At the Hundredth Meridian
"At the Hundredth Meridian" is the fourth single by The Tragically Hip from the band's 1992 album, Fully Completely. The song is a reference to the 100th meridian west, which is a line of longitude that separates much of Western Canada from the Central and Atlantic regions of Canada and is where the Great Plains begin, as lead-singer Gordon Downie states in the song.
The song peaked at #18 on the Canadian RPM Singles chart. The song was also featured in the Due South episode "Heaven and Earth" in 1995.
When performing the song live, the band often plays it at a significantly faster tempo than on the album, and uses the instrumental break for a jam session lasting several minutes.
Music video
The music video for "At the Hundredth Meridian" was directed by Peter Henderson. It was filmed in Melbourne during the band's tour of Australia and New Zealand in March 1993.
In the video, Downie is wearing a ball-cap advertising Gros Morne National Park, located in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Podcasts:
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by Tragically Hip
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by The Tragically Hip
At The Hundredth Meridian
by: Tragically HipMe debunk an American myth?
And take my life in my hands?
Where the Great Plains begin at the hundredth meridian
At the hundredth meridian where the Great Plains begin
Driving down a corduroy road,
Weeds standing shoulder high
Ferris wheel is rusting off in the distance
At the hundredth meridian
At the hundredth meridian
At the hundredth meridian where the great plains begin
Left alone to get gigantic
Hard, huge, and haunted
A generation so much dumber than it's parents
Came crashing through the window
A raven strains along the line of the road
Carrying a muddy, old skull the wires show their approval
Off down the distance
I remember, I remember buffalo And I remember Hengelo
It would seem to me
I remember every single fucking thing I know
If I die of Vanity, promise me, promise me
That if they bury me some place I don't want to be
That you'll dig me up and transport me
Unceremoniously away from the swollen city breeze, garbage bag trees
Whispers of disease, and acts of enormity
And lower me slowly, sadly, and properly
Get Ry Cooder to sing my eulogy
Where the Great Plains begin at
The hundredth meridian
At the hundredth meridian where the Great Plains begin
Driving down a corduroy road,
Weeds standing shoulder high
Ferris wheel is rusting off in the distance
At the hundredth meridian
At the hundredth meridian
At the hundredth meridian where the great plains begin
Left alone to get gigantic
Hard, huge, and haunted
A generation so much dumber than it's parents
Came crashing through the window
A raven strains along the line of the road
Carrying a muddy, old skull the wires show their approval
Off down the distance
I remember, I remember buffalo And I remember Hengelo
It would seem to me
I remember every single fucking thing I know
If I die of Vanity, promise me, promise me
That if they bury me some place I don't want to be
That you'll dig me up and transport me
Unceremoniously away from the swollen city breeze, garbage bag trees
Whispers of disease, and acts of enormity
And lower me slowly, sadly, and properly