Geoff Berner Reminds People Of Dead Children In Olympic Theme Song

Vancouver's Geoff Berner released an album of wedding-related songs last year, and now he's turned his attention to his hometown's hosting of the 2010 winter Olympics by writing a theme song for the event. Just don't expect an uplifting anthem along the lines of Turin’s "(Ho Sentito) Freddo Mani Di Un Sacerdote Da Torino" or Sarajevo’s stirring "Pianga, Sarajevo! L'Incubo Sta Venendo!"

The iconoclastic accordion player's contribution to the cause is titled "Official Theme Song For The 2010 Vancouver Whistler Olympic Games (The Dead Children Were Worth It!)." It's available as a free download from Berner’s website, which also has a link to the Vancouver Organizing Committee site.

Berner claims that B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell, "or some other drunk driver," requested that he write an Olympic theme after driving on his lawn and having a couple of martinis on New Year's Day. The klezmer artist says the suggestion was along these lines:

"Geoff, we need a song here that really lets the world know about our priorities here in B.C. We want them to understand what we value, and just as importantly, what we don't give a tinker's damn about [his words]. It's important, when people are enjoying the Olympics, for them to understand how much taxpayer money we blew on this whole wing-ding. And to pay for the bill, we had to cut a bunch of stuff. My favourite has always been our decision to eliminate the office that investigates the deaths of children in B.C. A four-million dollar savings! Hundreds of families still don’t know how their kids died! Awesome! Could you make the anthem about that? That’s what I want people to think, when they think Olympics!"

"So that's what I've tried to do," says Berner. "Ignite the passion! 2010!"

Berner hopes that his sing-along composition will become a staple at all Olympics-related events and school assemblies across the province for the next two years.

Berner is spreading his Olympic message during his current European tour, but also has these Canadian dates scheduled:

March 22 Toronto, ON @ Tranzac w/The Phonemes
May 31 Victoria, BC @ Logan's Tavern Of The Damned
July 10-13 Winnipeg, MB @ Winnipeg Folk Festival