In Canada, we have always had a more vast selection of music to chose from than most of our friends south of the border. This is a top ten of some of my favorite songs from Canadian singers and groups that probably didn't make it too far across the border. Some people might have heard them, some might not have. If you're Canadian, drop off your favorites, or if from another country, tell us yours!

10. Dunrobins Gone - Bravebelt
  9. Some Kinda Fun - Teenage Head
  8. Heterosexual Man - Odds
  7. I'm An Adult Now - Pursuit Of Happiness
  6. Little Bones - Tragically Hip
  5. Tonite Is A Wonderful Time To Fall In Love - April Wine
  4. Raise A Little Hell - Trooper
  3. The Look In Your Eyes - Streetheart
  2. Your Daddy Don't Know - Toronto
  1. People - Headpins (One of the best lead guitar breaks I've ever heard)

Favourite Canadian Artists: (in no order)

- The Tragically Hip
- The Guess Who
- Bachman-Turner Overdrive
- Neil Young

8)

Here's a bunch that made waves Internationally that not many people know are Canadian ...


1970s
♦ Procol Harum - Conquistador
Canadian? I thought Procol Harum were British?  This song and the album it appears on was recorded live in Alberta with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra, so as a result, they qualified for CANCON as a Canadian Artist

♦ Patsy Gallant - From New York to LA
Blurb at the begin of the video states it was her one and only hit.  She did have several other Top 40 hits in Canada


1980s
♦ Thereza Bazar - The Big Kiss
Thereza Bazar is/was the vocalist for British pop duo Dollar.  She was born in Canada and this, her only chart single as a solo artist, reached #84 in the UK in 1985.  Thereza and Dollar had ZERO success in Canada

♦ George Benson - In Your Eyes
Dan Hill co-wrote this song.  It reached #7 in the UK in 1983, but was never a hit in North America.  In the 90s, Dan finally recorded his own version with singer Riqué Franks and it reached #32 in Canada in 1994 ...


1990s
♦ Dan Hill featuring Riqué Franks - In Your Eyes
Co-written by Dan Hill and originally a UK Top 10 hit for George Benson in 1983


2000s
♦ James Doman - Everything's Gonna Be Alright
2008 hit single.  Hit the Top 50 in the UK and the Top 20 in the Netherlands.  This song was up for best dance recording at the 2009 Juno Awards (Canada's version of the Grammy) but lost out to the popular release 'Random Album Title' by deadmau5 ...

♦ deadmau5 and Kaskade - I Remember
deadmau5 (pronounced "dead mouse") is Canadian DJ Joel Zimmerman, who is known for his giant tailor-made red mau5head that he often wears when performing.  Kaskade is American DJ Ryan Raddon, and 'I Remember' reached #19 in the UK in 2009.

I love Canadian music, especially  from the 70s and 80s.
Some favorite songs and artists:

Rock and roll is a vicious game - April Wine
You won't dance with me, Bad side of the moon - April Wine
No time, Undun, These Eyes - Guess Who
Seasons in the sun - Terry Jacks
Carry me, Sweet City Woman - Stampeders
Songbird - Anne Murray
Could you ever love me again - Gary & Dave
Let it ride, Blue Colar - B.T.O
He was me, he was you - The Bells
Sunny Days - Lighthouse
Signs, I'm a stranger here - 5 man electrical band
Make me your baby - Suzanne Stevens
It always happens this way - Toulouse
Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams
After the goldrush - Neil Young

Gosh, so many more I could list

Groups like Prism, Trooper, Poppy family. All great stuff to listen to.

