The Brothers-in-Law
Encyclopedia
The Brothers-in-Law was a Canadian
satirical musical group that was active in the 1960s and early 1970s, recording a number of popular record albums and generating occasional controversy.
The group was established in 1963 by four police officers in Windsor, Ontario
(hence the name Brothers-in-Law). The group's repertoire consisted mainly of musical satire poking fun at the Canadian government, sex and censorship, the law, and consumer issues. They performed and recorded a mixture of original songs and adaptations of folk and stage tunes (particularly based on Gilbert and Sullivan
).
The band's most popular recording was the album Oh! Oh! Canada, released in 1965, which sold between 100,000 and 275,000 copies (sources vary as to the exact number). The album's best known songs included "Rally Around the New Flag", which lampooned the extensive political battles over the then-new "Maple Leaf" national flag design, and "The Pill", which satirized the then-topical issue of the birth control pill. The latter song was somewhat controversial for its subject matter and the album liner notes contained a warning to radio stations not to play the song.
The band recorded five albums of songs and several singles in Canada. They also recorded an album for release in the United States
which included a new rendition of "The Pill" as well as "Canada-U.S.A.", a song about Canadian-American similarities and the long-standing debate over whether Canada should become the 51st state (this song was later covered by The Travellers
).
The original line-up of the band included chief songwriter Alec Somerville on banjo, Howard Duffy (guitar), Larry Reaume (guitar), and Ken Clarke (bass). In 1965, Clarke left the band and was replaced by schoolteacher Bob Lee. Duffy left the band in 1966 and apparently was not replaced. The members of the group maintained their day jobs, treating their musical career as a sideline and only giving occasional performances.
According to The Canadian Encyclopedia
, the group disbanded in the early 1970s, however in the early 1980s a compilation album entitled Oh! Oh! Canada, Eh? was released. (The appending of the phrase "Eh?" to the title suggests its release was inspired by the success of Bob and Doug MacKenzie.) As an acknowledgment of changing morality, whereas the band's first album contained a warning about broadcasting "The Pill", the compilation amended the warning to say "be our guest."
The Evaporators
reference The Brothers-in-Law in their song Gerda Musinger (about the woman of the same name
) from the album Ripple Rock
. Nardwuar the Human Serviette
sings, "The Brothers-in-Law sang about her first / but let's further whet your thirst!"
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...
satirical musical group that was active in the 1960s and early 1970s, recording a number of popular record albums and generating occasional controversy.
The group was established in 1963 by four police officers in Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
(hence the name Brothers-in-Law). The group's repertoire consisted mainly of musical satire poking fun at the Canadian government, sex and censorship, the law, and consumer issues. They performed and recorded a mixture of original songs and adaptations of folk and stage tunes (particularly based on Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan
Gilbert and Sullivan refers to the Victorian-era theatrical partnership of the librettist W. S. Gilbert and the composer Arthur Sullivan . The two men collaborated on fourteen comic operas between 1871 and 1896, of which H.M.S...
).
The band's most popular recording was the album Oh! Oh! Canada, released in 1965, which sold between 100,000 and 275,000 copies (sources vary as to the exact number). The album's best known songs included "Rally Around the New Flag", which lampooned the extensive political battles over the then-new "Maple Leaf" national flag design, and "The Pill", which satirized the then-topical issue of the birth control pill. The latter song was somewhat controversial for its subject matter and the album liner notes contained a warning to radio stations not to play the song.
The band recorded five albums of songs and several singles in Canada. They also recorded an album for release in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
which included a new rendition of "The Pill" as well as "Canada-U.S.A.", a song about Canadian-American similarities and the long-standing debate over whether Canada should become the 51st state (this song was later covered by The Travellers
The Travellers (band)
For other meanings of the term see The Travellers For the American folk trio see Travelers 3The Travellers were a Canadian folk singing group which formed in the summer of 1953...
).
The original line-up of the band included chief songwriter Alec Somerville on banjo, Howard Duffy (guitar), Larry Reaume (guitar), and Ken Clarke (bass). In 1965, Clarke left the band and was replaced by schoolteacher Bob Lee. Duffy left the band in 1966 and apparently was not replaced. The members of the group maintained their day jobs, treating their musical career as a sideline and only giving occasional performances.
According to The Canadian Encyclopedia
The Canadian Encyclopedia
The Canadian Encyclopedia is a source of information on Canada. It is available online, at no cost. The Canadian Encyclopedia is available in both English and French and includes some 14,000 articles in each language on a wide variety of subjects including history, popular culture, events, people,...
, the group disbanded in the early 1970s, however in the early 1980s a compilation album entitled Oh! Oh! Canada, Eh? was released. (The appending of the phrase "Eh?" to the title suggests its release was inspired by the success of Bob and Doug MacKenzie.) As an acknowledgment of changing morality, whereas the band's first album contained a warning about broadcasting "The Pill", the compilation amended the warning to say "be our guest."
The Evaporators
The Evaporators
The Evaporators is a Canadian punk rock band formed in 1986 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Nardwuar, its founding member, is known for interviewing politicians and celebrities.-History:...
reference The Brothers-in-Law in their song Gerda Musinger (about the woman of the same name
Gerda Munsinger
Gerda Munsinger was an East German prostitute and alleged Soviet spy who was the centre of the Munsinger Affair political scandal in Canada....
) from the album Ripple Rock
Ripple Rock (album)
Ripple Rock is The Evaporators' third album. It was released in 2004 in Canada by Mint Records and Nardwuar Records and elsewhere by Alternative Tentacles. The vinyl contained a free copy of Thee Dublins' self-titled 7"...
. Nardwuar the Human Serviette
Nardwuar the Human Serviette
Nardwuar the Human Serviette is a Canadian celebrity interviewer and musician from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He is the lead singer and keyboardist for The Evaporators and plays in Thee Goblins....
sings, "The Brothers-in-Law sang about her first / but let's further whet your thirst!"
Discography
- Oh! Oh! Canada (1965)
- The Brothers-in-Law Strike Again (1966)
- Expose '67 (1967)
- Expose '67 Plus (1967)
- The Pill (US release; year unknown, c.1967)
- Total Lewdity (1968)
- Onward the Establishment (1969)
- Oh! Oh! Canada, Eh? (early 1980s compilation)