X/Z Song Trader: "Mariella"

A Gen X Rocker Discusses Music With His Gen Z Daughter

Jul 27, 2024

About X/Z Song Trader: Steve is a music journalist, author and musician. Lucy is a diehard music fan and college student. They have always enjoyed a father/daughter bond over music. Each week one of them picks a song and they both share their perspectives. These are casual conversations based on musical connections. Opinions are their own. Keeping it positive.

Check out the whole X/Z Song Trader series.

Lucy’s Perspective

Typically when I put on a song in the car, my instinct is to play something that has a storyline I can sing along with.

Although “Mariella” does have an interesting story to follow, that is not what initially captured my attention. Even though the song delivers 5 full minutes of music, the lyrics are mostly a romantic repetition of the name “Mariella” alone.

The first time I ever heard this song was on a drive with one of my closest friends. From the first five seconds, I was a fan. I had never experienced such an immediate desire to play a song on a loop for hours, especially a softer indie rock song like this.

The sense of absolute escapism that follows hitting play is what draws me to “Mariella” and keeps me coming back.

It’s a unique listening experience in the way that it creates a separation between the real world and the musical world of Khruangbin and Leon Bridges.

There aren’t many songs that hold a similar feeling for me, but “Summer Rain” by Le Parody and Gizmo Varillas is another good example. Both songs transport me from one part of the world to an empty, grassy field somewhere with a view of the absolute.

Although there is not a super involved storyline, there is a sort of yearning in the lyrics that inspires feelings of intense dreaminess.

For me, the story sits in the fourth verse where the lyrics are an ode to absolute desire for this person who may not play a significant role in the storyteller’s current life:

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Nothing here changes, seasons go by 
You said hello, you said goodbye 
Did you run away? Mariella, where did you go? 
Somewhere new, somewhere old

This has been my favorite, favorite, song for six months now and I think that’s because I feel about “Mariella” the song the way that Leon Bridges seems to feel for Mariella the person. I can listen to it in any setting and at any time and it always feels like the perfect escape from the regular world.

Quoting a recent conversation I had in the car with a friend, a big part of this song is the feeling of absolute peace it provides.

It’s the perfect soundtrack for gliding up and down the coast, or driving to work, taking a run, or during a nap. The lyrics aren’t front-and-center, so you can choose to focus on them or not—I love them—but the music lets the listener sit back and enjoy it with no real need to grasp the meaning on a deeper level.

I am curious to know your take on this song since it’s a little outside your usual musical tastes. Although you definitely dabble in both indie and rock, I don’t know that I have ever used the word ‘mellow’ to describe you or your music. Regardless, I hope this song brings you a sense of serenity as you listen to it—on a hike or even just sitting on the couch—and I look forward to hearing what meaning it holds for you.

Steve’s Perspective

I took your advice and listened to “Mariella” in a few different settings, but you were right—it really grew on me while I was hiking.

Being alone on the trail without any distractions allowed me to focus on it in a way that listening at home or commuting to work didn’t (although I can see how this is a perfect track for driving along the coast…or across Texas in the middle of the night). There’s something really hypnotic about the combination of Bridges’ contemplative vocals and the laid back music, especially on repeat listens.

You were also right that this isn’t a style of music I would normally gravitate towards, but it did conjure a couple of other songs and artists I enjoy such as “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding.

Sonically, “Mariella” also reminded me of something the first few times I listened, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was until I randomly heard Chris Issak’s “Wicked Game” on the radio. They’re ultimately different kinds of songs—especially in the contrast between the chorus vocal performances—but the verses seem haunted by some of the same ghosts.

I’m not too familiar with Leon Bridges or Khruangbin so I did a little research and found an interview they did with Flood magazine.

Here’s what Bridges had to say about his approach to writing “Mariella”:

“I just kind of envisioned myself as an old man in a small town in Texas, disconnected from everything and reminiscing about this gal I met on tour. It was the marriage of country and R&B in that way, and I was thinking, ‘How would Willie Nelson approach this tune?’”

I found that really fascinating because I didn’t immediately think of Willie Nelson when I heard “Mariella,” but after reading the interview I can hear what Bridges is talking about. Thematically, but maybe not musically, I understand the connection to songs like “On The Road Again” and “You Are Always On My Mind.” (Texas really has given us some great musicians and music over the decades.)

Probably more than anything else, I share your appreciation for the feeling of escapism “Mariella” presents.

The sparse but effective storyline has a sense of nostalgia to it that pairs well with the music. And it’s a real testament to Bridges’ powerful lyrics that my imagination can latch onto a handful of lines and create a whole narrative in my mind. Musically, I really like the lead guitar line, but I think the bass playing might be my favorite part.

Thanks for for introducing me to another great song.