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.
Love You All
54-40 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All around the world
Measure for measure, gettin' it out
Got to let you know
I love you, love you, love you all
Yeah, I love you, love you, love you all
Yeah, forever, we're together
Got a reason
And there's nothing can go wrong
I love you, love you, love you, love you, love you all
Yeah, I love you, love you, love you, love you, love you all
More than life, more than life
More than anybody can
More than wine, more than wine
More than anybody, yeah
Breaking the exit, I'm breaking my neck
I'm breaking over you
Break in the airwaves, yeah
Calling out to you
I love you, love you, love you, love you, love you all
Yeah, I love you, love you, love you, love you, love you all
More than life, more than life
More than anybody, yeah
Oh
Oh, baby, break me up into little pieces
Oh, baby, I'm breaking over you
Breaking it down to what
Happens only once
And this one is it, oh yeah
It's such a surprise that I don't realize it
I love you, love you, love you, love you, I love you all
Yeah, I love you, love you, love you, love you, love you all
More than life, more than life
More than anybody can
More than wine, more than wine
More than anybody, yeah
Nothing can, nothing can
Stop me now
Nothing can, nothing can
Stop me, aaah aaah aaah aaah
The song "Love You All" by the Canadian band 54-40 is a declaration of love to someone. The lyrics describe an overwhelming feeling of love and devotion that cannot be contained. The first verse talks about breaking in the pleasure and getting it out all around the world, which could suggest that the love being expressed is not only personal but universal. The chorus repeats the phrase "I love you, love you, love you all" emphasizing the magnitude of the emotions being expressed. The second verse talks about breaking fences down and being together forever, suggesting that the love being expressed is strong and enduring. The bridge repeats the phrases "more than life" and "more than wine," which suggests that the love being expressed is more important than anything else in the world.
The lyrics in the final chorus shift slightly, with the singer saying that "nothing can stop me now." This emphasizes the strength and determination of the love being expressed. The final line, "aaah aaah aaah aaah" doesn't have any specific meaning, but it emphasizes the intensity of the emotions being expressed.
Overall, "Love You All" is a poetic and powerful expression of love. The lyrics are simple but effective, repeating key phrases to emphasize the magnitude of the emotions being expressed. The song's upbeat tempo and driving guitar and drumbeat give it a sense of urgency and passion.
Line by Line Meaning
Break in the pleasure, breaking it in
Interrupting a moment of happiness to convey something serious.
All around the world
It applies universally.
Measure for measure, gettin' it out
Balancing the good with the bad for the sake of expression.
Got to let you know
Have to communicate this to you.
I love you, love you, love you all
Repeat the sentiment for emphasis and to include everyone.
Breaking the fences down
Overcoming all obstacles put in place to separate us.
Yeah, forever, we're together
Our togetherness is eternal.
Got a reason
I have a justification for expressing my love.
And there's nothing can go wrong
It is a certainty that this is the right thing to do.
More than life, more than life
Our love is more important than anything else in existence.
More than anybody can
It cannot be achieved by anyone else apart from us.
More than wine, more than wine
Even the best things in life are nothing compared to our love.
More than anybody, yeah
Our love is the best in the world.
Breaking the exit, I'm breaking my neck
I am making an effort to come close to you.
I'm breaking over you
You consume my entire self.
Break in the airwaves, yeah
Even the barrier of distance cannot stop my love from reaching you.
Calling out to you
I am asking for your attention and affection.
Nothing can, nothing can
I am unstoppable.
Stop me now
You cannot prevent me from loving you.
Oh, baby, break me up into little pieces
I want to be wholly consumed by my love for you.
Breaking it down to what
Simplifying everything that matters and leaving out everything else.
Happens only once
This is a one-time thing that is special and rare.
And this one is it, oh yeah
This is the one and only moment that needs to be celebrated.
It's such a surprise that I don't realize it
The magnitude of my love overwhelms me.
I love you, love you, love you, love you, I love you all
Repeating the sentiment to emphasize the point while leaving no one out.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRAD MERRITT, MATT JOHNSON, NEIL OSBORNE, PHIL COMPARELLI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind