Campaign underway to get 'Bird dance' band on Canada's Walk of Fame

It can make even the most cautious wallflower hit the dance floor and bust a move.

The "Bird Dance" has become a staple, making the rounds at weddings, office parties and awkward school dances for years.

You likely know the tune, but you may not know the oompah song was popularised by Edmonton's very own polka-loving cover band, the Emeralds.

Over 45 years, the group has played thousands of gigs around the world, and now there is a campaign afoot to see the band added to Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto.

On Wednesday, Edmonton-Decore MLA Chris Nielsen used a members statement in the Alberta legislature to praise the group. He also asked his fellow MLAs to sign a letter he plans to forward to the Walk of Fame. 

"We need a little bit of a push from the west to finally get them in,"  Nielsen said. 

"The pride that, not only Edmontonians, but Albertans show in this band. The fact that they're homegrown is incredibly important to what they've done for Canadian music."

Released in 1982, the album "Bird Dance" went double-platinum in Canada, and gold in Australia.The song went on to further fame when it was used in two movies: John Paizs's cult classic Crime Wave, and Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

Band members Allan Broder and Wallis Petruk reflected on their unlikely careers during a Friday morning interview on Edmonton AM. Petruk says it would be an honour to have a place on the Walk of Fame.

"It would be awesome, it's something we sort of had in the back of our minds, and we never thought it would happen and it hasn't happened yet. But we're hoping,"

The Emeralds next gig is Dec. 31st at St. Basil's Cultural Centre, and they will "absolutely" be playing the bird song.