Rollin' On Canadian Highway With BTO Rockers...

SONGS I LOVE:

Thanks to my wonderful Canadian buddy Rob M. for the songs I've learnt and the ride along the scenic Canadian Highway:

My own knowledge of heavy metal or rock bands is hardly enough for me to write any decent posting on the genre. But I truly appreciate my first ever heavies when I listened to Deep Purple in the 70s and except for a few songs like Smoke On The Water, Highway Star and Black Night the interest stopped there because I could not take too much of the cacophony and extremely high decibels emanating from both the powerfully voiced singers and their amplified instruments. It was only by chance that I listened to this genre of music again.

On a nostalgia trip in the mid-nineties I returned to Vancouver, Canada and travelled from there to Winnipeg in a car. A really wonderful Winnipegian friend (image 2) came all the way from his home town, drove West to B.C. for two days, picked me up from the city in his purple, 1995 two door sports Chevvy Cavalier and we drove back East for the next 8 days, seeing sights across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskachewan, Manitoba and hearing songs by *BTO (image 5, 6) and other 60s to 70s rockers from his car-radio.

We met many friendly bikers along the way (image 4), bears catching trout on the Canadian rivers, deer that walk the roads, camouflaged white goats amidst the pale hills and sometimes soaring eagles in the skies. In the background, the rugged mountains, hush pines and glacial plains (image 1) were a bonus.

"You seem to love loud music?" I asked on the second day of our journey.

"To keep me awake Andy," he replied. "You don't wanna drive the car since you guys drive on the wrong side of the road in Singapore and I have to keep myself awake all the time. Besides, BTO music is truckers' music and drivers keep themselves awake and entertained with heavy metal and CBRadio."

I understood what he meant. It was hard for him to keep awake during the long and quiet drives (image 2), especially after lunch. I kept my mouth shut for the rest of the journey realising that if it weren't for my good friend I would have to suffer a bus trip that would take more days. But I always made sure he was awake and chatted with him when the player was switched off.

The baptism of gutter guitar filled me with fire and after some driving practice I took over Rob's car on the fourth day. I learnt a few songs on the road like, Taking Care Of Business, Roll On Down The Highway, You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet, Take It Like A Man, Let It Ride, a favourite American Woman and other rock hits.

I also realised that the growling guitars and gruff grinding of voices from heavy rock kept me awake while we were on the long Canadian roads from two o'clock in the afternoon, sometimes under a blazing Canadian sun in the middle of June. But when the eyes just would not open, we would shade under a large tree on a side road and take a cat nap.

I was sad, not glad, when I had to leave Winnipeg again and missing the BTO stuff that I never got to collect. I am still learning about this genre of music. Anyone got any vinyls or CDs of truckers' music to spare?

*"Bachman–Turner Overdrive (frequently known as BTO) is a Canadian rock group from Winnipeg, Manitoba, that had a series of hit albums and singles in the 1970s, selling over 7 million albums in that decade alone. Their 1970s catalog included five Top 40 albums and six Top 40 singles.

The band has sold nearly 30 million albums worldwide, and has fans affectionately known as gearheads (derived from the band's gear-shaped logo). Many of their songs still receive play on FM classic rock stations (Wiki)."

Images 1, 2, 3, 4/original article: Andy Lim Collection.

Image 5, 6: You Tube and Google.

Red River Valley Winnipeg Manitoba Canada

The image is that of the Red River Valley in Manitoba, Canada. Could it be this river that inspired the song of the same name? This beautiful city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, was my home for three years in the 80's.

It was surprising indeed to find that the river I like to sing about, runs through this city. I have been back to Winnipeg once in the last 20 years.

Image: www.ncdc.noaa.gov/paleo/news/new2002.html

Original article: Andy Lim Collection.

Johnny & The Hurricanes - Red River Rock - Andy Young

Once and for all, where is the Red River Valley?

And why I'm always singing it during our Silver Strings Concerts?

If there's one song in the 60's that has been sung by nearly every English speaking individual in Singapore, it's Red River Valley. It is a cowboy song [Country/Western] and it is also a river near Winnipeg, Manitoba, where I lived and studied for three years. Beautiful in Summer but hot, and fabulous in Winter but piercing cold at -40 degrees Centigrade.

The Red River Valley is a region in central North America that is drained by the Red River of the North. The geography of North Dakota, Minnesota, and Manitoba reveals the fertile lands around the river and the population centers of Fargo, Moorhead, Grand Forks, and Winnipeg.

One point to remember; part of the river is in the North in Canada and the other part in the South in the US of A.

Red River Valley is well-known among musicians as a folk song, a cowboy music standard (country/western) but apparently it has controversial origins. This song has gone by different names like, Cowboy Love Song, Bright Sherman Valley, Bright Laurel Valley, In the Bright Mohawk Valley, and Bright Little Valley and actually depending on where it has been sung.

     

Camp Amisk, Winnipeg, near La Salle River, last tributary of the Red River, with David Garvin and pet dog, who's cleverer than his master (1985).

As the website http://www.plainsfolk.com/ commented, it could not have originated from Texas because of the line, "Do not hasten to bid me adieu..." Also Canadian folklorist researcher Edith Fowke explained that the song originated among British troops who came to Manitoba, the Red River Valley of the North.

It has also been recognised as a soldier's sweetheart song, popular in Cold War America and on Armed Forces Radio.  The song could have expressed the sorrow of a local woman (a native Canadian Indian or Metis) as her soldier lover prepares to return to the east.

                 Red River Valley: 2nd song after Diana. Andy n Silver Strings.

Many singers have recorded this song and the trail includes Marty Robbins, Jo Stafford, Gene Autry and Eddie Arnold. Johnny and The Hurricanes recorded a rock and roll adaptation of the song, Red River Rock, in 1959. It became a Top Ten hit on both sides of the Atlantic and was at number five in the U.S. and number three in the UK.

This instrumental version has also been recorded by many guitar groups. During the 60's in Singapore, it is also played frequently on stage and during tea-dances. Most uniform like the Scouts, Boys Brigade and Sea Cadets and campfire groups know this sing-a-long and the Chinese version is, Hong Her Ker - Red River Song. Popular in Stage One music books for pianos and electronic organs; it is a simple yet melodious tune. It will be sung at the gig at Orchid Country, Singapore.

Johnny and the Hurricanes Red River Rock.

From this valley they say you are going,
I will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile.
For they say you are taking the sunshine,
That has brightened our pathway awhile.

Chorus:
Please come back to the Red River Valley,
Please come back to a heart that is true,
I'll be there in the Red River Valley,
I'll be waiting just waiting for you.

Come sit by my side if you love me.
Do not hasten to bid me adieu.
Just remember the Red River Valley,
And the one that has loved you so true.

The Red River Valley: Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada.

References:

1. Wikipedia - Red River Valley/Geography/Song

2. http://www.plainsfolk.com/

3. Image: taluung.blogspot.com

Original article: Andy Lim Collection