The Tragically Hip - New Orleans Is Sinking | REACTION 

I'm from Buffal n,y, and we know exactly how GREAT! The hip are! R.I.P. Gordie we will never stop loving you!

It's hard for anyone outside Canada to understand how huge the Hip were. when Gord's terminal illness was revealed the country was in shock and when the Hip said they would do a last canadian tour the country came to a standstill in each city and the last show was televised live from Kingston across the country and the whole nation stopped to watch it. Street parties, house parties, stadium parties - it was a national event. quite profound.

So, while Kanye West needed a stress break from touring. Gord Downie, after brain surgery, and while still fighting brain cancer, performed along with our favourite band, The Hip, a farewell tour. RIP Gord Downie

These three gents just had an introduction to greatness.

"This is the best bar band on the planet"... oooh they're much more than a bar band my friends... One of the greatest bands to walk this earth, with one of the greatest lyricists/front man you'll find. RIP Gord, man I miss this band so much... from a long time fan from the States. Do "Courage" or "Locked in the Trunk of a Car" next... you'll start to see.

You guys: "You could take this song, and just stretch it out to any length..." Me: Killerwhaletank

The Hip have no typical sound. Every song sounds different but you'll always know it's The Hip. Damn, but I was pissed when I found out Gord was dying. So many great musicians go before we have their fill of them.

It's Paul Lang-WAH (French Canadian name) and Rob Baker is playing the lead guitar that you're so fond of.

Fellow Canadian here. The Tragically Hip is the last great Canadian rock group. They have a huuuuge rabbit hole for you to travel down. Blow At High Dough, Three Pistols, Little Bones, Ahead By A Century, 38 Years Old, Fifty Mission Cap (tragic true story of NHL player Bill Barilko who scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal in 1951 and died young during a fishing trip in the off-season), Poets, Bobcaygeon, Grace Too and Wheat Kings etc. Just too many great tunes to list. Guys, love your channel. Please react to much more Tragically Hip. They are not a simplistic group. Their sound is all over the place. You will not be disappointed. Gord Downie has a distinctive voice and was a great, evocative lyricist.

Oh fellas, you’ve opened a can of worms here. The Tragically Hip are so criminally underrated everywhere but Canada. Id recommend giving “Bobcaygeon”, “Blow at High Dough”, and “Locked in the Trunk of a Car” a listen. You guys are in for a treat

We miss you Gord! You were a lyrical genius! RIP

Fiddlers Green makes my cry every time. Knowing Gord wrote the song about his nephew who died young from a heart condition.

Gentleman, this is but one side of the legendary Canadian gem that is "The Tragically Hip". Lionized, Poets , Wheat Kings, Bobcaygeon, 50 Mission Cap, Little Bones...there are WAY too many to list. Enjoy

They did actually have a tendency to lengthen this song live. One of the greatest things about Gord was that you never knew what he was going to do or say next. Look up a live version of this song labelled killer whale tank. It was a live version that ended up being broadcast and turned into probably one of the high points of their career. It’s really something special, and it shows you why Gord was as brilliant as he was.

After the death of Gord Downie, a writer for Rolling Stone said that there was no US equivalent to how Downie and the Hip were to the Canadian phsyche. He said that if you had someone that blended Dylan, Springsteen, and Stipe, you might be on the right track...I paraphrased this.

I had my hands in the river, my feet back up on the banks Looked up to the lord above and said, Hey, man, thanks. RIP Gordo!

This song was written and recorded long before Katrina hit the Big Easy. Out of respect of the disaster that was Katrina radio stations here in Canada did not play this song for a time long after.

The first time I saw the hip was in 150 seat Tavern in Toronto. I've seen the many times with 10 to 15,000 people. Every time this song is played doesn't matter how many people there everyone was bobbing their heads just like you three were. I really miss Gord Downey and the whole band for that matter. Great job I enjoyed the show first time watching

If you've ever seen the Hip live, you know that the proper lyrics (as sung by the fans) are, "looked up to the Gord above and said, 'hey, man, thanks.'" That's more true now since Gird passed than ever before.

The Tragically Hip is my ultimate favourite band!!! They have help me through the toughest times of my life. Losing Gord was a musical loss felt around the world. Especially in Canada where the loss of a beloved musical artist was palpable! They sound the same Live as they do in their albums. I will greatly miss seeing these amazing musicians on stage laying a part of themselves on that stage every time!! RIP Gord Hey Man Thanks ❤️🙏🎼🎤 The Hip will always be my musical heartbeat.

