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78 Saab — All A Lie
Album: Crossed Lines
Avg rating:
7.5

Your rating:
Total ratings: 2047









Released: 2004
Length: 5:44
Plays (last 30 days): 2
A shoot up in the blue, blue sky
How'd they get that way inclined?
There's no lighthouse on the moor
No safety valve to ask why

Hold on, be strong
They hold you under
They hold you under
They hold you under
I can't hear you sing no more

As lonely as a train can be
When you're stuck in peak-hour dreams
Crossed lines and missed love calls
How to wreck your working day

Hold on, be strong
They hold you under
They hold you under
They hold you under
I can't hear you sing no more
Comments (131)add comment
 On_The_Beach wrote:


Is that a RHD (Australia, see)?? The wipers seem correct.
Really rate this song, nice to hear it again.
 a_genuine_find wrote:
I need help from a percussionist again ... time signature?

It sounds like 7 bars of 4/4?


I think it might be three bars of 4/4 and a bar of 2/4 (or two of 4/4 and a bar of 6/4).
 On_The_Beach wrote:


A friend had a new 99 Turbo when I had my BMW 2002. I preferred the Bimmer but not by a lot.
I need help from a percussionist again ... time signature?

It sounds like 7 bars of 4/4?

Saabs and Bimers were Yuppic Cars!
Great song tho
 pontfarrer wrote:
When I listen to RP, I always have a pad of paper and pen at hand.  I jot down songs that strike something in me.  I had this song on my list for a while, and last night I downloaded a bunch of stuff from i-tunes.  Including this one.  WOW !!!  Now I remember why I jotted this one down. It is freaking amazing.  It is just ... so ... RP ish !!!!    thank you RP,  You guys just rock my world  {#Cheers}


I've been writing songs down for 5 years.  I plan on loading them all on Amazon music.
upping to a 9 because after this song finishes its stuck in my head for quite a while. Great groove. 
 dsilvasi wrote:

Never heard of these cats before my RP baptism....

In my youth there was a station in Chicago that would have been branded "indie" had such a genre existed in the early 70's.  They went from only  16 hours a day on the air - commercial free - to the 500 lb gorilla they are today. Can't listen anymore because of the endless commercials and self promotion.

Thanks you guys, for replacing the expansive mix of commercial free music I came to take for granted in my youth.


Assume you are referring to WXRT, Chicago's fine rock station.  We moved to the suburbs in '72, and my older sister turned me onto 'XRT soon thereafter.  

IIRC, they only transmitted at night back then, and broadcast a Spanish-speaking station during the day.

'XRT was my soundtrack for life through middle and high school, and was sorely missed when I moved west after college.  

RP raised that old 'XRT philosophy to a whole new level and has now been my soundtrack for life for close to 15 years.  Forever thankful to R&B for my continued musical education.  Also thanks to my best friend Brian, who recommended RP so many years ago. 
My Apple Playlist consists of obscure (for me) songs and groups that I've never heard before. One of the biggest blessings I received from my then boyfriend and now husband was introducing me to Radio Paradise. Thank you, my love!!!
 carlos65 wrote:
 
 The Viggen was a fighter aircraft  as I remember.  Did the 2001 model have afterburners  and sidewinder as options?



The Viggen had a biga$$ turbo that pushed you into your seat just like an afterburner; albeit only in gears 3-5.  The motor was detuned for the first two gears because the chassis was a bit overwhelmed.
I just love how this song sneaks up. Love it.
 rob311 wrote:

Never had a Saab, but the first car I ever bought new was from the other Swedish car company. I had just gotten my first job out of college and felt very rich so went out and bought a brand new '68 Volvo P1800. Green (British Racing, no less) with a tan interior. An absolutely beautiful car! The Saint drove one too!

It being a Volvo, which then had a reputation as being extremely reliable, I expected to own the car forever. That was not to be. After 3 years, the month after the warranty ran out, it started to fall apart. Upholstery split, paint developed bad spots, frequently the car wouldn't start due to ignition issues (in and out of the shop many times), gauges failed. Truly incredible from a supposedly reliable car manufacturer. Anyway, I traded it in for... a Volkswagen Bus!



... I never had a car....
 pontfarrer wrote:
..., and last night I downloaded a bunch of stuff from i-tunes.  Including this one. ... 


Thank gawd for spotify
 zon00460 wrote:


Not to mension a hot Austin Alegro!!!!

Or as it was known...the AllAggro
Never had a Saab, but the first car I ever bought new was from the other Swedish car company. I had just gotten my first job out of college and felt very rich so went out and bought a brand new '68 Volvo P1800. Green (British Racing, no less) with a tan interior. An absolutely beautiful car! The Saint drove one too!

It being a Volvo, which then had a reputation as being extremely reliable, I expected to own the car forever. That was not to be. After 3 years, the month after the warranty ran out, it started to fall apart. Upholstery split, paint developed bad spots, frequently the car wouldn't start due to ignition issues (in and out of the shop many times), gauges failed. Truly incredible from a supposedly reliable car manufacturer. Anyway, I traded it in for... a Volkswagen Bus!
 jcbenten994 wrote:
Great song.

I had an '85 SPG & 2001 Viggen from the SAAB era...and a 2009 V-6 Aero from the GM era...Great cars to drive and travel in but a $$$ pits when they broke...
 The Viggen was a fighter aircraft  as I remember.  Did the 2001 model have afterburners  and sidewinder as options?

 On_The_Beach wrote:
 
You'll find the Saab Viggen, or Gripen a little faster.
That crescendo of vocals, instruments toward the end sends shivers...
Great song.

I had an '85 SPG & 2001 Viggen from the SAAB era...and a 2009 V-6 Aero from the GM era...Great cars to drive and travel in but a $$$ pits when they broke...
SAME - always paper and pen

pontfarrer wrote:
When I listen to RP, I always have a pad of paper and pen at hand.  I jot down songs that strike something in me.  I had this song on my list for a while, and last night I downloaded a bunch of stuff from i-tunes.  Including this one.  WOW !!!  Now I remember why I jotted this one down. It is freaking amazing.  It is just ... so ... RP ish !!!!    thank you RP,  You guys just rock my world  {#Cheers}
 

 On_The_Beach wrote:
 

Not to mension a hot Austin Alegro!!!!
Simplicity meets genius 
 dsilvasi wrote:
Never heard of these cats before my RP baptism....

In my youth there was a station in Chicago that would have been branded "indie" had such a genre existed in the early 70's.  They went from only  16 hours a day on the air - commercial free - to the 500 lb gorilla they are today. Can't listen anymore because of the endless commercials and self promotion.

Thanks you guys, for replacing the expansive mix of commercial free music I came to take for granted in my youth.
 

Those were called "underground stations."  In the Navy, I was stationed in Rhode Island in 1970-71, and Brown University had an underground station -- WBRU.  I have no idea what that station plays now.  It seems that  all the underground stations went commercial.
 drictor wrote:

Ha!  I had a '78 Saab 99 back in the day.  Loved that car!


 
I had a Saab...It was the imitation sports car, the Sonnet, with a fiberglass body, a V4,
and four on the tree...;-)

Tony in NJ
W.A.S.T.E.
Whatsaab! 😁 (Excuse my immaturity but I don't have any Sweedish car related anecdotes to convey!)
 Baby_M wrote:

In 1978, Chevy stopped selling the Vega, but they still sold the Monza, which was built in the same plant by the same people to the same design under the sheetmetal.  It had every defect imaginable, from missing fasteners and misaligned body panels to metallurgically deficient drivetrain components.  The V-6 engine combined the fuel economy of a V-8 with the raw power of a straight four.  In terms of reliability, it was a profit center for my mechanic.

As a result of this ownership experience, I was rather adamantly opposed to the GM bailout.
 
Chevies.

Bill needs to add many more songs from 78 Saab!
Damn it...they took my band name!!!
The other '78 Saab: Saab Viggen
Garth Brooks, tonight at Mile High Stadium, or stay here at my shop and listen to this...I think I know.
 On_The_Beach wrote:

Hmm, it seems the previous image link is broken. Hope this will suffice.
 

I owned that car in green (Fuelie, not Turbo.)  Wagon Backs ruled.
Never heard of these cats before my RP baptism....

In my youth there was a station in Chicago that would have been branded "indie" had such a genre existed in the early 70's.  They went from only  16 hours a day on the air - commercial free - to the 500 lb gorilla they are today. Can't listen anymore because of the endless commercials and self promotion.

Thanks you guys, for replacing the expansive mix of commercial free music I came to take for granted in my youth.
I owned a 1978 Saab 99..! Great car
Aw, I used to have an '85 Saab 900.  I loved that car beyond words.
Volume‘s up to the max and dream away.... sitting in a Lufthansa plane from HND to FRA and restarting the app to hear it agsin
 Grayson wrote:
Gotta figure that when you're dreaming of Australia as the Promised Land, and getting there to its beaches/Barrier Reef one day (and staying there), that only on RP would you get stuck at BF Nowhere home, waylaid by a conversation (on an Australian band's song page) about the '78 or who gives a s*** Vega. It was some GM product. Jeez.  
 
I'm maybe picking you up wrong but SAAB's in the 70's were made by SAAB in Sweden and had nothing to do with GM. Those abominations came much later. My Dad had a 95 estate with the rearward facing seats in the back my friends loved going places with us.
 On_The_Beach wrote:
https://13252-presscdn-0-94.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/1978_Saab_99_Turbo_Front_1.jpg
Hmm, it seems the previous image link is broken. Hope this will suffice.
 
Had that same exact car except mine was Guard Red. 
Gotta figure that when you're dreaming of Australia as the Promised Land, and getting there to its beaches/Barrier Reef one day (and staying there), that only on RP would you get stuck at BF Nowhere home, waylaid by a conversation (on an Australian band's song page) about the '78 or who gives a s*** Vega. It was some GM product. Jeez.  
{#Yes}
 colt4x5 wrote:

OK, tell me how you know.
And remember, '78 was the year Chevrolet came to its senses and stopped selling the Vega. 

 
In 1978, Chevy stopped selling the Vega, but they still sold the Monza, which was built in the same plant by the same people to the same design under the sheetmetal.  It had every defect imaginable, from missing fasteners and misaligned body panels to metallurgically deficient drivetrain components.  The V-6 engine combined the fuel economy of a V-8 with the raw power of a straight four.  In terms of reliability, it was a profit center for my mechanic.

As a result of this ownership experience, I was rather adamantly opposed to the GM bailout.
2004? This totally holds up. Great tune!
{#Bananajam}Wow, never heard of these guys.  Great song.  Thanks Bill, love RP!
I'm not lying this song is Da Bomb!
Wow how did I miss this track after all these years of RP - great!
 Stephen_Phillips wrote:

TerryS, I too crashed a Ford Anglia in the rain back in 1973 with my girlfriend sitting beside me. Presumably that decided it for her with me as a future husband so she left me for another guy who did not have dreams of being a rally driver or have a car fixation.

Funny how things work out :(

 
I had a Sunbeam Imp and crashed - like you my girlfriend at the time left me - HOWEVER she did come back in '73 when I had a SAAB 90!! The rest is history!!
Really like this tune, however the lyrics border ambiguous and slightly blah. I suppose I'll just enjoy it and stop fretting the small stuff.
 phlattop wrote:


Thank you for uploading this great song. How is the rest of the record?
 
Very solid, but this is the best song.
 Hoosfoos wrote:
I was the original submitter for this track, back in 2014. I've uploaded and suggested other tracks from this band but they keep getting rejected. No rhyme or reason.
 

Thank you for uploading this great song. How is the rest of the record?
Crafty & sublime.
 Hoosfoos wrote:
I was the original submitter for this track, back in 2014. I've uploaded and suggested other tracks from this band but they keep getting rejected. No rhyme or reason.
 
Thanks for your upload. Would never have heard of 78 Saab otherwise. Solid 8.{#Clap}
I was the original submitter for this track, back in 2014. I've uploaded and suggested other tracks from this band but they keep getting rejected. No rhyme or reason.
 Rockit9 wrote:
Goosebumps!!!!

 
And here I was thinking it was because the windows were open. Nope. All A Lie
{#Dancingbanana_2}What a song!
 1wolfy wrote:
Sounds good..Band of Horses like

 
I left bloody good food on the table to come to my laptop to check for exactly this... I honestly thought it was something new from them. Cool... Must go shopping.
Goosebumps!!!!
 TerryS wrote:
Carlsson's  Saab inspired me to help a Rallye friend to prep his Ford Anglia with a sump guard, 5 point seat belt and working wipers.
Alas, he crashed in the rain, at least he didn't hurt himself and I got to sit beside his ravishing girlfriend for 5 hours.Win/win.
 
