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Home , Barenaked Ladies, Be My Yoko Ono, Bourbon Tabernacle Choir, CASBY Awards, Ed Robertson, Jim Creeggan

Barenaked Lunch

1990

(Winter) Jim and Andy Creeggan join .

(February to March) Barenaked Ladies tour Canada with Corky And The Juice Pigs.

(February 8) Barenaked Ladies perform in , Alberta, Canada.

(March 13) Barenaked Ladies perform in London, , Canada.

(Date Unknown) Look People records its second Small Fish, Big Pond , venue unknown.

(Early 1990) Barenaked Ladies record and issue their second indie release Barenaked Lunch . This is the first band recording to feature the Creeggans . The approximately 2,000 copies produced are mastered at the wrong speed and running a bit too fast.

Barenaked Lunch “Night Photographs” “Trouble With Tracy” “Blame It On Me” “Be My ” “If I Had $1000000”

“Night Photographs (Barenaked Lunch Version)” 2:11 Written by & Appears on: Barenaked Lunch It can’t be stressed enough just how much the addition of the Creeggan brothers really helped the Ladies fill out their overall sound. The rhythm section ups the energy level of the songs and brings the group much closer now to their familiar sound as heard by the time they recorded the Gordon album. The speed here, as with the entire cassette, is mastered too fast, but honestly, it’s not that bad and I’m not sure too many casual listeners at the time would notice. This recording, with the speed corrected, would later appear on The Ladies Room - Vol. 1 Fan Club CD in 1997.

“Trouble With Tracy (Barenaked Lunch Version)” 2:39 Written by Steven Page & Ed Robertson Appears on: Barenaked Lunch Still a regular song in the group’s repertoire (and a really good one, at that), this version is the closest the band got to releasing a proper studio recording. A live version would appear in 1993 as the B-side to “.” This is definitely a highlight of the tape!

“Blame It On Me (Barenaked Lunch Version)” 3:40 Written by Steven Page & Ed Robertson Appears on: Barenaked Lunch This recording is pretty close to the later Yellow Tape version, though absent drum, as had yet to join the band, it is a bit rougher and very aggressive at the finale (and this is where you can hear the problem with the mastering speed, as the fast playing made faster by the mastering error causes some distortion). Clearly, though, Steve and Ed were writing new material constantly and practically as soon as a song was done it landed on their next recording, as “Blame It On Me” is the only new song to appear on this cassette.

“ (Barenaked Lunch Version)” 3:02 Written by Steven Page & Ed Robertson Appears on: Barenaked Lunch A bit more refined now and featuring more background harmonies, compared to the earlier Buck Naked version. The tempo has picked up and the energy in the song is now at the level fans would recognize from The Yellow Tape and Gordon.

“If I Had $1000000 (Barenaked Lunch Version)” 3:32 Written by Steven Page & Ed Robertson Appears on: Barenaked Lunch The arrangement here has an almost country feel, which may be Ed’s influence, having grown up listening to country music before getting into rock. There are still some lyric differences, such as the “green dress” line, and as usual, the banter is never the same twice.

(April 12) An article published in the Star newspaper on this date by Mitch Potter reviews the recent release of Barenaked Lunch by Barenaked Ladies and says the band has received an offer from to produce an album.

(Spring) Barenaked Ladies record material for their planned first independent album release (Barenaked Recess ). Despite later advertising the album’s imminent release (such as in the Waterloo Busker Festival official program) the album is not issued.

Barenaked Recess (Unreleased) “Brian Wilson” “Hello City” “Skinhead” “The Flag” “Lilac Girl” “When Doves Cry” “Material Girl” “Crazy”

“Brian Wilson (Barenaked Recess Version)” 4:59 Written by Steven Page Appears on: Barenaked Recess (Unreleased) Here emerges the first recording of what would become probably the most recorded song in BNL history in terms of official versions (even the Ladies themselves have joked about how many times they’ve put this one on tape). It’s mostly the same as the later versions, though the key change on the last verse is absent and Steve sings some parts a bit differently. You can see Steve’s writing maturing further with this song, too, which was present in earlier songs such as “The Great Provider” and “Blame It On Me.” It’s songs like these which kept the Ladies from becoming just another ‘90s quirky novelty act.

