The group formed in 1981 as a trio consisting of Brad Merritt (bass), Ian Franey(drums), and Neil Osborne (vocals). In 1983, Phil Comparelli was added on guitar and vocals, and Franey was replaced by Darryl Neudorf. Matt Johnson replaced Neudorf on drums by 1986. The band announced in March of 2005 that Comparelli had officially passed on guitar duties to Dave Genn, formerly of Matthew Good Band.
The band's self-titled second album, released in 1986, began to attract attention from radio and record buyers across Canada, with the single "Baby Ran" gaining significant radio airplay. The band's third album, Show Me, became their commercial breakthrough in Canada, with the hits "One Gun" and "One Day in Your Life".
Although the band was popular on college radio in the United States, they never had a commercial breakthrough -- 1992's Dear Dear was their first album not to have a U.S. release. Ironically, though, it was their best-selling album in Canada, leading to a new U.S. contract for the follow up, Smilin' Buddha Cabaret, which had a significant hit in "Ocean Pearl".
The band's song I Go Blind was covered in the mid-1990s by American band Hootie & the Blowfish.
The band's most recent album is 2008's Northern Soul released September 30th,2008 and they wrapped up their tour of Canada at the end of November 2008.
Blue Sky
54-40 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Green grass at my feet
And the winding road
Before me touches gold
And all the things I loved
Are now shadows in the sun
Since you cut my conscience down to the bone
Head living without you
How could you think that I would be alright living without you
Baby, baby-baby come back to me
Now the road is dark, silent as the moon
The wind that's blowing through me feels like you
Lazy days all the same but the nights won't go away
It's beginning to look like the end is coming soon
Seems like yesterday you held me in your arms
Now you've gone away and left me on my own
In "Blue Sky," 54-40 sings about the impact of a failed relationship. The opening lines describe a beautiful scene: a blue sky above, green grass below, and a golden path ahead. But this golden road is compromised by the fact that the singer has been hurt. The love he once had is now gone and he is left with only shadows of what it once was. The implication is that the relationship has come to an end and he is struggling to cope without his partner. The second verse suggests that the days have become lazy, the nights long and cold, and that the end of this pain is coming soon. The final lines of the song reveal the singer's desire for his lover to return to him.
The song seems to suggest that love and nature are interconnected. The blue sky, green grass, and golden road act as symbols of what once was great about the singer's life. However, the absence of his lover has changed everything, and now even the beauty of the landscape is soured.
While the lyrics of "Blue Sky" are poignant and powerful, there is a sense of hope that pervades the song. Despite the pain and melancholy, the singer is still able to express his longing for his lover to return to him. The final line of the song, with its repetition of "come back to me," is a plea for reconciliation.
Line by Line Meaning
Blue sky over my head,
I am outside on a sunny day with no clouds in sight.
Green grass at my feet
There is grass below me which is lush and healthy.
And the winding road
The path ahead is not straight and has many twists and turns.
Before me touches gold
Sunlight shines on my surroundings and makes them appear golden.
And all the things I loved
Memories of my past happy experiences come to mind.
Are now shadows in the sun
Those happy days are now gone and only exist as faint memories.
Since you cut my conscience down to the bone
My emotions are now severely affected because of something hurtful you did to me.
And I'm going out of my
I'm losing my mind and becoming insane.
Head living without you
I'm having a hard time living my life normally without you.
How could you think that I would be alright living without you
It's unfair of you to expect me to be okay without your presence in my life.
Baby, baby-baby come back to me
Please come back to me and make things right again.
Now the road is dark, silent as the moon
I'm in a gloomy mood and the surroundings reflect this with the dark night.
The wind that's blowing through me feels like you
I feel your presence in the wind around me, even though you're not here.
Lazy days all the same but the nights won't go away
The days are passing slowly and uneventfully, but I can't help but feel pain at night.
It's beginning to look like the end is coming soon
Things are starting to look hopeless and it seems like the end of the relationship is near.
Seems like yesterday you held me in your arms
I remember a time not too long ago when we were happy together.
Now you've gone away and left me on my own
But now you're gone and I'm alone, struggling to cope with your absence.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: STUART DANIEL JOHNSON, BEN DAUGHTREY, BARRY THOMAS, CHRISTOPHER HAWPE, JONATHON PALMER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind