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.
Resurrection
Spirit of the West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Never kissed the dead, had a laugh instead
Made a funny girl count nine best friends
Look how they adore her standing here before her
With words in their pockets, hearts on their sleeves
They sang her praise, I felt a breeze
And her photograph hung upon the wall
Of the little Jewish Hall
and beautiful was her comet
At her funeral someone rolled the stone
Pushed it through the night
Eyes adjusting to her light
Dressed in black only if we wanted
Picasso rose, and brighter, I think I would have liked her
With tears in my pockets, tears up my sleeve
I ran back home to give them wings
And they flew above what's inside
This world, it looks smaller from the sky
And beautiful was her comet
and beautiful was her comet
In the song Resurrection by Spirit of the West, the singer describes attending the funeral of someone they cared about deeply. The lyrics suggest that the funeral was a celebration of the person's life rather than a sad occasion, with the singer saying they never felt the grave and made a "funny girl" count nine best friends. The mourners all adore the deceased and sing her praises, and the singer feels a breeze as if the person's spirit is present. This is reinforced by her photograph hanging on the wall of the little Jewish Hall where the service is held. The song uses the metaphor of a comet to describe the person who has passed away, suggesting that she was a bright and beautiful presence in the world, and that even as she is gone, her light still shines on.
The second verse of the song continues with the theme of celebrating the person's life rather than mourning her passing. The singer describes someone rolling the stone at the funeral, suggesting that this person was the one who pushed through the grief and found a way to keep going. There is a sense of lightness and hope in the lyrics, with the singer saying they would have liked the deceased even brighter, and with their tears giving wings to something inside them. They describe the world looking smaller from above, implying that there is a broader perspective to be gained by rising above the grief and seeing things from a different angle.
Overall, Resurrection is a poignant and hopeful song about celebrating the life of someone who has passed away. The lyrics suggest that even in death, this person's light still shines on and can give comfort and hope to those left behind.
Line by Line Meaning
At her funeral I never felt the grave
I did not feel the sadness of her passing at her funeral.
Never kissed the dead, had a laugh instead
I did not mourn her death in the traditional way, I found joy in the memories she left behind.
Made a funny girl count nine best friends
She was a joyous person, who had many close friends.
Look how they adore her standing here before her
Everyone who knew her loved and cherished her.
With words in their pockets, hearts on their sleeves
People spoke lovingly and emotionally of her, with sincere and heartfelt words.
They sang her praise, I felt a breeze
People sung praises about her, and the atmosphere felt serene and calming.
And her photograph hung upon the wall
A photo of her was hung in the Jewish Hall.
Of the little Jewish Hall
The Jewish Hall was not very big or grand.
And beautiful was her comet
She left behind something beautiful that people admired, much like a comet in the sky.
At her funeral someone rolled the stone
Someone closed her coffin after the service.
Pushed it through the night
The coffin was taken away in darkness.
Eyes adjusting to her light
People were slowly becoming used to her absence, and the reality of her being gone.
Dressed in black only if we wanted
People were given the choice to wear black or not, as a mark of respect.
Picasso rose, and brighter, I think I would have liked her
The flowers were a way to show appreciation and love; she was a beautiful person that I wish I knew better.
With tears in my pockets, tears up my sleeve
I was sad, and held it in as much as I could.
I ran back home to give them wings
I went home to be with family and to find comfort in something familiar.
And they flew above what's inside
I tried to look above the grief and find hope in something; anything.
This world, it looks smaller from the sky
Looking at the world from above made me realize how small we all are in the grand scheme of things.
And beautiful was her comet
Once again, her legacy is beautiful and admirable like a comet in the sky.
Contributed by James R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Xtian
on Guildhall Witness
Well done. John Mann is so, so, so, so very missed.