IT ’ S ALL
ABOUT the Song
The stories behind the songs in the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame
By David McPherson
What makes
a great song ? I ’ m not talking about what makes a hit song . There ’ s a difference . But , not always — sales alone do not guarantee a song ’ s greatness . A chart-topping single indicates a song ’ s success in the short-term , but does not always guarantee the song is a significant addition to the cultural canon or if it will resonate with future generations . Think of songs you sang around the campfire as a kid . Did you ever hear those timeless songs on the radio ? They are part of our oral tradition . Maybe it ’ s a memorable melody or a phrase that gets ingrained in your brain after just one listen . Perhaps the lyrics are relatable ; they ruminate on universal themes of the human condition and you feel something in your soul . Maybe they created a new genre or style of music . These elements separate the songs you dance to on the radio today from the ones that are still important and move you 30 , 40 , or 50 years later . Artists come and go ; songs linger long after the artists are gone .
Canada is lucky to claim ownership to an abundance of these great songs — and songwriters . From compositions that chronicle The Great War to songs that encourage a generation to rise up , the common thread in these great works of art is their timelessness . Canadians often hear the familiar names : Neil , Joni , Gord , and Leonard when the talk turns to our great songwriters . But , there are hundreds of other great homegrown songwriters and songs beyond these legends to remember , and immortalize . `
Thanks to the dream of Frank Davies , the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame ( CSHF ) was born in 1998 , to shine a light on not just the known greats , but also on these lesser-known treasures . “ The song is everything ,” Davies explains . “ From 1964 when I first started to work in this business in Europe until today , it ’ s always been about the song . What makes a song great ? It ’ s hard to put into words , but it is one that moves me .”
From his early days as a Billboard correspondent in the 1960s , to president of Daffodil Records in the 1970s to president of ATV Music in the 1980s , and the creation of The Music Publisher ( TMP ) with over 1,500 recordings in its catalogue , there was always one constant : Davies knows what makes a great song . But even after working in the business and living in this country for a couple of decades , there were some great songs he didn ’ t know were written by one of our own . The epiphany , and the seed for what became the CSHF , arrived in 1984 . Tom Sandler , in a presentation to The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Board ( on which Davies served ), advocated for the Juno Awards to honour the work of his mother , Ruth Lowe , who wrote “ Put Your Dreams Away ( For Another Day )” and
“ I ’ ll Never Smile Again ” — a No . 1 Billboard hit for Frank Sinatra in 1940 . “ I grew up listening to the BBC in England , so those songs were familiar to me , but I did not know they were written by a Canadian ,” says Davies .
The CSHF ’ s mandate is “ to honour and celebrate Canadian songwriters , and those who have dedicated their lives to the legacy of music , and to educate the public about their achievements .” Since its creation , the CSHF has inducted more than 50 songwriters and 150 songs into the Hall of Fame . Here , Canadian Musician chose five CSHF-inducted songs from a mix of genres and decades to discover how and why these songs were born and what makes them timeless , and of course , great .
“ Spinning Wheel ” Artist : Blood , Sweat & Tears Writer : David Clayton-Thomas Year written : 1969 Year Inducted : 2007
David Clayton-Thomas
Fast Facts :
• ` Peaked at No . 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and remained there for three weeks ;
• ` It sold one million copies within three months
• ` Nominated for three Grammy Awards in 1970 and won two for Best Instrumental Arrangement and Album of the Year
• ` To date , over 400 artists , including Sammy Davis Jr . and James Brown , have recorded “ Spinning Wheel ” in 20 different languages
38 CANADIAN MUSICIAN