The Wrens are known for their explosive stage presence, despite each member being well past 35, and are steadily gaining a fanbase across the world. Their debut album, "Silver", was released in 1994 to a moderate degree of critical acclaim. However, it was their second LP, "Secaucus" (named in reference to the town in New Jersey where they resided), that established them as one of the top bands on the indie rock scene. Both of these albums were released on the now defunct Grass Records label.
After the release of "Secaucus", Grass Records came under new ownership, who decided to make The Wrens the flagship band of the label. After the band turned down a million-dollar contract stipulating that the band record more "radio friendly" songs, The Wrens were dropped by Grass Records. "Silver" and "Secaucus" were only recently reissued in 2006 after years out of circulation because of this.
Hindered by their label issues through much of the 1990s, the Wrens managed only to release one EP, "Abbott 1135", in 1997 under the label Ten23 Records. The band's third full-length album, "The Meadowlands", finally surfaced in late 2003 (seven years after the release of "Secaucus") under Absolutely Kosher Records to enormous critical acclaim, topping critics' polls for the following two years and suddenly jump-starting an otherwise plateauing career.
The Wrens are currently being filmed for a documentary by the production company Little Quill, and are working on another LP and a re-recording of Abbott 1135.
There are other artists with the same name:
2) The Wrens were a doo-wop and R&B band from the Morrisania section of the Bronx in New York City. They are best-known for their song "Come Back My Love."
The Wrens first started singing together in 1954 and were comprised of lead singer Bobby Mansfield, George Magnezid (tenor), Francis "Frenchie" Concepcion (tenor), and James "Archie" Archer (bass). They admired the artists such as the Clovers, the Ravens, the Orioles, the Mills Brothers, Nat King Cole and Louis Jordan.
The Wrens were known best for their smooth, elegant harmony singing, and had a somewhat harder R&B edge than many similar groups at the time. Unfortunately, only six singles were offically released before Bobby Mansfield left the group in 1956 for a solo career. The Wrens were inducted into the United Group Harmony Association's Hall of Fame in 1998.
3) The Wrens are also a french indie folk band.
4.) The Wrens are also a family of birds, which may be scrobbled by those listening to recordings of bird songs.
Surprise Honeycomb
The Wrens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
dozens laid rest / settled down then at last
thought i might be done / but being good made me burst
the killing got worse / it almost got fun / so i got a new gun
marie came home tattooed / it covers her back
it's God done in black / says “it protects me from you”
as christmas can be / i started out fine
i used to kill time / now Detroit's killing me / so i jump start my spree
looks like you need a man time, honey comb
hid away for wine years how you've grown
we can call your folks / from a highway side rotary
i drive up to your door / and wracked by disease
i do what i please / drop you to the floor
on top of magazines / and calendar art
held up with darts / shows american scenes / of cowboys in jeans
i'll change / his scrape of land / i'll take you east / we'll guide the first we find to sleepy peace
pop the door i think this wander lust
ain't the only thing between both of us
i'll make you famous / and we'll double the states you've seen
the cop who brought me in / an uncle of mine
on first mommy's side / i'm even named after him
The Wrens's song Surprise Honeycomb is a complex and dark exploration of the singer's descent into violence and the societal factors that have contributed to it. The lyrics open with the image of the singer cutting a "killing path" through the "true west," a reference to the iconic American West of the Wild West era. He reflects on how he thought he might be done with killing, but instead his desire to be "good" made him burst with the urge to kill, and he got a new gun to do it. The song also introduces a character named Marie, who has come home with a tattoo of God covering her back, which she says is to protect her from the singer. As the holiday season approaches, the singer feels trapped by the dreariness of his surroundings and jumps "start [his] spree," suggesting a newfound enthusiasm for violence.
The lyrics take a disturbing turn when the singer arrives at someone's home and begins to assault them, dropping them to the floor on top of magazines and calendar art depicting American cowboys. He then suggests that he and the victim, who he calls "honey comb," could change the East, and he'll take her to see things she's never seen before, and he'll make her famous, encouraging her to let go of her past and embrace the present. The song concludes with the revelation that the cop who arrested the singer was an uncle of his named after him, implying that violence runs in the family.
