Album: Set The Fire
Year: 1984

Most likely, if people have heard of 54-40, it’s because of an episode of the TV show Friends. Specifically, the one with Hootie and The Blowfish, which was actually called “The One With Five Steaks and an Eggplant.”

After the usual series of wacky hijinx and hilarious misunderstandings, the gang finds themselves at a Hootie and The Blowfish concert, where — in a very unconvincing “concert” scene — Hootie and The Blowfish aren’t playing one of their songs from Cracked Rear View, but rather a cover of the Canadian band 54-40’s “I Go Blind.”

Lord knows what kind of burgeoning corporate synergy led to that moment, but I remember watching that episode, and not knowing anything about Hootie and/or The Blowfish (outside of their tremendous popularity), was incredibly confused that they were playing a song that I actually knew.

In any event, I’d like to think that cover — which was freaking identical to the original version, BTW — sent a few folks towards discovering 54-40’s 1986 major-label debut, 54-40, which included a few good songs, like the aforementioned “I Go Blind” and the almost-a-Certain-Song “Take My Hand.”

None of which has very much to do with today’s entry, “Sound of Truth” from their 1984 indie release Set The Fire.

Starting of with a mournful trumpet, and almost instant falling into a slow, bass-driven two-note groove, “Sound of Truth” is one of those songs that trades upon repetition, while occasionally adding more instruments into the mix.

Meanwhile, vocalist Neil Osbourne (no relation), who sounds like the third vocalist in Translator if they had a third vocalist, is singing:

Some kind of order is what we’re after
The sound of truth doesn’t matter any more,
happy poor
There is a trick some kind of lure
No means of knowing sure anymore,
happy poor

At one point, a banjo comes in, playing the same figure over and over and over, against the slow beat, while more horns come in while the the entire band (or maybe just multi-tracked Osbournes) sing over and over:

The sound of truth is what we’re after
The sound of truth is what we’re after
The sound of truth is what we’re after
The sound of truth is what we’re after
The sound of truth is what we’re after
The sound of truth is what we’re after
The sound of truth is what we’re after
The sound of truth is what we’re after
The sound of truth is what we’re after
The sound of truth is what we’re after
The sound of truth is what we’re after
The sound of truth is what we’re after
The sound of truth is what we’re after
The sound of truth is what we’re after
The sound of truth is what we’re after
The sound of truth is what we’re after

While some folks might shout “We get it already! You’re after the sound of truth!” I’ve always found the repetition — musically and vocally — hypnotic and anthemic.

Also: for thirty years, I’ve been waiting for a deep voice to counterpoint “THE SOUND OF TRUTH” like a Rush song or something. So far, it hasn’t happened, except for in my head, every time.

“Sound of Truth”

The post Certain Songs #443: 54-40 – “Sound of Truth” appeared first on Booksquare.