Our top 10 Our Lady Peace songs list digs deep into the music of one of the best rock ensembles from Canada. The band was formed by guitarist Mike Turner (currently a member of Crash Karma) back in the early ’90s. Mike posted an ad in a newspaper in search of artists to collaborate with for a new band. Vocalist Raine Maida was quick to respond even though he was a student by that time. Mike and Raine teamed up to form a band going by the moniker As If. The two would later tag Jim Newell and Paul Martin in their new band to play drums and bass respectively.
However, Paul Martin departed from the band after several performances with the band at local gigs. His position was taken by Chris Eacrett, who was selected after an audition. After some while, the band’s name evolved to Our Lady Peace. A poem by Mark Van Doren inspired the band’s new moniker. Our Lady Peace went on to perform gigs alongside other acts including the Canadian rock band The Tea Party. In 1993, Our Lady Peace signed a recording contract with Sony Music Canada, where the band released its debut album Naveed (1994). Jeremy Taggart would join the band as a drummer replacing Jim Newell.
While the first single from the band’s debut album, “The Birdman,” failed to receive critical acclaim, the second single, “Starseed,” performed fairly on the charts. The band went on tour after the release of its album, performing as a supporting act to 54-40 and I Mother Earth. Our Lady Peace would also open for Van Halen, Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page, and Alanis Morissette. After touring in promotion of its debut album, the band started working on a sophomore album.
However, musical differences saw the band lose its bassist Chris Eacrett with his place taken by Duncan Coutts. The band later released its sophomore album Clumsy (1997), which was a success. Thanks to the outstanding hits featured on the album that Our Lady Peace was regarded as one of the leading acts in the flourishing Canadian rock scene. With sales surpassing the one million mark, Clumsy (1997) was certified Platinum in the US.
The band returned to the studio for the recording of its third studio album, Happiness… Is Not a Fish That You Can Catch (1999). Our Lady Peace saw the album debut at number one on the Canadian Album Chart. The album featured several reputable hits, including “Is Anybody Home?” “Thief,” and “One Man Army.” Inspired by The Age of Spiritual Machines, a book by Ray Kurzweil, Our Lady Peace released the album Spiritual Machines (2000). However, the album performed not as great as its predecessors.
A change in the musical direction that almost caused the band to break up. This also saw Mike Turner quit an ensemble he founded. The band also dropped its producer Arnold Lanni taking Bob Rock, who had worked with Mötley Crüe, 311, Metallica, Aerosmith, and Bon Jovi, to be its new producer. Mike Turner’s lead guitarist role was taken up by Steve Mazur. The band later released its fifth studio album, Gravity (2002) which saw Our Lady Peace receive diverse reviews. While many appreciated the band’s new musical direction, others felt like the shift from its sound was sudden and unnecessary.
Despite the uproar from critics, several songs from the album, including “Somewhere Out There,” were critically acclaimed, helping upgrade the band’s status. Again, the band was almost on the verge of a breakup during the release of its sixth studio album Healthy in Paranoid Times (2005). However, the band managed to stabilize its boat amidst the rough tides and maintained its influence on the Canadian rock scene. Our Lady Peace remains a huge name in the rock scene, with the band being among the best-selling acts in Canada. Here we present the best songs from Our Lady Peace, a band that holds the most MuchMusic Video Awards accolades.
#10 – Life
Opening our top 10 Our Lady Peace songs is the rip-roaring hit “Life.” The song was penned by Raine Maida and is featured on the band’s album Spiritual Machines (2000). “Life” is a song that alludes to positive energy, which is key to getting through this tough life. The song was nominated for the Best Single Award at the 2002 Juno Awards. However, it lost to the alternative rock hit “How You Remind Me” by Nickelback. Nevertheless, the song rose to number twenty-seven on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks Chart.
