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Four other essential Trudeau tracks besides Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau’s song
Politics

As singer-songwriter dynasties go, the Trudeaus are hardly the Rankin Family – but they've written, performed or inspired quite a lot of music over the years before Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau's impromptu song. Here are some of the highlights

EVAN ANNETT

This article was published more than 8 years ago. Some information may no longer be current.

Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau sings at Martin Luther King Day celebration

1:53

2016: Smile Back at Me

SAMPLE LYRICS

And I know that good will prevail;

and I can conquer the world

with all the love that I feel

when you smile back at me.

Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau says she originally wrote Smile Back at Me for her daughter "at a moment when I was going through a difficult time." But at an event marking Martin Luther King Day at Ottawa City Hall, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's wife said she was inspired by other singers on the event's program and decided to go a cappella with her song.

Margaret and Pierre Trudeau swing two-year-old son Sacha at the Vancouver airport on Oct. 19, 1976.

Margaret and Pierre Trudeau swing two-year-old son Sacha at the Vancouver airport on Oct. 19, 1976.

DOUG BALL/THE CANADIAN PRESS

1976: Song for the Venezuelan first lady

SAMPLE LYRICS

Senora Perez, I would like to thank you.

I would like to sing to you;

To sing a song of love.

For I have watched you

with my eyes wide open,

I have watched you with learning eyes.

When Justin Trudeau's parents paid a visit to Venezuelan president Carlos Andres Perez in 1976, Margaret Trudeau had a special gift for first lady Blanca Maria Rodriguez de Perez: A song she composed herself. This song was a more planned affair than Ms. Grégoire-Trudeau's; she presented Ms. Perez with a letter with the song lyrics at a state dinner, and Mr. Perez asked her to sing it. At the time, Ms. Trudeau told The Canadian Press that protocol officials disapproved of her plan and tried to take her purse because they thought the song lyrics were in it. "Fortunately, I had the song in my shawl and there was no problem there."

Pierre Trudeau campaigns in Newmarket, Ont., on May 26, 1968.

Pierre Trudeau campaigns in Newmarket, Ont., on May 26, 1968.

JOHN McNEILL/THE GLOBE AND MAIL

1968: PM Pierre

SAMPLE LYRICS

PM Pierre, with the ladies, racin’ a Mercedes

Pierre, in the money, find him with a bunny

Pierre, a little brighter than the northern lights

He oughta add a lotta colour to the Ottawa nights

Charismatic and dynamic with a trans-Atlantic flare

Regardez PM Pierre

During Pierre Trudeau's rise to power in 1968, folk singer Allan J. Ryan marked the beginnings of Trudeaumania with the song PM Pierre, first performed on the Montreal TV show Seven on Six and later recorded by Capitol Records. You can listen to it here.

Mr. Ryan is now an associate professor at Carleton University's School of Canadian Studies.

2014: Put Your Trust in Justin

SAMPLE LYRICS

I’ll trust in Justin Trudeau, he’s the man for me

The nemesis of Tories, and the NDP

When Trudeau is prime minister, it will be kind of strange

If you’ve been smoking since the ’60s, you’ll think that nothing’s changed

Comedy songwriters George Bowser and Rick Blue began performing together as Bowser and Blue when Pierre Trudeau was still in office in 1978. Decades later, when his son was Liberal leader, the two wrote a song endorsing him.

2015: We’re Ready

SAMPLE LYRICS

We’re ready for a change

I believe there is a better way

We’re ready, take a stand

We’re proud of our home and native land

When the Liberals wanted a theme song for their 2015 election campaign – and were combatting criticism from the Conservatives that Mr. Trudeau was "just not ready" to govern – the party approached a country-music brother and sister duo, Kelly and Kaylen Prescott to write a hopeful ditty called We're Ready.

With a report from The Canadian Press

MORE READING

Justin and Sophie: The family album He was raised at 24 Sussex Dr., the son of a rock-star prime minister. She’s had a varied career as a journalist, activist and yoga instructor. Now they’re Canada’s top political power couple. We’ve prepared a tour through The Globe’s archives to help you learn more about them.
The challenge: In search of the real Justin Trudeau The Globe's Ian Brown took a behind-the-scenes look at Mr. Trudeau's 2015 election campaign, and how the public image of the future prime minister took shape.