Big Sugar officially formed in 1988 in Toronto, Ontario, consisting of vocalist and guitarist Gordie Johnson, bassist Terry Wilkins, and drummer Al Cross, though the three musicians had already played together for several years as a supporting band for Molly Johnson's jazz performances and as an informal jam band with members of the Bourbon Tabernacle Choir. After Molly Johnson returned to rock music with Infidels, she helped her former bandmates to secure a record deal; their eponymous debut album was released in 1991 on Hypnotic Records.
After Wilkins left the band in 1993, Big Sugar recorded the album Five Hundred Pounds with the help of guest musicians, including harmonica and tenor saxophonist Kelly Hoppe, also known as Mr. Chill. Hoppe brought a blues and old-school r'n'b influence into the band's sound. Hoppe would become an official member of the band in September 1994. He would later add keyboards and melodica to his sideman responsibilities. In July 1994, bassist Garry Lowe joined the band. Lowe had moved to Canada in the mid-1970s from Kingston, Jamaica. Soon after arriving in Toronto, he became an in-demand bass player for touring reggae recording artists. He often accompanied them at Toronto's famed Bamboo club on Queen St.W., among other venues. Lowe was a founding member of "Culture Shock", a popular Toronto reggae band. Johnson, an avid reggae maven (and one-time bass player), had been a fan of Lowe's and was overjoyed when he agreed to join Big Sugar as a full-time member.
Big Sugar had slowly built a reputation as an outstanding live band, and Five Hundred Pounds consolidated it; the album sold 10,000 copies in Canada on the strength of their live shows without any real publicity or radio airplay. During this time, Gordie Johnson also recorded an album as Don't Talk Dance, with Tyler Stewart of Barenaked Ladies and Chris Brown of the Bourbon Tabernacle Choir.
In 1995, the band released two EPs; Dear M.F., which featured a cover version of Traffic's "Dear Mr. Fantasy"; and Ride Like Hell. Following the release of these EPs, Stich Wynston left the band and was replaced by Walter "Crash" Morgan. During the band's tour that year, however, Morgan suffered a heart attack, collapsed, and died on stage during a show in Iowa. Longtime band associate Raffa Dean was enlisted to finish the tour, and former Odds member Paul Brennan subsequently joined as the band's new drummer, appearing on one of their most commercially successful albums, 1996's Hemi-Vision.
Hemi-Vision's single "Opem Up Baby" was a notable first for the band, who recorded a French version of that song, "Ouvres-Toi Bébé", for radio stations in Quebec. The song gained widespread airplay in the province, and for their next album, 1998's Platinum-selling Heated, the band recorded a French version of each single they released; the French songs were collected on the 1999 EP Chauffe à bloc. Also that year, Johnson and Hoppe performed several acoustic shows as a duo under the names "Little Sugar" or "Two Fools on Stools".
Cross returned as drummer in 1999. The band also added a new rhythm guitarist, Mojah. In July of that year the band performed at Woodstock 1999.
In 2000, the band released a dub album, Extra Long Life, under the stage name Alkaline.
In 2001, Big Sugar released Brothers and Sisters, Are You Ready? Taking their abilities in writing and performing French material to its logical conclusion, a complete track-for-track French version, Brothers and Sisters, Êtes Vous Ready?, was released the same year. Only the English album concluded with a blistering rendition of "O Canada".
The two-CD compilation Hit & Run, featuring a greatest hits disc that included a special edition, limited run live concert performance disc, was released in 2003.
Big Sugar, known for its thundering rock shows performed without set lists, played their last concert before splitting up on December 31, 2003, at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta. Gordie "Grady" Johnson immediately formed the Austin, Texas-based band Grady and later joined Wide Mouth Mason as their full-time bassist, and also started the gospel dub duo Sit Down, Servant!! when he began playing steel guitar. Kelly Hoppe formed Mr. Chill & The Witnesses, a roots music group. Mojah and Garry Lowe went on to form Truth and Rights Revue, a reggae band, and have released one album to date.
The band reunited in 2010, playing their first show since 2003 at Telus World Ski & Snowboard Festival in Whistler, B.C. on April 23, with tour dates through summer 2010. A new studio album evolved and was released in June 2011, titled Revolution Per Minute. This recording included Stephane Beaudin "Bodean" on drums and new full-time band member "DJ Friendlyness" as the fifth member of Big Sugar. Revolution Per Minute was released on both cd and vinyl with the vinyl album containing bonus "Alkaline" dub remixes and additional songs. 2012 was the first ever DVD release when Eliminate Ya! Live!, a double CD/DVD set that included a new single covering Al Tuck's "Eliminate Ya!" was released.
