Hey Polo, I'm 60, I'm from Vancouver BC and I used to drive taxi for Richmond Cabs which is a suburb of Vancouver near the International Airport. I had a friend who drove cab with me and he had a band who played the local bars and nightclubs. He sounded exactly like the lead singer and I loved following them around town. It's tragic that young people have no idea how incredible our rock music was back then. I love listening to your reactions. All of The Tragically Hip songs are awesome!
@@poloreacts27 If you liked the drop as much as the vocals, the "Gift Shop" should be on your hit list for future Hip songs. A mesmerizing intro and an even harder drop into one their vibiest slow riffs
The Tragically Hip grows on you the more you listen. My favourite song is “It’s a good life if you don’t weaken”. Sends emotional waves through me every time as the song builds and builds. It’s a very underrated song in their collection.
And they made their own rules, I saw them at Another Roadside attractions, I saw them in sold out stadiums and at a dive bar that they showed up at and played for 3 hours then sat at a table drank beer signed shit and chatted with folks.... iconic Canadian music by stereotypical Canadian dudes.
CBC Canada paid $700 million for the rights to air the Olympics in 2016. On Sat Aug 20th 2016 CBC interrupted their broadcast of the Olympics for 3hrs with no commercials to cover the last concert of the Tragically Hip. 12 million Canadians tuned in to watch. Thats how much the Hip and Gord meant to us. 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
12M in a country of 35M-ish at the time. Damn near 1/3 of the country, and that includes the children, elderly and those who do not speak the language. That was A Day. th-cam.com/video/OKYmNuvnxqA/w-d-xo.html
Gord's final gift to us was to allow us to gather as one to simultaneously celebrate his unique, generational talent, and to mourn our collective loss. @@frambojan
So, i read somewhere that 1 in 3 households tuned in but I remember we had watch parties all over the Niagara Region right into Buffalo and Detroit, so maybe even MORE than those 11 million! I sat on my couch crying alone watching it. This man shaped so many of my socio-political beliefs as a young adult. He was truly a gift to us.
I'm legitimately curious how many Canadians have an emotional reaction listening to The Hip. I think so many of us have some memory tied to the band (for better or worse) which makes it so impactful to hear. I can think of so many good memories when they were playing in the background. I've tried explain them to many international friends but it's difficult to convey the emotion in words. Glad you got to hear it.
I had a friend introduce me to the hip in 1989. I saw them in a Seattle club in 1990 that just had their name hand written on a piece of paper on the door. Listening to someone hearing them for the first time made me unexpectedly emotional
When I went to University in the early 90's, literally every dorm room had the same 3 CD's in them... Pearl Jam "Ten", Nirvana's "Nevermind", and the Hip's "Up to Here". Miss ya Gord.
The Hip were a massive part of my growing up, so many memories attached to their music, I made sure my kids knew their playlist while they were growing up. They were 10, 12 & 14 when Gordie passed and watched his last concert with us in 2016. Even today they get that look in their eye when Courage, 100th Meridian, New Orleans, Bobcaygeon, or whatever pops up on the playlist and I love it. The Hip are Canada's- Fully and Completely ;) I believe that they encompassed all of us from one coast to the other in some sort of magical fashion that would be near impossible to replicate.
Damn right. "We have a man down." We Americans could learn volumes from that. I didn't catch up until "Phantom Power" and I had to go back, and fast. I have considered how I missed them for so long? There had only been a couple of bands that I have ever felt emotionally attached to. They made it three. All these years later, it hasn't changed. They were always an everybody is welcome outfit, but they were also a thinking person's band. And you didn't need a degree to understand that.
When he screamed like that, dying of cancer, in his last goodbye to their fans, it was heart wrenching. He didn't want to leave and we didn't want him to go.
When Gord hit the scream in the breakdown of this song in his last concert in there hometown of Kingston it was the most powerful moment I’ve ever witnessed in music history.
Yeah it was like he was screaming at the Grim Reaper. And he let out all that was left of the rage and fury brought about by his illness, then accepted his fate.
It was amazing! Gord would do that during his live performances of Grace Too a screaming break down at the end of this amazing song , he was forever the showman and a damn good one ! That night he brought all of us with him !
I work at a small airline, and I once boarded Gord, and said, "sorry, this plane is going to Newark, not Bobcaygeon". It elicited a laugh from him. This is before the world found out about his illness. I am glad I made him smile even for a small second.
I’m Indigenous Canadian so I say a very heartfelt Chi-Miigwetch to Gord for his work for our people and for sharing his beautiful music. Please check out the Gord Donnie and Chanie Wenjack Fund to learn more. For non-Canadians, it’s hard to fully express how much the Hip means to us. Our prime minister cried when Gord passed and yes, all FM radio played only the HIp for days in his honour. They were known for being regular guys while home in Kingston. Their music is poetic, historical and very Canadian. There’s something special about Grace, Too in particular that makes me emotional ❤️
I'm so proud of him using some of his last public statements asking for our PM making things right with First Nations communities. He's shaped my adolescence in the late 90s early aughts. who knew running into a hat clad guy on the street in Atlanta in 1998 would set me on a path to my own reconnecting .
I feel that special connection has been honoured by some amazing covers of Hip Songs by Canadian Indigenous artists! One of my favourites is Twin Flames' version of Grace Too: th-cam.com/video/jAVQNbYp3jQ/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=TwinFlamesMusic Sounds like the hope of Reconciliation.
It was like when John Lennon died, wall to wall Beatles. It was of similar impact on me, but personal. I knew Gord a bit my bar band opened for them a lot early & we saw each other every once in a while after his life became crazy. - right before this album, really. So, like Christmas card acquaintance level. Hit me like it was my brother.
The final show they played was such a big deal for our country that the CBC aired it free nationwide for everyone, and _a third of Canada_ tuned in live to watch it. They meant so much to Canadians and so well represented Canada that it was one of the most watched TV events in Canada's history. I never met the man while he was alive, and came to their music far later in my life than I wish were the case looking back, but there is no other band that means more or music that's had a greater impact on my life. I think I speak for very many Canadians when I say that I miss Gord immensely.
I am 31 from Buffalo, NY and they are my all time favorite band. Seen them 6 times. They are so good and underrated in the US. Amazing and deep catalog. RIP Gord.
I grew up down the road from you in Hamilton. I saw them probably 30+ times. Some of the greatest times were following them on small club runs in the US, while they played NHL arenas back home. Last time I saw them was in San Francisco. Wall to wall Canadians.
They played the University of Winnipeg Buffeteria at lunch time in the late 1980s to promote their EP, if you can believe it. It was on, like, a Monday or Tuesday. Gord had a lot of hair then. Loved them since.
I'm from France and listening to the Hip for almost 30 years. My favorite Hip tune is "At the Hundredth meridian", a good candidate for a future reaction.
Good song too. It's all about the murder of a player for the Toronto Maple Leafs (I don't remember his name but it's in the first verse of the song) who scored the game winning goal of the Stanley Cup Final that won the Leafs the cup...and if I'm not mistaken, I do believe it's an unsolved murder.
During their last concert, the last time Canada saw the Hip play live, Pearl Jam was playing in Chicago. Eddie Vedder took time to address the crowd and let them know that the Hip was currently on stage, for the last time, in their home-town, Kingston, Ontario. The local junior hockey rink was packed (6.7K), and they simulcasted the concert in the town's Springer Market square (2500' west of the arena) to 25 000 people on a massive screen. The CBC broadcast the entire concert (the Hip always had Springsteen-esque epics of 3+ hours) to 11.7 million Canadians. That's over a third of our population. He ended the second of 3 three-song encores with Grace, Too. He cried and screamed forever at the end of the song, and an entire country witnessed a man confronted with his imminent death and the pain of leaving his family, friends, and the country he embodied in everything he did. I cried and screamed, too. We will never recover from the loss of Gord Downie.
“If I die of vanity, promise me, promise me if they bury me some place I don't want to be, you'll dig me up and transport me, unceremoniously away from the swollen city-breeze, garbage bag trees, whispers of disease and the acts of enormity and lower me slowly and sadly and properly and get Ry Cooder to sing my eulogy”
Canada sincerely thanks you for featuring the Hip and for your kind words. They are not only rock royalty in this country, but beloved by a whole country. Their music became the anthem to parties, 5am drives to hockey practice, and lazy Sundays eating pancakes. It’s next to impossible to listen to much of their music without tears in our eyes, a heavy heart, and a smile, all at once. Those fortunate enough to be a part of their final tour shared in a life changing experience. Once again, thank you for taking the time to listen. Hope Grace, Too is just the start of your journey with the Hip.
Oh man, you are going to get a lot of us Canucks cheering if you get into them. They are so Canadian it hurts - when we see The Hip, we see us. RIP Gord, truly one of a kind.
@@sherwalt he used Bobcaygeon because it rhymed with constellation. He admitted as much, he uses words just because they match rhythmically. It shows if you listen to most of his songs. A good band, better than Rush for sure. I found he played his "Canadian-ness" to hard, hated that about him. Most of his songs sound the same, also a problem with Rush.
52 year old Canadian here and Hip Fan forever. I took his death so hard I couldn't listen to them for a few years. Their catalogue is so deep and so Canadian. They represent the best of us. RIP Gordie.
I'm a Canadian metalhead so my whole life I've thought they were over-hyped... But I'm biased, it's art. I will say that, no word of a lie, NEW ORLEANS IS SINKING is an ABSOLUTE god tier banger of a song and, even if you hate the band, that shit will GROOVE YOU. RIP GORDIE... You dominated Canadian Radio for 30+ years for a reason.
I'm a Canadian punk rocker and you expressed my thoughts exactly. I've never cared for them for the most part, but the songs I do like by them, like New Orleans or Courage, I really like.
The Guess Who, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Rush, The Band... The Tragically Hip are ONE of the greatest Canadian Bands ever, because there is no defacto number one Canadian band because they all share the top spot...
Wheat Kings is my all time favourite Tragically Hip song. Used to put it on the juke box at my old sleezy dive of a pool hall and when those loons echoed through the building it sent shivers down your spine and the room went silent....that isnt just a song, it's an experience....
Think of the opening lines everytime i drive that stretch from Winnipeg to Brandon. From the Paris of the Prairies to the home of the Brandon Wheat Kings hockey team. The discussion will always continue whether paris of the prairies refers to winnipeg or regina.. (but we all know which one it really is).
This one is my absolute favourite. I have a beautiful framed picture of the lyric “I saw the constellations reveal themselves one star at a time” soooooo good
Birmingham Alabama here, I was lucky enough to have seen this band 3 times. One of my favorite songs by THP is, "Nautical Disaster". Give it a listen, thx.
The first time I saw The Hip live, in my late teens, they played Nautical Disaster. As the opening chords came up, the entire stadium of fans breathed in and exhaled in tandem. I'll never forget that. It was unbelievable, unless you were there. I've been to hundreds of concerts and live shows but, The Hip concert memories still give me goosebumps 40 years later.
Glad you liked it. Also glad that you liked the groove & especially the bass! On your next Hip trip, listen to the lyrics - they're why we Canadians have so much love for the band!
I got goosebumps and tears hearing this… again. I’ve been to about 30+ of their shows in US and Canada including last tour. I am Canadian and this is our Music
I was watching SNL many years back and Dan Ackroyd was the host. A fellow Canadian and friend of the band he requested they be the musical guests. They did Grace Too and I was home alone and had no skill at recording but they were all I could talk about for so long. I happen to LOVE Canada and Canadiens and of course The Tragically Hip. I was devastated at Gord's diagnosis and I was watching when the Native People of Canada honored him with their tribal colors, hatband and blanket and made him a member of the Native Nation. He was crying, I was crying and I know everyone in the Great White North was crying. I was also watching just after he died when Canada proclaimed a holiday in his honor. The coverage switched from pub to pub across the country where all were filled and everyone was drinking, singing and crying. People too young to drink were sitting on sidewalks where their music played through speakers everywhere. I've never witnessed ANYTHING like it before or since. A beautiful tribute to a beautiful and exceptionally talented man. I never saw them live unfortunately but was told they played every show as if it was the last. The energy and excitement radiated to every single person in the audience and they didn't want the night to end. I'm so glad you heard this, MY personal favorite TTH song.
I feel privileged to have grown up with The Hip, there will never be a National band like it again, a truly unique experience. I have exposed my kids to their music so they know them.
Gord Downie researched each song extensively. His lyrics are poetry and history, perfectly intertwined. When he died, we were all heartbroken. There's an amazing documentary about the band and their final tour called "Long Time Running" which is also the title of one of their songs. I couldn't get myself to watch it for at least a year after his death, but I'm glad I finally did. Rest in Peace Gord.
I live in Oklahoma and I've been a tragically hip fan since the 80s. "Up to Here" is my favorite album of theirs, and although there are a lot of good songs on the album, my favorite is "New Orleans is sinking"
I think if you talk to any Hip fan...they would all have a different favorite. Because they have so many amazing songs. I love Wheat Kings and Bogcaygeon
@@richieb1125 I had a music loving friend I worked with that gave me a cassette tape of theirs and told me to read the lyrics, I wasn't real familiar with Canadian slang but I got it figured out
The WORLD stood still. I live in the US, but close enough to Canada that the HIP had a LOT of fans here. Hard to explain the HIP to anyone. Just a bit beyond. I watched the last performance and wept mightily along with the world.
I first saw them in 1987 in Kingston Ontario. I carried the Hip with me on two tours of Bosnia and almost a year in Afghanistan. They were "home". One night by a fire stove in Banja Luka a friend and I listened to the album Fully Completely while drinking our two beer limit and talking hockey. We were swept home for the briefest of moments. I saw them live after every deployment and their last tour of Canada in 2016. Gord had been diagnosed with brain cancer and they wanted “one last go”. “New Orleans is sinking”, “Locked up in the trunk of a car” and “At the Hundredth Meridian” are deceptively layered musically and lyrically brilliant. Thank you for the reminiscences. Welcome to the Canadian musical rabbit hole, which will likely include Rush and the Guess Who.
The Hip and Headstones (both Kingston bands) were the soundtrack and escape during our ‘94 tour in Rwanda. On tour #5 in Afghanistan, the Hip still filled my headspace when I needed a mental reprieve. On tour #6, still on my play list. Retired for 2 years now, still pulling the Hip up to get me through my day.
In 93 I was in Ottawa for Connaught Ranges,..they were in town. Somehow I got tickets….had to be back by Midnight for shift and almost went AWOL. I was freakin because guy next to me was Hoover mode with joints 🤣 I stunk. Feck lol
American Hip fan here. They are my favorite band of all-time. Been a fan since their SNL appearance where they played Grace, Too and Nautical Disaster. Grace, Too is an excellent entry point for the band. Welcome, Polo, and RIP Gord
The Hip never made it big in the USA, but I can vouch that some of their American fans are as dedicated as north of the border. Enjoy knowing it's a secret you share with Canada.
They were hoping to break into the American music scene with that appearance but for the most part Americans just didn't take to them. It's crazy that when they toured Canada they always play out sold out arenas but when they went south Americans got to see them in clubs because that's all they could book. I think it would have been amazing to see them in a small venue but they were much too popular in Canada for that. I also think that they would have done better to preform New Orleans is Sinking when they appeared on SNL. It's not their best song but it was their most popular and it had a sound that everyone liked and that was popular at the time Even now when I see American You Tubers reacting to them a lot of them are sort "meh" about them until they hear New Orleans is Sinking and then they rock out.
I live in Va, a huge fan, saw them at 9:30 Club in DC in’94 I believe. They open with this song and I was at the foot of the stage looking up at the band, so powerful! After the show we were getting ready to leave and sitting on a stool in the hallway talking to a few fans was Gord, I was able to meet him and he spent a few minutes having a conversation with each of us. Very kind, sincere fellow. Heartbroken he is not still here in person with us, but blessed to have met him and experienced several shows and still listen to their music!
Gord Downie is one of the greatest lyricist in rock and roll of all time - a true poet. Check out one of their earliest hits *_"BLOW AT HIGH DOUGH"_* - one of their best - a real rocker
Scene them several times, from a 100 seat bar to 10000 in the dome. I can tell you, Gord never left a show until he was emotional unable to continue. He POURED it out every show. You feel their music when they play.
I’m an Aussie who was introduced to the Hip in London 1990 by a couple of Canucks. Saw them live there with about 30 people in the crowd. The slower songs are fire, but they can rock the hell out also. So many great songs…lifelong fan.
G’day mate, I got introduced to them around the release of Phantom Power. Loved them ever since. They ‘toured’ Oz once very early on but, of course, I missed it. Damn.
Yeah, I saw them twice while I was living in London, 2nd time was the Fully Completely tour - still got the concert t-shirt which was the album cover. I went to Lagos in Portugal twice where I was able to get some work at Shots In The Dark which was owned by a couple of Canadians. They also owned Joe's Garage which was just an epic bar. 'Shots' was more laid back and where Up to Here and Road Apples were on high rotation. Remember running into an aussie there with a Hip t-shirt from the Melbourne gig (1993) saying it was awesome. I was in Canada when Day For Night was released, but never got to see them there.@@wessleymcgrath9768
I think I was there that day. Downtown London in Harris or Ivey Park on a holiday weekend, maybe Canada Day? I lived in the area and heard music, so I left my sweltering apartment to listen to a band play. Didn't know who it was at the time, but they were great.
As a Canadian watching their final concert was heartbreaking. I sang the songs like most Canadians and cried knowing that Gord was dying and he wasnt going to create anymore music. He was a true talent! I have so many favourite songs from The Hip but New Orleans is sinking was my go to song at the bar for dancing.
‘90 at the first HFSTIVAL…the opening notes of New Orleans is Sinking hit me like freight train and I’ve been a fan ever since. Every car I owned since then in Virginia has had a Hip sticker in the window. I truly miss them.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Huge Hip Fan up here I’ve seen them live 18 times and when Gord Downie was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2017, after brain surgery and chemo and tons of therapy and assistance He was able to fight it out for one last cross Canada tour with 10 Stops and finishing in their hometown of Kingston, Ontario which was aired live across the country to 1000’s of organized watch parties 🇨🇦 The country really did stand still and breath in all the ways in which music unites us across all barriers, boundaries, races, generations 🥰 If you FEEL it, you FEEL IT ❤️ Thank you for this tumbling into my algorithm today, at this moment, to remind me ❤️🇨🇦
The music is such a huge part of our culture. Honestly the day Gord died I felt so upset... I called a couple buddies late at night but it was a work night nobody answering... Was a real windy day up in Lake Erie, I was just about five minutes walk from Nickel Beach So, I went for a walk on the beach with my dog and felt so much emotion, I had to just feel something Even though the water was cold, october water, I felt free, so I dove in head first. I swam around and yelled at the stars and moon just because I could! Swam around with my dog in that stormy water Put my clothes back on and walked home... Felt free ever since. It was a feeling that only happens once in a lifetime And my dog never judged me for it :)
Thanks for the kind words. It's kind of funny you mention the thing about being alive because, At the time I had just quit using all hard drugs and was going through a very rough recovery after many relapses... I often think about that night as a cleansing of the soul moment and now it's been 6 years without ever touching that stuff again. Hope you are well these days too! @@VividTrivia
The Hip playing Grace Too at their last show in Vancouver in 2016 was the most powerful live music experience I will ever witness. We all knew it was our last chance to sing with our friend Gord who was at that point diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. He gave it everything with wails of emotion. The crowd's appreciation was deafening. I have never experienced a spontaneous sustained ovation during a song. We were saying goodbye and thank you in real time, cheering Gord on. Check out the video, focusing on 1:30 and then again (even louder and longer) starting at 3:15. Goosebumps all around. th-cam.com/video/63iRMPXqn_s/w-d-xo.html
I'm not Canadian, but I've been a huge Tragically Hip fan for years. They have such a great catalog of amazing music. Sophisticated music and lyrics in nearly every song. One of the coolest things about their music is the variety. Some killer jams like Poets or Little Bones then some mellow cerebral stuff like this or Bobcaygeon, not to mention the history lessons in lots of their stuff. I'm so glad you dug into this and appreciate it. Great Reaction!
Agreed. I feel that Neil Peart of Rush deserved similar reverence as both a story teller and the premier percussionist of his time. Reading his books and being such a private person, an introvert, it was hard to know the know Neil. He IS Rush. @@AndrewAtkinson1
Their last show was nationally broadcasted and many of us got together for a viewing party. We set up a projection screen and blasted the last show, still one of the greatest weekends of my life.
They also agreed when they began to get popular that every member of the band would have songwriting rights so that Gordon wouldn't skyrocket to fame without the other guys and break up. They knew that would likely happen if they didn't move forward truly democratically. They were together as a band from the early 80s until Gord's death in 2017 and that decision was probably the biggest reason why. They were committed to each other as artists and friends.
This Canadian says Thank You for allowing me to re-experience this masterpiece through your first-timer perspective. RIP Gord. Cheers to the Hip. Canadian Icons.
When they performed this song in their finally concert, even though Gordie couldn't maintain his old ability to sing, the power and performance made me cry. The HIP were there for every part of my life (i'm 49) and was my solace when when my wife got cancer and subsequently passed. POLO, thank you for respecting the song and validating the HIP. 💌
As a canadian from the great white north this is some amazing music for you to check out from our Hip ..New Orleans is sinking, At the hundredth meridian,Boots or hearts….great stuff Thank you to the view who sent this song in! ❤️🇨🇦❤️🇨🇦❤️🇨🇦 RIP GD
I cannot tell you how much joy I felt watching you discover The Hip. Gord was iconic in concert, he went on rambling lyrical walks through your favourite songs and took you along like a dear friend.
When you said they give you "that Tool feeling" I nearly wept. The Tragically Hip and Tool are the two bands that have carried me for the last 35 years
I grew up near Canada, with a lot of Canadian radio and TV, and the Hip have been one of my favorite bands for decades. "Grace, Too" has been my introduction for lots of friends who have fallen in love with the band, and and there's so much other great stuff out there. Word of warning, though: the last performance of this track at their final show, when singer Gord Downie knew he was dying of brain cancer, is a very tough watch. Not because it's not a good performance - it's great - but because it's so unbelievably raw and emotional.
Can never hear this again without feeling that last performance they did at their final show. Gord's soul wrenching screaming at the end. Raging at the dying of the light. The whole country sobbing.
I grew up in Northern Minnesota in the 80's. The Hip were on the local rock radio station out of Fargo, in heavy rotation from the day "Up To Here" came out. Been a fan ever since. You mentioned his "ad libs" in this song, you really need to hear some live recordings of their stuff. Gord had an amazing free style ability with lyrics and nonsense. He really could become a one-man-show at times during the concert. I had the chance to see them live 5-6 times over the years, and they never disappointed the fans. Once got to see them in Spokane, WA, then two nights later on the pier overlooking Peugot Sound in Seattle while the sun set behind them. It was a great way to celebrate our 4th Wedding anniversary!
Oh the Hip! Timeless, too. This doing came out 1994. I was living in Dublin, Ireland when I heard he'd had cancer. I had spent my childhood listening to them. I legit remember being in the basement taping Courage off Power 92 in Edmonton when I was 13 in 1993.
One of my favorite bands! I was fortunate enough to see The Hip at small venues in Tucson multiple times and they never disappointed. In fact, they’re among the best live bands I’ve ever seen and I’ve been to hundreds of concerts. I got to hang out with them backstage several times and have signed posters and ticket stubs. Please try Locked In the Trunk of a Car, Three Pistols, New Orleans Is Sinking, Poets, Nautical Disaster, Ahead By a Century, 38 Years Old… Geeze I could go on. America didn’t get them for whatever reason but I was a really into them! Their first five albums or so were really great. 🖖🏼
Without doubt there are some serious Hip fans in the US, and it's great to see. I think in general there is something very Canadian about them that just didn't appeal to mainstream USA however. Which makes sense.
And if your looking for some more good rock, check out the Headstones. Funny fact, both singers went to the same high-school and were friends. Singer from the Headstones owes a lot to Gord I'm sure.
This song was never used in a movie - the Tragically Hip is one of the best kept secrets in Rock. Talk to Americans who live on the Canadian border however and they are true fans too.
I think the biggest reason the Hip never broke in the States is how extremely *of* this place they were, no other band I've ever seen made their show feel so huge and intimate in a way that was uniquely Canadian. Gord's lyrics were a 30 year love letter to the country, he was so passionate about this place and its people. Musically, they're very different, but spiritually the closest comparison of that deep connection between an artist and their community I can think of is Kendrick and Compton. The CBC broadcast their final concert in its entirety, over 3 hours, no commercials, the Prime Minister was in the audience, the country more or less shut down for the evening to say goodbye to our friend. It's been 8 years, and I'm still getting affected thinking about it, seeing them on that tour was a top 5 lifetime highlight.
This band is the soundtrack to canada. Every road trip, summers at the cottage, camping in the middle of where the hell am I? There was always someone playing this. You'd be at a campground amd youd hear this music drifting through the trees on the wind. Gord was a wildly beautiful human, our very own poet laureate, that captured what it is to be Canadian through hauntingly beautiful vocals with amazing instrumentals. If you're going to start anywhere with the hip, its got to be the Yer Favorites album. Top to bottom amazing.
When the Hip broadcast their final concert knowing Gord wasn’t long for this world is when I actually realized that they had been the soundtrack for any rock loving Canadian for the past 1/4 century. The Hip first popped up in my late teens and was a passenger on my shoulders as I matured, married, raised kids and just navigated through life. Their presence was subtle at times and right up in my face other times…but they were always there. Until that final broadcast I never appreciated the fact that it could just ….. end…. Tears were shed across the country.
This is one of the last songs Gord ever sang live. He was screaming it at the end, as if he was truly angry about dying. I get emotional listening to this.
@@brianport4730 see, I and a few friends have a theory about that. I don't know that he was so much SUPPORTING Trudeau as he was calling him out. Taking him to task and hoping that by putting him on the spot, maybe he might do his damn job.
The whole country got emotional. You'd have to be dead inside not to. I just wanted to run on stage and hug the man. Thinking of that moment still gets me choked up.
@@RyanDraga I agree with this. I worked in a place where the manager, if he wanted to improve the performance of an employee who was slacking, would make them Employee of the Month and their performance would improve. Gord made Trudeau Employee of the Month.
What's incredible is that you've never heard this song in a movie, but it Is about war. And you got that vibe just from hearing the melody. Big up from Canada
The first time I saw them they were unknown. We went to see the other band playing that night. The place was empty. My best friend and I knew we just discovered the band that would change our lives. I cried the entire time during their final concert. Most of Canada was crying. RIP Gord 💔
Curious if you were also watching the accompanying video? To fully experience The Hip, you need the visuals that go along with their incredible music. I was with them from the very beginning they were the soundtrack of my teenage years, and was lucky to see them live numerous times. When Gord was diagnosed with brain cancer, our whole nation cried. But what did they do? THEY WENT ON A CANADIAN WIDE TOUR. ❤🇨🇦 Their show from Kingston was televised, I cried from the first note to the last, it was incredible. When he passed, Canada wept. The Hip will never be forgotten. Please have a listen to some of their older tunes, New Orleans is Sinking, 38 Years Old, Blowing High Dough, and my favorite Wheat Kings which tells a true story about a man wrongfully convicted of murder. Mad love for this band and all that they gave to Canada. So glad you have been introduced to our boys! ❤
I’m a 20 year old Buffalo girl. I was raised on The Hip because of my parents. We had tons of my family and basically my whole neighborhood over to stream the last show in our front yard. I’d give anything to have seen them live. The only time me and my little brother were allowed to swear as kids in front of our parents was when we were listening to Fireworks on the way to his hockey games
Never will you meet a Canadian who doesn't worship this band. If you want some real roots Canadian history lesson...50 mission cap and 38 years old tell real stories of tragedy, and their stories are remembered as they should. Ahead by a century is one of my favs. Seen them in concert 5 times....wish I could go back and add more cherished moments/memories ♥️♥️♥️
The build? Wait for that DROP!
🤯
Hey Polo, I'm 60, I'm from Vancouver BC and I used to drive taxi for Richmond Cabs which is a suburb of Vancouver near the International Airport. I had a friend who drove cab with me and he had a band who played the local bars and nightclubs. He sounded exactly like the lead singer and I loved following them around town. It's tragic that young people have no idea how incredible our rock music was back then.
I love listening to your reactions. All of The Tragically Hip songs are awesome!
@@poloreacts27 If you liked the drop as much as the vocals, the "Gift Shop" should be on your hit list for future Hip songs. A mesmerizing intro and an even harder drop into one their vibiest slow riffs
The Tragically Hip grows on you the more you listen. My favourite song is “It’s a good life if you don’t weaken”. Sends emotional waves through me every time as the song builds and builds. It’s a very underrated song in their collection.
@@mccullochmike "It's A Good Life If You Don't Weaken" won't really mean much to anyone under 30.
Rush was the band that Canada gave the world. We kept The Hip for ourselves ❤
Very well put my friend.👍🇨🇦🤘🏼
Love this, well said👏🏻
And they made their own rules, I saw them at Another Roadside attractions, I saw them in sold out stadiums and at a dive bar that they showed up at and played for 3 hours then sat at a table drank beer signed shit and chatted with folks.... iconic Canadian music by stereotypical Canadian dudes.
Well said. #truth
No way were you going to keep the Hip a secret
CBC Canada paid $700 million for the rights to air the Olympics in 2016. On Sat Aug 20th 2016 CBC interrupted their broadcast of the Olympics for 3hrs with no commercials to cover the last concert of the Tragically Hip. 12 million Canadians tuned in to watch. Thats how much the Hip and Gord meant to us. 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
One of the few times I've teared up watching a performance. As painful as it was for everyone, I can't imagine a more beautiful exit for artist.
12M in a country of 35M-ish at the time. Damn near 1/3 of the country, and that includes the children, elderly and those who do not speak the language. That was A Day.
th-cam.com/video/OKYmNuvnxqA/w-d-xo.html
Gord's final gift to us was to allow us to gather as one to simultaneously celebrate his unique, generational talent, and to mourn our collective loss. @@frambojan
So, i read somewhere that 1 in 3 households tuned in but I remember we had watch parties all over the Niagara Region right into Buffalo and Detroit, so maybe even MORE than those 11 million! I sat on my couch crying alone watching it. This man shaped so many of my socio-political beliefs as a young adult. He was truly a gift to us.
That’s like a third of the entire country!
I'm legitimately curious how many Canadians have an emotional reaction listening to The Hip. I think so many of us have some memory tied to the band (for better or worse) which makes it so impactful to hear. I can think of so many good memories when they were playing in the background. I've tried explain them to many international friends but it's difficult to convey the emotion in words. Glad you got to hear it.
I had a friend introduce me to the hip in 1989. I saw them in a Seattle club in 1990 that just had their name hand written on a piece of paper on the door. Listening to someone hearing them for the first time made me unexpectedly emotional
When I went to University in the early 90's, literally every dorm room had the same 3 CD's in them... Pearl Jam "Ten", Nirvana's "Nevermind", and the Hip's "Up to Here". Miss ya Gord.
Actually brings a tear to the eye even watching this reaction. Calgary boy here.
The Hip were a massive part of my growing up, so many memories attached to their music, I made sure my kids knew their playlist while they were growing up. They were 10, 12 & 14 when Gordie passed and watched his last concert with us in 2016. Even today they get that look in their eye when Courage, 100th Meridian, New Orleans, Bobcaygeon, or whatever pops up on the playlist and I love it. The Hip are Canada's- Fully and Completely ;) I believe that they encompassed all of us from one coast to the other in some sort of magical fashion that would be near impossible to replicate.
🙋♂️
I'm jealous watching him experience this for the first time. Such a great song, it sends tingles down the spine!
Dude their library is wicked deep. Welcome Canada's best band in the last 25 years. RIP Gord.
*40 years
@@AdrianGraham4that title would belong to RUSH
Rush. Lol, if not the hip then big wreck. Ian Thornley is a god among men.
Rush says "hold my beer"
Rush is great. The Hip are amazing
The day Gord died, October 17th 2017.
"Canada closed. Death in the family"
😢 it was awful. John Dunsworth passed the same week. We were broken.
Truth!
Damn right. "We have a man down." We Americans could learn volumes from that. I didn't catch up until "Phantom Power" and I had to go back, and fast. I have considered how I missed them for so long? There had only been a couple of bands that I have ever felt emotionally attached to. They made it three. All these years later, it hasn't changed. They were always an everybody is welcome outfit, but they were also a thinking person's band. And you didn't need a degree to understand that.
When he screamed like that, dying of cancer, in his last goodbye to their fans, it was heart wrenching. He didn't want to leave and we didn't want him to go.
Yep. It’s like I could feel what Gord was feeling. Deep
When Gord hit the scream in the breakdown of this song in his last concert in there hometown of Kingston it was the most powerful moment I’ve ever witnessed in music history.
Getting a little misty now just thinking about it
@@Fern635me too 😔
Yes. So powerful. I just ugly-cried and cheered all the way through that concert. So much emotion and love❤
Yeah it was like he was screaming at the Grim Reaper. And he let out all that was left of the rage and fury brought about by his illness, then accepted his fate.
God this is hurting me. Miss you Gord. My daughter’s middle name is Downey in his honour.
During their final show, when Gordie broke down while singing this song, I broke down along with 12 million other Canadians....
This was the definitive version of this song.
Along with one Austin Texan
It was amazing! Gord would do that during his live performances of Grace Too a screaming break down at the end of this amazing song , he was forever the showman and a damn good one !
That night he brought all of us with him !
I bawl every time I watch it. He was emotional every time that tour, but Kingston was a whole other level.
Just reading this 8 years later made me tear up
Your next Hip tune should be Wheat Kings. Amazing tune with a story.
YES!
YES!
Important to learn the context of this song first, so much more meaningful then….
Spot on! One of my top 5 favourite songs ever.
Absolutely!@@KiterSuperfly
I work at a small airline, and I once boarded Gord, and said, "sorry, this plane is going to Newark, not Bobcaygeon". It elicited a laugh from him. This is before the world found out about his illness. I am glad I made him smile even for a small second.
I once was their waitress, and their graciousness was like butter
This made me smile ❤
I’m Indigenous Canadian so I say a very heartfelt Chi-Miigwetch to Gord for his work for our people and for sharing his beautiful music. Please check out the Gord Donnie and Chanie Wenjack Fund to learn more.
For non-Canadians, it’s hard to fully express how much the Hip means to us. Our prime minister cried when Gord passed and yes, all FM radio played only the HIp for days in his honour. They were known for being regular guys while home in Kingston. Their music is poetic, historical and very Canadian.
There’s something special about Grace, Too in particular that makes me emotional ❤️
I'm so proud of him using some of his last public statements asking for our PM making things right with First Nations communities. He's shaped my adolescence in the late 90s early aughts. who knew running into a hat clad guy on the street in Atlanta in 1998 would set me on a path to my own reconnecting .
I feel that special connection has been honoured by some amazing covers of Hip Songs by Canadian Indigenous artists!
One of my favourites is Twin Flames' version of Grace Too: th-cam.com/video/jAVQNbYp3jQ/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=TwinFlamesMusic
Sounds like the hope of Reconciliation.
Yes brother.
It was like when John Lennon died, wall to wall Beatles. It was of similar impact on me, but personal. I knew Gord a bit my bar band opened for them a lot early & we saw each other every once in a while after his life became crazy. - right before this album, really. So, like Christmas card acquaintance level. Hit me like it was my brother.
The final show they played was such a big deal for our country that the CBC aired it free nationwide for everyone, and _a third of Canada_ tuned in live to watch it. They meant so much to Canadians and so well represented Canada that it was one of the most watched TV events in Canada's history.
I never met the man while he was alive, and came to their music far later in my life than I wish were the case looking back, but there is no other band that means more or music that's had a greater impact on my life. I think I speak for very many Canadians when I say that I miss Gord immensely.
I am 31 from Buffalo, NY and they are my all time favorite band. Seen them 6 times. They are so good and underrated in the US. Amazing and deep catalog. RIP Gord.
Were you lucky enough to come to Kingston and see them in their home town?
I grew up down the road from you in Hamilton. I saw them probably 30+ times. Some of the greatest times were following them on small club runs in the US, while they played NHL arenas back home. Last time I saw them was in San Francisco. Wall to wall Canadians.
The Hip are from my home town and I never got to see them in concert, but I did mow their grass, lol
They played the University of Winnipeg Buffeteria at lunch time in the late 1980s to promote their EP, if you can believe it. It was on, like, a Monday or Tuesday. Gord had a lot of hair then. Loved them since.
I was surprised how insane the buffalove was for the tragically hip. They have a cover band that sells out shows down there still…. Go bills!
I'm from France and listening to the Hip for almost 30 years. My favorite Hip tune is "At the Hundredth meridian", a good candidate for a future reaction.
Good song too. It's all about the murder of a player for the Toronto Maple Leafs (I don't remember his name but it's in the first verse of the song) who scored the game winning goal of the Stanley Cup Final that won the Leafs the cup...and if I'm not mistaken, I do believe it's an unsolved murder.
During their last concert, the last time Canada saw the Hip play live, Pearl Jam was playing in Chicago. Eddie Vedder took time to address the crowd and let them know that the Hip was currently on stage, for the last time, in their home-town, Kingston, Ontario.
The local junior hockey rink was packed (6.7K), and they simulcasted the concert in the town's Springer Market square (2500' west of the arena) to 25 000 people on a massive screen. The CBC broadcast the entire concert (the Hip always had Springsteen-esque epics of 3+ hours) to 11.7 million Canadians. That's over a third of our population.
He ended the second of 3 three-song encores with Grace, Too. He cried and screamed forever at the end of the song, and an entire country witnessed a man confronted with his imminent death and the pain of leaving his family, friends, and the country he embodied in everything he did. I cried and screamed, too.
We will never recover from the loss of Gord Downie.
“If I die of vanity, promise me, promise me if they bury me some place I don't want to be, you'll dig me up and transport me, unceremoniously away from the swollen city-breeze, garbage bag trees, whispers of disease and the acts of enormity and lower me slowly and sadly and properly and
get Ry Cooder to sing my eulogy”
Canada sincerely thanks you for featuring the Hip and for your kind words. They are not only rock royalty in this country, but beloved by a whole country. Their music became the anthem to parties, 5am drives to hockey practice, and lazy Sundays eating pancakes. It’s next to impossible to listen to much of their music without tears in our eyes, a heavy heart, and a smile, all at once. Those fortunate enough to be a part of their final tour shared in a life changing experience. Once again, thank you for taking the time to listen. Hope Grace, Too is just the start of your journey with the Hip.
Beautifully put 🥲
Very well said
Oh man, you are going to get a lot of us Canucks cheering if you get into them. They are so Canadian it hurts - when we see The Hip, we see us.
RIP Gord, truly one of a kind.
Well said. There is something uniquely Canadian about The Hip. Pure. Genuine. Intense. Modest.
One of the greatest bands to ever form in a prison.
PDog.......did we just become, BROTHERS ?
💯
im 66 years old and never heard of this band , they are amazing and I want to here more
Trust me. You will not be disappointed.
I've heard this song hundreds of times and it still gives me chills.
Rush and The Hip are Canadian Rock Royalty...Anything by the Hip is amazing.. ...my fav ...Bobcaygen
That song (and Nautical Disaster) transport me more than most of their stuff, and that's saying something. All of the songs are mini movies
@@sherwalt he used Bobcaygeon because it rhymed with constellation. He admitted as much, he uses words just because they match rhythmically. It shows if you listen to most of his songs. A good band, better than Rush for sure. I found he played his "Canadian-ness" to hard, hated that about him. Most of his songs sound the same, also a problem with Rush.
Agreed, Bobcaygeon is amazing
52 year old Canadian here and Hip Fan forever. I took his death so hard I couldn't listen to them for a few years. Their catalogue is so deep and so Canadian. They represent the best of us. RIP Gordie.
Not a dry eye in Canada when they televised that final gig 😔
Yep it still pangs a little when the sound goes through me
I hear ya man.
I still can't listen to Long Time Running without crying. The Hip is the absolute best.
I’m not crying. You are. 😢
Summer time drives with the Hip playing on the radio. Any Canadian that was around in the 90s can relate.
RIP Gord. A true Canadian Legend.
He was an absolute poet. The band had a special chemistry. This song still makes me emotional
I'm a Canadian metalhead so my whole life I've thought they were over-hyped... But I'm biased, it's art. I will say that, no word of a lie, NEW ORLEANS IS SINKING is an ABSOLUTE god tier banger of a song and, even if you hate the band, that shit will GROOVE YOU. RIP GORDIE... You dominated Canadian Radio for 30+ years for a reason.
I'm a Canadian punk rocker and you expressed my thoughts exactly. I've never cared for them for the most part, but the songs I do like by them, like New Orleans or Courage, I really like.
New orleans killer whale version fo sho
Especially the Killer Whale Mix version of New Orleans is Sinking. That is just fantastic.
Yeah, that riff is up there. God tier. No sarcasm! I mean it, it’s an awesome song. I had a job before this…”
Feel the same. Not my cup of tea but they do what they do better than anyone else. Nautical disaster is an epic song.
The greatest Canadian band ever. You picked a great song to start with. RIP Gordie! We are fabulously rich for having known you.
The Guess Who, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Rush, The Band...
The Tragically Hip are ONE of the greatest Canadian Bands ever, because there is no defacto number one Canadian band because they all share the top spot...
Better then Rush? Lol
Most popular band in Canada but Rush is the greatest band ever.
Greatest? Probably, but Rush is up there too.
I wish Americans that never cared while Gord was alive for 30 years would just stop. Just stop and leave it alone. You tarnish his memory
"Ahead by a Century"
You need to hear it.
#1 in my book
Wheat Kings is my all time favourite Tragically Hip song. Used to put it on the juke box at my old sleezy dive of a pool hall and when those loons echoed through the building it sent shivers down your spine and the room went silent....that isnt just a song, it's an experience....
Think of the opening lines everytime i drive that stretch from Winnipeg to Brandon. From the Paris of the Prairies to the home of the Brandon Wheat Kings hockey team. The discussion will always continue whether paris of the prairies refers to winnipeg or regina.. (but we all know which one it really is).
it's about David Milgaard wrongly convicted of murder
Live now on a lake near Bobcaygeon, and the sound of the loons gives me chills. My kids were at the last concert in Bob, with all the mud.
Bobcaygeon is another classic 'Hip tune. They are ingrained in Canadian culture now. RIP Gordie, you were the soundtrack to my youth.
I saw the constellations reveal themselves, one star at a time...
Gord was truly a poet
I had a cottage near Bobcaygeon.. nights were beautiful with a million stars.. the Hip was the soundtrack of our lives
Man, that song is so good it gives me all the possible range of emotions at the same time!
This one is my absolute favourite. I have a beautiful framed picture of the lyric “I saw the constellations reveal themselves one star at a time” soooooo good
Birmingham Alabama here, I was lucky enough to have seen this band 3 times. One of my favorite songs by THP is, "Nautical Disaster". Give it a listen, thx.
Yeah man. I’m a big Canadian Hip fan… And that is my favourite song as well. Good pick 👍🏼
Definitely one of their best
Gah, so visceral! Based on Hugh MacLennan's "Barometer Rising", referring to the Halifax Explosion.
The first time I saw The Hip live, in my late teens, they played Nautical Disaster. As the opening chords came up, the entire stadium of fans breathed in and exhaled in tandem. I'll never forget that. It was unbelievable, unless you were there. I've been to hundreds of concerts and live shows but, The Hip concert memories still give me goosebumps 40 years later.
My fav too along with Gift Shop ❤
Glad you liked it. Also glad that you liked the groove & especially the bass! On your next Hip trip, listen to the lyrics - they're why we Canadians have so much love for the band!
I got goosebumps and tears hearing this… again. I’ve been to about 30+ of their shows in US and Canada including last tour. I am Canadian and this is our Music
Well, I’ve just had my horizons expanded. I’ve never listened to them before, but that has now ended. Loved this song, everything about it.
Welcome, honorary Canadian
You will not be disappointed!
You have SO MUCH greatness ahead of you to explore 😎
I recommend So Hard Done By . Great song by them
Cool, I found out about them on Phantom Power. You have a lot of great music coming.
I was watching SNL many years back and Dan Ackroyd was the host. A fellow Canadian and friend of the band he requested they be the musical guests. They did Grace Too and I was home alone and had no skill at recording but they were all I could talk about for so long. I happen to LOVE Canada and Canadiens and of course The Tragically Hip. I was devastated at Gord's diagnosis and I was watching when the Native People of Canada honored him with their tribal colors, hatband and blanket and made him a member of the Native Nation. He was crying, I was crying and I know everyone in the Great White North was crying. I was also watching just after he died when Canada proclaimed a holiday in his honor. The coverage switched from pub to pub across the country where all were filled and everyone was drinking, singing and crying. People too young to drink were sitting on sidewalks where their music played through speakers everywhere. I've never witnessed ANYTHING like it before or since. A beautiful tribute to a beautiful and exceptionally talented man. I never saw them live unfortunately but was told they played every show as if it was the last. The energy and excitement radiated to every single person in the audience and they didn't want the night to end. I'm so glad you heard this, MY personal favorite TTH song.
I too was introduced to this band on that very episode. Great stuff.
I feel privileged to have grown up with The Hip, there will never be a National band like it again, a truly unique experience. I have exposed my kids to their music so they know them.
Beautifully said! He was a wonderful humanitarian and the entire band is a class act
Very well said. RIP HIP
I was at the last Edmonton show, saw them maybe 10 times. When Gord died so did a piece of myself.
A National Treasure in Canada. Love them....RIP Gord Downie
Gord Downie researched each song extensively. His lyrics are poetry and history, perfectly intertwined. When he died, we were all heartbroken. There's an amazing documentary about the band and their final tour called "Long Time Running" which is also the title of one of their songs. I couldn't get myself to watch it for at least a year after his death, but I'm glad I finally did. Rest in Peace Gord.
One of my favorite songs.
Is the movie available to see somewhere?
I heard Gord describe his vocal style once as "imagining rats are biting my ankles", and it always stuck with me. RIP Legend.
That is 100% this song wow lol
I live in Oklahoma and I've been a tragically hip fan since the 80s. "Up to Here" is my favorite album of theirs, and although there are a lot of good songs on the album, my favorite is "New Orleans is sinking"
and the greatest version of them all..... the "Killerwhaletank" version. th-cam.com/video/dv3qqYGlUEk/w-d-xo.html&ab_channel=TheTragicallyHipVEVO
How did you hear of them in Oklahoma?
I think if you talk to any Hip fan...they would all have a different favorite. Because they have so many amazing songs. I love Wheat Kings and Bogcaygeon
@@richieb1125 I had a music loving friend I worked with that gave me a cassette tape of theirs and told me to read the lyrics, I wasn't real familiar with Canadian slang but I got it figured out
Up to here is also my fav. Although my favourite hip song is bobcaygeon
The WORLD stood still. I live in the US, but close enough to Canada that the HIP had a LOT of fans here. Hard to explain the HIP to anyone. Just a bit beyond. I watched the last performance and wept mightily along with the world.
29 years after it was released, this track still gives me goose bumps even after listening to it thousands of times.
I first saw them in 1987 in Kingston Ontario. I carried the Hip with me on two tours of Bosnia and almost a year in Afghanistan. They were "home". One night by a fire stove in Banja Luka a friend and I listened to the album Fully Completely while drinking our two beer limit and talking hockey. We were swept home for the briefest of moments. I saw them live after every deployment and their last tour of Canada in 2016. Gord had been diagnosed with brain cancer and they wanted “one last go”. “New Orleans is sinking”, “Locked up in the trunk of a car” and “At the Hundredth Meridian” are deceptively layered musically and lyrically brilliant.
Thank you for the reminiscences. Welcome to the Canadian musical rabbit hole, which will likely include Rush and the Guess Who.
The Hip and Headstones (both Kingston bands) were the soundtrack and escape during our ‘94 tour in Rwanda. On tour #5 in Afghanistan, the Hip still filled my headspace when I needed a mental reprieve. On tour #6, still on my play list. Retired for 2 years now, still pulling the Hip up to get me through my day.
Lol ditto 3 tours..The Hip kept me somewhat sane lol. Listened to Fully Completely on a cross country drive when I was posted..🫡
In 93 I was in Ottawa for Connaught Ranges,..they were in town. Somehow I got tickets….had to be back by Midnight for shift and almost went AWOL. I was freakin because guy next to me was Hoover mode with joints 🤣 I stunk. Feck lol
@@canadianhienz57 94 was not a good year to be in Rwanda, glad you made it through.🇨🇦❤️
I was probably at the same show jn Kingston thank you for your Service
American Hip fan here. They are my favorite band of all-time. Been a fan since their SNL appearance where they played Grace, Too and Nautical Disaster. Grace, Too is an excellent entry point for the band. Welcome, Polo, and RIP Gord
The Hip never made it big in the USA, but I can vouch that some of their American fans are as dedicated as north of the border. Enjoy knowing it's a secret you share with Canada.
They were hoping to break into the American music scene with that appearance but for the most part Americans just didn't take to them. It's crazy that when they toured Canada they always play out sold out arenas but when they went south Americans got to see them in clubs because that's all they could book. I think it would have been amazing to see them in a small venue but they were much too popular in Canada for that.
I also think that they would have done better to preform New Orleans is Sinking when they appeared on SNL. It's not their best song but it was their most popular and it had a sound that everyone liked and that was popular at the time Even now when I see American You Tubers reacting to them a lot of them are sort "meh" about them until they hear New Orleans is Sinking and then they rock out.
@@bdawn3 I got to see the Hip at the Horseshoe in the late 80s. Setlist wasn't great but they were playing some tunes that ended up on Up To Here.
Nautical Disaster on the live album with a bunch of extra narrative is one of my favorites too.
You should watch the live version of this of their last concert. He shows so much emotion. One of the greats gone too soon. F$%^$## cancer!