Dozens of Canadian artists/bands have made the Dutch Top 40 or came close to it since the late 1950's.
Famous ones, like Steppenwolf, The Guess Who, BTO, Terry Jacks, Paul Anka, Avril Lavigne, Nickelback etc. of course, but also quite a few unexpected ones. I'll list some of the lesser known/nearly forgotten ones:

1950's:
The Diamonds - Little Darlin'

1960's:
Lorne Greene - Ringo
R. Dean Taylor - Gotta See Jane
Lucille Starr - Quand Le Soleil Dit Bonjour Aux Montanges (The French Song)
Andy Kim - Baby I Love You


1970's:
Ironhorse - Sweet Lui-Louise
Gordon Lightfoot - Sundown
Klaatu - A Routine Day (Dutch subtitles)
Ocean - Put Your Hand In The Hand
Kate & Anna McGarrigle - Complainte Pour Ste Catherine
Marc Hamilton - Comme J'ai Toujours Envie D'aimer
Skylark - Wildflower
Promises - Baby It's You
Chalawa - Hop Skip And Jump (I bet even Canadians don't know this tune!)

1980's:
Miquel Brown - Close To Perfection
The Irish Rovers - Wasn't That A Party (their first and only Top 40 hit in Holland)
Tapps - My Forbidden Lover (Seems also unknown to Canadians)
Robbie Robertson - Somewhere Down The Crazy River
Gino Vannelli - Wild Horses

1990's:
Roch Voisine - On The Outside
Dream Warriors - Wash Your Face In My Sink
Amanda Marshall - Beautiful Goodbye
Hollis P. Monroe - I'm Lonely (Ever heard this one?)

2000's:
Tiga - Hot In Herre
Love Inc. - You're A Superstar

^ I like that Hollis P. Monroe track.  Can't say as I'd ever heard it before

It, along with Promises, Tapps, and Chalawa didn't do anything in the mainstream over here, but may have been big in the clubs.  Surprisingly, other Canadian dance greats like :ime and Voggue had zero success in the mainstrea, here :(

^ I like that Hollis P. Monroe track.  Can't say as I'd ever heard it before


It made #30 in Holland, back in 1999. I'm quite sure it was big in clubs at the time, and I believe it's still a popular tune.


It, along with Promises, Tapps, and Chalawa didn't do anything in the mainstream over here, but may have been big in the clubs.  Surprisingly, other Canadian dance greats like :ime and Voggue had zero success in the mainstrea, here :(


Promises reached #17, Tapps got to #23 and Chalawa peaked at #24. All were OHW, of course.

Another forgotten Canadian gem...

...but important, as it was the very first all-Canadian production that cracked the US charts! Albeit in a very minor way...it reached US#45 in 1960 and it even gained a release in Britain, but sadly did nothing here  :(

How come nobody's mentioned Gordon Lightfoot?  :o :(

Wonderfully talented Canadian folk-singer/guitarist whose music I grew up with in the 1970's...

Definitely one of my all-time favorite artists!  :)



Modified to add:  Oops!  I just noticed that Henk has already mentioned this man!  :-[

How come nobody's mentioned Gordon Lightfoot?  :o :(

Wonderfully talented Canadian folk-singer/guitarist whose music I grew up with in the 1970's...

Definitely one of my all-time favorite artists!  :)



Modified to add:  Oops!  I just noticed that Henk has already mentioned this man!  :-[


Indeed I did.

Although most people (including myself) will associate Gordon Lightfoot with "If You Could Read My Mind", "Sundown" was his only Top 40 hit in Holland.

Gordon Lightfoot is a legend and I love all his music.  To me, his best ever song was called 'Anything For Love'.  It featured David Foster on keyboards and in 1986, became his last ever Top 40 hit in Canada

Gordon Lightfoot - Anything For Love

Speaking of David Foster, can't forget where he got his start as a keyboardist.  A well-known classic from 1973 ...
Skylark - Wildflower


Another forgotten Canadian gem...

...but important, as it was the very first all-Canadian production that cracked the US charts! Albeit in a very minor way...it reached US#45 in 1960 and it even gained a release in Britain, but sadly did nothing here  :(


I forgot about The Beau-Marks.  'Clap Your Hands' is legendary, but often forgotten mostly because alot of those 60s bands and singers from Canada don't even get play on oldies stations as much as they probably should.

