Canada’s All Time Top Songs – #97

We have now got to 97 on the list, “Crying Over You” by Platinum Blonde. The band formed in the early 80’s and had a string of hits on Canadian airwaves. They had minimal success in the USA, so my readers from anywhere but Canada will find them to be a new band. The song featured here was their one and only number 1 in Canada. It was taken from their 1985 album “Alien Shores”. The album spawned (see what I did there) 4 singles and is likely the pinnacle of their success. It included their only charted single in the USA, “Somebody, Somewhere” which reached 82 on the Billboard Top 100 and 23 in Canada.

The band is still touring and had released an album of new material in 2012.

Without further adieu, the number 97 Canadian hit of all time, “Crying Over You”.

Canada’s All Time Top Songs – #98

At 98 is a signature song from former Sweeney Todd singer, Nick Gilder. The track is Hot Child In The City.

Sweeney Todd had a big hit in 1976 with Roxy Roller. After that success, Nick left the band, going solo and signing a record deal in the USA. That deal spawned the featured song which hit number 1 in both Canada and the USA. Unfortunately, he never realized much further success, never again hitting the top 40. He did have success as a songwriter as well, penning hits for diverse artist as Pat Benatar and Bette Midler.

Canada’s All Time Top Songs – #99

At 99 we present “We Run” by Strange Advance. A Vancouver new wave band, they formed in 1982, and were almost immediately nominated for a Juno (Canada’s Grammy) as most promising band. “We Run” was taken from their album, “2WO” and released as a single in 1985. It reached number 28 on the RPM pop chart. The band never made any inroads outside of Canada and essentially went dormant after releasing their 3rd album in 1988. . Fun fact, they were mostly a session band and apparently had never played live as a group prior to 1985.

Canada’s All Time Top Songs – #100

The first entry into our top 100 is Honeymoon Suite and their song Love Changes Everything.

Back in the hair band days of the 1980’s, Honeymoon Suite was formed in 1981 in Niagara Falls, Ontario. The name and the place share a connection, very witty. They had a string of hits in Canada throughout the 80’s and even had some traction in the USA, highlighted by performing the title track for the movie Lethal Weapon.

Love Changes Everything was released in 1988 and is on their album Racing After Midnight. The song reached number 9 in Canada, 13 on the US Rock and 91 on the US chart, all by Billboard. The band is still recording, it’s latest release was in 2019.

Get ready to rock to a live version of the tune, live is always best.

Song Of The Day – The Guess Who – Running Back To Saskatoon

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

It’s theme week on Song Of The Day.  The theme, songs about Canadian cities.  Winnipeg.  Check.  Montreal.  Check.  Now it is time for Saskatoon.  The Guess Who did this one way back in 1972.  As an added city bonus, the song also has references to Moosomin, Moose Jaw, Broadview in Saskatchewan, Red Deer, Hanna and Medicine Hat in Alberta, Terrace in BC and for some reason Hong Kong.  No idea why Hong Kong.  The other towns would all be familiar to Winnipeg bands playing the Western Canadian pub and club circuit.  Enjoy the classic “Running Back To Saskatoon”.

 

Related articles

• Song Of The Day – Raine Maida – “Montreal” (joebeans2002.com)

 

Remembering Darryl Cotton

Australian singer, actor and television personality Darryl Cotton passed away at 62 on July 27.  As I researched his career, I was amazed at the depth and connections he had.  He played with Rick Springfield, was involved with a group that morphed into the Little River Band, song-wrote for Donny and Marie Osmond, Olivia Newton-John, Shaun Cassidy, The New Seekers and Engelbert Humperdink.

Enjoy his 1980 hit “Same Old Girl”.

 

Remembering Jon Lord

Deep Purple (Photo credit: daniconil)

July 16, saw the passing of rock keyboard innovator, Jon Lord.  He was 71.  Best known as one of the founding members of 70’s icons, Deep Purple, he also played with Whitesnake.  He played on the classic song by The Kinks, “You Really Got Me“.  He was on albums by David Gilmour and George Harrison.  He virtually created the riffs used to this day by keyboardists in all types of popular music.

In my life, Deep Purple was one of the bands that formed my musical tastes.  Machine Head is still an album that makes me perk up and listen.  I will never forget Smoke On The Water or Highway Star, which are very much a part of the soundtrack of my life.  The band in heaven just got a bit better.

Highway Star

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Smoke On The Water

Remembering Bob Welch

Cover of French Kiss

 

June 7, 2012 saw the passing of former Fleetwood Mac guitarist, Bob Welch.  Another great one lost.  He committed suicide at the age of 66.  In addition to his time with the band, he had a successful solo career.  Here are a couple of those solo hits in his honor.

 

Sentimental Lady

 

 

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Ebony Eyes

 

 

Song Of The Day – Spanish Train – Chris De Burgh

Chris de Burgh in concert in Cork city. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Back home and figured this was an appropriate segue to getting back into things.  A classic song from a great story-teller.  Chris De Burgh released this song a long, long time ago and now that I have experienced the Spanish train system firsthand……it is fitting.

Spanish Train

Canada’s Best Music – 5 Songs At A Time – Part 26

Today’s collection includes some country rock, some classic staples, some music from my favourite city and some really sappy 70’s pop.

1. Murray McLauchlan

“Try Walking Away”

Murray McLauchlan (album) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Murray had a strong career in the 70’s and 80’s, writing and recording many current staples on Canadian classic radio.  Unfortunately, he never hit mainstream elsewhere.

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2. The Poppy Family

“Where Evil Grows”

Terry Jacks Guests on OTR (Photo credit: Stephen Dyrgas)

Smaltzy Canadian pop at its’ best (worst?).  The Poppy Family had a string of North American hits in the late 60’s and early 70’s.  The group was made up of Susan and Terry Jacks.

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4. Northern Pikes

“She Aint Pretty”

Live (Northern Pikes album) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hello Saskatoon, Canada‘s greatest city.

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5. Bachman Turner Overdrive

“Blue Collar”

Cover of BTO (1984)

BTO’s very first release, very different from everything they did afterwards.  My favourite song by them by a country mile.  This clip is of Randy Bachman only, but it is live and is at a great venue in Vancouver called the Commodore Ballroom.  Great groove.

Related articles

• Canada’s Best Music – 5 Songs At A Time – Part 24 (joebeans2002.wordpress.com)
• Canada’s Best Music – 5 Songs At A Time – Part 25 (therealcanadianmusicblog.wordpress.com)