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.
What's A Girl
The Wrens Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
dead by matches on a red dirty mattress under you
bleak enough for two throw-up in pales at the mention of males
even you what's a girl to do
throw my pennies and I throw my privilege
and I violate for you and I escalate towards you I won't sin
I moan him and I suffocated in you - what's a girl to do
what makes everything seem something I'd never want to do
The Wrens's song "What's A Girl" is a melancholic tune about a woman who is in a difficult and dangerous relationship. The opening lines "What's a girl to do, what's a girl to do, dead by matches on a red dirty mattress under you" describe the danger that she is facing in her relationship-- she is at risk of being hurt or killed. The lyrics go on to describe her feelings of despair and hopelessness, as she struggles to find a way out of the situation. The lines "bleak enough for two throw-up in pales at the mention of males even you what's a girl to do" highlight how trapped and hopeless she feels, even though she is with someone who she thought would make her feel safe.
The song becomes even more haunting with the lines "I throw my pennies and I throw my privilege and I violate for you and I escalate towards you I won't sin I moan him and I suffocated in you - what's a girl to do," which depict the woman's desperation to please her partner, even if it means breaking the law and risking her own safety. The chorus "what makes everything seem something I'd never want to do pack my paintings and I pack my cookies" suggests that she is preparing to leave her relationship, yet still feeling conflicted and unsure.
Overall, The Wrens's "What's a Girl" is a poignant and powerful commentary on the struggles of women in abusive relationships, and the long journey they often face in order to break free.
Line by Line Meaning
What's a girl to do, what's a girl to do
The girl is uncertain and questioning what action she should take in her current situation.
dead by matches on a red dirty mattress under you
The girl feels trapped or helpless, potentially in a dangerous or abusive situation.
bleak enough for two throw-up in pales at the mention of males
The environment or circumstances are so unpleasant that even the girl and another person get physically sick at the thought of men, indicating potential trauma or abuse.
even you what's a girl to do
The girl may feel conflicted about her feelings for a particular person, possibly even the person who is causing her distress or harm.
throw my pennies and I throw my privilege
The girl is willing to give up her wealth and status to escape from her current situation.
and I violate for you and I escalate towards you I won't sin
The girl may be engaging in dangerous or harmful behavior to appease or keep the person who is causing her distress or harm satisfied, potentially out of fear of the consequences if she doesn't comply.
I moan him and I suffocated in you - what's a girl to do
The girl may feel emotionally or physically trapped and suffocating in her relationship with the person who is causing her distress or harm.
what makes everything seem something I'd never want to do
The girl is beginning to question the things she has done and the situation she is in, and is no longer sure if it is what she truly wants.
pack my paintings and I pack my cookies
The girl is preparing to leave her current situation and start anew.
Contributed by Oliver O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
p g
This friggin song's been haunting me for years...
tannerin
still in a trailer park