Julia Marcell composed since she was 14 years old, and circa 2007 she learned how to play the piano. In 2007 she released her first album, the extended play Storm EP, which featured piano oriented compositions with string arrangements.
In October 2007, with the help of fans around the world, she obtained a sum of US$ 50,000 (through the website Sellaband) in order to record her first studio album. Titled It Might Like You, it was released in Germany in 2009, and was produced by Moses Schneider, who previously worked with such bands as Beatsteaks, Kreator and Tocotronic.
In 2008, Marcell sang a duet with Cuban American dark cabaret singer Voltaire, named "This Sea". The song appears on his album To the Bottom of the Sea. In this same album, Voltaire makes a cover of her song "Accordion Player".
Since 2010 Marcell is extensively touring Poland, Germany, Czech Republic, Finland, Japan and the U.S.A.
On September 30, 2011, she released a second studio album, entitled June, which brought a big change in style and saw Marcell playing with rhythm and expanding her sound with the addition of electronic instruments. June's first single, "Matrioszka", was released on August 7, 2011. The music video for "Matrioszka" was released on August 27, 2011. The second single for June, "CTRL", was released on November 30, 2011. The third single, "I Wanna Get on Fire", was released in June 20, 2012, alongside a music video. For June, Marcell was awarded with the prestigious Paszport Polityki prize in 2011, in the "Popular Music" category, and in 2012 she was nominated to seven Fryderyks, winning one of them.
In 2014, she would collaborate with Voltaire once more, providing additional vocals for the track "The Devil and Mr. Jones", off his album Raised by Bats.
Her third studio album, Sentiments, was released on October 6, 2014. On September 10, 2014, she released a music video for one of the tracks that would appear on the album, "Manners".
Band:
Mandy Ping-Pong - viola, vocals
Thomsen Slowey Merkel - bass
Sebastian Schmidt - drums
Thomas Fietz - drums
Manners
Julia Marcell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But Jesus guards my underwear
Gotta get to class on time
The teacher calls my name at nine
I find pop appropriate
But mom wants me to graduate
Gotta get me good job
Or a bank job
Gotta drop the kids off at school
Then empty the kiddie pool
They say I got manners
Everybody wants to have
Everybody
Everybody
Everybody hates to have
They say I got manners
Everybody wants to have
Everybody
Everybody
Everybody hates to have
Jelly Beans with Billie Jean
To celebrate my sweet sixteen
Talking 'bout the dress in pink
But really thinking about drinking
Stacked up high like tapes of porn
In our bunk beds in a dorm
They try to tell me 'bout the man upstairs
They whisper down the bunks
I whisper: Jesus only tells me
That he loves me when he's drunk
They say I got manners
Everybody wants to have
Everybody
Everybody
Everybody hates to have
They say I got manners
Everybody wants to have
Everybody
Everybody
Everybody hates to have
The song "Manners" by Julia Marcell is a satirical take on society's expectations of young adults. The first verse shows the contrast between wanting to share love with the world and the mundane tasks of getting to class on time and dealing with parents who prioritize education over personal happiness. The line "Jesus guards my underwear" indicates a level of control and surveillance, perhaps referencing religious or parental influence.
In the second verse, the lyrics take a darker turn, with the mention of jellybeans with Billie Jean (possibly a reference to the Michael Jackson song), underage drinking, and porn. The singer clearly feels confined by their surroundings and actively rebels against the imposed expectations. The line "Jesus only tells me that he loves me when he's drunk" is a clear critique of the religious beliefs that the singer has been brought up with.
The chorus, "They say I got manners, everybody wants to have, everybody, everybody, everybody hates to have," is a nod to societal expectations of behaving in a certain way, but also the resentment towards having to conform to these standards. The repeated phrase "everybody wants to have" emphasizes the pressure to conform while the following line "everybody hates to have" reflects the singer's desire to break free from these expectations.
Overall, "Manners" is a song about the struggle between societal norms and personal freedom, and the unease that comes with trying to navigate that balance.
Line by Line Meaning
I got all this love to share
I have so much love to offer to others
But Jesus guards my underwear
My religious beliefs and values guide my personal choices and behavior
Gotta get to class on time
I have to be punctual for my classes
The teacher calls my name at nine
I have to attend my classes and be present for roll call
I find pop appropriate
I enjoy listening to pop music
But mom wants me to graduate
My mother places high importance on my education and wants me to finish my studies
Gotta get me good job
I need to secure a stable and well-paying job for my future
Or a bank job
I might consider working in a banking industry for better career prospects
Or a bank to rob
This line could be interpreted as a sarcastic remark, implying that robbing a bank would be easier than getting a good job
Gotta drop the kids off at school
I have to take care of my children's education and bring them to school regularly
Then empty the kiddie pool
I have responsibilities that I need to fulfill at home, such as cleaning the kiddie pool
They say I got manners
People around me have commented on my good manners
Everybody wants to have
Everyone desires to possess good manners
Everybody
Referring to all individuals in general
Everybody
Referring to all individuals in general
Everybody hates to have
This line could be interpreted as a sarcastic remark, implying that not everyone is willing to put in the effort to cultivate good manners
Jelly Beans with Billie Jean
I enjoy spending time with my friends and celebrate special occasions, such as birthdays
To celebrate my sweet sixteen
I am referring to a traditional coming of age milestone in the US, when young people turn 16 years old
Talking 'bout the dress in pink
While discussing formal attire for the occasion, I am more interested in socializing and drinking
But really thinking about drinking
I am more focused on consuming alcohol and having fun than discussing trivial matters
Stacked up high like tapes of porn
This line could be interpreted in multiple ways - it could mean that my personal belongings are cluttered and disorganized, or that my peers and I engage in inappropriate activities together
In our bunk beds in a dorm
This line suggests that I might be living in shared accommodation with others
They try to tell me 'bout the man upstairs
Others are attempting to share their religious beliefs with me
They whisper down the bunks
Others are talking discreetly about religious matters within the shared living space
I whisper: Jesus only tells me
I am asserting that my personal connection with Jesus is unique and individualistic
That he loves me when he's drunk
This line could be interpreted as a sarcastic remark, implying that religious beliefs and practices are not always genuine and sincere
Contributed by Adrian K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tymoteusz Czerhoniak
Świetny kawałek, i fajnie zobaczyć coś profesjonalnego co miało miejsce w moich starych murach. :) pozdrawiam i powodzenia życzę.
Orł Bielik
Pierwszy raz spotykam w internetach drugiego Tymoteusza ;_;
Ł Pochron
Najlepszy kawałek Julii, strasznie chciałbym żeby rzucała dużo takich sztosów jak to =)
Adrian Tync
Przy takim poziomie utwór zasługuje nie na 500 tys., ale co najmniej 500 mln wyświetleń!
Sebastian Dąbrowski
zgadzam sie
D4rkRoxas96
Świetna piosenka i genialny teledysk.Aż się dziwię, ze wcześniej Julii nie słyszałem.
Beci86
The more I listen to it, the more I love it! Sounds like a crossover of No Doubt and St. Vincent ;)
Nedved
Julia dawaj nie przestawaj. Słucham tego w kółko i daje rade jak fiks!
KraljPolaSrca
Love the song! Been living in a Poland for a while now but nobody ever introduced me to her music, and I discover it by accident on last.fm, great voice, I love that she sings in English, sound is really contemporary. Reminds me a bit of st. Vincent, which of course is a compliment. Thumbs up for music like this!
Marek Ułan-Szymański
Propsuje świadomość ciała i ruch sceniczny pani Julii, poza utworem oczywiście.