Chappell Roan's new single mentions Saskatchewan. So do these tracks
Provincial name drop in artist's new single sparks discussion of others
In her latest single, The Subway, American singer-songwriter Chappell Roan curses out in post-breakup frustration that she's had enough and is moving to Saskatchewan.
While the concept of the Prairie province as an escape might be uncommon, what isn't is how many times it gets mentioned in song. It happens far more than you'd think and we've compiled some of the most memorable mentions.
1. Corb Lund - Long Gone to Saskatchewan
Corb Lund is a rancher from Taber, Alta., who got his start in hard rock band The Smalls.
His career started really picking up when he started to lean into his country music roots. People found his songs relatable. Stuck trucks, bibles on the dash and everything being better when cows were around seemed to really strike a chord.
On his sixth album, 2009's Losin' Lately Gambler', Corb earned honorary citizenship in the province with Long Gone to Saskatchewan, a song about how the grass is much greener on the other side of the border.
2. Johnny Cash - Girl in Saskatoon
Johnny Cash always seemed to resonate with the common man. He famously performed at San Quentin prison in 1969, but there's also documented proof that he loved spending time fishing in northern Saskatchewan. His larger-than-life persona (and voice) made him stand out, while his storytelling and songwriting made him feel like one of us.
On the posthumous 2006 release of Bootleg Vol. 1: Personal File, Cash tells a tale about the creation of his song Girl in Saskatoon. Written with Johnny Horton while the two were driving from Saskatoon to Regina on icy winter roads, Cash would officially record and release it after Horton's passing.
A sunny love story, with a man longing for his girl in the bridge city, would sadly take a dark turn after he performed this song in Saskatoon in 1961. Cash chose to bring Alexandra Wiwcharuk up on stage so he could sing the song to her. Not long after, her murdered body was found on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River. It's been said that after hearing the news, Cash never performed the song again.
3. The Arrogant Worms - Last Saskatchewan Pirate
Who hasn't heard this catchy track and wanted to hit the high seas of the river Saskatchewan, "stealin' wheat and barley and all the other grains?"
This '90s Kingston, Ont., comedy trio took things Saskatchewan residents cherish and held dear (like the Co-op) and put them in a jaunty tale of a pirate confidently making his way across the driest areas of our province. Whether it was Regina's mighty shores or Saskatoon being the terror of the sea, their hilarious take on doing the impossible has become so beloved that it has become ubiquitous at local sporting events.
In 2018, Regina singer-songwriter Amy Nelson remade the song and doubled-down on Prairie references by including celebrated Saskatchewan musician Brad Johner and several Rider alumn in the official music video. It's a funny depiction of what it would actually look like if pirates tried to reach "Regina's mighty shores."
4. The Guess Who - Runnin' Back to Saskatoon
Who doesn't love a good list? Some musicians love them so much they include them in their songs. Billy Joel gave us a rundown of important world and pop culture moments in We Didn't Start the Fire, while Hank Snow bragged about the places he had traveled in I've Been Everywhere.
In their early '70s hit song, Burton Cummings and Kurt Winter of Winnipeg's The Guess Who took the same approach. Their list, however, talked about all the places they visited as they ran back to Saskatoon. Other Saskatchewan locations mentioned in the song included Moose Jaw and Moosomin — the latter being the place Chappell Roan was driving toward in her now viral video, below.
This shout-out isn't surprising from a fellow Prairie band that would obviously be well aware of who we are, especially considering that in the summer of 1966, they crammed seven people into two apartments in Regina so the band could tour Saskatchewan every night. Together in their old blue bus, they'd play four separate one-hour sets in as many places as they possibly could in the province. Places such as Kindersley, Battleford, Canora, Gravelbourg, Regina Beach, Katepwa and, one would hope, Saskatoon.
It turns out Burton really loved his time here, because in 2017 he decided to call Moose Jaw his permanent home.
5. Les Trois Accords - Saskatchewan
In July 2023, when my Local Music Minute segment on songs about Saskatchewan aired, a lot of our Fransaskois staff and listeners told me I needed to hear Saskatchewan by Les Trois Accords.
Included on their 2003 debut Gros mammouth album, this slow, witty jam from these Drummondville, Que., rockers would become a sing-along anthem for many young, French speaking fans. The album itself would be certified Platinum in Canada and garner the band an opening slot for The Rolling Stones at a show in Moncton, N.B., in 2005.
For anyone who doesn't speak the language, the song tells the story of man full of sorrow because the woman he fell in love with left him for a man from Regina. Hopefully this hasn't become a song too many people can relate to.
As for Roan, her song The Subway is set to release on July 31.
A teaser video for the track features a Saskatchewan licence plate with an abbreviation for the title, as well as a "Welcome to Saskatchewan" sign.
What other songs featuring mentions, name drops and references to Saskatchewan do you love? Let us know and we'll add it to this Songs that mention Sask playlist. Email me at taron.cochrane@cbc.ca
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