August 1981. Canada’s best professional hockey players were preparing to play in the best-on-best Canada Cup, anticipating another triumph over the Soviet Union. That didn’t quite pan out. But these were among the songs they might have heard on their car radios to and from practice.
Bonus Track: “What Have You Got to Do (To Get Off Tonight),” Red Rider (CanCon!)
The second hit for Tom Cochrane’s Boys was a week away from entering the Top 50, where it would peak at #42. It’s a poppy rocker about a working class guy trying to pick up a fashionable woman, with an unresolved reference to some kind of “accident.” It’s okay, but has been far eclipsed by another track from its parent album, the haunting, haunted “Lunatic Fringe.”
50 - “Sign of the Gypsy Queen,” April Wine (CanCon!)
The whopping 21st hit for the Nova Scotia rock institution was this hard rocker about an Old West town preparing to evacuate based on an ominous premonition from a fortune teller. I think that’s it. A good soundtrack for top-down highway cruising on the way to a cottage weekend.
49 - “If the Wind Could Blow My Troubles Away,” Murray McLauchlan (CanCon!)
Murray Mac’s last Top 50 was this big, almost gospel number about wishing that weather phenomena could solve his problems. A big, modern-for-the-times production that was a departure, but it charms nonetheless.
47 - “The Coldest Night of the Year,” Bruce Cockburn (CanCon!)
Brucie’s third hit was this folk-rocker about watching the world around you while separated from the one you love. Like it is on many an 80s track, the sax solo is unnecessary, but it doesn’t do too much damage. A nice one.
45 - “Tempted,” Squeeze
Although it didn’t make the Top 40, this soulful portrait of infidelity (featuring vocals from regular singerGlenn Tilbrook, New keyboardist Paul Carrack, and producer Elvis Costello) was the band’s North American breakthrough. It still holds up as one of the decade’s great pop songs.
44 - “Chains,” Ian Thomas (CanCon!)
IT’s seventh home hit was this pop-rock rumination on feeling guilt for things you aren’t responsible for. Apparently, Chicago covered this. I don’t even want to bother. I prefer this song Cetera-free.
37 - “A Life of Illusion,” Joe Walsh
Walsh’s last North American Top 40 was this loping rocker about doubting the reality around you. He cements his place as rock’s favourite burnout uncle.
36 - “Nothing Ever Goes as Planned,” Styx
Before they tried to imitate Devo later in the decade, the Bob Seger of Chicago did their best Steely Dan on this tune about not being able to win no matter what. It’s the closest they could come, but it ends up not being very satisfying. Truth in labelling.
35 - “Thirsty Ears,” The Powder Blues Band (CanCon!)
These Vancouver blues recreationists had their biggest of three hits with this celebration of playing and listening to music. If you’re satisfied with the Blues Brothers, this will quench you.
34 - “Happy Birthday Kid,” Geoff Hughes (CanCon!)
I can’t find anything about this guy, but I know he’s Canadian, and his only hit was this sinister New Wave track about abandonment and dysfunctional relationships and things of this nature. It’s got a very Gary Numan vibe that escaped my vague memories of it. I like it so much that, to my surprise, I’m inducting it into the realm of Certified CanCon Classics.
33 - “A Woman’s Got the Power,” The A’s
This Philly band, who possibly named themselves after the baseball team that originated in their hometown before relocating to Kansas City and later Oakland, had their biggest pop success up here, with this soul-influenced New Waver about the support a female can give to a man. Well-intentioned, but dated in every way.
27 - “So This is Love,” Van Halen
This lusty shuffler failed to crack the Top 100 at home, but it became their first Canadian Top Twenty. It’s a pretty good distillation of VH’s pre-1984 sound and attitude.
19 - “Medley II,” Stars on 45
The Dutch dance recyclers with their second series of soundalike versions of Beatles hits, including “A Hard Day’s Night,” “I Wanna Hold Your Hand,” and “Please Please Me,” with solo George’s “My Sweet Lord” thrown in. Despite having better known Fabs hits than their first medley, this wasn’t as successful. Go figure.
Don’t tell me it’s the Top Ten.
10 - “Medley,” Stars on 45
The first one. Britain heroically prevented it from a Triple Crown. I’m as surprised as you are.
9 - “Fire and Ice,” Pat Benatar
Only #17 at home, but this tough rocker about an up-and-down relationship became her first Top Five Up here. We seemed to get La Benatar more, and I’m proud of that.
8 - “Queen of Hearts,” Juice Newton
The Juicer’s greatest hit was first a U.K. #11 for Dave Edmunds. Haven’t heard that one yet, but Ms. Newton set the bar very high. If you don’t like this, the Joker isn’t the only fool.
7 - “The Stroke,” Billy Squier
Another rockin’ U.S. Top 20 that we made Top Ten. “Slammin’” is the adjective that comes to mind. A pillar of hard rock.
6 - “Jessie’s Girl,” Rick Springfield
The Aussie’s eternal evocation of envy was an American #1, but we stingily didn’t let it beyond this spot. At least we can look down at the Brits, who only deemed it worth #43.
5 - “Sausalito Summernight,” Diesel
The Dutch band’s only hit, a chugging rocker about cruising in the San Francisco Bay Area, was way bigger here that Down South. I like our position. Fun rock with a little jazzy guitar noodling. How can you go wrong.
4 - “Urgent,” Foreigner
Their half-British and half-American, but it was up to Canada to make this a #1. Maybe it was because here, their name is 100% true. That’s one theory.
3 - “The One that You Love,” Air Supply
The Australian Russells missed having a cross-border #1 by one place here. They never got one here, even when they deserved it with “Making Love Out of Nothing at All.”
2 - “In the Air Tonight,” Phil Collins
The haunting prog-pop masterpiece got this high here and in Britain, but only to #19 in the States. They’ve more than caught up in their appreciation, but still, we reMEMBAH, we remember don’t worry worry worry.
1 - “Gemini Dream,” The Moody Blues
Somehow, the prog band’s embrace of synthpop hit the Canuck sweet spot and topped the charts here. I like it a lot, but even I can’t quite justify that. Maybe we were just ahead of the curve that everyone else would catch on to later with Yes’ “Owner of a Lonely Heart.”
Back to Britain next time. See you then.
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