Mettle

Album: Curve (2012)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Canadian alternative rock band Our Lady Peace close their eighth studio album, Curve, with this track, which features spoken word pieces from Canadian heavyweight boxer George Chuvalo, who also appears on the album's cover. To record Chuvalo's spoken word parts, OLP lead singer Raine Maida, drummer Jeremy Taggart, and bassist Duncan Coutts traveled to the boxer's house just outside of Toronto (guitarist Steve Mazur was stuck at his home in Los Angeles, so he wasn't able to make the trip). The three members of the band that did make it sat down with Chuvalo for an hour and listened as he described his life, both inside the ring and out. Maida recorded the whole conversation on his iPhone and later cut excerpts he liked into the bed of the song. (Here's our full Our Lady Peace interview.)
  • Our Lady Peace lead singer Raine Maida wrote a piece for AOL Music, explaining why he was drawn to the story of Chuvalo. Here is an excerpt from it: "George was a heavyweight boxer most famous for never being knocked down in 93 professional fights. He took Muhammad Ali the distance in both their fights and had a storied career during what many consider heavyweight boxing's heyday. George has been kind enough to befriend the band and share some of his life experiences both inside and outside the ring with us. His story is one of tirelessness and human spirit."
  • Maida says this song features some of Chuvalo's "profound moments" and "wisdom." The band has great respect for the retired boxer and Maida told us in 2012 that Chuvalo is a "really loving guy." Maida also loves Chuvalo's quote on "Mettle" that ends the record: "Without love, I wouldn't be here." Says Maida, "it was such a special, magical moment for him to say that."
  • Our Lady Peace wanted to get George Chuvalo's voice on Curve because they didn't think putting his image on the cover of the disc was enough to let fans know just how much Chuvalo influenced them during the songwriting process. OLP frontman Raine Maida says, "Getting him to speak on the record was a way to share some of the interactions we'd had and the experiences we had with him."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Prince

PrinceFact or Fiction

Prince is shrouded in mystery, making him an excellent candidate for Fact or Fiction. Is he really a Scientologist? Does he own an exotic animal?

Alan Merrill of The Arrows

Alan Merrill of The ArrowsSongwriter Interviews

In her days with The Runaways, Joan Jett saw The Arrows perform "I Love Rock And Roll," which Alan Merrill co-wrote - that story and much more from this glam rock pioneer.

Van Dyke Parks

Van Dyke ParksSongwriter Interviews

U2, Carly Simon, Joanna Newsom, Brian Wilson and Fiona Apple have all gone to Van Dyke Parks to make their songs exceptional.

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside Story

Jesus Christ Superstar: Ted Neeley Tells the Inside StorySong Writing

The in-depth discussion about the making of Jesus Christ Superstar with Ted Neeley, who played Jesus in the 1973 film.

Amy Grant

Amy GrantSongwriter Interviews

The top Contemporary Christian artist of all time on song inspirations and what she learned from Johnny Carson.

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New York

Janis Ian: Married in London, but not in New YorkSong Writing

Can you be married in one country but not another? Only if you're part of a gay couple. One of the first famous singers to come out as a lesbian, Janis wrote a song about it.