15 October 2007

Hockey Night in Vancouver, Canada



Yes yes, I realize technically Hockey Night was last night. How could I have missed it? I was staying in a hotel in Vancouver B.C. directly across the street from GM Place. Canucks beat Edmonton 4-1; The bars were flooded in joyful revelry immediately after.

I've been to Vancouver B.C. many times, and every time I go there my love for it grows. Though I've long ago deleted my MP3 of the theme music to Hockey Night (the question you should not be asking is why I had it in the first place), I offer two songs in honor of one of my favoite cities in the western hemisphere:

Though this gorgeous piece more refers to the Great Lakes of the central region, believe you me there's fabulous lakes everywhere (with mosquitoes to go with!)

Innocence Mission - Lakes of Canada.mp3

...and of course, you have to hear The Soof's simply lovely solo acoustic cover of it, Live from his Judson College show, Nov. 19, 2003:

Sufjan Stevens - Lakes of Canada.mp3

In 1995, Jeff Buckley debuted an Instrumental song tenatively titled Vancouver at his show at the Metro in Chicago, Illinois. It was later recorded in a studio version which ended up on "(Sketches for) My Sweetheart the Drunk." His live performace, however, included not only the finalized words but a firery, rocking passion not captured in their earlier or studio versions:

Jeff Buckley - Vancouver.mp3 (Live at Arlene's Grocery, Feb. 9, 1997)

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