Best Canadian Songs of All Time

[Echoes]

I absolutely love Both Sides Now, but would have to give the nod to Joni's re-recording of it from 2000 with her raspy, cigarette-tinged voice backed by an orchestra. Magnificent.

And to tie this thread about Canadian music to Canadian cities, a shout out to the album cover of Joni's 1969 album Clouds, where Both Sides Now first appeared, with Saskatoon's Bessborough Hotel and the South Saskatchewan River featured:


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clouds_...tchell_album)#

I wonder what inspiration Joni took from Saskatchewan's "living skies" in the writing of the song.

[SignalHillHiker]

That's one of my favourite things to explore, too.

I love when foreign and mainland artists visit to write an album. It's fascinating to see your home abstractly, though someone else's eyes.

Like Sarah Slean. She came here without any idea what she was going to write, rented a home north of St. John's, and months later she had an album.

"Fools will bet on their horses; wise men learn to love" - perfect message from here, and also to here given our booming economy. But she's not even. Just visited a few months.

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Love that shit.

[ue]

Originally Posted by Xelebes

There are some punk classics which are probably worth a mention.

Nomeansno - Dad (1985)

Dayglo Abortions - Proud to be a Canadian (1987)

From industrial and rave:

Front Line Assembly - The Blade (1992)

Delerium feat. Sarah Maclachlan - Silence (1998)

I will add later to this thread when get back from work.

I forgot Dayglo Abortions were Canadian! Haven't listened to them in years.

Death from Above 1979, Arcade Fire, Metric, Broken Social Scene, and Wolf Parade are the critically acclaimed artists from this century that immediately come to mind.

But of course, there is so much more (has someone mentioned Rush yet?). For all the talk of how we lack a robust TV and film industry, music is an area where Canadians really punch above their weight and don't have to go to the States to make it.

Some songs...well giallo covered DFA1979 and kool covered Wolf Parade, so I'll do the other three:

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[Acajack]

Originally Posted by ue

I forgot Dayglo Abortions were Canadian! Haven't listened to them in years.

Death from Above 1979, Arcade Fire, Metric, Broken Social Scene, and Wolf Parade are the critically acclaimed artists from this century that immediately come to mind.

But of course, there is so much more (has someone mentioned Rush yet?). For all the talk of how we lack a robust TV and film industry, music is an area where Canadians really punch above their weight and don't have to go to the States to make it.

It's by far the CRTC's greatest success story.

[Xelebes]

Tee hee hee you said "punches above its weight!"

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Jerry Jerry and the Sons of Rhythm Orchestra needs an award for most concerts played with the fewest people.

Other bands that have had some really stellar stuff: Crash Vegas (Aurora is just a smacking good album.)

I saw Jerry Jerry and the SoRO play three times back in Montreal during the late eighties. Great times.

In terms of hardcore/alternative music, the best of the best Canadians are SNFU (from Edmonton), particularly this exceptional album (still my favorite hard core album of all time):

[MolsonExport]

This song punches above its weight:
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[SaskScraper]

Originally Posted by Hali87

Len.

aha.. I was thinking of Steal My Sunshine this morning

[ue]

Also, not sure how they stack up against the others, but a band that I quite like is the Rural Alberta Advantage. Very Neutral Milk Hotel-esque, they're a Toronto band, but the lead singer grew up in Alberta (Edmonton mostly, I think) and a lot of their songs play homage to this province and themes that permeate this province.

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I like this verse from the song the most:

And if I fly away to the coast,
Your face it haunts me more than most.
And if I ever hold you again,
I'll hold you tight enough to crush your veins.
And you will die and become a ghost,
And haunt me 'til my pulse also slows.

http://www.metrolyrics.com/two-lover...advantage.html

It speaks to how so many from Edmonton, up until fairly recently, really do fly away to the coast (Vancouver), or other places (Calgary, Toronto), in search of something better, leaving behind their friends and family. This city wasn't a destination until fairly recently and even today many still fly away to the coast. I guess it's something many not from Edmonton can relate to, having the young fly off to the metropolis.

[Razor]

I'm kind of partial to the lesser known Canadian acts that had their moment..Or regional bands.

There must of been something In the water in BC in the early 80's, because there was a slew of hit making bands from that way. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Loverboy,Trooper, the Headpins, Chiliwack, Street heart, Prism were all from there. It was wild how many Canadian mainstream Rock bands came from BC at that period in time..Go BC!

David Wilcox ruled here in Ontario, and so did Max Webster (later Kim Mitchell), "Toronto", Goddo, and April Wine..Kinda like regional acts...Well maybe April Wine had more international hits...Kingston gave us the Hip, so thank you Kingston!!!

Anvil ...Metal heads on here remember them? and their comeback via that documentary?

[SaskScraper]

Originally Posted by Echoes

I absolutely love Both Sides Now, but would have to give the nod to Joni's re-recording of it from 2000 with her raspy, cigarette-tinged voice backed by an orchestra. Magnificent.

And to tie this thread about Canadian music to Canadian cities, a shout out to the album cover of Joni's 1969 album Clouds, where Both Sides Now first appeared, with Saskatoon's Bessborough Hotel and the South Saskatchewan River featured:

I wonder what inspiration Joni took from Saskatchewan's "living skies" in the writing of the song.

I just finished listening to some of Joni's other songs and totally thought she was writing about reminiscing about her Saskatoon home town in her song River• Video Link

The other Saskatchewan singer in CBC's top 15, Buffy Sainte Marie's Universal Solder is a song I never heard before & imagine it has something to do with time period and maybe Vietnam War inspired. Her song writing is probably what she is most renowned for

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[SaskScraper]

Originally Posted by Razor

I'm kind of partial to the lesser known Canadian acts that had their moment..Or regional bands.

There must of been something In the water in BC in the early 80's, because there was a slew of hit making bands from that way. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Loverboy,Trooper, the Headpins, Chiliwack, Street heart, Prism were all from there. It was wild how many Canadian mainstream Rock bands came from BC at that period in time..Go BC!

David Wilcox ruled here in Ontario, and so did Max Webster (later Kim Mitchell), "Toronto", Goddo, and April Wine..Kinda like regional acts...Well maybe April Wine had more international hits...Kingston gave us the Hip, so thank you Kingston!!!

Anvil ...Metal heads on here remember them? and their comeback via that documentary?

hmmm wiki shows Streetheart is from Saskatchewan originally, based out of Winnipeg but close enough to be called BC region I guess.. Go BC go!

[niwell]

Originally Posted by ue

Also, not sure how they stack up against the others, but a band that I quite like is the Rural Alberta Advantage. Very Neutral Milk Hotel-esque, they're a Toronto band, but the lead singer grew up in Alberta (Edmonton mostly, I think) and a lot of their songs play homage to this province and themes that permeate this province.

He's actually from Fort Mac, or at least spent a lot of time there growing up. I saw them back in 2006 in an Ottawa basement where the majority of the ~30 people present came for the locally based opener. I went based on the band name alone haha. Kept in email contact with the lead singer for a bit and had a photo I took on their original website (long gone).

Who knew they would end up so popular?


Wolf Parade has been mentioned a few times and I agree, but my personal favourite of Spencer Krug / WP connected bands is Sunset Rubdown. After seeing them in 2005 I have almost always had some of their tracks on my ipod (now iphone). The "Shutup I am Dreaming" album is worth checking out.

[Xelebes]

Originally Posted by Razor

There must of been something In the water in BC in the early 80's, because there was a slew of hit making bands from that way. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Loverboy,Trooper, the Headpins, Chiliwack, Street heart, Prism were all from there. It was wild how many Canadian mainstream Rock bands came from BC at that period in time..Go BC!

The big thing about BC was the number of record labels that started up there in the late 70s and early 80s. That was a major contributor.

I get the impression that the number of record labels in Toronto were rather withheld, pandering to the older styles or the older money there. There was a few adventurous labels, but not in anything that was proportional to what was happening in the west.

[ue]

Originally Posted by niwell

He's actually from Fort Mac, or at least spent a lot of time there growing up. I saw them back in 2006 in an Ottawa basement where the majority of the ~30 people present came for the locally based opener. I went based on the band name alone haha. Kept in email contact with the lead singer for a bit and had a photo I took on their original website (long gone).

Who knew they would end up so popular?

Haha, that's awesome. I know he spent time living in different parts of Central and Northern Alberta, including Edmonton, but I wouldn't be surprised if Fort Mac was in the mix too.

And they're gonna have a new album out in September!

[SaskScraper]

Originally Posted by Razor

I'm kind of partial to the lesser known Canadian acts that had their moment..Or regional bands.

I also like to go retro and listen to lesser known acts not from the mainstream.
anyone heard of Haywire from PEI or Roch Voisine from New Brunswick, or my all time favourite Canadian female singer from Edmonton Luba
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[Razor]

Originally Posted by SaskScraper

hmmm wiki shows Streetheart is from Saskatchewan originally, based out of Winnipeg but close enough to be called BC region I guess.. Go BC go!

My bad.Thought they were..But speaking of Sask. and Winnipeg...They produced some great talent as well...Winnipeg was a hot spot..Same with Saskatoon

Wide Mouth Mason, the Northern Pikes, and now the Sheep dogs are from the prairies..I especially loved Wide mouth Mason, and seen them in a small club in Ottawa years ago..They were biggish in the 90's...You tube "Mourning" and "Sugarcane" by wide mouth....Catchy tunes, so Go Saskatchewan as well!

And yes to both Haywire and Luba..Forgot about them..

Luba - Every time I see your picture...was a nice tune.

How abut Aldonova - fantasy

they also sang - Ball and Chain, which to me was a great power ballad...Hard rock bands had the best ballads IMO..They called them "Power ballads"..

[MolsonExport]

one of my faves from Quebec. Pag. This should have been a monster hit worldwide. Beatlesque. Wall of Sound.
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[MolsonExport]

Exquisite Cheddar from Montreal. It was a big hit.
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[MolsonExport]

Also from Montreal. Eighties Havarti:
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From Calgary(Woot!)
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