Alannah Myles

Songwriter: Robert Preist Nancy Simmonds Alannah Myles

Producer: David Tyson

Song instead of a kiss
Baby, this is a song instead of a kiss
For all of you who ache, who long
For nights like this

Song instead of a touch
Darlin', this is a song instead of a touch
To all of you who wait so long
And need so much

It is for those who like to cling
It is to those, to those I sing
Here is a song instead of a clutch, instead of a moon
Instead of a soothing touch in the afternoon

It is for those who like to cling
It is to those, to those I sing
Here is a song instead of a clutch, instead of a moon
Instead of a soothing touch in the afternoon

When Alannah Myles played the role of a young aspiring singer on an episode of The Kids Of Degrassi Street, it was more than just an act. Less than a decade later, the daughter of Canadian Hall Of Fame Broadcaster William Douglas Byles would be a Grammy and Juno Award-winning singer best known for her 1990 international hit “Black Velvet”.

Myles (who changed her last name from Byles as a teen) began writing songs at nine and was participating in Toronto’s Kiwanis Music Festival at twelve. While gigging solo at nineteen across southern Ontario, songwriter/musician Christopher Ward invited her to form a rock and blues cover band with him. During this time Ward became MuchMusic’s first VJ.

Ward spent seven years trying to get Myles signed. He produced a three song demo for her, and her entertainment lawyer Stephen Stohn came up with the idea of making a ‘video demo’ of Myles singing “Just One Kiss”. This finally attracted Warner Music Canada in 1987. The demo was passed along to Warner’s US affiliate labels and Atlantic Records also took interest.

more tracks from the album

Rockinghorse

From the albums

Rockinghorse (1992)
The Very Best Of (1998)

Alannah Myles popular songs

Song Instead of a KissAlannah Myles

Alannah Myles

Rockinghorse