So many great songs came out of Canada in the 60's and 70's that never got the air-play in the US...but were huge here and overseas.

So many great songs came out of Canada in the 60's and 70's that never got the air-play in the US...but were huge here and overseas.

Though possibly too close to the present for this thread, I think the high-water mark for Canadian bands was the 90s: Bare Naked Ladies, Moxy Früvous, Crash Test Dummies, Blue Rodeo, Gandharvas, Leahy, Spirit of the West, the Rankins ... and the list goes on (Buddy Whatsisname and the Other Fellers LOL).
"I wish I was as cocksure of anything as Tom Macaulay is of everything."
-- Viscount Melbourne

the 60's were pretty light..not too many bands made it past one hit...mostly solo artists like Bobby Curtola had better success...Though possibly too close to the present for this thread, I think the high-water mark for Canadian bands was the 90s: Bare Naked Ladies, Moxy Früvous, Crash Test Dummies, Blue Rodeo, Gandharvas, Leahy, Spirit of the West, the Rankins ... and the list goes on (Buddy Whatsisname and the Other Fellers LOL).
but...in the 70's...bands started coming into their own...we had Steppenwolf, Mugwumops ( Lovin' Spoonful ), Guess Who, Stampeders, Blood, Sweat, and Tears, Lighthouse, April Wine, BTO, Chilliwack, Rush, Copperpenny, etc...

Another great Toronto band of the 60s & 70s:
McKenna-Mendelson Mainline
She's alright
Better watch out
Wine, women and whisky
"I wish I was as cocksure of anything as Tom Macaulay is of everything."
-- Viscount Melbourne

more Canadian groups from a bygone era:
I believe in Sunshine by A Passing Fancy
YouTube - A PASSING FANCY I BELIEVE IN SUNSHINE
Looking at a Baby by the Collectors
YouTube - COLLECTORS-LOOKING AT A BABY
they went on to become Chilliwack
( there was also artists like Terry Jacks and Gordon Lightfoot, Red Rider, Buffy Ste. Marie, Neil Young, etc...but they were too popular to bother with here )
then there was Canada's version of the Jackson 5...without all the drama
Heartbeat it's a Lovebeat by the Defranco Family
YouTube - Heartbeat, It's A Lovebeat

The Stampeders
Sweet City Woman
"I wish I was as cocksure of anything as Tom Macaulay is of everything."
-- Viscount Melbourne

Better stop now before I end up calling Blue Note Records or Cops Collectibles in TO to get all my 45's back...if they're still there

I hear Sam the Record Man closed down a year or two back.
I used to spend a whole day at a time there.....
"I wish I was as cocksure of anything as Tom Macaulay is of everything."
-- Viscount Melbourne

Didn't even know that...I tried to revive my collection a decade or so ago...had an account at both Blue Note Records and Cops Collectibles...I hear Sam the Record Man closed down a year or two back.
I used to spend a whole day at a time there.....
Blue Note Records: mostly old very hard to get LP's...
Cops Collectibles: was a warehouse of 45's ( virtually anything you wanted you could find there...and if they didn't have it they could get it for you ) with some rare LP's...

Speaking of hard to get, one last Toronto great -- though more a jazzman:
Moe Koffman
The Swingin' Shepherd Blues
MK plays Vivaldi
(I've still got this LP)
Jeez, when I play this on youtube it finishes, then leads into a separate recording of sweet but rather draggy Bach.
Unfortunately nothing on youtube of Koffman playing Bach, which was his masterstroke in my view.
Remember they used to use bits from that as signature tunes on As it happens?
"I wish I was as cocksure of anything as Tom Macaulay is of everything."
-- Viscount Melbourne

A slightly different and sad rendition of a well known song ...
Melanie - Mr. Tambourine Man
Last edited by Walrus; 7th February 2009 at 03:04 PM.
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