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

This is the song to which I alluded a little while ago. Teach-In's original version of "Fly Away" peaked at #5 in The Netherlands on April 20, 1974 (six weeks before our family returned to Canada from The Netherlands), the same week that Terry Jacks' "Seasons In The Sun" peaked at #6. The #7 song that week was "Waterloo" by Abba, who had just won the Eurovision Song Festival. The following year, Teach-In would win the 'festival' with something called "Ding-A-Dong':
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sI78Bqp6z6g

I very much remember Teach-In's "Fly Away" and remember liking it. I did not like it enough to buy the 45, however, nor did I buy "Seasons In The Sun" or "Waterloo", but I did buy (and still have) the 45 at #12 that week. I thought about uploading it to Youtube, but then saw that - holy crap!!! - at least four people have already done so. So this is the 45 I bought instead of "Fly Away", "Seasons In The Sun", or "Waterloo". Before you judge me, please bear in mind that I was nine years old:



Even though I was living in Canada again by the time Wednesday's recording of "Fly Away" was on the RPM chart, I have no recollection of ever hearing the song on Canadian radio.

 

Together would be the first album recorded, produced and released under that new contract; its Canadian cat. # would be the same as the U.S.'.

But don't feel too bad for Mr. Ahern. He would go on to produce a budding American singer named Emmylou Harris for her first few years of fame as a solo artist.

 

They were married too - Emmylou and Brian, not Anne and Brian (she would marry another producer).

 

No problem. That's precious.

 

Ramona : Probably my favorite Stampeders single. This flat out rocks.

Fire, Baby I'm On Fire : Say that three times fast. In all seriousness, this is a worthy followup to "Rock Me Gently" even if it might not have been as instantly catchy. Some great hooks here, particularly in the intro and chorus.

Black Lassie : I wonder what the guys were smoking when they decided to release this as a single. Part of what made "Earache My Eye" work was that it really was a great song. This, on the other hand, just drones on and on.

Get Into The Wind : My first time hearing this song. I like it but I can understand why radio didn't get behind it. The song sounds a good four or five out of date.

Tell Your Mother : A band that was serious about and remarkably managed to get some top 40 airplay along the way.

I May Never See You Again : Another one that I vaguely remember from my pre-school era.

Crazy Talk : A classic single with some tasty guitar.

 

160. YOU BEAT ME TO THE PUNCH
by CHARITY BROWN
A&M AM 375
Highest ranking for 1 week: February 22 (9), 1975




​

"You Beat Me to the Punch" was written by Smokey Robinson and Ronald White in 1962. Robinson was the producer for the recording of the song which gave Mary Wells her first number one (on the Billboard R&B chart). With the lyrical cleverness that might or might not have led Bob Dylan to declare Smokey Robinson "America's greatest living poet", Robinson uses the song's bridge to deliver an out-of-the-blue twist that turns the song from a shy girl's love song to something more interesting. The song's heroine is a shy girl too nervous to make the first move with the boy she fancies. He takes the initiative, though, and they wind up a couple. But when she learns that he's been cheating on her, she finally builds up the courage she'd previously lacked - to walk out on him.

Wells's version of the song is superlative, conveying all of the complex emotions in the song (and I just love the way she says the word "punch"). The musical backing, a mock-calypso according to Wikipedia, is up to the high standards Motown always set for themselves, with a beautiful and subtle vibraphone part.

1975 was not 1962 (it must have seemed a lifetime away), and Charity Brown's cover is punchier and better-recorded than the Motown original. It is, by all standards, a commendable cover, well-performed and exciting.

But I have to tell you that I'm not exactly sure why the year 1975 needed a Canadian Motown covers act, especially with the originals still readily available... but here we are. We know Charity Brown's story: starting life as Phyllis Boltz in Kitchener, she had a moderate hit in 1971 as the lead singer of the Greg Hambleton-produced Rain before going solo and signing to A&M. They released one single as Phyllis Brown before changing her given name and moving her toward Motown. "Jimmy Mack" was the first Motown cover, and "You Beat Me to the Punch" was the second. Of the ten songs on Brown's début solo album (alternately called Charity Brown or Rock Me, depending on whether you're looking at the front cover or back), fully eight were published by Jobete and/or Stone Agate. It was, for all intents and purposes, a Motown covers album.

