Great Canadian Songbook – Part 1 (Period 6)

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Which song should represent Canada?

Scenario: The National Anthem has been recalled. Which song should now represent Canada?

• should represent “Canadian Values”; somewhat patriotic
• use some sort of “Canadian” instrument
• artist must be Canadian
• unbiased
• represent Canadian culture
• unoffensive
• no profanity
• not too long
• catchy, must be memorable
• must be about national treasures/culture
• Canadian produced
• must not be a comparison or negative and should be positive
• represents diversity
• should represent diverse Canadian values

Your task will be to answer the following in the comments section of your block’s Songbook. Listen to as many of the songs as you can and read their justification.

1. Vote for a song based on the criteria above and explain why.
2. Vote for another song, we’ll call this “personal fave”, may or may not be your original song but a song that you like and why.
3. Most importantly, INITIAL your comment.

Stompin Tom Connors – “The Hockey Song”

I think this represents Canada because hockey, eh?

The Hockey Song by Stompin’ Tom Connors represents Canadian values. The central theme of this song is about the sport hockey. Hockey is a Canadian sport that shows passion and excitement. This song captures exactly that; it shows us Canadians are an enthusiastic bunch that will never give up until the “third period”. In the last verse when “the home team wins”, the mood is relief and excitement. Hockey is a sport where every moment is full of tension. When the home team scores the game-winner the crowd is relieved and at the same time, wild. DW  

Next Song…
Tragically Hip – “Wheat Kings”

“Wheat Kings” by Tragically Hip should be included in our classes Canadian because this song is a song of faith. David Milgaard was a Canadian man who served 23 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. He was convicted of raping and killing a woman when he was just 16 years old and sentenced to life in prison. His family fought for him and stood by his side throughout all of this. Milgaard never let his hope die that he would eventually be free from the crime he did not commit.  The title of this song is referring to the farmers in Saskatchewan where this crime took place. They were known as the “wheat kings” after developing a strain of wheat that fuelled the economy.  

Blue Rodeo – “Western Skies”

I think “Western Skies” by the Canadian band Blue Rodeo, is one that is worthy of being
in our Canadian Song Book. This song is one that is perfect for all of us on the western side of Canada, as it doesn’t fail to remind us of the natural beauty that comes when living here. It describes the fulfilling feeling that you get when you take the time to absorb nature’s beauty in its full potential, which is an accurate representation of how many Canadians feel. While it may be more geared towards those either in Alberta, or farther out from the city, it still shows how this part of Canada is even better than the east. It’s almost like our own anthem against those in Ontario! Even though this song may not be fit towards us in the Lower Mainland, it still capture’s the feelings of so many people living in the western side of Canada, which is why the class’ Canadian Song Book deserves to include it.

Great Big Sea – “Ordinary Day”

I think that the lyrics from “Ordinary Day” by Great Big sea shows the persevering nature of Canadians. For example, the lyrics mentions of that “[we’ll] win now but sometimes [we’ll lose]” and that we “might fall, but [we’ll] never lie down.” Moreover, the song talks about how the narrator has a smile on their face which is what stereotypical Canadians are like. Additionally, the line of “the water surrounds me” represents the beautiful lakes and streams of Canada while the line of “sun in the sky” shows how in Canada, we always have the sun and it is rarely invisible. Also, the “four walls around [us]” could represent of how Canadians are strong nevertheless despite how ordinary we look during each “Ordinary Day.” Lynette C.

The Tragically Hip -“The Darkest One”

I believe that “The Darkest One” by The Tragically Hip, is a song worthy of being in our Canadian Song Book because of its profound lyrics that can relate to all Canadians. An example of this is the line “What you believe you say without shame” which implies every Canadian’s right to freedom of speech. There’s also the reoccurring line  “Where the wild are strong” which repeats the message that Canadians are potent and tenacious people. This song all around has great depth to its lyrics which gives it such significance in its discussion of the diverse Canadian experience. There are far more examples of the diverse Canadian life in the lyrics of this song which is what makes it so imperative and a classic in Canadian music. -Y.J.

David Hadfield – “In Canada”

I chose this song for the Canadian song book because it’s literally a song all about Canada and it’s made by a Canadian artist. The lyrics are all about what makes Canada a great country and why Canada is an enjoyable place to live in. The lyrics really bring out how people in Canada are different than people anywhere else in the world. -Lititia C.