“Hello City (Barenaked Recess Version)” 2:58 Written by Steven Page & Ed Robertson (“Happy Hour” by Paul Heaton & Stan Cullimore) Appears on: Barenaked Recess (Unreleased) The Ladies’ ode to Halifax, so the story goes, from their East Coast tour with Corky And The Juice Pigs. Apparently, some shows were not pleasant. This recording not too far from the eventual Gordon version, though the turtleneck shirt is not a “mock turtle neck” yet and there’s no instrumental intro yet.

“Skinhead (Barenaked Recess Version)” 2:22 Written by Steven Page & Ed Robertson Appears on: Barenaked Recess (Unreleased) The story of an old man terrorizing the neighbour, this may not be the groups strongest effort, especially compared to “Brian Wilson,” “The Flag” and even “Crazy” from the same sessions, but it’s harmless fun and was a live staple for a while.

“The Flag (Barenaked Recess Version)” 3:25 Written by Steven Page Appears on: Barenaked Recess (Unreleased) Since Barenaked Recess was never released and the song didn’t appear on the bestseller that was The Yellow Tape, and because the subsequent Variety Recordings tape was promo-only to radio stations, most fans first heard this track on Gordon. It’s sombre look at an unhappy woman in a poisonous (but realistic) relationship took many by surprise (myself included). This version is no less powerful than the more polished Gordon recording.

“Lilac Girl (Barenaked Recess Version)” 3:16 Written by Steven Page & Ed Robertson Appears on: Barenaked Recess (Unreleased) No a capella “Lilac girl” intro here and the performance isn’t too far from the earlier Buck Naked recording, except the it now features the Creeggans.

“When Doves Cry (Barenaked Recess Version)” 2:25 Written by Prince Appears on: Barenaked Recess (Unreleased) A cover of the Prince hit from 1984. They do a good job with it, having played it in their live set at the time. It worth noting that the arrangement use for the opening of the song bears a striking similarity to “Blame It On Me.” As they were playing “When Doves Cry” live before “Blame It On Me” was written, it would seem that the “Doves” intro was adapted for “Blame It On Me.”

“Material Girl (Barenaked Recess Version)” 3:03 Written by Peter Brown & Robert Rans Appears on: Barenaked Recess (Unreleased) A cover of the Madonna hit from 1984. Like with “When Doves Cry,” the Ladies do a good job with this song.

“Crazy (Barenaked Recess Version)” 2:35 Written by Ed Robertson & Tim Wilson Appears on: Barenaked Recess (Unreleased) Fans will know this as the closing track from Gordon. This earlier version is a bit rough around the edges, but has some good energy to it. Apart from “Lilac Girl” and the covers, all the songs planned for Barenaked Recess were new, probably to avoid doubling songs with the recently released Barenaked Lunch tape. Since Recess wasn’t released, these tracks were again free to be explored on later sessions.

(May 14) Barenaked Ladies perform at the Rivoli, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, opening for Illustrated Men. Mitch Potter’s review of the show notes some of the songs that the Ladies perform in their set: “McDonald’s Girl” - a cover of the song “Fox On The Run” - a cover of the Manfred Mann song “Be My Yoko Ono” “Barenaked Rap”

(Summer) Barenaked Ladies record the following at Number 9 Audio Group, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The session is produced by the band and engineered by Gary Fishman. The track would be submitted to CFNY’s Modern Music search. “Be My Yoko Ono” – This recording would first appear on a CFNY promo release before later being included on The Yellow Tape .

CFNY FM 102.1 releases its Modern Music (“compiled during the summer of 1990”) promo CD and cassette in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, featuring Barenaked Ladies ’ recent recording of “Be My Yoko Ono.”

“Be My Yoko Ono (The Yellow Tape Version)” 2:54 Written by Steven Page & Ed Robertson Appears on: CFNY-FM 102 Modern Music 1990, The Yellow Tape, Indie-Can ’91, 1992 UK Barenaked Ladies 12” & CD EP This is really the last vestige of the line-up when it was just Page, Robertson and the Creeggan brothers. Despite that, it’s the version that most early fans first heard when the Yellow Tape got big at the end of 1991. It’s a great version, full of energy and achieves at last the sound the group was after from day one. This also marks the start of the Ladies’ practice of recording tracks for radio stations and other outlets, most of which become exclusive to those releases and are hard to find as a result. Luckily, this recording was used on The Yellow Tape, the Indie-Can ’91 2xCD set and the UK EP later.

