Spirit of the West
Encyclopedia
Spirit of the West are a Canadian folk rock
band, who were popular on the Canadian folk music
scene in the 1980s before evolving a blend of hard rock
, Britpop
, and Celtic folk influences which made them one of Canada's most successful alternative rock
acts in the 1990s.
-based folk trio called Evesdropper, consisting of John Mann
, Geoffrey Kelly
and J. Knutson
. They soon changed their name to Spirit of the West, and independently released a self-titled album in 1984 before signing to Stony Plain Records
, a roots music
label based in Edmonton
, Alberta.
Stony Plain released Tripping Up the Stairs in 1986. Following that album, Knutson left the band and was replaced by Hugh McMillan
.
1988's Labour Day was the band's first major success, spawning the popular single "Political
" and making the band a major name on the folk festival circuit. After that album's tour, McMillan took a temporary hiatus from the band. He was replaced by Daniel Lapp
and Linda McRae
, but returned before the band's next album was recorded. When McMillan returned, Lapp left the band but McRae stayed on. (As a result, Lapp never actually appeared on a Spirit of the West recording. He pursued a solo career, however, releasing a number of albums of experimental jazz/folk/electronic fusion.)
On the strength of "Political", Warner Bros. Records
signed the band, and Stony Plain released a compilation, Old Material 1984–1986 in 1989. In 1990, the band's major label debut, Save This House was released. The album track "Home for a Rest
", which is still considered a classic frosh week
anthem at universities across Canada as well as a popular tune at wedding dances, was not officially released as a single, but remains the band's most famous song.
, and decided to bring in a drummer and experiment with a more rock-oriented sound. Vince Ditrich
was brought in, and the band's 1991 album, Go Figure, was the result.
Although the album retained many of the band's folk influences, it was more hard rock
than any of the band's previous efforts, and this proved controversial among the band's fans. The album included a rock rendition of "Political", and at one show in London, Ontario
, the audience presented the band with a petition demanding that they play the original version of that song. Despite the controversies, however, it became the band's mainstream commercial breakthrough, and won them many new fans in the alternative rock scene.
MacRae also appeared on The Wonder Stuff's album Never Loved Elvis
, and all of the members of both bands recorded a cover of the country standard "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" as a B-side for the Wonder Stuff's "Welcome to the Cheap Seats
" single.
In 1993, the band released their most successful album, Faithlift, and scored their biggest hit single, "And if Venice is Sinking
". 1995's Two Headed, in turn, garnered significant airplay for the single "Tell Me What I Think". However, the album was not as successful on the charts, or as critically hailed, as its predecessor.
In 1996, the band performed two shows with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
. The band included some of their hits in these shows, but also included an album's worth of songs written specifically for the occasion, and the new songs were released as Open Heart Symphony that year. (Some of the hits performed at those shows are available on the compilation Hit Parade.) Also in 1996, McRae left the band amicably to pursue a solo career, performing her last show on New Year's Eve of that year. She released a solo country album in 1997, and then formed the alternative country
band Cheerful Lonesome.
The remaining members recorded 1997's Weights and Measures as a four-piece, working with members of The Wonder Stuff, Capercaillie
, Fairport Convention
and Jethro Tull
to round out the studio effort, and added Tobin Frank
for their concert tour. However, with the music industry's emphasis having shifted by this time toward more mainstream pop-oriented performers, Warner Bros. put little effort into promoting the album, and dropped the band from their roster after the tour.
circuit and in major concert markets such as Vancouver and Toronto. During the hiatus, Mann, Ditrich and Kelly all released solo albums, Mann pursued acting roles, McMillan worked as a session musician and producer for The Town Pants
, and Kelly and Frank recorded with The Paperboys
.
The band's first new album in seven years, Star Trails, was released on July 6, 2004 on MapleMusic Recordings
.
In 2008, the band released a 25th anniversary compilation, Spirituality 1983-2008: The Consummate Compendium
, on Rhino Records. The two-CD set includes 32 remastered tracks from throughout the band's career, including two new songs, "Winter's Now the Enemy" and "Another Happy New Year". Their official 25th anniversary concert, held at Vancouver's Commodore Ballroom
on March 14, 2008, was recorded and broadcast by CBC Radio 2. Concurrently with the release of Spirituality, Rhino also released remastered editions of Faithlift and Open Heart Symphony.
In 2009, Spirit of the West opened for Great Big Sea
on the "Fortune's Favour" tour, finishing in Victoria, British Columbia
on March 26. On this tour, the final encore performances typically involved both bands performing together on various songs, including Spirit of the West's "Political
" and Great Big Sea's "The Old Black Rum".
In 2010, Kelly, Ditrich and Frank joined Ashley MacIsaac
and folk musician Matthew Harder in recording a charity single, "Dreams", to benefit Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong
, a skier from Ghana
who was the first Ghanaian athlete ever to compete in the Winter Olympics. Nkrumah-Acheampong himself participated in the recording, playing traditional Ghanaian percussion. The single, credited to The Parallel Band, was released to iTunes
on February 19, 2010. Concurrently, Mann was in Edmonton
, starring in a stage production of Bruce Ruddell's rock musical Beyond Eden.
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
band, who were popular on the Canadian folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
scene in the 1980s before evolving a blend of hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
, Britpop
Britpop
Britpop is a subgenre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom. Britpop emerged from the British independent music scene of the early 1990s and was characterised by bands influenced by British guitar pop music of the 1960s and 1970s...
, and Celtic folk influences which made them one of Canada's most successful alternative rock
Alternative rock
Alternative rock is a genre of rock music and a term used to describe a diverse musical movement that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1980s and became widely popular by the 1990s...
acts in the 1990s.
Early years
The band began in 1983 as a VancouverVancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
-based folk trio called Evesdropper, consisting of John Mann
John Mann (musician)
John F. Mann is a Canadian rock musician and actor.-Music:He is the lead vocalist for the folk rock band Spirit of the West...
, Geoffrey Kelly
Geoffrey Kelly
Geoffrey Kelly is a Canadian rock musician.He plays guitars, flutes and bodhran for the folk rock band Spirit of the West, for whom he is also the lead vocalist on some songs. He and John Mann are the band's primary songwriters.Kelly is also a full time member of The Paperboys, and released a solo...
and J. Knutson
J. Knutson
Jay Knutson is a Canadian folk singer-songwriter. He is normally credited with the initial J. rather than his full first name.Knutson was one of the founding members of Spirit of the West, and subsequently performed both as a solo artist and as a supporting musician for Connie Kaldor, Ferron,...
. They soon changed their name to Spirit of the West, and independently released a self-titled album in 1984 before signing to Stony Plain Records
Stony Plain Records
Stony Plain Records is a major Canadian independent record label, which specializes in roots music genres such as country, folk and blues. The label was the recipient of a 2003 Western Canadian Music Award for "Independent Record Label/Distributor of the Year"....
, a roots music
Traditional music
Traditional music is the term increasingly used for folk music that is not contemporary folk music. More on this is at the terminology section of the World music article...
label based in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, Alberta.
Stony Plain released Tripping Up the Stairs in 1986. Following that album, Knutson left the band and was replaced by Hugh McMillan
Hugh McMillan (musician)
Hugh McMillan is a Canadian folk/jazz/rock musician.McMillan is a member of the folk rock band Spirit of the West, and is a multi-instrumentalist who has played guitars, bass, banjo, trombone, mandolins, Chapman stick, piano, and keyboards on the band's albums...
.
1988's Labour Day was the band's first major success, spawning the popular single "Political
Political (song)
"Political" is song by Spirit of the West. One of the band's most famous songs, it originally appeared on the 1988 album Labour Day. The song was written by John Mann....
" and making the band a major name on the folk festival circuit. After that album's tour, McMillan took a temporary hiatus from the band. He was replaced by Daniel Lapp
Daniel Lapp
Daniel Lapp is a Canadian folk musician.He was a touring member of the folk rock band Spirit of the West in 1988 and 1989, but never appeared on any of the band's albums. Lapp and Linda McRae replaced Hugh McMillan during MacMillan's hiatus from the band following the 1988 album Labour Day. Lapp...
and Linda McRae
Linda McRae
Linda McRae is a Canadian rock and alternative country musician.-Career:McRae was a member of platinum folk rock band Spirit of the West from 1988 to 1996. A multi-instrumentalist playing accordion, guitar, bass, and banjo she also appeared as a guest musician on The Wonder Stuff's album Never...
