The band was formed in 1991, when Chris Murphy and Andrew Scott met at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) in Halifax. Patrick Pentland and Jay Ferguson joined soon after. In 1992, the band created their own record label, called Murderecords, for themselves and other Halifax area bands, and the outfit released the 'Peppermint EP' (the release also known as just 'Peppermint').
According to Sloan's official website, the band's name refers to a friend's nickname. Their friend, Jason Larsen, was called 'Slow One' by his French-speaking boss, which with the French accent sounded more like 'Sloan'. The original agreement was that they could name the band after their friend's nickname as long as he was on the cover of their first album. As a result, it is Larsen who appears on the cover of the 'Peppermint EP'.
Later in 1992, Sloan released their full-length debut, titled 'Smeared', on Geffen Records. Like many indie rock groups before them, the band found that major label dealings were basically as much trouble as they were worth. In 1994, Geffen did not promote their second album, called 'Twice Removed', due to artistic disputes, although it sold well in Canada. Spin named the album one of the "Best Albums You Didn't Hear" in 1994. A 1996 reader poll by Canadian music magazine Chart! ranked it as the best Canadian album of all time only two years after its release. The same poll in 2000 ranked the album third, behind Joni Mitchell's 'Blue' and Neil Young's 'Harvest', while the 2005 poll once again ranked the album first.
After the release of Twice Removed, the band went on hiatus and were rumoured to have broken up, as they had rejected Geffen's offer for their next album. In 1996, however, they released the widely praised One Chord to Another on their own Murderecords label. Following 1998's Navy Blues album, Sloan released their first live album 4 Nights at the Palais Royale in 1999. Those albums were followed by Between the Bridges in 1999, and Pretty Together in 2001.
Sloan made a concerted effort to break into the US market on their 2003 release Action Pact. Songs were recorded in L.A. with Tom Rothrock producing. The glossier, radio-ready sound failed to raise Sloan's profile in the US, though they continued to be highly popular in Canada.
Sloan's first compilation album A Sides Win: Singles 1992-2005, included two new songs, "All Used Up" and "Try to Make It". The Japanese release included two additional new tracks.
Now signed to Yep Roc Records for their US releases, they put out their eighth disc, Never Hear the End of It in 2006. The album contained 30 tracks with all the members of the band contributing new songs. It was met with widespread critical acclaim and became the highest charting Sloan album in the US up to that point.
In 2008, Sloan followed up their longest album with their shortest release Parallel Play.
In November 2009 Sloan added a digital music store to their website. The band released an online-only EP called Hit & Run to promote the store. The EP featured two songs by Chris Murphy, and one by each of the other band members. Murphy's Take It Upon Yourself was released as a free single. In February 2010, the band released another online exclusive, the compilation album B-Sides Win: Extras, Bonus Tracks and B-Sides 1992 - 2008.
In 2013, the band revealed plans for a double album, with each of the four sides featuring a solo suite by a different band member. In May 2014, it was announced that the new album would be titled "Commonwealth" and would be released in September 2014. On July 14, 2014, the band announced the official release date for the album (September 9, which turned out to be accurate) and the release of the album's first single, "Keep Swinging (Downtown)". The album cover portrays the band members as four-of-a-kind kings. The suits of these playing cards correspond to the titles of their solo sides: Jay Ferguson's side is called Diamond, Chris Murphy's is Heart, Patrick Pentland's is Shamrock, and Andrew Scott's is Spade.
Flying High Again
Sloan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Keep in mind that you'll never hear the end of it
It went okay, so far, so good I guess
At least until all the people get out of it
Flying high again
Flying high again
Flying high again
Said so long we'll be sad to hear
Right or wrong, you know we'll never disappear
We're flying high against all denial
And some people think we're crazy
Flying high again
Flying high again
Flying high again
Flying high again
In Sloan's song "Flying High Again", the lyrics capture a sense of escapism and a desire to live free from the constraints and pressures of society. The opening lines, "We can make it like we never met, keep in mind that you'll never hear the end of it" suggest a willingness to forget past mistakes and just enjoy the present moment without judgment or criticism. The song seems to be about finding an escape in whatever form possible, as symbolized by the lines "Flying high again" repeated throughout the song.
The lyrics also touch on the idea of living one's life in a way that defies conventional standards and expectations. The phrase "We're flying high against all denial" suggests that the singer and their friends are living in a way that others may not understand or approve of, but they are doing it anyway, and they are proud of it. The lyrics end with the line "And some people think we're crazy" which again suggests that the singer is aware of the fact that they are living differently and that some people may not understand their choices, but they are still going to do it anyway.
Overall, "Flying High Again" is a song about living life on your own terms and not being afraid to be different or unconventional. The repetition of the phrase "Flying high again" throughout the song reinforces the idea of escaping from the pressures of society and finding one's own path in life.
Line by Line Meaning
We can make it like we never met
We can pretend like we never had this interaction or relationship
Keep in mind that you'll never hear the end of it
Be warned that talking about this will never end until you're satisfied
It went okay, so far, so good I guess
Things are currently fine and have been fine up until this point
At least until all the people get out of it
The situation will remain fine until other external factors come into play
Flying high again
We are experiencing a high point in our lives
Said so long we'll be sad to hear
We are saying goodbye and it will be a sad experience
Right or wrong, you know we'll never disappear
No matter what happens, we will always be around
We're flying high against all denial
We are experiencing success despite other people not believing in us
And some people think we're crazy
Some people view us as crazy for what we're doing, but we don't care
Contributed by Ian H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Thelma
on Everything You've Done Wrong
Thelma I like the title