"Go for Soda" by Kim Mitchell

Song#:  2323
Date:  05/18/1985
Debut:  87
Peak:  86
Weeks:  9
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  Mitchell was already a well-known musician in his native Canada thanks to being a member of the popular hard rock band Max Webster. After the band split in '81, he decided to strike out on his own. A 1982 self-titled EP didn't feature any charting singles but it sold well and set him up for his 1984 full-length debut Akimbo Alogo. This track from the album caught on and was his first solo charting single in Canada. It reached #22. The song crossed the border and some solid airplay at Rock helped it reach #12 on that chart. The single did make the Pop chart and it stayed around for over two months, but it just couldn't make it out of the basement. It would be Mitchell's only single to reach the US Pop chart. His next LP, Shakin' Like a Human Being, would featured one more Rock charting track with "Patio Lanterns" getting to #36. In Canada, the news was far better. Mitchell would gather twenty-one chart singles, including three Top 10's, while issuing four best-selling LPs (two multi-platinum, one platinum, one gold). He would also win three Juno awards including one for Album of the Year for Shakin' Like a Human Being.

ReduxReview:  I remember seeing this title on the chart back in the day and thinking it was cool. Unfortunately, I never got to hear it! The track just didn't get airplay in my area and I never caught the video on MTV. I finally caught up to the song when it appeared on an 80s compilation I bought. Luckily, I wasn't disappointed when I heard it. This is a darn good slice of radio-ready rock. It's too bad it didn't get a better foothold on the Pop chart. It seemed catchy enough and had the makings of a Top 40 entry, so not sure why it didn't get further.

ReduxRating:  8/10

Trivia:  Mitchell had been a member of several band in the 60s before he founded Max Webster in 1973. According to Mitchell, the band wanted a name similar to Jethro Tull - a band seemingly named after a person, but the person was not a band member. Apparently the band's bassist had been in a group called Webster and the name began there. After a couple of years together, Max Webster got signed and issued a self-titled debut album in 1976. It proved to be popular in Canada and it eventually went gold, as did four more of their albums. Their peak of popularity came in 1979 when their album A Million Vacations peaked at #13 and went platinum thanks to three charting singles. The LP was also popular in the UK prompting a tour there. After numerous personnel changes, label issues, and declining popularity, Mitchell decided to quit the band in 1981.  2) Mitchell wrote a good chunk of songs for Max Webster and his solo albums with lyricist Pye Dubois. Due to his contributions, Dubois was often considered a fifth, non-performing member of Max Webster. The band often toured with Rush and members of the two bands became friends. Dubois even did some songwriting with Rush and helped supply lyrics to one of the band's best known tracks, 1981's "Tom Sawyer."

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