Music: it's good. On each episode of Strong Songs, host Kirk Hamilton takes listeners inside a piece of music, breaking it down and figuring out what makes it work.
Some Bonus Beatles Covers
On this bonus episode from May 2022, Kirk goes through a handful of other covers of the three Beatles songs he recently discussed on the show."Gotta Get You Into My Life" by Paul McCartney/Lennon-McCartney as covered by Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers (1966) and Blood, Sweat & Tears (1975)"Eleanor Rigby" by Paul McCartney/Lennon-McCartney as covered by Aretha Franklin (1968), Cody Fry (2021), Joshua Bell and Frankie Moreno (2009) and Zoot (1970)"Blackbird" by Paul McCartney/Lennon-McCartney as covered by Crosby, Stills & Nash (1982) and the Brad Mehldau Trio (1996)Also Featured/Discussed:"Reelin' In The Years" by Steely Dan from Can't Buy a Thrill, 1972The score video of Cody Fry's arrangement of "Eleanor Rigby"Bicycle Race by Queen from Jazz, 1972----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Paypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIAIG: @Kirk_Hamilton | Threads: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music
2/9/2024 • 27 minutes, 49 seconds
Season Six Announcement!
Kirk shares some details about the upcoming season of Strong Songs, which kicks off on February 9 in early access, and on February 23 in the main feed.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS:Beome a patron: Patreon.com/StrongsongsMake a one-time donation: Paypal
2/2/2024 • 5 minutes, 3 seconds
The Genius of Sonny Rollins (and Max Roach)
(Originally recorded in May 2022) There's always more to say about Sonny Rollins, so Kirk shares a few of his other favorite Sonny moments, along with some additional love for Max Roach's drumming on Saxophone Colossus.REFERENCED:"St. Thomas" and "Blue 7" by Sonny Rollins from Saxophone Colossus, 1956"St. Thomas" as performed by Joshua Redman on Spirit of the Moment: Live at the Village Vanguard, 1992"Four" by Miles Davis performed by Sonny Rollins on A Night at the Village Vanguard, 1957"Without a Song" by Vincent Youmans recorded by Sonny Rollins on The Bridge, 1962"I Know That You Know" also by Vincent Youmans from Sonny Side Up, 1959
1/26/2024 • 22 minutes, 53 seconds
Weird Al For Nothin' And Your Jokes For Free
Weird Al has been writing songs and recording parodies for four decades, and his musical footprint is unfathomably wide. In this minisode, originally released in October 2022, Kirk gets into a few things he didn't have room for in the main feed episode about "The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota."FEATURED/DISCUSSED:"Money for Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies" by Yankovic, a parody of "Money for Nothing" by Mark Knopfler & Definitely Sting from Brothers in Arms, 1985A really interesting Sound on Sound article about the production of Brothers in Arms"Spam," by Yankovic, a parody of "Stand" by REM from Green, 1989"Smells Like Nirvana" by Yankovic, a parody of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" by Nirvana from Nevermind, 1991"Livin' in the Fridge" by Yankovic, a parody of "Livin' on the Edge" by Aerosmith from Get a Grip, 1993"Bohemian Polka," by Yankovic, a rearrangement of "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Freddie Mercury and Queen from A Night at the Opera, 1975
1/12/2024 • 19 minutes, 33 seconds
How Clyde Stubblefield Evolved Funk Drumming
Recorded in August 2022 as an addendum to the main feed episode "Strong Grooves, Volume 1," special guest Russ Kleiner takes Kirk through the evolution of James Brown drummer Clyde Stubblefield's playing from 1967 to 1970.FEATURED/DISCUSSED:"Cold Sweat" (1967), "I Got The Feelin'" (1968), "Mother Popcorn" (1969), "Funky Drummer" (1970), all feat. Clyde Stubblefield on drums.SPECIAL GUEST: Russ KleinerRuss is one of Kirk's oldest friends, a drummer and percussionist who currently lives, teaches, and performs in Connecticut. He has frequently offered drum insights to Kirk for various episodes of Strong Songs, and has been overdue for an actual appearance on the show. Additional thanks to Nick D'Errico for his help recording and overseeing the drum session for this episode - find Nick online at https://www.nddrums.com.DRUM GROOVE QUIZ ANSWERS:----------------- are you ready ---------------1. Mother Popcorn2. I Got The Feelin'3. Cold Sweat4. Mother Popcorn5. Funky Drummer6. Cold Sweat7. I Got The Feelin'8. Mother Popcorn
12/29/2023 • 22 minutes, 9 seconds
The Band: The Last Waltz
For the Season Five finale, Kirk takes a look at The Band and Martin Scorsese's beloved 1978 concert film The Last Waltz - "The beginning of the beginning of the end of the beginning."Featuring music by The Band: Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Richard Manuel, and Garth HudsonDirected by: Martin ScorseseAlbum: The Last Waltz (1978)Listen/Buy via SongwhipALSO DISCUSSED/REFERENCED:"The Weight" by Robbie Robertson as covered by The Staple Singers and Aretha FranklinStudio versions of several songs from the show, featured on The Band (1969) and Northern Lights - Southern Cross, 1975A 2014 New Yorker interview with Mavis Staples"Rockin' in Rhythm" by Duke Ellington, first recorded 1931"The Next Waltz," a concert event held every November in Portland, ORThe Jeremy Wilson Foundation, helping support local musicians in need----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Paypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIAIG: @Kirk_Hamilton | Threads: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music--------------------DECEMBER 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSBrian TempletCesarCorpus FriskyBen BarronCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerDave SharpeSami SamhuriJeremy DawsonAccessViolationAndre BremerDave FloreyDECEMBER 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSJames McMurryEthan [email protected] RemoMatt SchoenthalAaron WilsonDent EarlCarlos LernerMisty HaisfieldAbraham BenrubiChristopher BrunoChris KotarbaCallum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganBen SteinSusan GreenSean MurphyJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Whit SidenerRobert Granatdave malloyNick GallowayHeather Johnsonjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanMartín SalíasStu BakerSteve MartinoCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterLuigi BocciaE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeJeff UlmJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareCarrie SchneiderRichard SneddonDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristElliot RosenLisa TurnerPaul WayperBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAilie FraserRob TsukNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonVictoria Yumino caposselaSteve PaquinDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopLinda DuffyBonnie PrinsenLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneSarah SulanDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffJoshua HillWenGeoff GoldenRob FPascal RuegerRandy SouzaClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanDhu WikMelEric HelmJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
12/15/2023 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 39 seconds
Phish, Evanescence, and a Taylor Swift Dispute
It's time for another mailbag episode, as Kirk takes on questions about Evanescence piano, Kelis bells, and counting in songs by Phish, Vessels, Ten Years After, and Kishi Bashi. All that, and a friendly dispute about a Taylor Swift song."Milkshake" by Neptunes/Kelis from Tasty, 2003"Going Under" by Evanescence from Fallen, 2003Joe Lovono plays the AulochromePat Metheney plays the Pikasso 42-string GuitarMatt Glassmeyer and Jano Rix demonstrate the ShuitarFuture Man plays Synth Axe Drumitar live with the Flecktones"What About Me?" by Snarky Puppy from We Like It Here, 2014"Shimmer Intend Spark Groove Defend" feat. Nels Cline from What Is To Be Done, 2019"Angst In My Pants" by Sparks from Angst in my Pants, 1982"The Sky Was Pink" by Vessels, 2012"Hahaha, Pt. 2" by Kishi Bashi from Lighght, 2014"Mound" by Phish from Rift, 1993"I'd Love to Change the World" by Ten Years After from A Space in Time, 1971"Bad Blood" (Taylor's Version) by Taylor Swift feat. Kendrick Lamar, 2015/2023Elton John plays "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" at Dodger Stadium, 2022The NIOSH Sound Level Meter AppOUTRO SOLOIST: BJ CordThis episode's outro soloist is BJ Cord, a fantastic trumpet player based in Portland. BJ works at Monette trumpets making some of the most beautiful horns in the world, and is a regular presence on their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monettetrumpets----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Paypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIAIG: @Kirk_Hamilton | Threads: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music--------------------NOVEMBER 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSCesarCorpus FriskyBen BarronCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerDave SharpeSami SamhuriJeremy DawsonAccessViolationAndre BremerDave FloreyNOVEMBER 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSEthan LaserbrianjohnpeterChris RemoMatt SchoenthalAaron WilsonDent EarlCarlos LernerMisty HaisfieldAbraham BenrubiChristopher BrunoChris KotarbaCallum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganBen SteinSusan GreenSean MurphyJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Whit SidenerRobert Granatdave malloyNick GallowayHeather Johnsonjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterLuigi BocciaE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeJeff UlmJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareCarrie SchneiderRichard SneddonDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristElliot RosenLisa TurnerPaul WayperBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAilie FraserRob TsukNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonVictoria YuBrad Clarkmino caposselaSteve PaquinEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopLinda DuffyBonnie PrinsenLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneSarah SulanDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffJoshua HillWenGeoff GoldenRob FPascal RuegerRandy SouzaClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
12/1/2023 • 59 minutes, 3 seconds
Strong Solos, Vol. 2: Electric Guitar-aloo
The electric guitar is a beautiful, maddening instrument, and man does it sound good in the right hands. On this episode, Kirk takes a deep dive into solos by guitar legends Charlie Christian, Wes Montgomery, Jimi Hendrix, and Larry Carlton.FEATURED/DISCUSSED:"Seven Come Eleven" by Charlie Christian and Benny Goodman, recorded by the Benny Goodman Sextet in 1939"Fried Pies" by Wes Montgomery from Boss Guitar, 1963"Hey Joe" by Billy Roberts recorded by the Jimi Hendrix Experience on Are You Experienced?, 1967Larry Carlton's solo on "Kid Charlemagne" by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker (AKA Steely Dan) from The Royal Scam, 1976OUTRO SOLOIST: Kirk HamiltonKirk returns for another outro guitar solo, this time with a few new licks under his belt.-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music----------------NOVEMBER 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSCesarCorpus FriskyBen BarronCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerDave SharpeSami SamhuriJeremy DawsonAccessViolationAndre BremerDave FloreyNOVEMBER 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSEthan LaserBrian John PeterChris RemoMatt SchoenthalAaron WilsonDent EarlCarlos LernerMisty HaisfieldAbraham BenrubiChristopher BrunoChris KotarbaCallum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganBen SteinSusan GreenSean MurphyJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Whit SidenerRobert Granatdave malloyNick GallowayHeather Johnsonjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterLuigi BocciaE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeJeff UlmJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareCarrie SchneiderRichard SneddonDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristElliot RosenLisa TurnerPaul WayperBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAilie FraserRob TsukNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonVictoria YuBrad Clarkmino caposselaSteve PaquinEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopLinda DuffyBonnie PrinsenLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneSarah SulanDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffJoshua HillWenGeoff GoldenRob FPascal RuegerRandy SouzaClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
11/17/2023 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 3 seconds
The Music of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Kirk wasn't expecting to make a full-length episode about the music of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but then he played the game. And here we are.Picking up on 2022's deep-dive in the music of the Zelda series, this episode takes a deep dive into the score of the new game, covering the many ways it builds on the past and charts a new musical future.SPOILERS: The first 40 minutes of the episode feature some discussion of the events of Tears of the Kingdom, but no major story spoilers. At around the 40-minute mark (there's an in-episode warning), Kirk gets into specifics of the story with full spoilers, including the game's ending.Tears of the Kingdom score composed by: Manaka Kataoka, Maasa Miyoshi, Masato Ohashi, and Tsukasa UsuiOriginal Zelda themes composed by: Koji KondoALSO DISCUSSED/FEATUREDTwenty Thousand Hertz's excellent episodes on the sound and music of Zelda (Part 1, Part 2)"Careless Whisper" by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley from Make it Big, 1984Excerpts from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Ocarina of Time, The Wind Waker, Skyward Sword, and Link's AwakeningSuper Mario Bros. Theme by Koji Kondo from Super Mario Bros. Odyssey, 2017OUTRO SOLOIST: Rob RideoutRob Rideout is a guitar teacher from Yorkshire who plays and writes for the Progressive Metal band Memnor. Memnor stream their time in the studio on fridays evenings at 20:00 GMT on Twitch. (From Rob: If you wanna hear what quintuplets in 21/16 sound like, then drop in.)----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Paypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIAIG: @Kirk_Hamilton | Threads: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music--------------------OCTOBER 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSCorpus FriskyBen BarronCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerDave SharpeSami SamhuriJeremy DawsonAccessViolationAndre BremerDave FloreyOCTOBER 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSDent EarlCarlos LernerMisty HaisfieldAbraham BenrubiChristopher BrunoChris KotarbaCallum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganBen SteinSusan GreenSean MurphyJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Whit SidenerRobert Granatdave malloyNick GallowayHeather Johnsonjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskLuigi BocciaE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeJeff UlmJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareCarrie SchneiderRichard SneddonJulian RoleffDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristElliot RosenLisa TurnerPaul WayperBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAilie FraserRob TsukNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonVictoria YuBrad Clarkmino caposselaSteve PaquinEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistLinda DuffyBonnie PrinsenLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffWenGeoff GoldenRob FPascal RuegerRandy SouzaClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
11/3/2023 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 16 seconds
A Little Extra Zelda
On this bonus episode, originally recorded as a Patreon bonus in 2022, Kirk goes through a few great Legend of Zelda pieces that he didn't manage to get into on last year's Zelda-focused Strong Songs episode. If you want to hear next week's new episode on Tears of the Kingdom early, go become a patron now!FEATURED:"Tears of the Kingdom Theme" from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, comp. Manaka Kataoka, Maasa Miyoshi, Masato Ohashi, Tsukasa Usui"Song of Storms," "Dark World/Lorule Theme," "Gerudo Valley," and "The Great Fairy's Fountain" by Koji KondoVarious themes from Crypt of the Necrodancer: Cadence of Hyrule, composed by Danny Baranowski feat Jules Conroy on guitarDr. Pez's Ocarina of Time prog album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDH3g6rRjM8Fantasie-impromptu in C-Sharp" by Frédéric Chopin, 1815, performed by Arthur Rubinstein-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music---------------OCTOBER 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSCorpus FriskyBen BarronCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerDave SharpeSami SamhuriJeremy DawsonAccessViolationAndre BremerDave FloreyOCTOBER 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSDent EarlCarlos LernerMisty HaisfieldAbraham BenrubiChristopher BrunoChris KotarbaCallum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganBen SteinSusan GreenSean MurphyJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Whit SidenerRobert Granatdave malloyNick GallowayHeather Johnsonjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskLuigi BocciaE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeJeff UlmJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareCarrie SchneiderRichard SneddonJulian RoleffDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristElliot RosenLisa TurnerPaul WayperBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAilie FraserRob TsukNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonVictoria YuBrad Clarkmino caposselaSteve PaquinEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistLinda DuffyBonnie PrinsenLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffWenGeoff GoldenRob FPascal RuegerRandy SouzaClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
10/27/2023 • 24 minutes, 44 seconds
Belle & Sebastian's Very Good Chord Progression
Kirk takes a tour through the cycling, modulating chord sequence in Belle & Sebastian's buoyant 2017 song "The Girl Doesn't Get It."Variation 1: | C | Dm7 | Bb | Gm FVariation 2: | C | D | Bm | Esus EVariation 3: | A | Bm | A/C# | Esus EFEATURED/DISCUSSED:"The Girl Doesn't Get It" by Belle & Sebastian from How To Solve Our Human Problems, Vol. 1, 2017"I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton performed by Whitney Houston on The Bodyguard soundtrack, 1992----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Paypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIAIG: @Kirk_Hamilton | Threads: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music--------------------OCTOBER 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSCorpus FriskyBen BarronCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerDave SharpeSami SamhuriJeremy DawsonAccessViolationAndre BremerDave FloreyOCTOBER 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSDent EarlCarlos LernerMisty HaisfieldAbraham BenrubiChristopher BrunoChris KotarbaCallum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganBen SteinSusan GreenSean MurphyJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Whit SidenerRobert Granatdave malloyNick GallowayHeather Johnsonjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskLuigi BocciaE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeJeff UlmJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareCarrie SchneiderRichard SneddonJulian RoleffDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristElliot RosenLisa TurnerPaul WayperBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAilie FraserRob TsukNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonVictoria YuBrad Clarkmino caposselaSteve PaquinEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistLinda DuffyBonnie PrinsenLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffWenGeoff GoldenRob FPascal RuegerRandy SouzaClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
10/20/2023 • 21 minutes, 45 seconds
The Four Electric Guitars
There are so many electric guitars. Truly, there is a guitar for every mood, every season, and every feeling. But there are four types of electric guitar that are a bit more widely used than other ones. On this formely-bonus-now-main-feed episode, Kirk discusses those four guitars—the Fender Stratocaster, the Telecaster, the Gibson Les Paul, and the 335—and goes through some of the Strong Songs that have featured them.FEATURED/DISCUSSED:“Spanish Castle Magic" and "Little Wing" by Jimi Hendrix from Axis: Bold as Love, 1967“Like a Prayer” by Madonna from Like a Prayer, 1989“Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd from Second Helping, 1973“Home” by Cory Wong from Motivational Music for the Syncopated Soul, 2019"Time" by Pink Floyd from The Dark Side of the Moon, 1973"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears from Songs From The Big Chair, 1985“Folsom Prison Blues" by Johnny Cash, 1955"Make a Mistake With Me" by Brad Paisley from Mud on the Tires, 2003“Paranoid Android” by Radiohead from OK Computer, 1997“Stairway to Heaven” by Led Zeppelin from Led Zeppelin IV, 1971“Kiss” by Prince from Parade, 1986“Last Goodbye” by Jeff Buckley from Grace, 1994“Blood and Thunder” by Mastodon from Leviathan, 2004“Immigrant Song” from Led Zeppelin III, 1970“Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra from Out of the Blue, 1978“Wuthering Heights” by Kate Bush from The Kick Inside, 1978“Starman” by David Bowie from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, 1972“November Rain” by Guns N’ Roses from Use Your Illusion, 1991"Sister Sadie" by Horace Silver, 1959“Help Me” by Joni Mitchell from Court & Spark, 1974“Kid Charlemagne” by Steely Dan from The Royal Scam, 1976“September” by Earth, Wind & Fire, 1978“No One Knows” by Queens of the Stone Age from Songs for the Deaf, 2004-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music----------------SEPTEMBER 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSBen BarronCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryAshley HoagChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriJeremy DawsonAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillAndre BremerDave FloreySEPTEMBER 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAbraham BenrubiChristopher BrunoChris KotarbaCallum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganBen SteinSusan GreenSean MurphyJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Whit SidenerRobert Granatdave malloyNick GallowayHeather Johnsonjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskLuigi BocciaE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareCarrie SchneiderRichard SneddonJulian RoleffDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristElliot RosenLisa TurnerPaul WayperBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayAilie FraserVonRob TsukNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonVictoria YuBrad Clarkmino caposselaSteve PaquinEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistLinda DuffyLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneSarah SulanDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
10/6/2023 • 34 minutes, 45 seconds
John Williams' Star Wars Legacy, with Dan Golding
Composer John Williams is the defining sound of Hollywood and, arguably, the most widely listened to composer in the world. Kirk decided he needed some help tackling Williams' towering musical legacy, so he enlisted Australian author and musician Dan Golding as his tour guide through Williams' musical world, with a special focus on his groundbreaking score for 1980's Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back.REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:Dan's book Star Wars After Lucas, his ABC radio show Screen Sounds and his podcast Art of the Score"Liberdade" by Dili Allstars"Celebration" from Push Me Pull You by Dan Golding, 2016The Adventures of Robin Hood score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, 1938Excerpts from Untitled Goose Game as assembled by Dan Golding"Right Time" by Mighty Diamonds/Sly & Robbie, 1976"Peter Gunn" by Henry Mancini, 1959"1. Mars, the Bringer of War" by Gustov Holst from The Planets, Op. 32 as performed by the London Symphony OrchestraExcerpts from Star Wars: A New Hope, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, all by John WilliamsThe "Star Wars Music Minute" podcast episode 22 feat. Dan Golding"Medley: Star Wars" by Meco, 1977Bill Murray singing the Star Wars theme on Saturday Night Live, 1978Excerpts from Jurassic Park by John WilliamsExcerpts from Merry Melodies/Looney Tunes by Carl Stalling"Flash Gordon" by Queen from Flash Gordon, 1980"The Mandalorian" by Ludwig Göransson from The Mandalorian, 2019"If I Fight, You Fight" from Creed by Ludwig Göransson, 2015Excerpts from the Solo: A Star Wars Story score by John Powell, 2018"Moanin," "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting," "Open Letter to Duke," "Eh's Flat Ah's Flat Too" from Mingus Ah Um and Blues & Roots, by Charles Mingus, 1959"II B.S." by Charles Mingus from Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, Mingus, 1964"Work Song" by Duke Ellington from Black Brown & Beige as recorded by Jazz at Lincoln Center in 2020"The Fablemans" by John Williams from The Fablemans, 2022"Beef Lo Mein" by Caroline Shaw from the Fleishman is in Trouble soundtrack, 2019"Movement II: The Big Show" by Wynton Marsalis and Jazz at Lincoln Center from Symphony No. 4: "The Jungle," 2023----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Paypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIAIG: @Kirk_Hamilton | Threads: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music--------------------SEPTEMBER 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSBen BarronCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryAshley HoagChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriJeremy DawsonAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillAndre BremerDave FloreySEPTEMBER 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAbraham BenrubiChristopher BrunoChris KotarbaCallum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganBen SteinSusan GreenSean MurphyJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Whit SidenerRobert Granatdave malloyNick GallowayHeather Johnsonjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskLuigi BocciaE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareCarrie SchneiderRichard SneddonJulian RoleffDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristElliot RosenLisa TurnerPaul WayperBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayAilie FraserVonRob TsukNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonVictoria YuBrad Clarkmino caposselaSteve PaquinEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistLinda DuffyLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneSarah SulanDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
9/22/2023 • 2 hours, 26 minutes, 27 seconds
Counterpoint, Chaka Kahn, & Peter Gabriel
Kirk answers your questions on 60s pop counterpoint, Chaka Kahn syncopation, Taylor Swift's re-recording project, good practice habits, Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer," and more.FEATURED/DISCUSSED:"You've Got Your Troubles" by Roger Greenaway and Roger Cool, recorded by The FortunesContrapunctus 1 by J.S. Bach recorded by the Emerson String Quartet on Bach: The Art of Fugue, 2003T.I.B.W.F. by The Budos Band, from The Budos Band, 2005"Dying to Get To Europe" by Ketil Bjornstad from Seafarer's Song, 2004"The Place Where He Inserted the Blade" by Black Country, New Road from Ants From Up There, 2022"Tell Me Somethin' Good" by Stevie Wonder, recorded by Rufus feat. Chaka Kahn, 1974"Colors" by Beck from Colors, 2017"Digital Love" by Daft Punk from Discovery, 2001"Goose" by Polyphia from Most Hated, 2017"Sparks Fly" (Taylor's Version) from Speak Now (Taylor's Version), 2023"Sledgehammer" by Peter Gabriel from So, 1986-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music----------------AUGUST 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryAshley HoagChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriJeremy DawsonAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillAndre BremerDave FloreyAUGUST 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAbraham BenrubiChristopher BrunoPAUTNAChris KotarbaCallum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganZach WamplerBen SteinSusan GreenSean MurphyJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Whit SidenerRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongNick Gallowayjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskLuigi BocciaE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareCarrie SchneiderRichard SneddonJulian RoleffDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristElliot RosenLisa TurnerPaul WayperBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAilie FraserVonNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsVictoria YuBrad ClarkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistLinda DuffyEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
9/8/2023 • 54 minutes, 42 seconds
"Soul Vaccination" by Tower of Power
Kirk climbs inside the machine-gun rhythms and unstoppable grooves of the legendary Oakland funk outfit Tower of Power.Written by: Doc Kupka and Emilio CastilloAlbum: Tower of Power (1973)Listen/Buy via SongwhipALSO DISCUSSED:"What is Hip?" "Squib Cakes" "Only So Much Oil in the Ground" "Don't Change Horses (In the Middle of a Stream)," "So Very Hard to Go," "Credit," all by Tower of Power"Saturday Night Live" theme by Howard Shore, feat. Lenny Pickett"Cold Sweat," "I Got the Feelin'," "Mother Popcorn," "Funky Drummer" by James Brown, 1967-70"Soul Vaccination" live from Soul Vaccination: Tower of Power Live, 1998Drum examples performed by Russ Kieiner, recorded by Nick D'Errico----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Paypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIAIG: @Kirk_Hamilton | Threads: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music--------------------AUGUST 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryAshley HoagChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriJeremy DawsonAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillAndre BremerDave FloreyAUGUST 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAbraham BenrubiChristopher BrunoPAUTNAChris KotarbaCallum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganZach WamplerBen SteinSusan GreenSean MurphyJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Whit SidenerRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongNick Gallowayjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskLuigi BocciaE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareCarrie SchneiderRichard SneddonJulian RoleffDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristElliot RosenLisa TurnerPaul WayperBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAilie FraserVonNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsVictoria YuBrad ClarkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistLinda DuffyEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
8/25/2023 • 49 minutes, 44 seconds
"Killing Me Softly With His Song," as sung by Lauryn Hill, Roberta Flack, & Lori Lieberman
It's not uncommon for a song to be written for one artist, only to become widely known after being recorded by another. It's less common for a song to have yet another rebirth decades later. That's just what happened with "Killing Me Softly with His Song." Originally inspired by Lori Lieberman's profound experience at a 1971 Don McLean concert, Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox's song underwent two dramatic reinventions, first by soul titan Roberta Flack in 1973, and then by Lauryn Hill and her band Fugees in 1996. In this episode, Kirk dives into all three versions, looking to better understand how each singer put her own spin on what was already a classically strong song.Written by: Music by Charles Fox, lyrics by Norman Gimbel with uncredited contributions by Lori LiebermanRecorded by: Lori Lieberman (1972), Roberta Flack (1973), Lauryn Hill & Fugees (1996)Albums: Lori Lieberman (1972), Killing Me Softly with His Song (1973), The Score (1996), A Thousand Dreams (1995), Truly (2022)ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:"She sang ‘Killing Me Softly’ before Roberta Flack. Now she just wants you to hear her side of the story," by Geoff Edgers for the Washington Post, 2020"Lori Lieberman comes to terms with 'Killing Me Softly'" by FaceCulture, 2010"Empty Chairs" by Don McLean from American Pie, 1971"Bonita Applebum" by A Tribe Called Quest from People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, 1989OUTRO SOLOIST: Joey BrinkJoey Brink is University Carillonist and Professor of Carillon at the University of Denver, where he performs daily on the 65-bell Williams Tower. An award-winning performer and composer, he has released two albums for carillon and performed widely across North America and Europe. Watch him record his solo on YouTube and check out his site at joeybrink.com.----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Paypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIAIG: @Kirk_Hamilton | Threads: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music--------------------JULY 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryAshley HoagChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyJULY 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSCallum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganZach WamplerBen SteinSusan GreenSean MurphyJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Jeff SpeckSamuel MillettWhit SidenerChance McClainRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongNick Gallowayjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeTravis PollardJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareCarrie SchneiderRichard SneddonJulian RoleffDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristElliot RosenLisa TurnerPaul WayperBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAilie FraserVonNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsVictoria YuBrad Clarkmino caposselaSteve PaquinDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistLinda DuffyLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
8/11/2023 • 59 minutes, 57 seconds
"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears For Fears
Kirk kicks off Strong Songs Season 5 with Tears For Fears' 1985 hit "Everybody Wants to Rule The World." From classic synths and drum machines to surprisingly avante-garde guitar solos, this song's got a lot more going on than you might remember.Written by: Roland Orzabal, Ian Stanley, and Chris HughesProduced by: Chris HughesAlbum: Songs from the Big Chair (1985)Listen/Buy via SongwhipALSO DISCUSSED:"Shout" and "Head Over Heels," both from Songs From the Big Chair, 1985"No One Knows" by Queens of the Stone Age from Songs For The Deaf, 2002"I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton performed by Whitney Houston on The Bodyguard soundtrack, 1992"You're The Voice" by John Farnham from Whispering Jack, 1986"Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" by Kate Bush from Hounds of Love, 1985"Kiss" by Prince from Parade, 1986"Burning Down the House" by Talking Heads from Stop Making Sense, 1983"So What" by Miles Davis from Kind of Blue, 1959"Cold Sweat" by James Brown, 1967Dan Carr's excellent synth breakdowns at Reverb Machine----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Paypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIAIG: @Kirk_Hamilton | Threads: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music--------------------JULY 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryAshley HoagChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyJULY 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSCallum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganZach WamplerBen SteinSusan GreenSean MurphyJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Jeff SpeckSamuel MillettWhit SidenerChance McClainRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongNick Gallowayjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeTravis PollardJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareCarrie SchneiderRichard SneddonJulian RoleffDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristElliot RosenLisa TurnerPaul WayperBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAilie FraserVonNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsVictoria YuBrad Clarkmino caposselaSteve PaquinDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistLinda DuffyLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
7/28/2023 • 47 minutes, 26 seconds
An Operatic Odyssey, with Luigi Boccia
Special guest Luigi Boccia takes Kirk on a magical journey through the world of the opera tenor, from Caruso and Lauri Volpi to Di Stefano and Pavarotti.Featuring performances by Luciano Pavarotti, Giuseppe Di Stefano, Enrico Caruso, Franco Corelli, Giacomo Lauri Volpi, Jussi Björling, Sergei Lemeshev, and Jon Vickers.Find a Spotify playlist of Luigi's many Tenor examples here.-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Paypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIAIG: @Kirk_Hamilton | Threads: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music--------------------JULY 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryAshley HoagChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyJULY 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSCallum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganZach WamplerBen SteinSusan GreenSean MurphyJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Jeff SpeckSamuel MillettWhit SidenerChance McClainRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongNick Gallowayjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeTravis PollardJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareCarrie SchneiderRichard SneddonJulian RoleffDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristElliot RosenLisa TurnerPaul WayperBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAilie FraserVonNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsVictoria YuBrad Clarkmino caposselaSteve PaquinDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistLinda DuffyLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
7/14/2023 • 3 hours, 38 minutes, 37 seconds
Season 5 Announcement!
Kirk shares an update on plans for Season 5, which kicks off this week.-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Paypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIAIG: @Kirk_Hamilton | Threads: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music
7/13/2023 • 6 minutes, 22 seconds
"You're The Voice" by John Farnham, Live in Sydney
John Farnham's "You're The Voice" was a worldwide hit, and nowhere was it more popular than in the Aussie singer's homeland. A couple weeks ago, Kirk went onstage with the hosts of the Chat 10 Looks 3 podcast, Leigh Sales and Annabel Crabb, to talk about the song, the singer, and so much more.This episode is excerpted from Chat 10 Looks 3 episode 214. It was recorded live at the Enmore Theater in Sydney, Australia on June 17, 2023.Performed by: John FarnhamWritten by: Chris Thompson, Maggie Ryder, Andy Qunta, & Keith ReidProduced by: Glenn WheatleyAlbum: Whispering Jack (1986)Listen/Buy via SongwhipALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED:The Chat 10 Looks 3 livestream archive (link may eventually stop working)John Farnham performs "You're The Voice" live with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra"Royals" by Lorde from Pure Heroine, 2013"Freedom" by George Michael from Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1, 1990The trailer for the upcoming John Farnham documentary "Finding The Voice"-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music--------------------June 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryAshley HoagChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerNarelle HornJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyJUNE 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSLynda MacNeilDick MorganZach WamplerBen SteinSusan Greencase faubsJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Jeff SpeckSamuel MillettWhit SidenerChance McClainRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongNick Gallowayjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidAnthony MahramusMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeTravis PollardJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishRichard SneddonJulian RoleffDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristElliot RosenLisa TurnerPaul WayperBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAilie FraserVonKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad Clarkmino caposselaSteve PaquinDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistLinda DuffyLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesJo SutherlandMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
6/30/2023 • 46 minutes, 14 seconds
"The Chain" and "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac [Recast]
Thunder only happens when it's raining, and Strong Songs only crams two songs into an episode when it's super warranted.This episode warrants just such a pairing, with a focus on two tunes by the great Fleetwood Mac. First there's the collaboratively written group-sing stomper "The Chain," and then comes Stevie Nicks' heartbeat anthem "Dreams." Both were featured on the band's classic 1977 album Rumors, and both have more than stood the test of time."The Chain" was written by Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood, Christine McVie, and John McVie."Dreams" was written by Stevie Nicks.Album: Rumors (1977)Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify----------OUTRO SOLOIST: Kyle MolitorKyle is a Portland-based trombonist who plays in all sorts of bands, and the dude can really get it done. Find him on Instagram @tbonemolitor-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music--------------------June 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryAshley HoagChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerNarelle HornJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyJUNE 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSLynda MacNeilDick MorganZach WamplerBen SteinSusan Greencase faubsJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Jeff SpeckSamuel MillettWhit SidenerChance McClainRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongNick Gallowayjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidAnthony MahramusMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeTravis PollardJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishRichard SneddonJulian RoleffDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristElliot RosenLisa TurnerPaul WayperBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAilie FraserVonKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad Clarkmino caposselaSteve PaquinDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistLinda DuffyLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesJo SutherlandMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
6/16/2023 • 1 hour, 25 seconds
"Wedding Song" from Hadestown [Recast]
On this episode, Kirk takes a deep dive into "Wedding Song," one of the signature numbers from Anaïs Mitchell's 2019 musical Hadestown. It's time for some conversational song form, a bunch of key changes, a touch of Jeff Buckley falsetto, and just a biiiiiit of trombone. Turn off your snares, and let's do this.Written by: Anaïs Mitchell, w/ arranging by Michael ChorneyDirected by: Rachel ChavkinPerformed By: Eva Noblezada & Reeve CarneyAlbum: Hadestown (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (2019)Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify------ALSO FEATURED:"Wedding Song” from the 2010 Hadestown concept album"Chant" and "Doubt Comes In" from HadestownUpdate 3/11/2021: Added a credit to Hadestown co-orchestrator Todd Sickafoose------Hey, It's Lindsay!Huge thanks to Lindsay Ellis for providing a description of what happens on stage when Orpheus debuts his big song. You can find her current work (as of 2023) on Nebula at https://nebula.tv/lindsayellis.OUTRO SOLOIST: Galen ClarkThis episode's outro soloist is Mr. Galen Clark, who plays keyboard and organ and acts as bandleader for the soul jazz group Trio Subtonic. Find more information at their website, https://www.triosubtonic.net.-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music--------------------MAY 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryElliot RosenAshley HoagChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerNarelle HornAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyMAY 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSBen SteinSusan Greencase faubsJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Jeff SpeckSamuel MillettAbraham BenrubiWhit SidenerChance McClainRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongNick Gallowayjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidAnthony MahramusMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeTravis PollardJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAnupama RaghavanCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishRichard SneddonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAilie FraserVonKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad Clarkmino caposselaSteve PaquinDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistLinda DuffySharon TreeLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesJo SutherlandMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
6/2/2023 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 26 seconds
The Light and Dark of Music, with Lily E. Hirsch
Author and musicologist Lily E. Hirsch joins Kirk to talk about the many different aspects of music she's explored in her books.REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:Lily Hirsch's many books, including A Jewish Orchestra in Nazi Germany: Musical Politics and the Berlin Jewish Culture League, Weird Al: Seriously, and Can't Stop the Grrrls: Confronting Sexist Labels in Music from Ariana Grande to Yoko OnoGustav Mahler - Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, Gilbert Kaplan w/ th Vienna PhilharmonicOliver Sacks' book Musicophelia"Hot in Herre" by Nelly from Nellyville, 2002"Trash Day" by "Weird Al" Yankovic from Poodle Hat, 2003The episode of You're Wrong About, "Yoko Ono broke up the Beatles""Hyperballad" by Björk from Post, 1995"Galileo" by Emily Saliers performed by Indigo Girls on Rites of Passage, 1992"DDU-DU DDU-DU" by Blackpink from SQUARE UP - EP 2018"The Butterfly Effect" by Caroline Mallonee from String Tunes, 2023
5/26/2023 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 45 seconds
"Chicago" by Sufjan Stevens [Recast]
On this episode, Kirk takes a deep dive into Sufjan Stevens's "Chicago," the centerpiece of his brilliant 2005 album Illinois. It's a towering construction supported by four chords, with building blocks of vibraphones, wurlitzers, strings, and choral harmonies.D, A, C, G. Eyes on the road; all things go.Artist: Sufjan StevensAlbum: Illinois (2005)Written by: Sufjan StevensListen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | SpotifyALSO FEATURED:"The Bird Women of Golden Gate Park" by Kirk Hamilton from The Exited Door, 2009"Supernova" by Meklit from When The People Move, The Music Moves Too (2017)"Come on! Feel the Illinoise!" by Sufjan Stevens from Illinois, 2005"X. Section 8" by Steve Reich from Music for 18 Musicians, 1978"Clocks" by Coldplay from A Rush of Blood to the Head, 2002OUTRO SOLOIST: Kirk HamiltonKirk is, well, the host of Strong Songs. He decided to finally record an outro solo at the start of 2020. He's playing tenor sax, and there's actually a video of him recording the solo here: https://twitter.com/kirkhamilton/status/1214319584959877123-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music--------------------MAY 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryElliot RosenAshley HoagChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerNarelle HornAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyMAY 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSBen SteinSusan Greencase faubsJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Jeff SpeckSamuel MillettAbraham BenrubiWhit SidenerChance McClainRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongNick Gallowayjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidAnthony MahramusMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeTravis PollardJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAnupama RaghavanCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishRichard SneddonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAilie FraserVonKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad Clarkmino caposselaSteve PaquinDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistLinda DuffySharon TreeLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesJo SutherlandMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
5/19/2023 • 59 minutes, 21 seconds
"Hyperballad" by Björk [Recast]
It's early in the morning; no one is awake. From the top of the mountain, the soft light of dawn comes into view. You take a deep breath, and prepare for a journey with the great genius of musical travel.On this episode, Kirk dives into Björk's 1995 electro-pop masterpiece "Hyperballad," paying special attention to how carefully she weaves together music and lyrics to create a sense of space, and thus a feeling of travel.Written and produced by: BjörkCo-produced by: Nellee HooperAlbum: Post (1995)Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | SpotifySPECIAL GUEST: ICELANDFor the visualization exercise Kirk mentions in the episode, some photos of the Icelandic countryside can be found here and here. Or really anywhere online.----------OUTRO SOLOIST: BJ CordThis episode's outro soloist is BJ Cord, a fantastic trumpet player based in Portland. BJ works at Monette trumpets making some of the most beautiful horns in the world, and is a regular presence on their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monettetrumpets-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music-------------------------------------MAY 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryElliot RosenAshley HoagChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerNarelle HornAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyMAY 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSBen SteinSusan Greencase faubsJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Jeff SpeckSamuel MillettAbraham BenrubiWhit SidenerChance McClainRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongNick Gallowayjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidAnthony MahramusMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeTravis PollardJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAnupama RaghavanCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishRichard SneddonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAilie FraserVonKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad Clarkmino caposselaSteve PaquinDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistLinda DuffySharon TreeLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesJo SutherlandMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
5/5/2023 • 50 minutes, 19 seconds
The Music of The Legend of Zelda [Recast]
From Zelda's Lullabye to Epona's Song to the Great Fairy Fountain and Dragon Roost Island, Kirk unravels some of his favorite Zelda music and explores how Nintendo's composers keep weaving them back together into beautiful new patterns.Written by: Main themes by Koji Kondo, with additional compositions by Kenta Nagata (Wind Waker), Manaka Kataoka, Yasuaki Iwata, and Hajime Wakai (Breath of the Wild)Featuring music from: The Legend of Zelda (1986), A Link to the Past (1991), Ocarina of Time (1998), Wind Waker (2002), Skyward Sword (2011), A Link Between Worlds (2013), and Breath of the Wild (2017)ALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED:Themes from Star Wars, Superman, and Jurassic Park by John WilliamsThe Super Mario Bros. theme by Koji Kondo, and the episode of Strong Songs discussing itKirk's weekly video game podcast Triple Click, which he makes along with Jason Schreier and Maddy MyersOUTRO SOLOIST: Charles McNealCharles McNeal is a killin' Oakland-based sax player who plays all over the bay area. He's also a master jazz transcriber, and has chronicled tons of great solos. You can find him playing out in a variety of bands and settings; the best way to keep up with his music is to subscribe to his YouTube channel or follow him on Instagram @charlesonsax2.-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music---------------APRIL 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinThomas DarstEd RankinJay SwartzMiriam JoyGareth FlynnRonjanKasPatrickSEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryRRPrince M. Levy-BenitezKathie HullfishPaul McElliot RosenAshley HoagKelsairRob BosworthJosh PearsonKyle CookeLiam KeoghPer Morten BarstadChristopher MillerTim ByrneJamie WhiteJohanna L. BransonAngus McKimmChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellJill Smith-MooreRachel RakovNarelle HornMickey ClarkNathaniel BauernfeindRob SBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmKyle StarrErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourMatt ButlerDoug PatonR WatsonViki DunDave SharpeSami SamhuriCraig J CovellAccessViolationRyan TorvikFraserandrew waltersJared NorrisElliot Jay O'NeillGlennCALEB ROTACHAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiAPRIL 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Jeff SpeckSamuel MillettAbraham BenrubiWhit SidenerEmlia AlfordChance McClainRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongJason MorrisseyNick Gallowayjohn halpinJennifer KennerPeter HardingDavidJaredAnthony MahramusRoss ShainMeghan O'LearyJeffrey PuzzoJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonDaniel MosierCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanOwain HuntRenee DowningDrewRohan LatimerKenIsWearingAHatTonyJordan BlockAaron WadeMichael FlahertyPhotog19610Travis PollardJeff UlmJeff NewmanJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonJulian RoleffMelissa GallardoJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth Jungbenkurt wendelkenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAndy PainterKaren LiuGreg BurgessAilie FraserVonPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeÅshild Margrete Østtveit OdéenEmma SklarSpencer StanfordBernard KhooDavid BlackmanAndrew ShpallRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderAndy SmithTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherShelly UnderhillDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael Bermanstephen matthewsBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJeremy SchwartzJohn GisselquistElaine MartinLinda DuffyThomas KönigBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinShawn McCarthyDallas HockleyJana JTerronJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloJoel StevensonNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonErika L AustinCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonMark EdwardsRandall BrowningSarah SulanDiane HughesMatt BeamsKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerBarb CourtneyDerek & Laura BenderFranco FamularoDon HutchisonLowell MeyerEtele IllesJeff AlmondStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SamplemiaWenJack SjogrenAparajit RaghavanBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCLatifah MakuyiBrendan JubbClare HolbertonJake TinsleyGeorgia LivesayDavid ZuckerDiane TurnerTom ColemanBrendon Oliver-EwenKendra ReidJudy ChappleTijs SoeteStuart TerryMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerStephenGerry NelsonDave KingAlbukittyCaro FieldWayne MarshJudith StansfieldJenifer Carrmichael bochnerDuncanbrant brantphillipNaomi WatsonLeigh SalesMarkus KoesterDavid CushmanAlexanderToni IsaacsonJeremy DawsonRobbie FerreroJake DyeChris KGavin DoigMark SteenSam FennTanner MortonMollyAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerSPBrooke WilfordAlex SingerCyrus N. WhiteShaun WieseMiriam JuskowiczDominik SchmittJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaKate AlburyMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtAndrew FairDarryl StewartL.B. MorseBill ThorntonTim EvansBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleRavy VajraveluNick ClementsJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonJeff DixonJohn and Sharon StengleinTom LauerjouForrest ChangEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeMax SchechterJustin McElroyArjun SharmaSupermanTDJesusJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellTom ClewerKevin PennyfeatherFlSHBONESColin Hodohazy shacterKyle SimonsEmily Williams
4/21/2023 • 57 minutes, 23 seconds
"God Only Knows" by The Beach Boys [Recast]
