The letter to Mrs. O from Virginia and Mrs. O's response are (or at least used to be) posted on the Dresden Dolls website.
The Dresden Dolls are poking fun at Mrs. O's blind optimism. The first verse is pointing out some of the horrible things that happened during the holocaust, but presenting them in a way that makes it seem accidental ("Heaven knows how they got into the fireplace"). "April trains may bring strange showers" alludes to the human ashes that fell from the sky at concentration camps.
Mrs. O's blind optimism continues as she explains to Virginia, "There's no Hell and no Hiroshima...The world is really all in love". This is a (hilarious) example of over-simplifying the world to make everything seem positive (like the existence of Santa Claus).
"Everything they ever told us shakes our faith and breaks their promise" refers to everyone realizing that the world is not perfect (and there is no Santa) despite being told otherwise. Finally "you can keep the truth from leaking/If you never stop believing" is an interesting closing line, giving the listener the choice to wake up and see the world for what it is or to close themselves off and believe in the idealized lies of childhood.
The letter to Mrs. O from Virginia and Mrs. O's response are (or at least used to be) posted on the Dresden Dolls website.
The Dresden Dolls are poking fun at Mrs. O's blind optimism. The first verse is pointing out some of the horrible things that happened during the holocaust, but presenting them in a way that makes it seem accidental ("Heaven knows how they got into the fireplace"). "April trains may bring strange showers" alludes to the human ashes that fell from the sky at concentration camps.
Mrs. O's blind optimism continues as she explains to Virginia, "There's no Hell and no Hiroshima...The world is really all in love". This is a (hilarious) example of over-simplifying the world to make everything seem positive (like the existence of Santa Claus).
"Everything they ever told us shakes our faith and breaks their promise" refers to everyone realizing that the world is not perfect (and there is no Santa) despite being told otherwise. Finally "you can keep the truth from leaking/If you never stop believing" is an interesting closing line, giving the listener the choice to wake up and see the world for what it is or to close themselves off and believe in the idealized lies of childhood.
A very clever song in my opinion.
Yesterday at a songwriting seminar at the Berklee School of Music Amanda said this was her favorite of her songs.
Yesterday at a songwriting seminar at the Berklee School of Music Amanda said this was her favorite of her songs.