It’s been a long time coming, but it will be nice to get back on stage and perform live. I’m excited to be returning to Edmonton’s Heart of the City festival this year.

It’s been a long time coming, but it will be nice to get back on stage and perform live. I’m excited to be returning to Edmonton’s Heart of the City festival this year.
SELKIRK RANGE · Riding The Canadian
The Canadian (Le Canadien) is a transcontinental passenger train operated by Via Rail Canada with service between Union Station in Toronto, Ontario, and Pacific Central Station in Vancouver, British Columbia. From west to east, east to west, enjoy the view ’cause it’s the best …
All aboard in Toronto, please take your seat-
have a good look around you, these are the people you will meet
on your way across the country to the coast of BC-
we’re all here as friends
Let’s get this train a-rolling, let’s get out on our way-
the first stop is Washago but we ain’t gonna stay
we’ll be passing through Parry Sound and I know one thing for shor’-
that’s a great hockey town and the home of Bobby Orr
We’re riding the Canadian now
Capreol to Gogama, Hornepayne to Nakina-
Savant Lake to Sioux Lookout, there goes Minaki as I shout out
we’re heading for Winnitoba but don’t be shocked if we don’t stop-
’cause it ain’t what you might have thought
Now calling on the Forks where the Cree, Nakota, and Metis met-
The Guess Who formed here in ’65, then Hedberg, Nilsson and the Golden Jet
Winnipeg in its glory, the Dominion at its best-
Union Station 1912, from where the settlers moved west
We’re riding the Canadian now
From west to east, from east to west-
enjoy the view, ’cause it’s the best
Riding the Canadian
Melville Saskatchewan, then on to Saskatoon-
where temperance came to set up shop and spend an afternoon
we’ll grab a big yellow taxi if you will allow-
and spin ’round to Floral for the ghost of Gordie Howe
We’re riding the Canadian now
Edmonton and the Great One, that’s the pairing you’ve all heard-
but the women Grads of basketball were the winningest in the world
Jasper is spectacular and the Rockies how they shine-
we’ll soon be crossing the Great Divide on this mighty CN line
From west to east, from east to west-
enjoy the view, ’cause it’s the best
Riding the Canadian
Kamloops, Boston Bar, Hope is close at hand-
whistle stop, Chilliwack (isn’t that a band?)
65 stops in almost 4 days-
5 provinces and 4500k
for those who want to get a bit sentimental-
this northern train used to be called the Supercontinental
Final stop Vancouver, Stanley Park, the Sea to Sky-
well folks I’m sad to say, it’s time to say goodbye
From west to east, from east to west-
enjoy the view, ’cause it’s the best
Riding the Canadian
Words and music by Gordon Gow, copyright 2020
Written for VIA Rail’s Artists on Board program.
Now hand it over, give it to me-
and I will promise to keep it good company
The heart is an easy thing to break
Let us be thankful for the gifts that we each brought-
it may be wishful, but I think we got a lot
The heart is an easy thing to break
True love is an awful thing to waste
We both have our part to play
I wake each morning to that smile on your face-
we’ll keep learning to share in our grace
The heart is an easy thing to break
True love is an awful thing to waste
We both have our part to play
Now hand it over, give it to me-
I will promise to keep it good company
The heart is an easy thing to break
True love is an awful thing to waste
We both have our part to play
Words and music by Gordon Gow, copyright 2020
You say good morning, I say good night-
the setting sun is a beautiful sight
play me some music all shiny and bright
While the shadows grow, there’s still more I want to know-
will you share your song
Creaky bones, aches and pains-
this getting old is such a shame
play me something that you composed
It don’t matter if the tune sounds strange-
’cause if you care to share your song, I’ll try to sing along
Singalong
From Lego trains to video games-
some Facebook photos are all that remain
Like a minor chord in a major key
You know the feeling’s strong-
although the child is grown and gone, I still sing along
Singalong
The hit parade it don’t mean a thing-
It’s your song that I want to sing
Synthesizers, drum machines-
the latest loop, fresh beats on the scene
play me something that will make us dance
It don’t matter that the tune sounds strange-
if you care to share your song, I’ll try to sing along
Singalong
Music and words by Gordon Gow, copyright 2020
California morning-
Blue sky delight
A warm breeze filled the air
California morning-
Like an angel in flight
It lifted off without a care
And I am grateful for those things I have seen
And I will be faithful to those memories that should have been
California breaking-
Like the waves on the shore
Pretty girls and beggars in the night
You came sailing in-
To find me stranded on the sand
A California rescue close at hand
And I knew our worlds were still turning
Soon the wind and rain would come again
And I can still see the sun ascending
On that California coastline where it all began
California morning-
now a distant memory
Like a dream disrupted before it’s done
My California lover-
I know it to be true
I still miss you
Words and music by Gordon Gow, Copyright 2019
Image: “A Certain Sunrise” by David Goehring. Flickr, Creative Commons.
Who you gonna be-
where you gonna go-
what kind of hat-
are you gonna wear?
A baseball cap-
a cowboy hat-
a pink beret-
or a derby
A yamaka-
A panama
A black pork pie-
or a beanie
You can wear anything-
with that smile on your face
A tam o’shanter-
just might be you
maybe a turban-
or a fez
A fruity hat-
propeller cap
Something crazy-
to make the news
You can wear anything-
with that smile on your face
You can be who you want to be
Un grand chapeau-
un bel cappello
un pequeño sombrero
camel hair-
cashmere or silk
with a purple pom-pom-
just for show
You can wear anything-
with that smile on your face
You can wear what you want for me
You can be who you want to be
Music and words by Gordon Gow
Amen-
that’s what we say when we talk to God
And this old soul-
knows when it’s all been said and done
Like a river run dry-
drowning in dust
in that grey autumn sky
Dreamers-
on a journey that had just begun
We were rebels-
breakin’ free from the herd like colts on the run
Riding wild on those rolling plains-
chasing visions in that
warm summer rain
A porch light on the prairie-
it casts a lonesome sight
While we bask in the glory-
of another starry night
This broken horse-
this broken horse don’t roam no more
Try as you may now-
you know it’s all just in vain
Git’ up, get on your way now-
they’ve forgotten your name by now
This broken horse-
this broken horse don’t roam no more
Words and music by Gordon Gow
I’m really pleased to have worked with Long Sleeve Productions on the video for Yellowhead West. Drazen and Kathleen were great creative partners in this undertaking and I think the results speak for themselves.
The interiors were shot on location at Maggie’s Hill Heritage Loghouse (where we recorded the song and much of the album) in Sherwood Park, Alberta. The driving scenes were shot on the Yellowhead Highway between Edmonton and Jasper on a beautiful autumn day. (Look for the drone shots of the truck). The “empty mountain pass” is Talbot Lake at the east end of Jasper National Park.
Thank you to Martha Conrad for use of Maggie’s Hill and to Doug Elniski for loaning us his truck for this project.
What a wonderfully intimate evening with friends and new fans at the The Carrot Community Arts Coffeehouse. Thank you to all who came out and helped us raise funds for Edmonton’s Food Bank.
I’m excited to be performing at The Carrot Community Arts Coffeehouse in Edmonton on Friday, October 13.
Show starts at 7:30pm I will be donating all of the artist’s proceeds to Edmonton’s Food Bank. We need 50 fans to fill the house. Let’s make it happen.