ON THE MARK.

"THE HOCKEY SONG" LIVES ON
"Stompin'" Tom Connors wrote and recorded a lot of songs.  The most popular among Canadian sports fans is "The Hockey Song", which was likely played in every single arena in the country at one time or another.  We're not sure if Connors was a Leafs fan, or preferred the Habs or maybe the Canucks.   It doesn't matter at this point, as long as he recognized what hockey meant to the fabric of Canadian society.   Mind you, Connors also wrote " Snowmobile Song" " Ketchup Song" and "The Football Song", so he had a pretty good idea what Canadians liked to do for leisure. By the way, I don't know of anyone who can listen to "Ketchup Song" on the album "Bud the Spud" and not be hungry for French Fries.
    As far as hockey songs go, you'd get an argument as to which was the best.  My personal list goes as follows:
10  Time to Go by Dropkick Murphys
9    Hockey Skates by Kathleen Edwards
8.   Gretzky Rocks by The Pursuit of Happiness
7.    Fireworks (Originally titled Bobby Orr) by The Tragically Hip
6.   The Ballard of Wendel Clark, Parts I and II by The Rheostatics
5.   I Wanna Drive the Zamboni by the GearDaddys
4.  Big Leagues by Tom Cochrane and Red Rider
3.  50 Mission Cap by the Tragically Hip
2.  The Hockey Song by Stompin' Tom Connors
1.  Hit Somebody (The Hockey Song) by Warren Zevon.

Sorry folks, but even though I am Canadian, I had to choose Zevon's tune ahead of the iconic "Hockey Song" by STC.  It was well written, beautifully arranged, somewhat humourous and illustrated Zevon's love for hockey. And just because he was an American doesn't mean we shouldn't give him his props for writing a fabulous tune about a sport he absolutely adored.  If you've never heard it, now's your chance

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUb0C0iI_GE&feature=related

Boy, I would've loved to have heard Stompin' Tom do his Hockey Song in front of a live, appreciative audience before he died.  Which begs the question:  Why didn't the 100th Grey Cup committee call on 'ol Stompin' Tom to do a halftime song instead of Gordon Lightfoot?    Maybe, had they done some digging, they would've discovered that the Stomper recorded "The Football Song", and wouldn't it be nice if he got to play it in front of 50 thousand fans and a TV audience of several million?   Too late now.   The closest you'll get is next Wednesday's memorial service at the Peterborough Memorial Centre, home of the Petes.  It's fitting that we'll be able to pay tribute to Connors in a hockey arena.   It was so Canadian of him to request that venue.   Rest in Peace Stomper!