LISTENING IN: The story behind Cochrane’s ‘Highway’ hit

Picking the greatest Canadian rock anthem off all time is an interesting, often passionate, pastime – especially when a few Molson Canadians are involved. Is it “Taking Care of Business” (the song even upstaged Springsteen at the Invictus Games concert in Toronto in 2017)? “Summer of ’69,” “Born to be Wild,” “American Woman,” “Rockin’ in the Free World,” “The Hockey Song,” to name but a few? Or perhaps “Life is a Highway”?

The classic song was Tom Cochrane’s first as a solo artist in 1991 following an already Canadian Music Hall of Fame-worthy career as the frontman for Red Rider (“Lunatic Fringe,” “White Hot”), subsequently appearing on the album “Mad Mad World.”

Cochrane has explained that the song was originally called “Love is a Highway” (observe the song’s first line) but recast after an emotional visit to Mozambique (also referenced in the song) with World Vision.

(As an aside, good guy Cochrane has been awarded the Order of Canada and several other honours for his lifetime of charity and humanitarian work. In 1997, he surprised students at Burnsview Secondary School in North Delta, BC, with a private concert to thank them for their efforts on behalf of World Vision.)

With the song given new “life,” it hit No. 1 in Canada and No. 6 in the US, where Cochrane performed it on Letterman. It also prompted a cover version by Rascal Flatts in 2006, which was used in the Pixar animated movie “Cars” and was also feted extensively in an episode of “The Family Guy,” concluding with Stewie and Brian joyously dancing to it (with the official Cochrane video displayed in an inset). Alvin and the Chipmunks even squeeked a version for a video game.

In 2016, the government of Manitoba named a 322-km. section of Highway 391 near musician’s hometown of Lynn Lake the “Tom Cochrane’s Life Is A Highway.” At the unveiling, premier Brian Pallister observed that the song was a metaphor for life. “Because life is a highway. It’s got its on-ramps, it’s got its off-ramps, it’s got its ditches, it’s got its side roads, it’s got its up and its downs, and it’s got its adventures,” he said.

Last year, Cochrane performed a condensed acoustic version of the song on the CBC dedicated to frontline pandemic workers.

At any rate, here’s a concert clip from the Live 8 concert in Barrie, Ont. in 2005 – not surprisingly a charity event, organized by Bob Geldof (Live Aid) to raise fund to fight poverty.

Greatest Canadian rock anthem ever? Maybe, could be. Grab a couple of Canadians (beers and friends) and discuss.

Lyrics

Love’s like a road that you travel on
When there’s one day here and the next day gone
Sometimes you bend, sometimes you stand
Sometimes you turn your back to the wind

There’s a world outside every darkened door
Where blues won’t haunt you anymore
Where the brave are free and lovers soar
Come ride with me to the distant shore

We won’t hesitate, break down the garden gate
There’s not much time left today

Life is a highway
I want to ride it all night long
If you’re going my way
I want to drive it all night long

Through all these cities and all these towns
It’s in my blood and it’s all around
I loved you now like I loved you then
This is the road and these are the ends

From Mozambique to those Memphis nights
The Khyber Pass to Vancouver’s lights
Knock me down, I’m back up again
You’re in my blood, I’m not a lonely man

There’s no load I can’t hold
A road so rough this I know
I’ll be there when the light comes in
Just tell ’em we’re survivors

Life is a highway
I want to ride it all night long
And if you’re going my way
I want to drive it all night long

Life is a highway
I want to ride it all night long
If you’re going my way
I want to drive it all night long

There was a distance between you and I
A misunderstanding once
But now we look it in the eye

There ain’t no load that I can’t hold
A road so rough, this I know
I’ll be there when the light comes in
Just tell ’em we’re survivors

Life is a highway
I want to ride it all night long
If you’re going my way
I want to drive it all night long
A-gimme gimme gimme gimme yeah!