Today, July 1, is Canada Day, a celebration of all things Canadian. For those who need to brush up on their history, it was on this day in 1867 that saw the enactment of the British North America Act, which united the three British colonies of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the Province of Canada (future Ontario and Quebec) into one unified Confederation. Canada Day was known as Dominion Day until 1982, the year that Canada officially gained full independence from the United Kingdom.
Of course, it all comes back to the music. And over the years, Canada has played an integral part in the development of the North American music scene. Whether it’s classic names like Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Rush and Leonard Cohen; long-lived indie stalwarts like The New Pornographers, Sloan, Arcade Fire, and Broken Social Scene; or newer acts like The Handsome Furs, Dan Mangan, and Hollerado; Canadian music is a huge part of what we love. So huge that KEXP feels that a tribute is in order. So, between 10 AM and 2 PM today, Midday Show host Cheryl Waters will have the distinct honor to spin only Canadian music. Below, we’ve got a collection of videos that will either whet your appetite or give you a glimpse into what you missed. Either way, it’s Canada Day, so let’s celebrate! And let us know who your favorite Canadian bands are.
Leonard Cohen - “Dance Me to the End of Love”
Arcade Fire - “Rebellion (Lies)”
Neil Young - “Heart of Gold (Unplugged)”
Dan Mangan - “Sold”
Joni Mitchell - “My Old Man”
Metric - “Gimme Sympathy”
The New Pornographers - “The Laws Have Changed”
Tegan and Sara - “Back in Your Head”
Shad - “Rose Garden”
Broken Social Scene - “Texico Bitches”
Fucked Up - “Queen Of Hearts”
Hollerado - “Got To Lose”
The Unicorns - “Jellybones”
The Wilderness of Manitoba - ‘Evening”
Owen Pallett - “Lewis Takes Off His Shirt”
Elliott Brood - “Write It All Down For You (Live at the Mural)”
Rush- “Tom Sawyer” (with South Park intro)
Malajube - “Synesthésie”
Bon Iver - “Calgary” [okay, so he's not Canadian, but the song's called "Calgary"!]
Bahamas - “Hockey Teeth”