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.
Sentimental Side
Spirit of the West Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When the good old days are wearing thin
But the good old days have all withered and died
Some go on livin' on the sentimental side
They've been still in their tracks for many's the year
Through watching and waiting, they've made their careers
And they've got frozen hands like broken-down clocks
And they say there's a snake that can shed its skin
When the good old days are wearing thin
But the good old days have all withered and died
Some go on livin' on the sentimental side
Tall tales and short stories, I know I'll hear them again
All about the time, do you remember when?
We were all local legends, or heroes at least
Has the truth been stretched about killing the beast?
And they say there's a snake that can shed its skin
When the good old days are wearing thin
But the good old days have all withered and died
Some go on livin' on the sentimental side
The circle is broken, now there's more than just one
And there's room to move where before there was none
And we stood in our circles and looked to the inside
Our backs to the world unaware of the outside
And they say there's a snake that can shed its skin
When the good old days are wearing thin
But the good old days have all withered and died
Some go on livin' on the sentimental side
They say there's a snake that can shed its skin
When the good old days are wearing thin
But the good old days have all withered and died
Some go on livin' on the sentimental side
They say there's a snake that can shed its skin
The lyrics to Spirit of the West's song Sentimental Side, explore the idea of nostalgia and the tendency some individuals have to get stuck in and overly romanticize the past. The song references the belief that there is a snake that can shed its skin, a metaphor for the ability to let go of the past and move forward. However, for some, the past holds a deep emotional connection, and they find it difficult to move on. The "good old days" have "withered and died," but there are still those who cling to them, and this is what the song refers to as "living on the sentimental side."
The lyrics also touch on the idea of how storytelling and tall tales help to keep the past alive in the minds of those who remember it. The idea of "local legends" and "heroes" serves to keep the memories alive and reinforces the romanticized version of the past some may have. However, as time goes by, the circle inevitably breaks, and new experiences and people come into play. This change represents the snake shedding its skin, where one must let go of the past to move forward.
Overall, the message of the song is about the importance of letting go of the past and embracing the present. While memories are important, constantly living on the "sentimental side" can be detrimental to personal growth and progress.
Line by Line Meaning
They say there's a snake that can shed its skin
There's a belief that some people can reinvent themselves
When the good old days are wearing thin
When things aren't as good as they used to be
But the good old days have all withered and died
The past is gone and can't be reclaimed
Some go on livin' on the sentimental side
Some people cling to nostalgia, unable to move on
They've been still in their tracks for many's the year
Some people have been in the same place, doing the same thing, for a long time
Through watching and waiting, they've made their careers
Some people have achieved success through patience and observation
And they've got frozen hands like broken-down clocks
Some people are stuck and unable to move forward
And hey wait by the door for opportunity's knock
Some people wait for chance instead of making their own opportunities
Tall tales and short stories, I know I'll hear them again
People often repeat the same stories, regardless of their accuracy
All about the time, do you remember when?
People often reminisce about the past, even if it's not entirely accurate
We were all local legends, or heroes at least
People often exaggerate their own accomplishments or importance
Has the truth been stretched about killing the beast?
Even stories that seem fantastical might not be completely truthful
The circle is broken, now there's more than just one
Things have changed and there are now more possibilities
And there's room to move where before there was none
There are now opportunities where there once were none
And we stood in our circles and looked to the inside
People often focus on themselves and their own group, ignoring what's happening outside
Our backs to the world unaware of the outside
People can be so focused on their own lives that they don't pay attention to the world outside
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Xtian
on Guildhall Witness
Well done. John Mann is so, so, so, so very missed.