Informer – Snow | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#1 for 7 weeks) and R&B (#10); 1993
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
A reggae singer from Toronto!? Hard to believe, you say. Well, not only did Darrin “Snow” O’Brien cut his musical teeth in Canada, he used his real life experience to create a chart topping record.
By 1989, Darrin had finally discovered his artistic voice after years of imitating the reggae singers he heard on his Jamaican neighbors’ tapes. Unfortunately, he was framed for murder.
While behind bars (he was eventually acquitted) O’Brien penned Informer and started to look toward a recording career based upon the positive response of other inmates. Upon his release, he found an advocate in rapper/producer MC Shan.
Shan co-wrote and took over the production chores for Informer which appeared on 12 Inches Of Snow by Snow, after reggae fans nickname for the white singer.
At year’s end, Informer was ranked the fourth highest charting single of the year, alongside discs by superstars Mariah Carey and Janet Jackson.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- MC Shan
Lyrics Written by:
- Edmond Leary
- Darrin O’Brien
- Shawn Moltke
- Terri Moltke
- Jeffrey Silva (associate writer)
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).