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.
The Lines You Amend
Sloan Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I remember finding shoes near the lake under a tree
And I'm sittin' on the shore
I thought I saw your charm float by
It doesn't matter now
'Cause all you wanted to do was die
If only you'd stuck around
But now you're on the ocean floor
And I've opened a brand new door
Brand new door
Swimming out to sea
Trying to find something else
While I'm skipping stones
And I'm listening to the shells
And I won't forget you
If someone else comes along
I found the words you wrote
But I would not dare to quote
My friends, the lines you amend
Like, "What's so bad about dying anyway?"
Swimming out to sea
Trying to find something else
While I'm skipping stones
And I'm listening to the shells
And I won't forget you
If someone else comes along
You'll always come to mind
Whenever I hear that song
The one about photographs
Sung by Ringo Starr
Especially in the chorus part
You always said, "Now, don't you start."
Don't you start, yeah yeah
Don't you start
Don't you start
The song Lines You Amend by Sloan is a poignant reflection on the aftermath of a loved one's suicide. The singer remembers finding shoes near a lake under a tree, signaling that the person who took their own life was planning to do so. Despite the singer's attempts to end things peacefully, the person ultimately wanted to die. The lyrics express regret that if only the person had stuck around, the singer could have prevented their death. However, the person is now dead, and the singer has opened a brand new door, moving on with their life.
The song's chorus features the singer swimming out to sea, trying to find something else while skipping stones and listening to the shells. They won't forget the person who died, but they're open to the possibility of someone else coming along. The singer finds a note with the words "What's so bad about dying anyway?" and reflects on the pain of those words, knowing that they were written by someone they loved. The song ends with a reference to Ringo Starr's song about photographs and a plea not to start thinking about the past.
Overall, Lines You Amend is a melancholic song filled with emotion and heartbreak. It explores the complex feelings that come with losing someone to suicide and the difficulty of moving on. The song is a powerful reminder of the importance of mental health and the need for support and understanding for those struggling with thoughts of suicide.
Line by Line Meaning
Said you'd found a way to end it peacefully
You claimed you had figured out how to end things calmly
I remember finding shoes near the lake under a tree
A memory of discovering shoes beneath a tree near the lake
And I'm sittin' on the shore
I'm seated by the shore
I thought I saw your charm float by
I imagined glimpsing your charm floating past me
It doesn't matter now
The present indicates that it doesn't hold relevance anymore
'Cause all you wanted to do was die
You had no desire to live and only longed for death
If only you'd stuck around
Had you stayed, things would have been different
I never would have made a sound
I wouldn't have uttered a word
But now you're on the ocean floor
Currently, you're lying on the bottom of the sea
And I've opened a brand new door
I've started anew
Swimming out to sea
I'm swimming into the open sea
Trying to find something else
In search of something else
While I'm skipping stones
Simultaneously, I'm skipping stones along the water surface
And I'm listening to the shells
Also, I'm paying attention to the sounds of the shells
And I won't forget you
I won't ever forget you
If someone else comes along
Even if another person enters my life
I found the words you wrote
I came across the words you wrote
But I would not dare to quote
I wouldn't dare repeat them
My friends, the lines you amend
The lines you revised, my friend
Like, 'What's so bad about dying anyway?'
Discussions such as 'Why is dying such a dreadful thing?'
You'll always come to mind
You'll continuously be remembered
Whenever I hear that song
When that particular song starts to play
The one about photographs
The song referring to photographs
Sung by Ringo Starr
Sang by Ringo Starr
Especially in the chorus part
Specifically during the chorus section
You always said, 'Now, don't you start.'
You frequently warned, 'Don't even begin.'
Don't you start, yeah yeah
Don't initiate it, yeah yeah
Don't you start
Don't commence it
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Van Ray
This is the Sloan song I let my dad hear, which made him actually think that post 70's music wasn't so bad.
IO Tewks
what a song- and the music video was really well edited. sick band.
Lukav
The best song the Beatles never wrote.
nickw66
great song, great band, have had the great pleasure to see them play twice,both very good shows. gotta love sloan.
Pam Cheeks
i love sloan, one cord to another is my fav album
Lukav
This is the best Sloan song.
SigneMiranda
one of my favourite Sloan songs
Lindsey Michele
sloan = the best band ever in existence
Carlene M
favourite sloan song, especially by ringo star
dan rivard
1:32 Holy Beatles Bridge Batman! How cool to tie Ringo into a song that has such a Beatle-esque little section.