 

“In Canada” by Chris and Dave Hadfield should be in our Canadian songbook because, the Hadfield family is very well known and popular in Canada. Furthermore Chris Hadfield was the first Canadian astronaut to walk in space. In this song, they talk about Canada’s natural environment, landscapes, popular traditions, foods and sports. This song is about how people live, and what they do in Canada. This song really shows how great of a country Canada is. – S.S.

 

I chose this Canadian song because it is created by a famous Canadian astronaut named Chris Hadfield and his brother, and in this video it talks about many details in this country which makes it different and separates it from others. There are many aspects in this music video they mention including the lakes and cities, the daily life of Canadian citizens, the games and sports they play, and the food they eat.-Andy.L

K’naan – Wavin’ Flag

The song “Wavin’ Flag” is a great, hit pop song written by a successful, Canadian artist: K’naan. This song represents many great Canadian values.
The song begins with the repeated lines: “When I get older, I will be stronger, They’ll call me ‘Freedom’, Just like a wavin’ flag”. These lines imply that Canadians are strong and free. Canadians have the right of freedom, as stated in the “CANADIAN CHARTER OF RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS”, section 2. Another example of proof of Canadians having strength and freedom is in the iconic song, the Canadian Anthem, as stated in the song “The True North strong and free!”
The song “Wavin’ Flag” goes on, in one of the following verses, stating, “Out of the darkness, I came the farthest, Among the hardest survival. Learn from these streets, It can be bleak, Accept no defeat, Surrender retreat. So we strugglin’, Fightin’ to eat, And we wonderin’ When we’ll be free. So we patiently wait For that fateful day, It’s not far away, But for now we say,” This part of the song shows an excellent Canadian value: perseverance. Canadians persevere to success. A great example of a Canadian that persevered and succeeded is K’naan, as he has many hit songs, such as “Wavin’ Flag”.
In one of the following verses the song goes on and states, “I heard them say, Love is the way Love is the answer, That’s what they say”. This verse shows one of the most important Canadian values: Love. Canadians are portrayed as polite, caring people who love one another.
In conclusion, this song shows many Canadian values through the very powerful words of the artist; hence this song should be included in the Canadian Songbook. -J.L.

 

Canada in my Pocket by Micheal Mitchell

I believe “Canada in my Pocket” By Michael Mitchell should be in the Canadian Songbook because it represents Canada in many ways. When I was younger I learned about Canada through this song, as it shows symbols, animals, and our currency. “Canada in my Pocket” discusses all of the images on the penny, nickel, dime and quarter, such as the beaver, caribou, boat, and the Canadian maple leaf. Of course the name of the song also screams Canada. I find this song so great because it teaches young Canadian children about our country and about our currency, although it does include the penny, which may seem a little outdated, but it’s still worth knowing about! It has a catchy tune and is equally fun and educational. A.N.
 

Stronger Beer by Tim Hicks

In his song “Stronger Beer”, Tim Hicks describes differences between Canada and its southern neighbor, the States. These include differences in entertainment, food, sports, and most importantly, alcohol. Although they may seem superficial at first, the lyrics of the song are worthwhile to examine. First, the song creates a sense of freedom among Canadians. This is represented, albeit jokingly, by the fact Canada has a lower drinking age. Second, the fact that Tim Hicks can make fun of stereotypes shows the peaceful relations Canada maintains with the United States as well as other countries. Every nation holds their own goals and values, but as Canadians, we respect this and maintain healthy diplomatic relations around the world. This is why we are a role-leader in terms of foreign affairs. In conclusion, I feel like this song is a great representation of freedom and peace, which are two mainstay values of Canada. TG

Heart of Gold by Neil Young

This song is by the artist Neil Young, who is one of 49 Canadians in the rock and roll hall of fame. Neil Young’s music has changed drastically since his old Harvest album days. To me this song really feels like a song fitting a scene of new immigrants coming to Canada. starting a new life and searching for a heart of gold, traveling from across the sea. I think this really relates to old canadian history and tradition where there really were no big cities and people simply lived in homes built by themselves. It was a time where Canada and Canadians were stilling discovering their own identity or in the a song, a Heart of Gold. DT

O Siem By Susan Aglukark

The song I chose to recommend for our class Canadian Songbook is “O Siem” by Susan Aglukark. In this song, it talks about love and equality, which are both important things that Canadians value. Love and equality are qualities that shape people’s opinion on Canada. The chorus of the song is “O Siem We are all family. O Siem We’re all the same O Siem the fires of freedom, Dance in the burning flame”. Family represents love, and by saying that “we are all family”, it is suggesting that we should all love each other, which is an important Canadian value. In the lyrics, “we’re all the same” further sends a message of equality – another Canadian value – where we make every effort to treat everyone fairly and equally regardless of age, gender, race, religion, etc. Overall, I believe “O Siem” is a meaningful song that perfectly represents our Canadian values of love and equality. Not to mention that the artist, Susan Aglukark, is an Inuk musician, which adds an indigenous aspect of our culture to this music. This song definitely deserves a spot in our class Canadian Songbook. JQ

The Canadian Dream by Sam Roberts

The song I chose for the songbook is “ The Canadian Dream” by Sam Roberts. In this song, the artist: Sam Roberts criticizes the often misconception of Canada being a frozen land. While this is partly true for northern territories and provinces, the song is trying to put forward the idea that Canada has its own complete, state-of-the-art culture. With this in mind, the song was written with sarcasm in mind and while criticizing the uninformed international stereotype about Canada. For example, the fourth and fifth stanza of this song wrote: “frozen land,frozen minds,frozen hands and frozen time.” and “Cause everything moves real slow when it’s forty below Everything moves real slow when it’s forty below Yeah, everything moves real slow when it’s forty below. When it’s forty below”. These two stanzas showed the distorted illusion of Canadian civilization, and often resulted overlooked Canadian culture and values. I think this song fits into the Canadian song book well because of its effort to speak up for Canadian culture and let Canada be seen and not heard. OZ

Stompin Tom Connors – “My Old Canadian Home”

 
The song I selected to be in the Canadian song book was, “my old Canadian home”- by Stompin’ Tom Connors. This song provides strong evidence of Canadian values such as “when the stars shine brighter and the snow, snows whiter than my old Canadian home.” This line in the song provides one of many Canadian aspects. Secondly, the title “my old Canadian home,” also shows evidence of Canada and how we appreciate our country and everything in it. Lastly, the song also proves how Canada is unlike any other place in this world.

In conclusion, the song “my old Canadian home,” provides many attributes that Canadians are known for being, and what Canada is known for. Which is why I believe that this song must be included into the Canadian Song Book. JW

Nikki Yanofsky – “I Believe”

The song “I Believe” by Nikki Yanofsky, is a canadian inspired song; that inspires canadian olympians and fans to believe in themselves, and others and to have a passion for sports. This should be included in the class’s canadian Song Book because it captures the essence of canadian culture, beliefs and values. One of the things Canada is most known for is winter sports, especially hockey. We are famous for our snowy mountains that people from around the world come to visit just to go skiing and snowboarding. In the music video of “I Believe” the song includes many scenes of Canada’s winter sports and competition, bring together people from all over the world to watch.CE

Paul Brandt – “Alberta Bound”

The song “Alberta bound” by Canadian artist Paul Brandt deserves to be in the “Great Canadian songbook” because it reminds us how lucky we are to be living in Canada. It also makes people feel proud about Canada’s natural beauty. Its lyrics makes us feel patriotic about Canada as the song describes the things that make Canada great: Independence, culture and majesty. The phrases “Doesn’t matter where I go this place will always be my home, yeah I’ve been Alberta Bound for all my life, and I’ll be Alberta Bound until I die” will make all Canadians proud to call Canada home.JG

Pauline Johnson – “The Land of the Silver Birch”

I choose this song because this song is a traditional Canadian folk song. The lyrics were based on the librettist Pauline Johnson’s poem. Pauline Johnson wrote lots of aboriginal Canadian songs and poem. The Land of the Silver Birch is one of her masterpiece. This song is about the love with nature and land. The tempo of the piece is slow; the last two tones of each line are stretched longer, and the lyric of the last line for each stanza is repeated, which represents the echo in the mountain. The instrumentation used traditional Canadian instruments, for example: flute and drum. Its subject matter is a romanticized vision of nature and the land from the perspective of an Aboriginal person. This song got popular since 1940. It got transfer into solo piano pieces, solo singing etc. too. EC

Ps: This paragraph is based on the original song, but the original song is not published in YouTube, I heard the instrumentation in my music class.

