Sam Roberts is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, based in Montreal, Quebec… Read Full Bio ↴Sam Roberts is a Canadian rock singer-songwriter, based in Montreal, Quebec. His 2001 debut release, The Inhuman Condition became one of the bestselling independent releases in Quebec and Canadian music history.

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.

With A Bullet
Sam Roberts Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Our love is dark thoughts as it is bright lights
It's the sound of a teardrop falling down from a great height
So don't let go, let waters flow

And babe you have nothing to fear for
This is as real as the rain
My love for you is as deep as a coal mine

You move like moonshine straight to my head
This is a story line we write from the same bed
You had for sale a holy grail

And babe you have nothing to fear for
This is as real as the rain
My love for you is as deep as a coal mine

And our love is dark thoughts as it is bright lights
And it's the sound of a teardrop falling down from a great height

And babe you have nothing to fear for
This is as real as the rain
My love for you is as deep as a coalmine
No, babe you have nothing to fear for
This is as real as the rain
My love for you is as deep as a coalmine

If you were marked with a bullet
I'd jump in front of it
I'd rather die for love than die for the want of it
Forever alive, forever forward
And I have no use at all for any more words

I'll take on all of your sorrows for mine my dear, 'til the days run clear
Until they start to shine, coming through your window, head on your pillow
The sight is honey for my mind girl and I've been digging, ever deeper
This love gets easier the more it's sung to, the more it rings true
The more I find the breath to help sing with these miner's lungs

Take on all of your sorrows for mine my dear, 'til the days run clear

Until they start to shine, coming through your window, head on your pillow
The sight is honey for my mind

Overall Meaning

Sam Roberts's song "With A Bullet" talks about the depth and intensity of his love for someone, encompassing both dark and bright aspects. He compares the feeling of their love to the sound of a teardrop falling from a great height and describes it as real as the rain, with his love as deep as a coal mine. This line appears twice, emphasizing how strong and powerful his feelings are. He also mentions the idea of the two of them writing a storyline together, showcasing their shared journey of love.

The chorus repeats the message that there's nothing to fear because this love is as real as it can be, and he would do anything for his partner. He talks about taking on all their sorrows until their days are clear and shining, and the sight of them on the pillow is honey for his mind. He won't shy away from expressing his love or singing about it, comparing it to the labor of a miner who works harder and deeper over time. The show of courage mentioned in the last line of the song illustrates his willingness to take a bullet for her if it ever came down to it.

Line by Line Meaning

Our love is dark thoughts as it is bright lights
Our love is a mixture of emotions and experiences, both good and bad.

It's the sound of a teardrop falling down from a great height
Our love is full of intense emotions that can bring tears to our eyes.

So don't let go, let waters flow
Don't give up on our love, let our feelings flow naturally.

And babe you have nothing to fear for
I want you to feel safe and secure in our relationship.

This is as real as the rain
Our love is genuine and true.

My love for you is as deep as a coal mine
I love you deeply and passionately.

You move like moonshine straight to my head
You have a profound effect on me, like strong alcohol.

This is a story line we write from the same bed
We are creating our own story together, as partners.

You had for sale a holy grail
You offered something incredibly valuable and rare, like the holy grail.

If you were marked with a bullet
If you were in danger or hurt, I would do anything to protect you.

I'd jump in front of it
I would sacrifice myself to keep you safe.

I'd rather die for love than die for the want of it
I would rather do something meaningful and selfless for love than live a life without it.

Forever alive, forever forward
We will keep moving forward and growing together, always.

And I have no use at all for any more words
My actions and love speak louder than any words I could say.

I'll take on all of your sorrows for mine my dear, 'til the days run clear
I will take on your burdens and sadness as my own, until we reach a time of clarity and happiness.

Until they start to shine, coming through your window, head on your pillow
Until the days become brighter and happier, I will be there with you, offering comfort and love.

The sight is honey for my mind girl and I've been digging, ever deeper
Being with you brings me intense joy and satisfaction, and I want to keep exploring our relationship and connection.

This love gets easier the more it's sung to, the more it rings true
Our relationship becomes stronger and more meaningful the more we express our love and affection.

The more I find the breath to help sing with these miner's lungs
Even when things are difficult, I will find a way to express my love for you.

The sight is honey for my mind
Being with you is incredibly sweet and satisfying.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Sam Lewis Roberts

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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