The group formed in 1992, and released a vinyl single, "Proto Pretty", which was later compiled on Rhino Records' "Poptopia" series of power pop compilations. They followed this with the albums Wondermints (1995), Wonderful World of the Wondermints (an album of cover versions from 1996), Bali (1998) and Mind If We Make Love to You (2002). Most of these albums were released in Japan prior to release in the United States. The group also contributed to the soundtrack of the first Austin Powers movie at the request of Mike Myers.
In 1999, the group signed on to be part of Brian Wilson's touring band. Walusko and Gregory have played with him continuously ever since, with D'Amico only having toured with Wilson in 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2003. When D'Amico left to spend time with his family, he was replaced in 2001 and early 2002 by Andy Paley, and in 2004 by Nelson Bragg. However, D'Amico rejoined Wilson's band in the summer of 2008, replacing Jim Hines on drums after relieving fellow multi-instrumentalist Scott Bennett of his temporary drumming duties. Sahanaja also missed a few shows in 2003 and 2008, being replaced by Gary Griffin, and in 2016, when Billy Hinsche took his place.
All Wondermints can be heard on Wilson's CDs and DVDs Live at the Roxy Theatre, Brian Wilson on Tour, Pet Sounds Live, and Brian Wilson Reimagines Gershwin, with Sahanaja, Walusko, and Gregory also appearing on the Pet Sounds Live in London album and the studio albums Gettin' in Over My Head and Brian Wilson Presents Smile.
The band is part of a power pop scene in Los Angeles, many of whose members play on each other's records. All of the members of Wondermints, especially Gregory, have made frequent guest appearances and have several side projects, some of the more notable of which are Love, The Eels, Baby Lemonade, The Negro Problem, Stew and Kim Fox.
Albums
Wondermints (1995)
Wonderful World of the Wondermints (1996)
Bali (1998)
Mind If We Make Love to You (2002)
Kaleidoscopin': Exploring Prisms of the Past (2009)
Fleur-de-Lis
Wondermints Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I was sinking in the sand.
And I thought I caught her,
But she was a little out of hand.
She's in a citadel that she built on her own.
She let her hair down for me.
Wish I'd keep her only locked away just for me,
But she's already doing time.
Squeezing in the hour 'til you're gone.
You're in a citadel that you built on your own.
Just let your hair down for me.
Could be a million reasons,
But you found just one - just one.
Fleur-de-lis Frozen lily
Fleur-de-lis Frozen lily
Silent sands are pouring, patiently ignoring
The minutes sliding into years
From the time I lost her,
Through the door of summer where she remains...
Forever out there
Fleur-de-lis Frozen lily
Forever out there
Fleur-de-lis Frozen lily
Fleur-de-lis
Forever out there
The lyrics to "Fleur-de-Lis" by Wondermints are emblematic of a man's longing for a woman who is distant and unattainable. He first sees her walking on water, and while he tries to catch her attention, their connection is fleeting and tenuous. The woman is described as being in a citadel of her own making, implying that she is emotionally guarded and unwilling to let anyone get too close. The man wishes he could keep her all to himself, but she is "already doing time," indicating that she may be in a relationship or otherwise unavailable. The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "Fleur-de-Lis Frozen lily," which could be interpreted as a metaphor for the woman's beauty and unattainability.
The second verse describes the passing of time and the singer's inability to forget the woman. He is stuck in the past, reliving the moment he lost her as if it were only yesterday. He refers to her as a frozen lily, suggesting that she is both beautiful and fragile, but also unchanging and resistant to his advances. The song ends with the repetition of "Forever out there," perhaps indicating that the singer knows he will never be able to have the woman he desires.
Overall, "Fleur-de-Lis" is a bittersweet love song, with poetic lyrics that capture the longing and loss associated with unrequited love. The use of metaphor and imagery adds depth and complexity to the song, and the dreamy, wistful melody adds to the overall mood of yearning.
Line by Line Meaning
Came the day I saw her, walking on the water,
One day, I saw her walking on water while I struggled on land.
And I was sinking in the sand.
I felt like I was drowning in the sand while she walked on water effortlessly.
And I thought I caught her,
I thought I had a grip on her but it was short-lived.
But she was a little out of hand.
It turns out, she was unpredictable and difficult to control.
She's in a citadel that she built on her own.
She has built a fortress around herself, protecting herself from outsiders.
She let her hair down for me.
But she opened up and let her guard down for me for a short time.
Wish I'd keep her only locked away just for me,
I wish I could keep her all to myself forever, hidden from the rest of the world.
But she's already doing time.
But she is already serving a sentence of isolation behind her citadel's walls.
She's a concrete flower,
She is a beautiful but unyielding person who is difficult to approach.
Squeezing in the hour 'til you're gone.
She will make the most of any amount of time you give her before she retreats back behind her walls.
You're in a citadel that you built on your own.
You have constructed your own fortress, keeping yourself away from others.
Just let your hair down for me.
But I'm hoping that you'll lower your defenses and let me in.
Could be a million reasons,
There could be countless motives or reasons for the things we do.
But you found just one - just one.
But no matter the reasoning, you only found one that made sense to you.
Fleur-de-lis Frozen lily
The symbol of the fleur-de-lis represents both beauty and strength, or in this context, beauty that is cold, distant, and unapproachable.
Silent sands are pouring, patiently ignoring
Time passes constantly, without regard for anyone or anything.
The minutes sliding into years
Seconds turn to minutes, minutes become hours, and before you know it, years have passed.
From the time I lost her,
From the moment that I lost my connection to her, be it physical or emotional.
Through the door of summer where she remains...
Through the memories of the warmest season, where we spent time together, and where she still exists in my mind.
Forever out there
She's forever out there - beyond my reach or control, lost to me.
Fleur-de-lis Frozen lily
Again, the symbol of the fleur-de-lis represents beauty that is cold, distant, and unapproachable.
Forever out there
The idea is repeated - she is gone forever, beyond my reach or control.
Fleur-de-lis
The fleur-de-lis is a powerful symbol, representing beauty, strength, and royalty. In this song, it represents someone who is beautiful but unapproachable - a flower that has been frozen and is no longer alive.
Contributed by Isaiah R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Surfer Joe
Buried treasure...what a loss he was, but how nice to have him, and 1993, back for a few minutes.