Rogers was noted for his rich, baritone voice and his traditional-sounding songs which were frequently inspired by Canadian history and the daily lives of working people, especially those from the fishing villages of the Maritime provinces and, later, the farms of the Canadian prairies and Great Lakes. Rogers died in a fire aboard Air Canada Flight 797 on the ground at the Greater Cincinnati Airport at the age of 33.
Rogers was born in Hamilton, Ontario, the eldest son of Nathan Allison Rogers and Valerie (née Bushell) Rogers, two Maritimers who had relocated to Ontario in search of work shortly after their marriage in July 1948. Although Rogers was raised in Binbrook, Ontario, he often spent summers visiting family in Guysborough County, Nova Scotia.
It was there that he became familiar with the way of life in the Maritimes, an influence which was to have a profound impact on his subsequent musical development. He was interested in music from an early age, reportedly beginning to sing shortly after learning to speak. He received his first guitar, a miniature hand-built by his uncle Lee Bushell, when he was five years of age. He was exposed to a variety of music influences, but among the most lasting were the country and western tunes his uncles would sing during family get-togethers. Throughout his childhood, he would practice his singing and playing along with his brother Garnet, six years his junior.
While Rogers was attending Saltfleet High School, Stoney Creek, Ontario, he started to meet other young people interested in folk music, although at this time he was dabbling in rock and roll, singing and playing bass guitar in garage bands such as "Stanley and the Living Stones" and "The Hobbits". After high school, Rogers briefly attended both McMaster University and Trent University, where he performed in small venues with other student musicians, including Ian Tamblyn, Chris Ward and fellow Hobbit Nigel Russell. Russell wrote the song "White Collar Holler", which Rogers sang frequently on stage.
Rogers signed with RCA Records in 1970 and recorded two singles: "Here's to You Santa Claus" in 1970, and "The Fat Girl Rag" in 1971. In 1973, Rogers recorded three singles for Polygram: "Three Pennies", "Guysborough Train", and "Past Fifty."
In 1976, Rogers recorded his debut album, Fogarty's Cove, released in 1977 on Barnswallow Records. The album's subject matter dealt almost entirely with life in maritime Canada, and was an immediate success. Rogers then formed Fogarty's Cove Music, and bought Barnswallow during the production of Turnaround, allowing him to release his own albums. Posthumously, additional albums were released.[citation needed]
Rogers' songs often had a Celtic feel which was due, in part, to his frequent use of DADGAD guitar tuning. He regularly used his William 'Grit' Laskin built 12-string guitar in his performances. His best-known pieces include "Northwest Passage", "Barrett's Privateers", "The Mary Ellen Carter", "Make and Break Harbour", "The Idiot", "Fogarty's Cove", and "White Squall".
Rogers died alongside 22 other passengers most likely of smoke inhalation on June 2, 1983, while traveling on Air Canada Flight 797 (a McDonnell Douglas DC-9) after performing at the Kerrville Folk Festival. The airliner was flying from Dallas, Texas, to Toronto and Montreal when a fire of unknown ignition source within the vanity or toilet shroud of the aft washroom forced it to make an emergency landing at the Greater Cincinnati Airport in northern Kentucky.
There were initially no visible flames, and after attempts to extinguish the fire were unsuccessful, smoke filled the cabin. Upon landing, the plane's doors were opened, allowing the five crew and 18 of the passengers to escape, but approximately 60 to 90 seconds into the evacuation the oxygen rushing in from outside caused a flash fire. Rogers had initially been one of the passengers to escape, but he at some point re-entered the plane to assist in the effort to help others escape.
Rogers' legacy includes his recordings, songbook, and plays for which he was commissioned to write music. His songs are still frequently covered by other musicians, and are perennial favourites at Canadian campfires and song circles. Members of Rogers' band, including his brother Garnet Rogers, continue to be active performers and form a significant part of the fabric of contemporary Canadian folk music. Following his death, he was nominated for the 1984 Juno Awards in the category for Best Male Vocalist. That same year, he was posthumously awarded the Diplôme d’Honneur of the Canadian Conference of the Arts. In 1994, his posthumous live album Home in Halifax was likewise nominated for Best Roots and Traditional Album.
Stan's son, Nathan Rogers, is also an established Canadian folk artist with a voice and lyrical acumen similar to his father's. He has released two critically acclaimed solo discs and tours internationally as a solo act and in the trio Dry Bones.
Forty-five Years
Stan Rogers Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the sea and the sky are one
I'm caught out of time, my blood sings with wine
And I'm running naked in the sun
There's God in the trees, I'm weak in the knees
And the sky is a painful blue
I'd like to look around, but Honey, all I see is you.
