Sloan – Keep Your Name Alive

Sometimes I forget that my blogs name is powerpop…well today I’m picking two excellent Power Pop songs.

I want to thank Christian for including this in his Chris & Max picks from 2022. I listened to this album when it was released and I loved it. Deke is the first person to get me into them. Between Deke, Dave, Randy, and CB… my Canadian music love has spread. They are a modern-day power pop band that started out as grunge. In my humble opinion, they made the right choice of switching.

They do put the power into their pop. Melodic but loud guitars along with catchy harmonies and a throwback band presence. Bands like Sloan, Tragically Hip, Blue Rodeo, and others just couldn’t get traction in America for some reason.

Sloan got its start in Halifax during the early ‘90s. The band played around the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design before moving to Toronto. They got their name from a pot-smoking musician they knew in Halifax. He worked in a restaurant as a busboy and used to be known as “the slow one.”

The band made their recording debut on the Halifax, Canada CD compilation “Hear & Now” with the song  “Underwhelmed” before releasing their debut EP “Peppermint” in 1991 on their own label Murderecords. In 1992 Sloan signed with Geffen Records and released their full-length debut “Smeared”. The album had somewhat of a grunge style. They soon switched to power pop and they have some fantastic songs.

This song is on their album Steady released on October 21, 2022. This song was written by Jay Ferguson plays rhythm guitar but like his band mates…can play bass and drums as well.

Keep Your Name Alive

I cannot lieI should have thought it overThere was a timeI opened with a closerI flew away, away, awayKept my composureAs she wavedDid I become another castaway?

If I simply turned aroundOr counted one to fiveDo you have to leave your homeTo keep your name alive?

Well, I guess I had to find out for myselfThe house remained dividedLocked the doorAre mirrors all one-sided?But the day went after dayAnd still no furtherBreaking wavesRendered me another castaway

If I simply turned aroundOr counted one to fiveDo you have to leave your homeTo keep your name alive?Whether you float far awayWhere it’s too deep to diveFailing further mention ofKeep your name aliveKeep your name alive

La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la(I flew away, away, away)La-la-la, la-la-la, la-la-la

If I simply turned aroundOr counted one to fiveIs there need to travel farIn order to arrive?Whether you float far awayWhere it’s too deep to dive(It’s too deep to dive)You don’t have to leave your homeTo keep your name alive

Keep your name aliveKeep your name alive (keep your name alive)Keep your name alive

…

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Author: Badfinger (Max)

Power Pop fan, Baseball, Beatles, Alternative music, old movies, and tv show fan. Also anything to do with pop culture in the 60s and 70s... I'm also a songwriter, bass and guitar player. Not the slightest bit interested in politics at all.

20 thoughts on “Sloan – Keep Your Name Alive”

  2. This is very cool to see! Most of the problem they had was they battled Geffen records back in the early 90s and if you don’t have that kind of backing it can be a an uphill battle. It’s fantastic that they still tour the States though albeit on a smaller level but If they ever come around your neck of the woods…..GO!

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  4. They’ve been pretty consistent through the years making good records and I’m glad they’re still at it…and that at least a few discerning listeners like you have found them down here!

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    1. Deke is the one that brought them up…I think of Cheap Trick and some Badfinger with these guys at times. With Blue Rodeo, The Hip, and these guys…Canada covered a lot of ground…you had an interesting ecosystem of music.

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      1. I like that description – ecosystem! The U.S.does too obviously but somehow, not trying to brag here, but Canadians seem more open to different music that isn’t automatically mainstream.

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      2. Yea and America’s is too vast…it’s like walking into a museum and “feeling right at home” …uh my Mother in laws house! Canada has a smaller ecosystem and you can listen to everyone.

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  5. Thanks for the shoutout, Max – and for suggesting that song for the series. We’re on the same page here – shocker! My always-in-the-background-lurking pop ear likes good melodies – heck, I might even endure a death metal song, if it comes with a catchy melody! 🙂

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