Human Highway is the new collaboration from two of Canada’s most-loved trou… Read Full Bio ↴Human Highway is the new collaboration from two of Canada’s most-loved troubadours: Jim Guthrie and Nick Thorburn. Both Guthrie and Thorburn have been long-time fixtures of Canadian pop music. Jim is best-known for his releases on Three Gut Records, both with Royal City and as a solo artist, when he received a Juno nomination for 2004's Now, More Than Ever. Thorburn first gained international exposure with the Unicorns in 2003, and now fronts the super-pop group Islands. The two first came together during the recording of the first Islands record (Guthrie toured with the original line-up of the band, and also appears on the recording), and it was only a matter of time before the mutual admiration turned into a collaboration.

Fittingly, Human Highway began on the road. “For me, Human Highway started in a hotel room on a U.S. tour with Islands,” Guthrie says. “Nick had this rad song called “My Beach” and asked me if I wanted to help him record it. He played and sang at the same time and let me be for a bit to do harmonies.” At the time, however, there was no explicit goal to make a full record. Time passed as Thorburn continued to tour and work on a new Islands album (the recently released Arm's Way), while Guthrie spent time at home in Toronto, working on his own material. Then they decided it was time to finish what they had started. Thorburn spent a week with Guthrie in his Toronto apartment in 2007, and Moody Motorcycle was the resulting love-child.

While folks can expect plenty of hot man-on-man vocal action, they can also expect a wide sampling of the kind of songwriting that has garnered both artists so many passionate fans over the years. “I think this album works because Nick and I both share a love for oldies” Guthrie says—citing the Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison and the Kinks as a few touchstones for the Human Highway sound.

Moody Motorcyle was released in August 2008 in North America by Secret City (Canada) and Suicide Squeeze (USA).

All Day
Human Highway Lyrics

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All day, all day
Got no worries, let the day waste away
Let the sun soak through
And do what we wanna do

True, but we've got nothing to do
Waiting for our ship to come in so we can sink
Something has to have happened 'cause it's later than you think

There's got to be a way 'cause nothing seems to last

All day, all day
Got no worries, let the day waste away
Let the sun soak through
And do what we wanna do

You keep on telling me to
Loosen up, you're like a disease
Tell me it's okay, neglect my negativity
Oh Jimmy, won't you please, I love it when you say

All day, all day
Got no worries, let the day waste away
Let the sun soak through
And do what we wanna do

So it's through, it's all over and what do we do?
Walked around in a daze looking for food
You think there's all the time in the world but there's not
Keep on telling ourselves we've got

All day, all day
Got no worries, let the day waste away

Let the sun soak through
And do what we wanna do

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "All Day" by Human Highway portray a carefree attitude towards everyday life. The song suggests that sometimes it's okay to let the day waste away and just enjoy the simple pleasures of life, like feeling the warmth of the sun. The second verse, however, takes on a slightly more contemplative tone. The singer suggests that they are waiting for something to happen, but time is ticking away faster than they realized. Ultimately, the song concludes with a resigned acceptance that life may be fleeting and there's only so much time in a day.

The repetition of "all day" throughout the song reinforces the idea that time is passing slowly and that there's no rush to do anything in particular. The use of the sun metaphor adds a sense of warmth and comfort to the song, which encourages the listener to relax and enjoy the moment. The inclusion of the verse about waiting for their ship to come in is a more anecdotal reference to the idea of waiting for something big to happen. The bridge of the song, which includes the lines "Loosen up, you're like a disease / Tell me it's okay, neglect my negativity," seems to be an encouragement towards letting go of worries and enjoying life more.

The lyrics of "All Day" by Human Highway may not be particularly profound, but they are relatable in their portrayal of a casual, laid-back attitude towards life. The song encourages listeners to let go of their worries and just enjoy the present moment.

Line by Line Meaning

All day, all day
The repetition keenly expresses the extent of the inactivity of the singer and how they have dedicated their day to doing nothing productive.

Got no worries, let the day waste away
The singer has no care in the world and has decided to spend their time doing nothing of importance.

Let the sun soak through
The singer has completely given themselves away to idleness, they bathe in the sun with no concern in the world.

And do what we wanna do
Without regard for responsibilities and duties, the artist is doing whatever they feel like doing, wasting away their time.

True, but we've got nothing to do
The artist acknowledges that they are wasting their day doing nothing productive, but still continue to do so.

Waiting for our ship to come in so we can sink
The singer is implying that they have been waiting for an opportunity, regardless of how negative it may be, that would be exciting than the current inactivity they are indulging in.

Something has to have happened 'cause it's later than you think
The singer is aware that the day is coming to an end, and is wondering what events may have passed them by while they were being unproductive.

There's got to be a way 'cause nothing seems to last
The artist feels restless and is looking for a way out of their current state because they believe that everything comes to an end eventually.

You keep on telling me to
The artist is being advised to stop being idle and to take up more productive activities.

Loosen up, you're like a disease
The artist has become so hooked on their idleness, that the idea of being productive seems impossible, Their friend believes that the situation has become a problem and is affecting them negatively.

Tell me it's okay, neglect my negativity
The singer's friend is trying to console them and tell them that it's okay to be unproductive, and that they should let go of any negative thoughts that may arise.

Oh Jimmy, won't you please, I love it when you say
The artist's friend is referred to as Jimmy, and the artist loves it when they encourage them to be unproductive because it absolves them of guilt and they can continue doing nothing all day.

So it's through, it's all over and what do we do?
The singer is coming to terms that the day is ending yet they haven't achieved anything productive, and wonders what they will do next after wasting the entire day doing nothing.

Walked around in a daze looking for food
The singer is implying that they are now hungry after wasting the entire day and are searching for food, yet their brain is still blank due to the unproductivity thus the confusion and daze.

You think there's all the time in the world but there's not
The singer has a feeling of regret, realizing that they could have spent their time more productively, but instead wasted it, and now it's over.

Keep on telling ourselves we've got
Even after wasting their entire day doing nothing, the artist is still telling themselves that tomorrow will be a better day, perpetuating the cycle of laziness and inactivity.

Contributed by Eli P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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