Top Canadian Rock Bands
On The Acoustic

Bad Side Of The Moon is a song written by Elton John and was the the b-side to his single release called Border Song. In 1072, April Wine put the song on their 2nd album called On Record and when released as a single went to #16 on the Canadian Rock Charts.

I'm On Fire For You Baby was released as a single only in 1974 by April Wine and peaked at #64 on the Canadian Rock charts. They also included the track on their Greatest Hits album from 1979.

Just Between You And Me hails from the 1981 album The Nature Of The Beast which produced two singles. This song made it to #22 in the US and #21 in Canada.

Tonight Is A Wonderful Time To Fall In Love was one of four singles released from the 1975 album Stand Back and was the highest ranking single of the four, peaking at reaching #5 in Canada. The other three singles were I Wouldn't Want To Lose Your Love (17), Cum Hear The Band (29) and Oohwhatanite (11).

Dunrobin's Gone is found on the Brave Belt II album but I don't believe the song was a single back in 1972

The band pre-dated BTO and was post The Guess Who.

This one is played in standard tuning with a root down up down up down up and repeat rhythm pattern. Some lead required with the chords D, G, A, Bm, Gbm, Em and an A7.

Hey You was one of two singles from BTO's 1975 album Four Wheel Drive.

The song was #1 in Canada, #2 in South Africa and #21 in the US.

Takin Care Of Business was a #3 hit in Canada and a #12 in the US when it was released as a single in 1974.

The track can be found on the Bachman Turner Overdrive II album.

You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet is a song by a Canadian rock band called Bachman–Turner Overdrive (BTO). Randy Bachman wrote the song for the band's third album called Not Fragile in 1974. They released it as a single that same year, with another song called "Free Wheelin'" on the flip side.

The song became really popular, reaching number one on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and also on the Canadian RPM chart in November 1974. It was their biggest hit in the United Kingdom too, reaching number 2 on the UK Singles Chart. They also had another song called "Roll on Down the Highway" that did pretty well in the UK, though not as big as this one.

Fly At Night was one of four singles Chilliwack released from their 1977 album entitles Dreams Dreams Dreams. The song was the highest charting of the four singles making it to #7 in Canada and #76 in the US.

Last Song was a single 1972 hit for the Canadian group Edward Bear (not a person) and reached #3 in the US and #1 in Canada.

The song is in the key of Gb but for my vocals I'm at a capo 3rd fret playing a root down up down up down up and repeat rhythm pattern. No lead just a little riff in the beginning and played in standard tuning.

Absolutely Right was a single from the Five Man Electrical Band, who was a Canadian rock band based out of Ottawa Canada. This track was from their 1971 album Coming Of Age. The song peaked at #3 in Canada and #26 on the US Hot 100 chart.

You can uses a down down up down up down up rhythm pattern using the chords A, D/A, G, E7, D, C and a B7. A few picking riffs is all that's needed for this one.

Lovin' Every Minute Of It is a track form on the 1985 album of the same name by Canadian rock band Loverboy. In 1985 there were no cell phones or internet and the band needed one more song to finish their album. Record producer Mutt Lange was contacted in England to see if he could help and he wrote the song in 3 day.

But he had to play it over the telephone while the band taped it on a hand help tape recorder in Canada. From what they got, they re-created the song and scored a #9 hit in the US and a #11 in Canada.

Are You Sad is a track from Our Lady Peace and their 2000 album entitled Spiritual Machines.

There were three singles released from this album but this song was not one of them.

That's Where I Went Wrong was a single from The Poppy Family back in 1970. The song reached #9 in Canada and #29 in the US and hails from their debut album called Which Way You Goin Billy? This band was based out of Vancouver B.C.

The song is played in standard tuning with a bit of picking for the horn section and with a root down up down up down up and repeat rhythm pattern. For chords play a Am,C, Dm, F, Em, and an E.

Carry Me was from the band's 1971 album "Against The Grain" and Carry Me was a single released in Jan 1971, a few months earlier than Sweet City Woman.

