POEMS — Selection of Songs from The Tragically Hip

In case you missed it, we have a full review of the final show in The Tragically Hip’s Man Machine Poem tour over here.

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“Here, In The Dark” (Album ‘Man Machine Poem’ – 2016)

I have a thought that consoles me, a glow within
A little thought that consoles me, a light, pale, thin
When I’m wild and lonely, in a winter mind and I cannot become
Wild and loyal in a winter mind – what I want to become

Because, I had your love, I took it into my heart
But my life was in my mind and yours was in your arms
And the thought that consoles me is just a star
I am in the dark

I have the dream that you told me, hidden within
Just a dumb little dream that you told me, probably nothing
Where I’m wild and lonely, in a winter mind and slowly I become
Less wild and loyal to the winter mind – what I want to become

I have your love, I take it into my heart
With my life in my mind, and yours in your arms
And the dream that you told me is so safe and warm
Here, in the dark

Wild and lonely, in a winter mind, I cannot become
Wild and loyal to the winter mind – what I want to become

When I had your love and took it into my heart
And life in my mind and yours in your arms
And that thought that consoled me is that you aren’t
Here, in the dark
Here, in the dark
Here, in the dark
Here, in the dark

Ok, here it is, the chaotic first sip of loneliness
The flame that flicks and pretty soon I want more of it
The happiness and its’ restlessness
Me, I’m as happy as my least happy kid…

 

“Wheat Kings” (Album ‘Fully Completely’ – 1992)

Sundown in the Paris of the prairies
Wheat kings have all treasures buried
And all you hear are the rusty breezes
Pushing around the weathervane Jesus

In his Zippo lighter he sees the killer’s face
Maybe it’s someone standing in a killer’s place
Twenty years for nothing, well, that’s nothing new
Besides, no one’s interested in something you didn’t do

Wheat kings and pretty things
Let’s just see what the morning brings

There’s a dream he dreams where the high school’s dead and stark
It’s a museum and we’re all locked up in it after dark
Where the walls are lined all yellow, grey and sinister
Hung with pictures of our parents’ prime ministers

Wheat kings and pretty things
Wait and see what tomorrow brings

Late breaking story on the CBC
A nation whispers, “We always knew that he’d go free”
They add, “You can’t be fond of living in the past
‘Cause if you are then there’s no way that you’re going to last”

Wheat kings and pretty things
Let’s just see what tomorrow brings
Wheat kings and pretty things
Oh that’s what tomorrow brings

 

 

“38 Years Old” (Album ‘Up to Here’ – 1989)

Twelve men broke loose in seventy three
From Millhaven Maximum Security
Twelve pictures lined up across the front page
Seems the Mounties had a summertime war to wage

Well, the chief told the people they had nothing to fear
Said, “The last thing they want to do is hang around here”
They mostly came from towns with long French names
But one of the dozen was a hometown shame

Same pattern on the table, same clock on the wall
Been one seat empty eighteen years in all
Freezing slow time, away from the world
He’s thirty eight years old, never kissed a girl
He’s thirty eight years old, never kissed a girl

We were sitting round the table, heard the telephone ring
Father said he tell them if he saw anything
Heard the tap on my window in the middle of the night
Held back the curtain for my older brother Mike

See my sister got raped so a man got killed
Local boy went to prison, man’s buried on the hill
Folks went back to normal when they closed the case
They still stare at their shoes when they pass our place

My mother cried, “The horror has finally ceased”
He whispered, “Yeah, for the time being at least”
And over her shoulder on the squad car megaphone
Said, “Let’s go, Michael, son, we’re taking you home”

Same pattern on the table, same clock on the wall
Been one seat empty eighteen years in all
Freezing slow time, away from the world
He’s thirty eight years old, never kissed a girl
He’s thirty eight years old, never kissed a girl
He’s thirty eight years old, never kissed a girl

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All songs and lyrics copyright The Tragically Hip, and are used here under the 1974 ‘Fair use’ Copyright law. Rather than posting unofficial YouTube videos, I suggest you check out their official channel. But here’s a link to New Orleans is Sinking from the CBC broadcast to get you started.

Keep ‘em coming – head on back to our New Releases and Greatest Hits – crank ‘em up and let ‘em roll. And if you want to see what we’re talking about in terms of writing, head over this way.