Canadian Top 50 Essential songs

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Canadian Top 50 Essential songs

Johnny Dickshot
Sep 26 2005 02:27 PM

Here's the top 50 as rated by CBC Radio One (continued from the vacation thread) -- here is the entire list. As described, this project attempted to judge ultimately by canadian-ness, not necessarily (or solely) by popularity.

1. Ian and Sylvia, "Four Strong Winds"
2. Barenaked Ladies, "If I Had $1,000,000"
3. Neil Young, "Heart of Gold"
4. Stan Rogers, "Northwest Passage"
5. The Guess Who, "American Woman"
6. Gordon Lightfoot, "Canadian Railroad Trilogy"
7. Joni Mitchell, "Both Sides Now"
8. Leonard Cohen, "Suzanne"
9. Joni Mitchell, "Big Yellow Taxi"
10. Gordon Lightfoot, "Early Morning Rain"
11. Bruce Cockburn, "Lovers in a Dangerous Time"
12. Stompin' Tom Connors, "The Hockey Song"
13. Tom Cochrane, "Life Is a Highway"
14. Blue Rodeo, "Try"
15. The Band, "The Weight"
16. The Tragically Hip, "New Orleans is Sinking"
17. Bryan Adams, "Summer of '69"
18. Bachman-Turner Overdrive, "Takin' Care of Business"
19. Anne Murray, "Snowbird"
20. Sarah McLachlan, "Angel"
21. k.d. lang, "Constant Craving"
22. Spirit of the West, "Home For a Rest"
23. The Guess Who, "These Eyes"
24. Neil Young, "Rockin' in the Free World"
25. Gordon Lightfoot, "Sundown"
26. Buffy Sainte-Marie, "Universal Soldier"
27. The Tragically Hip, "Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)"
28. Alanis Morissette, "You Oughta Know"
29. Bruce Cockburn, "Wondering Where the Lions Are"
30. Gilles Vigneault, "Mon Pays"
31. Trooper, "Raise a Little Hell"
32. Blue Rodeo, "Hasn't Hit Me Yet"
33. Rush, "Tom Sawyer"
34. Hank Snow, "I'm Movin' On"
35. Martha and the Muffins, "Echo Beach"
36. Men Without Hats, "The Safety Dance"
37. k-os, "Crabbuckit"
38. Rough Trade, "High School Confidential"
39. Sam Roberts, "Brother Down"
40. Paul Anka, "Diana"
41. Ron Hynes, "Sonny's Dream"
42. Leonard Cohen, "Tower of Song"
43. The Crew Cuts, "Sh'Boom"
44. Parachute Club, "Rise Up"
45. Sloan, "Coax Me"
46. Maestro Fresh Wes, "Let Your Backbone Slide"
47. Tommy Dorsey, "I'll Never Smile Again"
48. Rush, "Fly By Night"
49. D.O.A., "Disco Sucks"
50. Wilf Carter, "My Swiss Moonlight Lullaby"

Edgy DC
Sep 26 2005 02:34 PM

Scorn.

metirish
Sep 26 2005 02:37 PM

I went looking for this list but the CBC website said something about a strike, the list is decent although I've not heard of a few of them, why isn't the Crash Test Dummmies on it....Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm

cooby
Sep 26 2005 02:38 PM

No Celine Dion, it's a respectable list for that if nothing else.

But I like Snowbird better than 19, so pretty

Edgy DC
Sep 26 2005 02:49 PM

It's funny to see "Angel" and "Snowbird" followed up by T.C.B.

MFS62
Sep 26 2005 03:05 PM

No Gino Vanelli?
I mean, for gooness sakes, it even mentions Montreal. (or did the anti- separatist vote kick in?)
Later
********************************************************************

I Just Wanna Stop

For your love
When I think about those nights in Montreal
I get the sweetest thoughts of you and me
Memories of love above the city lights
Ooh, I tried so hard to take it
But oh lord my heart won't make it

I just wanna stop
And tell you what I feel about you babe
I just wanna stop
I never wanna live without you babe
I just gotta stop
For your love

When i think about the way the world must turn
I get the saddest thoughts for you and me
Memories of life and times go on and on
Ooh, i've tried hard to forget it
But of lord my mind won't let it

I just wanna stop
And tell you what i feel about you babe
I just wanna stop
The world ain't right without you babe
I just wanna stop
For your love

Ooo, I've tried so hard to take it
But oh lord my heart won't make it

I just wanna stop
And tell you what I feel about you babe
I just wanna stop
The world ain't right without you babe
I just wanna stop
For your love

Johnny Dickshot
Sep 26 2005 03:13 PM

Not a strike but a management lockout. Turned out the program we heard was a recorded broadcast.

Scorn

Is this that general Canadian music suxx thing you had going on? Or is it that April Wine & Loverboy & Chilliwack & Saga are completely unrepresented?

Edgy DC
Sep 26 2005 03:15 PM

Well, the general "Canadian music suxx" thing was just funnin'. Even if it was otherwise true, Neil Young alone would redeem the whole northern swath.

On edit: only one French title in the whole list.

HahnSolo
Sep 26 2005 05:26 PM

If I remember my Rush correctly from my HS days, I believe Red Barchetta, Closer to the Heart, The Spirit of Radio, hell, even Subdivisions, were better songs than Tom Sawyer.

Edgy DC
Sep 26 2005 06:07 PM

Certainlly better than "These Eyes."

And, of course, "Suzanne" is as much a New York song as anything. I think she had a room at the Chelsea Hotel with all the Leonard Cohen characters.

Johnny Dickshot
Sep 26 2005 06:11 PM

Tom Sawyer isn't my favorite either -- I like all of your suggestions above it, but OTOH, the song was sorta quintessentially Rush as it included
showy time-signature changes; PLUS hot musicianship from all 3 players (short solos from each guy); AND the typical Ayn Rand in Outer Space lyrics, all in an enduring minor-hit package.

Frayed Knot
Sep 26 2005 11:20 PM

'Let it Ride' was the better BTO tune than 'Taking Care of Business'

If they're going for Canandian-ness, maybe Neil's 'Helpless' should have made the cut;
There is a town in north Ontario

Singers/Groups I didn't know were Canandian:
- Met Without Hats
- The Crew Cuts
- Tommy Dorsey ... which I guess means that Jimmy Dorsey was also ... and maybe even Engelbert Humperdink.

Johnny Dickshot
Sep 26 2005 11:42 PM

Commenting before the playing of each song, the jock acknowledged "Heart of Gold" wasn't Young's best effort but as his first real hit, it allowed him to freedom to pursue things that were better. He also argued the lyrical idea of 'searching' in HOG was a distinctly Canadian theme -- also explored in Top 10s like "Northwest Passage" and "Canadian Railroad Trilogy."

Willets Point
Sep 27 2005 12:09 PM

Luckily, Montreal-born William Shatner doesn't make the list for his "recordings."

Edgy DC
Sep 27 2005 01:04 PM

Welcome back.

KC
Sep 27 2005 01:19 PM

If they wanted to throw some older Rush in, they could have picked something
from 2112, or Working Man imo instead of Fly By Night for my taste.

Tom Sawyers is alright as far as Rush hits go, they open with it so they
must identify with it or think it the fans identify with it.

Willets Point
Sep 27 2005 04:31 PM

Edgy DC wrote:
Welcome back.

Grazie / Danke!

ScarletKnight41
Sep 27 2005 04:34 PM

Welcome back! We want to hear all about Italy :)

Willets Point
Sep 27 2005 04:44 PM

ScarletKnight41 wrote:
Welcome back! We want to hear all about Italy :)

See the vacation thread.