January 1974. On the date of this chart, the Global Television Network was launched. The intention was to be an outlet for Canadian-produced programming, but it soon ended up merely serving as another avenue for Canadian advertisers to reach viewers watching American shows. Domestic content was much easier to find on the radio, as we'll see when we scan the charts.
Bonus Track #1: 54 - "Raised on Robbery," Joni Mitchell (CanCon!)
This is from Joni's best-selling album, Court and Spark, and while it wasn't as successful as that record's other singles "Help Me" and "Free Man in Paris," for my money it's her best. It's the tale of a prostitute unsuccessfully trying to pick up a man she finds watching a hockey game in a hotel bar, done with style and clever wordplay ("I'm a pretty good cook, I'm sitting on my groceries.") Fantastic, and because it wasn't much of a hit anywhere else, I'm making it a Certified CanCon Classic.
Bonus Track #2: 52 - "Make it All Worthwhile," James Leroy (CanCon!)
From Ottawa, Leroy had picked up three Top 20 hits in the space of a year. The last of this was this decent folk-rock love song in the James Taylor/Mac Davis vein. His subsequent efforts didn't do as well, and his frustration sadly culminated in his 1979 suicide. Unfortunately, pop music has more than its share of unhappy endings.
50 - "Goddess of Nature," Abraham's Children (CanCon!)
This Toronto band had an artily psychedelic quality, as exemplified by this track about a seductive earth mother figure. A little restrained, but not bad.
46 - "Keep Your Head to the Sky," Earth Wind and Fire
The funk stars' first Top 50 here was this soul ballad about finding spiritual peace. It sounds quite a bit like Curtis Mayfield-era Impressions, and that's a very good thing.
42 - "Million Dollar Weekend," Crowbar (CanCon!)
This Hamilton band is mainly remembered for their 1971 hit "Oh What a Feeling," but they managed another one with this old-time R&B raveup about adventures and shenanigans and such. You can almost smell the Cottage Country air.
41 - "She," Southcote (CanCon!)
The only hit for this Toronto band was this horn-laden pop tune about romantic rejection. It's catchy and exuberant, and in a just world it would have gotten higher than #80 in the States.
40 - "Weeping Widow," April Wine (CanCon!)
The Nova Scotians' sixth hit was this rocker that warns of danger , but it's not clear if the titular lady is in peril, or if she is the peril. Either way, it's good hard rock of its time, with cowbell and screeching from voices and guitars.
39 - "Hangin' Around," The Edgar Winter Group
The pale Texan behind "Frankenstein" and "Free Ride" got much higher than the home country peak of #65 up here with this suitably laid back ode to sloth and ignorance. Pop music always makes this state seem cooler than it really is.
38 - "Let Me Get to Know You," Paul Anka (CanCon!)
The Ottawa-born former teen idol wasn't doing too well as a recording artist at this time, but he managed to chart in his homeland with this sort-of suggestive love song. Let's just say it's likely that the events depicted in this song may have directly led to those in his next single, the career-reviving "(You're) Having My Baby."
37 - "A Fool Such as I," Bob Dylan
During his brief run at rival Asylum Records, Dylan's former and future label Columbia threw together an album of outtakes from previous sessions, including this recording he made with The Band in 1967 of this country number that had been a hit in the 50s for both Hank Snow and Elvis Presley. Good song, a nice vibe, Dylan breaks out that smoother voice he also uses on "Lay Lady Lay" and "Knockin' on Heaven's Door." A nice little footnote.
36 - "Cousin Mary," Fludd (CanCon!)
The fourth hit for this Toronto band was this country-folk track about a tough, free-spirited lady. Kind of like a lesser song by the aforementioned Band, but still pretty good.
35 - "American Tune," Paul Simon
The Rhymin' One's fifth North American solo hit was this meditation on the ideal and reality of America. A poignant song that's not the instant crowd-pleaser many of his bigger hits are, but it stays around in your heart and is interpretation-friendly enough to be one of his most covered songs.
26 - "Running Wild," The Stampeders (CanCon!)
From Calgary, naturally, this trio are mainly known in the rest of the world for 1971's "Sweet City Woman." At home, they were much more prolific, with over a dozen hits, including this bluesy number about living free and unfettered. Their sound here could be best described as "BTO's understudies."
24 - "I Thought of You Again," Susan Jacks (CanCon!)
Susan Pesklevits was born in Saskatoon, but she later moved to British Columbia, where she met guitarist Terry Jacks, whom she would marry and would join in The Poppy Family, who had a big international hit with 1970's "Which Way You Goin', Billy." Both the group and the marriage had broken up by this time, and Susan was having her second solo Top Ten with this country-pop chugged about lamenting a former lover while riding on a train. Blander than the subject matter by far. As for her real ex, well, stay tuned.
23 - "Pretty Lady," Lighthouse (CanCon!)
Yet another group with just a couple hits outside but several more at home. In this case, it's the Toronto jazz-pop outfit behind "One Fine Morning" and "Sunny Days." Their final domestic Top Ten was a little more straight pop than their better-known tunes, but it's still well-crafted radio pop. But after this, the light burned out.
22 - "Teenage Lament '74," Alice Cooper
The last hit for the original Alice Cooper band was this midtempo complaint about the stereotypical teenage woes: problems flitting in, being told your music's too loud, fighting parents, etc. Not as good as his similarly-themed "I'm Eighteen," but still a good show of Alice's mastery of rock n'roll's primal appeal.
14 - "Hurricane of Change," Murray McLauchlan (CanCon!)
Murray Mac's second and final Top Ten was this Dylanesque ditty about fear and uncertainty in modern life. Possibly his most vital performance.
10 - "Spiders and Snakes," Jim Stafford
This country ode to grossing girls out made it to #1 here. Yes, we will put a frog in your clothes to make you like us. That, with hockey and rolling up the rim of coffee cups, are the three pillars of Canadian society.
9 - "Are You Lonesome Tonight," Donny Osmond
Little Donny's voice was in the middle of cracking when he covered one of Elvis' signature ballads. He just goes through the motions, including a stiff reading of the spoken bridge. Maybe the weakest single of his hottest period.
8 - "Time in a Bottle," Jim Croce
Croce'so posthumous rumination on the fleeting nature of life was a cross-border charttopper. Sentimental, but not sappy.
7 - "The Way We Were," Barbra Streisand
Babs' superballad was another Can-Am #1, but somehow it didn't even go Top 30 in Britain. That's a head-scratcher.
6 - "Love's Theme," Love Unlimited Orchestra
The lush instrumental by Barry White's backup is yet another hit denied a Triple Crown by the U.K. But at least it was a Top Ten there. They were in the ballpark, or on the pitch, or whatever.
5 - "Big Time Operator," Keith Hampshire (CanCon!)
Born in England, Hampshire started in the late 60s as a London pirate radio DJ. Then he moved to Canada and had a successful recording career which included a #1 version of "The First Cut is the Deepest" and two other Top Fives. The second of these was this soul/pop number about how he has progressed in his life's ambitions by working his way through various jobs that all sounds similar to "operator." Gimmicky fun enhanced by the conviction of Hampshire's performance.
4 - "Smokin' in the Boys' Room," Brownsville Station
The grimy grinder about teenage rebellion was a Top Five on both sides of the border. Still destroys the Motley Crue cover.
3 - "You're Sixteen," Ringo Starr
Ringo's Johnny Burnette cover was a U.S. #1 and a Top Five in the other two Triple Crown countries. Two things: no, that wasn't a kazoo, that was Paul McCartney singing weirdly; and no, the fact that Ringo was in his thirties at the time does not mean judged of similar age in Alabama get to "court" teenage girls.
2 - "The Joker," The Steve Miller Band
The legendary ode to midnight-toking space cowboys earned two-thirds of a Triple Crown (although sixteen years apart, its trip to the top in Britain coming thanks to a 1990 jeans commercial). We held it to #2. Sorry, Maurice.
And on top 44 years ago was...
1 - "Seasons in the Sun," Terry Jacks (CanCon!)
There's Susan's ex, nauseating us all with this sapcrap claptrap. And of all the songs here, this is the one that actually captured a Triple Crown. It makes "Alone Again Naturally" sound like "Don't Worry Be Happy." And if you ever catch me listening to this song, you can slap me right here.
So next time, it's back to Britain. Hope you liked this one. Comments are welcome here or on the Facebook page. If you like this place, tell a friend, all that promotional blah-blah. See you soon.
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
Thursday, January 25, 2018
An Old Man Abroad: UKT40 January 16, 1999 Part Two
Big finish now.
20 - "Good Rhymes," Da Click
Rap-dance that samples Chic. The familiar sounds make it listenable.
19 - "Over You," Justin
Nigerian-Scot Justin Osuji had the biggest of his four hits with this R&B heartbreak ballad. It made me look up whether or not "misendeavour" is a word. It doesn't look like it is. That's the sum total of this song's contribution to my life.
18 - "Big Big World, " Emilia
Swede Emilia Rydberg is the daughter of an Ethiopian pop singer and a Swedish woman. Her big international hit was this midtempo pop song about about missing someone. Playlist filler.
17 - "Bad Girls," Juliet Roberts
Grenadian-British singer Roberts had the last of her eight hits with this carbon copy of Donna Summer's 1979 disco classic. Why would anyone bother?
