Podcast

Who Ordered the Pie? | Classic Rock Music History & Cocktails

Music, Music Commentary, Music History

Who Ordered the Pie? is a classic rock music history podcast that explores the hidden stories behind legendary songs and the artists who shaped rock history.

Each episode dives deep into rock history, Billboard chart performance, and behind-the-song storytelling, exploring the real-life moments that shaped legendary tracks and classic rock culture.

Part narrative storytelling, part music documentary, and part barstool conversation, the show blends classic rock history with craft cocktail culture in a way that feels both nostalgic and fresh.

If you love discovering what really happened behind the songs, tracing their rise on the charts, and hearing the stories that shaped music history, pull up a chair. This is your show.

Episodes
54
Releases
Weekly
Typical length
19 min
On air since
2025
Latest episode
1 week ago

Episodes

54 episodes, newest first

  1. Episode 52: Songs You Endure | Part Two | Halloween Special

    Episode 52

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    Episode 52: Songs You Endure | Part Two | Halloween Special

    Some songs give you chills. Others make you wish you'd never pressed play.

    Last Halloween, we explored 5 songs that took us into the darker corners of music history. This year, we're going back for more.

    In “Songs You Endure | Part Two,” Christopher uncovers the disturbing stories behind 5 unforgettable recordings, from murder and madness to obsession, psychological horror, and mysteries that refuse to be explained.

    This year's unsettling countdown features:

    • Warren Zevon, “Excitable Boy” (1978)
    • Alice Cooper, “Steven” (1975)
    • Violent Femmes, “Country Death Song” (1984)
    • Lisa Germano, “A Psychopath” (1994)
    • Helen Reddy, “Angie Baby” (1974)

    Discover the abandoned horror-film concept behind Alice Cooper's nightmare, the teenage songwriter who created one of rock's most disturbing murder ballads, and the chilling real-life fear captured in Lisa Germano's recording. Then explore the strange mystery hiding beneath one of Helen Reddy's biggest pop hits.

    And because it's Halloween, we're finishing with something a little sweeter: a Candy Corn Daiquiri made with Probitas Blended White Rum, fresh lime, and homemade candy corn syrup.

    Some songs are meant to be enjoyed. Others are meant to be endured.

    Listen, if you dare.

    Website: https://whoorderedpie.com/

    Listen to the podcast: https://whoorderedpie.buzzsprout.com/

    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

    27 min
  2. Episode 51: When Soul Got Fuzzy | R&B with the Guitar Turned Up

    Episode 51

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    Episode 51: When Soul Got Fuzzy: R&B with the Guitar Turned Up

    Motown had a sound of its own. Then fuzz guitar started cutting through the polished soul, adding a rougher, louder edge.

    In this episode, Christopher follows the Isley Brothers’ “Who’s That Lady?” from its swanky 1964 original to the guitar-driven 1973 reworking, “That Lady.” Then we hear how the Temptations moved from the psychedelic soul of “Cloud Nine” to the restless, urgent “Ball of Confusion.” We close with R. Dean Taylor’s “There’s a Ghost in My House,” a song that found a second life on the Northern Soul dance floor.

    Featuring:
    The Isley Brothers, “Who’s That Lady?” and “That Lady”
    The Temptations, “Cloud Nine” and “Ball of Confusion”
    R. Dean Taylor, “There’s a Ghost in My House”

    The cocktail for this episode is The Electric Wallbanger, a twist on the Harvey Wallbanger with lemon juice and grapefruit bitters.

    Join the Green Room mailing list for new episode news and behind-the-scenes updates:
    https://whoorderedpie.com

    A personal ask: I made the Top 20 in the Ryan Seacrest Top Host competition, and I’m currently 13th in my group. The next cut is the Top 15. Voting is free, and you can vote once a day. Voting closes Thursday, October 22, at 7 PM Pacific.

    Vote for Christopher:
    https://tophost.org/2026/christopher-machado

    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

    17 min
  3. Episode 50: Something Strange in the Speakers: Creepy Sounds and Studio Legends

    Episode 50

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    Have you ever heard something in a song that made you stop, back it up, and wonder, “What the hell was that?”

    This week on “Who Ordered the Pie?” we’re exploring the creepy sounds and studio legends hiding inside familiar records. From the haunted streets of The Specials’ “Ghost Town” to the unsettling world of Peter Gabriel’s “Intruder,” we’ll hear how musicians turned studio experiments, unexpected accidents, and a little imagination into something wonderfully strange.

    Along the way: The Beatles’ “Blue Jay Way” and “Strawberry Fields Forever,” the eerie cries of Pink Floyd’s “Echoes,” and the infamous scream in Ohio Players’ “Love Rollercoaster.” There’s backward listening, a Phil Collins drum connection, and a chance to hear the sounds yourself before the stories get into your head.

    Then we head to the bar for “The Phantom Note,” a gin-and-elderflower cocktail with a quiet herbal mystery in the background.

    Listen closely. And maybe leave the hallway light on.

    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

    24 min
  4. Episode 49: A Life in Records | 1 Year of Who Ordered the Pie?

    Episode 49

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    1 year. A lot of music. And a wife whose suggestion to start a podcast turned out to be an excellent delegation strategy.

    For this anniversary episode of “Who Ordered the Pie?” I’m sharing how a lifelong love of liner notes and music trivia became a show about the stories behind the songs.

    Go behind the microphone to hear how I handpick songs I believe deserve an audience, find the connections that turn them into episodes, and sneak little jokes into the music. There’s also my 49ers game-day soundtrack, my early-morning “KJAZ voice,” and a first-year highlight: hearing directly from John Sebastian after he listened to his episode.

    We’ll raise a traditional 1944 Trader Vic’s Mai Tai to a year of discoveries, unexpected connections, and everyone who’s made this show part of their routine.

    Thank you for being my kind of people.

    Have a song suggestion, a favorite moment, or something you’d like me to explore?
    Visit the Backstage Door at https://whoorderedthepie.com/ or email whoorderedpie@gmail.com.

    Here’s to loud riffs, quiet sips, and the stories in between.

    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

    17 min
  5. Episode 48: Right Song, Wrong Timing | The Power Pop Pioneers

    Episode 48

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    Before Cheap Trick, The Cars, The Knack and the power pop bands that followed, a handful of artists were already combining loud guitars, huge hooks and ’60s-inspired harmonies into something that would help define the genre.

    In this installment of “Right Song, Wrong Timing,” Christopher goes back to the power pop pioneers who had the songs and the sound, but ran into bad timing, record label problems, changing musical trends and some truly bizarre twists of fate.

    This episode features Big Star’s “September Gurls,” The Raspberries’ “Overnight Sensation (Hit Record),” Dwight Twilley Band’s “I’m on Fire,” The Rubinoos’ “I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend,” and The Real Kids’ “All Kindsa Girls.”

    Along the way, you’ll hear how Alex Chilton and Big Star became one of rock’s most influential cult bands, how Eric Carmen blended Beatles melodies, Beach Boys harmonies and the power of The Who, how “Jaws” helped derail Dwight Twilley’s follow-up to a Top 20 hit, why The Rubinoos played “Sugar, Sugar” to a Jefferson Starship crowd, and how a French music journalist helped The Real Kids make their first record.

    The story also crosses paths with The Ramones, Tom Petty, John Lennon, Jonathan Richman and more as we trace the roots of the sound that became power pop.

    Then it’s time to turn down the guitars, open the bar, and mix this episode’s featured cocktail, “The Overnight Sensation.”

    If you love classic rock, power pop, ’70s rock, Big Star, The Raspberries, music history and the stories behind the songs, this episode is for you.

    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

    22 min
  6. Episode 47: Right Song, Wrong Timing | Around the World in Five Great Songs

    Episode 47

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    5 songs. 5 countries. Very different stories on opposite sides of the world.

    In this edition of “Right Song, Wrong Timing,” Christopher follows Split Enz, Moving Pictures, Jon Astley, Peter Schilling, and Golden Earring through family connections, missed opportunities, and unexpected second chances.

    From the Finn brothers’ story behind “I Got You” to the overlooked voices in “What About Me,” the uneasy romance of “Jane’s Getting Serious,” and the strange worlds of “Major Tom (Coming Home)” and “Twilight Zone,” we explore why a memorable song doesn’t always lead to lasting recognition.

    Along the way: a producer hears something worth recording during a studio break, a familiar surname causes confusion, and a famously misheard chorus finally comes into focus.

