By the spring of 1970, April Wine had relocated from Halifax to Montreal and were making a self-titled album for Aquarius Records. This first album established Myles Goodwyn as a composer with the song "Fast Train" receiving much airplay throughout Canada and becoming the main reason April Wine was able to record a second album. In the fall of 1971, original member Jim Henman left the band and was replaced by Montreal native Jim Clench.
Famed producer Ralph Murphy worked with the group on their second album, titled 'On Record'. Murphy's mission was to give April Wine a major international hit, and he came very close to doing just that. The album pushed the band into the North American public spotlight for the first time. You Could Have Been a Lady, originally recorded in England by Hot Chocolate, was a phenomenal hit for April Wine. This song provided the band with a #1 hit in Canada and allowed them to crack Billboard's Top 30 in the USA where it remained for 11 weeks. On Record also included another notable tune; a cover of Elton John's Bad Side Of The Moon.
Following the Gold success of the second album it was clear that April Wine had the chance to become one of Canada's most significant rock bands. Ralph Murphy would be back to produce the follow up album but there would be changes in the band. By the completion of Electric Jewels a new April Wine would emerge. This band would no longer include the Henman brothers.
Early in 1973 the two remaining members, Myles Goodwyn and Jim Clench, faced the dilemma of taking the band to the next level. After a few auditions Jerry Mercer and Gary Moffet joined the band and April Wine became a tighter, flashier band. The two new members helped to complete album number three; Electric Jewels. This album remains a fan favorite with such classic songs as Weeping Widow, Just Like That and Lady Run Lady Hide. It provides a great example of the writing talents of Goodwyn and Clench. The following spring the band hit the road with a national tour called The Electric Adventure. This tour was the first to use dramatic lighting and pyrotechnic displays as an integral part of their show, a feature that would prove to be extremely popular during their international stardom and would lend influence to various emerging artists, Garth Brooks for one.
Forever For Now, the band's sixth album, included a Canadian music milestone for the band; the best selling Canadian single the band ever released. Both the single, You Won't Dance With Me, as well as the album reached critical acclaim with the single reaching Gold and the album reaching Gold then Platinum in Canada.
Many people consider Stand Back to be one of the band's greatest accomplishments. This album provided the hits Tonight Is A Wonderful Time To Fall In Love and I Wouldn't Want To Lose Your Love but the non-hits were even more remarkable. Songs like Cum Hear The Band, Slowpoke, Don't Push Me Around and Oowatanite helped push Stand Back to Double-Platinum status in Canada.
With the release of The Whole World's Goin' Crazy, Steve Lang had replaced Jim Clench on bass guitar. This album made April Wine the first Canadian band to achieve Platinum advance sales orders and included another April Wine classic in the ballad Like A Lover, Like A Song.
Forever For Now, the band's sixth album, included a Canadian music milestone for the band; the best selling Canadian single the band ever released. Both the single, You Won't Dance With Me, as well as the album reached critical acclaim with the single reaching Gold and the album reaching Gold then Platinum in Canada.
Following the release of Live At The El Mocambo a fifth member was added to the band. Brian Greenway joined the lineup for the summer 1977 tour and gave the group some added flexibility. Brian could sing, write and play harmonica but his greatest contribution to April Wine was on guitar. Since Myles was a surprisingly skilled keyboard player it was invaluable to have a third guitar player and April Wine could now create arrangements for three guitars which would develop into the group's trademark power rock image during the following years.
The band's seventh studio album would prove to be the groupโs turning point. It was the third single from First Glance that made April Wine an international success. Radio listeners in Flint Michigan made Roller a top request number. This single was eventually a Top 30 hit in the U.S.A. and First Glance became the band's first Gold record outside of Canada. Roller remained on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart for 11 weeks while First Glance stayed on Billboard's 200 Album chart for 11 weeks as well. 1979 proved to be a very good year for Canadian Wine indeed.
Major artists such as Rush, Journey and Styx requested that April Wine open their shows in the United States. American audiences were finally being exposed to this "new" band called April Wine. Canada's best kept secret was finally out in the open.