Here's a few other 60s Gems from Canada that scraped the US chart (but never made the Top 40) ...

Terry Black - Unless You Care
Bobby Curtola - Aladdin
Bobby Curtola - Fortune Teller


Not sure if this one made it out of Canada, but as it is a cover version, you may know the song ...
Richie Knight and the Mid-Knights - Charlena

Here's a well-known one from 1964 that is still a well loved classic ...
Gale Garnett - We'll Sing in the Sunshine

Whenever I think of Gordon Lightfoot, the first song that always comes to mind is 'Tears Are Not Enough' by Northern Lights.  Released in 1985, it was Canada's effort to fight famine in Africa.  Gordon sings the opening verse ...

Northern Lights - Tears Are Not Enough

You may not recognize some of the singers, so allow me to elaborate in the order of solos and duos ...

♦ Gordon Lightfoot
♦ Burton Cummings
♦ Anne Murray
♦ Joni Mitchell
♦ Dan Hill
♦ Neil Young
♦ Bryan Adams
♦ Liberty Silver / Mike Reno (Loverboy)
♦ Ronnie Hawkins / Carroll Baker / Murray McLauchlan
♦ Corey Hart
♦ Robert Charlebois / Veronique Beliveau / Claude Dubois
♦ Bruce Cockburn
♦ Geddy Lee (Rush)
♦ Don Gerrard (Skylark) with Bryan Adams
♦ Alfie Zappacosta / Lisa Dalbello
♦ Paul Hyde (The Payola$) / Carole Pope (Rough Trade)
♦ Salome Bey / Mark Holmes (Platinum Blonde) / Lorraine Segato (The Parachute Club)

other known singers in the chorus:
Ian Thomas
Martha Johnson (Martha and the Muffins)
Tom Cochrane
Baron Longfellow (aka Andy Kim)
Frank Mills
Paul Anka
Paul Shaffer
Eugene Levy
Wayne Gretzky
Liona Boyd
Tommy Hunter
Oscar Peterson
John Candy
Catherine O'Hara
Kim Mitchell
Jane Sibbery
Sylvia Tyson

Or, how about a little hommage to those songs not sung by a Canadian, but were written or co-written by one ...

♦ The Weather Girls - It's Raining Men
co-written by Paul Shaffer
Was never a mainstream hit in Canada, but the 2000s cover version by Geri Halliwell was.  Both versions were Top 40 hits in the UK
Geri Halliwell - It's Raining Men


♦ George Benson - In Your Eyes
co-written by Dan Hill
This was massive in the UK, but somehow missed the North American mainstream.  Dan eventually recorded his own version and took it into the Canadian Top 40 in 1994...
Dan Hill featuring Riqué Franks - In Your Eyes


♦ Oliver - Good Morning Starshine
music by Galt McDermott
The entire music for 'Hair' was written by McDermott.  Another hit from it was ...
The Cowsills - Hair


♦ The Neville Brothers - Bird on A Wire
written by Leonard Cohen
A #1 hit in Canada.  Cohen's original never charted, and of those who have done covers, no one has ever taken it in to the US Hot 100.  Joe Cocker first hit with it in 1971 when it reached #78 in Canada.  In 1987, Jennifer Warnes took it to #16 in the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart.  The Nevilles version did reach the US Adult Contemporary Top 40.


♦ Jennifer Warnes - Ain't No Cure For Love
written by Leonard Cohen
Jennifer got her start as a backup vocalist for Cohen, so as a tribute, in 1987 she recorded an album of Cohen covers titled 'Famous Blue Raincoat'.  It was a smash success in Canada, where Ain't No Cure For Love hit the Top 40, First We Take Manhattan reached the Top 50 and the aforementioned Bird on A Wire was an A/C Top 40 hit.
The album only made it to #72 in the States and none of the singles from it made the US Hot 100


♦ 38 Special - Teacher Teacher
written by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance
From the fantastic 1984 motion picture 'Teachers'.  A top 40 hit across North America.  From the same soundtrack, Adams and Vallance also wrote another hit, that despite falling outsdie the US Top 40, did see the Top 40 in Canada ...
Joe Cocker - Edge of A Dream


♦ Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes - Up Where We Belong
co-written by Buffy Saint-Marie
Didn't know that, did you?  But as she only co-wrote it, the song never qualified for Canadian Content.  Nonetheless, gotta give credit where credit is due!  From the 1982 motion picture 'An Officer and A Gentleman'

Or, how about a little hommage to those songs not sung by a Canadian, but were written or co-written by one ...

♦ The Weather Girls - It's Raining Men
co-written by Paul Shaffer
Was never a mainstream hit in Canada, but the 2000s cover version by Geri Halliwell was.  Both versions were Top 40 hits in the UK
Geri Halliwell - It's Raining Men


♦ George Benson - In Your Eyes
co-written by Dan Hill
This was massive in the UK, but somehow missed the North American mainstream.  Dan eventually recorded his own version and took it into the Canadian Top 40 in 1994...
Dan Hill featuring Riqué Franks - In Your Eyes


♦ Oliver - Good Morning Starshine
music by Galt McDermott
The entire music for 'Hair' was written by McDermott.  Another hit from it was ...
The Cowsills - Hair


♦ The Neville Brothers - Bird on A Wire
written by Leonard Cohen
A #1 hit in Canada.  Cohen's original never charted, and of those who have done covers, no one has ever taken it in to the US Hot 100.  Joe Cocker first hit with it in 1971 when it reached #78 in Canada.  In 1987, Jennifer Warnes took it to #16 in the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart.  The Nevilles version did reach the US Adult Contemporary Top 40.


♦ Jennifer Warnes - Ain't No Cure For Love
written by Leonard Cohen
Jennifer got her start as a backup vocalist for Cohen, so as a tribute, in 1987 she recorded an album of Cohen covers titled 'Famous Blue Raincoat'.  It was a smash success in Canada, where Ain't No Cure For Love hit the Top 40, First We Take Manhattan reached the Top 50 and the aforementioned Bird on A Wire was an A/C Top 40 hit.
The album only made it to #72 in the States and none of the singles from it made the US Hot 100


♦ 38 Special - Teacher Teacher
written by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance
From the fantastic 1984 motion picture 'Teachers'.  A top 40 hit across North America.  From the same soundtrack, Adams and Vallance also wrote another hit, that despite falling outsdie the US Top 40, did see the Top 40 in Canada ...
Joe Cocker - Edge of A Dream


♦ Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes - Up Where We Belong
co-written by Buffy Saint-Marie
Didn't know that, did you?  But as she only co-wrote it, the song never qualified for Canadian Content.  Nonetheless, gotta give credit where credit is due!  From the 1982 motion picture 'An Officer and A Gentleman'

Encyclopedia of musical knowledge. Karma for you.

Speaking of David Foster, can't forget where he got his start as a keyboardist.  A well-known classic from 1973 ...
Skylark - Wildflower



I already mentioned Skylark. :P

Indeed I did.

Although most people (including myself) will associate Gordon Lightfoot with "If You Could Read My Mind", "Sundown" was his only Top 40 hit in Holland.


He had a handful of Top 40 hits in the U.S., but I'm familiar with just about everything he did!  Very talented singer/songwriter/guitarist!  8)

He had a handful of Top 40 hits in the U.S., but I'm familiar with just about everything he did!  Very talented singer/songwriter/guitarist!  8)

Gordon had many nice songs. Having lived in Canada, we were certainly saturated with his music.
Gordon's son (Fred) went to the same University I had and I met (the son) a few times.

Gordon had many nice songs. Having lived in Canada, we were certainly saturated with his music.
Gordon's son (Fred) went to the same University I had and I met (the son) a few times.


My whole family was born in Canada, and my parents were always huge fans of Gordon Lightfoot (I think they saw him in concert when I was about 2 or 3 years old)...

