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.

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.

American Woman is probably The Guess Who's most recognizable song, especially to American audiences. It hails from the album of the same name which was released as a single in March 1970.

The song went to #1 on Billboard and one of many great Guess Who hits from the 1970s. While changing a broken string, Randy Bachman was goofing around and came up with a riff.

Others joined in and started jamming. Burton Cummings made up some lyrics on the spot. A kid with a tape recorder was taping and the band asked for the tape. The lyrics were later revised and Volia!

I use Drop D tuning in this one with a capo 2nd fret while playing a down up down up down up down pause-pause-then a riff in the rhythm pattern or you could play down strokes for the rhythm. Only two chords and they are D and C.

No Sugar Tonight was the B-side of the American Woman single and did reach #1 along with American Woman. That's not very common to have the B-side of a single also hit #1 on the charts.

Randy Bachman got inspiration for the song while in California when he was waling down the street with records under his arm, found himself approaching thre biker looking dudes on the same side of the street.

A car pulled over and out jumped a small woman who started ripping a strip off of one of the men for leaving her all day with the kids while he was out watching strippers.

As they got into the car she remarked there would be no sugar tonight for him. 

Drop D tuning and a capo 2nd fret here but no lead work. Just play a steady up and down with a walking bass and in the ch its chopped with the chords C, D, G, A and a Dsus2.

No Time is from the album Canned Wheat which was released in 1969 and this track peaked at #1 in Canada and #5 in the US.

Played in standard tuning and with a down down up down up down up and repeat rhythm pattern, you'll play some lead here. The chords are D, Dm7, G, Am7, Bm, C, D-on5th and D-on7th.

Share The Land was released by The Guess Who as a single form their album of the same name in 1970. It hit #2 in the US and #10 in the US.

Play this one in standard tuning with a capo 2nd fret with the chords Am, D, F, G, C, E7, A and E.

For rhythm play a down down up down up down up and repeat pattern and you'll play some lead in this number.

Star Baby is from their 1974 album called "Road Food" and this song was written by Burton Cummings.

The Guess Who had a #9 in Canada and a #30 in the US on the Cash Box chart. They also performed the song live on Dec 14, 1973 on the show Midnight Special.  

Capo 2nd fret is the original key in standard tuning and there is some lead blended into the rhythm. Play a down up down up down up and repeat pattern with the chords A, D, G, F, A#, D#, E and C.

These Eyes was a bit of a breakthrough for The Guess Who when it was released in 1969 as the song was the bands first top 10 in the US, peaking at #6 on Billboard.

Needless to say this song ended up on The Guess Who Greatest Hits album. Michael Bolton covered These Eyes in 1976.

Played in standard tuning with the chords Dm, Cmaj7, Am , C, G, C/G, Fmaj7, D, G, Amaj7, E and a Gb. Just some riffs but no lead work with the rhythm pattern riff down down up up down down - down down down up down up down down. You'll have to watch the demo to see this in action.

Undun was one of The Guess Who songs that started out as a the B-side to the single, Laughing. But DJ's began playing the B-side as much as the A-side which gave the song more exposure than the band expected.

It was a #21 in Canada and #22 in the US. Randy Bachman said it was his favourite song form his time in The Guess Who.

Play with  capo 2nd fret in standard tuning while playing a down up up down up  and repeat pattern with some lead required. The chords here are A#, A, A7, Dm, G, F, Em7, Dm/A, Dm/A#, Dm/B and a Dm/A#.

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.