Born in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, he attended Loyola High School and McGill University. Roberts formed the band William in 1993. The band's name was changed to Northstar in 1996. Although the band gained some notice in independent rock circles, they couldn't break through to a national audience, and broke up in the late 1990s. Roberts' bandmate George Donoso went on to significant success in indie rock circles with The Dears, but Roberts struggled for several years afterward.
In 2000 Roberts began his solo career by independently releasing his first studio album, Brother Down. The album was largely unsuccessful but the title track would later go on to be re-recorded and re-released on a six-song EP titled The Inhuman Condition. The EP sold slowly at first, but by the summer of 2002 Roberts was all over the Canadian airwaves: his first single "Brother Down" had become one of the biggest Canadian hits of the year, and the follow up single "Don't Walk Away Eileen" quickly followed suit.
Roberts then signed to Universal Music, releasing his full-length debut, We Were Born in a Flame, in 2003. That album's singles, "Where Have All the Good People Gone?", "Hard Road", "Brother Down" and "Don't Walk Away Eileen", became major hits, especially in Canada.
The band's album Chemical City, produced with Joseph Donovan and released on April 11, 2006, got major radio play in Canada after its release, especially the single "The Gate".
The band's latest release, the album Love at the End of the World (May 20, 2008), included the song "Them Kids", which reached #1 on the Canadian indie chart (the R3-30), and also #1 on CFNY's Thursday 30 chart.
The band released the album Collider on May 10, 2011.
Angola
Sam Roberts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Time, time is only silhouettes, shadow puppets on the wall
Pouring in through the holes slowing traffic to a crawl
Makes you tick but don't forget that you can never have it all
Listen to the raindrops falling on the treetops
Angola, Angola, I never should have left you alone
Where the elephants roam and the red hills roll
Red sand red sand like a sea of blood
Cold hands on the trigger wet boots in the mud
Listen to the gunshots echo through the treetops
Angola, Angola, I never should have left you alone
The world's on fire, there's nowhere to run
The world's on fire, try and hold on
And if you're doing what you shouldn't turn the other way
Because the proof is in the pudding so the old wives say
You gotta cut that rope till your hands are free
And throw off that yoke that keeps you on your knees
Listen to the gunshots echo ‘cross the rooftops
Angola, Angola, I never should have left you alone
The world's on fire, there's nowhere to run
The worlds' on fire, try and hold on
Can you feel it, can you feel it, I can taste it, I can taste it
Is it real now, is it real now, did we make it, did we make it
Can you feel it, can you feel it, I can taste it, I can taste it
If we dream it, if we dream it, we can make it, we can make it
Angola, Angola, I never should have left you
Angola, Angola, I never should have left you alone
Angola, Angola, I never should have left you
Angola, Angola, I never should have left you alone
The song Angola by Sam Roberts Band is a reflection on the singer's experiences in the country of Angola. The lyrics describe the intense heat and slow pace of life, while also acknowledging that time is fleeting and one can never have it all. The chorus emphasizes the singer's regret for leaving Angola, where he felt a sense of belonging and awe at the natural beauty of the land.
The second verse takes on a more somber tone, describing a dangerous situation where the singer is on patrol in Angola's wild lands. He describes the eerie echo of gunshots and the unnerving feeling of being surrounded by danger. Despite this, he still longs for Angola and feels that he should never have left.
The final verse is a call to action, urging the listener to cut ties with things that hold them back and to pursue their dreams. The chorus repeats once again, emphasizing the importance of Angola in the singer's life and the regret he feels for leaving it.
Overall, the lyrics to Angola are a contemplative reflection on the beauty and danger of life, and the importance of following one's dreams and staying true to oneself.
Line by Line Meaning
Heat pouring in through the holes slowing traffic to a crawl
The intense heat coming through the gaps in the wall is causing the traffic to move very slowly.
Time, time is only silhouettes, shadow puppets on the wall
Time is an illusion and only the shadows it casts on our lives are real.
Makes you tick but don't forget that you can never have it all
Although it's important to have goals and desires, it's important to remember that you'll never be able to have everything you want.
Listen to the raindrops falling on the treetops
Take a moment to appreciate the beauty in small things, like the sound of raindrops on leaves.
Many miles from home on the dawn patrol
Far away from home, starting a new venture or path at dawn.
Where the elephants roam and the red hills roll
In a place with wild animals like elephants and red hills.
Red sand red sand like a sea of blood
The sand is red, like a vast sea of blood, possibly symbolizing violence or conflict.
Cold hands on the trigger wet boots in the mud
Someone with cold hands holding a gun, standing in the mud.
Listen to the gunshots echo through the treetops
Gunshots can be heard echoing through the trees.
The world's on fire, there's nowhere to run
The world feels like it's in chaos and there's no escape from it.
Try and hold on
Even though everything feels like it's falling apart, try to hold on and keep going.
And if you're doing what you shouldn't turn the other way
If you're doing something wrong or harmful, look the other way and change your actions.
Because the proof is in the pudding so the old wives say
People say that the proof of something is in the results it shows.
You gotta cut that rope till your hands are free
You need to get rid of the things that are holding you back and limiting your freedom.
And throw off that yoke that keeps you on your knees
Get rid of the burden that's weighing you down and keeping you from standing tall.
Listen to the gunshots echo ‘cross the rooftops
Gunshots can be heard echoing across the roofs of buildings.
Can you feel it, can you feel it, I can taste it, I can taste it
There's a sense of something in the air that can be felt and even tasted.
Is it real now, is it real now, did we make it, did we make it
Are the things we're experiencing actually real? Did we achieve what we set out to?
If we dream it, if we dream it, we can make it, we can make it
If we have a dream or goal, we can work towards making it a reality.
Angola, Angola, I never should have left you
Addressing or calling out to a country called Angola, expressing regret about leaving it.
Angola, Angola, I never should have left you alone
Feeling alone and regretful about leaving Angola.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SAM LEWIS ROBERTS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Benjamin Saunders
This song never gets old for me. I have fond memories to almost every Sam Roberts Band song.. I was lucky enough to catch them in Kelowna. I was front row centre for the show with my brother. Basically at Sam’s feet. We sang nearly every word to every song and it was- to this day- the best show I’ve ever been to !! 🙌
rui alves
this sound has a lot of energy! and if he is turned into a "marrabenta" with an African spirit he is very powerful, an inspiring "magician" for ACJ and the future of ANGOLA .
In real time, I will continue to see you in concert if it becomes possible again.
Anyway Sam, congratulations you're genius
Ryan Grey
Cool song, love the lyrics ^-^