Drove from Ontario to BC in 1990 wearing out the Road Apples cassette in a beat up 1980 Honda Civic. That is what memories are made of. Cheers.

Robby Baker is the lead guitarist. Paul Langlois (Lang-wah) is the rhythm guitarist. Their first two albums were recorded in Memphis so they got that southern bluesy sound. This song is great live- lots of test drive lyrics and fun rants from Gord.

Lifelong Hip fan from Canada here. You're right, this song was often played live at twice the original length with Gord improvising poetically throughout. I love seeing my American friends' first experience with the Hip, us Canadians all know them well. This is a very early work by them. Check out something like Gift Shop or Vaccination Scars to see how they matured and their sound matured with them.

Perhaps someone could verify this please. Apparently after Hurricane Katrina, there was a statement made that this song should not be played anymore. In response, a Toronto radio station played this track continuously for 24-hours. Rest in Peace Gordie.

Juno beach was the code name of the beach that the Canadians attacked on D-Day. The British beaches were all to be named after fish , Sword, Gold and Jelly… but the Canadian general said there’s no way that my soldiers will be known as jellyfish. He needed to keep a J in the title and ended up using his dog’s name. Juno. JUNO I has a very honoured historical name in Canada.

Fellas please do more Tragically Hip. Criminally underrated band with whip-smart lyrics set to some filthy guitar and drum work. A lot of great softer/more acoustic songs as well . Gord was sick and yet still went out and performed literally while he was dying and they televised one of their last if not last concerts and it was like a national holiday / celebration watched by many Canadians across the country. If you watch it it'll break your goddamn heart I saw them live in like 2006 or 7 here in LA and you guys nailed it, they are definitely take it to another level live Some faves Grace, Too Ahead by a Century Wheat Kings Emperor Penguin My Music at Work Bobcaygeon

The hip were an insanely good band but to get a true feel you have to check out their live early stuff. They also have a habit of each album growing on you till you wanna hear more. This song dropped when I was 14. I'm convinced that no human can hear it without bobbing your head to its groove(just like all 3 of you). Rest easy Gord...you are dearly missed!

"There's 2 Gords what are the odds" in Canada it's pretty high actually, There's Gords and Glenns all over the place up here.

Pronounced Lang wah. I'm Canadian and new to your channel. The Hip are a national treasure. Seeing them live was an experience to say the least. Next to Rush probably the best Canadian rock band of all time. New Orleans is Sinking is one of their biggest hits from their debut LP, Up to Here, which is sensational. Lots of quality in their discography. RIP Gord 🙏

The live version with the Killer Whale story is amazing. There are a lot of live unhinged versions but killer whale is the best

I have to say it is so great to see new fans emerge even after Gord has left us. ✌️🇨🇦

I went to University with these fine gentlemen in Kingston, Ontario in the 1980s. We graduated in the same year. They played local bars and the campus pub, sometimes to small crowds of 20. I moved to NYC after graduation but saw them there a few times, including their appearance on SNL. We moved back to Canada in 2007 and I saw them a couple of times in Toronto. When Gord found out he had inoperable brain cancer, they announced a final tour. Their last show was in their hometown of Kingston and was livestreamed across Canada. We all had a singalong, danced and had a good cry. Lead guitar is Rob Baker, bass is Gord Sinclair, Drums is Johnny Fay and rhythm guitar is Paul Langlois (pronounced Lang-wah)

LOL in Canada, for that generation, it wasn't at all unusual for a band to have two Gords. The Hip's guitarist is Paul Langlois. Langlois is a very common French Canadian name, pronounced sort of like "Lan-gwah" if you make the first syllable nasal. The Hip started as a small town bar band, and ALWAYS kept the spirit of a fantastically good bar band.

Gord Downie's voice is unmistakable. It could be another 30 years and I'd just be able to remember that voice

So many hits. This band was great. LITTLE BONES and LOCKED IN THE TRUNK OF A CAR are 2 of my favs. GREASY JUNGLE is also pretty good.

Gordie was our Canadian poet RIP

They are Canadiana at it's best... what a poet ...what a band... all terrific humans. Cheers gang

3 heads a bobbing. You boys look Canadian! L💞ve from Canada!

