The 49 Tunes for Barack: Some Not Bad Choices, Although Too Much Mainstream

Five classical selections made the CBC’s Obamaplaylist, 49 from North of the 49th Parallel. That’s not surprising given the way the list--to be sent to the new president for his iPod and exercise enjoyment--was set up. The 100 finalists were divided into four categories, with 11 classical possibilities, 60 mainstream, 20 “Francophone” and 10 jazz. Take the top 50 per cent of vote getters in each category, and voilà ! there’s your list.

The CBC says 130,000 people voted on line over the last week, and certainly there was some international attention, with coverage on the BBC and elsewhere. However I’d like to know just how the voting breakdown, as one of my fears about the contest was a hidden agenda designed to prove that nobody cares much about anything but mainstream music. As it is, there are some good songs among those chosen. I’ve bold faced my favourites, for what it’s worth.

* Arcade Fire, Rebellion (Lies).
* Barenaked Ladies, If I Had $1,000,000.
* Beau Dommage, La complainte du phoque en Alaska.
* Ben Heppner, We'll Gather Lilacs.
* Bruce Cockburn, Wondering Where the Lions Are.
* Buffy Sainte-Marie, Universal Soldier.
* Daniel Bélanger, Rêver mieux.
* Daniel Lanois, Jolie Louise.
* Daniel Lavoie, J'ai quitté mon île.
* Diana Krall, Departure Bay.
* Gilles Vigneault, Mon pays.
* Glenn Gould, The Goldberg Variations.
* Gordon Lightfoot, Canadian Railroad Trilogy.
* Gordon Lightfoot, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
* Great Big Sea, Ordinary Day.
* Harmonium, Pour un instant.
* Ian & Sylvia, Four Strong Winds.
* James Ehnes, Barber Violin Concerto.
* Jesse Cook, Mario Takes a Walk.
* Joni Mitchell, Both Sides Now.
* Joni Mitchell, A Case of You.
* Karkwa, Oublie pas.
* k.d. lang, Hallelujah.
* Leonard Cohen, Democracy.
* Leonard Cohen, Suzanne.
* Malajube, Montréal –40 C.
* Marie-Jo Thério, Évangeline.
* Marjan Mozetich, Affairs of the Heart.
* Measha Brueggergosman, I'm Going Up a Yonder.
* Mes Aïeux, Dégénérations.
* Michael Bublé, Home.
* Moe Koffman, Swingin' Shepherd Blues.
* Neil Young, Rockin' In the Free World.
* Neil Young, Helpless.
* Oscar Peterson Trio, Hymn to Freedom.
* Oscar Peterson, Place St. Henri (from Canadiana Suite).
* Parachute Club, Rise Up.
* Raymond Lévesque, Quand Les Hommes Vivront D'amour.
* Rush, Closer to the Heart.
* Sam Roberts, The Canadian Dream.
* Shad, Brother (Watching).
* Stan Rogers, Northwest Passage.
* Stompin' Tom Connors, The Hockey Song.
* The Arrogant Worms, Canada's Really Big.
* The Guess Who, American Woman.
* The Tragically Hip, Wheat Kings.
* The Tragically Hip, Bobcaygeon.
* The Rankin Family, Rise Again.
* The Weakerthans, One Great City!