Men Without Hats formed in 1977 amid theMontrealpunk scene. They became pioneers of electro-pop in Canada after adopting a New Wave sound that made extensive use of keyboardand drum synthesizers. Their sound is characterized by infectiously simple melodies, socially and politically idealistic lyrics, and the distinctive baritone voice of lead singer, principle songwriter and chief member Ivan Doroschuk. The band enjoyedphenomenal success in the 1980s with the worldwide hits “Safety Dance” and “Pop Goes the World.” Both songs were inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame in September 2020.
Early Years
The band — which took its name from the fact that Doroschuk and his two brothers and bandmates, Colin and Stefan, never wore hats in the frigid Montreal winters — went through numerous lineup changes before releasing the independent four-song EPFolk of the 80s(1980).Picked up by Stiff Records in Britain and the US, the EP eventually landed them a deal with Statik Records worldwide and MCA in the United States. By the time they recorded their debut album,Rhythm of Youth(1982), the band consistedof Ivan (vocals), Stefan (guitar, bass), Colin (keyboards, electronics), and Allan McCarthy (percussion, electronics).
International Success
The second single fromRhythm of Youth, “Safety Dance,” is an anthem for freedom of expression. It was based on Ivan’s confrontations with bouncers while pogo dancing in Montreal disco clubs that were not punk friendly. The song chartedin the Top 10 in 20 countries, pushing worldwide sales ofRhythm of Youthto more than 2 million copies. The group received threeFélixawardsin 1983 — Best-Selling Single, Group of the Year and Rock Album of the Year — and another in 1984 for best-known artist outside of Quebec. They also earnedJuno Awardnominationsin 1984 for most promising group and single of the year (“Safety Dance”), as well as a Grammy nomination for new artist.
Men Without Hats continued to receive critical acclaim but never duplicated the commercial success of their first album. The song “Where Do the Boys Go?” fromFolk of the '80s (Part III)(1984) was a Top 40 hit in Canada in 1984. In1985 they released the remixed, multilingual EPFreeways. In 1987, Lenny Pinkas (drums) joined the group and the band moved to Mercury Records. They returned to international prominence with the single “Pop Goes the World” from the albumof the same name, which was certified platinum in Canada.Pop Goes the World(1987) earned the band a Félix award in 1988 for EnglishRock Album of the Year. The title song reached No. 2 in Canada and was a Top 20 hit on theBillboardHot 100. In 1989, it was nominated for a Juno Award for single of the year.
1990s
The band’s next album,The Adventures of Women & Men without Hate in the 21st Century(1989), was certified gold in Canada. It included the Top 10 hit “Hey Men” and the Top 40 hit “In the 21st Century.” By then, the group had returnedto a guitar-based rock style. In 1990, Ivan introduced a lineup that included Stefan, Colin, Mark Langevin, and members of the Quebec rock bands Voivod, the Doughboys, and Idées noires. The resulting album, Sideways (1991), had a dramaticallydifferent sound than the band’s previous work and was not released in the US. The group officially disbanded soon thereafter.
In 1995, McCarthy died due to complications from AIDS. The band’s greatest hits compilation, Men Without Hats: Collection, came out in 1996, without Ivan’s input. In 1997, hereleasedThe Spell, a dance album that met with modest success, and Stefan released the solo albumRide of Glory.
Reformed in 2000s
In 2003, Stefan and Ivan reformed the group and releasedNo Hats Beyond This Point. Stefan and Colin both remained active in the Montreal music scene, while Ivan relocated toVictoria,BC, and became a stay-at-home dad. In 2005, “Safety Dance” was ranked the 36th greatest Canadian song of all time on theCBC Radio Oneseries 50 Tracks: The Canadian Version.In 2008, “Pop Goes the World” and “Safety Dance” both received SOCAN Classics awards for achieving 100,000 airplays on domestic radio.
In 2010, citing a resurgence in the popularity of New Wave, Ivan reformed the band with session musicians and began playing at festivals. In 2011, they performed several shows with Devo and toured with The Human League and B-52s. In 2012, the band releasedtheir first album in ten years,Love in the Age of War, which marked a return to their New Wave, electro-pop sound.
On 1 September 2020, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame announced that it was inducting “Safety Dance” and “Pop Goes the World” into its permanent and interactive exhibition at the National Music Centre in Calgary.The induction ceremony was scheduled for a later date.
A version of this entry originally appeared in theEncyclopedia of Music in Canada.
FAQs
The band — which took its name from the fact that Doroschuk and his two brothers and bandmates, Colin and Stefan, never wore hats in the frigid Montreal winters — went through numerous lineup changes before releasing the independent four-song EP Folk of the 80s (1980).
