Earlier this week, a colleague handed me a list Canadian songs, originally published on the Canadian Family website back in November. The title of the piece was, “13 Great Songs Every Canadian Kid Should Know”. Actually, I was a little disappointed by the lack of depth in the reasons given for these particular selections, but the list got me thinking about the fact that many Canadians (and Americans, no doubt) are busy making preparations for some sort of road trip—to the cottage/cabin, the trailer or the campgrounds. Summer is almost here, and with it the annual ritual of heading out on the open (!) road.
So here’s the list from Canadian Family:
Heart of Gold by Neil Young
Tom Sawyer by Rush
Summer of ’69 by Bryan Adams
Lovers in a Dangerous Time by Bruce Cockburn
When the Night Feels My Song by Bedouin Soundclash
If I Had $1 000 000 by Barenaked Ladies
Life is a Highway by Tom Cochrane
Wheat Kings by Tragically Hip
1 2 3 4 by Feist
Ordinary Day by Great Big Sea
The Rest of My Life by Sloan
Try by Blue Rodeo
The Hockey Song by Stompin’ Tom Connors
Many of you will remember the days when we had little control over the music to which we listened during those long car trips. In the days before cassette tapes, CD’s and DVD’s, we relied on the car radio and the choices of the local DJ in whatever community we happened to be passing through. If you entered a region of the country that was “out of range”, a period of radio silence was observed. One summer, we traveled through an area of Ontario where new roads were being built and, because of the use of explosives, signs were posted asking us to turn radio transmitters off.
Times have changed and technology not only allows us to pre-program our playlists, but it also allows each passenger to have their own personal devices: a new type of radio silence!
So, my question to you. What 13 songs would be on your “road trip playlist” this summer? Are there any new additions this year? Which of the songs would you be most likely to use as your “roll-down-my-window-and-sing-at-the-top-of-my-lungs-much-to-the-chagrin-of-my-family song”? Do you remember your favourite “car song” when you were 13 or 14? Is this one still on your list?
That’s a good list, Stephen. I do agree that every Canadian should know those songs but there are some others that I would think should be on the list. After all, 13 is only one side of a CD. Here’s what I would propose for the other side.
“Signs” – Five Man Electrical Band
“The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” – Gordon Lightfoot
“Runnin’ Back to Saskatoon” – The Guess Who – what the heck, throw in “American Woman”, “These Eyes”, “No Time”
“My Own Way to Rock” – Burton Cummings
“Down By the Henry Moore” – Murray McLauchlin
“Side of a Bullet” – Nickelback
“Honey, I’m Home” – Shania Twain
“Hats Off (To the Stranger)” – Lighthouse
“Takin’ Care of Business” – Randy Bachman
“Rock n’ Roll is a Vicious Game” – Apri Wine
and, if there are no kids in the car, crank up the volume for MacLean and MacLean’s infamous anthem.
Thanks for this Doug. I’m going to roll this into a #ds106radio playlist on Father’s Day. Probably about 9;30 or 10:00!