Spirit of the West was a Canadian folk-rock band from Vancouver, active fro… Read Full Bio ↴Spirit of the West was a Canadian folk-rock band from Vancouver, active from 1983 to 2016. The band was popular on the Canadian folk music scene in the 1980s before evolving a blend of hard rock, Britpop and Celtic folk influences which made them one of Canada's most successful alternative rock acts in the 1990s.

The band began in 1983 as a Vancouver-based folk trio called Evesdropper, consisting of John Mann, Geoffrey Kelly and J. Knutson. They soon changed their name to Spirit of the West, and independently released a self-titled album in 1984 before signing to Stony Plain Records, an Edmonton, Alberta roots music label.

Stony Plain released Tripping Up the Stairs in 1986. Following that album, Knutson left the band and was replaced by Hugh MacMillan.

1988's Labour Day was the band's first major success, spawning the popular single "Political" and making the band a major name on the folk festival circuit. After that album's tour, MacMillan took a temporary hiatus from the band. He was replaced by Daniel Lapp and Linda McRae, but returned before the band's next album was recorded. When MacMillan returned, Lapp left the band but McRae stayed on. (As a result, Lapp never actually appeared on a Spirit of the West recording. He pursued a solo career, however, releasing a number of albums of experimental jazz/folk/electronic fusion.)

On the strength of "Political", Warner Brothers Records signed the band, and Stony Plain released a compilation, Old Material 1984-1986 in 1989. In 1990, the band's major label debut, Save This House was released, spawning the singles "Save This House" and "Home For a Rest" (which is still considered a classic frosh week anthem at universities across Canada.)

Following that album, the band toured England with The Wonder Stuff, and decided to bring in a drummer and experiment with a more rock-oriented sound. Vince Ditrich was brought in, and the band's 1991 album, Go Figure, was the result.

Although the album retained the band's folk influences, it was more hard rock than any of the band's previous efforts, and this proved controversial among the band's fans. The album included a rock rendition of "Political", and at one show in London, Ontario, the audience presented the band with a petition demanding that they play the original version of that song. Despite the controversies, however, it became the band's mainstream commercial breakthrough, and won them many new fans in the alternative rock scene.

In 1993, the band released their most successful album, Faithlift, and scored their biggest hit single, "...And if Venice is Sinking". 1995's Two Headed, in turn, garnered significant airplay for the single "Tell Me What I Think". However, the album was not as successful on the charts, or as critically hailed, as its predecessor.

In 1996, the band performed two shows with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. The band included some of their hits in these shows, but also included an album's worth of songs written specifically for the occasion, and the new songs were released as Open Heart Symphony that year. (Some of the hits performed at those shows are available on the compilation Hit Parade.) Also in 1996, McRae left the band amicably to pursue a solo career, performing her last show on New Year's Eve of that year. She went on to release a solo country album in 1997, and then formed the alternative country band Cheerful Lonesome.

The remaining members recorded 1997's Weights and Measures as a four-piece, working with members of The Wonder Stuff, Capercaillie, Fairport Convention and Jethro Tull to round out the studio effort, and added Tobin Frank for their concert tour. However, with the music industry's emphasis having shifted by this time toward more mainstream pop-oriented performers, Warner put little effort into promoting the album, and dropped the band from their roster after the tour.

After Weights & Measures the band took a hiatus, although they continued to perform live, and remained a popular concert draw. During the hiatus, Mann, Ditrich and Kelly all released solo albums, Mann pursued acting roles, MacMillan worked as a session musician and producer, and Kelly and Frank recorded with The Paperboys.

The band's first new album in seven years, Star Trails, was released on July 6, 2004 on MapleMusic Recordings.

In 2005, "Home For a Rest" was named the 22nd greatest Canadian song of all time on CBC Radio One's 50 Tracks: The Canadian Version.

Mann was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimers' disease (disclosed in Sept 2014) and Ditrich has liver disease. The group gave its final performances in April 2016 at the Commodore Ballroom in Vancouver.

