Sponge grew out of a Detroit-based hard rock act called Loudhouse, which released an album on the Virgin label in 1988 before losing its record contract and disbanding shortly thereafter. Drummer-turned-vocalist Vinnie Dombrowski (born Mark Dombrowski) and guitarists Mike Cross and Joey Mazzola regrouped as Sponge in 1992, adding Mike's brother Tim Cross on bass and Jimmy Paluzzi on drums. Adapting their '70s hard rock influences to fit the grunge zeitgeist, the bandmates earned a major-label deal with Columbia and released their debut album, Rotting Pinata, in late 1994.
Initially, critics compared Sponge to Stone Temple Pilots, but alternative radio embraced the band's first two singles: the driving rocker "Plowed" and the jangly, introspective "Molly (Sixteen Candles)." A third single, "Rainin'," also earned airplay, and Rotting Pinata went gold; meanwhile, Sponge went on tour as Live's opening act. With new drummer Charlie Grover in tow, their 1996 follow-up album, Wax Ecstatic, was a more diverse affair, rediscovering some of the band's roots in arena rock, British glam, and jangle pop. Even though singles like "Wax Ecstatic (To Sell Angelina)," "I Am Anastasia," and "Have You Seen Mary" enjoyed radio airplay, Columbia was dissatisfied with the sales figures and dropped Sponge once the album left the charts.
Undaunted, Sponge signed a new deal with the Beyond label, which released the more classicist New Pop Sunday in 1999. It attracted little commercial attention, and more personnel shifts ensued. Tired of touring, the Cross brothers both left and were replaced by guitarist Kurt Marschke and bassist Tim Krukowski; Billy Adams also came on board as the new drummer. After several years of recharging -- during which time Dombrowski played in several Detroit-area side projects -- Sponge returned with For All the Drugs in the World in 2003 and The Man in 2005. Dombrowski reworked the lineup once again, this time adding guitarists Kyle Neely and Andy Patalan, before returning again to the studio in 2007 to record Galore Galore for Bellum Records.
Two years later, there was another lineup shift -- Tim Patalan became the group's bassist -- and they released an EP called Destroy the Boy. A full-length called Stop the Bleeding arrived four years later on Three One Three Records; the LP contained all of the 2009 EP plus new songs, including a twisted cover of Jim Croce's "Time in a Bottle." In 2017, the band partnered with Michigan Brewers and PledgeMusic for their eighth full-length outing, The Beer Sessions, which Dombrowski called "a celebration of independent music and incredible Michigan beer." In 2021 the band issued their ninth full-length effort, Lavatorium, which included the fiery single "Stitch," the well-timed ballad "Socially Distant," and an all-new recording of their signature hit "Plowed." Original guitarist Mike Cross died on March 6, 2022 at the age of 57.
Biography by Steve Huey
There are other artists with the same name:
ii) Sponge is also a 90's Japanese noise supergroup. Though the members are credited anonymously, the group reportedly includes:
Jojo Hiroshige (of Hijokaidan)
Junko Hiroshige (also of Hijokaidan)
Masami Akita (better known as Merzbow)
Yamazaki Takushi (better known as Masonna)
The Japanese Sponge have released at least two official albums, a 7" and a CD on T.E.C. Tones.
iii) Alias for James Hoyte, owner of the drum n bass label IQ Records. He has released one 12" record, The Crash, on Suburban Base Records in 1994.
Molly
Sponge Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Cigarette stains on your hands
Wilted flowers in a vase
I ask how are you
Yeah how are you?
I see the lipstick on your glass
I think you're drunk, I start to laugh
I find your note, the letters ran
Yeah I love you
Don't ask why, don't ask why
Don't ask why, don't ask why
Don't ask why, don't ask why, don't ask why
Sixteen candles down the drain
I watch you passed out forever
I touch your face, you start to smile
And on your note is my reply
I wish I loved you
I wish I loved you
Don't ask why, don't ask why
Don't ask why, don't ask why
Don't ask why, don't ask why, don't ask why
Sixteen candles down the drain
(The drain)
Sixteen candles down the drain
(The drain)
Sixteen candles down the drain
(The drain)
Sixteen candles down the drain
(The drain)
Don't ask why, don't ask why, don't ask why, don't ask why
Don't ask why, don't ask why, don't ask why
Sixteen candles down the drain
(The drain)
Sixteen candles down the drain
(The drain)
Sixteen candles down the drain
(The drain)
Sixteen candles down the drain
(The drain)
The lyrics of Sponge's song "Molly" depict a volatile and potentially toxic relationship between the singer and their partner. The opening lines describe seeing the partner naked in the bath, and the presence of cigarette stains and wilted flowers suggesting a sense of decay or neglect. Despite this, the singer asks how the partner is doing before finding a note that declares love.
The chorus repeats the phrase "Don't ask why" while describing the draining away of sixteen candles, perhaps symbolizing the extinguishing of a relationship that had once been sweet and innocent. The final verse reveals that the singer wishes they loved their partner, suggesting that they may be staying in a relationship that is one-sided or that they are not fully committed to.
Overall, "Molly" portrays a state of confusion and ambivalence about a troubled relationship, in which love may be present but it is unclear whether it can survive or be sustained.
Line by Line Meaning
Seen you naked in the bath
I have seen you in a vulnerable state
Cigarette stains on your hands
Your habits have left a mark on you
Wilted flowers in a vase
The beauty in your life is fading away
I ask how are you
I am concerned about your wellbeing
Yeah how are you?
Are you doing okay?
I see the lipstick on your glass
I notice the signs that you have been drinking
I think you're drunk, I start to laugh
I find humor in your behavior, but I am also worried
I find your note, the letters ran
I discover the love note you wrote, but it's blurry
It said I love you
You expressed your love for me
Yeah I love you
I love you too
Don't ask why, don't ask why
Let's not question our feelings
Sixteen candles down the drain
Symbolic of time and memories being wasted
I watch you passed out forever
I observe your unconscious state, which feels endless
I touch your face, you start to smile
My touch brings you joy and comfort
And on your note is my reply
I respond to your love note
I wish I loved you
I wish I felt the same way about you
Don't ask why, don't ask why
Let's not try to explain our emotions
Sixteen candles down the drain
Symbolic of time and memories being wasted
Lyrics © DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Spirit Music Group, Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MICHAEL CROSS, TIMOTHY CROSS, MARK P DOMBROSKI, JOSEPH A MAZZOLA, JAMES J PALUZZI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind