by Richard Skelly » Mon Feb 26, 2018 3:50 am
Often restless but seldom boring. That could be the motto of Men Without Hats.
Although Pop Goes The World didn’t scale the heights of their breakthrough 1983 single The Safety Dance (#3 Billboard), it enjoyed a far from shabby run. In peaking at #20 on Billboard’s Hot 100, Pop Goes The World spent a total of 21 weeks on the American chart, only three fewer than Safety Dance. It curried favour in Quebec by mentioning Bonhomme (a snowman mascot beloved at winter fetes) in the lyrics.
Always the brainchild of writer and singer Ivan Doroschuk, Men Without Hats initially operated out of Montreal with Ivan’s brother Stefan adding to the guitars-keys-synths and vocals mix. Another sibling, Colin, joined after Safety Dance, but had dropped out by the time of Pop Goes The World. Although not on this title track, Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull contributed to one or two songs on the Pop Goes The World album.
The Hats continue, but have reportedly moved to the West Coast in recent years. Meanwhile, ex-member Colin Doroschuk is a respected classical composer who has gained opera and ballet commissions from Victoria to Toronto.