Big Time Operator-Keith Hampshire

[tom080955]

This is now and always has been ...MY theme song!

[gavkasso]

canada's answer toBEATMAKER by Doris

[JustWinBabee]

I once told a friend I liked this song.

He thought I meant "Operator" by Jim Croce.

I liked Croce's song.

I liked this one better.

[JustWinBabee]

This song is similar in theme to the Guess Who's Runnin Back to Saskatoon. What's funny is that I once told a friend that I really liked this song. I found out later he thought I meant Jim Croce's Operator. What's even funnier is that I originally thought the voice was that of David Clayton-Thomas of Blood Sweat and Tears.

Thanks to You Tube, I've finally gotten it straight.

[CowanSubd]

'Guess Who' similarities aside, yes, this guy sounds a fair bit like D.C.T. of B.S.& T., and I recall seeing several episodes (I think on CBC) back in the late 70's or early 80's of a show called 'Saturday Night Music Machine' with Keith @ the helm. I remember thinking at the time how powerful a voice he had while making it appear so effortless!

[CowanSubd]

@JustWinBabee 

[qb63]

I was a student at Henry Wise Wood in 1962. Keith went there also. In a high school reunion held years later, Keith was there...everybody gathered around him, also saw him in Toronto at CHUM's 50th

[BBQFanNo1]

Ahh my favorite era period of good music song variety. Dont get me wrong,music was still good from 1975 to 1980 but the best variety era of music was the 1950s,1960s,and 1970 to 1974. It was also the best variety era of Movies,TV, and Sports,Etc.

[djdavemick]

Great tune! Played rather frequently on a local oldies show in Syracuse 1990-94. The DJ always said "Hamp-SHYr". I always felt David Lee Roth could have recorded this, given the lyrics.

[seckles]

This guy is my hero! Have you heard of the 2009 film "Pirate Radio (The Boat That Rocked)", starring Phillip seymour-Hoffman? That movie was based upon some actual Pirate Radio ships that broadcasted off the coast of England in 1966. On the ACTUAL pirate radio station ("Radio Caroline"), Keith was one of the DJ's! AWESOME.

[tom080955]

okay after some 20 years of enjoying this great (and my) theme song,you taught me something tonight! I love this song , had no idea he was one of us canucks...thanks! and thanks for posting it...5*'s

[seckles]

I could listen to this song all day long! In fact, I think I will.

[irishclown66]

the canadian tom jones.............

[pwaimp]

This guy was so under rated. Geat voice. Great delivery.

[gnolt]

I thought i heard this before.We listened to CKLW all the time in northeast Ohio back in the seventies.They even sold some records of CKLW hits.

[zicogold]

I remember watching Keith when he hosted his own CBC variety show. I am not sure if it was summer replacement show like the Lorne and Hart show, you know the Lorne in Lorne Michaels.

[narfee1]

whatever happened to Keith's first big hit, Forever and Ever?

[dicarlo57]

@narfee1 It sprouted wings and flew up a ducks ass

[Reese1492]

This song just makes me want to dance :)!

I love cruising around to this! lol.

[toasiayes]

I remember a group called GATE performing this song at HIS MAJESTYS CELLARS IN SOUTH AFRICA in 1974  still sounds cool.

[clearcoat2000]

This song kicks ass. Great brass section.

[TimothyQStanton]

If you can listen to this and NOT feel uplifted, you're dead!

[dicarlo57]

This got a lot of airplay on CKLW in January of '73 where we picked it up here in Cleveland Ohio. thanks

[Axlegun]

I like this tune,it reminds me of being back in Saint John N.B. because the local AM oldies station used to play this every day.

[mikestefanik]

he was actually a member of the cast of Wayne and Shusters comedy show too!

[wilkes85]

Nothing like coming home from the bar trashed out of your face, plopping this record on the turntable, and just cranking the volume to the max!

[94cadillacfleetwood]

I found this 45 at a swapmeet this past weekend! The coolest song ever!!!

[dicarlo57]

This must have cost a fortune to produce. Thanks for posting this, you dont hear it on the radio anymore

[lolli44pop]

my moms mom was good friend with him in the late 60's and he is the creator and the voice of the M&M's he also worked at CFCN TV Calgary moved to the Pirate radio station :)

[garytvfan]

I LOVED this single when I first heard it back in the early 70s in America!  Of course, the only reason I got to hear it was because I worked at a radio station at the time, and the PD let me have all the singles he tossed out and was never going to play. I was always AMAZED at the number of jobs he could rhyme with "Operator". KILLER song---THANKS!

[Cognac999]

Canada always appreciated him :)

Canada Kicks ass!

[Jessibellavance]

@TheMJtheGOD fried american dumb cunt

[TheMJtheGOD]

@Cognac999 Canada blows!!!! Michael Jackson Rules!!!!!

:-)

[tricesimo]

@TheMJtheGOD Michael Jackson blows young bo.... (oops, don't go there)

[TheMJtheGOD]

@tricesimo Okay!  I won't!!!

:-)

[secordman]

Great stuff, power vocals big time.

[gnolt]

His voice sounds just like David Clayton Thomas from Blood Sweat & Tears

[jeffkahl]

yep he also looks like him too in recent footage

[JessieSoul]

Yep. It sounds like a Blood Sweat and tears.

[gnolt]

You might want to search for Bill Chase. He did some great horn rock songs like this back in the seventies.

[cjthemusicman]

Good stuff!!! Thank you for posting Keith's music! You must have lived within CKLW's signal to have heard these tunes. I don't believe he charted in the States.....

[Ryhela]

Good Grief, we must be of an age that appeciated good music. He was great wasn't he, and this is not the first time I've listened to this. I don't comment much, but Keith was so under apreciated and it's so good to hear him again.

Thank you radiovixen for posting these tapes....really appreciated

[cjthemusicman]

I concur with you, again! LOL!

Fancy meeting you here......