The Idiot by Stan Rogers

One of several of Stan's theme of Maritimers forced to leave home to find work (his own parents' departure to Ontario before his birth infused this in his blood, I guess)

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• The
• Idiot
• Stan
• Rogers
• inspirational
• slideshow
• Maritimes
• home

[Frances386]

Ironically, a lot of the photos are of men on the rigs, not at the refineries at all.

That being said, I've long loved this song for its realism about carving out a living in this land. We moved onward, away from family, just as our parents and grandparents had moved to the place we left. Life has been good; but we do look back at the places of our childhood.

[piehole23]

@Frances386 True - I had very little success in locating useable photos at refieneries. However, Stan's song is meaningful for any Maritimer (and lots of others) who have had to go "down the road" for any kind of work. In the 20s and 30s, thousands headed to "Boston States" for industrial jobs. later came waves of migration to Toronto and the west. There is little in this song's core message that is refinery-bound.

[Zehyr1]

Losing what you love due to "economic necessity"... even more an issue now then when Stan wrote this, years ago.

[piehole23]

@Zehyr1 I think you are dead-on the mark. Stan's song also brings to mind the movie and song, "Goin Down the Road" and in those days, several decades back, physical displacement seemed the way the loss occurred. At least you could know what hit you: today, you don't have to actually depart to be dispossessed of community. It's more like Joni Mitchell's oft-quoted phrase from Big Yellow Taxi, , "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone". Thanks Zephyr1

[WNxArrakis]

I'd suggesting a 'by' in the title. The way it reads now, it seems like you are insulting him :P

[piehole23]

@WNxArrakis

Done. Thanks.

[canuckcamper]

This one still to this day brings on a severe sense of homesickness...still as relevant as it ever was!

[superstringsbluegras]

Beautiful treatment of a beautiful song and place. Went to 'StanFest' in Canso, NS last year and I recognized many of the locales featured in your photo essay. Wish I had seen Stan the man in person, but I did get to meet brother Garnet.

[roberthennecke]

Telling like it is for many that had to leave in order to survive.

[whippy107]

Excellent...EXCELLENT!!

[wmralder]

I've always preferred this version over the live one. In the live one Stan yucks it up a bit which is fine but the more sober delivery on Northwest Passage fit my mood better back when I first heard it in 1993. That year saw my economic stability disappear and I made the big move in the opposite direction to leave the place of my birth, Calgary, to move East ending up in Windsor ON. Needless to say the tale of dislocation played deeply in my psyche.