Sherry Fraser

Album: Marcy Playground (1997)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • The last single from Marcy Playground's debut album, this is song is about a real person. In our interview with Marcy Playground lead singer/songwriter John Wozniak, he explained: "Sherry was my first girlfriend. When I was 15, she was 16. She was my first true love. And still a very close friend. She did all the artwork for our latest record, Leaving Wonderland. She's a really terrific visual artist and also a great musician. She has a band called Two Ton Boa, which is really cool. I always tap Sherry for her ideas and her creativity, and I have for years. But she's since married somebody else and we haven't been together since 1993 or something. So it's been a long time, almost 17 years. Well, I guess for that age it was a long time. I met her in '87, and we stopped dating in '93. We remain friends and made music together. We wrote a bunch of stuff. She sings on the very first record that I ever did, which was the Zog Bogbean - from the Marcy Playground. And we wrote some songs together."
  • There are some Alice in Wonderland references in the lyrics, a theme that would recur in Marcy Playground's 2009 album Leaving Wonderland. Wozniak told us: "Sherry and I started experimenting with LSD when we first got together. I was 15 and she was 16 and we were tripping on acid a lot. And Through the Looking Glass was always both of our favorite book. And so it's part of it, I suppose. But the way I write songs is with a lot of imagery, and not necessarily a lot of direct meaning. It's all multi-layered feelings, like 'disco lemonade' (from "Sex and Candy") doesn't mean anything. There's no such thing. (laughs) It's a feeling."

Comments: 1

  • Lukey from Where Do You ThinkI think the song is interpreted by the listeners as a melancholic ode to that person that they rebirthed with preserved their innocence and lost it all over again same time and never seem to find that feeling again with anybody. The song refers to remembering your first love whoever that may be or your first friend on the playground better yet. Your first girlfriend you held hands with on the playground. That memory/'s The first boy who wrote you a sweet note. It's about the way we let go of what makes our lives feel beautiful. Sex money greed power control judgment and a lack of empathy are all staples of growing up in a world of numb cold rejection and no matter who you find in whatever physical sense that feeling of being your true self went away with that person. They are aa symbol and not ideally what the listener is needing in the song. More over as a symbol for somebody to truly love knowing them again. To value your heart with pure love
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & Fire

Verdine White of Earth, Wind & FireSongwriter Interviews

The longtime bassist of Earth, Wind & Fire discusses how his band came to do a holiday album, and offers insight into some of the greatest dance/soul tunes of all-time.

Jesus In Pop Hits: The Gospel Songs That Went Mainstream

Jesus In Pop Hits: The Gospel Songs That Went MainstreamSong Writing

These overtly religious songs crossed over to the pop charts, despite resistance from fans, and in many cases, churches.

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne

Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of WayneSongwriter Interviews

The guy who brought us "Stacy's Mom" also wrote the Jane Lynch Emmy song and Stephen Colbert's Christmas songs.

Al Jourgensen of Ministry

Al Jourgensen of MinistrySongwriter Interviews

In the name of song explanation, Al talks about scoring heroin for William Burroughs, and that's not even the most shocking story in this one.

Stan Ridgway

Stan RidgwaySongwriter Interviews

Go beyond the Wall of Voodoo with this cinematic songwriter.

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And Hell

Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Heaven And HellSongwriter Interviews

Guitarist Tony Iommi on the "Iron Man" riff, the definitive Black Sabbath song, and how Ozzy and Dio compared as songwriters.