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The Tragically Hip - Fiddlers Green Song Meanings

Lyrics:
September Seventeen
For a girl I know, it's Mother's Day
Her son has gone alee
And that's where he will stay
Wind on the weathervane <...
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Fiddlers Green Lyrics on KOvideo


sarge January 12th, 2006 12:23AM  
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Seriously, no hip fans? Maybe I can get the ball going. Fiddlers Green is actually a mythical place where sailers go when they die. Thats no coincedence. Not very insightful, however true.
anonymous March 25th, 2006 01:18AM  
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Apparently, Fiddler's Green is a celtic myth regarding where old sailors go when they don't die at sea after a long life, if instead they die in bed and on land of old age ... Their ghosts wander inland and settle in at the first pastoral village they encounter, the mythical "Fiddler's Green. Given an endless cup of booze, they drink and watch the locals dance to the fiddle (according to the legend anyway).

It seems to me that the song makes a point of juxtaposing the supposed path followed by the death of an old sea salt who has travelled the world, with the death of an infant baby with a bad heart "who hasn't been anywhere" ... for dramatic effect.

References to the "tiny knotted heart" and "timber tore the wood" reinforce the nautical tone of old sailing ships.

It's a really heartbreaking song, and I'm sure there's more to it. The first couple of lines of the song "September 17th, for a girl I know it's Mother's day" set us up for the coming tragedy ...
anonymous June 23rd, 2006 10:24AM  
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This song is actually about a nephew of one of the band members who died at a very young age of heart problems.
Absolutely beautiful, touching song.
anonymous October 31st, 2006 10:38PM  
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This song is about Gord's nephew who passed away at a young age from heart problems. The song will never be performed live because it hold too much emotion to the band.
anonymous November 2nd, 2006 12:30AM  
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They actually just played this live in calgary on oct. 28th 2006. It was the first time ever.
AnyMusicWillSuffice January 15th, 2008 04:24PM  
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A friend of mine introduced me to this one and I loved it right away. Since then his young child died, and he can't even listen to this one anymore. I know how he interprets it and it makes me feel sad every time I hear it...Maybe he'll find the strength to give Fiddlers Green a listen someday, as I think it would be therapeutic for him(as I'm sure it is for Gord of The Hip).

I wish him the best, always!!
anonymous October 12th, 2008 11:47AM  
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I heard them play Fiddler's green live in PEI at the festival of lights this summer. Fiddler's green is a place in PEI, Canada.

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