"You Beat Me to the Punch" made it to number nine on the RPM 100, the same position her previous single had managed. This is the first of three times I'll be talking about Charity Brown over the next year or two. Despite being released on a major label, the album this song is from was only released in Canada. With "Jimmy Mack" recycled on the b-side, this single was commercially released only in Canada, the States getting nothing more than a promo release. Her next single will receive a wider release.

SUR LES PALMARÈS DU QUÉBEC: Returning to September where we last left off, Melody Stewart returns with "La vie sans toi", a big ol' dramatic, sweeping ballad that unexpectedly had a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Living for the City" on the b-side. It was followed by the brief but intriguing "Vive les roses" by Diane Juster, the b-side of "Ce matin", which seemed to be the bigger hit, but whatever. One way or another, it topped the charts for four weeks, and "Vive les roses" is the better song. French-American Joe Dassin followed, then Michel Stax of La-Trinité-des-Monts, with "Notre amour n'est plus qu'une habitude", another of those grand Schlager ballads that Québec seemed so fond of, with a Pierre Létourneau writing credit again. The b-side, a translation of a Paul Anka song, has only the APL quadrants highlighted in the MAPL symbol. The people at Les Disques Oui didn't know Paul Anka was Canadian.

After that was "Le Tom Jones Québécois" Jean Nichol, with "Angélique", a cover of a song by Belgian singer Christian Vidal. After inflicting "Agadou dou dou" upon the world, Patrick Zabé is back with the yodel-tastic "Je bois de l'eau dans mon lit d'eau", which is objectively every much a crime against humanity as his previous song, but somehow I tolerate it better. He's the first of three one-weekers, followed by "P'tit bout de langue feeling" by Jacques Salvail, the first Québécois number one in quite some time now that is in the rock idiom. To judge from the cover and track listing, it might have come from a children's album, but whatever. It ain't half bad.

It's followed by Nicole Martin with the 1974 grand prize winner of la Rose d'or d'Antibes, "Ce serait dommage". It's yet another big dramatic set piece that also got released in France. You don't need to be proficient in French to know which song "Ma melodie d'amour" by Chantal Pary is a translation of. There's no Polish in Pary's version, nor German, which is the original source of the song. Bobby Vinton is, incidentally, only a few months away from launching his own variety TV show on CTV, based in Toronto and produced by Alan Thicke.

That brings us into 1975 and back to Pierre Lalonde, with a charmingly unassuming country song (with brass) called "Va va va", originally recorded by its composer, Michel Mallory of France. After that is Yves Martin, who is behind the scenes on half of these singles, doing a pretty exacting photocopy of Ringo Starr's recording of "Only You", called "Loin de vous". And the last song we'll look at today is Nicole Martin again, with "Les coeurs n'ont pas de fenêtre" a translation of... oh, you won't believe me if I tell you. I swear to God that this song is another translation of "My Melody of Love", hitting number one just two weeks after Pary's version fell off the top position. Oh, those crazy Québécoises...

 

Canadian A&M, it seemed, certainly felt they needed their own Motown covers act on their label, for on the U.S. label the Carpenters had what would be their last #1 single around this same time with their own cover of the first #1 the Motown organization ever placed in the Hot 100 way back in late 1961, The Marvelettes' "Please Mr. Postman."

Here's the rare U.S. version of Ms. Brown's:

 

At #17 for the first of two weeks (week of February 15, 1975), April Wine with "I Wouldn't Want To Lose Your Love"



Behind The Vinyl with Myles Goodwin
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aCk_fR-weU

The B-side "Druthers" from their last album
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAAJtASbTVs



"I Wouldn't Want To Lose Your Love" will be on their next album (produced by Gene Cornish and Dino Danelli of the Rascals), which won't be for a few months

 

At #19 for the first of two weeks (week of February 15), "Can You Give It All To Me" by Myles And Lenny (#11 at Vancouver's CKLG, #16 at CHUM)



LP version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbNqrqEEiWI

B-side "Don't Come Crying To Me"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OQBs1iwwLI

French picture sleeve with different B-side "In The Sky"



Dutch picture sleeve



Myles & Lenny (Myles Cohen & Lenny Solomon) - ST

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0lQ_dfhRdA



Their self-titled debut album would peak at #19 on RPM's charts (March 15, 1975) during a 12 week chart run.