16 - "Rescue Me," Ultra
This British boyband's biggest hit was this midtempo take-me-back ballad. No surprises, no lasting value.
15 - "Get on the Bus," Destiny's Child featuring Timbaland
Back when they were a foursome and Beyonce was still in her teens, the girl group teamed up with rapper/producer Timbaland on this funky kiss-off. This was sort of a rehearsal for Queen Bey's later smash "Irreplaceable. "
14 - "Believe," Cher
The surprise Triple Crown winner that cemented her legend and introduced the world to Auto Tune. It's an okay survival anthem, upgraded by Cher's distinct attitude. We believed.
13 - "End of the Line," Honeyz
Another British girl group, this one having their second Top Ten with this breakup ballad. Some spunk shown, but still, one of the pack.
12 - "Goodbye," The Spice Girls
Their eighth #1 was, ironically enough considering the title, their first single after the departure of Ginger. It's about an amicable and hopeful parting. The group would only have one more hit before going their separate ways. So calling the album this came from Forever was a ltitle off.
11 - "Beautiful Day," 3 Colours Red
Named after the third film in a trilogy by Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski, this London band were tipped as another Bripop sensation after signing with the same label as Oasis. They didn't get huge, but they managed six hits, the biggest being this rock ballad about sticking with someone. There's a lot of strings, reminiscent of The Verve, but it doesn't have nearly the same catchiness.
10 - "Walk Like a Panther," The All Seeing I featuring Tony Christie
The biggest hit for this Sheffield dance group was this cool ltitle groove on which veteran Christie portrays an older man who still feels confident and superior to modern youth. He sells it like a pro, but comes off cooler than he ever did. Well done.
9 - "Chocolate Salty Balls," Chef
Also returning from our 1972 trip is Isaac Hayes, this time in the guise of his South Park character Chef. This is a funky ditty that seems to describe a dessert treat, but it could be misinterpreted by those with dirty minds. And this was a #1 here. Oh, Britannia. And yes, this is your Uneasy Rider for the week.
8 - "You Should Be...," Blockster
Brandon Block was a successful London club DJ in the early 90s, but by mid-decade hard partying had caught up to him, and he had to step aside for awhile. He did make a successful return, and even crossed into recording with this modernized version of the Bee Gees' "You Should be Dancing." Not necessary, but still charming, and everybody loves a good comeback story, right?
7 - "Cassius 1999," Cassius
The first of four hits by this French electronic duo was this bit of, to quote one of the few lyrics "funky music." They weren't quite as interesting as Daft Punk, but there is still more style to this than the generic beats of the time.
6 - "When You're Gone," Bryan Adams and Melanie C
Badams teamed up with Sporty Spice for this pop-rock number about the loneliness of separation. A surprisingly good combination. Nothing earth-shattering, but a nice radio tune.
5 - "More Than This," Emmie
The only hit for Stockport's Emma Morton-Smith was this dance cover of Roxy Music's 1982 hit. A better title might be "Less Than That."
4 - "Praise You," Fatboy Slim
The only #1 for Housemartin-turned-DJ Norman Cook mixed a vocal sample from an obscure Chicago singer Camille Yarbrough with sample from a Disney record and the Fat Albert theme and turned it into a new genre: rave-gospel. I have to celebrate this, baby.
3 - "Heartbeat/Tragedy," Steps
This double-sided single was the first of two Number Ones for this three-woman, two man prefab song and dance troupe. The A is a boring love song, while the B is a cover of a 1979 Bee Gees smash. It lacks everything without Barry's wailing falsetto.
2 - "I Want You For Myself," Another Level featuring Ghostface Killah
The boys' last Top Five was boyband product enlivened by a rap from a Wu-Tang Clan member that doesn't seem to have anything to do with the rest of the song. It's still a vast improvement.
1 - "A Little Bit More," 911
Another boyband, another cover, this one of Dr. Hook's 1976 hit about sexual staying power. Yeah, this is why I rarely go very deep into the 90s. There are some rewards, but a whole lot of shit.
And I'm out again. But pop will pull me back in soon enough. Drop by the Facebook page if you'd like, check out some older posts, or just keep an eye for my imminent return. Either way, thank you for your time.
20 - "Good Rhymes," Da Click
Rap-dance that samples Chic. The familiar sounds make it listenable.
19 - "Over You," Justin
Nigerian-Scot Justin Osuji had the biggest of his four hits with this R&B heartbreak ballad. It made me look up whether or not "misendeavour" is a word. It doesn't look like it is. That's the sum total of this song's contribution to my life.
18 - "Big Big World, " Emilia
Swede Emilia Rydberg is the daughter of an Ethiopian pop singer and a Swedish woman. Her big international hit was this midtempo pop song about about missing someone. Playlist filler.
17 - "Bad Girls," Juliet Roberts
Grenadian-British singer Roberts had the last of her eight hits with this carbon copy of Donna Summer's 1979 disco classic. Why would anyone bother?
16 - "Rescue Me," Ultra
This British boyband's biggest hit was this midtempo take-me-back ballad. No surprises, no lasting value.
15 - "Get on the Bus," Destiny's Child featuring Timbaland
Back when they were a foursome and Beyonce was still in her teens, the girl group teamed up with rapper/producer Timbaland on this funky kiss-off. This was sort of a rehearsal for Queen Bey's later smash "Irreplaceable. "
14 - "Believe," Cher
The surprise Triple Crown winner that cemented her legend and introduced the world to Auto Tune. It's an okay survival anthem, upgraded by Cher's distinct attitude. We believed.
13 - "End of the Line," Honeyz
Another British girl group, this one having their second Top Ten with this breakup ballad. Some spunk shown, but still, one of the pack.
12 - "Goodbye," The Spice Girls
Their eighth #1 was, ironically enough considering the title, their first single after the departure of Ginger. It's about an amicable and hopeful parting. The group would only have one more hit before going their separate ways. So calling the album this came from Forever was a ltitle off.
11 - "Beautiful Day," 3 Colours Red
Named after the third film in a trilogy by Polish director Krzysztof Kieslowski, this London band were tipped as another Bripop sensation after signing with the same label as Oasis. They didn't get huge, but they managed six hits, the biggest being this rock ballad about sticking with someone. There's a lot of strings, reminiscent of The Verve, but it doesn't have nearly the same catchiness.
10 - "Walk Like a Panther," The All Seeing I featuring Tony Christie
The biggest hit for this Sheffield dance group was this cool ltitle groove on which veteran Christie portrays an older man who still feels confident and superior to modern youth. He sells it like a pro, but comes off cooler than he ever did. Well done.
9 - "Chocolate Salty Balls," Chef
Also returning from our 1972 trip is Isaac Hayes, this time in the guise of his South Park character Chef. This is a funky ditty that seems to describe a dessert treat, but it could be misinterpreted by those with dirty minds. And this was a #1 here. Oh, Britannia. And yes, this is your Uneasy Rider for the week.
8 - "You Should Be...," Blockster
Brandon Block was a successful London club DJ in the early 90s, but by mid-decade hard partying had caught up to him, and he had to step aside for awhile. He did make a successful return, and even crossed into recording with this modernized version of the Bee Gees' "You Should be Dancing." Not necessary, but still charming, and everybody loves a good comeback story, right?
7 - "Cassius 1999," Cassius
The first of four hits by this French electronic duo was this bit of, to quote one of the few lyrics "funky music." They weren't quite as interesting as Daft Punk, but there is still more style to this than the generic beats of the time.
6 - "When You're Gone," Bryan Adams and Melanie C
Badams teamed up with Sporty Spice for this pop-rock number about the loneliness of separation. A surprisingly good combination. Nothing earth-shattering, but a nice radio tune.
5 - "More Than This," Emmie
The only hit for Stockport's Emma Morton-Smith was this dance cover of Roxy Music's 1982 hit. A better title might be "Less Than That."
4 - "Praise You," Fatboy Slim
The only #1 for Housemartin-turned-DJ Norman Cook mixed a vocal sample from an obscure Chicago singer Camille Yarbrough with sample from a Disney record and the Fat Albert theme and turned it into a new genre: rave-gospel. I have to celebrate this, baby.
3 - "Heartbeat/Tragedy," Steps
This double-sided single was the first of two Number Ones for this three-woman, two man prefab song and dance troupe. The A is a boring love song, while the B is a cover of a 1979 Bee Gees smash. It lacks everything without Barry's wailing falsetto.
2 - "I Want You For Myself," Another Level featuring Ghostface Killah
The boys' last Top Five was boyband product enlivened by a rap from a Wu-Tang Clan member that doesn't seem to have anything to do with the rest of the song. It's still a vast improvement.
1 - "A Little Bit More," 911
Another boyband, another cover, this one of Dr. Hook's 1976 hit about sexual staying power. Yeah, this is why I rarely go very deep into the 90s. There are some rewards, but a whole lot of shit.
And I'm out again. But pop will pull me back in soon enough. Drop by the Facebook page if you'd like, check out some older posts, or just keep an eye for my imminent return. Either way, thank you for your time.
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
An Old Man Abroad: UKT40 January 16, 1999 Part One
January 1999. The Euro currency is launched, but Britain opts to keep the pound. Was this an early sign that they weren't quite all in on the United Europe thing? Perhaps. Anyway, here are the songs that people were spending the most pounds on at the time.
40 - "I'm Your Angel," Celine Dion and R. Kelly
Her thirteenth Top Ten here, his fifth. Kelly wrote it, in the same uplifting ballad vein as "I Believe I Can Fly." She's an institution, he probably should be in one.
39 - "Powertrip," Monster Magnet
The biguest hit for these New Jersey stoner rockers was this metallic number about defying what others think and making your own way. Not as good as my favorite of theirs, "Negasonic Teenage Warhead," but very good.
38 - "I Want You '98," Savage Garden
A re-release of the band's 1997 single that broke them in most countries, but didn't hit here until after their next two singles went Top 5. For me, it's the only thing they did that mattered. Silly lyrics delivered rapid fire to stock dance-rock hits my sweet spot for some reason.
37 - "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)," Jay-Z
Shawn Carter's pop breakthrough was this irresistible combination of rhymes about striving to escape street life and the song sung by the oppressed orphans in the musical Annie. A clash of genres and images that ends in perfection. It's the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup of music.
36 - "Right Here Right Now," Fierce
The first of four hits for this U.K. R&B trio was this dance jam about making the most of a moment. Just a song that slots in to its genre in its time, and nothing more.
35 - "Wish I Were You," Alisha's Attic
Londoners Shelly and Karen Poole are the daughters of Brian Poole from 60s band The Tremeloes, and they managed eight hits of their own. Their sixth was this slick song about envying a fashionable peer. There's talent there, but I wonder if they had better showcases for it.
34 - "Take Me There," Blackstreet with Mya featuring Mase and Blinky Blink
The fourth and final Top Ten here for the soul group best known for "No Diggity" was this playful tune featuring contributions from singer Mya and two rappers from the Bad Boy label. It came from the soundtrack of The Rugrats Movie, and all is suitably G rated. But even as an adult, I am charmed.
33 - "1999," Prince
A predictable reissue of Mr. Nelson's 1982 forecast of millennial doom. At the time, rumblings of the Y2K computer bug were making that seem at least marginally possible. But the sky didn't turn purple, no one had a lion in their pocket, and everybody did not have a bomb. So all in all, it wasn't that bad.
32 - "When You Believe," Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston
The ultimate 90s diva summit came about for this big ballad from the soundtrack of The Prince of Egypt, an animated movie about Moses. It's inspirational territory both had trod successfully before, and they sell it as best they can. There's no perceptible attempts at one-upmanship, but Whitney wins the duel on my scorec
31 - "Girls Night Out," Alda
The second-biggest Icelandic female singer of the 90s, Alda Olafsdottir had her biggest hit with this danceable tribute to female bonding. The only intersting parts are lyrics about a "male girlfriend" and cooking an onion when she's married. Those are the only moments when she lives up to her middle name: Bjork.
30 - "Especially for You," Denise and Johnny
Denise Van Outen and Johnny Vaughan were the co-hosts of the popular morning show The Big Breakfast. Van Outen left the program at the end of 1998, and to mark the occasion the two recorded a cover of a hit ballad from 1988 by Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan. The original isn't great, and this isn't an improvement.
29 - "The Wind," PJ Harvey
Dorset native Polly Jean Harvey has been one of the most influential names in British rock since her debut in 1991. She's never set out to have hit singles, but she often managed to chart in the 20s and 30s with songs like this. It's whispers dance-rock inspired by St. Catherine of Alexandria, who lived in the 4th century in Roman-occupied Egypt and was martyred for her faith. This is good. Check it out, and if you like it, explore further.
28 - "No Regrets/Antmusic," Robbie Williams
The former Take That man picked up his seventh solo Top Ten with this mature pop song about a breakup. It has Neil Tennant on backing vocals, and that's not all that give st his a Pet Shop Boys feel. The B side seems to me like Robbie wondered what a nu-metal cover of Adam and the Ants would sound like, so he decided to do it himself and share it with the world. Um...thanks?
27 - "Tom's Party," T-Spoon
The second and last British hit for this Dutch group is basic rapped Eurodance with a sample of Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner" thrown in. It sounds just like you imagine it would.
26 - "To You I Belong," B*Witched
The third of the Irish girl group's four #1 is this love ballad. It's got some Irish instrumentation on it. Quality product.
25 - "I Love the Way You Love Me," Boyzone
And now an Irish boy band, with their thirteenth Top Five. It's actually a nice ballad about appreciating little things about your lover. Or maybe I've just gotten old and sappy. Too bad, I'm not going back.
24 - "Always Have, Always Will," Ace of Base
The Swedes' penultimate U.K. hit was this uncharacteristoically retro-Motown number. A nice surprise. But I think I like these guys more than I theoretically should anyway.
23 - "Up and Down," Vengaboys
The breakthrough hit by the Dutch dance group whose later hit "We Like to Party" would later be best known for soundtrack ingredients amusement park commercials featuring an old man dancing. This sounds similar to that, with the lyrics mostly being the title phrase being delivered in the style of an aerobics instructor. Good if you like the sillier end of the Euro sound.
22 - "Miami," Will Smith
The future star of Bright takes his talents to South Beach to celebrate the nightlife and women found there. I like him better in Philly or Bel Air.
21 - "Up to the Wildstyle," Porn Kings featuring DJ Supreme
This Liverpool dancemail ensemble had their biggest hit twaming up with a Brixton DJ on this techno-rap track. Pretty listenable, as these things go.
In Part Two: transportation, exaltation, and a delicious double entendre.
40 - "I'm Your Angel," Celine Dion and R. Kelly
Her thirteenth Top Ten here, his fifth. Kelly wrote it, in the same uplifting ballad vein as "I Believe I Can Fly." She's an institution, he probably should be in one.
39 - "Powertrip," Monster Magnet
The biguest hit for these New Jersey stoner rockers was this metallic number about defying what others think and making your own way. Not as good as my favorite of theirs, "Negasonic Teenage Warhead," but very good.
38 - "I Want You '98," Savage Garden
A re-release of the band's 1997 single that broke them in most countries, but didn't hit here until after their next two singles went Top 5. For me, it's the only thing they did that mattered. Silly lyrics delivered rapid fire to stock dance-rock hits my sweet spot for some reason.
37 - "Hard Knock Life (Ghetto Anthem)," Jay-Z
Shawn Carter's pop breakthrough was this irresistible combination of rhymes about striving to escape street life and the song sung by the oppressed orphans in the musical Annie. A clash of genres and images that ends in perfection. It's the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup of music.
36 - "Right Here Right Now," Fierce
The first of four hits for this U.K. R&B trio was this dance jam about making the most of a moment. Just a song that slots in to its genre in its time, and nothing more.
35 - "Wish I Were You," Alisha's Attic
Londoners Shelly and Karen Poole are the daughters of Brian Poole from 60s band The Tremeloes, and they managed eight hits of their own. Their sixth was this slick song about envying a fashionable peer. There's talent there, but I wonder if they had better showcases for it.
34 - "Take Me There," Blackstreet with Mya featuring Mase and Blinky Blink
The fourth and final Top Ten here for the soul group best known for "No Diggity" was this playful tune featuring contributions from singer Mya and two rappers from the Bad Boy label. It came from the soundtrack of The Rugrats Movie, and all is suitably G rated. But even as an adult, I am charmed.
33 - "1999," Prince
A predictable reissue of Mr. Nelson's 1982 forecast of millennial doom. At the time, rumblings of the Y2K computer bug were making that seem at least marginally possible. But the sky didn't turn purple, no one had a lion in their pocket, and everybody did not have a bomb. So all in all, it wasn't that bad.
32 - "When You Believe," Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston
The ultimate 90s diva summit came about for this big ballad from the soundtrack of The Prince of Egypt, an animated movie about Moses. It's inspirational territory both had trod successfully before, and they sell it as best they can. There's no perceptible attempts at one-upmanship, but Whitney wins the duel on my scorec
31 - "Girls Night Out," Alda
The second-biggest Icelandic female singer of the 90s, Alda Olafsdottir had her biggest hit with this danceable tribute to female bonding. The only intersting parts are lyrics about a "male girlfriend" and cooking an onion when she's married. Those are the only moments when she lives up to her middle name: Bjork.
30 - "Especially for You," Denise and Johnny
Denise Van Outen and Johnny Vaughan were the co-hosts of the popular morning show The Big Breakfast. Van Outen left the program at the end of 1998, and to mark the occasion the two recorded a cover of a hit ballad from 1988 by Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan. The original isn't great, and this isn't an improvement.
29 - "The Wind," PJ Harvey
Dorset native Polly Jean Harvey has been one of the most influential names in British rock since her debut in 1991. She's never set out to have hit singles, but she often managed to chart in the 20s and 30s with songs like this. It's whispers dance-rock inspired by St. Catherine of Alexandria, who lived in the 4th century in Roman-occupied Egypt and was martyred for her faith. This is good. Check it out, and if you like it, explore further.
28 - "No Regrets/Antmusic," Robbie Williams
The former Take That man picked up his seventh solo Top Ten with this mature pop song about a breakup. It has Neil Tennant on backing vocals, and that's not all that give st his a Pet Shop Boys feel. The B side seems to me like Robbie wondered what a nu-metal cover of Adam and the Ants would sound like, so he decided to do it himself and share it with the world. Um...thanks?