So I was constantly hearing his music when I was growing up!  8) 

My whole family was born in Canada, and my parents were always huge fans of Gordon Lightfoot (I think they saw him in concert when I was about 2 or 3 years old)...

So I was constantly hearing his music when I was growing up!  8) 

I saw him in concert in 2001. We enjoyed it.

I saw him in concert in 2001. We enjoyed it.


I know he hasn't been doing so well health-wise in recent years... :-\\

I already mentioned Skylark. :P


You did.  I totally didn't see that.  Such a good song, it's worth a second mention ;D

Or how about these classics which I do believe all made the Dutch Top 40 ...

♦ Freddie James - Get Up and Boogie (1979)
♦ Voggue - Dancin' the Night Away (1981)
♦ Carol Jiani - Hit 'N Run Lover (1981)
♦ Long John Baldry - (Walk Me Out in the) Morning Dew (1981)
♦ Lime - Your Love (1981)
♦ Vanity 6 - Nasty Girl (1982) *
♦ Lime - Babe, We're Gonna Love Tonight (1982)
♦ Trans X - Living on Video (1983)
♦ Dalbello - Tango (1988)


* Vanity 6 are the only ones in this list who didn't qualify for Canadian Content as an artist.  Vanity (born Denise Matthews) herself is Canadian and wrote 'Nasty Girl', but the other two singers in the group: Brenda Bennett and Susan Moonsey are American.

Here's a few 80s Canadian classics that I grew up listening to ...

♦ Diamond in the Rough - Where is Love (1987)
♦ Diamond in the Rough - Ain't Good Lovin' (1988)
Their 1988 self-titled debut was their lone album, and is my choice for greatest Canadian album of the 80s!  A third single 'Walk on the Wire' also charted.  The SAX solo on Ain't Good Lovin' is the BEST ever!

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/whistledog/DiamondintheRough.jpg


♦ Coleman Wilde - It Doesn't Matter (1989)
It started as a jingle for Foster's Lager (as seen in the commercial above), and eventually hit the Canadian Top 20

♦ Eye Eye - Out on A Limb (1986)

♦ Belinda Metz - What About Me (1985)
One of the most infamous music videos in Canadian music

♦ FM - Just Like You (1985)
The infamous Nash the Slash all dressed in bandages.  One of the weirdest acts in Canada.  As a member of FM though, he rocked and despite a handful of hits, this was the only one to reach the Top 40

♦ Big Bam Boo - Shooting From My Heart (1989)
One album wonders.  This one was a minor hit in the UK and was their lone Top 40 hit in Canada

♦ The Arrows - Meet Me in the Middle (1984)
♦ The Arrows - Never Be Another One (1984)
♦ The Arrows - Heart of the City (1986)

♦ Paul Janz - Close My Eyes (1985)
Memories of my youth.  Still, my all-time favourite song ever!

♦ Blvd - Far From Over (1988)

♦ Harlequin - Innocence (1981)

♦ Body Electric - Do You Think They Can Tell (1985)

♦ The Parachute Club - Rise Up (1983)
♦ The Parachute Club - At the Feet of the Moon (1984)
♦ The Parachute Club featuring John Oates - Love is Fire (1986)

♦ Eight Seconds - Kiss You (When It's Dangerous) (1986)
This one also made the lower reaches of the US Hot 100 in 1987

♦ One to One - There Was A Time (1985)
♦ One to One - Angel in My Pocket (1986)
♦ One to One - Hold Me Now (1988)
All Top 40 in Canada.  'Angel in My Pocket' also became a minor hit in the States

♦ David Roberts - Boys of Autumn (1982)
Christopher Cross sound-a-like

♦ Gary O - I Believe in You (1981)

♦ Candi - Under Your Spell (1989)
♦ Candi - Love Makes No Promises (1989)

Here's a few 80s Canadian classics that I grew up listening to ...

