Canada sends Obama songs from north of the 49th

OBAMA, meet Oscar. And a little band known as Rush.

Oscar Peterson’s civil rights anthem Hymn to Freedom and Rush’s Closer to the Heart topped the list of songs Canadians voted to be part of a Canadian-themed playlist for the incoming U.S. president.

After two weeks of submissions and voting, CBC Radio 2 listeners selected the top 49 Canadian songs that best defined the country’s image for Barack Obama.

A diverse group of artists and genres were represented on the list, including Glenn Gould’s recording of Goldberg Variations (the top classical song category) and Gordon Lightfoot’s Canadian Railroad Trilogy (which finished second to Closer to the Heart in the Pop/Rock/Country category). The top francophone song was Gilles Vigneault’s Mon Pays.

The list also included more modern selections such as Arcade Fire’s Rebellion (Lies) and The Tragically Hip’s Bobcaygeon. The Barenaked Ladies If I Had $1,000,000 also made the list, but one expects Obama will need more money than that to mend a slumping economy.

Making the cut were three Winnipeg acts: The Guess Who, The Weakerthans and Neil Young.

A complete list can be found at cbc.ca/obamasplaylist, where the songs are available for purchase through iTunes. Selected tunes will be played throughout inauguration day on Jan. 20 starting at 6 a.m. on CBC Radio 2’s daytime programs.

The Top 49 Songs (alphabetically by artist):

• Arcade Fire - Rebellion (Lies)
• Barenaked Ladies - If I Had $1,000,000
• Beau Dommage - La complainte du phoque en Alaska
• Ben Heppner - We’ll Gather Lilacs
• Bruce Cockburn - Wondering Where the Lions Are
• Buffy Sainte-Marie - Universal Soldier
• Daniel Bélanger - Rêver mieux
• Daniel Lanois - Jolie Louise
• Daniel Lavoie - J’ai quitté mon île
• Diana Krall - Departure Bay
• Gilles Vigneault - Mon pays
• Glenn Gould - Goldberg Variations Gordon Lightfoot - Canadian Railroad Trilogy
• Gordon Lightfoot - Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
• Great Big Sea - Ordinary Day
• Harmonium - Pour un Instant
• Ian & Sylvia - Four Strong Winds
• James Ehnes - Barber Violin Concerto
• Jesse Cook - Mario Takes a Walk
• Joni Mitchell - Both Sides Now
• Joni Mitchell - A Case of You
• Karkwa - Oublie pas
• k.d. lang - Hallelujah
• Leonard Cohen - Democracy
• Leonard Cohen - Suzanne
• Malajube - Montréal -40°C
• Marie-Jo Thério - Évangeline
• Marjan Mozetich - Affairs of the Heart
• Measha Brueggergosman - I’m Going Up a Yonder
• Mes Aïeux - Dégénérations
• Michael Bublé - Home
• Moe Koffman - Swingin’ Shepherd Blues
• Neil Young - Rockin’ In the Free World
• Neil Young - Helpless
• Oscar Peterson Trio - Hymn to Freedom
• Oscar Peterson - Place St. Henri (from Canadiana Suite)
• Parachute Club - Rise Up
• Raymond Lévesque - Quand Les Hommes Vivront D’amour
• Rush - Closer to the Heart
• Sam Roberts - The Canadian Dream   
• Shad - Brother (Watching)
• Stan Rogers - Northwest Passage
• Stompin’ Tom Connors - The Hockey Song
• The Arrogant Worms - Canada’s Really Big
• The Guess Who - American Woman
• The Tragically Hip - Wheat Kings
• The Tragically Hip - Bobcaygeon
• The Rankin Family - Rise Again
• The Weakerthans - One Great City!