Canada Sings the Blues: Beloved Hockey Theme Iced

Hockey Night in Canada is changing its theme song, and if that doesn’t seem like a big deal to you, you’re probably not Canadian. The 40-year-old ditty has become almost a second national anthem for the hockey-obsessed nation. But thanks to a legal challenge from composer Dolores Claman, the state-owned Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has announced a contest to find the new theme.

Claman sued the station in 2004. Yesterday, her lawyer said the CBC had broken off negotiations, refusing to increase its offer. “It takes two sides to make a deal,” said one CBC executive. “I honestly don’t know what they want.” Many Canadians are lamenting the change. “A new song would be weird,” says NHL veteran Mark Napier. “But it’s about the game, not the jingle.” (More Canada stories.)