♦ Belinda Metz - What About Me (1985)
One of the most infamous music videos in Canadian music

♦ FM - Just Like You (1985)
The infamous Nash the Slash all dressed in bandages.  One of the weirdest acts in Canada.  As a member of FM though, he rocked and despite a handful of hits, this was the only one to reach the Top 40

♦ The Parachute Club - Rise Up (1983)
♦ The Parachute Club - At the Feet of the Moon (1984)
♦ The Parachute Club featuring John Oates - Love is Fire (1986)


I saw Belinda Metz & The Parachute club in concert, back in the early 1980s
Didn't FM also have a hit song in about 1980 called 'Phasers on Stun?'

Didn't FM also have a hit song in about 1980 called 'Phasers on Stun?'


They did yes in 1978.  If you listen close at the beginning of the 'Just Like You' video, you can hear it playing in the Limosine lol


I saw Belinda Metz & The Parachute club in concert, back in the early 1980s


Belinda Metz in concert.  She sang her lone hit, and then a bunch of album tracks?

Or how about these classics which I do believe all made the Dutch Top 40 ...

♦ Freddie James - Get Up and Boogie (1979)
♦ Voggue - Dancin' the Night Away (1981)
♦ Carol Jiani - Hit 'N Run Lover (1981)
♦ Long John Baldry - (Walk Me Out in the) Morning Dew (1981)
♦ Lime - Your Love (1981)
♦ Vanity 6 - Nasty Girl (1982) *
♦ Lime - Babe, We're Gonna Love Tonight (1982)
♦ Trans X - Living on Video (1983)
♦ Dalbello - Tango (1988)


* Vanity 6 are the only ones in this list who didn't qualify for Canadian Content as an artist.  Vanity (born Denise Matthews) herself is Canadian and wrote 'Nasty Girl', but the other two singers in the group: Brenda Bennett and Susan Moonsey are American.


I see you kept notes. ;) Yes, those were all Top 40 hits in the Netherlands.

I see you kept notes. ;) Yes, those were all Top 40 hits in the Netherlands.


I remember being shocked at most of them, as apart from Dalbello and Freddie James, the remaining 7 were not Top 40 hits in Canada.

I always liked Lime, primarily for their awesome album covers.  I've yet to own a Lime album (apart from their Greatest Hits on cassette) as they are very scarce

Here's a bunch that made waves Internationally that not many people know are Canadian ...


♦ deadmau5 and Kaskade - I Remember
deadmau5 (pronounced "dead mouse") is Canadian DJ Joel Zimmerman, who is known for his giant tailor-made red mau5head that he often wears when performing.  Kaskade is American DJ Ryan Raddon, and 'I Remember' reached #19 in the UK in 2009.


"I Remember" finally made our bubbling under section, entering at #25.

"I Remember" finally made our bubbling under section, entering at #25.


This is good news!

http://www.newyearsevela.com/2009/images/artists/deadmau5logo.gif  is awesome!

This is good news!

http://www.newyearsevela.com/2009/images/artists/deadmau5logo.gif  is awesome!


I didn't state any opinion as to the song or artist in question. It was a mere observation. But if you want to know: I don't like the song, and I don't see it making our Top 40.

I didn't state any opinion as to the song or artist in question. It was a mere observation. But if you want to know: I don't like the song, and I don't see it making our Top 40.


:(

I was rocking out to Kim Mitchell's "Get A Soda" today!!!

How has this thread not touched upon the glory that was The Headpins?

While Don't It Make You Feel (suspiciously reminiscent of Diesel's Sausalito Summernight) was probably their biggest hit north of the 49th parallel, I've gotta go with I've Heard It All Before as my favorite.

In 1983, you just didn't say "bullshiat" on an album, let alone try to get airplay.  And yet, 10-20 years ahead of the media consolidation wave, these otherwise-apolitical rockers were pounding the table against mass media in a way that Don Henley's Dirty Laundry couldn't even aspire to.

Go Darby

^ The Headpins were an off-shot from the great Chilliwack.  They were indeed awesome.  I have all of their albums, and even Darby's solo album in the 90s that did produce 2 hits in Canada