Red Rider: Lunatic Fringe

TV Thursday takes us back to 2001 when Microsoft debuted the Windows XP operating system. At that time, they promoted the new offering with a commercial bed that featured Canada’s Red Rider. The song was their 1981 recording “Lunatic Fringe.” Only the instrumental bed was used for the commercials.

Although the song was immensely popular on both album and contemporary hit radio, it failed to chart even within Billboard’s Hot 100. Even the album, “As Far As Siam” didn’t make a dent into the Top 200 LP charts; however, it did place in the Pop Album chart at #65.

Tom Cochrane wrote the song about a rise in anti-Semitism that was occurring in the late 70s and early 80s. Prior to writing the song, he had read a book about the Holocaust. The lead guitar is actually Kenny Greer playing a lap steel.