Singing Fools
Encyclopedia
Singing Fools was a short-lived non-performing music group established in Ottawa
, Ontario
, Canada
, in November 1982 by musicians Tim Dunlop and Kevin Murphy
.
Their self-produced 1982 vinyl single, The Bum Rap, received wide airplay on campus radio and was inspired as a criticism of the Canadian government's wage and price control program. Its sparse guitar and drum box arrangement included excerpts of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau
's infamous exhortation during the 1970 October Crisis
to "just watch me
", and the disc was later touted as Canada's first rap
record. The group achieved short-lived commercial recognition in 1985 when they were signed by A&M Records following the release of their third "civil defencercise" themed record The Apocalypso and its accompanying video which was given regular rotation on MuchMusic
. The nuclear war-themed clip featured a cameo dance appearance by Ottawa Mayor Marion Dewar
. The extended-play vinyl disc also featured a track entitled "Grave Expectations," a drum-backed recitation by eminent English historian and anti-nuclear activist, E.P. Thompson, of his apocalyptic 1950 verse on atomic war, "The Place Called Choice." A&M dropped the group after only a few months and the band released its self-produced mini-LP
, Call Me Lucky in 1986. The same year, Singing Fools were nominated (by themselves) as "best independent artist" in the CASBY Awards sponsored by Toronto's CFNY-FM
. A 1987 distribution deal with German indie label, Amok Records spawned the Cold War-inspired single, Funkenstrasse (Europa's on the Radio). After Murphy and Dunlop parted company in the 1990s Singing Fools was transformed into an internet-based music and video production company.
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, in November 1982 by musicians Tim Dunlop and Kevin Murphy
Kevin Mark Murphy
Kevin Mark Murphy is a Canadian musician and criminal lawyer, best known as a co-founder of the Ottawa-based music group, Singing Fools....
.
Their self-produced 1982 vinyl single, The Bum Rap, received wide airplay on campus radio and was inspired as a criticism of the Canadian government's wage and price control program. Its sparse guitar and drum box arrangement included excerpts of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
's infamous exhortation during the 1970 October Crisis
October Crisis
The October Crisis was a series of events triggered by two kidnappings of government officials by members of the Front de libération du Québec during October 1970 in the province of Quebec, mainly in the Montreal metropolitan area.The circumstances ultimately culminated in the only peacetime use...
to "just watch me
Just watch me
"Just watch me" is a phrase made famous by Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau on October 13, 1970, during the October crisis. The term is still regularly used in Canadian political discussion....
", and the disc was later touted as Canada's first rap
Canadian hip hop
The Canadian hip hop scene was first established in the 1980s. Through a variety of factors, it developed much more slowly than Canada's popular rock music scene, and apart from a short-lived burst of mainstream popularity from 1989 to 1991, it remained largely an underground phenomenon until the...
record. The group achieved short-lived commercial recognition in 1985 when they were signed by A&M Records following the release of their third "civil defencercise" themed record The Apocalypso and its accompanying video which was given regular rotation on MuchMusic
MuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
. The nuclear war-themed clip featured a cameo dance appearance by Ottawa Mayor Marion Dewar
Marion Dewar
Marion Dewar, CM was a prominent member of the New Democratic Party , mayor of Ottawa from 1978 to 1985 and a member of the Parliament of Canada from 1986 to 1988.-Early life:...
. The extended-play vinyl disc also featured a track entitled "Grave Expectations," a drum-backed recitation by eminent English historian and anti-nuclear activist, E.P. Thompson, of his apocalyptic 1950 verse on atomic war, "The Place Called Choice." A&M dropped the group after only a few months and the band released its self-produced mini-LP
Mini-LP
A Mini-LP or Mini-album is a short album, usually retailing at a lower price than an album that would be considered "full-length".-History:...
, Call Me Lucky in 1986. The same year, Singing Fools were nominated (by themselves) as "best independent artist" in the CASBY Awards sponsored by Toronto's CFNY-FM
CFNY-FM
CFNY-FM, promoted under the branding 102.1 The Edge, is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 102.1 FM. The station rose to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s due to its freestyle DJing format and unique choice to play alternative music...
. A 1987 distribution deal with German indie label, Amok Records spawned the Cold War-inspired single, Funkenstrasse (Europa's on the Radio). After Murphy and Dunlop parted company in the 1990s Singing Fools was transformed into an internet-based music and video production company.