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.
Listen To The Radio
Sloan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Where did everybody go?
There's silence all around you know
I say it again come on in
Voices in the static fade
Riding out the echo waves
moving in and out of things
It's on my hands
I can't wash it away
It's on my hands
I can't wash it away
Listen to the radio
The signal noise ratio
But frequencies have all gone cold
Leaving me here transmission
No one's gonna say my name
No one's gonna share the blame
Nothing's gonna grow again
For the rest of my life in my new world
It's on my hands
I can't wash it away
It's on my hands
I can't wash it away
It's on my hands
It's on my hands
Listen to the radio
Where did everybody go?
There's silence all around you know
I say it again come on in
The lyrics of "Listen to the Radio" by Sloan paint a picture of loneliness and isolation in a world where everything has gone cold. The repetition of the phrase "listen to the radio" adds to the sense of desperation, as the singer seems to be reaching out for connection and companionship. The first verse portrays a deserted scene, with the silence being so loud it's palpable. The second verse deepens the sense of melancholy by emphasizing how nothing is growing anymore, symbolizing a loss of hope and new beginnings.
The chorus, "It's on my hands, I can't wash it away," implies a feeling of culpability and regret for something that the singer cannot undo. It also suggests a desperation to find a way out, to find some sort of redemption or forgiveness. The final verse returns to the opening lines, emphasizing the idea of being alone in a quiet world, until the invitation to "come on in" for a moment of connection and solace.
Overall, the song seems to be about the struggle to find meaning and connection amid a world that can often seem indifferent and bleak. The repeated refrain of "listen to the radio" is both a symbol and a plea, suggesting that music and the voices of others are a way to combat the silence and find some kind of hope.
Line by Line Meaning
Listen to the radio
Tune in to the radio station
Where did everybody go?
Wondering about the absence of people
There's silence all around you know
There's no noise or sound around
I say it again come on in
Inviting someone to join and listen to the radio together
Voices in the static fade
Unintelligible sounds are diminishing
Riding out the echo waves
Sustaining through the reverberations
Moving in and out of things
Sound waves fluctuating
I say it again come on back
Inviting someone to return and listen to the radio again
It's on my hands
Something bad happened and I am responsible for it
I can't wash it away
I cannot undo it
The signal noise ratio
Comparison between signal strength and unwanted noise
But frequencies have all gone cold
Radio transmissions are no longer available
Leaving me here transmission
Inability to receive any broadcasts, feeling isolated
No one's gonna say my name
No one will acknowledge me
No one's gonna share the blame
No one will take responsibility for what happened
Nothing's gonna grow again
No positive change is expected
For the rest of my life in my new world
Living with the consequences of my actions for a long time
It's on my hands
Feeling guilty and ashamed of what happened
It's on my hands
The fault is mine
Listen to the radio
Tune in to the radio station
Where did everybody go?
Wondering about the absence of people
There's silence all around you know
There's no noise or sound around
I say it again come on in
Inviting someone to join and listen to the radio together
Contributed by Wyatt V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@OrangeySnicket
When I listen to this song, it makes me feel like I'm laying in the sunshine (sounds pretentious but that's what I think). I hate how underrated Sloan is. 441 views?!
@MrPzhamz
great song, nice video!
@GeneralMtrd
@oceanwave437 You're welcome :) Probably isn't a very popular song so not many people know about it. It's one of my favorites. Heard it on Sirius radio a long time ago.
@ApprovedGranite
way to go jon, way to go. can we cover this? get kevin to sing it with flanger on his voice.
@maccahelp
Wonderfu song
@k4y0h
omg amazing video good job !!
@GeneralMtrd
@OrangeySnicket Yeah, I don't believe many people know of Sloan. So far, from the the people I have shown this song too, they have loved it so thats good :) It can be a very relaxing song as well so I concur with you.
@GeneralMtrd
@MrPzhamz It is a great song :) Thanks.
@GeneralMtrd
@ColinGWood Are you asking for the song chords?
@hiqwertyhi
i actually can't tell is this jay or patrick? sounds more like jay to me but kinda sounds like patrick