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.
Book
54-40 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I go to bed and dream of dancing girls
Alive gone wrong
I will recall beauty
And I will not fall from the cloud
One two three four five fingers on my hand will say
So long good-bye adieu my friend it's later than you think
One more riddle left to answer for
It's you and I that have to laugh about the plans we made
Fight for control contest of rules
Hang in and wait for your turn
One two three four five senses you can recognize
There being more to penetrate the sea behind your skin
If it rains wear a raincoat
If you get wet well that happens
Now look inside your eyes and find a way
To see the will of men and deeds who complement your love
How can life be lived inside the head we roam in gangs
Long enough to criticize our birth
Born to a world model
Glue has not yet come unstuck
One two three four five and six and seven ways or more
To move and choose the soul mates for your sentencing life term
The lyrics of "Book" by 54-40 are filled with philosophical reflections on life and the human experience. The song starts off with the lines "waste and want not what you advertise, I go to bed and dream of dancing girls." Here, the song is alluding to the deceptive nature of the world we live in, where things are not always as they seem. The dream of dancing girls symbolizes the idea of living life to the fullest, not holding back, and indulging in pleasures.
The next lines "Alive gone wrong, I will recall beauty, and I will not fall from the cloud" suggest that even though life may not always turn out as we expect, we can still find beauty in the world and not lose hope. The phrase "I will not fall from the cloud" implies that the singer will not succumb to pessimism or despair, but rather try to rise above the difficulties of life.
The middle section of the song talks about the transient nature of life, where everything is constantly changing and we have to adapt to new situations. The lines "one more riddle left to answer for, it's you and I that have to laugh about the plans we made, fight for control contest of rules, hang in and wait for your turn" speak to the idea of life being a game of sorts, where we have to figure things out as we go along, sometimes making mistakes, and sometimes succeeding.
The final section of the song speaks to the importance of looking inward and finding meaning in life. The lines "now look inside your eyes and find a way, to see the will of men and deeds who complement your love, how can life be lived inside the head we roam in gangs, long enough to criticize our birth, born to a world model, glue has not yet come unstuck" call on us to delve into our inner selves, to find inspiration and purpose in life. The song ends on a reflective note, urging us to find "seven ways or more to move and choose the soul mates for your sentencing life term."
Line by Line Meaning
Waste and want not what you advertise
Don't waste or want what is being advertised to you
I go to bed and dream of dancing girls
I dream of pleasant things when I go to bed
Alive gone wrong
Life sometimes goes awry
I will recall beauty
I will remember the good things in life
And I will not fall from the cloud
I will not let my dreams and aspirations fall
One two three four five fingers on my hand will say
My hand has five fingers
So long good-bye adieu my friend it's later than you think
Goodbye, it's later than you think
One more riddle left to answer for
There is one more mystery to solve
It's you and I that have to laugh about the plans we made
We have to laugh at the plans we made together
Fight for control contest of rules
There is a competition for control
Hang in and wait for your turn
Be patient and wait for your opportunity
One two three four five senses you can recognize
I have five senses
There being more to penetrate the sea behind your skin
There is more to discover beneath the surface
If it rains wear a raincoat
Prepare for the worst
If you get wet well that happens
Sometimes things go wrong
Now look inside your eyes and find a way
Reflect on yourself and find a path forward
To see the will of men and deeds who complement your love
Understand the desires and actions of those who support you
How can life be lived inside the head we roam in gangs
We can't live our lives just thinking about ourselves
Long enough to criticize our birth
We often spend too much time criticizing our own origins
Born to a world model
We are born into a pre-existing world
Glue has not yet come unstuck
Things are still connected and not falling apart
One two three four five and six and seven ways or more to move and choose the soul mates for your sentencing life term
There are many options and paths to find the right people in life
Contributed by Benjamin M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.