The first seeds of the band were originally planted on Canada’s salty-aired East Coast in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Young Warren C. Spicer and Matthew ‘the Woodman’ Woodley had begun playing together in high-school bands. The sea winds eventually carried them through the vast plains of Quebec to Montreal (a journey they would come to know intimately as the years wore on). It was in the now hallowed halls of Concordia University’s music department that they would come upon Nicolas Basque, a strange francophone native that shared their musical inclinations (and a trappeur’s finely-tuned taste in cuisine). It wasn’t until then that the three boys became men, signified their union with a name, and that Plants and Animals emerged from the wildlife.
In 2003 they bat out an instrumental menagerie of song-like folk-beasts, and put some of them to tape in the form of a recording that local label Ships at Night would later release. By 2005 the three young men were taming the sprawling wilderness of their sound and sculpting real songs, as Spicer also lead the way to a (hitherto unheard of) vocal domination of their material—as if he had been possessed by the ghost of some recently departed soul singer. During this time Spicer and Woodley would occasionally stop by to care for some of the neighbours—Timber, Socalled, and Katie Moore—and play. All the while, the Halifax-born were jamming and pruning with Basque, harnessing the band and its songs like a wild horse. Some called it post-classic-rock. Some called it folk-prog. Those who knew better didn’t say anything at all.
In about the summer of 2005 they carried a 24-track Studer “bull” up the stairs of Spicer’s apartment and split their time between their new makeshift studio there (aka Le Carillon Tropical), and the Treatment Room. By fall 2006 the foundations of what would later become Parc Avenue were layed, the band was playing shows (and singing), and a relationship with Montreal label Secret City Records was formed. By summer 2007 the once-monster was complete, temporarily tamed, housed, and ready to be unleashed. While the band awaited the release of Parc Avenue, they kept busy touring in the US, Canada, and Iceland, working on their album art and recording with/avec EP that was released in Canada in October 2007.
Since Parc Avenue was released in early 2008 the band has played over 175 shows, circling the Western world more than once, including appearances at the Pitchfork Festival in Chicago, Primavera in Barcelona, Central Park Summer Stage with the National, and even one night in Columbus opening for Gnarls Barkley, after Danger Mouse discovered Parc Avenue and invited them out.
In January 2010 Plants and Animals announced their latest offering, La La Land, due out on April 20th on Secret City. The album was recorded at the band’s home-base studio in Montreal, The Treatment Room, and at Studio La Frette outside Paris, a brokedown old mansion filled with vintage gear and a killer board in the cellar instead of wine. Spicer says, “the Paris stuff is like a nice Bordeaux and the Montreal stuff is more like a baked potato. Sessions in Paris ended by 10pm, sessions in Montreal by 6am.” Rum and cokes supposedly inspired the initial Treatment Room sessions in late 2008. The album’s first track, “Tom Cruz,” eventually came out of these late nights. As the Woodman tells it, “it was December, pre-Christmas, so we fuelled the session with rum and cokes. They made us feel like Tom Cruise. It gave us killer smiles and made our enemies wither.”
Mercy
Plants and Animals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Attending the wedding of some friends I have
I saw a woman and a man
Become a husband and a wife
Under a beautiful tree
Bird flew down and landed on my head
I felt best and special, but that bird done flow off with a feather
I may be able to see that feather again
Well, I needed a change of scenery so I headed back west
I put holes in my shoes, I had dirt on my clothes
I looked like I am robbin' a bank machine
Things started lookin' up when I made it to Rivière-du-Loup
One of the pom-pom girls from the Alouettes offered to drive me home
MERCY! [x8]
M-E-R-C-Y [x4]
MERCY! (mercy...) [x4]
Ooo, I really needed that drive.
When Mary Lou dropped me off
I was feeling bent out of shape
She had reminded me
That almost anything can happen
Cause if I did not choose this life
Then it must've chosen me
I don't know which is worse
I guess we're just gonna have to wait and see
Thanks to krayzekaliber.
The song "Mercy" by Plants and Animals expresses the idea of being lost and trying to find oneself. The first verse describes the singer attending a wedding on the east coast, where he witnesses a beautiful moment between a man and a woman becoming husband and wife under a tree. A bird lands on his head, and he feels special, but it quickly flies away, taking a feather with it. This scene represents a fleeting moment of happiness and optimism that doesn't last. The chorus then comes in, repeating the word "mercy" eight times, which can be interpreted as a plea for help, a cry of desperation, or a prayer for guidance.
The second verse talks about the singer's journey back west and his rough appearance, with holes in his shoes and dirt on his clothes, reflecting how he feels lost and aimless in life. However, when he makes it to Rivière-du-Loup, a member of the Alouettes pom-pom girls helps him by giving him a ride. This act of kindness makes him feel better, showing that small gestures of mercy can make a difference. The last part of the song reflects on the nature of life, questioning whether we choose our path or if it chooses us. The chorus repeats twice, with the addition of the spelling of "mercy" and an extra "mercy" at the end, emphasizing the need for help and guidance.
Overall, "Mercy" is a reflective and melancholic song that highlights the struggles and doubts of finding one's place in the world. It touches on the importance of hope and mercy, even in small doses, to keep going and find a sense of purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
See, I was on the east coast
I was traveling on the east coast
Attending the wedding of some friends I have
I was at a wedding of some friends I knew
I saw a woman and a man
I witnessed a man and a woman getting married
Become a husband and a wife
They became a married couple
Under a beautiful tree
The wedding took place under a pretty tree
Bird flew down and landed on my head
A bird landed on my head
I felt best and special, but that bird done flow off with a feather
I felt good and unique, but the bird flew away with one of its feathers
MERCY! [x8]
Expression of a strong emotion, possibly related to the events described
I may be able to see that feather again
I hope to see the lost feather again
Well, I needed a change of scenery so I headed back west
I decided I needed a change of environment, so I went back west
I put holes in my shoes, I had dirt on my clothes
My shoes had holes in them and my clothes were dirty from traveling
I looked like I am robbin' a bank machine
I looked suspicious, as if I could be robbing a bank machine
Things started lookin' up when I made it to Rivière-du-Loup
My luck changed for the better when I arrived at Rivière-du-Loup
One of the pom-pom girls from the Alouettes offered to drive me home
A cheerleader from the Alouettes offered me a ride home
MERCY! [x8]
Expression of a strong emotion, possibly related to the change in luck
M-E-R-C-Y [x4]
Spelling out the word 'mercy'
MERCY! (mercy...) [x4]
Repeating the word 'mercy' with varying emphasis and tone
Ooo, I really needed that drive.
I was grateful for the ride home
When Mary Lou dropped me off
After the cheerleader dropped me off at home
I was feeling bent out of shape
I was feeling upset or distressed
She had reminded me
The cheerleader had reminded me
That almost anything can happen
That anything is possible
Cause if I did not choose this life
Implying that I did not necessarily choose the current path or circumstances in my life
Then it must've chosen me
Suggesting that fate or destiny has played a role in my life
I don't know which is worse
I am uncertain which scenario is less desirable
I guess we're just gonna have to wait and see
We will have to wait and see what the future holds
Contributed by William V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.