Originally, the Australian band was called The Boys Next Door, comprising Cave, Howard, Mick Harvey (guitar, drums, organ, piano), bassist Tracy Pew, and drummer Phill Calvert. After the Door Door album and Hee Haw EP under that name, the band moved to London and switched its name to the deceptively benign Birthday Party. Once they arrived in Britain, their demented, knotty post-punk began to gel. They released their first international album, Prayers On Fire, in 1981, earning critical praise in the U.K. and U.S. While the band was preparing to record the follow-up, Pew was jailed for drunk driving; former Magazine member Barry Adamson, Harry Howard, and Chris Walsh filled in for the absent Pew on 1982's Junkyard.
After the release of Junkyard, Calvert joined Psychedelic Furs and the band moved to Germany, where they began collaborating with such experimental post-punk acts as Lydia Lunch and EinstĂŒrzende Neubauten. Harvey left in the summer of 1983. The group briefly continued with drummer Des Heffner, but it soon disbanded after a final concert in Melbourne, Australia. Cave had the most successful solo career, recording a series of albums in the '80s and '90s that maintained his status as a popular cult figure; Harvey joined Cave's band Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Howard joined Crime & The City Solution, which also featured his brother Harry and Harvey. Tracey Pew toured with The Saints before dying of an epileptic seizure in 1986.
--Review from AMG Allmusic Guide
Mr Clarinet
The Birthday Party Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
you make me laugh, and then cry like the song of the clarinet.
marry me, marry me alive O
I put on my coat of trumpets
her white stockings and red dress that goes
swish, swish, swish around her legs of lace
marry me, marry me alive O
could you tell her
would you tell her for me, oh Mr Clarinet
that I love her love her, oh love her
I love her but I cannot wait
marry me, marry me alive O
oh maybe, oh maybe lie down
I love her, love her, love her
love her love her love her love her
The Birthday Party's song "Mr Clarinet" is a dark and complex ode to love, longing and the power of music, specifically the clarinet. The song constantly switches between a playful, almost joyful tone and a more melancholic, introspective one, mirroring the emotional turmoil that comes with loving someone deeply but being unable to express those feelings. The first verse sets the tone, with the singer expressing his affection for Mr Clarinet and how the instrument can make him laugh and cry, just like the multidimensional nature of love. There is also a sense of desperation, with the repeated "marry me, marry me alive O", as if the singer is asking for a chance at life through love.
The second verse introduces a love interest, who is described in vivid detail, with "her white stockings and red dress that goes swish, swish, swish around her legs of lace". However, there is also uncertainty and doubt, as the singer wonders if she will show up and if he is presentable enough for her. The chorus repeats the longing for marriage and a deeper connection with the woman, but there are also hints of darkness, with the line "oh maybe lie down".
Overall, "Mr Clarinet" is a haunting and evocative song that captures the complexities of love and the power of music to convey emotion and explore the depths of the human soul.
Line by Line Meaning
I have a friend in you, oh Mr Clarinet
Mr Clarinet is a symbol of the singer's confidant and support system.
you make me laugh, and then cry like the song of the clarinet.
The singer experiences a range of emotions like the ups and downs of a musical score.
marry me, marry me alive O
The singer is expressing a strong desire and passion for being with their loved one.
I put on my coat of trumpets
The artist is using musical imagery to describe their appearance.
will she be there? is my piccolo on straight?
The artist is feeling anxious and nervous about seeing their loved one.
her white stockings and red dress that goes
The singer is painting a vivid picture of their loved one's appearance.
swish, swish, swish around her legs of lace
The singer is admiring the graceful and elegant movements of their loved one.
could you tell her
The artist is seeking the help of Mr Clarinet to communicate their feelings to their loved one.
would you tell her for me, oh Mr Clarinet
The artist is entrusting their message of love to Mr Clarinet.
that I love her love her, oh love her
The artist is professing their deep love for their significant other passionately.
I love her but I cannot wait
The singer is feeling impatient about being with their loved one.
oh maybe, oh maybe lie down
The artist is suggesting an intimate encounter with their loved one.
love her love her love her love her
The singer is repeating their love for their significant other with fervor.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: NICHOLAS EDWARD CAVE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@mary_lolla4-jt7hs
I have a friend in you, oh Mr Clarinet
you make me laugh, and then cry like the song of the clarinet.
marry me, marry me alive O
I put on my coat of trumpets
will she be there? is my piccolo on straight?
her white stockings and red dress that goes
swish, swish, swish around her legs of lace
marry me, marry me alive O
could you tell her
would you tell her for me, oh Mr Clarinet
that I love her love her, oh love her
I love her but I cannot wait
marry me, marry me alive O
oh maybe, oh maybe lie down
I love her, love her, love her
love her love her love her love her
@80schick1967
This is the fucking nuts! I remember ordering this from my local record shop on vinyl in 1981! One of my favourite songs of all time!
@magnuskallas
It is nuts indeed.
@TheDerroLondon
I love The Birthday Party... Brilliant live... RIP Tracey Pew.
@marklaviolette6474
Agreed!
@shayforrester2606
Rip fucking Rowland too donât forget x
@jazznolan
40 years ahead of its time
@VictorBerquez
I recently bought a collection of 45's, mostly 70's & 80's top forty hits, and in it was this gem!
@miguelalonso38
I dont know why but if black humor has a sound it's this
@EvilCat-EnergyCatalyst
totally agree! The Birthday Party were FULL of dark humour in most of their songs
@mary_lolla4-jt7hs
I have a friend in you, oh Mr Clarinet
you make me laugh, and then cry like the song of the clarinet.
marry me, marry me alive O
I put on my coat of trumpets
will she be there? is my piccolo on straight?
her white stockings and red dress that goes
swish, swish, swish around her legs of lace
marry me, marry me alive O
could you tell her
would you tell her for me, oh Mr Clarinet
that I love her love her, oh love her
I love her but I cannot wait
marry me, marry me alive O
oh maybe, oh maybe lie down
I love her, love her, love her
love her love her love her love her