Is Men Without Hats a one hit wonder? ›
Despite often being considered a One-Hit Wonder in the United States, they had another Top 40 hit there a few years after "The Safety Dance" called "Pop Goes the World" (which was popular enough to grace the Top 20 as well), so they're actually a Two-Hit Wonder.
Who was the lead singer for Men Without Hats? ›
Ivan Eugene Doroschuk (/ˈdɒrəstʃʌk, ˈdɒrəʃʌk/, French pronunciation: [ivɑ̃ øʒɛ̃ dɔʁɔʃyk]) (born 9 October 1957) is an American-born Canadian musician. He is the lead vocalist and founding member of Men Without Hats, best known for the hit song "The Safety Dance".
How old is Men Without Hats? ›
Early days. Men Without Hats was founded in Montreal in 1977, initially as a punk rock band featuring Ivan Doroschuk (vocals), Pete Seabrooke (guitar), Dave Hill (bass), and John Gurrin (drums).
Where do men without hats come from? ›
Men Without Hats are a Canadian new wave/synth pop group, originally from Montreal, Quebec. Their music is characterized by the distinctive baritone voice of their American-born Canadian lead singer Ivan Doroschuk, as well as their elaborate use of synthesizers and electronic processing.
What is the meaning of hat guy? ›
The Hat Man is said to be an evil entity, often placed in the category of paranormal phenomena referred to as “shadow people.” Shadow people are just about exactly what they sound like—dark, vaporous forms in the shape of humans that are posited to be a type of ghost.
What happened to Men Without Hats? ›
Men Without Hats did not fully coalesce again until 2016, when Colin Doroschuk rejoined the group, with his daughter, singer Sahara Sloan, and guitarist Sho Murray in tow. That is the line-up that recorded Again, Part 1 in 2021 and Again, Part 2 last year.
What is the #1 one-hit wonder? ›
Who are the hat guys? ›
The Hat Guys have been in high demand since they took Chicago by storm in 2005, because Midwestern audiences love their music and showmanship. Their performances have been described as energetic, charismatic, engaging and uplifting. Their music and message can be summed up in four simple syllables – joie de vivre.
What is the meaning of The Safety Dance? ›
Meaning of the song
The writer/lead singer Ivan Doroschuk has explained that "The Safety Dance" is a protest against bouncers prohibiting dancers from pogoing to 1980s new wave music in clubs when disco was declining and new wave was coming in.
What type of hat does Gregory Porter wear? The singer is known for wearing a black deerstalker cap, similar to a flat cap but with modifications to fit around his chin like a balaclava.
Who is the girl in Safety Dance video? ›
In 1983, she starred in the video for the single "The Safety Dance" by Men Without Hats, but her identity in the video was unknown to the public until 2013. Louise Court, apparently pregnant, also appears in the video for the song "I Like" from the same album.
Where was Safety Dance filmed? ›
The Safety Dance is notable for its medieval imagery. It was filmed in the village of West Kington, near Bath, in south-west England.
Who sings Pop Goes the World? ›
"Pop Goes the World" is a song by Canadian new wave and synthpop band Men Without Hats. It was released in October 1987 as the lead single from their third studio album of the same name.
How old is the oldest hat? ›
The 27,000-to-30,000-year-old Venus of Willendorf figurine may depict a woman wearing a woven hat. One of the earliest known confirmed hats was worn by a Bronze Age man (nicknamed Ötzi) whose body (including his hat) was found frozen in a mountain between Austria and Italy, where he had been since around 3250 BC.
Why do gentlemen take their hats off? ›
Throughout history hats identified social standing and removing a hat was a gesture of respect. In the "old days," men took off their hats in Christian churches, when they entered someone's home, when greeting a boss, and always in the presence of a lady.
Why did gentlemen stop wearing hats? ›
It's also been suggested that the rise of the motor car and the introduction of heating on public transport meant that hats were far less necessary than they had been. This seems to have some merit, particularly since it's generally impossible to wear a hat of any serious height while inside a car.
When did men stop wearing hats and why? ›
The most popular reason is the car. Car roofs made it difficult to wear a hat and generally made hats useless. In the 1920s, less than 1% of the population owned a car. This figure rose to 25% in 1940, and 55% in 1970.
Why remove hats for respect? ›
Why do we remove our hats while indoors? Some believe this tradition started with medieval knights removing their helmets when entering buildings as a sign that they came in peace and were no threat. Historically, hats identified social standing, and removing a hat was a gesture of respect.