It was a confident group that recorded Harder...Faster in the summer of 1979. The album featured the hardest rock that April Wine had ever recorded. This album included such powerful songs as I Like To Rock, which American radio embraced, and Say Hello which went to the top of the charts in Canada. The popularity of these songs helped keep the album on Billboard's 200 Album charts for a whopping 40 weeks! Harder...Faster helped the group collect more Gold and Platinum awards on both sides of the border.
The first months of 1980 saw April Wine touring as Nazareth's opening act throughout the United States. In city after city promoters remarked on the powerful pairing of the bands. Most felt that the show would be a better draw if April Wine headlined. The time had finally come for April Wine to take top billing outside of Canada. A decade of hard work had finally paid off.
The group's ninth studio album, The Nature Of The Beast, became April Wine's greatest success. Released in January of 1981, the first single Just Between You and Me broke Billboard's Top 20 and remained on the their Hot 100 Singles chart for 16 weeks. The same song hit position number 11 on Billboard's Album Rock Track chart and charted for an incredible 10 weeks. Later that year the millionth copy of the album was sold in the U.S.A. and April Wine had finally attained international "Platinum" status. The song Crash And Burn was even featured in an NBC Movie of the Week! The album remained on Billboard's 200 Album chart for 34 weeks peaking at the 26th position. The album went on to claim more awards for the group as it collected Gold and Platinum on both sides of the border and Double Platinum in Canada.
During the 1980's April Wine had the strongest concert repertoire ever and the demand for appearances had never been greater. They were in demand in Canada, the United Sates, England and Germany. In fact it seemed their popularity was traveling more than they were. There was the feeling that the band could tour forever.
Whether writing the songs, producing them, or promoting them, Myles Goodwyn had been working against some kind of "deadline" for the last three years with no significant time off. He needed a break... so he took one. After a hiatus of 18 months, during which the band recorded Power Play with such cutting edge hits as Anything You Want You Got It and Enough is Enough, the band was ready to tour again. The 1982 Power Play tour was the largest tour April Wine had ever attempted. It incorporated the most elaborate stage the band had ever used. Their return to Canada, after two years away, saw them sell out shows across the country. Yes the band was welcomed home with open arms but Power Play, even though successful, did not meet with the critical international acclaim that the group's previous two albums enjoyed. Both Enough Is Enough and If You See Kay charted on Billboard's Album Rock Tracks and remained there for a number of weeks but Enough Is Enough only remained on Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart for 8 weeks. However the album itself peaked Billboard's 200 Album chart at 37 and remained on the chart for a strong 20 weeks, still a phenomenal accomplishment, but perhaps not enough for this perfectionist band from Canada.
With the release of Animal Grace, the group's eleventh undertaking, things took a turn for the worse. This Could Be The Right One entered the charts very quickly but stalled just as abruptly. The album had taken an extremely long time to record and a rift had begun to form in the band.
In a move that seemed to symbolize the distance between Myles and the band, he and his family moved to the Bahamas. The group would get together once more for a farewell tour of Canada. The tour was a bittersweet one, with the die-hard fans realizing what lay ahead. A twelfth studio album was released that featured only two remaining members of the group; Myles and Brian. The rest had decided to go their separate ways.
In late 1988 Myles moved back to Montreal and started to receive phone calls from the United States about the possibility of a new April Wine album. The demand was there and Myles had already been talking to the other band members about a possible reunion. In July of 1992 April Wine played its first concert in 8 years to a sold out audience in the Canadian province of Manitoba. For the balance of that summer they played to sold out shows right across Canada. The band was welcomed home again!
The demand south of the border was strong as well. The band was selling out shows across the States with 20,000 people coming out to see them in San Antonio, Texas. In fact St. Louis, Missouri ended up adding a second show and the scalpers in Las Vegas were getting a high dollar for the valued tickets.
In 1992 the band consisted of Myles Goodwyn, Brian Greenway, Jerry Mercer, Jim Clench and Steve Segal. The groupโs thirteenth studio album, Attitude, was released in 1993. It was their first studio release in 10 years. Attitude went Gold in Canada, driven by the hit If You Believe In Me. Segal remained with the band for the 1994 release of studio album number fourteen; โFrigateโ.
1995 saw Steve Segal leave April Wine. April Wine returned to their roots as a 4 piece Rock band with 2 guitars, bass and drums as they were when they first started out in 1969.
