The Tragically Hip's Bobcaygeon, the song that won them the Juno Award for Single of the Year in 2000, is their most successful single from their seventh studio album, Phantom Power. The title was taken from the name of an obscure town in Ontario.
The song was written by Gordon Downie, the band's lead vocalist and lyricist. Downie, who is a poet in his own right, crafted the song in a way that leaves it open to individual interpretations. The lyrics and the official music video have helped to stir up many an argument regarding the "true meaning" of the song.
For some, choosing Bobcaygeon to be mentioned in the song is just a matter of personal choice for the songwriter who needed a three-syllable name of a town in the lyrics, and who has a history of mentioning specific Canadiana in his songs. However, for others it is significant. It has been said that the song is about a real police officer who lives in Bobcaygeon with a native girl.
Another controversial part is the mentioning of Willie Nelson. Willie Nelson is, of course, a folk and country singer with famous hits like "On the Road Again." It may be interpreted that listening to Willie Nelson's songs has the same effect as the wine, but some believe that Willie Nelson is actually a slang term for marijuana.
The lines that follow are even more thought-provoking which is intensified by the music video. Toronto became the setting of the next events as depicted in the video. The "checkerboard floors" may be in reference to Horseshoe Tavern where The Hip had played in their early days in Toronto. During the 1980's, a band called "The Men They Couldn't Hang" also played in the same area.
Then there is the "Aryan twang." Some believe that it is in reference to fascists in Canada who started some riots in Toronto over a period of time from 1933 to 1993. This belief may have been supported by the music video which depicted violence and the acoustic guitar clearly inscribed with the phrase "This Machine Kills Fascists", shown towards the end of the video.
Neither the band nor Gordon Downie claim to be anti-fascists, but this song serves well as a statement against social violence. The Hip are experts at writing songs that say something significant but that are not so specific as to rob the listener of their own interpretation.
The Tragically Hip's Bobcaygeon is one of their most successful songs because it seems to encapsulate everything we love about them.
If you like The Hip then you might also check out Evan Clarke. You can hear The Hip's influence in his own brand of Canadian rock.
Click Here to download a copy of his latest single for free.
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