The band has sold over five million albums worldwide, won four Juno Awards, and ten MuchMusic Video Awards. OLP has released eight studio albums to date, with "Clumsy" often being considered the most popularized of the set. The Heavyweight Songfacts reports that their eighth studio album Curve was recorded from 2010 through 2012 at vocalist Raine Maida's home recording studio. It was released on April 3, 2012.
Full circle: a theme that eagerly resonates with each member of multiplatinum survivors, Our Lady Peace. As the band approached the release of their seventh studio album, a feeling of renewal and excitement washed over Toronto’s favorite sons in a manner not felt since their earliest days.
Self-produced in lead singer Raine Maida’s Los Angeles home studio, the 10-track Burn Burn (in stores July 21 2009), marks the longest period between studio albums for Our Lady Peace. It also signifies a sonic and philosophical rebirth. The band now enjoys a creative and professional freedom that they haven’t experienced since the release of their now classic debut. “I think about the way we made Naveed,” Maida recalls. “We were just starting, we knew nothing about the business and we had no expectations. It was four guys in a room just trusting their instincts. We went back to that. ‘Liberating’ doesn’t really even sum it up.”
Burn Burn is a triumphant return to what Maida terms “a proper, mature rock album,” steeped in the kind of raw intensity that drove their early material. Blinding rays of anthemic light make way to the tender poise and precision of a band that was looking for a way out and found a satisfying new way in.
With caution thrown to the wind, tracks such as the stunningly arranged “Dreamland” and the overpowering first single, “All You Did Was Save My Life,” soar above angry clouds of confusion and insecurity with an ascending clarity that can only come from experience and growth.
The pounding affirmation of “The Right Stuff” and the vigilant build of band favorite “Refuge,” also reinforce the notion that OLP now occupy a unique and enviable mindspace. “We’re not looking back with any kind of regret,” Maida points out, “but we’ve been doing this long enough now that we know what we want to say. We didn’t want to compromise a thing.”
Having scattered in different directions after the release of 2005’s Healthy In Paranoid Times, all four members took on projects of their own, ranging from solo records, production and songwriting work, tours and guest performances. Over the last two years, Raine Maida, guitarist Steve Mazur, bassist Duncan Coutts and drummer Jeremy Taggart sporadically reconvened and lived at Madia’s home, creating what he calls their best effort to date.
Members would leave each session without tapes, giving themselves a much fresher perspective on the material they created when they returned. Producing themselves and an adherence to rolling tape off the floor gave birth to an urgent, natural body of work. “We didn’t put a lot of pressure on ourselves,” Coutts confirms. “We left things alone and haven't done that in a long time."
“For us,” adds Maida, “a big part of this band is playing live. It has to be something that we’re going to enjoy; a real dynamic collection of songs. When we really started to understand that, the record took on this whole other life.”
This work ethic allowed room for guitarist Steve Mazur, who joined the band in 2002, to blossom on Burn Burn. “On this album I really felt comfortable with my role and what I sound like as the guitarist of Our Lady Peace.” Mazur shines on tracks such as “Escape Artist” and “Paper Moon,” a song where Mazur’s solowork was nailed on the first go-round.
Our Lady Peace is also striking out on their own professionally this time around, opting for what the band terms a “true partnership” with both North American record labels. “We’ve never been this prepared for an album,” adds OLP founding member Jeremy Taggart. “In the past, we’ve never had the foresight to have maybe two or three singles in the can already with videos, etc.”
“Nobody knows us better than ourselves,” Taggart continues. “We didn’t over think a good song or idea or under think anything. The good songs really picked themselves.”
Big Dumb Rocket
Our Lady Peace Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm
I've never seen your breath before
But I'm disgusted by the thought of waiting anymore
If I look into your eyes
Will you notice me or notice it or fade into this accident?
