Which Way You Goin', Billy? - Susan Jacks & The Poppy Family (1970) 12/9/21

I'm sure you've noticed that since I started my "Great Songs" blog more than two years ago, I've paid a lot of attention to how songs performed on the Canadian charts.

There are a couple of reasons for this:

#1: As most of you know, I grew up in Toledo, Ohio, just a few dozen miles from Ontario, Canada. Culturally, Windsor's CKLW was the dominate station in Detroit, Toledo, and even Cleveland for rock and pop hits throughout the 60s and 70s. "The Big 8" was a major influence on both the Canadian and US Charts. When I was at WOHO in Toledo, you can bet we paid CLOSE attention to what CKLW was playing.

#2: Sometimes it shows how close--or different--national tastes can be. To me, that stuff is fascinating, and hopefully I've been able to make the info palatable, if not interesting.

Today's "Great Song" was a Top 10 hit in Canada nearly a YEAR before it crossed the border!

in 1969, "Which Way You Goin', Billy" by Susan Jacks & The Poppy Family reached #5 on Canada's Adult Contemporary Chart and #9 on the Top 40--but it also went to #1 on the CANCON Chart.

CANCON stands for "Canadian Content." By law, Canadian stations are required to play a certain percentage of Canadian-based groups--and The Poppy Family was 100% Canadian. (Note: Back then, the CANCON rule was 25%. Today, it's 40%!)

In 1970, the song moved up the charts in the US, peaking at #2 on the Hot 100, and #6 on the Easy Listening Chart--pretty much clinching "Great Song" status in North America!

"Which Way You Goin', Billy?" is a breakup song in which the singer is not ready to let go...and Susan gave it her all to make it as sad, vulnerable, and desperate as possible.

In fact, one critic, Mark Demming of "Allmusic," said, "If the '70s were supposed to be about having a nice day, "Which Way You Goin' Billy?" shows the Poppy Family were one band waiting for a cloud to blot out all that annoying sunshine."

Now that's funny!

TRIVIA: Susan Jacks was the wife of Terry Jacks, who had a #1 hit in 1974 with "Seasons in the Sun."

"Which Way You Goin', Billy" by Susan Jacks & The Poppy Family: A "Great Song of 1969 in Canada, and 1970 in the US.