Quasi is an indie rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1993, consisting … Read Full Bio ↴Quasi is an indie rock band formed in Portland, Oregon in 1993, consisting of the ex-husband and wife team of Sam Coomes (vocals, guitar, roxichord, various keyboards) and Janet Weiss (vocals and drums). In 2007, bassist Joanna Bolme, of Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, who had toured with Quasi in 2006, became an official member of the band; she left the band in 2011.

In 1990, Coomes, Weiss, and Brad Pedinov formed the band Motorgoat. The band released two self-released cassettes and one 7" single before dissolving in 1993. Quasi started recording as a duo in 1993. They played with various additional musicians in early live appearances, but eventually settled on playing live as a duo as well. They self-recorded and self-released a cassette and a CD in 1993. They recorded R&B Transmogrification in the Portland band Pond's basement recording studio and released it on Up Records in 1997. They released two more albums with Up: Featuring "Birds" in 1998 and Field Studies in 1999; both albums were recorded at Jackpot Studios in Portland, Oregon.

In 1998 and 1999 they toured the U.S., Europe, Australia, and Japan opening for and serving as the backup band for Elliott Smith (who Coomes had played with in Heatmiser) as well as touring on their own in the U.S. and Europe. In 2001 They home-recorded The Sword of God and released it on Touch & Go. Quasi had been somewhat political since its inception, but their opposition to the 2003 Invasion of Iraq showed through in a straight-forward way with the release of Hot Shit! in 2003, particularly in the songs "White Devil's Dream" and "Master and Dog." When the Going Gets Dark followed in 2006, released on Touch & Go in the U.S. and Domino Records in Europe, as with Hot Shit!.

In Spring 2009, the band announced that they had signed to the Kill Rock Stars label, and were due to release their already recorded next album in the latter half of the year. That album, entitled American Gong, was released February 23, 2010 to generally favorable reviews. It was their first and only album to feature third member Joanna Bolme. Following a tour of Japan, Europe, and the United States in support of the full length, Bolme left the band. A duo again, Sam and Janet are recording material for a new album.

Drunken Tears
Quasi Lyrics

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Warms you up inside
Soothes your wounded pride
But your gold turns to lead
As it goes to your head
And you cry
Drunken tears once again, my friend

So what if you're not the genius

You always thought you were?
Nobody hears the brilliant words
Between your ears
And you cry
Drunken tears once again, my friend

Here's some ancient truth
Dredged up from your youth
A voice from way back when
Long lost love that might have been
And you cry
Drunken tears once again, my friend

Go ahead, I don't mind your drunken tears

Overall Meaning

The song "Drunken Tears" by Quasi is a melancholic and reflective piece that captures the emotional struggles of the singer. The song principally revolves around the inner conflicts and emotions of somebody that is trying to come to grips with past mistakes, regrets, and unfulfilled desires. The opening lyrics, "warms you up inside, soothes your wounded pride" suggests that the singer is seeking solace in alcohol to escape from his pain and disappointment. The line "But your gold turns to lead, as it goes to your head," communicates the negative side effects of reliance on alcohol as an escape route. When he drinks, he finds himself crying again, and his tears are described as drunken tears.

The second verse reminds the singer that he is not the genius that he always thought he was. It captures the idea of the singer's misplaced hubris, and the realization that he isn't as significant as he had believed. Nobody hears his brilliant words because he is simply not as brilliant as he thought. This creates more frustration and disappointment, leading to more tears. The song's third and final verse emphasizes nostalgia and the idea of "what if". The lyrics "Here's some ancient truth, dredged up from your youth. A voice from way back when, long lost love that might have been" capture the singer thinking about a past love, which he ultimately didn't pursue. It is another source of regret and sadness for him, which leads him to cry.

Line by Line Meaning

Warms you up inside
The alcohol makes you feel better on the inside

Soothes your wounded pride
It helps you deal with the emotional pain you're feeling

But your gold turns to lead
Your happiness turns to sadness

As it goes to your head
As you drink more, you become more drunk and your thinking becomes clouded

And you cry
You become emotional

Drunken tears once again, my friend
You cry when you drink too much, as you often do, my friend

So what if you're not the genius
You don't have to be a genius to be accepted

You always thought you were?
You had a high opinion of yourself

Nobody hears the brilliant words
Your thoughts and ideas aren't being appreciated by others

Between your ears
In your head

And you cry
You become emotional