Behind The Vinyl: "Lunatic Fringe" with Tom Cochrane

[@geraldhartley]

3:05 Tom hits the nail on the head. This song is more important today than it was 40 years ago!

[@stumarston6812]

Elaborate

[@YahWay.]

@@stumarston6812 I'll put it this way, have you seen any racists lately?

[@charlesmartel3995]

@@YahWay. Yeah...everyone that disagrees with you must be a racist and probably worse than Hitler. Got it.

[@YouTube.Algorithmic.Nonsense]

@@YahWay. The song is hugely based on Hitler and Nazism, specifically when the song mentions "the final solution." The siren at the end is another hint. He doesn't mention it here, but another big inspiration for the song is a Swedish diplomat who helped Jews flee Germany during WWII. He was eventually arrested by the Red Army and died in a communist prison in Moscow.

[@YahWay.]

@@KZbin.Algorithmic.Nonsense Lunatic fringe In the twilight's last gleaming This is open season But you won't get too far If that's not a direct reference to the United States? In other words he's not talking about Nazis, he's talking about freaking psychotic fascists. They're always here and we're always watching for them. They're not any harder to spot today. MAGA

[@malcolmlagares8245]

I remember when this song first came out I thought it was Pink Floyd. The Pink Floyd influence is SO HEAVY that it's as if Pink Floyd wrote the song and gave it to Red Rider. . . . This is one of the many great Rock songs of all time. . .

[@andyinoregon]

Good ear!

[@johnjohnston3879]

Was raking my leaves yesterday and going through Tom Cochran hits on the phone, when this came on it gave such a pink Floyd feel. Wild. 🍁

[@tonymeehan7859]

Tom is one of our most prized artists in Canada. Red Rider was one of my first groups that I loved as a kid. Amazing music .

[@rockscousteau]

So is "Traveling Bottle Digger" He is Canadian and on KZbin.

[@tossedpenny]

One of the most wickedly fantastic rock songs ever written.

[@serekithegreat]

One of the best rock songs ever written and performed. Such an iconic song that instantly takes me back to high school and the movie Vision Quest. I live in Oklahoma where wrestling is religion and this song will live as long as wrestling is alive. 😎👊🏾✌🏾

[@koolkitties8552]

Always loved this song. That and Aldo Nova- Life is just a fantasy.

[@SuperBoomshack]

This song and Aldo Nova had great videos when MTV was good

[@coryfrey6199]

the sound track of our lives lives on in my speakers...lol

[@hippydippy]

They go together like peanut butter & Jelly. I've made many a mix tape melding the 2.

[@bilbobaggins4710]

Hahahaha yep...Same for me ... Great minds 😂

[@dianatutt400]

Karo French -Aldo Nova!!!!!

[@jackieacheson4928]

It's one of the best songs ever. It's so fitting for today.

[@fredtracy3931]

Current lunatic fringe? The Alphabet Mafia!!🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈

[@intercommerce]

This is a fantastic series highlighting the best of 🇨🇦 Canadian music starring the actual people who wrote/performed the classic songs....

[@murrayscott3513]

Pure gold, the song will be played somewhere every day till the end of time.

[@nba2kchannel490]

Awesome song. Awesome band... Proud to be Canadian..

[@hippydippy]

An absolutely amazing song! No way you can't crank this up if it comes on the radio.

[@jamesfowler6343]

Love everything Tom has out . Such an incredible talent and amazing song writer….supreme vocalist

[@rickwidlund3512]

Still listen to this song, always on 10+. Stop what I'm doing, & get my air guitar out,to jam. Thank you Tom.

[@pssthpok]

I'd like someday to meet Mr Cochrane and thank him for all the songs he has penned and performed. They are in many ways the soundtrack to me growing up into whatever I am today. 😀

[@ldolphin34]

I used the opener of this song to do a Rod Serling impression and nail a Twilight Zone answering machine message, which I kept for almost a year because it was so good. But I had to time my vocals perfectly to the nuances of the eerie opener, which I will now never forget. But the only reason I made that answering machine message was because of this brilliant song written by Tom Cochrane. Possibly my gateway into all Canadian Rock.

