The Tragically Hip

The Hip in 2008.

"A great song's greatest attribute is how it hints at more. The Hip has always had a strong curiosity to see what's around the next corner. To see what more we can do, what more we can say — to each other, primarily. We try and serve the song. If we're any good at all it's because we're together on that."

—Gord Downie, 'Life’s too short for bad coffee.' The Gord Downie interview, Maclean's, April 13, 2009

The Tragically Hip (1984–2017) were one of Canada's greatest bands -- there's a friendly rivalry as to whether "The Hip" or Rush should take the top spot on the list. The Tragically Hip were definitely Canada's greatest socially-aware rock band for three decades, and they only reason they stopped performing was because their vocalist/songwriter Gord Downie passed away from cancer.

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The Tragically Hip provides examples of the following tropes:

• Cold Equation: "Nautical Disaster".
• Funny Aneurysm Moment: 1989's "New Orleans is Sinking" and 2003's "If New Orleans is Beat".
• Nice Hat: Gord Downie was known for them, and in his final years usually wore one - or more, one after another - on stage.
• Protest Song: The Hip preferred non-obvious lyrics, but a number of their songs can be considered protest songs. Examples include "Vaccination Scar" and "Gus The Polar Bear From Central Park".
• Real Song Theme Tune: "Blow at High Dough" was used as the theme for Made in Canada.
• Self-Titled Album: Played with, with their greatest hits album Hipeponymous.
• Some Anvils Need to Be Dropped: "Wheat Kings", about the Real Life case of David Milgaard being wrongfully convicted of murder and spending 23 years in jail.

Twenty years for nothing, well, that's nothing new
Besides, no one's interested in something you didn't do

• Serious Business: The Hip's final concert in their final tour. It was broadcast live by CBC Radio and TV without commercial interruptions, and they preempted live Olympic Games coverage to do so. And the broadcast wasn't cut short when the concert went overtime. Approximately one-third of the country watched or listened, and the Prime Minister attended in person.
• Silly Love Songs: Averted. Even "Bobcaygeon" has social commentary just beneath the surface.
• Spell My Name with a "The": Call them "The Tragically Hip" or "The Hip", and almost everybody in Canada will know who you're talking about. Leave off "The" (or fail to capitalize it) and you'll get fan backlash.

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