The Tragically Hip was a legendary Canadian band, and until lead singer Gord Downie’s death from brain cancer in 2017 at age 53, he was one of Canada’s greatest musical storytellers. Like an alt-rock Gordon Lightfoot.
One of their most beloved songs is about David Milgaard, a Saskatoon man who was given a life sentence for a rape and murder he didn’t commit. After 23 years in prison he was exonerated, and eventually the killer was found and convicted.
In Wheat Kings, he immortalizes Milgaard’s story. It’s a gorgeous and memorable song even without context.
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
For millions of Canadians, Gord Downie’s songs with The Hip and as a solo artist were an entry point into Canadian history – Downie even dedicated a whole album to the story of Charlie Wenjack, to draw attention to the past and current mistreatment of Indigenous Canadians by the government.
They even played Saturday Night Live once, and it didn’t go well. The story behind that is a pretty good one in itself.
Fully Completely, MCA, 1992. Available to view here.
A Personal Anthology 