27 - "Tom's Party," T-Spoon
The second and last British hit for this Dutch group is basic rapped Eurodance with a sample of Suzanne Vega's "Tom's Diner" thrown in. It sounds just like you imagine it would.
26 - "To You I Belong," B*Witched
The third of the Irish girl group's four #1 is this love ballad. It's got some Irish instrumentation on it. Quality product.
25 - "I Love the Way You Love Me," Boyzone
And now an Irish boy band, with their thirteenth Top Five. It's actually a nice ballad about appreciating little things about your lover. Or maybe I've just gotten old and sappy. Too bad, I'm not going back.
24 - "Always Have, Always Will," Ace of Base
The Swedes' penultimate U.K. hit was this uncharacteristoically retro-Motown number. A nice surprise. But I think I like these guys more than I theoretically should anyway.
23 - "Up and Down," Vengaboys
The breakthrough hit by the Dutch dance group whose later hit "We Like to Party" would later be best known for soundtrack ingredients amusement park commercials featuring an old man dancing. This sounds similar to that, with the lyrics mostly being the title phrase being delivered in the style of an aerobics instructor. Good if you like the sillier end of the Euro sound.
22 - "Miami," Will Smith
The future star of Bright takes his talents to South Beach to celebrate the nightlife and women found there. I like him better in Philly or Bel Air.
21 - "Up to the Wildstyle," Porn Kings featuring DJ Supreme
This Liverpool dancemail ensemble had their biggest hit twaming up with a Brixton DJ on this techno-rap track. Pretty listenable, as these things go.
In Part Two: transportation, exaltation, and a delicious double entendre.
Saturday, January 20, 2018
An Old Man Abroad: UKT40 January 8, 1972
Second half.
20 - "Sing a Song of Freedom," Cliff Richard
Yep, him again, this time with this peacenik anthem. Sounds like the Partridge Family. Did Sir Cliff pave the way for David Cassidy's U.K. heartthrobbery? Perhaps.
19 - "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves," Cher
The first entry in her Wronged Woman Trilogy was denied a Triple Crown by the stingy Brits. I guess that makes them the thieves. I'm not sure who's who in the Canada-U.S. = Gypsies-Tramps equation.
18 - "Is This the Way to Amarillo," Tony Christie
The third of Yorkshireman Christie's five 70s hits was this Neil Sedaka-cowritten number about a man trying to return to a certain Texas city to reunite with his "sweet Maria." It only got this high then, but a re-release powered by comedian Peter Kay and the Comic Relief charity was a seven-week #1 in 2005. I think that's deserved. It's a fun singalong delivered boisterously.
17 - "Kara Kara," New World
The third of four U.K. hits for this Brisbane, Australia trio was this folky track about a man pledging to return to the island where his love lives. Quite boring.
16 - "Coz I Love You," Slade
Their first Number One was this catchy pop rocker about loving someone for who they are. And it has a sweet electric violins solo. I just like this thing they did.
15 - "Fireball," Deep Purple
The Purps' third hit was this fast rocker about ascribing magical qualities to a lover. And it's likely the biggest hit to ever open with the sound of an air conditioner being turned on. You can't deny that or its sweet bass and organ solos.
14 - "It Must be Love," Labi Siffre
The singer-poet-playwright's first hit is this simple, bright pop love song. Madness would have a bigger hit with it a decade later, but this is better.
13 - "Morning," Val Doonican
Irishman Doonican was a popular singer and BBC variety show host throughout the sixties, with a voice and style in the Williams/Como range. His penultimate hit was this country song about an affair with a married woman. It's good enough.
12 - "Mother of Mine," Neil Reid
Scot Reid was 12 when he won the talent show Opportunity Knocks singing this treacly tribute to his mum, and it went to #2. Another entry in the "children singing tributes to their older relations" genre that I never realized Britain loved so much. As for wee Neil, his voice broke two years later, and he's now a financial advisor in Blackpool.
11 - "Tokoloshe Man," John Kongos
South African Kongos picked up two early 70s U.K. Top Fives, the second being this threatening rocker about a murderous water sprite of African legend. Both of his hits are essential listening. And both were covered in 1990 by the Happy Mondays.
Please, no matter what you see on the Internet, don't eat the Top Ten.
10 - "I Just Can't Help Believin'," Elvis Presley
In Britain, the King was still rolling, picking up his seventh Top Ten of the decade with this live cover of a song that had been an American hit for B.J. Thomas
9 - "No Matter How I Try," Gilbert O'Sullivan
Ol' Gil had his first Top Five with this tale of a man who stands 5 foot 2 who is in love with a 6 foot 5 woman. Apparently this frustrates him to the point where he wishes he was a tire or a pound note. It's too weird to be boring. Which is a good description of O'Sullivan's entire body of work.
8 - "Sleepy Shores," The Johnny Pearson Orchestra
Pearson spent most of his career composing and conducting music for television, most famously as the orchestra leader on Top of the Pops. His biggest recording success came with this theme from a show called Owen, M.D. The tune is as slumberly sedative as the title would suggest.
7 - "Something Tells Me," Cilla Black
Pearson worked with Liverpudlian Black on some of her biggest hits, and here she is side by side with him with her last Top Five, a nice easy listener about romantic optimism. I get why the Beatles like her.
6 - "Theme from Shaft," Isaac Hayes
What's the Oscar-winning song that the Yanks got right and the Brits got wrong? You damn right! It only hit #4 here. Shut your gob!
5 - "Soley Soley," Middle of the Road
The last of three Top Fives for these Glaswegians was this song about wanting a lover to come back. Or maybe the sun, because they sing the repeated title word like "soleil." That's the most remarkable thing about this one.
4 - "Softly Whispering I Love You," The Congregation
More light pop, this time with a choir and a surprisingly soulful lead. The group never really had much of a profile, but as this sort of thing goes, it's very good.
3 - "Jeepster," T. Rex
Marc Bolan's boys had their fourth Top Two on the trot with this groovily glam tribute to a woman. Apparently, a "jeepster," is a man who pursues a lady out of his league. Clearly Bolan was more humble than the image he crafted.
2 - "Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)," Benny Hill
Southampton-born Hill became a British icon with his TV series featuring sketches involving him lecherously pursuing young women and telling naughty jokes. He also made some records, including 1971's Christmas charttopper, this tale of the romantic rivalry between a dairy deliverer and a bakery van driver that ended in a food fight that cost Ernie his life. Silly and dated, yet charming. And Ernie is the Uneasiest Rider in this chart.
And on top over there 46 years ago was...
1 - "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)," The New Seekers
The Brit singers' first of two #1s was this folk-pop song turned Coca-Cola jingle turned back to folk-pop song. And four decades later, we found out it was all an idea Don Draper came up with while meditating.
So there we are. I'll be back soon. I may even be a little more active on Facebook, and if I'm feeling really frisky, Twitter. Until then, farewell.
20 - "Sing a Song of Freedom," Cliff Richard
Yep, him again, this time with this peacenik anthem. Sounds like the Partridge Family. Did Sir Cliff pave the way for David Cassidy's U.K. heartthrobbery? Perhaps.
19 - "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves," Cher
The first entry in her Wronged Woman Trilogy was denied a Triple Crown by the stingy Brits. I guess that makes them the thieves. I'm not sure who's who in the Canada-U.S. = Gypsies-Tramps equation.
18 - "Is This the Way to Amarillo," Tony Christie
The third of Yorkshireman Christie's five 70s hits was this Neil Sedaka-cowritten number about a man trying to return to a certain Texas city to reunite with his "sweet Maria." It only got this high then, but a re-release powered by comedian Peter Kay and the Comic Relief charity was a seven-week #1 in 2005. I think that's deserved. It's a fun singalong delivered boisterously.
17 - "Kara Kara," New World
The third of four U.K. hits for this Brisbane, Australia trio was this folky track about a man pledging to return to the island where his love lives. Quite boring.
16 - "Coz I Love You," Slade
Their first Number One was this catchy pop rocker about loving someone for who they are. And it has a sweet electric violins solo. I just like this thing they did.
15 - "Fireball," Deep Purple
The Purps' third hit was this fast rocker about ascribing magical qualities to a lover. And it's likely the biggest hit to ever open with the sound of an air conditioner being turned on. You can't deny that or its sweet bass and organ solos.
14 - "It Must be Love," Labi Siffre
The singer-poet-playwright's first hit is this simple, bright pop love song. Madness would have a bigger hit with it a decade later, but this is better.
13 - "Morning," Val Doonican
Irishman Doonican was a popular singer and BBC variety show host throughout the sixties, with a voice and style in the Williams/Como range. His penultimate hit was this country song about an affair with a married woman. It's good enough.
12 - "Mother of Mine," Neil Reid
Scot Reid was 12 when he won the talent show Opportunity Knocks singing this treacly tribute to his mum, and it went to #2. Another entry in the "children singing tributes to their older relations" genre that I never realized Britain loved so much. As for wee Neil, his voice broke two years later, and he's now a financial advisor in Blackpool.
11 - "Tokoloshe Man," John Kongos
South African Kongos picked up two early 70s U.K. Top Fives, the second being this threatening rocker about a murderous water sprite of African legend. Both of his hits are essential listening. And both were covered in 1990 by the Happy Mondays.
Please, no matter what you see on the Internet, don't eat the Top Ten.
10 - "I Just Can't Help Believin'," Elvis Presley
In Britain, the King was still rolling, picking up his seventh Top Ten of the decade with this live cover of a song that had been an American hit for B.J. Thomas
9 - "No Matter How I Try," Gilbert O'Sullivan
Ol' Gil had his first Top Five with this tale of a man who stands 5 foot 2 who is in love with a 6 foot 5 woman. Apparently this frustrates him to the point where he wishes he was a tire or a pound note. It's too weird to be boring. Which is a good description of O'Sullivan's entire body of work.
8 - "Sleepy Shores," The Johnny Pearson Orchestra
Pearson spent most of his career composing and conducting music for television, most famously as the orchestra leader on Top of the Pops. His biggest recording success came with this theme from a show called Owen, M.D. The tune is as slumberly sedative as the title would suggest.
7 - "Something Tells Me," Cilla Black
Pearson worked with Liverpudlian Black on some of her biggest hits, and here she is side by side with him with her last Top Five, a nice easy listener about romantic optimism. I get why the Beatles like her.
6 - "Theme from Shaft," Isaac Hayes
What's the Oscar-winning song that the Yanks got right and the Brits got wrong? You damn right! It only hit #4 here. Shut your gob!
5 - "Soley Soley," Middle of the Road
The last of three Top Fives for these Glaswegians was this song about wanting a lover to come back. Or maybe the sun, because they sing the repeated title word like "soleil." That's the most remarkable thing about this one.
4 - "Softly Whispering I Love You," The Congregation
More light pop, this time with a choir and a surprisingly soulful lead. The group never really had much of a profile, but as this sort of thing goes, it's very good.
3 - "Jeepster," T. Rex
Marc Bolan's boys had their fourth Top Two on the trot with this groovily glam tribute to a woman. Apparently, a "jeepster," is a man who pursues a lady out of his league. Clearly Bolan was more humble than the image he crafted.
2 - "Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)," Benny Hill
Southampton-born Hill became a British icon with his TV series featuring sketches involving him lecherously pursuing young women and telling naughty jokes. He also made some records, including 1971's Christmas charttopper, this tale of the romantic rivalry between a dairy deliverer and a bakery van driver that ended in a food fight that cost Ernie his life. Silly and dated, yet charming. And Ernie is the Uneasiest Rider in this chart.
And on top over there 46 years ago was...
1 - "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)," The New Seekers
The Brit singers' first of two #1s was this folk-pop song turned Coca-Cola jingle turned back to folk-pop song. And four decades later, we found out it was all an idea Don Draper came up with while meditating.
So there we are. I'll be back soon. I may even be a little more active on Facebook, and if I'm feeling really frisky, Twitter. Until then, farewell.
Monday, January 15, 2018
An Old Man Abroad: UKT40 January 8, 1972 Part One
1972 in Britain began with a seven-week coal miners' strike. It was considered a victory for the workers over the Conservative party. There would be a rematch twelve years later, with a much different result. Meanwhile, in lighter news, this is what popular music looked like.
40 - "For All We Know," Shirley Bassey
The Tigress From Tiger Bay's tenth Top Ten was this ballad that the Carpenters had hit in the States with the previous year. This performance is brassy where Karen's is understated, yet both approaches work well.
39 - "Family Affair," Sly and the Family Stone
This was the Sylvester Stewart clan's third U.S. #1, but this funky rumination on blood relations only hit #15 here. That's all kinds of wrong.
38 - "(Find a) Reason to Believe," Rod Stewart
Roddy covers a tune by American folksinger Tim Hardin about trying out recover lost faith. The a capella bit near the end is one of his best vocal moments.
37 - "Till," Tom Jones
The biggest 70s hit for Tommy Woodward of Pontypridd was this "I'll love you forever" number. Big production, big vocal, and less than two-and-a-half minutes long. Efficiently effective.
36 - "I Will Return," Springwater
This was the only major hit for London musician Phil Cordell. It's a midtempo guitar instrumental that sounds like it could play over the credits of a Martin Scorsese movie. Quite good as these things go.
35 - "Back on the Road," Marmalade
This Glasgow band formed in 1961 and originally named themselves after a notorious Chicago street gang, You'd think that changing it to that of an orange preserve would be a step down, but when you consider that the old name was The Gaylords, perhaps not. The ninth of their eleven Top 40s was this acoustic jaunt about wanderlust. Not much to it. I don't think even Paddington Bear would be into this.
34 - "When You Get Right Down to It," Ronnie Dyson
The only British hithe for the Washington-born member of the original Broadway cast of Hair was this soul ballad about cherishing fleeting moments of pleasure. Sweetness.
33 - "Surrender," Diana Ross
Diana hadn't gone to #1 as a solo artist here yet as she had at home with "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." But where that was her only U.S. Top Ten to date, this soul please for devotion to avoid prosecution by "the highest court of love" was her fourth in Britain. It's a little derivative of "Mountain," but a deserving hit nonetheless.
32 - "Burundi Black," Burundi Steiphenson Black
This track is the creation of French musician Michel Benholc, who took an anthropological recording of drummers from the Ingoma people of Burundi and added piano and guitar. The unique beat would later inspire the two-drummer setup of Adam and the Ants. Unfortunately, this is a case where I can't find a record of the indigenous artists being compensated. That makes me uneasy, and not in the Uneasy Rider way.
31 - "Hooked on a Feeling," Jonathan King
The creepy pedophile was responsible for adding the "ooga chakas" that would later make Blue Swede famous. Like them, hate him.
30 - "Morning Has Broken," Cat Stevens
Cat's fourth Top Ten was a version of a 1931 hymn about the beauty of God's creation. Simple and beautiful.
29 - "Run Baby Run," The Newbeats
This bubblegum popper from the Louisanans best known for 1964's "Bread and Butter" originally came out in 1965, but became a surprise U.K. Top Ten seven years later. Good sunny pop.
28 - "Johnny Reggae," The Piglets
More from that King douche, this time a female-fronted skate number about an early incarnation of a "skinhead." They were not at the time the racists we associate that term with now, but rather influenced by Jamalcan "rude boys." Anyway, throwaway song, crap human being.
27 - "Theme from The Persuaders," John Barry
Yorkshireman John Barry Prendergast was a film and television composer best known for his iconic James Bond theme. He also had seven Top 40 singles, the last being this theme tune to an action TV series where Roger Moore and Tony Curtis played wealthy playboys who travelled the world chasing criminals. It's evocative enough that I would imagine the show to be good, but I might not ever watch it because of Curtis' reputation as an asshole.
26 - "You Gotta Have Love in Your Heart," The Supremes and The Four Tops
The post-Diana Supremes themed up with another veteran Motown act on this nice bit of soulful idealism. Needs more Levi Stubbs, though. He outshines everyone in his brief lead appearance.
25 - "Theme from The Onedin Line," The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
This piece from the 1954 opera Spartacus by Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian was used as the theme for a TV series about a Manchester shipping company in the 1800s. It doesn't do much for me, but maybe it would if I heard it on a weekly basis.
24 - "Brand New Key," Melanie
Ms. Safka's Freudian roller skating jam was held to #4 by the Brits, denying it a Triple Crown. Still, some people say she done alright for a girl.
23 - "Stay With Me," Faces
Rod again, this time with the biggest American hit and first of three home Top Tens for the combination of himself, future Stone Ronnie Wood, and three former Small Faces. Certainly the best one-night-stand rock song of the decade, if not all time.
22 - "Banks of the Ohio," Olivia Newton-John
ONJ's second hit was a version of a 19th century murder ballad about killing one's lover because they refuse a marriage proposal. She had another side besides earnest sweetheart long before Grease. I like it.
21 - "A Horse with No Name," America
The folk rock machine kicked off with this Triple Crown near-miss, held to #3 here. I still don't know why he didn't just name the damn horse.
In Part II: Romany, flames, and dairy distributors.
40 - "For All We Know," Shirley Bassey
The Tigress From Tiger Bay's tenth Top Ten was this ballad that the Carpenters had hit in the States with the previous year. This performance is brassy where Karen's is understated, yet both approaches work well.
39 - "Family Affair," Sly and the Family Stone
This was the Sylvester Stewart clan's third U.S. #1, but this funky rumination on blood relations only hit #15 here. That's all kinds of wrong.
38 - "(Find a) Reason to Believe," Rod Stewart
Roddy covers a tune by American folksinger Tim Hardin about trying out recover lost faith. The a capella bit near the end is one of his best vocal moments.
37 - "Till," Tom Jones
The biggest 70s hit for Tommy Woodward of Pontypridd was this "I'll love you forever" number. Big production, big vocal, and less than two-and-a-half minutes long. Efficiently effective.
36 - "I Will Return," Springwater
This was the only major hit for London musician Phil Cordell. It's a midtempo guitar instrumental that sounds like it could play over the credits of a Martin Scorsese movie. Quite good as these things go.
