What a good boy, what a smart boy, what a strong boy
Sad and surprising news this week as one of Canada’s best bands is seeing one of its founding members pack it in. Steven Page, one of the singers and guitarists from the Barenaked Ladies, left the band on Wednesday, changing one of the country’s finest bands forever.
I’m no stranger to being mocked for my love of all things Barenaked Ladies. Unlike a lot of my fellow countrymen, I’ve stuck with the band album after album since they hit it big with their first release of youthfully energetic and catchy (some would say kitschy) songs. It’s sort of funny to talk to people who are only familiar with songs like “Grade 9” and that sort-of rap song that was a hit single a lot of years ago because their collected body of work is a lot more varied than some of the goofier songs might suggest.
There’s an underlying tone of malaise or darkness in a lot of their tracks that contradict their bright and playful melodies, and that streak comes courtesy of now-former member Steven Page. He was the one behind one of their biggest hits, “the Old Apartment,” which was something of a tortured lament of lost love. But there are numerous other examples of very serious topics addressed in popular song.
He’s had a roller coaster ride in his personal life in the last year or two, not only divorcing from his long-time wife but also getting busted in his new home in New York for cocaine possession. While the group says that isn’t the sole reason for this week’s break-up, it undoubtedly played a big part. The band will continue on without him, but I’m not sure how that’s going to go; the duality between Page and Ed Robertson is the heart of the group’s writing and I just don’t know if things will be the same. One way or another, they’ll be recording in a couple of months time so we can expect to see the results before the year’s end.
So in memory of better days, here are some of my favourite Barenaked Ladies tracks penned by Steven Page.
Barenaked Ladies - Straw Hat and Old Dirty Hank [3:24m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Barenaked Ladies - the Wrong Man Was Convicted [5:06m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Barenaked Ladies - War On Drugs [5:33m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download Barenaked Ladies - You Will Be Waiting [3:45m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | DownloadThis appears to be where you buy BNL music, but this might work too.
