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.
Crocodile Tears
The Northern Pikes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Trepidation, to see if she'd notice this thorn-thistle crown
She bought me drinks and her valor was fair
Her long black wings flapped up into the air
She flew into the air
A golden frown, it made a sound
Like falling crystals on a glass-plated house
To dust clouds I pray
Rain crocodile tears
And wash the grief away
She said "In my past life I was burned at the stake
I paid a big price for one very little but foolish mistake"
I said "You're kidding, or I hope that you are
To screw up twice in two different lives is truly bizarre"
A golden frown, it makes a sound
Like falling crystals on a glass-plated house
And covers up the sun, daylight after day
To dust clouds I pray
Rain crocodile tears
And wash the grief away
She was a good friend 'til she left me for good
She denied knowing me
She denied loving me like I knew she would
A golden frown, it made a sound
Like falling crystals on a glass-plated house
And covers up the sun, daylight after day
To dust clouds I pray
Rain crocodile tears
And wash the grief away
The Northern Pikes's song Crocodile Tears is a powerful and emotive song that expresses feelings of regret, betrayal, and loss. The lyrics seem to tell the story of a man who meets a woman who blows into town and catches his attention. He eagerly tries to impress her, wearing a red shirt, hoping that she notices him. When she does notice him, he feels a sense of relief and excitement, and they begin to spend time together. The woman reveals to the man that she has had a difficult past and that in her previous life, she was burned at the stake. Despite her troubled past, the man continues to befriend her, and they have a good time together.
However, things take a sour turn when the woman suddenly leaves the man and denies ever knowing or loving him. The man is left heartbroken and betrayed, wondering what went wrong. The chorus of the song, "Rain crocodile tears, And wash the grief away," suggests that the man is hoping for a release from his sorrow and pain. He prays for the tears to come and cleanse his heart.
The song has a haunting and melancholic tone that captures the feeling of lost love and heartache. The lyrics are rich with emotion and imagery, evoking a sense of isolation and despair. The Northern Pikes's use of metaphors and symbolism adds depth and complexity to the lyrics, making them open to interpretation.
Line by Line Meaning
I wore a red shirt when she blew into town
I purposely dressed up to catch her attention
Trepidation, to see if she'd notice this thorn-thistle crown
I was nervous to see if she would accept me with all my flaws
She bought me drinks and her valor was fair
She was generous and brave in her actions towards me
Her long black wings flapped up into the air
She departed suddenly and without warning
A golden frown, it made a sound
Her expression conveyed sadness and disappointment
Like falling crystals on a glass-plated house
Her sadness was sharp and clear, like glass shattering
And covers up the sun, daylight after day
Her sadness overshadowed everything, making life bleak
To dust clouds I pray
I hope for a cleansing rain to wash away my sorrow
Rain crocodile tears
I hope for a fake display of emotion to turn into a genuine release of sorrow
And wash the grief away
I hope for resolution and closure to ease my pain
She said 'In my past life I was burned at the stake
She shared a personal story of being punished for her mistakes
I paid a big price for one very little but foolish mistake'
She regrets her past and the consequences that came with it
I said 'You're kidding, or I hope that you are
I was skeptical about her story, but also hoped she was joking
To screw up twice in two different lives is truly bizarre'
I couldn't believe someone could make the same mistakes twice in different circumstances
She was a good friend 'til she left me for good
She was a loyal friend until she cut all ties with me permanently
She denied knowing me
She refused to acknowledge our past friendship
She denied loving me like I knew she would
She didn't reciprocate my romantic feelings, despite my expectations
Contributed by Elijah V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.