From 1995 to 2000 April Wine continued to tour Canada and the USA doing 80-100 shows a year playing to their ever growing legions of fans.
The studio album, โBack To The Mansionโ released in 2001 was April Wine's 15th studio album and first new release since 1994, and featured original members Myles Goodwyn (vocals, guitars and keyboards), Brian Greenway (guitars, vocals), Jim Clench (bass, background vocals), Jerry Mercer (drums).
โApril Wine Live 2003โ was released in spring of 2003 and featured the bandโs live
stage show. It was recorded in Kitchener Ontario. It also featured Carl Dixon on keyboard,vocals and guitar who had joined the band for 3 tours.
June of 2004 saw April Wine travel to Sweden to be part of โSweden Rock 2004โ
They shared the stage with HEART, FOGHAT, UFO and many others.
In 2006 April Wine celebrated their 37th anniversary together with the release of their 16th studio album, โRoughly Speakingโ. (Released November 21st 2006)
Jim Clench left the band in January of 2007. He was replaced by Breen LeBoeuf, a talented Bassist and Singer, and a longtime friend of Jerry and Brian. Breen brings the experience of his many years as a member of the legendary Quebec rock band โOffenbachโ with him to April Wine. The fans accepted Breen right from the first show
at Higher Ground in Burlington Vermont in February of 2007.
In November 2008, April Wine signed with ARM Entertainment of St. Paul, MN. as the April Wineโs agency in the USA. Roger Anderson and his company have been booking many shows for the band in the USA to the delight of American fans. S.L. Feldman & Associates continues to represent April Wine in Canada.
Late 2008 also saw the departure of Jerry Mercer from the band. About to turn 70 years of age in April of 2009, Jerry decided to retire. Jerry had been the driving drumming force of April Wine for 35 years!
Blair Mackay joined April Wine as the new drummer in January 2009. Blair has a Master of Music degree in performance, and like Breen, was accepted by the fans right from the first show, coincidentally at Higher Ground in Vermont.
In March of 2009, April Wine was inducted into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame during Canadian Music Week in Toronto. They also received The Lifetime Achievement Award for being part of Canadian Music History for 40 years.
On April 18th of 2010 at the Juno Awards, April Wine will be inducted in to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
2010 sees the band continue their hectic pace touring both the United States and Canada to acclaimed reviews. They continue to satisfy fans with a live mix of straight ahead rock n' roll and power ballads, an April Wine mainstay.
In 2010, April Wine enters into their 40th year as a band ... quite an accomplishment for any rock n' roll band!
Crash And Burn
April Wine Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Published by northern goody two tunes, ltd./capac - ascap
They call it the burnout factor, and only the good die young
Somebody's gonna take their life, just tryin' to have some fun
The paper's gonna say we're crazy, no matter what they say, yeah
You know I'm gonna rock all night, gonna rock all night and day
They're never gonna get it right, or tell it the way they should
Maybe we move too fast to put it all in a song
And if we keep pushin' ourselves we won't be around too long
If you wanna try it
Crash and burn, crash and burn
Crash and burn, crash and burn all night long
Some people like to take it easy and flow without a sound
Others like to play for keeps and spread themselves around
I don't wanna say it's right, but if that's where you wanna be
Life's too short to miss out on what you wanna see
If you wanna try it
Crash and burn, crash and burn
Crash and burn, crash and burn all night long
Come on now, honey, don't tell me the way I ought to be
You know I don't need nobody talkin' back to me
Hey, I'm gonna live my life the way I think I should
You know I wouldn't change a thing, even if I could
I tell it like it is
Crash and burn, crash and burn
Crash and burn, crash and burn
Baby, crash and burn
I said crash and burn
I said crash and burn
The lyrics to April Wine's song "Crash and Burn" speak to the reckless and wild behavior that often accompanies life as a musician. The opening lines about the "burnout factor" and the fact that "only the good die young" immediately set the tone for a song about living life fast and hard, consequences be damned. The lyrics express a sense of inevitability about the fate of those who choose to live this way, with lines like "Somebody's gonna take their life, just tryin' to have some fun" and "if we keep pushin' ourselves we won't be around too long".
