Every RPM Canadian Content #1 single discussion thread 1964-2000

At #48 for the first of two weeks, Robbie McDougall with "The Theme" b/w "Why I'm Sad"







Live version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EP3Vs2kdBFk

It would be on his self titled debut album



McDougall was from Winnipeg, the brother of very soon-to-be Guess Who member Don McDougall. He would chart once more with Ben McPeek's "Theme From The Rowdyman" (#51 the week of December 23, 1972). It's not on Youtube, but the film is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akNvXsFckCc



As is SCTV's take on The Rowdyman:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JHPvu218H0

Back to Robbie McDougall: he would be ordained as a Catholic Priest in 1985
Robbie McDougall.com - Let the Music Speak!

 

At #19 the week of June 17, Frank Mills with "Poor Little Fool"





B-side "What Do You Think Of Love"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=da3wARAJwQs

The song was from the LP Reflections Of My Childhood

 

Here's "Theme From 'The Rowdyman'" (#1 on the RPM Adult Contemporary chart for two weeks starting December 2, 1972):

 

On the April 22, 1972, RPM chart, Paul Anka's "Jubilation" peaked at #27. The 6:47 LP version was not edited for the commercial 45 but did fade out about 17 seconds earlier.






An edited version was issued on a US promo 45 but does not appear to have been issued in Canada.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8PEpZ4WcWW4

 

On May 20, 1972, Buffy Sainte-Marie peaked at #21 with "Mister Can't You See". It reached #38 in Billboard and is her highest charting single in both countries.

Here's the 45 version, which is simply an early fade of the LP version:

 

At #1 on RPM's country chart on May 27, 1972, was Hank Smith's cover of Buck Owens' "Together Again". It was Smith's fourth #1 RPM country song and the first not written by Dick Damron.

 

Over on RPM's French language chart, Ginette Reno spent the week of May 6, 1972, at #1 with "Je m'en vais", as she dipped into the Terry Jacks catalogue.

 

After Ginette Reno was knocked out of the #1 spot by Kenyan-born Roger Whitaker, RPM would issue only one French language chart in the following four weeks. That was on May 27, when Drummondville-born Georges Dor was #1 with "Pour la musique".

 

As previously noted, Donny Osmond's version of Paul Anka's "Puppy Love" spent three weeks at #1 song on the RPM chart starting on April 15, 1972. Here are Anka and Osmond performing the song together (with David Foster):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WurQrXw1pNg

On June 17, the #1 song on RPM's French language chart was Anne Renee's version of the same song, "Un amour d'adolescent".





As previously reported by our thread host, Anne Renee was at one point married to Rene Angelil, but I'm not sure where she is chronologically ranked on the list of Mrs. Angelils. I believe Celine Dion was Mrs. Rene Angelil III, but I'm confused whether Anne Renee was I or II.

In spite of the song's title, she was actually 21 years old in June 1972.

 

Anne Renee was dethroned from RPM's French language summit on June 24, 1972, by "Adieu" by L’Albatros. During the brief period of time that RPM published a French language chart, this was the only #1 song by a group.

 

At #36 the week of June 17, David Idema with "The House On Holly Road" on Double M Records





The B-side, "Dream Weaver"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUoXurGhlzo

David Idema was not Canadian, he was from Michigan (former member of The Frederic), he would have a big hit under the name David Geddes a few years later "Run Joey Run"

Dick Clark interview, not the song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCPwUF4j3c0

So what was Canadian about the record? It was written and produced by Ralph Murphy (born in England, grew up near Chatham Ontario). Murphy also owned The Double M label. Murphy left Canada for L.A. in the early 60s the find fortune as a folk singer. He teamed up with a childhood chum named Jack Klaeysen: they headed to Liverpool, then London as a duo called The Slade Brothers. They had a minor hit there with "What A Crazy Life"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=orkw9-8u58Y



"Peace In My Mind" from 1966
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrdLBrmDaLg



"Call My Name", written by Murphy and Klaeyesen for James Royal in 1967
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjVMp55pR68

The Slade Brothers would release an album under the name Harper And Rowe in 1968



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2JebaqB90k

Murphy would move to North America and have great success as a songwriter in New York, then later in Nashville. He would produce such Canadian acts as April Wine, Mashmakhan, Studebaker Hawk, Shooter, Sea Dog and Zwol.

Ralph Murphy – Chatham Music Archive

 

I don't doubt that Neil was (initially) inspired by his old ranch hand but c'mon you can't tell me that subconsciously Neil's (real) old man didn't seep into that song.

For the record, I probably read Scott's A Boy at the Leafs Camp and some of his other hockey books before I was even aware of his son.

