John Lee (vocals, guitar, bass, drums)
Andrew Ure … Read Full Bio ↴New York, New York
John Lee (vocals, guitar, bass, drums)
Andrew Ure (vocals, guitar, bass, drums)
Chris Anderson (vocals, guitar, bass, drums)
This is truly one of the most unique Bands I had ever come across. while shopping in the midst of CD Cut-Out Bins, and I am a proud owner of this CD by Muckafurgason called 'Tossing A Friend'. If you do not own it, then you need to, especially, when every Song on it is of a different Musical Genre. Muckafurgason touches base with Country, Jazz, Ska, Hip-Hop, Punk, Alternative, Indie, Metal, as a matter of fact, I do not believe any Music Genre is left untouched by these very clever Guys, known as Muckafurgason. They might sound like a bunch of jokers, but they do possess a great talent, Musically and Lyrically. I have the Album and like I said, it is one of the most unique Cut-Out Bin finds, I have ever taken a chance on buying. I am currently listening to it now. My Girlfriend took an instant liking to it, when I first played it for her.
Updated information about Muckafurgasun:
Album Reviews:
The Pink Album:
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01. Mucker Ferguson
02. Dictionary
03. Liar
04. MC Speller
05. Part-Time Rockstar
06. "I Wanna Get..." K.C.
07. Rock Spaceship
08. Why Don't You Get Married?
09. Janeane
10. Subtle Spy
11. Will You Go With Me?
12. Alone
13. Killing Flies
14. Robert Wilson
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Muckafurgason plays everything from rap ("MC Speller") to pop ("Dictionary") to rock ("Part-Time Rock Star") to punk ("Liar")...and that's just the first four songs on their second full-length The Pink Album. Produced by John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants, the album is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to anything and everything, leaving no era of the radio untouched. All of the Mucka boys sing sometimes solo, in harmony, you name it and they literally rotate instruments like musical chairs. Are they confused, lacking direction or suffering from multiple personality disorder? None of the above. These cynical savants fear no style or instrument, exploring more musical territory in a single album than most bands do in a lifetime. "We're bi-curious when it comes to genres, we dabble in everything" said Jon Lee (also co-creator of tv series Delocated, Xavier: Renegade Angel and Wonder Showzen) when asked about the band's modus operandi. And as for their inspiration, Jon adds "We're inspired by our mothers. Thanks, Moms." Whether they¹re panning a genre or astutely emulating its style, you¹ll be impressed by Muckafurgason's uncanny ability to pull it off with flair and finesse. So loosen your tie, prepare a grin and enjoy this quirky, smart and sarcastic journey through Genreville. (DER-502)
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Reviews
"A grab bag of musical surprises, Muckafurgason give brand new meaning to the term 'genre skipping' by playing rap, rock, pop and punk all within the first half of 'The Pink Album'. Not only do they play various forms of music here, but the band take turns singing - either solo or in unison - and alternate instruments from track to track, proving that they are not only fearless of genres but also different instruments as well. A comical disc with tongue in cheek references to just about everything related to pop culture, this is first and foremost fun music despite the cynical wordplay and despair related topics. Quirky, original and all played with seemingly reckless abandon, it's pretty clear these guys are talented musicians in their own right, even with their parodies and unusual sense of humor that tends to be the focus here. The big difference here between this and the standard spoof disc is this one is the sort you'll listen to repeatedly. Entertaining, hilarious and so unpredictable, this is the sort of music that will make you laugh out loud but remain planted in your mind from the sheer catchiness of it." - go211
"Deep Elm Records has an insanely diverse catalog. From political punkers like Latterman to chameleon sound shifters like The Appleseed Cast, they've pulled bands from all corners of the musical landscape onto their label. Muckafurgason fills the satirical slot with their newest, The Pink Album. And they're not shy of their humor-based pop: track two 'Dictionary' is about ‹ you guessed it ‹ dictionaries, and explains, 'It's a book about words and their derivations!' Muckafurgason have proved themselves champions of the funny song. They're genre-hoppers without shame, picking and choosing a riff, melody, or trend as they see fit: a punched up romp through the definitions of definition, to a slow, moody, British-accented walk through the life of a 'Part-Time Rockstar,' each one has its place amongst the chuckles. What is most impressive is not their ability to write funny songs, but how effortlessly they shift into any genre they choose. Switching immediately from a raucous 'I wanna getŠKC' to a '60s slow burner in 'Why Don't You Get Married,' the prowess with which Muckafurgason can wear any musical mask is almost bewildering in consideration of the talentless pop machine that churns out an 'new artist' every few months. Each song comes at you with the earnestness of a parody, but not a single one actually is. And that is proficient song craft." - Verbicide
