# Tragically Hip or Barenaked Ladies: Who's the Better Canadian Band?



## GibsonTay37

Personally, I'm a huge Hip fan but i do own a couple of BNL Cd's, who do you think is a better band, Hip or BNL?

:smilie_flagge17::food-smiley-004:


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## iggs

::: FLAME SUIT ON :::

I don't like or listen to either band but I have great respect for someone who manages to achieve the level of success BNL have. All their songs are well crafted and very "sell-able" and commercial (I mean that in the best way possible). Every artist has to make a decision at one point whether they are going to play for themselves and maybe their friends and family while supporting their music "hobby" with a day job, or ... they are going to make a living out of making music. The guys from BNL have obviously made the right choice and enjoyed a huge level of success ... my hats off to them. I can only dream of being as successful. 

Tragically Hip ... oh boy ... here it goes (I might get deported from Canada for saying this) ... they are one of the most mediocre bands I've ever heard.
They're not bad ... they're just "blah" ... like a lukewarm cup of coffee. I have more interest in bands that are awful but trying their best then bands that are neither hot nor cold. I can definitely see why they are successful in Canada but I can also definitely see why they are not really successful anywhere else. Bland and uninspiring. Everything on their records sounds like it was recorded in one take, really sloppy and rough ... almost like a demo recording. They have some really, really good melodies and songs but it all sounds so "undeveloped". Almost like they needed a few more months of pre-pro before going into the studio.

But hey, that's just me ... what do I know??? I'd do anything to sell half the records even Tragically Hip has or enjoy some of their success ... I'm still just a rock-star hopeful with a day job.


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## Greg Ellis

I like both, and Blue Rodeo too.

They're all very different, so it's hard to compare.

My favourite Hip stuff comes from from the early 90's (Road Apples and Fully Completely albums) and I'm not so crazy about their more recent stuff./

BNL is quirky, and nerdy, but they're excellent songwriters and they've really found a niche, so I think that's very cool. Bravo!


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## Stratin2traynor

I am a *huge* Hip fan. I find that you have to acquire a taste for their music. I still don't understand what the hell they mean by half of their lyrics but I just love their music. Having said that, I find their lyrics and arrangements interesting and enjoyable. I've always found that I had to listen to their album a few times before I actually enjoyed it. To this day, about once a year I have a "Hipfest" for about 2-3 weeks where the only music I listen to is The Hip. (By the way, I'm in the middle of one right now - 6 disc changer in the car is loaded with Hip only). I have all of their CD's.

BNL is another great Canadian band that I'll turn up and listen to if they are on the radio but that's about it. I think I have 2 of their CD (Maroon and the one with $1 000 000 on it). Although I enjoy their music, I am not a huge fan.


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## Red Foreman

I like both bands,the Hip more.Best Canadian band imho is Rush.I liked the first five hip albums after that they seem to have lost something.Both bands put on good live shows.


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## Vincent

I dont like either band...I like that song "New Orleans Is Sinking" or whatever its called however thats about all I like for the Hip.

BNL is not my type of music so I dont really like their tunes.

Im not a fan of Canadian groups in general...not a rush fan and I dont really like The Guess Who either.

My favorite canadian band is April Wine...They are pretty much it for me in regards to Canadian bands...actually they are near the top of my overall favorite band list.

Zeppelin
Van Halen
April Wine
Eagles


Is Trooper a Canadian band?...They had a bunch of good tunes which I like a lot...not sure if they are canadian or not though...have to add Trooper to my favorite band list as well.


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## The Kicker Of Elves

Prefer BNL over the Hip (not a Hip fan at all).

Favorite Cdn band is The Tea Party (*was* The Tea Party I guess).


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## Milkman

I dislike both for different reasons.

Technically I'd say BNL has more skill.


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## suttree

i love canuck rock, but i don't much like the BNL. it all started when they covered public enemy's "fight the power" on their tape demo (i used to have a copy), and they omitted a controversial lyric. now. IMHO, if you're going to cover a controversial song, then you just don't not sing the controversial part, the original artist had something to say. if you're vanilla enough to lose the lyric, then you bloody well don't do the song, it's disrespectful in the extreme. 

since then they've pretty much risen to the disney pop heights they've sought out. not exactly the edge i like in a band. ho hum. but they are talented (although largely the talent is collected in the brothers creegan, whom i had the pleasure of having my socks knocked off by at the railway club once many years ago).

the hip. i love em. fully completely and day for night are two of canada's better musical moments, really. that being said, i'm not huge on the latest efforts. as musicians they're extremely good, whether or not they're your cup of tea, there's no denying they can play. 

i vote for the hip. especially if you're actually asking which band is essentially more canadian, cause really it don't get any more canuck then those boys.... also because frankly they're not the pop fluff that most of the BNL's stuff is (although they do occasionally write excellent songs, like brian wilson or jane).


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## Lester B. Flat

I'm a fan of Tragically Naked Lady Hips. :smilie_flagge17:


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## Spikezone

I think BNL is a way better group. Quirky, yes, but in an interesting way, where I find the Hip very tragically boring. I've never been able to understand all the hype about them myself.
-Mikey


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## Spikezone

Vincent said:


> Im not a fan of Canadian groups in general...not a rush fan and I dont really like The Guess Who either.
> 
> My favorite canadian band is April Wine...They are pretty much it for me in regards to Canadian bands...actually they are near the top of my overall favorite band list.
> 
> Is Trooper a Canadian band?...They had a bunch of good tunes which I like a lot...not sure if they are canadian or not though...have to add Trooper to my favorite band list as well.


Not a fan of Canadian bands? Hmmm...that makes me sad...there might be a few bands or artists in this list somewhere that you might like...Max Webster, Headpins, Bryan Adams, Trooper (yes, they are as Canadian as you can get!), Jerry Doucette, Uzeb, Doug And The Slugs, Carole King, Loverboy, Colin James, Alannah Myles, Streetheart, Honeymoon Suite, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Alain Caron's Le Band, Lighthouse, Pat Travers, Chilliwack, Prism, BTO, Mahogany Rush, Goddo, Powder Blues, Ian Thomas, Sue Medley, Gary Comeau, Harlequin. 
-Mikey


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## Tarl

Sorry but I just do not like the BNL.....just too bubbly (or something like that) for me. I am not a huge Hip fan but I do enjoy alot of their music.


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## bagpipe

Lester B. Flat said:


> I'm a fan of Tragically Naked Lady Hips. :smilie_flagge17:


Where can we see some more of those guys? They just dont get enough attention, in my books. :banana:


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## Greg Ellis

Spikezone said:


> Not a fan of Canadian bands? Hmmm...that makes me sad...there might be a few bands or artists in this list somewhere that you might like...Max Webster, Headpins, Bryan Adams, Trooper (yes, they are as Canadian as you can get!), Jerry Doucette, Uzeb, Doug And The Slugs, Carole King, Loverboy, Colin James, Alannah Myles, Streetheart, Honeymoon Suite, Blackie and the Rodeo Kings, Alain Caron's Le Band, Lighthouse, Pat Travers, Chilliwack, Prism, BTO, Mahogany Rush, Goddo, Powder Blues, Ian Thomas, Sue Medley, Gary Comeau, Harlequin.
> -Mikey


Dude! You can't leave out Coney Hatch and Triumph. That's just wrong. Anvil deserves a mention as well. And Jann Arden.


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## Red Foreman

Don't forget David Wilcox and Neil Young not to mention the forgotten rebels.


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## suttree

the rheostatics need to be mentioned on EVERY canadian band list from here on to eternity. so i will.


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## Spikezone

Greg Ellis said:


> Dude! You can't leave out Coney Hatch and Triumph. That's just wrong. Anvil deserves a mention as well. And Jann Arden.


Thanx Greg and Suttree and Red. I wrote that list in a bit of a hurry because I was a little shocked to hear anyone on this board say they don't like Canadian bands. There are just too many that are too good to ignore!
-Mikey


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## Metal#J#

I read a few posts back that BNL was more talented than the Hip. I strongly disagree with that. Even more than talent, I think the Hip writes better music and lyrics. Beyond that I think we're comparing rock to pop and I hate pop

This I like......One of the many, not so popular songs that still rocks:food-smiley-004:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=VNkJzyC4_90

And this one....it'll do ya like the dishes.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=FGkm9aGR_Z0


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## fraser

i dont get bnl myself, they dont really move me in any way- although those guys are really talented and smart, the tunes make me cringe. and any time i see them or any one of theyre members on tv or something, it creeps me out.
weird vibe i get from those guys.
the hip are ok, but there was a time when everywhere you went it was all you heard. for years. i got tired of it. after "fully completely" thier stuff has been too formulaic- bland and stale. and weird.:smilie_flagge17:


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## shoretyus

Not a huge fan of either...but ....

" It was in Bobcaygeon 
I saw the constellations reveal themselves
One star at a time " 

is slightly better line than 


"You can call me Pavlov's dog
Ring a bell and I'll salivate- how'd you like that?"


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## Milkman

I've always felt that the BNL humour stood in the way of their talent. They're too much of a comedy act for my liking.


The Hip are a decent blues rock band but nothing special in my opinion. I suppose if I saw them in a bar I'd think they were good enough, but their success is completely out of proportion to their chops and songwriting abilities in my opinion.

