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.
Things I Do For Money
The Northern Pikes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I used to be quite critical but now I find I'm cynical
A lady with a starving baby miles away from me
No problems there, just life and death
What the hell is wrong with me
And everybody else
No questions asked
Expenses - taxes are a bitch these days
Yet the lady and the baby starve
waiting for a contribution in a UNICEF box
In a drugstore in this ugly little town
The things I do for money
I'll never understand
The world is just a marble
In the palm of my hand
The palm of my hand
The palm of my hand
The things I do for money
I'll never understand
The world is just a marble
In the palm of my hand
The things I waste my time on, I'll never understand
I used to be quite practical but now I find I'm tactical
I scrape and scheme and struggle hard
To get myself ahead
Have no concern for anyone but me
The things I do for money
I'll never understand
The world is just a marble
In the palm of my hand
The palm of my hand
The palm of my hand
The palm of my hand
The palm of my hand
(instrumental)
The things I do for money
I'll never understand
The world is just a marble
In the palm of my hand
The lyrics to The Northern Pikes's song "Things I Do For Money" revolve around the idea of the things people do for money and the effects of their actions. The song starts questioning the morality of the things people do for money and how they justify their deeds. The singer talks about how he used to be critical of such behavior but now finds himself to be cynical. He tries to understand why people indulge in such acts and wonders what is wrong with them and with the society as a whole. Here, the 'lady with a starving baby miles away from me' is an example of the kind of thing people ought to be concerned and doing something about instead of helping themselves to more money.
The lyrics of the song then go on to discuss the irony of how people can easily write off expenses and save up on taxes. They care more about themselves and their savings than about the hungry people and children who are miles away seeking help. The singer expresses his disappointment and how he will never understand why people do such things for money.
In the end, the song highlights the power dynamics and how people in power, like the singer himself, hold the world and fate of others in their hands. The world may seem like a marble, but it's only in the palm of a few people's hands. The message here is that people need to work towards making a difference and not just focus on their own selfish needs.
Line by Line Meaning
The things I do for money, I'll never understand
I do things for money that I can't even explain or justify
I used to be quite critical but now I find I'm cynical
I used to have strong opinions about things, but now I'm distrustful and pessimistic
A lady with a starving baby miles away from me
There are people suffering in the world that I don't even know
No problems there, just life and death
For some people, survival is their only concern
What the hell is wrong with me
I question my own morals and values
And everybody else
I also question the morals and values of society as a whole
No questions asked
I don't think about the consequences of my actions
Just get receipts and write them off
I use money as an excuse to indulge in things I don't need
Expenses - taxes are a bitch these days
Managing finances is difficult and frustrating
Yet the lady and the baby starve
While I worry about expenses, there are people who are struggling to survive
waiting for a contribution in a UNICEF box
Donating to charity is an easy, but often neglected way to help those in need
In a drugstore in this ugly little town
Poverty and struggle can exist anywhere, even in seemingly affluent areas
The world is just a marble
In the grand scheme of things, the world is small and insignificant
In the palm of my hand
I have the power to make a difference in the world, but I often choose not to
The things I waste my time on, I'll never understand
I prioritize things that ultimately don't matter over making a positive impact on the world
I used to be quite practical but now I find I'm tactical
I used to focus on what was necessary, but now I focus on what will benefit me the most
I scrape and scheme and struggle hard
I work hard to get ahead, but it's often at the expense of others
To get myself ahead
My priority is advancing my own personal interests
Contributed by Abigail F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@rubey09
Still a killer track! Been a fan since album came out and they still rock!!
@treasaighratcliffe7974
This song always blows me away!! Love it and never get tired of it.
@rjcupid
Every time I hear this song I love it even more, which is a very rare quality indeed. I also want to say that I'm very proud to be Canadian...but in a humble Canadian way! :)
@burnyizland
Same here! I'm giving my son an education in Canadian music. So far he loves it. We'll what sticks once he becomes a teen. 🤷
@robertkingdon5623
SUPER TALENTED.. SOUND TRACK OF MY YOUTH...
@magnateeze
30 years later and this song is still so cool. Tunes that never fade away. Love The Pikes!
@burnyizland
35 years now. My little guy LOVES this song too. Timeless.
@GeraldNunn
One of my favorites, a very under-rated tune
@xsavagegaming9442
I had to do some digging to find the name. I hear it on classic rock stations all the time. Had to search the lyrics lol. Amazing tune ❤
@bullypopful
Honestly came here 3 years later to say this exact same thing