The quartet recorded two albums together: Let's Cut the Crap & Hook Up Later On Tonight, released on Black Dog Records in 1998, and Kids in Philly, released on Steve Earle's now-defunct E-Squared Records in 2000. Both critically acclaimed CD's were recorded and produced by the band and recording engineer Paul Smith above an auto repair garage in south Philadelphia.
Metz and Vance left the band in 2000, and were replaced by Mick Bader on drums and Joe Hooven on bass. Augmented by Mike "Slo-Mo" Brenner on lap steel, this version of the group toured extensively to support Kids in Philly. Marah performed the song, "Point Breeze" from Kids in Philly on The Late Show with Conan O'Brien in 2000. Bader and Hooven left Marah in 2001 and were replaced by Jon Kois (drums) and Jamie Mahon (bass) of Philadelphia psychedelic rock band The Three For Tens.
The Bielankos, with Kois and Mahon, left for Wales in late 2001 to record their third CD, Float Away with the Friday Night Gods with former Oasis producer Owen Morris. It was released on Artemis Records in 2002.
In 2003, Marah returned to the auto garage and recorded their fourth record, 20,000 Streets Under the Sky. The CD was released on Yep Rock records in 2004. The band toured this album with John Wurster (of Indie Rock-stalwarts Superchunk) on drums, Mike Brenner on lap steel, and Kirk Henderson on bass and keyboards.
In 2005, the band entered The Magic Shop recording studio in New York City to record their fifth album with the help of Henderson and two new members, Adam Garbinski and Dave Peterson. The result, If You Didn't Laugh, You'd Cry (IYDLYC), was hailed by critics as a return to form for the band.
The release of IYDLYC was complemented by the recording and release of a Christmas album, A Christmas Kind of Town, on October 18, 2005. The band, solidified as a three-guitar quintet, embarked on a year-long tour of the US and Europe to support the two albums. Highlights of the tour included Serge Bielanko's intense renditions of "Dishwasher's Dream" off of IYDLYC, as well as occasional performances of "Reservation Girl," an original song that has never been officially released by the band.
Dave Bielanko, Serge Bielanko, and Adam Garbinski at ACL 2006.The band played at the Bonnaroo Music Festival on June 16, 2006, which was highlighted by a rousing introduction by St. Louis scenester/character Beatle Bob and a cover of The Who's "Baba O'Riley." Marah later played the Austin City Limits Music Festival on September 15th, 2006, featuring a spirited performance from the band with Dave and Serge Bielanko jumping over the crowd barriers into the audience. The audio of this performance was released on iTunes on November 7th, 2006.
On September 21, 2006, the band's website announced the release of a live DVD of the IYDLYC tour, entitled Sooner or Later in Spain. The DVD, which was originally recorded and released as a fan bootleg, was released on November 17th, 2006.
Marah, with Christine Smith now a full time member, entered Nashville's 16 Ton Recording Studios in August 2006 to record songs for a new record. In April 2007, the group recorded and mixed additional songs at Brooklyn, New York's Excello Recording. In June, Marah announced that the new record, Angels of Destruction, would be released on January 8, 2008 and previewed the album at a concert/listening party in Philadelphia on September 8th, 2007. Angels of Destruction was preceded by a 6-song 10" EP entitled Can't Take It With You which was released in October 2007. A Christmas EP called Counting the Days was released in November 2007.
The new album was released in early January 2008 to widespread acclaim. Almost immediately afterwards, however, plans for an extensive US tour were cancelled following the departure of Garbinski, Peterson, and Henderson. A statement from Dave Bielenko stated that the current line-up could not agree on tour plans, and that to acquiesce to rhythm section would have represented a "musical regression." Bassist Johnny Pisano and drummer Joe Gorelick were hired as replacements, and in late February the band embarked on a European tour to promote the album.
In August 2008, Dave Bielanko, Smith and Pisano started recording new material at 16 Ton Studios in Nashville. Bielanko has stated his intentions of recording "a lilting beautiful folky record of acoustic guitars, tack pianos, and the stand-up bass".
Freedom Park
Marah Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
$5 baggies on the ground
And the evening sky rising high above
This forgotten place we found
Sirens wail back in the canyons
We fled here to escape
And I hold your hand and feel you shiver
As the winter swirls around your face
On this January Sunday
We watch the airplanes fly away
As they rise up from the airport
Above the Meadowlands Highway
See their reflections in the river
Sliding by us cool and dark
Like tiny silver fish
They ride the current wish
Away from Freedom Park
CHORUS
Someday someday
We're gonna look down
Upon this strip of cold concrete
And remember, remember, remember the sound
Of broken bottles beneath our feet
As we crash through heaven's tollbooth
In our fleeting getaway car
And pick apart this town
Until we're looking down into this Freedom Park
We share a Milky Way in quiet
As we walk out past the spot
Where there used to be a swing set
Where a little girl got shot
I know you're thinkin about your brother, Richard, too
I wish we could bring him back
As the wind toots on a liquor bottle
Inside a paper sack
"Now put your gloves on girl," you hear me say
My arm slippin around your waist
"Its cold as hell" I hear me say
As the dusk becomes this place
Then we're listenin' to a fading jet
Slip up into the dark
And without a word we turn around
And walk outta Freedom Park
CHORUS
Marah's song Freedom Park paints a vivid picture of an abandoned and forsaken park in New Jersey where broken bottles and $5 baggies are scattered on the cold concrete. The song is about two people who have fled to the park to escape from the sirens wailing back in the canyons. As they walk around the park, they share a Milky Way and reminisce on a time when there used to be a swing set where a little girl got shot. The singer wishes they could bring back the memories of the past, just like they wish they could bring back their deceased brother.
