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.

See You on Mars
Quasi Lyrics

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I see you on Mars
In the floods among the stars
Everybody's last??
Gotta move your tail still

I see you on Mars
In the dark and dirty Mars
How I love that Mars sound

When you're playing??

Oh baby that's galanty??
Just waiting at the top of your town
With the long?? stair
I'm sailing on a slow boat to China
Why should I care
I'm sailing on a slow boat to China
Oh mama you just do what you will
Check out and send me a bill
For I go nowhere
I'm sailing on a slow boat to China
Why should I care
I'm sailing on a slow boat to China

And I'm allready
Yes I'm allready there.

Overall Meaning

The song "See You on Mars" by Quasi is a surreal and dream-like exploration of love and longing. The singer imagines the object of his affection on Mars, amidst floods and stars, and describes his infatuation with the Martian sound created when she plays. The lyrics are cryptic and somewhat nonsensical, but they evoke a sense of otherworldliness and the fantastical. It's as if the singer is trying to escape reality and enter a world where he can be with the person he loves.

The third verse seems to introduce a different storyline altogether. The singer talks about sailing on a slow boat to China, not caring where he ends up. He suggests that the person he loves can do as she pleases, and even asks for a bill before departing. It's unclear how this verse relates to the rest of the song, but it adds to the sense of longing and aimless wandering. The final lines, "I'm already there," suggest that the singer has found some sort of peace or contentment, even if it's on a slow boat to somewhere unknown.

Line by Line Meaning

I see you on Mars
I envision seeing you on the planet Mars

In the floods among the stars
Surrounded by astronomical bodies, among other celestial objects

Everybody's last??
Not clear, possibly referring to an unknown circumstance or reality

Gotta move your tail still
Need to take action and make an effort to accomplish something

In the dark and dirty Mars
On the planet Mars, which is characterized by being murky and squalid

How I love that Mars sound
Expressing appreciation for a certain sound related to Mars, which could mean different things such as silence or a particular audible effect associated with the planet

When you're playing??
Not clear, possibly referring to a musical instrument or a playful activity

Oh baby that's galanty??
Unclear, possibly a reference to something romantic or chivalrous

Just waiting at the top of your town
Patiently waiting for something in a position of prominence or authority

With the long?? stair
Not clear, possibly stating a location or a characteristic of an object in the scene

I'm sailing on a slow boat to China
Commenting on taking a leisurely journey to somewhere far away

Why should I care
Questioning why something matters or why it should be a concern

Oh mama you just do what you will
Giving another person the freedom to do as they please without interference or judgment

Check out and send me a bill
Asking someone to notify them of the cost of their actions or consequences of a situation

For I go nowhere
Implying that they are not making any significant progress or going anywhere important

And I'm allready
Spelling 'already' incorrectly

Yes I'm allready there.
Asserting that they are already at a certain location or state without elaborating on what that means

Writer(s): Samuel J. Coomes Copyright: Domino Publishing Co. Ltd.

Contributed by Caden G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.