The Tragically Hip – “Ahead by a Century”

The Canadian Band I chose was Tragically Hip with their most popular song of all time, Ahead by a Century. This is the band which Gord Downie was in who was the same musician that made Justin Trudeau cry in public in acknowledgement of his death. Many of the lyrics represent Canadian values in a sense that embodies many Canadians during their immigration to North America. I want to mainly explain the lyrics in the main chorus, “You are ahead by a century.” This idea took me a while to figure out what the text truly meant. This idea represents your family members when immigrating to Canada. Although life was extremely hard, saying that people have to make a new life in an entire new country, they did for you. Your generations above you thought about you and your life even if you were not even close to being born. This means that they were thinking a century ahead of everyone else in terms of having life in a “better place” for the later generations. This song deserves to be in the class’s Canadian Song Book because it shows the virtues of your generations above you and their sacrifices they made for you and the generations after you. AW

Terry Kelly “A Pittance of Time”

An iconic Canadian song, A Pittance of Time is a representative work of remembrance. Though often played during Remembrance Day observances, the song is more than that; it is a song of profound depth, resulting from the songwriter’s own experience with remembrance.
I remember first hearing this song in elementary school, where it was shown to us as part of our Remembrance Day activities. I remember that, though during the song they were quiet, many of my classmates went back to indifferently joking around as soon as the song ended. I, however, was deeply struck. Though I am an immigrant, something about the song resonated with me. Unlike the boring proceedings and whatnot, A Pittance of Time, through music, really hit home with the emotions and meaning it was trying to convey. I remember quietly contemplating for long after, suddenly not knowing what to say or what to do. This is no coincidence, however; the song itself was inspired by a moving event in the writer’s own life.
On November 11th, 1999, the singer-songwriter, Terry Kelly, was in a drugstore; at 10:55 AM there was an announcement requesting customers to give two minutes of silence as an observation of remembrance. At 11:00 AM, an announcement was again made to commence the two minutes of silence. All customers showed their respect, with the exception of a man who was accompanied by his child, who attempted to speak to the store clerk. Channeling his anger into a work of music, A Pittance of Time was created.
Alongside remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country, A Pittance of Time also raises the issue of apathy towards remembrance commonly seen today. Symbolized by the father who is either oblivious or indifferent to the observances, many young and unaffected people fail to recognize the importance of remembrance. Through contributing such a powerful song to our Canadian Songbook, I hope to address and amend these issues in our society today.

Great Big Sea “Rant and Roar”

 

The song titled,”Rant and Roar” by Great Big Sea, is a song that represents Canada’s past. Throughout the song, there are multiple references to boating, and the vocalist also entisizes the fact that he is a Newfoundlander. I believe that the boating references are a reference to“les voyageurs” and when they settled into what we call Canada today. AC

 

Murray Porter “Is Sorry Enough”

I picked the song “Is sorry enough” by Murray Porter. This song is about residential schools and what the government has said about it. Canadian values are equity, safety, inclusion, fairness,law and order etc.. In this song, the singer is apologetic about what happened with the residential schools and shows forgiveness to the government because he is also aboriginal. Furthermore it shows the equity giving the chance to start over with the first nation people. The lyrics tells us what it was like in the residential schools. How it affected the aboriginal people and how they deal with what had happened. This song should be included in the class “Canadian Songbook” because it represents inclusion and holds a big part of history in the Canadian history. While it represents Canadian values it encourages people to pay attention to residential schools. KL

Paul Brandt “Alberta Bound”

The song “Alberta bound” by Canadian artist Paul Brandt deserves to be in the “Great Canadian songbook” because it reminds us how lucky we are to be living in Canada. It also makes people feel proud about Canada’s natural beauty. Its lyrics makes us feel patriotic about Canada as the song describes the things that make Canada great: Independence, culture and majesty. The phrases “Doesn’t matter where I go this place will always be my home, yeah I’ve been Alberta Bound for all my life, and I’ll be Alberta Bound until I die” will make all Canadians proud to call Canada home. JG

Roland Majeau – “Soldier’s Cry”

The song I chose was “Soldier’s Cry” by Roland Majeau. The song, written in 2002, is a solemn one of remembrance that commemorates the efforts and sacrifices the fallen men who fought for our nation’s freedom. I think this song encapsulates the thoughts and feelings of the young men and women who risked and gave their lives for their country. Every year on November 11, Canadians gather for a moment of silence to mourn and remember the brave. Much of Roland Majeau’s music tells a story. “Soldier’s Cry” is no exception; in the lyrics are the stories of warriors who have willingly paid the ultimate price. This song should be included in the songbook because it represents one of the core values of a Canadian: to always remember and celebrate the courage of the people who fought to protect our nation, from our inception to even today. Even in the midst of politics, or other matters, there will always be a time when we tip our hats to the resolve and courage of brave young men and women who fought and gave their lives to protect Canada and its people. CW