SONG | ||
Truce | ||
---|---|---|
Artist | The Dresden Dolls | |
Written by | Amanda Palmer | |
Length | 8:34 | |
Album(s) | A Is for Accident The Dresden Dolls |
Truce is a song by The Dresden Dolls.
History[]
This song was written mostly in the summer of 2001, after a break-up, and completed at the end of the year, after 9/11.
Meaning[]
This song is, at it's most basic level about a bad break-up, seperating the world between Amanda and an ex-lover in order to avoid any future contact.
9/11[]
The song has a lot of lyrics that could be interpreted as having to do with 9/11. These include:
- References to "Washington" and "New York City", the sites of the attacks.
- Refernce to air travel: "carry-on baggage" & "black box".
- "ground zero" is how the former site of the WTC is now refered.
- "disguised as a hero to get past your borders", could reference the hijackers.
- "I am the tower around which you orbited". United Airlines Flight 175 did a half-circle around WTC Tower 2 before crashing.
- "I fall to the ground within hours of impact" could refer either to the fact that each of the two towers collapsed within 1 and 2 hours respectively of the impact of the planes. Or to the several people who either jumped or fell from the towers between the time of impact and collapse.
- "I hit back when hit and attack when attacked" could refer to the 'War on Terror' that was sparked by 9/11 as retaliation.
- "I'm laughing like mad as you strangle the captain" could refer to the hijacking of the planes.
- "I'll strike like the States on fire" could have some reference to the fires in the towers.
- There are also reference to running in fear: "you won't sleep very tight" & "no hiding, no safe covers".
- "you can fake it for the papers but I'm on to you" could refer to several 9/11 conspiracy theories.
These were most likely intentional, as the song was completed shortly after the attacks.
Lyrics[]
- You can have Washington I'll take New Jersey
- You can have London but I want New York city
- I should get Providence I've got a job now
- Los Angeles - obvious - that's where you belong now
- You can have Africa, Asia, Australia
- As long as you keep your hands off Cafe Pamplona
- We can split Germany right down the middle
- You'd hate it there anyway
- Take Berlin and we'll call it even
- You can have all of the carry-on baggage
- I'll trade the saskia jokes for the alphabet language
- On special occasions we'll split between parents
- Who forced us to hate them on alternating weekends
- You call it over and I call you psycho
- Significant other? just say we were lovers!
- And we'll call it even, we'll call it even
- I am the ground zero ex-friend you ordered
- Disguised as a hero to get past your borders
- I know when I'm wanted I'll leave if you ask me to
- Mind my own business and speak when I'm spoken to
- I am the tower around which you orbited
- I am not proud, I am just taking orders
- I fall to the ground within hours of impact
- I hit back when hit and attack when attacked!
- You get Route 2 between Concord and Lexington
- I want Mass Ave from the square to my apartment
- And if we should meet through some misunderstanding
- I'll be very sweet very patient and forgiving
- (Now get off my side of the state)
- And if we should see one another in passing
- Despite these techniques there is sometimes no avoiding
- (There must be some kind of mistake)
- We'll raise high our white flags and bow heads and shake hands
- Declaring the land we're on unamerican
- We'll call it even
- I am the tower around which you orbited
- I am not proud, I am just taking orders
- I fall to the ground within hours of impact
- I hit back when hit
- And attack if attacked
- I am an accident waiting to happen
- I'm laughing like mad as you strangle the captain
- My place may be taken, but make no mistake
- From a little black box I can say without shame
- That you've lost
- Do you know what you've lost?
- So take whatever you'd like
- I'll strike like the States on fire
- You won't sleep very tight
- No hiding
- No safe covers
- Make your bed and now lie
- Just like you always do
- You can fake it for the papers but I'm on to you
- I'm on to you, I'm on to you!
Release[]
- The Dresden Dolls (album) - 2003
- A Is for Accident - 2003
- Live: In Paradise - 2005