35 - "Back on the Road," Marmalade
This Glasgow band formed in 1961 and originally named themselves after a notorious Chicago street gang, You'd think that changing it to that of an orange preserve would be a step down, but when you consider that the old name was The Gaylords, perhaps not. The ninth of their eleven Top 40s was this acoustic jaunt about wanderlust. Not much to it. I don't think even Paddington Bear would be into this.
34 - "When You Get Right Down to It," Ronnie Dyson
The only British hithe for the Washington-born member of the original Broadway cast of Hair was this soul ballad about cherishing fleeting moments of pleasure. Sweetness.
33 - "Surrender," Diana Ross
Diana hadn't gone to #1 as a solo artist here yet as she had at home with "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." But where that was her only U.S. Top Ten to date, this soul please for devotion to avoid prosecution by "the highest court of love" was her fourth in Britain. It's a little derivative of "Mountain," but a deserving hit nonetheless.
32 - "Burundi Black," Burundi Steiphenson Black
This track is the creation of French musician Michel Benholc, who took an anthropological recording of drummers from the Ingoma people of Burundi and added piano and guitar. The unique beat would later inspire the two-drummer setup of Adam and the Ants. Unfortunately, this is a case where I can't find a record of the indigenous artists being compensated. That makes me uneasy, and not in the Uneasy Rider way.
31 - "Hooked on a Feeling," Jonathan King
The creepy pedophile was responsible for adding the "ooga chakas" that would later make Blue Swede famous. Like them, hate him.
30 - "Morning Has Broken," Cat Stevens
Cat's fourth Top Ten was a version of a 1931 hymn about the beauty of God's creation. Simple and beautiful.
29 - "Run Baby Run," The Newbeats
This bubblegum popper from the Louisanans best known for 1964's "Bread and Butter" originally came out in 1965, but became a surprise U.K. Top Ten seven years later. Good sunny pop.
28 - "Johnny Reggae," The Piglets
More from that King douche, this time a female-fronted skate number about an early incarnation of a "skinhead." They were not at the time the racists we associate that term with now, but rather influenced by Jamalcan "rude boys." Anyway, throwaway song, crap human being.
27 - "Theme from The Persuaders," John Barry
Yorkshireman John Barry Prendergast was a film and television composer best known for his iconic James Bond theme. He also had seven Top 40 singles, the last being this theme tune to an action TV series where Roger Moore and Tony Curtis played wealthy playboys who travelled the world chasing criminals. It's evocative enough that I would imagine the show to be good, but I might not ever watch it because of Curtis' reputation as an asshole.
26 - "You Gotta Have Love in Your Heart," The Supremes and The Four Tops
The post-Diana Supremes themed up with another veteran Motown act on this nice bit of soulful idealism. Needs more Levi Stubbs, though. He outshines everyone in his brief lead appearance.
25 - "Theme from The Onedin Line," The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra
This piece from the 1954 opera Spartacus by Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian was used as the theme for a TV series about a Manchester shipping company in the 1800s. It doesn't do much for me, but maybe it would if I heard it on a weekly basis.
24 - "Brand New Key," Melanie
Ms. Safka's Freudian roller skating jam was held to #4 by the Brits, denying it a Triple Crown. Still, some people say she done alright for a girl.
23 - "Stay With Me," Faces
Rod again, this time with the biggest American hit and first of three home Top Tens for the combination of himself, future Stone Ronnie Wood, and three former Small Faces. Certainly the best one-night-stand rock song of the decade, if not all time.
22 - "Banks of the Ohio," Olivia Newton-John
ONJ's second hit was a version of a 19th century murder ballad about killing one's lover because they refuse a marriage proposal. She had another side besides earnest sweetheart long before Grease. I like it.
21 - "A Horse with No Name," America
The folk rock machine kicked off with this Triple Crown near-miss, held to #3 here. I still don't know why he didn't just name the damn horse.
In Part II: Romany, flames, and dairy distributors.
Wednesday, January 10, 2018
...And As Years Go By: The Canadian Top 200 of 1979
First of all, you'll notice the name change. I just decided it was time, especially since these entries haven't had anything to do with Casey Kasem for a long time. It was perfect for the past, but something new is required for the future. And there may be more new stuff to come. Stay tuned.
But for now, let us return to 1979. The year Canada saw the brief reign of Joe "Who?" Clark, as well as a doubling of its number of NHL teams from three to six. Amid all of this, here are a few of the accompanying sounds.
199 - "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth," Meat Loaf
The third hit from Bat Out of Hell was this clearly Phil Spector-influenced song about love and lust, best known for the spoken word intro where Rory Dodds and Ellen Foley breathily discuss a scenario involving a hot summer night and a wolf with red roses. I wonder how this is incorporated into the Bat stage musical currently playing in Toronto. I would definitely be willing to see that, just to see what they made of the most blatantly theatrical
194 - "Little People," Rob Liddell (CanCon!)
Here's a first: a song that I have not been able to track down in any form. And I don't know much about it. The song seems to be an instrumental, with Liddell playing piano accompanied by the Ralph Cruickshank Orchestra, whoever they are. And the single was released on a label called Berandol, which mainly released orchestral music and educational records. So that's all I can tell you. If I ever hear it, I'll let you know.
191 - "Wheels of Life," Gino Vanelli (CanCon!)
The Montrealer followed up his #1 and U.S. Top Five "I Just Wanna Stop" with this ballad about love helping one face the future. It's his usual solid work, and I find the theme relevant at this moment in time.
190 - "Heartaches," Bachman-Turner Overdrive (CanCon!)
BTO's final Canadian hit was this rocker about getting dumped. It's okay, but it's another song that uses a certain word in a way where you can't tell if he means "genes" or "jeans," with the latter interpretation being more than a little creepy.
And by the way, half of the band name's hyphenated portion wasn't in the group at the time, and you'll learn what he was doing soon.
186 - "The Dream Never Dies," The Cooper Brothers (CanCon!)
Despite being from Ottawa, this band made inroads in the southern rock genre in the late 70s. In addition to its impact at home, their biggest hit got to #48 in America. It's a loping number about holding on to ambition, and it kind of sounds like the Allman Brothers Band with Crosby Stills Nash and Young singing the choruses. I remember it and I like it.
185 - "3 Dressed Up as a 9," Trooper (CanCon!)
The Vancouver band appears three times on this list, beginning with this song about a woman who dresses like she's more attractive than she is. Now I just looked up a picture of them back then, and I would say that they are about threes themselves and weren't even trying to upgrade, so... And I would also say that I can hear their influence on Loverboy very clearly on this one.
184 - "Rolene," Moon Martin
Oklahoman John David Martin wrote Robert Palmer's "Bad Case of Lovin' You," which went to #1 here and ended up #35 for the year. His biggest hit as a performer was this power-pop/rockabilly come-on. Goodness and plenty of it.
183 - "I'm the Man," Joe Jackson
Jackson had broken through on all three charts we cover here with "Is She Really Going Out with Him," but only Canada got behind his next single. It's a speedy punk tune on which Jackson portrays a corporate huckster who sells a gullible public mindless fads. He was right beside Elvis Costello in the "brainy punk" department early on, but he's been forgotten as years have gone on.
181 - "Arrow Through Me," Wings
1979 was arguably Macca's worst post-Beatles year artistically, and it included this limp lite-funk about heartbreak. A big old Mad magazine "Blecccchhh!:"
177 - "Sweet Lui-Louise," Ironhorse (CanCon!)
This is what Randy Bachman was doing at this time. This band's biggest hit is basically a rewrite of "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet," complete with stuttering chorus. Pointlessness embodied.
176 - "Sing for the Day," Styx
Welcome back, the Bob Seger of Chicago. This proggy track about living in the now missed the U.S. Top 40 by one, but got on this list here. It's like they decided they wanted to be Jethro Tull for a minute there.
172 - "Jane," Jefferson Starship
The Mackey Thomas era of these guys actually started with promise in the form of this solid rocker about a woman playing hard to get. It all went back to shit in the end, but this one you can enjoy without embarrassment.
168 - "Please Come Back to Me," The Good Brothers (CanCon!)
Led by twins Brian and Bruce Good and their younger sibling Larry, these guys from the Toronto suburb of Richmond Hill managed 22 country hits here from 1976 to 1994. Their biggest pop success came with this rock-edged baby-come-back effort. I could only find a 2003 live version, but that was pretty damn, well, good. And the family remains vital in the music biz, as Bruce's sons Travis and Dallas lead Toronto indie-country-rock veterans The Sadies.
167 - "The Boys in the Bright White Sports Car," Trooper (CanCon!)
These guys again, this time with a tune about a couple of working class guys cruising in one of the fancy vehicles of the era. I always picture a Pontiac Trans Am, complete with the gigantic eagle on the hood. This song first came out in 1976, but the hit version was a re-recording for their megaselling hits collection Hot Shots, which I'm sure is playing as we speak somewhere in Canada, in a basement or garage where men between the ages of 50 and 65 gather to talk cars and drink beers that are no longer in fashion, like Labatts 50 or Old Vienna.
165 - "Whispering Rain," Murray McLauchlan (CanCon!)
Scotland-born, Toronto-raised country-folkie McLauchlan was a 70s CanCon fixture. The last of his seven Top 40 hits was this evocative song about loneliness and isolation. His was a voice I'm glad government regulations allowed me to hear.
151 - "Message in a Bottle," The Police
It didn’t hit in America, but this was Sting and the boys' first home #1 and a sizable hit here. You all know it: frantic ska about a Robinson Crusoe type who sends a note into the ocean and is disheartened by a lacknowledge of response until suddenly, "a hundred billion bottles" show up on his beach. The modern equivalent, I suppose, would be a YouTube video going viral. I assume this story had a happier ending than many viral video stars do.
149 - "Get Up and Boogie," Freddie James (CanCon!)
Originally from St. Louis, James moved to Montreal in 1975, and from there he produced his biggest hit, this female-fronted call to dance. Solid, funky disco. James remains a fixture on the Montreal club scene, fronting a soul/funk cover band. This actually makes me want to see them, should I ever end up around that way.
148 - "Armageddon," Prism (CanCon!)
The Vancouverites' most enduring hit was this mini-epic that seems to indicate that Elvis Presley is going to come back to life and that will portend a nuclear holocaust which will take place where then-California governor Jerry Brown and his then-girlfriend Linda Ronstadt are the President and First Lady. The song is hard rock with some soul horns, bookended by appropriately apocalyptic martial dirges. The full version clocks in at nearly eight minutes, and it's an amazing listen. So self-serious, yet so absurd. I name it both Canada's 1979 Uneasy Rider and a Certified CanCon Classic.
141 - "Here Comes the Night," Nick Gilder (CanCon!)
Gilder's follow-up to the cross-border #1 "Hot Child in the City" was this glammy strutter about a fashionable seductress. It's pretty good, and if you seek it out, you can judge for yourself whether or not The Smiths stole the opening of this for "Girlfriend in a Coma."
135 - "Nobody," Doucette (CanCon!)
Montreal guitarist Jerry Doucette had two hits singles. The first, 1977's "Mama Let Him Play," has become a Canadian classic rock staple. His less remembered other hit was this kinda catchy pop rocker about the woman he can't live without. Decent enough.
134 - "I Will Play a Rhapsody," Burton Cummings (CanCon!)
The ex-Guess Whoer had his fourth Top 40 with this piano-driven rewrite of Elton John's "Your Song." He didn't disguise it cleverly enough.
132 - "Girls Talk," Dave Edmunds
The Welsh veteran didn't do much in the States with this version of a terrific Elvis Costello lust song, but it was Top Five in Britain and Top Twenty here. Notable for one of Big E's greatest turns of phrase: "You may not be an old-fashioned girl, but you're gonna get dated.
131 - "It's All I Can Do," The Cars
The Boston New Wavers just missed the Top 40 at home with this cool rock song about waiting on an unpredictable woman, but we put it in the Top Twenty. We're cool like that.
123 - "The Moment That it Takes," Trooper (CanCon!)
More from these guys, this time a breakup ballad. They rock better than they do this stuff.
112 - "Peter Piper," Frank Mills (CanCon!)
Another follow-up to a massive international hit. In the case of Montreal pianist Mills, the hit was "Music Box Dancer," and the follow up was this tingly, jaunty number inspired by the famous pickled pepper picker. No pipes on it, but a brief bit of electric organ. If only Run DMC had sampled this for their song of the same name.
111 - "Rhumba Girl," Nicolette Larson
And again. Montana native Larson scored big with a cover of Neil Young's "Lotta Love," but less so with this version of a song by Jesse Winchester, a fellow Yank who moved to Canada to avoid the Vietnam draft. Nice little song about a lady who dances seductively. Okay.
96 - " I Only Wanna Get Up and Dance," The Raes
92 - "A Little Lovin' (Keeps the Doctor Away)," The Raes (CanCon!)
British marrieds Robebie and Cherrill Raes moved to Canada in the late 70s, and soon landed nother only a deal to make disco records, but also a CBC TV variety show that ran for two seasons. Their two biggest hits were these; the former about boogieing, the latter about the health benefits of romance. The second one is the better song, and the couple shows a little Captain and Tennille-style chemistry. I'm not sure if I remember their show though, but I think I'll see if there's any of it on YouTube. The second season in particular had some interesting guests.
71 - "Dancer," Gino Soccio (CanCon!)
More Montreal disco, and another one credited to the producer instead of the female singers who go on about the power of moving your body. I'd like it if I was sent back in time to the middle of Studio 54 at its most decadent, but otherwise, I don't care.
59 - "Boogie Woogie Dancin' Shoes," Claudja Barry (CanCon!)
Jamaican-born Canadian Barry would have success on the American dance charts well into the 80s, but her biggest pop success was this Top Ten about her magical footwear. It's catchy, but I think a big part of that was the melody hook that sounds suspiciously like the one from The Music Explosion's 1967 garage rock classic "Little Bit o' Soul." But there has been no claim, so maybe I'm not hearing right.
And now, a very stable Top Ten.
10 - "Bad Girls," Donna Summer
The cross-border #1 disco classic about willing women. Toot toot, beep beep.
9 - "Reunited," Peaches and Herb
Again, a Can-Am charttopper. I'm sure it felt so good, but getting the Triple Crown would have felt better.
8 - "I Was Made for Lovin' You," Kiss
Almost Top Ten in the U.S., barely Top 50 in Britain, but us hosers made it a Number One. We loved us some Kissco.
7 - "A Little More Love," Olivia Newton-John
ONJ goes sexy rock chick, hits Top Five on our three charts. I'm still left cold. I liked her better mellow.
6 - "Goodnight Tonight," Wings
Ah, the days when Macca could turn on a Casio Latin beat and that would be enough to go Top Five. Sorry Paul, I will say it. Awful.
5 - "Knock on Wood," Amii Stewart
The disco speedball version of the Eddie Floyd soul classic just missed a Triple Crown. Britain blew it on this one.
4 - "Lead Me On," Maxine Nightingale
M. Night...ingale's second of two big hits. Fantastic soul balladry. Mood music to the max.
3 - "My Sharona," The Knack
The monster of lust-rock. Embedded in all our heads. Missed the Triple Crown by the margin of Britain. I would have thought the cover model's see-through Top would have got it there.
2 - "Heart of Glass," Blondie
Finally, a Triple Crown winner. And few have ever been more deserving than this swirling dervish that brought punk attitude to disco. A pop masterpiece.
And Canada's favorite song of 1979 was...
1 - "The Logical Song," Supertramp
The 'Tramp's pop poem of disillusionment was a solid Top Ten in America and Britain, but up here it was a monster, topping the charts for two weeks and winding up on top for the year. And the parent album, Breakfast in America, is one of the band's two Diamond-selling albums here. I don't know why, but Canada loves it some Supertramp.
And there you go. Keep watching for more.
But for now, let us return to 1979. The year Canada saw the brief reign of Joe "Who?" Clark, as well as a doubling of its number of NHL teams from three to six. Amid all of this, here are a few of the accompanying sounds.
199 - "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth," Meat Loaf
The third hit from Bat Out of Hell was this clearly Phil Spector-influenced song about love and lust, best known for the spoken word intro where Rory Dodds and Ellen Foley breathily discuss a scenario involving a hot summer night and a wolf with red roses. I wonder how this is incorporated into the Bat stage musical currently playing in Toronto. I would definitely be willing to see that, just to see what they made of the most blatantly theatrical
194 - "Little People," Rob Liddell (CanCon!)
Here's a first: a song that I have not been able to track down in any form. And I don't know much about it. The song seems to be an instrumental, with Liddell playing piano accompanied by the Ralph Cruickshank Orchestra, whoever they are. And the single was released on a label called Berandol, which mainly released orchestral music and educational records. So that's all I can tell you. If I ever hear it, I'll let you know.
191 - "Wheels of Life," Gino Vanelli (CanCon!)
The Montrealer followed up his #1 and U.S. Top Five "I Just Wanna Stop" with this ballad about love helping one face the future. It's his usual solid work, and I find the theme relevant at this moment in time.
190 - "Heartaches," Bachman-Turner Overdrive (CanCon!)
BTO's final Canadian hit was this rocker about getting dumped. It's okay, but it's another song that uses a certain word in a way where you can't tell if he means "genes" or "jeans," with the latter interpretation being more than a little creepy.
And by the way, half of the band name's hyphenated portion wasn't in the group at the time, and you'll learn what he was doing soon.
186 - "The Dream Never Dies," The Cooper Brothers (CanCon!)
Despite being from Ottawa, this band made inroads in the southern rock genre in the late 70s. In addition to its impact at home, their biggest hit got to #48 in America. It's a loping number about holding on to ambition, and it kind of sounds like the Allman Brothers Band with Crosby Stills Nash and Young singing the choruses. I remember it and I like it.
185 - "3 Dressed Up as a 9," Trooper (CanCon!)
The Vancouver band appears three times on this list, beginning with this song about a woman who dresses like she's more attractive than she is. Now I just looked up a picture of them back then, and I would say that they are about threes themselves and weren't even trying to upgrade, so... And I would also say that I can hear their influence on Loverboy very clearly on this one.
184 - "Rolene," Moon Martin
Oklahoman John David Martin wrote Robert Palmer's "Bad Case of Lovin' You," which went to #1 here and ended up #35 for the year. His biggest hit as a performer was this power-pop/rockabilly come-on. Goodness and plenty of it.