The sleigh bells ring, the french horn solos, and The Wrecking Crew lays down the foundation for an immaculate collection of chords and melodies, all placed over a bass line that's as Bach as it is Beach-y. Turns out there's a reason so many people call this the greatest song ever written.Artist: The Beach BoysAlbum: Pet Sounds (1966)Written by: Brian Wilson & Tony AsherListen/Buy via Songwhip------ALSO FEATURED:"And Your Dream Comes True" by The Beach Boys from Summer Days (And Summer Nights), 1965Discussion of Danny Tedesco's excellent 2008 documentary The Wrecking CrewOUTRO SOLOIST: Luke PriceThis episode's outro soloist is the wonderful Portland fiddle player Luke Price. When he's not working as a side man in a variety of killer bands, Luke joins his wife Rachael to form the excellent songwriting duo DEAN!. They've got a great album out, and you can follow them on Instagram and listen to some of their stuff on their website, wearedean.com.-----LINKS-----GET READY SYDNEY!Come see Kirk with Chat10Looks3 at the Sydney Enmore Theater. June 17, 2023 - Tickets here.SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music---------------APRIL 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinThomas DarstEd RankinJay SwartzMiriam JoyGareth FlynnRonjanKasPatrickSEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryRRPrince M. Levy-BenitezKathie HullfishPaul McElliot RosenAshley HoagKelsairRob BosworthJosh PearsonKyle CookeLiam KeoghPer Morten BarstadChristopher MillerTim ByrneJamie WhiteJohanna L. BransonAngus McKimmChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellJill Smith-MooreRachel RakovNarelle HornMickey ClarkNathaniel BauernfeindRob SBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmKyle StarrErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourMatt ButlerDoug PatonR WatsonViki DunDave SharpeSami SamhuriCraig J CovellAccessViolationRyan TorvikFraserandrew waltersJared NorrisElliot Jay O'NeillGlennCALEB ROTACHAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiAPRIL 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Jeff SpeckSamuel MillettAbraham BenrubiWhit SidenerEmlia AlfordChance McClainRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongJason MorrisseyNick Gallowayjohn halpinJennifer KennerPeter HardingDavidJaredAnthony MahramusRoss ShainMeghan O'LearyJeffrey PuzzoJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonDaniel MosierCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanOwain HuntRenee DowningDrewRohan LatimerKenIsWearingAHatTonyJordan BlockAaron WadeMichael FlahertyPhotog19610Travis PollardJeff UlmJeff NewmanJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonJulian RoleffMelissa GallardoJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth Jungbenkurt wendelkenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAndy PainterKaren LiuGreg BurgessAilie FraserVonPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeÅshild Margrete Østtveit OdéenEmma SklarSpencer StanfordBernard KhooDavid BlackmanAndrew ShpallRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderAndy SmithTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherShelly UnderhillDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael Bermanstephen matthewsBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJeremy SchwartzJohn GisselquistElaine MartinLinda DuffyThomas KönigBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinShawn McCarthyDallas HockleyJana JTerronJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloJoel StevensonNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonErika L AustinCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonMark EdwardsRandall BrowningSarah SulanDiane HughesMatt BeamsKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerBarb CourtneyDerek & Laura BenderFranco FamularoDon HutchisonLowell MeyerEtele IllesJeff AlmondStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SamplemiaWenJack SjogrenAparajit RaghavanBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCLatifah MakuyiBrendan JubbClare HolbertonJake TinsleyGeorgia LivesayDavid ZuckerDiane TurnerTom ColemanBrendon Oliver-EwenKendra ReidJudy ChappleTijs SoeteStuart TerryMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerStephenGerry NelsonDave KingAlbukittyCaro FieldWayne MarshJudith StansfieldJenifer Carrmichael bochnerDuncanbrant brantphillipNaomi WatsonLeigh SalesMarkus KoesterDavid CushmanAlexanderToni IsaacsonJeremy DawsonRobbie FerreroJake DyeChris KGavin DoigMark SteenSam FennTanner MortonMollyAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerSPBrooke WilfordAlex SingerCyrus N. WhiteShaun WieseMiriam JuskowiczDominik SchmittJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaKate AlburyMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtAndrew FairDarryl StewartL.B. MorseBill ThorntonTim EvansBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleRavy VajraveluNick ClementsJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonJeff DixonJohn and Sharon StengleinTom LauerjouForrest ChangEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeMax SchechterJustin McElroyArjun SharmaSupermanTDJesusJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellTom ClewerKevin PennyfeatherFlSHBONESColin Hodohazy shacterKyle SimonsEmily Williams
4/7/2023 • 59 minutes, 48 seconds
Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense [Recast]
It's time for something a little different, as Kirk puts down his record player and climbs onstage for Jonathan Demme and Talking Heads' classic 1984 concert film Stop Making Sense. It's a tour through the first hour of the film, from "Heaven" to "Burning Down the House" to "Once in a Lifetime," with some quick stops along the way.Songs by: Talking Heads (David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison)Featuring: Steve Scales (Percussion), Lynn Mabry and Ednah Holt (Vocals), Alex Weir (Guitar/Vocals), and Bernie Worrell (Keys)Film directed by: Jonathan DemmeFEATURED/DISCUSSED:The first 12 songs from Stop Making Sense, 1984"Once in a Lifetime" by Talking Heads & Brian Eno“Heaven” by David Byrne and Jerry Harrison from Fear of Music, 1979“Slippery People” and "Burning Down the House" by David Byrne from Speaking in Tongues, 1983A 2020 American Songwriter interview with Edna Holt and Lynn Mabry“Flash Light” by Parliament from Funkentelechy vs. The Placebo Syndrome, 1977“You Make Me Wanna Wiggle” by The Brothers Johnson from Light Up the Night, 1980The documentary 20 Feet From StardomOUTRO SOLOIST: Carlos "Insaneintherainmusic" EieineCarlos Eienie is a prolific multi-instrumentalist and YouTube creator who's done some extremely fun jazz arrangements of great video game music, among other things. You can find him on most social media as some variant of @insaneintherainmusic, and on his website at https://www.insaneintherainmusic.com/.-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music---------------MARCH 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinEd RankinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryElliot RosenAshley HoagChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellNarelle HornErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyMARCH 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Jeff SpeckSamuel MillettAbraham BenrubiWhit SidenerChance McClainRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongNick Gallowayjohn halpinJennifer KennerPeter HardingDavidAnthony MahramusMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonDaniel MosierCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadePhotog19610Travis PollardJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserVonKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad Clarkmino caposselaSteve PaquinDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistLinda DuffySharon TreeLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneSarah SulanDiane HughesJo SutherlandMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
3/24/2023 • 1 hour, 3 minutes, 8 seconds
"Paranoid Android" by Radiohead [Recast]
It's a structurally distinct, sonically adventurous, harmonically varied, and unexpectedly Bohemian Rhapsodyesque journey into the human psyche as Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, and the rest of their not-so-merry band plumb the depths of 90s alienation.Band/Artist: RadioheadAlbum: OK Computer, 1997Composed by: Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Colin Greenwood, Philip SelwayListen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | SpotifyALSO FEATURED:"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen"Fitter Happier" from OK Computer"Hyper Music" by Muse(This episode's audio was edited to correct some flanger/phaser confusion, thanks to listener Oblong Thong for sharing this cool catalogue of Greenwood's guitar effects: https://thekingofgear.com/jonny/effects)OUTRO SOLOIST: Galen ClarkThis episode's outro soloist is the one and only Galen Clark. Galen plays keyboard and organ and acts as bandleader for the soul jazz group Trio Subtonic; you can find playing regularly around Portland, Oregon and occasionally on tour. Find more information at their website, https://www.triosubtonic.net.-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music---------------MARCH 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinEd RankinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryElliot RosenAshley HoagChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellNarelle HornErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyMARCH 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSJake YumatillaAlan BroughRandal VegterGo Birds!Jeff SpeckSamuel MillettAbraham BenrubiWhit SidenerChance McClainRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongNick Gallowayjohn halpinJennifer KennerPeter HardingDavidAnthony MahramusMeghan O'LearyJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonDaniel MosierCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadePhotog19610Travis PollardJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserVonKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad Clarkmino caposselaSteve PaquinDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistLinda DuffySharon TreeLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneSarah SulanDiane HughesJo SutherlandMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
3/10/2023 • 57 minutes, 40 seconds
"Sinnerman" by Nina Simone [Recast]
It's time for Strong Songs' first-ever analysis of a live recording, as Kirk digs in to legendary pianist/vocalist Nina Simone's 1965 interpretation of the traditional spiritual song "Sinnerman." It's time for some syncopated piano, popless grooves, band crash-landings, hand-clap breakdowns, hip hop samples, and one spectacular vocal cadenza.Artist: Nina SimoneAlbum: Pastel Blues (1965)Written by: Traditional, arr. Nina SimoneListen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify------ALSO FEATURED:"I Put a Spell On You" and "Feeling Good" as performed by Nina Simone on I Put a Spell On You, 1965"Strange Fruit" as performed by Simone on Pastel Blues, 1965"Sinner Man" arranged by Les Baxter for his orchestra"Oh, Timbaland" by Timbaland from Shock Value, 2007"Get By" by Talib Kweli from Quality, 2002Audio from John McTiernan's underrated 1999 remake of The Thomas Crown AffairAudio from Liz Garbus' excellent 2015 documentary What Happened, Miss Simone?OUTRO SOLOIST: Rob ReichThis episode's outro soloist is the wonderful bay area pianist/accordionist Rob Reich. Rob performs all over the place with a bunch of different groups, and is a total pleasure to see play. He's got a bunch of albums you can check out and contributes to an array of interesting projects (Live silent-film scores! Circus music!) and experiments. Find more at his website, http://www.robreich.com/.-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music---------------FEBRUARY 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinThomas DarstEd RankinTimothy morsheadJay SwartzEllen NalvenMiriam JoyGareth FlynnRonjanKasPatrickSEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryRRPrince M. Levy-BenitezKathie HullfishPaul McElliot RosenAshley HoagKelsairAndrew BakerRob BosworthJosh PearsonKyle CookeLiam KeoghMelissa OsborneKathleen Reuscynthia hochswenderPer Morten BarstadChristopher MillerTim ByrneJamie WhiteGeorge H AronsonJohanna L. BransonAngus McKimmChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJeffrey JueNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellJill Smith-MooreRachel RakovNarelle HornMickey ClarkNathaniel BauernfeindRob SBill RosingerAnne BrittPhil GriffinDavid ZahmKyle StarrErinAidan CoughlanSteve PhilpotJeanneret Manning Family FourMatt ButlerDoug PatonR WatsonViki DunDave SharpeSami SamhuriCraig J CovellAccessViolationRyan TorvikFraserandrew waltersJared NorrisElliot Jay O'NeillGlennCALEB ROTACHAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiSara WalshFEBRUARY 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSRandal VegterGo Birds!Jeff SpeckSamuel MillettAbraham BenrubiWhit SidenerEmlia AlfordChance McClainRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongJason MorrisseyNick Gallowayjohn halpinJennifer KennerPeter HardingDavidJaredAnthony MahramusRoss ShainMeghan O'LearyJeffrey PuzzoJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonDaniel MosierCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanOwain HuntRenee DowningDrewRohan LatimerKenIsWearingAHatTonyJordan BlockAaron WadeMichael FlahertyPhotog19610Travis PollardJeff UlmJeff NewmanJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffMelissa GallardoJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth Jungbenkurt wendelkenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAndy PainterKaren LiuGreg BurgessAilie FraserSimon PrietoVonPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeÅshild Margrete Østtveit OdéenEmma SklarSpencer StanfordBernard KhooDavid BlackmanAndrew ShpallRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderAndy SmithTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherShelly UnderhillDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael Bermanstephen matthewsBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJeremy SchwartzJohn GisselquistElaine MartinLinda DuffyThomas KönigBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinShawn McCarthyDallas HockleyJana JTerronJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloJoel StevensonNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonErika L AustinCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonMark EdwardsRandall BrowningSarah SulanDiane HughesMatt BeamsKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerBarb CourtneyDerek & Laura BenderFranco FamularoDon HutchisonLowell MeyerEtele IllesJeff AlmondStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SamplemiaWenJack SjogrenAparajit RaghavanBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCLatifah MakuyiBrendan JubbClare HolbertonJake TinsleyGeorgia LivesayDavid ZuckerDiane TurnerTom ColemanSUELLEN MOOREBrendon Oliver-EwenKendra ReidJudy ChappleTijs SoeteStuart TerryMark PerryMaloryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerStephenGerry NelsonDave KingAlbukittyCaro FieldWayne MarshJudith StansfieldJenifer Carrmichael bochnerDuncanbrant brantphillipNaomi WatsonLeigh SalesMarkus KoesterDavid CushmanAlexanderToni IsaacsonJeremy DawsonRobbie FerreroJake DyeChris KGavin DoigMark SteenSam FennTanner MortonMollyAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerSPBrooke WilfordAlex SingerCyrus N. WhiteShaun WieseMiriam JuskowiczMark HaberlenDominik SchmittJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaKate AlburyMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtAndrew FairDarryl StewartL.B. MorseBill ThorntonTim EvansBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleRavy VajraveluNick ClementsJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonJeff DixonJohn and Sharon StengleinTom LauerjouForrest ChangEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeMax SchechterJustin McElroyArjun SharmaSupermanTDJesusJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellTom ClewerKevin PennyfeatherFlSHBONESColin Hodohazy shacterKyle SimonsEmily Williams
2/24/2023 • 58 minutes, 11 seconds
From Bach to Miles Davis, with Emily Reese
Kirk sits down with musician and podcaster Emily Reese to talk about the beauty of Bach's "Goldberg Variations," the distinct sound of Davis/Evans/Mulligan's "Birth of the Cool," the joys of the Knight Rider theme, and her podcast Level with Emily Reese, which focuses on the wide world of video game music. FEATURED/DISCUSSED:Emily's music podcast Level with Emily: https://www.levelwithemily.com"Singin' the Blues" feat. Frankie Trumbauer on C Melody Sax"Move," by Miles Davis and "Jeru," "Rocker," and "Venus de Milo" by Gerry Mulligan, arr Gil Evans from Birth of the Cool released 1957"Knight Rider Theme" by Stu Phillips, 1982"Funky Fanfare" and "People's Choice" by Keith Mansfield from the KPM 1000 Series of Library Recordings"Thank You for Being a Friend" by Andrew Gold, recorded by Cynthia Fee, 1985"Density," "Transluce," "Among Ruins" from Citizen Sleeper by Amos Roddy, 2022"Rameau: Les Cyclopes" by Jean Phillipe Rameau, as performed by Trevor PinnockThe Complete Beethoven Symphonies as recorded by John Elliot Gardiner's Revolutionary and Romantic OrchestraStargazer by Dave Douglas, 1994-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music---------------FEBRUARY 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinThomas DarstEd RankinTimothy morsheadJay SwartzEllen NalvenMiriam JoyGareth FlynnRonjanKasPatrickSEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryRRPrince M. Levy-BenitezKathie HullfishPaul McElliot RosenAshley HoagKelsairAndrew BakerRob BosworthJosh PearsonKyle CookeLiam KeoghMelissa OsborneKathleen Reuscynthia hochswenderPer Morten BarstadChristopher MillerTim ByrneJamie WhiteGeorge H AronsonJohanna L. BransonAngus McKimmChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJeffrey JueNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellJill Smith-MooreRachel RakovNarelle HornMickey ClarkNathaniel BauernfeindRob SBill RosingerAnne BrittPhil GriffinDavid ZahmKyle StarrErinAidan CoughlanSteve PhilpotJeanneret Manning Family FourMatt ButlerDoug PatonR WatsonViki DunDave SharpeSami SamhuriCraig J CovellAccessViolationRyan TorvikFraserandrew waltersJared NorrisElliot Jay O'NeillGlennCALEB ROTACHAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiSara WalshFEBRUARY 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSRandal VegterGo Birds!Jeff SpeckSamuel MillettAbraham BenrubiWhit SidenerEmlia AlfordChance McClainRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongJason MorrisseyNick Gallowayjohn halpinJennifer KennerPeter HardingDavidJaredAnthony MahramusRoss ShainMeghan O'LearyJeffrey PuzzoJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonDaniel MosierCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanOwain HuntRenee DowningDrewRohan LatimerKenIsWearingAHatTonyJordan BlockAaron WadeMichael FlahertyPhotog19610Travis PollardJeff UlmJeff NewmanJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffMelissa GallardoJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth Jungbenkurt wendelkenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAndy PainterKaren LiuGreg BurgessAilie FraserSimon PrietoVonPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeÅshild Margrete Østtveit OdéenEmma SklarSpencer StanfordBernard KhooDavid BlackmanAndrew ShpallRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderAndy SmithTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherShelly UnderhillDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael Bermanstephen matthewsBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJeremy SchwartzJohn GisselquistElaine MartinLinda DuffyThomas KönigBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinShawn McCarthyDallas HockleyJana JTerronJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloJoel StevensonNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonErika L AustinCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonMark EdwardsRandall BrowningSarah SulanDiane HughesMatt BeamsKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerBarb CourtneyDerek & Laura BenderFranco FamularoDon HutchisonLowell MeyerEtele IllesJeff AlmondStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SamplemiaWenJack SjogrenAparajit RaghavanBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCLatifah MakuyiBrendan JubbClare HolbertonJake TinsleyGeorgia LivesayDavid ZuckerDiane TurnerTom ColemanSUELLEN MOOREBrendon Oliver-EwenKendra ReidJudy ChappleTijs SoeteStuart TerryMark PerryMaloryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerStephenGerry NelsonDave KingAlbukittyCaro FieldWayne MarshJudith StansfieldJenifer Carrmichael bochnerDuncanbrant brantphillipNaomi WatsonLeigh SalesMarkus KoesterDavid CushmanAlexanderToni IsaacsonJeremy DawsonRobbie FerreroJake DyeChris KGavin DoigMark SteenSam FennTanner MortonMollyAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerSPBrooke WilfordAlex SingerCyrus N. WhiteShaun WieseMiriam JuskowiczMark HaberlenDominik SchmittJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaKate AlburyMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtAndrew FairDarryl StewartL.B. MorseBill ThorntonTim EvansBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleRavy VajraveluNick ClementsJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonJeff DixonJohn and Sharon StengleinTom LauerjouForrest ChangEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeMax SchechterJustin McElroyArjun SharmaSupermanTDJesusJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellTom ClewerKevin PennyfeatherFlSHBONESColin Hodohazy shacterKyle SimonsEmily Williams
2/17/2023 • 1 hour, 18 minutes, 17 seconds
"Kiss" by Prince [Recast]
June, 2020: It's finally time to talk about the Purple One on Strong Songs, specifically his 1986 chart-topper "Kiss." How did a song that was originally written for a standard band become so stripped-down and distinct? Why do those vocal and guitar parts work so well? And who was responsible for some of the sounds and styles Prince was channeling when he recorded it?All that and more, on this episode.Artist: PrinceAlbum: Parade (1986)Written by: PrinceListen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify------ALSO FEATURED:"Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag" by James Brown, 1965"I Got the Feelin'" by James Brown, 1968"Say Man" by Bo Diddley, 1959"Manic Monday" by Prince (!) performed by The Bangles on Different Light, 1986“Addicted to Love” by Robert Palmer from Riptide, 1985“Rock Me Amadeus” by Falco from Falco 3, 1985“West End Girls” by the Pet Shop Boys from Please, 1984“Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck Berry, 1958“St. Louis Blues” by W.C. Handy performed by Bessie Smith, 1929“Make Me Feel” by Janelle Monae from Dirty Computer, 2018A 2013 Sound on Sound interview with "Kiss" producer David Z: https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/prince-kissUpdate 6/24: A couple listeners pointed out that Prince actually *wrote* The Bangles' "Manic Monday," which is too fun of a fun-fact not to mention on the episode.OUTRO SOLOIST: Sam HowardThis episode's outro soloist is bassist Sam Howard. Sam lives in Nashville, TN, where he performs and tours with all kinds of artists. Sam played all the way through the Strong Songs outro, so keep an ear out for his playing mixed under the horns on the way out. You can find out what Sam's up to at his website, https://samhowardmusic.com.-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music---------------FEBRUARY 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinThomas DarstEd RankinTimothy morsheadJay SwartzEllen NalvenMiriam JoyGareth FlynnRonjanKasPatrickSEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryRRPrince M. Levy-BenitezKathie HullfishPaul McElliot RosenAshley HoagKelsairAndrew BakerRob BosworthJosh PearsonKyle CookeLiam KeoghMelissa OsborneKathleen Reuscynthia hochswenderPer Morten BarstadChristopher MillerTim ByrneJamie WhiteGeorge H AronsonJohanna L. BransonAngus McKimmChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJeffrey JueNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellJill Smith-MooreRachel RakovNarelle HornMickey ClarkNathaniel BauernfeindRob SBill RosingerAnne BrittPhil GriffinDavid ZahmKyle StarrErinAidan CoughlanSteve PhilpotJeanneret Manning Family FourMatt ButlerDoug PatonR WatsonViki DunDave SharpeSami SamhuriCraig J CovellAccessViolationRyan TorvikFraserandrew waltersJared NorrisElliot Jay O'NeillGlennCALEB ROTACHAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiSara WalshFEBRUARY 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSRandal VegterGo Birds!Jeff SpeckSamuel MillettAbraham BenrubiWhit SidenerEmlia AlfordChance McClainRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongJason MorrisseyNick Gallowayjohn halpinJennifer KennerPeter HardingDavidJaredAnthony MahramusRoss ShainMeghan O'LearyJeffrey PuzzoJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonDaniel MosierCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanOwain HuntRenee DowningDrewRohan LatimerKenIsWearingAHatTonyJordan BlockAaron WadeMichael FlahertyPhotog19610Travis PollardJeff UlmJeff NewmanJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffMelissa GallardoJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth Jungbenkurt wendelkenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanAndy PainterKaren LiuGreg BurgessAilie FraserSimon PrietoVonPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeÅshild Margrete Østtveit OdéenEmma SklarSpencer StanfordBernard KhooDavid BlackmanAndrew ShpallRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderAndy SmithTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherShelly UnderhillDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael Bermanstephen matthewsBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJeremy SchwartzJohn GisselquistElaine MartinLinda DuffyThomas KönigBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinShawn McCarthyDallas HockleyJana JTerronJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloJoel StevensonNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonErika L AustinCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonMark EdwardsRandall BrowningSarah SulanDiane HughesMatt BeamsKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerBarb CourtneyDerek & Laura BenderFranco FamularoDon HutchisonLowell MeyerEtele IllesJeff AlmondStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SamplemiaWenJack SjogrenAparajit RaghavanBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCLatifah MakuyiBrendan JubbClare HolbertonJake TinsleyGeorgia LivesayDavid ZuckerDiane TurnerTom ColemanSUELLEN MOOREBrendon Oliver-EwenKendra ReidJudy ChappleTijs SoeteStuart TerryMark PerryMaloryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerStephenGerry NelsonDave KingAlbukittyCaro FieldWayne MarshJudith StansfieldJenifer Carrmichael bochnerDuncanbrant brantphillipNaomi WatsonLeigh SalesMarkus KoesterDavid CushmanAlexanderToni IsaacsonJeremy DawsonRobbie FerreroJake DyeChris KGavin DoigMark SteenSam FennTanner MortonMollyAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerSPBrooke WilfordAlex SingerCyrus N. WhiteShaun WieseMiriam JuskowiczMark HaberlenDominik SchmittJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaKate AlburyMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtAndrew FairDarryl StewartL.B. MorseBill ThorntonTim EvansBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleRavy VajraveluNick ClementsJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonJeff DixonJohn and Sharon StengleinTom LauerjouForrest ChangEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeMax SchechterJustin McElroyArjun SharmaSupermanTDJesusJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellTom ClewerKevin PennyfeatherFlSHBONESColin Hodohazy shacterKyle SimonsEmily Williams
2/10/2023 • 59 minutes, 2 seconds
"Walking on Broken Glass" by Annie Lennox [Recast]
