Global Hit – Luke Doucet

Canadians often feel the need to point out that they’re not Americans. Especially if they’re traveling overseas. But one Canadian IS singing the praises of the United States… sort of. The World’s resident Canadian Andrea Crossan has our Global Hit.

There are certain songs that stir national pride in a Canadian. Like �Oh Canada� being sung at a hockey game.

Or a beer ad devoted to being a Canuck.

OK – so how about a Canadian singing this?

Luke Doucet is a Canadian alternative country singer. He’s lives in Toronto. And he’s releasing this song in time for the final weeks of the US election season.

�I actually wrote this song just before the previous election. And I actually wrote because it occurred to me that while Canadians are deeply affected by the US election. I mean everybody around the world is affected by who occupies the white house so it occurred to me that we care so much about American politics but we’re not able to participate because we’re not citizens.�

So, Doucet’s suggestion? To collect all the unused ballots from Americans who DON’T register to vote.

�They should be distributed to foreigners on a first come first serve basis because there are so many people around the world who care so deeply about American politics.�

Doucet says that he’s received mixed reactions to the song. Canadians, not surprisingly, aren’t inclined to lift their Molsons and sing along. Doucet says he got a more enthusiastic response when he played the song recently to an American crowd.

�After I played the set and I was going up to the bar and these two large strapping young guys came up to me and said hey we just heard your song where you say you wish you were American and we’re soldiers returning from our second tour of duty in Iraq and to be honest we often think of Canadians as being smug self-righteous liberal types and after we heard your song we knew that you weren’t one of THEM. Which of course made me laugh because the ironic part of the song is somewhat tongue in cheek but critical?�

For the record, Doucet says he’s proud to be Canadian. He says his song is just about wanting Americans to appreciate the value of their votes. And that they should exercise their democratic right on November 4th.

Luke Doucet’s currently touring Europe playing songs from his latest album, “Blood’s Too Rich”.

And then he heads back to home to tour Canada.

For the World, I’m Andrea Crossan.