Magic Marker

Album: Monsters of Folk (2009)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Monsters of Folk were Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis of Bright Eyes, and indie singer-songwriter M. Ward. This song, included on their self-titled 2009 album (the only one they released), has lyrics that reference the famous Tootsie Pops ad campaign where a boy asks how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop.

    Mogis explained to Express Night Out: "I know [Jim] talked about this and I cant quite remember, so I don't want to put words in his mouth, but I think it dealt with a human condition kind of thing, getting to the heart of something basically. It has this kind of similar sentiment to some of the other songs that deal with a question and the human condition, like this constant need for things and yearning and searching for stuff. And the Tootsie Pop reference is one of those things: getting to the prize, what do you have to do to get to that point."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Andrew Farriss of INXS

Andrew Farriss of INXSSongwriter Interviews

Andrew Farriss on writing with Michael Hutchence, the stories behind "Mystify" and other INXS hits, and his country-flavored debut solo album.

Jethro Tull

Jethro TullFact or Fiction

Stage urinals, flute devices, and the real Aqualung in this Fact or Fiction.

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: Tarantino Edition

Songs in Famous Movie Scenes: Tarantino EditionMusic Quiz

Whether he's splitting ears or burning Nazis, Quentin Tarantino uses memorable music in his films. See if you can match the song to the scene.

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)

Mike Rutherford (Genesis, Mike + The Mechanics)Songwriter Interviews

Mike Rutherford talks about the "Silent Running" storyline and "Land Of Confusion" in the age of Trump.

Donald Fagen

Donald FagenSongwriter Interviews

Fagen talks about how the Steely Dan songwriting strategy has changed over the years, and explains why you don't hear many covers of their songs.

Soul Train Stories with Stephen McMillian

Soul Train Stories with Stephen McMillianSong Writing

A Soul Train dancer takes us through a day on the show, and explains what you had to do to get camera time.