Lyrics: North of the 49
North of the forty-nine there lies
A long, wide ribbon road Trans-Canada Highway
To carry me home
Jump in the car let the northern stars
Lead ya laughin' down the boulevard
‘Cuz that’s what happens and the way things are
On the great Trans-Canada Highway
Up the western mountain to the rocky ridge divide
Down to golden wheat fields on the rollin’ prairie side
And movin’ down the freeway bound
For places I have known
Feels a lot like home
Gimme winding ribbon roads
Gimme blue sky, earth and stone
Highway take me home.
Back on the tar
Waters agleam ‘round the great lakes scene
The northern forest and ‘the land between’
Along St. Lawrence with some french cuisine
On the great Trans-Canada highway
Easin' down the seaway with Canadian savoir
Greet the folks and raise a toast then bid them “au revoir"
And movin’ down the freeway bound
For places I have known
Feels a lot like home
Gimme winding ribbon roads
Gimme blue sky, earth and stone
Highway take me home.
Back on the tar
Where the good things are
At the end of a travellin' day
There’s the stars above in the heaven I love
They lead me on my way-he-HEE
Blue sky, earth from sea to sea
This sure feels like home to me
Just down the line where the roads incline
To deep blue harbours in the Maritimes
The seagull chorus is a friend of mine
On the great Trans-Canada highway
Tidal bore, Atlantic shore
All lead to journey’s end
The ferry dock, oh blessed thought
I’m on the rock again.
Gimme winding ribbon roads
Gimme blue sky, earth and stone
Highway take me home.
Back on the tar
Where the good things are
At the end of a travellin’ day
There’s the stars above in the heaven I love
They lead me on my way-he-HEE
Blue skies, earth from sea to sea
Sweeping, soaring panoply
Those northern stars
Jump in the car let the northern stars
Lead ya laughin' down the boulevard
‘Cuz that’s what happens and the way things are
On the great Trans-Canada Highway
Story
I wanted to incorporate some of the iconic symbols of this great country when this song was coming together. The 49th parallel was a legitimate place to start such a journey and home was the logical place to end. What better than the northern stars to do the leading. If you’re on the east coast or the west you can still look into the heavens and recognize the starry expanse you knew from your own backyard. The stars, in that sense unite us, the trans Canada Highway conjoins us, and home is what we call it.
Credits
Peter Thorne - Words and Music
Sean Roberts - Acoustic Guitar/Electric Guitar
Alex Paris - Electric Bass