Gord Downie wrote songs about the 100th meridian, “where the great plains begin,” about the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Group of Seven. He wrote about the FLQ’s kidnapping of Pierre Laporte and the wrongful conviction of David Milgaard. He borrowed lines from the renowned Montreal novelist Hugh MacLennan and described with poetic power Canada’s otherworldly landscapes and the isolation of inhabiting them. For more than 30 years, the Hip were among Canada’s most popular acts, amassing 11 top 10 Canadian singles and selling more than six million albums domestically. Roughly one Canadian in 30 owns a Tragically Hip album.

Source: thestar October 18, 2017 20:48 UTC