I'm In Love With That Song Podcast
The "I'm In Love With That Song" Podcast - Music Commentary, Song Analysis & Rock History.
Welcome to the “I’m In Love With That Song” Podcast. Each episode, we’ll take one of my favorite songs and dive deep into it, listening to all the nuances that make it a great song. You may be unfamiliar with some of these songs, while others you’ve probably heard a hundred times, but I bet if we listen closely, we can discover something new. Of course, there’s no definitive answer to what makes a great song—beauty is in the ear of the beholder—these are just my personal favorites, but I hope you love these songs, too. We're proud to be a part of Pantheon - the podcast network for music lovers.
101
Buzzcocks - "What Do I Get?"
Back in '77, one thing UK punk bands didn't have much use for was love songs. But Pete Shelley of the Buzzcocks wrote what could be called "modern love songs"; honest songs about longing, romance, loneliness, and yes, love -- all laced with self-deprecating humor. But their music was aggressive, all raging guitars, pounding drums & pummeling bass. With those thoughtful (dare I say, sensitive) lyrics on top, it was the best of both worlds. On this episode, we take a deep dive into the Buzzcocks classic "What Do I Get?"
12 min
102
Edwin Starr - "War"
"War" was originally written for The Temptations, but when Motown was too squeamish to have one of their top acts release an overtly anti-Vietnam song, Edwin Starr stepped up and secured his place in history. His no-holds-barred delivery of "War" resulted in one of the most commercially successful protest songs ever recorded. Though Edwin Starr never reached these heights again, he left his mark with a song that transcended its Vietnam-era roots: It was one of the songs on Clear Channel's no-play list after September 11, 2001.
15 min
103
Billy Squier - "Lonely Is The Night"
It Came From Boston (Vol. 2): Local boy from Wellesley MA pays his dues in & around Boston and New York; eventually becomes a solo artist and strikes gold on his 2nd solo album, Don't Say No. "Lonely Is The Night" was the 2nd single and my favorite track from the album, so let's have a listen to this classic song from the early '80's.
13 min
104
Was 1965 the Most Revolutionary Year in Music?
For the 50th episode of the podcast, we're mixing it up a bit. I just finished reading a fascinating book my Andrew Grant Jackson where he lays out his belief that 1965 was "The Most Revolutionary Year In Music". Let's have a listen to some of the sounds of '65 and see if we agree. The Beatles, the Stones, the Byrds, James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Motown... it's all there.
29 min
105
Robyn Hitchcock & The Egyptians - "Airscape"
A Robyn Hitchcock song is so unique, it could only come from the mind of Robyn Hitchcock. From his first recordings with The Soft Boys in the '70's through to his solo work today, Robyn is a singular artist with a vision all his own. This is a track from my favorite Hitchcock album, Element Of Light.
14 min
106
Roxy Music - "In Every Dream Home A Heartache"
Wealth and excess go together; emptiness and detachment are right around the corner. This song delves into all of that, along with a particular obsession. What do you do when money no longer buys you a thrill? Bryan Ferry has some thoughts...idea...
19 min
107
Rush - "Subdivisions"
To say Rush has a devoted fan base would be an understatement. I know, because I was a card-carrying member of the "Rush Backstage Fan Club" back in the '80's. Perhaps no Rush song connected so directly with their fans as "Subdivisions". On this episode, we celebrate Neil Peart with a deeper look at this fan favorite.
21 min
108
Starz - "X-Ray Spex"
On this episode, we revisit the great '70's hard rock/power pop album Attention Shoppers! by Starz. "X-Ray Spex" is a blast of punky pop with some interesting use of studio effects. Turn it up!
9 min
109
BONUS XMAS 2019 EPISODE: Favorite Christmas Songs
On this special Bonus podcast, it's time for another holiday pick. Here's an ol' Christmas classic with a power pop twist: "We Three Kings" by Odds. Happy Holidays, everyone! "Kings Of Orient (We Three Kings)" (Traditional) Odds, 1991
7 min
110
Michael Carpenter - "Kailee Anne"
Michael Carpenter is a multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, producer & engineer from Australia who, in a better world, would be a lot more famous. A master of hooks & harmony, he's one of the best modern power pop artists out there. Here's a track that's a personal favorite of mine. Check it out & then go buy some of his music.
12 min
111
The Cars - "Just What I Needed"
It Came From Boston: 5 experienced musicians come together to make something new: keyboard whiz Greg Hawkes; the bassist with the killer voice, Benjamin Orr; drummer David Robinson from the legendary Modern Lovers; one of the tastiest guitarists in the business, Elliot Easton; and singer/songwiriter/guitarist & mastermind Ric Ocasek. Merging classic guitar rock with the burgeoning synth-pop sounds to bring New Wave to the masses, The Cars defined that sound for the late-70's/Early '80's. It all started on local Boston radio with this song.
15 min
112
The Rolling Stones - "Gimme Shelter"
There's no shortage of great songs in the Rolling Stones catalog, but "Gimme Shelter" may be the song that tops them all. Dark and foreboding as only the Stones can do, this track has all the hallmarks of the Rolling Stones at their best: iconic guitar riffs by Keef, Jagger at the top of his game, and the Watts/Wyman rhythm section doing what they do best (plus Nicky Hopkins on piano). But what pushes this one from merely brilliant into sublime is the vocal performance by Merry Clayton-- for my money, one of the greatest moments on record.
19 min
113
The Beatles - "Rain"
"Rain" was the first glimpse of The Beatles exploration of psychedelia. Perhaps more than any other Beatles track, this song highlights the rhythm section with brilliant performances by Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney. Add Lennon's lyrics and great vocals, and you've got one of the best songs to come out of the trippy, mind-expanding '60's. On this episode, we take a closer look at the individual performances and studio trickery-- backwards, forwards, sped up & slowed down-- that went into this classic track.
17 min
114
The Temptations - "I Can't Get Next To You"
The Temptations' first #1 Hit on the Billboard "Hot 100" chart was "My Girl" in 1965. 4 years later, they had their 2nd #1 with "I Can't Get Next To You", and the difference between these 2 songs tells you a lot about the 1960's. "I Can't Get Next To You" features a different lead vocalist, a more aggressive, funky beat and a trippy vibe courtesy of producer & songwriter Norman Whitfield. The early Temptations songs are great, but for my money, they were never better than when they teamed up with Whitfield and created "psychedelic soul".
15 min
115
Richard Lloyd - "Backtrack"
If you know Richard Lloyd at all, it's either as a member of Television (the first band to play CBGB's) or as the guitarist on many of Matthew Sweet's best tracks. But Richard released some great solo work in between those gigs, including an album called Field Of Fire. Overlooked & forgotten, this is one of the best records of the 1980's (in my opinion, of course). The title song features some of his best ever guitar work. On this episode, we're listening to a great rockin' track called "Backtrack" that's as close to "classic rock" as Richard Lloyd will ever get-- and I mean that in the best possible way. Keith Richards would be proud of this guitar riff.
12 min
116
The Kinks - "Autumn Almanac"
The Kinks earned their place in Rock History on the basis of "You Really Got Me", "All Day & All Of The Night", and "Where Have All The Good Times Gone" alone. But it didn't take long for Ray Davies to stretch out beyond riff-driven, teenage anthems to write songs that could only have come from his imagination. "Autumn Almanac" is one of the first Kinks songs to show Davies reaching for a whole new level of songwriting-- both musically and his interest in writing about characters, which would become the focus of his songwriting over the ensuing years.
11 min
117
Stevie Wonder - "I Wish"
Stevie Wonder was on an unrivaled creative streak starting in 1972, releasing 5 brilliant albums in a row, culminating with Songs In The Key Of Life in 1976. That album spawned 2 hit singles, including "I Wish", the subject of this episode. A masterpiece blending funk with pop sensibilities, it's a celebration of youthful innocence and simpler times.
15 min
118
Graham Day - "Glad I'm Not Young"
After a few longer-than-usual episodes, I thought it was time for a quick take on a straight-forward rocker with a premise not often heard in rock, pop, metal or rap -- Graham Day & The Gaolers (pronounced "Jailers") with "Glad I'm Not Young".
8 min
119
Yes - "Owner Of A Lonely Heart"
Few bands have changed their sound as drastically as Yes did on their 90125 album, a radical departure from their previous progressive rock style. But it ended up giving them their one & only #1 hit, "Owner Of A Lonely Heart". In this episode, we follow the song's evolution from Trevor Rabin's solo demo to the final production, including its innovative production techniques (such as being one of the first rock songs to use samples).
18 min
120
David Bowie - "Space Oddity"
50 years ago today -- July 16, 1969 -- Apollo 11 was launched and human beings first stepped on the moon. Let's celebrate that occasion with the most famous song about space travel: David Bowie's "Space Oddity", a song that exploits our fear and wonder of the final frontier. In lesser hands, this track could've been nothing more than a goofy, one-joke song for the Dr. Demento crowd, but the clever songwriting, brilliant production and a vocal performance that captures Bowie's innate other-worldly, alienated style makes this track so much more than a novelty song.
18 min
121
David Bowie - "Station To Station"
Among the many high points in David Bowie's catalog, "Station To Station" stands as one of his most epic compositions. Written when Bowie's life was at its most fractured point-- having split with his longtime manager, suffering from cocaine psychosis and obsessed with the occult, "Station To Station" transcends the insanity to become one of his most monumental works. This episode, we're taking a deep dive into the live version of "Station To Station" from the 1978 Isolar II Tour, as captured on the Stage live album featuring brilliant guitar work from Adrian Belew.
19 min
122
Jethro Tull - "My God"
Aqualung was the album that made Jethro Tull famous, and features 3 songs that became classic hits. But the song at the heart of the album is "My God", Ian Anderson's very personal statement on religious institutions. It's the most instrumentally adventurous track on the album and features great guitar by Martin Barre and a flute workout from Anderson.
17 min
123
Utopia - "Winston Smith Takes It On The Jaw"
70 years ago this month, George Orwell's "1984" was first published. So let's give George an ol' Rock & Roll salute by looking at one of the many songs inspired by his book. Sure, I could've done David Bowie's "1984", but that would be too easy. I'm a big Utopia fan, so this is a good excuse to take a look at another one of their tracks. It's Utopia in dystopia!
15 min
124
The Beach Boys - "You Still Believe In Me"
When Brian Wilson heard The Beatles Rubber Soul album, it inspired and challenged him to create an album of his own that would stand as an equal. And he pulled it off. Universally considered one of the greatest albums of all time, Pet Sounds is a testament to Brian's genius as a songwriter, arranger & producer. Here's one of my favorites on the record-- "You Still Believe in Me".
19 min
125
Paul McCartney & Wings - "Little Lamb Dragonfly"
Another overlooked song in the McCartney catalog, "Little Lamb Dragonfly" is an emotional piece, composed of 3 sections in different keys that effortlessly moves between each segment. A wistful, haunting song about loss and the struggle to accept it. How does this song affect you?
12 min