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.
Higher Learning
Sam Roberts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A dull mind and a weak constitution
I gave a ride to a medicine man
He had a glass eye and white light in his hand
Now,
I want to run through the green green grass
Shine a light on the shadows of the past
Mass appeal with a solitude spin
Oh now oh now he stopped my world turning
Oh now oh now this is a higher learning
Oh and I bet that you don't even think about it
Do you now boy?
When they tell us that we couldn't live without it
Climbed up to the mountain snow,
And in the valley we was laid so low
We will rise like a phoenix from the ashes
Oh now Oh now this is a higher learning
Oh now Oh now my eyes are burning
Come to the light! Come to the light!
Put your mind in the hands of the medicine man
Time is a slippery fish now
Drink deep let your memory slip down
He says were living underground,
We've been asleep in a memory, dreaming
The spell was broken by the sound
The cut is deep but the wound is healing
We will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes
I will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes
He says he speaks to the monsoon rain
Drink deep and you'll feel no pain
I came to on a desolate avenue
My legs were weak but my mind full of fortitude
The lyrics to Sam Roberts's song "Higher Learning" are all about self-discovery and breaking free from the chains of social expectations. The lyrics express the profound need of the singer to change his life and to leave behind a previous, meaningless existence. He mentions being on the road to confusion and feeling lost, but he discovers the medicine man who can help him along his path to enlightenment. The medicine man is an enigmatic figure with a glass eye and white light in his hand, who seems to have the power to shatter the singer's previous way of life and create a new one for him.
The song seems to suggest that the path to true freedom lies in breaking free of the mental and psychological barriers that we all have. The singer wants to "run through the green green grass" and leave behind the "shadows of the past." He also refers to wanting to feel "like a Siamese twin," implying that he wants to feel connected to the rest of humanity while still maintaining his own unique identity. The lyrics suggest that higher learning is not something that can be taught; it is something that must be experienced and lived.
Line by Line Meaning
I found myself on the road to Confusion
I was lost and uncertain in my life
A dull mind and a weak constitution
I lacked mental strength and physical health
I gave a ride to a medicine man
I encountered someone who could help me find direction and purpose
He had a glass eye and white light in his hand
He had unusual but intriguing qualities that made him seem wise
Now,
After this encounter
I want to run through the green green grass
I want to experience freedom and joy
Shine a light on the shadows of the past
I want to confront and overcome my past mistakes and problems
I want to feel like a Siamese twin
I want to connect with others deeply and meaningfully
Mass appeal with a solitude spin
I want to balance my desire for social connection with my need for personal space and individuality
Oh now oh now he stopped my world turning
This person had a profound impact on my life and perspective
Oh now oh now this is a higher learning
I am experiencing a profound shift in my understanding of myself and the world
Oh and I bet that you don't even think about it
Others may not appreciate or understand the significance of my experiences
Do you now boy?
This implies a challenge to others to also pursue growth and understanding
When they tell us that we couldn't live without it
Society often tells us what we need to be happy or successful
Climbed up to the mountain snow,
I faced a difficult and challenging experience
And in the valley we was laid so low
I experienced a setback or hardship following that challenge
We will rise like a phoenix from the ashes
We will overcome adversity and grow stronger because of it
Oh now Oh now my eyes are burning
My emotions are intense and overwhelming
Come to the light! Come to the light!
This is a call to face our fears and embrace growth
Put your mind in the hands of the medicine man
I am committing to learning and growth under the guidance of a wise mentor
Time is a slippery fish now
Time feels fleeting and elusive
Drink deep let your memory slip down
I am encouraged to fully experience life and let go of past regrets
He says were living underground,
We may not be living up to our potential or fully experiencing the world around us
We've been asleep in a memory, dreaming
We have been stuck in old ways of thinking and living, failing to grow or change
The spell was broken by the sound
This awakening and transformation was sparked by some significant event or realization
The cut is deep but the wound is healing
The process of growth and learning can be painful, but it leads to healing
I will rise like a Phoenix from the ashes
I will be resilient and overcome challenges
He says he speaks to the monsoon rain
This mentor has a deep connection and understanding of nature and spirituality
Drink deep and you'll feel no pain
Fully embracing life leads to liberation from worries and pain
I came to on a desolate avenue
I had a moment of enlightenment or clarity in a bleak or lonely place
My legs were weak but my mind full of fortitude
Despite feeling physically weakened or vulnerable, I had a strong inner sense of determination and strength
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: SAM LEWIS ROBERTS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
andor milosevic
good song!!!!!!!
Double C 3!
Hoo-yehh!! grreatt song!!