toddintheshadows / ONE HIT WONDERLAND: "Life Is a Highway"

I'm shocked you didn't talk about the rascal flatts version that much. Aka the far superior version 👀

Evan Morgan

2024-10-29 15:57:57 +0000 UTC

No self-respecting Canadian was going to Buffalo for beer. Everything else, yes.

Joe G

2024-10-28 20:00:50 +0000 UTC

I practically guarantee if you heard "Bittersweet Symphony" you'd recognize it. That song was inescapable in the late 90s. Has a really interesting (and enraging) story behind it too.

Joe G

2024-10-28 19:57:46 +0000 UTC

Interestingly, Bruce also did legit aid work in the developing world in the late 80s (Central America I think) and was so enraged at the injustice and suffering he witnessed he wrote "If I Had a Rocket Launcher", my second favourite song of his.

Joe G

2024-10-28 19:52:18 +0000 UTC

You have a solid list here! My vote would be for The Tea Party, probably my favourite Canadian act of the 90s. I think bassist Stuart Chatwood would probably be the most well-known outside of Canada and Australia (where they were also hugely successful apparently) for his video game soundtracks, most notably the PS2 era Prince of Persia games and the Darkest Dungeon games. Otherwise, most of the Canadian acts I was really into were really niche genres like goth, industrial, electronic, etc. that I wouldn't expect much mainstream crossover, like Nash the Slash (RIP), Johnny Hollow, Skinny Puppy (who are legit legends in goth-industrial already), Delerium, etc.

Joe G

2024-10-28 19:45:30 +0000 UTC

I had no strong feelings about it until they played it at every high school dance and I got so sick of it.

Joe G

2024-10-28 19:35:06 +0000 UTC

I knew "Big League" only because MuchMusic played it fairly regularly and the local classic rock stations played it and "Lunatic Fringe" all the time to meet their CanCon quotas.

Joe G

2024-10-28 19:34:03 +0000 UTC

I am Canadian. Thank you for telling me that "Big League" is not actually by Bryan Adams, something I have believed since I was a child. I now feel bad about that. Good episode. Get well soon, Amy.

Nick Heer

2024-10-28 16:04:52 +0000 UTC

As a proud Rush fan and member of Potomac Curling Club, I feel compelled to ... you know, I should probably move. At the first UFC event I covered, they blasted Lunatic Fringe for someone's walkout music so loudly that my chest rattled with every bass note. It was kinda awesome.

Beau Dure

2024-10-28 14:04:24 +0000 UTC

"Makin' It" would be an interesting one, especially since Naughton's one hit is literally his only song. The b-side is even an instrumental version of it.

Kristopher Bluth

2024-10-28 12:54:31 +0000 UTC

Despite being an institution that I barely knew existed, hearing he was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame 3 years before Bryan Adams was oddly very satisfying...

Joel Thomas

2024-10-28 12:15:41 +0000 UTC

Huh. I don't think I've ever heard this song in my life. Looks like it made it to number 31 in my country, so it wasn't a monster hit, but it's still pretty rare that I haven't heard of a OHW from the 90s.

Liz Jackson

2024-10-28 12:00:02 +0000 UTC

Interesting, apart from Cochrane, De La Soul is the only artist here i'm familiar with, the others are all complete unknowns to me.

RedBedroomRecords

2024-10-28 06:50:06 +0000 UTC

Yeah, agreed. I recognized a tonne of his songs, but the only Tom Cochrane song I can name off the top of my head is "Life is a Highway."

Nigel G

2024-10-28 06:47:15 +0000 UTC

Man, Tom looks like a deer in headlights every time he looks at the camera

MarioDaBean

2024-10-28 03:20:01 +0000 UTC

Tom Cochrane sounds like gonna blow out his larynx at any second in the chorus. Rascal Flatts fixed that problem by autotuning the absolute shit out of it. Yeah I don't like this song. I feel like The Office gave it the right treatment by soundtracking Michael's sad road trip moving Holly away with it. (never mind that they eventually got back together)

Russet Burbank

2024-10-28 02:00:02 +0000 UTC

Just joining the chorus of people glad to hear the Bruce Cockburn shout-out. I'm American but i was raised on his music by my ex-folkie dad. Fabulous stuff

the purple shaman

2024-10-28 01:40:15 +0000 UTC

Martika did have other hits, with "Love...Thy Will Be Done" even hitting the Top Ten.

Kristopher Bluth

2024-10-28 00:30:27 +0000 UTC

Cheaper everything. When they raised the VAT (Value-added tax) Canadians would come to the States on weekend, buy a bunch, remove all the labels, and go back the next day to say that it was all luggage. Even staying the night was cheaper than that incredible tax.

Projection Booth Podcast

2024-10-27 23:14:26 +0000 UTC

Army of Lovers – Crucified Urban Dance Squad – Deeper Shade of Soul De La Soul - Me Myself and I Looking Glass – Brandy Patrick Swayze – She’s like the Wind David Naugton – Making It Stardust – Music Sounds better with You The Verve – Bittersweet Symphony The Verve Pipe – The Freshman Tom Cochrane – Life is a Highway

C. Robert Cargill

2024-10-27 22:07:49 +0000 UTC

i'm very curious what other songs were on that list? Benny Mardones- Into the Night is one i've always wanted to see Todd tackle as it's one of the few songs to have hit #1 twice(and unlike previous times where that was due to an artist or someone famous passing away, this time was purely due to a radio program reviving interest in the song)and i'd argue it was the first hit song of that decade that sounded truly 80s.

RedBedroomRecords

2024-10-27 21:40:01 +0000 UTC

you met him? Cool!

RedBedroomRecords

2024-10-27 21:37:04 +0000 UTC

For Blue Suede Todd did clarify that he couldn't find any particular evidence of that one other song getting to #7 so that one made a bit more sense.

RedBedroomRecords

2024-10-27 21:36:25 +0000 UTC

That's who I was trying to remember. I had thought Ledoux's was the original, had never heard of Cochrane before this video!

JojoScotia

2024-10-27 21:23:58 +0000 UTC

Triumph! Hell yeah! Ricket Emmett is a national treasure, and bought me a sub from Subway one time!

Taylor Abrahamse

2024-10-27 19:27:31 +0000 UTC

@RedBedroomRecords I mean, if Blue Swede can be classified as a one hit wonder while one of their other hits went to number 7 on the charts, then Great White can as well. Todd has made exceptions in the past for bands with other top 40 hits if those hits have faded from memory enough (Blue Swede and Dead or Alive, for example). They still count as one-hit wonders because no one remembers their other songs.

Julian Breese

2024-10-27 19:27:04 +0000 UTC

Something to do with how Canadians usually take a weekend trip to Buffalo back in the day for cheap beer?

Taylor Abrahamse

2024-10-27 19:26:17 +0000 UTC

Echo Beach would be in my top 3 OHW requests easy. Phenomenal track.

margo

2024-10-27 18:31:43 +0000 UTC

I knew Vision Quest solely because it has an early Madonna appearance, and she sticks out on the VERY AOR-heavy soundtrack: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090270/soundtrack/ (also features Madge's cult early track Gambler)

margo

2024-10-27 18:30:21 +0000 UTC

Hopefully the pup isn't eating her cone. That gets really old, really fast.

Paul McA

2024-10-27 18:11:32 +0000 UTC

Poor Amydog. I hope she heals up ok The video was awesome, thanks to the requester for picking this, and thanks as always Todd!

Deegcakes

2024-10-27 18:08:50 +0000 UTC

Thanks man! I sent him a list, but this was one I thought he'd be down for.

C. Robert Cargill

2024-10-27 18:06:47 +0000 UTC

The Canadian clichés are brilliant! I'm a New Yorker with a GF in Montréal. Used to have family there so it's like my 2nd home.

Jonathan Hunter

2024-10-27 18:03:20 +0000 UTC

I've waited for this one for a while! I've always liked it and it gets better as I get older and frumpier. Get well soon Amy 🐶

Cody Baird

2024-10-27 16:54:39 +0000 UTC

Corey Hart was actually decently big in the states, he had a whopping NINE top 40 hits if you can believe it.

RedBedroomRecords

2024-10-27 16:45:11 +0000 UTC

yeah that was my first exposure to that song and honestly I prefer the Flatts version.

RedBedroomRecords

2024-10-27 16:41:15 +0000 UTC

i'm more bummed about Triumph myself, they were every bit as talented of a Canadian Progressive Rock trio as Rush were but sadly never got the same recognition.