Andy Creeggan joins the Canada World Youth Exchange and travels to South America. Barenaked Ladies ’ line up is now Ed Robertson , Steven Page and .

(August 21 to August 26) Barenaked Ladies perform at the Waterloo Busker Carnival, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The official program notes the group as Steve Page , Ed Robertson and “recent addition” Jim Creeggan . It also says they’re latest “LP” is Barenaked Lunch and that they will be debuting songs from their forthcoming “eight-song” yet-untitled album. Tyler Stewart is also in attendance as a drummer with some at the Busker Festival and encounters the Ladies for the first time. Corky And The Juice Pigs also perform at the festival.

(Late Summer) Tyler Stewart joins Barenaked Ladies as their drummer.

(Autumn) WEA publicist Nigel Best is fired from WEA Canada and later becomes manager for Barenaked Ladies

(Date Unknown) Look People release their album Small Fish, Big People on Quantum Records. Track listing as follows:

“Lovely Samba Chicken” “Sunday Driver On A Saturday Night” “Nails” “Trucker Butt” “Baby” “Dog” “Guido” “Weiner Bag” “Big Bizness Man” “21 st Century Schizoid Man” – a cover of the King Crimson song “Sneaky Ducker” “Funny Farm” “Big Brown Hair Mole” “Men Who Chop Trees” “Hairanoia” “Don’t Quit Your Day Job”

(November) Barenaked Ladies receive the award for Best Band of the Year at the 1990 YTV Achievement Awards, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They rap their acceptance speech, footage of which appears on The Barenaked Truth documentary.

(November 2) An article Demo Listen Derby published in the Toronto Star on this date, by Mitch Potter, summarizes Barenaked Ladies and their songs “Be My Yoko Ono,” “If I Had $1000000” and “Blame It On Me.” The article notes Andy Creeggan , possibly a result of being unaware of the personnel change and/or citing the credits from Barenaked Lunch , which Potter had previously reviewed.

(November 5) Barenaked Ladies perform at Ultrasound Showbar, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

(November 12) Barenaked Ladies perform at Ultrasound Showbar, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

(November 19) Barenaked Ladies perform at Ultrasound Showbar, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

(November 26) Barenaked Ladies perform at Ultrasound Showbar, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

(December) Barenaked Ladies headline the Barenaked Circus, El Mocambo, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a fundraiser for the Toronto Daily Bread Food Bank.

(December 11) An article published on this date in the Toronto Sun , by Craig MacInnes, discusses Steven Page ’s desire to write more mature music, as well as noting his work with the Barenaked Circus.

The Yellow Tape 1991

(January 11) An article published in the Toronto Star on this date has a short feature on Barenaked Ladies , noting the current four members and discussing their live act.

(Winter) Barenaked Ladies perform at Speakers Corner, ChumCity Building, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. “Be My Yoko Ono” – Speakers Corner (now gone) was a video booth on the street at the Queen St. & John St. corner of the building where anyone could pay a dollar and record themselves speaking to the camera. Funny or interesting clips were then cut together and aired by CityTV on the popular program Speakers Corner . The Ladies ’ original clip is only about a 90 seconds long including a quick introduction and did air in its entirety on the program later and has subsequently appeared in various documentaries.

Barenaked Ladies record a demo tape for their forthcoming appearance at . These recordings would later appear on The Yellow Tape . The sessions take place at Wellesley Sound, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, produced by the band and engineered by Walter Sobczak. “Brian Wilson” “Blame It On Me” “If I Had A $1000000” “Fight The Power” – A cover of the 1989 Public Enemy song.

(Early 1991) Andy Creeggan returns from his exchange trip and rejoins Barenaked Ladies as keyboardist and additional percussionist. The line up is now Ed Robertson , Steven Page , Jim Creeggan , Andy Creeggan and Tyler Stewart .

(Date Unknown) Look People records its album Boogazm at Hypnotic Studios, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The album is mixed at Manta Studios, Beaconsfield, Quebec, Canada. Guests on the album include Chris Brown (of the Bourbon Tabernacle Choir) and Nash The Slash.

(March 22 to 24) Barenaked Ladies perform as part of the 1991 South By Southwest music conference, Austin Convention Center, Austin, Texas, US.

(April 27) Barenaked Ladies perform at El Mocambo, Toronto, Ontario, US. The CFNY Discovery Mobile Recording Studio records the show.

