Bob Mersereau must be a glutton for punishment. How else could you explain his constant need to compile these list books that rank popular Canadian music?
His M.O. has been to celebrate the same handful of stalwarts (Neil, Joni, Rush, etc.) that tend to drive Canadian music fans not in the Mersereau‘s boomer generation insane with rage.
This time it’s the Top 100 Canadian Singles (his last book was 2007’s Top 100 Canadian Albums) and to little surprise the Guess Who takes the crown with their 1970 cross-border breakthrough American Woman.
To his credit, Mersereau is aware of the ire he creates. In the introduction he writes, “Call me names I can take it.” And on a recent book tour stop in Vancouver, held at the city’s premier indie store, Zulu Records, he explained his survey/votes method in case you thought it was just his all-knowing opinion.
But before we tear into the list let’s consider the merit of American Woman as the Greatest Canadian Single of all time. First, it has a certain designation that sets it above the fray immediately – it’s the first Canadian-made song to crack the No. 1 position on the American Top 100.
There’s some juicy irony to this triumph. Do you think U.S. radio audiences had any clue what this song was about? My guess is that DJs simply heard the words “American Woman” in a catchy, rocking chorus and just spun the hell out of the single. Was it an anti-war message? The band says they were never “anti-anything.” Was it misogynistic? That’s to be interpreted. Did Lenny Kravitz butcher it with an amped-up redo in 1999? This much we know for sure.
I won’t say American Woman belongs on the top of this list, but I won’t say it doesn’t either. Another candidate doesn’t immediately jump to mind but that doesn’t mean I’m not taking issue with Mersereau’s list. There are some bizarrely notable omissions and at the expense of over lauding certain tried and true Canuck rockers.
The bulk of my (mild) outrage goes to glaring omission of Sarah McLaughlin. She didn’t just produce at least a best ofs worth of hits, but she practically started a movement in the 90s. Instead, Rush gets three places? C’mon.
Not that I’m a huge 54-40 guy but they rode the charts pretty heavy around these parts. Platinum Blonde had a few decent singles and I’ll join the chorus of shock that Shania Twain, who has sold over 70 millions album, wasn’t worthy.
Here’s the full list:
1. American Woman, The Guess Who
2. Heart of Gold, Neil Young
3. The Weight, The Band
4. Summer of ’69, Bryan Adams
5. Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen
6. Born to Be Wild, Steppenwolf
7. If You Could Read My Mind, Gordon Lightfoot
8. Takin’ Care of Business, Bachman Turner Overdrive
9. Four Strong Winds, Ian and Sylvia
10. Snowbird, Anne Murray
11. Big Yellow Taxi, Joni Mitchell
12. Tom Sawyer, Rush
13. Try, Blue Rodeo
14. New Orleans Is Sinking, Tragically Hip
15. The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, Gordon Lightfoot
16. Suzanne, Leonard Cohen
17. Life Is a Highway, Tom Cochrane
18. These Eyes, Guess Who
19. Sundown, Gordon Lightfoot
20. Underwhelmed, Sloan
21. Up On Cripple Creek, The Band
22. Let Your Backbone Slide, Maestro Fresh Wes
23. Tired of Waking Up Tired, The Diodes
25. The Spirit of Radio, Rush
25. Oh What a Feeling, Crowbar
26. High School Confidential, Rough Trade
27. Echo Beach, Martha and the Muffins
28. Sweet City Woman, Stampeders
29. Wake Up, Arcade Fire
30. If I Had $1,000,000, Barenaked Ladies
31. Lindberg, Robert Charlebois
32. I’m an Adult Now, The Pursuit of Happiness
33. Nothin’, Ugly Ducklings
34. Coax Me, Sloan
35. Closer To the Heart, Rush
36. Picture My Face, Teenage Head
37. Shakin’ All Over, The Guess Who
38. Signs, Five Man Electrical Band
39. Lost Together, Blue Rodeo
40. Sonny’s Dream, Ron Hynes
41. The Safety Dance, Men Without Hats
42. Claire, Rheostatics
43. One Fine Morning, Lighthouse
44. (Make Me Do) Anything You Want, A Foot In Coldwater
45. Sunglasses at Night, Corey Hart
46. Working For the Weekend, Loverboy
47. Raise a Little Hell, Trooper
48. Rise Up, Parachute Club
49. Black Velvet, Alannah Myles
50. Seasons In the Sun, Terry Jacks
51. Montreal 40C, Malajube
52. Cinnamon Girl, Neil Young
53. You Oughta Know, Alanis Morissette
54. 1234, Feist
55. Rebellion (Lies), Arcade Fire
56. Constant Craving, k.d. lang
57. Rockin’ In the Free World, Neil Young
58. Lovin’ You Ain’t Easy, Michel Pagliaro
59. Lovers In a Dangerous Time, Bruce Cockburn
60. Bobcaygeon, Tragically Hip
61. A Case of You, Joni Mitchell
62. New York City, The Demics
63. (Everything I Do) I Do It for You, Bryan Adams
64. Ahead By a Century, Tragically Hip
65. Five Days In May, Blue Rodeo
66. I’m Moving On, Hank Snow
67. Pour un instant, Harmonium
68. Magic Carpet Ride, Steppenwolf
69. Money City Maniacs, Sloan
70. My Heart Will Go On, Celine Dion
71. Crabbuckit, kos
72. This Beat Goes on/Switchin’ To Glide, The Kings
73. Old Man, Neil Young
74. 1990, Jean Leloup
75. Eyes of a Stranger, Payola$
76. Hasn’t Hit Me Yet, Blue Rodeo
77. You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet, Bachman Turner Overdrive
78. Wondering Where the Lions Are, Bruce Cockburn
79. You Could Have Been a Lady, April Wine
80. Let’s Shake, Teenage Head
81. Help Me, Joni Mitchell
82. We’re Here For A Good Time, Trooper
83. Sunny Days, Lighthouse
84. Le petit roi, Jean-Pierre Ferland
85. Cuts Like a Knife, Bryan Adams
86. The Hockey Song, Stompin’ Tom Connors
87. Wheat Kings, Tragically Hip
88. Mon pays, Gilles Vigneault
89. Home for a Rest, Spirit of The West
90. Letter from an Occupant, New Pornographers
91. No Time, Guess Who
92. As the Years Go By, Mashmakhan
93. Hey Hey My My, Neil Young
94. Diana, Paul Anka
95. The Maker, Daniel Lanois
96. Nova Heart, The Spoons
97. La complainte du phoque en Alaska, Beau Dommage
98. Secret Heart, Ron Sexsmith
99. Run to You, Bryan Adams
100. Weighty Ghost, Wintersleep