RedBedroomRecords

2024-10-27 16:40:35 +0000 UTC

I am on the anti-Life is a Highway bandwagon as it was SO OVERPLAYED when it was a hit. Still sick of it. Has anyone interpreted the Rick Moranis joke? If not, I can.

Projection Booth Podcast

2024-10-27 16:39:52 +0000 UTC

Hey man love your writing! Really cool to see you here and helping out Todd, interesting choice of request.

RedBedroomRecords

2024-10-27 16:39:37 +0000 UTC

The Chris LeDoux version (the BEST version) only gets a passing mention, and not even by name? Todd, man...

carloslpz4077

2024-10-27 16:38:28 +0000 UTC

I wish Helix, Lee Aaron, Haywire and Triumph were bigger deals in the states.

RedBedroomRecords

2024-10-27 16:38:17 +0000 UTC

I think his music is pretty damn good so I could've done without the Adams bashing myself(Ryan Adams on the other absolutely deserves bashing for his lame music and for being a creep to women).

RedBedroomRecords

2024-10-27 16:37:33 +0000 UTC

Love Great White(RIP Jack Russell)but sadly they wouldn't have qualified for OHW as they had another top 40 hit with "The Angel Song" which managed to hit #30.

RedBedroomRecords

2024-10-27 16:36:31 +0000 UTC

F.D. Signifier did a pretty good video essay on Canibus, I dismissed him as a gimmick rapper but he's got more talent then I thought.

RedBedroomRecords

2024-10-27 16:34:47 +0000 UTC

Lunatic Fringe, as made famous by the film Vision Quest.... ;)

Projection Booth Podcast

2024-10-27 16:21:08 +0000 UTC

Is Canibus interesting enough to warrant a Trainwreckords? Because if you've never heard his 2001 album C! True Hollywood Stories, that a real doozy.

Gordon Stearns

2024-10-27 16:17:32 +0000 UTC

Feel better Amydog <3

Henry Kiley

2024-10-27 16:05:13 +0000 UTC

Happy to see this one. If I could have afforded a request, this would have been on my short list, right after Martika's "Toy Soldier" and Great White's "Once Bitten, Twice Shy". I remember seeing the world premiere for this video on MTV. Most songs I take a little bit to warm up to, but I loved this one right off the bat.

Erik Robbins

2024-10-27 15:59:20 +0000 UTC

I live in the US but close enough to the Canadian border to pick up Canadian radio stations in the car (can confirm: the joke about going to Tops grocery store in Buffalo on a Sunday is a KILLER) and it has lead to some funny moments with friends who grew up elsewhere in the US where I'm like "no no, this was a huge hit, I heard it on the radio all the time" only for them to have never heard of it because it was cancon and I didn't realize I was listening to Canadian radio at the time.

Jennifer Adcock

2024-10-27 15:57:03 +0000 UTC

The Tragically Hip were more of a cult thing here here, but the people who were into them were REALLY into them. Sort of like everywhere else, I guess.

Kristopher Bluth

2024-10-27 15:49:11 +0000 UTC

Love all the dragging of Bryan Adams in this. A nice reminder that in addition to making terrible music he's also a pretentious prick. Small error I noticed: Some frames get dropped in the clip of Trailer Park Boys, idk if that's my computer, the footage you used, or something on Premiere's end, but, worth pointing out.

Shiny Skunk

2024-10-27 15:35:37 +0000 UTC

I’m an American and I have nothing of particular importance to say

Connor Rankin

2024-10-27 14:53:16 +0000 UTC

You can tell I grew up on 89x (CIMX) - because people haven't even mentioned Bruce Cockburn's best song - Listen for the Laugh. But Blue Rodeo, BNL, Tragically Hip, I've got tons of it on tapes I created in the 90's.

The Other Greg

2024-10-27 14:15:23 +0000 UTC

As a Canadian, I can say that Tom Cochrane is … actually mostly a one hit wonder up here too. He’s not the Tragically Hip, legendary Canadian rock gods. He’s … Tom Cochrane. We like that one song. The one about the highway.

ElectricGecko

2024-10-27 12:08:01 +0000 UTC

ditto

Albert Farkas

2024-10-27 10:42:02 +0000 UTC

Hope AmyDog us feeling better, Todd!

Allison

2024-10-27 08:38:46 +0000 UTC

I’m a Canadian and I hate this song.

