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

Made of plastic and elastic
He is rugged and long lasting
Who could ever ever ask for more?
Love without complications galore

Many shapes and weights to chose from
I will never leave my bedroom
I will never cry at night again
Wrap my arms around him and pretend

Coin operated boy
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
And I'll never let him go
And I'll never be alone, go
And I'll never be alone, go

And I'll never be alone, go
And I'll never be alone, go
And I'll never be alone
Not with my coin operated boy

This bridge was written to make you feel smitten
And with my sad picture of girl getting bitterer
Oh, can you extract me from my plastic fantasy
I didn't think so but I'm still convincible

Oh will you persist even after I bet you a million dollars
That I'll never love you and will you persist even after I kiss you
Goodbye for the last time will you be trying to prove it, I'm dying
To lose it, I'm losing my confidence

I want it, I want it, I want it, I want it
I want to, I want to, I want to, I want to
I want you, I want you, I want you, I want you
I want a, I want a, I want a, I want a coin operated boy

And if I had a star to wish on for my life
I can't imagine any flesh and blood could be this match
I can even take him in the bath
Coin operated boy, he may not be real experienced with girls

But I know, he feels like a boy should feel, isn't that the point
That is why I want a coin operated boy
With a pretty coin operated voice saying
That he loves me, that he's thinking of me
Straight and to the point that is why
I want a coin operated boy


Lyrics submitted by okokayok

Coin-Operated Boy Lyrics as written by Amanda Palmer

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Coin-Operated Boy song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

186 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment

    I was thinking about it, and the "coin-operated boy" being a prostitute. But somone else commented that that wouldn't work because of the "not being experienced with girls." My thought is that there are more than one ways to be experienced with girls, not just in the physical/sexual way. Maybe he isn't experienced with having a steady girlfriend or actually interacting, without it being sexual, with girls. And since male prostitutes are usually just for one-night stands, that would work... correct?

    pen.in.handon May 22, 2005   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song: Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.” That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Album art
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere. In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Album art
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Album art
When We Were Young
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Album art
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it. “I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.