Music Review: Dresden Dolls "Coin-Operated Boy"
Dresden Dolls
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Coin-Operated Boy
Album: A Is For Accident
Year: 2002
The Dresden Dolls official web page, designed like an old time theater, features the two band members (Amanda Palmer and Brian Vigilone) dancing. She pulls him onto the stage despite his resistance. He will not move, allowing her to swing him by his tie. However, next shot shows he has become enamoured of her and they embrace. Then, she keeps her distance. She twirls around in her space as he watches. Finally, after sneaking up on her, they end with him taking her into his arms.
"Coin Operated Boy," written by Palmer, much like the web site's introduction, delves into human behavior. In it, she wants a casual, no-strings-attached sexual relationship. Men are something to play with and then easily thrown away after the novelty's gone. ("coin operated boy/sitting on the shelf he is just a toy/but I turn him on and he comes to life/automatic joy/that is why I want a coin operated boy").
She likes her men pretty, tough, and to have plenty of stamina in bed. ("made of plastic and elastic/he is rugged and long-lasting"). But she doesn't want to have conversations with them or find out their hopes or dreams. She doesn't want to be their wife. ("who could ever ever ask for more/love without complications galore/many shapes and weights to choose from"). Past, long-term monogamous relationships have only brought her pain and disappointment. ("I will never leave my bedroom/I will never cry at night again"). However, she finds herself falling for the men but quickly squashes and denies those feelings. ("wrap my arms around him and pretend..../coin operated boy").
After being hurt so many times, she distant from the men she dates and sabotages any chance of a real relationship. With the casual situations, there isn't any need to make herself vulnearble. It isn't even a remote possibility. ("all the other real ones that I destroy/cannot hold a candle to my new boy and I'll/never let him go and I'll never be alone/not with my coin operated boy"). However, she can't fight her feelings for this one man in particular and wants to be with only him. Around this section, the she repeats the words "I'll never be alone/I'll never let him go" which emphasize her refusal to believe her own emotions.
She begins to open up by flirting with him and telling she's become bitter from past romances. ("this bridge was written to make you feel smittener/with my sad picture of girl getting bitterer"). She challenges him to change her mind about long-term relationships. She doesn't think he will be able to fulfill her and she will still keep looking for zipless fucks. ("can you extract me from my plastic fantasy/I didnt think so but I'm still convinceable/will you persist even after I bet you/ a billion dollars that I'll never love you/will you persist even after i kiss you/goodbye for the last time/will you keep on trying to prove it?"). She's the cabaret, off-Broadway rocker version of Isadora Wing. She's uncertain of what her future will hold and she's scared regardless of which direction she takes. ("I'm dying to lose it/I want it/I want you/I want a coin operated boy."). Again, "I want you/I want it"are repeated for emphasis, revealing she does want a meaningful relationship. Throughout this section, glasses are other objects are smashed. But without a visual, it doesn't really work as it should.
But alas, she decides not to try and gives into her fear. She's clinging to her old ideas and hangs onto the love-free relationships. ("and if I had a star to wish on/for my life I can't imagine/any flesh and blood could be his match/I can even take him in the bath").
However, the plastic men have been taken on more human features in her mind: they feel and they talk, they have a personality. ("coin operated boy/he may not be real experienced with girls/but I know he feels like a boy should feel/isnt that the point that is why I want a/coin operated boy/with his pretty coin operated voice/saying that he loves me that hes thinking of me/straight and to the point").
By the end, she is looking for love although in small amounts. She's not ready to handle a real, actual relationship. Instead, she projects her feelings onto a blank slate. It may be a for a night, but it's love for her temporarily.
"Coin Operated Boy" is creative and has an excellent metaphor. Toys are tricky for two reasons: 1) they are inantimate and 2) are thought of to be innocent (usually) due to their association with children. However, Palmer simply describes them. It's not disturbing in the least, once the coin-operated boy moves. She has already made him human in her mind.
This song brings to mind a novel and a recent short story I read. The novel, Erica Jong's "Fear of Flying" deals with Isadora Wing's conflicting ideas of whether a monogamous or fleeting relationships are ideal. The short story, Dean Paschal's "Moriya" finds a young boy developing feelings for a doll. The doll eventually comes alive for him and returns his feelings. Both stories have strong sexual content, just as a warning.