Tegan Davidson

2024-10-27 08:33:00 +0000 UTC

(Now not just a maddening long single paragraph, figured out how to have it not confuse 'enter' with sending the updated comment) Just kidding, no pause, I watched the whole thing. Thank you so much for mentioning Bruce Cockburn! 'If A Tree Falls In The Forest', 'Wondering Where The Lions Are' and 'If I Had A Rocket Launcher' are essential listens. Other Canadian Gods that should've crossed the border or still could: 1. Rheostatics (Rush once called THEM 'Canadas best band', and The Hip refused a record deal in the states unless the Rheos were taken along with them). Martin Tielli, one of their singers, has some incredible solo albums - proud to say I know him and have hung out with him. Also sang at a book launch for Dave Bidini, one of their founding members, which was such a huge honor. It was a book about Gordon Lightfoot, so yeah, hard to get much more Canadian.... 2. Mary Margaret O'Hara (Sister of Catherine from Schitts Creek/SCTV/etc ... put out only one true studio album, Miss America, but it has been a quiet influence on so many singer songwriters from Norah Jones to Florence & The Machine to Feist to lord knows who. She might have the greatest voice ever and I'm very proud to call her a friend. Shes a wild one.) ... 3. Hawksley Workman (Like Bono but if he actually had versatility, had something to say, and played all his own instruments. I've got to write with him and he was one of my heroes growing up). 4. Remy Shand (Drives me crazy how good his two big Canadian singles were, I assumed they were #1 everywhere) 5. Jacksoul (RIP) 6. Pre-'Loose' Nelly Furtado, the stuff that didn't cross over nearly as much. 7. Max Webster (Huge influence on Martin Tielli) 8. Ian & Sylvia Tyson 9. Loudon Wainwright III 10. Rufus Wainwright 11. K-os (Incredible rapper, somehow also but out the most mind melting cover version of The Cars 'Just What I Needed') 12. Amanda Marshall (Dark Horse & Birmingham are two of the greatest songs of the 90s). 13. Jerry Doucette ('Mama Let Him Play' I heard all the time on the radio up here). 14. Sloan (If a bit more of the Wings/McCartney side of The Beatles found their way into Oasis, lots of hits up here that I thought were just timeless rock classics). 15. Blue Rodeo & Jim Cuddy ('Bulletproof', 'Somebody Waits', 'Try', such incredible songs 16. Various Barenaked Ladies 17. Alan Doyle & Great Big Sea. ... 18. Glass Tiger (Who have a few great songs but are overplayed on Canadian radio... mainly, with over a 100,000 plays is 'Don't Forget Me When I'm Gone', a perfectly average rock/pop song with a cameo from, you guessed it, Bryan Adams). 19. Serena Ryder 20. BTO 21. Blood Sweat & Tears 22. Dan Mangan 23. Danny Michel 24. Prozzak (our Gorillaz basically) ... 25. Joel Plaskett (Unreal songwriter, Tom Petty meets Jagger meets Nick Lowe. Another hero of mine growing up who I got to play the same festival as and talk music till late in the night! He did probably the best solo set I've ever seen). 26. Ron Sexsmith (Totally lacking in charisma, but some great albums. He's befriended a lot of the greats - McCartney, Costello, Nick Lowe - Elton John gave him a shoutout when I saw Elton on his farewell tour show in Toronto, and I saw him duet with Nick while I was there as well.) 27. On the subject of Ron, Lori Cullen & Kurt Swinghammer. Husband/wife team who have put out so many spectacular releases. 28. John Finley 29. Gigi Marentette 30. Jaymz Bee & all his wacky & wonderful projects (The Look People were like Canada's Primus, even had a pre-BNL Kevin Hearn in the band). 31. Barbra Lica I could keep going but I gotta go to bed.... Let me just also say it was fun to learn how many of these songs were Tom Cochrane that I always heard on the radio growing up in the early 00s. 'White Hot' I never guessed was him & Red Rider, which I heard constantly. Nor 'Big Leagues', even though its obviously him. I think I just assumed it was Fogerty cos of Centerfield. Great video!! ... My guess as to why Tom didn't succeed more in the states is that there's also various layers of nationalism that the US music industry has; its okay with artists who don't flaunt their Canadiana, but Tom wasn't gonna hide it. The US welcomes Canadians who are, by and large, willing to assimilate almost entirely, or at least represent American values very overtly in their branding and attitudes. ... Ok, one more thing: I think CanCon is actually wonderful in theory, and frequently in practice. At least back in the 90s and 00s when it just meant that we got more hit songs from the times megastars on the radio cos so many of the biggest acts out there were all Canadian. Like, say 'Jane', 'Open Your Mouth' or 'Testing 1,2,3' are really solid BnL songs that lord knows if any of you have ever heard on radio in the US. It also seemed like a time when a bit more originality seemed allowed in popular music. It only breeds mediocrity when the artists they play sound like pale imitations of American artists, or the people who get airplay are getting played for reasons of diversity rather than talent. But even then, you gotta start somewhere and I'd rather the marginalized get a disproportionate leg-up sometimes. Still, the Canadian music industry is far too small to support a serious star system, especially now. ... The best of CanCon are when it allows unique cultural voices to blossom and find a national and potentially international audience, even if its just for a one hit wonder like Len ('Steal My Sunshine'). The worst is when it plays it safe and devolves into who can better bribe the radio tracker and has something that sounds painfully safe.