TerryS, I too crashed a Ford Anglia in the rain back in 1973 with my girlfriend sitting beside me. Presumably that decided it for her with me as a future husband so she left me for another guy who did not have dreams of being a rally driver or have a car fixation.

Funny how things work out :(
Love this.
Thank you RP for introducing me to this song / band....who knew? 
More from this band, please.  {#Cheesygrin}
Nice Riff
Carlsson's  Saab inspired me to help a Rallye friend to prep his Ford Anglia with a sump guard, 5 point seat belt and working wipers.
Alas, he crashed in the rain, at least he didn't hurt himself and I got to sit beside his ravishing girlfriend for 5 hours.Win/win.

Can't help thinking this sounds just like (band x, y or z), but so what, it's catchy as hell!
 turnpike wrote:
It's true, it's all just make believe.

What's not untrue is how cool this number sounds, and how cool looking the '78 Lancia Montecarlo was.

 
Yeah! I saw a Lancia Beta Montecarlo on the Circuit of Ireland Rally in the late 70's - it looked like something from the future compared to other rally cars of the time. I also saw a Lancia Stratos driven by local rally driver Billy Coleman - it looked amazing but more brutal compared to the sleek lines of the Montecarlo.
It's true, it's all just make believe.

What's not untrue is how cool this number sounds, and how cool looking the '78 Lancia Montecarlo was.
 On_The_Beach wrote:
https://13252-presscdn-0-94.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/1978_Saab_99_Turbo_Front_1.jpg

 
Ha!  I had a '78 Saab 99 back in the day.  Loved that car!


 10 eh!
Spectacular!!!
 DaidyBoy wrote:
Only the one track played here?  Anyone?

 
It's strange. This is a great track - need to hear more from them.
9 to a 10....shivers!!!!
When I listen to RP, I always have a pad of paper and pen at hand.  I jot down songs that strike something in me.  I had this song on my list for a while, and last night I downloaded a bunch of stuff from i-tunes.  Including this one.  WOW !!!  Now I remember why I jotted this one down. It is freaking amazing.  It is just ... so ... RP ish !!!!    thank you RP,  You guys just rock my world  {#Cheers}
When I first got my driver's license, the family cars were a"72 96 and a '78 99L. Those were FUN cars to drive. 
 
 Baby_M wrote:
Better a '78 Saab than a '78 Chevy.  (Ask me how I know.)

Seriously, this song started as a 7 and has grown on me enough to rate an 8 and a spot in my iPod.

 
OK, tell me how you know.
And remember, '78 was the year Chevrolet came to its senses and stopped selling the Vega. 
Only the one track played here?  Anyone?
I keep hearing - "Over the Line"
11
Really likeable, again it's good to hear a group creating moods and feels and caring about their craft.
And gals
I love you guys
This song grabs you by the boo-boo.
Better a '78 Saab than a '78 Chevy.  (Ask me how I know.)

Seriously, this song started as a 7 and has grown on me enough to rate an 8 and a spot in my iPod.
        There There

I'm at  the crossroads soon.
 And I'm dying to get there.
Erik Carllsson sound alikes.
 I rented one while visiting Sweden in the early 80s.  Nice driver. Never owned one though. Typesbad wrote:
 thewiseking wrote:
i always considered the Saab a "YuppieMobile"

 Well the first part is correct, since Y stands for Young, If you buy a Saab when you are young it will die while you are still young and you will not buy another.  If you are already no longer young you know better than to buy one in the first place. Speaking from bitter experience.

 


 thewiseking wrote:
i always considered the Saab a "YuppieMobile"

 Well the first part is correct, since Y stands for Young, If you buy a Saab when you are young it will die while you are still young and you will not buy another.  If you are already no longer young you know better than to buy one in the first place. Speaking from bitter experience.
Sounds good..Band of Horses like
 thewiseking wrote:
i always considered the Saab a "YuppieMobile"

 
When a carload of yuppies hits a tree it's a  . . .

Saab Story

 (old joke) 
i always considered the Saab a "YuppieMobile"
 melzabutch wrote:
They have an awesome sound and Annandale is a great place for a gig.  The inner west of Sydney just teaming with college students angst, great coffee and better beer.  

Australia definetely punches above their weight class in the music arena.   Wish they were still a thing.  

 
Ah, right. I thought you meant Annandale in the Scottish Borders, which is a lovely place right enough, but certainly not "teeming" with anything but sheep.

