Making your move you come down as fast as lightnin' Crossing the stage and now you can feel the excitement

Double Hit – Canadian Rock

“Your Daddy Don’t Know” by Toronto (1982)

“Don’t it Make You Feel” by the Headpins (1982)

I saw Holly Woods, former leader singer of the Canadian Band ‘Toronto’ perform in this rural bar a few years ago. It is sometimes sad to see an act once they are past their prime. Although Holly was pretty good still and had most of the range of her voice, she expressed bitterness that Ann Wilson of Heart recorded “What About Love”, saying it was her song. I looked into this and the song was actually dropped from ‘Toronto’s third album “Get it on Credit” when it came out in the fall of ’82. Too bad Holly. Who knew Ann would make it a hit.

Watch your step as you make your way from the church into this world of sin. Picture an angel with a cigarette burnin’, with a long slow drag as she welcomes you in...

Music: What is it really? More importantly: What is it to you?

“National Steel” by Colin James (1997)

I think it is very difficult to define what music is. I am going to get a bit heavy in this blog but bear with me as I give you some thoughts and ideas so you can frame your own ideas – or conversely tell me I am full of crap. I was at this multimedia presentation the other day and the question was asked: What is music? (Thanks James!)

It seems pretty self-explanatory on the surface but the more I thought about it the deeper it got...

It is not a universal word to all cultures so let’s just stick with the English word for the time being.  Let’s also make the assumption that music is unique to humans and like a tree in the forest to exist it has to be played out loud.

Standin' on your mama's porch You told me it would last forever Oh the way you held my hand I knew that it was now or never

Quick Hit

“Summer of ‘69” by Bryan Adams (1985)

I do know someone that sat beside Glen Campbell on a plane. I know someone who was on the deck of a boat with the Beatles when he was a kid and my sister was in an elevator with Duran Duran once. I also know someone who rode with Huey Lewis and the News on a plane once. My daughter saw Dan Ackroyd at the garden center once.  One of my friends saw Van Morrison regularly and had met the “brown–eyed girl’ once.

I was once at this party where someone had met and said they knew Bryan Adams. He was supposed to show up. I waited all night for him - and of course he never showed. I am sure he was too busy making records or writing songs, well at least that is what I tell myself.

Peter Pumpkinhead came to town spreading wisdom and cash around fed the starving and housed the poor showed the Vatican what gold’s for .

Quick Hit

“The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead, Ellen Reid of the Crash Test Dummies (1996)

The voice of Brad Roberts is unmistakable. His bass-baritone timbre resonates in songs like “Superman’s Song” and “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm”. 

The Canadian, ‘Crash Test Dummies’ from Winnipeg, got their name from a suggested by a friend of the bands who was in medical school.  Really started as a bit of a joke, Brad played as “Bad Brad Roberts & The St. James Rhythm Pigs” at the Spectrum Cabaret and the Blue Notes Cafe owned by Curtis Riddell. When the name change occurred, Ellen Reid (vocals/keyboards), Ben Darvill (harmonica/mandolin) were permanent members of the ‘Dummies’ and the line later added Robert’s brother Dan (bass), and Mitch Dorge (drums).

She likes to play for double or nothin' She's tellin' all the boys she's hot And everybody knows she's ready To give it everything that she got

Pick of the Week

“Roller”, April Wine (1979)

In my mind this is one of the greatest Canadian bands of all time. This is a case where Cancon certainly helped a Canadian band. What has always left me  really puzzled is why they did not do better in the U.S., at least not like their contemporaries, like Rush? I question what their management and the record companies were doing. They were always a consistent, enduring, solid band that produced many, many fine rock songs and great ballads. Goodwyn's voice was better than Geddy Lee's, any day of the week - a great rock voice for sure.

And then just like Greta Garbo You stare like there’s no tomorrow And you’ll know what I’m thinking of Right before your eyes I fall in love with you

Sappy Song Department

"Right Before Your Eyes", Ian Thomas (1977)

There is a certain innocence/loneliness about Ian Thomas’ brilliant song writing. He seems to have somehow been overlooked, and yet his lyrics with their objective sensitivity, and heartfelt delivery, have a way of making you identify with what he is talking about. Why wasn’t he more popular?   

I had many 45s of his including some of my favourites: “Mother Earth”, “Pilot”,”Liars” and “Painted Ladies” - they were staples of the Canadian music landscape in the 70’s. Some of the biggest names in music have done covers of his songs including Chicago, Santana, Manfred Mann, and Bette Midler.

I used to think maybe you loved me now baby I'm sure and I just can't wait till the day when you knock on my door

Pick of the Week

 “Walking on Sunshine”, Katrina and the Waves (1983/85)

One of the feel-good songs of all time, Katrina and the Waves were one of the forerunners of the new wave movement, but as a band, the rain came out and washed them away.  

Katrina Leskanich and her boy friend at the time, Vince de la Cruz (seriously, real name? Perfect for a novel, or hey, a band!), were air force brats that cut their teeth playing ‘60s R&B, Motown and other such stuff on the military base circuit in the U.S.  Their band they called “Mama’s Cookin’” toured England in 1979. There was a great love for this type of music in England still, although punk was seriously under way.

Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone

Hip to be Square

“Big Yellow Taxi”, Joni Mitchell (1970)

I remember listening to “Both Sides Now” coming from the funky little yellow radio my Dad had in the kitchen that he snapped on every morning – which seemed like he had been doing every morning since the dawn of time. I heard a lot of songs on that radio. I had my toast with peanut butter at the arborite table, wondering if I would be on the Green team or the Red team for ‘Sports’ day. Listening to Joni, I made special note to look at the clouds when I sat on the schoolyard waiting my turn for long jump or high jump or whatever else they made us do.  It seemed to me I had never really looked at clouds at all.