Taylor Abrahamse

2024-10-27 08:18:43 +0000 UTC

Currently paused for 48 hours as requested, will return with feedback after. Canadian here who grew up on so many amazing artists up here - hometown heroes as you put it. Really, people who if they were more craven or lucky would be household names everywhere, but we just have them to ourselves. So looking forward to the rest!

Taylor Abrahamse

2024-10-27 07:54:37 +0000 UTC

If you need more money for your broken dog, hit me up and name your price. The requests were all snapped up by the time I logged on and it's been a dream for years to request a video for your channel.

Adam F

2024-10-27 07:51:22 +0000 UTC

As a Canadian, I've always associated Red Rider more with Big League than Lunatic Fringe, I guess because I heard it more often on the radio. If you asked me to name a second Tom Cochrane song, that's probably what I would have come up with first.

Don McHoull

2024-10-27 07:09:48 +0000 UTC

Holy shit! That was amazing. The fact this came together so fast is incredible. Cannot be prouder that this is what I helped Amydog to make. Much love and thanks Todd.

C. Robert Cargill

2024-10-27 06:39:44 +0000 UTC

I second Todd’s Bruce Cockburn recommendation. Discovering his body of work was a magical experience. Lovers in a Dangerous Time is one of the best songs ever written.

Jon Nepsha

2024-10-27 06:06:33 +0000 UTC

If we’re talking Bruce Cockburn and Canadian music royalty I feel obligated to share this Barenaked Ladies cover of Cockburn’s Lovers in a Dangerous Time which has some truly beautiful harmonies. As someone who has had Canadian One Hit Wonders as his favorite artists for most of my life (BNL as a preteen/teen and Our Lord and Savior Carly Rae Jepsen for most of my adulthood) I feel this video deeply. Canada, thank you. https://youtu.be/k_oOc3Zj0KU?si=IZih2hMAkDg872Mv

Nick Ostrem

2024-10-27 05:47:38 +0000 UTC

I might have mentioned this before, but the cable package in my first apartment after college came with MuchMusic, which meant I got plenty of Prozzak (“Sucks to Be You” should have been bigger) and the Matthew Good Band along with the Tragically Hip. This was also right when Barenaked Ladies were exploding in America and they actually seemed really proud instead of hostile and snobbish. How…Canadian? (Oh, and Bruce Cockburn is playing my town in March and now I’m feeling like I should go…)

Kristopher Bluth

2024-10-27 05:30:40 +0000 UTC

Believe it or not, Corey Hart had nine Top 40 hits in America.

Kristopher Bluth

2024-10-27 05:26:51 +0000 UTC

Good lawd that was fast.

James Gardiner

2024-10-27 05:04:55 +0000 UTC

Shout out to the brief appearance from "Boy Inside the Man," perhaps better known as a New Monkees track

David L. Lebovitz

2024-10-27 04:49:23 +0000 UTC

Speaking of Canada, I'm really hoping for a video on "Echo Beach" by Martha and the Muffins one day. It's easily one of the most underrated new wave songs ever. (The rest of their discography is also pretty good.)

