1) an American band formed … Read Full Bio ↴There are at least two bands with this name:
1) an American band formed in Boulder, Colorado, in early 1987
2) a British punk band from Worcester, England, formed in 1978
1. The Samples are an American band formed in Boulder, Colorado, in early 1987. The band's name came from the members' early sustenance of food samples from the local grocery store. The music has been described as "reggae influenced folk and rock/pop". The founding members were Sean Kelly (Guitar/Vocals), Andy Sheldon (Bass/Vocals), Charles Hambleton (guitar), Jeep MacNichol (Drums/Vocals), and Al Laughlin (Keyboards, Vocals). They have not released an album since 2005. Since 2008, they have only performed live sporadically, and sometimes under the name "Sean Kelly and The Samples".
Sean Kelly and Charles Hambleton met in 1985 in Burlington, Vermont at an open mic called The Sheik, leading to the formation of the band Secret City in 1986. After playing together in Burlington for a year, the pair moved to Boulder, CO and met up with Andy Sheldon, a friend and member of a prior band with Kelly. Jeep MacNichol joined the band as drummer after responding to an ad posted at the University of Colorado. After playing around the area, Al Laughlin saw the group perform at a frat party and asked if the group needed a keyboardist, an offer the band accepted.
The band gradually gained fame and released their first self-titled album The Samples on their own label. Following the release, they signed with Arista Records and re-released the same album in May 1989. However, the relationship with Arista was short-lived as irreconcilable differences quickly came up from the label's desire to change their sound. Their contract with Arista was terminated and the band continued to tour unsigned. In 1991, Hambleton left the band to flee to the Caribbean over a heroin charge. He later appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean and was associate producer of the film The Cove.
The Samples continued to tour and released their own self-published album, Underwater People, composed of both studio-recorded and live tracks. The band soon joined the newly-formed independent label, W.A.R.? - What Are Records?. Their records, including "Underwater People" (1992), "No Room" (1992), "The Last Drag" (1993) and "Autopilot" (1994) blended pop sensibility with a mix of folk, reggae, jazz, and rock to create their own signature sound. Sean Kelly, as the main songwriter, wrote songs about nature and the environment giving the band an "eco-friendly" reputation. Sheldon's thumping bass, MacNichol's Stewart Copeland-inspired beats and Laughlin's off-beat reggae chords supported Kelly's inspired songwriting and Sting-like vocals. They became a success throughout the early 1990s, selling over one million copies of their catalogue based on a genuine grass roots campaign. Their live shows helped them on the college circuit selling out venues in college towns across the country. The band headlined some of the H.O.R.D.E. tour shows in 1993 and 1996 and they shared the bill with big names such as The Allman Brothers Band, Blues Traveler, and Phish. On their own tours, many up and coming bands opened up for them including Dave Matthews Band, Hootie & the Blowfish, and Lisa Loeb. The success included television performances on The Tonight Show and House of Blues.
In 1996, The Samples signed with MCA Records and released "Outpost", their 5th studio album. Due to a buyout, MCA was experiencing financial difficulties and significant corporate reshuffling, and, as a result, many small or recently-signed bands were dropped from the label that year. The Samples' contract with MCA was subsequently terminated. The following year, The Samples often toured as a three-piece while Laughlin stayed in Colorado to address his heroin abuse and a robbery charge. He would leave the band shortly thereafter, along with MacNichol who left to pursue a solo career. The Samples rejoined What Are Records? and released three more albums, Transmissions from the Sea of Tranquility, The Tan Mule and Here and Somewhere Else. In 2000 the band began to release albums independently. Since 1997, there have been numerous member changes with the exception of Sean Kelly as frontman.
In April 2008, The Samples came to an end, as Sean Kelly wrote: "The long and winding road for The Samples has ended. Outside of possibly playing a few rumored dates with the original line up next fall, The Samples will be no longer." However, the band continued to play a few shows through 2009. The original five-piece lineup reunited for a show at Mile High Music Festival in 2010 and formed a new lineup and played the Denver Day of Rock. They continued to tour the spring and summer of 2011.
2. The Samples were a UK punk band from Worcester England, formed in 1978.
Sean 'Badger' Taylor - Vocals
Dave Evans - Ld Guitar
Dave Saunders - Rh Guitar
Pascal 'Pecker' Smith - Bass
Tony Allen - Drums
Rick 'Vividhead' Mayhew - Drums
Worcester's finest for nearly 12 years, The Samples played, danced and got very pissed at some 200+ live dates. They played with the likes of The Fall, Blitz, Vice Squad, Discharge etc..and most of the Oi! period Punk bands; anyone who was anybody promised The Samples dates or support slots - only a few came up with the goods. They played at The Lyceum in London, the 100 Club on several occasions and most of the London club venues - always for crap money and flat beer, but that was the fun of it - The Samples always did it for fun, they didn't wantto be trendy or Garry Bushell's favourite 'dish of the week', it wasn't important. Signing to No Future gave The Samples a world-wide audience with letters coming from all over the globe. Dead Hero sold 7,500 and reached the Independent top 10 and 104 in the national chart. Oh what fame! Without a second single or LP, The Samples carried on regardless and played many CND, Anti-Hunt and Animal Liberation gigs. Although not an Anarchist band, The Samples belief was a true Left Wing approach to the world's problems.
