Album: The Dresden Dolls (2004)

License This Song 

• Gravity plays favorites I know it 'cause I saw
  Honest to God, officer it's awful
  Down at work I'm getting too familiar with the floor
  Showing off my talents by the mouthful
  
  Hate to break it to you but its out of my control
  Forces go to work while we are sleeping
  If I could attack with a more sensible approach
  Obviously that's what I'd be doing
  
  Now, necks are cracking sideways
  Hit me from the back side
  I am on the white side
  You are on the black side
  
  Cut a piece that's bite size
  Shoot me from my good side
  If you got a straight line
  This would be a good time
  
  Gravity works slowly if you notice it at all
  Some of us are getting mighty lucky
  If you had to live with this you'd rather lie than fall
  You think I can't fly well you just watch me
  
  Now, necks are cracking sideways
  Hit me from the back side
  I am on the thin side
  You are on the fat side
  
  Cut a piece that's bite size
  Shoot me from my bad side
  If you got a straight line
  This would be a good time
  
  The sky is always falling down on me
  So officer forgive me please
  Writer/s: DAVID PALMER, FRANCIS GRIFFITHS, JAMES DESMOND EDWARDS, THOMAS SCOTT
  Publisher: CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Hipgnosis Songs Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Songtrust Ave, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 9

• Cat from CtI always thought It was about her killing the officer but my friend who models thought it was rude, because it was about models. tbh I think its both, below Sam wrote the officer thing and philana wrote the thing with the models that me and my friend had been thinking about for a while now.
• Filthee from Crackville, CoI agree with Sam from Minneapolis.
• Kim from Birmingham, EnglandIf you read the Dresden Dolls Companion book, Amanda says that even she doesn't know what this one's about, so it's pretty much completely up to the listener's interpretation.
  
• Thomas from Greentown, Pai think it is about car crashes when she says necks are cracking sideways it means people's necks are brakeing and the "you are on the fat side, i am on the thin side" is the two different lanes one is bigger then the other and the white side might be refearing to the side with a sidewalk and the black side is on with out a sidewalk and she also says the alphabet and when she says "forces go to work when we are sleeping" it might mean someone fell aseelp while driving becouse that is a man cause of crashes and "shoot me from my goodside" might be a mug shoot. also with the "left foot right foot part" it might be gas and break.
• Philana from Cherry Hill, Njoh I forgot to add what I thought of the officer bit!
  I think she is trying to explain the cocaine, like when she is saying "it really is out of my control".
  & talking about gravitys effects, & how she needs to do it to stay thin.
• Philana from Cherry Hill, Njoh wow, I get something totally different from this song.
  no one sees an eating disorder/drug/model reference?!
  for "if you got a straight line, that would be a good time," I think thats speaking of cocaine.
  & the "shoot me from my good side[bad side in other verse".
  &"necks are cracking sideways," meaning when people observe her from the runway theyre turning their heads?!
  when she sings that "gravity plays favorites" & about how "down at work she is getting to familiar with the floor, showing off your talents by the mouthful"
  I think it can either mean the gravity playing favorites has her out of work, so she is stuck doing "favors" to be hired, or, referencing bulimia, & showing how thin she can be.
  also the "cut a piece thats bitesize," because bulimics cut small pieces when eating so it is easier to throwup.
  ohkay that is all really, I really like the song, but I could be totally off with its meaning.
• Sam from Minneapolis, MnA friend once said that she thought the song was about a prostitute (Down at work i'm getting too familiar with the floor/Showing off my talentsby the mouthful), possibly drunk, who is pulled over and murders the officer (Necks are cracking sideways)(The sky is always falling down on me
  So officer forgive me please!). This interpretation fits the lyrics better than anything else I've heard.
  
• Alison from Austin, TxMaybe at that point she's reffering to how that relates to life and relationships. Sort of like, she gets pulled over by this cop, probably drunk, and when your drunk, you tend to be open with people. Maybe she's spilling her life and emotions to this cop who pulled her over, along wtih going through the whole drunk driving test. I hope that somehow might answere your question...not that its right but hey its something to fill the gap.
• Anastasia from Anaheim, Cawhoa. i totally didnt realize that it was about a car crash! it's now understandable why she says stuff like her flying. i get it now. craaazy. but, i don't understand the rest of the chorus'..like, when she says, 'i am on the thin side, you are on the fat side'...who is she talking to? stuff like that. i don' understand all the non car crash/drunkeness/officer parts.

More Songfacts:

Love Won't WaitGary Barlow

Madonna wrote a song called "Love Won't Wait" that she didn't want, but became a UK #1 hit for Gary Barlow.

We Belong TogetherMariah Carey

Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together" was the best-selling song of the 2000s in the US.

That Don't Impress Me MuchShania Twain

Brad Pitt and Elvis both get mentions in the 1997 Shania Twain hit "That Don't Impress Me Much."

The Kids Aren't AlrightFall Out Boy

Fall Out Boy's "The Kids Aren't Alright" song title is not a reference to The Offspring's 1998 single of the same name. It actually alludes to The Who's 1979 rockumentary film called The Kids Are Alright.

1901Phoenix

The Phoenix song "1901" is about Paris. Their lead singer Thomas Mars said: "Paris in 1901 was better than it is now. So the song is a fantasy about Paris."

What Made Milwaukee FamousRod Stewart

The very American song "What Made Milwaukee Famous" was never a big hit in the US, but Rod Stewart made it famous in the UK.

Editor's Picks

Rob Thomas of Matchbox TwentySongwriter Interviews

Rob Thomas on his Social Distance Sessions, co-starring with a camel, and his friendship with Carlos Santana.

Joe Elliott of Def LeppardSongwriter Interviews

The Def Leppard frontman talks about their "lamentable" hit he never thought of as a single, and why he's juiced by his Mott The Hoople cover band.

Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica)Songwriter Interviews

The former Metallica bassist talks about his first time writing a song with James Hetfield, and how a hand-me-down iPad has changed his songwriting.

Zac HansonSongwriter Interviews

Zac tells the story of Hanson's massive hit "MMMbop," and talks about how brotherly bonds effect their music.

Eric BurdonSongwriter Interviews

The renown rock singer talks about "The House of the Rising Sun" and "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood."

Michael Sweet of StryperSongwriter Interviews

Find out how God and glam metal go together from the Stryper frontman.