We're not sure how we missed this record back when we were digging through our Calgary-themed singles. We're assuming this was a by-product of the Song For Calgary contest, and it's a really weird one, for two reasons: first, the Francophone-themed "Feuille d'Erable" label and, second, well - how do we put this lightly? The WHITE REGGAE. [youtube]Tnzdq41GSyg[/youtube] Most notably, this was before the whole Jamaican bobsleigh team craze, which makes it extra perplexing. Thankfully, the Herald had an article about this - the record came out after the fall-out from the Song for Calgary contest, but certainly drew its inspiration from that competition. [center][img width=400px]//7ca49eb9f67ba1319ef136f9d52cd8b8.cdn.bubble.io/f1773691650061x777402933843417900/richtext_content.jpeg[/img][/center] [center][/center] [h2]Pair pens ditty to spark spirits [/h2] By Lisa Church (Herald Banff bureau) CANMORE It may not have the musical clout of Neighbors of the World, but two mountain men here think their unofficial Olympic ditty will set Calga ry's toes a-tappin. With lyrics like: "Let's not blame the snowman/ Don't blame the political joes/ We all have the same opportunity/ For tickets in the back row," local song. writer Terry Wall and co-producer Joel Spillette have taken a satirical poke at Olympic controversy. As for the music, "Well, it's sort of like a marachi band playing calypso on the French Riviera," Wall says modestly. The pair decided to pen the bouncy reggae tune after hearing the Neighbors of the World song that landed accolades last spring in the official Song For Calgary contest. Entitled "88," this song at tempts to quash what Wall and Spillette see as mounting negative publicity surrounding the Games, "like lack of snow, ticket scandals and huge OCOcrats who show up in white cars with credit cards." "They've killed everything that makes this area of the province so amazing. Like the people's spirit," says the 34-year-old Wall. "But it's not a Hidy and Howdy promo, either." Fourteen musicians and singers from Calgary and the Bow Valley, most performers with the Canadian Rockies Theatre Company, contributed to the song under the group name Spirit of '87. Wall and Spillette, 32, have lived in the Canmore area for the last 10 years, and have collabo rated in the past on tunes about mountain life and the fading coal mining heritage of the town. The song "88" - carefully ensconced in quotation marks to avoid any OCO trademark infringement - was originally a song about the Canmore mines rejigged for the Calgary Games. "It doesn't fall into the stereotypical country and western or middle of the road songs of southern Alberta," the Montreal-born Wall says, even though he himself is a bit of a musical Grizzly Adams. He makes his home in a woodstove heated cabin on the side of Pigeon Mountain, just east of Canmore, and loves writing about things important to the mountain people. "I came out here from Montreal to clean my system," he says. "Canmore was a beautiful little working-class town in the midst of paradise." The start-up money for the $4,000 project was fronted by Spillette's brother, and the pair are hoping the record will make enough of a profit to pay back the debt. Two thousand copies of the 45 rpm record, distributed under Wall's Feuille D'Erable (Maple Leaf) label, will be distributed in Calgary record stores by the middle of this week. Wall and Spillette will also be approaching Calgary radio stations next week to see if they can get the song on the airwaves, too. But if you don't hear it on air, the flip side of the record will be a dubbed version of the song. with just the music and chorus lyrics featured, "so you can sing along." says Wall. [h2]"88" [/h2] Let me tell you a story About a great western town Just outside of the Rockics Where cow punchin once abound. Now they not punchin the cow, man Wild horses or the buffalo Now deep in the heart of Stampede Town They wranglin' Olympic gold. CHORUS: In '88, we'll have a two week date In '88, we'll have a two week date Beaureaucrats and politicians Think they're in the know For all they're schemes and conniving They must manufacture snow. Let's not blame the snow man Don't blame the political Joe's We all have the same opportunity For tickets in the back row. Don't blame Heidi or Howdy Don't blame the folks from OCO They're our chaperones on a blind date For the big international show. CHORUS: In '88, we'll have a two week date In '88, we'll have a two week date We've have been thru boom and bust Our spirit is still strong and proud We're gonna' show the whole world Calgary is alive and well. CHORUS: In '88, we'll have a two week date In '88, we'll have a two week date In '88, we'll have a two week date In '88, we'll have a two week date. (Copyright Feuille d'Erable Songs)
