Best Hockey Songs of All Time #4: Heaven Is A Better Place Today

Heaven is a Better Place today was written as a tribute to Dan Snyder, a center for the Atlanta Thrashers who died in a car accident at age 25. He was thrown from the Ferrari 360 Modena driven by his teammate Dany Heatley after hitting a wall.

The song was a reflection of the way teammates had to carry on after the loss: “hoping” that they’re not the type to dwell, “hoping” that they’re “fast healers”, not knowing how to express themselves (“less crying and more trying”) —

Given that it’s a tribute to Snyder, there should be no doubt that this is a hockey song, even though this line seems to mix references with football:

If and when we get into the endzone
Act like you have been there a thousand times before

I’m surprised, as a Toronto Make Belief fan, he wouldn’t say “If and when we get into the playoffs…” And I know the attack and defensive zones can be called end-zones in hockey, but “act like you’ve been there before” is what you usually hear when NFL’ers embarrass themselves with post-touchdown posturing.

Also, according to Wikipedia:

“Heaven Is a Better Place Today” doubles as a tribute to Dan Snyder, a player for the Atlanta Thrashers hockey team who died in an automobile accident nine months before the album’s release and, as Downie would reveal, for young men being sent to war.

Surprisingly, I can’t find a video or concert performance online… Complete lyrics:

Here’s a glue guy, performance god
A makeshift shrine, newly lain sod
Hardly even trying gives the nod
I sure hope I’m not the type to dwell
Hope I’m a fast healer fast as hell
Heaven is a better place today, because of this
But the world is just not the same
If and when we get into the endzone
Act like you’ve been there a thousand times before
Don’t blame don’t say people lose people all the time anymore.

A toonie to the busker and a husky ‘keep it comin’ under my breath
But then said, ‘though, if you wouldn’t mind,
Less crying and more trying more trying and less crying’
I’m not the type to dwell
I’m a fast healer fast as hell
Heaven is a better place today because of this
But the world is just not the same
Oh if and – if and when we get into the endzone
Act like you’ve been there a thousand times before
Don’t blame don’t say people lose people all the time anymore.

If and when we get into that endzone
Act like you’ve been there a thousand times before
Don’t change but don’t say people lose people all the time anymore.

It’s just not the same because of this
It’s not the same

Discussion at SongMeanings.

Best Hockey Songs of All Time #5: Good Old Hockey Game

Needs no explanation. Here’s a little Domi (don’t you miss him?):

Hello out there, were on the air
it’s hockey night tonight!
The tension grows,
the whistle blows,
and the puck goes down the ice.
The golie jumps,
and and the players bump,
and the fans all go insane.
Someone roars:
“Bobby Scores!”
At the good old hockey game!

(chours)
Oh!
The good old hockey game!
Its the best game you can name!
And the best game you can name,
is the good old hockey game!

Second Period.
Where players dash,
with skates a-flash,
the home team trails behind.
But they grab the puck,
and go bursting up,
and their down across the line.
They storm the crease,
like bumblebees,
and they travel like a burning flame.
We see them slide the puck inside,
its a one one hockey game!

(chours)
Oh!
The good old hockey game!
Its the best game you can name!
And the best game you can name,
is the good old hockey game!

Third Period.
Last game in the play-offs too.
Oh take me where, the hockey players,
face off down the rink,
And the Stanley Cup,
is all filled up,
for the champs who win the drink!
Now the final flick,
of a hockey stick,
and a one gigantic scream:
“THE PUCK IS IN! THE HOME TEAM WINS!”
At the good ol hockey game

(chorus repeat 3 times)
OH!
The good old hockey game!
Its the best game you can name!
And the best game you can name,
is the good old hockey game!

sorry Beezer

I think I may have found a new favorite hockey blogger.

She even kind of sounds like she know what she’s talking about. For example, regarding Craig Conroy and Owen Nolan:

Two beauties from what I like to call the “old guy line”. Well not only are they my two favorite old guys, they’ve turned into two of my favorite Flames this season. Yes, Tony Amonte would have been a fantastic third on the old guy line, but even TLC attempted to survive without Left Eye. And so it goes. These two have been HUGE (and kind of underrated) factors in the Flames semi-success this season. Who could forget Owen Nolan’s Hatty-Boom-Batty-Trick during the January 30th game VS San Jose, his first in nine years (O-No also played his 1000th game this season), and my personal favorite hat trick moment of the season. Doin’ it for the old Irish guys, rock it out Owen Nolan. The Flames, in general, rarely disappoint me, but these two fellas really made the season.

Sounds like she has better hockey-sense than I have… “Old Guy Line” — nice. I’ll show you an Old Guy Line. Though I don’t think I’ve ever done a Hatty-Boom-Batty (unless that’s one of those girl drinks your friends buy you long after you’re drunk).

Put A Fork In ‘Er – Regular Season Wrap Part Une. More of her blog here. More pics of her really natural Seattle tan here.

most libertarian sport?

from a thread on reason’s Hit and Run, initially about Michael Vick, but “Matt J” answered the question:

interesting question. What is the most libertarian sport?

Hockey maybe? Most of the rules are predicated on protecting the individual, it’s largely self policed and it’s seen as a fringe sport only a few die-hard nuts care about.

sure, I’d buy that.

[update] I just realized another way their similar — American’s could care less.  Neither the NHL nor Libertarians get any exposure on TV, and both are ridiculed as being 3rd or 4th tier in their respective fields (professional sports and political parties, respectively).

On the flip side, hockey fans and libertarians tend to be die-hard, unaware or unfazed by the fact that they’re pulling for an underdog and the dull majority will just keep pulling the lever for the NFL/NBA…  Republicans/Democrats.  All they have to comfort them is the delusion of moral superiority.  Yes, hockey fans feel moral superiority, believe it or not.  It is, after all, the fastest game on ice.  Libertarianism?  Not so much, but for whatever reason the smugness remains.