    Featured songs:
    • Split Enz: “I Got You”
    • Moving Pictures: “What About Me”
    • Jon Astley: “Jane’s Getting Serious”
    • Peter Schilling: “Major Tom (Coming Home)”
    • Golden Earring: “Twilight Zone”

    This episode’s cocktail is The Layover, a full-strength Jet Pilot riff with 3 rums, citrus, cinnamon, and falernum.

    More stories and cocktail recipes: whoorderedthepie.com
    Get in touch: whoorderedpie@gmail.com

    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

    25 min
  7. Episode 46: Right Song, Wrong Timing | Canada Comes South

    Episode 46

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    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

    28 min
  8. Episode 45: Sunshine Pop | The Happiest Hits of the '60s and '70s, Part 2

    Episode 45

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    Sunshine Pop is back for Part 2, with 4 more ridiculously catchy records from the late ’60s and early ’70s, and some of the strangest stories behind them.

    This time, Christopher digs into Edison Lighthouse, The Cyrkle, The Association, and The Grass Roots, and discovers just how much was happening behind some of the happiest-sounding records on AM radio.

    How do you score a massive number 1 hit when your band doesn’t actually exist? Why did John Lennon end up naming an American college band? How did Paul Simon help launch that same group, only for The Beatles to later keep them out of the number 1 spot? And how did a song originally written as a gentle waltz become one of the defining pop records of the summer of 1967?

    Along the way, there’s a session singer seemingly everywhere at once, a Paul Simon song somebody probably wishes they hadn’t turned down, an all-night recording session, a surprising Leonard Bernstein connection, and a lyrical coincidence that suddenly takes us from Sunshine Pop to a 1980 country hit.

    It’s another trip through an era when great melodies, huge harmonies, and unforgettable hooks could make even a breakup song sound like the best day of your life.

    And after the music, we head to the bar for a bright, refreshing cocktail inspired by one of the songs in the episode: The Red Rubber Ball.

    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

    21 min
  9. Episode 44: Sunshine Pop | The Happiest Hits of the '60s and '70s, Part 1

    Episode 44

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    Some songs challenge you. Others just make you feel good.

    In Episode 44, we're diving into the bright, ridiculously catchy world of Sunshine Pop with 4 songs that helped define the happiest side of AM radio in the late '60s and early '70s.

    The Foundations turn romantic misery into the irresistible "Build Me Up Buttercup." The Hollies bring their unmistakable 3-part harmonies to "Carrie Anne," along with one of the most unexpected instruments ever dropped into a British pop hit. Then things get wonderfully strange with The Archies and "Sugar, Sugar," a number 1 smash recorded by a band that didn't actually exist, promoted on the backs of cereal boxes, and connected in a surprising way to a much heavier hit nearly 20 years later.

    Finally, we climb aboard the psychedelic bus with The Partridge Family and "I Think I Love You," where television fiction and real-life pop stardom collided in a way that almost sounds too perfect to have actually happened.

    Along the way, we'll uncover the stories behind the singers, songwriters and studio tricks that made these records nearly impossible to forget.

    And after all that musical sunshine, we'll head to the bar for this episode's featured cocktail, "The Sugar Rush."

    4 songs. 4 great stories. And enough hooks to stay stuck in your head for the rest of the day.

    This is "Sunshine Pop | The Happiest Hits of the '60s and '70s."

    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

    15 min
  10. Episode 43: Three of a Kind | FM Rock’s Other Great Trios

    Episode 43

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    Rush, The Police, and ZZ Top became rock institutions. But what about the other great power trios of early ’80s FM radio?

    In Episode 43 of “Who Ordered the Pie?,” we explore three bands whose defining moments arrived in three consecutive years: Triumph with “Magic Power” in 1981, Taxxi with “I’m Leaving” in 1982, and Zebra with “Who’s Behind the Door?” in 1983.

    Discover how Rik Emmett’s childhood transistor radio inspired one of Triumph’s greatest songs, why the British trio Taxxi relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area, and how a perfectly timed radio broadcast helped Zebra turn an Atlantic Records rejection into a record deal.

    Then we make “The Cocktail Queen,” an equal-parts Canadian Boulevardier named after one of Taxxi’s most memorable songs.

    It’s a story of power trios, FM rock, unlikely breakthroughs, and three musicians sounding larger than life.

    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

    17 min
  11. Episode 42: Right Song, Wrong Timing | MTV’s Almost Superstars

    Episode 42

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    In the early days of MTV, one unforgettable music video could make a band look like the next superstar. In this episode of Who Ordered the Pie?, we revisit five 1980s bands that had the songs, the talent, the image, and the MTV exposure to become household names, but somehow never reached the level everyone expected.

