MUSICAL LISTICLE
My Top 12 Favorite Canadian Songs
How can I narrow it down to just a dozen?
Canadian music has always had an advantage on this side of the border because of something called Canadian Content or CanCon. In the 1970s it was set up to give Canadian musicians a boost to compete with the entertainment powerhouse in the U.S.
Radio stations have been required to play a minimum of 35% Canadian music. CanCon consisted of four elements, under the acronym MAPL. Music — composed entirely by a Canadian, Artist — had to be a Canadian citizen or a resident, Performance — it had to be recorded or performed wholly in Canada, and Lyrics — it had to be written in Canada. Each song is judged on those four criteria and had to have at least two out of the four categories to qualify. Of course radio stations and record companies have always hated the rules and fight against it every chance they get.
Some musicians could survive with or without CanCon but for others it gives them a foot in the door so they are at least getting airplay in their homeland. But many of the biggest artists in the country have still benefitted from these rules.
I made up a list of my top 50 favorite Canadian bands and solo artists. From that I narrowed it down to my Top 12 and then picked my favorite songs from those. As you will see, my taste in music is eclectic, so there should be something here for just about everyone.
#12 — Rush — The Spirit of Radio
I would lose my Canadian credentials if I didn’t include Rush. They are one of the top Canadian rock bands of all time. But since I had to cut out other classics like The Guess Who, The Band, and even Joni Mitchell, Rush just barely made the cut.
#11 — Bryan Adams — Summer of ‘69
Bryan Adams is another one that I felt obligated to include on this list. I love his music but there is so much amazing music out there. Even among Bryan Adams discography gives me a pile of options — Everything I Do I Do It For You, Cuts Like A Knife, Run To You, Heaven, Straight From The Heart and the list of hits keeps coming. But Summer of ’69 is definitely one of my favorites.
#10 — Loverboy — Turn Me Loose
Loverboy didn’t really get a lot of international (read American) success but they were one of the top bands in early 1980s. They are quintessential Canadian summer cottage music with songs like Working For The Weekend, Heaven In Your Eyes (a hit that was featured in Top Gun), and Turn Me Loose.
#9 — Parachute Club — Rise Up
I was working at a Top 40 radio station in Edmonton in the early 80s when this song came out. I had the chance to interview singer Lorraine Sagato about it which made me an immediate fan. It was a fun pop song that was just trying to get traction when suddenly it took off in 1983. It was picked up as a rallying cry for Women’s Rights “Women’s time has come” and then Gay Pride “Freedom to love who we please.” It still gets a lot of play during Toronto’s Pride Festival and I love that the video takes us on a tour of Toronto in 1983.
#8 Blue Rodeo — Try
Blue Rodeo is called a “country rock” band but they are so much more than that. They first hit the charts in the late 80’s and dominated the Canadian music scene for years. They are still very popular and were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2012. Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor fronted the Toronto band, writing and performing hit after hit. Picking just one is not easy — Hasn’t Hit Me Yet, Lost Together, Til I Am Myself, Rain Down On Me and Try. The emotion in their music cuts right to the heart, and it’s impossible not to be moved by it.
#7 Rough Trade — High School Confidential
Love them or hate them, you can’t deny the impact they had not only on Canadian music but on social policy. They smashed through the wall of homophobia and censorship and shocked listeners with their breakthrough hit High School Confidential. The Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame calls it one of the most controversial songs in Canadian music. The song’s success surprised everyone including lead singer Carole Pope. Never before had an explicit love song highlighted lesbian love. And for this 20-year-old looking for ways to rebel, this was a song I could grab onto.
She’s a cool blonde scheming bitch She makes my body twitch Walking down the corridor You can hear her stilettos click I want her so much I feel sick
and then
What’s her perfume? Tigress by Fabergé It makes me cream my jeans when she comes my way
#6 — Metric — Gimme Sympathy
Metric is a Toronto based band that had their first success in the late 90s, touring on both sides of the border. Lead singer Emily Haines is the sister of a good friend of mine, though I have never met her. It did however get me interested in the band and I have been a fan ever since. Haines powerful voice rises above the guitar riffs and rides the driving drum beat.
#5 — Sarah McLaughlin — Building A Mystery
Another powerful female singer/songwriter and one of Canada’s biggest musical icons (sorry Celine) is Sarah McLachlan. She made a huge impact on the world stage when she created Lilith Fair in the late 90s, celebrating women in music. Her list of hits is longer than just about any other — Angel, Sweet Surrender, Adia, I will Remember You, Possession, and Building A Mystery.
#4 — Alanis Morissette — You Outta Know
If you don’t know Alanis Morissette, you have been living under a rock for the past 30 years. Her Jagged Little Pill debut album took off, climbing all the pop music charts and has seen a resurgence with a Broadway musical based on the album and her current Las Vegas residency. The album spawned several hits — Hand In My Pocket, Head Over Feet, Thank U, Ironic, and her first single You Outta Know.
#3 — The Weeknd — I Can’t Feel My Face
You knew I would have to bring in at least one current hitmaker. There are several right now riding big success, Sean Mendes, Justin Bieber (yes I like some of his stuff), Drake (sorry not a fan), Alessia Cara, and The Weeknd. His song I Can’t Feel My Face was controversial when it came out, as people learned that it was about cocaine, which he shares with his girlfriend and which they can’t resist. The boy from Scarborough, Ontario has done very well for himself.
#2–54–40 — Baby Ran
There will be a lot of people reading this who will be scratching their heads, even those who know a lot of Canadian music. 54–40 is not a household name but they are a phenomenal alt-rock band. They were big in the 80s and early 90s but never broke through into the U.S. market. Here’s what you have been missing.
#1 — The Tragically Hip — Courage
No list of Canadian music would be complete without The Hip. They are an iconic band that had massive success in Canada. They recorded 13 studio albums, and one live album with 50 hit singles spread out over their 33 year history. Between 1996 and 2016 they were the biggest selling band in Canada. My small connection to the band is that drummer Johnny Fay is married to a friend of mine who I worked with many years ago.
Lead singer Gord Downie was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2015 and the band embarked on a limited Canadian tour culminating in their final show in their hometown of Kingston, Ontario. It was broadcast live on CBC, on radio and online and was watched by nearly 12 million people, about one-in-three Canadians. When Downie died in October 2017, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a Hip fan like so many Canadians, held a news conference to eulogize the singer and to pay tribute to the band’s impact on Canadian culture.
My favorite Hip song is Courage but I’m going to end this list with their hit Ahead By A Century, the final song they performed at their farewell concert.
No dress rehearsal This is our life
Thank you for reading.