Music

14 very Canadian songs that pay tribute to Tim Hortons

by Mark Teo

When it comes to Canadian identity, few things define the north as well as Tim Hortons. We know, it sounds weird to outsiders: Really? Nationhood defined by a coffee chain? But it’s true: Along with hockey, beer, and not being American, there’s nothing as indisputably Canadian as slugging a double-double on a road trip to, like, Moose Jaw.

Yet Timmy Ho’s command on Canadian culture—as well as their 3,000 restaurants, covering every province and territory—is one of the reasons the chain was part of a $12.5 billion merger with Burger King, forming the third-largest global fast-food company. While plenty have been quick to gripe about the merger, little will likely change for its fans: Its still headquartered in Oakville, ON. It’ll still likely sell a lot of Timbits north of the border (they accounted for more than a quarter of all Canadian fast food sales). And they’ll still likely be a Can-cultural icon.

Still, today’s merger left many feeling like we lost a bit of Canadian culture today. So, for them, we offer these 14 Tim Hortons-centric songs as solace. Bottoms up.

The Timmy’s Anthem from Kitchener, ON

“It’s the power of Tim Hortons,” sing Brad and Robert Nelson, “that keeps our nation whole.” Suck it, Paul Henderson.

Stephen Hereford’s Tim Horton

It’s almost like the Pet Shop Boys discovered the power of the maple-dip donut.

Zach Hogan’s Tim Hortons song

We can’t tell if dude made up this song on the spot, but colour us impressed.

Johnny Reid’s A Little Taste of Home

Canadian expats everywhere can relate to this heartland rocker.

To hell with Starbucks

“The line from Tim’s stretched all the way from Hamilton to Guelph,” this song says. It also makes an argument: that Tim Hortons is as Canadian as hockey. Fighting words, guys.

Double Double, a Tim Hortons Love Song

You know that the love of Tim’s runs deep when songwriters use double doubles as a metaphor for love.

You’re My Little Timbit

Speaking of Timmy’s items as love songs, here’s one where a sensitive man envisions his boo as the centre of a donut.

Cornwall’s Tim Hortons Drive Thru Song

Did these dudes really sing this into a Timmy’s drive thru? All hail.

The Tim Hortons rap

This is labelled as a Drake parody, but Drake’s love for the chain is no hoax—he posted up a photo from the chain on his Instagram recently.

Timmy’s Run

Timmy’s Runs aren’t only the stuff of Deadmau5. Here, Cause and Effect use a Tim Hortons run to brag about how pretty they are.

The Ballad of Tim Hortons

The Arrogant Worms’ Irish-inflected folk details a veritable Canadian nightmare: The day that Timmy’s ran out of coffee.

The Tim Hortons cup country song

We wish that all country songs were about Roll Up the Rim.

The Tim Hortons song

OK, this isn’t really a song about Tim Hortons. But it was written for something called Dumb Song Wednesday, which we can totally respect.

Lynn Robinson’s tribute to Timmy’s

This little living-room number hails all the way from Shubenacadie, NS. YES, WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE HOME OF SHUBENACADIE SAM, CANADA’S FAVOURITE GROUNDHOG.