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.
Fixed To Ruin
Sam Roberts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're fixed on me
We could change positions, honey
With no guarantee
Sun down in a southern town
Then it came, the rain
I saw you in a different light
She can dance like she got no bones
I forget I'm all alone
My wicked ways
They might be here to stay
You've been turnin? my head 'round, baby
With the things you say and the tricks you're playin?
What I'd do for you
Send me off the rails
End up in the jail house, baby
For a night with you under a moon so pale
Southeaster blowin? from dusk till dawn
Honey, where I'm goin??
Oh, the streets are mean
And the guns are drawn
She can dance like she got no bones
I forget I'm all alone
(Ooh)
I'd give it up for you
(Ooh)
If you want me to
I been a lonely man but you're bringin' me back
Oh, you're bringin' me back now
I been a lonely man but you're bringin' me back
Oh, you're bringin' me back now
And what I learn from you
Is that history's just things we do
Oh, what I learn from you
Is that history is just the things we do
I'm fixed to ruin
You're fixed on me
We can change positions, baby
With no guarantee
It's gonna be alright now, honey
Make no mistake now
There ain't no amount of money
Could ever take my place
She can dance like she got no bones
I forget I'm all alone
She can dance like she got no bones
I forget I'm all alone
The lyrics of Sam Roberts's song Fixed to Ruin can be interpreted in different ways, but one possible meaning is that the singer is involved in a risky, passionate relationship with someone who has a similar reckless attitude towards life. The repeated line "I'm fixed to ruin, you're fixed on me" suggests that both parties are willing to take chances and face the consequences, even if they are uncertain or dangerous. The line "We could change positions, honey, with no guarantee" implies that the roles or dynamics in the relationship could shift, but that there are no guarantees of stability or security.
The reference to a southern town, rain, and dancing without bones suggests a kind of freedom or release from inhibitions, but also a vulnerability to the elements and to others. The lines "My wicked ways, they might be here to stay / You've been turnin' my head 'round, baby, with the things you say and the tricks you're playin'" suggest that the singer is aware of their faults or mistakes, but is tempted to continue with them because of the allure of the other person. The idea of sending oneself "off the rails" and ending up in jail for a night with the lover under a pale moon suggests a kind of recklessness that is both thrilling and dangerous.
The chorus, which features an infectious melody and the repetition of "Oh," conveys a sense of passion and longing that overtakes the singer. The final lines, "It's gonna be alright now, honey / Make no mistake now / There ain't no amount of money / Could ever take my place," could be interpreted as reassurance to the lover that their connection is valuable and irreplaceable, even if it comes with risks and uncertainty.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm fixed to ruin
I am bound to destruction
You're fixed on me
You are fixated on me
We could change positions, honey
With no guarantee
We could change roles without any promised outcome
Sun down in a southern town
Then it came, the rain
I saw you in a different light
You saw me just the same
As the sun went down, a storm came over a small town in the south, and I saw you in a different way, but you see me the same as always
She can dance like she got no bones
I forget I'm all alone
She dances so well that it distracts me from the fact that I am by myself
My wicked ways
They might be here to stay
You've been turnin' my head 'round, baby
With the things you say and the tricks you're playin'
My bad behavior may be permanent, but you have been influencing me with your words and actions
What I'd do for you
Send me off the rails
End up in the jail house, baby
For a night with you under a moon so pale
I would do anything for you, even if it means getting into trouble and going to jail, just to spend a night with you under the moon's light
Southeaster blowin' from dusk till dawn
Honey, where I'm goin'??
Oh, the streets are mean
And the guns are drawn
A strong southeasterly wind is blowing all through the night until dawn. I don't know where I'm heading, but the streets are dangerous with people carrying guns
I'd give it up for you
If you want me to
I would sacrifice anything for you if you want me to
I been a lonely man but you're bringin' me back
Oh, you're bringin' me back now
I've been lonely, but you are bringing me out of that state and making me happy again
And what I learn from you
Is that history's just things we do
Oh, what I learn from you
Is that history is just the things we do
What you have taught me is that history is what we do, it's just the things we have done in the past
It's gonna be alright now, honey
Make no mistake now
There ain't no amount of money
Could ever take my place
Everything is going to be fine, and nothing can replace me, no matter how much money is involved
She can dance like she got no bones
I forget, I'm all alone
She dances so well that I forget I am by myself
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SAM LEWIS ROBERTS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jmarsh3792
You guys are unreal! So stoked to hear these new tracks, they have that classic feel good rock to them. Some real music!
@angelcastellanosmartinez2412
I love it