[@placer7412]

i appreciate ur ear

[@gabster-ie1vj]

We listened to this so many times on the road going to see the Cars in Oklahoma city from Amarillo, Tx.. good times!!! '1986...

[@eric7922]

great guy, great musician, and a song even more relevant today.

[@antonnym214]

Definitely in my top 5! Lunatic Fringe blew me away, and it MORE than stands the test of time. Whenever I hear this on radio, I have to stop what I'm doing and just listen. It never gets old! Thank you, Tom Cochrane!

[@raserx63]

This song and Planet P “Why Me?” ....coolest intros ever.

[@kellybarthel8060]

Both are great and listen to both routinely!

[@jeffandersen7397]

i have both on vinyl

[@johnross4605]

another was Power Tools. And the awsome beat of send it in a letter

[@gneric85]

I was just listening to an old recording of Planet P "Why Me?" a couple days back.

[@Faulkdizzleyearsand]

Great voice and band

[@williampatterson5067]

The album Neruda from Red Rider is still one of the greatest albums ever. I still listen to it over and over. Lunatic Fringe was a great song too as was the song White Hot. Love Tom Cochrane great songwriter and vocalist.

[@davidcross4815]

Napoleon sheds his skin. Great piece.

[@MOLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE]

Song still hits hard never gets old ❤

[@overtimefreak2685]

Red Rider were a fantastic band! I love their music. The song works very good in the night on a dark Highway in Sweden.....

[@marciloni12]

I still get the same feeling now as I did when I was 15, hearing this song!😊

[@revealingfacts4all]

Vision Quest is when I first heard this song and has forever been on my play-list mix tapes (lol), my car, and my gym workout. Thank you Tom for sticking to your guns and doing things your way! You've added to this stranger's live soundtrack.... ;)

[@phoenixtypewriter2136]

Lunatic fringe I know you're out there You're in hiding And you hold your meetings I can hear you coming I know what you're after We're wise to you this time (wise to you this time) We won't let you kill the laughter Oh oh oh Oh oh oh Oh oh oh Lunatic fringe In the twilight's last gleaming But this is open season But you won't get too far 'Cause you've got to blame someone For your own confusion We're on guard this time (on guard this time) Against your final solution Oh no Oh oh oh Oh oh oh Oh oh oh We can hear you coming (we can hear you coming) No, you're not going to win this time (not gonna win) We can hear the footsteps (we can hear the footsteps) Hey, out along the walkway (out along the walkway) Lunatic fringe We all know you're out there Can you feel the resistance Can you feel the thunder Oh no Hey!

[@bilbobaggins4710]

Badass song

[@bettyh3747]

Unfortunately we weren't too wise were we?

[@davidhynes]

I was on my way to Walmart today listen to this song, January 3, 2023 still enjoying this song. Happy New Years Everybody.

[@EarthChickadee]

We've managed to make it to Jan. 21, 2024. I'd advise to hang on cuz this is going to be a bumpy ride.....

[@JoeSchmo-u1d]

It's one of the songs I practice playing bass to every day. Yes, I play every day, 3-4 hours a day, to keep my chops up.

[@hawkwind8468]

This song was and still is magical!!! Great guitar solo as well so killer

[@llcruize]

One of my all time favorite songs. My sons were introduced to it via the movie "Vision Quest". It is a very atmospheric song, it sets a tone. It is edgy while also being inviting. You knocked it out of the park Mr. Cochrane.

[@mudball35]

"It's not about the 6 minutes..."

[@stevenimeson902]

Growing up in Canada this tune was played a bunch on the radio , found the record in a goodwill, lost it in a house fire , loads of good stories had with that record and song lunatic fringe !

[@tambourini]

Golly! The tape breaking down, re-recording, being told to dumb it all down! Thanks to Tom & the band for being vigilant & not changing the lyrics or anything!!! Thank you boom.97.3 for this interview & YT channel! This song means a ton to me. I sing it at my life challenges. Great stuff, great advice from Tom, too!

[@TravisMiller-y4z]

This song is timeless. A masterpiece. More relevant today than when it was recorded.

