I badly miss playing with the folks in my band (Jerome, Nigel, Sue and Rob). Every live performing musician I know is going through the same withdrawal. Many are getting their fix with a streamed video concert.
This past weekend I was thinking about what songs I might perform in a video streaming event. I did some research on what songs are most popular on various streaming platforms – and never got farther than that. But I did see which songs are most popular – and I am a bit surprised. The Top 10 songs are
- Sha La La (2016, Mind Alone)
- Start With the Truth (2016, Mind Alone)
- Angel on the Moon (2010, World)
- ex Patriots’ Day (2006, ex Patriots’ Day)
- Forty Days (2016, Mind Alone)
- Fire in St. Peters (2004, Returning Fire)
- Cheticamp (2006, ex Patriots’ Day)
- Paid in Love (2016, Mind Alone)
- Half the Battle* (2019, The Early Dreams)
- When I Wanted Ottawa* (2019, The Early Dreams)
So a couple of things. I have 60 songs that are streamed on Spotify, Apple, Google, etc. Those songs have been streamed just over 10,000 times over the last few years. I think that is a pretty good number for a non-touring indie artist. BUT to put it in context, major artists (like Drake) can do a million streams in one day. So my numbers, which are by most measures rinky dink, are still gratifying.
I also see that every one of my songs get some streaming. I suspect that is rare – I consider that a major musical success.
Anyway, since those are the songs that are played most often, I thought I would give some background on each of them (while I am taking my time moving on a live performance). So each blog, I will give a wee background brief on each of the top 10 songs.
My number 1 streamed song is “Sha La La” – one of four songs from the album Mind Alone in the top 10. It’s a simple song. When I brought it into the studio I was worried that it was maybe too slight to be worth recording. But a couple of the guys unprompted said they loved the song. That was all the encouragement I needed.
The verses use a pseudo-numerical thematic sequence of denied aphorisms and proverbs. For example “There ain’t no once upon a time, there ain’t no too far gone, there ain’t no three ships a-sailing”. (Yes I take some liberties). The chorus adopts an often-used triad of non-lexical vocables. OK. Now it doesn’t seem so simple does it?
Sha La La has been used as a song title or within a song many many times. My first recollection is a version by Manfred Mann of a Shirelles song. Or maybe the Grassroots song of “Let’s Live for Today” which uses Sha La La in the chorus. Dozens of others have written songs with the same title or used the phrase in a song.
In my song, Sha La La is the (entire) chorus. I thought about changing it to something less shop worn but couldn’t find a phrase that seemed to fit as well.
The song lyrics and melody were mostly composed while sitting on a planter box outside Bud’s on Broadway. I was visiting family and friends in Saskatoon, waiting for a friend (Mr. Rod Rollack) one summer evening in 2013. Some songs get written that way – very little effort, the words and music gel easily and naturally and when you finally sit down with a guitar to work on it, you remember it completely.
The musicians on the track are Steve O’Connor, Mike Francis, Brian Barlow, Steve Lucas, Neil Donell and Lori Dortono. Engineering is by Ken Harnden. They have all worked with songwriters and performers much better known than me. You can judge the quality of these musicians by the artists they have recorded and performed with – I won’t name names but you can search any of them and their legacies will impress you.
The retro Wurlitzer piano intro is by Steve O’Connor. Steve has been a recording mainstay on 5 of my 6 studio albums – he never grandstands, he is incredibly humble and he is brilliant.
When we play this live, everyone (even Rob) in the band has to sing the Sha La La chorus. Like a band of angels in a speakeasy.
“There ain’t no one, no one and only, there ain’t no too much gin, there ain’t no three’s a lucky charm”.
On Spotify, Google Play, Amazon, iTunes, Deezer, Napster and YouTube.
