Canadian rock star Bryan Adams, known for songs like “Summer of ’69” and “Everything I Do (I Do It For You),” has added another song to his catalog… and this latest one is an anti-Trump, pro-Canada anthem called “51st State.”
I, and many others, might argue that it’s a little late to the party, considering the whole “Canada becoming the 51st State” conversation happened all the way back in March of 2025. You might remember that President Trump talking about our northern neighbor becoming the 51st state of these United States peaked around the time the POTUS rolled out tariffs right when he took office.
It also flared up when Canada and the United States were about to play one another in the 4 Nations Face Off… a hockey tournament that wrapped up in February of 2025.
That’s why it was a little confusing to see Adams release this song in 2026. He waited to release it on July 1, also known as “Canada Day” (the country’s birthday). That part makes sense. Waiting one year and four months from when the “51st State” conversation was really buzzing? That doesn’t make sense.
Though I’ll agree with some of the song’s messaging about all of us being better together and hand in hand, it all comes off a little weird.
Here’s the first couple of verses of “51st State” that really builds up some momentum going into the chorus (that’s sarcasm):
“Never thought I’d see the day
Never thought I’d see the plan
Where everything could get harder
For the working man
Yeah, we’re better off together
But we’re way better hand in hand
But the 49th parallel
Has become a line drawn in the sand.”
The 49th parallel is the line 49 degrees north of the equator that acts as the international border between America and Canada, in case you didn’t know.
That right there shows you that Bryan Adam did his research when he put this one together. And I sure hope he did, considered he put it out almost a year and a half after it would have been really relevant. But let’s dive into this chorus that I’ve already teased a bit, shall we?
This is where Bryan Adams, on behalf of Canada, really takes it to the United States:
“Let me give it to you straight
When you’re talking about my home
You better show some respect
Cuz up here we take care of our own
So let me give you some advice mister
You might have too much on your plate
Go’n load us up with tariffs
But we’ll never be the 51st State.”
If this gets Canadians fired up, more power to them I suppose. I’m also curious if some Canucks are opening this up and saying, “Bryan Adams just released this? Little late, eh?” I don’t want to be too harsh on “Canada Day,” so I’ll end my thoughts there and let you listen to the song below… if you wish to.
“51st State” by Bryan Adams