, but returned before the band's next album was recorded. When McMillan returned, Lapp left the band but McRae stayed on. (As a result, Lapp never actually appeared on a Spirit of the West recording. He pursued a solo career, however, releasing a number of albums of experimental jazz/folk/electronic fusion.)
On the strength of "Political", Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
signed the band, and Stony Plain released a compilation, Old Material 1984–1986 in 1989. In 1990, the band's major label debut, Save This House was released. The album track "Home for a Rest
Home For a Rest
"Home for a Rest" is a song by Canadian folk rock band Spirit of the West, from their 1990 album Save This House. Although never officially released as a single, it is the band's most famous song and is considered a classic of Canadian music....
", which is still considered a classic frosh week
Orientation week
Student orientation or new student orientation, is a period of time at the beginning of the academic year at a university or other tertiary institution during which a variety of events are held to orient and welcome new students. The name of the period varies by country...
anthem at universities across Canada as well as a popular tune at wedding dances, was not officially released as a single, but remains the band's most famous song.
Evolution
Following Save This House, the band toured England with The Wonder StuffThe Wonder Stuff
The Wonder Stuff are a British alternative rock band, originally based in Stourbridge, West Midlands, in the Black Country, England.-Origins:...
, and decided to bring in a drummer and experiment with a more rock-oriented sound. Vince Ditrich
Vince Ditrich
Vince Ditrich is a Canadian rock musician.A drummer, Ditrich has played with a variety of musicians, including pre-Odds bands with Doug Elliott and Steven Drake, Long John Baldry, Paul Hyde, Sue Medley, Mae Moore, Great Big Sea and Doug and the Slugs.In late 1989, he joined Spirit of the West, and...
was brought in, and the band's 1991 album, Go Figure, was the result.
Although the album retained many of the band's folk influences, it was more hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
than any of the band's previous efforts, and this proved controversial among the band's fans. The album included a rock rendition of "Political", and at one show in London, Ontario
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
, the audience presented the band with a petition demanding that they play the original version of that song. Despite the controversies, however, it became the band's mainstream commercial breakthrough, and won them many new fans in the alternative rock scene.
MacRae also appeared on The Wonder Stuff's album Never Loved Elvis
Never Loved Elvis
Never Loved Elvis is the third album by The Wonder Stuff released in June 1991.Guest musicians on the album include Kirsty MacColl and Linda McRae....
, and all of the members of both bands recorded a cover of the country standard "Will the Circle Be Unbroken" as a B-side for the Wonder Stuff's "Welcome to the Cheap Seats
Welcome to the Cheap Seats
"Welcome to the Cheap Seats" was a single by The Wonder Stuff, from the 1991 album Never Loved Elvis. It was released as a single in 1992, and peaked at #8 on the pop charts in the United Kingdom. It features backing vocals by Kirsty MacColl...
" single.
In 1993, the band released their most successful album, Faithlift, and scored their biggest hit single, "And if Venice is Sinking
And if Venice Is Sinking
"And if Venice Is Sinking" is a song written by John Mann and Geoffrey Kelly for the Canadian folk-rock band Spirit of the West. Spirit of the West recorded the song on their studio album Faithlift...
". 1995's Two Headed, in turn, garnered significant airplay for the single "Tell Me What I Think". However, the album was not as successful on the charts, or as critically hailed, as its predecessor.
In 1996, the band performed two shows with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra is a Canadian orchestra performing in Vancouver, British Columbia. Over 240,000 people attend its live performances each year. It was founded in 1930 and plays in 12 venues. Its home is the Orpheum theatre. With an annual operating budget of $9.5 million, it is the...
. The band included some of their hits in these shows, but also included an album's worth of songs written specifically for the occasion, and the new songs were released as Open Heart Symphony that year. (Some of the hits performed at those shows are available on the compilation Hit Parade.) Also in 1996, McRae left the band amicably to pursue a solo career, performing her last show on New Year's Eve of that year. She released a solo country album in 1997, and then formed the alternative country
Alternative country
Alternative country is a loosely defined sub-genre of country music, which includes acts that differ significantly in style from mainstream or pop country music...
band Cheerful Lonesome.
The remaining members recorded 1997's Weights and Measures as a four-piece, working with members of The Wonder Stuff, Capercaillie
Capercaillie (band)
Capercaillie is a Scottish folk band, founded in the 1980s by Donald Shaw and fronted by Karen Matheson. They have seen four of their albums placed in the UK Albums Chart, and continue to perform and record to the present day.-History:...
, Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention
Fairport Convention are an English folk rock and later electric folk band, formed in 1967 who are still recording and touring today. They are widely regarded as the most important single group in the English folk rock movement...
and Jethro Tull
Jethro Tull (band)
Jethro Tull are a British rock group formed in 1967. Their music is characterised by the vocals, acoustic guitar, and flute playing of Ian Anderson, who has led the band since its founding, and the guitar work of Martin Barre, who has been with the band since 1969.Initially playing blues rock with...
to round out the studio effort, and added Tobin Frank
Tobin Frank
Tobin Frank is a Canadian musician, who records, performs and tours with the bands Spirit of the West and The Paperboys. Primarily a bass guitarist, Frank also plays some accordion and keyboard parts....
for their concert tour. However, with the music industry's emphasis having shifted by this time toward more mainstream pop-oriented performers, Warner Bros. put little effort into promoting the album, and dropped the band from their roster after the tour.
Hiatus
After Weights & Measures the band took a hiatus from recording and broad-scale national touring, although they continued to perform selected live dates on the summer folk festivalFolk festival
A Folk festival celebrates traditional folk crafts and folk music.-Canada:Alberta*Calgary Folk Music Festival*Canmore Folk Music Festival*Edmonton Folk Music Festival*Jasper Folk Festival*Wild Mountain Music FestOntario*Barriefolk...
circuit and in major concert markets such as Vancouver and Toronto. During the hiatus, Mann, Ditrich and Kelly all released solo albums, Mann pursued acting roles, McMillan worked as a session musician and producer for The Town Pants
The Town Pants
The Town Pants is a Celtic rock band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, formed from the remnants of The Van Demons by brothers Dave and Duane Keogh...
, and Kelly and Frank recorded with The Paperboys
The Paperboys
The Paperboys are a Canadian folk music band from Vancouver that formed in 1991. The Paperboys blend Celtic folk with bluegrass, Mexican, Eastern European, African, zydeco, soul and country influences...
.
The band's first new album in seven years, Star Trails, was released on July 6, 2004 on MapleMusic Recordings
MapleMusic Recordings
MapleMusic Recordings is a Toronto based record label.The MapleMusic Recordings label is a project of Canadian roots rock band Skydiggers and entrepreneur Grant Dexter...
.
In 2008, the band released a 25th anniversary compilation, Spirituality 1983-2008: The Consummate Compendium
Spirituality 1983-2008: The Consummate Compendium
Spirituality 1983–2008: The Consummate Compendium is a greatest hits album by Spirit of the West, released by Rhino Records on July 15, 2008....
, on Rhino Records. The two-CD set includes 32 remastered tracks from throughout the band's career, including two new songs, "Winter's Now the Enemy" and "Another Happy New Year". Their official 25th anniversary concert, held at Vancouver's Commodore Ballroom
Commodore Ballroom
The Commodore Ballroom is a renowned music venue, dance floor, and nightclub located on 800 block of Granville Street in Vancouver, British Columbia. The building was built in the Art Deco style of the late 1920s by George Conrad Reifel and designed by architect H.H. Gillingham. Best known for...
on March 14, 2008, was recorded and broadcast by CBC Radio 2. Concurrently with the release of Spirituality, Rhino also released remastered editions of Faithlift and Open Heart Symphony.
In 2009, Spirit of the West opened for Great Big Sea
Great Big Sea
Great Big Sea is a Canadian folk-rock band from Newfoundland and Labrador, best known for performing energetic rock interpretations of traditional Newfoundland folk songs including sea shanties, which draw from the island's 500-year-old Irish, English, and French heritage...
on the "Fortune's Favour" tour, finishing in Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
on March 26. On this tour, the final encore performances typically involved both bands performing together on various songs, including Spirit of the West's "Political
Political (song)
"Political" is song by Spirit of the West. One of the band's most famous songs, it originally appeared on the 1988 album Labour Day. The song was written by John Mann....
" and Great Big Sea's "The Old Black Rum".
