Last week marked the one- year anniversary of the passing of a Canadian treasure. Gord Downie wasn’t just a rock star, he wasn’t just a poet and a showman. He was more. Something almost undefinable. His humble persona was always subtly impressive, and the way he used his spotlight to bring awareness to causes near and dear to him was just part of what made him a beloved Canuck icon. I can’t do justice to describing his legacy (many have done a much better job than l could ever muster here) so I thought I’d just share a few of The Hip’ tunes that always struck a chord with me.
“Little Bones”: I had the first two records and especially loved “Up To Here,” but when “Road Apples” came out, all of my friends had either the cassette or CD. It played loudly at every party. We cranked the whole album, front to back, on repeat (or auto reverse) but I’ve always been more partial to the upbeat songs and this is one of their most rocking efforts. “Baby, eat this chicken slow…” Such a great tune that when our friends in famous Puerto Vallarta band “La Trez Cuartoz” did their first Canadian tour and knew they needed to add some Canadian flavour, this was the first one they learned.
“Fifty Mission Cap”: Like me, Gord was a lifelong Bruins fan, but no matter your squad you have to appreciate this ode to Bill Barilko. This defensive defenceman scored the winning goal to clinch the Leafs the Cup, then disappeared after a plane crash while on a fishing trip a few months later. His body wasn’t discovered for more than a decade and when he was, the team hoisted the mug again for the first time since his disappearance. There’s more to the story that Gord got “from a hockey card.” The song tells some of the tale. “Fireworks” and “The Lonely End of the Rink” are a couple of other selections where the band paid tribute to our nation’s sport of choice.
“New Orleans is Sinking (Live, Killer Whale Tank version)”: The Hip were renowned for their live shows, mostly because of Downie’s rants and unique stage presence. This live version of one of their biggest songs took on a life of its own with the impromptu interlude telling the tale of a cleaner’s encounter with a whale kept in captivity. It was released as a B side on the “Long Time Running” single and still gets radio play today, even though it clocks in at almost nine minutes long. The live release of “Highway Girl” from this era mines a similar vein. Not topically, but typically Gord.
I could go on about their softer side with “Wheat Kings” and its pondering of the wrongly imprisoned David Milgaard, or countless other faves. Yet, I’ll stop here. We could fill the remainder of this publication’s pages waxing lyrical on the genius of Mr. Downie. But I’ve only got so much space. As I spy a “garbage bag tree” across the alley (another great lyric from both “Looking For a Place to Happen” and “At the Hundredth Meridian”), I’ll bring this column to a close.
Trapper John can be heard on 105.3 ROCK and http://www.rock1053.ca weekdays from 3-7 p.m. and Saturday afternoons. You can also find him on twitter @TrapperCR.
There’s a new look to the ‘Rock Ramblings’ column this week, including a new name — ‘Radio Ramblings’.The move comes as a result of CJCY-FM (Classic Hits – 102.1 FM) being acquired by Rogers Media earlier this year. Its studio was moved to 107-7 Strachan Bay, where 105.3 ROCK operates. ‘Rock Ramblings’ was formerly a weekly column by 105.3 ROCK personalities, but the new ‘Radio Ramblings’ format will expand the roster of contributors, to include four on-air folks from CJCY-FM — John Carter, Steve Krysak, Logan Piekema and Warren Affleck.
