# Coin-Operated Boy

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{{more citations needed|date=April 2015}}
{{Infobox song
| name       = Coin-Operated Boy
| cover      = coin_boy.jpg
| alt        =
| type       = single
| artist     = [The Dresden Dolls](/source/The_Dresden_Dolls)
| album      = [The Dresden Dolls](/source/The_Dresden_Dolls_(album))
| released   = December 13, 2004
| format     =
| recorded   =
| studio     =
| venue      =
| genre      = [Dark cabaret](/source/Dark_cabaret)
| length     = 4:46
| label      = [Roadrunner](/source/Roadrunner_Records)
| writer     = [Amanda Palmer](/source/Amanda_Palmer)
| producer   =
| prev_title = [Girl Anachronism](/source/Girl_Anachronism)
| prev_year  = 2003
| next_title = [Sing](/source/Sing_(The_Dresden_Dolls_song))
| next_year  = 2006
| misc       = {{External music video|{{YouTube|j4gPZPKJc0s|"Coin-Operated Boy"}}}}
}}

"'''Coin-Operated Boy'''" is a single by [The Dresden Dolls](/source/The_Dresden_Dolls) duo, taken from the self-titled debut album ''[The Dresden Dolls](/source/The_Dresden_Dolls_(album))''. It was produced by [Martin Bisi](/source/Martin_Bisi) and released on December 13, 2004, by [Roadrunner Records](/source/Roadrunner_Records). "Coin-Operated Boy" was written by [Amanda Palmer](/source/Amanda_Palmer). The song makes heavy use of [staccato](/source/staccato), and includes instruments such as a [toy piano](/source/toy_piano).

==Interpretation==
Palmer expounds on the many advantages of an artificial and subhuman partner, over real ones, in a tick-tock rhythm reminiscent of [automata](/source/automata) or [clockwork](/source/clockwork). The song has broad overtones of lonely narcissism, and a desire for intimate loyalty and affection without personal sacrifice or vulnerability.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dresdendolls.com/contact_theband.htm |title=Contact Booking |publisher=The Dresden Dolls |date=2006-01-15 |access-date=2012-01-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20090705133018/http://www.dresdendolls.com/contact_theband.htm |archive-date=2009-07-05 }}</ref> Caroline Bologna of ''[The Huffington Post](/source/The_Huffington_Post)'' writes that the song "suggests themes of masturbation as it explores the idea of the pleasure of love without the 'complications' of a real partner".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/22-sexy-songs-that-give-female-masturbation-the-love-it-deserves_us_55d767e6e4b08cd3359c009f|title=22 Sexy Songs That Give Female Masturbation The Love It Deserves|first=Caroline|last=Bologna|work=[The Huffington Post](/source/The_Huffington_Post)|date=August 27, 2015|access-date=October 13, 2016}}</ref>

==Legacy==
===Reception===
In [Australia](/source/Australia), the song was ranked #12 on [Triple J's Hottest 100 of 2004](/source/Triple_J_Hottest_100%2C_2004).
===In popular culture===
It has been parodied and used in advertisements and products.<ref>{{cite web|title=Beer-Activated Girl on MoronLife.com|url=http://www.moronlife.com/2005/07/beer-activated-girl/|author=Moron Life| author-link=Moron Life|access-date=2 March 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.darbo.at/en#/en/adv/television-commercials/50,fruchtikus-2007-kiss.html |title=Darbo Homepage: Description of commercial |work=Darbo.at |access-date=2012-01-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=GFDI Dave (The Ragesturbation Song) |url=https://genius.com/Broadway-karkat-gfdi-dave-lyrics |website=[Genius (company)](/source/Genius_(company))}}</ref> The song was featured in the third episode of the [DC Studios](/source/DC_Studios) animated series ''[Creature Commandos](/source/Creature_Commandos_(TV_series))'', titled "Cheers to the Tin Man".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/creature-commandos-soundtrack-songs/|work=[Screen Rant](/source/Screen_Rant)|title=Creature Commandos Soundtrack Guide: Every Song In James Gunn DC Universe TV Show|first1=Richard|last1=Craig|first2=Brandon|last2=Howard|accessdate=December 13, 2024}}</ref>

==Track listing==
;German CD single
#"Coin-Operated Boy" - 3:33
#"Coin-Operated Boy" (Live) - 5:44  (This is the same version as the one found on ''[A Is for Accident](/source/A_Is_for_Accident)''.)
#"Baby One More Time" (Live) - 3:20

It is in ''[The Dresden Dolls Companion](/source/The_Dresden_Dolls_Companion)''.

==Personnel==
*[Amanda Palmer](/source/Amanda_Palmer) - [piano](/source/piano), [vocals](/source/Singing), [lyricist](/source/lyricist), [composer](/source/composer), [songwriter](/source/songwriter)
*[Brian Viglione](/source/Brian_Viglione) - [drums](/source/Drum_kit), [guitar](/source/guitar)
*[Martin Bisi](/source/Martin_Bisi) - Memory Man
*[Michael Pope](/source/Michael_Pope_(filmmaker)) - [music video](/source/music_video) director

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080308195858/http://www.dresdendolls.com/downloads_n_lyrics/index.htm The Dresden Dolls official site] including lyrics and downloads
* [http://popecinema.com Music Video Director's site] including music video

{{The Dresden Dolls}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2004 singles
Category:The Dresden Dolls songs
Category:2003 songs
Category:Songs written by Amanda Palmer
Category:Roadrunner Records singles

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Coin-Operated Boy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coin-Operated_Boy) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coin-Operated_Boy?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.