#9- Thief
“Thief” is a sad song featured on the band’s third album, Happiness… Is Not a Fish That You Can Catch (1999). Its lyrics allude to the many kids who succumb to terminal illnesses every year. Our Lady Peace dedicated the song to Mina Kim, a friend to the band’s lead vocalist Maida who succumbed to death due to a brain tumor. The song’s title is metaphoric to how the tumor robbed Mina Kim of her life. “Thief” peaked at number five on the Canadian Alternative Top 30 Chart.
#8 – Starseed
In a total of twenty-five minutes, Our Lady Peace managed to write and record one of their best songs. Crazy, right? This was revealed by the band’s lead vocalist Raine Maida in an interview where he said that the song was penned for five minutes and took twenty extra minutes to record it. The song was released as the second single of the band’s album Naveed (1994). “Starseed” was featured on the soundtrack to the sci-fi film Armageddon.
#7 – Is Anybody Home?
Released on the band’s third studio album, Happiness… Is Not a Fish That You Can Catch (1999) is the gloomy song “Is Anybody Home?” The song alludes to consoling a soul that is desperate for human attention. Through the song, Our Lady Peace captures the theme of loneliness that the humans face by spending most of their time on tech and gadgets. The song peaked at number twenty on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks Chart.
#6 – One Man Army
Coming in at number six on our top 10 Our Lady Peace songs is “One Man Army.” The song is the lead single to the band’s third studio album. “One Man Army” alludes to sanitizing oneself of all things and people that suffocate your individuality. The song rose to number seventy on the UK Singles Chart.
#5 – 4 AM
A symbolic title for a song is all the band came up with when penning the hit “4 AM,” a song featured on Clumsy (1997). Maida and producer Arnold Lanni collaborated in penning the lyrics to this song which was solely inspired by Maida’s dream about his dad. This upbeat hit is best known for its awe-inspiring poetic lyrics. The song’s title points us to two symbolic aspects: The first is the band writing the song at four in the morning and the second being Maida’s father Anthony Maida, whose initials are AM. “4 AM” was highly appreciated in Canada than in the US.
#4 – Superman’s Dead
Released on the band’s sophomore album Clumsy (1997) is the guitar-driven hit “Superman’s Dead.” The song alludes to the dark expectations obtained from too much interaction with the media. Specifically, the band mentions how hard it is for a kid to grow up for children around tech, which puts pressure on how they present themselves and even dress. The song peaked at number eleven on the Billboard Alternative Airplay Chart.
#3 – Innocent
Our number three-song “Innocent” takes us back to Our Lady Peace’s album Gravity (2002). Despite parting ways with its founder Mike Turner’s, the band made big strides in the rock scene, having this album charting high in the US and Canada. The song was penned by the band’s vocalist Raine Maida with its lyrics alluding to people who go through suffering. Our Lady Peace references iconic artists in the song, including Kurt Cobain and John Lennon. The song peaked at number twenty on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart.
#2- Clumsy
Raine Maida is famed for his falsetto-controlled vocals, especially in the band’s earliest releases. However, his falsetto vocals are nowhere to be seen on this album titled song “Clumsy.” Nevertheless, the song became one of Our Lady Peace’s successful hits. The song peaked at number one on the Canada Top Singles while reaching number five on the Billboard Alternative Airplay. In addition, “Clumsy” is featured on the soundtrack to the 1997 slasher film I Know What You Did Last Summer.
#1- Somewhere Out There
Number one on our top 10 Our Lady Peace songs list is the heavily acclaimed hit “Somewhere Out There.” The song was penned by the band’s lead vocalist Raine Maida and featured on the album Gravity (2002). Its lyrics allude to the fantasy of hoping to rekindle a flame that went off in the past. “Somewhere Out There” is the band’s most successful release having the hit rise to number forty-four on the Billboard Hot 100.
