Although born in California, frontman Mark Eitzel spent his formative years in Great Britain and Ohio before returning to the Bay Area in 1980. After a brief stint with the punk band The Naked Skinnies he founded American Music Club in 1983 with guitarist Vudi, bassist Dan Pearson, keyboardist Brad Johnson, and drummer Matt Norelli. This lineup would change over the next several years but Eitzel always remained the core of the band in terms of its vocals, lyrics and thematic focus.
Their 1985 debut, The Restless Stranger, offers a rough outline of their increasingly eclectic sound and firmly established Eitzel's worldview, a harrowing vision of life as seen through the bottom of a shot glass. 1987's Engine honed the formula: the addition of producer Tom Mallon as a full-time member expanded the group's sonic palette.
American Music Club earned a solid cult following on the strength of 1988's California. Their next LP, 1989's United Kingdom, appeared only in the nation which lent the record its name and consisted of leftover material and live tracks.
In 1991 American Music Club emerged with the record that is widely considered their masterpiece, Everclear. Critical acclaim attracted the attention of several major labels. Eventually AMC -- now consisting of Eitzel, Vudi, Pearson, multi-instrumentalist Bruce Kaphan, and drummer Tim Mooney -- signed with Reprise in the U.S. and Virgin throughout the rest of the world.
1993's Mercury followed and, despite positive reviews, Mercury fared poorly on the charts and earned virtually no recognition from radio or MTV. In 1994, AMC issued San Francisco, an erratic collection which balanced confessional tunes like Fearless and The Thorn in My Side Is Gone alongside slick pop constructs. Like Mercury, the record found critical acclaim yet foundered commercially and American Music Club disbanded as result.
Eitzel eventually explored a solo career, and purchased a Pro-Tools set up to record solo material, some released through Reprise and other albums through Matador. Vudi joined Swans for their last album and farewell tour, documented on Swans are Dead (Black Disc)/Swans are Dead (White Disc).
In 2003, American Music Club reunited to record a new album, Love Songs For Patriots, which was described by reviewer Mark Deming as "a stronger and more coherent effort than the group's last set, 1994's San Francisco, and while it's too early to tell if this is a new start or a last hurrah for AMC, it at least shows that their formula still yields potent results. Here's hoping Eitzel and Vudi have more where this came from."
Ladies and Gentlemen
American Music Club Lyrics
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For all the good that's in you to shine
For all the lights to lose their shade
For all the hate that's in you to fade
Ladies and gentlemen it's time
For the maracas and the tambourines
To play them until they break or until day break
Ladies and gentlemen it's time
For you to flash like a dancer who aims to please
Time to unbutton every button of your embarrassment
Time to be warm in the dark don't let the dancer freeze
Ladies and gentlemen it's time
The bartender is looking you right in the eye
Says I'm going to replace all that weak blood with my wine
If you can't live with the truth go ahead try and live
With a lie
The lyrics of American Music Club's song Ladies and Gentlemen convey the message that it's time for people to let go of their inhibitions and fears, and allow themselves to be seen in all their authentic glory. The song is filled with a sense of urgency and encouragement to the listener to embrace who they are and not be afraid to shine. The opening lines of the song set the tone for the rest where the singer proclaims that it is time for all that is good in the listener to shine and for them to let go of their hate. This can be interpreted as a call for the listener to let go of any negative emotions that they may be holding onto, and focus on the positive aspects of themselves and others.
The song goes on to mention maracas and tambourines, which serve as symbols of celebration and festivity. The singer encourages the listener to play these instruments until dawn or until they break, indicating that it is time to celebrate life to the fullest without holding anything back. The next few lines talk about shedding one's inhibitions and not being afraid to show vulnerability. The singer notes that it's time to unbutton every button of embarrassment, and to be warm in the dark so that the dancer doesn't freeze. This is a metaphor for letting go of one's fears and putting oneself out there, even if it feels uncomfortable.
The final lines of the song talk about the importance of living in truth. The bartender in the song challenges the listener to replace their weak blood with his wine, which can be interpreted as a call to strengthen oneself and live an authentic life. The final line encourages the listener to embrace the truth, even if it may be uncomfortable, rather than living a lie. Overall, the song can be seen as an uplifting call to live life fully and authentically, without fear of judgment or rejection.
Line by Line Meaning
Ladies and gentlemen it's time
It's time for something important and exciting to happen
For all the good that's in you to shine
For you to show your best qualities to the world
For all the lights to lose their shade
For everything to become bright and vibrant
For all the hate that's in you to fade
For negative emotions to dissipate and make room for love and positivity
For the maracas and the tambourines
For lively and upbeat music to be played
To play them until they break or until day break
To keep playing music until it's time to stop, either because the instruments give out or because the sun rises
Don't hide anymore its time to be seen
It's time to stop being shy and to show yourself to the world
For you to flash like a dancer who aims to please
To be confident and captivating like a skilled dancer who wants to impress the audience
Time to unbutton every button of your embarrassment
Time to let go of your insecurities and be free
Time to be warm in the dark don't let the dancer freeze
To embrace the moment and not let fear or doubt hold you back
The bartender is looking you right in the eye
Someone is watching you closely and waiting for you to act
Says I'm going to replace all that weak blood with my wine
Encouraging you to drink and loosen up, to replace your uncertainty with confidence
If you can't live with the truth go ahead try and live with a lie
Be honest with yourself and others or suffer the consequences of lying to yourself and living a fake life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind