In 1996, after attending the Evergreen State College for two years, Wozniak moved east to New York, where Marcy Playground began to coalesce around the songs that would become the self-titled album. Bassist Dylan Keefe and drummer Dan Rieser filled out the band's sound, and complemented Wozniak's songwriting. The self-titled album was released in 1997, and Marcy Playground emerged into the mainstream with the success of the single "Sex and Candy." Marcy Playground is quiet and minimalist in tone. Wozniak's songs run in many different styles: some are modern folk music; many have undertones reminiscent of children's songs; the blurred sound of psychedelia makes appearances; and then there are the songs with a clear rock sound. The only band member who contributed to all of the album was Wozniak himself; several others filled in for Rieser and Keefe on some of the songs, notably Jared Kotler (bass and drums).
Marcy Playground's next outing was 1999's Shapeshifter, not as much of a success commercially as the self-titled album.
A minor controversy came to light when Paul Leary of the Butthole Surfers revealed on Marcy Playground's website forum that the cover art for Shapeshifter had originally been conceptualized and commissioned by Leary for his band's aborted After the Astronaut album. He admitted to being a fan of Marcy Playground, but accused the band of an apparent lack of imagination and originality. Leary's outrage was eased once he learned that Capitol Records, former home of the Butthole Surfers and then-current home of Marcy Playground, had pitched the artwork to Wozniak as original work from their own art department and that Marcy Playground had no knowledge of the work's origins. Upon learning the truth, Wozniak proclaimed that he was "honored" to have an album cover designed by Paul Leary. There were apparently no bad feelings between the bands once the controversy had been cleared up.
After Shapeshifter, drummer Dan Rieser left the band to pursue other interests. The position was eventually filled on his recommendation by Gonzalo Martinez De La Cotera, a friend whose previous band Lincoln had opened for Marcy Playground.
After a considerable hiatus and at least one failed attempt to record a follow-up to Shapeshifter, Marcy Playground's third album, MP3, was finally released in 2004 with even less commercial success than the two preceding albums.
Marcy Playground did little if any touring in support of MP3. Despite releasing many singles, the band never matched the success of their single "Sex and Candy".
As of July 12'th 2008, John Wozniak posted a blog on MySpace stating his unreleased solo effort is now officially going to be a Marcy Playground record and is going to be released within the next few months along with a separate "Rarities and B-Sides" album. They are still performing live although to their many fans dismay, venues are sporadic. Meanwhile, Keefe has held the job of WNYC radio program On the Media's technical director, a position he left in December 2007.
Bye Bye
Marcy Playground Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's nobody on it but me
Everyone's cryin they're caught up in games
Me I'm as happy as I've ever been
So, bye bye my big blue marble
Bye bye my spatial spectral
Bye bye all buddhi sahdfah'd
Red velvet animals swim in black tea
There's nobody up here but me
And every mistake I make comes back to haunt me
Still I'm as happy as I've ever been
So bye bye my big blue marble
Bye bye my spatial spectral
Bye bye all buddhi sahdfah'd
Bye bye
Bye bye my big blue marble
Bye bye my spatial spectral
Bye bye all buddhi sahdfah'd
Bye bye
Bye bye my big blue marble
Bye bye my spatial spectral
Bye bye all buddhi sahdfah'd
In the first verse of Marcy Playground's song Bye Bye, the singer describes a red velvet loveseat from olden times that nobody is sitting on but him. He contrasts this with "everyone" who is caught up in games and crying - indicating a sense of detachment from the world around him. Despite this, the singer says that he is as happy as he's ever been, suggesting that he has found contentment in his isolation.
The second verse adds to the surreal and dreamlike quality of the song, with "red velvet animals" swimming in black tea. The singer notes that he is alone again, and that every mistake he makes comes back to haunt him, which could be interpreted as a reference to regrets or memories that he can't escape. Nevertheless, he reiterates his happiness and bids farewell to his world and everything in it - the "big blue marble," the "spatial spectral," and "buddhi sahdfah'd." The repetition of this farewell underscores the sense of finality and completion that the singer is striving for.
Overall, the song seems to be about finding contentment in solitude, and the idea of leaving behind everything that ties you down or haunts you. The surreal imagery of red velvet loveseats and animals, as well as the repeated farewell to everything in the world, give the song a dreamlike quality that reinforces the idea of escape and detachment.
Line by Line Meaning
Red velvet loveseat from olden times
I am sitting alone on an antique red velvet loveseat
There's nobody on it but me
I am the only one present here
Everyone's cryin they're caught up in games
People around me are busy playing games and crying over it
Me I'm as happy as I've ever been
I am content with being by myself and do not crave any social interaction
So, bye bye my big blue marble
I am bidding farewell to the world
Bye bye my spatial spectral
I am departing from the physical constraints of reality
Bye bye all buddhi sahdfah'd
I am letting go of all my emotional attachments
Red velvet animals swim in black tea
I am imagining animals made of red velvet swimming in my cup of tea
There's nobody up here but me
I feel alone in my own thoughts
And every mistake I make comes back to haunt me
I am tormented by the consequences of my past mistakes
Still I'm as happy as I've ever been
Despite these struggles, I find solace and am happier than ever before
Bye bye my big blue marble
I am restating my final farewell to the world
Bye bye my spatial spectral
Once again, I am leaving behind physical existence
Bye bye all buddhi sahdfah'd
I am saying goodbye to all emotional attachments one last time
Bye bye my big blue marble
This is my final goodbye to the world and its inhabitants
Bye bye my spatial spectral
I am departing from the realm of tangible existence
Bye bye all buddhi sahdfah'd
I am at peace as I let go of my emotional attachments
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN K. WOZNIAK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind