The Tragically Hip — Bobcaygeon
Album: Phantom PowerAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 664
Length: 4:51
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I left your house this morning
About a quarter after nine
Could have been the Willie Nelson
Could have been the wine
When I left your house this morning
It was a little after nine
It was in Bobcaygeon, I saw the constellations
Reveal themselves one star at a time
Drove back to town this morning
With working on my mind
I thought of maybe quitting
I thought of leaving it behind
I went back to bed this morning
And as I'm pulling down the blind
Yeah, the sky was dull, and hypothetical
And falling one cloud at a time
That night in Toronto
With its checkerboard floors
Riding on horseback
And keeping order restored
Till the men they couldn't hang
Stepped to the mic and sang
And their voices rang
With that Aryan twang
I got to your house this morning
Just a little after nine
In the middle of that riot
Couldn't get you off my mind
So I'm at your house this morning
Just a little after nine
'Cause it was in Bobcaygeon, where I saw the constellations
Reveal themselves one star at a time
About a quarter after nine
Could have been the Willie Nelson
Could have been the wine
When I left your house this morning
It was a little after nine
It was in Bobcaygeon, I saw the constellations
Reveal themselves one star at a time
Drove back to town this morning
With working on my mind
I thought of maybe quitting
I thought of leaving it behind
I went back to bed this morning
And as I'm pulling down the blind
Yeah, the sky was dull, and hypothetical
And falling one cloud at a time
That night in Toronto
With its checkerboard floors
Riding on horseback
And keeping order restored
Till the men they couldn't hang
Stepped to the mic and sang
And their voices rang
With that Aryan twang
I got to your house this morning
Just a little after nine
In the middle of that riot
Couldn't get you off my mind
So I'm at your house this morning
Just a little after nine
'Cause it was in Bobcaygeon, where I saw the constellations
Reveal themselves one star at a time
Comments (52)add comment
So Canuck…something about this song stirs the soul for those of us north of 49
rconlon wrote:
Did you ever see the video for "The Darkest One"? With 'the boys' :D
I first heard this song at the end of "Trailer Park Boys The Movie" and had to have it. The movie was somewhat forgettable, but not the song.
Did you ever see the video for "The Darkest One"? With 'the boys' :D
it's one of those songs that you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing the first time you hear it. It's the song that elevated The Tragically Hip - truly unique
Sunday morning breakfast, its a little after nine (9:10) and Bobcaygeon is playing. Thanks Bob this is one of the songs that the kids have picked up on over the years, love The Hip but the don't get a lot of play here in the UK.
A 9 because my good friend lives there. He’s ’Hip fan too. 😎
An interesting read:
How Gord Downie and the Hip wrote the story of my small town:
"You said you didn't give a fuck about hockey / And I never saw someone say that before."
How Gord Downie and the Hip wrote the story of my small town:
"You said you didn't give a fuck about hockey / And I never saw someone say that before."
rconlon wrote:
Wha? How could you forget Bubbles? ;)
I first heard this song at the end of "Trailer Park Boys The Movie" and had to have it. The movie was somewhat forgettable, but not the song.
Wha? How could you forget Bubbles? ;)
canadave wrote:
It's because the song is partially about the Christie Pitts Riot, which occurred in Toronto in 1933.
Link.
It's because the song is partially about the Christie Pitts Riot, which occurred in Toronto in 1933.
Link.
Thank you! Wasn't aware. Makes the song all that more intriguing.
Ontario the "not so good".
DrCyKosis wrote:
...not sure about the cover art, but I fully comprehend this one.
Hmm... that toggle switch looks kinda phallic, come to think of it.
And yes, we're that simple. They don't call it the "dumb stick" for nothing...
...not sure about the cover art, but I fully comprehend this one.
Hmm... that toggle switch looks kinda phallic, come to think of it.
And yes, we're that simple. They don't call it the "dumb stick" for nothing...
Classic Hip. Thanks, Bill. 'Nuff said.
Glen Campbell via the Tragically Hip. Huh.
westslope wrote:
It's because the song is partially about the Christie Pitts Riot, which occurred in Toronto in 1933.
