Cochrane single to raise money for Humboldt fund
TORONTO — Tom Cochrane has released a reworked take of his song “Big League” and will donate the proceeds to those affected by the Humboldt Broncos bus crash nearly two weeks ago.
The Juno Award-winning singer and songwriter played an acoustic version of the song to open the April 10 broadcast of TSN’s National Hockey League playoff preview special. A video clip of the performance showed upon-line shortly afterward.
“Big League,” from Cochrane’s 1988 album “Victory Day” with Red Rider, is written from the perspective of a father whose son was a hockey player with big dreams cut short by a truck driving in the wrong lane.
Many Canadians found the lyrics drew parallels to the 16 people who died as a result of the crash and the 13 others who were injured, some critically.
For his live version, Cochrane adopted a more sombre tone and updated the lyrics to incorporate a new verse that drew closer parallels to the Broncos story: “All the right moves when he turned 18. Ridin’ to the game and ridin’ with his team. Ridin’ with their friends and ridin’ for their dreams. Ridin’ off to immortality in the big league.”
Universal Music says proceeds from the song will go to the Humboldt Strong Community Foundation, which was set up this week to administer funds raised through a GoFundMe page dedicated to the Humboldt Broncos.