The Tragically Hip – Wheat Kings

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Sundown in the Paris of the prairies
Wheat kings have all their treasures buried
And all you hear are the rusty breezes
Pushing around the weather vane Jesus

In his Zippo lighter, he sees the killer's face
Maybe it's someone standing in a killer's place
Twenty years for nothing, well that's nothing new,
Besides, no one's interested in something you didn't do
Wheat kings and pretty things,
let's just see what the morning brings.

There's a dream where the high school is dead and stark
It's a museum and we're all locked up in it after dark
Where the walls are lined all yellow, grey and sinister
Hung with pictures of our parents' prime ministers
Wheat Kings and pretty things,
wait and see what tomorrow brings.

Late-breaking story on the CBC,
A nation whispers, "we always knew that he'd go free"
They add, "you can't be fond of living in the past,
'cause if you are then there's no way that you're gonna last".
Wheat Kings and pretty things
let's just see what tomorrow brings
Wheat kings and pretty things,
that's what tomorrow brings.

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Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death

Track duration: 04:19


Wheat Kings song meanings
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21 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:This song was inspired by David Milgard, he was accused of killing a nurse in saskatoon when he was 17. Although he swore on his inocence he was convicted and sent to prison for twenty years. The song basically mocks how once a dna test proved his innocence that everyone acted as if they believed the protestors (mainly his mom) against his imprisonment. He was later awarded a large sum of money from the fed government for the error thats basically why its called wheat kings, because the government basically saw the wrong that happend in their "kingdom" if you will and through money at it when of course they stole the bulk of this mans best years
    Flag heyla11on September 11, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Gord Is the truest of Lyricists " a weathervane Jesus" who could think of that, He paints such vivid pictures it's haunting I feel as if I could make an entire 2 hr movie from that 4 min. song
    Flag Jamey66on October 08, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Their music has such an effect on me. I can't listen to most songs without getting shivers. This is my favorite song. There's so much weight to it. It's hard not to really feel for the guy even coming into the song knowing nothing about him or the case. It's in his voice.
    Flag carlyesson July 28, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:the big differance of course between hurricane and wheat kings is that dylan wrote hurricane as a protest to him being in prison, where milgaard was already at the end of his time,
    Flag greenskeeperon April 13, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Personally, I think the system failed this kid miserably. Underneath the nastiness though, I bet you Milgaard turned his life quickly around. There is no silver lining here, just pure misery. Is Milgaard a changed man from the experience though, I'm sure.

    Maybe that was the point to start with, but I think the degree of punishment he received was far, far too harsh. For being a little shit as somebody said before, a couple years in juvie detention might have changed him around, not twenty years in adult prison.
    Flag OpinionHeadon September 22, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:If someone had looked at me when I was 17, they would have said I was going nowhere good, but now only a short 6 years later, my life is completely turned around. $10 million doesn't even begin to compensate for a lost young adulthood... poor guy...
    Flag monkeybearon August 29, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Nolesy, I think it's a little premature to decide whether a 17 year old is "going anywhere". He was a little shit, yes, but that was mostly the company he kept. It seems like you're saying his incarceration was somehow excusable, because it got a no-goodnik like him off the street.

    He was a kid when he went in, and middle-aged when he got out. His entire young-adulthood was taken. I know I wouldn't trade mine for $10 million.

    Awesome song, btw.
    Flag opaquegirlon August 22, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Yeah true he spent over 20 years in prison which is at least a quarter of his life taken away. But when he was proven innocent, the Canadian government gave him $10 million which is enough money to never have to work a day in your life. Plus when he was a kid, he was a rebel without a cause who wasn't going anywhere. Gordon Downie never ceases to amaze me in his poetry. Genius in every sence.
    Flag Nolesy101on July 16, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:great song and even though everyone already clarrified it ill say it again, its a true story about that guy who spent 20yrs in prison for something he didnt do... that sucks btw... imagine 20yrs gone... im not even 20 yet :s
    Flag near fantasticaon January 02, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Wonderfull, amazing song I think the lines:
    In his Zippo lighter, he sees the killer's face
    Maybe it's someone standing in a killer's place
    are really amazing becuase it kind of says this man that is in prison is taking the place of the person that actually did it
    Flag JimmyEatWorldon July 18, 2005   Link

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