The Sugarplum Fairies draw influence from French cultural icons such as Françoise Hardy, Anna Karina, and Jean-Luc Godard, as well as the Velvet Underground, John Lennon, and Lee Hazlewood. Frequently mentioned as a point of comparison by critics, Mazzy Star, a similarly styled female-singer, male-guitarist duo from the 1990s, are also cited as an influence.
Sugarplum Fairies’ upcoming release “Chinese Leftovers” veers from sleepy shoegaze pop to bouncy D.I.Y. indie rock, all with a subtle infusion of country-noir and the occasional hint of eclectic Vaudeville.
For “Chinese Leftovers” Sugarplum Fairies have teamed up with Joey Waronker (Beck, REM) on drums, Gus Seyffert (The Bird And The Bee, Sia) on bass, Jebin Bruni (P.I.L., Aimee Mann) on keyboards and Martin Tillman (Dark Knight, Rickie Lee Jones) on cello.
The CD was mixed by Todd Burke (Belle & Sebastian, Ben Harper) and mastered by 3 time Grammy winner Gavin Lurssen (T Bone Burnett).
ABC featured the song “Hold On To Me” on the season finale episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” on May 14.
Discography
Flake (Starfish Records, 1999)
Introspective Raincoat Student Music (Starfish Records, 2003)
Country International Records (Starfish Records, 2006)
Chinese Leftovers (Starfish Records, 2009)
Lulu
Sugarplum Fairies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where you sip your scalding tea
Life is ordinary; you bend down to tie your lace
You better stay there on your knees
The truth is rarely pure and never simple, dear
Wish I could throw up all my tainted fears
And I stare at the stain on my shirt, it’s been so long
And I start comprehending when you talk about Michelle
How I’d like to break her neck
The truth is rarely pure and never simple, dear
Wish I could throw up all my tainted fears
The song "Lulu" by Sugarplum Fairies encapsulates a sense of uncertainty and disillusionment with life. The opening lines describe the setting of Lulu's Alibi, where the future appears hazy and unclear, and life seems monotonous. The use of the scalding tea as a metaphor highlights the feeling of discomfort and dissatisfaction with one's surroundings. The line "you better stay there on your knees" can be interpreted as a warning to not get up or take action, possibly due to the fear of the unknown or the consequences of making a change in one's life.
The second verse delves further into the complexity of truth and how it is never pure and simple. The singer expresses a desire to let go of their "tainted fears," which could refer to guilt or regret that they are carrying with them. The third verse introduces the character of Michelle, whom the singer admits to wanting to harm. This violent desire could stem from a place of jealousy or frustration, and highlights the singer's pent-up emotions and inner turmoil.
Line by Line Meaning
The future seems so blurry at Lulu’s Alibi
Lulu's Alibi is a place where uncertainty about the future is common.
Where you sip your scalding tea
Drinking tea is a common activity at Lulu's Alibi.
Life is ordinary; you bend down to tie your lace
Daily activities like tying shoelaces feel mundane at Lulu's Alibi.
You better stay there on your knees
One should not have high expectations and should remain humble at Lulu's Alibi.
The truth is rarely pure and never simple, dear
Truth is often complicated and difficult to accept.
Wish I could throw up all my tainted fears
I wish I could express my fears and anxieties more easily.
You give up pretending
It's important to be honest and not try to hide your true feelings at Lulu's Alibi.
And I stare at the stain on my shirt, it’s been so long
The stain on the shirt is a reminder of something painful that happened a long time ago.
And I start comprehending when you talk about Michelle
When Michelle is mentioned, I start to understand something important.
How I’d like to break her neck
I feel a deep anger or resentment towards Michelle.
The truth is rarely pure and never simple, dear
Truth is often complicated and difficult to accept.
Wish I could throw up all my tainted fears
I wish I could express my fears and anxieties more easily.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CANDYKING PUBLISHING
Written by: BENEDIKT BOHM, SILVIA RYDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind