Canada's second National Anthem, no more.

June 5, 2008 11:24 AM

The CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Coporation) has decided to not renew a licensing agreement for the Hockey Night in Canada theme music (Youtube link).
posted by jeffmik (55 comments total)

What they didn't tell you is that ABC will be playing it next season.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 11:30 AM on June 5, 2008

What they didn't tell you is that ABC will be playing it next season.

Oh god I hope not because I can not stand American network hockey cameramen. Only the CBC (for a reason I don't understand) has cameramen who know how to cover hockey.
posted by Turtles all the way down at 11:35 AM on June 5, 2008 [1 favorite]

I'm totally playing it at my next coke party.
posted by TrialByMedia at 11:35 AM on June 5, 2008

So are they just going to use that stupid "Shoot out the lights" song?

What the fuck, CBC?
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 11:39 AM on June 5, 2008

I just saw this on the Toronto Star's front page, where it is the lead story. It's been stuck in my head ever since. It really is a catchy, evocative song. Listening to it makes you feel like something exciting and important is about to happen. (Or perhaps that's just conditioning, but whatever.)
posted by PercussivePaul at 11:41 AM on June 5, 2008

Ah whatever.

They'll just crank out another catchy jingle. Like they did for the CFL or curling.

Maybe it won't have the sentimentality of the old song, but it will more than make up for it by being rights friendly.

And that's something we can all feel good about.
posted by mazola at 11:46 AM on June 5, 2008

The rights holder is currently suing the CBC although she claims that it won't affect the renewal of any deals. Uh-huh. It's called hardball. That nuisance suit is costing the CBC $500 an hour so why should they pay that lad $500 or one cent for the rights to use the music?

How about this: drop the suit, stupid rights-holder lady. Take your $500 and move on.
posted by GuyZero at 11:47 AM on June 5, 2008

And they want to get rid of Ron MacLean, too.
posted by BozoBurgerBonanza at 11:48 AM on June 5, 2008

Sounds like the composer has been making quite a bit of cash from the CBC ($500/game, must be over 50 games a year once you count the playoffs). Considering it took her half a day to write it (Mop & Pail), it seems like greed may play some part here. I'd rather the CBC spent that money elsewhere.
posted by ssg at 11:53 AM on June 5, 2008

Yeah, this is just part of the lawsuit bargaining. CBC would never hear the end of it if they ditched that theme. But who knows, weren't they were talking about ditching HNIC altogether last year?

What would they do? Get Jon Tesh to write something?
posted by thejimp at 12:08 PM on June 5, 2008

That youtube link ... is the current version, yes? And the original version is the mp3 I have that clocks in at 33 seconds, without all that fluffy guitar work and the swaggering part near the end where the hi-kicking dancers come out?
posted by user92371 at 12:15 PM on June 5, 2008

$500 every time they play it? Holy cripes.
posted by Shepherd at 12:15 PM on June 5, 2008

What the fuck? I don't even watch hockey, but that song is an indelible part of Canadian history.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 12:21 PM on June 5, 2008

And they want to get rid of Ron MacLean, too.

Dude, that story is from six years ago.
posted by Shepherd at 12:42 PM on June 5, 2008

I understand this is available.

okay, okay ... technically Part II, but this is a better clip and close enough.
posted by RavinDave at 1:00 PM on June 5, 2008

They have all summer to renew it, and they will, it's just a bargaining ploy.
posted by Vindaloo at 1:23 PM on June 5, 2008

Fond memories: Taking the bus in France with a bunch of americans, and I'm humming the HNIC tune... Several other (unknown to me) canadians on the bus start singing along. Americans look completely confused. Frienships were formed, bonds were made, americans were mocked.
posted by blue_beetle at 1:36 PM on June 5, 2008 [4 favorites]

Have it as my ring tone on my mobile right now, although I've been toying with finding a copy of Hinterland's Who's Who.

I can imagine the shit storm that will be brewing back home over this item. I bet some MP will bring it up in Question Period.

Would now be a good time to bring up the theme music from the Friendly Giant?
posted by smcniven at 1:46 PM on June 5, 2008

Would now be a good time to bring up the theme music from the Friendly Giant?

Yes.

