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Hip songs and what they're written about - The Nth Degree - 07-14-2004

OK, so I've read alot of posts in here and alot of people seem to know what alot of the Hip's songs are about. I'd love to know some of the stories and meanings behind their songs. I hear my fave song, "Escape is at Hand", is about suicide????? Can anyone elaborate. thanks

Re: Hip songs and what they're written about - thedarkestone - 07-14-2004

The Nth Degree Wrote:OK, so I've read alot of posts in here and alot of people seem to know what alot of the Hip's songs are about. I'd love to know some of the stories and meanings behind their songs. I hear my fave song, "Escape is at Hand", is about suicide????? Can anyone elaborate. thanks

Yeah....supposedly it is about the singer of a band that the hip crossed paths with a few times on tour..........the singer went on to commit suicide. Something to that effect.

- vicariousmartyr - 07-14-2004

Wheat kings was written about David Milgaard, being wrongfully convicted of murder...umm...Born in the water was written about the town of Sault-saint Marie officially (and briefly) declaring english as their one and only official language. Thats all i can think of in terms of songs tied to actual events.

oh yeah, and New Orleans actually IS sinking... :lol:

- vicariousmartyr - 07-14-2004

now that i think of it, i have a question of my own...is their any factual basis to the song 38 years old? a story behind that?

- das_hips - 07-14-2004

38 Years Old is completely fictional... his sister didn't get raped, nobody got killed and their wasn't a jail-break in '73... Does he even have a sister?

- prz - 07-14-2004

das_hips Wrote:38 Years Old is completely fictional... his sister didn't get raped, nobody got killed and their wasn't a jail-break in '73... Does he even have a sister?

I think there was a jail a break and thats what they based part of the song on. I cannot remember what year exactly it was, but the hip talk about it, in one of their Q107 interviews, its on the FTP somewhere.

- gibbytime39 - 07-14-2004

i was reading on another post where the reason the hip have only played "38 years old" 15 times over the years is people thought that there was truth to it and adding to the story is gord does have a brother mike. one of the songs after NOIS and "blow at high dough"
that really got me into the hip. glad to say i seen it 2 out of the 15.

- Killer Whale Tank - 07-14-2004

Gord introduced '38 Years Old' years ago in Halifax by saying that 'this song isn't about me, but somebody I lived next to for a while,' or words to that effect. This was years ago, when they were still a club band touring UTH. I don't know if that helps...