In 2010, Kelly, Ditrich and Frank joined Ashley MacIsaac
Ashley MacIsaac
Ashley Dwayne MacIsaac is a Canadian professional fiddler from Cape Breton Island.His album Hi™ How Are You Today?, featuring the hit single "Sleepy Maggie", with vocals in Scottish Gaelic by Mary Jane Lamond was released in 1995...
and folk musician Matthew Harder in recording a charity single, "Dreams", to benefit Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong
Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong
Kwame Nkrumah-Acheampong nicknamed "The Snow Leopard", is a Ghanaian skiier and is the first person from Ghana to take part in the Winter Olympics, at the 2010 Games held in Vancouver, Canada, taking part in the slalom...
, a skier from Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
who was the first Ghanaian athlete ever to compete in the Winter Olympics. Nkrumah-Acheampong himself participated in the recording, playing traditional Ghanaian percussion. The single, credited to The Parallel Band, was released to iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
on February 19, 2010. Concurrently, Mann was in Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
, starring in a stage production of Bruce Ruddell's rock musical Beyond Eden.
Albums
| Year | Album | CAN | CRIA |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Spirit of the West Spirit of the West (album) Spirit of the West is a 1984 album by Spirit of the West. It was their first album, and was released independently. The album is no longer in print, although portions of it were rereleased on the 1989 compilation Old Material 1984-1986.... |
— | — |
| 1986 | Tripping Up the Stairs Tripping Up the Stairs Tripping Up the Stairs is a 1986 album by Spirit of the West. It was their first album for Stony Plain Records."The Crawl" is an enduring fan favourite at the band's concerts.J. Knutson left the band after this album... |
— | — |
| 1988 | Labour Day Labour Day (album) Labour Day is a 1988 album by Spirit of the West.The album's best-known song is "Political", which was the first song to gain widespread airplay for the band on campus radio and CBC Radio One... |
64 | — |
| 1989 | Old Material 1984–1986 | — | — |
| 1990 | Save This House Save This House Save This House is a 1990 album by Spirit of the West.It was the band's first album for Warner Music Canada, and their first with Linda McRae. Although still a relatively traditional folk album, its release on a major label meant that it was the band's first album to expand their fan base... |
62 | Platinum |
| 1991 | Go Figure | 45 | Gold |
| 1993 | Faithlift Faithlift Faithlift is a 1993 album by Spirit of the West.It is the band's best-selling album, and includes their biggest Canadian Top 40 hit, "And if Venice Is Sinking." The album peaked at #27 on RPMs Top 100 albums chart the week of October 30, 1993.... |
27 | Platinum |
| 1995 | Two Headed Two Headed Two Headed is a 1995 album by Spirit of the West.It is the band's darkest and heaviest album, with many songs directly addressing the subject of death... |
20 | — |
| 1996 | Open Heart Symphony Open Heart Symphony Open Heart Symphony is a 1996 album by Spirit of the West, in collaboration with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra.The band recorded two shows with the orchestra on May 12 and May 13, 1995. The shows included several renditions of the band's best known songs, and an entire album's worth of songs... |
36 | — |
| 1997 | Weights and Measures | — | — |
| 1999 | Hit Parade Hit Parade (album) Hit Parade is a 1999 album by Spirit of the West.The album is a compilation, and marked their final release for Warner Music Canada. Despite the album's title, not all of the songs on the album were released as singles, and some songs which were notable singles are not present... |
— | — |
| 2004 | Star Trails Star Trails Star Trails is a 2004 album by Canadian band Spirit of the West. It was their first album of new material since Weights and Measures in 1997, and their first for independent label MapleMusic Recordings.... |
— | — |
| 2008 | Spirituality 1983–2008: The Consummate Compendium |
— | — |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart Positions | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN | CAN AC | CAN Country | |||
| 1990 | "Save This House" | 85 | — | — | Save This House |
| 1991 | "D for Democracy" | 87 | — | — | Go Figure |
| "Political Political (song) "Political" is song by Spirit of the West. One of the band's most famous songs, it originally appeared on the 1988 album Labour Day. The song was written by John Mann.... " |
70 | — | — | ||
| 1993 | "And if Venice Is Sinking And if Venice Is Sinking "And if Venice Is Sinking" is a song written by John Mann and Geoffrey Kelly for the Canadian folk-rock band Spirit of the West. Spirit of the West recorded the song on their studio album Faithlift... " |
30 | 12 | 93 | Faithlift |
| 1994 | "5 Free Minutes" | 55 | 29 | — | |
| "Sadness Grows" | 52 | — | — | ||
| 1995 | "Is This Where I Come In" | — | 28 | — | |
| "Tell Me What I Think" | 25 | — | — | Two Headed | |
| 1996 | "Williamson's Garage" | — | 53 | — | Open Heart Symphony |
Album appearances
- Island of CirclesIsland of CirclesIsland of Circles is a tribute album to singer-songwriter Donovan that was released on June 26, 1992 by Nettwerk. The title song "Island of Circles" is provided by Donovan himself.-Track listing:#"Island of Circles" - Donovan#"Hurdy Gurdy Man" - Brix E...