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![Rob De Luca of Spread Eagle, Sebastian Bach & UFO: 10 Albums That Changed My Life From humble East Coast origins to grandest stages worldwide, veteran bassist Rob De Luca has seen and done it all. De Luca first hit the local Boston rock and metal scene in the late 80s after meeting guitarist Paul DiBartolo, bonding over Van Halen before forming Bang. Regional success came quickly, but eventually, the members of Bang went their separate ways, with De Luca and drummer Tommi Gallo heading to NYC and hooking up with Ray West and, later, DiBartolo to form Spread Eagle. By 1990, Spread Eagle was on the fast track, with a contract through MCA Records and a self-titled debut album poised to crush skulls. But poor timing and MCA's sad indifference left Spead Eagle out in the cold despite being a hard-boiled answer to Guns N' Roses's West Coast sleaze. Spread Eagle's first chapter came to an end in '95. As for Rob De Luca, his nimble fingers and gift for melody and songwriting kept him moving forward. Soon, he found a gig with former Skid Row frontman Sebastian Bach and the legendary outfit UFO. And in 2010, after coupling up with Ray West and his cousin Rik De Luca, Spread Eagle retook flight. During a break from Spread Eagle's increasingly busy touring schedule, Rob De Luca dialed in with ClassicRockHistory.com to run through the ten albums that changed his life. But only after adding, "I made a playlist of these songs, including some I've written or co-written. Do you hear any of these albums' influence on me?" Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3LWJuhDrE8JmzhsmTeIDUq 10) Gentlemen by Afghan Whigs (1993) Here's an entry that was so important to me. This may be the darkest break-up album of all time. Greg Dulli has been in many projects, but I feel Gentlemen is his zenith. Somewhat undefinable at times but always profound and honest. Listen to "Gentlemen," "Fountain and Fairfax," and "What Jail Is Like." 9) In on the Kill Taker by Fugazi (1993) By this time, I had been sucked in and spit out by the major-label record industry. Glam came and went; grunge was history, too. I was searching for new sounds. When I heard Fugazi's twin guitar approach, I knew this was what was missing. Fugazi may be considered a less polished sound than the albums above; however, once you "get it," it hits you like a ton of bricks, and there's no going back. From the moment I heard Fugazi, I went to every NYC show after. It's easily some of the best concerts of my life, and possibly my favorite bassist in Joe Lally. And their DIY ethics refused to charge us more than $5 a show! In on the Kill Taker is a powerful album demonstrated in songs such as "Smallpox Champion," "Great Cop," and "Public Witness Program." 8) Appetite for Destruction by Guns N' Roses (1987) I discovered many of these albums (sometimes long) after they were released. However, I was at the right place at the right time for this one. Steve Ostromogilsky had a Berklee College of Music lunch card and used to sneak out sandwiches for me. One day, he invited me to hang out at his place and listen to music. As we got off the train, he put Sony Walkman headphones on my ears and said, "Hey, check out this brand-new group." A song like "It's So Easy" was so different from the popular Sunset Strip sound at that time. Me and about 499 other informed rockers were lucky enough to see them on their first East Coast tour at the sold-out Paradise on Commonwealth Avenue, Boston (the same street Aerosmith started on). I saw Gn'R every tour after until I took a break when Buckethead joined. Gn'R is the band I've been lucky enough to see the most times live, almost 100! Everyone on this album is just stellar. Axl [Rose] had the tones, power, melodic sensibilities, and foresight to do what no other singer did then. Slash's playing was beyond memorable. Duff [McKagan] is one of the most underrated bassists in rock history, and learning his Appetite basslines is a masterclass. Steven [Adler] had the natural swing, and Izzy [Stradlin] was the secret weapon songwriter. Everything that's been heralded about this gem is deserved and true. Check out "It's So Easy," "Out Ta Get Me," and "Mr. Brownstone.' 7) Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd (1975) Another contender for my favorite album and band of all time. Using The Beatles machine (same recording studio, engineer, record label), Pink Floyd made what I feel is their strongest, most cohesive album (my second favorite of theirs would be Animals). This list mainly consists of bands with an instantly recognizable sound. Floyd is certainly no exception to that! This album included a solid handful of undeniable rock radio classics, bookended by two halves of the mind-blowing song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond.' That song was written about former band member and founder Syd Barrett. It would be hard to live in a world without this album. Check out "Welcome to The Machine," "Shine on You Crazy Diamond (parts 6-9),' or even better yet, listen to the whole thing in one sitting! 