Nick Sestanovich

2024-10-27 04:38:43 +0000 UTC

I don't think I'd call Tom Cochrane "beloved." This video featured several songs I heard all the time on local dad-rock radio but didn't realize were his. Like many CanCon artists, he's just kind of in the background all the time. Bryan Adams certainly isn't wrong about that whole system, but who's he to talk? Also, Tom Cochrane looks like someone put a Karen wig on Buddy Hackett.

Jess Morgan

2024-10-27 04:09:08 +0000 UTC

America’s loss that you guys didn’t latch on to The Tragically Hip and Blue Rodeo. Nice to see them pop up for a moment in here at least.

Robert Lee

2024-10-27 04:02:05 +0000 UTC

that wasn't his biggest hit in either country ("Never Surrender", on both sides of the border), so that's not happening

Wicked Dreamer

2024-10-27 03:58:45 +0000 UTC

As a Canadian I cannot escape Tom Cochrane, I still hear almost every song that had a snippet in this video regularly. And the ones I don't hear as much anymore, I did some point. You'd think he was one of the biggest musicians to ever exist. Somehow I still have yet to meet a diehard Tom Cochrane fan but other big Canadian acts like Tragically Hip or Blue Rodeo absolutely have them. I have to be careful who I voice my indifference of The Hip to, the same is not true of Tom.

Vanessa Picard

2024-10-27 03:56:59 +0000 UTC

I tend to forget that the guy who wrote “Life is a Highway” is the same guy who fronted Red Rider… it’s probably because I love Red Rider waaaaay more than I like “Life Is a Highway.” It’s not Tom’s fault… I’m just so sick of hearing “Life is a Highway.” I guess I’m one of those “stick up his ass” people you mentioned 😅 Anyway, the Red Rider discography rules. I’d rather listen to that!

AnalogSkullerosis

2024-10-27 03:56:30 +0000 UTC

I grew up in N. Michigan, and we had a satellite back when they were gigantic and unregulated, so I watched a lot of MuchMusic, Canada's MTV. I even found an encyclopedia of Canadian music artists somewhere, cuz it was before the internet. I felt very worldly for a bit of a backwoods kid.

Meghan Weber

2024-10-27 03:55:12 +0000 UTC

Excellent start to the requests!

Adam Nelson

2024-10-27 03:53:23 +0000 UTC

I mean, I don't drive, so I can't really argue, but as a kid living next to a highway, I would watch the cars go by out my window when I should have been sleeping and wish I could be in one of them, speeding away from everything I was stuck with. So that bit definitely speaks to me.

Lanth

2024-10-27 03:44:14 +0000 UTC

For the record I'd love a OHW episode on Sunglasses at Night

Meluieth Box

2024-10-27 03:33:25 +0000 UTC

Life Is A Highway came out right as I was getting into music beyond my dad's record collection, and I've loved it for 33 years :)

Kylie McInnes

2024-10-27 03:32:03 +0000 UTC

Even when I was ten I thought this was a hack rhyme. Also, night driving sucks, so why would you want to do that

Russet Burbank

2024-10-27 03:30:22 +0000 UTC

I’m the opposite. For me Rascal Flatts realized it as a true road trip smasher

Bailey Vogt

2024-10-27 03:28:58 +0000 UTC

Ever since you pointed out how Bieber says "Sorry" during that review, I haven't been able to stop feeling self-conscious about saying it. You've given me a life-long neurosis about my Canadian "sorry".

Alina

2024-10-27 03:25:03 +0000 UTC

ba-dum tsh

The Wonky Angle (256 Pi)

2024-10-27 03:20:58 +0000 UTC

I (Canadian) have so many fond memories of this song. I wrote the lyrics in my journal when I was twelve because I felt like they spoke to my preteen angst. (Stuck in a small town, what can I say.)

Laura Elizabeth

2024-10-27 03:15:20 +0000 UTC

I've been waiting for this one. And the original is a better version than the Rascal Flatts cover. Also because it's a double feature with Red Rider.

Kylie McInnes

2024-10-27 03:10:44 +0000 UTC

'This song is car dependency propaganda' - someone on Twitter probably

Judgesaturn507

2024-10-27 03:05:31 +0000 UTC

That thumbnail is straight up gas

Will Seamon

2024-10-27 02:59:53 +0000 UTC

A true Canadian classic!

waywardlaser

2024-10-27 02:59:39 +0000 UTC

ONE HIT WONDERLAND: "Life Is a Highway"

Comments

I'm shocked you didn't talk about the rascal flatts version that much. Aka the far superior version 👀

No self-respecting Canadian was going to Buffalo for beer. Everything else, yes.

