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AOTY #15: Mac DeMarco - Salad Days Lyrics by Rock Genius

2014 Albums of the Year

2014

My salad days
When I was green in judgment: cold in blood
To say as I said then!
- Cleopatra, Antony and Cleopatra, Act 1 Scene 5
Mac DeMarco is a slacker, so the conventional wisdom goes. If you’d only read about Mac, you’d think he splits the difference between Jez Usbourne and Cletus Spuckler, then throws in a bit of Canadian goodwill and a hint of Nick Drake
That’s a load of rubbish
Yes, he chooses some weird songs to cover. Yes, he has admitted that his subject matter is sometimes banal. Yes, his arrangements on Salad Days are more simplistic than ever. To top it all, DeMarco seems to revel in and even actively cultivate this “slacker” persona
Despite all that, you simply don’t get this good without some hard graft. DeMarco’s skill on the guitar, his excellent ear for melody and his imaginative range of bluesy guitar licks betray many hours of practice. His songwriting has also improved since his last album, 2, even if the stripped-down arrangements aren’t to everyone’s taste
The backdrop of the album is Mac’s attempt to move from Toronto to New York. Moving to a new city is hard enough at the best of times, but Mac’s girlfriend felt the full force of the USA’s draconian border control that makes legal migration very difficult for ordinary people. Her struggle for a visa and the threat of deportation inspired “Let My Baby Stay”:
 And she’s been good to me
Far as I can tell she’s happy, livin’ with her Macky
So please don’t take my love away
Let my baby stay, let my baby stay
The major lyrical theme of “Salad Days” is advice. Mac is happy to dole it out – “grow up”, “don’t be a dick to your girl”, and “be honest” are all fairly uncontroversial suggestions. He’s less happy about receiving advice, such as when his mother tells him to act his age and then some, and indeed he dedicates “Goodbye Weekend” to telling people where to stick it:
 So don't go telling me how this boy should be leading
His own life
Sometimes rough but generally speaking I'm fine
If you don't agree with the things that go on within my life
Well, honey, that's fine just know that you're wasting your time
In fairness, Mac’s no hypocrite, telling people that they’re free to reject any advice he offers, too. Regardless, this sets him up as someone capable of giving valuable advice, but with little use for other people’s insights. He’s touring to huge crowds, he’s making great music, and he’s dealing with upheaval in his home life. If Mac DeMarco is a slacker, what does that make us?
Come back tomorrow for album #14 and follow along with the list here!
Credits
Rock Genius

Rock Genius

About “AOTY #15: Mac DeMarco - Salad Days” by Rock Genius

Read the complete lyrics to "AOTY #15: Mac DeMarco - Salad Days" by Rock Genius from the album "2014 Albums of the Year" in 2014. On Lyrks you can follow along with the full text, explore the artist's discography, and discover related songs. The track is often categorized under Non-Music, Review, Rock.

"AOTY #15: Mac DeMarco - Salad Days" is performed by Rock Genius. from the album "2014 Albums of the Year" in 2014 This page provides the full lyric text for fans who want to sing along, study the songwriting, or compare versions across releases. Lyrks organizes lyrics by artist and song slug so you can bookmark and share a stable URL. Music lyrics help listeners connect with emotion, narrative, and rhythm in a track. Whether you are learning English, researching a favorite chorus, or preparing for karaoke, having accurate line breaks and section labels (verse, chorus, bridge) makes the experience easier. We link to the official artist profile on Lyrks where available, including biography snippets, top songs, and chart placements when we have that data. If you enjoy "AOTY #15: Mac DeMarco - Salad Days", explore more songs by Rock Genius using the links below. Chart and trending pages on Lyrks highlight what listeners are searching for this week. For copyright or correction requests, see our DMCA and contact pages.

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"AOTY #15: Mac DeMarco - Salad Days" is credited to Rock Genius. Songwriting credits may include additional writers listed on the release; check the credits section on this page for linked collaborators.

"AOTY #15: Mac DeMarco - Salad Days" appears on "2014 Albums of the Year" in 2014.

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