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.
Music in Your Eyes
Stan Rogers Lyrics
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I used to sit down and watch the river go down,
And see my dreams roll 'round the bend,
Hoping they'd come back again.
Now a long time's gone by and at least once a day
I sit and think about when you were holy
And so eager to see what you could find;
Now ain't it funny how we lost the timeâ?¦
You wonder why I lay awake at night,
Well I just can't get to sleep.
It's not the devils or the feelings inside,
It's the peace of mind I seek.
Cause you stand there laughin', I'm standin' starin'
And I've come all this way and all you ever said was,
"Well, that's OK".
Music in your eyes, I can tell by your surprise,
You've been doin' fine, so don't give me no more lies;
We'll understand it all in time.
Music in your eyes, my God, I'd love to watch you dance!
Now don't be feelin' shy, 'cause I know you know how,
And you're not sleepy now.
When I came into this town I knew my hands were bounded;
I knew I'd have to pay for my ways or else go underground,
But I said, "Music in your eyes, I can tell by your surprise,
That you've been doin' fine, so don't give me no more lies.
We'll understand it all in time".
I wouldn't place you in a hole, 'cause that's not the way to do it;
I know you want to be set free to let your love come shining on through;
So come on and shine now!
Music in your eyes, I can tell by your surprise
That you've been doin' fine, so don't give me no more lies,
We'll understand it all in time.
You know, we'll understand it
The verses in this song, by Canadian folk singer Stan Rogers, reminisce about the days of youth when the singer used to sit by the river, watch his dreams roll by, and hope that they would come back again. The song bridges the gap between past and present and touches upon the regrets and missed opportunities that come with time passing by. The singer seems to be trying to reconcile with someone, hoping for an understanding in time to come. The repeated chorus - 'Music in your eyes' - is a reference to the heart and soul hidden beneath the surface, waiting to be discovered and shared with the world. It is a plea to the person he is addressing to open up and let their music out, to not remain confined in a shell, and to not give up on their dreams.
The song is a classic example of Rogers's knack for storytelling and his skill in crafting heartfelt and introspective lyrics. It is a reflection of the melancholy folk style prevalent in Canadian music of the 1970s and 1980s, but with an added poignancy that speaks to the universal themes of love, loss, and regret that all people experience at different phases of life.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was younger in the days of my youth,
Back when I was young and inexperienced,
I used to sit down and watch the river go down,
I used to sit and watch as things just flowed along,
And see my dreams roll 'round the bend,
And I would watch as my dreams just slipped away,
Hoping they'd come back again.
Wishing that maybe they would return someday,
Now a long time's gone by and at least once a day
Now, as time has passed, I often think back,
I sit and think about when you were holy
And I remember when you were pure and earnest,
And so eager to see what you could find;
And how you were excited to discover new things,
Now ain't it funny how we lost the timeâ?¦
But now, time has passed, and things have changed,
You wonder why I lay awake at night,
Perhaps you're curious why I can't sleep,
Well I just can't get to sleep.
But it's not because of worries or fears,
It's not the devils or the feelings inside,
It's just that I seek peace of mind,
It's the peace of mind I seek.
And that's what keeps me awake at night,
Cause you stand there laughin', I'm standin' starin'
When I'm with you, I feel like I'm just standing still,
And I've come all this way and all you ever said was,
And I've put in all this effort, all this time,
"Well, that's OK".
"That's alright", that's all you ever say,
Music in your eyes, I can tell by your surprise,
But sometimes I see a spark in your eyes,
You've been doin' fine, so don't give me no more lies;
As if you've been doing well, but you're hiding something,
We'll understand it all in time.
But eventually, we'll come to understand everything,
Music in your eyes, my God, I'd love to watch you dance!
Sometimes I wish you would just let go and dance,
Now don't be feelin' shy, 'cause I know you know how,
Because I know you have it in you,
And you're not sleepy now.
And I know you're not too tired to dance,
When I came into this town I knew my hands were bounded;
When I first arrived here, I knew I was limited,
I knew I'd have to pay for my ways or else go underground,
And I knew I would have to face the consequences of my actions,
But I said, "Music in your eyes, I can tell by your surprise,
But still, I feel like you're hiding something,
That you've been doin' fine, so don't give me no more lies.
And I just want you to be honest with me,
We'll understand it all in time".
Together, we can face anything and find understanding,
I wouldn't place you in a hole, 'cause that's not the way to do it;
I don't want to confine you or hold you back,
I know you want to be set free to let your love come shining on through;
I know that you want to break free and let your true self shine,
So come on and shine now!
So come on and show the world who you truly are!
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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