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)
Listen
Wondermints Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Faces that I know, I really don't at all
How in the world do I face my position?
How in the world could I make someone listen?
Make someone listen, make someone listen
On a brink I float, I circle my illusion
Patterns that I wrote, their shapes are rather small
Why in the world should I wake up and listen?
Wake up and listen
And when the world comes to an end
Then all those lonely, lonely nights
Would be in vain
There goes my heart breaking again
When second thoughts had shattered dreams
Outside my window
And I go to sleep
Everywhere I go
I feel as if I'm gone
In "Listen," the Wondermints sing about the feeling of loneliness and disconnection that can come with being surrounded by people, even those you know. The first lines express this feeling, with the singer saying that everywhere he goes, he feels a little lonely and that even the faces he knows are not familiar to him. He is questioning how he got to this point in his life, and how he can make someone listen to what he has to say.
The second verse takes a more introspective tone, delving deeper into the reasons for his loneliness. The singer says he is on the brink and circling his illusions, which could refer to feeling trapped in his own perceived reality. The repetition of the question, "Why in the world?" suggests he is struggling to understand his place in the world and why he cannot break free from his own patterns.
The chorus brings a different perspective, speaking to the idea that even if the world were to end, all those lonely nights would be in vain. The final lines of the song, "Everywhere I go, I feel as if I'm gone," echo the feelings of disconnection and loneliness from the beginning of the song.
Overall, "Listen" is a melancholic yet introspective song that speaks to the human experience of feeling isolated and disconnected from the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Everywhere I go, I feel a little lonely
No matter where the artist goes, they always feel a pang of loneliness.
Faces that I know, I really don't at all
Despite knowing many people, the artist may not truly know who they are.
How in the world do I face my position?
The artist struggles with how to handle their current situation.
How in the world could I make someone listen?
The artist wishes they could make others hear what they have to say.
Make someone listen, make someone listen
The artist repeats this line to emphasize their desire for someone to hear them out.
On a brink I float, I circle my illusion
The artist is on the verge of something, but it may just be a figment of their imagination.
Patterns that I wrote, their shapes are rather small
The artist's creations may not be as big or meaningful as they had hoped.
Why in the world should I break my tradition?
The artist questions why they should stray from their usual routine.
Why in the world should I wake up and listen?
The artist questions why they should pay attention to things outside their usual routine.
Wake up and listen
The artist urges themselves to wake up and start paying attention to things around them.
And when the world comes to an end
In a hypothetical scenario where the world is ending...
Then all those lonely, lonely nights
...the artist's lonely nights would have been for nothing.
Would be in vain
The artist emphasizes that their loneliness feels meaningless.
There goes my heart breaking again
The artist's heart breaks once more.
When second thoughts had shattered dreams
The artist's doubts ruined their aspirations.
Outside my window
The location of the following events is outside the artist's window.
And I go to sleep
The artist goes to sleep, perhaps trying to escape their problems.
Everywhere I go
The artist continues to feel adrift.
I feel as if I'm gone
Their sense of loneliness can result in them feeling like they don't exist at all.
Contributed by Brody T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jerry Smith
Absolutely beautiful.
Agent 1110
My walrus walks through his English garden on a mysteriously magical tour.
Tiny Dancer
👍