It's time for a deep dive into Annie Lennox's 1992 pop banger "Walking on Broken Glass," with all its syncopated pianos, string section interludes, ever-changing backup vocals, and tasty guitar cameos. Won't you pick the pieces up?Artist: Annie LennoxAlbum: Diva (1992)Written by: Annie LennoxListen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify------ALSO FEATURED:"Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" by The Miami Sax Quartet from Four of a Kind, 2013“Why" and "Little Bird" by Annie Lennox from Diva, 1992"Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart from the Eurythmics album Sweet Dreams, 1983"Like a Prayer" by Madonna from Like a Prayer, 1989"You Can Call me Al" and "Graceland" by Paul Simon from Graceland, 1986"New Slang" by the Shins from Oh, Inverted World, 2001OUTRO SOLOIST: Galen ClarkThis episode's outro soloist is the one and only Galen Clark. Galen plays keyboard and organ and acts as bandleader for the soul jazz group Trio Subtonic; you can find playing regularly around Portland, Oregon and occasionally on tour. Find more information at their website, https://www.triosubtonic.net.-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music---------------JANUARY 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinEd RankinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryElliot RosenAshley HoagMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyJANUARY 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAbraham BenrubiWhit SidenerEmlia AlfordChance McClainRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongJason MorrisseyNick GallowayHeather Johnsonjohn halpinJennifer KennerPeter HardingDavidAnthony MahramusMeghan O'LearyJeffrey PuzzoJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonDaniel MosierCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeChad HivnerTravis PollardJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserVonPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad Clarkmino caposselaSteve PaquinSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinLinda DuffySharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersSusan PleinDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesJo SutherlandMichael CasnerJen SmallLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
1/27/2023 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 6 seconds
"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen [Recast]
Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Well, either way, this is definitely an episode of Strong Songs about Queen's genre-blending rock saga "Bohemian Rhapsody."Kirk dives into Freddie Mercury's operatic opus and learns a lot about vocal technique, piano motifs, harmonic easter eggs, studio production, Strategic Brian May Deployment™, and all the ways doubling a track can make your voice sound cool in the studio. This episode was originally published on February 20, 2019.Band/Artist: QueenAlbum: A Night At The Opera, 1975Composed by: Freddie MercuryProduced by: Roy Thomas BakerListen/Buy via Songwhip: https://songwhip.com/queen/a-night-at-the-operaALSO FEATURED:"Don't Stop Me Now" by Freddie Mercury from Jazz, 1978"We Will Rock You" by Brian May from News of the World, 1977"Somebody to Love" by Freddie Mercury from A Day at the Races, 1976"Bohemian Rhapsody" a cappella cover by Pentatonix from PTX Vol. IV: Classics-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music---------------JANUARY 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinEd RankinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryElliot RosenAshley HoagMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyJANUARY 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAbraham BenrubiWhit SidenerEmlia AlfordChance McClainRobert Granatdave malloyTim RosenwongJason MorrisseyNick GallowayHeather Johnsonjohn halpinJennifer KennerPeter HardingDavidAnthony MahramusMeghan O'LearyJeffrey PuzzoJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonDaniel MosierCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeChad HivnerTravis PollardJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserVonPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad Clarkmino caposselaSteve PaquinSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinLinda DuffySharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersSusan PleinDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesJo SutherlandMichael CasnerJen SmallLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
1/13/2023 • 53 minutes, 12 seconds
"Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" by Kate Bush [Minisode]
Happy holidays! Here's a Patreon minisode Kirk published last summer about Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill." See you in 2023!ORIGINAL SHOW NOTES, 6/24/2022:The whole world is talking about Kate Bush's masterful 1985 song "Running Up That Hill," so Kirk figured he might as well talk about it, too. On this bonus Patreon episode, he takes a crack at re-creating the song's iconic sound and digs into some of the digital recording technology that Bush used to make it sound so distinct.FEATURED/DISCUSSED:"Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush from The Kick Inside, 1978"Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" by Kate Bush from Hounds of Love, 1985Audio from Season 4, Episode 4 of Stranger ThingsInformation gleaned from Reverb Machine's excellent breakdown of the tools and techniques used on the song: https://reverbmachine.com/blog/kate-bush-synth-sounds/-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music---------------DECEMBER 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinEd RankinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryRRElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDECEMBER 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSRobert Granatdave malloyJason MorrisseyNick GallowayHeather Johnsonjohn halpinJennifer KennerPeter HardingDavidAnthony MahramusMeghan O'LearyJeffrey PuzzoJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonDaniel MosierCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeChad HivnerTravis PollardJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperDennis M EdwardsBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserVonPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkMichael J. Cunninghammino caposselaSteve PaquinSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinLinda DuffyKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersSusan PleinDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherColin Hodo
12/30/2022 • 20 minutes, 35 seconds
The Music of Star Wars: Andor
Look, sometimes a TV soundtrack is so good that you have no choice but to make a whole podcast episode about it.And so here we are, as Kirk takes a deep dive into Nicholas Britell's ever-evolving musical score for the new Disney+ show Star Wars: Andor.Listen to Britell's Andor Score (via Songwhip): Volume One | Volume Two | Volume ThreeREFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:Tracks from Star Wars: A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, composed by John WilliamsTracks from Solo: A Star Wars Story, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, by John Powell, Stephen Barton, Gordy Haab, and Michael GiacchinoThe Succession main credits theme by Nicholas BritellA very cool New York/Vulture interview with Britell-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music----------------DECEMBER 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSDamon WhiteKaya WoodallDan AustinEd RankinJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryRRElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDECEMBER 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSRobert Granatdave malloyJason MorrisseyNick GallowayHeather Johnsonjohn halpinJennifer KennerPeter HardingDavidAnthony MahramusMeghan O'LearyJeffrey PuzzoJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonDaniel MosierCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeChad HivnerTravis PollardJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperDennis M EdwardsBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserVonPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkMichael J. Cunninghammino caposselaSteve PaquinSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinLinda DuffyKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersSusan PleinDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherColin Hodo
12/16/2022 • 57 minutes, 10 seconds
Year Four, In Review
Kirk takes a look back some of his many musical memories from Strong Songs, Year Four.FEATURED/DISCUSSED:"Blood and Thunder" by Mastodon from Leviathan, 2004"Gotta Get You Into My Life" by Paul McCartney/Lennon-McCartney, as covered by Earth, Wind & Fire in 1978"Eleanor Rigby" by Paul McCartney/Lennon-McCartney, as covered by Cody Fry in 2021 and Zoot in 1970"Second Story" by Andrew Synowiec from Second Story, 2020Andrew Synowiec on Instagram"Just What I Needed" by Ric Ocasek and The Cars from The Cars, 1978"You Might Think" by Ocasek/The Cars from Heartbeat City, 1984Various compositions by Koji Kondo from The Legend of Zelda series"Wichita Lineman" by Jimmy Webb performed by Glenn Campbell on Wichita Lineman, 1968"Two Princes" by Spin Doctors from Pocket Full of Kryptonite, 1991"St. Thomas" by Sonny Rollins from Saxophone Colossus, 1956The Krebs/Oliver Tango Playlist: Apple Music | Spotify"Silent All These Years" by Tori Amos from Little Earthquakes, 1992"Help Me" by Joni MItchell from Court and Spark, 1974"Jesus, Etc." by Jeff Tweedy & Jay Bennett from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, 2001"Cold Sweat" by James Brown, 1967"Cissy Strut" by The Meters from The Meters, 1969"Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard" by Paul Simon from Paul Simon, 1971"The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota" by "Weird Al" Yankovic from UHF, 1989Various tracks from Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon, 1973OUTRO SOLOISTS: Kirk Hamilton, Mel Carrol, Oren Kaunfer, Tim Howes, Casey Atkins-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music----------------NOVEMBER 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSEd RankinTimothy morsheadJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryRRElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyNOVEMBER 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSjohn halpinJennifer KennerPeter HardingDavidRuthieAnthony MahramusMeghan O'LearyJeffrey PuzzoJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonDaniel MosierCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeChad HivnerTravis PollardJeff UlmJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserVonPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkMichael J. Cunninghammino caposselaSteve PaquinSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinLinda DuffyKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherColin Hodo
11/18/2022 • 49 minutes, 9 seconds
Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon
For the 100th episode of Strong Songs, Kirk takes a deep dive into one of the most famous concept albums ever recorded. Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon" is an instantly recognizable, widely discussed album, played and replayed to the point that it's easy to forget that it was made by a handful of young people with some instruments and a mixing desk. So buckle in for a whirlwind tour of the entire record, with pauses along the way to highlight some of the sounds, styles, and techniques that made The Dark Side of the Moon such an artistic and technological breakthrough.ALBUM: The Dark Side of the Moon, 1973Music By: David Gilmour, Richard Wright, Roger Waters, Nick MasonLyrics By: Roger WatersEngineered by: Alan ParsonsALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED"Blue in Green" by Bill Evans/Miles Davis from Kind of Blue 1959"The Wizard of Oz," 1939The 2003 documentary Pink Floyd: The Making of The Dark Side of the MoonOUTRO SOLOIST: Kirk HamiltonKirk is the host of Strong Songs. He brought in year four with a guitar solo, and he's taking it out with a sax solo. Symmetry!-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music----------------NOVEMBER 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSEd RankinTimothy morsheadJay SwartzMiriam JoySEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryRRElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyNOVEMBER 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSjohn halpinJennifer KennerPeter HardingDavidRuthieAnthony MahramusMeghan O'LearyJeffrey PuzzoJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonDaniel MosierCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeChad HivnerTravis PollardJeff UlmJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserVonPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkMichael J. Cunninghammino caposselaSteve PaquinSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinLinda DuffyKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherColin Hodo
11/4/2022 • 1 hour, 41 seconds
"The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota" by "Weird Al" Yankovic
It's time for a Strong Songs road trip, as Kirk unravels one of "Weird Al" Yankovic's most understated, grandiose songs. So come along, for a journey through long-form story songs, sea shanty refrains, synth feelings, and an unexpectedly grand finale. We'll stay until the security guards throw us out.Album: UHF: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack and Other Stuff, 1989Listen/Buy via SongwhipAlso Featured/Discussed:"Spam," "Money For Nothing/Beverly Hillbillies," "Hot Rocks Polka," "Attack of the Radioactive Hamsters from a Planet Near Mars," and "UHF," all from UHF: OMPSAOS, 1989"Polka Your Eyes Out" by various artists, arranged by Al Yankovic for Off The Deep End, 1992"Dare to be Stupid" by Al Yankovic from Dare to be Stupid, 1985"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" by Gordon LIghtfoot from Summertime Dream, 1976"30,000 Pounds of Bananas" by Harry Chapin from Verities & Balderdash, 1974"Lowlands Away," traditional, from Assassin's Creed IV: Black FlagAudio from VH1 Behind The Music: "Weird Al" Yankovic, 1999Outro Soloist: Casey AtkinsCasey is a Sydney-based musician who splits his time between gigging, guitar teaching, and school teaching. He plays and sings with various artists and shows, as well as with original bands The April Family and Fallon Cush. Find him online at caseyonguitar.com.Update 10/21: Corrected the pronunciation of Harry Chapin's name and the location of the Boll Weevil Monument.-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music----------------OCTOBER 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSJay SwartzMiriam JoyRonjanSEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyOCTOBER 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAnthony MahramusMeghan O'LearyJeffrey PuzzoJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonseaMartín SalíasTim HowesSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonDaniel MosierCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseOwain HuntRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatTonyJordan BlockAaron WadeChad HivnerTravis PollardJeff UlmJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserVonPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkMichael J. CunninghamMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergSam NortonDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinLinda DuffyKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanTijs SoeteMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyAndrew FairBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherEmily Williams
10/21/2022 • 54 minutes, 31 seconds
Singing Drummers & Jazz Flute
It's time to answer more of your musical questions, with topics including singing drummers, Elvis Costello harmonies, how to find a music teacher, unusual odd-meter counting, similar-sounding songs, and Anchorman's jazz flute scene.FEATURED/DISCUSSED:“Heart Don’t Stand a Chance” by Anderson .Paak from Malibu, 2016“You & I” by Jamison Ross from Jamo, 2022"Take The TIme" by Josh Dion Band from Live!, 2006"Sunshine, I Can Fly" by Roul Midón live in NYC, 2013“Seventeen” by Lake Street Dive from Bad Self Portraits, 2014“Veronica” by Elvis Costello and Paul McCartney from Spike, 1989The Flute Scene From Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)“Law of Attraction” by Katisse Buckingham“A Felicidade” by Antonio Carlos Jobim, performed by Astrud Gilberto on Look To the Rainbow, 1966"Randy Described Eternity" by Built to Spill from Perfect from Now On, 1997"Belt" by Say Anything from Is a Real Boy, 2004“Going On” by Gnarls Barkley from The Odd Couple, 2008“Cold War” by Janelle Monáe from The Archandroid, 20108/10/22 Update: Fixed a couple of small mistakes and added a mention of the subject matter of "Veronica" OUTRO SOLOIST: Tim HowesTim Howes is a doctor and saxophonist based in Bristol, UK. He started on sax at age 10, playing Beatles and Stones covers in a school band, then became obsessed with jazz theory as a teenager, tracing how jazz harmony flows through other musical styles. Sax playing eventually took a backseat to studying and practicing medicine, but he has passed his love of music on to his kids. (And he still sounds pretty great, in my opinion! ~K)-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmOUTRO SOLO PLAY-A-LONG:https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music----------------OCTOBER 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSJay SwartzMiriam JoyRonjanSEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikElliot Jay O'NeillGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyOCTOBER 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAnthony MahramusMeghan O'LearyJeffrey PuzzoJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonseaMartín SalíasTim HowesSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonDaniel MosierCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseOwain HuntRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatTonyJordan BlockAaron WadeChad HivnerTravis PollardJeff UlmJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserVonPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkMichael J. CunninghamMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergSam NortonDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinLinda DuffyKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanTijs SoeteMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyAndrew FairBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherEmily Williams
10/7/2022 • 59 minutes, 25 seconds
Strong Grooves, Vol. 1 (feat. Russ Kleiner)
Drummers like Clyde Stubblefield, Zigaboo Modeliste, and Bernard Purdie defined the sound of the bands they played with not because of their flashy chops, but because they knew how to lock down a groove. On this episode, Kirk goes deep into one groove apiece by each of those drummers - Stubblefield on James Brown's "Cold Sweat," Modeliste on The Meters' "Cissy Strut," and Purdie on Aretha Franklin's "Rock Steady" - with help from special guest drummer Russ Kleiner.FEATURED/DISCUSSEDCold Sweat by James Brown and the Famous Flames, 1967"Cissy Strut" by The Meters from The Meters, 1969"Rock Steady" by Aretha Franklin from Young, Gifted, and Black, 1972"Papa's Got a Brand New Bag" by James Brown, 1965"So What" by Miles Davis from Kind of Blue, 1959The Treme Brass Band at the Red Beans and Rice parade, 2013“Shoo Fly Marches On,” by Dr. John, 1973Babylon Sisters by Steely Dan from Gaucho, 1980SPECIAL GUEST: Russ KleinerRuss is one of Kirk's oldest friends, a drummer and percussionist who currently lives, teaches, and performs in Connecticut. He has frequently offered drum insights to Kirk for various episodes of Strong Songs, and he's been overdue for an appearance on the show. Additional thanks to Nick D'Errico for his help recording and overseeing the drum session for this episode - find Nick online at https://www.nddrums.com.OUTRO SOLOIST: Charles McNealCharles McNeal is a killin' Oakland-based sax player who plays all over the bay area. He's also a master jazz transcriber, and has chronicled tons of great solos. You can find him playing out in a variety of bands and settings; the best way to keep up with his music is to subscribe to his YouTube channel or follow him on Instagram @charlesonsax2.-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube MusicSEPTEMBER 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSJay SwartzMiriam JoyRonjanSEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryRRElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreySEPTEMBER 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonDaniel MosierCatherine ClauseOwain HuntRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatTonyJordan BlockAaron WadeChad HivnerTravis PollardJeff UlmJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserVonPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkMichael J. CunninghamMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergSam NortonDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinLinda DuffyKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanTijs SoeteMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyAndrew FairBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherEmily Williams
9/23/2022 • 59 minutes, 14 seconds
"Jesus, Etc." by Wilco
Few lyricists have Jeff Tweedy's ability to fluidly shift between plainspoken emotion and abstract imagery. The Wilco frontman has been writing beautiful, beguiling songs for more than three decades, and there is no way to pin down what any of them "means." There's only what they mean to you, right then, in the moment, as you listen to them. That's certainly true of "Jesus, Etc." one of many standout tracks off of Wilco's groundbreaking 2001 album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. On this episode, Kirk explores some of the writing and arrangement techniques that help make this song, and all of Tweedy's songs, so special.Lyrics by: Jeff TweedyMusic by: Jeff Tweedy and Jay BennettAlbum: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, 2001Listen/Buy via SongwhipAlso Featured/Discussed:"I Am Trying to Break Your Heart," "War on War," and "The Ashes of American Flags" from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot"She's a Jar" and "A Shot in the Arm" by Wilco from Summerteeth, 1999Audio from Jeff Tweedy's 2021 interview on The Ezra Klein ShowExcerpts from Tweedy's 2020 book How To Write One Song: Loving the Things We Create and How They Love Us BackAudio of a pedal steel guitar demonstration by Steve Fishell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrbSL92Kz1YThis episode has been updated to better identify one of the chords in the chorus.OUTRO SOLOIST: Dan NervoThis episode's outro soloist is the fantastic Dan Nervo. Dan plays guitar in the San Francisco Bay Area in bands like Neon Velvet, and also teaches private guitar lessons. Hit him up if you want to get good at guitar: https://www.facebook.com/DanNervoGuitarLessons/-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypalme/kirkhamiltonmusic | Patreon.com/strongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmTHE STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music--------------------SEPTEMBER 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSJay SwartzMiriam JoyRonjanSEAN D WINNIERushDaniel Hannon-BarryRRElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreySEPTEMBER 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSJohn BaumanDax and Dane HuddlestonMartín SalíasTim HowesSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonDaniel MosierCatherine ClauseOwain HuntRenee DowningKenIsWearingAHatTonyJordan BlockAaron WadeChad HivnerTravis PollardJeff UlmJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserVonPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkMichael J. CunninghamMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergSam NortonDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinLinda DuffyKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanTijs SoeteMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyAndrew FairBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherEmily Williams
9/9/2022 • 53 minutes, 51 seconds
Lofi Beats & The Circle of Fifths
Kirk answers a crop of new listener questions on topics ranging from Steve Perry's vocal technique, Art Garfunkel's guitarmonies, the Carolina Crown's viral brass section warmup, Ram Jam's chaotic riffs, and how to explain complex music theory concepts to non-musicians.FEATURED/DISCUSSED:“Elbow Grease” by Scott Pemberton from Timber Rock, 2015“A Song for You” by Leon Russell from Leon Russell, 1970"Scissors Cut" by Art Garfunkel from Scissors Cut, 1981“Carolina Crown’s Hornline Drops the Hammer in Houston”“Goodbye Yelow Brick Road” by Elton John and Bernie Taupin from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973"Morning Moon" by Kanisan ft. Wishes and Dreams and “Stargazing” by Kayou via lofi girl on YouTubeSlate's Decoder Ring on “That Seattle Muzak Sound,” by Benjamin Frisch"Black Betty," traditional work song performed by Ram Jam, 1977LearnSomeDrums’ lesson on the drum part for Black Betty“Open Arms” by Journey from Escape, 1981"You've Got a Friend" by Carole King from Tapestry, 1971OUTRO SOLOIST: Oren KaunferOren has been playing the harp for 20+ years, sitting in with bands in Brooklyn and Boston. By day he brings his harmonica, guitar, mandolin, percussion, and tons of music into his work as the Spiritual Educator at the Jewish Community Day School in Boston.-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypalme/kirkhamiltonmusic | Patreon.com/strongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmTHE STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music--------------------AUGUST 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSMiriam JoyRonjanSEAN D WINNIEDaniel Hannon-BarryRRElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyAUGUST 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonDaniel MosierCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseOwain HuntRenee DowningDrewRohan LatimerKenIsWearingAHatTonyJordan BlockAaron WadeChad HivnerTravis PollardJeff UlmJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserVonPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergSam NortonDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanTijs SoeteMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyAndrew FairBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherEmily Williams
8/26/2022 • 55 minutes, 23 seconds
"Help Me" by Joni Mitchell
There are few singer-songwriters as inimitable as Joni Mitchell, with her swirling song forms, leaping melodies, and that magical voice, untethered by the laws of gravity. On this episode, Kirk takes a deep dive into Joni's 1974 song "Help Me," a hummingbird of a tune hovering between commitment and flight, tumbling and falling past love and toward freedom.Written by: Joni MItchellAlbum: Court and Spark, 1974Listen/Buy via JoniMitchell.comAlso featured:“Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell from Ladies of the Canyon, 1970“A Case of You” and "California” by Joni from Blue, 1971“Coyote” by Joni from Hejira, 1976OUTRO SOLOIST: Erik ElligersErik is a Connecticut-based multi-instrumentalist and music educator. He plays saxophone with the New London Big Band and sings and plays guitar for the fabulous band Goodnight Blue Moon - check them out, they're great: https://www.goodnightbluemoon.com/-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypalme/kirkhamiltonmusic | Patreon.com/strongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmTHE STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music--------------------AUGUST 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSMiriam JoyRonjanSEAN D WINNIEDaniel Hannon-BarryRRElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyAUGUST 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterGiantPredatoryMolluskCasey FaubionLuigi BocciaRob AlbrightE Margaret WartonDaniel MosierCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseOwain HuntRenee DowningDrewRohan LatimerKenIsWearingAHatTonyJordan BlockAaron WadeChad HivnerTravis PollardJeff UlmJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserVonPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergSam NortonDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanTijs SoeteMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyAndrew FairBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherEmily Williams
8/12/2022 • 55 minutes, 16 seconds
A Jazz Mystery, Solved
After more than two years, a Strong Songs jazz mystery is finally solved.Thanks to listener (and outro soloist) Jeff Bean, who finally cracked the case of the mysterious lick played by Clifford Brown, Lee Morgan, and may others. I can finally sleep at night.FEATURED ON THIS EPISODE:"Moanin" by Bobby Timmons recorded by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers for Moanin', 1958"Jordu" by Duke Jordon recorded by the Clifford Brown quintet, 1954"Seranade to a Cukoo" by the Rahsaan Roland Kirk quartet from I Talk With Spirits, 1964"All This and Heaven Too" by Jimmy Van Heusen with lyrics by Eddie Delange, performed by the Tommy Dorsey ORchestra feat. Frank Sinatra in 1940“Fly Me To The Moon” by Bart Howard, recorded by Frank Sinatra with the Count Basie Orchestra on It Might As Well Be Swing, 1964-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypalme/kirkhamiltonmusic | Patreon.com/strongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmTHE STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music
7/29/2022 • 12 minutes, 53 seconds
The Music of Final Fantasy VII
