"Courage (for Hugh MacLennan)" is a song by Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip. It was released in February 1993 as the third single from their 1992 album Fully Completely. The song's bracketed title references author Hugh MacLennan, because lines from his 1959 novel The Watch That Ends the Night are paraphrased in the song's final verse.

The song was the most successful Tragically Hip song up to that point, reaching number 10 on Canada's RPM Singles Chart, and also charting well in the United States, becoming their highest charting song in the U.S., and the Netherlands. The song was nominated for "Single of the Year" at the 1994 Juno Awards.

Legacy In 2000, "Courage" was voted as the 12th best New Rock song released between 1990 and 2000 by CFNY-FM listeners. Between 1995 and 2016, "Courage" was the most played Tragically Hip song on rock radio stations in Canada.

In 2026, CBC Music published a ranking of the top ten Tragically Hip songs to mark the tenth anniversary of the band's historic final performance, ranking "Courage" at #4.Ashley Catania, Natalie Harmsen, Sudha Sampath, Jesse Kinos-Goodin, Holly Gordon, Kelsey Adams, Melody Lau and Nathan Gill, "The Tragically Hip's 10 best songs, ranked". CBC Music, August 6, 2026.

Covers In 1997, the song was covered by Sarah Polley for use in the film The Sweet Hereafter and its soundtrack. The cover version was also used in the television series Charmed. Singer-songwriter Justin Rutledge also covered the song for his 2014 album Daredevil, an album consisting entirely of Tragically Hip covers."Justin Rutledge Ropes In Brendan Canning, Jenn Grant, Andy Maize for Tragically Hip Covers Album" . Exclaim!, January 30, 2014.

Track listing

Personnel Gord Downie – vocals Bobby Baker – guitar Paul Langlois – guitar, vocals Johnny Fay – drums Gord Sinclair – bass, vocals

Charts Weekly charts Chart (1993)PeakpositionCanadian RPM Singles Chart10U.S. Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks16U.S. Billboard Modern Rock Tracks16

Year-end charts Chart (1993)PositionCanada Top Singles (RPM)90

References

External links