"Sometimes, musicians take themselves and their music far too seriously. This is not the case with Muckafurgason. But the band isn't just having fun on their own account they take no prisoners. Every genre, from rap to pop, is spoofed on The Pink Album, with hilariously uncanny accuracy. If you need a laugh, then you need Muckafurgason, it's that simple." - Bloginity
"This trio of gifted, offbeat and ambitious musicians (they are all singers and multi-instrumentalists) visit every facet of rock to pop-rock to punk to psychedelic to rap ('MC Spella') with a sprinkling of British humor. The first notes of 'Dictionary' have the spirit of The Beatles and hilarious lyrics to match (I was out with my friend / he called me a name that I've never heard / was it good was it bad I knew that I had to find that word / so I looked it up in the dictionary cause I could not comprehend / in a book full of explanation of words I found you're not my friend). The group also masters rhythmic punk on tracks like 'Liar' or 'I want to get...KC' and excellent lyrics cliches ('I want to get fucked up / drive my pickup truck / throw empty beers at sluts '). But it would be too easy for the group to stop there.They explore psychedelic rock with songs like 'Rock Spaceship' and 'Robert Wilson'. These three troublemakers have equally mastered jazz arrangements and lay down two titles including the near-instrumental 'Subtle Spy' and the touching 'Will you go with me?' But where Muckafurgason is the best is probably in the pop-rock songs. 'Part-time rockstar' is a melancholic pop-rock gem by its story that can raise a smile or cry (reminding us of the brilliant writing talent of the trio), 'Why don't you get married?' has the best vocal performance with that sweet voice. 'Killing flies', besides its crazy lyrics, is a gem of a ballad with acoustic bass, guitar and proves a violin at how music can transport us without overdoing it. The Pink Album succeeds based on its nostalgia alone." - AlternativNews
"Muckafurgason's Pink Album is jokey, and relies too much on criminally attractive hooks. Yet I still find myself listening! While one part of me hoped for something a bit less goofy, the other part of me was happy to hear that nothing had changed. This does wonders for my constitution." - Aiding & Abetting
"Taking the literal words of TV character Steve Harvey when introducing the band to a ginormous audience on an American show, and manipulating them in the awakening of this album, is nothing inconceivable for leisurely rockers Muckafurguson. The comedy three piece's latest working's, The Pink Album, is a maniacally farcical journey through a measureless amount of musical genres. Right from the first formal song Dictionary, Muckafurguson commingle us by how serious they surface even when basically vocalizing about a list of English words. If you accessed the music before the lyrics, you would never conjecture that the topic would be so jocular. Disbursing unorthodox sounds using an extensity of instrumental backdrops, whilst still making it sound respectable is a deftness our client has. Part Time Rock Star capsulates a gelatinous touch of synthetic, electronic production onto a mouth-wateringly shimmering guitar sound, a sound that is seldom epitomized in any form elsewhere on the production. It soon becomes ostensibly rejuvenating to hear one band fracture out of that form of plastering to one genre that the fashion side of music vivified. Third track Liar has that dual vocal, System of a Down-esque lyrical incursion made inevasible by a detraining, troublingly triturating riff. Speaking of instrumental puissance and edge, the clinquant broken chord sequence of Janeane overwhelmingly adds to the quirkiness of the songs topic itself. Although consisting of just three members, not one palpable sell-out on groove, feel or emotion in the music is distinguishable. Each time the album seems to take a deviation towards a more deadpan and intrepid attitude, the audience are subdued back into the trickiness of the humour. Will you go with me? has that voluminous introduction, professedly an emblematic love song, which then turns into a comedic ballad of over fabricated conveyances of young love. Closing the record is three songs that are ravishing. Out of this neat trio, Alone has that adrenaline nourished; duel vocal expertism recidivated over a yearningly distorted guitar. Think of grunge greats Nirvana, but yet again, not quite so tenebrous. With the talent to actually sound like a serious band, if Muckafurguson debilitated laughable implementations of their art they could appeal to a mainstream and broader audience. However, for those that like The Pink Album as it is, Muckafurguson can do absolutely no amiss. A comedy show equivalent on a CD and something to keep close by." - Alt Sounds
