{{Short description|1992 song by The Tragically Hip}} {{Use Canadian English|date=September 2025}} {{For|the Canadian junior ice hockey team|Brandon Wheat Kings}} {{Infobox song | name = Wheat Kings | type = song | artist = the Tragically Hip | album = Fully Completely | released = October 6, 1992 | recorded = August 1992 | studio = Battery, London | genre = Folk rock | length = 4:19 | label = MCA | writer = * Rob Baker * Gord Downie * Johnny Fay * Paul Langlois * Gord Sinclair | producer = Chris Tsangarides }}
"'''Wheat Kings'''" is a song by Canadian rock band the Tragically Hip. It is the tenth track on the band's 1992 studio album ''Fully Completely''. While the song was never released as a single, it has remained one of the band's most popular.
==Lyrics== The inspiration for the song's lyrics comes from the story of David Milgaard, a man who was wrongfully convicted for the 1969 rape and murder of Gail Miller in Saskatoon. He was sentenced to life in prison, although he ended up serving 23 years in prison, and was exonerated six months before the song's release.<ref name=story>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/music/read/what-tomorrow-brings-the-incredible-untold-story-of-how-wheat-kings-came-to-be-1.4991648 |title='What tomorrow brings': the incredible untold story of how 'Wheat Kings' came to be |date=2024 |website=CBC Music}}</ref>
When singer and lyricist Gord Downie was asked about the meaning of the song, he said it is "about David Milgaard and his faith in himself. And about his mother, Joyce, and her absolute faith in her son's innocence. And about our big country and its faith in man's fallibility. And about Gail Miller, all those mornings ago, just lying there, all her faith bleeding out into that Saskatoon snowbank."<ref name=story>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/music/read/what-tomorrow-brings-the-incredible-untold-story-of-how-wheat-kings-came-to-be-1.4991648 |title='What tomorrow brings': the incredible untold story of how 'Wheat Kings' came to be |date=2024 |website=CBC Music}}</ref>
==Composition== The music was composed by guitarist Paul Langlois. The original riff he wrote for the song sounded more like a Rolling Stones song, but on the advice of producer Chris Tsangarides, Langlois simplified it to major chords. The song follows a very simple chord progression, using only 3 chords: G-C in the verses, and D-G-C in the chorus.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyMajj507Hs |title=How to Play 'Wheat Kings' {{!}} Paul Langlois Guitar Tutorial (Beginner Friendly) |date=2025 |website=YouTube}}</ref>
The song opens with the sound of a loon's call, which was sampled from a CD of nature sounds. The choice to include the sound came from when David Milgaard was talking to Gord Downie about going canoeing with his father when he was younger and hearing the sounds of loons.<ref name=NDR>{{cite episode |title=On the Verge |series=The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal |date=2024}}</ref>
==Legacy== The song remains one of the band's most popular and acclaimed. Despite never being released as a single, it was certified Platinum by Music Canada in 2016,<ref name=MC /> it is the band's second-most streamed song on Spotify, behind "Bobcaygeon", with 49.6 million streams as of September 2025, and was featured on the band's greatest-hits album, ''Yer Favourites''.<ref>{{Cite AV media notes |title=Yer Favourites |others=The Tragically Hip |date=2005 |type=Album liner notes}}</ref>
It was placed in both CBC Music and Rolling Stone's list of 10 essential Tragically Hip songs.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbc.ca/music/read/10-essential-songs-by-the-tragically-hip-1.5009979 |title=10 essential songs by the Tragically Hip |date=2019 |website=CBC Music}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/the-tragically-hip-10-essential-songs-97420/fiddlers-green-1991-98013/ |title=The Tragically Hip: 10 Essential Songs |date=2016 |magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref> Rolling Stone mentions how the song has become a staple campfire song in Canada. In AllMusic's review of ''Fully Completely'', Michael DeGagne called Wheat Kings "one of [the Tragically Hip's] best slow songs," and specifically praised Gord Downie's performance.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.allmusic.com/album/fully-completely-mw0000095239 |title= Fully Completely - The Tragically Hip {{!}} Album |last=DeGagne |first=Michael |website=AllMusic |access-date=November 10, 2025}}</ref> David Milgaard, the subject of the song, praised it, saying he "truly loved it", and would listen to the song when he needed to feel better about his life.<ref name=NDR>{{cite episode |title=On the Verge |series=The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal |date=2024}}</ref>
Listeners often regard the Tragically Hip as a patriotic Canadian band, although this was a label that the band themselves had disagreed with.<ref name=NDR /> The lyrics to Wheat Kings have been cited as a clear example of the band's criticisms of Canada, pointing out David Milgaard's mistreatment by the Canadian Justice System.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://carleton.ca/fass/story/deconstructing-the-tragically-hip/ |title=Deconstructing The Tragically Hip |website=Carleton University Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences}}</ref>
==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=The Tragically Hip|title=Wheat Kings|type=single|award=Platinum|certyear=2016|certmonth=9|certday=12|refname=MC|access-date=October 19, 2025}} {{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=true|noshipments=true|streaming=true}}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{The Tragically Hip}}
Category:1992 songs Category:The Tragically Hip songs Category:Culture of Saskatoon Category:Songs about Canada Category:Songs based on Canadian history Category:Songs about prison Category:Songs written by Rob Baker (guitarist) Category:Songs written by Gord Downie Category:Wrongful convictions