Album: A Is For Accident
Year: 2002
The Dresden Dolls official web page, designed like an old time theater, features the two band members (Amanda Palmer and Brian Vigilone) dancing. She pulls him onto the stage despite his resistance. He will not move, allowing her to swing him by his tie. However, next shot shows he has become enamoured of her and they embrace. Then, she keeps her distance. She twirls around in her space as he watches. Finally, after sneaking up on her, they end with him taking her into his arms.
"Coin Operated Boy," written by Palmer, much like the web site's introduction, delves into human behavior. In it, she wants a casual, no-strings-attached sexual relationship. Men are something to play with and then easily thrown away after the novelty's gone. ("coin operated boy/sitting on the shelf he is just a toy/but I turn him on and he comes to life/automatic joy/that is why I want a coin operated boy").
She likes her men pretty, tough, and to have plenty of stamina in bed. ("made of plastic and elastic/he is rugged and long-lasting"). But she doesn't want to have conversations with them or find out their hopes or dreams. She doesn't want to be their wife. ("who could ever ever ask for more/love without complications galore/many shapes and weights to choose from"). Past, long-term monogamous relationships have only brought her pain and disappointment. ("I will never leave my bedroom/I will never cry at night again"). However, she finds herself falling for the men but quickly squashes and denies those feelings. ("wrap my arms around him and pretend..../coin operated boy").
After being hurt so many times, she distant from the men she dates and sabotages any chance of a real relationship. With the casual situations, there isn't any need to make herself vulnearble. It isn't even a remote possibility. ("all the other real ones that I destroy/cannot hold a candle to my new boy and I'll/never let him go and I'll never be alone/not with my coin operated boy"). However, she can't fight her feelings for this one man in particular and wants to be with only him. Around this section, the she repeats the words "I'll never be alone/I'll never let him go" which emphasize her refusal to believe her own emotions.
She begins to open up by flirting with him and telling she's become bitter from past romances. ("this bridge was written to make you feel smittener/with my sad picture of girl getting bitterer"). She challenges him to change her mind about long-term relationships. She doesn't think he will be able to fulfill her and she will still keep looking for zipless fucks. ("can you extract me from my plastic fantasy/I didnt think so but I'm still convinceable/will you persist even after I bet you/ a billion dollars that I'll never love you/will you persist even after i kiss you/goodbye for the last time/will you keep on trying to prove it?"). She's the cabaret, off-Broadway rocker version of Isadora Wing. She's uncertain of what her future will hold and she's scared regardless of which direction she takes. ("I'm dying to lose it/I want it/I want you/I want a coin operated boy."). Again, "I want you/I want it"are repeated for emphasis, revealing she does want a meaningful relationship. Throughout this section, glasses are other objects are smashed. But without a visual, it doesn't really work as it should.
But alas, she decides not to try and gives into her fear. She's clinging to her old ideas and hangs onto the love-free relationships. ("and if I had a star to wish on/for my life I can't imagine/any flesh and blood could be his match/I can even take him in the bath").
However, the plastic men have been taken on more human features in her mind: they feel and they talk, they have a personality. ("coin operated boy/he may not be real experienced with girls/but I know he feels like a boy should feel/isnt that the point that is why I want a/coin operated boy/with his pretty coin operated voice/saying that he loves me that hes thinking of me/straight and to the point").
By the end, she is looking for love although in small amounts. She's not ready to handle a real, actual relationship. Instead, she projects her feelings onto a blank slate. It may be a for a night, but it's love for her temporarily.
"Coin Operated Boy" is creative and has an excellent metaphor. Toys are tricky for two reasons: 1) they are inantimate and 2) are thought of to be innocent (usually) due to their association with children. However, Palmer simply describes them. It's not disturbing in the least, once the coin-operated boy moves. She has already made him human in her mind.
This song brings to mind a novel and a recent short story I read. The novel, Erica Jong's "Fear of Flying" deals with Isadora Wing's conflicting ideas of whether a monogamous or fleeting relationships are ideal. The short story, Dean Paschal's "Moriya" finds a young boy developing feelings for a doll. The doll eventually comes alive for him and returns his feelings. Both stories have strong sexual content, just as a warning.
. It took me several listens to really get used to it, though. It sort reminds me of the styles used in modern musicals. After a while, I started singing along with it. I really enjoyed the lyrics the most, though.
