We all have a musical sound track to our lives
Some songs, when you hear them on the radio, or in the store or elevator, bring you back to a moment in your life or express something about your hopes, fears or personal style.
For example, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s song is obviously “I’m too sexy for my shirt. So... sexy...it...hurts” For goodness’ sake man, can you grab a shirt?
I love music and, particularly, Canadian music. I defy anyone my age to not hear Bryan Adams’ Summer of ‘69 and not be transported back to any high school dance filled with pimples and bad hairdos - meaning my own of course.
I am a huge Neil Young fan - albeit somewhat tempered by his rantings (there can be no other word) about climate change while he travels around the globe in jets, semi-rigs and diesel-belching tour buses. No pixie dust for Neil.
Even Justin Bieber - and I have seen his concert - brings joy to millions. Although he should try growing up. PS: Peter Pan is make-believe Justin.
But from Paul Anka, through Anne Murray, The Guess Who, Alanis Morrisette, to Celine Dion, love them or hate them, Canadians have been successful in the music world.
My own soundtrack is heavily laden with The Stones, The Who, U2, Bruce Springsteen, Frank Sinatra, Willie Nelson and, last but not least, The Tragically Hip.
Two things came out of 1984: Brian Mulroney and The Tragically Hip. I will leave it to you as to which development brought more joy to the world. Admittedly, both have their detractors.
In 1989, I started a job that put me on the road a lot - 55,000 kms per year - at all hours but particularly late at night. I needed music - cranked to maximum levels with the windows down (any season) to make those trips bearable. (As a total aside, Van Halen’s One and The Cult’s Sonic Temple are perfect for that.)
There were no iPods, no 6-disc CD changers in cars, no satellite radio. There were only cassettes and FM radio. Share my pain over how spoiled kids are today travelling with thousands of songs to play over Bluetooth technology.
A coworker put together a mixtape for me (no, we were not dating) and one of the songs was The Hip’s Little Bones.
The lyrics are a rich combination of a driving unique tempo, rhyming schemes, references to the Kennedys, famous last words and happy hour.
From 1989 thru the 90s, 00s, and 10s, the Tragically Hip have been a presence not just in my musical rotation, but in my life.
For sure, my kids hate them. “Old man” music they say but they listen to Drake so, let’s just say, we agree to disagree on musical tastes.
The Hip have written a lot of great songs that incorporate military history (Nautical Disaster), the CBC, small town Ontario (Bobcaygeon), injustice in the courts (Wheat Kings and David Milgaard) and deep thoughts about life, lost innocence with feverish dreams (Ahead by a Century).
They can even sing about the Toronto Maple Leafs (Fifty Mission Cap) and have me sing along! If there isn’t an Order of Canada in that I don’t know who or what deserves it more!
The Hip never made it big - no big stardom in the American market - but that in itself seems quaintly Canadian. They did not come out of Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver. They came out of Kingston and that also seems to be uniquely Canadian.
They belong to us. Their fans have a relationship with them closer than someone with 30 million Twitter followers or 50 million Instagram followers.
The tour so far has reflected that. Smallish, intimate concerts filled with emotion, tremendous sadness (their lead singer Gordon Downie has inoperable brain cancer) and great music.
I was at their concert last night - Thursday - in Ottawa. However, as I write this on Wednesday, I haven’t attended yet. I am somewhat embarrassed to say that it is the first and only time I will ever have seen them live.
Luckily (I mean luckily as the tickets sold out in seconds) as a loyal, longtime fan, I scored four tickets the first day they went on sale.
Two friends drove 16 hour from Halifax (Hip fans are dedicated) to see them. I have no doubt it was an emotional night with my university buddies and my wife.
There are millions of words in their lyrics but the one’s that touch me deepest are, “No dress rehearsal, this is our life.”
That is what The Hip has done: they have not waited for fantastic fame, or millions of followers or dollars.
They’ve lived their lives to the fullest. There is a lesson in that. Don’t wait. There is only one life to live. Live it.