“If I Had $1000000 (Live at El Mocambo, 1991)” 5:38 Written by Steven Page & Ed Robertson Appears on: Enid UK CD single This version, recorded in 1991, is a great time capsule of the group’s live version of the time. The banter includes references to Don Rickels and Lee Majors.

(Spring) Barenaked Ladies send their recent demos ( The Yellow Tape recordings) to record companies, who are not interested.

(May 28) Barenaked Ladies open for Skydiggers at Capri, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada.

(May 29) Barenaked Ladies open for Skydiggers in Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada.

(May 30 to June 1) Barenaked Ladies open for Skydiggers at the Flamingo, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

(Date Unknown) Barenaked Ladies perform at Ultrasound Showbar, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Footage of this show appears in the documentary Barenaked Ladies: On Gordon Pond , with the group performing “New Kid (On The Block),” which would seem to place it around this time.

(June 6 & 7) Barenaked Ladies perform at Jamz Bistro & Bar, Ontario Place, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

(June 14) Barenaked Ladies perform at the , Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

(June 15) Barenaked Ladies perform at the Horseshoe Tavern, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. According to a bootleg recording and Setlists.com, they performed the following:

“Hello City” “Blame It On Me” “Crazy / Fox On The Run” – “Fox On The Run” is a cover of the 1968 Manfred Mann song “When Doves Cry” – A cover of the Prince song “Fight The Power” – A cover of the Public Enemy song “Wrap Your Arms Around Me” “Be My Yoko Ono” “Brian Wilson” “Skinhead” “I Love It Loud” – A cover of the 1982 Kiss song “Careless” “Still III” – A cover of 1984 album track “New Kid (On The Block)” “Joseph Brown” “I Still Miss Someone” – A cover of the 1958 Johnny Cash B-side “Trouble With Tracy” “If I Had $1000000” “Medley: Material Girl / Like A Virgin / Moondance” – Two Madonna songs + a Van Morrison song “The King Of Bedside Manor” “Make My Heart Fly” – A cover of song

(June 20) Barenaked Ladies perform at the Pig’s Ear, Burlington, Ontario, Canada.

(June 28) An article published in the Toronto Star , written by Mitch Potter, notes that Barenaked Ladies may be close to signing a record deal.

(July) Barenaked Ladies release their self-titled indie cassette, Barenaked Ladies , which later goes by the alternate title The Yellow Tape (referred to as such on the E.P. ). They sell the cassette at concerts and on the shelves of generous local music stores willing to carry it. The first printing is a one-sided folded J-card sleeve and apparently has a typo, with Tyler Stewart ’s name spelt “Steward.” This would seem to have been quickly corrected as most printings with the folded card in circulation have the correct spelling. Later printings are not folded and feature credits on the inside white sleeve (the outside cover is still yellow).

Barenaked Ladies A.K.A. The Yellow Tape “Be My Yoko Ono” “Brian Wilson” “Blame It On Me” “If I Had $1000000” “Fight The Power”

“Brian Wilson (The Yellow Tape Version)” 4:45 Written by Steven Page Appears on: The Yellow Tape, 1992 UK Barenaked Ladies 12” & CD EP This is possibly the best version of the song the band recorded (and they recorded it many times). All of the power and nuance is present and the song benefits from not being overproduced here or as finicky as the Gordon recording (which is itself still pretty good).

“Blame It On Me (The Yellow Tape Version)” 3:47 Written by Steven Page & Ed Robertson Appears on: The Yellow Tape, 1992 UK Barenaked Ladies 12” & CD EP Like with “Be My Yoko Ono,” this song finally achieves the great recording previously attempted on Barenaked Lunch. The band’s performance is spot on and everything sounds crisp and clean, particularly Tyler’s drums, which positively shine throughout. It’s not often one can say the drumming contributes to the melody of a song, but it really does here.

“If I Had $1000000 (The Yellow Tape Version)” 3:52 Written by Steven Page & Ed Robertson Appears on: The Yellow Tape, 1992 UK Barenaked Ladies 12” & CD EP, Shoe Box E.P. Apart from the great production and performances, what helped the Yellow Tape achieve fame was with five songs (one of which being a cover), the Ladies demonstrated basically all the different sides of their stage act seamlessly, including the improvised dialogue mid-song as heard here. The tape is something like a mini BNL concert. As noted before, until “One Week,” this was the song most readily identified with Barenaked Ladies for most of the ‘90s and this was the first version widely available. Apart from the improv bits, the verses are the same as would appear on Gordon and live (well, most of the time).