As winter swirls around their faces, the two people watch as the airplanes rise up from the airport above the Meadowlands highway. They see their reflections in the river sliding by them, cool and dark like tiny silver fish, riding the current away from Freedom Park. The lyrics of the song evoke feelings of nostalgia, loss, and longing. The singer dreams of a day when they will look down upon the same strip of cold concrete and remember the sound of broken bottles beneath their feet.
Freedom Park is a poignant and introspective song that captures the essence of loss and the uncertainty of the future. The lyrics are raw and emotional, leaving a profound impact on the listener.
Line by Line Meaning
Broken bottles, broken glass
The place is littered with broken bottles, and the ground is filled with shattered glass.
$5 baggies on the ground
Small plastic bags, likely containing drugs, are scattered on the ground and can be purchased for $5.
And the evening sky rising high above
The sky is getting darker as the evening progresses.
This forgotten place we found
The place is abandoned and forgotten by others, but has become a refuge for the singer and their companion.
Sirens wail back in the canyons
Police sirens can be heard in the distance, echoing through the canyons.
We fled here to escape
The singer and their companion came here to escape and hide from something or someone.
And I hold your hand and feel you shiver
The singer is holding their companion's hand and they can feel them shivering in the cold.
As the winter swirls around your face
The cold wind is swirling around their faces, causing them to feel even colder.
On this January Sunday
The events are happening on a cold Sunday in January.
We watch the airplanes fly away
They're watching the airplanes take off and fly away in the distance.
As they rise up from the airport
The airplanes are rising up from the nearby airport.
Above the Meadowlands Highway
The airplanes are flying above the nearby Meadowlands Highway.
See their reflections in the river
The airplanes' reflections can be seen on the surface of the nearby river.
Sliding by us cool and dark
The reflections of the airplanes appear dark and cool as they slide by them on the water.
Like tiny silver fish
The reflections of the airplanes in the river look like small silver fish moving through the water.
They ride the current wish
The airplane reflections 'ride' the current of the river as they move downstream.
Away from Freedom Park
The airplanes and their reflections are moving away from Freedom Park.
Someday someday
The singer dreams of a future day when things will be different.
We're gonna look down
They will be above the park, looking down on it from above.
Upon this strip of cold concrete
The park is made of cold concrete, which is visible from above.
And remember, remember, remember the sound
They will remember the sound of broken bottles under their feet as they walked through the park.
Of broken bottles beneath our feet
They remember the sound the broken bottles made as they walked through the park.
As we crash through heaven's tollbooth
They will go on a wild and reckless journey, breaking through the metaphorical 'tollbooth' that separates them from their desired destination.
In our fleeting getaway car
They will speed away from their current situation in a car, trying to escape and leave their problems behind.
And pick apart this town
They will explore the town, searching for new places and experiences, possibly causing trouble along the way.
Until we're looking down into this Freedom Park
They will end up back at the park, but this time they will be looking down on it from above.
We share a Milky Way in quiet
The singer and their companion share a candy bar and a moment of peace and quiet together.
As we walk out past the spot
As they leave the park and walk away, they pass by a certain spot.
Where there used to be a swing set
There used to be a swing set in this spot in the past.
Where a little girl got shot
Unfortunately, a little girl was shot and killed in this same spot.
I know you're thinkin about your brother, Richard, too
The singer's companion is also thinking about their deceased brother, Richard.
I wish we could bring him back
The singer wishes they could magically bring Richard back to life.
As the wind toots on a liquor bottle
The wind causes a liquor bottle to produce a 'tooting' noise.
Inside a paper sack
The liquor bottle is inside a paper bag.
"Now put your gloves on girl," you hear me say
The singer tells their companion to put on their gloves to protect their hands from the cold.
My arm slippin around your waist
The singer puts their arm around their companion's waist for comfort and warmth.
"Its cold as hell" I hear me say
The singer acknowledges how cold it is outside.
As the dusk becomes this place
The park begins to fade into darkness as dusk approaches.
Then we're listenin' to a fading jet
They listen to the sound of a airplane flying away that is gradually getting quieter and disappearing into the night.
Slip up into the dark
The airplane slips up into the darkness and disappears from sight.
And without a word we turn around
The singer and their companion silently turn around and begin to walk away from Freedom Park.
And walk outta Freedom Park
They leave Freedom Park behind and walk away from it.
Contributed by Bentley F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.