Overall, the song Surprise Honeycomb is a reflection on how violence begets violence, and how societal factors can contribute to its perpetuation. The singer's desire to do good, combined with his surroundings' dreariness, leads him down a violent path, and his actions have impacted those around him, as seen through Marie's tattoo and his uncle's profession.
Line by Line Meaning
cut a killing path / through the true west
I carved my way through the western frontier, leaving death and destruction in my wake.
dozens laid rest / settled down then at last
I killed many people and then finally found a place to settle down.
thought i might be done / but being good made me burst
I thought I was finished with killing, but the urge to do bad things burst forth from within me.
the killing got worse / it almost got fun / so i got a new gun
I found that I enjoyed killing more and more, almost to the point of it being a fun activity, so I bought a new weapon to assist me.
marie came home tattooed / it covers her back
My partner Marie returned home with a tattoo that covers her entire back.
it's God done in black / says “it protects me from you”
The tattoo is an image of God in black ink, and she says it is to protect her from me.
as christmas can be / i started out fine
Even though Christmas can be a joyful time, I started out okay.
i used to kill time / now Detroit's killing me / so i jump start my spree
I used to waste time, but now Detroit is killing me, so I start my killing again.
surprise / it's not enough / want to work / influence on rock's and shells and dirt
I want to be influential, even beyond death, and just killing people is not enough to achieve this.
looks like you need a man time, honey comb
It seems like you could use a man in your life, my dear.
hid away for wine years how you've grown
You have been hidden away for many years, but now you have blossomed into something beautiful.
we can call your folks / from a highway side rotary
We can contact your family from a payphone on the side of the highway.
i drive up to your door / and wracked by disease
I drive up to your house, but I am tormented by illness.
i do what i please / drop you to the floor
I am in control and do whatever I please, including knocking you to the ground.
on top of magazines / and calendar art
You fall on top of magazines and calendars that display American imagery.
held up with darts / shows american scenes / of cowboys in jeans
These items are held up with darts and depict images of American cowboys wearing jeans.
i'll change / his scrape of land / i'll take you east / we'll guide the first we find to sleepy peace
I will make some changes to this land, and take you with me to the East. We will find those who are sleeping peacefully and bring them to a similar state of rest.
pop the door i think this wander lust
I open the door, and I am filled with a strong desire to wander.
ain't the only thing between both of us
There is more than just wanderlust separating us from each other.
i'll make you famous / and we'll double the states you've seen
I will make you famous, and we will travel to many more states than you have ever seen before.
the cop who brought me in / an uncle of mine / on first mommy's side / i'm even named after him
The police officer who brought me in to the station is actually my uncle on my mother's side, and I am even named after him.
Contributed by Ethan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Ebony LightRain Vampire
Okay. I have seen enough. I am buying every single Wrens album right now. This is ridiculous how they are not more popular than they are. Every song is just freaking amazing. Wrens, NEVER go away. I repeat, NEVER leave us. You are one of the few bands that still freaking has it. My goodness, this is fantastic...
THEROCKBOTTOMCARPETS
I’ve got some bad news friend :-(
Jeremy Arroyo
Don’t forget Abbott 1135
Raul Franco
Easily one of the best songs of the 90s.
Amanda A
Are there more Wrens videos we don’t know about?!?!?! This is so good...love this song and the video mirrors it so well. Killing spree ala Starkweather and Fugate, right? Fucking love The Wrens.
Chris Burk
Do yourself a favor and track down the Album "Secaucus" - if you don't have it already... Given to me back in the 90s by Camille Sciara who was A&R @ Grass Records before they were bought out by Corporate Interests... Saw The Wrens LIVE in NYC @ Coney Island HIgh School in Village back in day
Amanda A
Yes, I’m well aware. The Wrens are my fave rock band. Saw them play in 2003 at the tender age of 17 and never looked back. Was just wondering if there were more music vids that could be unearthed.
Martini88
Wow, where did this come from? Did they hide this video in a basement somewhere for 20 years?
Officefan2
They spent all that time getting it just right
Officefan2
Now pull out a 25 year old video for I’ve Made Enough Friends please.