"Cynical savants, they chronicle their despair with a sense of humor that¹s more than a match for their sense of melody. Perfect pop songs for all those indie broken hearts out there." NY Press
"The Benny Hill of rock..." Salt For Slugs
"Priceless." Magnet
Tossing A Friend:
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01. Consuela
02. Spanish Fly
03. Go Teens
04. Crying
05. Nightdriver
06. Bad Ass Fucker
07. Sweetie Pie
08. Lunch
09. Atari
10. Sounds Of Love
11. Punk Rock
12. Sweethearts
13. Forsyth Street
14. Wasting Time
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An eclectic mix of hip and loser, these three cynical savants called Muckafrgason explore everything from rock to pop to country to hip-hop on their journey through Genreville, leaving no era of the radio untouched. All of them sing - sometimes solo, in harmony, whatever - and they rotate instruments like musical chairs. So are they confused, lacking direction or suffering from multiple personality disorder? None of the above. Fearing no style or instrument, their debut explores more musical territory than most bands do in a lifetime. While they're panning a genre or astutely emulating its style, you'll either be peeing in your pants or simply impressed their uncanny ability to pull it off with flair and finesse. Admission at their live show will undoubtedly reward you with a smile from ear to ear, where the quirky harmonies, irresistible melodies and smart lyrics come together in that "ahhh, I get it" fashion. Tossing A Friend is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to anything and everything. Dubbed "the Benny Hill of Rock" and "the next great American sensation." Produced by John Kimbrough (of Walt Mink) who recently won his second Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Music and Lyrics for co-writing Hugh Jackman's opening number at the 2009 Oscars. (DER-363)
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Reviews
"This New York Trio writes perfect little pop songs for post romantics who still haven't given up on true love. Cynical savants, they chronicle their despair with a sense of humor that's more than a match for their sense of melody. Making a play for all those indie broken hearts out there..." - NY Press
"The next great American sensation..." - All About D and Friends
"Covering more rare territory than the Mars Probe is what Muckafurgason is doing these days. Andy, Chris and John are one brit and two yanks and the pacific is their playground. Musically this trio spins plays ontop of long sticks to circus tunes...and they do it with a snicker. They are the Benny Hill of rock and the Anita Hill of roll. Their latest release 'Tossing a Friend' sports artwork which will make you check withyour local police department on the proximity of convicted sex offenders. It was produced by John Kimbrough of Walt Mink with the grandeur of an 8-track. 'Sweetie Pie' brings to mind the glamour and truth of prohibition times whilst 'Spanish Fly' gives you the standing eight-count. They explore the harmonic miracles of Elvis Costello whilst capturing the grit of the Clash. Instrumentally these lads are as inventive with strings and winds as David Van Tiegham is with pipes and drills. Look for big things from these guys as they have captured the ingenuity of early They Might Be Giants on a very low budget." - Salt For Slugs
"Like a best unsigned bands competition in itself." - Revolutionary Whimperings
"Starting off with Weezer-esque pop harmonies and gliding effortlessly from there into any number of genres, be it country, hip-hop, or punk rock, each Muckafurgasong is a tongue-in-cheek tribute to anything and everything, whether it's the fuzzy Clash guitars of "Punk Rock" or the human beat-box Beck anthem about "Lunch," or a nostalgic pop song about a beloved Atari game ("plug it into the back of my TV/ come with me back to 1983/ reliving my happy childhood/ with my 2600"). I have to admire any band that aspires to be in the next "Cute Band Alert" in Sassy Magazine." - Consumable
"Priceless..."- Magnet
"Triumphantly returning with 14 excellent tracks of genre mingling comes New York City's Muckafurgason. They quickly quip on topics ranging from Atari 2600s to Sassy Magazine as they carelessly engage in everything from exceptional pop songs ("Consuela" and "Go Teens") to tear-jerkin' country ("Crying") to old-timey swing jazz ("Sweetie Pie"). Even the farcical "Forsyth St." returns from its 7" origins, spinning its yarn about exhibitionists, junkies and girlfriends. What remains consistent during this journey through Genreville is the unbelievable catchiness and profound songwriting credibility of each song. I joke not...actually, I leave the joking to the Mucks, who have some pretty hilarious and insightful lyrics. Indeed, here's the answer to all of those lonely Friday nights - 100% pure musical accompaniment and amusement via Andy, Chris and John; they'll bring the candles, I promise. Soul expansion, perhaps, but "Tossing a Friend" will at least keep you humming buoyantly for quite some time." - Splendid
