This took me away!! The Tragically Hip "Bobcaygeon" Reaction | Asia and BJ

You've stumbled on Canada's unofficial national band and a serious treasure. This song is about a real, small Ontario town and is one of their most simple, beautiful songs. The Hip are uniquely Canadian, name-checking towns, cities, neighbourhoods and famous Canadians in so many of their songs. This song also makes a very artistic reference to the 1933 Christie Pit riots, a lower moment in Toronto history where anti-semitic bigots showed up at a baseball game waving Nazi flags and violence ensued. Great choice you guys - peace and love from Canada! RIP Gord, we miss you!

Before Gordon passed he was fighting brain cancer while advocating for first nations people. He wrote an album telling stories of a kid who ran away from a residential school trying to get home. Not only is this band important for Canada, but for us first nations people as well. Gordon was one of the few Canadians who recognized the tragedies of residential schools and living conditions of first nations people in Canada. May he R.I.P.

As a Canadian from guelph Ontario. This makes me sooooooo happy to see you guys react to a true Canadian icon. I grew up on the Hip and I was absolutely crushed when Gord finally passed. Canada came to a complete stop.

I've never heard this song before but it really hit me in the feels for some reason. I will be checking out this band, myself. Thanks for reaching to it.

This is how Gord still lives. When someone new hears his composition and feels like these two did, that's the spirit of Gord alighting as a delight within them. In that way, he is immortal.

Asia! BJ! Yes! Yes! Yes! You just warmed my little Canadian heart! The Hip are considered by many to be Canada's band. Bobcaygeon is in Northern Ontario and considered "cottage country" down here in the cities. Gord Downie (lead singer) considered himself a poet first and their music reflects the Canadian experience with songs like Wheat Kings and 50 Mission Cap, etc. Here's a little rock history, The Hip song "New Orleans is sinking" from 1989 was not played for months after Katrina out of respect for our American cousins who were suffering back then. The phrase in the song is metaphorical, written years before, but it would have been in bad taste. Sadly, Gord passed away from a brain tumour in 2017, but they did a national tour just before he left us. Their final concert was in Kingston, Ontario (where they are from) and CBC played it free for all of us to see. The CBC filmed until The Hip were done, God he must have sung 30 songs it seemed! It was emotional for most of us knowing it was his last. RIP Gord Downie. Canada misses you. I won't be surprised if you grab more Canadian subscribers with The Hip. Now I'm going to watch your video! LOL!! Much Love!!

I’m Canadian and I wanted to say thank you for playing this.

Hey, Canadians, Gord didn't just belong to you. He also belonged to us Americans who lived along the border or along one of the Lakes. He spoke to us about our own small towns (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) and our own icons (Gus, the Polar Bear from Central Park), and our shared landmarks (Niagara Falls in several songs like Daredevil). Gord was our warrior poet, too. He was our hero. He was our voice. Small town America along the border is SO similar to small town Canada. We all lost Gord that October day. We all mourned. When people say, "The Hip really weren't known in America" I laugh because for some of us, for a chunk of land along the longest (formerly) unprotected border in the world, WE lost someone special, too. Pleasse don't dismiss us. I've been a fan since 1989 or 1990, the first time I heard them on Canadian Radio. That said, I love my Canuck family. In Gord We Trust. And THAT said, I've been waiting years for reaction videos to The Hip, and lately there have been many. Thank you, Asia and BJ. Great reaction. One thing, though, he didn't say HE could have been Willie Nelson. Gord said that (it) could have been THE Willie Nelson, (or it) could have been the wine. He overslept. He woke up late for work. They spent the previous night drinking and listening to country music (or smoking "Willie Weed"). He's hung over and now has to drive into Toronto for work, but he's thinking of calling off. But that's the wonderful thing about Gord's lyrics, and the Hip's music, they can be interpreted SO many ways.

You guys nailed the deep meanings of this song, thanks so much for giving it the love! At the end of this song guitarist Rob Baker has "This machine kills fascists" written on his guitar, a huge nod to singer\songwriter Woodie Guthrie who wrote a lot of anti-nazi songs during WW2 and had the same message scribbled on his guitar. You probably know Woodie's most famous song "This land is your land".

Gord Downie cleverly uses the lyric 'Willie Nelson' as a code word for Ganja. "Could've been the Willie, or it could've been the wine!! It's even more brilliant when you realize that's exactly how a COP would've had to 'discreetly' write that same lyric. Do you see the hidden layers of lyrical-genius at play here?

When it became public that Gord was dying and they were doing one last tour, CBC (Canada’s biggest national tv station) broadcast their final show live and most of the country watched. Me and a large group of friends filled one of our buddies living room/kitchen and no one sat the entire night, was as if we were all standing there live watching the concert, drinking, toking, singing along and well of course crying by the end. THIS is Canada’s band

Please do more Trag. They're a national treasure, they're the voice of Canada. No band has done what they've done, uniting a country like they did.

As a small town Canadian - thank you for revisiting The Hip. Blow at High Dough, New Orleans is Sinking, and Courage are more of their songs that you should check out. All are amazing. Another Iconic Canadian band that I would LOVE for you to do a reaction to is Blue Rodeo. They have a 30 year rabbit hole of music to explore. Try, Diamond Mine, Lost Together, Bad Timing, Trust Yourself is just a small list to get you started. They have SO many hits. Hugs and love from Canada.

The line "That night in Toronto, with it's checkerboard floors" refers to The Horseshoe Tavern, a legendary music venue in Toronto. A lot of big names have played there, including The Hip themselves many times.

I'm always driven to tears when I hear him singing knowing that he'd died so young. I love the band 🇨🇦

Toronto is the largest city in Canada, and carries with it big city vibes, like all big cities. But on the weekend it feels like everybody escapes the big city, fan out to cottage country, like Bobcaygeon, to get away, to find weekend peace, and certainly long-weekend peace. The funny thing is that the traffic leaving Friday evening out, and Sunday back in is crazy, bumper-to-bumper.

I feel like I’m driving to the cottage in summertime-I love this song. I loved your reaction to it. I think all of Canada may be in the comments 🇨🇦❤️🇨🇦 RIP Gord 🙏🏼

Long been my favourite Hip track! Gord's words have a way of making you feel like you're there! Bobcaygeon is a little town, part of the Kawartha Lakes/Trent-Severn waterway system, just northeast of Toronto. Beautiful vacation spot! The Tragically Hip is a rabbit hole well worth your while! Tracks like New Orleans Is Sinking, Ahead By A Century, Wheat Kings, Courage, Grace Too, Locked In A Trunk Of A Car & Fifty-Mission Cap are all essential listens!! Cheers from Canada, eh!!

Living 5 minutes from the Canadian border I was lucky to hear a ton of Canadian artists on the radio in the 90's and have seen a majority of them live driving up to Vancouver BC. Lots of hidden gems up there. Edit: I suggest locked inside the trunk of a car by the hip

I live in Canada. Bobcaygeon is the name of a town I live near. ♥️ that you guys are listening to the Tragically Hip.