The band performed a reunion set at Spirit of Canada, a benefit concert for Alzheimer's awareness at the Commodore Ballroom on November 19, 2017. The concert's lineup included Odds, Barney Bentall, Dustin Bentall, Jim Byrnes, Kendel Carson, Jim Cuddy, Alan Doyle, Colin James, Sarah McLachlan, Ed Robertson, Shari Ulrich and Spirit: The Next Generation, an act consisting of the band members' children. Before the show, the performing musicians participated in a group recording of the band's signature song "Home for a Rest" as a tribute to Mann.
John Mann born September 18, 1962 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, died November 20, 2019.

Another Happy New Year
Spirit of the West Lyrics

We have lyrics for these tracks by Spirit of the West:

5 Free Minutes All packed up, the people gone All tucked in, the TV…
6th Floor At the corner of Elm and Northeast Houston Staring up at…
An Honest Gamble O'Connell was a steel worker, bluecollar man he was labelle…
An Honest Gamble [Jig - Tripping Up The Stairs] O'Connell was a steel worker, bluecollar man he was labelled…
And If Venice Is Sinking Jesus hangs behind the glass Above Venetian doors His window…
Armstrong and the Guys (Kelly/Mann) High above the clouds Bring on the trolley Rele…
Be a Guy Come with us we've got a car A tank of gas…
Big Head Don't let me spend my career Wound up in a bell…
Bleeding Heart (Kelly/Mann) I never liked a bleeding heart But a bleeding h…

