Launch Songs
As mentioned at the end of the last post, during our travels this year, the morning we were driving to our next location, we would find a song that had a connection to where we were going, and added it to a “Launch Songs” playlist. You can find the playlist here on Spotify, and here’s the list of songs and the story behind why each one was selected:
Destination: Bass Lake, ON
Fishin’ in the Dark
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Bass Lake is where my parents’ cottage is, and people fish there all year round; from their boats in the summer, and on the ice in the winter.
Destination: Sudbury, ON
Sudbury Saturday Night
Stompin’ Tom Connors
This was selected, on a Saturday, as drove to Sudbury…. nuf’ said.
Destination: Wawa, ON
Wild Wild Life
Talking Heads
There is a lot of wild life in Wawa, and we were lucky enough to see moose running through the water while we were there.
Destination: Kakabeka Falls (Thunder Bay)
Thunderstruck
ACDC
You have to pick Thunderstruck as the theme song for Thunder Bay.
Destination: Winnipeg, MB
Share the Land
The Guess Who
We were compelled to pick a Guess Who song for Winnipeg because Burton Cummings is from there and in the spirit of reconciliation, this song seemed like the right choice.
Destination: Assessippi Beach, MB (Inglis)
Get Behind The Mule
Tom Waits
This was the song for heading into farming country:
“Got to get behind the mule in the morning and plow.”
Destination: Saskatoon, SK
Cap in Hand
The Proclaimers
This is one of the few songs that we knew that actually has the word Saskatchewan in it:
“I can tell the difference between margarine and butter
I can say "Saskatchewan" without starting to stutter”
Destination: Vegreville, AB
Alberta Bound
Gordon Lightfoot
On this drive we were leaving Saskatchewan and heading into Alberta, just like the song says.
Destination: Jasper, AB
Gettin’ Down on the Mountain
Corb Lund
Given we were in Alberta, with its large oil industry, we chose this Corb Lund song, which talks about both oil and mountains:
“When the oil stops, everything stops, nothing left in the fountain…..
…..I’ll be gettin’ down the mountain”
Destination: Banff, AB
Prosthetic Head
Green Day
A bit of a dark choice, but given the Disney-like atmosphere of Banff filled with selfie-taking youth, this was the song we landed on.
Destination: Fernie, AB
Working in the Coal Mine
DEVO
There is a long standing connection between Fernie and the coal industry, so this seemed like the ideal song, given that even today there are four open-pit mines nearby.
Destination: Kettle River, BC
Spill the Wine
War
This was our stay in wine country, near Osoyoos, and we managed not to spill any wine.
Destination: Kamloops, BC
Sports
Viagra Boys
Given Kamloops is the “Tournament Capital of Canada” we had to choose this song.
Destination: Quesnel, BC
Fire
The Pointer Sisters
We knew we were getting closer to fires on this drive and that people from Barkerville were being evacuated to Quesnel.
Destination: Smithers, BC
Que Pasa Lola
Alex Cuba
Since we were going to meet up with Alex while we were in Smithers, we had to choose one of his songs for the launch song.
Destination: Prince Rupert, BC
The Bear Song
Green Jelly
Since The Bear Song talks about both bears and mountains, we had to pick it for Prince Rupert.
Destination: Houston, BC
Space Oddity
David Bowie
Just because of the other Houston, “Houston, we’ve had a problem” from Apollo 13, we decided to go with Space Oddity for its reference to Ground Control.
Destination: Prince George, BC
Faith
George Michael
Prince “George” had to have a song by George Michael.
Destination: Revelstoke, BC
Jump
Van Halen
Given the rich history of ski jumping in Mount Revelstoke National Park, this was the song we had to go with.
Destination: McClure, BC (Kamploops)
Travelin’ Band
Creedence Clearwater Revival
We were staying north of Kamloops to be close to the location of the Disc Golf Tournament, which was in Clearwater, BC. So, we needed to pick a song by Creedence Clearwater Revival.
Destination: Squamish, BC
Wind of Change
Scorpions
Due to its proximity to Vancouver, Squamish has gone through a lot of change and development, especially since the pandemic.
Destination: Salmon Arm, BC
Pretty in Pink
Psychedelic Furs
Salmon is pink so…..
Destination: Bow Valley, BC (Canmore)
True Faith
New Order
Originally a coal town, it was economically devastated with the closing of its mine in 1979. Luckily, in the early 1980’s when Calgary was selected for the 1988 Winter Olympics, it was determined that Canmore would be the location for the nordic events, and that began its transformation into the tourist destination it is today.
Destination: Saskatchewan Landing, SK
Guitar Man
Bread
Since Saskatchewan is the bread basket of Canada, we had to pick a song by Bread.
Destination: Verdun, MB
Blue Sky Mine
Midnight Oil
Verdun is otherwise known as the Oil Capital of Manitoba, so we decided on a Midnight Oil song.
Destination: Birds Hill, MB (Winnipeg)
Fly Like an Eagle
Steve Miller Band
Since we were staying at Birds Hill Provincial Park, we went with a bird theme for this one.
Destination: Kenora, ON
Rat in the Kitchen
UB40
The town of Rat Portage was renamed in 1905 by using the first two letters of itself and the neighbouring towns of Keewatin and Norman to create its new name: Kenora.
Destination: Dorion, ON
Freeze Frame
The J. Geils Band
This one was a bit of a stretch, but Dorion got me thinking about The Picture of Dorian Gray, which got us thinking about paintings and images so “Freeze Frame” it was.
Destination: Agawa Bay
Burning Down the House
Talking Heads
In 1967 the Ontario Government burned to the ground, the houses of the Metis people that were living in Agawa Bay so they could create the Lake Superior Provincial Park.
Destination: Lazy Rock Campground
Lazy River
Louis Armstrong
A Lazy Rock campground should have a Lazy River.
Destination: Ottawa
Shudehill
Shotty Horroh
Even though this song is about Shudehill in Mancester, Shotty talks about government and politics so it seemed fitting given Ottawa is the seat of our National Government.
Destination: Montreal
Green Means Go
United Steel Workers of Montreal
One of our favourite bands from Montreal is United Steel Workers of Montreal, and green does mean go!