Long Time Running: The Tragically Hip Documentary

I remember when I first heard of The Hip. I was home from college and my HS buddy, Jeff, and I were catching up. Probably at a bar. Probably shooting darts. Or maybe watching a movie.

Music usually came up in our conversations. Jeff was my gateway to r.e.m. and The Tragically Hip. So thank you Jeff.

The Hip were clever and smart. Yes, those are two different skills in music. Most bands are neither. Quite a few are one or the other. Few bands pull off both.

This tour (and latest album) was a goodbye. Which reminds me. I need to write up another “Last Goodbye” (already wrote about Queen and Zevon and Bowie)

Long Time Running is about the lead-up and the final concert for the Canadian band in Kingston, Ontario, after frontman Gord Downie‘s terminal brain cancer diagnosis. The Hip have been a band for over 30 years and released 14 albums.

Netflix bought the rights and will stream the documentary in the US starting November 26

Love this tune from their last album. One of the greatest lines:
You don’t let your balloon touch the ground or get so high so that you can’t let go.

The Hip are Canada.