Back in July 2020, Kirk made a special episode of his video games podcast Triple Click all about the music of Final Fantasy VII. It was basically an episode of Strong Songs, it just ran in a different podcast feed. Now it's July 2022, and with Strong Songs on break for the month, it seemed like a good time to run that episode in the Strong Songs feed. So, here it is!Original Show Notes: July 16, 2020It’s time for a new segment called “Hey, Listen!”, where Kirk takes listeners deep inside the music for a given video game. This first (and, as it turns out, only) edition focuses on 1997’s Final Fantasy VII, as well as some of the new arrangements from 2020’s Final Fantasy VII Remake. What makes the original game’s music so special? What new musical ideas are introduced in the Remake? And why is Aerith’s theme so magical? Put on your headphones for this one, and turn up the volume.Featuring multiple tracks from Final Fantasy VII (1997) composed by Nobuo Uematsu, as well as the following Uematsu compositions re-arranged for Final Fantasy VII Remake (2020):"Prelude" arranged by Yoshitaka Suzuki"Airbuster" arranged by Tadayoshi Makino"Main Theme from Final Fantasy VII - Sector 7 Undercity" arranged by Shotaro Shima"Aerith's Theme - Home Again" arranged by Shotaro Shima
7/15/2022 • 40 minutes, 34 seconds
"Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush [Recast]
Heathcliff! It's us, it's Strong Songs, we've come home!In March of 2021, the time was right for a deep dive into the music of the great Kate Bush, and what better song to analyze than her breakthrough 1978 hit, "Wuthering Heights." (And in July of 2022, with Bush's fame at new heights thanks to Netflix's Stranger Things, the time is perhaps even more right.) This song has it all - odd phrasing, shifting key centers, soaring vocals, character narration, an epic guitar solo, a red dress, and a celesta.Written by: Kate BushAlbum: The Kick Inside (1978)Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | SpotifyALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED:“James and the Cold Gun” and “The Man with the Child in His Eyes” by Kate Bush from The Kick Inside, 1978“Sat In Your Lap” and “The Dreaming” by Kate Bush from The Dreaming, 1982“Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush from Hounds of Love, 1985Richard Buskin's 2004 Sound on Sound article about the writing and recording of "Wuthering Heights" - https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/classic-tracks-kate-bush-wuthering-heightsThe 1886 remake/remix of "Wuthering Heights"Kate Bush's iconic Red Dress music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW3gKKiTvjsNoel Fielding's incredible live reenactment of the Red Dress video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du4uH1fC9B8A demonstration of the bell tree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhStPnEcXrk“The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky from The Nutcracker Suite, 1892 performed by the Vienna Philharmonic, 1999“Starman” by David Bowie from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, 1972“Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra from Out of the Blue, 1977OUTRO SOLOIST: Charles McNealCharles McNeal is a killin' Oakland-based sax player who plays all over the bay area. He's also a master jazz transcriber, and has chronicled tons of great solos. You can find him playing out in a variety of bands and settings; the best way to keep up with his music is to subscribe to his YouTube channel or follow him on Instagram @charlesonsax2 - https://www.instagram.com/charlesonsax2-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypalme/kirkhamiltonmusic | Patreon.com/strongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmTHE STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube MusicThe Hollow Knight music video Kirk mentioned at the end of this episode: https://youtu.be/eIVtGlcpZS0
7/1/2022 • 1 hour, 12 seconds
"Silent All These Years" by Tori Amos
Tori Amos was one of the most distinctive songwriters of the 90s, and remains a powerful musical voice decades later. "Silent All These Years," one of many strong singles off of her 1992 solo debut, is a perfect encapsulation of so many of the things that make her music special.On this episode, Kirk takes a close look at this delicate, tenuously balanced song, from its floating opening piano line, to its expansive, time-warping bridge, to its hopeful conclusion. It's our turn now to stand where she stands; here, take hold of her hand.Written by: Tori AmosAlbum: Little Earthquakes, 1992Listen/Buy via SongwhipAlso featured: "Precious Things," also by Amos, from Little EarthquakesAmos performing "Silent All These Years" from Tori Amos Live at Montreaux 91/92OUTRO SOLOIST: Galen ClarkThis episode's outro soloist is the one and only Galen Clark. Galen plays keyboard and organ with the killer funk/soul group Outer Orbit, who you can find playing regularly around Portland, Oregon and occasionally on tour. Find more information at their website, https://www.outerorbitband.comUpdate 6/20: This episode initially misidentified the song's producer, Davitt Sigerson. It has been updated to credit him and string arranger Nick DeCaro, as well as to add some extra detail to the rhythmic breakdown of the intro (thanks Trevor!) and to add a second possible lyrical interpretation for the the third verse. The file swap may cause temporary issues with your download, depending on your podcast app, but it'll eventually work. Apologies for any inconvenience.-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypalme/kirkhamiltonmusic | Patreon.com/strongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmTHE STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music---------------JUNE 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSPatrickSEAN D WINNIEDaniel Hannon-BarryPrince M. Levy-BenitezElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleRob BosworthDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyJUNE 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSOwain HuntRenee DowningDrewRohan LatimerKenIsWearingAHatTonyJordan BlockAaron WadeChad HivnerTravis PollardJeff UlmJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanTijs SoeteMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBill FullerSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherEmily Williams
6/17/2022 • 51 minutes, 45 seconds
Three to Tango, with Alex Krebs and Andrew Oliver
Tango is more than just dance, and more than just music - it's a whole artistic genre. For some people, it's a way of life. One such person is Alex Krebs, a Portland-based tango instructor, Bandoneon player, and bandleader who has dedicated the past couple decades to spreading a love of tango around the world.On this episode, Alex and pianist Andrew Oliver take Kirk (and all of you) on a journey into the wide, enchanting world of tango.FEATURED/DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE:Alex's Portland Tango Studio, Tango BerretinSelections from Stumptandas by the Alex Krebs Tango Sextet: “Milonga Bruja” by Juan Rezzano, “Romance Di Barrio” by Anibal Troilo, “Si Soy Asi” by Francisco Lomuto/Antonio Botta, "Solamente Ella" by Lucio Demare/Homero Manzi, “La Yumba” by Osvaldo Pugliese, 1946, and "No Te Apures Cara Blanca" by Garza / Bahr, all arranged by Andrew Oliver“Tango Por una Cabeza” by Carlos Gardel from Dresdén, 1933-35, also performed by The Tango Project for True Lies, 1994“Esta Noche de Luna” by Osvoldo Pugliese, 1942“Arrabal” by Osvaldo Pugliese from El Eslabón Perdido, 1966“Buenos Aires Yo Te Canto” by Carlos Di Sarli“Que Me Importa Tu Pasado” by Juan D’Arienzo, 1959“Te Aconsejo Que Me Olvides” by Aníbel Troilo“Verano Porteño” by Astor Piazolla & Quinteto Tango from The Vienna Concert, 1992“La Milonga de Buenos Aires” by Francisco Canaro“Las Mirlas” by Horacia Salgán, ~1950“Taquito Militar” by Horacio Salgán y Ubaldo De Lio“Invierno" by Orchestra Típica Misteriosa Buenos Aires from Una noche en la milonga, 2013OUTRO SOLOIST: Kyle MolitorKyle is a Portland-based trombonist who plays in all sorts of bands, and was also featured on the year three Strong Songs theme msuic. Find him on Instagram @tbonemolitor and check out one of his singles here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/kylemolitor/the-jazz-feat-toranpetto-----LINKS-----THE STRONG SONGS TANGO PLAYLISTApple Music | SpotifySUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypalme/kirkhamiltonmusic | Patreon.com/strongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmTHE OVERALL STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music----------JUNE 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSPatrickSEAN D WINNIEDaniel Hannon-BarryPrince M. Levy-BenitezElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleRob BosworthDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyJUNE 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSOwain HuntRenee DowningDrewRohan LatimerKenIsWearingAHatTonyJordan BlockAaron WadeChad HivnerTravis PollardJeff UlmJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanTijs SoeteMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBill FullerSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherEmily Williams
6/3/2022 • 57 minutes, 46 seconds
Strong Solos, Vol. 1
There's nothing like a good instrumental solo—that moment when a lone player stands in the spotlight and takes the helm, leading the band in an uncharted direction. On the first edition of Strong Solos, Kirk takes apart a few of his favorite solos, which a special focus on players who use motivic development, also known as theme and variations.SOLOS FEATURED:Eric Shenkman on "Two Princes" by Spin Doctors from Pocket Full of Kryptonite, 1991Sonny Rollins on "St. Thomas" from Saxophone Colossus, 1956Joe Morello on "Take Five" by Paul Desmond/The Dave Brubeck Quartet from Time Out, 1959Chris Potter on "Janie Runaway" by Steely Dan from Two Against Nature, 2000ALSO DISCUSSED:Excerpts from multiple previous episodes of Strong Songs“Sponger Money,” traditional Bahamian folk song, from Goombay - the Folk Songs of the Bahamas by George Symonette"Symphony No. 5" by Ludwig van Beethoven, 1804-08, performed by the London PhilharmonicOUTRO SOLOIST: Steve PardoThis episode's outro soloist is the one and only Steve Pardo. Steve is a Nashville, TN based producer, composer, and saxophonist. You can find out more at his website: https://www.stevepardo.com/-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypalme/kirkhamiltonmusic | Patreon.com/strongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music----------MAY 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSPatrickSEAN D WINNIEDaniel Hannon-BarryRRPrince M. Levy-BenitezElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleKelsairRob BosworthDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyMAY 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSKenIsWearingAHatTonyJordan BlockAaron WadeMichael FlahertyChad HivnerTravis PollardJeff UlmJeff NewmanJamieMax DicksteinDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooDavid BlackmanRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanTijs SoeteMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBill FullerSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherEmily Williams
5/20/2022 • 53 minutes, 38 seconds
"Wichita Lineman" by Jimmy Webb & Glen Campbell
I hear you singin' in the wire... I can hear you through the whine... and the Strong Songs podcast is talking about one of the best songs of all time.On this episode, Kirk takes on Jimmy Webb & Glen Campbell's ethereal workin' song "Wichita Lineman," an ode to the profound poetry within all of us. It's a song without a chorus or a bridge that still feels complete, thanks largely to the way it subtly climbs from the street, to the wire, and up into the heavens. Written by: Jimmy WebbProduced by: Al De LoryPerformed by: Glen Campbell w/ The Wrecking CrewAlbum: Wichita Lineman, 1968Listen/Buy via SongwhipALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED:“God Only Knows” by Brian Wilson & The Beach Boys from Pet Sounds, 1966Excerpts from "The Wrecking Crew!" documentary directed by Danny Tedesco, 2008Excerpts from Dylan Jones' book Wichita LIneman: Searching in the Sun for the World’s Greatest Unfinished Song, 2019“Galveston” by Jimmy Webb/Glen Campbell from Galveston, 1969Glen Campbell performing “Wichita Lineman” with a Fender Bass VI on The Smothers Brothers Comedy HourOUTRO SOLOIST: Carlos "Insaneintherainmusic" EieineCarlos Eienie is a prolific multi-instrumentalist and YouTube creator who's done some extremely fun jazz arrangements of great video game music, among other things. You can find him on most social media as some variant of @insaneintherainmusic, and on his website at https://www.insaneintherainmusic.com/.-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypalme/kirkhamiltonmusic | Patreon.com/strongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music----------MAY 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSPatrickSEAN D WINNIEDaniel Hannon-BarryRRPrince M. Levy-BenitezElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleKelsairRob BosworthDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyMAY 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSKenIsWearingAHatTonyJordan BlockAaron WadeMichael FlahertyChad HivnerTravis PollardJeff UlmJeff NewmanJamieMax DicksteinDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooDavid BlackmanRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanTijs SoeteMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBill FullerSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherEmily Williams
5/6/2022 • 53 minutes, 15 seconds
Robot Composers & Horror Music
Ever wonder what makes some music sound scarier than other music? Same.Kirk answers listener questions about music in horror movies, Tune-Yards horn arrangements, funky drum sounds in Biggie and Paul Simon tunes, randomly generated music, and why musicians are their own worst critics. He also revisits the intro to Guns 'n Roses' "Welcome To The Jungle," and shares some listener emails about being a left-handed musician.FEATURED/DISCUSSED:“Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns ’n Roses from Appetite for Destruction, 1987“Redneck” by Lamb of God from Sacrament, 2006Melissa Cross demonstrating different types of screaming on YouTube“Hold Yourself” by Tune-Yards from sketchy., 2021“Cissy Strut” and “Pungee” by The Meters, 1967 and 1969“Virtua Mima” by Masahiro Ikumi n from the Perfect Blue soundtrack“Pink Soldiers” by Jung Jae-il from Squid Game, 2021“Submarine” by Bjork from Medulla, 2004“Theme from Jaws” by John Williams, 1975"Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits from Brothers in Arms, 1985“Purple Haze” by Jimmi Hendrix from Are You Experienced, 1967“Born Under a Bad Sign” by Albert King, 1967“Hypnotize” by Notorious B.I.G. from Life After Death, 1997Shawn Rivera demonstrates a Conga delizado or “Moose Call”:“Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard” by Paul Simon from Paul Simon, 1972An explanation of the Cuica on YouTube“Diamond Girl” by Seals & Crofts from Seals & Crofts, 1973“So What” by Miles Davis from Kind of Blue, 1957 and the Strong Songs episode about itVarious compositions by @MelodyBot3456 “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” by U2 from Joshua Tree, 1987OUTRO SOLOISTThis episode's outro soloist is the wonderful Bay Area pianist/accordionist Rob Reich. He's got a bunch of albums you can check out and contributes to an array of interesting projects and experiments. Find more at his website, http://www.robreich.com/.-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypalme/kirkhamiltonmusic | Patreon.com/strongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music.----------APRIL 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSDaniel Hannon-BarryRRPrince M. Levy-BenitezElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleKelsairRob BosworthKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyAPRIL 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSChad HivnerTravis PollardJeff UlmJeff NewmanMax DicksteinDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooDavid BlackmanRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanTijs SoeteMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBill FullerSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtAndrew FairBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherEmily Williams
4/22/2022 • 56 minutes, 5 seconds
The Music of The Legend of Zelda
Few video game series have a musical tradition as rich as The Legend of Zelda.From Zelda's Lullabye to Epona's Song to the Great Fairy Fountain and Dragon Roost Island, Kirk unravels some of his favorite Zelda music and explores how Nintendo's composers keep weaving them back together into beautiful new patterns.Written by: Main themes by Koji Kondo, with additional compositions by Kenta Nagata (Wind Waker), Manaka Kataoka, Yasuaki Iwata, and Hajime Wakai (Breath of the Wild)Featuring music from: The Legend of Zelda (1986), A Link to the Past (1991), Ocarina of Time (1998), Wind Waker (2002), Skyward Sword (2011), A Link Between Worlds (2013), and Breath of the Wild (2017)ALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED:Themes from Star Wars, Superman, and Jurassic Park by John WilliamsThe Super Mario Bros. theme by Koji Kondo, and the episode of Strong Songs discussing itKirk's weekly video game podcast Triple Click, which he makes along with Jason Schreier and Maddy MyersOUTRO SOLOIST: Charles McNealCharles McNeal is a killin' Oakland-based sax player who plays all over the bay area. He's also a master jazz transcriber, and has chronicled tons of great solos. You can find him playing out in a variety of bands and settings; the best way to keep up with his music is to subscribe to his YouTube channel or follow him on Instagram @charlesonsax2.-----LINKS-----SUPPORT STRONG SONGSPaypal | Patreon.com/StrongsongsMERCH STOREstore.strongsongspodcast.comSOCIAL MEDIA@StrongSongs | @Kirkhamilton | IG: @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTERhttps://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeJOIN THE DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmSTRONG SONGS PLAYLISTSSpotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music.APRIL 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSDaniel Hannon-BarryRRPrince M. Levy-BenitezElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleKelsairRob BosworthKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyAPRIL 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSChad HivnerTravis PollardJeff UlmJeff NewmanMax DicksteinDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooDavid BlackmanRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanTijs SoeteMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBill FullerSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtAndrew FairBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherEmily Williams
4/8/2022 • 54 minutes, 32 seconds
Mario Kart & That 'Musical' Sound
Kirk answers questions about Guns 'n Roses, Mario Kart 64, phasers, and what makes a song sound like it's from a musical.DISCUSSED/REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:"Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns n’ Roses from Appetite for Destruction, 1987"Results Theme" from Mario Kart 64 by Kenta NagataA video kirk made in 2014 about the dynamic music of Mount Wario: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8TBS75U1p8“Dig” by Incubus from Light Grenades, 2006“Waiting On A Miracle” feat Stephanie Beatriz, “What Else Can I Do?" feat Diane Guerrero, and "We Don't Talk About Bruno” by Lin-Manuel Miranda from Encanto, 2021“Tonight” from West Side Story 2021, performed by Rachel Zeigler and Ansel Elgort, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, music by Leonard Bernstein“Popular” by Stephen Schwartz performed by Kristin Chenoweth from Wicked, 2003“I Believe” by Trey Parker, Matt Stone, and Robert Lopez performed by Andrew Rannells from The Book of Mormon, 2000An excerpt from the October 2021 episode of “Backstage Pass with Eric Vitro” featuring Arianna GrandeAudio excerpts from Brooklyn 99 and Doom Patrol“One” by Creed from My Own Prison, 1997“Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck Berry as performed in Back To The Future, 1985OUTRO SOLOIST: Kyle MolitorKyle is a Portland-based trombonist who plays in all sorts of bands, and was also featured on the year three Strong Songs theme msuic. Find him on Instagram @tbonemolitor.STRONG MERCHCheck out the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comJOIN THE STRONG SONGS DISCORDThe Strong Songs Discord server is now open to everyone! Come join the conversation and get (or give) some music recs: https://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmKEEP IT SOCIALFollow Strong Songs on Twitter: @StrongSongsAnd find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Thank-you to all of Strong Songs' Patreon supporters! For more on how to support the creation of this show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsYou can also make a one-time Paypal donation here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/kirkhamiltonmusicMARCH 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSDaniel Hannon-BarryRRPrince M. Levy-BenitezElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleKelsairRob BosworthKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerTim ByrneJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyMARCH 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSMax DicksteinDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooDavid BlackmanRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanTijs SoeteMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBill FullerSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtAndrew FairBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherEmily Williams
3/25/2022 • 56 minutes, 50 seconds
"Just What I Needed" by The Cars
It's not the perfume that you wear... it's not the ribbons in your hair.... I guess it's just the perfect blend of synths and electric guitars that you bring to every song.Yes, it's time for Strong Songs to tackle The Cars, and their 1978 pop-rock classic "Just What I Needed." But while that song encapsulates everything that made the brilliant Boston five-piece great, Kirk decided to use his Walkman to occasionally fast-forward to compare and contrast with a second Cars classic from 1984.Written by: Ric OcasekAlbums: The Cars, 1978 and Heartbeat City, 1984Listen/Buy to both albums on all platforms via SongwhipALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED:"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen from A Night at the Opera, 1975"Drive," "Good Times Roll," and "My Best Friend's Girl" by Ric Ocasek/The Cars from The Cars, 1978 and Heartbeat City, 1984OUTRO SOLOIST: BJ CordThis episode's outro soloist is BJ Cord, a fantastic trumpet player based in Portland. BJ works at Monette trumpets making some of the most beautiful horns in the world, and is a regular presence on their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monettetrumpetsSTRONG MERCHCheck out the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comJOIN THE STRONG SONGS DISCORDThe Strong Songs Discord server is now open to everyone! Come join the conversation and get (or give) some music recs: https://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmKEEP IT SOCIALFollow Strong Songs on Twitter: @StrongSongsAnd find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Thank-you to all of Strong Songs' Patreon supporters! For more on how to support the creation of this show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsYou can also make a one-time Paypal donation here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/kirkhamiltonmusicMARCH 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSDaniel Hannon-BarryRRPrince M. Levy-BenitezElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleKelsairRob BosworthKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerTim ByrneJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyMARCH 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSMax DicksteinDeebsPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooDavid BlackmanRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanTijs SoeteMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBill FullerSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtAndrew FairBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherEmily Williams
3/11/2022 • 52 minutes
Story of a Session Guitarist, with Andrew Synowiec
You might not know Andrew Synowiec's name, but chances are you've heard his guitar playing. Heck, chances are you heard his guitar playing this week.Synowiec makes his living as an LA session guitarist, with a list of credits as long as the California coastline. Among those credits: you can hear him on the score for pretty much every recent Disney film (Frozen, CoCo, Zootopia), as well superhero flicks like Logan and Spider-Man: Far From Home, TV shows like The Simpsons and The Good Place, as well as on records with recording artists like The Who, HAIM, P!nk, Nick Jonas, Donna Summer, and so many more. A couple weeks back, Kirk sat down with Andrew to talk about his career as a session player, how he finds a good balance when doing creative work for hire, his approach to practicing and guitar tone, how he designed and built his home studio, and why he continues to make the time for his own personal music projects.FEATURED/DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE:Guy Lacour etude No. 4 as performed by David Hernando Vitores: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RyGo9NmZUNwWes Montgomery on “No Blues” from Smokin’ at the Half Note w/ the Wynton Kelly Trio, 1965“Where The Streets Have No Name” by U2 from The Joshua Tree, 1987“Sad But True” by Metallica from Metallica, 1991“Blood and Thunder” by Mastodon from Leviathan, 2004“Last Goodbye” by Jeff Buckley from Grace, 1994“Already Taken,” “Second Story,” and “Humor Me” by Andrew Synowiec from Second Story, 2019“Jonkoloni” by Bassekou Kouyate & Ngoni Ba from Segu Blue, 2006, feat. the Ngoni“Salsa Caliente (Versión Aumentada)” by Meridian Brothers from Desperanza, 2012“You Are Young” by Keane from Strangeland, 2012A video with Andrew about his work and his home studioA Spotify playlist Andrew maintains featuring things he's played onAndrew's website, with lots more credits and other infoSTRONG MERCHCheck out the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comJOIN THE STRONG SONGS DISCORDThe Strong Songs Discord server is now open to everyone! Come join the conversation and get (or give) some music recs: https://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmKEEP IT SOCIALFollow Strong Songs on Twitter: @StrongSongsAnd find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!A huge thank-you to all of Strong Songs' Patreon supporters! For more on how to support the creation of this show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsYou can also make a one-time Paypal donation here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/kirkhamiltonmusicFEBRUARY 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSDaniel Hannon-BarryRRPrince M. Levy-BenitezElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleKelsairRob BosworthKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerTim ByrneJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyFEBRUARY 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffMelissa GallardoJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserSimon PrietoPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooDavid BlackmanRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanTijs SoeteMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBill FullerSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtAndrew FairBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily Williams
2/25/2022 • 53 minutes, 20 seconds
Strong Covers, Vol. 2
