The band was originally named NC17 but had to change their name due to some dispute with a US band of the same name. The original drummer was Morris Palter (from inception to 1997) who is now a reknowned percussionist and assistant professor of music.
The band released 5 studio albums in their time, but Greig Nori disbanded Treble Charger in 2006, ending its 14 year existence.
Greig Nori continues to work for Bunk Rock Entertainment as the manager/producer of Canadian Rock Band Sum 41.
Bill Priddle is involved with many projects post-Treble Charger, working with Broken Social Scene and Don Vail as well as releasing an album of solo material as The Priddle Concern
Trevor MacGregor was the drummer during what was the last 9 years of Treble Charger, thus making him the longest drummer to stay with them. He is now currently the drummer of Four Square.
On January 20, 2012, it was confirmed that the band will reunite (without Martin and MacGregor).
Mercury Smile
Treble Charger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The wasted words
The way I'm feeling strange
Colors gone the way
Of empty rooms
And leaning over days
Letterbox in TV frame
You'd do the same
Credit photograph
And maybe I can
Laugh if off again
I love your mercury smile
It keeps me outta line
I try to simplify
The complicated kind
I got an alibi
If you're so inclined
Everything is beautiful
I don't know why
It had to be this way
I recall the blame
The failing terms
The light revealing stain
A fabric starts to Frey
With every line
Of thought begins decay
Letterbox in TV frame
No reaction to a claim
Credit photograph
It made me laugh
So I can start again
Falling in disgrace
Listen to the laughter
What a terrible waste
I can hardly wait
The opening lines of "Mercury Smile" by Treble Charger describe a sense of staleness and numbness in the singer's life, as they feel detached from the world around them. The metaphor of colors fading from empty rooms emphasizes this feeling of emptiness, and the allusion to "wasted words" suggests a sense of frustration with communication that feels superficial or ineffectual. The next lines introduce an image of a "letterbox in TV frame," which conjures a sense of confinement or isolation. However, the singer also suggests a sense of vulnerability, as they "let you in" through this frame, and hope that the person on the other side would reciprocate. The reference to a "credit photograph" suggests a memory or image that the singer can use to escape their current state, and the line "laugh if off again" indicates a coping mechanism of sorts.
The chorus centers around the idea of a "mercury smile," which the singer says they love, but which also keeps them "outta line." The metaphor of mercury suggests a slippery, fluid quality that is hard to pin down or understand, and the idea of a smile that takes them out of line could suggest an attraction to something or someone that might be harmful or counterproductive. The singer also acknowledges a desire to simplify their life and relationships, perhaps indicating that the complications of the "mercury smile" are causing stress or confusion. The subsequent lines suggest a sense of fatalism: "Everything is beautiful / I don't know why / It had to be this way." This could indicate a resignation to circumstances that the singer feels they cannot control.
The second verse of the song continues the themes of detachment and decay from the first verse, with the reference to "failing terms" and "fabric start[s] to Frey." However, the lines that follow suggest a sense of renewal, as the singer finds humor in a "credit photograph" and can "start again." The final lines of the song bring in a new element, with the singer describing feeling "in disgrace" and hearing "laughter" that they view as a waste. The final line, "I can hardly wait," could be interpreted in a few different ways - it could be a sarcastic comment indicating that the singer is not really looking forward to something, or it could be an expression of genuine anticipation for a change or new experience.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been all the same
I've been stuck in this rut for too long now
The wasted words
My words feel empty and meaningless
The way I'm feeling strange
I'm feeling lost and disconnected from my emotions
Colors gone the way / Of empty rooms
Everything around me feels dull and lifeless
And leaning over days
Time seems to drag on and on
Letterbox in TV frame / I let you in
I'm allowing someone or something into my life
You'd do the same
I trust that you would do the same for me
Credit photograph / And maybe I can / Laugh if off again
Looking back on memories is easier when you can laugh at them
I love your mercury smile / It keeps me outta line
Your mysterious smile intrigues me and throws me off balance
I try to simplify / The complicated kind
I attempt to make sense of complex situations or emotions
I got an alibi / If you're so inclined
I have a ready excuse if needed
Everything is beautiful / I don't know why / It had to be this way
Despite the hardships, there is still beauty in the world
I recall the blame / The failing terms / The light revealing stain
I remember the moments of failure and disappointment
A fabric starts to Frey / With every line / Of thought begins decay
My mental state is slowly unraveling
No reaction to a claim / Credit photograph / It made me laugh / So I can start again
I'm able to move on from a difficult situation because I can see the humor in it
Falling in disgrace / Listen to the laughter / What a terrible waste / I can hardly wait
I am experiencing a personal failure, yet I find myself eagerly awaiting what comes next
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind