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Man Machine Poem
open-in-new
<h2 id="background">Background</h2> <p>The album had been slated for release in March 2016 under the title <i>Dougie Stardust</i>, as a play on <a href="/facts/David_Bowie/7nMplAnf">David Bowie</a>'s classic album <i><a href="/facts/The_Rise_and_Fall_of_Ziggy_Stardust_and_the_Spiders_from_Mars/Y0P0qkSJ">The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars</a></i>; it had even begun appearing on music retail sites as a pre-order under that title.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> The band delayed the album's release after Downie suffered his second cancer-related seizure in February, and opted to retitle it in light of Bowie's death in January.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="critical-reception">Critical reception</h2> <p>Writing in <i><a href="/facts/Exclaim!/5824dS1d">Exclaim!</a></i>, Stuart Henderson described the album as "a darkly illuminated, late-career curveball likely to please and confound in equal measure. Rarely since their mid-1990s heyday has the multi-platinum-selling band sounded so intent on crafting something different."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> In the <i><a href="/facts/Edmonton_Journal/Ect5zpQh">Edmonton Journal</a></i>, Fish Griwkowsky described the album as "a deep-felt, summer highway album that briefly escapes the weight of the doom we all share — not alone, but together in the dark".<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> </p> Professional ratings<table><tbody><tr><th scope="col" colspan="2">Review scores</th></tr><tr><th scope="col">Source</th><th scope="col">Rating</th></tr><tr><td><i><a href="/facts/Exclaim!/5824dS1d">Exclaim!</a></i></td><td>8/10<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <p>The album garnered a longlist nomination for the <a href="/facts/2017_Polaris_Music_Prize/CzXmly5U">2017 Polaris Music Prize</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> and won the <a href="/facts/Juno_Award_for_Rock_Album_of_the_Year/f9vL445E">Juno Award for Rock Album of the Year</a> at the <a href="/facts/Juno_Awards_of_2017/ecDVQPLJ">Juno Awards of 2017</a>. </p> <h2 id="track-listing">Track listing</h2> <p>All tracks are written by The Tragically Hip.</p>Side one<table><tbody><tr><th scope="col">No.</th><th scope="col">Title</th><th scope="col">Length</th></tr><tr><th scope="row">1.</th><td>"Man"</td><td>5:17</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">2.</th><td>"In a World Possessed by the Human Mind"</td><td>3:56</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">3.</th><td>"What Blue"</td><td>2:46</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">4.</th><td>"In Sarnia"</td><td>4:38</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">5.</th><td>"Here, in the Dark"</td><td>4:03</td></tr></tbody></table> Side two<table><tbody><tr><th scope="col">No.</th><th scope="col">Title</th><th scope="col">Length</th></tr><tr><th scope="row">6.</th><td>"Great Soul"</td><td>3:44</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">7.</th><td>"Tired as Fuck"</td><td>3:45</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">8.</th><td>"Hot Mic"</td><td>3:55</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">9.</th><td>"Ocean Next"</td><td>3:56</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">10.</th><td>"Machine"</td><td>5:29</td></tr><tr><th colspan="2" scope="row">Total length:</th><td>41:25</td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="personnel">Personnel</h2> <p>Personnel taken from <i>Man Machine Poem</i> liner notes.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> </p><p>The Tragically Hip </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Gord_Downie/wmcSYKPx">Gord Downie</a> – vocals</li> <li>Johnny Fay – drums, percussion</li> <li>Gord Sinclair – bass, vocals</li> <li><a href="/facts/Rob_Baker_(guitarist)/0rwAN8Wd">Rob Baker</a> – guitar</li> <li>Paul Langlois – guitar, vocals</li></ul> <p>Additional musicians </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Dave_Hamelin/xC4fJR4f">Dave Hamelin</a> – keyboards, percussion</li> <li><a href="/facts/Kevin_Drew/oXUWSI0L">Kevin Drew</a> – keyboards, percussion</li></ul> <p>Technical personnel </p> <ul><li>Kevin Drew – production</li> <li>Dave Hamelin – production, mixing</li> <li>Nyler Spencer – recording</li> <li><a href="/facts/Eric_Boulanger/PeI39kA9">Eric Boulanger</a> – mastering</li></ul> <h2 id="charts">Charts</h2> <table><tbody><tr><td><h3>Weekly charts</h3><table><tbody><tr><th scope="col">Chart (2016)</th><th scope="col">Peak position</th></tr><tr><th scope="row"><a href="/facts/Canadian_Albums_Chart/hB0HgwY6">Canadian Albums</a> (<a href="/facts/Billboard_(magazine)/CVruQGq5"><i>Billboard</i></a>)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a></th><td>1</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">US <a href="/facts/Billboard_200/XtbnoFSM"><i>Billboard</i> 200</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a></th><td>179</td></tr><tr><th scope="row">US <a href="/facts/Top_Rock_Albums/sjC2KK8U">Top Rock Albums</a> (<a href="/facts/Billboard_(magazine)/CVruQGq5"><i>Billboard</i></a>)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a></th><td>22</td></tr></tbody></table></td><td><h3>Year-end charts</h3><table><tbody><tr><th scope="col">Chart (2016)</th><th scope="col">Position</th></tr><tr><th scope="row">Canadian Albums (<i>Billboard</i>)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a></th><td>48</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"The Tragically Hip drop first tune from 'Man Machine Poem'". The Buffalo News, April 9, 2016. <a href="http://buffalo.com/2016/04/09/news/music/tragically-hip-drop-first-tune-man-machine-poem/" target="_blank">http://buffalo.com/2016/04/09/news/music/tragically-hip-drop-first-tune-man-machine-poem/</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"The