Farewell, Stompin' Tom

Stompin' Tom Connors, OC, (February 9, 1936 – March 6, 2013)



A folksinging, foot-stompin’ troubadour and Canadian music legend, Stompin’ Tom Connors wrote songs about Canada including my personal favourite, Sudbury Saturday Night...


(filmed at the Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, circa 1973)

Oh, the girls are out to bingo
And the boys are gettin' stinko
And we think no more of Inco
On a Sudbury Saturday night

I once posted this photo of Stompin' Tom and asked if you could foreigners could identify him...



The following are just some of your answers...

Mago: “Mr. "I had my best time 1970"”

Eroswings: “K.D. Lang! Wait...this one is wearing shoes. It's Ian Tyson.”

Ayem8y: “K. D. Lang or Shania Twain - It’s un clear, I’m unfamiliar with Canadian Country singers and I thought you only had the two.”

Kapitano: “Neil Young”

Miss Scarlet: "The man who invented Crocs."

Though he may not have been a household name abroad, Stompin' Tom ranked thirteenth on the Greatest Canadian List.

Stompin' Tom on a Canadian postage stamp...



Stompin' Tom: A great Canadian who will be missed by Canucks from coast to coast to coast.

Let's give Stompin' Tom the final word...

"Hello friends, I want all my fans, past, present, or future, to know that without you, there would have not been any Stompin' Tom."

"It was a long hard bumpy road, but this great country kept me inspired with it's beauty, character, and spirit, driving me to keep marching on and devoted to sing about its people and places that make Canada the greatest country in the world."

"I must now pass the torch, to all of you, to help keep the Maple Leaf flying high, and be the Patriot Canada needs now and in the future."

"I humbly thank you all, one last time, for allowing me in your homes, I hope I continue to bring a little bit of cheer into your lives from the work I have done."

Sincerely,

Your Friend always,

Stompin' Tom Connors

Geo’s on the Road Again

Maidink’s man GEO heads back out on the open road today in his pickup.

Geo, we dedicate this Canuck tune to ya, b’y.

Long may your big jib draw. (translation: good luck to ya)

And keep in touch.


Stompin' Tom Connors - Margo's Cargo





Have you heard the news in Newfoundland, rolling around The Rock,
How Reggie brought for Margie home a cowsie dungsie clock?
With Margie being a farm girl, she almost took a fit,
To find the cowsie dungsie clock was really made of it.

The clock was from Toronto and her mind was soon made up,
She said to Reggie, "Get the cow and load her on the truck."
We're heading for Ontario and we're off to make her big,
'Cause Margo's got the cargo, b'y, and Reggie's got the rig.

Reggie's got the rig, Reggie's got the rig;
Margo's got the cargo, b'y, and Reggie's got the rig.


Now they're rolling thru the Maritimes and the truck was nearly full,
The cow began to bawl, she was lonesome for the bull;
The Mountie pulled them over "Is there something I can do?"
"Go right ahead, sir," Margie said, "climb in the back and moo!"

Now when they got to Montreal they missed the Autoroute,
But they found that everyone in town was glad to help them out;
"The sooner you hit Toronto," they said, "the sooner you'll make ‘er big,"
'Cause Margo's got the cargo, b'y, and Reggie's got the rig.

Reggie's got the rig, Reggie's got the rig;
Margo's got the cargo, b'y, and Reggie's got the rig.

Now the truck was overflowin’ when Toronto hit the rise
The 401 was full of dung and the cab was full of flies
We're losin lots of money Reg, We can't afford to stop
We gotta find the place that makes the cowsie dungsie clock

Well I wish ya coulda been there on the corner of Queen and Yonge.
When Margo found the company and she dumped her load a dung!
And when she found the office she was singin and doin a jig!
Margo's got the cargo b’ys and Reggie's got the rig!

Reggie's got the rig, Reggie's got the rig;
Margo's got the cargo, b'y, and Reggie's got the rig.

It was later in the evenin’ when they heard from Mr. Judge
"I don't know what to give yas, but I'll never hold a grudge!"
I tink a tousand dollars would be fair to hand ya down
And thirty days of lodging will be free upon da town!

Now Margo says to Reggie, "What a helluva deal we struck!"
"We mighta lost da cow, b’y, but still we got da truck!"
And now they're back in Newfoundland, They're loadin up the the pig
Cause Margo got da cargo, b’y and Reggie's got da rig!

Reggie's got the rig, Reggie's got the rig;
Margo's got the cargo, b'y, and Reggie's got the rig.
Margo's got the cargo, b'y, and Reggie's got the rig.