Farewell to HNIC Theme (sniff, sniff)
Another hockey season came to an end earlier this week as the Detroit Red Wings finished off the Pittsburgh Penguins to take home the Stanley Cup. Yet when the puck drops next season everything will be different. The unthinkable has happened, Canada's other national anthem is no more. The Hockey Night in Canada Theme, which has warmly welcomed viewers to a Saturday night of hockey for the past 40 years, will not be returning next year.
The rights expired after the 2007/08 season and after "13 months of negotiations" with the original composer Dolores Claman who's been in a legal battle over the theme's usage since 2004, the CBC chose not to renew the deal. Instead CBC will be holding a contest to choose a new theme in a manner that sounds suspiciously like a reality TV program.
Let us all take a moment of silence to say goodbye to a long-standing Canadian tradition.
We will miss you, old friend. Maybe someday you'll come out of retirement.
Shuffle Demons - Hockey Night in Canada Theme
Mother of Pearl - Hockey Night in Canada Theme
Moxy Früvous - Hockey Night in Canada Theme (live)
Jimmy Swift Band - Hockey Night in Canada Jam
In other hockey news, Bob Cole will not be announcing next year's Stanley Cup finals.
4 comments:
The song isn't dead... just changed hands. CTV bought up the rights for it right away since negotiations with CBC failed, and the song will be played at the beginning of every TSN hockey broadcast now. The song ain't dead; just moved.
It'll be weird hearing it on TSN when it's so inextricably linked to CBC. I'm used to TSN's awful attempts at a theme like that "Shoot Out the Lights!" song or Bryan Adams' "Wednesday Night Hockey, WOO!". I can already imagine them vamping up the HNIC theme with an extended guitar solo, flashy music video, and surprise guest musicians. Wait a minute, I love cover songs! Bring it on, TSN...
Great post and I love your sad-face picture montage, but I only had one problem with it... In order for Gary Bettman to be sad, he would have to actually have feelings.
Just a thought...
That is very true. Upon closer inspection, he's not wiping away a tear but picking a zit.
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