I found out this morning via Instagram notification from the Hip's account. We all knew it was coming, but it still hurts a lot.
I actually was kind of sobbing a bit. My 5 year old son came into the room (I introduced him and my daughter to The Hip a couple years ago) and asked me what was wrong. I told him "Gord Downie passed away." He knew Gord was sick, but I don't think he quite understands to the extent or why. I never expanded on it when I told him. Just "Gord is sick and won't be around much longer. Let's enjoy the music." For the past 2 years I've put my kids to sleep with some Hip (Wheat Kings, Bobcaygeon, etc) playing in the background.
Anyway, my son says "it's ok Daddy. We always have his music videos and records (I have all their albums on vinyl) to listen to. He's in heaven now with great Grandma."
I took these videos at the two concerts in Calgary last year. Yes, that's me singing along to some of them.
RIP Gord. You are loved and will be missed.
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My college radio DJ friend in the US wrote this today:
"Truly a bard. Glad I had the chance to see them in the mid 90s in New Haven. Have never seen a higher intensity performer...Springsteen and Peter Garrett have similar live energy but it's a short list!"
PM Trudeau with some very nice words today at a presser, and even some tears. Nice to have a human being as our leader. "We're lesser now as a country without Gord" paraphrasing JT, but so true.
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106.7 Rock in Lethbridge has rebranded themselves "Gord FM" for the day, and are playing nothing but Tragically Hip. I rarely listen to the radio at work, nor do I listen to just one station for long, but I've tuned into "Gord FM". It's great. It's sad. Still, it's therapeutic.
As I type this they played "Firework's", and I noticed that they didn't edit out the F word. Back in the 90s, The Hip was the only band I noticed where swears weren't censored from the songs.
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I have a pretty extensive tshirt collection (50+) and i always wear the next one in line. Today it was the concert shirt from the last tour with Gord's silhouette. Read the news this AM and played my Hip playlist on shuffle - first song up - "Heaven's a Better Place Today"
Man I am completely heartbroken - I'm so glad I made it back to Calgary for one of the last show. Rest easy Gord, Love you!
I have a pretty extensive tshirt collection (50+) and i always wear the next one in line. Today it was the concert shirt from the last tour with Gord's silhouette. Read the news this AM and played my Hip playlist on shuffle - first song up - "Heaven's a Better Place Today"
Man I am completely heartbroken - I'm so glad I made it back to Calgary for one of the last show. Rest easy Gord, Love you!
I'm wearing that shirt to work today.
I woke up, and grabbed my phone and my wife says "Don't look it today". I knew something serious happened. My first thought was, "Great, what did your sister do now?", then she told me. I was just like "Oh, that was quicker than I thought." Then when I got out into the living room and saw my oldest son watching Sportsnet, and that's when it hit me. It hit me because the normal sports central wasn't playing, it was just two guys talking about Gord Downie. A sports network dedicating time to a musician! That's when I got choked up. A guy who didn't have anything to do with what the channel brings to you, but they decided to dedicate time to him, because that is how much of an impact he had on our country.
So, I decided that I'm not going to wear my normal business casual attire. I wore jeans and my HIP Gord silhouette t-shirt. And so my boss walked into the office today, said "Nice shirt. I'm sorry to hear about Gord Downie, I know you are a huge fan." I think my boss aspires to be like Gord Downie.
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PM Trudeau with some very nice words today at a presser, and even some tears. Nice to have a human being as our leader. "We're lesser now as a country without Gord" paraphrasing JT, but so true.
I would say we are not a lesser country today. We are a better country because of Gord, with or without him we won't lose what he has contributed.
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I would say we are not a lesser country today. We are a better country because of Gord, with or without him we won't lose what he has contributed.
I shared the news with an American friend in the office with a propensity for Canadian music. We listed to some Hip and shed a tear together. Gord transcended borders. He was just a great human being.
Do you guys think that when people talk of Gord's love of Canada, that they sort of misunderstand the man a little bit? He might have loved parts of Canada or parts about being Canadian, but I don't really know how nationalistic Gord was. He took this country to task over a lot of things. A lot of the canadiana we celebrate about the Hip, relate to the bad parts of our history. I don't think Gord had an "unadulterated love of Canada". I actually wonder what he would have thought about people waving a Canadian flag at their concerts.
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But living an honest life - for that you need the truth. That's the other thing I learned that day, that the truth, however shocking or uncomfortable, leads to liberation and dignity. -Ricky Gervais
Do you guys think that when people talk of Gord's love of Canada, that they sort of misunderstand the man a little bit? He might have loved parts of Canada or parts about being Canadian, but I don't really know how nationalistic Gord was. He took this country to task over a lot of things. A lot of the canadiana we celebrate about the Hip, relate to the bad parts of our history. I don't think Gord had an "unadulterated love of Canada". I actually wonder what he would have thought about people waving a Canadian flag at their concerts.
I think he found it inspiring, he believed in not only what Canada is but what Canada CAN become when we work together and right the wrongs created in the past and build a stronger nation and community.
He is everything that Canada represents and used his national recognition to bring light to many indignities in our history....he never used the spotlight to focus attention on himself.
RIP Gord, those 2 nights in August 2016 were the most emotionally charged shows I have ever been a part of.
"Heaven is a better place today"
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and the New York Times has a title that is much more fitting:
Quote:
Gord Downie, a Canadian Rock Legend, Sings Goodbye
Have some compassion CBC, so utterly disrespectful and not surprising. Rant over.
Great post getbak thank you for sharing. I love the article.
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"You're worried about the team not having enough heart. I'm worried about the team not having enough brains." HFOil fan, August 12th, 2020. E=NG
I actually prefer the term "died" to "passed away". It's factual, not euphemistic, and leaves no doubt as to what has occurred. I actualled find "passed" to be less respectful. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. I certainly didn't see anything callous or off handed in the CBC news story that would have made it offensive.
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Downie himself said something very similar, about himself, in his interview with Mansbridge about a year ago...
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I’m always amazed these sportscasters and announcers can call the game with McDavid’s **** in their mouths all the time.
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I actually prefer the term "died" to "passed away". It's factual, not euphemistic, and leaves no doubt as to what has occurred. I actualled find "passed" to be less respectful. Different strokes for different folks, I guess. I certainly didn't see anything callous or off handed in the CBC news story that would have made it offensive.
Yeah, when I took broadcast journalism many years ago, our instructor was an old CBC guy and it was made very clear to never use "passed away" or any other euphemism when announcing someone's death. You can get more personal in the story itself, but the CBC headline is pretty much how it should be written.
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Turn up the good, turn down the suck!
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Sitting in the basement wearing my best Hip shirt rewatching the CBC Kingston broadcast and snivelling into Mr. Suave's shoulder. Screen's a little blurry for some reason.
