The Tragically Hip's infectious songs, catchy melodies, inspired lyrics, an… Read Full Bio ↴The Tragically Hip's infectious songs, catchy melodies, inspired lyrics, and solid musicianship have secured their place as the kings of rock in Canada. Formed in the early '80s in Kingston, Ontario, they are a five-piece group of friends: Gordon Downie (primary lyricist and lead vocalist (February 6, 1963-October 17,2017), Paul Langlois and Rob Baker (guitars), Gord Sinclair (bass) and Johnny Fay (drums). For thirty years, The Tragically Hip has been at the heart of the Canadian music scene and has been recognized for its Canadian storytelling and references, and for evoking a strong emotional connection between their music and their fans that remains unrivaled throughout the country. The Hip has achieved the enviable status of a band that enjoys both mass popularity with over 8 million albums sold worldwide, as well as peer recognition through eleven (11) Juno Awards from more than a dozen recordings.

The group met while in high school at Kingston Collegiate Vocational Institute (KCVI) and all attended Queen's University in Kingston. They started as a cover band playing Rolling Stones and Doors covers, and were first represented by a local Kingston agent named Bernie Dobson.

They were first signed in 1987 after Bruce Dickinson, the then VP of A&R at MCA Records saw them perform live at the Horseshoe Tavern in Toronto, Ontario. Later that year they released their debut EP The Tragically Hip, though they were largely unrecognized until 1989's Up To Here. Up To Here established them as one of the best and most influential bands in Canada. In 1992, they created the Another Roadside Attraction festival, which tours Canada to promote smaller, unknown emerging bands.

The band is immensely popular in Canada. Although they have never achieved great success in the United States, they have never specifically sought it and have enjoyed their warm Canadian reception. When touring in Canada they typically play to sold-out arenas; when touring in the United States they play smaller venues and clubs. Performances abroad are usually attended by Canadian expatriates. In Europe, The Hip perhaps have their greatest following in the Netherlands.

The band permits recordings of their performances, so an active trading community thrives. The tone and content of much of their music is a paean to the Canadian experience and touches on such themes as small-town life, geography, and hockey.

The Tragically Hip received a star on the Canadian Walk of Fame in 2002, and they were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame at the 2005 Juno Awards. They have performed at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, and played a three-song set at the worldwide broadcast Live 8 benefit concert on July 2nd, 2005 to help make poverty history for the poor African nations.

On April 7th, 2009, the band's twelfth album We Are The Same was being released in North America, and it immediately rose to Number 1 on the Canadian charts. The album features twelve diverse new recordings produced by Bob Rock who had produced 2007's World Container and is perhaps best known for his work with Metallica, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Bryan Adams, The Offspring, Michael Bublé and Simple Plan. This album features songs that range from "levity and light to melancholy and anger" according to the band's website. Recorded primarily at The Bathouse Studio, band's recording studio located in a historical coach house west of their hometown, Kingston, Ontario, and its first single was "Love Is A First", which features the ironical addictive hook, 'love is a curse'.

Despite some side solo projects in the past couple of years, the band has completed a new studio album at The Bathouse Studio and in Toronto with Gavin Brown, who is perhaps best known for his work producing Metric, Three Days Grace, Barenaked Ladies and Billy Talent. The album is entitled Now For Plan A and it was released on October 2nd, 2012. This album's first singles were "At Transformation" and "Streets Ahead" and they are available on iTunes and through the band's website.

Man Machine Poem is the fourteenth studio album which is scheduled to be released June 17th, 2016. The album takes its name from a track on their Gold-selling 2012 release, Now For Plan A, and it was recorded at The Hip’s home studio The Bathouse, produced by Kevin Drew, founding member and producer of Broken Social Scene, Andy Kim (singer, songwriter and Arts & Crafts label co-founder) and Dave Hamelin, songwriter and producer from The Stills and Eight and a Half. Album pre-orders are currently available on either CD or Vinyl through the band's "Gift Shop" on their official website: www.TheHip.com or digitally through iTunes. “In A World Possessed By The Human Mind” and “Tired As Fuck" were its first singles, and both were made immediately available for digital download with the album's pre-order.

Early on May 24, 2016, The Tragically Hip announced via a post on their official website and through e-mail subscribers that its lead singer and primary lyricist, Gord Downie, is suffering from aggressive terminal brain cancer, and that the band will do one final national Canadian tour "For Gord". Concert dates for this final tour were available on-line through Ticketmaster, but sold out in minutes. There was a national outcry from devoted fans who claimed that scalpers had scooped up most of the tour's tickets using "bots". Petitions were filed to successfully encourage Canada's national television network, the CBC, to produce and air Live the final August 20, 2016 concert. Broadcast live from the band's hometown, at Kingston's Rogers K-Rock Centre, a national audience viewed The Tragically Hip's final tour show, The concert opened with "50 Mission Cap" and ended almost two hours later, after a third encore, with "Ahead By A Century". All proceeds from the tour were donated to The Gord Downie Fund, at the Sunnybrook Foundation for Brain Cancer Research. Donations can be sent to: http://sunnybrook.ca/foundation.