Tragically Hip drop first tune from 'Man Machine Poem'". The Buffalo News, April 9, 2016. <a href="http://buffalo.com/2016/04/09/news/music/tragically-hip-drop-first-tune-man-machine-poem/" target="_blank">http://buffalo.com/2016/04/09/news/music/tragically-hip-drop-first-tune-man-machine-poem/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"The Tragically Hip drop first tune from 'Man Machine Poem'". The Buffalo News, April 9, 2016. <a href="http://buffalo.com/2016/04/09/news/music/tragically-hip-drop-first-tune-man-machine-poem/" target="_blank">http://buffalo.com/2016/04/09/news/music/tragically-hip-drop-first-tune-man-machine-poem/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"Courage, my word: Tragically Hip's Gord Downie reveals terminal brain cancer diagnosis". CBC Music. May 24, 2016. Archived from the original on March 1, 2016. Retrieved May 24, 2016. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160301002442/http://music.cbc.ca/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20160301002442/http://music.cbc.ca/</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Courage, my word: Tragically Hip's Gord Downie reveals terminal brain cancer diagnosis". CBC Music. May 24, 2016. Archived from the original on March 1, 2016. Retrieved May 24, 2016. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160301002442/http://music.cbc.ca/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20160301002442/http://music.cbc.ca/</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"The Tragically Hip's 'Man Machine Poem' a final piece of dependable rock". Toronto Sun, June 12, 2016. <a href="http://www.torontosun.com/2016/06/10/the-tragically-hips-man-machine-poem-a-final-piece-of-dependable-rock" target="_blank">http://www.torontosun.com/2016/06/10/the-tragically-hips-man-machine-poem-a-final-piece-of-dependable-rock</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>Cowie, Del (2016-10-14). "5 things we learned from Gord Downie's interview with Peter Mansbridge". CBC Music. Retrieved 2016-11-22. <a href="http://www.cbcmusic.ca/posts/14490/gord-downie-peter-mansbridge-things-we-learned" target="_blank">http://www.cbcmusic.ca/posts/14490/gord-downie-peter-mansbridge-things-we-learned</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Michael Barclay, The Never-Ending Present: The Story of Gord Downie and the Tragically Hip. ECW Press, 2018. ISBN 9781770414365. p. 321-324. <a href="/wiki/ECW_Press" target="_blank">/wiki/ECW_Press</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Michael Barclay, The Never-Ending Present: The Story of Gord Downie and the Tragically Hip. ECW Press, 2018. ISBN 9781770414365. p. 321-324. <a href="/wiki/ECW_Press" target="_blank">/wiki/ECW_Press</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Henderson, Stuart (June 15, 2016). "The Tragically Hip - Man Machine Poem". Exclaim!. Retrieved August 22, 2016. <a href="http://exclaim.ca/music/article/the_tragically_hip-man_machine_poem" target="_blank">http://exclaim.ca/music/article/the_tragically_hip-man_machine_poem</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"Twilight Tragically Hip album Man Machine Poem innovative, beautiful". Edmonton Journal, June 13, 2016. <a href="https://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/twilight-tragically-hip-album-man-machine-poem-innovative-beautiful" target="_blank">https://edmontonjournal.com/entertainment/twilight-tragically-hip-album-man-machine-poem-innovative-beautiful</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Henderson, Stuart (June 15, 2016). "The Tragically Hip - Man Machine Poem". Exclaim!. Retrieved August 22, 2016. <a href="http://exclaim.ca/music/article/the_tragically_hip-man_machine_poem" target="_blank">http://exclaim.ca/music/article/the_tragically_hip-man_machine_poem</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>"Gord Downie, Tragically Hip both make cut as Polaris Prize long list revealed". Toronto Star, June 13, 2017. <a href="https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2017/06/13/gord-downie-tragically-hip-both-make-cut-as-polaris-prize-long-list-revealed.html" target="_blank">https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/music/2017/06/13/gord-downie-tragically-hip-both-make-cut-as-polaris-prize-long-list-revealed.html</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Man Machine Poem (Vinyl liner notes). The Tragically Hip. 2016.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) <a href="/wiki/The_Tragically_Hip" target="_blank">/wiki/The_Tragically_Hip</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>"The Tragically Hip Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 28, 2016. <a href="https://www.billboard.com/artist/The-Tragically-Hip/chart-history/CNA" target="_blank">https://www.billboard.com/artist/The-Tragically-Hip/chart-history/CNA</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>"The Tragically Hip Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 28, 2016. <a href="https://www.billboard.com/artist/The-Tragically-Hip/chart-history/TLP" target="_blank">https://www.billboard.com/artist/The-Tragically-Hip/chart-history/TLP</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>"The Tragically Hip Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved December 24, 2020. <a href="https://www.billboard.com/artist/The-Tragically-Hip/chart-history/RCK" target="_blank">https://www.billboard.com/artist/The-Tragically-Hip/chart-history/RCK</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>"Top Canadian Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved December 24, 2020. <a href="https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2016/top-canadian-albums" target="_blank">https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2016/top-canadian-albums</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>