Halloween 1987. On this day, the Reform Party of Canada was formed. Some would say that was not a coincidence. I will decline comment. Meanwhile, these were the tricks and treats the pop chart had to offer.
Bonus Track #1: 66 - "Dream Girl," FM (CanCon!)
This Toronto band was known for their science-fiction lyrics, and the fact that their frontman, Jeff "Nash the Slash" Plewman, performed while wearing a top hat and tails, with his face wrapped in bandages and sunglasses perched upon his nose. While mainly dealing in prog rock, they had a pop side which produced two mid-80s Top 50 hits, the second being this rock love song whose only offbeat element is a subtle reference to past lives. Nice enough radio fodder, but not typical of the stuff that made their legend.
Bonus Track #2: 58 - "You Make Me Love You," Roger Hodgson
Hodgson was a founding member of Supertramp, and the voice of most of their iconic 70s hits. After leaving the band in 1983, he released a solo album which sold well and garnered decent airplay. But just before the release of his second LP, he suffered two broken wrists in a household fall, which sidelined him from promoting the record and almost certainly contributed to the disappointing performance of this single. Although I would say that this isn't very good: just bland soft rock delivered sleepily. For a better solo single, track down 1984's "Had a Dream (Sleeping with the Enemy."
Bonus Track #3: 57 - "Oh Yeah," Yello
The Swiss duo of Dieter Meier and Boris Blank were electronic music pioneers in the 80s, but they achieved their greatest success when this 1985 track was remixed and re-released after its attention-grabbing use in the films Ferris Bueller's Day Off and The Secret of My Success. Indelible for its distorted growls about the beauty of the moon and sun, as well as those "chick, chicka-chickAAAHH"s, it wasn't a major chart hit in most countries, but media licensing of the track has paid handsomely, and Meier has reported turned his share into a fortune of over $100 million through savvy investments. Ohhhhhhhh...goody.
45 - "Ordinary People," The Box (CanCon!)
Coming late to the Cold War anxiety party famously attended by Elton John ("Nikita") and Sting ("Russians"), the Montreal band picked up a Top Twenty with this pop-rock tune about how beyond the political bluster, people on both sides of the Iron Curtain just want to go about their lives and be happy. Snippets of both superpowers' anthems are played, and singer Jean-Marc Pisapia even wonders if there's a "Russian Sting" (and a "Soviet Rambo"). Not the most profound political commentary, but a fine pop song.
43 - "Rain," Michael Breen (CanCon!)
Quebec native Michel Pepin anglicized his name to appeal to the English-language market, and he managed one hit with this bit of indistinct CanPop. Nothing to remember.
41 - "Notorious," Loverboy (CanCon!)
One might think that the Vancouver boys would fit right into the late-80s hair-metal scene, but this would be their last hit, and it failed to reach the Top Twenty on either side of the border. This despite the return of lomgtime producer Bruce Fairbairn, who was now red-hot after multiplatinum success with Bon Jovi and being entrusted to give Aerosmith their comeback. I wonder if it was because they weren't sure what side they wanted to approach from. Their are synths here, indicating a desire to attract the girls who liked Jon Bon, but there's also a harmonica solo, which signaled a bid for some Toxic Twins-style grit. Perhaps in the end, trying to please both pleased neither. Outside of that context, it's boilerplate, dumb-lust Loverboy, which to me isn't good or bad, it just is.
37 - "Nothing's Gonna Stop Me Now," Samantha Fox
The Page 3 queen's third U.K. Top Ten flopped in America but went Top 30 here. It's a S/A/W production, just as Rick Astley was heating up and Kylie Minogue was waiting to be unleashed. This isn't much, but Kylie would have added a lot. When they talked about the healthy set of "lungs" on Sam, however, they weren't referring to her voice.
26 - "Stay With Me," Tu (CanCon!)
Toronto twins Amanda and Cassandra DiBlasi first tried their hand at country, landing an appearance on the CBC's Tommy Hunter Show in 1985. They turned to dance-pop and managed a Top Ten with this single, then disappeared. It's catchy enough to sound good on the radio for about a month before provoking dial-turning. Hey, even accomplishing that just one time is something many aspire to but few achieve, so fair play to them.