The lyrics also touch on the idea that no matter how much these musicians try to explain or justify their behavior, outsiders will never truly understand. "Whenever they quote you man, you'll be misunderstood/They're never gonna get it right, or tell it the way they should" speaks to the frustration of feeling misrepresented in the media and misunderstood by those who aren't part of the music scene. However, the singer remains unapologetic, stating "Hey, I'm gonna live my life the way I think I should/You know I wouldn't change a thing, even if I could".
Overall, "Crash and Burn" is a celebration of the rock and roll lifestyle, with all of its excesses and dangers. It acknowledges the risks involved in living this way, but ultimately suggests that they are worth taking in order to fully experience life.
Line by Line Meaning
They call it the burnout factor, and only the good die young
There is a term called burnout factor, where people who are too good, die young.
Somebody's gonna take their life, just tryin' to have some fun
Sometimes people die while having fun.
The paper's gonna say we're crazy, no matter what they say, yeah
The media will always consider us crazy, regardless of what we do.
You know I'm gonna rock all night, gonna rock all night and day
I am going to party hard all day and night.
Whenever they quote you man, you'll be misunderstood
If the media quotes you, they will inevitably misunderstand what you are saying.
They're never gonna get it right, or tell it the way they should
The media will always distort the truth and not tell the story accurately.
Maybe we move too fast to put it all in a song
We might be living too fast for our experiences to be reflected in a song.
And if we keep pushin' ourselves we won't be around too long
If we keep living recklessly, we won't live long enough to enjoy life.
Crash and burn, crash and burn
Live recklessly and die young.
Crash and burn, crash and burn all night long
Keep living recklessly and enjoy the moment.
Some people like to take it easy and flow without a sound
Some people prefer a quiet, peaceful life.
Others like to play for keeps and spread themselves around
Others prefer living dangerously and experiencing different things.
I don't wanna say it's right, but if that's where you wanna be
I am not saying it is right, but if that is what you want, go for it.
Life's too short to miss out on what you wanna see
Life is too short to miss experiencing what you want to see.
Come on now, honey, don't tell me the way I ought to be
Do not tell me how to live my life.
You know I don't need nobody talkin' back to me
I don't need anyone telling me what to do or how to live my life.
Hey, I'm gonna live my life the way I think I should
I will live my life the way I find fitting.
You know I wouldn't change a thing, even if I could
I would not change a single thing about my life even if I had the chance.
I tell it like it is
I speak my mind openly.
Baby, crash and burn
Live dangerously, enjoy the moment, and die young.
I said crash and burn
Live recklessly and die young.
Lyrics ยฉ BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MYLES FRANCIS GOODWYN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@neilcox9763
I will love April Wine as long as I breathe! I'll listen to their softer songs in a nursing home, if that's what it takes!
@Wolfie66
This album never left my turntable in 8th grade! Nature of the Beast is still a favorite of mine over 40 years later!
@armatar
This was one of my first and favorite albums, brilliant. Guitar, drums, bass, vocals, all top echelon.
@70stunes71
Awesome as always. Perfect rock & roll from these guys !!!
@williambandyk327
April Wine; the TRUE PIONEERS of THRASH METAL!!!!!! This song ("Crash & Burn") EPITOMIZES") TRJLY REPRESENTS what April Wine does. They (April Wine) TRULY REPRESENTS what LIFE'S ALL ABOUT!!!!! Gotta salute our Canadian brothers & sisters bc THEY REPRESENT HUMANITY!!!!!! Ian Thomas' track-record SPEAKS 4 ITESLF.
@streetpoet62
Amazing... 30 years old but still one of the best hard rock album ever made!
@megaphisto
My school had a reputation for drinking and driving so me and a buddy nominated this song for our Prom theme back in '85. Needless to say, it got only two votes. Lost out to REO's "I can't fight this feeling". I like REO but that song really blows. A little April Wine now and then and all is right with the world.
@freeat_last7375
Drummer was amazing! As underrated as they get! This guy keeps a groove burning hot with tasty transitions...look how he goes in and out of the chorus/verses.
@MrManfly
the great Canadian hard rock drummer Jerry Mercer !!
@Bareis777
First time I saw him in the 70s I was mesmerized as a young drummer. Been playing double bass since. His groove was monstrous