Link.
Working for me on this dark, dreary, wet west coast winter afternoon. Aryan twang, eh? Never did figure that one out.
It's because the song is partially about the Christie Pitts Riot, which occurred in Toronto in 1933.
Link.
I first heard this song at the end of "Trailer Park Boys The Movie" and had to have it. The movie was somewhat forgettable, but not the song.
The_Enemy wrote:
It's an unfortunate thing but the Hip are past their prime as a live act. Probably still good but...
I was lucky enough to see them play a few times in their native Kingston during the 80s when they were playing small bars. Absolutely amazing high energy straight ahead rock.
Gord Downie, the singer, would jump all over the stage. They'd take frequent 5 min intermissions so he could change clothes several times a night because he'd be drenched in sweat like he came out of a pool.
Later on in their career, during concerts the band would go off on weird playing tangents while Downie would rattle off some surreal half-acted stories. You never knew what was going to come out of his mouth but it was always cool.
Then I don't know what happened. I've heard different theories about their trying to change their sound/act to be more commercial and other theories that they just hit that age where the brain releases the chemical that makes young men calm down, stop the rock music and start writing slow ballads.
But they were a moment in time and during that moment they were %$@#$#@ AWESOME!!!
I don't know if I agree with you. The hip have been one of my top 10 bands since Road Apples.
I saw them live two years ago at Sasquatch '06 (at The Gorge in George), and they were in top form. Tight, passionate, accurate without being clinical, and still full of that Hip groove. GD was clever, his moves were polished, and he spent very little time pandering to the audience between songs. I loved them then and I love them now.
GO HIP!!!
It's an unfortunate thing but the Hip are past their prime as a live act. Probably still good but...
I was lucky enough to see them play a few times in their native Kingston during the 80s when they were playing small bars. Absolutely amazing high energy straight ahead rock.
Gord Downie, the singer, would jump all over the stage. They'd take frequent 5 min intermissions so he could change clothes several times a night because he'd be drenched in sweat like he came out of a pool.
Later on in their career, during concerts the band would go off on weird playing tangents while Downie would rattle off some surreal half-acted stories. You never knew what was going to come out of his mouth but it was always cool.
Then I don't know what happened. I've heard different theories about their trying to change their sound/act to be more commercial and other theories that they just hit that age where the brain releases the chemical that makes young men calm down, stop the rock music and start writing slow ballads.
But they were a moment in time and during that moment they were %$@#$#@ AWESOME!!!
I don't know if I agree with you. The hip have been one of my top 10 bands since Road Apples.
I saw them live two years ago at Sasquatch '06 (at The Gorge in George), and they were in top form. Tight, passionate, accurate without being clinical, and still full of that Hip groove. GD was clever, his moves were polished, and he spent very little time pandering to the audience between songs. I loved them then and I love them now.
GO HIP!!!
The_Enemy wrote:
i thought Fully, Completely was the best .. no wait, was it Day for Night? maybe i should invest in Road Apples since i'm obviously a fan :)
glad i got see them live at the 9:30 club in the early 00s... bobby baker can rip it up
Check out the page for their album Road Apples and the song Fiddler's Green
https://www.radioparadise.com/content.php?name=Music&file=songinfo&song_id=37588
This is one of their strongest songs on what is their best album. When they're good, they're stellar.
https://www.radioparadise.com/content.php?name=Music&file=songinfo&song_id=37588
This is one of their strongest songs on what is their best album. When they're good, they're stellar.
i thought Fully, Completely was the best .. no wait, was it Day for Night? maybe i should invest in Road Apples since i'm obviously a fan :)
glad i got see them live at the 9:30 club in the early 00s... bobby baker can rip it up
Check out the page for their album Road Apples and the song Fiddler's Green
https://www.radioparadise.com/content.php?name=Music&file=songinfo&song_id=37588
This is one of their strongest songs on what is their best album. When they're good, they're stellar.
https://www.radioparadise.com/content.php?name=Music&file=songinfo&song_id=37588
This is one of their strongest songs on what is their best album. When they're good, they're stellar.
teapot wrote:
It's an unfortunate thing but the Hip are past their prime as a live act. Probably still good but...
I was lucky enough to see them play a few times in their native Kingston during the 80s when they were playing small bars. Absolutely amazing high energy straight ahead rock.
Gord Downie, the singer, would jump all over the stage. They'd take frequent 5 min intermissions so he could change clothes several times a night because he'd be drenched in sweat like he came out of a pool.
Later on in their career, during concerts the band would go off on weird playing tangents while Downie would rattle off some surreal half-acted stories. You never knew what was going to come out of his mouth but it was always cool.
Then I don't know what happened. I've heard different theories about their trying to change their sound/act to be more commercial and other theories that they just hit that age where the brain releases the chemical that makes young men calm down, stop the rock music and start writing slow ballads.
But they were a moment in time and during that moment they were %$@#$#@ AWESOME!!!
My friend loves this band and has always tried to convince me why they are supposedly great, but I've never understood their appeal. I even went to see them live to get a different perspective. Made no difference to my initial opinion, unfortunately. Proves how subjective everything is.
It's an unfortunate thing but the Hip are past their prime as a live act. Probably still good but...
I was lucky enough to see them play a few times in their native Kingston during the 80s when they were playing small bars. Absolutely amazing high energy straight ahead rock.
Gord Downie, the singer, would jump all over the stage. They'd take frequent 5 min intermissions so he could change clothes several times a night because he'd be drenched in sweat like he came out of a pool.
Later on in their career, during concerts the band would go off on weird playing tangents while Downie would rattle off some surreal half-acted stories. You never knew what was going to come out of his mouth but it was always cool.
Then I don't know what happened. I've heard different theories about their trying to change their sound/act to be more commercial and other theories that they just hit that age where the brain releases the chemical that makes young men calm down, stop the rock music and start writing slow ballads.
But they were a moment in time and during that moment they were %$@#$#@ AWESOME!!!
I've driven through the town of Bobcaygeon several times... every time I wondered where the hell a name like that came from...
OK, so I've looked it up in Wikipedia:
Bobcaygeon was incorporated as village in 1876, and became known as the "Hub of the Kawarthas". Its recorded name bob-ca-je-wan-unk comes either from the Mississauga Ojibwa word baabaagwaajiwanaang "at the very shallow currents", giishkaabikojiwanaang "at the cliffed cascades" or obaabikojiwanaang "at currented rocky narrows", or from the French beau bocage "beautiful hedged farmland". The first lock in the Trent-Severn Waterway was built in Bobcaygeon in 1833.
OK, so I've looked it up in Wikipedia:
Bobcaygeon is a community of approximately 2500 people, nestled along the Trent-Severn Waterway in the City of Kawartha Lakes, east-central Ontario, Canada.
Bobcaygeon was incorporated as village in 1876, and became known as the "Hub of the Kawarthas". Its recorded name bob-ca-je-wan-unk comes either from the Mississauga Ojibwa word baabaagwaajiwanaang "at the very shallow currents", giishkaabikojiwanaang "at the cliffed cascades" or obaabikojiwanaang "at currented rocky narrows", or from the French beau bocage "beautiful hedged farmland". The first lock in the Trent-Severn Waterway was built in Bobcaygeon in 1833.
Just like the music they play during an intermission on public access TV
My friend loves this band and has always tried to convince me why they are supposedly great, but I've never understood their appeal. I even went to see them live to get a different perspective. Made no difference to my initial opinion, unfortunately. Proves how subjective everything is.
westslope wrote:
Aryan twang, eh? Never did figure that one out.
I think it's a cop-out if the video has to explain the lyric, but here you go:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qxGYnZCeTY
It's at about 2:00. Doesn't look as if Gord was much use in the middle of that riot, was he?
DrCyKosis wrote:
...not sure about the cover art, but I fully comprehend this one.
So, does this mean that men are simpleminded and women are full of interesting complexity and nuance? From what I can tell this is a great compliment to women at the expense of men, you smoothie!
