A pastiche of post-rock, chamber-pop and contemporary classical composition, the self-titled debut album is strongly influenced by Ludwig-Leone's background in classical music, which includes a job assisting composer/arranger Nico Muhly.
After finishing his musical studies at Yale, Ludwig-Leone wrote the album in six weeks while holed up in a studio on the mountainous border between Alberta and British Columbia. He focused on lifeʼs top-shelf issues – youth, nostalgia, anxiety, unrequited love – and tied these vast themes to different characters through vocal contributions from longtime friend Allen Tate, as well as Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius.
The first track released from the album, Sonsick, tackles many of these larger themes head-on. ”It’s like a panic attack disguised as a birthday party,” Ludwig-Leone says. ”I realized that the most intense moments are the ones in which conflicting emotional worlds exist inside you, equally, at once.”
San Fermin is not an album of singles but rather a sweeping, full-bodied listen with multiple distinct peaks and ambitious thematic connections. Ludwig-Leone composed all of the album’s arrangements and lyrics in full prior to collaborating and recording, noting that “writing for a large group of unknown musicians infused the writing process with a kind of operatic scope.
Since then, the band has coalesced into a core of eight members in addition to Ludwig-Leone: Allen Tate and Rae Cassidy, lead vocals; Eliza Bagg and Rebekah Durham, vocals/violin; John Brandon, trumpet; Stephen Chen, saxophone; Tyler McDiarmid, guitar; and Mike Hanf, drums.
Ladies Mary
San Fermin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I think want to be lonely
All the time
Oh no, I know there some kinda rapture
But love I'd rather not have to rhapsodize
Don't know how to feel
Waiting on another thrill
Ladies Mary on a Ferris wheel
And I was innocent
I know you think you're on a mission
Nobody's ever saved, when you idolize
Uh oh no don't want to be a Lady Mary
Put on a passion play for sentimental eyes
The song "Ladies Mary" by San Fermin is a melancholic reflection on the human desire for love and connection, and the fear and uncertainty that often accompany these emotions. The opening lines, "Oh god, my spirit is in trouble, I think want to be lonely all the time," express a feeling of internal conflict and confusion. The singer simultaneously wants to be alone but also longs for something more, perhaps a deeper human connection.
The chorus references "Ladies Mary" on a Ferris wheel, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for the fleeting and temporary nature of many romantic relationships. The singer acknowledges that there may be moments of joy and ecstasy (the "kinda rapture"), but ultimately he rejects the idea of idealizing love or turning it into a "passion play for sentimental eyes."
The bridge of the song offers a warning against putting too much faith in any one person or relationship: "I know you think you're on a mission, nobody's ever saved when you idolize." The song ends with a repeated refrain of "I want nothing more than everything I asked for, and I was innocent," hinting at the singer's frustration in not being able to fully satisfy his desires while also remaining pure.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh god, my spirit is in trouble
I am feeling lost and confused spiritually.
I think want to be lonely
I am contemplating the idea of solitude.
All the time
This feeling doesn't dissipate.
Oh no, I know there some kinda rapture
Despite my desire to be alone, I'm afraid of missing out on the excitement around me.
But love I'd rather not have to rhapsodize
I don't want to have to hype up love or make excuses for it.
Don't know how to feel
I'm having trouble making sense of my emotions.
Waiting on another thrill
I'm waiting for something exciting to happen.
Ladies Mary on a Ferris wheel
Describing an image of two women on a ride, possibly representative of a moment in time when the singer is observing or reflecting.
I want nothing more than everything I asked for
I am unsatisfied and disappointed, despite having what I once thought I wanted.
And I was innocent
I had noble intentions, but they have not come to fruition.
I know you think you're on a mission
Addressing someone who appears to be driven or misguided in their goals.
Nobody's ever saved, when you idolize
Nobody is infallible or perfect, and putting someone on a pedestal can lead to disappointment and disillusionment.
Uh oh no don't want to be a Lady Mary
The idea of embodying a stereotypical, hyper-feminine role is unappealing or threatening.
Put on a passion play for sentimental eyes
Feeling like showing emotion is performative and insincere.
Contributed by Eli J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.