Jim Vallance              Tribute to Jimmie~ Woody

 

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This summer I got an email from an old school friend of mine,
songwriter Jim Vallance, who I haven't heard from in 35 years. Here's
part of his email:

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"Hey Woody:  Wow!  I can't believe it's you.  I stumbled across the
"classmates.com" website a few days ago and saw your name there.
You're the first guy I ever played music with.  I have very fond
memories of hangin' out in the band room at lunch hour and after
school.  I think "Little Red Riding Hood" might have been one of the
songs we played?   I eventually got a little drum kit and played
dances with Wayne Doerksen and Gordy for a year or so -  also with
Chuck Davies, my neighbour, who played guitar. Did you know Chuck?  I
still have my grade 9 report card with a wonderful comment from Mrs.
Morissey, my French teacher:  'Jimmy can't drum his life away'.  Well
I did, more or less."

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Jim left Vanderhoof part way through grade 9 (1966 or '67) and moved
to Terrace.  He graduated in 1970 and went to Vancouver where he ended
up drumming on the Tom Jones TV series playing behind guests like
Dusty Springfield, Paul Anka and Isaac Hayes.

In 1978 he met a cocky 18-year-old kid who was living with his mom and
trying to write songs.  Jim helped him write a few songs but nobody
was interested in them.  So they wrote some more songs, but nobody
wanted those ones either.  So they wrote some MORE songs and
eventually the kid got a recording contract.  Jim spent 11 years with
him and sold 30 or 40 million albums if you can believe it.  The kid's
name was Bryan Adams. 

Jim and Bryan also wrote songs for Joe Cocker, Tina Turner, Rod
Stewart, Kiss and Neil Diamond (and lots of others).  After that Jim
spent some time on his own writing with Aerosmith, Heart, Alice Cooper
and Ozzy Osbourne. He has lots of good memories and lots of stories
(like meeting Ringo, Sting, Springsteen, Princess Diana, etc).

One of the songs he wrote with Bryan Adams is called "Summer of 69".
Jim told me it's actually about Vanderhoof in '65. 

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Jim:  "A couple of years ago the Toronto Star newspaper were doing a
feature story on Adams, and they asked me to analyze the lyrics for
"Summer of 69" line by line.  Here's an excerpt from the interview.  I
think you'll get a kick out of it, Woody, because you're part of the story":

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Toronto Star / December 1998

* I got my first real six string, bought it at the Five and Dime

When I was a kid in the 50's and 60's there were shops called "Five
and Dime".  Now they call them "Dollar Stores"! 

* Played it 'til my fingers bled, it was the summer of '69

Anyone who's ever owned a guitar knows how the strings can be pretty
rough on your fingers when you're first learning to play.  I got my
first guitar for Christmas 1965, in Vanderhoof.  I played it all
Christmas day and half that night.  I remember my dad coming down
about one o'clock in the morning and telling me to get to sleep
because I was keeping everybody up.  I actually played it 'til my
fingers bled.

* Me and some guys from school had a band and we tried real hard

My first band was with some school-mates in Vanderhoof.  I was in
grade eight and the other guys were older, maybe grade ten or eleven.
The band was Woody Whitmore, Wayne Doerksen, Gordy Keith and myself.
My neighbour Chuck Davies also joined the band for a while.  We mostly
played instrumental songs, like the Ventures, because none of us could sing.

* Jimmy quit and Jody got married

I remember Bryan and I going back and forth on this line.  I suggested
"Woody quit, and Gordy got married", or something like that, but Bryan
thought the names "Jimmy" and "Jody" sounded better.

* I shoulda known we'd never get far

I've always hated this line.  When we were writing the song I
suggested "I got a job at the railway yard", because that's what Chuck
had done  --  he got a job loading two-by-fours into box-cars at the
Vanderhoof railway yard.  But Bryan's radar went up.  He thought it
sounded too much like Bruce Springsteen. Maybe he was right, but
personally I wish we'd used the "railway yard" lyric.  I still think
its better.

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"Anyway Woody, enough for now.  Do you have any photos from back then?
 Send me a scan if you do."

Best Regards,

Jim

                                                            Updated song List

  Jim Vallance / Recorded Songs: 1977-2002
Recording Artist Song Title Writers
  Aerosmith Deuces Are Wild Vallance / Tyler
 
Don't Stop Vallance / Tyler / Perry
 
Eat The Rich Vallance / Tyler
 
Get A Grip Vallance / Tyler / Perry
 
Hangman Jury Vallance / Tyler / Perry
 
Head First Vallance / Tyler / Perry
 
Magic Touch Vallance / Tyler / Perry
 
Other Side Vallance / Tyler
 
Rag Doll Vallance / Tyler / Perry / Knight
 
Simoriah Vallance / Tyler / Perry
 
Young Lust Vallance / Tyler / Perry
  Bryan Adams Ain't Gonna Cry Vallance / Adams
 
