54•40 is an alternative rock band which formed in Tsawwassen, British Colum… Read Full Bio ↴54•40 is an alternative rock band which formed in Tsawwassen, British Columbia, Canada in 1981. For most of their career, the band consisted of Neil Osborne (vocals), Phil Comparelli (guitar, trumpet, vocals), Brad Merritt (bass) and Matt Johnson (drums). Comparelli left the band in 2005 and was replaced by former Matthew Good Band guitarist Dave Genn. The band's best known songs include "Baby Ran", "Ocean Pearl" and "I Go Blind", the latter of which was covered by Hootie & the Blowfish. The band takes their name from the slogan "Fifty-Four Forty or Fight," coined to express the expansionist agenda of James K. Polk's presidency, intent upon controling a contested U.S.-Canada border area.

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.

Get Back Down
54-40 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Love has a meaning
A meaning we should know
What it is is that something's wrong
Because of where it is we go

Chorus:
Who here smiles?
Who here sobs?

Who here looks to see what's lost?
Who here lies?
Who hears truth?
Who here even wants to choose?

Born with a little room
Born with some light
You who have all a pleasure cause
Where did you come from?

Chorus

Oh, have you gone and missed this call
What it is is that something's wrong
Because it wasn't here before

Chorus

Get back down
Get back down
Get back down to the ground
Get back down

Get back down
Get back down where you belong

Overall Meaning

The song "Get Back Down" by Canadian rock band 54-40 is a reflective piece about the meaning of love and the importance of grounding oneself. The song starts by acknowledging that love has a meaning, and that it's something we should know. However, the lyrics suggest that something is going wrong because of where we are going. The singer is questioning the actions and intentions of people, asking who here smiles, who sobs, and who looks to see what's lost. It's as if the meaning of love has been lost and people are unsure of how to find it or even how to choose it.

In the chorus, the singer questions more broadly, asking who lies and who hears the truth. The lyrics suggest that people are not always genuine, and that the truth can be hard to find. The song then takes a reflective turn as the singer asks where people come from. It's a reminder that no matter how much pleasure one experiences, it's important to stay grounded and remember one's roots.

The song concludes with the singer urging listeners to get back down to the ground where they belong. It's a reminder to stay grounded, be humble, and remember what truly matters. Overall, the lyrics to "Get Back Down" are insightful observations about the human experience and the importance of connecting with oneself and others.

Line by Line Meaning

Love has a meaning
Love has a significance and importance

A meaning we should know
We should understand the meaning of love

What it is is that something's wrong
There is something not right in the situation

Because of where it is we go
The places we go to have led to this problem

Chorus: Who here smiles?
Asking who is happy

Who here sobs?
Asking who is sad and crying

Who here looks to see what's lost?
Asking who tries to find what's missing

Who here lies?
Asking who tells lies

Who hears truth?
Asking who pays attention to the truth

Who here even wants to choose?
Asking who is willing to make a decision

Born with a little room
Born with some space to grow