A forgotten poem, a legendary folk voice, and a story 120 years in the making

 Acclaimed Western Canadian balladeer John Gogo is bringing history to life with his new single “The Morning After”, a rollicking folk tune based on a virtually unknown Robert Service poem. Originally written in 1900, the poem was passed down through generations before landing in Gogo’s hands in 2020. Now, after setting it to music, enlisting Canadian folk legend Valdy, and recording with an all-star lineup, he is unveiling a song over a century in the making.

"Western Canada is filled with stories just waiting to be told," says Gogo. "When I was given this poem, I knew I had to bring it to life in the best way I could—through song."

Best known for “The Cremation of Sam McGee”, Robert Service, the “Bard of the Yukon,” wrote “The Morning After” on the back of a bank draft in 1900. He later gifted it to a Canadian Bank of Commerce colleague, Arthur Baker. The poem changed hands multiple times, eventually landing with Tom Varty, who held onto it for 70 years. Upon Varty’s passing, his daughter Pam presented the poem to Gogo hoping he would turn it into a song.

Listen on Spotify here:
open.spotify.com/album/0sJShgk4HmR5qIKnDtNUHD

The result is a boozy, barroom folk anthem that captures Service’s wit and humor with Gogo’s signature West Coast charm.

Set to a lively, swinging melody, “The Morning After” tells the all-too-relatable tale of a man suffering the consequences of a hard night out:

"Oh the sport awakes as morning breaks with a head like a load of bricks
The eyes are red in that aching head poor old stomach’s sick"

With a chorus written by Gogo that drives home the song’s timeless message:

"Try as he may he remembers nae the ladies nor the laughter
In turn he’ll forget the great regret the morning after"

To bring the song to life, Gogo assembled a stellar lineup. His brother Paul Gogo (of classic rock band Trooper) provided a barroom-style piano track, while Canadian folk icon Valdy joined in for a powerful duet. The track also features cousin Brent Gubbels on bass, rounding out a family affair steeped in folk tradition.

The music video, shot by Shawn Viens at the historic pavilion on Saysutshun (Snuneymuxw Nation), adds another layer of storytelling. Featuring Paul Gogo, Dawn Meisner, and Bill Miner, the video captures the late-night debauchery and regret that Service so humorously described.

"It’s wild to think this song started as a scrap of paper in 1900," says Gogo. "And now, over a hundred years later, we’re all singing along."

Gogo has spent over 40 years chronicling the legends, characters, and tall tales of Canada’s West Coast. With six albums to his name and a career that has seen him share stages with Willie P. Bennett, Blue Shadows, Valdy, and Fred Eaglesmith, he has long been a custodian of Canadian folk history.

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