The group was formed in 1988 in Winnipeg, Manitoba by vocalist Daniel Greaves, guitarist Joey Serlin, bassist Pete Loewen and drummer Sammy Kohn. Serlin was a comic fan and named the group after the DC comic. They released their debut album, McLaren Furnace Room, in 1992. (The album was named for one of the band's rehearsal spaces, the furnace room of the McLaren Hotel in Winnipeg.) The single "Cracked" garnered the band significant airplay on rock stations, but was quickly eclipsed by the anti-spousal abuse anthem "Run and Hide", which became the band's breakthrough hit.
Loewen left the band, and was replaced by Ken Tizzard. The band's 1994 album In the Trees confirmed their place in Canadian rock with the hit singles "Boneyard Tree", "All Uncovered" and "Lusitana".
Their 1996 album Brand New Day was not as well-received by critics or audiences -- "Zoom", "Incarnate" and "Shut Up" were moderately successful singles, but none achieved the kind of success that the band's earlier singles had. 1998's Silent Radar was the band's return to commercial success, with the hit singles "Stereo", "Any Day Now" and "Brighter Hell".
Their 2001 album Slomotion saw the exit of Sammy Kohn and the remaining members experimenting with more industrial textures. As if prepared for a bad reception, the band also packaged the album with a second greatest hits disc. The album was, indeed, poorly received by fans and critics, with only the single "Absolutely Anytime" gaining any radio airplay.
The band subsequently broke up. Greaves went on to form Doctor with Rob Higgins, Tizzard joined Thornley, and Serlin appeared on Ryan Malcolm's debut album before forming his own new band, Redline.
In 2009, the band reformed and started touring again.
My Life Is A Stereo
The Watchmen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
How loud does it go
What songs do I know
And what ever happened to my plans
What ever happened to life I thought I'd have
My life is a stereo
Kind of cheaply made though
What ever did become of all my friends
What ever happened to the likes of all of them
My life is a stereo
Turn me on and let's go
Turn me up louder
I'll scream as loud and clear as I can scream
If you like what you're hearing please hang on to me
I like being here and I'm all hooked up wrong
Hang on to me though I'm one of a million
Please hang on to me
My life is a stereo
Out of phase but you know
Sixty cycles humming
And what ever happened to my friends
What ever happened to the likes of all of them
I like being here and I'm all hooked up wrong
Hang on to me though I'm one of a million
Please hang on to me
And my lights are like candles
I'm so afraid of new technology
I'm in the race and I don't to be
I'm so afraid of what's to come to be
I'm in the race and I don't to be
Life ends in stereo
Pack me up and let's go
Put me anywhere
Please don't think of leaving me behind
Whatever happens to you I'll get on just fine
One of a million
"My Life Is A Stereo" by The Watchmen is a song that describes the overwhelming feeling of being alone and lost in a world that is dominated by technology. The singer compares their life to a stereo, which plays the same songs over and over again, without any real meaning or depth. The question "What songs do I know" highlights the idea that the singer's life lacks variety and excitement.
The singer reflects on their past, wondering "What ever happened to my plans" and "What ever did become of all my friends." They feel disconnected from the world around them and from the people they used to know. The repetition of the phrase "What ever happened to" emphasizes the singer's sense of loss and confusion.
Throughout the song, the singer pleads with the listener to "Hang on to me," recognizing their own shortcomings but desperately wanting someone to connect with. The final lines suggest a sense of resignation, that "Life ends in stereo" and that the singer will be content with simply being "one of a million."
Line by Line Meaning
My life is a stereo
Life is like a stereo system which plays and replays songs, telling a story in different tunes.
How loud does it go
How much can life take it before it blows up?
What songs do I know
What are the life experiences I have had?
And what ever happened to my plans
What are those moments in life when things didn't go according to plan?
What ever happened to life I thought I'd have
What happened to the dreams and ambitions I had about life?
Kind of cheaply made though
Although life has flaws, it is still a part of us, and we have to accept it for what it is.
How bad does it show
How badly does life exhibit its imperfections?
What ever did become of all my friends
What happened to the people who were once an integral part of life?
What ever happened to the likes of all of them
What happened to people who had similar experiences and shared the same interests?
Turn me on and let's go
Life needs energy to power up and move ahead.
Turn me up louder
Life needs to be amplified to make an impact.
I'll scream as loud and clear as I can scream
Sometimes life requires you to shout and let it all out.
If you like what you're hearing please hang on to me
If someone appreciates your life story, it's a good idea to hold on to them.
Out of phase but you know
Life may not synchronize with its surroundings but it still has a beautiful rhythm to it.
Sixty cycles humming
Life hums like the electric current that runs through a stereo system.
I'm so afraid of new technology
Some people are afraid of the changes that come with new technologies.
I'm in the race and I don't to be
Sometimes life forces you to compete when you don't want to.
I'm so afraid of what's to come to be
The future of life can be scary and intimidating.
Pack me up and let's go
Life is a journey that keeps moving forward.
Put me anywhere
Life can be put in any situation and still make the most of it.
Please don't think of leaving me behind
The thought of being abandoned in life is scary.
Whatever happens to you I'll get on just fine
Life will always find a way to handle the changes and the hardships.
One of a million
Life is unique and cannot be compared to anyone else's experiences.
Contributed by Riley A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@satchguy
This is one of the best songs ever written. God bless Canadians.
@robeywan
this will be one of the unsung classics of rock forever
@hobbes937
Same here I'm in Niagara Falls NY and I only listen to Canadian radio. Sadly even that isn't what it used to be, but I still love Canadian rock.......and the Trailer Park Boys!
@JamesBrowningII
I feel for you bro. I used to hear them all the time. I lived in upstate NY. we got a lot of canadian music stations. I love Canadian music!
@frustratednoname
Never get tired of this song. Can listen to it over and over and love it more each time. Seriously kicks ass.
@teksiis
I'm not Canadian, and I don't think it matters really. This song touched me more than any other has ever. So much passion and feeling that the meaning doesn't even matter, not that it doesn't have a story, sometimes the way the story is told is more important though :)
@sixfishinc
I used to play this song on my headphones on my diskman...while I drove my motorcyle very fast.....trippy....freaking awesome tune!
@belajesse
Man - what a power hit this song is. How good does it get!!
@TheInnerTempleOracle
thanks heaps for posting. Brilliant song. Saw them live in Australia in 1999 (I think). I bought the lead singer a drink - he was cute ;)
@FieryLittleRaven
I am so glad i found this...brings me back to the days when it first come out...and I love this guy too...fellow Canadian