy tarts hero 'cos you put on a bad show
You're admired by people who are fake like you because you put on a bad performance
You put on a bad show, oh don't it show
It's obvious that you're a bad performer
Still, out on those pills
You're still on drugs
Do you remember?
Are you even aware of what you're doing?
Think it's swell playing Max's Kansas
You think it's cool to play at Max's Kansas City
You're looking bored and you're acting flash
You look uninterested and you're pretending to be cool
With nothing in your gut you better keep your mouth shut
You have nothing important to say so you should stay quiet
You better keep your mouth shut in a rut
You should stay quiet because you're stuck in a bad situation
Four years on you still look the same
You haven't changed at all in four years
I think it's 'bout time you changed your brain
You need to start thinking and acting differently
You're just a pile of shit, you're coming to this
You're a worthless person and you're headed toward failure
Poor little faggot, you're sealed with a kiss
You're pathetic and your life is doomed to failure
Looking for a kiss
You're searching for approval or validation
A kiss, a kiss you're looking for a kiss
You're desperate for approval
Now, now, now
You need to start taking action and making changes
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC , Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: GLEN MATLOCK, JOHN LYDON, PAUL THOMAS COOK, STEVE (GB 1) JONES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind