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1987 - August: The Grateful Dead “In the Dark” Jan 18, 2021

Show notes

The Grateful Dead are most famous for their status as a tour band, jam band, and cult band. They may be the greatest touring rock group of the rock era. They were originally known as the Warlocks when they formed in 1965 in San Francisco, but had to change the name when they discovered another band already using the title. Jerry Garcia found the word "Grateful Dead" in a dictionary, meaning "the soul of a dead person, or his angel, showing gratitude to someone who, as an act of charity, arranged their burial."

Jerry Garcia is the guitarist and vocalist, and probably the most famous member. Bob Weir is also on guitar and vocals, Phil Lesh is on bass, Brent Mydland is on keyboards and vocals, and Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann share duties on drums.

In the Dark is the twelfth studio album by the Grateful Dead, and their most commercially successful album. Although The Dead hadn't recorded in six years, most of these songs would be familiar to "Dead Heads" from their touring lineup, as much of the album had been played since 1982 or 1983. The album got its name because they recorded the baseline tracks for the album in an empty darkened theater with the same lighting they would use on tour in order to capture the "feel" they had for the songs. The cover art had lettering in the shape of an eye, and inside the "eye" are photos of the band members eyes. The CD release had the photos upside down.

Bruce shares with us this masterpiece from the cult phenomenon known as The Grateful Dead.

Touch of Grey This is the single from the album. It reached number 9 on Billboard's Hot 100, and number 1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks. It was first performed as an encore on September 15th, 1982 in Maryland. The Grateful Dead encourage to record the music during their tours, and the number of bootleg recordings make it easy to track the original debuts of songs. Touch of Grey is the only Grateful Dead song to hit the top 40, so technically The Grateful Dead are a one-hit wonder!

West L.A. Fadeaway This blues piece was also originally performed in 1982. Supposedly this is a tribute to John Belushi's death at the Chateau Marmont hotel in 1982. Belushi had appeared onstage with the Dead at least once, in New Jersey in 1980. The opening lyric begin, "I'm looking for a Chateau, 21 rooms but one will do." Jerry Garcia had a bad drug problem in the early 80's and started cutting back on opiate usage in 1985. He slipped into a diabetic coma for several days in 1986, so he was lucky not to have shared Belushi's fate by this time.

My Brother Esau This is a deep cut — so deep that it didn't make it onto the album. It also didn't make it onto the CD, but was the B-side for the “Touch of Grey” single and made it on the cassette version of “In the Dark.” It is an updated story of the Biblical tale of Jacob and Esau, set in the Vietnam war era. It was originally performed in 1983 in Tempe, Arizona.

Hell In a Bucket While this song sound smooth and upbeat, the lyrics are dripping with venom towards an ex-lover. While not a single, this song received considerable air play on rock-oriented stations in 1987. "I may be going to hell in a bucket, baby, but at least I'm enjoying the ride."

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

“Good Times” by INXS with Jimmy Barnes (from the motion picture “The Lost Boys”) The movie that started the trend towards young, good looking vampires was released this month with a killer soundtrack. This one was a cover of a song originally done by The Easybeats

STAFF PICKS:

“Painted Moon” by The Silencers Rob starts off the staff picks with a group from Scotland that formed in London in 1986. The Silencers have been compared to U2, Big Country, and Simple Minds. Painted Moon is off their debut album, “A Letter from St. Paul,” and made it to the top of the charts in August 1987. The Silencers would put out three albums before their popish stile was eclipsed by the grunge movement.

“Detox Mansion” by Warren Zevon Wayne's staff pick comes from the composer of "Werewolves of London." If this track reminds you of REM, there's a reason: REM is the backing band for this song and this album, "Sentimental Hygeine." The song deals with drug use and recovery. "Well, its tough to be somebody, and it's hard to keep from falling apart up here on Rehab Mountain we gonna learn these things by heart."

“Girls, Girls, Girls” by Motley Crue Brian's staff pick is a straightforward elegy to strip clubs. Motley Crue takes a lyrical journey around the country to reminisce about famous - or perhaps infamous - "gentlemen's clubs" in different U.S. cities.

“Mary's Prayer” by Danny Wilson Bruce's staff pick is from a Scottish pop group formed by Gary Clark, Kit Clark, and Ged Grimes. Their originally name was Spenser Tracy, but they changed the name at the last minute under threat from actor Spenser Tracy's estate. The name Danny Wilson comes from a 1952 Frank Sinatra film. The song has a lot of religious imagery, but at its root is a story about a boy losing a girl and missing the days when he meant the world to her.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

“Pipeline” by Dick Dale and Stevie Ray Vaughan This instrumental track was from the beach movie "Back to the Beach", and hearkens back to the 60's beach music Stevie Ray Vaughan and Dick Dale cover this classic tune for the movie.

Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?”

NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.

Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.

Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!

**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

1969 - May: Crosby, Stills & Nash “Crosby, Stills & Nash” Jan 11, 2021

Show notes

It is hard to think of a time in the rock era when Crosby, Stills & Nash were not already a mainstay of the genre, but every rock legend has an origin, and the self-titled debut album first appeared in May of 1969. It was a near-instant success and one of the harbingers of a turn from blues-oriented rock to more acoustic, folk-oriented rock that would usher in the decade of the 70's.

Crosby, Stills & Nash were a supergroup from their debut. David Crosby came from The Byrds, Stephen Stills came out of Buffalo Springfield, and Graham Nash was from The Hollies. Each was a songwriter as well as a vocalist and instrumentalist (Crosby on guitar, Stills on guitar and keyboards, and Nash on guitar). The addition of Neil Young (who has also previously played with Buffalo Springfield) would come after the album was released.

As you listen to this podcast pay attention to the harmonies in the songs. That is the calling card for CS&N. Band members differ on where the trio first sang together. Crosby and Nash maintain that it was at Joni Mitchell's house, but Stephen Stills insists that he would have been too intimidated to sing at Mitchell's place, and that it was at Cass Elliot's (from The Mamas and the Papas) house! Either way the harmonies were so good it was clear that they would have to form a group.

Much of the album is accomplished with multi-instrumentalist Stephen Stills (aka "Captain Many Hands") playing on the tracks, though Crosby and Nash played guitar on songs that they wrote. You can't duplicate this onstage however, so more instrumentalists had to be brought in for the tour — including Neil Young. One of their first stops - only their second concert as a group in fact - would be Woodstock, where they played a set between 3:00 and 4:00 a.m.

Rob brings us this harmonic, folk album. We hope you enjoy it!

Suite: Judy Blue Eyes This song is one of two hit singles from the album. The song was written by Stephen Stills, inspired by his former girlfriend, Judy Collins. It is a play on words - “Sweet Judy” and written as a 4-part suite. The first section is a pop song, the second section is in half tempo (relative to the first section), the third section picks up the tempo and is more poetic, and the fourth section is in Spanish.

Long Time Gone This should be a familiar track which is time-stamped from the late 60's. It was written the night that Bobby Kennedy was killed. David Crosby wrote this political, counter-cultural work. “Speak out, you got to speak out against the madness, you got to speak your mind, if you dare. But don't try to get yourself elected. If you do you had better cut your hair.”

You Don't Have to Cry The first song Crosby, Stills & Nash ever sang together is this deep cut. Stephen Stills wrote this one as a love letter to Judy Collins, trying to convince her to move from New York to California. “Are you thinking of telephones and managers and where you've got to be at noon?”

Helplessly Hoping This deep cut was the B-side from the single for “Marrakesh Express” The beautiful acoustic work reminded us of songs like Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide" or Kansas' "Dust In the Wind."

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Everybody's Talking from the motion picture “Midnight Cowboy” Harry Nilsson performs this Grammy award-winning cover from the first X-rated movie to win an Academy Award for Best Picture.

STAFF PICKS:

“Galveston” by Glenn Campbell Brian's staff pick is one of three songs Jimmy Webb wrote for Campbell (the others being "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" and "Wichita Lineman").

“Just a Little Bit” by Little Milton Wayne takes us to the Mississippi delta for some blues. Ike Turner discovered Little Milton for Sam Phillips at Sun Records. Little Milton became more famous when he went to Checker Records, a more blues-oriented label. Little Milton was a prolific blues artist.

“It's Your Thing” by The Isley Brothers Bruce moves from blues to soul with the first hit from the Isley Brothers after leaving Motown Records. Ronald Isley wrote the song while dropping his daughter off at school. It features the lyrics “I can't tell ya' who to sock it to,” an adaptation of a popular line from the time that originally appeared in Aretha Franklin's “Respect.”

“In-A-Gadda-De-Vida” by Iron Butterfly Rob finishes off our staff picks with the radio version of the 17-minute psychedelic opus. Is it heavy metal, is it acid rock? We can't say, but Songfacts clears up the name as a misnomer. The title was supposed to be "In the Garden of Eden," but someone wrote the name down wrong and the record label decided to stick with "In-A-Gadda-De-Vida" as an eastern-sounding title.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Theme from "Hawaii 5-0" by The Ventures Surfs up as we close out this week's podcast with an instrumental from the cop drama which debuted in 1968 and ran for 12 seasons. The Ventures' version of this song was on the charts this month as a top-5 hit.

Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?”

NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.

Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.

Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!

**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

1991 - April: Temple of the Dog “Temple of the Dog” Jan 04, 2021

Show notes

In the aftermath of the death of Andrew Wood, lead singer of alternative rock bands Malfunkshun and Mother Love Bone, a supergroup was formed in tribute called Temple of the Dog and they released an album of the same name. Soundgarden's front man Chris Cornell had been Andrew Woods’ roommate previously, and wrote several songs inspired by Wood. After returning to Seattle from a tour with Soundgarden, Cornell approached Stone Gossard (rhythm guitar) and Jeff Arment (bass) of Mother Love Bone about collaborating. Temple of the dog was rounded out with Mike McCready (guitar), Matt Cameron (drums), and another singer — Eddie Vedder, who was in town to audition with a group soon to be known as Pearl Jam.

Temple of the Dog was recorded in 15 days at the end of 1990, and totally produced by the band. There were no expectations from the record company, making the recording process a lot more relaxed for band members. The album was released in April 1991 and initially sold 70,000 copies. After the artists split company, going to Soundgarden and the newly-formed Pearl Jam, the record company realized that this collaboration between the two bands was a real gem, and they gave the album new interest with promotion in the summer of 1992.

In retrospect the album and collaboration would receive much critical praise, but the most important aspect of the project was that the group agreed that Andy Wood would have really liked the songs.

We hope you enjoy this early grunge collaboration.

Say Hello 2 Heaven
This was a single from the album and one of two songs Chris Cornell wrote in tribute to Andrew Wood while he was on tour with Soundgarden. Cornell's vocals are distinctive, though this song is a bit of a departure from what you would typically hear from grunge in general and Soundgarden in particular.

Reach Down
This blues-inspired song is perhaps a deeper cut from the album, and is the second song Cornell wrote as a tribute to Wood while on tour before forming Temple of the Dog. It is the second track on the album and contains a long guitar solo tribute from Mike McCready.

Pushin' Forward Back
This driving song in 7/4 time is the second single released from the album, and it has a proto-Pearl Jam feel to it. "Gracious mother held me to her breast until the day I started pushin'."

Hunger Strike
Perhaps the most popular song on the album, this single is a duet between Cornell and Vedder. The lyrics are an anti-capitalist rant against want. The song and video was re-released after the popularity of Pearl Jam was established.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Theme from the television series "Dinosaurs"
This family-oriented sitcom was released by Jim Henson productions, and had puppets and people dressed as dinosaurs.

STAFF PICKS:

“Groovy Train” by The Farm
Wayne takes us to one of his favorite music spots, Manchester, for this staff pick. The Farm were actually from Liverpool, and the song reached number 6 on the UK charts. This was the first single from their debut album, Spartacus.

“Lift Me Up” by Yes
Rob demonstrates once again that all roads lead to Yes, in this case a lot of members of Yes. The song is from the album Union, and it was their last hit single. Unfortunately, although Arista records was able to bring the group back together, they just couldn't stay together. The song is about a homeless person seeking help.

“Just the Way It Is, Baby” by The Rembrandts
Bruce's staff pick features a duo of Danny Wilde and Phil Solem. This Rembrandts hit tells the story of a girl who is just using a boy. When she realizes her mistake later on the tables are turned, because the boy has moved on. The Rembrandts are best known for the theme song to the television series "Friends."

“Show Me the Way” by Styx
Brian finishes the staff picks this week with a late hit from Styx while Dennis DeYoung was in and Tommy Shaw was out. This song was penned by DeYoung as a prayer during a crisis of faith. It went to number 3 on the charts, giving Styx hits across three decades. .

LAUGH TRACK:

“Ordinary Average Guy” by Joe Walsh
Joe Walsh parodies his earlier hit “Life's Been Good,” with a song about living a boring, average, ordinary life.

Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?”

NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.

Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.

Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!

**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

1983 - January: Def Leppard “Pyromania” Dec 28, 2020

Show notes

All right. I got something to say...It's better to burn out than fade away!

Def Leppard would go from a popular band to the stratosphere of rock music with their third album, Pyromania. The band lineup for this album would be front man Joe Elliott, Rick Savage on bass, Rick Allen on drums, Steve Clark on Guitar, Pete Willis on rhythm guitar, and newcomer Phil Collen on guitar. There's an explanation for why the lineup seems a bit guitar-heavy. While the album was being recorded Pete Willis was fired for "excessive alcohol abuse." Phil Collen was brought in as a replacement. However, Willis' rhythm guitar work was used throughout the album.

The band was originally called Atomic Mass when they started in 1977. Elliott proposed the name Deaf Leopard, and then-drummer Tony Kenning suggested changing the spelling to Def Leppard. Just before they started recording at the end of 1978, Kenning left the band. He was replaced by Rick Allen. The entire band was young - Elliott was only 18 when they formed - but Allen was only 15 when he joined!

The band began becoming more popular with their second album, High 'n' Dry, which was produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange. Mutt Lange would also produce Pyromania and Hysteria, which were the killer albums for the group.

Pyromania is a bit of a transition album, as the songs ranged from hard rocking numbers to more popular MTV-oriented rock. The big hits were staples in the MTV rotation, with "Rock of Ages," and the bit hit "Photograph," which knocked Michael Jackson's "Beat it " off the number 1 "most requested video on MTV. But every song on the album is a good one. We're featuring some of the deeper cuts to give you a sense of how awesome this album is beyond the big hits we know so well.

Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop) This is the lead track on the album, and received air play on rock-oriented radio despite not being released as a single. It's a pretty straightforward rock anthem. It was originally titled "Medicine Man" according to Wikipedia, and had different lyrics. "So grab a little heat and come along with me, 'cause your mama don't mind what your mama don't see."

Stagefright This is a deeper cut that was the opening song for their Hysteria tour. It was also a song about picking up groupies at the concert. Def Leppard was legendary for their "activity" with groupies during breaks and solos at the concert.

Die Hard the Hunter Here is a rare song with a deeper meaning. This deep cut is about war and post-traumatic stress disorder. It talks about a returning soldier who can't leave the war behind. "You got no enemy, no front line. The only battle's in the back of your mind. You don't know how to change from bad to good. You brought the war to your neighborhood."

Foolin' This track is their third single from the album, and chronicles a love gone bad. "On and on we rode the storm. The flame has died and the fire has gone. Oh, this empty bed is a night alone. I realized that long ago."

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main Theme from the television series The A-Team Here is Mr. T's big television role after Rocky III. I love it when a plan comes together!

STAFF PICKS:

Don't Tell Me You Love Me by Night Ranger Wayne kicks off the staff picks with this hit from Night Ranger's debut album "Dawn Patrol." This has a straightforward rock style with a good balance between dual guitars and keyboards to create a wall of sound. Their first five albums sold over 2 million

Even Now by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band Rob brings us the second hit from Seger's album "The Distance." Many musicians were used on this album including the Mussel Shoals Rhythm Section, Glenn Frey, and Bonnie Raitt. Seger worked with the Eagles on their song "Heartache Tonight."

Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye Brian's staff pick takes the pace down with this iconic ballad - one of the first songs to use the Roland TR808 drum machine. The song was inspired by a visit from author David Ritz, and an observation that Gaye needed to break away from pornography - he needed sexual healing! Ritz wrote the song.

Atomic Dog by George Clinton Bruce cranks up the funk with the last Parliament Funkadelic song to reach number ` on the US R&B Chart. Clinton was still "feeling pretty good" from a night of heavy partying and composed most of the song spontaneously - with David Spradley and Garry Shider standing on either side of him to keep him steady at the microphone. "nothin' but the dog in me!"

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Epilogue (Resolution) by Triumph Classically trained Rik Emmett would have at least one instrumental on Triumph albums, and this one finishes their sixth album "Never Surrender."

Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?”

NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.

Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.

Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!

**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

1969 - November: Santana ”Santana” Dec 21, 2020

Show notes

One of the biggest, longest running, and commercially successful bands of the rock era was founded by Carlos Santana, the only consistent member of the band throughout the years. That band of course is simply named Santana, and their debut album was also known as Santana.

Santana has always been about fusion, and you get that with this debut as well. There's jazz, Latin, calypso, funk, and soul in there, all held together by the guitar virtuosity of Mexican-American Carlos Santana. The debut album provides a lot of opportunity to take in Santana's guitar work with about half the songs being instrumentals. Santana came to prominence with their live shows, and of course would be propelled to the top with their concert at Woodstock.

The lineup for this iteration of Santana would of course include Carlos Santana on guitar and backing vocals. Greg Rolie would be on lead vocals and piano, as Carlos Santana usually had someone else on lead vocals in all the different iterations of his band. Rolie would go on to found the band Journey, as would a future Santana member, Neal Schon. Other band members were David Brown on bass, Michael Schrieve on drums, Michael Carabello, Jose "Chepito" Areas, and Marcus Malone on congas and percussion.

The band was formed in San Francisco in 1966 as the Santana Blues Band. Promoter Chet Helms told the band that they couldn't be successful with Latin-infused rock, and recommended that Santana "keep his day job" as a dishwasher at Tick Tock's Drive-In. Time would prove how wrong Helms' advice was. Santana has sold over 43 million albums in the US, and perhaps 100 million worldwide.

Friend of the show Vann Mathis joins us for this podcast.

Soul Sacrifice If you have seen the documentary about the August 1969 Woodstock music festival you may have heard this instrumental song. This one had three screens projecting, one of the band and the other two scanning people at the concert.

Persuasion A deeper cut sung by frontman and keyboardist Greg Rolie about a woman that his "put a spell" on a guy, and he can't think of anyone but her. "Like the devil in disguise, something about you baby. You're one, you're one of a kind."

Savor This is a hard driving instrumental. One thing you get from Santana other than the excellent guitar riffs is a lot of congas.

Evil Ways This was Santana's second single the band's first hit, topping out at number 9 on the Billboard charts. This song was a cover originally recorded by jazz percussionist Willy Bobo in 1967. It has a great guitar solo.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

The theme from the television series “Sesame Street” The Sesame Street Kids sing this well-known children's television theme which debuted in November of 1969.

STAFF PICKS:

Sugar, Sugar by The Archies Brian's staff pick was performed by the cartoon band “The Archies.” Don Kirshner heard it and decided that it needed to be released. After persuading radio stations to play it, the song took off and became the biggest single hit of the year.

Suspicious Minds by Elvis Presley Mark James wrote this and recorded it in 1968, but Elvis would make it successful in 1969. It was his 18th and last number 1 single. The song itself is inspired by James' relationship with his first wife. He still had feelings for his childhood girlfriend, and his wife had suspicions about that.

Undun by The Guess Who Rob's staff pick is from Winnipeg's own The Guess Who. Randy Bachman wrote this about a girl he dated who went into a coma after doing drugs. It is Bachman's favorite song done with the band. It was actually the B-side of a song called “Laughing.”

Space Cowboy by the Steve Miller Band Wayne finishes us off with a song from Steve Miller's third album, Brave New World. It has a psychedelic feel. The main guitar riff borrows heavily from "Lady Madonna" by the Beatles. Steve Miller played at the Monterrey Pops Festival.

INSTRUMENTAL/COMEDY TRACK:

Yakety Sax From The Benny Hill Show The song was first used on The Benny Hill Show in November 1969. It was composed by James Q. “Spider” Rich and Boots Randolph.

Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?”

NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.

Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.

Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!

**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

1979 - March: Supertramp “Breakfast In America” Dec 14, 2020

Show notes

While Supertramp had been on the rock scene for many years at this point (we already featured "Crime of the Century" on an earlier podcast), this sixth studio album would be the one that would make them superstars.

Breakfast in America was originally going to be entitled "Hello Stranger" and explore the conflicts between founders Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson, but decided to take a lighter tone instead. In addition to Davies and Hodgson, Supertramp included John Helliwell on saxophone and other woodwinds, Dougie Thomson on bass, and Bob Siebenberg on percussion. The album cover is iconic, with an image of the New York skyline, and a diner waitress in the place of the Statue of Liberty. Several songs express thoughts or critiques of life in America at the time, but Davies and Hodgson insist that there was no attempt to create an album satirizing the U.S.

There is really not a bad song on this album, and this contributed to its success both commercially and critically. The album was number one on the Billboard 200 album chart for six weeks and was Supertramp's best selling album. It also won two Grammys in 1980 and was nominated for best album of the year.

Hodgson and Davies wrote all the songs on this album, though they did not initially collaborate. Instead they wrote their songs separately and would come together to arrange the songs with the band. These founders were growing increasingly apart in their lifestyles, and Hodgson would leave the group after 1983.

The hits from this album are timeless and well known, so we're going deep on this one. We hope you enjoy it!

Gone Hollywood The opening track to the album describes a guy who dreams of making it in Hollywood. It starts out bleak, but the protagonist actually makes it. Rick Davies takes the lead on this song which he wrote, and John Helliwell's saxophone work is prominent in this piece.

Oh Darling This song closes out the first album side. You can see the keyboard-driven approach to this composition which is prominent in this track. Rick Davies authored this piece as well. "I'll make you mine. I'll love you come what may. I'm going to catch you lady, catch you lady."

Lord Is It Mine Roger Hodgson takes the lead and wrote this sweet, spiritual ballad. Hodgson wrote this piece. "I never cease to wonder at the cruelty of this land, but it seems a time of sadness is a time to understand. Is it mine? Oh Lord, is it mine?"

Casual Conversations Davies penned this one, and it takes a decidedly lighter tack than the ballad we just played. Casual conversations - how they bore me!

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Theme from the motion picture "Phantasm" This horror flick premiered in March 1979. The tall man turns the dead into dwarf zombies, but what you remember is the killer floating ball in the mortuary.

STAFF PICKS:

“Lay It On the Line” by Triumph Wayne's staff pick is from the Canadian power trio led by Rik Emmitt, and is off their third studio album. It demands an answer in a relationship - make up your mind, don't waste my time. "I don't ask for much, the truth'll do just fine."

“Tragedy” by the Bee Gees Rob puts us in a conundrum with his pick. Is this a disco song? It is a bit more rocking than the typical dance song. Disco or not, it was at the top of the charts at the time. The Bee Gees were made famous from the songs they wrote for the movie "Saturday Night Fever," which they created over a weekend.

“Every Time I Think of You” by The Babys John Waite fronts Brian's staff pick from The Baby's third studio album. This song goes through a variety of tempos and dynamics. This song went to number 8 on the Cashbox 100. Waite would repeat the title of this song in the opening lyrics to his solo hit "Missing You."

“Sultans of Swing” by Dire Straits Bruce rounds out the staff picks this week with the first hit off Dire Strait's debut album. The lyrics were inspired by a jazz band performance playing in the corner of an almost-empty pub in South London. The name of the jazz group was the Sultans of Swing.

LAUGH TRACK:

"Rubber Biscuit" by The Blues Brothers Saturday Night Live originated this blues band headed by Jake and Elwood Blues aka Dan Akroyd and John Belushi.

Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?”

NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.

Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.

Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!

**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

1991 - January: Jesus Jones ”Doubt” Dec 07, 2020

Show notes

A little alternative rock, a little electronica, the UK's Jesus Jones had a hit on their hands with their second studio album, Doubt. It was recorded in 1990 and released in January 1991.

The band got their name when founders Mike Edwards (vocals, keyboards, guitar), Jerry DeBorg (guitar), and Ian Baker (keyboards) decided to form the band while vacationing in Spain. They realized while sitting on the beach that they were three "Joneses" surrounded by a bunch of people named Jesus.

Jesus Jones achieved some success with their debut album, but things really took off with this second effort on the strength of the hit “Right Here, Right Now.” The album was written in the days of the fall of the Warsaw Pact, between the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of the Soviet Union. These were incredibly optimistic times, and the music of the album reflects that positivity.

Doubt reached number 25 on the US Billboard top 200, and it topped the UK charts.

Jesus Jones is still touring today, and all the original members are still together.

Join us on this exploration of a time when the future was bright and there was no other place we'd rather be.

Real Real Real This dance song was the first single off the album. “Do you feel real? If so, I'd like to know.” The track takes its inspiration from a conversation that Edwards had questioning whether you can know if you are real or not. The song peaked at number 4 and was a staple of dance clubs at the time.

Trust Me You might want to watch your speed if you're driving when this manic deeper cut comes on! “Trust me, I know what I'm doing. I don't do anything in half measures.” Jump in the mosh pit!

Right Here Right Now This is the single that truly launched Jesus Jones into the stratosphere. It was the most played song on college radio in 1991, and hit number 2 on the Billboard charts. “I saw the decade in, when it seemed the world could change at the blink of an eye.” The track epitomizes the feeling of optimism as communism ended and we were “watching the world wake up from history.”

International Bright Young Thing Get your dance shoes on. This was the third single released from the album after “Real Real Real” and “Right Here Right Now.” The track chronicles the band finding all these positive people around the world with similar thoughts about the future. It was a top 10 hit in Britain.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

The theme from the television series “Twin Peaks” The cult classic mystery series from David Lynch was on television in 1991.

STAFF PICKS:

Remember My Name by House of Lords Brian starts off our staff picks with a power ballad from Connecticut-based House of Lords. Gene Simmons discovered this band — former Angel members. The band featured a number of guest musicians on this second album entitled “Sahara.”

Rocket O Love by The Knack In case you thought The Knack had finished their run in 1979…Bruce dispels the thought with this single from their fourth album “Serious Fun.” It was a top 10 hit for them in 1991. Unfortunately they wouldn't get much more commercial or critical success, and A&R decided the shelve their second single.

The Ballad of Jenny Ledge by Toy Matinée Rob's staff pick takes a deep and prog rock turn from a short-lived group — and one of his favorites. The song is loosely based on the girlfriend of Toy Matinée front man Kevin Gilbert. Jenny Ledge enjoyed music as just another pleasure, but her boyfriend wanted her to take it more seriously. Ledge winds up running off with an Elvis impersonator.

More by The Sisters of Mercy Wayne finishes us off with a hard rocking 8-minute epic. UK-native The Sisters of Mercy started in 1980 and has a Billy Idol feel with a "club" twist. The group uses a drum machine instead of a drum set. The Sisters of Mercy still tour and produce new music, but they don't release new music - you have to attend the concert to hear the new works.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Righteous by Eric Johnson This podcast concludes on another positive note with instrumentalist and guitar virtuoso Eric Johnson.

Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?”

NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.

Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.

Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!

**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

Christmas Songs That Rock (III)! Nov 30, 2020

Show notes

Believe it or not, we've made it to the Christmas season 2020 - and for some of us, its about time! We hope your Christmas is a good one, and hope you get a chance to listen to some of these Christmas Songs that Rock on this Rabbit Hole episode!

“Step Into Christmas” by Elton John This original song by John and Taupin has become a standard since it was originally released in 1973 as a single, and as a bonus track on the Caribou album.

“Gabriel's Message” by Sting A cover of an obscure Basque folk carol based on the Annunciation by the archangel Gabriel that Mary would be the mother of Jesus— sung as only Sting could.

“Christmas/Sarajevo 12/24” by Trans Siberian Orchestra You know Wayne will bring us a rocking song and this instrumental number by former members of Savatage is no exception.

“Sock It To Me Santa” by Bob Seger and The Last Heard This rocking Christmas tune from the 60's reminds us that Bob Seger has been in the music business for quite a while.

“Merry Xmas Everybody” by Slade This non-album release in 1973 from Slade may not be that well known in the United States, but it is amazingly popular year after year in the UK.

“Christmas Is the Time to Say 'I Love You'” by Billy Squier Squier dropped this original Christmas hit in 1981, and launched a video on MTV using many of the MTV VJ's of the day in starring roles.

“Back Door Santa” by Jet Let the double entendres roll with this blues-based rocker.

“Christmas on the Bayou” by Lonnie Brooks We drift into the bayou blues with this New Orleans-style cut from Alligator Records.

“Christmas Fais Do Do” by Marcia Ball And we're staying on the Bayou for this zydeco tune. A Fais Do Do is a Cajun dance party. A Christmas tradition in Louisiana is building bonfires on the levees.

“Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin'” by Tinsley Ellis Bruce brings this cover of Albert King's 1974 blues Christmas riff. Atlanta's own Tinsley Ellis performs this version. Bill Murray and George Clooney performed an interesting version of it that you can catch on youtube as well.

“Don't Believe in Christmas” by The Sonics Rob brings us this tune by the Tacoma, Washington-based group The Sonics. It was developed back in 1965 - in less than 24 hours when they were asked to do a live show with other rockers.

“Christmas in Dixie” by Alabama This has become almost a Christmas standard in the South. Fort Payne, Alabama's finest call out a number of locations around the US, and especially focusing on locations in the southeast in this 1982 original.

“I'll Be Home For Christmas” by the Carpenters This 1978 cover goes back to Bing Crosby in 1943, when it was written to honor servicemen away from home during World War II. We hope that if you aren't able to make it home for whatever reason, you will know that you are home in your dreams, and in the dreams of your loved ones.

LAUGH TRACK(s):

“O Holy Night” by Eric Cartman And this is the point where we ruin your memories of a classic Christmas hymm by taking you to the South Park version.

“The Chimney Song” by Bob Rivers & Twisted Radio "There's something stuck up in the chimney and it doesn't move around, and it's been a week since Christmas..."

“Silver Bells” by Paul Simon, Billy Joel, and Steve Martin Rob closes us out with this rare item spontaneously created by Joel, Simon, and Martin. I'm not sure how Paul Simon and Billy Joel kept going when Steve Martin gets going on his monologue about what Christmas means.

Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?”

NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.

Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.

Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!

**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

1986 — February: The Outfield “Play Deep” Nov 23, 2020

Show notes

The tight, well produced sound of Play Deep would make you think that this is the third or fourth album from The Outfield, but this was their debut studio album, and it went triple platinum in the United States. Percussionist Alan Jackman, guitarist/keyboardist (and songwriter) John Spinks, and bassist/lead vocalist Tony Lewis had worked together since the late 70's, and were in a band called The Baseball Boys when Columbia Records signed them in 1984. Their manager suggested that the name was a little too "tacky," and this prompted the shift to The Outfield.

The band was signed largely on their being an “American sounding” group in England. This would lead to a successful US debut. Unfortunately, they would suffer for that in their home country, and The Outfield would never have a hit album in the UK.

Some refer to their sound as power pop, or pop rock. The Outfield would have been heard more on pop stations than on rock stations in the 80's. There's a little new wave mixed in, and it is very well produced.

John Spinks passed away in 2014 of liver cancer, and unfortunately Tony Lewis passed away a few weeks before the release of this podcast. So in a way, this is a tribute to a great “All American Sounding” band. RIP boys.

I Don't Need Her This deeper cut reminds us of Big Country or U2, with rich harmonies and a distinctive echo. "I'm so glad that I don't need her and I'm too tired of trying to please her, but in the end I just can't leave her. Can't leave her tonight."

61 Seconds You will definitely notice the mid-80's sound of this upbeat track. It is a song for the nameless worker in a large business. "61 seconds is all it takes for the 9-to 5-man to be more than one minute late." It's so hard to think of work as 9-to-5 anymore.

All the Love This track was one of the singles from the album. It went to number 14 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. Most of the songs on this album have a similar sound, with high harmonies, prominent echo, and well-produced effects overall.

Your Love It is amazing how big this song became. This track made it to number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts, and is a completely fictional story about “Josie.” It took the group about 20 minutes to write the song - apparently inspired by The Who - and the band was shocked with how well it did.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

“Pretty in Pink” by The Psychedelic Furs The "Brat Pack" were prominent in this John Hughes film. The soundtrack to "Pretty in Pink" is a who's-who of mid-80's new wave bands.

STAFF PICKS:

Rock Me Amadeus by Falco Wayne leads off with Austrian musician Falco's song with the distinction of being the only German language song to hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States. It was inspired by the Oscar award-winning movie "Amadeus."

Life in a Northern Town by the Dream Academy Bruce's staff pick is the biggest hit for The Dream Academy, and features some unusual instruments for the rock genre, including tympani and oboe. It is an elegy to Nick Drake who died in 1971, and parts of the song were composed on Drake's guitar.

Kyrie by Mr. Mister Brian's pick was inspired by a portion of the Catholic/Orthodox mass by way of the Episcopal church. Kyrie Eleison means "Lord have mercy." This track was a follow up to Mr. Mister's hit "Broken Wings."

Manic Monday by The Bangles Rob's staff pick was actually written by Prince. He originally intended it for Apollonia 6, but would be a hit for The Bangles. It reflects the travails of a working woman going to the office every week.

COMEDY TRACK:

The Super Bowl Shuffle by The Chicago Bears "Shuffling Crew" The Chicago Bears put out a rap video in the midst of their quest for a Super Bowl win. They would indeed win the Super Bowl, and this song peaked at number 41 in February 1986.

Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?”

NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.

Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.

Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!

**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

1983 - November: Billy Idol ”Rebel Yell” Nov 16, 2020

Show notes

Did the artists make MTV, or did MTV make the artists? There is no doubt about the complementary relationship between the then-new music video channel and rocker Billy Idol. He had exploded on the scene with his debut solo album featuring hits such as "White Wedding" and "Dancing With Myself." His popularity would continue with his second studio album, Rebel Yell.

Born as William Michael Albert Broad, Billy Idol found his studio name in a schoolteacher's derogatory description of him as "idle." Billy Idol got his start in the punk scene. He started performing with a retro-rock band called Chelsea in 1976, but quit after a few weeks to co-found a punk band called Generation X. While the music was punk, the image Idol created was more 1950's Elvis-styled rocker with a dash of glam rock thrown in.

Billy Idol was a prominent member of the "second British invasion" on MTV in the early 80's, and would see mainstream success with Rebel Yell. Singles like the title track and "Eyes Without a Face" got heavy airplay on rock stations in the US. Idol's iconic look and "whiplash smile" was especially appealing to the new media of music videos shown prominently on MTV but also on other stations both on cable TV and the airwaves.

If you enjoyed music videos back in the day, this episode will leave you saying "more, more more!"

Daytime Drama This slower and deeper cut was the second track on the album and was not released as a single. It compares life and relationships to a soap opera. "Beautiful star of my daytime drama...you're my hope for a future."

Blue Highway A faster rocking song, this track was also not released as a single. However it was the B-side to the single "Flesh for Fantasy," and it did get significant airplay on rock stations at the time.

Flesh for Fantasy This track was the third single from the album and a significant hit, peaking at 29 on Billboard's Hot 100. It is heavily produced, and while a rock song it also was played in dance clubs as well. "Face to face and back to back, you see and feel my sex attack. Sing it!"

Catch My Fall Perhaps less popular than other album singles, this was the fourth single from the album. It has a new wave feel as well, and continues to have a dance beat. The saxophone is played by Mars Williams.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

"Bob's Major Award" (from the motion picture “A Christmas Story") This now-classic Christmas movie was surprisingly not that successful as a first run movie in 1983. This song gets its title from the "leg lamp."

STAFF PICKS:

“The Safety Dance” by Men Without Hats Rob's staff pick spent 4 weeks at number 3 on Billboard's hot 100, and was another big hit from MTV. The song was meant to be a statement about people "pogoing" - flailing around on the dance floor in a way that could cause people to get hurt.

“Mean Streak” by Y&T Wayne features a heavy metal song from a group originally known as "Yesterday & Today." Y&T formed in 1974 in Oakland, and opened for a number of bands like Wild Cherry and Kiss. The lead singer is still performing with the group, but unfortunately all other members have died. Lars of Metallica credits Y&T with inspiring him to become a musician.

“Mama” by Genesis Bruce's staff pick is the opening track to Genesis' self-titled album. This dark song is about a young man with a mother fixation towards an older prostitute. Mike Rutherford wrote the electric drum machine parts that start the song and continue throughout the piece.

“This Time” by Bryan Adams Brian closes out the staff picks with the lead track from Adam's "Cuts Like a Knife" album. Bryan Adams was another beneficiary of MTV's influence, and this album was his breakthrough hit.

LAUGH TRACK:

Jim Carrey premieres on Johnny Carson This month marked the first time Canadian Jim Carrey appeared on American television on "The Tonight Show." He would go on several years later to fame after his stint on the television show "In Living Color"

Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?”

NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.

Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.

Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!

**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.

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