Toronto Mike

Tom Cochrane's Vocal Stunt Double

microphone

Because it plays at the beginning of the "Toy Story 2" DVD my kids love, I've seen the trailer for the new Pixar movie "Cars" about a hundred times over the past twelve months.  I was always happy to hear the song that played over top the trailer, Tom Cochrane's "Life Is A Highway".  It was good to hear his voice associated with such a major project.

It turns out I was never hearing Cochrane's voice.  It was his song alright, but the vocals were by a country band called Rascal Flatts.  I'm sure Pixar had their reasons for going with a cover, but the Rascal Flatts version sounds exactly like Cochrane's original.  They didn't change a thing, in fact, they sound like they're doing a Cochrane impersonation.

The American media constantly refers to Cochrane as a one-hit wonder.  In the USA, this may be true as only "Life is a Highway" cracked the top 40, but in Canada this guy had a string of hits, both with Red Rider and as a solo artist.  Off the top of my head, here are the Cochrane hits that spring to mind.

  • Lunatic Fringe
  • Boy Inside the Man
  • Victory Day
  • Big League
  • Good Times
  • Life Is a Highway
  • No Regrets
  • Sinking Like A Sunset

I'm sure I'm missing a Canadian hit or two from his earlier years and maybe a hit or two post-Mad Mad World, but these are all I can recall.

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