By this time, the band's sound was growing more sophisticated, and they'd become a major club draw in the Midwest. In Combo sold over 13,000 copies, an impressive feat for an independent album at the time, and 1981's Credit in Heaven was an even more ambitious project, a two-LP set that veered from pulsing dance rock to outre ballads to noisy jazz-influenced art rock. Credit from Heaven sold 15,000 copies and spun off a 12" single, "Music for Boys," that hit the national dance charts. The Suburbs teamed with producer Steve Greenberg (who scored a massive hit with the song "Funkytown" as part of his group Lipps Inc.) for the EP Dream Hog, released in late 1982. It included another dance hit, "Waiting," and with the Suburbs regularly selling out multiple nights at First Avenue in Minneapolis and drawing impressive crowds elsewhere, the group landed a deal with Mercury Records, who obtained the rights to the Suburbs' back catalog and promptly reissued Dream Hog. In 1983, the band released their first major-label album, Love Is the Law, again produced by Steve Greenberg, but while the title tune became a big hit in Minneapolis and received scattered airplay elsewhere, Mercury were uncertain how to promote the band, and despite strong reviews and extensive touring, the album wasn't the breakout hit the band had hoped for. The Suburbs left Mercury Records, and struck a deal with A&M; their 1986 album, simply called Suburbs, was produced by Robert Brent, better known as Bobby Z, drummer with Prince & the Revolution. While it was the group's most commercial effort to date, it didn't click with record buyers, and in 1987, the Suburbs, frustrated by their experience with the major labels, released an independent single, "Little Man's Gonna Fall" b/w "Don't Do Me Any Favors," shortly before they called it a day with a series of farewell shows at First Avenue.
In 1992, Twin/Tone released a collection of the group's most popular material, Ladies and Gentlemen, The Suburbs Have Left the Building, and the following year, the group played a few reunion concerts at First Avenue. The Suburbs began playing shows every year or so over the next few years, and Chaney formed his own record label, Beejtar Records, which reissued In Combo, Credit in Heaven, and Love Is the Law in 2002, as well as the "best-of" collection Chemistry Set: Songs of the Suburbs 1977-1987 in 2003. In late 2009, the group mourned the loss of guitarist Bruce Allen, who also worked as a graphic designer and created the group's logo. Not long after Allen's death, bassist Michael Halliday retired from the Suburbs, largely because of his struggle with arthritis. The rest of the band soldiered on, playing occasional shows with new members Steve Brantseg on guitar and Steve Price on bass, marking the first changes in the band's lineup since they began. Chan Poling divided his time between occasional Suburbs shows and gigs with his jazz-influenced combo the New Standards, but in 2011, after the death of his wife, broadcaster and political scion Eleanor Mondale, he was eager to make a rock & roll record again. As Poling told a reporter, "Always in the back of my mind I knew I had another rock record in me. Who would I get to play? Then the more I thought: what's the best rock band that I know? I already have it." Rather than deal with a record company, the Suburbs opted to finance and release the new album themselves, and after raising over $70,000 in a Kickstarter campaign, the group's long-awaited studio comeback, Si Sauvage, arrived in the fall of 2013. It was released as the band was enjoying a new surge of popularity, after marriage equality activists (with the Suburbs' blessings) used the song "Love Is the Law" as the theme song for their successful campaign to legalize same-sex marriage in Minneapolis.
Following the release of Si Sauvage, the Suburbs supported the release with live appearances in the Midwest and East Coast. After successfully crowdfunding the recording and release of Si Sauvage, the band once again turned to their fans to bankroll the follow-up, 2017's Hey Muse! The album introduced a new lineup of the Suburbs, with founding members Chan Poling and Hugo Klaers and bassist Steve Price joined by guitarists Stevie Brantseg and Jeremy Ylvisaker, Stephen Kung on keyboards and horns, Rochelle Becker on baritone sax, and Janey Winterbauer on backing vocals. The album appeared in the summer of 2017, in time for the group's 40th anniversary.
Biography by Mark Deming
There are other artists with the same name:
2 - Suburbs, a Dutch rock band from Scheveningen. They recorded 3 albums (Disturbed, New Buildings and Land of the Lunatics) and 5 singles (Doremi, Timemachine, Rollercoaster, Citylights and What's going on). For more information visit www.suburbs.nl (dutch). They run under the label of Red Bullet. Suburbs perform often in Scheveningen, The Hague (a city near Scheveningen)or Wateringen (a village near The Hague).
3 -Suburbs: A canadian punk-rock band who run under the label Slam Disque.
Girlfriend
The Suburbs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well they really make me flip
When she comes home
You're my sports car
And you're really cool
When we drive around
All the kids at school
Say you're so bad
With the portable bar
And those windows
You can see all the stars
Then we touch down
The opening lines of The Suburbs' song "Girlfriend" are an ode to the physical qualities of the singer's girlfriend. He admires her curvy hips and remarks on how they make him flip. In addition to the attraction to her physical qualities, the singer also appreciates his girlfriend's other attributes. He compares her to a sports car, which is cool and enjoyable to drive around with. Despite the admiration, the singer acknowledges that others perceive his girlfriend as "bad" due to her association with him. The next comparison is to a luxurious private jet with a portable bar where the couple can enjoy the starry skies while they move around the world. The metaphorical plane also touches down, indicating the temporary nature of this relationship.
The song is a nostalgic reflection on young adult relationships and the insecurities and uncertainties of navigating the complexities of love in the suburbs. The song evokes vivid imagery with its use of metaphors and comparisons, giving listeners a glimpse into the mindset of young people dealing with the ups and downs of romantic relationships. The textured melody of the song also aligns with its thematic thrust, providing an introspective and longing undercurrent to the narrative.
Line by Line Meaning
Well my girlfriend's got the nicest hips
The singer has a girlfriend who has attractive hips
Well they really make me flip
The singer finds his girlfriend's hips highly appealing
When she comes home
The singer's girlfriend has been away and is now returning home
You're my sports car
The artist compares his girlfriend to a sports car, implying she is fast, sleek and exciting
And you're really cool
The artist thinks his girlfriend is an amazing person
When we drive around
The singer and his girlfriend spend time together in a car, probably exploring new places
All the kids at school
The singer and his girlfriend are often seen around school areas, and kids have begun to notice their relationship
Say you're so bad
The kids at school adore the artist's girlfriend and give her a bad girl persona, in a positive way
You're my Lear jet
The artist compares his girlfriend to a luxury jet, which is a symbol of wealth and success
With the portable bar
The artist enjoys his girlfriend's company because she brings with her things that make him feel good
And those windows
The windows on the jet are a literal reference to the windows in a car or truck, which are important for sight-seeing and engagement
You can see all the stars
The artist and his girlfriend together are able to see the beauty in everything that surrounds them, even the stars
Then we touch down
The singer and his girlfriend are engaged in an activity that requires them take risks, and they'll keep pursuing it until the end
Contributed by Declan T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.