Bad Habit by The Dresden Dolls

Album: The Dresden Dolls (2004)

License This Song

lyrics

Songfacts®:

While the lyrics, if taken seriously, would make the song seem like it's about self mutilation and similar activities, it's actually inspired by lead singer Amanda Palmer's bad habit of nail biting. At one point on the Dresden Dolls website there was a letter from an irate mother scolding the songs' creation and how it encouraged young girls to attack their bodies. However, Amanda's response clarified what the song was really about. (Thanks, Ife - Toronto, OR. For more, check out our interview with Amanda Palmer.) >>>
Suggestion credit:
Ife - Toronto, OR. For more, check out our interview with Amanda Palmer.

Comments: 2

Cat from CtIt says biting in the first sentence its actually the first word. She makes tons of references to nail biting throughout the song. It could be taken as either. I thought of it as nail biting, to hold yourself back from the things everyone else is asking you to do. biting your nails is a start to self harm, because its a way to cope. and when trying to stop, they tend to do the other things instead. I think she was referencing a lot of things thought the song. Like how people were telling her to be happy. Like how if you just let your nails grow out you can paint them and they can look nice and you will feel better and feel happy. Honestly it gets annoying. My family does the same thing to me with my nails, everything. So I get everything she was saying. But I think the Be happy was a kick at men don't care about nails why should I? I wanna bite mine let me, its not bugging you. I also think it was touching on how other perceive your emotions your going though.
Josh from New York, BarbadosWhile the lyrics, if taken seriously, would make the song seem like it's about self mutilation and the like, it's actually inspired by lead singer Amanda Palmer's bad habit of nail biting. At one point on the Dresden Dolls website there was a letter from an irate mother scolding the songs' creation and how it encouraged young girls to attack their bodies. However, Amanda's response clarified what the song was really about. (thanks, Ife - Toronto, OR)

see more comments

More Songfacts:

Cotton Eye JoeRednex

"Cotton Eye Joe" is a folk song dating to the 1800s, but it became a hit when a Swedish act called Rednex did a psychokinetic version in 1994.

Thank YouDido

Eminem sampled Dido's "Thank You" for his song "Stan," and Dido appeared in his video as Stan's unfortunate wife.

I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)Jay-Z

"I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)" by Jay-Z borrows four bars from Notorious B.I.G's "The World Is Filled." Jay-Z and Biggie Smalls attended Westinghouse Career and Technical Education High School in Brooklyn, New York, at the same time.

Jessie's GirlRick Springfield

"Jessie's Girl" was the #1 song in America when MTV went on the air. They put it in hot rotation right away, making the song even more popular.

The Sound of SilenceSimon & Garfunkel

The first release of "The Sound Of Silence" was acoustic, and went nowhere. It became Simon & Garfunkel's first hit when a producer at their label overdubbed it with electric instruments.

VoodooGodsmack

The line, "I feel the snakebite enter my veins," led many to believe the Godsmack song "Voodoo" is about drugs, but it's really about Wiccan ritual, inspired in part by the Wes Craven movie The Serpent and the Rainbow.