June 27 – That Hip New Old Song

It’s not one of Yer Favourites (to borrow the title of their 8X platinum “greatest hits” album) yet, but maybe it will be. As we know well enough, Canada’s Tragically Hip called it quits with the untimely death of their singer/songwriter Gord Downie almost seven years ago. But like the Beatles and so many other bands, they left the scene with some songs “in the vault” so to speak. And often they end up seeing the light of day, to the delight of fans who still miss their favourites. In the Hip’s case, they already put out an EP of prev oniously-recorded but unreleased songs, Saskadelphia a couple of years back, and now they’re back with one more song : “Get Back Again.”

On this day in 1990, their first full-length album, Up To Here was sitting at #25 on the Canadian album charts, a full 42 weeks in. When it came out, they weren’t widely known and only drew decent crowds in their hometown of Kingston and perhaps their adopted home of Toronto. But that was quickly changing thanks to their busy tour schedule and the lead singles off the record, “New Orleans is Sinking” and “Blow At High Dough”, which were instant hits on Canuck rock radio stations, fitting in nicely with the likes of the Black Crowes and older Rolling Stones. By spring of 1990, the album had gone platinum at home – not bad for a big label debut by a homegrown act. By the end of the decade, the record was diamond status.

Which brings us to “Get Back Again.” Not a lot is known about the tune other than it was recorded with Up To Here, in 1988, presumably in Memphis (where the songs that made the album were recorded), but never officially released. The band did play it now and then live, and thus the song was somewhat known and had built up a bit of a mythical status among their diehards. “The holy grail” of unreleased Tragically Hip material as the band’s news release call it.

The song’s a nice enough, softer ballad which perhaps explains why it was cut from the final album lineup… back then they seemed to want to make a name as a Southern Rock/blues band (from the north, of course!) and might not have had a lot of time for the easier-going tunes. In fact it probably pointed the way towards some of their material in the latter part of the ’90s like “Bobcaygeon”. Perhaps coincidentally , the video seems to give a summery, cottage life feeling that looks a lot like the scenery of Bobcaygeon.

“Get Back Again” is now out on the internet and streaming and will apparently be included in an expanded version of Up To Here coming this fall. One thing’s quite certain – their fans haven’t had it “up to here” with songs from that era, so they’re hoping there might be one or two more such tracks to follow.