 

And the U.S. label:

Beginning in February, U.S. vinyl began mentioning (P) dates for records.

 

Peaking at only #58 that same week, The Guess Who with "Guns, Guns, Guns" b/w "Heaven Only Moved Once Yesterday". This is the version from the Rockin' album, the 45 edit is 90 seconds shorter. It broke a string of 11 straight top twenty singles in Canada (it reached #14 at Vancouver's CKVN). In the U.S. it peaked at #70 in Billboard, a regional hit in Fort Lauderdale, Flint, Saginaw, Salt Lake City and Kansas City.





Burton Cummings would re-record "Guns, Guns, Guns," in 1978 for his Dream Of A Child album. Here's him doing a live version on The Midnight Special.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC5KYDkscb8

Spanish and German picture sleeves



Burton:

 

And the U.S. label for this:

 

At #80 the same week of June 17, "I Don't Wanna Hear" b/w "Ain't No Use" by Sea Dog



Both songs would be on their first self titled album (at the link)
Sea Dog - ST



Sea Dog had earlier charted under the name the Tote Family. Their first single in 1971 was "Show Me The River" b/w "Don't Forget It"


The second single was "It's A Hot Night" b/w "Duster"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UX8IBpRX83Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0CjXeU_eIk

The album would peak at #53. There would be one more single taken from it, "Rock n' Roll Business" b/w "Touch You In My Mind" then another single, "How It Grows" b/w "Round And Round" before they would chart again

 

At #71 the week of June 24, Rain with "Stop Me From Believing"



B-side "Caught Right In The Middle Of It"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7Z2UkH8JL8



As the catalogue number indicates, this is the very first release of Greg Hambleton's Axe Label (Greg produced, wrote the A-side, little brother Fergus co-wrote the B-side). It came out in the U.S. on Bell.



Their first (and only) album would come out in 1972, the first LP released by Axe.
Rain - ST



The next single "Find Our Love" b/w "I Don't Want To Leave" didn't chart and lead singer Phyllis Brown (formerly Boltz) would leave for a solo career under the name Charity Brown. With new member Bernie LaBarge they released one final single on Axe, "Make Me" b/w "Catwalk"

 

I note for a change more useful info on the Nimbus label.

 

Oh, and that's the other thing: The design change. We now see the '9' part of the name upfront.

 

125. WILD EYES
by STAMPEDERS
MUSIC WORLD CREATIONS MWC 1009X
Highest ranking for 8 non-consecutive weeks: July 1 (9), 7 (7), 15 (6), 22 (2), 29 (2) and August 5 (2), 12 (8) and 26 (21), 1972




​

It always seemed to me that the Stampeders were a band with a bit of an identity issue: while at heart they were a hard rock power trio, a good many of their hits flirted with (or leapt straight into) soft rock or country-rock. Yet "Wild Eyes" is perhaps the hardest of their many hits, an excellent example of the dynamics of a power trio. Scattered throughout the song are several memorable riffs, in many cases played in unison by guitarist Rich Dodson and bassist Ronnie King. A lengthy central instrumental passage, at a different tempo to the rest of the song, does, however, overdub a guitar solo on top of the riffs.

Although the composition of the song is credited to guitarist Rich Dodson, video shows drummer Kim Berly handling lead vocals. An interesting decision that was somewhat atypical for this trio of songwriters and vocalists, who tended to sing their own compositions. It might be that Dodson had trouble getting the tricky riffs and the vocals down at the same time. It could also be that Berly's throaty vocals better suited the mood.

There are four different versions of this song. The main single version lasts 3:20 and is linked above. The MWC radio promo version of the single calls that "(Long Version)" and backs it with a 2:23 "(Short Version)" (there is no record of the latter on Youtube). However, the Carryin' On album (the Stampeders' second) has a version that lasts 4:05. And if this is not enough, the Stampeders returned to the song three years later on 1974's New Day album, where it's completely re-recorded and lasts 3:52.

Being the highest-ranked Canadian song for eight full weeks is no small feat. The song didn't quite manage number one on RPM, but it spent three weeks at number two, stuck behind two different songs: "Troglodyte (Cave Man)" by the Jimmy Castor Bunch and "Too Late to Turn Back Now" by the Cornelius Brothers and Sister Rose.

A big step down, promotion-wise, from glory days as "Wild Eyes" was released in a mere four countries: Canada on MWC, the USA on Bell, and Australia and Brazil on Philips. No picture sleeves.