and Last but surely not least:
The Gay EP:
01. You Ain't A Man (East)
02. Ex-Girlfriend's Birthday
03. My Eyes Are Burning
04. I Wanna Be Your Guy
05. You Ain't A Man (West)
06. Every Once In A While
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Webster's New Riverside Dictionary (1984 edition) defines "gay" as merry, bright and lively, inclined to social pleasures. Not until the final definition does 'homosexual' appear. However, sex pervades all nowadays and not surprisingly, the term is only used with that meaning. Well, Muckafurgason will have none of this (well, maybe a little). The Gay EP presents seven songs which lie somewhere between the popular notions "if you read this, you are gay" and "we'll have a gay old time." Exactly where is a matter of subjectivity. You'll enjoy the grammatically incorrect "You Ain't A Man [Until You've Had A Man]" (with a disco edit that's sure to challenge Abba's "Dancing Queen") and explore the opposite side of the gay coin with "Every Once In a While." Overheard remarks and late night conversation at it's best, these are clever tales of life, love and happiness on New York's Lower East Side. NYPress declares "perfect pop songs for post-romantics." Brilliant. Produced by John Kimbrough (of Walt Mink) who recently won his second Emmy Award in the category of Outstanding Music and Lyrics for co-writing Hugh Jackman's opening number at the 2009 Oscars. (DER-376)
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Reviews
"Polished professionals that faithfully visit each golden era of the radio." - Instant
"You Ain't a Man is some damn fine pop-rock. The West mix is the the club hit dance remix which somehow manages to be even catchier than the more straightforward East mix. Gay or straight, it's hard not to crack a smile at the joyful choruses of 'You Ain't A Man Until You've Had A Man,' not to mention the silly clapping-and-voices breakdown in the middle. A general relationship / love theme runs throughout, from the poignant Ben Lee-ish melancholy of 'Ex-Girlfriend's Birthday' to the goofy bop of 'I Wanna Be Your Guy' and the quiet retro-swing of 'Every Once In A While.' The result, thankfully, is a catchy-as-hell little mini-album of pop genius." - Space City Rock
"Muckafurgason is tumble dry." - Steve Harvey
"I don't give a flying f*ck what anyone else thinks of this band because Muckafurgason are by far the most original and ingenious musicians of our time. Like your mom's mouthwash, on the Gay EP they swish up almost every genre (and even create some of their own) in the music industry and form six tunes that backs every notion that this band deserves every bit of success that's coming their way. So quit whining, you're just jealous because these three geeks thought of all this before you did." - Muddle
"There are two ways to interpret Muckafurgason as a band. My initial impression was that they're a bunch of jokers with a couple of indie-flavored pop tunes. After some contemplation, I got the impression that the Muckaboys are somewhat disconcerted by their rather goofy lyrical hijinks and prefer to be seen as a wittier-than-most indie band. This would be an egregious mistake. What draws people like me, my friends, my boss and others to this band is how fun they are, which is pretty rare. They've also been enticing a growing number of celebrities, Saturday Night Live cast members and almost-celebrities like the older Pete from Nickelodeon's Pete & Pete, Dave Cross from Mr. Show (who at a recent show shouted 'three cheers for Muckafurgason..hip hip hooray!' all three times) and even Ron Jeremy. Uber-hipster-comedy goddess Janeane Garafalo has also been spotted at many of their shows. Most bands these days are so serious about being punk rock or the indie elite. Not so with the Muckafellas. They're good AND they're funny. Who else would insult your mom during a performance?" - Sofft City
"They have the content, but what's their intent?" - Mickey Dolenz (of The Monkees)
