Worthwhile Canadian Music

The Canadian folk and folk-rock duo Ian & Sylvia began performing together in New York in 1961. They married in 1964 and broke up -- musically and maritally -- in 1975 (with at least one later reunion concert). Their most famous song, written by Ian, was "Four Strong Winds," which has been covered many times. In 2005, CBC listeners vote "Four Strong Winds" the greatest Canadian song of all time. 

Sylvia also wrote the much-covered song, "You Were on My Mind." 

Ian's cowboy hat was not an affectation. He had actually been a rodeo rider in British Columbia before he took up music. Sylvia was from Chatham, Ontario.  

[For those who did not get the reference in the post's title -- intended absolutely ironically, I assure you -- see here.]

I've always loved the line "guess I'll go out to Alberta" because my grandparents lived there in the early 1960s, long before the oil boom and the development of Calgary as the "Dallas of Canada." (Neil Young was from Winnipeg, where my grandparents also lived for most of their years in Canada.)

 

Another great Canadian songwriter:

Ian & Sylvia were on the famous Festival Train that was chartered to take leading performers -- including the Grateful Dead, the Flying Burrito Brothers, and Janis Joplin -- from Toronto to Winnipeg to Calgary in 1970. As seen in the British documentary "Festival Express," they were among the few who stayed sober during the trip. This is what they looked like in those days:

 

 

Comments

[Cory]

What? No Guy Lombardo??

[anon]

Mitch and Mickey.

[Steve L.]

Thanks, Cory. I will probably do a "Best of Canada" post toward the end of the year: Robert Goulet, Guess Who, Joni Mitchell, The Band, Leonard Cohen, Oscar Brand, Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Elwood Blues.

[Bob Borkowski]

Ian & Sylvia: Some of my favs

Someday Soon
https://youtu.be/903ps4-lu7Q?si=BkspZWXpX2Oss-wV

Spanish is a Loving Tongue
https://youtu.be/5fDeMh6FBwE?si=RgFr1Vlt2ibseY7e

Un Canadien errant
https://youtu.be/LDPq4EYQFos?si=LaeV8HOyIFwPllHj

The Renegade
https://youtu.be/7BiazditUyU?si=fVxZBPC53W1IoZqZ

Ian rode off into the sunset in 2022

Gordon Lightfoot: Some of my favorites

Summer Side of Life (captures perfectly the feelings before shipping out for ‘Nam)
https://youtu.be/fiMJk7trF00?si=ftUnQy2jNy2lmqpT

Summertime Dream
https://youtu.be/aBq2StnOFAA?si=TeF4tCWHgLLjsWKs

Christian Island
https://youtu.be/Zjd9rKZ9Crk?si=7ytRBYMznbTk6wXs

Second Cup of Coffee
https://youtu.be/mCu2BClWs3E?si=iGTtoZTm-ovUgUb3

Looking at the Rain
https://youtu.be/SZ2BNxQcv7A?si=nmdrsR8w661xTAHa

Patriot’s Dream
https://youtu.be/jsaJYxzTdTA?si=DqMiznibqR0kdyoG

Did She mention My Name?
https://youtu.be/VfPZUKHYEh8?si=bstM7OrYw9HkY-kG

Ordinary Man
https://youtu.be/JfqLA6zbDIE?si=eNu9m1o23vNRRglO

and for you Steve:

Alberta Bound
https://youtu.be/gV1rtBnCeiw?si=n_n6yz_eBVXyCvf4

Gord joined Ian in 2003

[Ian Holloway]

Not surprisingly, Steve, I love this post! And I’ll wait with bated breath for the “Best of Canada” entry. But consider including the Guess Who (Shakin’ All Over, American Woman, etc), Rush (not my favourites, but they were big!), BTO and April Wine (if you’re a Baby Boomer from the Maritimes, you know). So thank you, from the Great White North!)

ps: Calgarians think of us being more like Houston than Dallas ;-)

[Owsley Stanley]

Neil Young
Old Man
https://youtu.be/OuVIJlSDOs0?si=glNfYHB4D1TItBCV

Southern Man
https://youtu.be/3Gt5Qh_pLTw?si=E4g-YJfb-i-LSjwV

Down By the River
https://youtu.be/WxDQ3j0IGKg?si=0p5Hh4ZkH0ZlxCYZ

After the Gold Rush Neil & covers
https://youtu.be/NOMaqe0LOmo?si=KgpquVDy7WkUeULx

https://youtu.be/8W8rjqSFloQ?si=GaAqOjvvPxJL0Otd

https://youtu.be/ykMzS6ugnPI?si=5MTSzjSZVN7anpWn

Cinnamon Girl
https://youtu.be/1BGi30RVKFU?si=kInfUf-jH5CbbtYT

Heart of Gold
https://youtu.be/WZn9QZykx10?si=S4W4tKJ7DiQ6Vs1S

Long May You Run
https://youtu.be/nszR0tfp4Es?si=1wEzr_UWR6TtTTrq

Helpless
https://youtu.be/J2z7LXpAX3Q?si=TgAgZbTQwtzglgWv

Hey Hey, My My
https://youtu.be/LQ123T3zD2k?si=9kgcZZCP4GcVhzO-

Some Cowboy Junkies

Angel Mine
https://youtu.be/X-2aNnij82U?si=wvlN7WZz4e238PrL

Lonely Sinking Feeling
https://youtu.be/e-ls5fFx9GM?si=L_0CyZMZcoOxuhLK

Misguided Angel
https://youtu.be/hFApH_DGDnw?si=b00l_AiPRi5akBPO

Common Disaster
https://youtu.be/p-hJytVh-X4?si=qYJWKnjWdAoSk9Ti