Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. CLIV--Marcy Playground: Sex and Candy

A few years back I was killing time before going to bed watching one of those ubiquitous VH-1 One Hit Wonder retrospectives, and they were interviewing the guys from Marcy Playground about this week's tune--and unlike so many other bands, they were thrilled to death with everything their one hit had brought them and were truly grateful for the opportunity to play music for the rest of their lives that having a hit single had given them.  It was just a breath of fresh air--a bit of insight that those of us who are amateur (key word) musicians (and would give an eyetooth for the thrill of having a hit single) could really appreciate.

Marcy Playground formed in 1994 in New York City via Minneapolis (lead singer John Wozniak's home), bounced around clubs and half-assed studios for a few years, and then released their debut album in 1997--with the single that would allow them to keep playing music for a living for the next 20 years (and counting).  There isn't a lot of success to report--they've only released  a grand total of 4 studio albums (none of which have sold into the millions), have no record breaking world tours, no Grammy Awards, and most certainly won't be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Still, they released a single that has brought joy to millions and that's a pretty damn good legacy in my book.

For those wondering...the band name comes from a park at the school John Wozniak attended when he was a wee lad in Minneapolis.

Released in 1997 on their oh-so-imaginatively titled debut LP, Marcy Playground, "Sex and Candy" would rise to #8 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100.  It was an even bigger hit on the Modern Rock Tracks (see also, Alternative) chart, reaching #1 and staying there for a then record 15 weeks (and breaking the record of another FNJ fave, "Wonderwall" by Oasis).  They've released thirteen other singles over the course of their career...and not a single one of them has hit the charts.  C'est la vie!

I was originally going to note that "Sex and Candy" was one of those songs that may not be for everyone, but as I was doing my weekly half-assed research I noticed that Rolling Stone hated it and since Rolling Stone hasn't been musically relevant since, oh, the 70's, I figured it was probably a much better single that I was giving it credit for.  Backed with a lightly picked guitar and some modest yet potent drumming, John Wozniak drops some blue eyed soul vocals on us as he drawls his way through the way one can be having a perfectly uneventful day and a woman can suddenly come into the picture and make that day so much more memorable.  As I've listened to it this week one of the things that I noticed is how well Wozniak makes use of cadence--the way he slows certain lyrics, or stops for a pause, or drags out a line, and I realized it as one of those magical little moments that make a good song a great song.  And a hell of a one hit wonder for Marcy Playground to call its own.

Lyric Sheet:  "And then there she was/Like double cherry pie/Yeah there she was/Like disco superfly..."

Enjoy:

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emaycee