So Many Tales was chosen by the public in a Canada-wide competition called Québec, je te chante! organized by Radio-Canada’s Espace musique program, in cooperation with the Société du 400e anniversaire de Québec.

Based on the central theme of the festivities, Meetings and Encounters, the song celebrates Québec City and its history while looking confidently toward the future.

To Danny Boudreau, composer and singer, Québec City’s 400th is particularly significant:

For me, it was the next step, after the 400th anniversary of Acadia in 2004. To celebrate Québec City, a city that I love, and its 400-year history, is to celebrate Francophonie. As an Acadian, I am proud to be part of the festivities.

Louis-Marie Mathieu, lyricist, holds a special place in his heart for the city: I have always loved Québec City. On each visit I have taken long walks through the streets, breathing the air that makes the body feel lighter and lifts the spirits. The city combines the daring of modernity with the challenge of preserving the past. To write a song celebrating the city’s 400th anniversary, I dove into its history, taking an express trip to the past, to the discovery of the shores of an immense country and the ambitions of a continent. I am very proud to have been able to participate in writing this song, which I hope will be heard throughout Quebec, Canada, and the rest of the world. - Louis-Marie Mathieu

Did you know there is a French version of So Many Tales?