    We dig into the stories behind Big Country’s “In a Big Country,” Haircut One Hundred’s “Love Plus One,” Scandal’s “The Warrior,” The Motels’ “Only the Lonely,” and The Hooters’ “And We Danced.”

    Why didn’t Big Country’s massive American breakthrough last? What caused Haircut One Hundred to fall apart just as they were becoming stars? Why did Patty Smyth hate Scandal’s iconic “The Warrior” video, and what happened when Eddie Van Halen asked her to join Van Halen? What was really happening in Martha Davis’s life when The Motels recorded “Only the Lonely”? And how did The Hooters go from helping Cyndi Lauper create “She’s So Unusual” to opening the Philadelphia stage of Live Aid?

    It’s another installment of our ongoing Right Song, Wrong Timing series, exploring the music history, MTV videos, chart success, behind-the-scenes stories, and bad timing that turned five potential 1980s superstars into some of the decade’s greatest what-ifs.

    And because every Who Ordered the Pie? episode deserves something in your glass, we’re pairing this one with The Video Star, our tropical twist on the Pornstar Martini.

    Here’s to loud riffs, quiet sips, and the stories in between.

    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

    33 min
  12. Episode 41: Jessie's Girl | From Stained Glass to No. 1

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    This week marks the 45th anniversary of Rick Springfield's "Jessie's Girl" reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the perfect time to take a deep dive into one of the biggest songs of the 1980s.

    What do a stained glass class, a mystery woman, and one of rock's most iconic songs have in common?

    In this episode of "Who Ordered the Pie?", Christopher uncovers the incredible true story behind "Jessie's Girl."

    Discover how a chance encounter with another man's girlfriend inspired the song, why it almost became "Gary's Girl" or "Randy's Girl," how legendary producer Keith Olsen and guitarist Neil Giraldo helped shape the record, and why RCA Records almost missed the biggest hit of Rick Springfield's career.

    You'll also hear the surprising connection to "General Hospital," the song's remarkable 19-week climb to No. 1, the mystery of the real "Jessie's Girl," and a personal story about how Rick Springfield inspired Christopher to pierce his left ear after seeing the cover of "Living in Oz."

    As always, the episode ends with a featured cocktail inspired by the story. This week, it's "The Stained Glass," a bright, refreshing drink celebrating the unexpected moment that changed music history.

    Here's to loud riffs, quiet sips, and the stories in between.

    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

    17 min
  13. Episode 40: Right Song, Wrong Timing | The Guitar Stars Who Almost Took Over the '80s

    Episode 40

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    Some guitarists become legends.

    Others seem destined for superstardom... until something gets in the way.

    In this episode of Right Song, Wrong Timing, we're revisiting five incredible guitarists who had the talent, the songs, the look, and the momentum to become some of the biggest rock stars of the 1980s.

    From Charlie Sexton and Lita Ford to Andy Taylor, Robin George, and Aldo Nova, we'll explore the moments when everything seemed to be falling into place, and the unexpected twists that changed the course of their careers.

    Some battled image.
    Some battled record labels.
    Some were caught in changing musical trends.
    And one lost the opportunity of a lifetime almost overnight.

    Plus, we'll mix up The Tube Screamer, a cocktail inspired by one of the most iconic guitar pedals ever made.

    So pour yourself a drink, turn it up loud, and join me as we ask one simple question...

    What happened?

    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

    27 min
  14. Episode 39: Right Song, Wrong Timing | FM Rock That Almost Conquered the World

    Episode 39

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    Turn up the radio and roll the windows down.

    This week on Who Ordered the Pie?, we're reopening five more musical case files featuring FM rock bands that had everything it took to become arena legends.

    Big guitars.

    Huge choruses.

    Arena-ready production.

    Songs people still crank in the car.

    So why didn't they become the next Journey, Foreigner, or REO Speedwagon?

    Join me as we investigate the stories behind Shooting Star, Saga, Red Rider, The Outfield, and Donnie Iris. We'll uncover the twists of timing, record label setbacks, changing musical tastes, and unexpected turns that kept these incredible bands from reaching even greater heights.

    Along the way, I'll mix this episode's featured cocktail, Josie's Vacation, inspired by one of the most unforgettable songs of the decade.