[@KLanz123]

A surprising number of people don’t seem to know that Tom Cochrane is both the “Lunatic Fringe” guy and the “Life is a Highway” guy.

[@chocomanger6873]

Really? I've always known that.

[@cmikesmith664]

I never knew it. 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@herrwabbaloo937]

I hate that f’ing song.

[@basicbreakfast]

And I am one of them! Yay for me😆

[@kevinohare9216]

I didn't know that until today, mainly because I didn't know that Tom Cochrane was in Red Ryder.

[@GodIHateYouKenny]

Pure badass. That's my description of that song. Reminds me of Children of the Sun. Another GREAT.

[@jritte1968]

Yep.

[@garyconner6151]

Billy Thorpe

[@vincegrassi6593]

The first time I heard this song on the radio I heard the first whistle sound and instantly turned it up. It was as amazing as I thought it was going to be. It was different and that caught my attention. I have loved it since it first came out

[@time_of_yer_life_eh_kid]

Brings back great memories with a buddy that has passed on.

[@richardspikman7116]

what a great speaking voice he has

[@patrickfraley4545]

The opening chord being played the way it is then the pick scrape comes in? That's just awesome.

[@timforeman3062]

The song that introduced me to Red Rider. Thanks for all the great music!

[@dereksmith1803]

One of the greatest guitar songs ever. Always loved this song.

[@rickboiardimindshiftingaca6975]

One of my all-time favorite songs! The lyrics are absolutely perfect to describe today’s world.

[@calvinflamand8965]

This song came on the radio as I driving home in my newly bought 1976 Pontiac gran price that’s about a million life times ago it seems but so clearly remember that

[@SilentKnight43]

Lunatic Fringe is one of those few songs where you think, "Don't change the station!" if you hear it's coming up. Never gets old - as Tom says it's stood the test of time. On a good sound system you can hear the barely audible voices in the background at the beginning...I think it was the talkback about the news of Lennon's death that made it on the recording.

[@Kohntarkosz]

I remember seeing this video on MTV, and I was stunned to see and hear a pedal steel solo in a rock song. My mom and one of my brothers were country music fans, so I had heard plenty of pedal steel in THAT context, but this was the first time I heard it in rock music. BTW, he metnions David Gilmour playing a lot of lap steel in Pink Floyd, but another guitarist used who played in steel in rock music, which I only learned about later, was Steve Howe. There's LOTS of steel on the Yes records and his solo albums.

[@annettekinsella6978]

My very first concer I went to as a kid was Red Rider. It was awesome!

[@1928ModelA1931]

I had a buddy at the time this was released who thought the title was "Lunatic Friends". He loved the song because he thought it aptly described his crazy (we young but weren't that crazy) friends. Man he argued with us when we eventually figured out his view and corrected him!

[@davidcross4815]

Its 2023 and i would say this song is more relevant now than when it was released. Lunatic fringe is on my play list on my phone and as i drive truck ( super B's ) Ill hear it two to three times throughout the day and it does not get old. I feel a quiet anger grow in me, an anger at the political and religious extremists pushing their beliefs on the rest of us.

[@iceman6354]

I’ve always loved this song! Still crank it up every time I hear it. The steel guitar solo still blows me away!

[@threepeater]

Saw Red Rider open for Foghat at the University of Nevada Reno 1982... Thank you!! What a time and show!!

[@musicisajourney]

Unfortunately the CD is hard to find for a reasonable price! But this song was on the first rock cassette I ever owned: Rock ‘82. I still love it after 40 years!

[@meep2576]

I loved that song and can still listen in 2020

[@southwesttexasm]

Good God i love this song. Memories......sighhhhhhhh :(

[@ke6533]

I used to go to minor league hockey games as a kid and they would blast this song for warm ups with the lights turned down. I thought is was so cool. I recently found a copy of this album at my local record store and had to buy it.

[@jeff7.629]

I saw these guys in Seattle in 1981 as the opening act for Journey.

[@jimih7811]

Big Bravo Mr. Tom C. yes this is an absolute outstanding master piece.... And the words are 100% relevant today for those who are aware of what is going on in this world...Thank you for your genious talent !!!