Another Day Vallance / Adams
 
Best Was Yet To Come Vallance / Adams
 
Christmas Time Vallance / Adams
 
Comin' Home Vallance / Adams
 
Cuts Like A Knife Vallance / Adams
 
Depend On Me Vallance / Adams/ Lange
 
Diana Vallance / Adams
 
Do I Have To Say The Words? Vallance / Adams / Lange
 
Don't Leave Me Lonely Vallance / Adams / Caravello
 
Don't Let Him Know Vallance / Adams
 
Don't Look Now Vallance / Adams
 
Don't Turn Me Away Vallance / Adams
 
Don't Ya Say It Vallance / Adams
 
Fits Ya Good Vallance / Adams
 
Hearts On Fire Vallance / Adams
 
Heat Of The Night Vallance / Adams
 
Heaven Vallance / Adams
 
Hidin' From Love Vallance / Adams / Kagna
 
Home Again Vallance / Adams
 
House Arrest Vallance / Adams / Lange
 
Into The Fire Vallance / Adams
 
Io Vivo (In Te) Vallance / Adams / Zucchero
 
It's Only Love Vallance / Adams
 
Kids Wanna Rock Vallance / Adams
 
Last Chance Vallance / Adams
 
Let Him Know Vallance / Adams
 
Let Me Take You Dancin' Vallance / Adams
 
Lonely Nights Vallance / Adams
 
Long Gone Vallance / Adams
 
Native Son Vallance / Adams
 
One Good Reason Vallance / Adams
 
One Night Love Affair Vallance / Adams
 
Only One Vallance / Adams
 
Only The Strong Survive Vallance / Adams
 
Rebel Vallance / Adams
 
Reggae Christmas Vallance / Adams
 
Remember Vallance / Adams
 
Remembrance Day Vallance / Adams
 
Run To You Vallance / Adams
 
She's Only Happy When She's Dancin' Vallance / Adams
 
Somebody Vallance / Adams
 
State Of Mind Vallance / Adams
 
Summer of '69 Vallance / Adams
 
Take Me Back Vallance / Adams
 
There Will Never Be Another Tonight Vallance / Adams/ Lange
 
This Time Vallance / Adams
 
Tonight Vallance / Adams
 
Try To See It My Way Vallance / Adams
 
Victim Of Love Vallance / Adams
 
What's It Gonna Be? Vallance / Adams
 
Win Some Lose Some Vallance / Adams / Dean / Kagna
 
You Want It You Got It Vallance / Adams
  Lee Aaron Dangerous Vallance / Aaron / Albani
  Elisabeth Andreasson No Way To Treat A Lady Vallance / Adams
  April Wine Open Soul Surgery Vallance / Knight / Adams
  Arcade Calm Before The Storm Vallance / Pearcy / Coury / Scaglione
 
Never Goin' Home Vallance / Pearcy
 
Nothin' To Lose Vallance / Pearcy
 
So Good, So Bad Vallance / Pearcy
  Lisa Baid No Way To Treat A Lady Vallance / Adams
  Jimmy Barnes I'm Still On Your Side Vallance / Barnes / Caine
 
Lessons In Love Vallance / Barnes / Neill / Friga
  Jaymz Bee Run To You Vallance / Adams
 
Spaceship Superstar Vallance
  Beggars and Thieves Don't Call It Love Vallance / Merlino / Mancuso
 
Faster (Than The Speed Of Love) Vallance / Merlino / Mancuso / Kagna
 
Piece Of My Heart Vallance / Merlino / Mancuso
 
Stranger Vallance / Merlino / Mancuso
  Black and Blue Miss Mystery Vallance / St. James / Thayer
 
Without Love Vallance / St. James
  Bluestone Remember Vallance / Adams
  Tim Boggert Let Him Know Vallance / Adams
 
Try To See It My Way Vallance / Adams
  Boy On A Dolphin Love Is A River Vallance / Riley
  Laura Branigan Best Was Yet To Come Vallance / Adams
  Elkie Brooks Can't Wait All Night Vallance / Adams / Kagna
 
No Way To Treat A Lady Vallance / Adams
  BTO Amelia Earhart Vallance / Simmons
 
Here She Comes Again Vallance / BTO
 
Jamaica Vallance
  Stan Bush Ain't That Worth Somethin' Vallance / Bush
 
Never Ending Love Vallance / Bush
  Carola (Sweden) Can't Wait All Night Vallance / Adams
  Chilliwack Who's Winnin' Vallance / Henderson
  Joe Cocker Edge Of A Dream Vallance / Adams
 
When The Night Comes Vallance / Adams / Warren
  Alice Cooper Die For You Vallance / Cooper / Sixx / Mars
 
Dirty Dreams Vallance / Cooper
 
Lullabye Vallance / Cooper
  Crown Of Thorns House of Love Vallance / Beavoir / Davis
 
The Healer Vallance / Beavoir / Davis
  Roger Daltrey Let Me Down Easy Vallance / Adams
 
