The band formed in Minneapolis in 2006, growing out of singer/guitarist Jason Edmonds' home-recording project as he tapped singer/guitarist Jeremiah Doering, bassist Paul Fuglestad, drummer Brendan McInerney, and Kait Sergenian. Magic Castles played their first show at a friend's birthday party later that year, began recording their first record the following summer, and by June 2008 offered their self-released debut, The Lore of Mysticore. By then, the group had added keyboardist/singer Noah Skogerboe to further flesh out their sound, and Matt Van Genderen had replaced McInerney on the drums. This new incarnation pulled double duty in 2009, offering sophomore album Dreams of Dreams plus a limited-edition cassette, Sounds of the Forest.
Magic Castles got their biggest break in fall 2010, when their song "Ballad of the Golden Bird" landed on Anton Newcombe's radar and inspired the Brian Jonestown Massacre bandleader to release their next album on his A Recordings label. The result was a self-titled release mostly culled from Magic Castles' previous works; serving as an expanded introduction to the band and a re-release of fan favorites now out of print, it arrived in March 2012. A proper third studio LP, Sky Sounds, arrived in late 2014; it was followed by Starflower in 2015. The record featured Edmonds handling most of the musical chores with help from guitarist Doering, drummer Scott Weller, and vocalist Emily Utne.
Soon after the album's release. Edmonds put the band into semi-retirement as he struggled with keeping a stable lineup and focused more on his family. He continued to work on music in his home studio, though, until a major car accident resulted in life-threatening injuries. As he recovered, he continued to work on the tracks that were already started, and in early 2020 the sixth Magic Castles album was completed. Featuring guitar work from Doering and a cover of Danny & the Counts' moody garage ballad "Ode to the Wind," Sun Reign was issued by A Recordings in May 2021.
Big Sur
Magic Castles Lyrics
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I'm ready for real good fun
I got real good buzz
and my mind is just fine
beach blanket baby
in my arms tonight
all I got is endless time
like the stars up in the sky
Good fun, hot sun
Big Sur, big fun
Good fun, hot sun
Big Sur, big fun
Go down to the beach tonight
bonfire is burning bright
we'll watch the sparks twirl
up into the night
up on the wind, ever so high
creating wild patterns crazy
like the stars in the sky
Good fun, hot sun
Big Sur, big fun
Good fun, hot sun
Big Sur, big fun
Good fun, hot sun
Big Sur big fun
Big Sur hot sun
Big Sur big fun
Big Sur big fun
Come watch the waves break on the beach at night
hear that sound all thru the starry night
we'll ride our bikes down to the bay alright
all we got is our memories like the stars up in the sky
The lyrics to Magic Castles' song Big Sur seem to be an ode to the carefree and blissful feeling of spending time at the beach town of Big Sur. The opening lines "school daze is done, I'm ready for real good fun" set the tone for a fun and relaxing time away from routine and responsibilities. The lyric "beach blanket baby in my arms tonight" suggests a romantic element to the song and the possibility of spending quality time with a significant other. The song's chorus "good fun, hot sun, Big Sur, big fun" succinctly captures the essence of the experience of enjoying the sun, sand, and good times in Big Sur.
The second verse continues in this vein, describing a bonfire on the beach and observing the sparks dance into the night sky. The image of the sparks creating "wild patterns crazy, like the stars in the sky" is a literal and figurative connection to the song's repeated comparison of the beach experience to the vastness and beauty of the night sky. The final verse invites the listener to "watch the waves break on the beach at night" and reminds us that our memories, just like the stars in the sky, are the only lasting thing we can take away from the experience.
Overall, Magic Castles' Big Sur conjures images of carefree summer nights and the joy of being in the moment, surrounded by beauty and good company.
Line by Line Meaning
School daze is done
I have finished my education for the day
I'm ready for real good fun
I am prepared to have fun
I got real good buzz
I feel a strong sense of enjoyment
and my mind is just fine
I am in a good mental state to enjoy myself
beach blanket baby
Someone I am close to, on a blanket at the beach
in my arms tonight
I am holding them close tonight
all I got is endless time
I have plenty of time to spend as I please
like the stars up in the sky
Endless and vast
Good fun, hot sun
The climate is perfect for fun
Big Sur, big fun
Big Sur offers a great time
Go down to the beach tonight
Let's go to the beach at night
bonfire is burning bright
The bonfire is a bright, lively spectacle
we'll watch the sparks twirl
We will witness the sparks dance
up into the night
And disappear into the dark sky
up on the wind, ever so high
Up in the sky with the wind blowing them
creating wild patterns crazy
They make unpredictable shapes
like the stars in the sky
Ethereal and magical
Come watch the waves break on the beach at night
Observe the waves crashing into the shore at night
hear that sound all thru the starry night
We will listen to the sound effects of the ocean at night
we'll ride our bikes down to the bay alright
We will journey down to the bay via bike
all we got is our memories like the stars up in the sky
Our memories are everlasting and immeasurable, just like the stars
Contributed by Wyatt V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ry4nch
on Silent
Every day I call you to see
Now you lie there, nowhere, silently
What a shame to see
Where you been
I’d never regret
Lovely, that one, who will ever know
Silent, you’ll face your friends mutually
What a shame to see
To love is free
Cannot free the guilt
We lay silent
No one at all
Nobody answers
What a foolish game
Ah, ah
You think you’re awoken
Until you’re low
Can’t fully love him
With no fear, no place, nowhere, no place left to go
Ah, ah