∇
troperville

∇
tools

∇
toys

SubpagesMain
Music
YMMV

main index

Narrative

Genre

Media

Topical Tropes

Other Categories

random

Subpages:

Music: Marcy Playground

Hangin' round, downtown by themselves.

Marcy Playground is a three-piece Alternative Rock band, consisting of John Wozniak on guitar and vocals, Dylan Keefe on bass, and Shlomi Lavie behind the kit. Since 1997, the band has released four full-length albums and one remix album. They are best known as the One Hit Wonder band behind the song "Sex & Candy," which has frequently appeared on 90s compilations.

Their trademark approach is a mellow, mid-tempo 1990s rock sound. The name "Marcy Playground" is named from the Marcy Open grade school in Minneapolis, an alternative school John Wozniak attended; much of his music was inspired by his youth, when he claims he was an "outsider."

Their discography consists of the following:

Marcy Playground (1997)
Shapeshifter (1999)
MP3 (2004)
Leaving Wonderland...In A Fit Of Rage (2009)
Indaba Remixes from Wonderland (2010) (remix album)
Lunch, Recess & Detention (2012) (rarities/b-sides collection)

Marcy Playground provides examples of:

B-Side: "Memphis" is a notable example, as John Wozniak's wife thought it was too good a song to languish as a b-side and convinced him to rerecord it for Leaving Wonderland...In A Fit Of Rage years later.
Cover Version: Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" is covered on Lunch, Recess & Detention.
Fake-Out Fade-Out / No Ending: Marcy Playground did both of these on one song, within fifteen seconds of each other. "The Shadow Of Seattle" seems to end on a solemn note, then suddenly starts up again for two bars, then the tape abruptly cuts out. It's a bit jarring.
Grief Song: "Death Of A Cheerleader" from MP3.
Hidden Track: At the end of MP3 is a band member telling a joke that ends with an Incredibly Lame Pun.
One Hit Wonder: "Sex & Candy."
One Woman Song: "Sherry Fraser."
Perishing Alt Rock Voice: John Wozniak tended to lean in this direction.
Pun-Based Title: See, the album is called MP3 because they're Marcy Playground and it's their third album. Eh? Eh?
Rockstar Song: "Punk Rock Superstar."
Self-Titled Album
Spelling Song: Spelling out "B-E A-G-G-R-E-S-S-I-V-E" in "Death Of A Cheerleader."
Stop and Go: "Rosey Risin'" stops briefly so John Wozniak can yawn.
Surreal Music Video: "Sex & Candy" again.
Word Salad Lyrics