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.”
Innocent
Our Lady Peace Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Spends his time alone in the basement
With Lennon and Cobain and
A guitar and a stereo
While he wishes he could escape this
But it all seems so contagious
Not to be yourself and faceless
I remember feeling low
I remember losing hope
And I remember all the feelings
And the day they stopped
We are we are all innocent
We are all innocent
We are we are
We are we are all innocent
We are all innocent
We are we are
Oh, Tina's losing faith in what she knows
Hates her music, hates all of her clothes
Thinks of surgery and a new nose
Every calorie is a war
And while she wishes she was a dancer
And that she'd never heard of cancer
She wishes God would give her some answers
And make her feel beautiful
I remember feeling low
I remember losing hope
I remember all the feelings
And the day they stopped
We are we are all innocent
We are all innocent
We are we are
We are we are all innocent
We are all innocent
We are we are
One day
You'll have to let it go
You'll have to let it go, no
One day
You'll stand up on your own
You'll stand up on your own, yeah
Remember losing hope
Remember feeling low
Remember all the feelings
And the day they stopped
We are we are all innocent
We are all innocent
We are we are
We are we are all innocent
We are all innocent
We are we are
One day (We are we are all innocent)
You'll have to let it go (We are all innocent)
You'll have to let it go, no (We are we are)
One day (We are we are all innocent)
You'll stand up on your own (We are all innocent)
You'll stand up on your own, yeah
We are we are all innocent
The lyrics to Our Lady Peace's "Innocent" poignantly explore the angst and despair of two individuals, Johnny and Tina, who are struggling to find their place in the world and accept themselves for who they are. Johnny, a lonely musician who idolizes John Lennon and Kurt Cobain, feels trapped by societal expectations to conform and sell-out to generic pop tunes devoid of any genuine feelings. He longs to be like his heroes, who were unafraid to express their raw emotions, but he feels hopeless and overwhelmed by the suffocating pressure of the music industry. Similarly, Tina is plagued by insecurities about her body and appearance, and she is deeply unhappy with her music and fashion. She is fixated on changing her nose and self-starves in an attempt to attain what she sees as the perfect body. Yet, she realizes that these external façades will not bring her true happiness or fulfillment.
The song serves as a commentary on the disillusionment and confusion many people feel in modern society, where image and conformity are valued over authenticity and creativity. However, the chorus offers a message of solidarity and hope, emphasizing that despite our flaws and insecurities, we are all innocent and worthy of love and acceptance. The repetition of "We are we are all innocent" underscores the universality of human struggles and the need for empathy and understanding.
Overall, "Innocent" provides a powerful insight into the emotional turmoil of young adults and the importance of self-acceptance and self-love in overcoming societal pressures and expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, Johnny wishes he was famous
Johnny dreams of being a celebrity
Spends his time alone in the basement
He isolates himself in his basement
With Lennon and Cobain and
A guitar and a stereo
Surrounded by music legends and their instruments
While he wishes he could escape this
Johnny wishes for a way out of his loneliness
But it all seems so contagious
His situation seems to infect those around him
Not to be yourself and faceless
Feeling like you have no identity or presence
In a song that has no soul
An empty, lifeless composition
I remember feeling low
I recall being deeply unhappy
I remember losing hope
Remembering a time of despair
And I remember all the feelings
Recalling a range of emotions
And the day they stopped
The day they faded away
We are we are all innocent
We are all blameless
Oh, Tina's losing faith in what she knows
Tina doubts her choices and beliefs
Hates her music, hates all of her clothes
Unhappy with her appearance and creations
Thinks of surgery and a new nose
Considering drastic measures to alter her appearance
Every calorie is a war
She battles with food and body image
And while she wishes she was a dancer
Tina aspires to be a dancer
And that she'd never heard of cancer
Wishing to be blissfully ignorant of illness
She wishes God would give her some answers
Asking for guidance and clarity
And make her feel beautiful
Desiring to feel attractive
One day
You'll have to let it go
A day will come when you have to move on
You'll have to let it go, no
Accepting the need to let go can be difficult
One day
You'll stand up on your own
You'll be able to stand on your own someday
You'll stand up on your own, yeah
You'll gain independence and self-sufficiency
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MICHAEL MAIDA, JEREMY TAGGART, DUNCAN COUTTS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@katie7488
"Oh, Tina’s losing faith in what she knows
Hates her music
Hates all of her clothes
Thinks of surgery
And a new nose
Every calorie is a war
While she wishes she
Was a dancer
And that she'd never
Heard of cancer
She wishes God would give her
Some answers
And make her feel beautiful"
No lyrics have ever spoken to me more, and they become even more relatable as I get older. This song is one of my favourite songs ever.