Neither comes anywhere near bands like Rush, April Wine, Chiliwack or quite a few others.


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## Milkman

Paul said:


> I find that BNL manages to dance on the correct side of a very fine line. They are strong entertainers. When I think of music/novelty, I think of Spike Jones and his City Slickers, or Ray (The Streak) Stevens, or Weird Al Yankovic. BNL manage to combine humour/wit with entertainment and strong musicianship on the same level of quality as The Shuffle Demons.
> 
> Sometimes music doesn't have to be all about the extreme techniques and songwriting and musicianship. Rush, Zappa, Stravinsky, Berlioz, and many others have that covered. Sometimes it's just about some safe fun/entertainment/distraction for a few songs or a few hours. IMHO, no Canadian band fills that need as well as BNL.




For me they're firmly on the incorrect side of a very thick line.

Even musically they add liberal doses of whimsy which I find detracts from their potential.

It's a matter of taste. I really disliked their treatment of Lovers in a Dangerous Time. Cockburn's version is much much better IMO.


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## zontar

Not a big fan of BNL--but in small doses, depending on the song, they're okay--but I get their appeal to their fans. They try to entertain first.

The Hip I like more, but find them inconsistent, not only from album to album, but on each album. So there's always 1 or 2 songs I like on the album, but sometimes no more than that and sometimes I like more of it.

I did like their cameo on "Corner Gas" where Brent kicks them out of his garage so he can relive his high school garage band days in a great episode.


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## suttree

zontar said:


> I did like their cameo on "Corner Gas" where Brent kicks them out of his garage so he can relive his high school garage band days in a great episode.


ok guys, get out..... no no, leave the instruments.... that was very funny... so was colin james doing a gas n' run.


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## Cadence

Maybe someone can tell me how the The Hip ever became Canada's (un)Official Band. I think I was maybe too young when they were at the height of popularity, but by the time I heard them, they were Canada. So if someone asks me about a band that is Canada, I'd say The Hip.

Now for my own opinion :wink: I like The Hip. I like turning up songs like Boots & Hearts, New Orleans is Sinking & At the Hundredth Meridian when I'm driving.

I like BNL songs that _aren't_ inane. Jane, Call & Answer = enjoyable.

I like a lot of Canadian music, past and present. I feel bad for the Americans who are oblivious to its greatness. And to whoever else mentionned it, I was a HUGE Tea Party fan, although I didn't care for most of Triptych or Seven Circles.

But The Hip was long established as Canada before I got to vote :wink:

Cadence


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## GibsonTay37

bagpipe said:


> Where can we see some more of those guys? They just dont get enough attention, in my books. :banana:


LOL, I agree with you


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## GibsonTay37

Cadence said:


> So if someone asks me about a band that is Canada, I'd say The Hip.


if you ask an american, they'll say ether Rush or BNL, but rarely will they say Tragically Hip. Only a true :smilie_flagge17: will say the Tragically Hip


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## Starbuck

Hmm this is an interesting thread and Like Milkman said, there's a little too much humor & I think that BNL tries too hard to be funny. yes they are talented and have some groovy tunes that are great for the campfire. Brain Wilson and Alchohol are a couple, never liked their rendition of Lovers in a Dangerous time. I have to wonder if the success they garner in the States was all because of 90210 and jason Preistly? Cause sometimes I'm downright embarrased to watch them cause they're just plain goofy.

New Orleans is Sinking is a Great song and I have to wonder why it never caught on in the States. I 've heard or read somewhere in the past that when Fully Completely came out (I Love that album) The Hip were poised to release Locked in the Trunk of a car in the US, then Jeffrey Dhamer was arrested and there went THAT idea.

Like someone else has said, some of the Hip's albums don't grab you right away (Like Day for Night) but after a few listens you love it. 

I'd have to vote for the Hip.


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## Mooh

*Tragic Ladies With Bare Naked Hips* is a band I could roadie for. 

Peace, Mooh.


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## hush

I used to abhor BNL as I equated them to caricatures of "real" musicians. Now that I am (er, much) older I find that I appreciate their, or their producer's, skill at crafting and delivering consumable songs with humour and some great pop hooks. 

I have always liked the Hip, but haven't been crazy about any of their albums since Day for Night.

Are either of these bands "fine dining"? No, but somedays all I want is a bag of chips and a fizzy soda (or in the case of the Hip a beer and some chicken wings).


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## rwe333

Downie's a very unique talent - writer/performer. 
That said, the Ladies are a very talented bunch of musicians. 
If we're talking musicianship/chops, I gotta vote for BNL. 

Can't say I spend much time listening to either.


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## zontar

hush said:


> Are either of these bands "fine dining"? No, but somedays all I want is a bag of chips and a fizzy soda (or in the case of the Hip a beer and some chicken wings).


