#30: L’Affaire Dumoutier (Say To Me) by The Box
City: Montreal, PQ
Radio Station: CKOI
Peak Month: January 1986
Peak Position in Montreal ~ #3
Peak position in Vancouver ~ did not chart
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ did not chart
YouTube: “L’Affaire Dumoutier (Say To Me)”
Lyrics: “L’Affaire Dumoutier (Say To Me)”
The Box was formed in 1981 by former Men Without Hats keyboard player Jean-Marc Pisapia. He was born in 1957 in Montreal and learned to play piano at the age of four. He studied architecture at the University of Montreal. After a summer tour with Men Without Hats in 1981, Jean-Marc formed Checkpoint Charlie, inviting guitarist Guy Florent and bass guitarist Jean-Pierre Brie to join him. In 1983, the band added Jean-Marc’s brother, Guy Pisapia, on keyboards. This enabled Jean-Marc to give his attention primarily to lead vocals. At this time the band changed their name to The Box. In 1984 The Box released a self-titled album with a debut single titled “Walk Away”.
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#31: Captain Of Her Heart by Double
City: Montreal, PQ
Radio Station: CKOI
Peak Month: June 1986
Peak Position in Montreal ~ #1
Peak position in Vancouver ~ #29
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ #16
Peak Position on Italian Singles chart ~ #3
Peak Position on Ireland Singles chart ~ #6
Peak Position on UK Singles chart ~ #8
Peak Position on French Singles chart ~ #9
Peak Position on Norway Single chart ~ #9
YouTube: “Captain Of Her Heart”
Lyrics: “Captain Of Her Heart”
Double (pronounced doo-BLAY) is a singing duo from Switzerland. Felix Haug was born in greater Zurich in 1952, and Kurt Maloo (born Kurt Meier) was also born in Zurich the following year. Haug learned to play drums and keyboards. In 1980, he played drums on the debut album by Yello titled Solid Pleasure. Meier was part of several bands that performed in local competition festivals, playing covers from The Beatles to Cream. From 1969 to 1972, he attended the Swiss Business School, but, after receiving his degree, Meier chose a career as a conceptual artist and painter. He exhibited his works at local galleries in Zurich and founded, along with three artist friends, the performance group MAEZ. At his own gallery openings, Kurt Meier, who changed his name to Kurt Maloo in 1975, always played the electric guitar. The solo performances metamorphosed into a band named Troppo, including two other members of MAEZ. It became a nine-piece band influenced by the New York Dolls and Funkadelic.
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#72: High Energy by Evelyn Thomas
City: Montreal, PQ
Radio Station: CKOI
Peak Month: September 1984
Peak Position in Montreal ~ #3
Peak position in Vancouver ~ did not chart
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ #85
Peak Position on Spain Singles chart ~ #1
Peak Position on West German Singles chart ~ #1
Peak Position on the Danish Singles chart ~ #3
Peak Position on Dutch Singles chart ~ #3
Peak Position on Swiss Singles chart ~ #3
Peak Position on Austrian Singles chart ~ #5
Peak Position on UK Singles chart ~ #5
YouTube: “High Energy”
Lyrics: “High Energy”
Evelyn Thomas was born in Chicago in 1953. She was “discovered” by UK producer Ian Levine who brought her to the UK and took her to the recording studio. In 1976, Thomas released her debut single “Weak Spot” which reached #26 in the UK pop singles chart. A followup single, “Doomsday”, missed the Top 40 in the UK. Her 1978 debut album is titled I Wanna Make It on My Own. Four more singles were released in the late ’70s. Her second album, Have a Little Faith in Me, was released in 1979.
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#34: There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart) by Eurythmics
City: Montreal, PQ
Radio Station: CKOI
Peak Month: November 1985
Peak Position in Montreal ~ #2
Peak position in Vancouver ~ #11
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ #22
Peak Position on Finland Singles chart ~ #1
Peak Position on Ireland Singles chart ~ #1
Peak Position on Norway Singles chart ~ #1
Peak Position on UK Singles chart ~ #1
Peak Position on Spain Singles chart ~ #2
Peak Position on Sweden Singles chart ~ #2
YouTube: “There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)”
Lyrics: “There Must Be An Angel (Playing With My Heart)”
The Eurythmics were the duo of Annie Lennox and David Stewart. They were part of the New Wave music with a heavy reliance on a synth-pop sound. They were especially successful in the UK with hits that included “Love is a Stranger”, “Sweet Dreams Are Made of This”, “Who’s That Girl?” and “Here Comes the Rain Again”. They had a successful duet with Aretha Franklin in 1985 titled “Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves”.
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#37: Djobi Djoba by the Gypsy Kings
City: Montreal, PQ
Radio Station: CKOI
Peak Month: December 1988
Peak Position in Montreal ~ #3
Peak position in Vancouver ~ did not chart
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ did not chart
Peak Position on French (FR) Singles Chart ~ #3
Peak Position on Dutch Singles chart ~ #12
YouTube: “Djobi Djoba”
Lyrics: “Djobi Djoba”
The Gipsy Kings (gipsy no “y” ) were formed in 1979, and originally called Los Reyes. It consisted of Nicolas Reyes on lead vocals, Tonino Baliardo on lead guitar, Chico Bouchikhi on guitar, André Reyes on rhythm guitar and backing vocals, Pablo Reyes on guitar and backing vocals, Max Baliardo on rhythm guitar, and Diego Baliardo on rhythm guitar and handclaps. Prior to the formation of the Gipsy Kings, Nicolas, André, Pablo and Patchaï Reyes played in Los Reyes with their father José Reyes. Tonino, Max and Diego Balairdo are sons of flamenco guitarist Ricardo Baliardo who was known as Manitas de Plata. Ricardo Baliardo was born in 1921 in a gypsy caravan in southern France. Chico Bouchikhi was born in 1954 in Arles, France, to a father who came from Morocco. Bouchikhi married a daughter of José Reyes named Marthe Reyes.
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#38: Mind Games by John Lennon
City: Montreal, PQ
Radio Station: CJMS
Peak Month: February 1974
Peak Position in Montreal ~ #2
Peak position in Vancouver ~ #10
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ #18
Peak Position on Australian Singles chart ~ #8
YouTube: “Mind Games”
Lyrics: “Mind Games”
John Winston Lennon was born in Liverpool in 1940. His middle name was after Britain’s current Prime Minister Winston Churchill, during World War II. In 1957, Lennon wrote his first song titled “Hello Little Girl”. It became a Top Ten hit in the UK in 1963 for the Merseybeat band the Fourmost. He became part of the Quarrymen, along with Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Stuart Sutcliffe, each on guitar. The latter was replaced by Ringo Starr, who was a drummer, after the band had already been renamed the Silver Beatles and finally the Beatles. In the Sixties, Lennon and McCartney became the most successful singer-songwriting team for the Fab Four (as the Beatles were known).
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#39: My Male Curiosity by Kid Creole and the Coconuts
City: Montreal, PQ
Radio Station: CKOI
Peak Month: November 1984
Peak Position in Montreal ~ #2
Peak position in Vancouver ~ did not chart
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ #110
YouTube: “My Male Curiosity”
Lyrics: “My Male Curiosity”
Thomas August Darnell Browder was born in 1950 in The Bronx (NY). Darnell began his musical career in a band named The In-Laws with his half-brother, Stony Browder Jr., in 1965. The band disbanded so Darnell could pursue a career as an English teacher. He taught at Alverta B. Gray Schultz Middle School in Hempstead (NY). He later claimed that he established a musical career because he was a “frustrated actor.” In 1974, again with Stony Browder, he formed Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band, becoming its lyricist and bass player. The band combined swing and Latin music with disco rhythms. They had their biggest hit in 1976 with “Cherchez La Femme”. The single topped the Billboard Disco Action Top 30 chart, and peaked at #2 in Belgium and the Netherlands. Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band’s self-titled debut release was a Top 40-charting album. It was certified gold and was nominated for a Grammy.
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#15: Domino Dancing by Pet Shop Boys
City: Montreal, PQ
Radio Station: CKOI
Peak Month: December 1988
Peak Position in Montreal ~ #1
Peak position in Vancouver ~ #12
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ #18
Peak Position on Finland Singles chart ~ #1
Peak Position on Spain Singles chart ~ #1
Peak Position on Denmark Singles chart ~ #2
Peak Position on Italy Singles chart ~ #3
Peak Position on West Germany Singles chart ~ #3
Peak Position on Ireland Singles chart ~ #4
Peak Position on Puerto Rico Singles chart ~ #4
Peak Position on Norway Singles chart ~ #5
Peak Position on Sweden Singles chart ~ #5
YouTube: “Domino Dancing”
Lyrics: “Domino Dancing”
The Pet Shop Boys are a duo formed in 1981 by Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe. Tennant was born in 1954 in North Shields, Northumberland, England. He attended an all-boys’ Catholic school in Newcastle upon Tyne. He would later write several songs, including “It’s A Sin”, referencing his days at the Catholic school. He taught himself to play guitar and piano, and learned cello in school. In his teens, he played in a folk group named Dust. In the mid-70s, Neil Tennant worked as a production editor with Marvel (Comics) UK. He was responsible for anglicizing the dialogue to suit British spelling. He was offered a job at Smash Hits as news editor of the British teen pop magazine in 1982. He went on to edit The Smash Hits Yearbook from 1982 to 1985. Continue reading →
#40: Situation by Yazoo
City: Montreal, PQ
Radio Station: CKGM
Peak Month: October 1982
Peak Position in Montreal ~ #3
Peak position in Vancouver ~ did not chart
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ #73
Peak Position on Belgium Singles chart ~ #7
YouTube: “Situation”
Lyrics: “Situation”
Geneviève Alison Jane Moyet was born in 1961 in Billericay, Essex, England. After leaving school at 16, she worked as a shop assistant and trained as a piano tuner. She was involved in a number of punk rock, pub rock and blues bands in the South East Essex area during the late 1970s and early 1980s, including the Vandals, the Screamin’ Ab Dabs, the Vicars and the Little Roosters. At the age of 21, Moyet’s mainstream pop career began in 1982 with the formation of the synth-pop duo Yazoo with former Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke.
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#48: Hang On To Your Love by Sade
City: Montreal, PQ
Radio Station: CKOI
Peak Month: April 1985
Peak Position in Montreal ~ #2
Peak position in Vancouver ~ did not chart
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ #102
Peak Position on Dutch Singles chart ~ #18
Peak Position on New Zealand Singles chart ~ #20
YouTube: “Hang On To Your Love”
Lyrics: “Hang On To Your Love”
Helen Folasade Adu was born in 1959 in the city of Ibadan on southwestern Nigeria. At the age of four her parents separated, and she moved with her mother and brother to Essex, England. Growing up, she remembers three albums being played in her home in Essex: Dinah Washington’s Greatest Hits, Sinatra and Basie, and the soundtrack to Oliver. In the late 1970s she gained modest recognition as a fashion designer and part-time model, prior to joining the band Pride in the early 1980s. In 1988 she told Interview Magazine, “I don’t like fashion, but I do like clothes.” Adding, that she regards the fashion industry as more “cutthroat than the music business.” In 1982 Sade Adu formed her band, Sade, with bass guitarist Paul Denman; saxophonist, keyboard and guitar player Stuart Matthewman; keyboard player Andrew Hale; And drummer Paul Cooke.
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