“When I come home, you telephone… to say you’re waiting for
me.”
Hello friends, I
hope your summer is treating you well! Thanks for tuning into to the
Dial on this fine August day… evening… wee hours of the morning?
Truth be told, I’m not sure exactly when you are reading this, but
I am sure that the Dial is bringing you a classic top 10 hit
from our friends in the Great White North. Stay tuned, read on and
listen up for Glass Tiger and “Someday”.
Founded in Ontario, Canada, in 1983 and consisting of lead singer
Alan Frew, bassist Wayne Parker, guitarist Al Connelly, Sam Reid on
keyboards, and Michael Hanson on drums, Glass Tiger released their
debut album, The Thin Red Line, in 1986. The first single
pulled from that album was the smash hit “Don’t Forget Me When
I’m Gone”, which topped the charts in their homeland, and
nearly duplicated that feat in America, yet stopped one position
short at #2. Quite an impressive debut overall.
“Someday”
was the band’s second American released single, a mid-tempo ballad
which was to be their final top 10 hit in the states, reaching #7 on
the pop charts. The boys only charted in the U.S. two more times,
with “I Will Be There” (#34/’87), and “I’m
Still Searching” (#31/’88). However, they had tons of big
hits in Canada for several years, including 1991’s “My Town”,
which featured Rod Stewart, and was a #8 hit on the Canadian RPM
singles chart.
Written by Frew and
Connelly, along with producer Jim Vallance (you may know him as the
prolific songwriting partner of Bryan Adams), the song speaks to the
frustration of a guy who’s girlfriend is very conflicted regarding
their relationship. The couple speak on the phone for the bulk of the
song, initially with her saying that she’s waiting for him (while
crying...), then later, she says she doesn’t need him, yet she
can’t explain why for fear of hurting him. Sounds like she is
dealing with some heavy emotional baggage to be sure, but in doing
so, she is also stringing this poor guy along. Eventually, he decides
he can only take so much.
The chorus contains
the line “Someday I’ll be losing this fear”,
indicating that once he
reaches the peak of his frustration, he’ll confront her about their
relationship. He hasn’t told her yet, but it’s coming
soon. Someday.
Glass Tiger were
nominated for a 1986 best new artist Grammy award, but lost that to
Bruce Hornsby and the Range. However, back in Canada, the band won
multiple Juno awards, including Single of the Year (‘86) for “Don’t
Forget Me When I’m Gone”, Album of the Year (‘86) for “The
Thin Red Line”, and the Most Promising Group of the Year
(again,’86) award. “Someday” won the single of the year award
for ‘87, making Glass Tiger one of the few acts (an exclusive club
with Terry Jacks, Anne Murray, and Alanis Morissette) that won that
same award in two consecutive years.
I’ve always loved
“Someday”. The whole song is just filled with hooks that please
my ears. Alan’s blue-eyed soul style of singing, the ascensions in
the chorus, that harmonica solo during the bridge, the soulful backup
singers. In fact, even though I would classify “Someday” as a
ballad, it also doesn’t quite seem to fit the typical
interpretation of a ballad to me. Even though the lyrics clearly
convey romantic frustration, the easy going mid-tempo melody steers
it away from the exhausting melodrama that often plagues many of the
best known ballads from the rock era.
“Someday” fell
off of radio playlists rather quickly once it’s chart run ended,
(glad I taped it off of Q107 back then!) but I recall hearing it on a
light rock station in the mid ‘90s and being reminded of what a
great tune it is. Later that year, I got the Air Time: The Best of
Glass Tiger compilation CD for either Christmas or my birthday,
so I could revisit “Someday” and their other tunes whenever I
please. Still, I can count the number of times I’ve actually heard
“Someday” on the radio on one hand since it’s original ‘86
chart run, which makes this a lost hit on the airwaves... at least
here in the states. (I admit, it may very well be all over the
classic hits stations in Canada.)
And when you watch
the music video, remember, it was the mid ‘80s. And besides, real
men wear pink.
So give Glass
Tiger’s forgotten hit a spin and see if it jogs any memories for
you. Are you familiar with their other hits? Do you think they
deserved a longer hit making career in the U.S.? Drop me a message
below!
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