Well--two-fifty for an eyeball--and a buck and a half for an ear.


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## Diablo

iggs said:


> ::: FLAME SUIT ON :::
> 
> I don't like or listen to either band but I have great respect for someone who manages to achieve the level of success BNL have. All their songs are well crafted and very "sell-able" and commercial (I mean that in the best way possible). Every artist has to make a decision at one point whether they are going to play for themselves and maybe their friends and family while supporting their music "hobby" with a day job, or ... they are going to make a living out of making music. The guys from BNL have obviously made the right choice and enjoyed a huge level of success ... my hats off to them. I can only dream of being as successful.
> 
> Tragically Hip ... oh boy ... here it goes (I might get deported from Canada for saying this) ... they are one of the most mediocre bands I've ever heard.
> They're not bad ... they're just "blah" ... like a lukewarm cup of coffee. I have more interest in bands that are awful but trying their best then bands that are neither hot nor cold. I can definitely see why they are successful in Canada but I can also definitely see why they are not really successful anywhere else. Bland and uninspiring. Everything on their records sounds like it was recorded in one take, really sloppy and rough ... almost like a demo recording. They have some really, really good melodies and songs but it all sounds so "undeveloped". Almost like they needed a few more months of pre-pro before going into the studio.
> 
> But hey, that's just me ... what do I know??? I'd do anything to sell half the records even Tragically Hip has or enjoy some of their success ... I'm still just a rock-star hopeful with a day job.


I have to agree. 
I think BNL have a refreshing, unique, fun and appealing (commercially and otherwise) sound...whereas TH always came across to me like a watered down R.E.M tribute. Saw both acts live at grocery industry parties (ya, their both sell outs) and BNL were by far the better live show. For the record, Burton Cummings was the worst one I'd seen/heard at such an event.

Only thing about BNL is, I'd never buy their cd's. They get so much radio airplay, theres never a need...I'm sick of their songs before getting a chance to buy them!


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## NB-SK

Mooh said:


> *Tragic Ladies With Bare Naked Hips* is a band I could roadie for.
> 
> Peace, Mooh.


Hip Bare Naked Ladies sound more like my kind of gals.


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## lolligagger

*I'm going straight to hell...*

At one time, not so long ago I played in a band that counted both BNL and The Hip as direct influences in our musical stylings. Man, were we ever effed up!

These two groups are very much so polar opposites, but IMHO there is an awful lot of good in both bands. Lyrically I find them both to be clever. Musically, I think they are both stimulating...but for different reasons as noted by everyone else. I find myself pulling out the old recordings from both bands on various different occasions, and I suppose for various different reasons. I was absolutely in love with the early Hip albums and found myself very much so taking great delight in figuring out their lyrics.

Having said that...The Hip kind of lost me after Day For Night (but my old band mates continue to rave about the poetic genius of GD) and BNL had me hook, line and sinker on Gordon, but I kind of stopped listening after that album...although I admit to liking 'its all been done' and 'one week'.

Another way to think about this post is "which band would I most like to jam with as a guitar player?" If I was still playing bass guitar I would have to lean toward the hip, but as an acoustic guitar player I would choose BNL.

Man...am I ever on the fence...:smilie_flagge17:


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## Greenbacker

It seems that any band that sees success in the U.S. gets snatched right up by CTV (and Canadian media) who shoves this down our throats for way too long afterwards. I was always under the impression that this is why we still see Alanis hosting the Junos (Jagged Little Pill was released 13 years ago now) and why BNL is hosting goofy christmans specials, etc.

That is, until I came across this thread. It turns out that there are actually BNL fans out there! (Nothing against any of you. This is all personal taste, of course.)

I'm not a guy who takes himself too seriously but I find them to be very corny and hokey and their insistance on being so kooky and zany drives me bananas. There are one or two decent songs in their library (The Flag, Cohen's Lovers in a Dangerous Time) but I feel like most of their songs should be 'comedically enhanced' with some Loony Tunes sound effects in the background: Boi-oi-oing! 

I would have to say that I prefer The Tragically Hip out of the two bands, but I don't think they are the quintessential canadian band either. They have a good portfolio and a bunch of good tunes (Bobcaygeon is a good one, so is much of the earler stuff...) but I don't find them to be incredibly special. I too feel they are, or have become, rather lackluster. On the other hand, if I'm sitting at a cottage, watching the sun come down on a warm August evening, give me The Tragically Hip or give me death!


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## GibsonTay37

zontar said:


> Well--two-fifty for an eyeball--and a buck and a half for an ear.


Happy Hour, Happy Hour, Happy Hour is here

can't go wrong with Little Bones :smilie_flagge17:


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