“Fight The Power (The Yellow Tape Version)” 1:34 Written by Carlton Ridenhour, Eric Sadler, Hank Boxley & Keith Boxley Appears on: The Yellow Tape An abbreviated version of the song (They played the full version live), but an effective one, as they supposedly noticed they had room for a bit more music and recorded this to finish off the tape. To the uninitiated, it would seem utterly out of place next the rest of the tape, but this was also the effect of the group breaking into a rap number mid-concert at the time. Also of note, this track does not appear on the 1992 UK releases, so it has never seen a proper digital release.

(July 1) Barenaked Ladies perform at the National Arts Centre, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. According to Setlists.com, they performed the following:

“Road Runner” “Night Photographs” “McDonald’s Girl” – A cover of the 1982 Dean Friedman song “Hello City” “Careless” “Blame It On Me” “Crazy / Fox On The Run” – “Fox On The Run” is a cover of the 1968 Manfred Mann song “Brian Wilson” “New Kid (On The Block)” “Be My Yoko Ono” “If I Had $1000000” “Material Girl” – A cover of the Madonna song “Barenaked Rap” “Fight The Power” – A cover of the Public Enemy song

Note: MYSD.org instead lists a performance on this date at Shipdeck Stage, Harbourfront, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. There’s a chance they played both (they play multiple venues dates in September).

(July 3) Barenaked Ladies perform at Pipeline Park, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

(July 10) Barenaked Ladies perform in the lobby of the Toronto Star , Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

(July 11) Barenaked Ladies perform at Mill Pond, Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada.

(July 14) At the Palladium club in Manhattan, , New York, US, Sean Lennon, son of ’ and Yoko Ono, meets Ed Robertson and Steven Page , who invite him to the show the following night.

(July 15) Barenaked Ladies perform at The Limelight, New York City, New York, US, as part of the New Music Seminar. Sean Lennon is in attendance and at a later date introduces “Be My Yoko Ono” to his mother and she approves. She also says later she likes “If I Had $1000000.”

(July 20) Barenaked Ladies perform at Chateau du Lac, Hudson, Quebec, Canada.

(July 21) Barenaked Ladies perform at Café De Luxe, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

(July 22) Barenaked Ladies perform at the Terminal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

(July 25) Barenaked Ladies perform at Phil’s Grandon’s, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

(July 26 to 28) Barenaked Ladies perform at the , , Ontario, Canada.

(Date Unknown) Look People release their album Boogazm on Hypnotic and A&M Records. Track listing as follows:

“Love Bug” “Lousy Loser” “Low Rider” – a cover of the 1975 song by War “In Saunders Fields” “Five” “Mr. Big Feraro” “Faith Lift” “The Environment Is All Over The Place” “Bozo The Killer” “I Think I Might Possibly Be Indecisive But Then Again I’m Not Exactly Sure (Or ‘I Used To Be Indecisive But Now I Just Don’t Know’ Or ‘Indecisive’...)”

(August 9 & 10) Barenaked Ladies headline at the , Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

(Mid-August) Barenaked Ladies record the following for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Variety Recordings series. The sessions are produced by Danny Greenspoon. “New Kid (On The Block)” “Wrap Your Arms Around Me” “Blame It On Me” “If I Had A $1000000” “Crazy” “The Flag” “Hello City”

(August 20 to 24) Barenaked Ladies perform at the Railway Club, , British Columbia, Canada.

(August 26 & 27) Barenaked Ladies perform at Harpo’s, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

(August 28) Barenaked Ladies perform in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

(August 29) Barenaked Ladies perform in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

(September 3) Barenaked Ladies perform at Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

(September 4) Barenaked Ladies perform at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

(September 5) Barenaked Ladies perform at the University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada.

(September 6) Barenaked Ladies perform at Mariposa ’91: 31 st Festival Of Roots Music at Ontario Place, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The official program profile notes that the Ladies have been performing out of town recently, expect to announce a record deal soon and that their cassette is for sale.

Note: talk of a record deal would seem premature, which Steven Page himself would acknowledge in later interviews (such as VH1’s ). The belief was apparently that once they achieved popularity (which they had) a record deal would soon follow (which it didn’t).

