The Mighty Pope

Like the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, Donna Summer’s Bad Girls, and Kool & The Gang’s As One, The Mighty Pope’s album was one I remember seeing the most as a child.

I didn’t care much about the contents of the album at the time because I had not yet been aware or cared about popular music. 

I believe I browsed passed that Mighty Pope album many times while digging in the crates but again gave it little thought because I knew none of the songs.

George Strombolopolous had a Christmas special and The Mighty Pope was among the performing guests.  His backing band was The Sadies.  During the brief interview, The Mighty Pope spoke a little about his early days in Canada.

By the time I inherited the record collection containing that same Mighty Pope album, I was ready to use the contents of the album to its optimum use.  With tracks produced by Gino Soccio and backing vocals by members of Toulouse, I knew the album would come in handy on my radio show.

The Mighty Pope’s album represents some of the finest disco music the country has produced.  Sway is a personal favorite and I faintly remember hearing that song at parties when I was a child.  The Patti Smith cover of Because The Night is a surprise.  Lastly, the disco-driven cover of Iron Butterfly’s In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida is also interesting.

The Jamaica To Toronto compilation has an early 1970s funk song called Mr. Fortune on it by The Hitch-Hikers featuring The Mighty Pope.  I practically bought the CD for that song alone.



I recently learned The Mighty Pope is a featured collaborator on the debut album of Sureshot Symphony Solution.  I look forward to hearing that song and possibly playing it on The Suite Delight show.