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February 13, 2010

Loreena McKennitt's "The Old Ways"

Music , Winter Olympics 2010

Here's the Loreena McKennitt song that they played at the beginning of the part of the ceremonies last night with the fiddler in the floating blue canoe, before the madness with the plaid and tattoos and dancers started. This is actually my favorite of her songs, but I just thought it was weird that they chose to use a song so obviously about Ireland in the yay-Canada part of the show. In fact, they said that segment was specifically supposed to pay tribute to Quebec and French-speakers, did they not? Anyway. It's a good song! Listen:

Posted by Kat at February 13, 2010 10:03 AM
Comments

I got excited when I heard that song because I hadn't heard it in several years yet immediately recognized it. I thought she was going to be performing but alas it was just an intro to that completely unrelated act with too many people in it.

Posted by: Caroline at February 13, 2010 08:34 PM

We're huge Loreena McKennit fans over here, too.
The Canadian Olympic commentary was talking about how fiddling traditions in Canada came from different ethnic routes - Quebec more from Brittany, while New Brunswick's roots came right from Ireland. So the song made more sense within that context.
But there's also a real difference in how Canadians view their ethnicities - it is not a "melting pot" culture. So you can still be a totallly loyal Canadian and sing about Ireland without it beign in way a confluct.

Posted by: Beck at February 14, 2010 12:13 PM
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