The album was produced by jazz percussionist/producer Gary McFarland. At the time, McFarland was part owner of the Skye label, along with Latin percussionist Cal Tjader (who was Wendy and Bonnie's godfather) and jazz guitarist Gábor Szabó.
Wendy and Bonnie grew up in Millbrae, California, in the San Francisco Bay suburbs. Their parents, Art and Jeane Flower, were professional musicians. In 1967, Wendy played and recorded with an early San Francisco psychedelic band called Crystal Fountain; Bonnie later joined the band as drummer. The following year, Tjader heard some of the Flower sisters' acoustic home demos and arranged a recording session with Skye. The sisters, who were teens at the time the album was recorded, composed all the songs. McFarland served as arranger on the sessions, crafting a post-psychedelic soft rock sound with Brazilian overtones. Musicians who performed on the album included guitarist Larry Carlton, drummer Jim Keltner, and keyboardist Mike Melvoin.
The Skye label went bankrupt shortly after the album's release. In 1971, while planning for additional recording with the Flower sisters, McFarland was mysteriously murdered in a New York bar.
In the early 1970s, Wendy and Bonnie provided background vocals on two Cal Tjader albums for Fantasy Records. Thereafter, the sisters pursued separate careers in music and entertainment, but did not record together again.
Genesis was reissued on CD in 2001 by the Sundazed Records label. In 2008, it was reissued in expanded format, including demos, alternate mixes, and vintage live recordings, on 2-CD and 3-LP vinyl sets.
Their recording "By the Sea" was sampled by the Welsh space rock band Super Furry Animals on the single Hello Sunshine, which is also the opening track on the band's 2003 album Phantom Power.
In 2010, French singer Laetitia Sadier of UK group Stereolab recorded "By the Sea" for release on her album, The Trip.
After singing guest harmony with Super Furry Animals at San Francisco's The Fillmore, New York's The Tonic and London's ICA, Wendy Flower performed (backed by Jane Weaver and The High Llamas) as one of the Lost Ladies of Folk at the 2007, Jarvis Cocker-curated Meltdown Festival. She sang on Weaver's Fallen By Watchbird album and, in 2013, released her own indie-pop album, New.
Bonnie Flower died at the age of 63 on November 15, 2017.
Years
Wendy & Bonnie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Feeling so strange
Looking round at the city like it doesn't know my name
Almost like I've never walked down these streets
Even though they've been my home for 23
Years is that how long it takes to come to your senses
How come I'm the only one that seems to be so restless
God I'm so bored
Finding ways to spend the day and waste my whole life away
God I'm so bored
Can't say I wasn't warned
They said 'little girl you keep your magic in the floorboards'
But I poured it out
Now I'm facing the drought
Everything's too loud
I can't find a distraction that helps drown it out
I feel claustrophobic, waiting to break
Out of this space that I've hated for over a
Decade now is that how long it takes to come to your senses
How come I'm the only one that seems to be so restless
And even though I've found myself at my wits end
What's the next step, how do I progress?
God I'm so bored
Meaningless chores
Finding ways to spend the day and waste my whole life away
God I'm so bored
Can't say I wasn't warned
They said little girl you keep your magic in the floorboards but
I poured it out
The lyrics to Wendy & Bonnie's song "Years" reflect a sense of disillusionment and restlessness with one's surroundings and life in general. The singer begins by expressing a feeling of detachment and strangeness, as if the city they live in doesn't recognize or acknowledge their presence. This feeling is contrasted with the fact that they have been living in this place for 23 years, implying that familiarity and time should have brought a sense of belonging, but it hasn't.
The lyrics further delve into the singer's boredom and frustration with the monotony of daily life. They describe their activities as "meaningless chores" and express a longing for something more fulfilling and purposeful. The line "God I'm so bored, finding ways to spend the day and waste my whole life away" encapsulates their desire for a deeper, more meaningful existence. They feel restless, questioning why they seem to be the only one who feels this way.
The second verse continues this theme of dissatisfaction and unease. The singer reflects on the advice they received to keep their "magic" hidden, but they admit to pouring it out and now face a metaphorical drought. They feel trapped and overwhelmed, desperate to break free from the confines of their current situation. They ponder how long it takes to come to one's senses and why they are seemingly the only one experiencing this restlessness. Despite reaching their wit's end, the singer is uncertain about what steps to take next and how to progress.