Barenaked Ladies perform at Ryerson Polytechnic Institute, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

(September 7) Barenaked Ladies perform at Mariposa ’91: 31 st Festival Of Roots Music at Ontario Place, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Barenaked Ladies perform at Brock University, St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada.

(September 8) Barenaked Ladies perform at Mariposa ’91: 31 st Festival Of Roots Music at Ontario Place, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

(September 10) Barenaked Ladies perform at the Student Centre, , Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A bootleg copy of this show is known to exist. MYSD.org notes the following as the setlist:

“Grade 9” “Skinhead” “Careless” “Blame It On Me” “” “New Kid (On The Block) “Lilac Girl” “Fight The Power” – a cover of the Public Enemy song “Trouble With Tracy” “Enid” “I Love You” “Road Runner” – a cover of the cartoon theme song “McDonald's Girl” – a cover of the Dean Friedman song “Hello City” “When Doves Cry” – a cover of the Prince song “Joseph Brown” “Crazy” “Ballad Of Gordon” “Having a Baby” “Wrap Your Arms Around Me” “Be My Yoko Ono” “Brian Wilson” “If I Had $1000000” “Barenaked Rap”

(Late Summer) The CBC releases Variety Recordings: Barenaked Ladies as a promo CD to radio stations in Canada.

Variety Recordings: Barenaked Ladies “New Kid (On The Block)” “Wrap Your Arms Around Me” “Blame It On Me” “If I Had A $1000000” “Crazy” “The Flag” “Hello City”

“New Kid (On The Block) (Variety Recordings Version)” 4:14 Written by Scott Dibble, Steven Page & Ed Robertson Appears on: Variety Recordings: Barenaked Ladies The Variety Recordings are the first time all five current members appear together in the studio (previously, The Yellow Tape featured different recordings made with different four-piece line-ups). This track would be re-recorded for Gordon and is the Ladies’ look at the late-‘80s boy band New Kids On The Block. If you didn’t live through that time, it’s hard to describe the gender rift caused by NKOTB, though this song does a pretty good job of capturing their fame and infamy. It really was a case of practically every girl loving them and every guy despising them. In a larger context, the song also looks at the disconnect between celebrity, reality and fandom, ideas they’d further explore in songs like “Box Set” and “Celebrity.” The song is co-written with Scott Dibble (of Scott Dibble And Watertown), who regularly performed on the same bill with the Ladies during this time. He would also co-engineer the recording of “Be My Yoko Ono” which appears on Gordon.

“Wrap Your Arms Around Me (Variety Recordings Version)” 3:08 Written by Steven Page & Ed Robertson Appears on: Variety Recordings: Barenaked Ladies No horn parts here, so the song ends with the syncopated drum part, but otherwise it’s pretty close to what would end up on the album. This is also one of the Ladies’ more sophisticated early songs, continuing to demonstrate that there is more to them than oddball jokey ditties. This was especially important as this promo was meant to get radio play and attract more listeners to their shows (how much airplay this CD got is a question for the ages).

“Blame It On Me (Variety Recordings Version)” 3:47 Written by Steven Page & Ed Robertson Appears on: Variety Recordings: Barenaked Ladies, CBC Variety Recordings Sampler: For Love Not Money This version is a bit of a step back from The Yellow Tape version. It’s a good performance, but sounds rougher over all and ends on a fade out. Still a great song, though!

“If I Had $1000000 (Variety Recordings Version)” 4:27 Written by Steven Page & Ed Robertson Appears on: Variety Recordings: Barenaked Ladies The most distinctive variation with this performance is the extra banjo melody throughout. Also, the track’s production sounds a little thin. The banter is particularly fun here, though.

“Crazy (Variety Recordings Version)” 2:35 Written by Ed Robertson & Tim Wilson Appears on: Variety Recordings: Barenaked Ladies Armed with all five members, the track comes alive in a way not quite realized on the unreleased Barenaked Recess recording (which is a really good recording, too). This version ends in a fade out

“The Flag (Variety Recordings Version)” 3:25 Written by Steven Page Appears on: Variety Recordings: Barenaked Ladies A good version of the song, showing that there wasn’t much to add or take away as far as the basic arrangement stood by the time it came to record the song for Gordon.

“Hello City (Variety Recordings Version)” 3:20 Written by Ed Robertson & Tim Wilson Appears on: Variety Recordings: Barenaked Ladies This version features a unique Andy Creeggan piano solo before the first “Hello city – hey!” On the album, this intro would instead be done on trumpet.

