The Great Song Podcast

Latest Episodes:

California Love (2Pac and Dr. Dre) - Episode 511 Apr 14, 2020

Show notes

Out on bail, fresh out of jail…and that’s just JP! This week is our love letter to one of the most mind-blowing collaborations of all time…2Pac and Dr. Dre’s “California Love!” In this episode: - “So much rhyming!” - What exactly is G-Funk? - Special appearances by Casey Kasem and Shaq - J-Flexx Anderson and the world of hip hop ghost-writing - Tupac auditioned for WHAT movie role?? And as always, hit us up online and join the fun! facebook.com/groups/greatsongpod Twitter/Instagram: @greatsongpod Archives and Merch at greatsongpodcast.com.

Blinded By the Light (Manfred Mann's Earth Band) w/ Lead Singer Chris Thompson - Episode 510 Apr 08, 2020

Show notes

It’s one of the great misheard lyrics of all time: “Wrapped up like a douche, another runner in the night.” This week we go straight to the source: Chris Thompson, lead singer of Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, joins us to talk about the song, the weird methodology of Manfred Mann, and yes of course, being the mouthpiece of maybe the most oft-misheard lyric in rock history. - Chris’s odd audition for the band, and how he maybe never actually got the gig - The transition from Bruce Springsteen’s original version to the Manfred Mann version - Timing is everything! As always, leave us a review to help the show get in front of more folks, and connect with us for Shenanigans, merch, and more. greatsongpodcast.com Twitter/Instagram: @GreatSongPod Facebook.com/groups/greatsongpod

Photograph (Nickelback) - Episode 509 Apr 01, 2020

Show notes

Canada’s greatest export Nickelback is the topic today, and we can’t wait to talk about the fresh maple syrup that is their legendary track, “Photograph.” In this episode: - Chad Kroeger, the original Tiger King? The lead singer’s obsession with big cats and holding live tigers while he tracks vocals. - Finding inspiration in the grimy places: using a thesaurus and words like “sludge” and “scumbag” to create the songs and aura of Nickelback - How many cigarettes does Chad Kroeger smoke before each onstage performance? (Answer: it’s more than you think.) - Hold up, NONE of the band ever wear underwear? As always, leave us a review to help the show get in front of more folks, and connect with us for Shenanigans, merch, and more. greatsongpodcast.com Twitter/Instagram: @GreatSongPod Facebook.com/groups/greatsongpod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . And if you’ve read this far, you deserve to know that this episode is NOT about “Photograph,” or Nickelback at all, and all of the bullet points about them are totally made up. It is, in fact, our April Fools’ Day episode about Rick Astley’s hit pop classic, “Never Gonna Give You Up.” We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did, and yeah, we hope we got you pretty good. In this episode: - The origin and phenomenon of Rick Rolling - The happiest minor song ever? - “Bass Patch 1” and Synths, synths, and more synths! - 1980’s Brit-pop Motown and Rebecca Black’s Friday - We play “Which Rick is Older?”

Respect (Aretha Franklin) - Episode 508 Mar 25, 2020

Show notes

The one and only Diva of Divas, Aretha Franklin, is up to the mic today, with her legendary classic, “Respect.” We’ll talk about Aretha’s history (and her shared birthday with Rob), her music, her writing and arranging chops and of course that inimitable voice! Also in this episode: - Opening acts who topped their headliners - What award SHOULD be named after Aretha Franklin - Songs that spell out words - Greatest Cover Songs of All Time…sort of As always, leave us a review to help the show get in front of more folks, and connect with us for Shenanigans, merch, and more. Facebook.com/groups/greatsongpod greatsongpodcast.com Twitter/Instagram: @GreatSongPod

Turn Your Love Around (George Benson) - Episode 507 Mar 18, 2020

Show notes

This week we celebrate one of the literal greatest guitarists and musicians to ever pick up the instrument, not to mention his status as a legendary singer and performer of pop and R&B. The genius and range of George Benson—jazz legend, R&B icon and international sex symbol. Also in this episode: - We guess at the first names of some of the band members because JP messed up the margins - Writer Bill Champlin and his influence on the band Chicago - The new hit game Benson or Benson As always, leave us a review to help the show get in front of more folks, and connect with us for Shenanigans, merch, and more. greatsongpodcast.com Twitter/Instagram: @GreatSongPod Facebook.com/groups/greatsongpod

White Wedding (Billy Idol) w/ Phil Feit- Episode 506 Mar 11, 2020

Show notes

It's a nice day to start again! This week we talk about Billy Idol's hit "White Wedding," its roots and origin, and overall awesomeness. Plus a special guest interview with Billy's bassist Phil Feit! Also in this episode: - What do British rednecks sound like? - Former Billy Idol bassist Phil Feit tells us about the song, beating out 75 other players to join Billy's band, and about studio and road life with early-80’s Billy Idol. - Our biggest “I should have said something to this famous person” regrets - “Play for the song; don’t play for yourself” and more of Phil Feit’s sage advice for burgeoning players - Rob’s favorite movie and how it connects to “White Wedding” Leave us a review to help the show get in front of more folks, and connect with us for Shenanigans, merch, and more. greatsongpodcast.com Twitter/Instagram: @GreatSongPod Facebook.com/groups/greatsongpod

I Love You Always Forever (Donna Lewis) - Episode 505 Mar 04, 2020

Show notes

It's the most adorable song of the 1990's on this week's episode! Bob your head and feel the warm hug that is "I Love You Always Forever," a song that is somehow amazing even though its title feels like it was made up by a random song generator that translates from English to Korean and back. In this episode: - We award this song the 1st ever (and highly prestigious) Cal Naughton Jr Memorial Bridesmaid Award. - We play “Name that Female One-Hit Wonder” and you can scream at Rob from your home or car as he struggles to think of Shawn Colvin! -How old was Donna Lewis when this song came out? As always, leave us a review to help the show get in front of more folks, and connect with us for Shenanigans, merch, and more. greatsongpodcast.com Twitter/Instagram: @GreatSongPod Facebook.com/groups/greatsongpod

Let's Stay Together (Al Green) - Episode 504 Feb 26, 2020

Show notes

It’s the perfect intersection of Valentine’s month and Black History Month—Al Green’s “Let’s Stay Together” is without a doubt one of the greatest love songs ever penned, and Al Green is without a doubt one of the smoothest dudes to ever pick up a mic. Also in this episode: -We play a round of “Who’s the Reverend” - Modern vs Classic Production, and the coolness of not feeling the need to sound big - The interesting career of mixer Terry Manning As always, leave us a review to help the show get in front of more folks, and connect with us for Shenanigans, merch, and more. greatsongpodcast.com Facebook.com/groups/greatsongpod Twitter/Instagram: @GreatSongPod

Let's Dance (David Bowie) - Episode 503 Feb 21, 2020

Show notes

The pop hit that made David Bowie a mainstream star and introduced Stevie Ray Vaughan to the world is our topic this week, and we've put on our red shoes, which are obviously a metaphor for...systemic racism? Oh, wait. I mean, of course. Also in this episode: - The original version of "Twist and Shout" sucks super bad! - Rob does an astonishingly awful job of identifying “cowbell songs” - We tremble like a FLOWWWWWHAGHHHHH As always, leave us a review to help the show get in front of more folks, and connect with us for Shenanigans, merch, and more. greatsongpodcast.com Twitter/Instagram: @GreatSongPod Facebook.com/groups/greatsongpod

A Special 100th Episode with Dave Barnes (Valentine's Day 2020) Feb 14, 2020

Show notes

Happy Valentine's Day! We’re celebrating 100 episodes with a very special in-studio guest: artist and songwriter extraordinaire Dave Barnes! We had the privilege to pick the brain of one of modern Country and Christian music’s most prolific and successful songwriters (Blake Shelton’s #1 smash “God Gave Me You” is among his bevy of hits, which inludes cuts from Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood, and so many more). In this episode: - Ed Cash and the importance of honest producers in the writing and crafting process - Playing emotional songs live - Getting the right cover art to convey your album - The four songs Dave would choose to start his own Great Song Podcast - Dave plays a new game called “CCM or Superhero” - GET DAVE’S NEW SINGLE, streaming NOW on all major platforms! - HUGE thanks to Annie F. Downs, author, teacher, and host of That Sounds Fun, for allowing us into her studio to record with Dave in person. Give Annie a follow on Twitter at @anniefdowns, and subscribe to That Sounds Fun—it might just change your life! As always, leave us a review to help the show get in front of more folks, and connect with us for Shenanigans, merch, and more. greatsongpodcast.com Twitter/Instagram: @GreatSongPod Facebook.com/groups/greatsongpod

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