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.

Music Commentary
Music History
101
The Rolling Stones - "Can't You Hear Me Knocking"
1971 was a banner year for great rock albums, and one of the best of the best that year was "Sticky Fingers" by The Rolling Stones. On this episode, we take a dive into a key track from that album, "Can't You Hear Me Knocking", where the Stones begin with a killer Keef riff and end up 7 minutes later in a completely different place. How did they get there? Let's take the journey with them… and along the way, we'll pay our respects to the late, great Charlie Watts.
19 min
102
The Who - "The Real Me"
The Who released a string of classic albums, but many consider Quadrophenia to be their best. It's certainly one of their most ambitious. Pete Townshend wrote the songs, but the stunning performances by Roger Daltrey, Keith Moon & John Entwistle bring the songs to life. Nowhere is that more evident on "The Real Me", which features all four members in top form, showing why they were one of the all-time great bands.
17 min
103
Led Zeppelin - "Achilles Last Stand"
Sure, everyone knows "Stairway To Heaven", but "Achilles Last Stand" may be Jimmy Page's greatest masterpiece. Layers of guitars intertwined & augmenting each other in a virtual guitar orchestra, with stellar performances from the rest of the band. In this episode, we take a closer look at this underrated classic.
21 min
104
The Albums That Made Us - with Special Guest Ch...
For another episode in "The Albums That Made Us" series, I'm joined by Chris Czynszak, co-host of the "Decibel Geek" podcast and the organizer of the RockNPod Expo, to talk about how the same band, about 10 years apart, had a huge affect on both our lives.
41 min
105
Motorhead - "Ace Of Spades"
If Motorhead is to be remembered for one song, it would be "Ace Of Spades". The title cut from their most commercially successful album, a track that encapsulates Motorhead-- fast, loud, defiant. Let's dig into this heavy metal classic to see what makes it work.
17 min
106
George Harrison – "Beware Of Darkness"
George Harrison emerged from the rubble of The Beatles breakup with all cylinders firing. After years of working in John & Paul's shadow, George had amassed a stockpile of great songs. It all burst out in 1970 on his triple-album set, All Things Must Pass. One of the standout tracks was "Beware Of Darkness", a warning to everyone (including himself) to be wary of corrupting influences. Featuring an all-star band, wall-of-sound production, and the introduction of George's slide guitar playing, which would define his sound for the rest of his career. Let's listen to the song many consider George's masterpiece.
22 min
107
The Albums That Made Us - Rolling Stones "After...
It's another episode of our "Albums That Made Us" series, where we explore how music has made a big impact on our lives. We'll be joined by a guest to discuss an album that shaped their lives in some way. Join Chris Porter & myself join us for a discussion on "Aftermath" by The Rolling Stones and The Who's "Who's Next".
31 min
108
1971 - The Year That Rock Exploded
Inspired by David Hepworth's book, "Never a Dull Moment: 1971 - The Year That Rock Exploded" (and the documentary based on his book), we take a quick look at many of the great albums released in 1971.
28 min
109
Sugar Pie DeSanto - "In The Basement (Pt 1)"
Sugar Pie DeSanto (born Peylia Marsema Balinton) was a ton of dynamite in a tiny 4' 11" frame... and still is, at the time of this recording. Let's have a listen to this super-fun classic track, recorded with the great Etta James in 1966.
11 min
110
Foghat - "Honey Hush"
Let's give some overdue respect to a band of 4 great players who knew how to rock. Here's a guitar-driven update on an old blues classic, from one of the best live albums of the '70's. As a bonus, we take a side trip to explore the origins of a familiar guitar riff.
19 min
111
The Albums That Made Us - Living Colour "Vivid"...
Here's the first episode of a new series that we'll be exploring occasionally here on the "I'm In Love With That Song" Podcast. I'm always interested to hear about music that made a big impact on other people's lives; in this series, I'm inviting some fellow podcasters and friends in the music industry to discuss an album that shaped their lives in some way. For this first episode, Podcaster Extraordinaire Eric Miller joins us to talk about Living Color's "Vivid". And I discuss one of my influential albums, "Anthology" by Sky & The Family Stone. Hope you enjoy the conversation!
27 min
112
The Ohio Players - "Fire"
The Ohio Players paid their dues for 15 years before their first #1 Top 100 hit, but by then, they were on fire (pun intended). Built on an incessant groove that won't quit, they brought heavy funk to the top of the pop charts. On this episode, we take a look at all the elements that make up this funky classic.
13 min
113
The Language Of Rock
What's the difference between a "riff" and a "lick"? Between "reverb" and "slapback echo"? We try not to get too technical on this podcast, but occasionally some listeners will get stumped by some of the terminology. So for our 75th episode, I thought I'd explain some of the terms we use on this show-- and why it's necessary to have this "language" to begin with. (Because there's no sheet music notation for "fuzz tone".)
28 min
114
Something Happens - "Hello, Hello, Hello, Hello...
Every once in a while you hear a song by a band you've never heard of and it knocks you out. This was one of those songs for me. A band from Ireland comes out of nowhere (as far as the USA is concerned), gets some radio play with a great song, and then is largely forgotten here. Same ol' story. Should'a been a big hit, if ya ask me. But what do I know? Listen to this track along with me and see if you love it as much as I do. "Hello Hello Hello Hello Hello (Petrol)" (Written by Something Happens) Copyright 1990 Virgin Music, Inc. (ASCAP)
11 min
115
Big Star - "The Ballad of El Goodo"
Sometimes, when times are tough and it seems like the world's against you, a song like this can keep you going. A stunning mix of jangling guitars, sparkling harmony vocals, and a heart-wrenching lead vocal by Alex Chilton, this is my favorite song from my favorite album by the band often referred to as "the greatest band you've never heard".
19 min
116
Deep Purple - "Burn"
I'll happily go out on a limb and say Deep Purple was THE hard rock band of the '70's. They could shift from monster guitar riffs to complex classical-influenced passages to outright improvised jams-- all within one song. Built around a trio of top-of-their-game players (guitar, organ & drums), with a series of distinctive, powerful singers & bassists -- the lineup changes so iconic they became known as Deep Purple Mark I, Mark II, Mark III, etc. This episode, we'll break down the classic Mark III track, "Burn", and listen to all the ingredients in this witch's brew.
19 min
117
Merry Clayton - "Country Road"
Merry Clayton never had a big hit, but her voice can be heard in dozens of songs you know (we've listened to one of them here before, see episode #42). One of the legendary background singers profiled in the documentary 20 Feet From Stardom, most of her solo work is largely unknown-- which is a shame, because there's some great music on those albums. Take this example from her first album, Gimme Shelter. Merry takes this James Taylor classic to a whole new place, one of my favorite cover songs of all time.
14 min
118
BONUS HOLIDAY SONG: He 5 - "Silent Night"
It's our annual BONUS HOLIDAY EPISODE - This time, we travel back in time & around the world for a truly psychedelic Christmas trip with the He 5. See you on the other side!
21 min
119
Humble Pie - "Thunderbox"
Some songs call for you to speak out & demand action. Some songs explore the deepest depths of your soul. Some songs are timeless expressions of love. This song... it just kicks ass. Humble Pie was a guitar riff machine, and Steve Marriott was 5' 5" of vocal dynamite. Add a trio of the finest backing singers-- Venetta Fields, Clydie King and Sherlie Matthews-- and you've got a party.
19 min
120
John Lennon - "Nobody Loves You (When You're Do...
It's been 40 years since the death of John Lennon, a senseless loss that still stings. Here's one of my personal favorite Lennon tracks. We'll follow it from its early stages through to the final album version.
21 min
121
Fleetwood Mac - "The Green Manalishi (with the ...
There's never been any shortage of drama with Fleetwood Mac... long before the soap opera of Rumours, there was the psychodrama of Peter Green (and Jeremy Spencer, and Danny Kirwan...). The saga of how Peter Green-- one of the brightest guitarists to come out of '60's Britain, right up there with Clapton/Beck/Page-- was lost to a drug-fueled spiritual black hole is one of the great "if only..." tales in Rock History. When he passed away in July 2020, I knew it was time to tackle a Green-era Mac classic... I just had to gin up the courage to revisit the nightmare that awaits in "The Green Manalishi (with the Two-Prong Crown)"
22 min
122
Rare Earth - "I Just Want To Celebrate"
Rare Earth's sound was equal parts funky soul and straight-up rock. For decades, when there's cause for celebration, folks have been crankin' up this chunk of funk rock. Let's take a closer look at how Rare Earth carved their place in history with this track.
15 min
123
Alice Cooper - "Elected"
When Alice Cooper recorded "Elected" in 1972, it was a satire about a rich, grandstanding, self-obsessed celebrity running for president. He's a "yankee doodle dandy in a gold Rolls Royce". We all laughed. That could never happen in real life, right...?
16 min
124
The Thorns - "No Blue Sky"
When Matthew Sweet, Shawn Mullins & Pete Droge (aka The Thorns) recorded "No Blue Sky" almost in 2002, they had no idea that the skies over the Western US would be thick with smoke, or that a global pandemic would isolate us in our homes. "It ain't right, it feels like forever..." pretty much sums up the year 2020. I'm fascinated in how songs can find new relevance years later. Let's listen to this gorgeous song and watch the sun go down together.
14 min
125
Queen - "Keep Yourself Alive"
Some bands take time to develop a unique sound, but Queen sounded like Queen right from the beginning. "Keep Yourself Alive" was the opening track on their first album, and it contains all the requisite Queen elements: the heavy riffs & orchestrated guitars, the vocal harmonies, dramatic musical shifts and Freddie's powerful voice. The band would go on to scale bigger heights, but the magic was there from the start. Let's have a listen.
15 min