Who Ordered the Pie? - Music history, cocktails, and the stories in between.

Christopher
  • 5.0 (15)
  • MUSIC HISTORY

Who Ordered the Pie? is a podcast that slices into the hidden stories behind the songs you know, and the artists who made them unforgettable. Each episode serves up music history with a twist: cocktail recipes inspired by the tales themselves, complete with their own colorful backstories. It’s part deep-dive storytelling, part barstool banter, and always mixed to perfection. If you love the nostalgia of a great record and the kick of a well-made drink, pull up a chair, this is your show.

  1. 6D AGO

    Episode 15: Rhythm of the Rain - Songs that Sound Better While it’s Falling

    Send us a text Some songs don’t just mention rain... they seem to belong to it. In this episode of Who Ordered the Pie?, Christopher explores recordings that sound especially right when the weather turns gray. These aren’t novelty rain songs or metaphor-heavy ballads. They’re records shaped by timing, careers, studios, and circumstance - songs that seem to change depending on when and how you hear them. From the youthful sincerity of The Cascades’ “Rhythm of the Rain,” recorded by Navy servicemen cutting tracks whenever they could, to Dan Fogelberg’s reflective return to the same song decades later, this episode looks at how perspective alters meaning. Along the way, we step into The Beatles’ experimental mid-60s period with “Rain,” where backward vocals and heavy grooves quietly destabilized pop music, and into the late-career resurgence of Brook Benton with “Rainy Night in Georgia,” a song that lets atmosphere do the emotional work. The journey continues through Buddy Holly’s understated “Raining in My Heart,” recorded just weeks before his death, Marvin Gaye’s powerful and tragic “I Wish It Would Rain,” Karen Carpenter’s perfectly controlled melancholy on “Rainy Days and Mondays,” and Gordon Lightfoot’s “Early Morning Rain,” a song that traveled across genres before settling back with its writer. This episode isn’t about rain as drama. It’s about rain as setting — something you move through, accept, and sometimes even welcome. The cocktail for this episode is The Quiet Storm, a slowed-down, contemplative riff on a Dark and Stormy, designed for long sips and late hours. The full cocktail recipe is available at whoorderedpie.com. Until next time — 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

    15 min

  2. 12/29/2025

    Episode 14: Help Me If You Can - When the Lead Singer Reaches Out

    Send us a text Sometimes a song isn’t trying to impress you. It isn’t hiding behind clever lyrics or metaphor. Sometimes it’s doing something much simpler. It’s asking. In this episode of Who Ordered the Pie?, Christopher explores hit songs where the lead singer drops the pose, abandons toughness, and says exactly what they mean, out loud and on the radio. These weren’t obscure album cuts or quiet confessions. Songs like ABBA’s “SOS” climbed straight into the Billboard Top 40 in 1975, turning emotional panic into pristine pop. The Beach Boys followed a decade earlier with “Help Me, Rhonda,” a number-one hit that sounds like sunshine but is really an escape plan disguised as a summer anthem. At the height of Beatlemania, “Help!” raced to number one in both the U.S. and the UK, long before John Lennon admitted it was a genuine cry for help. Joni Mitchell took a different approach in “Help Me,” transforming emotional conflict into a Top 10 hit built on honesty rather than drama. Smokey Robinson & The Miracles quietly carried loneliness onto pop radio with “I Need Somebody,” proving that vulnerability didn’t always need volume to resonate. The episode also looks at how urgency and demand broke through in 1965 with Fontella Bass’s “Rescue Me,” a Top 5 hit that helped open the door for a new kind of emotional directness in mainstream music. From there, the distance widens with The Police’s “Message in a Bottle,” a chart-topping song about isolation, repetition, and sending something out without knowing if help is coming. The episode closes with Queen’s “Save Me,” a power-chord-driven hit from 1980 that confused listeners who expected bravado, not fear, and vulnerability amplified instead of hidden. Together, these songs show how asking for help didn’t weaken pop music. It made it louder, bigger, and harder to ignore. As always, the episode ends with a cocktail to match the theme. This time it’s Fitz’ Flare Gun, a tiki-inspired drink built on spice, citrus, and just enough heat to announce itself, a signal you can’t miss. If you enjoy music history, classic rock and pop storytelling, and cocktails with a point of view, this episode is for you. Fitz’ Flare Gun A tiki-inspired cocktail built around spice, citrus, and just enough heat to announce itself. Ingredients 2 oz spiced rum (I prefer Isle of Wight Mermaid Spiced Rum)1/2 oz orgeat1/2 oz ginger syrup (Recipe available on whoorderedpie.com)3/4 oz pineapple juice1/2 oz fresh lime juice3 dashes Angostura bittersMethod Add all ingredients to a shaker filled with iceShake until well chilledStrain into a rocks glass over fresh iceSpiced and bright.  A little unpredictable.  Impossible to ignore. 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

  3. 12/16/2025

    Episode 13: The Sound of Mid-Century Christmas - Ray Conniff’s Holiday Legacy

    Send us a text Ray Conniff’s Christmas albums are everywhere once you start listening for them. Living rooms, department stores, car radios, and childhood memories you did not realize were soundtracked until much later. In this episode of Who Ordered the Pie?, Christopher revisits the warm, brassy, harmony-heavy world of Ray Conniff’s holiday records. The ones that sat somewhere between background music and full-on seasonal event. We talk about why these albums felt so different, how Conniff’s arranging style brought Broadway energy into the home, and why songs like Ring Christmas Bells could feel dramatic, fast, and almost theatrical compared to the softer crooner classics of the era. These records may be a little old-fashioned and a little corny, but they are also deeply woven into family traditions, late nights, and the feeling that Christmas had officially arrived. This week’s cocktail is designed to match that mid-century holiday mood. Clean, classic, and just clever enough to feel special. The Peartridge Martini Ingredients  2 oz vodka 1/2 oz dry vermouth 1/2 oz cranberry juice 1/2 oz St. George Spiced Pear LiqueurHow to make it  Add all ingredients into a shaker and shake well. Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass. Garnish by expressing a lemon peel, then add a single cranberryCrisp up front, with pear and gentle spice underneath. Exactly the kind of drink you would expect next to a turntable and a stack of Ray Conniff records. Merry Christmas! 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

    11 min

  4. 12/10/2025

    Episode 12: A Very Tipsy Christmas - The Holiday Songs with a Drinking Problem

    Send us a text This week, we’re raising a glass to the Christmas songs that pair better with a drink. Not the picture-perfect holiday tunes, but the ones born in bars, lounges, casinos, and late nights. Songs with stories behind them and a little spirit in their step. We explore the rowdy origins of “Jingle Bells,” the heartbreak behind “Please Come Home for Christmas,” the Tahoe-lounge roots of “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,” the cinematic chaos of “Fairytale of New York,” and the warm ache of John Prine’s “Christmas in Prison.” It’s a look at the real history behind some of the most enduring holiday songs, and why they still hit differently. It’s a holiday playlist built for dim lights, soft music, and a well-made cocktail, the perfect blend of Christmas music history and cozy winter vibes. This Episode’s Cocktail: The Yuletide Old Fashioned Ingredients • Two ounces bourbon • One bar spoon maple syrup • Two dashes Angostura bitters • One dash black walnut bitters • Orange peel • Cinnamon stick How to make it  Add the bourbon, maple syrup, and bitters to a mixing glass with ice and stir until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with an orange peel and a cinnamon stick.Warm. Comforting. Perfect for a holiday toast. If you enjoy the show, share it with a friend and leave a rating. Merry Christmas from Who Ordered the Pie?! Note: This episode is marked explicit due to a brief reference to explicit language from one of the featured songs. 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

  5. 12/03/2025

    Episode 11: The Famous Hits with Unfamous Voices

    Send us a text Some of the most unforgettable moments in pop music did not come from the stars at all, they came from the voices standing right beside them. In this episode, we shine a spotlight on the uncredited and under-recognized singers whose performances helped turn good songs into timeless hits. From Chris Norman’s smoky surprise on Suzi Quatro’s “Stumblin’ In,” to Kiki Dee’s perfect blend with Elton John, to the powerhouse session vocalists behind Sergio Mendes, Phil Collins, Meat Loaf, and Michael Jackson, these are the names you never knew, singing the parts you will never forget. You will hear how:  • Suzi Quatro and Chris Norman recorded “Stumblin’ In” in a single magical take  • Elton John turned to Kiki Dee when Dusty Springfield fell ill  • Sergio Mendes chose two unknown voices for his biggest U.S. hit  • Phil Collins built a duet with Marilyn Martin without ever sharing a booth  • Ellen Foley delivered the explosive vocals for “Paradise by the Dashboard Light”  • Siedah Garrett recorded with Michael Jackson but was not credited on the sleeve This week’s cocktail: The Duet A simple, smooth, harmony-in-a-glass. • 1 ounce bourbon • 1 ounce amaretto • 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice • 1/2 ounce simple syrup Shake with ice. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh cubes. Garnish with a lemon twist. Two voices, one blend, in cocktail form. If you love pop history, studio secrets, and the thrill of discovering the story behind the song, this one 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

    12 min

  6. 11/25/2025

    Episode 10: Waiting for Number One - The Winter Olivia Newton-John Froze the Charts

    Send us a text In the winter of 1981, Olivia Newton-John’s Physical didn’t just hit number one — it froze the Billboard Hot 100 for ten straight weeks. And sitting right behind it? Foreigner’s Waiting for a Girl Like You, one of the biggest “almost” hits in 80s music history. In this episode we break down how Physical reshaped pop, how it outlasted Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean, and why Foreigner spent ten painful weeks at number two. A story of timing, momentum, and one unforgettable chart battle. COCKTAIL OF THE WEEK — The Body Electric A light, bright, post-workout-inspired drink that fits the era when the world wanted to get physical. Ingredients: • 2 ounces vodka • 1 ounce fresh lime juice • 3/4 ounce elderflower liqueur • 1/2 ounce simple syrup • 3–4 cucumber slices • 6–8 mint leaves How to Make It: Muddle the cucumber and mint gently to release their freshness. Add vodka, lime juice, elderflower, and simple syrup. Fill with ice and shake hard for 10 seconds until the shaker frosts. Strain into a chilled Collins glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a cucumber ribbon and mint crown. Optional: add a tiny pinch of sea salt to make the flavors pop. Light, crisp, clean — exactly the kind of drink Olivia Newton-John might order after a workout. 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

    10 min

  7. 11/19/2025

    Episode 9: The Breakup Songs That Weren’t

    Send us a text Breakups That Weren’t About Love explores the songs that sounded like heartbreak but were actually written about band tension, burnout, or fractured friendships. From Badfinger to the Beatles to Guns N’ Roses, this episode uncovers the real stories behind some of the biggest rock and pop hits of the seventies, eighties, and early nineties. Hear how Badfinger’s exhaustion shaped Without You, why Paul McCartney and John Lennon traded musical jabs after the Beatles split, what Ace’s How Long was really about, why Sting wrote So Lonely from struggle not romance, how Jeff Lynne pushed himself to the edge making Out of the Blue, why Roger Hodgson walked away from Supertramp, and what was quietly breaking inside Guns N’ Roses during Don’t Cry. The Cocktail: Creative Differences A split base Old Fashioned that matches the theme of musical tension. Ingredients • 1 oz rye whiskey • 1 oz aged rum • 1⁄4 oz demerara syrup • 2 dashes Angostura bitters • 1 dash orange bitters Instructions • Stir with ice • Strain over a large cube • Express an orange peel A perfect episode for listeners who love music history, classic rock storytelling, deep cut song origins, and discovering what was really happening behind the music. 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

  8. 11/12/2025

    Episode 8: Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel’s Leap of Faith

    Send us a text Why would anyone walk away from the band that made them famous? In this episode of Who Ordered the Pie, we climb Solsbury Hill with Peter Gabriel as he leaves Genesis at the height of 1970s progressive rock. What sounds like a gentle folk-rock tune in 7/4 is actually a coded resignation letter,  born from a moment of clarity overlooking the English countryside. We explore the pressures of Genesis fame, the hillside experience near Bath that sparked Gabriel’s decision, and a guided lyric breakdown revealing themes of identity, intuition, and rebirth. We also listen closely to the song’s sonic craft, from heartbeat-like drums to subtle flanging and a widening mix, that mirrors his step into the unknown. His bold exit opened the door to a remarkable solo career, while Phil Collins carried Genesis forward. The Solsbury Spritz   • 2 oz London dry gin • 1 oz elderflower liqueur (we recommend St‑Germain) • ¾ oz fresh lemon juiceTop with sparkling wine or Prosecco, stir gentlyGarnish with a lemon wheel + sprig of thyme.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

    10 min
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5
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15 Ratings

About

Who Ordered the Pie? is a podcast that slices into the hidden stories behind the songs you know, and the artists who made them unforgettable. Each episode serves up music history with a twist: cocktail recipes inspired by the tales themselves, complete with their own colorful backstories. It’s part deep-dive storytelling, part barstool banter, and always mixed to perfection. If you love the nostalgia of a great record and the kick of a well-made drink, pull up a chair, this is your show.

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