21 - "Last of the Red Hot Fools," The Jitters (CanCon!)
It's appropriate that one of this Toronto band's big breaks was opening for Huey Lewis and the News, because they have the same rock/soul vibe. Overall, I'd say they were on that same level, but inferior to the better version of both bands, Doug and The Slugs. But this is good for what it is. And for the record, I though they did okay when they tried to go dark and alternative three years later, but I'm not surprised at the failure of that gambit.
19 - "Contact," Platinum Blonde (CanCon!)
The Toronto synth poppers were just two years removed from scoring the rare feat of having a domestic #1 that didn't even chart in America with "Crying Over You" when they released this title track to their third album. It's lust-minded pop-rock, but it doesn't have the new-wave edge of their previous material. But it's better than I remembered.
18 - "Try," Blue Rodeo (CanCon!)
The hit that immediately made the Toronto country-rockers one of the nation's best-loved and most-respected bands. Jim Cuddy bleeds his unrequited love directly into your ears, and that weeping guitar and mournful organ could rend the sturdiest heart. In a just world, this is known and loved by everyone everywhere. Needless to say, it's a Certified Can-Con Classic.
17 - "Dance Desire," Haywire (CanCon!)
The only Top Ten for the pride of P.E.I. was this bit of catchy hard rock. Just okay, but the best they ever did. Arguably, they were doing Loverboy better than the actual Loverboy was at the time.
15 - "Together (The New Wedding Song)," Joey Gregorash (CanCon!)
This Winnipeg singer-songwriter was fifteen years removed from his run of four Top Twenty hits when the flip side of a 1984 charity single for a local children's hospital, a song he had created for a friend's wedding, was discovered by a DJ and became a national Top Ten. It's what you might expect: earnest, sappy, and smelling of banquet halls and drunken uncles. Someone must think this sort of thing is romantic, but it sure isn't me.
10 - "When Smokey Sings," ABC
The Sheffield sophisticates went Top Five in North America with their slick tribute to Mr. Robinson, but it only got to #25 at home. I'm with them, This is too polished for me, and I like Martin Fry better when he's bitter and sarcastic.
9 - "Lost in Emotion," Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
Unlike "Head to Toe," which we made a cross-border #1, we didn't cooperate on this one, holding it to #7. Another result I agree with. This is a weaker song, buoyed by production.
8 - "Bad," Michael Jackson
Surprisingly, this only went to #1 in the States, held to the Top Five in the other Crown countries. In fact, only "Billie Jean" and "Black or White" got Triple Crowns. That seems light. I would have guessed five at the least.
7 - "Causing a Commotion," Madonna
Speaking of Triple Crowns, Madge has four. But this isn't one. It was #2 in the States, #4 in the Kingdom, and this high here. A 2-4-7. Call it an All Day. One of her average singles.
6 - "La Bamba," Los Lobos
The Wolves of L.A. got the Triple Crown with their cover of a Mexican folk song via Richie Valens. Still exuberance and joy. And I still hope to someday be a capitan instead of a mere marinero.
5 - "Only in My Dreams," Debbie Gibson
The Brooklyn teen's peppy debut got to 4, 6, and 11 in America, Canada and Britain respectively. Those sound like the times for weekday local TV news. Call it an Irv Weinstein, after the Buffalo anchorlord of my youth.
4 - "I Heard a Rumour," Bananarama
The trio got highest here with this one, making it to #2. That's a fact. But it's not much more than middling S/A/W material.
3 - "Paper in Fire," John Mellencamp
Only we made the former Cougar's incendiary critique of empty lifestyles a #1. I can sign off on that. Possibly his best.
2 - "Here I Go Again," Whitesnake
Their revamp of their 1982 single captured the North American legs of the Triple Crown. Speaking of legs, I wonder what Tawny Kitaen is up to these days.
1 - "Mony Mony," Billy Idol
Officially, the live version of his Tommy James cover was the single that was the cross-border #1. But I remember most stations playing the studio version, Apparently, he recently did a new version where he does the infamous obscene chant. I don't think I want to hear it. Subversion always suffers when it's condoned.
Next time we're doing more tournament. Join me for that when it happens.
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