In 2014, Big Sugar released an album called "Yard Style" which contains uplugged versions of nine of their original songs, plus four previously unreleased songs.
The song "Police Bway A Vampire" appeared as a reworked electric version under the name "Universal Vampire" on their next studio album "Calling All The Youth", which was released in 2015 on Bread & Butter Records.
In May, 2017, two long time members, Kelly Hoppe and DJ Friendliness, left Big Sugar. Hoppe is now a freelancer, frequently performing live and in-studio with various artists, while Friendliness likes to concentrate full-time on his other band Human Rights. They were replaced by Ray Arteaga and Gordie Johnson's wife Alex.
Garry Lowe died of cancer on July 7, 2018.
Sleep In Late
Big Sugar Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Please let me sleep in late
No catfish bitin' at my bait
Please let me sleep in late
Feel like I'm standin' at saint Peter's gate
Please let me sleep in late
Don't know the time I don't know the date
Please let me sleep in late
Gonna lay right down here in my cozy bed
Well I might be dreamin' you know I might be dead
Don't have to work by gaining weight
Please let me sleep in late
I ain't got time for love and hate
Please let me sleep in late
For when the sun begins to rise
I don't wanna see it through my tired eyes
Don't have to work by gaining weight
Please let me sleep in late
I ain't got nothing On my plate
Please let me sleep in late
Don't know the time I don't know the date
Please let me sleep in late
The lyrics of Big Sugar's song "Sleep In Late" speak about the desire to stay in bed and procrastinate for the day. The singer almost pleads to be allowed to sleep in and not be bothered by work or issues in the world. He doesn't want to face reality or responsibilities and just wants to continue to dream or sleep the day away. The lyrics have a sense of escapism and desire for peace, away from the stresses of daily life. The singer's desire to sleep in late and not face the real world could be seen as a sign of depression or anxiety, as he is not ready to cope with the demands of society.
The lyrics almost have a religious connotation as the singer alludes to standing at Saint Peter's gate, which is the entrance to Heaven in some Christian beliefs. This could be interpreted as the singer wants to avoid the realities of the world and enter into a more peaceful and heavenly existence. Overall, the lyrics of the song convey the feeling of hopelessness and the desire to escape from the world's constant noise and responsibility.
Line by Line Meaning
I ain't got nothing on my plate
I have no pressing responsibilities or obligations at the moment
Please let me sleep in late
I want to keep sleeping and not wake up early
No catfish bitin' at my bait
There are no distractions or interruptions to my peace and tranquility
Feel like I'm standin' at saint Peter's gate
I am in a state of limbo or uncertainty, not sure what to expect next
Don't know the time I don't know the date
I am disoriented and unaware of the passage of time
Gonna lay right down here in my cozy bed
I am comfortable and intend to stay that way
Well I might be dreamin' you know I might be dead
I am so relaxed and peaceful that I could be mistaking reality for a dream, or even death
Don't have to work by gaining weight
I don't have to exert myself or engage in strenuous activities to pass the time
I ain't got time for love and hate
I am not preoccupied with emotions or relationships right now
For when the sun begins to rise
At a future time when daylight returns
I don't wanna see it through my tired eyes
I don't want to have to face the new day feeling exhausted or drained
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: David Wall, Andrew Whiteman
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
mydumbmovies
True story: back in the day, the day I wrote my last ever university exam, I bought a case of beer, went home, and played this song on repeat until I finished it. Such fond memories!
Braktooth
One of the best bands ever, i think. Awesome live. I wish their tour was coming to my city. :-(.
Medalion
Blast this in the car with all the windows down... great blues rock from underrated Canadian band
Christian Ravera
Heard him play this live in the 90s in an acoustic set in a small, not-even-full club in Toronto called the Zydeco. Just a few feet away from me, and Gordie was so very talented. Fantastic conversation with his stand-in bassist. Treasured memory.
krull4444
That solo is absolutely transcendental! And one of the many reasons Gordie is one of my all time favorite guitar players...
Alien 24
real music, BRING IT BACK!!!! PLEASE!!!!
oakville905
Gordie and Big sugar have given us a true interpretation of what delta blues must have been like back in the day of Elmore James and Robert Johnson. A true and honest out pouring of musical talent. Saw them first at the Rivoli and wish they continued with their classic course of blues but we have seen the transformation of Gordie Johnson with his Gibson semi hollow body tot he Hugo boss long haired rock star to Grady. Never has he lost his magic with a guitar. Big sugar is Blues
wattienz
Their 1st album is what the Blues are all about-Totally awesome.
LTDZach
One of my favorite songs
Darren Gibbins
Wish I could sleep in late. But, I gotta get to work, so I guess it's gotta be a lil' Big Sugar and a large cup o' Joe this Monday.