A Theme Song is No More

By Rochelle Bergman

A new song is needed in town now! The “Hockey Night in Canada” theme song is no more. In an era where technology roams faster than the western skies, this is a sad moment. Pinned “Canada’s Second National Anthem” the hockey song was written in 1968 by a woman named Dolores Claman.

I remember the theme song making my blood pump faster, my legs used to speed up in the house when I heard that song on  TV. I still hum the tune once in a while. When I heard that song in Maple Leaf Gardens, I screamed for joy as emotions filled me up. Emotions that ranged from pride for a team to the overwhelming feeling of how awesome and huge everything was to me. This tune, or I shall call it a song, made an introduction to the game for generations of hockey lovers. How could it not be used?

A few nights ago I watched a game on TV. The theme song that was used was chosen from a contest. The song was up-beat but it had words! How can the theme song have words? To me, the theme song was much better without words. Who needed words when the song itself performed the magic?

The old hockey song made me feel like I was in a club. A club of hockey lovers. Yes the club was huge, but for me the feelings were like we were all brothers and sisters. We were together standing up for our team. I believe to this day that part of this feeling was due to the theme song! Do you?

Our theme hockey song will be laid down and a new song will take its place. Will this new song be anything like the one Dolores Claman wrote? Could it last 40 years? I really don’t know. All I know is that an era of a truly spirited theme song is no more and I am truly sad.

Photo credit: flowersinhisgarden.blogspot.com