Three different artists! Three different covers! Of songs by one beloved band!On the second edition of "Strong Covers," we're digging into covers of three Beatles classics: Earth, Wind & Fire's maximalist remake of "Gotta Get You Into My Life," Ray Charles' saucy reimagining of "Eleanor Rigby," and Bobby McFerrin's delicate recitation of "Blackbird." Come for the English-accented rhyme schemes, stay for the impeccable voice leading.Covered (lol) on this episode:"Gotta Get You Into My Life" by Paul McCartney/Lennon-McCartney, as covered by Earth, Wind & Fire in 1978"Eleanor Rigby" by Paul McCartney/Lennon-McCartney, as covered by Ray Charles in 1968"Blackbird" by Paul McCartney/Lennon-McCartney, as covered by Bobby McFerrin on The Voice, 1984OUTRO SOLOIST: Sam HowardThis episode's outro soloist is bassist Sam Howard. Sam performs and tours with all kinds of artists, from the Wailin' Jennys to Molly Tuttle. After his solo on the bridge, he played all the way through the song's outro, so keep an ear out for his playing mixed under the horns on the way out. You can find out what Sam's up to on his website, https://samhowardmusic.com.STRONG MERCHCheck out the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comJOIN THE STRONG SONGS DISCORDThe Strong Songs Discord server is now open to everyone! Come join the conversation and get (or give) some music recs: https://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmKEEP IT SOCIALFollow Strong Songs on Twitter: @StrongSongsAnd find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Thank you to all of Strong Songs' Patreon supporters! You rule. For more on how to support the creation of this show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsYou can also make a one-time Paypal donation here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/kirkhamiltonmusicFEBRUARY 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSDaniel Hannon-BarryRRPrince M. Levy-BenitezElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleKelsairRob BosworthKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerTim ByrneJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornBill RosingerErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyFEBRUARY 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSPortland Eye CareAdam RayAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffMelissa GallardoJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanGreg BurgessAilie FraserSimon PrietoPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooDavid BlackmanRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanTijs SoeteMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBill FullerSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtAndrew FairBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily Williams
2/11/2022 • 55 minutes, 18 seconds
Funky Drummers, Cheap Guitars & Sting
What do George Michael, Nicki Minaj, Ed Sheeran, and the Powerpuff Girls have in common?The answer, as you'll learn on this episode, is a funk drumming legend named Clyde Stubblefield. We'll also talk about flipped drum beats, Sting's taste for syncopation, the differences between cheap and expensive musical instruments, how to tell a bridge from a prechorus, the power of a four-note motif, the unexpected places you can find songwriting inspiration, and Muse's subtle hat-tip to a George Michael classic.FEATURED ON THIS EPISODE:“Darling” by Real Estate from In Mind, 2017"Ghost Story" by Sting from Brand New Day, 1999“You Really Got Me” by The Kinks, 1964“Walking on Broken Glass” and "Little Bird" by Annie Lennox from Diva, 1992Skins theme by Segal, 2007“Kiss” by Prince from Parade, 1986"Beneath the Snow" by Kirk Hamilton from... well, it's never been published"Dig Down" by Muse from Simulation Theory, 2017“Freedom ’90” by George Michael, 1990“Royals” by Lorde from Pure Heroine, 2013“Funky Drummer” by James Brown feat. Clyde Stubblefield, 1970“Fight the Power” by Public Enemy, 1989“Save Me” by Nicki Minaj, 2010“Shirtsleeves” by Ed Sheeran, 2014The Powerpuff Girls theme, by James L. Venable, 1998A complete list of songs that sample Clyde Stubblefield’s drum break on “Funky Drummer”Ben Sisario’s 2011 NYT feature on StubblefieldOUTRO SOLOIST: Mel CarrollMel Carroll is a saxophonist and music teacher based in Portland, OR, where she plays with bands like like Special Purpose and the all-women 90s cover band Sideboob. Her main music project is The Flat Nines, a chill jazz funk group with a new EP, "No Hate," coming in spring of 2022. You can find more at theflatnines.com.STRONG MERCHCheck out the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comJOIN THE STRONG SONGS DISCORDThe Strong Songs Discord server is now open to everyone! Come join the conversation and get (or give) some music recs: https://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmKEEP IT SOCIALFollow Strong Songs on Twitter: @StrongSongsAnd find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Thank you to all of Strong Songs' Patreon supporters! You make this show happen. For more on how to support the creation of this show (and how to get some fun bonus episodes!), go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsYou can also make a one-time Paypal donation here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/kirkhamiltonmusicJANUARY 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSRRPrince M. Levy-BenitezElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleKelsairRob BosworthKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerTim ByrneJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyJANUARY 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffMelissa GallardoJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanKaren LiuGreg BurgessAilie FraserSimon PrietoPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooMarcDavid BlackmanRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanTijs SoeteMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtAndrew FairBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily Williams
1/28/2022 • 50 minutes, 48 seconds
"Blood and Thunder" by Mastodon
White! Whale! Holy! Grail!Strong Songs kicks off year four by getting H-E-A-V-Y, with an analysis of Mastodon's "Blood and Thunder." Pass straight past the Mellow Meadows, through the Forests and the Foothills of Rock, and see if you can reach the summit of Hard Mountain. The view from up there is amazing.Written by: MastodonAlbum: Leviathan, 2004Listen/Buy on all platforms via SongwhipOUTRO SOLOIST: Kirk HamiltonKirk is the host of Strong Songs, and he's been having a lot of fun with the guitar lately. One of these days he'll even be able to play inside chord voicings without messing up. Find him hosting this podcast, and online at kirkhamilton.com.STRONG MERCHCheck out the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comJOIN THE STRONG SONGS DISCORDThe Strong Songs Discord server is now open to everyone! Come join the conversation and get (or give) some music recs: https://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmKEEP IT SOCIALFollow Strong Songs on Twitter: @StrongSongsAnd find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Thank you to all of Strong Songs' Patreon supporters! You make this show happen. For more on how to support the creation of this show (and how to get some fun bonus episodes!), go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsYou can also make a one-time Paypal donation here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/kirkhamiltonmusicJANUARY 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSRRPrince M. Levy-BenitezElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleKelsairRob BosworthKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerTim ByrneJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyJANUARY 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAnupama RaghavanDemetri DetsaridisCarrie SchneiderAlenka GrealishAnne GerryRichard SneddonDavid JudsonJulian RoleffMelissa GallardoJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth JungbenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJason ReitmanKaren LiuGreg BurgessAilie FraserSimon PrietoPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooMarcDavid BlackmanRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothBonnie PrinsenSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzWenJack SjogrenGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanTijs SoeteMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtAndrew FairBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily Williams
1/14/2022 • 42 minutes, 33 seconds
Year Three, In Review
Kirk takes a look back at the many musical memories of Strong Songs Year Three.Year Three is over, and it's time to revisit the songs analyzed, the questions answered, and the interviewees interviewed. SCHEDULING NOTE: The show will be off for December, and will return for Year Four in January 2022. 2022! Feels weird to type that out.SONGS DISCUSSED:"Space Oddity" by David Bowie from David Bowie, 1969"Starman" by David Bowie from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars, 1972"HIde and Seek" by Imogen Heap from Speak For Yourself, 2005"Babylon Sisters" by Steely Dan from Gaucho, 1980"Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush from The Kick Inside, 1978"Cameo Lover" by Kimbra from Vows, 2011"Design (feat. Kimbra)" by Cory Wong from The Striped Album, 2020"Stolen Moments" by Oliver Nelson from The Blues and the Abstract Truth, 1961"New Born" and "Micro Cuts" by Muse from Origin of Symmetry, 2001"Micro Cuts" by Muse from Origin of Symmetry: XX Anniversary RemiXX, 2021"You've Got a Friend" by Carole King from Tapestry, 1971, and performed by Donnie Hathaway by Donnie Hathaway Live!, 1972"Respect" by Otis Redding as performed by Redding and Aretha Franklin"Mad World" by Roland Orzabal as performed by Michael Andrews and Gary JulesCurt Smith's quarantine performance of "Mad World""Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" by Billy Joel from The Stranger, 1977"Fingertips" by They Might Be Giants from Apollo 18, 1992"Careless Whisper" by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley from Make It Big, 1984"September" by Maurice White, Al McKay, and Allee Willis from The Best of Earth Wind and Fire, Vol. 1, 1978Love Will Never Do (Without You) by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, performed by Janet Jackson on Rhythm Nation 1814, 1989"Slippery People" and "Once In a Lifetime" by Talking Heads from Stop Making Sense, 1984INTERVIEWS: Carmen Staaf, Lindsay Ellis, Imogen Heap, Brian Bender, and Eric VetroOUTRO SOLOISTS: Carlos Eiene, Jeff Bean, and Eric ElligersSTRONG MERCHCheck out the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comJOIN THE STRONG SONGS DISCORDThe Strong Songs Discord server is now open to everyone! Come join the conversation and get (or give) some music recs: https://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmKEEP IT SOCIALFollow Strong Songs on Twitter: @StrongSongsAnd find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Thank you so much to all of Strong Songs' year-three Patreon supporters! You made another year of this show possible. For more on how to support Strong Songs going into year four (!!), go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsYou can also make a one-time Paypal donation here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/kirkhamiltonmusicNOVEMBER 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleKelsairRob BosworthKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerTim ByrneJamie WhiteChristopher KupskiChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulViki DunDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyNOVEMBER 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth Jungbenkurt wendelkenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayStefan NiebrüggeJason ReitmanKaren LiuGreg BurgessAilie FraserSimon PrietoBreck JonesPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooMarcDavid BlackmanRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinJana JJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SampleWenJack SjogrenBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily Williams
11/17/2021 • 46 minutes, 40 seconds
Singing Like A Star, with Eric Vetro
What do Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes, John Legend, and Katy Perry have in common? They all study with Eric Vetro, one of the most in-demand vocal coaches in the world.On this bonus episode, Kirk sits down with Vetro to talk about his fascinating job, how to build good habits for a strong voice, and the art and discipline (and diet!) of professional singing.CHECK OUT ERIC'S PODCAST!Eric has a fantastic new podcast called Backstage Pass with Eric Vetro, where he sits down with his superstar students to talk about their lives and careers, their singing practice, and the various vocal hurdles they've overcome. It's a really cool show, and definitely worth checking out.If you want to check out Eric's (frankly ridiculous) client list, visit his website. ERIC'S MUSIC PICKS"Imagine" by Ariana Grande from Thank U, Next, 2019"Perfectly Wrong" by Shawn Mendes as performed live in 2018 on The Late Late Show with James Corden"All of Me" by John Legend from Love in the Future, 2013STRONG MERCHCheck out the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comJOIN THE STRONG SONGS DISCORDThe Strong Songs Discord server is now open to everyone! Come join the conversation and get (or give) some music recs: https://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmKEEP IT SOCIALFollow Strong Songs on Twitter: @StrongSongsAnd find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Thanks to everyone who supports Strong Songs on Patreon - you make extra episodes like this possible. Find out more here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsYou can also make a one-time Paypal donation here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/kirkhamiltonmusicNOVEMBER 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleKelsairRob BosworthKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerTim ByrneJamie WhiteChristopher KupskiChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulViki DunDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyNOVEMBER 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth Jungbenkurt wendelkenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayStefan NiebrüggeJason ReitmanKaren LiuGreg BurgessAilie FraserSimon PrietoBreck JonesPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooMarcDavid BlackmanRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinJana JJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SampleWenJack SjogrenBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily Williams
11/10/2021 • 55 minutes, 58 seconds
Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense
What is this, a film podcast?? It's time for something a little different, as Kirk puts down his record player and climbs onstage for Jonathan Demme and Talking Heads' classic 1984 concert film Stop Making Sense. It's a tour through the first hour of the film, from "Heaven" to "Burning Down the House" to "Once in a Lifetime," with some quick stops along the way.Songs by: Talking Heads (David Byrne, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz, and Jerry Harrison)Featuring: Steve Scales (Percussion), Lynn Mabry and Ednah Holt (Vocals), Alex Weir (Guitar/Vocals), and Bernie Worrell (Keys)Film directed by: Jonathan DemmeFEATURED/DISCUSSED:The first 12 songs from Stop Making Sense, 1984"Once in a Lifetime" by Talking Heads & Brian Eno“Heaven” by David Byrne and Jerry Harrison from Fear of Music, 1979“Slippery People” and "Burning Down the House" by David Byrne from Speaking in Tongues, 1983A 2020 American Songwriter interview with Edna Holt and Lynn Mabry“Flash Light” by Parliament from Funkentelechy vs. The Placebo Syndrome, 1977“You Make Me Wanna Wiggle” by The Brothers Johnson from Light Up the Night, 1980The documentary 20 Feet From StardomOUTRO SOLOIST: Carlos "Insaneintherainmusic" EieineCarlos Eienie is a prolific multi-instrumentalist and YouTube creator who's done some extremely fun jazz arrangements of great video game music, among other things. You can find him on most social media as some variant of @insaneintherainmusic, and on his website at https://www.insaneintherainmusic.com/.STRONG MERCHCheck out the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comJOIN THE STRONG SONGS DISCORDThe Strong Songs Discord server is now open to everyone! Come join the conversation and get (or give) some music recs: https://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmKEEP IT SOCIALFollow Strong Songs on Twitter: @StrongSongsAnd find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Thank you so much to all of Strong Songs' Patreon supporters! You keep this whole thing going. For more on how to support Strong Songs (and get some fun little bonuses), go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsYou can also make a one-time Paypal donation here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/kirkhamiltonmusicNOVEMBER 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSElliot RosenAshley HoagMark and MichelleKelsairRob BosworthKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerTim ByrneJamie WhiteChristopher KupskiChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulViki DunDave SharpeSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyNOVEMBER 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonmtwolfDavid McDarbyAbigail DuffieldRaphadavidWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth Jungbenkurt wendelkenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayStefan NiebrüggeJason ReitmanKaren LiuGreg BurgessAilie FraserSimon PrietoBreck JonesPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooMarcDavid BlackmanRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinJana JJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Damian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SampleWenJack SjogrenBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily Williams
11/3/2021 • 59 minutes, 59 seconds
Metroid Music, Bond Themes & Jazz Philosophy
Polish your reading glasses and pour a cup of tea - it's time for a Strong Songs mailbag!On the last Q&A episode of year three, Kirk answers questions on Metroid meter, mystery Bond instruments, (more) Tuvan throat singing, how to count odd meters like The Terminator theme, actors who pretend to play instruments, and how to define a musical "work," even if the work in question is improvised.REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:“Wishing” by John Frusciante from The Will to Death, 2004“Super Metroid Theme” by Kenji Yamamoto from Super Metroid, 1994“Kwolok’s Malaise” by Gareth Coker from Ori and the Will of the Wisps, 2020Tuvan-style throat singing from Ghost of Tsushima: Iki Island, 2021“Alash Khem (Alash River Song)” performed by Congar Ol’Ondar w/ Béla Fleck and the Flecktones on Live at the Quick, 2002Aboriginal Australian musician Lewis Burns performing traditional Digiridoo“Main Title from The Terminator” by Brad Fiedel, 1984"Blue Rondo a la Turk" by Dave Brubeck from Time Out, 1959“Spectre” by Radiohead, 2015“You Only Live Twice” by John Barry and Leslie Bricusse, performed by Nancy Sinatra for You Only Live Twice, 1967“Sonata for Oboe and continuo in c minor, RV53” by Antonio Vivaldi, performed by In-Gun Hwang“Bassoon Concerto in F Major, Op. 75” by Carl Maria von Weber, performed by Michele BowenAn NPR interview with Wendell Pierce about his role as trombonist Antoine Batiste on TremeAn excerpt from the climactic drum solo from WhiplashThe jam session scene from episode one of Kids on the SlopeThe ridiculously well animated jazz band from Yakuza 0The final guitar showdown from Crossroads feat. Steve VaiThe episode of 99% Invisible about The Real BookA collection of alphabetical tune excerpts from The Real Book, Vol. 1Audio from “Reset,” the third episode of James Acaster’s Netflix special Repertoire“Space Oddity” by David Bowie from David Bowie, 1969The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry on The Philosophy of Music:Jimi Hendrix’s performance of Frances Scott Key’s “The Star Spangled Banner” at Woodstock, 1969The excellent book Harmonic Experience: Tonal Harmony from Its Natural Origins to Its Modern Expression by W.A. MathieuOUTRO SOLOIST: Jeff BeanJeff Bean is a poet and a professor of English and creative writing at Central Michigan University. He also went to Kirk's high school, where he discovered his love of jazz guitar. You can read his work at his website.STRONG MERCHCheck out the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comJOIN THE STRONG SONGS DISCORDThe Strong Songs Discord server is now open to everyone! Come join the conversation and get (or give) some music recs: https://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmKEEP IT SOCIALFollow Strong Songs on Twitter: @StrongSongsAnd find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Thank you so much to all of Strong Songs' Patreon supporters - you are all the best. For more on how to support the creation of this show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsYou can also make a one-time Paypal donation here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/kirkhamiltonmusicOCTOBER 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSAshley HoagMark and MichelleKelsairRob BosworthKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerTim ByrneJamie WhiteChristopher KupskiChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulViki DunDave SharpeChrister LindqvistSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiOCTOBER 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSPaul WayperMiles FormanDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth Jungbenkurt wendelkenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayStefan NiebrüggeJason ReitmanKaren LiuGreg BurgessAilie FraserSimon PrietoBreck JonesPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooMarcRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderFernando RodriguezTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SampleWenJack SjogrenBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderJeremy DawsonChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily WilliamsKIRK'S SUGGESTED LIST OF REAL BOOK TUNES TO LEARN*AA Child is BornA Fine RomanceA Night in TunisiaAfro BlueAfternoon in ParisAlice in WonderlandAll BluesAll of MeAll of YouAll the Things You AreAlone TogetherAnthropologyApril in ParisAutumn in New YorkAutumn LeavesB Beautiful LoveBewitchedBlack OrpheusBlue BossaBlue In GreenBlue MonkBlues for AliceBlue TrainBody and SoulCChega De SaudadeChelsea BridgeConfirmationCorcovadoCottontail DDarn that DreamDays of Wine and RosesDesafinadoDolphin DanceDon’t Get Around Much AnymoreEEasy to LoveFFootprintsFourFreddie FreeloaderGGiant StepsGirl from IpanemaGod Bless the ChildGoodbye Porkpie HatGroovin HighHHave You Met Miss JonesHere’s That Rainy DayHow High the MoonHow InsensitiveII Can’t Get StartedI could Write a BookI Let a Song Go Out of my HeartI Love YouI Mean YouImpressionsIn a Mellow ToneIn a Sentimental MoodIn Your Own Sweet WayInvitationIt Don’t Mean a ThingJJoy Spring (if you’re feeling adventurous)Just FriendsK There are no K songs in the Real Book! I take this personally!LLady BirdLike Someone in LoveLullaby of BirdlandLush Life (there will one day be an episode about this masterpiece)MMaiden VoyageMistyMood IndigoMr. P.C.My Favorite ThingsMy Foolish HeartMy Funny ValentineMy One and Only LoveNNight and DayNight has a Thousand EyesOOleoOnce I LovedOne Note SambaOut of NowherePPensatia (a difficult but beautiful tune)Pent-Up HousePrelude to a KissRRecordame‘Round MidnightSSatin DollScrapple from the AppleSeven Steps to HeavenThe Shadow of Your SmileSidewinderSomeday My Prince Will ComeSong For My FatherSophisticated LadySo WhatStella By StarlightStolen MomentsStompin’ at the SavoyStraight, No ChaserSugarTTake FiveTake the “A” TrainThere Is no Greater LoveThere Will Never Be Another YouThey Can’t Take That Away From MeTristeTurn Out The StarsUUp Jumped SpringWWaltz For DebbyWell You Needn’tWhen I Fall In LoveWindowsYYesterdaysYou Don’t Know What Love Is*There are many other great tunes in the Real Book, this is just a selection to start with if you're learning repertoire. Also, feel free to skip any of these, especially the more beboppy tunes, if they're too tricky. Or if you don't like them. Or for whatever other reason. Good luck! ~K
10/20/2021 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 23 seconds
"Love Will Never Do (Without You)" by Janet Jackson
They said it couldn't last, so we had to prove them wrong... by making an episode of Strong Songs all about Janet Jackson, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis.It's time to go back to the late 80s, when New Jack Swing was all the rage and a budding superstar named Janet sat down with a pair of Minneapolis producers named Jimmy and Terry to produce some of the most groundbreaking pop music of the decade. This episode takes a look at "Love Will Never Do (Without You)," one of the most complex of their collaborations, and a tune with as many stylistic left-turns as it has orchestra hits.Written by: James Harris III and Terry LewisProduced by: Janet Jackson, Jam & LewisAlbum: Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814, 1989Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | SpotifyFEATURED/DISCUSSED:“Casey Kasem’s American Top 40 intro from the 1980s, via YouTube“Kiss” by Prince from Parade, 1986“Walking on Broken Glass” by Annie Lennox from Diva, 1992“Like a Prayer” by Madonna from Like a Prayer, 1989“Control,” “Nasty,” and “When I Think of You” by Janet Jackson/Jam & Lewis from Control, 1986"Rhythm Nation" and "Miss You Much" from Rhythm Nation 1814, 1989Emu SP-1200 Beatmaking demonstration by Chief Rugged on YouTubeDiscussion of New Jack Swing, which you can learn more about here“Poison” by Bel Biv DeVoe from Poison, 1990“Alice, I Want You Just For Me” by Full Force, produced by Teddy Riley on Full Force, 1985Estelle Caswell’s Vox Earworm video about the Orchestra Hit“The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac from Rumors, 1977OUTRO SOLOIST: Dan NervoThis episode's outro soloist is the fantastic Dan Nervo. Dan plays guitar in the San Francisco Bay Area in bands like Neon Velvet, and also teaches private guitar lessons. Hit him up if you want to get good at guitar: https://www.facebook.com/DanNervoGuitarLessons/STRONG MERCHCheck out the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comJOIN THE STRONG SONGS DISCORDThe Strong Songs Discord server is now open to everyone! Come join the conversation and get (or give) some music recs: https://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmKEEP IT SOCIALFollow Strong Songs on Twitter: @StrongSongsAnd find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Thank you so much to all of Strong Songs' Patreon supporters - you are all the best. For more on how to support the creation of this show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsYou can also make a one-time Paypal donation here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/kirkhamiltonmusicOCTOBER 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSAshley HoagMark and MichelleKelsairRob BosworthKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerTim ByrneJamie WhiteChristopher KupskiChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulViki DunDave SharpeChrister LindqvistSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiOCTOBER 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSPaul WayperMiles FormanDennis M EdwardsJeffrey FerrisBruno GaetaKenneth Jungbenkurt wendelkenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayStefan NiebrüggeJason ReitmanKaren LiuGreg BurgessAilie FraserSimon PrietoBreck JonesPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooMarcRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderFernando RodriguezTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmSusan PleinDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffyThanadrosDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SampleWenJack SjogrenBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanNaomi WatsonDavid CushmanAlexanderJeremy DawsonChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily Williams
10/6/2021 • 55 minutes, 42 seconds
"September" by Earth, Wind & Fire
Ba de ya! Say that you remember! Ba de ya! Dancing in September! Ba de yah! Musical analysiiiis!It's finally time for Strong Songs to take on one of the strongest bands of all, the great Earth, Wind & Fire. In honor of September 21, Kirk does a deep dive on EWF's timeless tribute to the end of summertime - those layered grooves, those funky bass parts, and those glossy, effortless vocals.Written by: Maurice White, Al McKay & Alee WillisProduced by: Maurice WhiteAlbum: The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire Vol. 1, 1978Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | SpotifyFEATURED/DISCUSSED:“Shining Star” and “Way of the World” by Earth, Wind & Fire from That’s The Way of the World, 1975“Serpentine Fire” by Earth, Wind & Fire from All N’ All, 1977“In The Stone” by EWF from I Am, 1979“Easy Lover” by Phillip Bailey, Phil Collins and Nathan East, 1990“Neutron Dance” by Alee Willis performed by the Pointer Sisters on Break Out, 1984“Celebration” by Kool & The Gang, 1980“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John and Bernie Taupin from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973OUTRO SOLOIST: Erik ElligersErik is a Connecticut-based multi-instrumentalist and music educator. He plays saxophone with the New London Big Band and sings and plays guitar for the fabulous band Goodnight Blue Moon - check them out, you won't regret it: https://www.goodnightbluemoon.com/STRONG MERCHCheck out the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comJOIN THE STRONG SONGS DISCORDThe Strong Songs Discord server is now open to everyone! Come join the conversation and get (or give) some music recs: https://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmKEEP IT SOCIALFollow Strong Songs on Twitter: @StrongSongsAnd find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Thank you so much to all of Strong Songs' Patreon supporters - you are all the best. For more on how to support the creation of this show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsYou can also make a one-time Paypal donation here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/kirkhamiltonmusicSEPTEMBER 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSRob BosworthJosh PearsonKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerTim ByrneJamie WhiteChristopher KupskiChristopher McConnellJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulViki DunDave SharpeChrister LindqvistSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiSEPTEMBER 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSkurt wendelkenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayStefan NiebrüggeJason ReitmanKaren LiuGreg BurgessAilie FraserSimon PrietoBreck JonesPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooMarcRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderFernando RodriguezTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael Bermanstephen matthewsBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffrey C. YarnellDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SampleWenJack SjogrenBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanDavid CushmanAlexanderJeremy DawsonChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily Williams
9/21/2021 • 55 minutes, 9 seconds
Clave, Chorus & "Careless Whisper"
Well, look at that - it's a mailbag episode! Kirk answers your questions on Bo Diddley, Minecraft, The Supremes, chorus guitar, XTC, Parquet Courts, and the mystery of the "Careless Whisper" sax solo.REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:“Wake Up” by XTC from The Big Express, 1984“Waterfall” and “Don’t Stop” by The Stone Roses from The Stone Roses, 1989“The Mind Electric” by Miracle Musical from Hawaii: Part II, 201“Minecraft” by C418, 2009The Minecraft episode of Twenty Thousand Hertz: https://www.20k.org/episodes/minecraft“Briony” by Dario Marianelli from Atonement, 2007“The Mayor” by Kirk Hamilton from The Exited Door, 2009“Bo Diddley” by Bo Diddley, 1962“You Can’t Hurry Love” by The Supremes written by Holland-Dozier-Holland (and backed by The Funk Brothers), 1966“Wake Up” by Arcade Fire from Funeral, 2004“In The Heights” by Lin-Manuel Miranda from In The Heights, 2008 and the 2021 film“Chinese Satellite” by Phoebe Bridger from Punisher, 2020“Good 4 U” by Olivia Rodrigo from Sour, 2021“Time After Time” by Cindi Lauper and Rob Hyman from She’s So Unusual, 1983“Wide Awake” by Parquet Courts from Wide Awake, 2018“Careless Whisper” by George Michael from Wham!’s 1984 record Make It BigDan Forshaw’s video about Steve Gregory’s “Careless Whisper” sax solo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UvoRqBDwsIOUTRO SOLOIST: Luke PriceThis episode's outro soloist is Portland fiddle player Luke Price. When he's not working as a side man in a variety of killer bands, Luke joins his wife Rachael to form the excellent songwriting duo DEAN!. You can follow them on Instagram and listen to some of their stuff on their website, wearedean.com.STRONG MERCHCheck out the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comJOIN THE STRONG SONGS DISCORDThe Strong Songs Discord server is now open to everyone! Come join the conversation and get (or give) some music recs: https://discord.gg/GCvKqAM8SmKEEP IT SOCIALFollow Strong Songs on Twitter: @StrongSongsAnd find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_HamiltonNEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Thank you so much to all of Strong Songs' Patreon supporters - you are all the best. For more on how to support the creation of this show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsYou can also make a one-time Paypal donation here: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/kirkhamiltonmusicSEPTEMBER 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSRob BosworthJosh PearsonKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerTim ByrneJamie WhiteChristopher KupskiChristopher McConnellJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulViki DunDave SharpeChrister LindqvistSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiSEPTEMBER 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSkurt wendelkenAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayStefan NiebrüggeJason ReitmanKaren LiuGreg BurgessAilie FraserSimon PrietoBreck JonesPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooMarcRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderFernando RodriguezTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael Bermanstephen matthewsBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerLiz SegerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffrey C. YarnellDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SampleWenJack SjogrenBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanDavid CushmanAlexanderJeremy DawsonChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily Williams
9/8/2021 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 24 seconds
"Fingertips" by They Might Be Giants
Kirk picks apart not one, not two, but twenty one micro-songs by the great They Might Be Giants.What's that blue thing doing here? Who's knocking on the wall? And for that matter, who's that standing out the window? It's time to answer those questions and many more, as Kirk delves into The Might Be Giants' singular collection of mini-songs, "Fingertips." It's a stylistic smorgasbord of sound, with everything from jazz to rock to lounge to... honestly, genre doesn't exist and "Fingertips" proves it. Each tiny song shines for its brief moment of life, and then lives on forever in your imagination. Written by: John Flansburgh and John LinnellAlbum: Apollo 18 (1992)Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | SpotifyALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED:"Particle Man," "Birdhouse In Your Soul," and "Minimum Wage" by They Might Be Giants and "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" by Jimmy Kennedy and Nat Simon from Flood, 1990"Extra Savoir Faire" by TMBG from John Henry, 1994The 2002 documentary Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns)“The Simpsons Main Title Theme” by Danny Elfman, 1989“Joy To The World” - lyrics by Isaac Watts as performed by Nat “King” ColeOUTRO SOLOIST: Kirk HamiltonKirk is the host of Strong Songs. He lives in Portland, Oregon, where he likes to play the drums. He thinks he's getting good but he can handle criticism.STRONG MERCHVisit the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comKEEP IT SOCIALYou can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongsAnd you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!Thanks to all of Strong Songs' Patrons! You're the reason I'm able to keep the show going strong and ad-free. If you want to join the Patreon, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsAUGUST 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSRob BosworthJosh PearsonKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerTim ByrnePatrick FunstonJamie WhiteChristopher KupskiChristopher McConnellJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulViki DunDave SharpeChrister LindqvistSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannFraserGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiAUGUST 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAndy PainterKaren LiuGreg BurgessAilie FraserSimon PrietoBreck JonesPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooMarcRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderFernando RodriguezTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael Bermanstephen matthewsBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmShawn McCarthyDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffrey C. YarnellDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallDon HutchisonLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SampleWenJack SjogrenBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanDavid CushmanAlexanderJeremy DawsonChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily Williams
8/25/2021 • 59 minutes, 19 seconds
"Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" by Billy Joel
A bottle of red... a bottle of white... whatever kind of mood you're in, we're talking Billy Joel tonight!Pull up a table and join Kirk for a long look into one of Joel's most enduring songs, the seven-and-a-half minute, five course musical meal that is "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant." The centerpiece on Joel's breakthrough 1977 album The Stranger, Italian Restaurant has got it all: schmaltzy sax, hard rock rhythms, love, heartbreak, and a pair of harmonized clarinets. Written by: Billy JoelProduced by: Phil RamoneAlbum: The Stranger (1977)Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | SpotifyFEATURED/DISCUSSED:"Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)," "Just The Way You Are," "Vienna," "Only The Good Die Young," and "She's Always a Woman to Me" by Billy Joel from The Stranger, 1977Joel discussing Phil Ramone in The Complete Albums Collection documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm5-oQNENnM“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Freddie Mercury and Queen from A Night at the Opera, 1975“One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces” by Ben Folds from Whatever and Ever Amen, 1997“You Never Can Tell” by Chuck Berry, 1964“Jack and Diane” by John Mellencamp from American Fool, 1982“Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen from Born to Run, 1975OUTRO SOLOIST: Steve PardoThis episode's outro soloist is the one and only Steve Pardo. Steve is a Nashville, TN based producer, composer, and saxophonist. You can find out more at his website: https://www.stevepardo.com/STRONG MERCHVisit the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comKEEP IT SOCIALYou can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongsAnd you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!Thanks to all of Strong Songs' Patrons! You're the reason I'm able to keep the show going strong and ad-free. If you want to join the Patreon, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsAUGUST 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Rob BosworthJosh PearsonKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerTim ByrnePatrick FunstonJamie WhiteChristopher KupskiChristopher McConnellJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulViki DunDave SharpeChrister LindqvistSami SamhuriAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannFraserGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiAUGUST 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAndy PainterKaren LiuGreg BurgessAilie FraserSimon PrietoBreck JonesPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarBernard KhooMarcRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderFernando RodriguezTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael Bermanstephen matthewsBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmShawn McCarthyDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffrey C. YarnellDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallDon HutchisonLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SampleWenJack SjogrenBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanDavid CushmanAlexanderJeremy DawsonChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily Williams
8/11/2021 • 56 minutes, 19 seconds
The Producer's Philosophy, with Brian Bender
Kirk sits down with producer, composer, and master mixer Brian Bender to talk about the state of the recording art.Brian Bender has been making records since the early 2000s, from slinging cable at legendary NY spots like Electric Lady and the Hit Factory to running his own studio, The Motherbrain, in Los Angeles. He’s worked with countless artists and worked on dozens of films and TV shows. He’s also the guy who taught Kirk how to play Street Fighter back in grade school.On this episode, Kirk reunites with his old buddy to talk about the producer’s role in the studio, Al Green's cookies, common mix misconceptions, how to mic drums, and how to get a good handclap sound.Follow Brian (and check out his studio) on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bdbender/Brian Bender's (Partial) Discography: https://www.discogs.com/artist/361112-Brian-BenderFilm & TV Credits: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4685996/REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODETERMSA/D or D/A: Analog to digital conversion“In the Box”: Making music entirely digitally with no outboard gearStems - Submixes of like tracks (e.g. the strings, the guitars) which an engineer can work with instead of individual tracks in order to streamline workflowMUSIC“Stop” by Joe Henry from Scar, 2001“A.D. 2000” by Erykah Badu from Mama’s Gun, 2000 (mixed by Russell Elvado)“Lay It Down” by Al Green from Lay It Down, 2008“Mother Brain” by Minako Mamano from Super Metroid, 1994“If You Hear Me,” “Promised Land” by Ben Williams from I Am a Man, 2020“Super Bad” by James Brown feat. Jabo Starks on drums, 1970“Nobody Knows My Name” by José James feat. Laura Mvala & Kris Bowers from No Beginning No End 2, 2020“Church Girl” by Laura Mvula from Pink Noise, 2021“Elevator" by Gavin Turek from Madame Gold, 2021“Guilty” by Barbra Streisand w/ Barry Gibb, 1980GEAR DISCUSSEDDrums:C&C Custom Drum SetLudwig Supraphonic Snare DrumStudio Gear:Studer 2-inch 24-Track Tape RecorderAmpex 602 2-Track 1/2-Inch Tape RecorderOtari 2-inch 16-track Multitrack Tape MachineTeletronix LA-2A CompressorMicrophones:AKG 414 (The OG)Shure SM57 (The GOAT)Electro-Voice 642 Cardiline Dynamic Shotgun Mic (Kick Batter)Neumann U47 FET (Kick Head)Inverted Yamaha NS-10 Woofer (Sub Kick Mic)Sennheiser 421 (Toms)Coles 4038 ribbon (Overheads, the other GOAT)Lomo 19a19 tube condenser (Secret Russian mic)OTHER THINGSTate’s Bake ShopGeorge Massenburg explains the GML8200 Parametric EQ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kBFqHo2z9QThe movie “Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar,” 2021Correction: Kirk initially erroneously described Bender as having won multiple Grammys and Emmys, but he has only been nominated (so far). The episode has been edited to remove the error.STRONG MERCHVisit the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comKEEP IT SOCIALYou can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongsAnd you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!This episode was made possible by Strong Songs' lovely Patreon backers. For more on how to become a patron and support the show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsJULY 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSRob BosworthJosh PearsonKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerTim ByrnePatrick FunstonJamie WhiteChristopher KupskiChristopher McConnellJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulViki DunDave SharpeChrister LindqvistSami SamhuriCraig J CovellAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannFraserGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiJULY 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarSpencer StanfordBernard KhooMarcAndrew ShpallRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderFernando RodriguezTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael Bermanstephen matthewsBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJeremy SchwartzJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmShawn McCarthyDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffrey C. YarnellDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallDon HutchisonLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SampleWenJack SjogrenBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleAlbukittyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanDavid CushmanAlexanderJeremy DawsonChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerChris BrownJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily Williams
7/28/2021 • 1 hour, 15 minutes, 20 seconds
The Music All Around Us, with Imogen Heap
On this episode, Kirk sits down for a conversation with composer, singer, and music technologist Imogen Heap.The two talk about the creative process, live performance in the pandemic age, the shifting relationship between artist and audience, the process of developing new music technology, several of Heap's ambitious musical projects, and of course, her song "Hide and Seek," which was the subject of an episode of Strong Songs earlier this year.REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:Imogen Heap's App, home of the "Heapsters": https://imogenheap.app/The Mi.Mu Gloves: https://mimugloves.com/“Promo” by Tim Exile live for BBC Radio 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5SVhGg5UV8Tim Exile's "Endless" app: https://endlesss.fm/“Last Night of an Empire” by Imogen Heap, 2020“First Train Home” performed by Imogen Heap in her Kitchen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5nU5O2wygE&t=1269s“Daylight Robbery” and “Hide and Seek” by Imogen Heap from Speak For Yourself, 2004“The Listening Chair” and “You Know Where to Find Me” by Imogen Heap from Sparks, 2014E.L. Doctorow’s wonderful quote, as paraphrased by Anne Lamott in her writing memoir Bird by Bird: “Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.”“Oustrue” by Richard Devine from Sort/Lave, 2018“YaYaYa” by Ry X from Unfurl, 2019“Mountains” by Biffy Clyro from Only Revolutions, 2009The Interdependence podcast, with Holly Herndon and Matt Dryhurst: https://interdependence.fm/STRONG MERCHVisit the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comKEEP IT SOCIALYou can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongsAnd you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!This episode was made possible by Strong Songs' lovely Patreon backers. For more on how to become a patron and support the show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsJULY 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSRob BosworthJosh PearsonKyle CookeDonald MackieMelissa OsborneChristopher MillerTim ByrnePatrick FunstonJamie WhiteChristopher KupskiChristopher McConnellJoshua JarvisNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulViki DunDave SharpeChrister LindqvistSami SamhuriCraig J CovellAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannFraserGlennJim ChokeyAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiJULY 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSPaul McGrealKaren ArnoldNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeEmma SklarSpencer StanfordBernard KhooMarcAndrew ShpallRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderFernando RodriguezTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael Bermanstephen matthewsBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJeremy SchwartzJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothSharon TreeBelinda Mcgrath-steerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmShawn McCarthyDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffrey C. YarnellDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallDon HutchisonLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SampleWenJack SjogrenBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleAlbukittyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanDavid CushmanAlexanderJeremy DawsonChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerChris BrownJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily Williams
7/14/2021 • 1 hour, 18 minutes, 13 seconds
Strong Covers, Vol. 1
It's time for Strong Songs to talk about some Strong Covers! On this episode, Kirk tackles four famous covers, comparing each with the original while trying to suss out what makes a great cover in the first place. Covered (heyo) on this episode:"Respect" by Otis Redding, as covered by Aretha Franklin in 1967"Satisfaction" by Jagger/Richards, as covered by Devo on Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, 1978"Mad World" by Roland Orzabal/Tears for Fears, as covered by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules for Donnie Darko, 2001"Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen, as covered by Jeff Buckley on Grace, 1994Also featured/referenced:"Aretha Franklin Had Power. Did We Respect It?" by Wesley Morris for the New York Times, 2018"The Story Behind Devo's Iconic Cover of the Rolling Stones' 'Satisfaction'" by Ray Padgett for The New Yorker, 2017Ray Padgett's book Cover Me: The Story Behind the Greatest Cover Songs of All Time, 2017DEVO performing their "Satisfaction" cover live in 1977: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=70&v=jAGOgMxUHKM&feature=emb_logoPerformances of "Hallelujah" by John Cale, Pentatonix, K.D. Lang, and Rufus WainwrightOUTRO SOLOIST: Rob ReichThis episode's outro soloist is the wonderful bay area pianist/accordionist Rob Reich. He's got a bunch of albums you can check out and contributes to an array of interesting projects and experiments. Find more at his website, http://www.robreich.com/.STRONG MERCHCheck out the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comKEEP IT SOCIALYou can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongsAnd you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!Thank you to all of Strong Songs's wonderful patrons! For more on how to support the creation of this show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsJUNE 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSRob BosworthJosh PearsonKyle CookeDonald MackieLiam KeoghMelissa OsbornePer Morten BarstadChristopher MillerTim ByrneAllison Clift-JenningsPatrick FunstonJamie WhiteChristopher KupskiChristopher McConnellJoshua JarvisRick KlarasNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulViki DunChrister LindqvistSami SamhuriCraig J CovellAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannFraserGlennAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiJUNE 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeÅshild Margrete Østtveit OdéenEmma SklarSpencer StanfordBernard KhooMarcAndrew ShpallRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahBen HuntGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderAndy SmithFernando RodriguezTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael Bermanstephen matthewsBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJeremy SchwartzJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothBelinda Mcgrath-steerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmShawn McCarthyDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonErika L AustinCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffrey C. YarnellDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonChristopher CudnoskiSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallDon HutchisonLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SampleWenJack SjogrenAparajit RaghavanBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonJake TinsleyDiane TurnerTom ColemanJudy ChappleMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleAlbukittyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanDave Sharpebrant brantphillipDavid CushmanAlexanderJeremy DawsonChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerChris BrownJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonTom LauerEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellTom ClewerKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily Williams
6/30/2021 • 1 hour, 47 seconds
Ska Horns & Madonna Melodies
Mailbag time! We've got listener questions about Madonna earworms, National piano parts, Breath of the Wild music, online vocal teachers, the French horn, The Lemon Twigs, and much more. REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:“Mira, Royal Detective Theme” by Matthew Tishler and Jeannie Luriem 2020“Open Your Heart” by Madonna from True Blue, 1986“Fake Empire” by The National from Boxer, 2007“Wind Waker Theme” by Koji Kondo from The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, 2002“The Legend of Zelda Theme” by Koji Kondo from The Legend of Zelda, 1986Ambient audio from Breath of the Wild, soundtrack by Yasuaki Iwata, Hajime Wakai, Manaka KataokaSteve Park performing Straus’s Nocturno Op. 7 for horn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ppz-j5aDROo“AH Vowel Exercise 2” by Ken Tamplin from Ken Tamplin Vocal Academy Vocal Workshop, Volume 2 (Find Ken on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6x5NRBmotXDEvLDDFWlLvA)“The One” by The Lemon Twigs from Songs for the General Public, 2020“Nuthin’ But a Good Time” by Poison from Open Up and Say… Ahh!, 1988“Confrontation with Dooku/Finale” by John Williams from Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, 2002“Game of Thrones” by Ramin Djawadi, 2011“The Impression That I Get” by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones from Let’s Face It, 1997“Hotel California” by The Eagles from Hotel California, 1976“Dead Man’s Party” by Oingo Boingo from Dead Man’s Party, 1986“Time” by Pink Floyd from The Dark Side of the Moon, 1973“November Rain” by Guns N’ Roses from Use Your Illusion, 1991“Santa Claus is Coming To Town” by Coots/Gillespie from Bill Evans Trio ’64, 1964Correction 7/16: This episode initially misidentified the rototom on "Dead Man's Party" as a cowbell. It has been updated and now contains less cowbell.OUTRO SOLOIST: Kyle MolitorKyle is a Portland-based trombonist who plays in all sorts of bands, and was also featured on the year three Strong Songs theme msuic. Find him on Instagram @tbonemolitor and check out his latest single here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/kylemolitor/the-jazz-feat-toranpettoSTRONG MERCHCheck out the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comKEEP IT SOCIALYou can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongsAnd you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!Thank you so much to all of Strong Songs' Patreon supporters - you are all the best. For more on how to support the creation of this show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsJUNE 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSRob BosworthJosh PearsonKyle CookeDonald MackieLiam KeoghMelissa OsbornePer Morten BarstadChristopher MillerTim ByrneAllison Clift-JenningsPatrick FunstonJamie WhiteChristopher KupskiChristopher McConnellJoshua JarvisRick KlarasNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulViki DunChrister LindqvistSami SamhuriCraig J CovellAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannFraserGlennAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiJUNE 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeÅshild Margrete Østtveit OdéenEmma SklarSpencer StanfordBernard KhooMarcAndrew ShpallRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahBen HuntGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderAndy SmithFernando RodriguezTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael Bermanstephen matthewsBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJeremy SchwartzJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothBelinda Mcgrath-steerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmShawn McCarthyDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonErika L AustinCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffrey C. YarnellDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonChristopher CudnoskiSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallDon HutchisonLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SampleWenJack SjogrenAparajit RaghavanBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonJake TinsleyDiane TurnerTom ColemanJudy ChappleMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleAlbukittyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanDave Sharpebrant brantphillipDavid CushmanAlexanderJeremy DawsonChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerChris BrownJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonTom LauerEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellTom ClewerKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily Williams
6/16/2021 • 55 minutes, 44 seconds
"You've Got a Friend" by Carole King