Overall, the lyrics of "Years" convey a sense of longing for something more meaningful, a yearning to break free from the monotony of daily life, and a questioning of one's purpose and direction.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm feeling distant
I am experiencing a sense of detachment and separation
Feeling so strange
Experiencing a peculiar and unfamiliar sensation
Looking round at the city like it doesn't know my name
Observing the city as if it fails to recognize my identity
Almost like I've never walked down these streets
It feels as if I have never traversed these roads before
Even though they've been my home for 23
Despite having resided here for twenty-three years
Years is that how long it takes to come to your senses
Does it require this lengthy period to gain clarity and understanding?
How come I'm the only one that seems to be so restless
Why am I the sole individual displaying discontent and restlessness?
God I'm so bored
I am extremely uninterested and lacking stimulation
Meaningless chores
Engaging in tasks that possess no significant purpose or value
Finding ways to spend the day and waste my whole life away
Seeking means to pass the time and squander the entirety of my existence
Can't say I wasn't warned
It would be untruthful to state that I was not cautioned
They said 'little girl you keep your magic in the floorboards'
Advice was given, stating that my magical essence should be kept hidden and concealed
But I poured it out
Nevertheless, I disregarded this counsel and released my inner enchantment
Now I'm facing the drought
Now I find myself confronted with a severe shortage or scarcity
Everything's too loud
The surrounding environment is excessively noisy and overwhelming
I can't find a distraction that helps drown it out
I am unable to discover a diversion capable of quieting or submerging these clamors
I feel claustrophobic, waiting to break
Experiencing a sense of suffocation and eagerly anticipating liberation
Out of this space that I've hated for over a
Escape from this despised environment that I have endured for an extended
Decade now is that how long it takes to come to your senses
Is it truly necessary to endure a period as long as ten years for mental clarity to be attained?
How come I'm the only one that seems to be so restless
Why am I the solitary individual exhibiting such restlessness?
And even though I've found myself at my wits end
Despite reaching a point of extreme frustration and confusion
What's the next step, how do I progress?
What course of action should be pursued next in order to advance?
God I'm so bored
I am immensely uninterested and lacking stimulation
Meaningless chores
Engaging in tasks that possess no significant purpose or value
Finding ways to spend the day and waste my whole life away
Seeking means to pass the time and squander the entirety of my existence
Can't say I wasn't warned
It would be untruthful to state that I was not cautioned
They said little girl you keep your magic in the floorboards but
Advice was given, stating that my magical essence should be kept hidden and concealed; however,
I poured it out
I disregarded this counsel and released my inner enchantment
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Alex Scott, VinĂcius Takada
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Anthony Kimball
I could listen to this song over and over. Absolute audio nirvana. So many great albums recorded in the late 1960s got overlooked, but thanks to reissue specialists like sundazed and cherry red and sites like youtube we are able to discover and luxuriate in stuff that otherwise might well have gone completely forgotten by history.
zjww45
I love this album. A psychedelic pop masterpiece. These sisters were so talented. Wendy I think was 17 and Bonnie was only 13 years old when this was recorded. Unbelievable.
clinikillz
Amazing song, amazing album.
moehammondmedia
One of my favorite songs ever from a masterpiece album. At times their vocals remind me of Wendy & Lisa and that's amazing because Wendy Melvoins father played on this album with an 18 year old Larry Carlton. I asked Larry Carlton about this album before and he had absolutely no recollection of it at all. He said "who? Wendy & Bonnie???" Then I just kept telling him more and more different things about the album and he actually eventually remembered. I told him that the word is you were only 17 years old playing on that album and he said "yeah I remember those girls now. I was 18 when I made that album." One of the last things he said was " I would like to here that album" . One of my biggest regrets was not having my Wendy & Bonnie cd to give to the great Larry Carlton.
John Gray
Wow...great story...Larry is incredible
Davian67
One of my favorite songs ever, thanks for posting this, I've bought both editions on cd!
solarsource7
Stacked up among a batch of LPs in my high school video/film class (many, many moons ago) there was an album called Wendy & Bonnie. I would play in the class room but send it through the loudspeakers over the class studio. That was many, many years ago. Today I have the CD. Glad to see it here on Youtube. Sweet and dreamy music.
Velvetclaw
Beautiful song on a unique album
tina tina
I like to sing this song to my 2 elderly cats and I think they like it too
YOWYoona
Just found this song because I'm searching about window panes. This is good đź’•đź’•đź’•