Dan Mangan - Nautical Disaster (Live at the Edge)

Dan Mangan performs a Tragically Hip cover of 'Nautical Disaster' at 102.1 The Edge's Sugar Beach Sessions on June 17, 2016.

Video Credits

Camera: Chris Santos, Ryan Faubert, Laura Whelan
Editing : Ryan Faubert
Audio Engineering: Michael Emmons
Audio Mix: Michael Emmons

[colinpoitras]

This is incredible. I always felt this song was un-coverable because of the way Downie carries the melody in the way he phrases it. This is crazy good. Best Hip song ever, IMO.

[RobertsAdventure]

Your voice fits this song so well, would love an extended version. Thanks!

[ronjeremy]

ok so when my dad died the original was first song i listened too. You made me cry. excellent cover.

[BeeComma]

Just found out this existed now. It is beautiful.

[terrariumelio]

What a great hommage you paid to The Hip and Gord.

Thank you.

[mic]

A lot of people think this song was about the sinking of the Bismark. But for me it matches better the sinking of the RMS Lancastria. Which was an ocean liner that was sunk by the Nazis as it evacuated civilians and allied soldiers from the Port of St. Nazaire about a week after the intentional more famous evacuation of Dunkirk. The extent of the disaster was kept secret from the British and Commonwealth public until after the end of the war for the sake of "morale". The Lancastria was meant to carry 1300 passengers but is estimated it carried between 4000-7000 souls that day. (It's egregious over loading is a antithesis of how the mostly Belgian crew responded while evacuating the sinking ship, life rafts where not deployed and the life boats were filled only to recommended capacity.) What is known for sure is that 2477 people survived the reckless Admiralty choice, the blundering crew and the strafing by German aircraft afterwards. And that there are 1738 known deaths. It is now understood that the Lancastria accounted for 1/3 of the British Expeditionary Forces losses. Most families of the desisted had assumed their loved ones had died in France fighting and not drowned as they were not told the date of their loved ones death.

Like many of Gord's lyrics this one has the ring of a recorded conversation. Gord was known to keep a pocket memobook on him to jot down ideas and most importantly an
interesting turn of phrase. Gord reportedly had worked for a time during his university days as an orderly/ward assistant at a correctional facility hospital (as hinted at in his Killer Whale Tank rant and "what's troubling Gus" in "Central Park" lyrics from Gus:The Polar Bear). One can imagine Gord engaging with an client who was haunted by surviving the Lancastria disaster. This person perhaps lived in and out of reality and regularly relived that horrible event.

Of course like so many if not all of the Hip's songs Gord has also woven the song lyrics to tell a more contemporary tale. In this case many suggest the song to them is a metaphor for a relationship break up. But that's the power of Gord's writing and his choice to rarely reveal the original inspiration for his lyrics. It doesn't matter what it meant to Gord because he'd be interested in what it meant to you.

And a side note, Gord once said he needed a good prairie farmer's wife name for the song (perhaps the survivor was from one of the Western Provinces) and so he asked a kid from out west . The kid replied Susan, or Virginia or Ross-Mary. Gord liked Susan as he felt he could sing it with a kind of frustration and it was a nice alliteration of"anyways".

[stanjuan]

This was REALLY good mate. Nothing better than a really well done Tragically Hip cover.

[dmac]

Understatement - that was really good!

[vgoreham]

Dan - you should go on tour with the hip - not as a replacement but as a celebration. Please? Pretty please? Call them!

[pauliect]

Forget the missed lines, the feeling is there-and I love this song.

[MooseyArts]

Amazing rendition of an amazing song. One of the best from Downie and the boys.

[JimHuinink]

I would have thought no one should cover this song.... but great job for sure.

[stevie]

Wow. Never thought that one could be covered in a way to do it justice. Tough to do and done so well.

[bobcaygeon]

Phenomenal. Never seen anyone cover acoustic Hip as well. Feel free to do some more songs.

[commissioner]

Holy shit wasnt expecting this. Wow great cover. Cant find anybody giving the hip justice on YouTube but hats off dan. I'll give a listen to yur stuff. Thanks man

[joshuacorry]

great cover! but what about the life boat built for 10?

[nickberry]

An absolutely stunning version. Thanks Dan. I had to play it twice more straight away before I could leave it alone.

It sounds weird but played acoustically in this way, it made me realise that the song could have fitted seamlessly onto the second side of Kate Bush's Hounds of Love album. Especially if it was played on piano.

Kate really should cover this.

[imago]

I relished the fray.... This is a lovely cover, gonna miss Gord a lot.

[davidbasile]

When i die this man is singing this at my funeral

[redbridgejumper]

Way to go Dan. Play this in Kelowna or Penticton next time if you are allowed!