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.

This Is My Haircut
54-40 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's pˆle-mˆle, I pawn it off
Cut it low, here we go
Ready to say, let it go
Geronimo, bye bye

It's not a mistake
This is my haircut, this is my haircut
Get it, get it

Not a mistake

Looking in the mirror, I'm supposed
To prepare for the new day rising
I gotta sing with a soul and be ready to go
Wait for the vibe, it's all in the timing

It's not a mistake
This is my story, this is my story
Get it, get it
It's not a mistake

Get a life, get a life
Get a oh, oh
Get a life, get a life
Get a oh, oh

Now that it's gone, cut it off
I cut out, what am I doing
I look at my face, boom boom
Oh my God, blue ruin

Ah
Ah

Get a life, get a life
Get a oh, oh
Get a life, get a life
Get a oh, oh

Oh, oh, oh, oh

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "This Is My Haircut" by the Canadian rock band 54-40 talk about the decision to cut off one's hair and the liberation that comes with it. The song starts with the singer saying that they are getting rid of everything that clutters their life, represented by the clutter on their head that they pawn off. The line "cut it low, here we go" is a reference to the act of cutting off one's hair, and the line "geronimo, bye-bye" is an expression of freedom and excitement that comes with letting go of one's old look. The chorus of the song emphasizes that this is not a mistake, and the singer takes ownership of their decision to cut their hair, stating that it is their haircut and their story.

The second verse talks about the importance of preparing for the new day, both physically and emotionally. The singer needs to look good and feel good to take on the opportunities that arise, and they have to be in tune with themselves and the world around them to make the most of their chances. The line "wait for the vibe, it's all in the timing" suggests that good things happen when one is in sync with the universe.

In the third verse, the singer reflects on the consequences of their decision, saying that they cut off more than just their hair. They discover that their face looks different without their hair to frame it, and they feel like they've created a "blue ruin." The final chorus repeats the call to "get a life," which can be interpreted as an encouragement to keep growing and evolving, to keep making changes and taking risks.

Line by Line Meaning

It's pˆle-mˆle, I pawn it off
It's all mixed up, I try to make the best of it

Cut it low, here we go
I cut my hair short, let's get started

Ready to say, let it go
I'm prepared to move on, let go of the past

Geronimo, bye bye
I take the leap, say goodbye to the old me

It's not a mistake
I'm certain of my decision

This is my haircut, this is my haircut
This is my choice, I own it

Get it, get it
Understand it, accept it

Looking in the mirror, I'm supposed
I'm expected to reflect, introspect

To prepare for the new day rising
To get ready for what's ahead

I gotta sing with a soul and be ready to go
I must express myself and be willing to move forward

Wait for the vibe, it's all in the timing
I need to wait for the right mood, it's all about timing