'Clear The Track': How NHL's Eddie Shack Topped Toronto's Music Charts

  • 📰 NPR
  • ⏱ Reading Time:
  • 50 sec. here
  • 2 min. at publisher
  • 📊 Quality Score:
  • News: 23%
  • Publisher: 63%

United States Headlines News

United States Latest News,United States Headlines

When 'Hockey Night in Canada' commentator Brian McFarlane wrote a song about one of his favorite hockey players, it was an instant success — quickly climbing to No. 1 on Toronto's music charts.

In the fall of 1965, a producer for the CBC — that’s the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation — went to a Toronto Maple Leafs practice to look for an NHL player willing to sing on a Christmas album for kids.And just to give you an idea of how much of a big deal Bower was, he won three consecutive Stanley Cups with the Leafs between '62 and '64 and another in '67 for good measure. The Canadian government put his photo on a stamp in 2004.

"Eddie Shack was a rambunctious, colorful player who dashed all over the ice and bumped into his opponents," Brian says."And he bumped into his own players and his goaltender." "I said, 'Eddie, I'd like to write a song about you,'"Brian says."And he's, 'I don't care what you do.'" They were called “The Secrets.” Brian approached them after a show at the Toronto Pressman’s Club and offered to pay them $500 to record the song he wrote for his friend, Eddie Shack.

"I suggested we have the musicians on the ice at Maple Leaf Gardens," Brian recalls."I was going to put them all in No. 23 sweaters — Shack's number — and have them playing and singing on the ice, but that got vetoed down. My boss said to me, 'We'll just play some film of Eddie Shack skating back and forth and bumping into people and play the song in the background."The song debuted in February 1966.

 

Thank you for your comment. Your comment will be published after being reviewed.
Please try again later.
We have summarized this news so that you can read it quickly. If you are interested in the news, you can read the full text here. Read more:

 /  🏆 96. in US

United States Latest News, United States Headlines

Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.

Apple’s new AirPods to be ‘clear star’ of Black Friday amid surging demand, says WedbushDemand for Apple’s new AirPods is surging ahead of Black Friday sales and the wireless earbuds could see shortages in the holiday season, according to...
Source: MarketWatch - 🏆 3. / 97 Read more »

Van Dijk nets double as Liverpool surge 11 points clearLiverpool hung on after having goalkeeper Alisson Becker sent off to beat Bright...
Source: Reuters - 🏆 2. / 97 Read more »

UK police clear London Bridge after reports of gunshotsLONDON (AP) — British police say they’re dealing with an incident on London Bridge, and witnesses have reported hearing gunshots. The Metropolitan Police force tweeted that officers were “in... No way! Guns are illegal? I heard it is falling down. England is really falling apart... Not again !!
Source: AP - 🏆 728. / 51 Read more »

Aramco IPO draws bids of $44.3 billion as global investors steer clear Saudi oil giant’s share sale which closes Dec.4Saudi Aramco’s share sale has attracted bids worth $44.3 billion as of Friday, about 1.7 times the amount the kingdom’s government plans to raise in what is on course to be the world’s largest listing when it formally prices next week.
Source: MarketWatch - 🏆 3. / 97 Read more »

Suchergebnis auf Amazon.de für: adidas Men's Ultraboost 19, Clear Brown/Chalk White, 4 M US: Schuhe & Handtaschen🚨 BlackFriday Deal Alert: Snag the Ultraboost 19 for up to 58% off right now!
Source: runnersworld - 🏆 19. / 71 Read more »

Whitney Houston 'tried to seduce Eddie Murphy by wearing lingerie and fur coat'The Bodyguard star's former lover Robyn Crawford claims she had her heart set on comedian Eddie But he replied ya crack is wack
Source: Mirror Celeb - 🏆 476. / 51 Read more »