I feel like now we should get into how they toured when he was dying and what the countries response to that was. Thousands of people coming out in cities and towns across the country to watch the final performance months before he passed away. I thought he was literally going to perform fell over that night. I don’t know how we did it to this day. Canada, love the hip and losing Gord hit us hard.

the best songs are the ones when ten different people, each has their own idea of what the song means to them. it reaches a larger crowd.

"This is a jam band... this is the kind of song you could lengthen to any length you want to be..." Pretty sure he just described a live Hip show.

Saw these guys the year before this album, I live 45 miles from Kingston Ontario. I live in New York on the St.Lawrence river. Love them!

The Hip is one of my top 5 bands. I've seem them live 11 times in bars and small venues around Pennsylvania. In Canada, they sell out stadiums. I feel blessed to have seen them that close so many times

The song is not about drugs lol (their song "Locked in the Trunk of a Car perhaps). It's an ode to New Orleans. A literal reference to it being below sea level and sinking and if it goes down, he wants to go down with it ("don't want to swim") because it doesn't get any better than New Orleans. So, you have this character in the song who is dead and buried in a New Orleans cemetery, it gets flooded, and his corpse gets washed up and he's all "I had my hands in the river, my feet backed up on the banks..." And a girl is walking down the path and sees this corpse and screams in horror and the embarrassed corpse sarcastically thanks God, hence the line, "I looked up to the Lord above and said 'Hey, man thanks..." "I swear to God she said, "NO!!!!!!!!"

Gord Downie a Canadian icon. May he Rest In peace. The Tragically Hip is one of the top bands in Canada.

Imagine being 16 and hearing this fir the first time , driving with your buddies and then we had 30 or so more years of them...and at the same time barenaked ladies was popular in states , so we had the hip to ourselves

You really need to go down the rabbit hole that is The Hip!! There is truly a reason they are so popular in Canada. Simply amazing!

Guitar: Rob Baker Guitar: Paul Langlois Bass: Gord Sinclair Drums: Johnny Fey The GOAT: Gord Downie

He was magical to watch in concert and would change the lyrics in the concerts... he as a remarkable Canadian and still miss to this day .... Legends never die and he was one hell of a legend

Would not have known this was Canadian. Having just been to Nashville, and going on Broadway there - i can totally see hearing this at one of the venues! I liked the fast-fingered guitar riff (especially at the end).

The Hip's most popular stuff spans blues-rock and folk, but they dabble in alt-rock, power pop, and psychedelia. Their catalogue is super deep and worth a listen.

Your line about playing forever is bang on. If you want a fun version of it find this song song and “killer whale tank”. Exactly what you were talking about it being a jam.

First time I heard this song was 37 years ago at a 20 keg party in the mountains of southern Arizona. Went out and got the cd the next evening.

I remember a Christmas at the in-laws. Bored...found a cassette that my young BIL had gotten as a gift. The Tragically Hip. Hmmmm...ok. Popped on the headphones, cranked it up...and went wide eyed for two full listens of the album. LOVED it...and ended up with 5 of their albums that I played continuously for a couple of years. Saw them in concert 3 times as well. It was raw, dirty, blues based rock or something on overdrive and I needed it. Their music was like a brain worm. Is it post-grunge? Alt rock? Blues? Who gives a crap...just turn it up and get bigger speakers!

AUTOMATICALLY you all start the Hip headbob in synchro haha

The Tragically Hip were brilliant... another Canadian Band you should check out sometime -> "Blue Rodeo" Try... Outskirts... Heart Like Mine... Piranha Pool...

The guy in the middle hit the nail on the head about this song. I have seen the Hip around 6-7 times. This song IS USED TO introduce new songs by jamming them in the middle of performing this song. Sometimes it's a new song or it could be a story Gordie tells off the top of his head. There are some stories he really likes to tell. The one I have heard several times is called "Killerwhaletank"! it's about working at an aquarium in the killer whale tank. Great reaction. Everyone loves the guitar jam in this song. The lead guitar player is Robert Baker who once went by Bobby Baker when this was recorded. I guess he felt he got too old to be called Bobby.

A Canadian icon and true poet. Miss you Gordie❤️

The Hip is such an important band up here that we want to see Gord's portrait on our money bills - may he rest in peace. Another great Hip song if you're interested is "music At Work" - cheers from Montreal eh.

Another great Canadian band is Trooper, mega hit makers . A few of my favorites are we’re here for a good time, raise a little hell, Santa Maria, the boys in the bright white sports car, two for the show, etc. etc.