Rebel Vallance / Adams
  Paul Dean Draw The Line Vallance / Adams
  Neil Diamond It Should Have Been Me Vallance / Adams
  Dion Drive All Night Vallance / Adams
  DJ Sammy and Yanou Heaven Vallance / Adams
  Europe Halfway To Heaven Vallance / Tempest
  Lita Ford Playin' With Fire Vallance / Ford / Ehmig
 
Shot Of Poison Vallance / Ford / Grombacher
  Andy Fraser Chinese Eyes Vallance / Fraser / Marlette
 
Danger Vallance / Fraser / Marlette
  Giant I'll Be There When It's Over Vallance / Huff
 
Without You Vallance / Huff / Brignardello
  Glass Tiger Diamond Sun Vallance / Frew
 
Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone) Vallance / Frew / Reid / Connelly
 
I Feel Like I'm Losin' Vallance / Frew / Reid
 
It's Love U Feel Vallance / Frew / Reid
 
Let's Talk Vallance / Frew / Reid
 
Love Me Like A Man Vallance / Frew / Reid
 
My Song Vallance / Frew / Reid
 
One Night Alone Vallance / Frew / Reid
 
One To One Vallance / Frew / Reid
 
Someday Vallance / Frew / Connelly
 
Stand Or Fall Vallance / Frew / Reid / Sandford
 
Tragedy Of Love Vallance / Frew / Reid
 
Watching Worlds Crumble Vallance / Frew / Reid
 
Where Did Our Love Go? Vallance / Frew / Reid
  Go-Go's Here You Are Vallance / Caffey / Wieldin
  Larry Gowan Innocent Vallance / Gowan
 
Wild Summer Night Vallance / Gowan
  G.U.N. Don't Say It's Over Vallance / Gizzi / Rankin
  Johnny Halliday Rough Town Vallance / Adams
 
Some Things Never Change Vallance / Adams
 
Tour Pour Te Deplaire Vallance / Adams / Cokenstock
  Hanover Fits Ya Good Vallance / Adams
  Lisa Hartman Hidin' From Love Vallance / Adams / Kagna
  Heart What About Love? Vallance / Alton / Allen
  Helen Hofner Edge Of A Dream Vallance / Adams
  Investigators War Machine Vallance / Adams / Simmons
  Joan Jett Eye To Eye Vallance / Jett / Laguna
 
Insecure Vallance / Jett / Laguna
 
Torture Vallance / Jett / Laguna
 
Wondering Vallance / Jett / Laguna
  Kiss Down On Your Knees Vallance / Adams / Stanley / Japp
 
Rock 'N Roll Hell Vallance / Adams / Simmons
 
War Machine Vallance / Adams / Simmons
  Krokus Boys Nite Out Vallance / Adams / Storace / Von
  L.A. Guns It's Over Now Vallance / Cripps
 
My Koo-Ka-Choo Vallance / Cripps
  Robert Lamm Love Of My Life Vallance / Lamm
  The Law (Paul Rogers) Nature of the Beast Vallance / Adams
  Little Angels Backdoor Man Vallance / Dickonson / Jepson
  Ian Lloyd Can't Get Enough Vallance / Lloyd
    Don't Walk Away Vallance / Allen / Kreyer
 
Draw The Line Vallance / Adams
 
I'm Ready Vallance / Adams
 
Lonely Nights Vallance / Adams
 
Open Soul Surgery Vallance / Adams / Knight
 
Play To Win Vallance / Adams
 
Third Wave Civilization Vallance / Lloyd
 
Tonight Vallance / Adams
 
Where Did The Time Go? Vallance / Adams
 
You're A Mystery To Me Vallance / Allen / Kreyer
  Loverboy Dangerous Vallance / Adams
 
Jump Vallance / Adams / Dean / Reno / Frenette
  Magnum I Wanna See You Laughin' Vallance / Clark
 
What Kind Of Love Is This? Vallance / Clark
  Louise Mandrell No Way To Treat A Lady Vallance / Adams
  Randy Meisner Tonight Vallance / Adams
  Michael Monroe 100 Proof Love Vallance / Monroe / Stevens / Wilder
  Mr. Big Never Say Never Vallance / Martin
  Anne Murray Now And Forever (You And Me) Vallance / Foster / Goodrum
  MxPx Summer of '69 Vallance / Adams
  Tove Naess Fits Ya Good Vallance / Adams
  Nantucket Hidin' From Love Vallance / Adams / Kagna
  Juice Newton Can't Wait All Night Vallance / Adams / Kagna
  Northern Lights Tears Are Not Enough Vallance / Foster / Adams / Paiement Rock / Hyde
  Aldo Nova Young Love Vallance / Nova / Bon Jovi
  Ted Nugent Draw The Line Vallance / Adams
 
Rag Doll Vallance / Tyler / Perry / Knight
  Ozzy Osbourne I Just Want You Vallance / Osbourne
 
Walk On Water Vallance / Osbourne