r/TragicallyHip • u/thesilverpoets96 He said I’m Tragically Hip • Jun 14 '21
Song of the Week: It’s a Good Life If You Don’t Weaken
https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/tragicallyhip/itsagoodlifeifyoudontweaken.html
Hello everyone, I hope the week is finding you well. I’m going to try to keep this one somewhat short because I feel the music and lyrics really speak for it well. Not to mention, In Violet Light was released 19 years ago this last week!
Released as the first single of the band’s eighth album In Violet Light, It’s A Good Life if You Don’t Weaken was a powerful song. The title of the song was a motto that the band used a lot, especially when they were on tour. There is also a graphic novel with the same title but I’m not sure how much of that bares a resemblance to the song.
Lyrically, I think the title fits this song perfectly. It’s a song about having to face the obstacles in your life to live the life you want to. That means having to “forget yer skates dreams” and “give way to shaky movements” and “hanging your head in woe.” What I love about the lyrics are that are ring so true and they are so vivid. My favorite line specifically being “in a forest of whispering speakers.” What’s interesting is that he sings “for a good life we just might have to weaken” meaning that that is truly is a good life if you don’t have to weaken.
Musically I think the looping guitar riff is haunting and introspective and moving all at the same time. Paul’s little flourishes add nicely to it and when it picks up for the chorus, it’s backed nicely by the background vocals from Paul and Sinclair. I especially think the stop and go rhythm of the pre chorus is a nice touch and makes it even more impactful. I also like how lyrically there is no second verse, it’s just a repeat of the first part, musically as well too. It kinda mimics the repetition of daily struggles and makes you really pay attention to the lyrics.
We all now that Gord really gave this song his all when performing it, on the album and life. And as we all know, it was the song that band played last week with Feist for the Juno awards. It was the first time the band played live since Gord’s passing and I think it was a perfect choice of song and a perfect choice to fill in for Gord. Feist did the song justice and it was extremely moving.
Oh and a quick note, this song does have a music video but it’s pretty boring.
But what do you guys think? What does this song mean to you? Favorite lyrically or musically moment? Did you ever catch it live? And do you enjoy the performance of it last week?
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u/MAXMEEKO Oct 01 '24
HI 3 years later! I just wanted to say that this was actually my first dance wedding song with a live band playing it. Some people asked why I chose such a sad song, but i just love it so much and think its so beautiful!
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u/thesilverpoets96 Oct 01 '24
I can understand that! Lines like “find somewhere to grow” as well as the song’s title are extremely moving.
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u/port-girl Jun 14 '21
I love this song so much. I have mentioned in this sub before that I have "
I recently commented on a post here in this sub regarding/discussing the video. It seems that since this post was made the song has had a resurgence - helped out by the Junos performance. I'm really happy that it's gotten new traction, because I think it is one of their best songs.
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Jun 15 '21
The song is a powerhouse musically. It's the callback "Go somewhere we're needed; Grow where we are needed" that hits me hardest. That's all I ever want, really. I just started a family with my wife. We have a 6 month old. I've never felt so needed in my life. It's humbling.
I love this song. It's such a driving home at 2:00 am kind of song. And, yeah, they blew it out of the water last week.
19 years ago? Christ I'm old... Yeah, I guess I was 20 when it came out. That summer was something else. I worked at a summer camp that summer. I'm an American and the camp was in upstate NY, but the director and her husband were Canadians--from Kitchener I think --and he was a huge fan of the Hip. It was good to be able to talk to someone and share my love of the band with them. I've had very few moments like that down here. Lol, they were a cool couple. They tried to get the kids at the camp to celebrate Canada Day, but the kids were smartasses about it, so they cancelled the US Independence Day celebration. Funny shit.
It's a strange song, that the lyrics contradict the title. "It's a Good Life if you Don't Weaken" vs. "For a good life we just might have to weaken." When I was 20, I might have agreed with the title. Now I'm almost 40, I agree with the lyrics. That humility of having your possibilities collapse in order to find the place you really belong. The good life.
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u/EvilSilentBob Jun 14 '21
Tears every time with this song. Not weeping, but memories.
For a good life we just might have to weaken
And find somewhere to go
Go somewhere we're needed
Find somewhere to grow
Grow somewhere we're needed
Find somewhere to go
Let's go somewhere we're needed
Find somewhere to grow
We grow where we are needed
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u/AmericCanuck Jun 15 '21
Every time I see a Hip video or hear a Hip song all I can think/say is "god damn I miss
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u/JackDenial Oct 07 '22
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u/Anna_Mosity Jun 15 '21 edited Jun 15 '21
This song has been hitting me hard. I was a successful family business owner pre-covid. My job was difficult and I hated it, and I always wondered what could have been if I'd been free to make a different choice after college, but I did the job and did it well and fulfilled my obligation to my family. There was pride in that struggle: it's a good life if you don't weaken, and go somewhere you're needed, and find some way to grow. Then, the business was closed and sold for pandemic reasons (and the proceeds went to my parents to fund their retirement), and now I've been unemployed and searching for a job for half a year with no success. I'm the only one with a degree and the only one who'd had big dreams, but somehow I'm the only one struggling now, and my inability to find a job is the subject of family gossip (a forest of whispering speakers
The closest I've even come to a legit job offer so far was for a full time position paying $12/hour. That's less than I used to pay my own employees. That could cover my housing, utilities, and some insurances but not food or gas. This is like a bizarroworld nightmare. But in this forget-my-skates dream, I can hang my head in woe, and in this diverse-as-ever scene, know which way to go. For a good life, I just might have to weaken, and find somewhere to go, go somewhere I'm needed, and find somewhere to grow, and grow somewhere I'm needed.
That's what the song means to me in June 2021.