"Ahead by a Century" is a song by Canadian rock band the Tragically Hip. It was released as the lead single from the band's fifth studio album, Trouble at the Henhouse. The song reached number one on Canada's singles chart, and is the band's most successful single in their native Canada. It was one of the 10 most-played songs in Canada in 1996.[1] The song was nominated for "Best Single" at the 1997 Juno Awards.[2] The song was certified platinum in Canada in 2016.
"Ahead by a Century" was the final song performed by the band at their final concert on August 20, 2016.[3]CBC Television used the song for their highlight montage to close their coverage of the 2016 Summer Olympics.[4] It subsequently was also used for the opening titles of the CBC/Netflix series Anne with an E.[5]
On October 18, 2017, the day Tragically Hip lead singer Gord Downie's death was announced, "Ahead by a Century" was the single most played song on Canadian radio.[6]
The song is one of several Tragically Hip singles which were developed from improvised bridge jams during live performances of one of the band's signature songs "New Orleans Is Sinking".[7]
The song begins with an image of youthful romance, with a young boy and girl climbing a tree to talk and ponder all the possibilities that life holds for them.[8] The original lyrics, which were performed at least once live before Downie rewrote them to their more familiar form, were more overtly sexual, with the boy and girl climbing the tree solely to touch each other's "cunt" and "cock".[8] Downie subsequently explained that the intended theme was one of innocence — "It's two little kids, and they don't know what a cunt is and they don't know what a cock is—they just heard them called that" — but said that after he was convinced by the band's guitar technician that the audience would not hear that theme through the shock of the explicit terminology, he went through an intense but rewarding week-long process of rewriting the verse to communicate the idea in a more accessible way.[8]
In 2016, Hey Rosetta! performed the song during their set at the CBC Music Festival, altering some lyrics to reflect Downie's recent announcement of his diagnosis with terminal glioblastoma.[12] In the same year, the Toronto-based Choir! Choir! Choir! dedicated a performance of the song to Downie following the diagnosis.[13]
On the January 1, 2017, edition of CBC Radio 2's The Strombo Show, a tribute special organized to celebrate the Tragically Hip's 30th anniversary, the song was performed by both By Divine Right as a standalone song, and Barenaked Ladies as a medley with the song "Chancellor" from Downie's solo album Coke Machine Glow.[14] Following Downie's death, Barenaked Ladies added "Chancellor/Ahead by a Century" to the setlists for several shows on their concurrent concert tour.
At her concert at Toronto's Massey Hall during her Native Invader tour, on October 30, 2017, two weeks after Downie's death, Tori Amos performed the song.[16] She indicated in her introduction that she had not previously known the song at all, but learned it for her Massey Hall performance as a special gift to her Canadian fans.[16]
In 2022, set to a children's choir rendition, it was used by Canadian Tire for its 100th anniversary television commercial.[17]
^ abc"In anticipation of the Hip playing "Ahead By a Century" in Vancouver tonight, here's Gord Downie talkin' about it". The Georgia Straight, July 24, 2016.
^. MuchMusic. Archived from the original on November 20, 2008. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
^Howell, Peter (September 20, 1996). "Morissette wins 4 more trophies at video awards" (Pay-per-view). Toronto Star. Retrieved May 21, 2010.
^. junoawards.ca. Archived from the original on May 31, 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2013.
^"Hey Rosetta!'s Tribute To The Tragically Hip Makes Fans Emotional". Huffington Post, July 23, 2016.
^"Choir! Choir! Choir! sings “Ahead by a Century” in a touching tribute to Gord Downie". chartattack.com, May 27, 2016.
^"All your favourite bands covered the Tragically Hip for Strombo’s Hip 30 tribute show". Chart Attack, January 2, 2017.
^"The Jerry Cans Share Inuttitut Cover of the Tragically Hip's "Ahead by a Century". Exclaim!, June 29, 2017.