'I can't forsake a dixie dead-shake So we danced the sidewalk clean' WE DANCED THE SIDEWALK CLEAN! WHO in the world can think of a lyric line like that? Only Gordon Downie

reminiscing about gordie & the boys.....and found myself here I am a Canadian who now lives down the highway in bowling green and a huge Hip fan. You guys keep listening to the hip! congrats on finding a legendary band and be sure to listen to all their albums. They evolved over time with so many great songs

Subscribed because of this reaction. One of the most underrated outside Canada bands ever. More Hip please!

Funny you noticed the solo feel with the riff. They often did stretch this song out live, and in a lot of cases Gord Downie, the singer would break into a poetic monologue. Some people often compare him to Jim Morrison of the Doors! This is a great post I found which is bang on "The song “New Orleans Is Sinking” by The Tragically Hip is an ode to the deep-rooted culture of New Orleans, one of America’s most significant historic cities. The narrator of the song is recalling a past experience in the city, and the lyrics seem to describe a sense of nostalgia and appreciation for everything New Orleans has to offer. As the chorus tells us, “My memory is muddy, what’s this river that I’m in? New Orleans is sinking, man, and I don’t want to swim.” This lyric speaks to the ever-changing nature of the city, its culture, and the people who inhabit it-all of which are in a state of decline as the past fades away. The narrator is lamenting the changing times, and expressing his desire to remain connected to its rich history and traditions despite the impending decline."

The 99 Woodstock the Hip play is a must watch, to really get there vibe as a band.

New Orleans is Sinking was released in 1989 (their 2nd album). Long before Katrina in 2005 however, it was pulled from rotation for a long time out of respect for the city. The Hip we high school friends who formed a band… they played together until Gord passed in 2017. The have a blues influence but their stuff is very rock-centric. Especially their later stuff… Check out their back catalogue (and SNL appreances)

Because you didn't know what the whole song was about...here you go!!! The song refers to the steamboat, The New Orleans, which sunk in the Mississippi River in 1814. Although it mentions this in the actual song, the overall meaning/feeling of the song kind of points to just enjoying life and living it to the fullest. Just enjoying your surroundings and making the best of everything. Need say more??

Best band ever out of Canada. God rest Gordie's soul.

He's singing about a old historic river boat called the 'New Orleans' that sunk on the ole Miss back in the day and surviving.

The Juno awards are basically the Canadian grammy's.

When you’re in Canada and a Hip song comes on in a bar or restaurant everyone sings along and jams out. I’m glad you tried it I have never known why they didn’t get bigger outside of Canada. Wheat kings is one of my favourites 🇨🇦 🍁

I'm Canadian, and my gf lived in New Orleans during Katrina... She told me that this song was banned from all radio stations in the city for years! I'm not sure if it's even allowed today! When I was there, I made damn sure not to play it on my phone!

This was one of their first hits/singles. They definitely enter the "Alternative" 90's style as the decade comes. This track would be '89. It would be followed up by Road Apples in '91, Fully Completely in '92 and and Day for Night (one of my favs) in '94.

Killer Whale Tank

I had a projection tv unit and showed the last show on the wall of my house and many neighbors came over to watch

11.7 Canadians watched the Hips last song which is remarkable.

Definately look up the live version of this, you owe it to yourselves!! Will answer many questions :) Also look up Highway Girl (Live - Double Suicide Rant) - Tragically Hip

You're right about it being a jamming song. They improvised a lot live, and often did extended versions of this song.

These guys were great live. In fact, if you listen to their Saskadelphia release you'll hear studio recordings of these guys that sound like they're playing in front of thousands.

