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CALGARY – John Wort Hannam was a teacher by trade. It wasn’t until age 30 that he decided to quit his job and try his luck as a musician.
“I always thought if I fall flat on my face, that was the worst that could happen,” said Hannam.
Hannam didn’t find out what the worst that could happen was. Since then, he has gone on to release five albums and snag a Juno nomination for Best Tradition/Roots album and a Canadian Folk Music Award for Album of the Year. Hannam has a new album, Love Lives On, coming out in October 2015.
One of the tracks on Hannam’s forthcoming album is Man of God. It’s a labour of love — a song that’s been in the works for nearly three years. The song is about one of the darkest chapters in Canada’s history, Indian residential schools.
MAN OF GOD
(Words and music by John Wort Hannam, 2015)
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The Man of God gave some kind of blessing
He said something about sin that needed confessing
There was no time for kisses, no time for goodbyes
He had the Lord on his lips but the devil in his eyes
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They took away our clothes and our Indian names
Took out my feather and threw it to the flames
They cut off the braids that my Mama had tied
They had the Lord on their lips but the devil in their eyes
When I think, I ache
When I ache, I drink
When I drink, I fly high above the Buttes
Somewhere outside my head
And I fly ‘till I sleep
And I sleep till I dream
And I dream till I wake and start thinking again
I missed my mama and I missed my Dad
And I thought of running each chance that I had
They beat us like dogs every time we got caught
They had the Lord on their lips but the devil in their hearts
Sometimes at night the wolves would appear
I’d face the wall hoping no one could hear
I never said nothing, the shame was too much
He had the Lord on his lips but the devil in his touch
I lost my stories and I lost my songs
I lost my ways and my Indian tongue
How could a Man of God do what he did
We were just children, Christ we were just kids
When I think, I ache
When I ache, I drink
When I drink, I fly high above the Buttes
Somewhere outside my head
And I fly ‘till I sleep
And I sleep till I dream
And I dream till I wake and start thinking
again
again
again
Hannam has a show at Ironwood Stage and Grill in Calgary on Wednesday May 6th. He will be at The Slice in Lethbridge on Thursday May 7th, and at the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton on the 8th and 9th.
For more information on Hannam, or to purchase his music you can visit http://johnworthannam.com/.
WATCH: Man of God by John Wort Hannam
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