advertisement
FYI

Paul Shaffer Enters Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame

Co-penned by Paul Shaffer and Paul Jabara in 1979 and originally intended for Donna Summer, It's Raining Men became a massive hit for The Weather Girls in 1982, reaching No. 1 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart and all these years later earns Shaffer recognition and an induction to the CHSF. With video,

Paul Shaffer Enters Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame

By FYI Staff

It’s a long way from Thunder Bay to stardom on US late night TV (as David Letterman’s sidekick and musical director for a record-setting 33-years), and the fascinating career of keyboardist/songwriter Paul Shaffer has just earned another milestone. Tomorrow (Feb. 25), in a virtual induction ceremony on Global TV, Shaffer will be added to the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame (CSHF) for co-writing the disco classic and gay anthem, It’s Raining Men. The segment on Global’s The Morning Show will include a performance by Shaffer, in honour of the late Paul Jabara, co-writer of the hit song.


advertisement

Co-penned by the two Pauls in 1979 and originally intended for Donna Summer, It's Raining Men became a massive hit for The Weather Girls in 1982, reaching No. 1 on Billboard’s Dance Club Songs chart. It repeated that feat when Martha Wash of The Weather Girls re-recorded It’s Raining Men: The Sequel with drag queen RuPaul in 1997. Fast forward to 2001, when Spice Girl Geri Halliwell covered the song for release as the first single to her second solo album. The song made No. 1 in the UK, France, Italy, and Ireland and peaked at No. 11 on Billboard’s Hot Canadian Digital Song Sales that same year.

In a CSHF press release, Shaffer notes that “Of all the honours one can receive, recognition from one’s home country is the most meaningful. I know my late co-author, Paul Jabara, is proud of me as I thank the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame for auspiciously acknowledging our song, It’s Raining Men." 

A Grammy winner, Shaffer is a member of the Order of Canada, and has a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame.

Read more about the colourful history of the song here.

Watch an item on Shaffer on CBC's The National here

advertisement

advertisement
H.E.R.
Steven Moran
H.E.R.
Awards

See Who Was Nominated — and Who Was Passed Over — in Oscars’ 2025 Music Categories

This is the fifth year in a row that one or more non-English language songs has been nominated for best original song.

Diane Warren received her 16th Oscar nomination for best original song on Thursday (Jan. 23) — a tally equaled by only three other songwriters in the 91-year history of the category. Sammy Cahn leads with 26 nods, followed by Johnny Mercer with 18 and Paul Francis Webster, also with 16. Warren was nominated this year this year for “The Journey,” sung by H.E.R. in The Six Triple Eight.

Moreover, this is the eighth year in a row Warren has been nominated, which enables her to tie Cahn for the longest continuous streak of nominations in this category. Cahn was nominated eight years running from 1954 to 1961.

keep readingShow less
advertisement