13:15 Dude in the middle, spoke god's words! They started in Kingston, outta highschool (former Canadian capital). In the bar scene. Kingston Ontario is home to Queens university. #1 Party school in Canada @ the time. Awesome waterfront, and very cool downtown music scene. Dan Akroyd (Blues Brothers). Owned a bar where they played often. I have seen them 12+ times. In arena shows, to small bars in Kingston, and at Woodstock 99. Best live band for sure! Smaller the venue, better the show! "Locked in the Trunk of a Car" is a killer track boys. Albums 2 thru 7 are total gems. Listen to them all. Canada's Band played to a live audience of 20+thousand for their final show ever. It was at home in Kingston, of course. The Prime Minister at the time (a huge fan) asked the CBC television network to show the entirety of the final concert. LIVE and 100% commercial free! And over 11,000,000 people tuned in. That's 1/3 of the entire country. Planned, or stopped everything. To watch the Poet Laureate, and his band crush it one more time. Many Canadians of a certain age, can tell you exactly where they were, who they were with and start crying while smiling about, a truely Canadian moment in time. No one who took the time to tune in, will ever forget such an emotional event. Gords final gift to us all. The Tragically Hip, and Big Sugar. Two Canadian Bands. With insane talent, and showmanship. Listen to Big Sugar, and The Hip. These bands should be bigger than Rush globally. Both bands were among the 5 best live music, I have experienced. And they are both in my top 5 favorite Bands/ musicians to listen to! Both are what ZZ top aspired to be. But are much better musicians & songwriters. So excited for anyone/ everyone willing to go down the rabbit hole! It's gonna rock.

The Tragically Hip have always been known as a live band. every time you see them you got a different show. One of the first videos they did was at a Rock Club that shut down in 1989 it was always a town favorite. they have some live footage from there in the Video for Small Town Bring Down. When they played their last live show The Canadian TV network broadcasted it live. areas had big screens set up across several Canadian cities as well as Town squares. Canada shut down that night and I think everyone watched it from home a venue or a bar.

"I'm not sure what he's saying, but he is telling a story." Welcome to the mind of Gord Downie. As for alternative rock, well, some of their songs have a blues, country, or folk flavour depending on the subject matter/where the story occurs geographically, but there's plenty of rockers, too. What I would suggest personally are weird tracks that no one knows or cares about, BUT long-time music review RU-vidr Crash Thompson says "Bobcaygeon" is his favourite Hip track, and maybe even his favourite song, so there's that.

They were Canadian Icons...they always wrote and sang about social issues...They were phenomenal....Canadian French Acadians migtated from Nova Scotia to New Orleans,,,hense, The French Quarter. Round the 1500's this happened. History folks.

Our Canadian boys. Miss you Gordie baby. On guitar: Paul Langlois. Gord Sinclair,bass, Rob Baker guitar, Johnny Fay on drums, Davis Manning plays sax.

They’re from Eastern Ontario…. The odds of two Gords are very high:)

For me their performance at the Troubadour in L A showed all the passion that we loved of them

The Hip is one of coolest bands Damm tight all great musicians Gord Dowine is a great singer and poet all members have a hand in the music 🎶 RIP Mr Dowine. Long time fan from Michigan

The Hip man! Yes! Gord Downie was a poet and unfortunately passed from the same form of brain cancer that Neil Peart from Rush did. Neil was also the lyrist for Rush. Other Songs by them to check out. Blow at High dough Twist my Arm Cordelia 100th Meridian Wheat Kings Little Bones to name a few. Cheers 🇨🇦

If you listen to songs they've played through the years, you'll be witness to a fascinating genre shift, that still maintains the Hip at it's core. Love them. Great reaction.

you guys reacting to this and I remember being 16 in '89 riding around with this blasting

🍬Oh Nick! "The next thing you know your falling into a pit; just a typical Monday!"~😆 Dig the synchronized head bobbing guys 👍 ❤

These guys more than most you have kind of an excuse for not knowing, as they never really pushed to get international recognition. Aside from an appearance on Saturday Night Live introduced by fellow Canadian actor Dan Aykroyd, they only ever really got US attention on college rock stations in border states or picked up via Canadian stations which reached across the border. Places like Buffalo and Seattle you could run into people who knew them and weren't from Canada, but beyond that you pretty much were Canadian yourself, had Canadian friends / family who essentially evangelized the Hip, or you didn't know the Hip. Canada's best-kept open secret in music.

It's funny that you talk about stretching the song out for a long time because they have a legendary 9 minute version of this song called New Orleans Sinking Killer Whale Tank where it sounds like Gordon Downie improvises a story about working at Sea World into the song.

Hi guys , Montréal here , they changed so much over the years from blues rock to alt rock to just amazing music and vibes and meaning .

Thanks I get very emotional listening to Gord Loved here in Canada

One of my personal favorites from the Hip is She didn't know.. killer riffs.

This song was very reflective of their early sound they had on the first three albums they did.

They are known for being the best bar band! These guys have been together since high school…. You guys gotta hear some more Hip! Try “Grace Too”

One of the best groups out of Canada a major loss when Gord passed away ❤️🇨🇦

Wait until they hear the “killerwhaletank” version.