Hey You

Hey there, Zoo Freaks! The Zoo Crew is spinning the classic track "Hey You" by Bachman-Turner Overdrive from their 1975 album Four Wheel Drive. This song’s got a juicy backstory that’ll make you lean into those speakers. Written by Randy Bachman, "Hey You" was a not-so-subtle jab at his former bandmate Burton Cummings from The Guess Who. Cummings had publicly trashed Bachman’s chances of making it big after leaving the band, saying he’d never succeed in the music biz. Ouch! Randy confirmed in later interviews that the song’s lyrics were his way of gloating after BTO’s massive success, saying, “I deserved to gloat a bit after all the mud Burton had slung at me.” Talk about rock ‘n’ roll shade! The tune itself, with Randy’s stuttering vocals and heavy guitar riffs, climbed to the top of the Canadian Pop Chart and cracked the charts in the US, Germany, Austria, and New Zealand. It’s got that raw, in-your-face vibe that makes it a perfect fit for our Zoo Crew playlist.

Here’s another tidbit to chew on: "Hey You" wasn’t just a chart-topper; it was a product of BTO’s relentless grind. The band was coming off the monster success of Not Fragile and its hit "You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet" when they dropped Four Wheel Drive. Critics at the time, though, weren’t always kind. Some called BTO’s sound “simplistic” and accused them of leaning too hard on familiar rock formulas. But as Toronto Star critic Craig MacInnis put it, “They knew how to put the hooks in all the right places,” and “Hey You” is proof of that. Those catchy “sha la la”s and Randy’s urgent fretwork? Pure ear candy. Fun fact: Cash Box noted the song’s echoes of earlier BTO hits like "Let It Ride" and "You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet," which just shows how BTO had nailed their signature sound by this point.

Now, let’s rewind and talk about how Bachman-Turner Overdrive got their start. Hailing from Winnipeg, Manitoba, BTO was born in 1973 from the ashes of Randy Bachman’s earlier project, Brave Belt. Randy, fresh off a messy split with The Guess Who, was determined to prove his doubters wrong. He teamed up with his brothers Robbie and Tim Bachman, along with bassist Fred Turner, to form the band. The name “Bachman-Turner Overdrive” came from a mix of their last names and a nod to Overdrive, a trucker magazine Randy spotted at a truck stop. Classic rock origin story, right? Randy, a strict Mormon, set some ground rules—no drugs, alcohol, or premarital sex on tour—which caused some friction, especially when Tim left in 1974 after breaking those rules. Despite the drama, BTO’s hard work paid off. After being rejected by 25 record labels, Mercury Records signed them, and their second album, Bachman-Turner Overdrive II, spawned hits like "Takin’ Care of Business" and "Let It Ride." From there, they became Canada’s rock juggernauts, selling nearly 30 million albums worldwide and earning a legion of fans known as “gearheads” for the band’s gear-shaped logo.

Wanna keep up with BTO? Check out their official website for tour dates and news. They’re also active on Facebook, where they’ve got over 3,000 fans vibing to their posts, and you can catch some throwback pics on their Instagram. On X, they share updates about their latest gigs and even dropped word about their first new song in 40 years, “60 Years Ago,” featuring Neil Young. For the ultimate gearhead experience, join the Bachman-Turner Overdrive Fan Club on Facebook, where fans swap stories, rare photos, and concert memories. There’s also Last.fm for diving deep into their discography and connecting with other listeners. So, Zoo Freaks, keep those dials locked on THE ZOO, and let’s keep rockin’ to “Hey You”!