They are well known for being a very versatile group; their style on a single album can range from jazz to blues to country to pop. Fans know and love them for their wacky quirkiness and unpredictability in concert.
NRBQ's 1994-2004 incarnation comprised of members Terry Adams (vocals, keyboards), Joey Spampinato (Bass), Tom Ardolino (drums), and Johnny Spampinato (Guitar). Past members include Al Anderson (1972-1994; Guitar), Tom Staley (1967-1974; drums), Steve Ferguson (1967-1971; Guitar), and Frank Gadler (1967-1972; Vocals, Cowbell). The band's most stable incarnation lasted from 1974 to 1994 and consisted of Terry Adams, Joey Spampinato, Tom Ardolino and Al Anderson.
The band has kept a small, but extremely devoted cult following in its 40 year career. Many well known celebrities are fans of the group, such as George A. Romero, Mike Scully, Matt Groening, Elvis Costello, John Sebastian, Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt, Penn and Teller and various staff members of the review website Allmusic.
The band's only chart hit was 1977's "Get that Gasoline Blues" (which only hit #70 on the American pop charts) and the band would only briefly flirt with success throughout their career (such as the band's several guest performances on the extremely popular Animated sitcom The Simpsons during the show's 10th, 11th and 12th seasons, and the inclusion of their song "Wacky Tobacky" on the soundtrack of the the TV show Weeds). The band is also known for persuading their record label Rounder to reissue the record Philosophy of the World by outsider music artists The Shaggs.
The band formed in Miami, Florida in 1967, and moved to New Jersey, and then New York City in hopes of a record deal, where in 1968, they cut their first Album, the self-titled "NRBQ" on Columbia, released in 1969. This was followed by "Boppin' the Blues" which featured rockabilly legend Carl Perkins. Columbia, disappointed with the band's lack of Album sales, dropped the band after these two records. NRBQ moved on to Kama Sutra records, where they recorded 2 more albums, before moving on to Rounder Records, where they have been until forming their own label, Edisun in 2002. The band has been on hiatus since 2004.
In 2011, founding keyboardist Terry Adams announced he was reforming the band and that they would release a new album, "Keep This Love Goin'", the band's eighteenth studio album, later in the year. Adams is the only previous member of NRBQ that is a member of this new incarnation.
Magnet
NRBQ Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're like a piece of wood
Can't get together
Don't make me feel so good
I'm like a convict
You're like the FBI
I ask for breakfast
I know it's useless to say
How it used to be
Why do you treat me this way
If you could only see
You're like a magnet
I'm like a piece of steel
The way you break my will
I'm like a rowboat
You're like the Queen Mary
I play a tango
You play a symphony
When we have a problem or two
Can't you see I'm tryin'
When I see you smilin' like that
Makes me change my mind
You're like a magnet
I'm like a piece of steel
The way you break my will
The lyrics of NRBQ's "Magnet" explore the idea of attraction and how it can sometimes be complicated and frustrating. The metaphor of a magnet and a piece of wood, as well as a convict and the FBI, are used to illustrate this point. The singer feels drawn to the other person but is unable to connect with them in a meaningful way, which creates a sense of unease and dissatisfaction.
The lyric "I ask for breakfast, you bring a piece of pie" conveys a sense of disappointment; the singer wants one thing (breakfast) but is given something else entirely (pie), which is not what they asked for or what they need. Similarly, the lines "I play a tango, you play a symphony" suggest a disconnect in communication and compatibility: the two individuals are not on the same page, and their attempts to come together are not working.
Overall, the song seems to hint at a feeling of powerlessness and frustration when it comes to the unpredictability of attraction and relationships. The use of metaphors and imagery paints a vivid picture, conveying the complexities of human emotion.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm like a magnet
I am strongly attracted towards you
You're like a piece of wood
You are not responding to my attraction
Can't get together
We cannot be united
Don't make me feel so good
Your unresponsiveness is making me feel bad
I'm like a convict
I feel trapped in this situation
You're like the FBI
You are an imposing figure trying to stop me
I ask for breakfast
I ask for something reasonable
You bring a piece of pie
You give me something completely different from what I asked for
I know it's useless to say
I think it's pointless to talk about how things used to be
How it used to be
What our relationship was like in the past
Why do you treat me this way
I'm wondering why you're treating me in such an unresponsive manner
If you could only see
If only you could understand my point of view
You're like a magnet
You are a strong force of attraction
I'm like a piece of steel
I am trying to resist your attraction but failing
The way you break my will
Your attraction is too strong for me to resist
I'm like a rowboat
I am small and insignificant compared to you
You're like the Queen Mary
You are large and dominant compared to me
I play a tango
I am trying to create a romantic atmosphere
You play a symphony
You are overpowering my attempts with a grand gesture
When we have a problem or two
When we face difficulties
Can't you see I'm tryin'
Can't you see that I am making an effort to make things work
When I see you smilin' like that
When I see you happy and content
Makes me change my mind
It changes my perspective on the situation
Writer(s): Terry Adams, Joey Spampinato Copyright: Music Sales Corpotarion O.B.O. Hi Varieties Music
Contributed by Jason O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.