# Singing Fools

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**Singing Fools** was a short-lived Canadian non-performing musical group based in [Ottawa](/source/Ottawa), [Ontario](/source/Ontario), Canada, composed of musicians Tim Dunlop and [Kevin Murphy](/source/Kevin_Mark_Murphy). The pair wrote and recorded hip hop-style songs with politically focused lyrics.

## History

The Singing Fools came together in November 1982. The released a self-produced 1982 vinyl single, *The Bum Rap*, which received wide airplay on campus radio and was a criticism of the Canadian government's wage and price control program.[1] Its sparse guitar and drum box arrangement was overlain by excerpts of Prime Minister [Pierre Trudeau](/source/Pierre_Trudeau)'s infamous exhortation during the 1970 [October Crisis](/source/October_Crisis) to "[just watch me](/source/Just_watch_me)". The song was later touted as Canada's first [rap](/source/Canadian_hip_hop) record,[2] even though it was actually preceded by several 1979 singles by the lesser-known rapper [Mr. Q](/source/Mr._Q).[3]

By 1985 the pair had released their third "civil defencercise" themed record *The Apocalypso* and its accompanying video which was given regular rotation on [MuchMusic](/source/MuchMusic).[4][5] The nuclear war-themed clip featured a cameo dance appearance by Ottawa Mayor [Marion Dewar](/source/Marion_Dewar). The extended-play vinyl disc also featured a track entitled "Grave Expectations," a drum-backed recitation by English historian and anti-nuclear activist, [E.P. Thompson](/source/E.P._Thompson), of his apocalyptic 1950 verse on atomic war, "The Place Called Choice".

That year the Singing Fools were signed by A&M Records; A&M re-released *The Apocalypso*, but dropped the group after a few months and the band released its self-produced [mini-LP](/source/Mini-LP), *Call Me Lucky* in 1986.[6] The same year, Singing Fools were nominated (by themselves) as "best independent artist" in the [CASBY Awards](/source/CASBY_Awards) sponsored by Toronto's [CFNY-FM](/source/CFNY-FM).[7][8]

A 1987 distribution deal with German indie label, Amok Records led to the Cold War-themed single, *Funkenstrasse (Europa's on the Radio)*.[9] After Murphy and Dunlop parted company in the 1990s Singing Fools was transformed into an internet-based music and video production company.

## References

1. [Singing Fools](http://jam.canoe.com/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/S/Singing_Fools.html)[dead link] at [Jam!](/source/Jam!)'s Pop Music Encyclopedia.

1. Errol Nazareth and Francesca D'Amico, ["Urban Music"](https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/urban-music-emc). *[The Canadian Encyclopedia](/source/The_Canadian_Encyclopedia)*, May 2, 2012.

1. Michael Rancic, ["Finding Mr. Q"](https://hazlitt.net/longreads/finding-mr-q). *[Hazlitt](/source/Hazlitt_(magazine))*, March 17, 2021.

1. Janet McFarland,"These Singing Fools hope for national attention," *The Ottawa Citizen*, Aug 15, 1986.

1. Joel Flegler (1985). [*Fanfare*](https://books.google.com/books?id=SEc9AQAAIAAJ). Vol. 8, no. 6. J. Flegler. p. 339.

1. Liam Lacey, *[The Globe and Mail](/source/The_Globe_and_Mail)*, Toronto, Ont.: Oct 24, 1985.

1. Greg Quill. *Toronto Star*. Toronto, Ont.: Jun 27, 1986. pg. D.20

1. ["Mark a CASBY ballot in The Star to pick Canada's rising music stars"](https://www.proquest.com/docview/435444863). *Toronto Star* - Toronto, Ont. Greg Quill Jun 27, 1986 Page: D.20

1. Evelyn Erskine. *The Ottawa Citizen*. Ottawa, Ont.: May 1, 1987. p. F.5

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Singing Fools](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing_Fools) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singing_Fools?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.