I practically guarantee if you heard "Bittersweet Symphony" you'd recognize it. That song was inescapable in the late 90s. Has a really interesting (and enraging) story behind it too.

Interestingly, Bruce also did legit aid work in the developing world in the late 80s (Central America I think) and was so enraged at the injustice and suffering he witnessed he wrote "If I Had a Rocket Launcher", my second favourite song of his.

I had no strong feelings about it until they played it at every high school dance and I got so sick of it.

I knew "Big League" only because MuchMusic played it fairly regularly and the local classic rock stations played it and "Lunatic Fringe" all the time to meet their CanCon quotas.

I am Canadian. Thank you for telling me that "Big League" is not actually by Bryan Adams, something I have believed since I was a child. I now feel bad about that. Good episode. Get well soon, Amy.

As a proud Rush fan and member of Potomac Curling Club, I feel compelled to ... you know, I should probably move. At the first UFC event I covered, they blasted Lunatic Fringe for someone's walkout music so loudly that my chest rattled with every bass note. It was kinda awesome.

"Makin' It" would be an interesting one, especially since Naughton's one hit is literally his only song. The b-side is even an instrumental version of it.

Despite being an institution that I barely knew existed, hearing he was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame 3 years before Bryan Adams was oddly very satisfying...

Huh. I don't think I've ever heard this song in my life. Looks like it made it to number 31 in my country, so it wasn't a monster hit, but it's still pretty rare that I haven't heard of a OHW from the 90s.

Interesting, apart from Cochrane, De La Soul is the only artist here i'm familiar with, the others are all complete unknowns to me.

Yeah, agreed. I recognized a tonne of his songs, but the only Tom Cochrane song I can name off the top of my head is "Life is a Highway."

Man, Tom looks like a deer in headlights every time he looks at the camera

Just joining the chorus of people glad to hear the Bruce Cockburn shout-out. I'm American but i was raised on his music by my ex-folkie dad. Fabulous stuff

Martika did have other hits, with "Love...Thy Will Be Done" even hitting the Top Ten.

Cheaper everything. When they raised the VAT (Value-added tax) Canadians would come to the States on weekend, buy a bunch, remove all the labels, and go back the next day to say that it was all luggage. Even staying the night was cheaper than that incredible tax.

you met him? Cool!

For Blue Suede Todd did clarify that he couldn't find any particular evidence of that one other song getting to #7 so that one made a bit more sense.

That's who I was trying to remember. I had thought Ledoux's was the original, had never heard of Cochrane before this video!

Triumph! Hell yeah! Ricket Emmett is a national treasure, and bought me a sub from Subway one time!

Something to do with how Canadians usually take a weekend trip to Buffalo back in the day for cheap beer?

Echo Beach would be in my top 3 OHW requests easy. Phenomenal track.

I knew Vision Quest solely because it has an early Madonna appearance, and she sticks out on the VERY AOR-heavy soundtrack: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090270/soundtrack/ (also features Madge's cult early track Gambler)

Hopefully the pup isn't eating her cone. That gets really old, really fast.

Poor Amydog. I hope she heals up ok The video was awesome, thanks to the requester for picking this, and thanks as always Todd!

Thanks man! I sent him a list, but this was one I thought he'd be down for.

The Canadian clichés are brilliant! I'm a New Yorker with a GF in Montréal. Used to have family there so it's like my 2nd home.

I've waited for this one for a while! I've always liked it and it gets better as I get older and frumpier. Get well soon Amy 🐶

Corey Hart was actually decently big in the states, he had a whopping NINE top 40 hits if you can believe it.

yeah that was my first exposure to that song and honestly I prefer the Flatts version.

i'm more bummed about Triumph myself, they were every bit as talented of a Canadian Progressive Rock trio as Rush were but sadly never got the same recognition.

I am on the anti-Life is a Highway bandwagon as it was SO OVERPLAYED when it was a hit. Still sick of it. Has anyone interpreted the Rick Moranis joke? If not, I can.

Hey man love your writing! Really cool to see you here and helping out Todd, interesting choice of request.

The Chris LeDoux version (the BEST version) only gets a passing mention, and not even by name? Todd, man...