 

At #22 the week of February 22, "Rock And Roll (I Gave You All The Best Years Of My Life)" by Terry Jacks. It reached #5 on the Pop Music Playlist and #97 in Billboard (#15 in Worcester MA).



B-side "The Love Game" ("she talks crazy talk...")
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2go6REJzXI4



German and Austrian cover



Belgium

 

On one hand...the Netherlands and France



On the other hand...Portugal and Spain



The song was written by Australian Kevin Johnson



Story behind the song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SI4gqoqoms

Kevin Johnson (singer) - Wikipedia

Mac Davis version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YFRVsVvc-0

If you were in San Francisco in 1966 with flowers in your hair, how were you one step behind?

 

At #64 the week of February 15, the Huggett Family with "I'll Be Gone" b/w "Scarborough Fair" on Daffodil Records
It peaked at #4 for two weeks on RPM's Pop Music Playlist.



This is all their is one Youtube of them, "Come Again Sweet Love (Madrigal)" from their 1975 album A Renaissance Delight.



They were from Ottawa and a family, a Patridge Family of Renaissance and Baroque music.
Huggett | The Canadian Encyclopedia

Their first two albums would be produced by George Martin-yes, that George Martin, not the "George Martin" that produced Teak Wood
https://www.bbc.com/news/live/entertainment-arts-35635609

1973 debut album



1975's A Renaissance Delight (#77 for two weeks starting week of February 15)



They put out three more albums: The Huggett Family (1978; Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), My Lute Awake (1980; Ayre), and Renaissance Noel (1981; Ayre). Family member Andrew had a career in Ottawa writing commercial jingles. You may recognize this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdX9NiSRSqg

 

At #80 for the first of two weeks (week of February 15), "Let's Put The Fun Back In Tock And Roll" b/w "Johnny B. Goode" by Jason on Celebration Records.




Neither song is on Youtube. It was produced by Bob Feldman (The Strangeloves) of New York, he co-wrote it with Joseph Nicoletti. It was covered by Freddy Cannon and the Belmonts (#81 in Billboard in 1981).



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IW1VzQKgtQ

"Jason" released a second single in 1975, this time on Quality Records, "It's Alright" b/w "Guitar Man". Both sides were written by Steve Smith, it was produced by Randy Read.



So it turns out, yes, that Steve Smith



Jason consisted of Smith on organ, his wife Morag on vocals, Randy Read on guitar, his brother Ron on bass and Ronn Harper on drums.
Rotunda vol 53, no 7 oct 17, 1973



Smith, Steve | History of Canadian Broadcasting

 

At #87 the same week of February 15, the return of Robbie Lane to the charts with "Missing You" b/w "Day Becomes Night" on Celebration Records (#20 on the Pop Music Playlist).







Not much had been happening for Robbie Lane since leaving the Disciples in the 1960s until he was signed by Celebration in 1974. "M'Lady" (written by Brian Allen of Rose) b/w "Pieces Of April" reached #23 on the Pop Music Playlist (week of July 27, 1974)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwiksRHInzw



The third and final single of his comeback would be "Stay With Me" b/w "All I've Been Looking For", now on Quality Records.

 

At #90 the week of February 15, "I've Lost My Place" b/w "Don't Fight The Feeling" by Billiard (#15 on the Pop Music Playlist).



Billard was Doug Billard, from Nova Scotia. He was formerly of the Beavers, The Five Sounds, Central Nervous System, Pepper Tree, Canadian Rock Theatre and had briefly replaced Bob McBride as lead singer in Lighthouse in the fall of 1973. He had released a single back in 1966 as Doug Billard and The Soul Patrol, "Genuine Jade" b/w "Emily" on Parkway Records.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXB7B2vH2Z0



One more single on Epic came in 1978, "Baby Come And Dance" b/w "Sweet Sweet Love"




Central Nervous System
Pepper Tree

 

At #92 the same week of February 15, "Tied On" by Alan Gerber on Montreal's Good Noise Records, produced by Andre Perry.



