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.
She Says What She Means
Sloan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm gonna get it together
I'm telling you girl
I'm gonna make it all better
But I don't know how I'm going to
'Cause I don't know what she is going through
What I know is that's even mean for me
What is the word
It's like you don't even know me
Haven't you heard
This sort of thing is below me
But I don't know what I would stoop to
Have you got another jump I could hoop through
Now, I don't know if that's even meant for me
'Cause she means what she says and she says what she means
When she says that I'm mean, does she mean what she says?
And she says what she means, and she means what she says
And she says what she means, and she means what she says
Maybe I don't stay in touch much
'Cause it makes me feel I'm goin' Dutch
Oooo...
Maybe I'm the sort who's sordid
Yeah, but I won't be extorted
Oooo...
Whenever you want me, whenever you need me
I know that you're angry, you know that I'm sorry
Well this situation has come back to haunt me
Whenever you need me, whenever you want me
Whenever you want me, whenever you need me
Whenever you want me, whenever you need me
Whenever you want me
The lyrics of Sloan's song "She Says What She Means" reflect the confusion and frustration of a person who is struggling to understand the thoughts and emotions of someone they care about. The singer of the song acknowledges that he needs to get his act together and make things better for the person in question, but he is unsure how to do so because he doesn't know what she is going through. The repeated line "she means what she says and she says what she means" indicates the singer's belief that the person he is addressing is straightforward and honest in her communication, even though he may not always understand her intentions or feelings.
The second verse touches on the theme of miscommunication and misunderstandings, with the singer feeling that the person he is addressing doesn't really know him and that their relationship is a bit beneath him. However, he acknowledges that he too is unsure of how to navigate the situation, and wonders if there are any hoops he can jump through to make things right. The bridge of the song introduces the idea of the singer being reluctant to stay in touch because he doesn't want to feel like he's "going Dutch" (meaning splitting the bill), and suggests that he may have a past that he is trying to avoid being exploited for.
Overall, the lyrics of "She Says What She Means" convey a sense of uncertainty and ambiguity, with the singer struggling to decode the intentions of someone who is important to him. The repetition of the phrase "she means what she says and she says what she means" underscores the importance of clear communication, even if it is sometimes difficult to achieve.
Line by Line Meaning
When in the world
I'm gonna get it together
I'm telling you girl
I'm gonna make it all better
I am struggling to figure out how to fix my life, but I promise I will make everything better for you.
But I don't know how I'm going to
'Cause I don't know what she is going through
What I know is that's even mean for me
'Cause she means what she says and she says what she means
I don't know how to help her because I don't understand her situation, but I know she is serious about what she says and I should take her seriously.
What is the word
It's like you don't even know me
Haven't you heard
This sort of thing is below me
I don't understand why you don't know me better, and I think this kind of behavior is beneath me.
But I don't know what I would stoop to
Have you got another jump I could hoop through
Now, I don't know if that's even meant for me
'Cause she means what she says and she says what she means
I don't know how low I would go to fix things, and I don't know if her words are directed at me, but I know she is being honest with me.
When she says that I'm mean, does she mean what she says?
I question whether she is serious when she calls me mean.
And she says what she means, and she means what she says
And she says what she means, and she means what she says
She is straightforward with what she says and is genuine in her words.
Maybe I don't stay in touch much
'Cause it makes me feel I'm goin' Dutch
Oooo...
Maybe I'm the sort who's sordid
Yeah, but I won't be extorted
Oooo...
Perhaps I don't stay in contact because I feel like I owe you money, and I may have some shady qualities, but I won't let you take advantage of me.
Whenever you want me, whenever you need me
I know that you're angry, you know that I'm sorry
Well this situation has come back to haunt me
Whenever you need me, whenever you want me
Whenever you want me, whenever you need me
Whenever you want me, whenever you need me
I am aware that you are angry with me, and I apologize for my actions, but this problem has resurfaced. I am here for you whenever you need me, no matter the circumstance.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
George Begbie
This is one of the best riffs I've heard in my entire life.
Michael Scott
Cheap Trick Riff. But all good.
EverydayLegend
@Michael Scott What Sloan is best at doing is ripping pieces of other bands’ playbooks and making entirely new and unique compositions with those pieces. It’s real art.
Drums for Daves
sounds like spirit of the radio by rush in a way
Following Cult Chronicles IV
Agreed
Hidden Hand Media
You should've heard Led Zeppelin do it first
alukuhito
I love how they all play and sing. It's like any of them can take up singing duties, knowing the rest of the band will rock behind them solidly.
Cats of Sherman
Navy Blues is one of the best albums of the 90s. No doubt about it! This song rocks and Sloan kicks it live.
Steven Kavanagh
I love everything about this song. It's some of the best rock'n'roll out there, with Chris Murphy's fun wordplay that I always get a kick out of. "When she says that I'm mean does she mean what she says?"
I'd rank this track among my all-time favourite rock songs.
Eli Yochim
Baseline is unreal!!! Sloan is underrated!