… Read Full Bio ↴The Crash Test Dummies is a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba.
The band is most identifiable through Brad Roberts (vocals, guitar) and his distinctive bass-baritone voice. The band members have fluctuated over the years, but its best known line-up consisted of Roberts, Ellen Reid (co-vocals, keyboards), Brad's brother Dan Roberts (bass guitar, backing vocals), Benjamin Darvill (harmonica, mandolin), and Mitch Dorge (drums, percussion). The band is best known internationally for their 1993 single "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm" and best known in Canada for the 1991 single "Superman's Song".
After a multi-year hiatus, the band returned in 2015 with a tour and the new charity single "Promised Land" which was a collaboration with Marc Mysterio[1] following up his remix of "Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm".
The origin of the Crash Test Dummies is tied to the history of two Winnipeg nightspots, the Spectrum Cabaret and the Blue Note Cafe, owned by Curtis Riddell.
In the mid-1980s, Riddell joined with Brad Roberts to form the decidedly less-than-serious bar band Bad Brad Roberts and the St. James Rhythm Pigs. Over time, the band evolved into the Crash Test Dummies, a name suggested by a friend of the band who was in medical school. The diagnostic mannequin, known colloquially as a crash test dummy, was known to the public already by this time. Ellen Reid and Benjamin Darvill became permanent additions. George West, the original bass player, quit and was replaced by Dan Roberts, Brad's brother. Riddell was replaced by Vince Lambert, who was fired and replaced by Mitch Dorge just before the release of The Ghosts That Haunt Me.
After signing with BMG Records in 1991, the band signed with manager Jeff Rogers (Swell).
In the summer of 2017, the full band, except Benjamin Darvill, reunited for a show in Winnipeg and Brad Roberts went on a tour of South Africa in early 2018.
In July 2018, a reunited photo of Brad Roberts, Ellen Reid, Dan Roberts, and Mitch Dorge was posted on the official Crash Test Dummies Facebook page, along with the announcement of Canadian Tour Dates for the fall.
Throughout their career, Crash Test Dummies have experimented with many different styles and genres of music. These styles include the acoustic folk rock of The Ghosts That Haunt Me, the electric alternative rock of A Worm's Life, the urban influences of Give Yourself a Hand, and the optigan-based compositions of Oooh La La!.
Crash Test Dummies recorded as a full five piece band from their debut album The Ghosts That Haunt Me until Give Yourself a Hand. At this time, the most notable instrumentation of the band's music included Brad Roberts' lead guitar, Ellen Reid's keyboards, and Benjamin Darvill's harmonica. Another notable element of Crash Test Dummies' music are the contrasting harmonies between Brad Roberts' deep lead vocals and Ellen Reid's backing vocals in the higher register.
Beginning with I Don't Care That You Don't Mind in 2001, the band's albums were recorded primarily by Brad Roberts, Ellen Reid, and a rotating roster of session musicians.
One of the biggest influences for Brad Roberts was the band XTC and Andy Partridge in particular. The band even went on to cover two of XTC's songs: "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead" for the soundtrack to the film Dumb and Dumber, and "All You Pretty Girls" for the XTC tribute album A Testimonial Dinner.
The Unforgiven Ones
Crash Test Dummies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The prisoners and the free
The ugly and the beautiful
The ones who are yet to be
Some are sinners, some repent
Some are never done
And then there's those like you and I
The unforgiven ones
The rock that ships run up against
No matter how they tack
The murderers and the murdered ones
And the ones who don't come back
Some are sinners, some repent
Some are never done
And then there's those like you and I
The unforgiven ones
The unforgiven ones
The one whose heart is of a saint
The other's black as night
The one who never wondered
What made something wrong, or right
Some are sinners, some repent
Some are never done
And then there's those like you and I
The unforgiven ones
The unforgiven ones
The lyrics of Crash Test Dummies' "The Unforgiven Ones" reflect on the wide range of people in society, from the guilty to the innocent, the prisoners to the free, the beautiful to the ugly, and everyone in between. The song highlights the fact that there are individuals who may never be able to make amends for their wrongdoings, but also suggests that forgiveness can be elusive even for those seeking it. The lines "Some are sinners, some repent / Some are never done" imply that for certain people, the cycle of sin and repentance is continuous and never-ending.
The song also touches upon the idea of fate and inevitability, as represented by the image of a rock that ships run up against no matter how hard they try to avoid it. This metaphor could refer to the inevitability of consequences catching up to us or the idea that certain individuals are doomed to a specific path in life. The final verse contrasts the hearts of two individuals, one virtuous and the other corrupt, and suggests that their differences can never be reconciled. The closing repetition of "The unforgiven ones" serves to underline the idea that some individuals are simply unable to escape their past or their nature.
Line by Line Meaning
The guilty and the innocents
This line describes the two extremes of people, those who are guilty and those who are innocent.
The prisoners and the free
This line refers to people who are incarcerated and those who have their freedom.
The ugly and the beautiful
This line refers to people who have contrasting physical appearances.
The ones who are yet to be
This line may refer to unborn children, or to those who have not yet discovered their true identity.
Some are sinners, some repent
This line refers to people who have made mistakes and those who have sought forgiveness.
Some are never done
This line suggests that some people are never content with their actions or their lives, and always strive for more.
And then there's those like you and I
This line acknowledges that both the singer and listener are part of this diverse group of people.
The unforgiven ones
This phrase refers to those who have not received or sought forgiveness for their actions.
The rock that ships run up against
This line is a metaphor for obstacles that people face in their lives.
No matter how they tack
This line implies that people cannot always avoid these obstacles, no matter how they try to navigate around them.
The murderers and the murdered ones
This line refers to both the perpetrators and victims of violent crimes.
And the ones who don't come back
This line refers to those who have died and cannot return.
The one whose heart is of a saint
This line refers to people who are morally righteous.
The other's black as night
This line refers to people who are morally corrupt or evil.
The one who never wondered
This line refers to people who do not question their own actions or the actions of others.
What made something wrong, or right
This line suggests that people have differing beliefs about morality and what is considered right or wrong.
Contributed by James R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.