"When I was about fifteen I figured EPs were the biggest rip-off on the face of the planet. Why bother going through all that trouble to give your fans only a few measly songs? Beam ahead a few years (okay, twelve). Today, I think they're the greatest thing since eight-tracks. And I particularly like 'The Gay EP' by some pop band called Muckafurgason. This is my first Muckafurgason adventure. They released a few seven-inch EPs and a cassette of Prince covers (of all things) on their own label Edelstein Records and a full-length on Deep Elm in 1998 called 'Tossing a Friend.' The seven-track 'Gay EP' gives the listener a perfect indication of what Muckafurgason is capable of. The kick-off song is hands down the best. 'You Ain't a Man (East)' sets the record straight, ironically enough. We've suspected it all along, and the boys in the band (Andrew Ure, Chris Anderson and John Lee) use their '50s crooner appeal to convince us, once and for all that, 'You ain't a man until you've had a man.' The song is an aggressive, fun, sexually suggestive pop tune with contrasting innocent vocals topped off with a church organ. The title of this EP will raise some eyebrows for sure. Hoards of people across North America will ask, 'Are these guys gay?' This is a record even my Mother would love. For some of these songs conjure up visions of sock-hops, poodle skirts and letterman jackets. Even better, Laverne and Shirley. 'I Wanna Be Your Guy' is a '90s version of what Mom was listening to in high school. Everything comes full circle. Even I, with my deep-rooted hatred for ballads, could appreciate the cynicism in 'My Ex-Girlfriend's Birthday.' Muckafurgason loves to play with the lovesick teenager theme, but they're not cheesy like countless laughable mainstream boy groups. Muckafurgason is funny, but the difference is we're laughing with them, not at them. And that makes them good at what they do. 'Hey is that Erasure doing ABBA?' No, you hep cat, it's the disco-groovy dance remix, 'You Ain't a Man, (West)' complete with synthesizer bleeps, drum machines and a get-down-and-boogey feel to it. Yes, this song is good enough for a remix." - Jagged
"So very gay, as in happy, as in fun. Muckafurgason certainly seem to have a lot of fun on The Gay EP. Genre hopping is abundant in the half dozen songs, from the retro-ish pop of You Ain't A Man to the ooh-we-oooh ballad Ex-Girlfriend's Birthday to the country-pop-folk of My Eyes Are Burning to the dance mix of You Ain't A Man to...well damn, you get the idea. It's all over the place. Catchy, fun songs with a great sense of humor." - Yahtzeen
You could find all of the information you need to know about Muckafurgason at the following Web Site URL:
http://www.deepelm.com/muckafurgason/
Spanish Fly
Muckafurgason Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The song "Spanish Fly" by Muckafurgason is a humorous take on sexual fantasies with a partner. The lyrics revolve around the singer asking his girlfriend to pretend she is a foreigner from Spain and to whisper things in Spanish into his ear, promising that this one act will satisfy his desires. However, his girlfriend finds out that this request stems from the singer being infatuated with a flamenco dancer they saw one night at Fort Sidewalk. She is hurt and feels that there is someone else on the singer's mind.
The song is a commentary on the nature of fantasies and how they can intersect with reality. The singer's desire for his girlfriend to pretend to be someone else highlights a common fetish in sexual relationships. However, the fact that his girlfriend finds out about his true motivations and is hurt by them showcases the potential harm that can come from these fantasies. The song is also a critique of cultural appropriation, as the singer wants his girlfriend to act out a foreign culture without considering its implications.
Line by Line Meaning
So i asked my girlfriend to pretend. that she was foreign.
I asked my girlfriend to pretend to be a foreigner.
i asked her to imagine. that she came from spain.
I asked her to imagine that she was from Spain.
and i told her to whisper in my ear. and in spanish.
I asked her to whisper sweet nothings in my ear in Spanish.
and if you do this for me. i will never ask for anything again.
In return for this favor, I promised to never ask anything of her again.
and she said. ole. por favor. mon senior. matador.
She responded with flattery, saying 'ole', 'por favor', 'mon senior', and 'matador'.
afterwards she asked me. why had i wanted her to do that.
My girlfriend asked me why I wanted her to do what I asked.
so of course i lied. and said no reason. why what's wrong.
I lied and said there was no reason because I didn't want to reveal the truth, then asked her what was wrong.
and she looked down and sighed. pulled back the covers. and said sometimes it feels like. there's someone else on your mind.
She sighed and looked down, then revealed that she felt like there was someone else on my mind.
since that monday night. down at the fort sidewalk. when we saw the flamenco dancer.
Ever since we saw the flamenco dancer on a Monday night at Fort Sidewalk.
dance her flamenco dance. i've spent all my time. brushing up my spanish.
I've been spending all my time practicing and improving my Spanish skills.
so if i see her again. i can stand up tall and cry
So if I ever see the flamenco dancer again, I can impress her with my Spanish skills.
Contributed by Austin C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.