Til you'd think that the air is clear
And I'm sitting with friends, where forty-five cents
Will buy another glass of beer
He's got something to say, but I'm so far away
That I don't know who I'm talking to
'Cause you just walked in the door, and Honey, all I see is you
[Chorus]
And I just want to hold you closer than I've ever held anyone before
You say you've been twice a wife and you're through with life
Ah, but Honey, what the hell's it for?
After twenty-three years you'd think I could find
A way to let you know somehow
That I want to see your smiling face forty-five years from now.
So alone in the lights on stage every night
I've been reaching out to find a friend
Who knows all the words, sings so she's heard
And knows how all the stories end
Maybe after the show she'll ask me to go
Home with her for a drink or two
Now her smile lights her eyes, but Honey, all I see is you
[Chorus: x2]
In "Forty-five Years," Stan Rogers paints vivid pictures of contrasting settings - the barren yet beautiful landscape of wind-broken stones and the bustling city with its twinkling lights. His lyrics express the dichotomy of feeling caught out of time, yet running naked in the sun with his blood singing with wine. In these moments, the surroundings are infused with a divine presence, rendering the singer weak-kneed and overwhelmed. However, even amidst such awe-inspiring beauty, his focus remains fixated on his lover, that all he can see is her.
The song further delves into the deep longing and yearning for his lover as they sit with their friends, chatting over glasses of beer, and various voices fade away with the night. Even as he's on stage, reaching out to find a friend who knows all the words and can sing so she's heard, he's hoping that she'll ask him to go home with her for a drink or two. But regardless of the crowd or the potential for new connections, the only person he can see is his lover - whether he's running in the sun, sitting in a bar, or performing on stage.
"Forty-five Years" is a love song that encapsulates the purity and intensity of enduring love over time. The lyrics are simple yet poignant, making it clear that despite time and distance, love never fades.
Line by Line Meaning
Where the earth shows its bones of wind-broken stone
I am surrounded by harsh rocky terrain that the wind has broken down over time
And the sea and the sky are one
The sea and the sky blend together in a vibrant display of nature's beauty
I'm caught out of time, my blood sings with wine
I feel like time has stopped and I am feeling the effects of alcohol
And I'm running naked in the sun
I am carefree and uninhibited, enjoying the warmth of the sun on my skin
There's God in the trees, I'm weak in the knees
I am in awe of the beauty of nature and it is overwhelming me
And the sky is a painful blue
The blue of the sky is so intense that it almost hurts to look at it
I'd like to look around, but Honey, all I see is you.
Despite the beauty of my surroundings, my focus is solely on my loved one
The summer city lights will soften the night
The lights in the city at night create a calming atmosphere
Til you'd think that the air is clear
The peaceful ambiance makes it feel like the air is clearer
And I'm sitting with friends, where forty-five cents
I am enjoying the company of friends over cheap drinks
Will buy another glass of beer
We can continue drinking and enjoying each other's company without worry
He's got something to say, but I'm so far away
One of my friends is trying to talk to me, but my mind is preoccupied
That I don't know who I'm talking to
I am distracted and not fully engaged in the conversation
Cause you just walked in the door, and Honey, all I see is you
My focus is entirely on my loved one who just arrived
And I just want to hold you closer than I've ever held anyone before
I feel an intense need to be close to my loved one
You say you've been twice a wife and you're through with life
My loved one has been through failed marriages and is jaded with life
Ah, but Honey, what the hell's it for?
I am pleading with my loved one to find meaning and purpose in life despite past hardships
After twenty-three years you'd think I could find
Despite being together for over two decades, I still struggle to express my feelings
A way to let you know somehow
I am searching for a way to communicate my love and dedication
That I want to see your smiling face forty-five years from now.
I want to grow old with my loved one and cherish their company for many more years
So alone in the lights on stage every night
Despite being surrounded by people during performances, I feel lonely
I've been reaching out to find a friend
I am searching for someone who can truly connect with me
Who knows all the words, sings so she's heard
I am looking for someone who can relate to my music and understand the message
And knows how all the stories end
I am hoping to find someone who can empathize with my personal experiences
Maybe after the show she'll ask me to go
I am hoping to form a connection with someone after a performance
Home with her for a drink or two
I am hoping to spend some time together over a few drinks
Now her smile lights her eyes, but Honey, all I see is you
Despite this potential connection, my thoughts are still focused on my loved one
Chorus
Repeats the theme of the desire to hold onto one's love for the long term
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind