#15: Something To Sing About by the Raftsmen
City: Montreal, PQ
Radio Station: CJAD
Peak Month: December 1963
Peak Position in Montreal ~ #4
Peak position in Vancouver ~ #21
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ did not chart
YouTube: “Something To Sing About” (Travellers version)
Lyrics: “Something To Sing About”
The Raftsmen was formed by Louis Leroux, Martin Overland and Marvin Burke. Overland had been the lead singer, guitarist, and music arranger for the 1950s Montreal trio The Strangers, along with his sister Arlene on claves and drummer Leon Segal. They began getting regular gigs at folk clubs in Montreal and Toronto in the early ’60s. They sang for NASA astronauts in Cap Canaveral, Florida, the Chicago Playboy Club and the Famous Grill of the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City. They also began to tour in Canada and the USA with Ian & Sylvia, The Travellers’ and Joan Baez. On the Raftsmen III album in 1967 the bio for Louis Leroux states “One day while practicing to be Attorney-General, in the local phone booth, with his wire-tapping kit and armed with his genuine replica oof a C.I.A. badge (Canadian version), he decided to call his U.N.C.L.E. As fortunes of the Cold War would have it, his A.N.T. answered “Hello? Napoleon?” In a fit of frustration he screamed back T.H.R.U.S.H.” You guessed it – all screamers get hit records.” This flavor of folk humor from the Sixties may be lost on some readers today.
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#37: Memory by Menage
City: Montreal, PQ
Radio Station: CKGM
Peak Month: October 1983
Peak Position in Montreal ~ #2
Peak position in Vancouver ~ did not chart
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ did not chart
YouTube: “Memory”
Lyrics: “Memory”
Menage was a disco project by Warren Schatz and Eric Matthew focused on disco adaptations of Broadway show tunes. Schatz was born in Brooklyn in 1945. He recorded an album in 1971. He went on to variously write, arrange or produce songs for Frankie Valli, Evelyn “Champagne” King, Vicki Sue Robinson, Donny Osmond, Dolly Parton and others. His most notable effort was with Vicki Sue Robinson’s “Top Ten Hit Turn The Beat Around” in 1976. He also was the executive producer for Evelyn “Champagne” King’s Top Ten 1977 hit “Shame”.
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#38: 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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#39: 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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#94: 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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#42: 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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#46: 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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#47: 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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#48: 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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#18: 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 →
