CanaDopers: One day left to nominate music for Obama's Canadian playlist!

Cafe Society
1

CBC is running a promotion: it’s asking Canadians to nominate songs to put together a playlist for Barack Obama, to introduce Canada to the new US President through our music: 49 from North of 49.

Anyone can submit a nomination, but nominations close tomorrow, January 9. Then next week, the CBC will winnow it down to 100 pieces, and on-line voting starts to determine the final 49.

There doesn’t seem to be a limit on nominations, so I’ve nominated several songs:

Wood River by Connie Kaldor. A quiet, lovely song about the Prairies and following one’s heart.

If I had a Million Dollars by the Barenaked Ladies. It’s a fun upbeat song that makes me smile each time I hear it; from what he’s facing, I think Mr. Obama could need a bit of fun on his playlist.

Mon Pays by Gilles Vigneault. Winter. Canada. What more do we need to say?

Hallelujah by Cohen, sung by Cohen. Anything I say as to “why?” would be superfluous.

The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Lightfoot. One of the most reconizable Canadian songs there is, about the Great Lakes that Canada and the US share, and the risks that those who ply them face every day.

The Canadian Railway Trilogy, by Lightfoot. How the nation was built.

The Huron Carole, sung by Tom Jackson. A Canadian Christmas carol, with a haunting tune, sounding the theme of winter (again). Tom Jackson has made it the signature piece for his cross-Canada Christmas fundraisers for food banks.

So what’s your recommendation?

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“Running Back to Saskatoon,” by the Guess Who.

“The Mary Ellen Carter,” by Stan Rogers. Also, from the Maritimes, there should be something by the Men of the Deeps.

“Grade 9,” by the Barenaked Ladies.

“Horizon,” by the Arrogant Worms would be my choice, though “The Last Saskatchewan Pirate” would probably get the nod from most people.

And of course, “The Hockey Song,” by Stompin’ Tom Connors.

But please, no Anne Murray, Celine Dion, or Shania Twain. Obama has probably heard enough of them. :slight_smile:

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I heard about this project on CBC 3/Sirius 86. It’s an interesting one. It seems almost all I know about Canadian music is from East Coast indie, and I’ll just limit it to three.

“Money City Maniacs” by Sloan. They have to be there, right? And this one still rocks.

“Light of the Moon” by The Joel Plaskett Emergency. A travelogue from the back catalogue of Canada’s best singer-songwriters.

“I Used to Be a Design” by The Heavy Blinkers. Shows why Ruth Guthrie is Nova Scotia’s Dusty Springfield.

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Not a single song by Colin James on the list???

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Well, this being something put together by the CBC and other Canadians, it’s a sure bet that everyone will completely and utterly forget/ignore the Canadian National Treasure, an artist who depicts images of Canada so vivid you feel like you’re actually there, and that would be…

Jane Siberry

If this one wasn’t on there, it would be a crime of immense proportions (links are all to lyrics at a safe site):

Hockey

But any of these would do too…

Above The Treeline

The Strange Well

Writers Are A Funny Breed

The Sky Is So Blue

One More Colour

Bound By The Beauty

Something About Trains

The Valley

Life Is The Red Wagon

I’m sure there’s many more, but what’s the point? Canadians treat their national treasures like dirt.

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Eeeks, that sounded pretty nasty, and I apologise. I adore Canada, and have been there several times. It’s just that I’ve been a Jane Siberry fan since 1984, and have watched her go from hitmaker to obscurity to struggling artist in Canada as her music became more mature, complex and interesting. We ignore our great artists here in America too (most of them never even get any radio airplay) but y’all are better than we are. But Jane Siberry (and Mary Margaret O’Hara) just aren’t as appreciated and respected in Canada anywhere near what they should be. You have two completely brilliant artists right there, and most Canadians have never heard of either one of them. It’s sad.

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I well remember the mid-80s, when “Mimi on the Beach,” from No Borders Here was played to death on campus radio and the local “alternative” commercial station. Siberry–or “Issa,” to call her by the name she changed hers to in 2006–remains one of those Canadian artists who isn’t as well-known as some. But we have always had a number of such artists. Often, they grow a small but devoted following, but why they’re not more popular or better known is sometimes a mystery.

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Music is subjective. Perhaps the reason Canadians don 't spend a lot of time listening to Jane Siberry is they don’t like her music.

Canadians have bought enough records by the Tragically Hip, Kim Mitchell, and K-OS to suggest that they’ll gladly support Canadian music.

And as to that, I nominate

“Blow at High Dough,” by the Hip,

“I Am A Wild Party,” by Kim Mitchell, and

“Crabbuckit,” by K-OS.

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We don’t mistreat our national treasures… we just make them record soundtracks to animated movies about Care Bears. (No really… it’s true)

I’m shocked that no one has nominated “Winnipeg Is a Frozen Shithole” by Venetian Snares yet. Shocked, I tell you! :slight_smile:

In all seriousness, though, any compilation missing contributions from Sarah Harmer, Lowest of the Low, The New Pornographers, The Weakerthans and/or Broken Social Scene (or any side projects by one or more various BSS members) would be lacking.

10

Thought of one more yesterday, just before the nominations closed, so sent it in:

The Simon Fraser Pipe Band, playing “The Blue Cloud.” The SFU are the current world champions, having won the title for the fifth time last summer in Scotland, and the Blue Cloud is a difficult piece by a former member of the band.