Numerous drummers came and went until June of 1986, when Don Schmid joined to make it a permanent quartet. With the help of friend and local booking agent Robert Hodgins, the band cut its teeth on the prairie bar circuit. The combination of exciting live performances, well-received indie albums, and the continuous stream of demos caught the ear of Doug Chappell, President of Virgin Records, Canada, and with the help of managers Fraser Hill and Ed Smeall, The Pikes signed to the label on December 19, 1986.
In January 1987, the band began sessions at Metal Works Studio in Toronto with producers Rick Hutt and Fraser Hill, and they finished mixing at McClear Place Studios for what would become its first Virgin album, titled 'Big Blue Sky'. It was released in June of '87 and featured the singles "Teenland" and "Things I Do For Money", introducing the band to a wider audience and expanding the touring range to all parts of Canada and the USA.
Spring of 1988 saw The Pikes at Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, NY. and later in Le Studio, Morin Heights, Quebec for the recording and mixing of 'Secrets of the Alibi'. The sophomore album had a more "live off the floor" feel, and the heavy airplay of single "Wait For Me" and "Hopes Go Astray" kept the band on the road virtually non-stop across the continent until the summer of '89.
Up to this point, the primary singers and songwriters were Jay and Merl, with the exception of some group compositions and "Hopes" written by Bryan. The Pikes third album Snow In June saw the blossoming of Bryan as a singer and writer, most notably for the hit single "She Ain't Pretty". In addition the album featured other hits, "Girl With A Problem" and "Kiss Me You Fool", and featured a star-studded cast of additional musicians - Garth Hudson, Crystal Taliefero, John Sebastian and Stan Szelest, as well as mixes by acclaimed engineers Bob Clearmountain and Hugh Padgham. Recording again in Bearsville and mixing at A&M Studios in Los Angeles, the Pikes spent almost six months working on the album, considered by many to be their finest.
After almost two years of touring to support Snow In June, the band began work on Neptune in July of '92 at A&M Studios in LA with Rob Jaczko as co-producer. Subsequent sessions continued at Metal Works in Toronto and Blue Jay Studio in Boston. From start to finish the album took exactly two months to record, mix and master¤ the fastest turnaround since their indie days- Released in November, Neptune featured the keyboard work of Ross Nykiforuk, also a native of Saskatoon and an on-stage addition for the Snow In June tour. Also featured were two duets with Margo Timmins of "Cowboy Junkies", one of which¤ "Worlds Away"¤ made its way onto an episode of the TV series "Due South". The album featured the singles "Twister", "Believe" and "Everything", and in December saw the band fly from one end of Canada to the other on a whirlwind tour promoting the record.
The spring of '93 saw the last tour for The Pikes, and the fifth and final album gig, recorded live during concerts in Montreal and Toronto. It featured 13 songs and showcased the raw energy the band always exhibited onstage.
The Northern Pikes played their final concert of this first era on July 2, 1993 in Fort Frances, Ontario. Their unofficial final recording session took place July 9, '93 in Don's "Fresh Vibe North" studio where Jay, Bryan, Don and Ross laid down the original tracks for the theme song to "Due South" written by Jay and Bryan. Shortly afterwards, the band disbanded.
However, in 1999, the band reformed to build a Greatest Hits package, called "Hits and Assorted Secrets 1984-1993." On the subsequent tour to promote this album, the band decided to release a live work in 2000 ("Live"). This was followed by a studio album in 2001 ("Truest Inspiration"), and another in 2003 ("It's a Good Life"). A collaborative album with fellow Canadian artist Les Stroud followed-up in 2008. They've continued to tour over the past few years.
All This Man Can Do
The Northern Pikes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You get what you settle for
The marrying kind can be so sublime
And then turn into little wars
You can bow your shoulders carrying around
Resentment and hate
Or you can free your soul
To what you've been told
'Cause being crazy 'bout a woman like you
Is always the right thing to do
And being smart enough
I've bounced this far
To get myself next to you
And being this close saying "I love you"
Is all this man can do
You opened your heart and love shot out
You got it all over me
And the way you put your tongue in my head
I never heard it better said
'Cause being crazy 'bout a woman like you
Is always the right thing to do
And being smart enough
I've bounced this far
To get myself next to you
And being this close saying "I love you"
Is all this man can do
The gift of love, the gift of love
That's what you gave to me
The gift of love
It's as selfless as we can be
Yeah, yeah, yeah. As we can be, yeah!
The Northern Pikes’ song All This Man Can Do presents a reflection on the power of love and how it can transform one’s life. The song starts with an introspection on decisions and consequences that arise from them; one can either settle for less or aim for what they truly believe in, especially when it comes to love. The marrying kind, as the lyrics imply, can be beautiful and loving, but it can also turn into a battlefield when one carries around resentment and hate. However, when we free ourselves to love and give love, that power can create a new path for our lives.
The song seems to recount the singer’s experience in finding the right woman who changed him for the better. For him, loving a woman like her is the right thing to do. Having been smart enough to get himself next to her, he realizes that being that close to someone and openly saying “I love you” is all this man can do. The remaining section of the song describes the transformation that love can bring, a selfless gift that has the power to change us as people.
Overall, All This Man Can Do is an ode to the power of love and how it can transform us. It is a tender song about the transformative power of finding the right person and how love can bring out the best in all of us.
Line by Line Meaning
One decides you make up your mind
You have the power to make your own decisions.
You get what you settle for
You'll only receive what you think you deserve.
The marrying kind can be so sublime
Marriage can be truly wonderful.
And then turn into little wars
But it can also be filled with small struggles.
You can bow your shoulders carrying around
You can hold onto resentment and anger.
Resentment and hate
These feelings will weigh you down.
Or you can free your soul
You can choose to let go and move forward.
To what you've been told
Listen to the advice of those close to you.
The power of love is so great
Love can conquer anything.
'Cause being crazy 'bout a woman like you
Being in love with you makes me feel alive.
Is always the right thing to do
Loving you is always the best choice.
And being smart enough
I've learned from my mistakes.
I've bounced this far
I've been through difficulties to get here.
To get myself next to you
To be close to you is my ultimate goal.
And being this close saying "I love you"
Being near you makes me want to express my love.
Is all this man can do
All I can offer is my love and devotion.
You opened your heart and love shot out
Your love for me is pure and powerful.
You got it all over me
Your love has taken over my heart and mind.
And the way you put your tongue in my head
The way you express your love is unforgettable.
I never heard it better said
I've never felt love expressed so perfectly.
The gift of love, the gift of love
Your love is the greatest gift I've ever received.
That's what you gave to me
Your love is the reason for my happiness.
The gift of love
Love is selfless and giving.
It's as selfless as we can be
Love brings out the best in us.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. As we can be, yeah!
Love makes us the best versions of ourselves.
Contributed by Austin G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.