@adonisx82
It’s New Year’s Eve of 2022 and my family are doing karaoke
My 14 year old son said “oh I’ve got one I want to do, a surprise for dad”
So I closed my eyes while he typed it in
It was this song
And he did it really well
And we all sang along near the end
Also, OLP was his first ever concert, this year in Vancouver
OLP has been my favourite band for many years and likely always will be
And my son loves them too
Thanks so much for the gift of your music
@QueenCShine
Oh, Johnny wishes he was famous
Spends his time alone in the basement
With Lennon and Cobain and a guitar and a stereo
And while he wishes he could escape this
But it all seems so contagious
Not to be yourself and faceless
In a song that has no soul
I remember feelin' low
I remember losin' hope
And I remember all the feelin's
And the day they stopped
We are, we are all innocent
We are all innocent
We are, we are
We are, we are all innocent
We are all innocent
We are, we are
Oh, Tina's losin' faith in what she knows
Hates her music, hates all of her clothes
Thinks of surgery and a new nose
Every calorie is a war
And while she wishes she was a dancer
And that she's never heard of cancer
She wishes God would give her some answers
And make her feel beautiful
I remember feelin' low
I remember losin' hope
And I remember all the feelin's
And the day they stopped
We are, we are all innocent
We are all innocent
We are, we are
We are, we are all innocent
We are all innocent
We are, we are
One day, you'll have to let it go
You'll have to let it go, no
One day, you'll stand up on your own
You'll stand up on your own, yeah
Remember losin' hope
Remember feelin' low
Remember all the feelin's
And the day they stopped
We are, we are all innocent
We are all innocent
We are, we are
We are, we are all innocent
We are all innocent
We are, we are
We are, we are all innocent
(One day, you'll have to let it go)
We are all innocent
(You'll have to let it go)
We are, we are
(No)
We are, we are all innocent
(One day, you'll stand up on your own)
We are all innocent
(You'll stand up on your own)
We are, we are
We are, we are all innocent
Read more: Our Lady Peace - Innocent Lyrics | MetroLyrics
@CodyT3212
This is THE most early 2000's thing I've ever seen.
And I'm not complaining.
@belporvenir
Tharpedo Entertainment you should check out "The Way I Feel" by 12 Stones, now that's the most early 2000's thing you'll ever see...lol
@KasCalwein
Screw it, that was a good time
@emberanastasia2444
Déjà Siku - lol, agreed!
@jmalock
I saw them open at the Cedar Fest in the Twin Cities in the late 90's, it was their first gig in the U.S. So a very transitional time in music, but they, in my opinion, were one of the best on stage and that's compared to Primus!!
@twiston43
That was an Anthem in high school in Canada in those days.
@russellstuart
OLP is a national treasure of Canada and one of the best bands you'll ever see live... this song got me through so many dark days back when I was a kid... we've all struggled with something and this song just re-enforces the truth that we are all innocent and worthy of our best life!
@chloegeorge5026
Dancing round the living room now!
@canopyeffect
This song is actually not the humanist manifesto some are claiming. This is about the inevitability of child like innocence lost. The Lyrics say, "You'll have to let it go and stand up on your own" It's not a song to reinforce the horrible things people do as adults but acceptance of the coming of age we all experience whether we want to or not.
@thatdudeoverthere-xh8pu
Olp is one of the worst bands I've ever seen love - I do like there music though