Formed in 1994 in Montreal, Quebec, the Planet Smashers’ infectious pop inf… Read Full Bio ↴Formed in 1994 in Montreal, Quebec, the Planet Smashers’ infectious pop infused melodies, rippin’ horn licks and killer live shows, quickly established them as the city’s “Kings of Ska”. They released their first album (“Self-Titled”) on Planet Smasher’s founder Matt Collyer’s own label STOMP Records and hit the road. By 1997 they were no longer a local band, but a national phenomenon, headlining shows across Canada and pushing their second record, “Atttack of The Planet Smashers” which reached 2 on the national college radio charts for 2 months straight. Their third album “Life of The Party” took the continent by storm, “Life of the Party”, The Planet Smashers won the Montreal Independent Music Award for best ska band and drew attention from major labels, bands, publishers and booking agents all over the world.

Although the band received much commercial attention during the ska wave, they decided to continue down the independent road with STOMP Records, which had become and remains a major player in the international independent music scene. Their fourth release, “No Self Control” (2001) was produced by Steven Drake (Tragically Hip, Barenaked Ladies, The Odds etc.) and was also well received by national college radio and spawned hit videos such as the animated “Blind” and the tongue in cheek “Wish I Were American”.

“Mighty”, the Planet Smashers’ fifth full length, was produced/engineered by Rod Shearer (Bran Van 3000, Bionic, Corey Hart) and co-produced by The Planet Smashers (not to mention mixed on the same board as Madonna’s “Like a Virgin”!). Having moved past the dark and critical themes of “No Self Control”, “Mighty” became the band’s most success record internationally after being licensed by labels in Japan, Europe, Russia, Brazil and Australia.
The Planet Smashers released their first and only DVD “10” in 2004, commemorating the last 10 years of the band. Countless tours all over the world, 12 videos, 5 full length releases and a ton of good times. The Planet Smashers celebrated their 10th by joining the Vans Warped 2004 which also entered it’s 10th year. In 2005, the Smashers released “Unstoppable” their sixth and most recent commercial offering. The album was licensed in Japan by Sky/Sony, in the UK by Household Name Records/Plastic Head, in Europe by Leechredda/Cargo and in Russia by AudioFind. In 2006 the band played over 60 shows in Europe including Moscow, London, Vienna, Berlin, Zurich, Amsterdam, Dublin and many more.

In terms of touring, not many indie Canadian bands come close. They have headlined countless tours in North America, 8 European tours, been included on 5 Vans Warped Tour as well as a Japanese tour in 2002. They have toured with such acts as AFI, the Toasters, Sick of it All, Billy Talent, Rancid, Mustard Plug, Simple Plan, Samiam, The Aquabats, Mighty Mighty Bosstones and countless others.

Repo Man
The Planet Smashers Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Everybody pay attention to what I'm gonna say
I'll tell you my story so you'll understand
What it means to be broke, dropped, and fired in one day
To wake up in the morning with the feeling that it doesn't matter anyway
Once upon a time things were going my way
Nothing ever happened that could bring me down
Thinking that the good times were always gonna stay
But it's been a long time since I've seen a sunny day

Living in the burb's, waiting for the repo man
To take away my car due to insufficiant funds
I got nowhere to go, and my wife just ran away,
With my lawyer and my credit cards, but that's ok,
They never worked anyway
Growing up I listened to my parents as they said:
'Go to school get a job, and then you've got it made'
Maybe that formula worked back in their day,
But I can tell you brother that a lot of things have changed
Looking through the window on to the driveway,
Watching for the repo man 24 hours a day,
Stepping outside, I raise my .45

Giving up the future for today
It never worked anyway, I' m wating for the repo man

Overall Meaning

The Planet Smashers's song Repo Man tells the story of a person who has hit rock bottom. They share the struggles of being broke, dropped and fired, waking up in the morning with a sense of hopelessness and waiting for the repo man to come and take away their car because of insufficient funds. The singer reflects on their past, where everything seemed to be going well and the good times were expected to stay. However, things have changed a lot since then, and they feel like they have no control over their life anymore.

The lyrics point to a larger societal issue where following the traditional formula of going to school, getting a job, and having financial stability no longer seems to work. The singer's parents' advice to follow this formula might have worked in their day, but it no longer seems relevant in today's world. The song reflects the harsh reality of people struggling to survive, worrying about their future, and feeling helpless about their present situation.

Overall, The Planet Smashers's song Repo Man provides a valuable perspective on the struggles of everyday people who are at the mercy of uncontrollable external factors. It is a reminder that not everyone has equal opportunities, and life can be unpredictable, leaving people to find their own way to survive and thrive.

Line by Line Meaning

Everybody pay attention to what I'm gonna say
I'm about to share my story- listen up!

I'll tell you my story so you'll understand
This story will emphasize the meaning of tough times.

What it means to be broke, dropped, and fired in one day
Experiencing a complete downward spiral in a single day.

To wake up in the morning with the feeling that it doesn't matter anyway
Feeling hopeless and defeated from the get-go.

Once upon a time things were going my way
Life was good in the past.

Nothing ever happened that could bring me down
I never experienced hardship before.

Thinking that the good times were always gonna stay
Believing in a permanent state of happiness.

But it's been a long time since I've seen a sunny day
Life has been tough for a while now.

Living in the burb's, waiting for the repo man
Living in the suburbs and anticipating car repossession.

To take away my car due to insufficient funds
My car will be taken away because I can't afford it.

I got nowhere to go, and my wife just ran away,
Feeling trapped and abandoned by loved ones.

With my lawyer and my credit cards, but that's ok,
Even though they abandoned me with my assets, I'm okay without them.

They never worked anyway
My credit cards and lawyer never truly helped me.

Growing up I listened to my parents as they said:
My parents taught me to follow a certain formula for success.

'Go to school get a job, and then you've got it made'
They taught me that education and employment equate to stability.

Maybe that formula worked back in their day,
This formula may have worked for my parents, but not for me.

But I can tell you brother that a lot of things have changed
The world has evolved and the formula for success is different nowadays.

Looking through the window on to the driveway,
Staring out the window, hoping to catch a glimpse of the repo man.

Watching for the repo man 24 hours a day,
Keeping a constant lookout for the repo man's arrival.

Stepping outside, I raise my .45
Feeling the need to protect myself with my gun.

Giving up the future for today
Sacrificing long-term goals for immediate needs.

It never worked anyway, I'm waiting for the repo man
The traditional formula for success didn't work for me, and now I'm waiting for my car to be repossessed.

Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: DAVID COOPER, DAVID MURRAY, MATTHEW COLLYER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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