For the latest band details, please visit their official website: www.TheHip.com.

The Kids Don't Get It
The Tragically Hip Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

You said, "If I ask you a question,
Are you gonna lie to me?"
I said, "honey, is that your question?
'cause honey, that one's easy"
'cause half the truth is, just how much there is
The kids don't get it
No. The kids don't get it

I'm gonna be an expert stranger,
Better than the giant squid
I'm gonna leave the stranger experts
Scratching their heads, saying, "How'd he do it?!"
When half the truth is, just how hard it is
But the kids don't get it
No. The kids won't get it

I'll be the antlers and I'll be the elk
I'll be the right whale and I'll be parallel
The kids don't get it
That's right, kids don't get it

I'll feel more than human when the work's hitting home
I'll be aped by my ancestors. I'll state the plan as my own
I'll be gripping the city, I'll be hitting the town
You'll say. "I'd be hurt if you didn't, when I come around"
That's right, kids don't get it

I'll be as careless as you are certain.
I'll get outta my own way
I'll stop to cry into the curtains
And like the greats, before me, go on stage
And if half-true its, good enough for this
'Cause the kids don't get it
No. The kids don't get it
If I ask you a question,
Ya gonna lie to me?
Ah honey is that your question?
'Cause that one's easy

Kids don't get it
Just how hard it is

Kids don't get it
Just how much there is

Overall Meaning

The Tragically Hip's song "The Kids Don't Get It" is a commentary on the disconnect between generations and the different ways they perceive reality. The song opens with a conversation between two people, one of whom asks the other if they will lie to them. The response is that it is an easy question because half the truth is just how much there is. Then comes the main refrain that states "The kids don't get it." The phrase is repeated throughout the song, and it carries a sense of frustration and disappointment with the younger generation.

The song is a reflection of Gord Downie's own experiences and observations of the changing world. As the lead singer of The Tragically Hip, he was exposed to the music scene and saw the way that younger generations approached music and culture. He also observed the ways in which technology was changing the world and believed that younger generations were becoming increasingly disconnected from the natural world and the wisdom of their elders.

The lyrics include references to various animals and their characteristics. The lines "I'm gonna be an expert stranger, better than the giant squid" and "I'll be the antlers and I'll be the elk, I'll be the right whale and I'll be parallel" evoke the power and mystery of nature. The repetition of the phrase "That's right, kids don't get it" emphasizes the idea that younger generations are missing out on the deeper meaning behind the things they encounter in the world.

Line by Line Meaning

You said, "If I ask you a question, Are you gonna lie to me?"
You questioned my honesty, but I see through your attempt at a trap question.

I said, "honey, is that your question? 'cause honey, that one's easy"
I respond to your trap question with a simple answer and a term of endearment.

'cause half the truth is, just how much there is The kids don't get it No. The kids don't get it
Only revealing half the truth can still be a lot, but young people don't yet grasp the complexity of truth.

I'm gonna be an expert stranger, Better than the giant squid I'm gonna leave the stranger experts Scratching their heads, saying, "How'd he do it?!"
I will become the best at being unknown, even surpassing the legendary giant squid, confusing the authorities trying to stop me.

When half the truth is, just how hard it is But the kids don't get it No. The kids won't get it
Young people underestimate how difficult things can be, even when given only half the facts.

I'll be the antlers and I'll be the elk I'll be the right whale and I'll be parallel The kids don't get it That's right, kids don't get it
I can epitomize the essence of multiple things at once, but this level of nuance is lost on the youngsters.

I'll feel more than human when the work's hitting home I'll be aped by my ancestors. I'll state the plan as my own I'll be gripping the city, I'll be hitting the town You'll say. "I'd be hurt if you didn't, when I come around" That's right, kids don't get it
When I succeed in my endeavors, I will feel like more than just a mere mortal. I will honor my lineage while taking credit for my achievements. Even so, young people won't fully comprehend my significant accomplishments.

I'll be as careless as you are certain. I'll get outta my own way I'll stop to cry into the curtains And like the greats, before me, go on stage And if half-true its, good enough for this 'Cause the kids don't get it No. The kids don't get it
I'll be impulsive and carefree, ignoring my insecurities. I'll cry in private but put on a confident face in front of others, following in the footsteps of legends. Even if my words are only half-truths, the youth won't have the wisdom to realize that's often enough.

If I ask you a question, Ya gonna lie to me? Ah honey is that your question? 'Cause that one's easy
Repeating the same exchange as before highlights how predictable your games are, and reminds me that your easy questions don't expose anything new.

Kids don't get it Just how hard it is Kids don't get it Just how much there is
The chorus repeats the core message that young people don't yet understand how difficult and multifaceted life can be.

Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: GORDON DOWNIE, GORDON SINCLAIR, JOHNNY FAY, PAUL LANGLOIS, ROBERT BAKER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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