Fireworks is one of the greatest Canadian love songs ever made:
"If there's a goal that everyone remembers, it was back in ol' '72;
We all squeezed the stick and we all pulled the trigger, and all I remember is sitting beside you;
You said you didn't give a fuck about hockey, and I never saw someone say that before;
You held my hand and we walked home the long way, you were loosening my grip on Bobby Orr"
As the title of the first song on the album alludes, Gord was a poet! There is no other singer who could put words together in quite the same way and be able to paint such vivid pictures with his words.
Bobcaygeon, Poets, and Fireworks both recieved a lot of airplay in Canada, but an under-appreciated song on this album, and one of my favourites, is Emperor Penguin. I love how the song builds and builds as it goes on.
As the OP stated in his review, The Hip and Gord Downie himself were household names in Canada. My cousin was who first introduced them to me. I was from a rural town and he was from a bigger city. His musical tastes helped shape mine, as all I was exposed to in my town was country music (which I still hate). First album I ever heard was In Between Evolution, and it was love at first listen. The Hip have been a huge staple of my life ever since. I actually submitted their album Up to Here as my recommendation for the post-list. I've learned that there are 3 Hip albums featured here, and am glad to see them get the attention they deserve on a list like this. Much love to the OP, and the Hip for helping develop my musical tastes into what it is today!
Favorite songs: Bobcaygeon, Fireworks, Poets, Vapour Trails, Emperor Penguin, Escape is at Hand for the Travellin' Man, The Rules, Something On
Least favorite songs: if forced to pick, Chagrin Falls
5/5
