“Hot Child in the City,” a 1978 Billboard No. 1 smash hit co-written by Nick Gilder and James McCullough, and recorded by Gilder, will be inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame on June 18, 2019, at a special ceremony during SOCAN’s Annual General Meeting, in the writers’ hometown of Vancouver.
Rockers Gilder and McCulloch wrote the song after leaving their successful glam-rock band, Sweeney Todd. In addition to platinum record sales, “Hot Child in the City” was recognized with JUNO Awards for Best-Selling Single and Most Promising Male Vocalist of the Year for Gilder, while he and McCulloch were also nominated for Composer of the Year in 1979.
“I’m honoured and humbled to be in such esteemed company of the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and to have ‘Hot Child in the City’ join the catalogue of iconic songs that have helped shape Canada’s musical landscape,” said Nick Gilder. “Music will always be a great passion in my life. I am very thankful to everyone who helped to make this song a classic; my very creative collaborator Jim McCulloch, the great band, the tireless efforts of Chrysalis Records, my family, and our awesome fans, who continue to request the song on radio after all these years!”
“With so many successful singles and albums over his career, it’s wonderful to be able to highlight one of Nick Gilder’s biggest hits with the induction of ‘Hot Child in the City’ into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame,” said Vanessa Thomas, CSHF Executive Director. “The song is still instantly recognized today, more than 40 years since it was released in the late ‘70s, which is a testament to great songwriting and its cultural impact. We can’t wait to celebrate with Nick on June 18, and are honoured to have him perform at the song induction presentation.”
It was Hollywood that inspired ‘Hot Child in the City.’ The famous Sunset Strip, and the eclectic youth that flocked to it, fascinated Gilder, who recalls, “In Los Angeles you see everyone from different walks of life; a lot of would-be actors, the adventurous, the disenfranchised. The song is a celebration of life; ultimately, of going out and finding yourself. L.A. was a magnet for people trying to find themselves. We wanted to write this song about what we’d experienced and seen.”
Released in June of 1978, the song topped the Billlboard Hot 100 chart by October. By January 1979, “Hot Child in the City” was still charting, with performances on numerous television shows. including American Bandstand, Don Kirshner’s Rock Concert, and The Midnight Special. The song has appeared in several television shows and movies, including Ed, That 70’s Show, Nip/Tuck, Sex and the City, Going the Distance, and Barb Wire. In addition to its JUNOs, the song amassed a BMI Award and a 2006 SOCAN Classic Award. It was also chosen for erstwhile Canadian music trade magazine RPM’s Top 125 Cancon Hits in 1992 and Top 100 Cancon Tracks 1964‒1994.
