Cleaver and Walker began playing together in 2001 as a result of Cleaver’s stage fright when asked to perform a brief run of solo shows. The duo’s first performance was largely unplanned and yet went without incident.. so they agreed to continue and expand. Mark Messerly joined in 2002 as bassist and utility man, and Dawn Burman joined on drums shortly thereafter. The four-piece has released three full-length albums and one EP on their native Cincinnati’s Shake It label. Klug joined the band shortly after Burman's departure in early 2009.
The band is known for its use of "an army of alternately droning and jangling guitars" (Uncut 6/09) to offset the traditional three-minute pop format. Lyrics are typically split evenly between Cleaver and Walker.
Their work has met with critical praise from Rolling Stone and SPIN, both of which gave the band’s second and third albums four stars each, in addition to favorable reviews from Village Voice, NPR, Washington Post, Uncut, and many other press outlets. The “Dean of American Critics” Robert Christgau placed the band’s first two albums (Funeral Dress and Left for Dead) on his Best of the Decade list, and their third album (Wussy) ranked tenth in his best of 2009 Dean’s List.
North Sea Girls
Wussy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And storm the castle door
Stop on the choppy beach
For ice-cream on the shore
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Head on out, make a bow,
Then dive into the water
Like in summertime
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You drive to the very edge,
Until there's nothing more
Watching all the sills
Shed their coats among the shore
()
Head on out, make a bow,
Then dive into the water
Mostly girls, they can't fall,
Like in summertime
The song "North Sea Girls" by Wussy, a Cincinnati-based indie rock band, has been interpreted in several ways. While the lyrics suggest a carefree summer day at the beach, there is an underlying theme of nostalgia and longing for a time that has passed. The line "Today we gather Romans and storm the castle door" may imply a group of friends coming together to relive their childhood memories. The line "Stop on the choppy beach for ice-cream on the shore" suggests that the group is not too concerned about the roughness of the waves and are simply enjoying the scenery.
The lines "Head on out, make a bow, then dive into the water / Mostly girls, they can't fall, like in summertime" may suggest the carefree nature of summer days, especially for young girls. The group seems to be enjoying their time at the beach, reveling in the joy of jumping into the waves and having a great time. The line "You drive to the very edge, until there's nothing more / Watching all the sills shed their coats among the shore" suggests that the group is living in the moment and is not afraid to take risks.
In conclusion, "North Sea Girls" by Wussy is a song that captures the essence of carefree summer days spent with friends. While the lyrics may seem simple at first, they contain a sense of nostalgia and longing for a time that has passed.
Line by Line Meaning
Today we gather Romans
We are getting a group of people together to do something exciting, just like the Romans used to do.
And storm the castle door
We are going to approach something with enthusiasm and determination, just like trying to break down a castle door.
Stop on the choppy beach
We are taking a break at a beach with rough waves and currents.
For ice-cream on the shore
We are enjoying some cold treats while relaxing on the beach.
Head on out, make a bow,
We are getting ready to leave and preparing to do something impressive, like making a bow before a performance.
Then dive into the water
We are jumping into the water with abandon and excitement.
Mostly girls, they can't fall,
The people jumping into the water are mostly girls who are confident and won't make mistakes.
Like in summertime
This activity reminds us of carefree summer days spent having fun and making memories.
You drive to the very edge,
We are pushing ourselves to the limit, going as far as we can.
Until there's nothing more
We keep going until we reach the end or can't continue any further.
Watching all the sills
We are observing people who are experienced and skilled at this activity.
Shed their coats among the shore
They are taking off extra layers to be comfortable while they participate in this activity.
Contributed by Joseph B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.