Episode 46: Right Song, Wrong Timing | Canada Comes South

Send us Fan Mail Why were some of the biggest Canadian rock bands of the 1980s huge at home, yet barely known in the United States? In Episode 46 of "Who Ordered the Pie?," Christopher heads north for another installment of "Right Song, Wrong Timing" and follows 5 Canadian bands as they try to turn success in Canada into hits south of the border. The Kings actually charted higher in the U.S. than in Canada with "This Beat Goes On / Switchin' to Glide," a Bob Ezrin-produced FM rock classic that spent nearly 6 months on the Billboard Hot 100. Vancouver's The Payolas scored a major Canadian hit with "Eyes of a Stranger," featuring future superstar producer Bob Rock, yet somehow missed the U.S. Hot 100 entirely, despite American rock-radio airplay and an appearance in the movie "Valley Girl." Honeymoon Suite came even closer, taking "New Girl Now," "Feel It Again," "What Does It Take" and more across the border while touring the U.S. and getting exposure on MTV. Then there's Platinum Blonde, one of Canada's biggest bands of the mid-'80s. "Crying Over You" went to #1 in Canada, "Alien Shores" became a multi-platinum album, and Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson even played on the record. But in America? A very different story. And finally, Glass Tiger shows what happened when everything lined up. With songwriter and producer Jim Vallance, backing vocals from Bryan Adams, and "Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)," this Canadian band didn't just cross the border. They broke through. Along the way, we revisit MuchMusic, MTV, the JUNO Awards, Billboard's Hot 100, Canadian radio, Bob Rock, Mick Ronson, Alex Lifeson, Bryan Adams and an era when a band could be a household name in Canada and almost anonymous just a few hundred miles south. Why did some Canadian hits cross over while others stopped at the border? Sometimes it wasn't the song. Sometimes it was the market, the label, the radio station, the timing... and sometimes it was simply the right song in the wrong place. Featured artists and songs: The Kings — "This Beat Goes On / Switchin' to Glide" The Payolas — "Eyes of a Stranger" Honeymoon Suite — "New Girl Now" Platinum Blonde — "Crying Over You" Glass Tiger — "Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)" Plus: Rock and Hyde, Bob Rock, Mick Ronson, Rush's Alex Lifeson, Bryan Adams, Jim Vallance and more. And in The Lounge, we're mixing this week's Canadian-inspired cocktail: "Alien Shores." Episode 46: "Right Song, Wrong Timing | Canada Comes South" "Who Ordered the Pie?" — music history, the stories behind the songs, and a little something in your glass. Support the show **Who Ordered the Pie?** a music history podcast with custom cocktail pairings. Show notes, recipes, and extras: **WhoOrderedThePie.com** Follow: Apple Podcasts • Spotify • YouTube • Instagram