^ abSuzanne Alyssa Andrew, "Tori Amos covered the Tragically Hip at Massey Hall". Now, October 31, 2017.
^Chris Powell, "Canadian Tire’s ‘hip’ centenary celebration". The Message, March 23, 2022.
^Lwin, Nanda. . Jam!. Archived from the original on August 29, 2000. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
^"Canadian single certifications – The Tragically Hip – Ahead By A Century". Music Canada.
External linksedit
"Ahead By A Century" Official music video on YouTube
December 12, 2023
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Ahead by a Century is a song by Canadian rock band the Tragically Hip It was released as the lead single from the band s fifth studio album Trouble at the Henhouse The song reached number one on Canada s singles chart and is the band s most successful single in their native Canada It was one of the 10 most played songs in Canada in 1996 1 The song was nominated for Best Single at the 1997 Juno Awards 2 The song was certified platinum in Canada in 2016 Ahead by a Century Single by the Tragically Hipfrom the album Trouble at the HenhouseReleasedApril 22 1996 1996 04 22 Length3 43LabelMCASongwriter s Rob Baker Gordon Downie Johnny Fay Paul Langlois Gord SinclairProducer s Mark Vreeken the Tragically HipThe Tragically Hip singles chronology Thugs 1996 Ahead by a Century 1996 Gift Shop 1996 Ahead by a Century was the final song performed by the band at their final concert on August 20 2016 3 CBC Television used the song for their highlight montage to close their coverage of the 2016 Summer Olympics 4 It subsequently was also used for the opening titles of the CBC Netflix series Anne with an E 5 On October 18 2017 the day Tragically Hip lead singer Gord Downie s death was announced Ahead by a Century was the single most played song on Canadian radio 6 Contents 1 Background 2 Music video 3 Covers 4 Charts 4 1 Weekly charts 4 2 Year end charts 4 3 Decade end charts 5 Certifications 6 References 7 External linksBackground editThe song is one of several Tragically Hip singles which were developed from improvised bridge jams during live performances of one of the band s signature songs New Orleans Is Sinking 7 The song begins with an image of youthful romance with a young boy and girl climbing a tree to talk and ponder all the possibilities that life holds for them 8 The original lyrics which were performed at least once live before Downie rewrote them to their more familiar form were more overtly sexual with the boy and girl climbing the tree solely to touch each other s cunt and cock 8 Downie subsequently explained that the intended theme was one of innocence It s two little kids and they don t know what a cunt is and they don t know what a cock is they just heard them called that but said that after he was convinced by the band s guitar technician that the audience would not hear that theme through the shock of the explicit terminology he went through an intense but rewarding week long process of rewriting the verse to communicate the idea in a more accessible way 8 Music video editThe song s music video was directed by Eric Yealland and filmed on a small farm in Brooklin Ontario The music video won the award for Best Video at the 1996 MuchMusic Video Awards 9 10 The video was also nominated for Best Video at the 1997 Juno Awards 11 Covers editIn 2016 Hey Rosetta performed the song during their set at the CBC Music Festival altering some lyrics to reflect Downie s recent announcement of his diagnosis with terminal glioblastoma 12 In the same year the Toronto based Choir Choir Choir dedicated a performance of the song to Downie following the diagnosis 13 On the January 1 2017 edition of CBC Radio 2 s The Strombo Show a tribute special organized to celebrate the Tragically Hip s 30th anniversary the song was performed by both By Divine Right as a standalone song and Barenaked Ladies as a medley with the song Chancellor from Downie s solo album Coke Machine Glow 14 Following Downie s death Barenaked Ladies added Chancellor Ahead by a Century to the setlists for several shows on their concurrent concert tour In 2017 an Inuttitut language