This was a #2 or a #1 in Canada depending on which chart you reference. The song did not chart in any other country.

I place a capo 2nd fret here in standard tuning while playing a down down up down up down up and repeat rhythm pattern. Some lead with the chords A, E, D, Gbm, G, C, Am and a G6.

Devil You was introduced to the masses in 1972 when The Stampeders released their album "Carrying On" which spawned four singles.

The song "Wild Eyes" peaked at #2 while this one "Devil You" reached #8 in Canada.

This one is played in standard tuning but no lead, just a few riffs. Play a mainly down stroked rhythm pattern with the chords E, A, D, Bm and an A7.

Minstrel Gypsy is a track from The Stampeders 1973 album entitled Rubes, Dudes and Rowdies.

The song did reach #3 and #6 on two separate Canadian Rock charts but never charted anywhere else.

Sweet City Woman was the bands first big song when it hit #1 on the charts in Canada and #8 in the US in 1971.

They won several Canadian Juno Awards that year and they signed with Polydor which meant distribution of their music into the US market.

This song appeared on their debut album "Against The Grain" in 1971.

I play  a down up down up steady strum for this one in standard tuning and with some lead required For chords play a G, Am, C and a D7.

Ahead By A Century was the first #1 song in Canada by The Tragically Hip on the Canadian Rock charts and appeared there in 1996.

The song hails from their album Trouble At The Henhouse.

No lead in this one as you play a down down up down up down up and repeat rhythm pattern in standard tuning. For chords you'll need a D, E7/D, C, A and a G.

Bobcaygeon was released on 1999, is considered the groups signature song. It's named after a town about 100 miles northeast of Toronto Ont Canada. Gord Downie said the song could really be about any small town. The song was used in The Trailer Park Boys theme song for "The Movie'.

The song reached #3 on the Canadian Singles chart and can be found on their 1999 album Phantom Power.

I play this one with standard tuning with a down down up down up down up and repeat rhythm pattern and with a few riffs. The chords you'll need is G, Am7, C, Bm, Em and D.

Boots Or Hearts hails from the 1990 album "Up To Here" and reached #41 on the charts in Canada when it was released as a single.

The song did not chart in the US.

I play this one with a down up down up and repeat pattern with some riffs blended in standard tuning. There is some lead work here with the chords G, D and C.

Looking For A Place To Happen was a 1992 release from the album "Fully Completely" which spawned six singles, including this song.

The album did well in Canada as expected. This song reached #51 in Canada and did not chart in the US.

The chords here are Em, G, D, C, A and F while playing a down down up down down up and repeat rhythm pattern. There also down strokes and some shuffle strumming and some lead required here.

Thugs is from the 1994 album "Day For Night" and peaked at #81 in Canada.

The song did not chart in the US.

I play this one in standard tuning with a G, A, C and E chords with no lead required. You can use a steady down up down up rhythm pattern with a riff blended in and some down strokes in places.

We'll Go Too is another song from the "Fully Completely" album but was never released as a single.

The three chords here are E, Asus2 and B played in standard tuning with some riffs blended into the rhythm. You can play an up up down up down and repeat rhythm pattern here.

Big League was one of five singles from the 1988 album Victory Day by Tom Cochran and Red Rider. This track peaked at #4 in Canada and $9 in the US and has been used as a memorial song of sorts by young hockey players who have lost their lives in various accidents.

Hold On was one of two singles released from Triumph's 1979 album Just A Game. This song made it to #33 in Canada and #38 in the US on the rock charts.

Santa Maria was a track from the 1976 album Two For The Show and was the 2nd single from the album, reaching #35 on the Canadia rock charts. The other track is listed below.

Two For The Show was a single from the Trooper 1976 album of the same name. The track reach #32 on the Canadian Rock charts.

I play this one in standard tuning with a down down up down up down up rhythm pattern. The chords you'll need G, Bm, Am7, C and a D. And yeah there is a bit of lead work in this one.