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He said I'm Tragically Hip! - Printable Version

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He said I'm Tragically Hip! - rivum - 07-20-2016

I'm curious about Gord changing the line "he said I'm fabulously rich" in grace too.
Obviously I get why he changed it - it just sounds right to open up with it as an intro.
I'm curious as to how long he's been doing that. He does it on the Saturday Night Live performance which was fairly early on. Has he always done this?
Also, I've heard/seen other performances where he leaves it as "fabulously rich", most notably on "That Night In Toronto". The thing that's notable about that is the song is not placed as a set-opener.
Is that the difference?

As I type this it seems like a silly thing to concern myself with. Just a dull day I suppose!

Re: He said I'm Tragically Hip! - paulster2626 - 07-20-2016

Songs as they are recorded on an album are simply snapshots of themselves in a moment in time. The song continues to live and evolve and change as the years go on.

I heard a band member say this once, not sure who, and I'm paraphrasing of course.

Re: He said I'm Tragically Hip! - Tthip - 07-20-2016

Watch this cool interview about the SNL experience:
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Re: He said I'm Tragically Hip! - GordsGal - 07-20-2016

Gord talks about this happening on SNL around the 44 min mark.

[youtube]wF25AyovpTE[/youtube]

Re: He said I'm Tragically Hip! - Killer Whale Tank - 07-20-2016

'Hip' rhymes better with 'lip.' So that's a plus. (I have a bit of a bee in my bonnet about sloppy off-rhymes - having much respect for songwriters like Cole Porter or the later Bob Dylan, who rarely need them).

It's a good line on its own terms, but of course there's something a bit sketchy about a band referencing its own name in a song like that; it's a form of 'author intrusion.' Ultimately, therefore, I prefer 'fabulously rich.'

Re: He said I'm Tragically Hip! - andrew sharpe - 07-20-2016

I listened to a lot of live shows back in that day and the SNL performance was the first time I heard that lyric change.

Re: He said I'm Tragically Hip! - rivum - 07-20-2016

GordsGal Wrote:Gord talks about this happening on SNL around the 44 min mark.

[youtube]wF25AyovpTE[/youtube]

wow that's a great explanation by Gord. Thanks for posting this.
So, what I get from that, was that it was pretty much an accident. Funny that he kept it going for so long.

and paulster, you're absolutely right about songs being an evolution (especially in the case of the hip). I just always wondered why sometimes he still does sing the 'fabulously rich' line sometimes.

Re: He said I'm Tragically Hip! - Killer Whale Tank - 07-20-2016

That is a great interview.

Damn...he may have been an abusive, violent pig, but Ghomeshi sure could run an interview. *Wistful sigh*

Re: He said I'm Tragically Hip! - rivum - 07-26-2016

I notice he said "fabulously rich" in Vancouver on Sunday.

Re: He said I'm Tragically Hip! - cochise - 07-26-2016

IMHO "Grace Too" holds the #1 spot for best opening track on an album and best opening song at a concert, hands down. Not just The Hip, but EVER, period. The bass line intro just sets an indescribable mood.

Some songs did grow a little stale over the years or overplayed, but this is one track where they could play it 22 times straight at a show and I'd still be happy.

I've always compared it to The Stones "Gimmie Shelter" but only for the reason it has the same affect on me.

Re: He said I'm Tragically Hip! - emperor penguin - 07-26-2016

rivum Wrote:wow that's a great explanation by Gord. Thanks for posting this.
So, what I get from that, was that it was pretty much an accident. Funny that he kept it going for so long.

After seeing him discuss it in the interview and mention that he almost messed up the next lyric because he threw himself off by singing Tragically Hip, I went back and watched the video again. You can see him sort of shake his head and look momentarily confused right after he sings it. Now knowing the context, that's pretty funny.

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Re: He said I'm Tragically Hip! - rivum - 07-26-2016

cochise Wrote:IMHO "Grace Too" holds the #1 spot for best opening track on an album and best opening song at a concert, hands down. Not just The Hip, but EVER, period. The bass line intro just sets an indescribable mood.

Some songs did grow a little stale over the years or overplayed, but this is one track where they could play it 22 times straight at a show and I'd still be happy.

I've always compared it to The Stones "Gimmie Shelter" but only for the reason it has the same affect on me.

this. all of it.

Re: He said I'm Tragically Hip! - Denommania - 07-26-2016

rivum Wrote:
GordsGal Wrote:Gord talks about this happening on SNL around the 44 min mark.

[youtube]wF25AyovpTE[/youtube]

wow that's a great explanation by Gord. Thanks for posting this.
So, what I get from that, was that it was pretty much an accident. Funny that he kept it going for so long.

and paulster, you're absolutely right about songs being an evolution (especially in the case of the hip). I just always wondered why sometimes he still does sing the 'fabulously rich' line sometimes.

Funny -- listen to Gord explain it in that Q video, then go watch the SNL clip again -- and in fact I think after he says "He said I'm Tragically Hip" Gord actually has a shocked look on his face, as if to say "What the hell did I just say?"

Re: He said I'm Tragically Hip! - andrew sharpe - 07-26-2016

cochise Wrote:IMHO "Grace Too" holds the #1 spot for best opening track on an album and best opening song at a concert, hands down. Not just The Hip, but EVER, period. The bass line intro just sets an indescribable mood.
Yup. The best opener of all time. Agreed.

Re: He said I'm Tragically Hip! - direwolf74 - 07-26-2016

andrew sharpe Wrote:
cochise Wrote:IMHO "Grace Too" holds the #1 spot for best opening track on an album and best opening song at a concert, hands down. Not just The Hip, but EVER, period. The bass line intro just sets an indescribable mood.
Yup. The best opener of all time. Agreed.

I agree with all of this. That such is such a beast.