The other A-side "Milord"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTLrS_bsI2U



Dutch picture sleeve



Alan Gerber was from Chicago, as a teenager he released the single "Love In Her Eyes" b/w "It's You I'm Thinking Of" as Micheal And Lee on Earic Records in 1966.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtOBEUR_PNg



He moved out to L.A. and became the original keyboard player in Rhinoceros. He left the band in 1969 and released a solo album in 1971, The Alan Gerber Album on Shelter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_KbNPXguBc



He would move to Montreal shortly after and his lived there ever since.

Rhinoceros - Alan Gerber

 

And the U.S. label, one of the last to bear hot-metal label typesetting insofar as the CBS Pitman, NJ plant was concerned:

Bell itself, by early 1975, was no more in the U.S. The version that hit in the States of this number was by Mac Davis whose version was linked in a prior post.

Likewise, come later '75 Mr. Jacks' product would be issued on another label in the U.S.

 

Turns out I got that record . . . and was once a member in good standing of the Possum Lodge Fan Club, having seen a good share of episodes of that show when they came to U.S. Public TV in the 1990's.

Neither song is the same as: with respect to the A side, either The Impressions single or J.J. Jackson's; and viz the B side, the Jerry Reed composition made famous by Elvis.

 

Not so fast -- their two best singles have yet to arrive!

 

At #40 the week of February 22, "Lady Ellen" by James Leroy. It reached #17 at Vancouver's CKLG, #22 at CHUM.



The B-side "Lady Comes"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bAheCi8FxI



Earlier in January of 1974 James Leroy had dissolved his band Denim to go solo, another change was replacing Adam Mitchell as producer with Ian Thomas. The single "Some Kind Of Fool" was released, but did not chart anywhere.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iVft_aOuXw

"Some Kind Of Fool" on Keith Hampshire's Music Machine (October 9, 1974)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp5gMlc08VE

B-side "Fast Eddie"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q67NAwQ0c60

He recorded an album produced by Thomas, but it was never released. He drifted out of the music business and was working at the Water Tower Inn in Sault Ste Marie when he ran into the band Major Hoople's Boarding House. He convinced them to change their name to Boarding House and joined the band for about a year

After working with the Terry Crawford Band, Leroy would go solo again, opening for the Stampeders on their 1977 tour. However, increasing health problems (mainly diabetes) made touring difficult. His depression increased, and on May 10, 1979, he was found dead in an Ottawa motel room, the result of an overdose of pills. He was 32.



Ottawa Citizen, May 15, 1979

 

Bio |

 

At #41 the week of February 22, "Mother Earth" by Ian Thomas (#23 in CHUM).



LP version
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok08VDb3c10

B-side "It's Over"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LLaJxKkjbM

 

At #54 the same week of February 22. Joni Mitchell with a live version "Big Yellow Taxi". It peaked at #15 at Windsor's CKLW and at #24 in Billboard.



The B-side "Rainy Night House"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1hQ3HvYbt8



German picture sleeve



Spain (with "Rainy Nigth House")



France (with different B-side)

 

Both songs were from her live album with Tom Scott's L.A. Express, Miles Of Aisles. It only made it to #13 in Canada (charted for 15 weeks), but reached #2 in Billboard (#34 in the U.K. and #46 in the UK as well).






Joni Mitchell - A Chronology of Appearances

Another single would be released from the album, but it would not chart: "Carey" b/w "Jericho"



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD1zIxf999E

 

You Beat Me To The Punch : I remember hearing this when I was little long before I knew about the Mary Wells original. As a result I prefer this version.

Dancin' Fool : This hints at where Burton Cummings would take his music upon launching his solo career. A lot closer to "Your Back Yard" or "Mu Own Way To Rock" than the Guess Who's hits from five years earlier.

Day Tripper : An attempt that r&b that doesn't quite pan out.

I Wouldn't Want To Lose Your Love : Although primarily known as a hard rock/AOR band, AW had some beautiful slow songs as well. This is one of their best. Love the hand claps during the bridge.

Can You Give It All To Me : The violin adds an interesting touch to already solid song.

Lady Ellen : A great single that should have been a major hit. The instruments are perfect balance.

Mother Earth : I prefer the single version. Too bad it's not available on CD or as a download.

Big Yellow Taxi (Live) : Doesn't really work with a straight ahead rock beat.

Carey : This reinterpretation was more successful. She found a way to rearrange it yet stay true to the spirit of the original.