(Date Unknown) The CBC releases Variety Recordings Sampler: For Love Not Money as a promo CD to radio stations in Canada. It contains the Barenaked Ladies track “Blame It On Me (Variety Recordings Version).” As noted on several discographies, it’s possible this sampler was issued in 1992.

(September 12) Barenaked Ladies perform at the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

(Date Unknown) Barenaked Ladies record the following for CFNY FM 102’s Discovery To Disc contest. The prize money is a $100,000 grant to be used to record an album. Recording takes place at Chalet Studio, Claremont, Ontario, Canada, and is produced by the band with assistance from engineers Everett Ravenstien and Scott Dibble. “Be My Yoko Ono” – This would seem to be the same recording released as a 1-Track promo CD single by Page Publications.

(Date Unknown) Barenaked Ladies release a 1-track CD single of “Be My Yoko Ono” in Canada.

1-Track CD single: “Be My Yoko Ono (Promo Mix)” 2:47

“Be My Yoko Ono (Promo Mix)” Written by Steven Page & Ed Robertson Appears on: Be My Yoko Ono promo 1-track CD single This is the same recording as appeared on the Gordon album, however, the version on Gordon is a remix by producer Michael Phillip Wojewoda. This original mix features different backing vocals on the last chorus. Some sources claim the track entered by the band for the CFNY grant money is The Yellow Tape recording, but that seems very unlikely, as that was made a year previously, didn’t feature the entire band (Tyler had yet to join) and had already been released twice, once by CFNY itself. It’s much more likely this was the version they submitted, as it was current (featuring all five members) and was the promo they released themselves around the same time.

(October 2) Barenaked Ladies perform at Mount Allison University, Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada.

(October 3) Barenaked Ladies perform at the University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada.

(October 4) Barenaked Ladies perform at Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

(October 5) Barenaked Ladies perform at St. Mary’s University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

(October 7) Barenaked Ladies perform at the Regent, Summerside, Prince Edward Island, Canada.

(October 8) Barenaked Ladies perform at Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada.

(October 9) Barenaked Ladies perform at the Capri Club, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada.

(October 10, 11 & 12) Barenaked Ladies perform at the Flamingo, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

(October 19) Barenaked Ladies perform at The Max, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada

(October 23) Barenaked Ladies perform twice at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The evening show is a B-52’s.

(October 24 & 25) Barenaked Ladies perform at B-52’s, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

(October 26) Barenaked Ladies perform at Channel One, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

(October 28 & 29) Barenaked Ladies perform at Louie’s, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

(October 31, November 1 & 2) Barenaked Ladies perform at the Powerplant, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

(November 5) Barenaked Ladies open for Grapes Of Wrath at the Royal Theatre, Victoria, British Columba, Canada.

Barenaked Ladies perform at Harpo’s, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

(November 6) Barenaked Ladies perform at Harpo’s, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

(November 7) An article published in the Toronto Star on this date by Peter Howell notes that Barenaked Ladies are nominated for Favourite Song on Toronto radio station CFNY’s CASBY Awards, with “Be My Yoko Ono,” Most Promising for Steven Page and Ed Robertson , and Favourite Artist/Group.

Barenaked Ladies perform at the Town Pump, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

(November 8 & 9) Barenaked Ladies perform at the Town Pump, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

(November 12 & 13) Barenaked Ladies perform at Sparky’s, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

(November 15) Barenaked Ladies perform at the Spectrum, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

(November 16) Barenaked Ladies perform at Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada.

(Mid-November) Barenaked Ladies shoot their video for “Lovers In A Dangerous Time” in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, over two days. Directed by Tim Hamilton.

(November 23) Barenaked Ladies perform at The Turret, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

(November 30) Barenaked Ladies perform at the , Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The show is recorded and several tracks are later released (see below). According to Setlist.com (which incorrectly dates the show as November 29), they played the following:

“Skinhead” “McDonald’s Girl” – A cover of the 1982 Dean Friedman song “Hello City” “New Kid (On The Block)” “Wrap Your Arms Around Me” “Be My Yoko Ono” “Having A Baby” “Box Set” “Blame It On Me” “The Flag” “I Love You” “Trouble With Tracy” “Brian Wilson”

“Having A Baby (Live at the Danforth Music Hall, 1991)” 3:32 Written by Steven Page Appears on: Enid UK CD Single, The Ladies Room - Vol. 3 CD This is one of those live tracks it’s great to see released. It’s a fun little song (and I’ll be saying that a lot in this book) and bears the distinction of possibly being the first mention of the name “Gordon.” This gig dates to before the band had solid plans for the album of the same name, so one is left to wonder if it’s a fantastic coincidence that it’s used repeatedly here or if the Ladies knew that would be the eventual title.

