24 April 2009
Stomping Tom Connors, where have you been all my Life? *Canada Week Post*
In honour of my Canadian ways, I am dedicating the next week or so of posts to all things Canadian! Yes mon amies. I will post all things about what it is to be Canadian and the joys (and sometimes pitfalls) that comes with being a hoser.
I was inspired the other day when I was sitting with mom and there was a Stomping Tom Connors show on (filmed in '73...when it was cool to be Canadian). The above link is the actual movie we watched. Of course, I promptly (and politely) went to the Wee Book Inn to barter for some CD's of Stomping Tom. I am not ashamed of my blatent geekiness. In fact, this might be the first time that the sales guy actually looked to me with that "you are so cool" instead of the usual scorn I get when I buy CD's from hippies. But I digress.
For those who don't know, Stomping Tom Connors is an institution. He is one of those iconic symbols. He is as proud a Canadian. In fact, did you know that he returned all of his Juno (a Canadian equiv. of the AMA award) in protest because he felt the Juno's were honouring to many forign acts. He also is going to be featured on an upcoming stamp. His life story is beyond cool. See this link -> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stompin'_Tom_Connors
His songs are totally funny hokey. He was a comedian singer long before the likes of Dennis Leary and Adam Sandler. In fact, I would say it was because of him that the genre became popular at all. Plus, you have to love the guy that gave us the hockey song, our unofficial third anthem.
He's the kind of guys that just takes random thoughts in his head and turns it into a folk song. Does't matter what the topic (potatos, ketchup, hocky, drunk whores), if it's good enough to ponder, it's good enough to sing.
If fact, check out but some of his songs on You Tube (search Stomping Tom Connors).
So to Stomping Tom Connors, I salute you!
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3 comments:
Hmmm.... Stompin' Tom left home at 15 and spent the next 13 years hitch-hiking across Canada.... which means he accomplished more by age 28 than I have at age 31. He even spent time in a women's penetentiary with his mama!
*Sigh* I'm so boring by comparison.
Maybe this is why the Wee Book Inn hippies still scorn me with their "What are you? Like, 60 or something?" looks whenever I go in there and stock up on old Louis L'Amour classics.
Guess what? I have more to say, lol.
Steve has a few Corb Lund albums (another fine example of Canadian brilliance) (Corb Lund, not Steve the Yank). Ahem, anyway, Corb has a cover of The Hockey Song on one of his CDs, which is super-sweet.
I mean, c'mon. You KNOW you're cool if Corb Lund approves of you.
Speaking of which, check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7lsIbZCJco
It's a wicked-cool live performance of The Hockey Song by Corb Lund, except it's slanted towards his beloved Edmonton Oilers.
Seriously, he even talks about being all bitter and jaded when they lost Ryan Smyth, lol. (And, I ask you, weren't we ALL a little bitter and jaded that day?)
The best part of the video is the extra verse he tacked on at the end. Total classic, and I guarantee you'll love it.
So watch it to the end!
I have to get me to Canada! I'm loving every minute of this and I can't wait for more Canada stuff!
I may actually be going to Montreal in June to do some jetting and see a concert. But is saying going to Montreal like being from Canada and saying you're going to New York City, like it's not the same as the rest of the country? I've always wondered...
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