Love that album cover!
Working for me on this dark, dreary, wet west coast winter afternoon.
Aryan twang, eh? Never did figure that one out.
my all time favorite hip song (there are so many good ones to choose from but this one gets a 10)...
Any Wevills?
Just love this song!
This is the tune that made me really appreciate TH.
9.
9.I was like 17 before I realized that this wasn't about a guy named Bob Cajun.
DrCyKosis wrote:
...not sure about the cover art, but I fully comprehend this one.
Woman ROTFLOL!!
MojoJojo wrote:
OK, someone has to 'splain the function of this device to me...
...not sure about the cover art, but I fully comprehend this one.
Oh, Ontario the Good. 
Great tune.
Great tune.Shout out to BigA, who is currently stalking these guys in Europe. Check out his page if you're a fan, he's got show photos etc: (click here)
jenakle wrote:
Tragically Meh
I like this song, but I have been struck lately how much of the music we consider "independent" or "alternative" is really just as sentimental and sappy as the Top 40 of my childhood (late 60s - mid 70s). 'Sup with that?
Awesome to hear for a Canadian living abroad...
weird. i live in california, but have actually been to bobcaygeon, ontario, canada a few times, when i spent seven summers in the 1970's working at camp white pine just past nearby halliburton. one summer, ivan reitman and bill murray stopped by and filmed the movie "meatballs" at our camp.
anyway, as i remember, bobcaygeon is famous for its annual "step dancing" festival. step dancing is performed to a local genre of music that is kinda like bluegrass but with a more scottish flavor.
weird. bobcaygeon. i've been there.
This is real good...
A perfect song, sitting in suburban Toronto on Friday afternoon at 5 pm.
If I was lucky enough to have a friend with a cottage in Bobcageon it would probably take me two hours to get there at this point; that "cottage country" traffic gets pretty bad, man.
OK, someone has to 'splain the function of this device to me...
Derecho wrote:
Bobcaygeon, ON CA
It's a spectacular night in Southern Ontario, just down the road from Bobcaygeon.
Damn it's great to be alive --- a sunset, ice cold Canadian beer --- and the Hip just evoke that in this tune.
So what if I'm a bit tilted towards the home team --- this song is a 10.
The imagery. Love it.
'Til The Men They Couldn't Hang, stepped to the mic and sang.... An alternative country band from the UK. Bill do you have any of them? I saw them at the Town Pump in Vancouver years ago (late 80's?). Big in Europe; here,not so much.
This song is so wonderfully nostalgic. 
Tragically Meh
This is beautiful.
Not every Hip song is the piece of genius that some Canadians reflexively think - BUT they have some truly great and beautiful songs and this is one of them.
Hopefully we'll hear a bit more from these guys on RP because they certainly deserve some airplay beyond our borders.
listening to the tragically hip gives me new appreciation for people who say they can't stand listening to the smiths.
Could of been the Willie Nelson, could of been the wine... God, I love this song.
For those who are wondering, Bobcaygeon is rural cottage country north of Toronto (the big smoke) in Ontario and is real purty
MickMan wrote:
I just got tickets for the Hip show at Art Park in Lewiston, NY in June. This will be an outdoor show and I'm hoping they play this and I'm hoping it's a nice clear night so I can gaze at the stars while listening to this one. I can't wait.
The Hip's music has declined in quality since the mid 90s, IMO, but they still put on a kick-ass live show. Have fun! (I do like this song.)
More CanCon - woohoo!
When I listen to this song I just feel myself drifting away, it totally relaxes me, I almost wouldn't classify it as a rock song
I just got tickets for the Hip show at Art Park in Lewiston, NY in June. This will be an outdoor show and I'm hoping they play this and I'm hoping it's a nice clear night so I can gaze at the stars while listening to this one. I can't wait.
Actually, it's 'Toronto The Good' referring to a time in Toronto's past (well in the past) when Toronto had more churches per capita than any place on God's Green Earth. Now they have been mostly repurposed (mostly condos). Cheers!