“Trouble With Tracy (Live at the Danforth Music Hall, 1991)” 2:35 Written by Steven Page & Ed Robertson Appears on: Brian Wilson CD & Cassette single One of the band’s earliest songs, dating back to the time of the 2 nd Edition of Buck Naked, this would be the last release of the song and a worthy version. The performance is excellent and like “Having A Baby,” it’s nice that this cut was given a release, as the band is in fine form and demonstrates just how good this song is.

(Late 1991) Intrepid Records releases Kick At The Darkness: Songs Of , which includes Barenaked Ladies ’ cover of “Lovers In A Dangerous Time.”

“Lovers In A Dangerous Time” 4:08 Written by Bruce Cockburn Appears on: Kick At The Darkness: Songs Of Bruce Cockburn, Randy River promo cassette, The Power Of Love ’92, Sony Music Special Products – Rubbermaid “Contents,” Disc One: All Their Greatest Hits (1991 – 2001) Until their Disc One greatest hits collection, this track was a bit difficult to get a hold of. The Power Of Love ’92 collection was issued by Quality Records, a bargain basement Canadian hits collection company who tended to put out those CDs we all ignore on gas station racks. Well, in this case, they had a hidden jewel in their ranks as not many fans knew they could find this recording there. It also appeared on a promo cassette given out to customers at the clothing chain Randy River around this same time (I remember by sister had this and I taped it off her copy). It also appeared on a mid-‘90s Rubbermaid promo CD. This cover of the 1984 Bruce Cockburn hit was likewise later a hit for the Ladies (their first Top 20 in Canada). If for some reason you don’t own this track, there’s really no excuse. It’s a great number! A remix of this recording appeared later as the B-side of “” CD single.

(December) Toronto’s new mayor, , takes office this month. The City Hall’s event staff removes Barenaked Ladies from the line-up of the upcoming New Year’s Eve festivities to be held at Nathan Phillips Square (part of the City Hall grounds), citing a regulation that acts “should not stereotype according to sex.” When it is further reported that Mayor Rowlands supports the decision, she and her office become the media focus of the controversial decision. This results in a great deal of national, and a bit of international attention for the band, greatly heightening their profile and popularity. The ban on the Ladies performing in City- sponsored events extends to several planned appearances in the coming summer season. Sales of The Yellow Tape see a massive surge, later resulting in it achieving Platinum status in the Canadian music charts. Their recording of “Lovers In A Dangerous Time” is helped along by the publicity and the video, which aired on MuchMusic at the height of their sudden popularity.

Note: It does not go unnoticed and is even commented on by the band at the time that Steve and Ed ’s first performance as Barenaked Ladies was at Nathan Phillips Square in 1988.

Barenaked Ladies release their fan-only Christmas single A Barenaked Xmas .

A Barenaked Xmas “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings” “Creeggan Christmas”

(December 1) Barenaked Ladies win the CFNY FM 102.1’s CASBY Award for Favourite Artist/Group, Favourite Song “Be My Yoko Ono” and Most Promising Songwriter for Steven Page and Ed Robertson . The band performs live. MYSD.org notes the setlist as:

“McDonald’s Girl” – a cover of the Dean Friedman song “What A Good Boy” “Fight The Power” – a cover of the Public Enemy song “Lovers In A Danger Time” – a cover of the Bruce Cockburn song “Be My Yoko Ono” “Brian Wilson” “If I Had $1000000” “Barenaked Rap” “Hokey Pokey” – a version of the traditional dance

(December 2) Barenaked Ladies perform at the Danforth Music Hall, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

(December 19) Barenaked Ladies perform at the Phoenix Concert Theatre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, headlining the Barenaked Circus, a fundraiser for the Toronto Daily Bread Food Bank.

(Date Unknown) Intrepid Records releases Indie-Can ’91 , a 2 CD collection of Canadian independent music released this year. It includes “Be My Yoko Ono (The Yellow Tape Version).”

(December 31) Barenaked Ladies perform at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.