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.

Smile
Quasi Lyrics

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Common as the cold
Up for sale, never sold
Getting older and it shows
Your disappointment only grows
And no one seems to care
That you never got your share
Who said life was fair?
So smile - it's not so bad

You lost your health
Never had no wealth
So tighten up your belt
As you gather dust upon some shelf

You lost by just a nose
But there's no prize for place or show
Now, at least, you know
So smile - it's not so bad
Tired out and broken down
You've played the field and made the rounds
Now you're stuck in this one-horse town
Your only solace is the sound of melody and verse
Though your bag's about to burst

Others have it worse
So smile - it's not so bad

Overall Meaning

These lyrics from Quasi's song "Smile" explore the disappointment and frustration that can arise from getting older and not achieving everything you wanted in life. The first verse paints a picture of someone who feels like they've been dealt a bad hand in life, never being able to sell themselves even though they've grown old. The disappointment and resentment only grows, and they feel like no one cares about the fact that they never got their fair share. It's a reminder that life isn't always fair, and it's easy to feel like you've missed out on something.

The chorus, then offers some respite from this negative outlook: "So smile - it's not so bad". The rest of the song picks up on this tone, encouraging the listener to appreciate what they do have, even if they don't have everything they hoped for. The second verse highlights this sentiment by acknowledging that you may have lost out on some things (health, wealth, and perhaps success) but at least you know now that you didn't win. The song also touches on feeling tired and broken down after years of trying to make it, but even if you feel stuck in one place, music can offer some solace.

Overall, "Smile" is a reassuring song that encourages the listener to let go of disappointment and resentment and focus on the good in their life. It's a reminder that even though life can be tough, there's always something to smile about.

Line by Line Meaning

Common as the cold
Feeling down and unimportant

Up for sale, never sold
Feeling worthless and unappreciated

Getting older and it shows
Feeling helpless as time passes by

Your disappointment only grows
Feeling let down by life

And no one seems to care
Feeling alone and unsupported

That you never got your share
Feeling like life hasn't treated them fairly

Who said life was fair?
Expressing frustration at life's inequalities

So smile - it's not so bad
Trying to stay positive despite hardships

You lost your health
Suffering from physical deterioration

Never had no wealth
Feeling financially deprived

So tighten up your belt
Managing with less than what's needed