Look up. Look waaaay up.
posted by Turtles all the way down at 2:01 PM on June 5, 2008 [3 favorites]

.
posted by joelf at 2:27 PM on June 5, 2008

I think Claman is playing hardball because she's in a win-win situation. If the Mother Corp balks, I'm sure TSN (which has just signed a multi-year deal to broadcast at least 70 "Canadian" NHL games per year) will be only too happy to snatch up the classic jingle.

CBC might have to resort to using The Littlest Hobo theme song.

Or maybe even The Littlest Hobo from the 60's? (but I don't think they own that either).
posted by Kabanos at 3:04 PM on June 5, 2008

SACRILEGE
posted by alexwoods at 3:11 PM on June 5, 2008

blue_beetle writes "Taking the bus in France with a bunch of americans, and I'm humming the HNIC tune... Several other (unknown to me) canadians on the bus start singing along. Americans look completely confused. Frienships were formed, bonds were made, americans were mocked."

Finally a sports test to prove I'm Canadian that I could pass.
posted by Mitheral at 3:12 PM on June 5, 2008

CTV owns the Littlest Hobo, not the CBC.
posted by the dief at 3:33 PM on June 5, 2008

God, that's awful. I would be outside Broadcasting House with a pitchfork if they tried to change the theme music for Match of the Day or the cricket coverage.
posted by athenian at 3:35 PM on June 5, 2008

The Beachcombers theme would rock as a replacement.
posted by mazola at 3:36 PM on June 5, 2008

But the Shuffle Demons will still cover it in their live show.

Admittedtly, I don't know if the Shuffle Demons still gig
posted by stevil at 3:42 PM on June 5, 2008

Look up. Look waaaay up.

Look down. Look waaay down. It's the Unfriendly Giant.


But the Shuffle Demons will still cover it in their live show.

Maybe CBC can use Out of My House, Roach as the new theme for Hockey Night in Canada.
posted by bwg at 3:56 PM on June 5, 2008

Finally a sports test to prove I'm Canadian that I could pass.

Canadian border patrol now has another way to catch US draft dodgers, because some of them have caught on about the last letter of the alphabet.
posted by bwg at 4:02 PM on June 5, 2008

Fond memories: Taking the bus in France with a bunch of americans, and I'm humming the HNIC tune... Several other (unknown to me) canadians on the bus start singing along. Americans look completely confused. Frienships were formed, bonds were made, americans were mocked.

Is it just me or does that sound like pitch for a Tim Horton's/Molson ad?
posted by juv3nal at 4:25 PM on June 5, 2008

!

This is like Canada deciding not to renew its licensing agreement to the national anthem.

Taking the bus in France with a bunch of americans, and I'm humming the HNIC tune...

That is a beautiful test for Canadianity.
posted by painquale at 4:58 PM on June 5, 2008

We get the CBC on cable here, and it's the only reason we haven't switched from Comcast to DirecTV. But between losing Olympics rights to CTV and how much they're muckign up their hockey coverage, I think it's time to start pricing a dish.

Yeah, their Olympics coverage isn't that much better than NBC, but it has two distinct advantages -- they don't spend half the night's programming on Vaseline-lensed fluffy profiles, and they'd never say hide behind the term "plausibly live" to explain away why they're showing 16 hour old coverage.

Also, the "heroic Canadians who finished a best-ever-for-Canada 13th in team handball" interviews are cute.
posted by dw at 6:28 PM on June 5, 2008

Can't
Botch
Coverage

please??
posted by roombythelake at 6:43 PM on June 5, 2008

The CBC cancelled Intelligence. Fuckers.
posted by chunking express at 7:33 PM on June 5, 2008

But wait! An update!

Hockey Theme Not Dead Yet

The head of CBC-TV Sports says the broadcaster is working with a deadline of tomorrow at 5 p.m. to reach an agreement over the Hockey Night in Canada theme, but that the CBC already has a plan to develop a replacement to the famous jingle.

...

“We would launch a national contest for a new theme,” Moore said. “We’ve had this contingency in place for over a year. It would be open to the public, professional and amateur musicians. I think people would be equally as passionate about choosing a new theme. We think this is a great alternative.”
...

