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.
151
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
152
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
153
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
154
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
155
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
156
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
157
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
158
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
159
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
160
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
161
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
162
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
163
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
164
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
165
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
166
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
167
Kiss - "King Of The Night Time World"
On this episode, we revisit the Destroyer album and take a look at the song "King Of The Night Time World" to see how it evolved from an obscure track by a short-lived LA band into a teenage anthem by larger-than-life rock legends. We'll listen to both versions and hear what changed & what remained. Come live your secret dream!
13 min
168
The Zombies - "Care Of Cell 44"
The Zombies only released 2 albums during their prime, so how did they get into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame? Because one of those albums is a bona fide classic: Odessey and Oracle is widely considered to be one of the greatest albums of the '60's, holding its own against classics by The Beatles, the Stones, Velvet Underground, The Who... by virtually any measure, it's an iconic album. And it was a complete flop when it was first released, along with its first single, "Care Of Cell 44". But over time, it's been recognized as a true masterpiece.
15 min
169
5 Favorite Guitar Solos
Welcome to the 25th episode of the "I'm In Love With That Song" Podcast! I thought we'd do something a little different for this episode: I've picked a handful of my favorite guitar solos and we'll take a listen to what I think makes a solo great. In my book, it doesn't have to be flashy or technically brilliant, but it does have to be memorable, it has to fit the song, and it should take the song to another level. I'm not saying these are the greatest solos of all time, they're just a few that I think are pretty special.
18 min
170
Thin Lizzy - "Rosalie"
Why this song? Simple: because Thin Lizzy was as good as a 4-piece rock band could be and this song has everything you want in a rockin' song-- a killer guitar riff, a singable chorus, a great hook for the lyrics, and a perfect performance. Written by Bob Seger, Thin Lizzy took it to another level and added some of their special sauce to make this song their own. I truly love this song!
15 min
171
Todd Rundgren - "Cliche"
This is the episode where I try to explain why I think Todd Rundgren's "Cliché" is the most beautiful song ever written. Of course it's all subjective, but I don't know how anyone could deny the beauty and emotional resonance of this song. I probably can't do it justice, but here's my attempt anyway. .
16 min
172
Aerosmith - "Seasons Of Wither"
By the time Aerosmith recorded their 2nd album, they had refined their sound, improved their songwriting chops, and Steven Tyler had found his authentic voice. "Seasons Of Wither" is one of the moodiest tracks Aerosmith ever committed to vinyl. Still sounds every bit as great today.
13 min
173
Superchunk - "Me & You & Jackie Mittoo"
Do we expect too much from music? A great song can do a lot, but it can't fix everything. This song is 2 minutes of joy... sometimes, that's enough.
10 min
174
The Who - "The Naked Eye"
Let's start the year off with one of the Greatest Rock Bands Of All Time. There is simply no other band like The Who. Genius and violence, vulnerability and madness... all words that can be used in equal measure to describe The Who. Four larger-than-life characters that created a dozen indelible classic albums; a band that recorded so much great music that a song like this was tossed aside, eventually released on a ramshackle album of leftovers & outtakes. Most bands would give an arm & a leg for a song this good.
12 min
175
B.B. King - "There Must Be A Better World Somew...
See "Description" for details. His career spanned over 60 years; he toured around the world (playing 200 shows a year, well into his 70's), and released more than 50 albums. But B.B. King will be remembered primarily as one of the most influential guitarists in history. His impact is so embedded in the DNA of the guitar that no player is untouched by his influence. This is one of many great songs in his vast catalog; a great example of his powerful voice, his ability to embody a song, and his mastery as a guitar soloist.
15 min