Song in my head July 16

July 16, 2005- Share the Land-The Guess Who. Ah those heady days of the sixties, a new generation expressing itself and offering up new ways of doing things for the ultimate good of the whole. Where did those days go? With a war in Vietnam about to explode on a television set near you and civil unrest below the 49th causing alarm in the peaceful Queendom (Liz in charge you know!) above, came the warblings of some wheatfield soul. From the corner of Portage and Main (actually a couple of neighborhoods to the north but were looking for imagery here) came The Guess Who, Canada's offering to world of rock and roll of the sixties and seventies.

With a great harmony came the strains of Share the Land, who can forget "Maybe I'll be there to shake your hand, Maybe I'll be there to share the land, that they'd be giving it away, when we all live to together". It was a favorite with my airband of the day, The Collies (named after the breed of dog that roamed our house those days) But if memory serves correct Frankie, Barry and I did not resemble Burton, Randy or Kyle in any form of vocal talent. Especially that Shake your hand, Share the land part, which I remember deteriorated into fits of laughter by the end.

Regardless, Share the Land is one of those pivotal Canadian songs, it expresses a sense of community and sharing that Canadians seem to fancy of themselves, even if half the time we're as self absorbed and self serving as the next guy.

Alas, the caring and sharing days of the sixties would quickly come to an end and as if to punctuate that fact, The Guess Who had a monster hit with American Woman which of course evoked the violence of the day below the 49th. A song that many feel and rightly so, is one of their best, but Share the land holds its own as well.

In 1969 it was all about togetherness, sharing and good ole rock and roll and a monster hit for The Guess for 1970!