I Wonder If Canada's Cold
1970 · RCA Victor 1909 · New York City, New York
- Artist
- Shirl Milete
- Title
- I Wonder If Canada's Cold
- Release
- Ain't That Sad / I Wonder If Canada's Cold
- Year
- 1970
- Label
- RCA Victor # 1909
- Format
- 7" · Single
- Language
- English
- Country
- New York City, New York, USA
- Genre
- Country · Country Folk
- Primary theme
- Peace, Protest & Anti-War
Annotation
Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Milete wrote many songs for famous performers, including Elvis Presley. He avoided the draft during the Korean War, and did a stint in jail as a result.1 The song "I Wonder If Canada's Cold" (Poppy # 69-0101) took a peace / anti-war perspective. The first person narrator set out for Canada in order to avoid the draft because of his moral opposition to war. Later released in 1970 on RCA Victor # 1909. Featured on the 1969 album Shirl Milete.Sources1Watermelon Wine: The Spirit of Country Music (Frye Gaillard, 2013)↩
Annotation by Justin A. Brummer
Lyrics
English: Kill or be killed just ain't much of a future for no man / So I'll leave you this note mom / I'll pay you back some day... / They'll brand me a coward / Not knowing the values I hold / But I can't kill nobody / I wonder if Canada's cold / I heard that tt snows all year round... / It must be beautiful place / A refuge for young men that fear for the plight of their souls / And no war is right mom / I wonder if Canada's cold
Notes
Stereo single label marked "Plug", with a large orange poppy-flower design; "I Wonder If Canada's Cold" by Shirl Milete; Hill & Range Songs, Inc. & Last Straw Music, Inc., BMI; produced by Jim Malloy and Lamar Fike. [From the record sleeve and labels]
About the artist
Shirl Milete was a Nashville songwriter with several Elvis Presley album cuts to his credit - "It's Your Baby, You Rock It", "Life", "My Little Friend", "When I'm Over You" - who also recorded a self-titled LP (Poppy Records PYS 40005, 1969), produced by Jim Malloy and Lamar Fike at Bradley's Barn, with "I Wonder If Canada's Cold" opening side B alongside Dylan, Townes Van Zandt and Merle Travis covers. SecondHandSongs gives a birth name of Venus Kaye Milete, born 4 August 1933, died 29 April 2006, SESAC-affiliated. [Source: Discogs; ElvisNews; SecondHandSongs]