Waxahatchee, named after Waxahatchee Creek in Alabama where Crutchfield grew up, began in 2010 during the breakup of P.S. Eliot. Crutchfield released her first music as Waxahatchee as a split cassette with Chris Clavin on Plan-It-X Records. Her bedroom-recorded debut album, American Weekend, was released on Don Giovanni Records in 2012.
On June 11, 2012 "Be Good" was the song of the day on NPR as well as one of the best 50 songs of 2012. Her debut album, "American Weekend," was named a top album of 2012 by Dusted magazine.
Subsequent albums include Cerulean Salt (2013), Ivy Tripp (2015), Out in the Storm (2017), Saint Cloud (2020), and the upcoming Tigers Blood (out March 22, 2024)
Magic City Wholesale
Waxahatchee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're on the porch and there's a keg and you are quiet
Wind shifts, I drift
To autumn, I tell Dom what I see
She laughs at me
Blast beat, we retreat
And it's a lonely street, the burden of circumvention
But fractions like us
So we yell over it and have a laugh
And it's a laughable scenario
Peripheral motion picture show
And I feel your eyes, and I stayed inside
But it wouldn't work so I soak up your vice
Tonight's a blur
We meet
You scare me
See, I have met people from Maine and Athens
Georgia and Montreal
And I'm dead, lips red
Licking sugar, I smile at everyone
Formulated fun
The lyrics to Waxahatchee's song Magic City Wholesale describe a scene at a party. The crowd is described as "stale, wholesale" which could be interpreted as a grouping of people who lack vibrancy but have gathered for convenience. The singer is on the porch with someone who is quiet, and the wind shifts, causing the singer to "drift to autumn." The singer then shares what they see with a friend, named Dom, who laughs at them. The singer then describes a situation where there is loud music, and they retreat to a lonely street because of the burden of circumvention. The singer and their friends, who are "fractions like us," are depicted as filling cities and flats. Despite the noise, they manage to enjoy themselves and have a laugh.
The song goes on to describe a somewhat confusing scene where the singer meets someone who scares them. They describe meeting people from different places such as Maine and Athens, Georgia, but their lips are red from licking sugar, which could be interpreted as them indulging in something they know they shouldn't. The description of "formulated fun" could mean that the party is designed for entertainment but lacks authenticity.
Overall, the song seems to be commenting on the hollowness of certain social situations and how people manage to find joy despite feeling somewhat disconnected from each other.
Line by Line Meaning
Crowd stale, wholesale
The atmosphere is stagnant and everyone is just going through the motions
We're on the porch and there's a keg and you are quiet
We're at a party and you're not really participating in the conversation
Wind shifts, I drift
Without any real direction, I lose focus and become lost in thought
To autumn, I tell Dom what I see
I describe the changing season to my friend, Dom
She laughs at me
Dom finds my observations amusing
Blast beat, we retreat
We move away from the loud, fast music
And it's a lonely street, the burden of circumvention
We're walking down a quiet road and I feel the weight of trying to avoid something
But fractions like us
People like us who don't quite fit in
Fill cities and flats and cul de sacs
We populate and occupy all kinds of spaces, even if we don't exactly belong there
So we yell over it and have a laugh
We talk loudly and laugh to make up for the awkwardness
And it's a laughable scenario
The situation is ridiculous and almost comical
Peripheral motion picture show
The scene feels like I'm watching a movie unfold rather than experiencing it firsthand
And I feel your eyes, and I stayed inside
I notice you're looking at me but I remain withdrawn
But it wouldn't work so I soak up your vice
Our connection isn't quite right, but I still try to find common ground with you
Tonight's a blur
I may not remember this night too clearly later on
We meet
We encounter each other
You scare me
I'm apprehensive about getting too close to you
See, I have met people from Maine and Athens
Georgia and Montreal
I've met people from all over the place
And I'm dead, lips red
Licking sugar, I smile at everyone
Formulated fun
I feel numb, but I try to mask it with a fake smile and indulging in sugary treats
Contributed by Jordan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Den Crj
❤❤
J Lansdale
Love this song.