I wish Helix, Lee Aaron, Haywire and Triumph were bigger deals in the states.

I think his music is pretty damn good so I could've done without the Adams bashing myself(Ryan Adams on the other absolutely deserves bashing for his lame music and for being a creep to women).

Love Great White(RIP Jack Russell)but sadly they wouldn't have qualified for OHW as they had another top 40 hit with "The Angel Song" which managed to hit #30.

F.D. Signifier did a pretty good video essay on Canibus, I dismissed him as a gimmick rapper but he's got more talent then I thought.

Lunatic Fringe, as made famous by the film Vision Quest.... ;)

Is Canibus interesting enough to warrant a Trainwreckords? Because if you've never heard his 2001 album C! True Hollywood Stories, that a real doozy.

Feel better Amydog <3

The Tragically Hip were more of a cult thing here here, but the people who were into them were REALLY into them. Sort of like everywhere else, I guess.

I’m an American and I have nothing of particular importance to say

You can tell I grew up on 89x (CIMX) - because people haven't even mentioned Bruce Cockburn's best song - Listen for the Laugh. But Blue Rodeo, BNL, Tragically Hip, I've got tons of it on tapes I created in the 90's.

As a Canadian, I can say that Tom Cochrane is … actually mostly a one hit wonder up here too. He’s not the Tragically Hip, legendary Canadian rock gods. He’s … Tom Cochrane. We like that one song. The one about the highway.

ditto

Hope AmyDog us feeling better, Todd!

I’m a Canadian and I hate this song.

If you need more money for your broken dog, hit me up and name your price. The requests were all snapped up by the time I logged on and it's been a dream for years to request a video for your channel.

As a Canadian, I've always associated Red Rider more with Big League than Lunatic Fringe, I guess because I heard it more often on the radio. If you asked me to name a second Tom Cochrane song, that's probably what I would have come up with first.

Holy shit! That was amazing. The fact this came together so fast is incredible. Cannot be prouder that this is what I helped Amydog to make. Much love and thanks Todd.

I second Todd’s Bruce Cockburn recommendation. Discovering his body of work was a magical experience. Lovers in a Dangerous Time is one of the best songs ever written.

Believe it or not, Corey Hart had nine Top 40 hits in America.

Good lawd that was fast.

Shout out to the brief appearance from "Boy Inside the Man," perhaps better known as a New Monkees track

Speaking of Canada, I'm really hoping for a video on "Echo Beach" by Martha and the Muffins one day. It's easily one of the most underrated new wave songs ever. (The rest of their discography is also pretty good.)

America’s loss that you guys didn’t latch on to The Tragically Hip and Blue Rodeo. Nice to see them pop up for a moment in here at least.

that wasn't his biggest hit in either country ("Never Surrender", on both sides of the border), so that's not happening

I grew up in N. Michigan, and we had a satellite back when they were gigantic and unregulated, so I watched a lot of MuchMusic, Canada's MTV. I even found an encyclopedia of Canadian music artists somewhere, cuz it was before the internet. I felt very worldly for a bit of a backwoods kid.

Excellent start to the requests!

I mean, I don't drive, so I can't really argue, but as a kid living next to a highway, I would watch the cars go by out my window when I should have been sleeping and wish I could be in one of them, speeding away from everything I was stuck with. So that bit definitely speaks to me.

For the record I'd love a OHW episode on Sunglasses at Night

Life Is A Highway came out right as I was getting into music beyond my dad's record collection, and I've loved it for 33 years :)

Even when I was ten I thought this was a hack rhyme. Also, night driving sucks, so why would you want to do that

I’m the opposite. For me Rascal Flatts realized it as a true road trip smasher

Ever since you pointed out how Bieber says "Sorry" during that review, I haven't been able to stop feeling self-conscious about saying it. You've given me a life-long neurosis about my Canadian "sorry".

*ba-dum tsh*

I (Canadian) have so many fond memories of this song. I wrote the lyrics in my journal when I was twelve because I felt like they spoke to my preteen angst. (Stuck in a small town, what can I say.)

I've been waiting for this one. And the original is a better version than the Rascal Flatts cover. Also because it's a double feature with Red Rider.

'This song is car dependency propaganda' - someone on Twitter probably

That thumbnail is straight up gas

A true Canadian classic!

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ba-dum tsh