183 - "I'm the Man," Joe Jackson
Jackson had broken through on all three charts we cover here with "Is She Really Going Out with Him," but only Canada got behind his next single. It's a speedy punk tune on which Jackson portrays a corporate huckster who sells a gullible public mindless fads. He was right beside Elvis Costello in the "brainy punk" department early on, but he's been forgotten as years have gone on.
181 - "Arrow Through Me," Wings
1979 was arguably Macca's worst post-Beatles year artistically, and it included this limp lite-funk about heartbreak. A big old Mad magazine "Blecccchhh!:"
177 - "Sweet Lui-Louise," Ironhorse (CanCon!)
This is what Randy Bachman was doing at this time. This band's biggest hit is basically a rewrite of "You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet," complete with stuttering chorus. Pointlessness embodied.
176 - "Sing for the Day," Styx
Welcome back, the Bob Seger of Chicago. This proggy track about living in the now missed the U.S. Top 40 by one, but got on this list here. It's like they decided they wanted to be Jethro Tull for a minute there.
172 - "Jane," Jefferson Starship
The Mackey Thomas era of these guys actually started with promise in the form of this solid rocker about a woman playing hard to get. It all went back to shit in the end, but this one you can enjoy without embarrassment.
168 - "Please Come Back to Me," The Good Brothers (CanCon!)
Led by twins Brian and Bruce Good and their younger sibling Larry, these guys from the Toronto suburb of Richmond Hill managed 22 country hits here from 1976 to 1994. Their biggest pop success came with this rock-edged baby-come-back effort. I could only find a 2003 live version, but that was pretty damn, well, good. And the family remains vital in the music biz, as Bruce's sons Travis and Dallas lead Toronto indie-country-rock veterans The Sadies.
167 - "The Boys in the Bright White Sports Car," Trooper (CanCon!)
These guys again, this time with a tune about a couple of working class guys cruising in one of the fancy vehicles of the era. I always picture a Pontiac Trans Am, complete with the gigantic eagle on the hood. This song first came out in 1976, but the hit version was a re-recording for their megaselling hits collection Hot Shots, which I'm sure is playing as we speak somewhere in Canada, in a basement or garage where men between the ages of 50 and 65 gather to talk cars and drink beers that are no longer in fashion, like Labatts 50 or Old Vienna.
165 - "Whispering Rain," Murray McLauchlan (CanCon!)
Scotland-born, Toronto-raised country-folkie McLauchlan was a 70s CanCon fixture. The last of his seven Top 40 hits was this evocative song about loneliness and isolation. His was a voice I'm glad government regulations allowed me to hear.
151 - "Message in a Bottle," The Police
It didn’t hit in America, but this was Sting and the boys' first home #1 and a sizable hit here. You all know it: frantic ska about a Robinson Crusoe type who sends a note into the ocean and is disheartened by a lacknowledge of response until suddenly, "a hundred billion bottles" show up on his beach. The modern equivalent, I suppose, would be a YouTube video going viral. I assume this story had a happier ending than many viral video stars do.
149 - "Get Up and Boogie," Freddie James (CanCon!)
Originally from St. Louis, James moved to Montreal in 1975, and from there he produced his biggest hit, this female-fronted call to dance. Solid, funky disco. James remains a fixture on the Montreal club scene, fronting a soul/funk cover band. This actually makes me want to see them, should I ever end up around that way.
148 - "Armageddon," Prism (CanCon!)
The Vancouverites' most enduring hit was this mini-epic that seems to indicate that Elvis Presley is going to come back to life and that will portend a nuclear holocaust which will take place where then-California governor Jerry Brown and his then-girlfriend Linda Ronstadt are the President and First Lady. The song is hard rock with some soul horns, bookended by appropriately apocalyptic martial dirges. The full version clocks in at nearly eight minutes, and it's an amazing listen. So self-serious, yet so absurd. I name it both Canada's 1979 Uneasy Rider and a Certified CanCon Classic.
141 - "Here Comes the Night," Nick Gilder (CanCon!)
Gilder's follow-up to the cross-border #1 "Hot Child in the City" was this glammy strutter about a fashionable seductress. It's pretty good, and if you seek it out, you can judge for yourself whether or not The Smiths stole the opening of this for "Girlfriend in a Coma."
135 - "Nobody," Doucette (CanCon!)
Montreal guitarist Jerry Doucette had two hits singles. The first, 1977's "Mama Let Him Play," has become a Canadian classic rock staple. His less remembered other hit was this kinda catchy pop rocker about the woman he can't live without. Decent enough.
134 - "I Will Play a Rhapsody," Burton Cummings (CanCon!)
The ex-Guess Whoer had his fourth Top 40 with this piano-driven rewrite of Elton John's "Your Song." He didn't disguise it cleverly enough.
132 - "Girls Talk," Dave Edmunds
The Welsh veteran didn't do much in the States with this version of a terrific Elvis Costello lust song, but it was Top Five in Britain and Top Twenty here. Notable for one of Big E's greatest turns of phrase: "You may not be an old-fashioned girl, but you're gonna get dated.
131 - "It's All I Can Do," The Cars
The Boston New Wavers just missed the Top 40 at home with this cool rock song about waiting on an unpredictable woman, but we put it in the Top Twenty. We're cool like that.
123 - "The Moment That it Takes," Trooper (CanCon!)
More from these guys, this time a breakup ballad. They rock better than they do this stuff.
112 - "Peter Piper," Frank Mills (CanCon!)
Another follow-up to a massive international hit. In the case of Montreal pianist Mills, the hit was "Music Box Dancer," and the follow up was this tingly, jaunty number inspired by the famous pickled pepper picker. No pipes on it, but a brief bit of electric organ. If only Run DMC had sampled this for their song of the same name.
111 - "Rhumba Girl," Nicolette Larson
And again. Montana native Larson scored big with a cover of Neil Young's "Lotta Love," but less so with this version of a song by Jesse Winchester, a fellow Yank who moved to Canada to avoid the Vietnam draft. Nice little song about a lady who dances seductively. Okay.
96 - " I Only Wanna Get Up and Dance," The Raes
92 - "A Little Lovin' (Keeps the Doctor Away)," The Raes (CanCon!)
British marrieds Robebie and Cherrill Raes moved to Canada in the late 70s, and soon landed nother only a deal to make disco records, but also a CBC TV variety show that ran for two seasons. Their two biggest hits were these; the former about boogieing, the latter about the health benefits of romance. The second one is the better song, and the couple shows a little Captain and Tennille-style chemistry. I'm not sure if I remember their show though, but I think I'll see if there's any of it on YouTube. The second season in particular had some interesting guests.
71 - "Dancer," Gino Soccio (CanCon!)
More Montreal disco, and another one credited to the producer instead of the female singers who go on about the power of moving your body. I'd like it if I was sent back in time to the middle of Studio 54 at its most decadent, but otherwise, I don't care.
59 - "Boogie Woogie Dancin' Shoes," Claudja Barry (CanCon!)
Jamaican-born Canadian Barry would have success on the American dance charts well into the 80s, but her biggest pop success was this Top Ten about her magical footwear. It's catchy, but I think a big part of that was the melody hook that sounds suspiciously like the one from The Music Explosion's 1967 garage rock classic "Little Bit o' Soul." But there has been no claim, so maybe I'm not hearing right.
And now, a very stable Top Ten.
10 - "Bad Girls," Donna Summer
The cross-border #1 disco classic about willing women. Toot toot, beep beep.
9 - "Reunited," Peaches and Herb
Again, a Can-Am charttopper. I'm sure it felt so good, but getting the Triple Crown would have felt better.
8 - "I Was Made for Lovin' You," Kiss
Almost Top Ten in the U.S., barely Top 50 in Britain, but us hosers made it a Number One. We loved us some Kissco.
7 - "A Little More Love," Olivia Newton-John
ONJ goes sexy rock chick, hits Top Five on our three charts. I'm still left cold. I liked her better mellow.
6 - "Goodnight Tonight," Wings
Ah, the days when Macca could turn on a Casio Latin beat and that would be enough to go Top Five. Sorry Paul, I will say it. Awful.
5 - "Knock on Wood," Amii Stewart
The disco speedball version of the Eddie Floyd soul classic just missed a Triple Crown. Britain blew it on this one.
4 - "Lead Me On," Maxine Nightingale
M. Night...ingale's second of two big hits. Fantastic soul balladry. Mood music to the max.
3 - "My Sharona," The Knack
The monster of lust-rock. Embedded in all our heads. Missed the Triple Crown by the margin of Britain. I would have thought the cover model's see-through Top would have got it there.
2 - "Heart of Glass," Blondie
Finally, a Triple Crown winner. And few have ever been more deserving than this swirling dervish that brought punk attitude to disco. A pop masterpiece.
And Canada's favorite song of 1979 was...
1 - "The Logical Song," Supertramp
The 'Tramp's pop poem of disillusionment was a solid Top Ten in America and Britain, but up here it was a monster, topping the charts for two weeks and winding up on top for the year. And the parent album, Breakfast in America, is one of the band's two Diamond-selling albums here. I don't know why, but Canada loves it some Supertramp.
And there you go. Keep watching for more.
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