None-too-smart to buy books,
none-too-pretty,
it's kind of a chore to look at
Doris's hands when things go wrong in her little life,
and they show her her face.
There are things she doesn't talk about,
There are things she only tells her mom,
There are things she never tells anyone.
There are things in Doris's life,
but then there are in everyone's...
then she opens her little mouth,
she sings her little song and like a flag
it folds out across the city,
and it goes:
"The fat man becomes an ice-skater...
Maniac becomes a stepfather...
I watch a policeman's mouth -
out comes an honest word."
Miracles happen when Doris sings,
couples in love stop dead in their tracks,
dishes clatter to the ground (unbroken),
politicians die.
She watches as her son becomes an imbecile,
watches as her son becomes a vegetable,
watches as her son becomes a senator,
watches as her only son becomes an imbecile
(and it makes her cry).
She waves her little song like a flag,
it goes across the city.
Miracles can happen,
but I'm in love with her, so...
none-too-pretty,
it's kind of a chore to look at
Doris's hands when things go wrong in her little life,
and they show her her face.
There are things she doesn't talk about,
There are things she only tells her mom,
There are things she never tells anyone.
but then there are in everyone's...
then she opens her little mouth,
she sings her little song and like a flag
it folds out across the city,
and it goes:
Maniac becomes a stepfather...
I watch a policeman's mouth -
out comes an honest word."
couples in love stop dead in their tracks,
dishes clatter to the ground (unbroken),
politicians die.
watches as her son becomes a vegetable,
watches as her son becomes a senator,
watches as her only son becomes an imbecile
(and it makes her cry).
it goes across the city.
Miracles can happen,
but I'm in love with her, so...
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Here's a more accurate version of the lyrics:
None too smart by books, none too pretty Kind of a chore to look at Doris has had some things go wrong in her little life And they show on her face There are things she doesn't talk about There are things she only tells her mom There are things she never tells anyone
There are things in Doris's life but then there are in everyone's Then she opens her little mouth She sings her little song, and like a flag it folds out across the city And it goes:
The fat man becomes an ice-skater Maniac becomes a stepfather I watch a policeman's mouth and out comes an honest word
Miracles happen when Doris sings Couples in love stop dead in their tracks Dishes clatter to the ground unbroken Politicians die
She watches as her son becomes an imbecile She watches as her son becomes a vegetable She watches as her son becomes a senator Watches as her only son becomes an imbecile (and it makes her cry)
She waves her little song like a flag It goes across the city Miracles can happen, but I'm in love with her, so...
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As far as the meaning of the song goes, I think it's just about a woman who's had a rough life and is otherwise plain in every way, but has a beautiful voice or some other specific talent.
i think this song is basically about a woman's disillusionment with the world around her. everything is backwards and wrong in her eyes.
I don't think she's dillusional, just trying to deal with the hardships around her.
Could be wrong but I think that I may have heard that this song is a reference to American printmaker and painter Doris Lee, who in her work, portrayed a lot of down-to-earth Americana from last century.
thanks for the lyric update, i always suspected the line about doris' hands wasn't right. i still think the last line is 'but i'm in love with song.' what a song!
Pretty sure you're all wrong and this song is about the punk zine "Doris" made by Cindy Crabbin the 90s which did address sexual assault, abortion, queer politics etc. Albini seems to be simultaneously mocking the political impact of punk zines while also appreciated their content(?). Hard to say really - maybe both writers butted heads as Albini also contributed writing to several punk rags including recipes but also liked to debate in edgier ways back then for the sake of entertainment.