The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge - Your Turn -- Your Favourite Canadian Song (2)

Episode Date: June 20, 2024

We debuted this question last week asking you to name your favourite Canadian song. There were so many responses we have spread it into this week as well. And we will conclude by telling you the most nominated songs and artists.  Also, the Random Ranter drops by with a very personal rant.

And hello there, Peter Mansbridge here. You are just moments away from the latest episode of The Bridge. It's Thursday, it's your turn. It's part two of your favorite Canadian song coming right up. And hello there, Peter Mansbridge here. Thursday, the last Thursday before the summer break, the last Your Turn before the summer break. And it's part two, we started last week, part two of your favorite Canadian, well, artists, your favorite Canadian song.

They all fall under this category. And it was quite fascinating to listen last week because we had lots of them. Lots of them. And there are lots more this week. And at the end of the program today, we'll tell you which artists and which song accumulated the most votes from you. We'll also have the random renter today

in what is his last comment before the summer break. And it's a very personal one. For those of you who may recall about a month or so ago, he talked about the difficulties he was having with his aging father. And his father wasn't well. And there's a natural conclusion to this story, and it comes with his rant today.

Okay. Let's deal with your comments about music and about artists and about your favorite song. A reminder that we're reading only one letter for any one particular song, even though it may have been chosen by several other writers as well. So any song mentioned last week won't be mentioned again today. That's not the case with artists, though. Some artists, because of different songs, are mentioned a number of times. So let's get at it. And let's start from the north.

Joseph Murdoch Flowers in Ikelebi Nunavut. This is a common refrain. It's hard to pick one, but I must. And if I must, Jolie Louise by Daniel Lanois from his album Acadie. Lanois sings in French and English, and the story paints a full picture of a family breakup with the mom and kids moving to La Ville de Toronto

while the dad stays behind east of Gatineau. David Hutchings in Merrigamish, Nova Scotia. That's in Pictou County. I'd have to say my favorite Canadian song is Subdivisions by the great Canadian band Rush. Subdivisions was released during my 8th grade year, which can be a cruel time for a young adolescent male. Between trying to figure out where you fit in

while battling raging hormones, I found comfort in the line, conform or be cast out. The brilliance of the late, great Neil Peart. Nancy Abba in Toronto. I would like to nominate Space Oddity by Chris Hatfield. First of all, I love the song by David Bowie, but for me, the version by Chris Hatfield is beyond special.

The fact that he recorded it from the International Space Station along with the outstanding job he did bringing life in space and on the ISS to so many people around the world makes this a winner in my books. Chris is an amazing guy. You know, he's become a good friend. And he really is quite remarkable. Denny Moore in Wellington County, Ontario.

One of my favorite songs comes from the incredible body of work of the beloved Gordon Lightfoot and it's the summer side of life. This is a song about young men in the prime of their lives being sent off to war, leaving loved ones behind, only for some to come back forever changed by their harrowing experiences. I think this is fitting as we just cross through the shadow of D-Day and 80 years since the end of World War II. Well, it's not quite 80 years since the end of World War II, but that'll be next year. But it is 80 years since D-Day, lest we forget. Beverly Coburn in Toronto.

It's not perfectly clear in her email, but she may be in Thailand right now. My favorite Canadian song is A Case of You, the Blue Album, 1971, by the great Joni Mitchell. If you want me, I'll be in the bar. This is a lyric in the song. It could be Thailand as well. Conrad Padilla, or Padilla, in Winnipeg. My favorite Canadian song, Leaving the Table,

is on Leonard Cohen's album, You Want It Darker, released 17 days before his death in 2016. It's a beautiful song, very tastefully arranged, musically, simply written, but full of depth. It can be interpreted to be a song about the graceful acceptance of the inevitability of mortality and the impermanence of everything. Like the rest of the songs on You Want It Darker. It is meditative and poetic. It is a meditative and poetic ballad. Spencer Stinson in Blenheim, Ontario. I'll go for a threefer.

Canadian singers, writers, and what the song is about. Spirit of the Radio by Rush is actually about 102.1 FM in Toronto. Wikipedia says, The Canadian band Rush was unable to obtain airplay on many radio stations other than CFNY early in their career. And in 1979, they wrote the song The Spirit of Radio about the station. Gary Gould in Brantford, Ontario. The best Canadian song, in my opinion, is A Head a century by the hip. In 2017, the BBC declared the Tragically Hip the most Canadian band in the world.

Well, I mean, if the BBC says it, it must be true. It's true enough. The band was pretty Canadian too. I know one of the band members was American, but they're very Canadian. One of them is buried in the cemetery in Churchill, in the hometown. Tiny little marker. You've got to search hard for it. In the hometown. Tiny little marker. Got to search hard for it.

Jeff Ware in Toronto, Ontario. It's obviously extremely difficult to pick favorites because there's so many to choose from. So I'll pick my current favorite from my summer playlist. Belinda Says by Al Always, pronounced always. Okay. They've been around for years, and their lyrics and musicianship are impeccable, and the song was nominated for a Grammy. The song is inspired by the singer's memories of growing up on the East Coast.

The band is really hitting their stride, and I think they deserve a shout-out. Well, Jeff, you just gave them one. Gus Livingston in Dunville, Ontario. The best Canadian song of all time is Bob and Doug McKenzie's Take Off. Why, you say? Well, if I have to give you a reason, then you better just take off. Scott Judd in Shawville, Quebec.

That's in the Oudoué, Western Quebec. My favorite song falls from the pen of my fellow songwriter, David Franci. He calls Elfin, Ontario home. To pick one favorite song is nearly impossible. He sings about farmers' lost loves, red-winged blackbirds, and the beauty of small-town skating rinks, the latter being the theme song for the CBC Hockey Day in Canada show,

of this and so many other Canadian moments and places in life. The Ballad of Bowser McRae has to be one of my favourites. The song of the life and hardships of a Cape Breton-born Great Lakes ship's captain and the love for his family. David wrote it after meeting the man on Bowser's own ship. Keith Good in Elmsdale, Nova Scotia. All right, this is a tough choice, but I'm going to settle on Sonny's Dream by Ron Hines.

The imagery and emotion that I see and feel when I listen to this song is just amazing. I can picture the farm, Sonny's appearance, his dad's ship, his mom's challenges. Plus, Ron Hines was such a humble, typically Canadian artist. May have not been a chart-topping hit, but a great story put to song. Jamie Rothenberger from Calgary, Alberta, originally from Saskatchewan. My choice is The Last Saskatchewan Pirate. The group's called The Arrogant Worms. My two and four-year-olds have moved on from dinosaurs to their pirate phase.

I introduced them to The Last Saskatchewan Pirate, and it quickly became a favorite. The baby likes to bob along too. This song always brings fond memories of my time in Saskatoon as a university student, where it was a staple on any night out. Even though I'm raising these kids in Calgary, it is important they are familiar with this critical piece of Saskatchewanian culture. You know, I've told you before, I think I just mentioned a lot a week ago, I lived in Saskatchewan for a year, 75 into 76.

It was a short time. I'd been in Winnipeg and I joined the national as the correspondent in Saskatchewan. But that year still has like an incredible impact on me. You know, I made a lot of friends in Saskatchewan. I had some great times, some great stories that I covered. I got a chance to go to China as a result of my time in Saskatchewan. The premier was Alan Blakeney. He was trying to sell potash and he took a trade mission to China at a very difficult

time. We didn't realize how difficult it was. Mao Zedong was still alive but he was not in good shape. But we were in China for two or three weeks, and they kind of put us off. There were supposed to be big meetings, trade meetings. They didn't happen, or they happened at a very low level. But we got to travel around China.

Instead, they said, you know, we're going to have those meetings, but first we want you to see China. And we traveled around on an old steam train, steam engine train, and it was fantastic. It was quite something. A very different China than the China today. So I remember my Saskatchewan times with a great deal of admiration and fun. And, of course, Saskatchewan Rough Riders were my football team growing up as a young guy, Ronnie Lancaster, the quarterback.

So I got to watch them play at home in Taylor Field. Those were good days. All right, Janice Goodfellow, Montreal. Janice nominated two songs, which was a no-no, but both were by Gordon Lightfoot. So sticking to our rules, we picked one to mention here. So reading from Janice's letter, my choice is Early Morning by our late and great Gordon Lightfoot.

It's actually Early Morning Rain. The clarity of his voice and purity of his words always take my breath away. A national treasure and sorely missed. He is, but the beauty of these artists, these musicians, is their work lives with us forever. You're never more than a click away from listening to Gordon Lightfoot or any of the people mentioned in this program today. So we're pretty lucky on that front.

Simon Farquhar in Bowmanville, Ontario. Where Tom Thompson and the group of seven so timelessly captured the Canadian landscape through visual forms, the tragically hip do so through their music and lyrics. You can reach into the works of the Tragically Hip and pull out any number of songs that tell a moving story of Canada's history, geography, and people.

And so it's hard to land on one favorite Canadian song, but I'll try. And for me, it's Nautical Disaster. Adam Dufour from Bulkley, Natchaco in BC. My favorite Canadian song is highly influenced by where I happen to be in the country. For example, I enjoy listening to Alberta Bound by Gordon Lightfoot while flying home to Calgary. It's a shame we won't be hearing

him in concert anymore. That's true, and he loved doing concerts. He did them in small towns, big cities across the country, and in various parts of the U.S. as well. No, he was pretty special. And for all Canadians, he was pretty special. Carly Tamir Tomair Carla's in Toronto

Her song Corey Hart Sunglasses at Night It reminds me to feel young Says Carla Kevin Fram Forgot to tell us where he's from favorite canadian song for the summer helpless by neil young a classic that evokes the vastness the beauty and the poignant history of our

wonderful country sarah newfeld in Winnipeg. If you're going to make me pick just one, I'd have to say Big Joe Mufferaw by Stompin' Tom Commoners. But really, any song of Stompin' Tom's could be on a top Canadian, top ten list. Mitchell MacDonald in Ottawa. I'd be remiss not to shout out Lighthouse in Little Lorraine by Adam Baldwin. I'm from Cape Breton, and this song is Cape Breton.

Ray Teed in Kitchener, Ontario. I first heard Gordon Lightfoot's Steel Rail Blues at a coffee house in Toronto's Yorkville district in June of 1966. I had just finished writing my last grade 13 exam and a buddy and I decided to catch his show. Five dollars admission not only got us a latte but a seat 10 feet from the stage. Steel Rail Blues captivated me then as it does now when I listen to it at least three or four times a week on my playlist.

Jolene Doucette in Brampton, Ontario. Last Song by Edward Bear was my first live concert. Wow. Mark Johnson in Hearst, Ontario. That's in northern Ontario. It's about nine kilometers west of Kapiskasing. My favorite Canadian song, at least at the time of this writing, is Bird on a Wire by Leonard Cohen.

Just one of my many favorite Canadian artists, and one that I sadly never got to see live. I've just finished pushing my lawnmower around my lawn to keep the grass at bay and exercise my almost 70-year-old bones. And now I'm sitting down with a pint to enjoy the view, which includes not only my newly manicured lawn, the surrounding pine trees we planted 50 years ago, but also the tree swallows that circle overhead and land on the hydro wires overhead. Great visual.

Rob McAllister in Binbrook, Ontario. That's on the Niagara Escarpment, just south of Hamilton. Can't let this opportunity go by without a nod to the late Robbie Robertson. His debut solo, self-titled in 1987, is superb, particularly Somewhere Down the Crazy River. I can add to that. The album Robbie Robertson won the Juno Award for Album of the Year in 1989. And maybe this is a good time

to give some credit to the man the Junos are named for. Pierre Juno, who was chair of the CRTC, oversaw the first Canadian content rules for radio music. Over fierce opposition, the Canadian music industry took off after that. And of course, Juno went on to become president of the CBC. It's about time for our break, but here let me squeeze on one more here. Mary Newcomb

in Cumberland, BC. That's near the east coast of central Vancouver Island. The Log Driver's Waltz by Wade Hemsworth. Mary sent a link for us to the National Film Board animated version of the song. I had a look, and it's very enjoyable. The NFB says it's one of the most requested films in its library. Isn't that something? Okay, we're going to take our first break. I should tell you that we'll be posting all your choices on my website,

thepetermansbridge.com, okay? We did that with your favorite TV shows, Canadian TV shows, your favorite Canadian book. Now your favorite places to go for holidays in Canada. And we'll do the same with these favorite Canadian songs. So if you're ever wondering, what was that song? I remember hearing it on the bridge. Well, there you go.

That was a choice we could have made. We could have actually played some of these songs, but then this show would have been like a month long. But we encourage you to listen to them. Just, you know, Google them. You'll end up with them. Okay, we're going to take a quick break, and we'll be right back after this.

And welcome back. You're listening to The Bridge, the Thursday episode. It's your favorite Canadian song. On this, the last Your Turn, the last Thursday Bridge, before we take our summer break. So I hope you're enjoying it, and I hope in some ways it's getting you ready for the summer. You're listening on Sirius XM, Channel 167, Canada Talks,

or on your favorite podcast platform. We're glad to have you with us. All right, back to some of your choices for best Canadian song. Shannon Bradley Green in Cochrane, Alberta. That's about 20 clicks west of Calgary. How can I pick a favorite Canadian song? There are so many quintessential Canadian performers, Blue Rodeo, Paul Brandt, Céline Dion, Gordon Lightfoot,

Joni Mitchell, Brian Adams, Stompin' Tom, Katie Lang, just to name a very few. So I've had to think very hard to answer your question. What I finally decided upon was Ian Tyson singing Land of Shining Mountains. This BC boy who became an Alberta cowboy has always been able to capture our Canadian spirit with his poetic lyrics. But for this Alberta heart, this pretty much says it all and brings a shiver to my soul.

In the land of the long roads, high lonesome prairies, dreaming of the springtime, first crocus in the snow, coffee in a go cup, he's headed for the oil rigs in the land of shining mountains, big Alberta sky. Catherine Starchick in Oliver, B.C., the south end of the Okanagan. My favorite Canadian song is, let me get this right, Zakuskapoka by Stomping Tom Connors,

because it makes me laugh and dance. Well, Catherine, certainly the lyrics make you laugh. They include, come up and dance, and when you wish, you could eat one. Picklefish, maybe cabbage roll, pierogi, kubica, maybe bowl of borscht and Polka. Man, all of that sounds pretty good.

Mike Berenik in Belleville, Ontario. If I could only pick one song, it would be Acadian Driftwood by the band. Robbie Robertson gives us a Canadian history lesson. Acadian driftwood, gypsy tailwind. They call me home, the land of snow. Canadian cold front moving in. What a way to ride and what a way to go. Rest in peace, Robbie Robertson, Levon Helm, Richard Manuel, and Rick Danko. Garth Hudson is the only member of the original band

still alive. Remember I told you one of them is buried in Stratford? That's Richard Manuel. Aaron Lazar in Toronto. My vote is for Sloan's The Rest of My Life with that inimitable

line. One thing I know about the rest of my life, Sloan's The Rest of My Life with that inimitable line, One thing I know about the rest of my life, I know that I'll be living it in Canada. Kirk Bailey in Calgary. I'd like to add another tragically hip song to the list. 50 Mission Cap tells the tragic

story of a Northern Ontario plane crash that ended the life of Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Bill Borilko. Sheila and I, I'm assuming Sheila's his wife, saw the hit perform this live at the Beacon Theatre in Manhattan. It was a memorable concert moment as 2,000 New Yorkers were on their feet dancing and waving their arms while Gord belted out the song on a stage lit up with huge Maple Leaf logos. I'm forever grateful for Gord's many songs about Canada. P.S. The Leafs have signed a handwritten copy of these lyrics on the wall of their players' lounge.

That's true. Now, some of you may be unfamiliar with the Bill Borilko story. He played for the Leafs for five seasons, won four Stanley Cups. In Game 5 of the 1951 Cup Final, he scored the goal in overtime against the Montreal Canadiens to win the Stanley Cup. He was 24 years old when he was killed in that plane crash that summer. Matt Copps. Not sure where Matt's writing from. Canadian Railroad Trilogy was the song I was going to mention, especially since I started

in the industry, but I had to go back to Five Days in July by Blue Rodeo. My project manager in the tree planting camp I worked for in years would wake us all up with this song every day. It should have gotten old for me, but the entire album kept growing on me. It's likely my favorite of all time now. As an aside, the manager also offered shots, as long as you said Jim Cuddy rocks. Kevin Havdebo in Kinestino, Saskatchewan. That's north-central Saskatchewan, a couple of hours north of Saskatoon. Kevin chooses a song that isn't Canadian,

but he likes the version of it sung by a Canadian as part of a duet. I was summing through my iTunes list on my way home from Fort Mac to Saskatchewan today. A song I'd like to point out is Crying, as sung by Alberta's own K.D. Lang. Anyone who can stand next to the late, great Roy Orbison and belt out Crying and make that classic song better than the original solo version deserves high recognition. John Himers in Brampton, Ontario. My favorite Canadian song is Hymn to Freedom by Oscar Peterson.

It carries a tremendous message and has been heard around the world. Oscar's message was a simple message of freedom to all. Mark Engledon in Barrière, BC, about 80 kilometers north of Kamloops. So many great Canadian artists. I could go with Drake's song. It's the first time Drake's been mentioned. And Drake is one of the biggest selling artists of all time, thanks to the streaming he does.

So many great canadian artists i could go with a drake song but what is more canadian than french canadian i'm sure there are some amazing quebec songs english-speaking canadians never hear i'll vote for michelle pagliaro loving you ain't easy hitch anyitch any ride you want to. Do anything you want to do. Just keep riding your way. Oh, baby, why do I keep a-talking to you? Reminds me of the freewheeling 70s, says Mark. Monique Buckstall in Winnipeg.

Monique's actually voting twice, but she says one vote is her husband's. Yeah, right. Husband's pick, Steppenwolf, Born to be Wild. This is a close call as to whether it's Canadian. Three of the five members of the band are from Canada, so a majority, I guess. And there's no doubt the song is a classic. In 2018, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame selected Born to be Wild as one of the first five. Don't worry, I'm not going to sing anymore.

As one of the first five singles that shaped rock and roll. Monique's pick, 100% Canadian. Rankin family, fare thee well, love. Steve Loudon and Rattlesnake Harbour, Ontario, a few kilometres southeast of Manitoulin Island, which is about an hour east of London. This song is not the best known, but the sentiment in it makes it my nominee for the best Canadian song. It's one that I might not have even heard of were it not for my years living in Cornerbrook, Newfoundland, Labrador. The Anna Sisters wrote,

I Will Sing You Home to deal with the grief of losing a family member. Their haunting performance grabbed my attention the first time I heard it and sticks with me to this day. Stephen Getz in London, Ontario. My favorite Canadian song is Natural Science by Rush. Three of the most talented musicians to ever play their respective instruments with Neil Peart's top-tier writing

that still holds true today. Pete Quinn in Ottawa. Great question this week. As you were reading through the first batch of responses last week, I kept thinking, that's it. That's a great song. So much great Canadian music across genres and over time, which also makes this a terrible question.

I've been paralyzed with indecision. There are a hundred songs I want to nominate. To pick just one, I looked through my iTunes song play history among the top 20 most played songs just after the first half dozen, all Bob Dylan songs, were a half a dozen from two Canadian artists, Tom Cochran and Fiddler's Sons. Fiddler's what now, you say? They're a fantastic folk group, well-known in PEI,

led by cousin Eddie Quinn. They have many great tunes, but the one I like the best is called Flat River Maiden. Give it a listen. Actually, Flat River Maiden was a statue on PEI's south coast, a nude woman who tourists would take pictures with from 1974 until it was destroyed by post-tropical storm Fiona in 2022. Thomas Morton in London.

