In honour of The Tragically Hip’s latest album, We Are The Same, released April 7th, here’s a brief series that demonstrates the manner in which I expect my students to approach poetry — without any research, and without any input from those who may know Gord Downie’s purposes for each song. I will analyse and speculate on each song’s possible meanings. For me, the poetry of TTH’s music is great literature; among the best.
Track #2: Honey, Please
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Title
- ‘Honey’ as a name or a nickname, and the speaker is either pleading for loving attention or is giving a sharp scold.
- Saying “pass the honey, please” — where ‘honey’ could be the sweet, sticky stuff we get from bees and spread on toast, or it could be a metaphor for something of worth, something inspiring.
Interesting Words
- County — the ‘regional municipality’ didn’t quite fit; the Hip strives to remain local, provincial
- whisper
- feeling
Images
- walking home under a starlit sky: is it a metaphor for the songwriter (guy), the muses (girl), and fate (stars)?
Literary Devices
- rhyme and repetition:
Under all the stars of the County with you tonight
Under all the stars of the County with you by my side
Under all the stars of the County shining bright
Under all the stars of the County with you tonight
Connections
- Whenever I’m away from the iPod and I try to hum it, I end up humming “Listen to her Heart” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
- the speaker’s attitude reminds my of Homer, or Virgil, or Robertson Davies calling on the muses for inspiration
Favourite Quote
When all ‘the poetry of the earth’
Might be all there is
It might still have some worth
Yeah but I can’t dance to it
Possible Paraphrase
“I’m not in the mood to try to write this song today, I just want you to put it into my head — just the way that you would sing it. Whenever I’ve struggled in the past, or felt inferior, you’ve helped me by whispering it to me. Perhaps, however, the answer to this writer’s block is on the other side of this struggle. I’ve tried so hard, and you’ve helped me. And all of this poetry might last, it might remain.”
SUMMARY
I think that this may be Gord Downie’s description of the task of songwriting, telling himself that he shouldn’t have to work so hard at it, that it will perhaps come to him in his sleep, or out for a walk, or from being with his love, or … whenever. But, why? Just because?
It’s really interesting that you get Tom Petty in your head after listening to this song. I hadn’t made that connection, though I think this album has gathered together far more music genres than any Hip album before it. Some of the songs have a country base, some of them seem to be channeling techno, and of course there are still elements of the Hip’s rock-esque style.
Elizabeth would likely describe some of the songs as “folksy”. For her, it seems, this is the predominant sound of the Hip.