[@muddysludge7117]

That steel guitar solo is forever in my mind. Perfect!

[@robertbishop5357]

The song has such a mezmerizing intro.

[@UncompressedWAVmusic]

Red Rider won 7 Junos Awards. I loved this supernatural 'Lunatic Fringe' song so much when it came out in 1980 I saw the Group Live and also bought their LPS and then their greatest hits CD and still have them. I still have the LP Tom is holding.

[@ronniejdio9411]

Incredible song

[@CriticalEatsJapan]

Excellent 👍

[@jimbeam2501]

One of my favorites.

[@steverogers2603]

He mentioned Peter Wolf co-authored’We built this City’. Uh, that song is not discussed in civilized society.

[@spaceghost8995]

It sucked, but was a hit, you have to admit that at least.

[@composerdave68]

Bernie Taupin is also a co-writer on We Built this City (BTW, just for clarification, the Peter Wolf who co-wrote WBTC is not the same Peter Wolf in J. Geils band)

[@bustos1959]

Yeah..but what if they had said We built this City on hip hop and Rap for sure you would be shot .. yes its poppy.. but it was will done and caught my attention back then and now.

[@eugenemulhern7946]

That's such an awful, schlocky song. No wonder Paul Kantner eventually sued to get the name "Jefferson" removed from the band name

[@caseybhargraves3696]

I thought I was the only one that hated that song. Whew... I’m not alone.

[@vikingnortheast]

i love this song and when i read they lyrics a year ago i was leveled, so relevant.

[@muuriciodegollada3870]

Love this song . Always put it on my headphones when I'm taking off on plane dont know why buts it's my song to go to when I take off. Thank you for the great music

[@AcornDomainsCancelled]

Folks if you spend money on downloading songs.. Red Rider Lunatic Fringe is a must! 🎉 ❤ 😊 God bless the 80s!

[@Blacklight8001]

I accidentally blew up a pair of speakers with this song... It was well worth it, this song is awesome.

[@rockscousteau]

This is pretty awesome.

[@joekrepps]

LOVE this song! Thanks, Tom and Red Rider!!

[@coryfrey6199]

great channel....love this song....good times!!!!

[@Atomykpimp]

This is the song you never ever change the station or say a word. You just sit back, listen and turn it up to 11. Weighing in at 168 pounds for The Thompson High Warriors Louden Swain!

[@hermancm]

Loved the song since I first heard it and the steel guitar solo is awesome.

[@janoskaism]

Yah love you and I love that song Thanks

[@MrUfojunkiedavid]

Don't Remember even listening to the lyrics. The bad ass guitar and textures were awesome

[@edgecityfilms]

Great song!

[@lewisbanks5608]

Iconic to say the least

[@lesleyhenderson1771]

Love!!!!!

[@SSArt98]

I remember decades ago upon my first hearing of this masterpiece! _I thought it was Pink Floyd for a few months._ ~ Crazier was Boz Scags song: Lido Shuffle. _I always thought they were singing, "Guido, whoa-oh a-oh"_ Up until drinking some beers one night with a good buddy and my Ex, this came on. As I was singing my buddy started laughing, that's when I found out I had been singing the chorus all wrong for 25+ years! lol

[@Boomer715]

SSArt98 that’s hilarious dude! My wife used to put all kinds of music related stuff in my stocking at Christmas. One year she gave me a book called excuse me while I kiss this guy and other mis-heard lyrics. It had a drawing of Jimi Hendrix on the front cover.... there were a lot of examples of just this kind of faux pas 😎

[@wk1810]

One day my husband and I were in a coffee shop, around Christmas, and the Paul MacCartney song "Wonderful Christmas Time" came on. I started singing "see me having a wonderful Christmas time...see me having a wonderful Christmas time". My husband says "sing it again" so, I repeat it, and he busts out laughing and says "Try, 'SIMPLY having a wonderful Christmas time'. Your version would be 'see ME having a wonderful Christmas time...see YOU having a garbage Christmas time".

[@EarthChickadee]

Heard it in a love song became "Pretty little love song" for a friend of mine. He'd been singing it like that for years. LOL ~~Can't be wrong, but he was wrong. Oh so wrong....... Too funny . @@wk1810

[@BitcoinWillFixEverything]

What an amazing story. Great song.

[@RCAvhstape]

Memories of the early 80s, aimlessly roaming the streets with no particular plans on stupid hot summer nights, boom boxes, underage parties with illegal kegs and other stuff, Camaros and Trans Ams with Blaupunkt stereos and songs like this blasting out...

[@chocomanger6873]

Now you're on to your 3rd wife, 5 kids, just trying to live a good life, but the boss doesn't treat you well. Damn.

[@sbishop1700]

Nailed it!

[@stevenspenneberg7407]

I grew up near Cincinnati, listening to 102.7 WEBN the Lunatic Fringe Of American FM. They liked it so much, they made it their slogan.

[@StargazerFS128]

This is one of those songs I’ve heard parts of practically my whole life (I’m 50) but one day just recently It came on while I was on a long drive and it was love at first tune. I have to say it’s one of my all time favorite songs, it speaks volumes and the sounds is mesmerizing, a masterpiece.

[@Wrangzilla]

I remember thinking this was a Pink Floyd song many years ago.

[@mikewillett5076]

That's what I've always said too.

[@billymuellerTikTok]

Me too... And didn't know until now that the life is a highway guy sang it

[@caryballard7857]

William Mueller same here.

[@ferrallderrall6588]

Ya could see someone thinking that, they got some parallels

[@penzman5385]

One golden hit from that great era of Canadian rock.

[@dellcoats4648]

Thanks Tom for writing that classic song

[@mooseknuckle8334]

Canadian gem right here folks !

[@craigpatterson6225]

This Song meant so much to me as a young drummer . I first heard it on Miami Vice the 80's Television show ! When Crockett and Tubbs were on Crocketts speed boat going after someone in the Bahamas , THANK YOU MICHAEL MANN ! 🙏🏾 ❤ .

[@Evan-tj1te]

Correction. It opens the episode "Smugglers Blues." Crockett and Tubbs are watching a man dump payola over the edge of a pier onto a speedboat. They follow in the Daytona to a seemingly abandoned trailer which inevitably explodes with both a male and female inside.

[@MD-ky2dt]

Wow! What a song and what a story behind it. Fantastic piece, Tom !

[@keetmadu1054]

One of the greatest songs Ever!

[@vanderlubbe7791]

"Napoleon sheds his skin" is also one of the greats. In my book, anyway....

[@jimmycrackkorn1596]

Wasn't this song also used in "visionquest"

[@1vw4me]

Yes.

[@thac0twenty377]

and every wrestling meet ever

[@NorthernUnion13]

Mind Hunter too

[@benostiguy7215]

I used to listen to this song before my high school swim meets (never wrestled)... all because of Vision Quest.

[@ryaninvestigativegroup4944]

Yes

[@chriszilar3657]

This great song was featured in an episode of Miami Vice, and it was a perfect fit for the scene it was in. That had to be good for everyone involved....i have always loved this song!

[@144wychwood]

Good song. Used to great effect in opening sequence of Miami Vice episode "Smuggler's Blues".

[@Chosimba13]

Been saying this song sounds like Gilmore for years. This was satisfying.

[@garyconner6151]

One of my all time favorite songs from my younger days.still brings back good memories.

[@toddinthemiddle]

i put together six 80s discs about 10 years ago, back when discs were a thing, and this song is number one on the fourth. great tune to start an album/disc/collection.

[@semmcstevenson]

Masterpiece

[@dianatutt400]

Thanks! How I remember this tune back in the day...still relevant.

[@abundantYOUniverse]

I love these they are fantastic. I must have heard Lunatic Fringe a billion times. Classic.

[@boom973Toronto]

Thank you, they are a lot of fun to put together.

[@janinejones7846]

Hello! Thank you for getting me thru high school 30 years ago! This song will be current and relevant forever. Recognizable from bar one and will forever stand the test of time.

[@devillockj]

This is one of those songs that sneaks up behind you like a wolf and bites onto you and won’t ever let go.