As the eighties approached its end, The Samples became 'semi-retired', coming out to play now and again, still managing to attract 200-300 in their home town. The last London gig was supporting Broken Bones. The whole Punk thing became far too pretentious and fashionable - I believe it was someone called Johnny Rotten who said it became 'No Fun' - and how right he was...
Their only single for No Future, "Dead Hero", was coincidently released a week before the Falklands War. A couple of music papers refused to print promotions for the single until a press release was issued explaining that the song was written about the First World War. It went on to sell 7,500 copies. A follow-up single entitled "Nobody Cares" was recorded for No Future, but the label folded before its release.
This is also the incorrect tag for the electronic/glitch-hop artist Samples: http://www.bensamples.com/
Weight of the World
The Samples Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I will build you
castles in the sand
A promise of a land
that it will keep you
from the weight of the world
They all ran away
leaving nothing to be found
they dug our dreams up from the ground
and took our forces
from the weight of the world
from the weight of the world
Was life too heavy
will you be free
you may never get older
it no longer hangs over
so let go of
the weight of the world
the weight of the world
Can I please have one more dance with you
goodbye all I've loved and held and knew
With my hands
I will build you
castles in the sand
and a promise of a land
that it will keep you
from the weight of the world
from the weight of the world
from the weight of the world
so far away
from the weight of the world
so far away
The Samples's song "Weight of the World" is a song about the desire to take away the burdens that life puts on us. In the first verse, the singer promises to build castles in the sand with his hands, offering a promise of a land that will keep the listener from the weight of the world. The imagery of castles in the sand is significant, as it represents a temporary structure that is easily destroyed, indicating that perhaps the singer believes that their promise of providing relief from the weight of the world might be difficult to keep.
The second verse takes a darker turn, as the singer reveals that everyone has left, taking something important from them. The reference to digging dreams up from the ground is a metaphor for stealing something precious, perhaps a sense of purpose or hope, leaving the singer feeling powerless. The chorus then repeats the plea to let go of the weight of the world, implying that it is something that the listener is holding on to and needs to release. The final lines of the song show the singer offering to build castles in the sand again, but this time emphasizing that they are far away from the weight of the world, indicating that perhaps they can't actually provide relief, but they can offer a temporary escape.
Line by Line Meaning
With my hands
I will use my own strength to create something for you.
I will build you
I am going to construct something specifically for you.
castles in the sand
A play on children's sandcastle building, representing the fleeting nature of life.
A promise of a land
A hopeful commitment of a future beyond the hardships of life.
that it will keep you
This creation will serve as a protective force.
from the weight of the world
It will shelter you from the struggles of life.
They all ran away
Others have abandoned us.
on our horses
They left behind their transportation.
leaving nothing to be found
All resources have been depleted.
they dug our dreams up from the ground
Our aspirations have been destroyed.
and took our forces
Our strength has been taken.
Was life too heavy
Did our existence become too difficult?
will you be free
Can we find release from our pain?
you may never get older
Our lifespan is finite, so let's make the most of it.
it no longer hangs over
The burden we've been carrying has been lifted.
so let go of
Release yourself from the weight you've been carrying.
Can I please have one more dance with you
As time is fleeting and we cannot hold onto things forever, please allow me one last moment with you.
goodbye all I've loved and held and knew
I must say farewell to all the people and things I've cherished.
so far away
This relief from the weight of the world feels like it's in a distant land.
from the weight of the world
We are seeking a distance from the troubles of life.
from the weight of the world
Once more emphasizing the desire to escape life's troubles.
from the weight of the world
The third and final reminder that the weight of life is a difficult burden to bear.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALEXANDER LAUGHLIN, ANDREW DAVID SHELDON, GEORGE POPE IV MACNICHOL, SEAN C. KELLY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Thornton Kennedy
This video should just be Sean in a field playing his guitar. Understand your subject - one of the greatest pop musicians we will know. This could have been a smash hit if it was marketed correctly. It still runs on a loop in my head 25 years later.
Macky Macaventa
THE WORLD NEEDS MORE SONGS LIKE THIS
gumbyjag
There's something so safe about this song, and quite an emotional release. The music is taking you through such a 'heavy feeling' much described.
Theodore Brown
thank you sean for the best music ever!!!!!!!! it made my life happier!
Jason Fahy
Was life too heavy? Will you be free? You may never get older It no longer hangs over So let go of the weight of the world The weight of the world It's so far away from the weight of the world so far away The weight of the world
Raionbomber75
This song plays at my job and it's always stuck in my head at work lol
Todd and Erin Collard
Still one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard...and one of the most heatbreaking.
teamtran
Outstanding! Timeless.
Boredin81
All I can express is that this band and whomever does their writing (Sean I think mostly) hit a nerve with me way back, and I still find inspiration in their songs, the lyrics are timeless
Chuck M
Sean Kelly's still doing his thing with The Samples and sounding as good as he did 20 years ago. For anyone in Denver, they are playing Herman's Hideaway on Saturday, June 13. My band The Humbuckers opens for them. See you on the 13th!