"Here's Your Nickel Back"

Formed in the mid-1990s, the Canadian rock group Nickelback recently released their sixth album in November. Emerging to the music scene in the early 2000s, the group has achieved multi-platinum success over the years. Formed by lead singer Chad Kroeger, the rock group’s current band consists of Mike Kroeger on bass, Ryan Peake on guitar and Daniel Adair on drums.

Founder Chad Kroeger was born on November 15, 1974 in a small farming town of Hanna, Alberta, Canada. After he taught himself how to play the guitar at the age of 13, Chad ran into trouble with the law and was sent to juvenile detention. After being released he graduated from high school and afterwards began to tour with the band in the early ‘90s. After a brief period of band break ups and relocating to Vancouver, the group eventually laid down several tracks on the radio. Slowly afterwards their songs gained airplay and the band became celebrities in Canada. In 2001 the song, “How You Remind Me” played on US radio stations and became an instant hit. While the song gained popularity in both countries Nickelback became the second group in history to have a number one song on both Canadian and American rock charts at the same time.

The most popular rock band to come out Canada in the new millennium, Nickelback’s unique name was based upon bass player Mike Kroeger’s work experience. Having worked at coffee shop that sold drinks from $2.95 to $5.95, Mike would constantly say “Here’s you nickel back” to customers. Along with their name, Nickelback is described as a post grunge, metal, hard rock band with inspirations from the ‘70s and ‘80s. Although Chad refers to influences such as Metallica and Led Zeppelin in an interview with Entertainment Weekly he once said, “Some people call it alternative rock, some call it this, that, or the other, but to us it’s just straight up rock and roll.”

The group’s most successful album All the Right Reasons reached 8 times platinum following its release in 2005. One of the main reasons the album sales were so high was because of the sincere, emotional feelings projected through the lyrics of the songs. Majority of the songs written on the album are from past experiences of each member along with a contribution song to friend who was shot to death. “The most important reason is make music because you love it and to convey a message that expresses yourself as an artist,” said Chad. Although a lot of the songs are reflections on personal relationships and the world around us, Nickelback intertwines several comedic songs which some people are able to relate to. The song “Animals” is a heavier fast beat song which tells the tale of boy and girl sneaking out in the middle of the night. “I'm driving past your house while you were sneaking out/ I got the car door opened up so you can jump in on the run / Your mom don't know that you were missing” Relating to teenagers during their rebel years the group aims to make songs that connect with their audiences. Although I never have snuck out of the house, the tales of friends climbing through windows and leaving in the cover of darkness is one that teens love to brag about to friends later on.

Throughout their career, Nickelback has been a group with a wide variety of fans. Whether in a depressed lonely state, a wild fast driving state, or just a mellow day, I’ve related and enjoyed to bands songs. With a variety of vocals, song tunes and messages there really isn’t any message the group hasn’t touched upon. Because of these messages more bands are able to express their own views without worrying how audiences react because Nickelback was the breakthrough group.

Music Video & Lyrics:


I, I'm driving black on black
Just got my license back
I got this feeling in my veins this train is coming off the track
I'll ask polite if the devil needs a ride
Because the angel on my right ain't hanging out with me tonight
I'm driving past your house while you were sneaking out
I got the car door opened up so you can jump in on the run
Your mom don't know that you were missing
She'd be pissed if she could see the parts of you that I've been kissing
Screamin'

[CHORUS]
No, we're never gonna quit
Ain't nothing wrong with it
Just acting like we're animals
No, no matter where we go
'Cause everybody knows
We're just a couple of animals

So come on baby, get in
Get in, just get in
Check out the trouble we're in

You're beside me on the seat
Got your hand between my knees
And you control how fast we go by just how hard you wanna squeeze
It's hard to steer when you're breathing in my ear
But I got both hands on the wheel while you got both hands on my gears
By now, no doubt that we were heading south
I guess nobody ever taught her not to speak with a full mouth
'Cause this was it, like flicking on a switch
It felt so good I almost drove into the ditch
I'm screamin'

[CHORUS]

So come on baby, get in
Get in, just get in
Look at the trouble we're in

We were parked out by the tracks
We're sitting in the back
And we just started getting busy
When she whispered "what was that?"
The wind, I think 'cause no one else knows where we are
And that was when she started screamin'
"That's my dad outside the car!"
Oh please, the keys, they're not in the ignition
Must have wound up on the floor while
we were switching our positions
I guess they knew that she was missing
As I tried to tell her dad it was her mouth that I was kissing
Screamin'

[CHORUS]

So come on baby, get in
We're just a couple of animals
Get in, just get in
Ain't nothing wrong with it
Check out the trouble we're in
Get in, just get in

Hypnopaedia - Move Your Body

The Italian eurodance pop group, Eiffel 65, is more widely known in Europe rather than the United States; however, several of their songs were popular in the States during the late 1990s. Their upbeat techno music along with strange lyrics still plays in nightclubs today. The song “Move Your Body” is one of the groups’ most repetitive songs which have several monotonous sayings such as “move your body,” and “move your mind.” Even though the beat and lyrics sound hip, the middle part of the song presents the listener with a double-entendre stanza.

You want to move the world,Start with your body.

Yo, come on you gotta start with something.

If you wanna move your mind,Just move your body.

Move your mind, move your mind,

It's gonna cost you nothing.

You want to move someone,Start with your body.

Yo come on and try to move somebody.

If you wanna move alone,

Then everybody will move along with you.

Although the song encourages people to dance to the beat and enjoy the tempo, it also promotes people to become more outgoing. The words motivate people to realize nothing will change if you don’t become active and voice your own opinions. Eiffel 65 may have been pop techno group, yet their underlining message in this song can be clearly seen for people to think outside the box and not believe everything someone tells you.