I live in Va, a huge fan, saw them at 9:30 Club in DC in’94 I believe. They open with this song and I was at the foot of the stage looking up at the band, so powerful! After the show we were getting ready to leave and sitting on a stool in the hallway talking to a few fans was Gord, I was able to meet him and he spent a few minutes having a conversation with each of us. Very kind, sincere fellow. Heartbroken he is not still here in person with us, but blessed to have met him and experienced several shows and still listen to their music!
As an American that has never lived in a border town, I only recently discovered the Hipp. They are AMAZING - I love them!
Welcome to our secret national treasure. In Gord We Trust.
Gord Downie is one of the greatest lyricist in rock and roll of all time - a true poet.
Check out one of their earliest hits *_"BLOW AT HIGH DOUGH"_* - one of their best - a real rocker
Scene them several times, from a 100 seat bar to 10000 in the dome.
I can tell you, Gord never left a show until he was emotional unable to continue. He POURED it out every show.
You feel their music when they play.
I’m an Aussie who was introduced to the Hip in London 1990 by a couple of Canucks. Saw them live there with about 30 people in the crowd. The slower songs are fire, but they can rock the hell out also. So many great songs…lifelong fan.
G’day mate, I got introduced to them around the release of Phantom Power. Loved them ever since. They ‘toured’ Oz once very early on but, of course, I missed it. Damn.
Yeah, I saw them twice while I was living in London, 2nd time was the Fully Completely tour - still got the concert t-shirt which was the album cover. I went to Lagos in Portugal twice where I was able to get some work at Shots In The Dark which was owned by a couple of Canadians. They also owned Joe's Garage which was just an epic bar. 'Shots' was more laid back and where Up to Here and Road Apples were on high rotation. Remember running into an aussie there with a Hip t-shirt from the Melbourne gig (1993) saying it was awesome. I was in Canada when Day For Night was released, but never got to see them there.@@wessleymcgrath9768
I think I was there that day. Downtown London in Harris or Ivey Park on a holiday weekend, maybe Canada Day? I lived in the area and heard music, so I left my sweltering apartment to listen to a band play. Didn't know who it was at the time, but they were great.
I hold The Hip in the company of Something for Kate and Hunters & Collectors, like why did these bands not explode in the States?
As a Canadian watching their final concert was heartbreaking. I sang the songs like most Canadians and cried knowing that Gord was dying and he wasnt going to create anymore music. He was a true talent! I have so many favourite songs from The Hip but New Orleans is sinking was my go to song at the bar for dancing.
No matter
what I may've been in the middle of, if they came on they trumped it.
That concert brought the entire nation together.
‘90 at the first HFSTIVAL…the opening notes of New Orleans is Sinking hit me like freight train and I’ve been a fan ever since. Every car I owned since then in Virginia has had a Hip sticker in the window. I truly miss them.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Huge Hip Fan up here
I’ve seen them live 18 times and when Gord Downie was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2017, after brain surgery and chemo and tons of therapy and assistance He was able to fight it out for one last cross Canada tour with 10 Stops and finishing in their hometown of Kingston, Ontario which was aired live across the country to 1000’s of organized watch parties 🇨🇦
The country really did stand still and breath in all the ways in which music unites us across all barriers, boundaries, races, generations 🥰
If you FEEL it, you FEEL IT ❤️
Thank you for this tumbling into my algorithm today, at this moment, to remind me ❤️🇨🇦
The final concert in Kingston was incredible and will live on in rock history.
The music is such a huge part of our culture.
Honestly the day Gord died I felt so upset...
I called a couple buddies late at night but it was a work night nobody answering...
Was a real windy day up in Lake Erie, I was just about five minutes walk from Nickel Beach
So, I went for a walk on the beach with my dog and felt so much emotion, I had to just feel something
Even though the water was cold, october water, I felt free, so I dove in head first.
I swam around and yelled at the stars and moon just because I could!
Swam around with my dog in that stormy water
Put my clothes back on and walked home...
Felt free ever since.
It was a feeling that only happens once in a lifetime
And my dog never judged me for it :)
You gave me goosebumps
That was lovely :)
❤
Wading into a metaphor for your grief, and thereby embracing a visceral reminder that you're alive? I think Gord would approve.
Thanks for the kind words.
It's kind of funny you mention the thing about being alive because,
At the time I had just quit using all hard drugs and was going through a very rough recovery after many relapses...
I often think about that night as a cleansing of the soul moment and now it's been 6 years without ever touching that stuff again.
Hope you are well these days too!
@@VividTrivia
This was our camp fire and kitchen party music. Real Canadian vibes.
The Hip playing Grace Too at their last show in Vancouver in 2016 was the most powerful live music experience I will ever witness. We all knew it was our last chance to sing with our friend Gord who was at that point diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. He gave it everything with wails of emotion. The crowd's appreciation was deafening. I have never experienced a spontaneous sustained ovation during a song. We were saying goodbye and thank you in real time, cheering Gord on. Check out the video, focusing on 1:30 and then again (even louder and longer) starting at 3:15. Goosebumps all around. th-cam.com/video/63iRMPXqn_s/w-d-xo.html
I was at the London Ontario show and completely agree. The entire stadium was in tears, so power and never to be forgotten. RIP Gord❤
He said, ‘I’M TRAGICALLY HIP! Come on just let’s go!’
I'm not Canadian, but I've been a huge Tragically Hip fan for years. They have such a great catalog of amazing music. Sophisticated music and lyrics in nearly every song. One of the coolest things about their music is the variety. Some killer jams like Poets or Little Bones then some mellow cerebral stuff like this or Bobcaygeon, not to mention the history lessons in lots of their stuff. I'm so glad you dug into this and appreciate it. Great Reaction!
Well said!
You can understand the lyrics? Guy sounds like a dying whale.
Here in Canada, this band is everything!! We love them, when Gord Downie passed, the whole country hurt😢, they are very special to us, and they rock🤟
I don't think Canada has publicly mourned anybody ever like we mourned Gord Downie.
Agreed. I feel that Neil Peart of Rush deserved similar reverence as both a story teller and the premier percussionist of his time. Reading his books and being such a private person, an introvert, it was hard to know the know Neil. He IS Rush. @@AndrewAtkinson1
I looked up to the GORD above and said hey man thanks. The Tragically Hip will never die.
Their last show was nationally broadcasted and many of us got together for a viewing party. We set up a projection screen and blasted the last show, still one of the greatest weekends of my life.
Gord always said that it wasn’t a Tragically Hip song until every band member added something. You can really hear it in this track. 🇨🇦❤️
They also agreed when they began to get popular that every member of the band would have songwriting rights so that Gordon wouldn't skyrocket to fame without the other guys and break up. They knew that would likely happen if they didn't move forward truly democratically. They were together as a band from the early 80s until Gord's death in 2017 and that decision was probably the biggest reason why. They were committed to each other as artists and friends.
Gord is a national treasure who will never be forgotten, so glad you enjoyed Grace, Too. Welcome to the wormhole!!
This Canadian says Thank You for allowing me to re-experience this masterpiece through your first-timer perspective. RIP Gord. Cheers to the Hip. Canadian Icons.
Gord's solo work is incredible as well. Miss him
When they performed this song in their finally concert, even though Gordie couldn't maintain his old ability to sing, the power and performance made me cry. The HIP were there for every part of my life (i'm 49) and was my solace when when my wife got cancer and subsequently passed. POLO, thank you for respecting the song and validating the HIP. 💌
Pretty sure we were all crying. I was swaying in a pub during that moment.
As a canadian from the great white north this is some amazing music for you to check out from our Hip ..New Orleans is sinking, At the hundredth meridian,Boots or hearts….great stuff
Thank you to the view who sent this song in!
❤️🇨🇦❤️🇨🇦❤️🇨🇦
RIP GD
I cannot tell you how much joy I felt watching you discover The Hip. Gord was iconic in concert, he went on rambling lyrical walks through your favourite songs and took you along like a dear friend.
This one is timeless for sure. RIP Gordie.
When you said they give you "that Tool feeling" I nearly wept. The Tragically Hip and Tool are the two bands that have carried me for the last 35 years
yup ❤
This. Tool fans and Hip fans can see the similarities. They are fraternal twins.
Yep
I grew up near Canada, with a lot of Canadian radio and TV, and the Hip have been one of my favorite bands for decades. "Grace, Too" has been my introduction for lots of friends who have fallen in love with the band, and and there's so much other great stuff out there. Word of warning, though: the last performance of this track at their final show, when singer Gord Downie knew he was dying of brain cancer, is a very tough watch. Not because it's not a good performance - it's great - but because it's so unbelievably raw and emotional.
Can never hear this again without feeling that last performance they did at their final show. Gord's soul wrenching screaming at the end. Raging at the dying of the light. The whole country sobbing.
Canadian Gospel right here.
I grew up in Northern Minnesota in the 80's. The Hip were on the local rock radio station out of Fargo, in heavy rotation from the day "Up To Here" came out. Been a fan ever since. You mentioned his "ad libs" in this song, you really need to hear some live recordings of their stuff. Gord had an amazing free style ability with lyrics and nonsense. He really could become a one-man-show at times during the concert. I had the chance to see them live 5-6 times over the years, and they never disappointed the fans. Once got to see them in Spokane, WA, then two nights later on the pier overlooking Peugot Sound in Seattle while the sun set behind them. It was a great way to celebrate our 4th Wedding anniversary!
“Jesus Christ look out it’s a big f:cking bear!”
@@grumpymunchkin2959 HAHA! Yes, thanks for that. Those words come into my head every time I hear the song.
The door is ajar, the jar is a door
I used to go to Canada to party on the weekends in the early '90s. This band was everywhere.
It’s criminal more people don’t know about The Tragically Hip. So many bangers.
Oh the Hip! Timeless, too. This doing came out 1994. I was living in Dublin, Ireland when I heard he'd had cancer. I had spent my childhood listening to them. I legit remember being in the basement taping Courage off Power 92 in Edmonton when I was 13 in 1993.
One of my favorite bands! I was fortunate enough to see The Hip at small venues in Tucson multiple times and they never disappointed. In fact, they’re among the best live bands I’ve ever seen and I’ve been to hundreds of concerts. I got to hang out with them backstage several times and have signed posters and ticket stubs. Please try Locked In the Trunk of a Car, Three Pistols, New Orleans Is Sinking, Poets, Nautical Disaster, Ahead By a Century, 38 Years Old… Geeze I could go on. America didn’t get them for whatever reason but I was a really into them! Their first five albums or so were really great. 🖖🏼
Nice! yeah first listen these guys blew me away
They really are like tool, they don't have any bad songs
@@poloreacts27nautical disaster is absolutely the next song. Thursdays is the hip day from now on lol
Without doubt there are some serious Hip fans in the US, and it's great to see. I think in general there is something very Canadian about them that just didn't appeal to mainstream USA however. Which makes sense.
Up to Here, Road Apples, Fully Completely, Day for Night are all phenomenal albums...RIP Gord
Check out their debut, self-titled album.
Road Apples and Day For Night are my favorite albums.
@@michaelkapty3529 those are my 2 favorites in their phenomenal catalog as well.
Most of us stream, but The Hip have never left our play list. They have such a history up here. Thanks for listening. ❤❤❤❤
Fun fact, The Hip played this as their first song during an appearance on SNL in 1995.
Thanks to Dan Ackroyd for pushing to have them on.
I've never heard of these guys before, I love discovering new music through your channel
Hope you check out their music library. Unreal gems .
Yeah go wind down the pines
And if your looking for some more good rock, check out the Headstones. Funny fact, both singers went to the same high-school and were friends. Singer from the Headstones owes a lot to Gord I'm sure.
Kick back, get some popcorn, this rabbit hole is deep.
This song was never used in a movie - the Tragically Hip is one of the best kept secrets in Rock. Talk to Americans who live on the Canadian border however and they are true fans too.
This is my favourite Hip song! Glad you enjoyed. Takes time to learn to appreciate everything Gord was and was trying to share with us all. 🇨🇦
I think the biggest reason the Hip never broke in the States is how extremely *of* this place they were, no other band I've ever seen made their show feel so huge and intimate in a way that was uniquely Canadian.
Gord's lyrics were a 30 year love letter to the country, he was so passionate about this place and its people. Musically, they're very different, but spiritually the closest comparison of that deep connection between an artist and their community I can think of is Kendrick and Compton. The CBC broadcast their final concert in its entirety, over 3 hours, no commercials, the Prime Minister was in the audience, the country more or less shut down for the evening to say goodbye to our friend. It's been 8 years, and I'm still getting affected thinking about it, seeing them on that tour was a top 5 lifetime highlight.
Gord was a friend, I have seen many Hip shows & he siunds just like this singing live! ❤
This band is the soundtrack to canada. Every road trip, summers at the cottage, camping in the middle of where the hell am I? There was always someone playing this. You'd be at a campground amd youd hear this music drifting through the trees on the wind.
Gord was a wildly beautiful human, our very own poet laureate, that captured what it is to be Canadian through hauntingly beautiful vocals with amazing instrumentals.
If you're going to start anywhere with the hip, its got to be the Yer Favorites album. Top to bottom amazing.
When the Hip broadcast their final concert knowing Gord wasn’t long for this world is when I actually realized that they had been the soundtrack for any rock loving Canadian for the past 1/4 century.
The Hip first popped up in my late teens and was a passenger on my shoulders as I matured, married, raised kids and just navigated through life.
Their presence was subtle at times and right up in my face other times…but they were always there.
Until that final broadcast I never appreciated the fact that it could just ….. end….
Tears were shed across the country.
This is one of the last songs Gord ever sang live. He was screaming it at the end, as if he was truly angry about dying. I get emotional listening to this.
His only fault was supporting Trudeau ;)
@@brianport4730 see, I and a few friends have a theory about that. I don't know that he was so much SUPPORTING Trudeau as he was calling him out. Taking him to task and hoping that by putting him on the spot, maybe he might do his damn job.
The whole country got emotional. You'd have to be dead inside not to. I just wanted to run on stage and hug the man. Thinking of that moment still gets me choked up.
@@RyanDraga I agree with this. I worked in a place where the manager, if he wanted to improve the performance of an employee who was slacking, would make them Employee of the Month and their performance would improve. Gord made Trudeau Employee of the Month.
I have never heard of this band until now. Freaking amazing! Thank you for the reaction and for giving me something new to listen to!
Trust me. You won't be disappointed.
What's incredible is that you've never heard this song in a movie, but it Is about war. And you got that vibe just from hearing the melody. Big up from Canada
The first time I saw them they were unknown. We went to see the other band playing that night. The place was empty. My best friend and I knew we just discovered the band that would change our lives. I cried the entire time during their final concert. Most of Canada was crying. RIP Gord 💔
Grace, too, is one of my favs of theirs.
Also, an underrated band from Canada is 54-40
Curious if you were also watching the accompanying video? To fully experience The Hip, you need the visuals that go along with their incredible music. I was with them from the very beginning they were the soundtrack of my teenage years, and was lucky to see them live numerous times. When Gord was diagnosed with brain cancer, our whole nation cried. But what did they do? THEY WENT ON A CANADIAN WIDE TOUR. ❤🇨🇦 Their show from Kingston was televised, I cried from the first note to the last, it was incredible. When he passed, Canada wept. The Hip will never be forgotten. Please have a listen to some of their older tunes, New Orleans is Sinking, 38 Years Old, Blowing High Dough, and my favorite Wheat Kings which tells a true story about a man wrongfully convicted of murder. Mad love for this band and all that they gave to Canada. So glad you have been introduced to our boys! ❤
Never heard this before, and that is nuts! Thanks for the tune, good stuff Polo!
Late to the party, but as a Canadian; welcome to the family, Polo. If you love the Hip, you can be one of us.
I cry every time I hear this song...
The Hip is a band that makes me proud to be Canadian🥰 (not that I'm not already proud lol) Enjoy this rabbit hole, my friend! 🇨🇦🫂💜
One of the two or three greatest Canadian Bands ever. You need to do a deep dive on them.
Just behind Rush, and the Guess Who.
@@TheRogerBarrett If you're naming the greatest Canadian bands, those are the three.
@@Braktoothand if youre naming who the greatest band to a Canadian is... Its hands down Hip
I’m a 20 year old Buffalo girl. I was raised on The Hip because of my parents. We had tons of my family and basically my whole neighborhood over to stream the last show in our front yard. I’d give anything to have seen them live. The only time me and my little brother were allowed to swear as kids in front of our parents was when we were listening to Fireworks on the way to his hockey games
Never will you meet a Canadian who doesn't worship this band. If you want some real roots Canadian history lesson...50 mission cap and 38 years old tell real stories of tragedy, and their stories are remembered as they should. Ahead by a century is one of my favs. Seen them in concert 5 times....wish I could go back and add more cherished moments/memories ♥️♥️♥️