    Here's to loud riffs, quiet sips, and the stories in between.

    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

    22 min
  15. Episode 38: Right Song, Wrong Timing | Power Pop's Greatest "What Ifs"

    Episode 38

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    Have you ever heard a song and wondered, "How was that band not huge?"

    In this brand new recurring series, Christopher reopens five musical case files to investigate artists who had the right song, the right sound, and every reason to become major stars, but somehow never reached the level of success they seemed destined for.

    This episode features The Smithereens' "Blood and Roses," Marshall Crenshaw's "Someday, Someway," Michael Penn's "No Myth," The Plimsouls' "A Million Miles Away," and The Producers' "What's He Got." Along the way, you'll hear the stories behind the songs, the chart success, MTV exposure, record label decisions, and missed opportunities that shaped these careers.

    You'll also hear Christopher's personal memories of discovering Marshall Crenshaw through Beatlemania and why the missing Valley Girl soundtrack frustrated music fans for years.

    Then it's time to close the case files, open the bar, and mix this episode's featured cocktail, "The Power Pop." If you love classic rock, power pop, new wave, MTV, and the stories behind the songs, this episode is for you.

    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

    19 min
  16. Episode 37 - My Fourth of July Soundtrack | The Stories Behind the Songs

    Episode 37

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    Every Fourth of July has a soundtrack.

    In Episode 37 of Who Ordered the Pie, Christopher explores the stories behind the songs that have become part of America's Independence Day celebrations. Discover the surprising history behind Chicago's "Saturday in the Park," Kim Wilde's "Kids in America," Robert Earl Keen's "The Fourth of July," Robert Vaughn & The Dead River Angels' "4th of July," Bruce Springsteen's "4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)," Pete Droge's "4th of July," Shooter Jennings' "4th of July," and the unexpected story of Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture."

    You'll learn why one of the most American-sounding songs of the 1980s was written by a British family, how Bruce Springsteen turned Asbury Park into one of rock's most memorable settings, why Steve Poltz's songwriting gave Robert Earl Keen one of his most beloved songs, how Shooter Jennings accidentally wrote the biggest hit of his career, and why the "1812 Overture" became the unofficial soundtrack of American Fourth of July fireworks despite having nothing to do with the holiday.

    Plus, Christopher mixes the episode's featured cocktail, the Porch Swing—a bright bourbon lemonade that's crisp, refreshing, and perfect for a warm summer evening.

    If you love classic rock, country, Americana, alternative country, music history, and the stories behind the songs, this episode belongs on your Fourth of July playlist.

    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

    22 min
  17. Episode 36: Warning Label | How a Sticker Became a Badge of Honor

    Episode 36

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    This is Part 2 of our two-part series on the Parental Advisory label and the controversy that changed music forever.

    In Episode 35, we explored Prince's "Darling Nikki," the PMRC, and the infamous Filthy Fifteen. Now the story moves from record stores to Washington, D.C.

    In 1985, three unlikely allies found themselves defending artistic freedom before the United States Senate: Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, Frank Zappa, and John Denver.

    What followed became one of the most fascinating moments in music history.

    Why was John Denver one of the strongest voices against warning labels?

    How did Dee Snider completely shatter expectations?

    What was Frank Zappa's argument against government involvement in music?

    And how did a simple black-and-white sticker intended to warn listeners become a badge of honor that helped sell millions of albums?

    Join Christopher as he explores the Senate hearings, the creation of the Parental Advisory label, and the unintended consequences that still shape music, media, and free expression today.

    Cocktail of the Week: The Warning Label

    Here's to loud riffs, quiet sips, and the stories in between.

    #ParentalAdvisory #PMRC #DeeSnider #FrankZappa #JohnDenver #TwistedSister #MusicHistory #RockHistory #80sMusic #WhoOrderedThePie #MusicPodcast #RockPodcast

    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

    12 min
  18. Episode 35: Parental Discretion Advised | From Darling Nikki to the Filthy Fifteen

    Episode 35

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    A simple black-and-white sticker changed music history.

    The Parental Advisory label became one of the most recognizable symbols in rock and pop culture, appearing on albums by Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Ozzy Osbourne, Mötley Crüe, and countless others.

    But where did it come from?

    In Part One of this special two-part series, we go back to 1985 and the song that started it all: Prince's "Darling Nikki."

    How did one track from Purple Rain inspire the creation of the PMRC? What was the Filthy Fifteen? And why did artists as different as Madonna, Cyndi Lauper, Def Leppard, Judas Priest, Twisted Sister, and Sheena Easton suddenly find themselves at the center of a national debate over explicit lyrics, censorship, and music's influence on young listeners?

    We'll explore:

    • Prince and the controversy surrounding "Darling Nikki"
    • The formation of the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center)
    • The complete story behind the Filthy Fifteen
    • Why "Sugar Walls," "Dress You Up," "She Bop," "High 'n' Dry," and "We're Not Gonna Take It" made the list
    • How fear, interpretation, and misunderstanding fueled one of music's biggest controversies

    This is the untold story of the songs that started a war over lyrics.

    Pour yourself a Darling Nikki cocktail and join us.

    Here's to loud riffs, quiet sips, and the stories in between.

    #WhoOrderedThePie #MusicPodcast #MusicHistory #Prince #DarlingNikki #PurpleRain #PMRC #ParentsMusicResourceCenter #FilthyFifteen #ParentalAdvisory #ExplicitLyrics #Censorship #RockHistory #PopMusic #Madonna #CyndiLauper #DefLeppard #JudasPriest #TwistedSister #SheenaEaston #Metallica #GunsNRoses #OzzyOsbourne #MotleyCrue #1980sMusic #ClassicRock #MusicDocumentary #Podcast

    Support the show

    Who Ordered the Pie? a music history podcast with custom cocktail pairings.
    Show notes, recipes, and extras: WhoOrderedThePie.com
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    17 min
  19. Episode 34: Between the Lines | How Rock and Pop Learned to Wink

    Episode 34

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    Some songs say it outright.

    Others make you work for it.

    In this episode of Who Ordered the Pie?, Christopher explores the lost art of innuendo in rock and pop music. Back when radio stations, television networks, and censors had the power to decide what audiences could hear, songwriters became masters of suggestion, double entendre, and metaphor.

    From The Rolling Stones battling The Ed Sullivan Show over "Let's Spend the Night Together" to Eric Carmen disguising desire behind the sweet harmonies of "Go All the Way," we'll uncover how artists learned to communicate what they couldn't always say directly.

    Along the way, we'll explore:

    • The Rolling Stones and the controversy surrounding "Let's Spend the Night Together"
    • Eric Carmen and the hidden strategy behind "Go All the Way"
    • Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, and the misunderstood story of "Love to Love You Baby"
    • How "Afternoon Delight" became a Grammy-winning hit while sounding completely innocent
    • Pete Townshend's hilarious double entendre in "Squeeze Box"
    • Bob Seger's nostalgic masterpiece "Night Moves"
    • Prince's layered metaphors in "Little Red Corvette" and the surprising connection to Stevie Nicks' "Stand Back"
    • An honorable mention from April Wine that may be the cleverest lyrical trick of them all

    Plus, Christopher mixes up a custom cocktail called The Wink, inspired by the songs that trusted listeners to connect the dots for themselves.

    If you love classic rock, music history, Prince, Bob Seger, The Who, Donna Summer, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Nicks, April Wine, and the stories behind the songs, this episode is for you.

    Here's to loud riffs, quiet sips, and the stories in between.

    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

    24 min
  20. Episode 33: Stutter Rock | When the Hook Trips Over Itself

    Episode 33

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    Welcome back to Who Ordered the Pie? In Episode 33, Stutter Rock | When the Hook Trips Over Itself, we're exploring some of the most memorable vocal hooks in rock history. From Bachman-Turner Overdrive's accidental chart-topper "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" to Elton John's "Bennie and the Jets," David Bowie's "Changes," The Who's "My Generation," Talking Heads' "Psycho Killer," and George Thorogood's "Bad to the Bone," we'll uncover how a few repeated syllables became unforgettable moments in popular music.

    Along the way, you'll hear the stories behind the songs, learn how these vocal choices shaped each track's identity, and discover why repetition can be one of the most powerful tools in a songwriter's arsenal. We'll also mix up the Repeat Offender, a bourbon-based cocktail featuring black cherry, ginger, lemon, bitters, and a touch of smoked citrus. Like the songs in this episode, it makes a memorable first impression and keeps coming back for another round.

    Pour a drink, press play, and join us for a look at the stutters, hesitations, and repeated phrases that helped create some of rock's most recognizable hooks.

    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

    17 min