Another fine Strine group which I'd never have heard of if not for RP. Ripper, Bill!
Nice.
I seeked and found their catalog.
I'm glad I did.

I'm surprised this is the only song by them here.
I once owned an '82 Toyota, but never a 78 Saab.

 
 DaidyBoy wrote:
This rests easy on my ears.  Would buy it if I could find one at an acceptable price.  Will keep looking.....

 
Yes I agree - enjoyed this.
Amazon for the CD at £2.65.....acceptable price? 
This is a very cool tune.  
 adpucci wrote:
this song makes me want to punch a vicar, it's that bad.
 
Depends on the Vicar. I quite like this tune so I'm going to say the Vicar concerned needs a punching.
This rests easy on my ears.  Would buy it if I could find one at an acceptable price.  Will keep looking.....
this song makes me want to punch a vicar, it's that bad.
They have an awesome sound and Annandale is a great place for a gig.  The inner west of Sydney just teaming with college students angst, great coffee and better beer.  

Australia definetely punches above their weight class in the music arena.   Wish they were still a thing.  
{#Music}
reminds me of the pixies havelina
Interesting music.
1990 Saab 900 3-door.
Best-handling car I've ever owned, or hope to.


Going from 8 to 9 because I get happy and turn up the volume whenever I hear the opening notes.

Huey wrote:
bumping the Saab to an 8. {#Bananajam}

 


bumping the Saab to an 8. {#Bananajam}
Clearly the best thing to come out of Canberra!{#Cool}
I like it!
Surprised I have not heard of these guys..... quite enjoyable
 
Wow, a great retro sound!  Brings back memories of when Mom drove a '66 Saab 96... 3-cylinder 2-stroke; a rare thing back then! The song has amazing power; the voice and guitar remind me strongly of obscure groups: Thirteen Senses' Do No Wrong; Rubyhorse.
Nice to wake up to in freezing Boston.

purchased 
...I thought they were Interpol {#Laughing}

Anyway... Very nice song! {#Good-vibes}
Very cool.  Thanks!
mmmmmm {#Music}
Not bad at all, but I have to admin I am a bit partial to my 90 Volvo
9 —> 10
Very nice.
woah. stopped me in my tracks.
instant purchase to keep.
love. it.
VERY VERY GOOD! EXELLENT!!!!

Thanks for the great tip!

The band was a no-name for me (ashamed!!!). 
Sounds as Catherine Wheel.

 
They should have gone w Saab Turbo!   

BBoyes wrote:
Never heard of this band - liking this song.

https://www.78saab.com.au/

This sounds sad... seem like really talented people - another case of the odds being long for any artist/writer to become a commercial success to the point where that can be your livelihood.

September 26th, 2012



After 15 years, 350 shows and less than a million album sales, 78 Saab are calling it a day.

They can blame no one but themselves for either their longevity or their demise and will commemorate the moment with one last very special show at their spiritual home, The Annandale Hotel on December 1.

Listening to 78 Saab’s first three albums  (Picture a Hum Can’t Hear a Sound, Crossed Lines and The Bells Line) is like looking at old photos. Real photos. The kind of gems you keep in a shoebox marked ‘do not throw away’. Photos where you have your arm around someone you used to love, a terrible haircut and you’re wearing a You Am I t-shirt from 1996.

From Wikipedia:

78 Saab formed at the Australian National University, with the original members being Nash, Tregillgas, Darren Smith and Christovac Thompson. For the purpose of attaining live performance experience, they entered the Australian National Campus Band Competition in 1996, with the band name chosen spontaneously in order to complete the entry form. In a 2007 interview, Nash explained the inspiration for the "last minute" title:

"I used to own a 1978 Saab which I bought off my grandparents for around a thousand bucks when I was at university. Anyway, we entered a band competition and we had about three hours to come up with a name. "78 Saab" got thrown in the ring and for better or worse we've stuck with that name."

At the time, the major sponsor of the competition was Troy Horse, a Sydney based rehearsal studio that also operated a record label. The competition's first prize included an EP to be recorded and released by Troy Horse and a tour of Australian university campuses. 78 Saab won the competition and as a result recorded their debut EP, Eastwards By Removal at Troy Horse's studio in Alexandria, Sydney.

 



 


 JasondotG wrote:
These guys are waaaay better than 76 Pinto. 

 
Yes, and waaay better than a 1970 AMC Gremlin