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"I Was There”
Written and Performed by Paul Brandt
When Hockey Canada announced that the theme for the 2012 IIHF World Junior Tournament was "I Was There", I
agreed that it should be the title for the tournament’s song. In that moment, I immediately went back to a
memory from childhood that has always remained with me. I ran downstairs one Christmas morning and saw a
street hockey net with a bow on it, and my name on the gift tag. I was euphoric, and took it outside to play
hockey with my friends right away. Hockey does that to you. In Canada, hockey is a spirit that transcends
age, gender,background and ability. It takes you to places that you've been, and places you'd like to go.
It’s about breakaway goals made and shoot out goals missed; dreams that come to triumphant fruition and
thoughts of “what could have been” that live on in your imagination. Hockey is with you every day.
I sat down and wrote the song in about fifteen minutes. As fans started sharing their own "I Was There"
moments, their stories provided inspiration and a confirmation that I was on the right track. “I Was There”
memories spanned from past World Junior Tournaments, to great historic moments in hockey, to dark winter
mornings, cold arenas and even colder car rides. People shared stories about hockey played on the street, in
community arenas and frozen ponds. Some stories were about players, some about spectators, and some about the
great supporting cast of moms, dads, coaches, friends and family that help fuel hockey dreams.
In Canada, and indeed all around the world, hockey fans all speak the same language, all feel the same
emotion. We recall the timelines of our lives by referencing great hockey moments.
As an artist, songwriter, and probably most importantly, as a hockey fan, writing this song has been a
huge honour for me. I can't wait to unveil the final song, and hear it in arenas throughout this year’s IIHF
World Junior Championships. My hope is that it will evoke the spirit of hockey for everyone who hears
it.
I Was There
Where were you at 5 am
Wakin’ up to catch a dream
In the dark in the cold
Crankin’ up the car-heat
Where were you when those warm winds blew
Out across that prairie sky
Stick on a pond
and blades diggin’ in the ice
(chorus)
I was there
I was scoring on the wrap-around
I was there
I was knockin’ ya to the ground
I was your “get back up, gotta give ‘er, gotta get ‘er done
I was a locker room prayer
When you couldn’t find the words
I was in your heart
Yeah, all over the world
That’s where hockey starts
You show up, game on
Like a breath on the winter air
I was there
Where were you when all those driveway dreams
finally started comin’ true
people ‘round the world
all watchin’ from their living rooms
Where were you at center ice
Game tied, gold on your mind
In a moment like that
with everything on the line
(chorus)
(bridge)
With pride
In community
I was there at the rink
and I’ll always be
So drop the puck boys
and let ‘em play
This is our time
This is our game
(breakdown Chorus w/ alt lyric)
I was there
When there was nobody else around
I was there
I was that voice out in the crowd,
yellin’ out, “get back up, gotta give ‘er, gotta get ‘er done
I was a locker room prayer
When you couldn’t find the words
I was in your heart
Yeah, all over the world
That’s where hockey starts
You show up, game on
Like a breath on the winter air
I was there
Words and Lyrics written by Paul Brandt
© 2011 Giant Foothillbilly Music. Used by permission. All Rights Reserved.
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