Blood and Honey Feels a little strange mixing blood with honey spiking pai…
Bone of Contention And you grabbed it by the hand And he pulled and…
Can't Accept the Saint Can't accept the saint dying here before me passing out th…
Canadian Skye It's here where I feel it Funny how it's, funny how…
Circus There was writing on the walls Looked like "Circus" there fo…
Come Back Oscar Walking off the stage to the gates and off the…
D for Democracy You with the jaundiced eyes, Drunk on your own reflection Pr…
Darkhouse The lighthouse winks across the water Blue white streamers a…
Death of the Party (Kelly/Mann) I offered up a weak embrace 'Till her song bega…
Death On The Beach Death on the beach, without any eyes Just a hollow head,…
Dirty Pool The water is black the coast was clear Now they're sweating…
Doin Quite Alright Well I'm not goin' anywhere to this land I am…
Doin' Quite Alright Well im' not goin anywhere to this land i am…
Down on the Dole The lorries roll through St. John Street And stir up the…
Drinking Man I'm a part of the furniture, this boozer's my home I've…
Enough Already Alright Don't smell like beer, no smoke in here In a clean…
Far Too Canadian I'm so content, to stand in line Wait and see, pass…
Frankfurt I Pushers and junkies and cheap hotel flunkies Pulled the day …
Frankfurt I'm Sorry Pushers and junkies and cheap hotel flunkies Pulled the day…
Get Down Tonight Said it once, said it twice It carried on through the…
God's Apprentice God's apprentice fell from heaven, the angels let him drop …
Goodbye Grace The angel watching over me Was needed someplace else Kicked …
Gottingen Street This tumble down street's just a run down street Ringing wit…
Guildhall Witness And the Guildhall witness never said a word Just stared fro…
Heavenly Angel I can barely keep a grip on the pen I…
Home for a Rest You'll have to excuse me, I'm not at my best I've…
Homelands The difference between being on the bottom or the top Is…
Is This Where I Come In Is this where I come in? When your head is in…
Is this where I come in? Is this where I come in? When your head is in…
July January follows December with a month of rain February wait…
Just Another Day This is what we want, you know how to get…
King of Scotland I was the King of Scotland, his Excellency I was the…
Last to Know A little bird told me a secret today I closed my…
Let the Ass Bray We were gathered on a Thursday To see the two out…
Let's Make a Mystery They were right, we've been trying To play god without a…
Loaded Minds Young boy is killed by a gun toting driver He caught…
Mildred ...I know we've shared those days... Mildred says her lif…
Morning in the Bath Abbey I feel so gentle that the lord seeps in On the…
Mum's The Word I hope you get your 15 years of fame Three square…
Never Had It in Me The day became undone she called her faith a liar She lost…
Not Just a Train I can strum a little, I can hold a chord This…
Our Ambassador (Kelly/Mann) Our super-hero in a maple-leaf cape Was locked …
Our Station Meet me tonight and I'll buy the first round, I know…
Out of the Boy How long have you been hiding, 'till they found you…
Pin-Up Boy It's too, it's too bright in here It's way too bright…
Polaroid Sometimes you get the scare of your life when you least…
Political I was tired of being put right down By myself for…
Pretend Is Fun His eyes are blistered from the dog Red and swollen from…
Profiteers There's a cold wind blowin' through the old east side It…
Pulling Lame You put the dumbest things In the strangest places Behind th…
Puttin' Up With the Joneses Oh no, oh no Oh no, oh no no no Oh no,…
Resurrection At her funeral I never felt the grave Never kissed the…
Rites of Man Found my coat Had trouble with the sleeves We lifted your bo…
Roadside Attraction There's only sixty days 'til Christmas So the metal must be…
Rocks at Thieves Bay 'Twas a November storm, not a ship dared the waters, Except…
Runboy You cannot stop a river if it has a place…
Sadness Grows Hello love it's London calling Wave the white hanky, a breat…
Save This House I'm not worried, it's a 1,000,000 miles away Yeah I saw…
Scaffolding The worst of it's we're always half afraid I've knocked you…
Sentimental Side They say there's a snake that can shed its skin When…
Ship Named Frank they say it's no big deal girls he's just one…
Sincerely Yours Dear Lisa, I'm sorry you've lived with my folly Suppose you…
Slow Learner Everything's in order and filed inside my head I know our…
Small Small World I moved the mountain with my finger Climbed to the top…
Soldier's Boy (Kelly/Mann) Dragged in his fathers footsteps Onto other peo…
Spot the Difference Spot the difference here I'm the only one not smiling I'm th…
Sunshine Superman Sunshine came softly through my a-window today Could've tri…
Swingin' Single We were splitting up You split up instead You lost your head…
Take it From the Source I was sitting in Bazil's with a friend and coffee Thinking…
Tell Me What I Think Tell me what I think You drive, I'll drink, you drive…
That When the moon hits you eye like a big pizza…
That's Amore (In Napoli where love is King, when boy meets girl,…
The Crawl Well, we're good old boys, we come from the North…
The Hammer & The Bell (Kelly/Mann) We twisted you arm over Chinese And led you ast…
The Hounds That Wait Outside Your Door There's a siren ringing loud A call of distress It's windi…
The Mists of Crofton And around it goes... how were they to know? That around…
The Old Sod One, two, three From the old sod to the new land We…
The Wedding Speech I stole a Kiss, I broke a heart I copped a…
Turned Out Lies I remember a promise for a new tomorrow I remember a…
Two Headed Many wondered where it was They'd seen it earlier mouthing …
Unplugged The ceiling's too familiar Laying slack-jawed on my back And…
Waiting for Martin I'm waiting for Martin, in a theatre that's darkened I foun…
Waking the Lion (Kelly/Mann) The Saint Andrews' Cross The slate rooves and t…
Water in the Well There's water in the well And the gate is always open There'…
When Rivers Rise Peace in the valley has gone As the weather rolls in…
Williamson's Garage There's something there in Williamson's Garage I think it's …
Wishing Line In the shadow of Modigliani The German punkers lie Each with…

Wrecking Ball Over the sidewalk under the archway, through the door again …

The lyrics are frequently found in the comments by searching or by filtering for lyric videos

TRACKS