It seems the CBC guy thought he had a Friday at noon deadline. The song guy thought the deadline was Wednesday at noon. CBC guy was busy traveling and didn't return calls, so song guy assumed there would be no deal. Prematurely, perhaps...?
posted by PercussivePaul at 8:01 PM on June 5, 2008

Koo loo koo koo koo loo koo kooo...
posted by Durn Bronzefist at 8:44 PM on June 5, 2008 [1 favorite]

The Beachcombers theme would rock as a replacement.

Danger Bay theme. You know I'm right.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:25 PM on June 5, 2008 [1 favorite]

Danger Bay theme. You know I'm right.

Far too awesome for hockey.
posted by ssg at 10:34 PM on June 5, 2008

I'd forgotten about Danger Bay! Wonder what Ocean Hellman is up to nowdays.

The background music on that Danger Bay clip reminds me of Chocolate Rain though.
posted by smcniven at 1:11 AM on June 6, 2008

Ah hell. Next they'll get rid of Don Cherry.

I do miss CBC since moving from Michigan. I thought for sure in Minneapolis I'd be close enough to Canada to get CBC, but no, not on the air here, not in my cable package anyway. It sucks too, because the CBC hockey coverage is so much better (must state for the record though that NBC is heads and shoulders above Fox and their damn dancing robots, but still, I miss the CBC). Also in total agreement with the CBC Olympic coverage. How the hell am I going to get to watch curling for the 2010 Games now? Highly doubt NBC will have that on live, if at all...
posted by caution live frogs at 5:52 AM on June 6, 2008

Ah hell. Next they'll get rid of Don Cherry.

We can dream.
posted by dirtynumbangelboy at 6:58 AM on June 6, 2008

Intelligence

*sniff* that show rocked...
posted by stevil at 9:23 AM on June 6, 2008

Learn something new every day, I suppose. Being a Yank, I'd never heard of this song, or its rabid following. I thought it sounded like some canned 80's pop filler they use for Toyota commercials or network made-for-TV movie introductions.

But after reading this comment from the YouTube link:

Oh please compromise! This is up there with the Star Wars theme song.

...I now understand.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 9:35 AM on June 6, 2008

Deal to keep Hockey Night theme song falls through
posted by never used baby shoes at 7:47 PM on June 6, 2008

Trudeau would have nationalized it. Just watch him.
posted by GuyZero at 7:59 PM on June 6, 2008

Oh please compromise! This is up there with greater than the Star Wars theme song.

Trudeau would have nationalized it. Just watch him.
I have been, and I like what I see
posted by futureproof at 3:09 AM on June 7, 2008

...

rip

HNIC

1968-2008
posted by edmcbride at 5:52 AM on June 7, 2008

Some cover versions here.
posted by stevil at 7:35 AM on June 7, 2008

CTV buys the rights.
posted by juv3nal at 2:10 PM on June 9, 2008

And CTV is part of the same media group as TSN.
posted by never used baby shoes at 4:16 PM on June 9, 2008

I borked the link somehow - here it is - TSN will be using it for their hockey coverage, including the 2010 Games.

Note the headline - CTV "saves" the Hockey Theme.
posted by never used baby shoes at 4:19 PM on June 9, 2008

never used baby shoes writes "TSN will be using it for their hockey coverage, including the 2010 Games."

That's just wrong.
posted by Mitheral at 4:39 PM on June 9, 2008

"Stompin' Tom open to licensing The Hockey Song to CBC, son says"
Stompin' Tom Version
The Hanson Brothers(AKA Nomeansno) version
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 8:28 AM on June 10, 2008

As a Canadian taxpayer, and the CBC being "my" public broadcaster, I am glad they let the damn thing go rather than paying $2.5 million for it. Good lord. People slagging the CBC for a lack of respect for heritage should maybe toss a few arrows the composer's well-padded way.
posted by Shepherd at 1:20 PM on June 10, 2008

Shepherd, that is exactly my thought...the CBC can't win here - they lost the song, therefore they are inept, bungling, publicly funded twits. However, if they had paid 2.5 million dollars, they would be inept, bungling, publicly funded twits who obviously don't know the value of a buck like they do in the private sector.

I'm no huge fan of the CBC - I don't tend to watch them except for sports or their documentaries - but they are screwed in the public perception no matter which way they turn.
posted by never used baby shoes at 7:49 PM on June 10, 2008