What could be more Canadian than one National Treasure (Stompin’ Tom) singing about another (the Grey Cup)?
Indeed, what could be more charming? Unless it’s my decades-old memory of a United Church Minister in St. Albert – a small city just north of this weekend’s Grey Cup Central – and his choice of the final hymn for Grey Cup Sunday: In Christ there is no East or West.
Here’s a YouTube version that uncannily replicates the shape of that St. Albert church, and even, maybe, the Sunday. It’s the closing hymn and you can see folks putting on their winter coats and gradually bailing as the choir sings.
Here’s an unusual YouTube version with a striking arrangement and a Celtic feel to it.
Thanks for the Stompin’ Tom song. That’s delightful.
Go Rough Riders go! Oops, forgot…remind me again why they changed their name.
Tom
Tom – I guess the Saskatchewan team enforced their trademark, so Ottawa had to change. Interesting bit about that, here, illuminating some of the factors that go into a decision like this.
A Grey Cup Hymn! Who knew! This made me laugh, therefore I emailed the whole thing to fourteen of my closest relatives all of whom live in Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton, and Castlegar and are rabid football fans. At least two of my brothers will be at Grey Cup! I have just barely started to understand football, it has always just seemed like a lot of head-clunking to me. But a Grey Cup Hymn! In a United Church no less! This is so Canadian! I always thought RedBlack had something to do with Stompin’ Tom and Big Joe Mufferaw — love that song !https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gy3knGGzZr8 Go Otterwa! Shoulda bin Winnipeg playin’!
Marilyn – I think football includes more than its share of head clunking, and I am not a fan. But of course I want Ottawa to win,which marks another milestone in my slow leave-taking of Alberta. Not that long ago I would have cheered for Calgary or any Western team. And you won’t get any argument from this household that Winnipeg would have been a worthier opponent.
For 25 years, Joan and I used to get together every Grey Cup day with our best-friend couple in Hamilton. They cheered for Hamilton Tigercats; we cheered for BC Lions. Or, in both cases, whichever team was closest to our chosen location. We always had a good time together, and the eventual winner was utterly immaterial. He’s dead now, and for some reason I can’t get excited about Grey Cup anymore.
JIm T
Jim T – I’m sorry for your loss. Some things I guess we can continue to do in an “in memoriam” status and still enjoy them – for other things, the fun’s all leaked out.