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.”
The Story Of 100 Aisles
Our Lady Peace Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If you know why you came
'Cause if you need help," she says
"There's something I've got saved"
This is not what you wanted
These candy coated fakes
This is not what you wanted
Anacin, we're stumbling again
Anacin, and it's the story of a hundred aisles
"Walk away, from simple on a tray
'Cause if you need help," she says
"These fancy pills don't rate"
This is not what you wanted
A miracle today
This is not what you wanted
This is pain this is pain
Anacin, we're stumbling again
Anacin, and it's the story of a hundred aisles
Time, is not for sale today
And time, seems so far away
And time, is not for sale today
You, need more, than this
Depressed, come here, try this, boy!
Anacin, we're stumbling again
Anacin, and it's the story of a hundred aisles
Anacin, we're stumbling again
Anacin, and it's the story of a hundred aisles
Anacin
In the song The Story Of 100 Aisles by Our Lady Peace, the lyrics are describing the feeling of searching for something to alleviate pain or distress, but instead finding only fake and superficial solutions. The song urges the listener to trust themselves and their own gut feelings, rather than relying on outside sources for help. The line "Help yourself if you know why you came" embodies this message and suggests that true healing cannot come from external sources.
The lyrics allude to the idea of consumerism and capitalism as a source of false comfort. The line "Walk away from simple on a tray" suggests that the easy, pre-packaged solutions that society offers are ultimately unsatisfying. The reference to "fancy pills" also implies a criticism of pharmaceutical companies and the medical industry as a whole.
The repeated line "This is not what you wanted" emphasizes the sense of disappointment and disillusionment that can come from seeking help in the wrong places. The comparison between pain and candy-coated fakes suggests that avoiding pain can be tempting, but ultimately unproductive.
Overall, the song seems to be encouraging the listener to trust their own inner voice, resist the temptations of consumer culture, and find their own path to healing and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
Help yourself
Take control of your own situation and make things happen for yourself.
If you know why you came
If you have a clear purpose and understanding of what you want, then you can achieve it.
Cause if you need help she says
The singer is offering assistance to those who need it.
There's something I've got saved
The singer has a solution or resource to help those in need.
This is not what you wanted
The current situation is not ideal or desirable for the listener.
These candy coated fakes
False promises or superficial solutions to problems.
This is pain
The current situation is causing emotional distress.
Anacin, we're stumbling again
Reference to a pain relief medication and a sense of confusion or uncertainty.
It's the story of a hundred aisles
A metaphor for the many obstacles and challenges faced in life.
Walk away from simple on a tray
Don't settle for easy solutions just because they are readily available.
Cause if you need help she says
Reiterating the offer of assistance from the singer.
These fancy pills don't rate
Prescription medication may not be the best or only solution to a problem.
This is not what you wanted
Reinforcing that the current situation is not ideal or desirable for the listener.
A miracle today
Expressing hope for a positive outcome or solution.
Time is not for sale today
Time is a precious commodity that cannot be purchased or wasted.
Time seems so far away
The current situation may seem like it will never improve or change.
You need more than this
A deeper, more meaningful solution is required to solve the problem at hand.
Depressed come here try this
Suggesting that the listener may be dealing with depression and offering a solution to try.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Lanni, Michael Maida, Jeffrey Taggart, Mike Turner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
RippleTKO
This song is fantastic!
Frederick Stadler
Thank you Our Lady Peace for the upgraded audio clips on YouTube, I love your songs.
Z3 Bladeworks & Outdoors
It pains me that a band like Our Lady Peace only has 67,000 subs. Legit, one of my favourite bands growing up and this song is absolute gold. Kids these days 🙄..😁✌️
Angel Garcia
Definitely one of my all-time favorites❤❤❤
patrick grondines
love this song
musiclover01ization
Great song.
Szen Mæythe
Yah 2nd comment! This album is still the best - this song is the best on the album aswell (IMO)
TRASH 69
underrated
pewpeat
49 likes... this is utter bullshit I liked this song at least 10,000 times in my car and 25k times in my room over like 20 years
Jon Scott
I love Our Lady Peace ❤️