(1991): "Sunshine Superman" - Back to the GardenBack to the GardenBack to the Garden is a 1992 tribute album to Joni Mitchell .It was released on Intrepid Records, after the Canadian chart success of their 1991 Bruce Cockburn tribute, Kick at the Darkness....
(1992): "CoyoteCoyote (song)"Coyote" is the opening song from Joni Mitchell's 1976 album Hejira and also the album's first single.Though the song had been introduced on the tour to support 1975's The Hissing of Summer Lawns, "Coyote" was a significant musical departure: where Hissing was ornate with pianos, layered vocals...
" - Upfront! Canadians Live from Mountain StageUpfront! Canadians Live from Mountain StageUpfront! Canadians Live from Mountain Stage is an album released in 1994 on Blue Plate Music and BMG Music Canada, which compiles live performances by Canadian artists who have appeared on the American radio series Mountain Stage....
(1994): "PoliticalPolitical (song)"Political" is song by Spirit of the West. One of the band's most famous songs, it originally appeared on the 1988 album Labour Day. The song was written by John Mann....
" - Due South: The Original Television SoundtrackDue South: The Original Television SoundtrackDue South: The Original Television Soundtrack was a soundtrack album for the Canadian television series Due South, released in 1996.-Track listing:# Jay Semko, "Due South Theme"# Spirit of the West, "Bone of Contention"...
(1996): "Bone of Contention" - 20 Years of Stony Plain20 Years of Stony Plain-Disc Two:...
(1996): "Political" - The Hanging GardenThe Hanging Garden (soundtrack)The Hanging Garden is a 1997 album, a soundtrack to the Canadian film The Hanging Garden.-Track listing:# Ani DiFranco, "The Million You Never Made"# Ashley MacIsaac, "Ashley's Reels"# Mae Moore, "Deep Water"# Spirit of the West, "Kiss and Tell"...
(1997): "Kiss and Tell" - FroshFrosh (album)Frosh is a compilation album series, released on Polygram Records in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The albums collect popular party anthems frequently associated with university and college frosh week festivities.-Frosh 1 :# Blur, "Song 2"...
(1998): "Home for a RestHome For a Rest"Home for a Rest" is a song by Canadian folk rock band Spirit of the West, from their 1990 album Save This House. Although never officially released as a single, it is the band's most famous song and is considered a classic of Canadian music....
"
Reception
- In 1999, CFNY-FMCFNY-FMCFNY-FM, promoted under the branding 102.1 The Edge, is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 102.1 FM. The station rose to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s due to its freestyle DJing format and unique choice to play alternative music...
ranked "Political" No. 524, and "Home For a Rest" No. 689, in its "Top 1002 New Rock Songs of All Time" chart. - In 2005, "Home for a Rest" was named the 22nd greatest Canadian song of all time on CBC Radio OneCBC Radio OneCBC Radio One is the English language news and information radio network of the publicly-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. It is commercial free and offers both local and national programming...
's 50 Tracks: The Canadian Version50 Tracks: The Canadian Version50 Tracks: The Canadian Version was a Canadian radio series, which aired across Canada on CBC Radio One in 2005. The show, hosted by Jian Ghomeshi, was a competition to determine the 50 most essential songs in English language Canadian pop music history...
. - In 2007, "Home for a Rest" ranked No. 8 on CFNY's "Top 102 Canadian New Rock Songs of All Time" chart.
- "Save This House" is the theme song for Save Us from Our HouseSave Us from Our HouseSave Us From Our House! is a Canadian reality series produced by General Purpose Pictures which airs on W Network in Canada. It is broadcast on Thursdays, 9:30pm e/p and is hosted by Hina Khan, a relationship strategist and Dylan Marcel, a home renovation expert. The program focuses on families who...
, a combined relationship/renovation/reality TV show currently playing (2007) on the Canadian cable network W, and on HGTV in the U.S.