Eric Sage raises a musical toast to Canadian Beer (and the people who love it) with his anthemic new single and video — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
Beer and Canada go together like… well, beer and anyplace, really. Just more so. That’s the celebratory spirit behind the rousing new single from the Toronto country rocker. A genuine partier’s hymn, the song salutes the hard-working men and women who keep Canada together, and the world-class imbibing that’s both their pleasure and their due when the whistle blows.
“We’ve all been working for the weekend
Now it’s finally here
So raise up a cold Canadian beer
And drop down the tailgate
Kick this into gear
Now it’s time to party to Canadian beer.”
Sage’s heartfelt paean to the Northern way of drinking is built on catchy hooks and group chants that are tailor-made to fire up any crowd when they come blasting across a jukebox or radio. And while he himself identifies as a country artist, this particular serving of guitar-based raunch is classic Canadian rock all the way. The lyrics make not one but two references to Rush, Sage’s pal Ian Crichton from Saga shows up on guitar, and that weekend-warrior salute in the chorus would do Mike Reno proud. Throw in shout-outs to Muskoka, the Calgary Stampede and other national hallmarks, and you’ve got a song that’s bound to be embraced from coast to coast.
“I have always loved big, anthemic songs,” Sage says. “There’s nothing like when they’re played at a concert or sporting event and the crowd goes wild. This song just had that feeling right away. It talks about where I grew up, and all of the special things Canada has to offer. But at the heart of the song, its true essence is how hard we all work every day. In the end, it’s about how we help each other through joy, compassion and sorrow — whether in construction, the health profession, teaching, bartending, being a stay-at-home parent, a traveling musician or whatever it is that you put you heart and soul into. I watch everyone working so hard and giving it their all, and it gives me a feeling of appreciation and sense of community.”
Sage knows a thing or two about giving it your all — even when fate makes it difficult. Born and raised in Toronto, he grew up with one ambition: To be a professional tennis player. But after years of competition and a world ranking, a near-fatal car accident left him seriously injured and without much hope for his future. Even after years of grueling physical therapy, he couldn’t regain the top form he had enjoyed. His life path in shambles at age 23, he found himself wondering “Where do I go from here?” The answer he hit on was: “This is my life, and no one can tell me what I can accomplish until I am done trying.”
He spent the next 12 years giving tennis lessons eight hours a day, becoming “the tennis teacher to the stars.” His clients included George Clooney and Alec Baldwin, rock stars, NFL owners and world-ranked juniors. At the same time, he spent six hours a night teaching himself to be a world-class musician. It helped that he possessed a three-octave range, which allowed him to adapt his voice to a panoply of styles on guitar and piano.
To say the effort paid off is an understatement. Sage is now an in-demand performer who headlines festivals, theaters, cruise ships and concert halls. He’s recorded and performed with numerous multi-platinum artists, including Slash of Guns N’ Roses, The Beach Boys and Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe.
Even better, he hasn’t had to leave tennis totally behind. His TV series Tennis Like A Rockstar shows him teaching celebrities and hard-working students by day, then gigging at night. The companion book Tennis Like A Rockstar – One Through 10 System shares his knowledge of the sport and imparts vital motivational lessons he’s learned along the way. Oh, and he’s an actor too. Sage has been seen in commercials and movies like Wayne’s World, where he played the guitar salesman in the “No Stairway to Heaven” scene.
Even though his work has taken this Toronto boy to far-flung locales, it’s his native country that still owns his heart. Hence Canadian Beer, which he wrote to evoke the sudsy wonders of home. “Writing songs is powerful when it comes from the heart, and that’s what country and rock music are all about,” he says. “I was in San Diego and thinking about growing up and my hometown friends. I had my guitar, and I thought about when we would go to a Maple Leafs game in Toronto, or a concert at the PNE in Vancouver. We were so excited to rock out and have a couple of beers. But you know what? Not just any beer. A Canadian beer!”
Watch the video for Canadian Beer above, hear more from Eric Sage below, and follow him on Facebook and Instagram.
