During the 70s, while still in his teens, Mitchell began playing with local bands in the city of Sarnia. After evolving through a few name changes with essentially the same band, Mitchell and a group titled "Zooom" headed off for Toronto, Ontario. The band eventually dissolved, with Mitchell travelling over to the Greek islands.
Upon his return to Canada, he formed the band Max Webster, which managed to finally break through commercially. Besides playing the group, Mitchell and wrote most of the band's songs with fellow Sarnia native and lyricist, Pye Dubois (Paul Woods). Max Webster toured extensively and built a string of hits. Mitchell's solo career began after his departure from Max Webster, with session work and a succession of solo albums.
In early 1985, the song "Go For Soda" from the Akimbo Alogo album became an international hit and perhaps remains his best known song outside of his native Canada.
In 2004, Mitchell entered the radio broadcasting industry, becoming afternoon drive time host on Toronto classic rock radio station Q107.
As of 2005, Mitchell, still does the afternoon drive time on Q107, and is working on a new double CD set for a Spring 2006 release.
In December of 2005, Mitchell had proposed to the Q107 listeners that they write a Christmas song together. The resulting song is entitled "A Christmas Smile". At the end of the song, Mitchell advises his fans not to drink and drive, but to "go for a soda" instead.
Cheer Us On
Kim Mitchell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm one of those tireless dreamwalkers
You can't hold me back when I got a vision
I got a wish a wish a day
And Mona Lisa she'd be proud of this smile
She knows I'm a dreamer dreaming wild today
She comes into play when the world ain't so pretty
She just loves our wild wild wishes
She wants us to dance for many days
And from the CN tower we'll wave
We'll all wave at heaven
Cheer on my friends
Wishin' 'pon a star
Never let the music end
Smile on my friends
Wishin' 'pon a star
Never let the music end
Turn up the lights
For the wild vision
Birds aren't the only things flying tonight
And Mona Lisa she'd be proud of this smile
She knows I'm a dreamer dreaming wild today
Cheer on my friends
Wishin' 'pon a star
Never let the music end
Smile on my friends
Wishin' 'pon a star
Never let the music end
In "Cheer Us On," Kim Mitchell celebrates the power of dreams and wishes. The song consists of three verses and two choruses. In the first verse, Mitchell acknowledges the universality of dreaming, singing that every man has wished upon a star at some point in his life. He declares himself a tireless dreamwalker, someone with visions that can't be held back. The second verse introduces the metaphor of the genie residing in every person's heart that comes out to play when the world isn't pretty. According to Mitchell, this genie just loves our wild wishes and wants us to dance for many days. Finally, the third verse sees Mitchell and his friends waving from the CN tower, celebrating their wild vision, and acknowledging that they aren't the only things flying tonight.
Through its lyrics, "Cheer Us On" advocates for the power of dreams and encourages people to let their imagination soar. Mitchell reminds the audience that everyone has a capacity for dreaming and that it is the genie in our hearts that fuels these dreams. In the chorus, Mitchell pleads with his listeners to continue to wish upon stars and find magic in their lives, even after the music ends.
The song is a testament to Kim Mitchell's creativity, as he showcases his musical prowess in the guitar solos that he performs in the song. Mitchell's lyrics also draw heavily on cultural references such as Mona Lisa and CN Tower, showcasing his knowledge and appreciation of the world.
Line by Line Meaning
There's never been a man who hasn't wished upon a star
Throughout history, everyone has wished for something better or something beyond their reach.
I'm one of those tireless dreamwalkers
I am a person who is constantly striving and dreaming, never willing to give up on my goals.
You can't hold me back when I got a vision
When I have a clear vision of what I want, nothing can stop me from pursuing it.
I got a wish a wish a day
Every day, I have a new wish or desire that I hope to achieve.
And Mona Lisa she'd be proud of this smile
Even Mona Lisa, known for her mysterious and enigmatic smile, would be impressed by how happy and content I am with my life.
She knows I'm a dreamer dreaming wild today
Mona Lisa recognizes that I am a person who is constantly dreaming big and chasing after my biggest goals and aspirations.
Everyman's heart is a bottle with a little genie
Inside every person's heart, there is a small part of themselves that believes in magic and the possibility of making their dreams come true.
She comes into play when the world ain't so pretty
This inner genie is often most activated when the world outside is dark or chaotic, and we need something positive to cling to.
She just loves our wild wild wishes
This inner genie delights in our craziest, most outlandish wishes, and helps us to believe that they just might come true.
She wants us to dance for many days
This inner genie wants us to enjoy life and celebrate our dreams and accomplishments as long as possible.
And from the CN tower we'll wave
Standing atop the CN Tower, we will look out over the world and give a triumphant wave to everything we have accomplished.
We'll all wave at heaven
Our wave is a gesture of gratitude and thanks for all of the blessings and luck we have received in our lives.
Cheer on my friends
I encourage and support my friends in all of their pursuits and encourage them to dream big and chase after their hearts' desires.
Wishin' 'pon a star
I believe in the power of wishing and hoping, and that anything is possible if we wish upon a star with all of our hearts.
Never let the music end
We should always keep the joy and passion in our lives, and never let anything or anyone take that away from us.
Smile on my friends
I want all of my friends to be happy and content, and to always have a cheerful, positive outlook on life.
Turn up the lights
Let us shine a bright light on our dreams and goals, bringing them into the spotlight and helping them to become reality.
For the wild vision
We should celebrate and embrace our biggest, wildest dreams and aspirations, even if they seem impossible or unlikely.
Birds aren't the only things flying tonight
We too can soar to great heights and achieve amazing things, just like the birds that take flight in the air.
Contributed by Luke C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.