version of the song incorporating traditional Inuit throat singing was released by the Nunavut based folk music band The Jerry Cans 15 At her concert at Toronto s Massey Hall during her Native Invader tour on October 30 2017 two weeks after Downie s death Tori Amos performed the song 16 She indicated in her introduction that she had not previously known the song at all but learned it for her Massey Hall performance as a special gift to her Canadian fans 16 In 2022 set to a children s choir rendition it was used by Canadian Tire for its 100th anniversary television commercial 17 Charts editWeekly charts edit Chart 1996 PeakpositionCanada Top Singles RPM 18 1Canada Adult Contemporary RPM 19 14Canada Rock Alternative RPM 20 1Chart 2016 PeakpositionCanada Canadian Hot 100 21 32 Year end charts edit Chart 1996 PositionCanada Top Singles RPM 22 6Canada Adult Contemporary RPM 23 98Canada Rock Alternative RPM 24 12Decade end charts edit Chart 1990 1999 PositionCanada Nielsen SoundScan 25 99Certifications editRegion Certification Certified units salesCanada Music Canada 26 Platinum 80 000 Sales streaming figures based on certification alone References edit If Hip can win twice Socan Shania Archived from the original on September 20 2004 Retrieved April 13 2020 1997 Juno Awards MetroLeap Media Archived from the original on February 8 2009 Retrieved December 29 2009 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint unfit URL link Noronha Charmaine Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip holds final show The Associated Press Archived from the original on August 21 2016 Retrieved August 21 2016 CBC Rio 2016 Olympics Closing Montage YouTube CBC Music The Tragically Hip provide theme song to new Anne series March 16 2017 Tragically Hip album sales audio streams soar after Gord Downie s death CTV News October 23 2017 Michael Barclay Ian A D Jack and Jason Schneider Have Not Been the Same The Can Rock Renaissance 1985 1995 ECW Press ISBN 978 1 55022 992 9 a b c In anticipation of the Hip playing Ahead By a Century in Vancouver tonight here s Gord Downie talkin about it The Georgia Straight July 24 2016 Best Video Winners 1991 2003 MuchMusic Archived from the original on November 20 2008 Retrieved May 21 2010 Howell Peter September 20 1996 Morissette wins 4 more trophies at video awards Pay per view Toronto Star Retrieved May 21 2010 1997 Best Video junoawards ca Archived from the original on May 31 2014 Retrieved May 21 2013 Hey Rosetta s Tribute To The Tragically Hip Makes Fans Emotional Huffington Post July 23 2016 Choir Choir Choir sings Ahead by a Century in a touching tribute to Gord Downie chartattack com May 27 2016 All your favourite bands covered the Tragically Hip for Strombo s Hip 30 tribute show Chart Attack January 2 2017 The Jerry Cans Share Inuttitut Cover of the Tragically Hip s Ahead by a Century Exclaim June 29 2017 a b Suzanne Alyssa Andrew Tori Amos covered the Tragically Hip at Massey Hall Now October 31 2017 Chris Powell Canadian Tire s hip centenary celebration The Message March 23 2022 Top RPM Singles Issue 3027 RPM Library and Archives Canada Retrieved January 13 2023 Top RPM Adult Contemporary Issue 3028 RPM Library and Archives Canada Top RPM Rock Alternative Tracks Issue 2974 RPM Library and Archives Canada The Tragically Hip Chart History Canadian Hot 100 Billboard Retrieved August 30 2016 RPM Year End Top 100 Hit Tracks RPM Library and Archives Canada July 17 2013 Retrieved May 31 2018 RPM Year End Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks RPM Library and Archives Canada July 17 2013 Retrieved February 23 2019 RPM Year End Alternative Top 50 RPM Library and Archives Canada July 17 2013 Retrieved February 23 2019 Lwin Nanda Top 100 singles of the 1990s Jam Archived from the original on August 29 2000 Retrieved March 26 2022 Canadian single certifications The Tragically Hip Ahead By A Century Music Canada External links edit Ahead By A Century Official music video on YouTube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ahead by a Century amp oldid 1148395745, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