The big dumb rocket on your mind
And I don't want to find
That it's mostly you and mostly me
And a tired gun that's not empty
I've never been this sad before
But I'm offended by my fingertips
And what they've done
If I look up in your eyes
If it must be true you must believe
I've never held such violent things
And I don't want to find
The big dumb rocket on your mind
And I don't want to find
That it's mostly you and mostly me
And a tired gun that's not empty
Oh, oh, ah, oh, oh
Oh, oh, ah
Oh, oh, ah, oh, oh
Oh, oh, ah
I've never talked to God before tonight
But I'm disgusted by
And I don't want to find
The big dumb rocket on your mind
And I don't want to find
That it's mostly you and mostly me
And a tired gun that's not empty
And I don't want to find
That it's mostly you and mostly me
And a tired gun that's not
Oh, oh, ah, oh, oh
Oh, oh, ah
Oh, oh, ah, oh, oh
Oh, oh, ah
Oh, oh, ah, oh, oh
Oh, oh, ah
Oh, oh, ah, oh, oh
Oh, oh, ah
The lyrics of Our Lady Peace's song Big Dumb Rocket speak about the angst, pain, and confusion of a relationship that is falling apart. The singer seems to be frustrated with waiting for something to happen and is now ready to take drastic measures to move forward. He perceives that his partner might have a big dumb rocket, an idea, or an ambition that she may be longing to pursue, which he fears will undo the relationship. He highlights that both of them might be responsible for the state of their relationship and confesses his own violent tendencies. He wonders if looking into his partner's eyes would reveal something that could change the course of events or if the accident is inevitable.
The chorus of the song is intense and meaningful: "And I don't want to find the big dumb rocket on your mind, And I don't want to find that it's mostly you and mostly me, And a tired gun that's not empty." The imagery of the big dumb rocket conveys the idea that the partner might have an ambition that could blow up the relationship, while the tired gun that's not empty could represent the anger, resentments, and frustrations that both of them hold within them, even when they are drained and exhausted.
Overall, the song Big Dumb Rocket portrays a relationship in crisis, where mistrust, frustration, and resentment have taken over. It highlights the importance of looking into one's own behaviors and tendencies and taking responsibility for one's actions. It also speaks about the need for communication, trust, and honesty in relationships to avoid accidents that could harm both partners.
Line by Line Meaning
I've never seen your breath before
I don't know you very well, but I'm sick of waiting to get to know you better
But I'm disgusted by the thought of waiting anymore
However, I'm tired of waiting and ready to make a move
If I look into your eyes
When I gaze into your eyes
Will you notice me or notice it or fade into this accident?
Do you see me, notice the tension between us, or just let things happen as they may?
And I don't want to find
The big dumb rocket on your mind
I'm worried about getting involved with someone who is unstable or not thinking clearly
And I don't want to find
That it's mostly you and mostly me
And a tired gun that's not empty
I don't want to discover that our relationship is built on two exhausted and struggling people who can't move on from their battles
I've never been this sad before
I've never felt so heartbroken before
But I'm offended by my fingertips
I'm ashamed of myself for what I've done or might do
If I look up in your eyes
If it must be true you must believe
If I seek validation from you, you must recognize my sincerity and be honest with me
I've never held such violent things
I've never felt so angry or frustrated before
I've never talked to God before tonight
But I'm disgusted by
I'm so upset that I'm willing to pray or reach out to a higher power for comfort and perspective
And I don't want to find
That it's mostly you and mostly me
And a tired gun that's not
I don't want to discover that we're both just going through the motions or pretending things are okay when they're not
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Arnold Lanni, Michael Maida
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Matthew Garnier
First album I ever bought as a kid... Listened to this thousands of times!
ikes
Same! Bought the cassette w babysitting money! 🙌
Meat Eating Orchids
Yep! another here bought the cassette and treasured that thing. Long gone but still got the cd and want a vinyl. Keep on keeping on.
patrick grondines
the first album i bought as a kid was will smith's album lost and found in 2005
Kody White
Same here. I got this gem from wal mart as a kid. Awesome times
OneManArmy23
My favourite song off Clumsy!
patrick grondines
same here dude
ikes
It was Carnival for me, but this ones a close second 👌
Theoutdoorsman
A lot of memories cranking this song in my first vehicle
Marie Ward
I can officially say now that I have a favorite song. Hearing this song that I fell in love with 25 years ago and just found it last night. Gotta make up for 25 years hahahaa