When I first heard it, I thought I had the wrong radio station on. It was a country song, but I only listened to a pair of rock stations. Yet not only found it playing on 1090 CHEC, one of those pop and rock radio stations, but I found something else – I liked it.
The more I heard “Bop” by Dan Seals, and the higher it climbed on the charts, the more I learned about the song and the story behind its singer.
Crossover hit
The song tells the story of a man who wanted to dance with the woman he loves one more time, and looking back at when they danced when they were younger.
The song tells the story of a man who wanted to dance with the woman he loves one more time, and looking back at when they danced when they were younger.
“Bop” was one of those rare songs I heard on the aforementioned 1090 CHEC and on 1220 CJOC, the country music station my parents listened to every morning I got ready for school.
It had crossover appeal for sure. In early 1986, it went all the way to number one on the Billoard Hot Country Singles chart and peaked at number 42 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart.
What makes a lot of sense to me was it hit number one in Canada on both the top singles and top country singles charts.
Familiar voice
The voice sounded familiar and I soon found out why. I had heard him before, in a much different setting, as England Dan in a duo with John Ford Coley. They had a smash hit in 1976, with “I’d Really Love to See You Tonight” which went all the way to number two on the Billboard Hot 100. They would have a total of nine pop singles chart between 1976 and 1980.
The voice sounded familiar and I soon found out why. I had heard him before, in a much different setting, as England Dan in a duo with John Ford Coley. They had a smash hit in 1976, with “I’d Really Love to See You Tonight” which went all the way to number two on the Billboard Hot 100. They would have a total of nine pop singles chart between 1976 and 1980.
Family affair
Initially, when I heard Dan Seals had been part of a folk music or soft rock band before, I thought it was Seals and Crofts. As it turned, that Seals was Jim Seals, Dan’s older brother.
Initially, when I heard Dan Seals had been part of a folk music or soft rock band before, I thought it was Seals and Crofts. As it turned, that Seals was Jim Seals, Dan’s older brother.
In fact, Jim Seals was the one who gave his brother the childhood nickname “England Dan”. You see, Dan was a fan of the English rock band The Beatles and occasionally adopted an English accent.
Parting thoughts
The beginning of July, when I started writing this, brings the Calgary Stampede. With it everybody in Southern Alberta gets a little bit western.
I was at the Porcupine Hills Lodge where everyone was encouraged to dress western for a Calgary Stampede drive-by parade.
The song playing when I arrived was a familiar tune from the ‘80s, but it was much more than a country song.
Instead “Bop” and Dan Seal, the performer who sings it, had a lot of crossover appeal. It was a little country and a little rock and roll.
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