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.
Why Cry
The Northern Pikes Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I can't tell if you've been cryin'
But it ain't that hard to tell
Inside your heart is dyin'
And if I could change the world
I hope you'll be there to guide me
Through power and vision
And all the indecision
Wipe wipe them away
You hide your fears so well
No visible anxiety
Bid them a fond farewell
Welcome to soul sobriety
And if I could change the world
I hope you'll be there to stop me
'Cause I don't profess to
Know what's best for me and for you
It's just a notion I had
Wipe wipe them away
So why cry your life away
Wait for a sunny day
Why cry your life away
There is tomorrow
So why cry your life away
Wait for a sunny day
Why cry your life away
There is tomorrow
So why cry your life away
Wait for a sunny day
Why cry your life away
There is tomorrow
You hide your tears so well
Why cry your life away, why cry
You hide your tears so well
Why cry your life away, why cry
In the Northern Pikes’ song “Why Cry,” the lyrics speak to a person who is hiding their emotions and their internal pain. The opening line of the song, “You hide your tears so well, I can't tell if you've been crying,” speaks to how the person is putting on a façade and not letting others know that they are hurting. The lyrics suggest that even though the person is trying to hide their emotions, it’s easy to tell that they are hurting on the inside.
The chorus of the song, “So why cry your life away, wait for a sunny day, there is tomorrow,” encourages the person to keep going and to not give up. The song suggests that there is hope for a better future and that the person should not let their current situation dictate their future. It acknowledges that life can be tough and that there will be days filled with tears and sadness, but it also stresses that we should strive to look for the good days and not get bogged down in our emotions.
Overall, the lyrics of “Why Cry” present a message of hope and resilience. It speaks to the human experience of pain and suffering, but also presents the idea that we have the power to keep going and to not give up on ourselves or our future.
Line by Line Meaning
You hide your tears so well
Despite feeling broken and sad inside, you do not want others to see you cry, so you are hiding your tears with skill.
I can't tell if you've been cryin'
Even though you are trying not to show it, I sense that you have been crying, and it's not too difficult to figure out.
But it ain't that hard to tell
Your behavior and actions make it easier to figure out that you are in a great deal of pain within, even if you don't show it on your face.
Inside your heart is dyin'
You are feeling devastated and broken on the inside, and it's affecting you every moment of the day, but you are not letting it show on the outside.
And if I could change the world
If I had the power to change things in the world, I would want you to be there beside me, helping me navigate through the difficulties and showing me the right way forward.
I hope you'll be there to guide me
I hope you would be there to give me the strength and inspiration to change things that are wrong and make the world a better place for all of us.
Through power and vision
By putting our minds to it and using our intelligence and ambition, we can achieve amazing things, and with your help, the sky is the limit.
And all the indecision
Although there may be uncertainties along the way, with your support, I could conquer my fears and doubts, and push forward towards our shared goals.
It's a crime you hurt all the time
It's depressing to see you feeling hurt and sad all the time, and I wish I could ease your pain and bring a smile back to your face.
Wipe wipe them away
I implore you to forget about your tears and find happiness in the little things in life as it's time to let go of your pain and start a new chapter in life.
You hide your fears so well
Similar to hiding tears, you are also keeping your anxieties and fears from others with a great deal of expertise, not wanting them to see your vulnerabilities.
No visible anxiety
Although you are feeling anxious on the inside, you are doing your best to keep it from showing through your actions and body language.
Bid them a fond farewell
It's time to release your fears and anxiety to the universe and say goodbye to them, welcoming a new phase of personal growth and strength.
Welcome to soul sobriety
It's time for a mental awakening, to seek clarity and sanity, and welcome a feeling of being sober with a clear mind and a tangible sense of purpose.
And if I could change the world
Once again, I reiterate that if I could do things differently and make things better, I would want you to be by my side, helping me through the tough times and celebration during the good ones.
I hope you'll be there to stop me
While I may have ideas and plans, I am not always sure what's best for me or you, and I hope you will be there to guide me and prevent me from rash actions.
'Cause I don't profess to
I don't claim or pretend to know everything, and I'm willing to share my doubts and second guess my assumptions with you.
Know what's best for me and for you
I recognize that it's difficult to figure out what's best for each of us, and I would want us to work together to find a solution that's mutually beneficial to both of us.
It's just a notion I had
I know this may not be the ultimate solution, but this is just an idea that's helping me navigate through these difficult times, with the hope that things will get better.
So why cry your life away
Why hold on and let sadness define your life, when there's so much to look forward to?
Wait for a sunny day
Have patience and hope, wait for better times and brighter days that are sure to come.
There is tomorrow
There's always a new day, a new start, and a new opportunity to create the life you aspire to live.
Contributed by Jason T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rey Flores
Rockin'!
Good times!