Led by brothers Dallas and Travis Good, the band honed a distinctive sound, taking influence from traditional country, surf music, and garage rock. After earning notice and adding backing singer Neko Case, the group issued their debut LP, Precious Moments, in 1998. Tremendous Efforts followed in early 2001, teaming them with Breeders/PJ Harvey producer Steve Albini for the second time. A year later, Stories Often Told marked their first album without Albini, placing Blue Rodeo's Greg Keelor in his position. The Sadies produced themselves on 2004's Favourite Colours, with Keelor, Nick Luca, and Chris Shreenan-Dyck handling the engineering duties; Robyn Hitchcock made a guest appearance as vocalist and lyricist on one track. The Sadies have also recorded albums in collaboration with R&B legend Andre Williams and Mekons frontman Jon Langford. The Sadies released a live album, In Concert, Vol. 1, in 2006. They also collaborated on the album Going Out With Heavy Trash w/ Jon Spencer.
Amongst later releases are Internal Sounds, released on September 17, 2013 through Outside Music; And the Conquering Sun, their 2014 collaboration with Gord Downie on Arts & Crafts Productions; and Northern Passages, released in February 2017 on Yep Roc Records.
Lead singer/guitarist Dallas Good passed away in February 2022, age 48.
Never Again
The Sadies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
but lately i can't catch you when you fall.
you know I'll never find a way to satisfy your side
cause you and I don't know myself at all.
Don't talk about back then,
I don't remember why or when
and I'll never be the way I was again.
It's so hard for me to listen to the words you have to say,
I put you up where no one else could touch you.
You still haven't learned your lessons you just read the same mistakes,
and I won't be hanging 'round to watch them crush you.
I used to think that you and I
Could work together if we tried but I'll never be the way I was again.
Not again.
You know where and why you're bound
It's not place to cut you down,
I'll leave you up there swinging from now on.
Wasted time is killing me
And you're not strong enough to see
That you can help yourself by hanging on
We could be like different curves
in a twisted shallow river
but I'll never be the way I was again , not again.
The Sadies's song Never Again is a melancholic reflection on a relationship that has fallen apart. The singer speaks to their partner and admits to trying to give them everything they needed to live, but lately they haven't been able to catch them when they fall, indicating that the relationship is strained. The singer admits that they will never be able to satisfy their partner's needs because they don't even know themselves. They also acknowledge that it's hard for them to listen to their partner's words, and they have put them up on a pedestal where no one else could touch them. However, their partner still hasn't learned from their mistakes and the singer can't bear to watch them be crushed by them any longer. They know that they used to think that they could work together if they tried, but they admit that they will never be the way they were again.
The chorus of the song, "Don't talk about back then, I don't remember why or when, and I'll never be the way I was again. Not again," emphasizes the idea that the past is in the past and that no matter how hard they try, they can't go back to the way things were. The singer has accepted that the relationship is no longer salvageable and that they must move on. The bridge of the song, "Wasted time is killing me, and you're not strong enough to see, that you can help yourself by hanging on," further develops the idea that the relationship has become a burden and that it's time to let go.
Overall, The Sadies's song Never Again is a somber reflection on a relationship that has come to an end. The singer has accepted that they can't go back to the way things were and that they must move on to find their own path.
Line by Line Meaning
So many times I tried to give you what you said you need to live
I attempted to fulfill your every need on numerous occasions.
but lately i can't catch you when you fall.
I am unable to support you when you fall down nowadays.
you know I'll never find a way to satisfy your side
I acknowledge that I cannot satisfy your desires.
cause you and I don't know myself at all.
Because we do not truly understand ourselves.
Don't talk about back then,
Do not refer to the past.
I don't remember why or when
I cannot recollect the reason or time frame.
and I'll never be the way I was again.
I will never revert to my former self.
Not again.
Never again.
It's so hard for me to listen to the words you have to say,
I find it difficult to heed your words.
I put you up where no one else could touch you.
I elevated you to a level beyond anyone else's reach.
You still haven't learned your lessons you just read the same mistakes,
You have not gleaned anything from your previous errors; you only repeat them.
and I won't be hanging 'round to watch them crush you.
I refuse to stick around and witness your eventual downfall.
I used to think that you and I
I believed that we,
Could work together if we tried
could cooperate if we made an effort,
but I'll never be the way I was again.
but I have permanently changed.
Not again.
Never again.
You know where and why you're bound
You are aware of the reason and location of your confinement.
It's not place to cut you down,
It is not my place to disparage you.
I'll leave you up there swinging from now on.
From now on, I will leave you to hang by yourself.
Wasted time is killing me
Time squandered is causing me harm.
And you're not strong enough to see
You lack the strength to recognize
That you can help yourself by hanging on
that you can aid yourself by persevering.
We could be like different curves
We could be analogous to distinct curves,
in a twisted shallow river
within a winding, superficial river,
but I'll never be the way I was again , not again.
but I cannot go back to my previous self, not ever.
Contributed by Anthony J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.