#59: Second Thoughts by Cheyenne Winter
City: Calgary, AB
Radio Station: CKXL
Peak Month: October 1970
Peak Position in Calgary ~ #8
Peak position in Vancouver ~ did not chart
Peak position on RPM Canadian Singles chart ~ #49
Peak Position on Billboard Hot 100 ~ did not chart
YouTube: “Second Thoughts”
Lyrics: N/A
Cheyenne Winter were a band from Edmonton (AB) formed in 1970. They backed up Barry Allen who was the lead singer. Ken Dangerfield, the group’s bass guitarist, told Canuckistanmusic.com “Cheyenne Winter weren’t really a ‘band’ in the sense that ‘we formed a group and we’re all in this together, one for all, all for one, etc. The musicians in the group were selected by Barry and Wes to form a backup group for Barry, more or less as sidemen.” In addition, Cheyenne Winter went to the recording studio. In addition to Ken Dangerfield and Barry Allen were guitarist Jordan York, keyboardist Brad Carlson, drummer Dave Mitchell and a horn section of Earl Seymour on saxophone, Lorne Peet on trumpet, and Ed Gilchrist on trombone.
Cheyenne Winter got signed with former Guess Who member Randy Bachman’s new Molten label. They recorded a single titled “Second Thoughts”. The location was RCA Studios in Chicago.
“Second Thoughts” was written by Randy Bachman. It is a song about a guy who instantly falls in love from first glance. Now the guy is having second thoughts as they are apart. He sings “give me back all the love I brought you, get me back all the things I bought you.” Perhaps he feels he was the one who really dove into the relationship while she was holding back? At the same time, he notices he never really knew much about her. Moreover, he’s “been regretting, never really tried to touch you at all.” Either “touch” is literally about a lack of physical intimacy that they never shared, or “touch” refers to a lack of emotional intimacy. In the relationship they were in each others’ presence while not connecting on multiple levels. What can we say about a dating relationship if, after it ends, we realize we never got to know much about the other person? It’s likely for the best to move on and find someone else where there is a deeper connection.
Randolph Charles Bachman was born in 1943 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. When he was just three years old he entered the King of the Saddle singing contest on CKY radio, Manitoba’s first radio station that began in 1923. Bachman won the contest. When he turned five years he began to study the violin through the Royal Toronto Conservatory. Though he couldn’t read music, he was able to play anything once he heard it. He dropped out of high school and subsequently a business administration program in college. He co-founded a Winnipeg band called The Silvertones with Chad Allan in 1960. In 1962 the band became Chad Allan and the Expressions, and was renamed The Guess Who in 1965 with their first big hit, “Shakin’ All Over“.
Bachman left the Guess Who in 1970. After Brave Belt, he formed the Bachman-Turner Overdrive which had international success through the 70s. Their hits included “Takin’ Care of Business”, “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”, “Roll On Down The Highway”, “Blue Collar”, “Hey You” and “Let It Ride”. In 1977 Bachman went solo and released an album called Survivor in 1978. From the album came the single release “Is The Night Too Cold For Dancin’?” He subsequently formed Ironhorse.
In 2002, as a member of The Guess Who, Randy Bachman was one of the former bandmates who received The Governor General’s Performing Arts Award, a Canadian award noting excellence in the performing arts. Bachman has also received the distinction of being made an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2008. From 2005 to 2021, Randy Bachman has hosted a pop music retrospective show on the CBC called Vinyl Tap.
“Second Thoughts” peaked at #8 in Calgary (AB) and #13 in Edmonton (AB). On the national pop charts in Canada, “Second Thoughts” peaked at #49.
Barry Allen moved south to Calgary to host the popular TV show Come Together, Cheyenne Winter was his on-air backing band each week. The lineup of musicians comprising Cheyenne Winter varied from week to week. These included Miles Jackson, Paul Burton, Al Mix, and Jim Lewis. Together, as Barry Allen and the Cheyenne Winter, a cross-Canada tour unfolded what included stops in Toronto and points further east.
Cheyenne Winter dissolved by 1972 and Barry Allen carried on with one of the other bands he was a member of called Painter.
June 8, 2024
Ray McGinnis
References:
“Cheyenne Winter,” canuckistanmusic.com.
Randy Bachman,Vinyl Tap, CBC, Toronto, Ontario.
Randy Bachman Bio, Randy Bachman.com.
CKXL 1140-AM Calgary (AB) Top 10 | October 10, 1970
Cheyenne Winter was one-and-done in terms of having no additional record releases.
Producer Randy Bachman did tap two band members—trombonist Ed Gilchrist and trumpet player Lorne Peet—to be among the studio musicians backing up Barry Allen that same year (1970) on his self-titled solo album.
Barry’s cover of the Bachman-composed Guess Who album track A Wednesday In Your Garden got some airplay in various Canadian markets when released as a single.
As for Randy Bachman, he did join The Silvertones in 1960, but not as a cofounder. Often called Al and The Silvertones, the band was led by Chad Allan with cofounding bassist Jim Kale and pianist Bob Ashley.
Kale had spotted Bachman playing around Winnipeg in other bands and recommended him when the Silvertones needed a new guitarist. Once on board, Randy recommended his pal Garry Peterson when the Silvertones required a new drummer.
As you noted, the quintet later changed names to Chad Allan and the Reflections (later Expressions) before rebranding as The Guess Who in 1965.