Trying to remember a tune that was played incessantly on Canadian radio in the 1990s.

October 17, 2004 8:28 PM

Canadian song alert: I'm trying to remember a tune that was played incessantly on Canadian (or at least, St. Lawrence Valley-area) commercial radio sometime in the 1990s. [MI]

As I recall, it was an acoustic piece, with these gorgeous three-part harmonies (two male, one female) and wistful lyrics about rural Canadian winters; the last line of the chorus went something like, "Port Anjumain, fifteen below". But I'm not sure of the number, and I have no idea how to spell the name of the town. I've been Googling like crazy for the last 40 minutes with no success. Does anyone out there remember anything more about this song?

posted by skoosh to media & arts (7 comments total)

Prairie town by Randy Bachman.

"Portage and Main, Fifty Below"

If it was acoustic and had women, it was almost certainly a cover version.
posted by websavvy at 9:02 PM on October 17, 2004

I knew of a hard rocking version of the song, with Neil Young. Apparently there was a slower version which also featured Margo Timmins from the Cowboy Junkies. I think it was on this cd.
posted by websavvy at 9:09 PM on October 17, 2004

And, in case it still doesn't make any sense to you, Portage and Main is the central intersection of Winnipeg.
posted by Johnny Assay at 10:01 PM on October 17, 2004

Portage and Maine, Fifty Below!!

There is an acoustic version of the song from the Randy Bachman solo album "Any Road" that features Margo Timmins of the Cowboy Junkies and Neil Young.
posted by Quartermass at 10:32 PM on October 17, 2004

Doh! Already answered! Sorry
posted by Quartermass at 10:33 PM on October 17, 2004

If you thought it was incessant in the St. Laurence Valley, be thankful you weren't in Winnipeg! (I'm just a few blocks from Port Anjumain. It's only 6 (Celsius) below tonight.)
posted by teg at 11:40 PM on October 17, 2004

Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you all! And, sorry I haven't said thank you until now. I'm virtually certain now that I was thinking of the slow version with Young and Timmins. I didn't even know there were other versions! Awesome.
posted by skoosh at 3:45 AM on October 21, 2004