The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / "CHUM's Tribute To Toronto" 45 Sang The City's Praises

**Posted by RadioActive** June 11, 2025 6:11 am

Back in the day when CHUM ruled the Top 50 in Southern Ontario, jingle companies used to make one-off "songs" saluting the cities where their client stations were located. I can't say for sure which year this came out (Doug Thompson may know) but it's one of those promotional 45s a company like PAMS might make.

In "CHUM's Tribute To Toronto," there are the obligatory mentions of the CNE and the Argos, among others, but at only 1:45, there wasn't time to mention everything. This was a long time ago and the copy is pretty scratchy, but you get the message. Nearly every station had one of these, and it's nice to discover CHUM wasn't any different.

No idea if this was ever played on the station but I doubt the "limited edition" record was ever put out for sale.

**Posted by Shorty Wave** June 11, 2025 6:29 am

You can certainly tell that this was created by jingle composers, I’m almost expecting a product name to be mentioned, in rhyme of course! Short and sweet, thanks for sharing RA.

**Posted by paterson1** June 11, 2025 7:57 am

The singers sound the same as some on CHUM's jingles from the mid 60's. I figure this musical tribute to Toronto came out later in 1965 or early 1966. The lyrics make reference to the brand new city hall which opened Sept. 13, 1965. Around this time CHUM also had a jingle for every highschool in Toronto that were used on air.

**Posted by Doug Thompson** June 11, 2025 9:54 pm

Up until 1962, CHUM's jingles were created by CRC (Commercial Recording Corporation) and Futursonic Production. Both were located in Dallas. This particular song was part of a '62 Futursonic series called "Variety Fair". Many radio stations also had city songs sung by Pepper-Tanner, based in Memphis as well as PAMS, also in Dallas. Most of them, mention the tations call letters. The Futursonic one does not mention CHUM once.

The lyrics for this were written by CHUM's Promotion Director Allen Farrell. It was a giveway for the sales people and for other promotions. To my knowledge, it was never available for sale to the general public.

When Bob Laine and I started the CHUM Archives in 2003, we roamed the building, looking in long forgotten closets and rooms and found a box of 25 mint copies of the 45s. Longtime CHUM staff got most of them. I managed to corral 2 copies, but I also have the original 15ips master tape from Futursonic.

**Posted by RadioActive** June 11, 2025 9:58 pm

Thanks for the info Doug. I knew if anyone would know about this 45's origin, it would be you. Another great bit of nearly forgotten CHUM history.