SUR LES PALMARÈS DU QUÉBEC: As RPM's Francophone charts seem to be lining up quite comfortably with the Québec-based reconstructed charts I've been referring to, we've actually discussed the first three songs here already. So, for the sake of a complete record, I'll fly through them: reaching back to April Fools' Day, we start off with tiny little Michel Pilon with "Sans amour", a retro pseudo-doo-wop tune in 12/8. He shared the number one position with the Delaney and Bonnie cover "Un amour qui ne veut pas mourir" by Renée Martel. "La Baie James" by Richard Huet followed, a pretty countryesque song about a man who has seemingly left his family to travel the Nord-du-Québec not to find work but to search for his America.

Following that, we have France Castel in duet with Jean Beaulne, ex of les Baronets, performing a translation of - of all things - Terry Black and Laurel Ward's quite recent "Goin' Down (on the Road to L.A.)" with "Toi et moi amoreux". It was the title track to an album co-credited to Castel and Beaulne (though only two of the songs are actually duets). After that is Mimi Hétu, who had put out an album in 1964 called ...8 ans. Now twice that age, she was finally releasing her second album, to which "Pardonne-moi" was the title track. Credited as an original song, it's very clearly a translation of Marcie Blane's "Bobby's Girl" (which is apropos for a sixteen-year-old former child star).

And the last song to consider today is "Adieu" by L'Albatros, a band I can't find too much about. They were produced by Gerry Plamondon. Their singles came out on a label called "Les Disques GPI Records" (an acronym for "Gerry Plamondon, Inc."), and their two albums came out on "Les Disques PGP" (an acronym for "Productions Gerry Plamondon"). In lieu of an MAPL logo (which is just occurs to me only translates 75% to French in addition to the tree type having a different name), the single says "Production 100% Canadienne française".

 

And here's the US Bell label:

 

You Could Have Been A Lady : A radio staple well into the 80s. This is where April Wine's sound starts to take shape

Teacher : It has a more late- 60s vibe to it. It would have fit perfectly on the first April Wine album, where the band was still searching for it's sound.

Heart Of Gold : With it's slow tempo, country-ish feel, and sombre delivery, "Heart of Gold" doesn't exactly tick the boxes for a Number 1 pop hit. However, there was an earnestness and a simplicity to it that appealed to a radio listeners and programmers alike. It was a song that could easily fit onto Top 40, country and AC.

Old Man : A logical follow up to "Heart Of Gold".

Heartbroken Bopper : A fantastic album cut that might have been a touch to heavy for top 40.

Guns Guns Guns : I heard Burton Cummings' more polished solo version first so this take took a few listens to sink in. I have come to prefer this more loose and ramshackle version.

Wild Eyes : One of my favorite Stampeders songs. Much better than the string-laden version that they did a few years later.

 

Stampeders on Dutch TV program TopPop (June 1, 1972)



Note the picture on the drum: it would be used as the cover for their next Canadian album, but it already was used for the Dutch edition of Stampeders (a combination of the first two LPs that was released in Europe)



Another TV appearance, looks like it's the show Rollin'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V4fVcewWrs

Another, shaggier, TV appearance
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9KaRqwoKTA

Live at Ontario Place in 1973
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6W2O1mD3_vo

 

At #42 the week of July 1, "Tell Me Who" b/w "Call Me If You Want Me" by Pinky.



The B-side
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uayBnsKsm9s&list=OLAK5uy_kxfSQDYXaN5XQy2943hgEJot6bi7jgk6M&index=3





Pinky was Vic "Pinky" Dauvin, former lead singer of Lighthouse who left the band after their third album. He formed the band Mudflat with Grant Fullerton, another ex-member of Lighthouse (who was also with Pinky in A Stitch In Tyme). The photos are from them opening for Lighthouse at Toronto City Hall.
1970: Mudflat warms up the Lighthouse Concert at City Hall in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.




Pinky would leave Mudflat for a solo career. He'll have one more charting single.

 

At #56 the same week of July 1, "Le Train Du Nord" b/w "A Qui De Droit" by Marie & Richard Seguin. It would reach #5 on RPM's French-Canadian Top Ten the next week.



French picture sleeve



The B-side "À Qui De Droit"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5_bRmbbPSA



The Seguins were brother and sister, they started out with the group La Nouvelle Frontiére, who released two albums in 1970: La Nouvelle Frontiére and L'Hymne Aux Quenouilles

"Pacification"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrGuOs5VHPQ



The Seguins redid "Le Train Du Nord" for their debut album for Warner Brothers in 1973 (#90 in RPM's album chart, #3 in Quebec)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzKgPqBhzEU



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd_IUik7Ja0

They would release three more LPs as a duo En Attendant (1974), Récolte De Rêves (1975), and Festin D'Amour (1976). They would go on to sucessful solo careers in Quebec, Richard having five #1s there.