Honouring Heroes: A Remembrance Day Playlist to Reflect and Remember

This curated playlist features moving tributes from The Trews, Mark Knopfler & Bryan Adams, Midnight Oil, and Vera Lynn, guiding listeners through remembrance, sacrifice, and hope.

As Remembrance Day approaches, music can help us reflect on the sacrifices made by those who served in the armed forces. From somber ballads to stirring anthems, these songs guide us through remembrance, tribute, and the enduring hope for peace. Our curated playlist blends Canadian pride, historical memory, and heartfelt emotion, creating a soundtrack for reflection this November 11.

The playlist opens with “Highway of Heroes” by The Trews, a moving tribute to Canadian soldiers who have given their lives. Its soaring guitars and poignant lyrics evoke the solemn processions along Toronto’s Highway of Heroes, where fallen soldiers are honoured on their final journey. The track sets the tone for reflection, reminding listeners of the human cost of service and the enduring respect Canadians hold for their military.

Next comes “Remembrance Day” by Mark Knopfler, a song that captures both the personal and collective memory of conflict. The haunting melody paired with thoughtful lyrics invites listeners to pause and consider the courage, sacrifice, and stories behind the uniforms. It’s a reminder that each name on a cenotaph represents a life touched by duty and devotion.

“No Canadian Remembrance playlist would be complete without a stirring anthem,” and “O Canada – Soldier’s Cry” by Roland Majeau, fits that bill. This rendition of our national anthem, paired with the emotional depth of voices echoing the sacrifices of soldiers, bridges national pride with solemn reflection, connecting listeners to both history and heritage.

“Forgotten Years” by Midnight Oil adds another layer, blending storytelling and reflection. It calls attention to the lessons of the past and the importance of remembering history so that future generations can honor and learn from those who served. Finally, the playlist closes with “We’ll Meet Again” by Vera Lynn, a classic that has comforted generations. Its gentle, hopeful tone leaves listeners with a sense of connection, remembrance, and enduring gratitude, underscoring the human spirit that persists even in the darkest times.

The Chicks’ Travelling Soldier adds a deeply personal perspective, telling the story of a young soldier heading off to war and the bittersweet love he leaves behind. Jon Brooks’ In Flanders Fields sets William McCrae’s famous World War I poem to music, bringing the words to life with haunting melodies that evoke the fields of poppies and the enduring memory of those who fell.

Jon Brooks’ In Flanders Fields brings the iconic World War I poem to life with a haunting and solemn musical arrangement. The song captures the imagery of poppies swaying over the graves of fallen soldiers, echoing the original verse’s call to remember the sacrifices made on the battlefields. Brooks’ sensitive composition emphasizes both the sorrow of loss and the enduring responsibility of the living to carry forward the memory of those who gave their lives, making it a deeply moving tribute that resonates on Remembrance Day and beyond.

As you listen this Remembrance Day, let the music guide your thoughts and memories. Each note, each lyric, is a tribute to those who served and a reminder of the freedoms they defended. Whether you listen alone or with loved ones, these songs help ensure that the courage and sacrifice of our veterans are never forgotten. Through music, their legacy lives on, carrying messages of respect, remembrance, and hope from one generation to the next.