The Edmonton rock group Privilege started out in the '60s known as The Lords. After changing their name to Privilege they released four singles on Capitol and MCA between 1969 and 1972, but as the article linked to above puts it, "fame was not immediately forthcoming and the group struggled." In '73 they recorded the LP I'm posting today (Cantata Canada), which was based on a stage production dramatizing Canada's history. At this point, the group's lineup was Andy Krawchuk (guitar), Harry Krawchuk (bass), Mel Degen (vocals), Gerry Dere (organ), Al McGee (piano) and Whitey Glan (drums), but throughout the '70s Privilege went through many more incarnations, one of which included Steve Perry, the future lead singer of Journey. One more LP followed in '78 (It's Been A Privilege), but that was pretty much it for the group aside from a reunion concert in 1989.

Cantata Canada (optimistically subtitled "Part One") was recorded at Studio 3 Productions in Vancouver and Century II Studios in Edmonton by producer Doug Hutton, with orchestrations by Gerry Dere and Al McGee. The LP is attractively packaged as a libretto, with pencil drawings accompanying the lyrics for each song. Privilege's sound is fairly standard '70s rock with a few progressive touches here and there, but they tailor each track's style to suit its historical subject matter. "Overture/In The Dawning" (lyrics by Will Wuttunee, music by Gerry Dere) is about the lives of the natives before the arrival of Europeans in North America, while "Beware Of The Heavy Hand" (lyrics and music by Graeme Card) details the first contact between the two societies. "Klondike" (lyrics by Carol Zazula, music by Mel Degan) is, of course, about the gold rush of 1896, and "Bookends For A Nation" (lyrics and music by Marc Jordan) is written from the viewpoint of a European immigrant moving across Canada during the early 20th century.

Overture/In The Dawning
Beware Of The Heavy Hand
Klondike
Bookends For A Nation