I'll put forward Manitoba's The Weakerthans, not for their ode to Winnipeg, but their song Tournament of Hearts. This is the ultimate metaphor song about curling, with the protagonist sliding through his days, always throwing hack weight. Love it. Gary Chaffron in Markham, Ontario. Borders Toronto to the north. You know, I used to go back a moment, you know,

and I think of my Manitoba days. It was five years in Manitoba. A lot of it was spent watching some of the best curlers in the world. You know, Doris, or it's Doris. Don Duguid, Boris Melschak, Barry Fry, the Dudar twins.

You know, there were some great curlers back in those days, the 70s, in Manitoba, and they've been replaced by equally amazing curlers in Manitoba these days. Anyway, back to Gary Chaffrin in Markham, Ontario. The submissions thus far have one glaring omission,

and that is Joni Mitchell. Actually, we've had people nominate Joni Mitchell. An extraordinary musician, brilliant guitar player and composer who I first saw at Place des Arts in Montreal in 1969. I've heard dozens of amazing songs. My pick is Free Man in Paris. It speaks for all who have had great but all-consuming careers. I was a free man in Paris.

I felt unfettered and alive. There was no one calling me up for favors and no one's future to decide. I love listening to and playing this song on my guitar. Her version is much better. Darlene Quinn in Ottawa. There are so many songs to choose from. One of my favorites is Alone Again Naturally, sung together by Canadians Diana Krall and Michael Buble.

Their voices are each so lovely and in sync with each other that there are times in this song that you can't distinguish one from the other. Though a sad and haunting song, it's also beautiful and showcases the voices of two amazing Canadian singers. You know, that song was written and originally recorded by Gilbert O'Sullivan, who's Irish, in 1971. Donna Uez in Waterloo. One of my favorite Canadian songs has to be We Rise Again by the Rankin family.

The words have me envisioning Canada's glorious landscapes and gives me hope for tomorrow. Marjorie Danton in London, Ontario. So many favorites, but one song to point out is The River by Joni Mitchell and later by Sarah McLachlan. I don't know which version I like the best. Perfect Canadian Christmas song. Mm-hmm.

Well, there you have them, you know, two weeks of songs. The tally after two weeks, we had 97 different songs nominated. The group mentioned the most often was the Tragically Hip. The top three songs overall, though, were these three. We'll start from the third, work our way to the second, and then the first. So try and guess if you've listened for the last couple of weeks. The third most nominated mentioned song overall was Bob Cajun by The Hip. Number two, got your guesses there, got your finger on the buzzer.

Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen. And the number one most mentioned song, come on, you know. You've got to know. The Canadian Railroad Trilogy, Gordon Lightfoot. And Gordon Lightfoot was the most nominated single artist. And I come back to that in a minute. I've got one last letter. It kind of ties a knot on this program,

but I think we should first hear from the random renter. I gave you a hint as of what he's talking about. It's very poignant. And I'd like to let you hear from him now. Here he is, the Random Ranter's final comment before the summer break this year. Here we go. The other day I got a text from Peter reminding me that this was the last rant before the summer break and asking me if I could keep today's topic on the light side. So of course today I'm choosing to talk about the recent passing of my dad. And look, I'm not making light of it.

I'm not fishing for condolences and there's no reason to worry about me. I'm fine. It wasn't a happy event, but by all means, it was not a sad event either. It was just something very natural and very human and thankfully very peaceful. But as I was going through it, a number of my friends reached out to talk about their experiences. And I thought, why weren't we talking about this before? They weren't calling to offer advice on the ins and outs of dealing with an estate. They were calling to offer advice on the emotional side of things. And honestly, that's what I wasn't entirely prepared for. Now, I lost my mom 10 years ago, so I thought I knew what I'd be dealing with.

But this was different. This was not only losing my dad, it was closing the final chapter on me being a son. And I got to tell you, what an emotional soup that has been. I was sad. I was relieved. I was concerned for my sisters. And I was mad at my dad. And I was all those things all at once. And I still am a little bit. Now, I know they say when you die, your life is supposed to flash before your eyes. But when my dad died, it was my childhood and my relationship with him that flashed before mine. And believe me, it wasn't all a highlight reel. It was the good, the bad, and the ugly. And it affected me. It stirred up a lot of feelings, including a fair bit of anger. But instead of locking that all away or feeling shameful or guilty about it,

I chose to embrace it and really think about all the emotions I was experiencing and why. And you know, the more I've thought about it, the more my anger has melted away into empathy for my dad, for the very humanness of his existence. He was a long way from perfect on many levels, but the same can be said of anyone, including me. So it's hard to throw stones. Life isn't about being perfect. I think it's about doing your best and forgiving the rest. And so that's kind of where I am today. I'm in a forgiving place. And for the few things I'm still angry at my dad about, well, I'll forgive myself for feeling that way and move on. But there is just one thing about the whole experience

that I want to talk about that is very personal, but I think it's important. And that's the words, I love you. I was lucky enough to be at my dad's side as he passed. And the only other person there was my big sister. I can't tell you how much I love my big sister. She's one of the sweetest people you could ever meet. And calling her big, it's funny to me because I'm about a foot and a half taller than her. But as my dad passed, she was standing next to him, holding his hand, telling him she loved him.

And try as I might, I choked on those words. The words I love you were never uttered between my dad and me. For whatever reason, it was a giant no-go in our family. We certainly felt it, but God forbid you ever say it out loud. Now, I've rejected that in my life. I say I love you all the time to my wife, my friends, and since their usual response to me is cringe, I probably say it a little too much to my kids.

I have no problem saying I love you. And even though I think the only ones who really appreciate it are my dogs, I'm okay with that. But that said, my comfort with saying it disintegrated in the moment as my dad was slipping away. Suddenly, I was right back in my childhood, and I struggled with getting the words that I say to everyone else out. In the end, I managed it, and I'm glad I did, but I can't help but look back at that moment and reflect on it. And really, there's a certain screwed up beauty to it. Because when I eventually summoned that first and final I love you, it came from a really deep place. Now, I'm sorry if I triggered anyone with this, but I felt like it was an important thing to share

and would be much more interesting than hearing me expand on all the reasons the Tragically Hip are the most Canadian band ever, and as far as the best song goes, it's gotta be at the 100th Mer Meridian because I'm a Prairie boy. And that is where the great planes begin. It's a beautiful piece. And you know, knowing the rant here, he managed to turn it back into our topic of the day at the end as well.

Our condolences, even though we didn't want them. From the bridge to the renter. And I know from all of you as well. All right, I promise one last letter. On our topic, our main topic. So let me read it. It's pretty special, actually. It comes from Kelly Pratt in Guelph, Ontario.

As many of your listeners indicated, there are too many great Canadian artists and songs to choose from. However, when you read the passage from Gordon Lightfoot's Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, it took me back to a few years ago when we were camping at Pancake Bay on Lake Superior, near the site where the ship sank. Around the campfire one evening, we decided to have a poetry reading, and I chose to read, not sing, this classic. What began as a simple recital of Gordon's beautiful lyrics became for me a very emotional tribute to those lives lost on that terrible night.

Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours? And all that remains is the faces and the names of the wives and the sons and the daughters. We Canadians are so fortunate to have an incredibly deep, rich and diverse well of talented artists. You're right about that, Kelly. You're certainly right about it.

You know, I can remember sitting in Gordon's living room talking about that, the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, and asking him, you know, what was your inspiration about that? Like, why did you write that song? And he said, you know, I was sitting reading the latest edition,

the Canadian edition of Time magazine, and they had a tiny little story on the record, the Edmund Fitzgerald. And I read it over and over again, and I just thought, I got to write a song on this. And that's what he did. And it's a classic. It's a classic that we will live with for all time. So Gordon Lightfoot will always be with us. And so will Gord Downie. And so will the others who've passed. As I said earlier, they're just a click away.

Stan Rogers, Northwest Passage. All right, that's going to do it for today. And that's going to do it for your turns for a couple of months, actually. But we'll be back in the fall. Love hearing from you, always. Tomorrow, our last show before the break, and it is Good Talk. Shantelle Hebert, Bruce Anderson.

They'll be with us tomorrow. So you don't want to miss that. I'm Peter Mansbridge. Thanks so much for listening. We'll talk to you again in less than 24 hours.