Their debut album, The Dust of Retreat came out in 2006. At this time, the band was signed to Artemis Records and had 8 members. In 2008 the band signed to Epic Records and (on 7 October) released two new albums, Animal! and Not Animal. The band originally planned to just release "Animal!". However, Epic disagreed on their song choice, and compiled a different list, which would later become "Not Animal". Eventually, after dispute over which version would be released, it was decided to release both at the same time.
In August 2009, 5 of the band's members left. They are all involved in other projects, most notably Pravada.
While the band, and Richard specifically have given many explanations to the band's name; this is all in fun. As the name was created as an anti-name; not meant to have any real meaning, just to make fun of other ridiculous names. The name "Margot" comes from Gweneth Paltrow's character in Wes Anderson's "The Royal Tenenbaums".
The band's sound, categorized as "chamber pop", has been compared to the indie rock groups Arcade Fire, The Decemberists, and The Shins, while incorporating elements of singer/songwriters like Paul Simon and Conor Oberst.
Current Members are:
Richard Edwards - lead vocals, guitar, bells, melodica, banjo
Ronnie Kwasman - lead guitar
Tyler Watkins - bass guitar
Brian Deck - drums
Eric Kang - guitar
Cameron McGill
Former Members include:
Emily Watkins - keys, backup vocals
Andy Fry - guitar, bass, lap steel, percussion
Jesse Lee - cello
Casey Tennis - percussion
Chris Fry - drums, percussion
Love Song for a Schuba's Bartender
Margot & the Nuclear So and So's Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
you're so pretty, people envy you.
Can you tie a tie?
You're the reason children turn to dope.
pour my drink so we can have ourselves a good time.
you're the reason people lose their minds
and they're all around you but you don't know what you've done
The opening line of "hang that wreath. so I can have a happy new year" may seem like a simple holiday reference, but it actually goes deeper. The wreath symbolizes a fresh start, a clean slate for the new year, and the singer wants to hang it to start anew. Moving on to the next line, "you're so pretty, people envy you," the singer seems to be addressing the bartender directly, possibly complementing their looks, but also highlighting the fact that beauty often comes with a price. People may envy the bartender for their looks, but they don't know what else the bartender could be struggling with.
The next line, "Can you tie a tie?" is an interesting one, as it could be interpreted in a few different ways. It could be a genuine question, as the singer needs their tie tied, or it could be a metaphor for needing someone to help you get dressed for success. Moving on to the final lines of the verse, the lyrics take a darker turn. The singer suggests that the bartender is the reason children turn to dope, and people lose their minds. It's unclear whether the bartender is directly involved in these issues, or if they simply represent the societal pressures and influences that lead people down those paths.
Line by Line Meaning
hang that wreath. so I can have a happy new year.
I want to decorate for the new year and hang a wreath, so that I can have a happy year ahead.
you're so pretty, people envy you.
You are beautiful in a way that makes others jealous and envious.
Can you tie a tie?
Can you help me with a simple task?
You're the reason children turn to dope.
Your actions or behavior might lead some children to take drugs as a way to cope with life.
pour my drink so we can have ourselves a good time.
Serve me a drink so that we can have a good time together.
you're the reason people lose their minds
Your behavior or actions may drive people crazy or irrational.
and they're all around you but you don't know what you've done
People are affected by your behavior or actions, but you are oblivious to the impact you have on them.
Contributed by Bentley P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.