When singer Feargal Sharkey appeared as a guest on the Canadian music show “Good Rockin’ Tonite”, that was the question fans had to answer to enter a draw to win some merchandise.
At the time, around Spring of 1986, his single “A Good Heart” was playing on the radio, and he was out promoting his album.
In large part, in Canada at least, “A Good Heart” would be Feargal Sharkey’s lone hit, adding him to that list of one hit wonders of the decade.
It is his birthday, reminding me of that great song and great show.
Cruisin’ the strip
By the Spring of 1986, I had begun to go out Friday nights with my friends. We’d take advantage of teen night at the YMCA when it was a dollar to access the whole facility, and play racquetball and basketball. Then we’d grab something to eat and cruise up and down Mayor Magrath Drive, affectionately called “The strip”.
By the Spring of 1986, I had begun to go out Friday nights with my friends. We’d take advantage of teen night at the YMCA when it was a dollar to access the whole facility, and play racquetball and basketball. Then we’d grab something to eat and cruise up and down Mayor Magrath Drive, affectionately called “The strip”.
We listened to a lot of music, and I am sure that’s when I first heard “A Good Heart”.
It slowly worked its way up the charts, and peaked at number four in Canada. It was during that time Feargal Sharkey made his appearance on “Good Rockin’ Tonite”.
Interestingly, when I looked at the U.S. charts, “A Good Heart” peaked at number 74 on the Billboard Hot 100. I find that very interesting, because the majority of the time U.S. and Canadian charts lined up in terms of songs, although not necessarily in the same order.
What’s in a name?
For whatever reason, I used to write down the names of songs I heard on the radio and the names of the people who sang them. I struggled with trying to figure out what Feargal Sharkey’s name actually was, because I had never heard that first name before. Back then there was no Internet, smart phones or Google to check out such things.
For whatever reason, I used to write down the names of songs I heard on the radio and the names of the people who sang them. I struggled with trying to figure out what Feargal Sharkey’s name actually was, because I had never heard that first name before. Back then there was no Internet, smart phones or Google to check out such things.
It wasn’t until I actually saw the name on the album cover that I confirmed how to spell it.
One last thought
I ended up buying the record “A Good Heart” a few years later in the summer of 1989, when it was on sale at Zellers. I then got my sister to record it on tape for me. I was heading back to Edmonton, so I left her a note asking her to tape the song “A Good Heart” but not the entire album.
I ended up buying the record “A Good Heart” a few years later in the summer of 1989, when it was on sale at Zellers. I then got my sister to record it on tape for me. I was heading back to Edmonton, so I left her a note asking her to tape the song “A Good Heart” but not the entire album.
I distinctly recall it was the summer of 1989, because I had just been elected vice president of Kelsey Hall at the University of Alberta. My friend and roommate Sean Drake and I would regularly visit the steam room in another part of res. We had this running joke too. One day, Sean and I were going to the steam room, when we were stopped by this security guy we called “Tubby”. He was quite arrogant. He said we couldn’t use the steam room in the evening, because it disturbed Francois. Sean asked, “Francois?” We both knew Francois Bouman, who was the recently elected president of the student association, and a friend.
Before Sean could finish his sentence asking where did Francois live, Tubby blurted out “…Bouman, president of the students association”. Then he left.
“President of the student association,” Sean mocked as he jabbed a finger, like Tubby did, in my chest. “Rob Vogt … vice president of Kelsey Hall.”
After that, whenever I signed anything, or introduced myself, it was “Rob Vogt” followed by “Vice president, Kelsey Hall”.
I recall signing that note to my sister, asking her to make the tape, with “Vice president, Kelsey Hall”.
Parting thoughts
The 1980s was full of one-hit wonders, and each one occupies a unique place in pop culture and in my own memory.
The 1980s was full of one-hit wonders, and each one occupies a unique place in pop culture and in my own memory.
Whenever I hear “A Good Heart”, I am taken back to the Spring of 1986, playing basketball at the “Y”, cruising “The Strip”, and watching “Good Rockin’ Tonite”.
I also still wonder how many bones there are in the human hand.
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