Hosted by Jim Corcoran, a fluently bilingual Quebec musician,[2] this show first aired on November 5, 1988. Its first episode focused on the music of Québécois rock icon Robert Charlebois.[3]
To aid in listener comprehension of the music, Corcoran would often recite an English translation of a song's lyrics. The idea to present translations of lyrics into English was suggested to Corcoran by the show's long time producer and recording engineer Frank Opolko.[2] Opolko also encouraged including interviews with musicians; interviews over the years have included Charlebois, Michel Rivard, Daniel Lavoie, Caracol, Louis-Jean Cormier, Matthieu Chedid and Jane Birkin.[3]
Corcoran announced his retirement from the program in August 2018.[1] It was replaced on the CBC Radio schedule by C'est formidable!, a similar show hosted by musician Florence K.[1]
