# Four songs for a cold Canadian winter's night **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** music\ **Created:** [February 25, 2023, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-songs-for-a-cold-canadian-winters-night/980329 "2023-02-25T00:55:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-songs-for-a-cold-canadian-winters-night/980329/1 "2023-02-25T00:55:37Z")
30 below tonight and we rushed home to our toasty warm house. Made me think of Canadian songs for cold winter’s nights. They often involve longing and reflection on lost loves: Here’s a very young Gordon Lightfoot, back in Centennial year: Song for a Winter’s Night [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/LfyDs6uXww0/hqdefault.jpg "Gordon Lightfoot - Song For A Winter's Night") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfyDs6uXww0) And Bruce Cockburn, a very TO song: Coldest Night of the Year [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/1Mwc43Fd9DY/hqdefault.jpg "Bruce Cockburn - The Coldest Night Of The Year (Toronto)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Mwc43Fd9DY) And Gilles, longing for the ultimate lost love: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/CH_R6D7mU7M/hqdefault.jpg "Mon pays c'est l'hiver...") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH_R6D7mU7M) And we’ll close with Joni of course, for a Saskatchewan view: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/OLHxxBTl71I/maxresdefault.jpg "Joni Mitchell - River (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLHxxBTl71I) And now, I’m going to make a hot chocolate, put on my robe and slippers, and sit by the fire. Feel free to add your song for a cold winter’s night. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-songs-for-a-cold-canadian-winters-night/980329/2 "2023-02-25T01:28:00Z")
Four Strong Winds for you… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/yIQu_MVZcas/hqdefault.jpg "Neil Young with Willie Nelson - Four Strong Winds (Live at Farm Aid 1995)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIQu_MVZcas) ---
**Author:** ![Kropotkin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kropotkin/32/18045_2.png) [@Kropotkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kropotkin)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-songs-for-a-cold-canadian-winters-night/980329/3 "2023-02-25T02:23:16Z")
Dave Van Ronk’s version of Joni Mitchell’s Urge for Going: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/dMNoZA_RXUE/maxresdefault.jpg "Urge for Going") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMNoZA_RXUE) I believe this was the last song of his last concert; he died shortly after. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-songs-for-a-cold-canadian-winters-night/980329/4 "2023-02-25T02:42:42Z")
Before he got cynical… [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/svitEEpI07E/maxresdefault.jpg "Leonard Cohen - Suzanne (Audio)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svitEEpI07E) ---
**Author:** ![Jaycat.again](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat.again/32/11525_2.png) [@Jaycat.again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaycat.again)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-songs-for-a-cold-canadian-winters-night/980329/5 "2023-02-25T03:07:09Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/bUAqSbI7XyE/maxresdefault.jpg "Snow") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUAqSbI7XyE) ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-songs-for-a-cold-canadian-winters-night/980329/6 "2023-02-25T04:40:42Z")
Nick Cave. _Fifteen Feet of Pure White Snow_ [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/86qfjh5SHvw/maxresdefault.jpg "Fifteen Feet of Pure White Snow (2011 - Remaster)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86qfjh5SHvw) ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-songs-for-a-cold-canadian-winters-night/980329/7 "2023-02-25T17:46:24Z")
Well, I’ve got a few to suggest - Mip Power Trio has beautifully captured the feeling of being a kid and watching the Northern Lights. [Mip Power Trio 'Northern Lights': In One Take - YouTube](https://youtu.be/4rLSbqpn4eM?t=56) Or there’s “The Hour of the Blue Snow” by The Bombadils, talking about a moment in every winter’s day that prairie people know so well. [The Bombadils - Hour of the Blue Snow - YouTube](https://youtu.be/2jbOZ6YQXhk) La Bottine Souriante demonstrate the vigourous house parties that take place every Saturday night in small town Québec - “Dans nos vielles maisons”. [Dans nos veilles maisons - YouTube](https://youtu.be/b3ZDQkl8Olc) Now, most of what you’ve talked about is based on being warm and content while it’s cold outside, but here’s a cautionary tale of how winter can make some people snap - Stan Rogers’ “Canol Road”. [Canol Road - YouTube](https://youtu.be/7Yvi4ywudSs) It’s going to take a bit more research than I have time for at the moment, but I feel sure I recall some Kashtin and some Tanya Tagaq that would nicely fit the bill… ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-songs-for-a-cold-canadian-winters-night/980329/8 "2023-02-25T23:14:11Z")
It doesn’t have to be Canadian, does it? [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/xjvNQJ8Rd9g/hqdefault.jpg "Joe Bethancourt - Benson Arizona") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjvNQJ8Rd9g) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2023, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-songs-for-a-cold-canadian-winters-night/980329/9 "2023-02-25T23:26:48Z")
@Northern_Piper I sure do love me some Gordon Lightfoot, thanks for that. He sounded great in that early recording, but I do like how his voice deepened further with time. When I hear him sing the Canadian Railway Trilogy I think of cold nights too, though it’s not explicit in that song. We’ve only hit -10 F around here thus far this winter, not so cold as many winters past. I’m further north than downtown Toronto is though! [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/5UXnulANF8g/maxresdefault.jpg "Dream Academy - "Life In A Northern Town" (Official Music Video)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UXnulANF8g) ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2023, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-songs-for-a-cold-canadian-winters-night/980329/10 "2023-02-28T05:06:52Z")
[![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/SeBCmDQTavU/hqdefault.jpg "Stompin' Tom Connors - Snowmobile Song") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeBCmDQTavU) ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2023, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-songs-for-a-cold-canadian-winters-night/980329/11 "2023-03-04T00:08:47Z")
Deep into false Spring ATM but in keeping with the theme: Blue Rodeo-Diamond Mine [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/opIyFDOtSzQ/hqdefault.jpg "Blue Rodeo - "Diamond Mine" [Official Video]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opIyFDOtSzQ) I see that snow falling every time. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2023, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-songs-for-a-cold-canadian-winters-night/980329/12 "2023-03-04T01:00:25Z")
> [@swampspruce](#): > > Deep into false Spring ATM For the season between winter and spring, the best song is this one, that asks the question “Will I be cold if I go out with just a sweatshirt?” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/_whvVXX0hCk/maxresdefault.jpg "Bleu Jeans Bleu - Coton ouaté - (Clip Officiel)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_whvVXX0hCk) ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2023, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-songs-for-a-cold-canadian-winters-night/980329/13 "2023-03-04T03:12:58Z")
There are a few by Stan Rogers. Here’s one of my favorites. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/w0htgidWbtc/hqdefault.jpg "Stan Rogers - Canol Road") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0htgidWbtc) ---
**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2023, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/four-songs-for-a-cold-canadian-winters-night/980329/14 "2023-03-04T03:21:46Z")
Ok, that’s pretty awesome! Although could have gone the rest of my life not seeing Dude twerking…😂