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.
Secret Squirrel
Marcy Playground Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Sirens warn Tsunami
Secret's come to save us all
Sirens warn eminent doom
He can breathe in water yeah
And super tail can stop the danger
No one moves quite like you do
I just fly I come sailin' in
Like it's sunny skies
I know I'll always win
So I see you came secret squirrel's a shame
You will have to die
Final round
Doctor Doom here
Will he conquer the world?
Tune in next week and see
Secret squirrel save you and me
The lyrics to Marcy Playground's song Secret Squirrel seem to be about a heroic character called Secret Squirrel who comes to save the day when danger arises. The opening lines describe Secret Squirrel splashing into watery surroundings, while sirens warn of a coming tsunami and imminent doom. However, Secret possesses unique abilities that allow him to stop the danger and save everyone. He is capable of breathing underwater and has a tail that gives him superpowers.
The chorus of the song focuses on the mystery surrounding Secret Squirrel's exceptional abilities. He moves with unmatched speed and agility, and no one knows how he does it. Secret Squirrel speaks about his confidence in his abilities, and he knows he will always win his battles.
The song seems to draw inspiration from comic book heroes, especially in the final lines that mention Doctor Doom, a well-known character from the Marvel Universe. The lyrics suggest that Secret Squirrel is a hero who saves the world from impending doom, but his true identity is a secret that only a few people know.
Line by Line Meaning
Secret squirrel splashes in
The heroic Secret Squirrel arrives on the scene, making a dramatic entrance.
Sirens warn Tsunami
The emergency signals alert the community of a massive wave heading their way.
Secret's come to save us all
Secret Squirrel is here to rescue everyone from the impending disaster.
Sirens warn eminent doom
The alarms indicate that danger and destruction are imminent.
He can breathe in water yeah
Secret Squirrel possesses the remarkable ability to breathe underwater.
And super tail can stop the danger
Secret Squirrel's powerful tail is capable of stopping the impending danger.
No one moves quite like you do
No one possesses Secret Squirrel's unique combination of grace, speed and skill.
Secret how do you do it
The onlookers are amazed by Secret Squirrel's awe-inspiring abilities.
I just fly I come sailin' in
Secret Squirrel arrives on the scene with ease, effortlessly flying in.
Like it's sunny skies
Secret Squirrel makes the challenging rescue operation look easy, as if the conditions were sunny and clear.
I know I'll always win
Secret Squirrel is confident in their abilities and expects to succeed in their mission.
So I see you came secret squirrel's a shame
Secret Squirrel's opponent is disappointed to see them arrive and knows they will struggle to defeat them.
You will have to die
The opponent accepts the inevitable defeat and prepares for their demise.
Final round
The nail-biting final battle is about to commence.
Doctor Doom here
The villainous Doctor Doom is present.
Will he conquer the world?
Doctor Doom's objective is to achieve world domination.
Tune in next week and see
Stay tuned for next week's episode to find out the outcome of the epic battle.
Secret squirrel save you and me
Secret Squirrel successfully saves everyone from danger.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JOHN K. WOZNIAK
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind