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Readers recommend: songs from or about Canada Readers recommend: songs from or about Canada
(about 14 hours later)
O Canada! Land of the beaver, the goose, bear and moose, the maple, caribou, mountie and loon. Such a landscape of vast space – the second biggest of any nation in the world, behind Russia, but larger than China and the US, and with the world’s biggest volume of fresh water in a whopping, lapping 31,700 lakes. As Canadian singer-songwriter Paul Anka (who, incidentally wrote for Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones and Michael Jackson) put it, it’s a country “that has a gentler, slower pace - it lends perspective”. This, and all those lakes, is something to musically reflect on in time for this coming Canada Day on 1 July.O Canada! Land of the beaver, the goose, bear and moose, the maple, caribou, mountie and loon. Such a landscape of vast space – the second biggest of any nation in the world, behind Russia, but larger than China and the US, and with the world’s biggest volume of fresh water in a whopping, lapping 31,700 lakes. As Canadian singer-songwriter Paul Anka (who, incidentally wrote for Frank Sinatra, Tom Jones and Michael Jackson) put it, it’s a country “that has a gentler, slower pace - it lends perspective”. This, and all those lakes, is something to musically reflect on in time for this coming Canada Day on 1 July.
I visited the land of the maple leaf when I was 12 to see an auntie, uncle and cousins. I was gobsmacked at the scale of things – we took a very slow train from Edmonton in Alberta, going west, and visited Banff National Park, spotted a moose, crossed part of the Athabaska glacier on a snowcat then drank, trickling from its gentle melt, some of the purest water in the world. For two days the train, with a curved glass viewing dome, trundled across vast plains, ending up in Vancouver, where, in Stanley Park, I was amazed to spot and throw nuts to squirrels the size of cats, and all of them entirely black.I visited the land of the maple leaf when I was 12 to see an auntie, uncle and cousins. I was gobsmacked at the scale of things – we took a very slow train from Edmonton in Alberta, going west, and visited Banff National Park, spotted a moose, crossed part of the Athabaska glacier on a snowcat then drank, trickling from its gentle melt, some of the purest water in the world. For two days the train, with a curved glass viewing dome, trundled across vast plains, ending up in Vancouver, where, in Stanley Park, I was amazed to spot and throw nuts to squirrels the size of cats, and all of them entirely black.
Think of Canadian music and you’ll probably recall songs by Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Alanis Morissette, Arcade Fire, KD Lang or Shania Twain, or if you’re not so lucky, Celine Dion. Or if you just read the tabloids, Justin Bieber. But simply naming songs by Canadians won’t cut the mustard, or indeed the Montreal smoked meat, nor will it put out the poutine, or sweeten the selection process like maple syrup might. Major Canadian artists will only be worth mentioning if their songs are about Canada, its cities, people, or some aspect of Canadian life. But this topic does include other lesser known artists who may not mention Canada, but in some way represent the culture of the country.Think of Canadian music and you’ll probably recall songs by Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Alanis Morissette, Arcade Fire, KD Lang or Shania Twain, or if you’re not so lucky, Celine Dion. Or if you just read the tabloids, Justin Bieber. But simply naming songs by Canadians won’t cut the mustard, or indeed the Montreal smoked meat, nor will it put out the poutine, or sweeten the selection process like maple syrup might. Major Canadian artists will only be worth mentioning if their songs are about Canada, its cities, people, or some aspect of Canadian life. But this topic does include other lesser known artists who may not mention Canada, but in some way represent the culture of the country.
Canada has a strong history of jazz from Oscar Peterson to Diana Krall. Much of the music draws on the country’s bilingual heritage. You might choose to draw, for example, from the rich influences of the lively Quebec scene, perhaps from satirical singer Madame Bolduc, other French inspirations from Brittany and Picardy, the rock and metal of the Stills or Godspeed You! Black Emperor, the hip-hip of Loco Locasse and more, the Inuit influence, the Celtic folk influx from Scotland and Ireland, not to mention the Aboriginal sounds and stories from the Inuit, Métis, Iroquois, Mi’kmaq, Huron, and Haida. Now have a taste of some pretty astonishing Inuit throat singing.Canada has a strong history of jazz from Oscar Peterson to Diana Krall. Much of the music draws on the country’s bilingual heritage. You might choose to draw, for example, from the rich influences of the lively Quebec scene, perhaps from satirical singer Madame Bolduc, other French inspirations from Brittany and Picardy, the rock and metal of the Stills or Godspeed You! Black Emperor, the hip-hip of Loco Locasse and more, the Inuit influence, the Celtic folk influx from Scotland and Ireland, not to mention the Aboriginal sounds and stories from the Inuit, Métis, Iroquois, Mi’kmaq, Huron, and Haida. Now have a taste of some pretty astonishing Inuit throat singing.
What does Canada mean to you? Like many countries it has a harsh history of invasion and colonialism. But it has always struck me as a down-to-earth and welcoming place, laid back in its rich multiculturalism, and proud to contrast, in some ways, to its brasher, flashier neighbour to the south. But while a majority of Canada’s population live in the southern areas, within reach of the borders of the US for commercial reasons, perhaps your song choices may include something that tells how it differs from America, and how this has shaped its identity. Canada, for example, has a national healthcare service, not unlike Britain’s NHS. As the writer Douglas Coupland put it: “In Canada, we’re happy to provide a safe haven for next-door neighbours in the middle of a marital dispute. And if anyone trips while crossing the border, we’re happy to set their broken bones for free.”What does Canada mean to you? Like many countries it has a harsh history of invasion and colonialism. But it has always struck me as a down-to-earth and welcoming place, laid back in its rich multiculturalism, and proud to contrast, in some ways, to its brasher, flashier neighbour to the south. But while a majority of Canada’s population live in the southern areas, within reach of the borders of the US for commercial reasons, perhaps your song choices may include something that tells how it differs from America, and how this has shaped its identity. Canada, for example, has a national healthcare service, not unlike Britain’s NHS. As the writer Douglas Coupland put it: “In Canada, we’re happy to provide a safe haven for next-door neighbours in the middle of a marital dispute. And if anyone trips while crossing the border, we’re happy to set their broken bones for free.”
Alternatively your song suggestions might touch on wonders of nature as well as the effects of climate change causing extreme temperatures, including the last year’s extraordinary freeze of Ontario’s Niagara falls. Alternatively your songs might hit on bruising ice hockey falls, a sport that’s a national obsession. Canada is also a big exporter of comedians and comic actors from Mike Myers to John Candy, Rick Moranis to Leslie Neilsen, so your songs might be heavily humorous. So where might your choices come from? Can we (the) Guess Who? There’s a huge list of multifarious artists, from Barenaked Ladies to Bedouin Soundclash, Cœur de Pirate to Crystal Castles, Fucked Up to Hooded Fang, Ladyhawk to Men Without Hats Nickelback to the Slugs, or Trooper to Yukon Blonde.Alternatively your song suggestions might touch on wonders of nature as well as the effects of climate change causing extreme temperatures, including the last year’s extraordinary freeze of Ontario’s Niagara falls. Alternatively your songs might hit on bruising ice hockey falls, a sport that’s a national obsession. Canada is also a big exporter of comedians and comic actors from Mike Myers to John Candy, Rick Moranis to Leslie Neilsen, so your songs might be heavily humorous. So where might your choices come from? Can we (the) Guess Who? There’s a huge list of multifarious artists, from Barenaked Ladies to Bedouin Soundclash, Cœur de Pirate to Crystal Castles, Fucked Up to Hooded Fang, Ladyhawk to Men Without Hats Nickelback to the Slugs, or Trooper to Yukon Blonde.
So then, this week’s topic may be as much about discovery as prior knowledge, so get beavering, dig deep and come up with some Canadian treasure, whether that be inspired by the busy cities, the quiet towns or the huge, beautiful countryside. There can be no finer Canadian connoisseur than this week’s music guru - returning lord of the RR vaults, Marconius – who will as ever, will judge your nominations with faultless grace, thoroughness, and efficiency. Put in your nominations by last orders (11pm BST) on Monday 29 June for the results list published next Thursday 2 July. So then, this week’s topic may be as much about discovery as prior knowledge, so get beavering, dig deep and come up with some Canadian treasure, whether that be inspired by the busy cities, the quiet towns or the huge, beautiful countryside. There can be no finer Canadian connoisseur than this week’s music guru - returning lord of the RR vaults, Marconius – who will as ever, will judge your nominations with faultless grace, thoroughness, and efficiency. Put in your nominations in comments below or optionally in the Spotify list by last orders (11pm BST) on Monday 29 June for the results list published next Thursday 2 July.
To increase the likelihood of your nomination being considered, please:To increase the likelihood of your nomination being considered, please:
• Tell us why it’s a worthy contender.• Quote lyrics if helpful, but for copyright reasons no more than a third of a song’s words.• Provide a link to the song. We prefer Muzu or YouTube, but Spotify or SoundCloud are fine.• Listen to others people’s suggestions and add yours to a collaborative Spotify playlist.• If you have a good theme for Readers recommend, or if you’d like to volunteer to compile a playlist, please email peter.kimpton@theguardian.com• There’s a wealth of data on RR, including the songs that are “zedded”, at the Marconium. It also tells you the meaning of “zedded”, “donds” and other strange words used by RR regulars.• Many RR regulars also congregate at the ‘Spill blog.• Tell us why it’s a worthy contender.• Quote lyrics if helpful, but for copyright reasons no more than a third of a song’s words.• Provide a link to the song. We prefer Muzu or YouTube, but Spotify or SoundCloud are fine.• Listen to others people’s suggestions and add yours to a collaborative Spotify playlist.• If you have a good theme for Readers recommend, or if you’d like to volunteer to compile a playlist, please email peter.kimpton@theguardian.com• There’s a wealth of data on RR, including the songs that are “zedded”, at the Marconium. It also tells you the meaning of “zedded”, “donds” and other strange words used by RR regulars.• Many RR regulars also congregate at the ‘Spill blog.