6) Decade by Neil Young (1977) About this time, I started playing guitar. As a beginner, it was comfortable jamming to this album because the chord changes were simple—a great "first ten years" retrospective of Neil's stunning, unique songwriting. Neil is a treasure who always writes from the heart and stands up for what's right. Check out "Southern Man," "A Man Needs a Maid," "Down by The River," and "After the Goldrush." 5) Highway to Hell by AC/DC (1979) When I heard this album, I was firmly "me." My life would be 100% focused on hard rock music forever. AC/DC are like air; they're ubiquitous. Everyone knows them and their incredible songs. However, as a young teen in Wilmington, Delaware, I only had WMMR 93.3 FM Philadelphia and a few friends to inform me about the world of Rock outside my bedroom. AC/DC had not gone mainstream, and their albums were available primarily in the USA as imports. To put things more in perspective, I only knew two people in the world who had heard of AC/DC. A friend had an import that we played in Steve Buckley's basement, which sounded ripping. When Highway to Hell was released, WMMR started spinning the title track, and I immediately bought the album, listening to it every single day after school. Then WMMR announced AC/DC was coming to the Spectrum in Philly, supporting Ted Nugent! I liked Ted but loved AC/DC, so my good friend Mick Cummins and I bought tickets, and he drove us up to the Spectrum (where we saw most of our concerts). Bon Scott was in fine form, and the band went over great. Although the crowd knew Ted better, Angus [Young] wouldn't let anyone upstage him. I'll never forget it! Unfortunately, Bon would be gone in 6 months. Check out "Walk All Over You," "Touch Too Much," "Shot Down in Flames," and "If You Want Blood (You Got It)." 4) Toys in the Attic by Aerosmith (1975) By the time I heard this, I was now in my teens. I had a childhood friend up the street, Jim Linberg (we're still good buddies). His older sister had a great album collection, including Toys in The Attic. Once I heard that groove, my taste changed. I lost interest in rock music that didn't have some sort of "swing" feel to it. I think Rocks is a slightly better Aerosmith album (and possibly my favorite album of all time), but both are perfect or very close. Check out "Uncle Salty," "Adam's Apple," "No More No More," "Round and Round," and "You See Me Crying." 3) Alive! by Kiss (1975) When I was still a little kid, I asked for Cheech and Chong's Up in Smoke album for Christmas. The entire family came over for an enormous feast, and I dropped the needle. When my mother heard the content, she turned off the album and said I had to exchange it. My mom was cool, but I was young and knew much more about life than she suspected. Anyway, the next day, she drove me back to the store. In the music section, promoted on an "endcap" was a Kiss Alive! display. I had never heard of Kiss, but that cover picture told me I had to have it! My first foray into hard rock. Check out “Strutter.” I went through my Kiss phase very quickly, I believe in a matter of months because I discovered the previous entry, Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic. 2) Honky Chateau by Elton John (1972) When I was a wee lad, my parents bought a used Volkswagen camper van from my uncle Ozzie. My favorite Elton John album is Yellow Brick Road, but Honky Chateau is great and easily one of his best. It sent me down a lifelong rabbit hole of loving everything about the 1970s partnership between Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin. The simple beauty of voice, the master songwriting, the perfect backing band, the clear, unobtrusive recordings, and always Bernie's incredible lyrics. The day this album was released, Elton became an unstoppable force that conquered the music industry. Check out "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" and "Rocket Man." 1) Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles (1967) Another tape that was included in the VW Camper. The van had a bunch of music tapes, and one was Sgt Pepper. I was too young to understand the sophistication of the music, but that was one of the many skills of The Beatles. They attracted listeners at every level, even little kids. I still feel that immediate connection to Sgt Pepper; now, I hear so much more. It's an album that changed the world and the world of music. Check out "Lucy in The Sky with Diamonds," "A Day In The Life," and "Fixing a Hole."](http://www.classicrockhistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Shutterstock_1815495569-1-300x200.jpg)