Winter, spring, summer, or fall... all you have to do is call, and Strong Songs will be there with an in-depth analysis of one of the most influential songwriters of the 20th century.This episode takes a deep dive into Carole King's ever enduring, much-covered tribute to friendship, "You've Got a Friend." What starts in Laurel Canyon in the early 70s spread outward to the world, thanks to King's revolutionary 1971 album Tapestry. 50 years later, those songs are still with us, and "You've Got a Friend" remains one of the most meaningful tributes to simple, platonic love. Written by: Carole KingAlbum: Tapestry (1971)Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | SpotifyALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED:"I Feel The Earth Move" and "So Far Away," both by Carole King, and "It's Too Late" by King with lyrics by Toni Stern, from Tapestry, 1971"You've Got a Friend" as recorded by James Taylor on Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon, 1971"You've Got a Friend" as recorded by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway on Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway, 1972"Precious Lord, Take My Hand/You've Got a Friend" as recorded by Aretha Franklin on Amazing Grace, 1972"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" by Carole King and Gerry Goffen as recorded by Aretha Franklin, 1967Harvey Kubernik's exceptional chronicling of Tapestry's place in the broader 1970s music scene: https://www.musicconnection.com/kubernik-carole-king-tapestry-50th-anniversary/Kubernik's book on Laurel Canyon: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/6464198-canyon-of-dreams"You've Got a Friend" as recorded by Donny Hathaway on Live, 1972OUTRO SOLOIST: Charles McNealCharles McNeal is a killin' Oakland-based sax player who plays all over the bay area. He's also a master jazz transcriber, and has chronicled tons of great solos. You can find him playing out in a variety of bands and settings; the best way to keep up with his music is to subscribe to his YouTube channel or follow him on Instagram @charlesonsax2 - https://www.instagram.com/charlesonsax2STRONG MERCHVisit the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comKEEP IT SOCIALYou can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongsAnd you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!Thanks to all of Strong Songs' Patrons! You keep this show going. If you want to support Strong Songs, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsJUNE 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSRob BosworthJosh PearsonKyle CookeDonald MackieLiam KeoghMelissa OsbornePer Morten BarstadChristopher MillerTim ByrneAllison Clift-JenningsPatrick FunstonJamie WhiteChristopher KupskiChristopher McConnellJoshua JarvisRick KlarasNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulViki DunChrister LindqvistSami SamhuriCraig J CovellAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannFraserGlennAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiJUNE 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerPhino DeLeonSchloss Edward J. MDRhyanon MurrayAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaSteve PaquinMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeÅshild Margrete Østtveit OdéenEmma SklarSpencer StanfordBernard KhooMarcAndrew ShpallRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahBen HuntGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderAndy SmithFernando RodriguezTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael Bermanstephen matthewsBridget LyonsOlivia BishopJeremy SchwartzJohn GisselquistElaine MartinKourothBelinda Mcgrath-steerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmShawn McCarthyDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonErika L AustinCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffrey C. YarnellDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonChristopher CudnoskiSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallDon HutchisonLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SampleWenJack SjogrenAparajit RaghavanBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonJake TinsleyDiane TurnerTom ColemanJudy ChappleMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleAlbukittyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanDave Sharpebrant brantphillipDavid CushmanAlexanderJeremy DawsonChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerChris BrownJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonTom LauerEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellTom ClewerKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily Williams
6/2/2021 • 59 minutes, 42 seconds
"New Born" and "Micro Cuts" by Muse
Link it to the world, link it to yourself, link it to your podcast app, because it's time to talk about Muse.Kirk takes a deep dive into not one but two songs off of Muse's seminal 2001 album Origin of Symmetry: "New Born," which kicks the album off with a strong pop-rock approach, and "Micro Cuts," a mid-album high point that shows off their more eclectic influences. It's time for some contrapuntal harmony mixed with some good old fashioned blues riffs, and a lot of guitar fuzz on top.Written by: Matthew BellamyAlbum: Origin of Symmetry (2001)Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | SpotifyALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED:"Plug In Baby," "Space Dementia," "Bliss," and "Citizen Erased" by Matthew Bellamy from Origin of SymmetryManson Guitar Works, makers of Matt Bellamy's futuristic custom guitars: https://www.mansonguitarworks.com/OUTRO SOLOIST: Galen ClarkThis episode's outro soloist is Mr. Galen Clark, who plays keyboard and organ and acts as bandleader for the soul jazz group Trio Subtonic. Galen's also going to be on tour this summer playing keyboards with Sleater-Kinney. Find more information at their website, https://www.triosubtonic.net, and find Sleater-Kinney tour dates at their website, http://www.sleater-kinney.com/STRONG MERCHVisit the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comKEEP IT SOCIALYou can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongsAnd you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!Thanks to all of Strong Songs' Patrons! If you'd like to support the show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsMAY 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSJosh PearsonKyle CookeDonald MackieLiam KeoghMelissa OsbornePer Morten BarstadChristopher MillerTim ByrneAllison Clift-JenningsPatrick FunstonJamie WhiteChristopher KupskiChristopher McConnellJoshua JarvisRick KlarasNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulR WatsonViki DunChrister LindqvistSami SamhuriCraig J CovellAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannFraserGlennAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiMAY 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeÅshild Margrete Østtveit OdéenEmma SklarSpencer StanfordBernard KhooMarcAndrew ShpallRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahBen HuntGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderAndy Smithwill reddellFernando RodriguezTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael Bermanstephen matthewsBridget LyonsMelody ValdezOlivia BishopJeremy SchwartzJohn GisselquistElaine MartinThomas KönigKourothBelinda Mcgrath-steerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmShawn McCarthyDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonErika L AustinCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffrey C. YarnellDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonChristopher CudnoskiSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallDon HutchisonLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SampleWenJack SjogrenAparajit RaghavanBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonJake TinsleyDiane TurnerTom ColemanJudy ChappleMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleAlbukittyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanDave Sharpebrant brantphillipDavid CushmanAlexanderJeremy DawsonGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerChris BrownJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonTom LauerEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellTom ClewerKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily Williams
5/19/2021 • 56 minutes, 45 seconds
"Nessun dorma" by Giacomo Puccini (Aria Code)
The fine folks at WNYC's fabulous opera podcast Aria Code recently reached out about doing a cross-promotion with Strong Songs, and now here we are, running an episode of their show in the Strong Songs feed.If you enjoy it, you should definitely go check out the show - Aria Code is very easy to find on all major podcast platforms.ORIGINAL SHOW NOTES (via Aria Code)Aired: March 10, 2021Sometimes, the only thing that gets us through the darkest moments is knowing that the sun will rise again on a new day. Puccini's final opera, Turandot, is about courage in the face of adversity, and love triumphing over fear. In other words, it is exactly what the world needs right now. The aria “Nessun dorma” is Prince Calaf’s declaration of love and resounding victory cry. In this episode, host Rhiannon Giddens and three guests explore what makes this aria so popular even beyond the opera house, and how it became an anthem of resilience and hope during the COVID-19 pandemic. This episode features Italian tenor Franco Corelli in a Metropolitan Opera performance from the Before Times (a.k.a. 1966).The Guests:Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin is the Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera, Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Orchestre Métropolitain in Montreal. He loves conducting Puccini’s biggest, most majestic opera, but his favorite moments are the intimate arias like “Nessun dorma.”Writer Anne Midgette is the former classical music critic for The Washington Post. She first heard the aria on a Book of the Month Club cassette tape in college, and thinks the secret sauce for “Nessun Dorma” is in its climactic underdog declaration of “Vincerò” -- “I will win.”Dr. Michael Cho is a pulmonary and critical care physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and has been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s also a violist, and has been playing with the Longwood Symphony Orchestra for more than 15 years. Recently, he joined the National Virtual Medical Orchestra, a group that formed during COVID to give people in the medical field a chance to play together. Watch their performance of "Nessun Dorma" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOKW42q7HWE&feature=emb_logoIn April of 2020, 700 children across Europe sang a virtual performance of "Nessun dorma" as a message of hope and solidarity, from Europa InCanto. You can meet two of the stars in this episode, and watch their performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZWmikiJVIQ&feature=emb_logo
5/14/2021 • 33 minutes, 57 seconds
Strung Beats, Jazz Battles & The Notes You Don't Play
The Strong Songs mailbag has gotten pretty overstuffed lately, so Kirk decided to take another crack at it. That means it's time for more of your musical questions!On this episode, we bounce around between the best songs for performing CPR, country music multiphonics, Noname's strung beats, the slide saxophone, Stevie Nicks guitar tones, Roxanne syncopation, how to find a voice teacher, whether competition is good for music, and what it means when people say jazz is about "the notes you don't play."REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:“Stayin Alive” by the Bee Gees from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, 1977“Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen from The Game, 1980“Freight Train” by Alan Jackson from Freight Train, 2010“Something” by Lalah Hathaway and Snarky Puppy from Family Dinner, 2013“Sunny Duet (feat. theMIND)” and “Yesterday” by Noname from Telefone, 2016“Waves” by J Dilla from Donut, 2006“Swamp Thing” by Hiatus Kayote from Choose Your Weapon, 2015Frédéric Couderc on the slide saxophone playing “Come Sunday” by Duke Ellington: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjnrM3GZMS8“Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Knicks from Bella Donna, 1981“Bring on the Night” by The Police from The Police, 1979“Roxanne” by The Police from Outlandos d’Amor, 1978“The Eternal Triangle,” by Sonny Stitt from Sonny Side Up, 1957“You Don’t Know What Love Is” by Raye and DePaul, recorded by Sonny Rollins on Saxophone Colossus, 1956“So What” by Miles Davis from Kind of Blue, 1959OUTRO SOLOIST: Erik ElligersErik is a Connecticut-based multi-instrumentalist and music educator. He plays saxophone with the New London Big Band and sings and plays guitar for the fabulous band Goodnight Blue Moon - check them out, you won't regret it: https://www.goodnightbluemoon.com/STRONG MERCHCheck out the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comKEEP IT SOCIALYou can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongsAnd you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!Thank you so much to all of Strong Songs' Patreon supporters - you are all the best. For more on how to support the creation of this show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsMAY 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSJosh PearsonKyle CookeDonald MackieLiam KeoghMelissa OsbornePer Morten BarstadChristopher MillerTim ByrneAllison Clift-JenningsPatrick FunstonJamie WhiteChristopher KupskiChristopher McConnellJoshua JarvisRick KlarasNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulR WatsonViki DunChrister LindqvistSami SamhuriCraig J CovellAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannFraserGlennAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiMAY 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonStephen RawlingsBen MachtaVictoria YuKevin RiversGray DyerBrad ClarkChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeÅshild Margrete Østtveit OdéenEmma SklarSpencer StanfordBernard KhooMarcAndrew ShpallRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahBen HuntGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderAndy Smithwill reddellFernando RodriguezTimothy DoughertyJason PrattStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael Bermanstephen matthewsBridget LyonsMelody ValdezOlivia BishopJeremy SchwartzJohn GisselquistElaine MartinThomas KönigKourothBelinda Mcgrath-steerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmShawn McCarthyDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonErika L AustinCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffrey C. YarnellDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonChristopher CudnoskiSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallDon HutchisonLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SampleWenJack SjogrenAparajit RaghavanBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonJake TinsleyDiane TurnerTom ColemanJudy ChappleMark PerryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleAlbukittyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanDave Sharpebrant brantphillipDavid CushmanAlexanderJeremy DawsonGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerChris BrownJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonTom LauerEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellTom ClewerKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterEmily Williams
5/5/2021 • 1 hour, 1 minute, 36 seconds
Explaining Musicals, with Lindsay Ellis
If an emotion is too big for talking, you sing. If it's too big for singing, you dance. And if it's too big for dancing, well, you just gotta podcast!Author, podcaster, and video essayist Lindsay Ellis knows a thing or two about outsized Broadway emotions—in addition to her many other pursuits, she's created a whole side endeavor talking about them on her musical theater podcast, Musicalsplaining. Ellis guested on last year's Strong Songs episode about Hadestown, and it seemed only natural to have her back for a longer conversation about musical theater.Back in March, she and Kirk hopped on Zoom and chatted about the first musicals they loved, why musicals resonate with teens, how Hadestown's visual design helps tell a story, and just what the deal is with Andrew Lloyd Webber.CHECK OUT LINDSAY'S WORKLindsay's bestselling debut novel Axiom's End is now available, and her second one is on the way. She's a prolific video essayist, and has made some terrific videos about Lord Andy himself. She's also a co-host on the Musicalsplaining podcast.REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:“All I Ask of You (Reprise),” and “Point of No Return” from The Phantom of the Opera (Original London Cast) by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart, 1987“Cool” by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim from West Side Story, New Broadway Cast Recording, 2009“Dead Mom” by Eddie Perfect performed by Sophia Anne Caruso from the Beetlejuice OCR, 2019"Non-Stop” by Lin-Manuel Miranda from Hamilton, 2015“Heaven on their Minds” by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice from Jesus Christ Superstar, original concept album, 1970“The Club” by Lin-Manuel Mirands from In The Heights, 2008“Any Way the Wind Blows,” “Come Home With Me,” “Chant,” and “Wedding Song” by Anäis Mitchell from Hadestown, 2019An offhand joke about “The Phantom of the Mall” which is an actual 1989 movie“Willkommen” by Kander, Ebb and Masteroff performed by Alan Cumming in the 1998 version of Cabaret"Man of Constant Sorrow,” trad. American Folk first published by Dick Burnett, performed by Dan Tyminski and the Soggy Bottom Boys in O Brother, Where Art Thou, 2000“Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd from After Hours, 2020STRONG MERCHVisit the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comKEEP IT SOCIALYou can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongsAnd you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!This bonus episode was made possible by Strong Songs' lovely Patreon backers. For more on how to become a patron and support the show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsAPRIL 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSDonald MackieLiam KeoghMelissa OsbornePer Morten BarstadChristopher MillerTim ByrneAllison Clift-JenningsPatrick FunstonJamie WhiteAngus McKimmChristopher KupskiChristopher McConnellJoshua JarvisRick KlarasNikoJoe LaskaLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromNarelle HornNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourDoug PatonRobert PaulR WatsonViki DunChrister LindqvistSami SamhuriCraig J CovellAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannFraserGlennCALEB ROTACHAndre BremerMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiAPRIL 2012 HALF-NOTE PATRONSChristopherMichael J. CunninghamKari KirkMark Boggsmino caposselaMary SchoenmakerSarahDavid JoskeÅshild Margrete Østtveit OdéenEmma SklarSpencer StanfordBernard KhooAndrew ShpallRobert HeuerMatthew GoldenBrian MeldrumDavid NoahBen HuntGeraldine ButlerRichard CambierMadeleine MaderAndy SmithFernando RodriguezTimothy DoughertyJason PrattJohn HargisStewart OakCaroline MillerAbbie BergSam NortonNicole SchleicherDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael Bermanstephen matthewsBridget LyonsMelody ValdezOlivia BishopJeremy SchwartzJohn GisselquistElaine MartinThomas KönigKourothBelinda Mcgrath-steerEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmShawn McCarthyDallas HockleyJana JJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloNathan GouwensWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonErika L AustinCookies250Spencer ShirleyDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffrey C. YarnellDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonChristopher CudnoskiSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandDavid CatlettMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderJen SmallDon HutchisonLowell MeyerEtele IllesStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SampleWenJack SjogrenAparajit RaghavanBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJCBrendan JubbClare HolbertonJake TinsleyDiane TurnerTom ColemanJudy ChappleMark PerryMaloryDhu WikMelEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleAlbukittyCaro Fieldmichael bochnerDuncanDave Sharpebrant brantphillipDavid CushmanAlexanderJeremy DawsonGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerChris BrownJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonTom LauerEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellTom ClewerKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterJustin LiewEmily Williams
4/30/2021 • 58 minutes, 9 seconds
Sidechain Compression & Saxophone Traffic Cones
Mailbag time!Kirk peruses the Strong Songs inbox to answer your questions about jazz drum solos, practicing with play-a-longs, Tame Impala tunes, saxophones with traffic cones, vocal technique, sidechain compression, and several tricky rhythms.REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:“Tubes” by Moon Hooch from their NPR Tiny Desk live concert: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwBhxBBa7tE“Strangers” by The Kinks from Lola vs. Powerman and the Moneygoround, Pt. 1, 1970“Tubular Bells” by Mike Oldfield from Tubular Bells, 1973“In The Moonlight” by Pearl Jam from Last Dogs, 2003“Good Time Boys” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers from Mother’s Milk, 1989"One Night in Bangkok" performed by Murray Head from Chess, 1984“Jackson Cannery” by Ben Folds Five from Ben Folds Five, 1995“La Donna È Mobile” by Giuseppe Verdi from Rigoletto, as performed by Luciano Pavarotti with the London PhilharmonicThe excellent documentary Twenty Feet From Stardom"You & Me" by Flume from Flume, 2012“Elephant” by Tame Impala from Lonerism, 2012“Bird Calls” by Charles Mingus from Ah Um, 1959“Giant Steps” by John Coltrane recorded by Jamey Aebersold for Volume 28, John Coltrane, 1983“The Days of Wine and Roses” by Johnny Mercer recorded by Jamey Aebersold from Volume 40, ‘Round Midnight, 1987OUTRO SOLOIST: Carlos "Insaneintherainmusic" EieineCarlos Eienie is a prolific multi-instrumentalist and YouTube creator who's done some extremely fun jazz arrangements of great video game music, among other things. You can find him on most social media as some variant of @insaneintherainmusic, and on his website at https://www.insaneintherainmusic.com/.STRONG MERCHCheck out the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comKEEP IT SOCIALYou can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongsAnd you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!Thank you so much to all of Strong Songs' Patreon supporters - you make this whole thing happen. For more on how to help Kirk make Strong Songs, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsAPRIL 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSDonald Mackie Liam Keogh Melissa Osborne Per Morten Barstad Christopher Miller Tim Byrne Allison Clift-Jennings Patrick Funston Jamie White Angus McKimm Christopher Kupski Christopher McConnell Joshua Jarvis Rick Klaras Niko Joe Laska Laurie Acreman Ken Hirsh Jez Jenness Gardner Simon Cammell Guinevere Boostrom Narelle Horn Nathaniel Bauernfeind Bill Rosinger Anne Britt David Zahm Erin Aidan Coughlan Jeanneret Manning Family Four Doug Paton Robert Paul R Watson Viki Dun Christer Lindqvist Sami Samhuri Craig J Covell AccessViolation Ryan Torvik Merlin Mann Fraser Glenn CALEB ROTACH Andre Bremer Mark Schechter Dave Florey Dan ApczynskiAPRIL 2012 HALF-NOTE PATRONSChristopher Michael J. Cunningham Kari Kirk Mark Boggs mino capossela Mary Schoenmaker Sarah David Joske Åshild Margrete Østtveit Odéen Emma Sklar Spencer Stanford Bernard Khoo Andrew Shpall Robert Heuer Matthew Golden Brian Meldrum David Noah Ben Hunt Geraldine Butler Richard Cambier Madeleine Mader Andy Smith Fernando Rodriguez Timothy Dougherty Jason Pratt John Hargis Stewart Oak Caroline Miller Abbie Berg Sam Norton Nicole Schleicher Dermot Crowley Achint Srivastava Ryan Rairigh Michael Berman stephen matthews Bridget Lyons Melody Valdez Olivia Bishop Jeremy Schwartz John Gisselquist Elaine Martin Thomas König Kouroth Belinda Mcgrath-steer Eoin de Burca Kevin Potter M Shane Borders Pete Simm Shawn McCarthy Dallas Hockley Jana J Jason Gerry Rich Roskopf Melissa Gallo Nathan Gouwens Will Dwyer Alethea Lee Lauren Reay Eric Prestemon Erika L Austin Cookies250 Spencer Shirley Damian Brady Angela Livingstone Jeffrey C. Yarnell David Friedman Phillip Dalton Christopher Cudnoski Sarah Sulan Diane Hughes Kenneth Tiong Jo Sutherland David Catlett Michael Casner Michael York Barb Courtney Derek Bender Jen Small Don Hutchison Lowell Meyer Etele Illes Stephen Tsoneff Lorenz Schwarz Becca Sample Wen Jack Sjogren Aparajit Raghavan Benedict Pennington Geoff Golden Robyn Fraser Alexander Geddes Pascal Rueger Randy Souza JC Brendan Jubb Clare Holberton Jake Tinsley Diane Turner Tom Coleman Judy Chapple Mark Perry Malory Dhu Wik Mel Eric Helm Jake Roberts Briony Leo Bill Fuller Jonathan Daniels Steven Maron Michael Flaherty Jarrod Schindler Zoe Little Albukitty Caro Field michael bochner Duncan Dave Sharpe brant brantphillip David Cushman Alexander Jeremy Dawson Gavin Doig Sam Fenn Tanner Morton AJ Schuster Jennifer Bush David Stroud Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Chris Brown Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Matt Gaskell Jules Bailey Eero Wahlstedt Bill Thornton Brian Amoebas Brett Douville Jeffrey Olson Matt Betzel Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Melanie Stivers Richard Toller Alexander Polson Tom Lauer Earl Lozada Jon O’Keefe Justin McElroy Arjun Sharma James Johnson Andrew Lee Kevin Morrell Tom Clewer Kevin Pennyfeather Nicholas Schechter Justin Liew Emily Williams
4/21/2021 • 59 minutes, 47 seconds
"Stolen Moments" by Oliver Nelson
Jazz is all about the contrast between the individual and the collective, and few recordings embody that as beautifully as "Stolen Moments," the opening track from Oliver Nelson's 1961 hard-bop record The Blues and the Abstract Truth. On this episode, Kirk dives deep into Nelson's classic tune, starting with his dense horn arrangement, then considering the three improvised horn solos as distinct creations that reflect the at-times wildly different ambitions of each individual player. Also, there's jazz flute. Written by: Oliver Nelson Performed by: Freddie Hubbard (tpt.), Eric Dolphy (alto/flute), Oliver Nelson (tenor), George Barrow (bari), Bill Evans (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), and Roy Haynes (drums). Album: The Blues and the Abstract Truth (1961) Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED: “Moanin” by Bobby Timmons, played by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers on Moanin', 1959 (rec. 1958) “So What” by Miles Davis from Kind of Blue, 1959 “Hoe Down” and “Butch and Butch” by Oliver Nelson from The Blues and the Abstract Truth, 1961 “Hyperballad” by Björk from Post, 1995 “Tutti Frutti” by Little Richard, 1955 “Kiss” by Prince from Parade, 1986 “Give Me One Reason” by Tracy Chapman from New Beginning, 1995 “Blue 7” by Sonny Rollins from Saxophone Colossus, 1956 “Giant Steps” by John Coltrane from Giant Steps, 1960 OUTRO SOLOIST: Kirk Hamilton Kirk is the host of Strong Songs. He lives in Portland, Oregon, where he likes to play the drums. He thinks he's getting good but he can handle criticism. STRONG MERCH Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com KEEP IT SOCIAL You can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongs And you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thanks to all of Strong Songs' Patrons, you all rule! If you'd like to support the creation of this show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs APRIL 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Donald Mackie Liam Keogh Melissa Osborne Per Morten Barstad Christopher Miller Tim Byrne Allison Clift-Jennings Patrick Funston Jamie White Angus McKimm Christopher Kupski Christopher McConnell Joshua Jarvis Rick Klaras Niko Joe Laska Laurie Acreman Ken Hirsh Jez Jenness Gardner Simon Cammell Guinevere Boostrom Narelle Horn Nathaniel Bauernfeind Bill Rosinger Anne Britt David Zahm Erin Aidan Coughlan Jeanneret Manning Family Four Doug Paton Robert Paul R Watson Viki Dun Christer Lindqvist Sami Samhuri Craig J Covell AccessViolation Ryan Torvik Merlin Mann Fraser Glenn CALEB ROTACH Andre Bremer Mark Schechter Dave Florey Dan Apczynski APRIL 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Christopher Michael J. Cunningham Kari Kirk Mark Boggs mino capossela Mary Schoenmaker Sarah David Joske Åshild Margrete Østtveit Odéen Emma Sklar Spencer Stanford Bernard Khoo Andrew Shpall Robert Heuer Matthew Golden Brian Meldrum David Noah Ben Hunt Geraldine Butler Richard Cambier Madeleine Mader Andy Smith Fernando Rodriguez Timothy Dougherty Jason Pratt John Hargis Stewart Oak Caroline Miller Abbie Berg Sam Norton Nicole Schleicher Dermot Crowley Achint Srivastava Ryan Rairigh Michael Berman stephen matthews Bridget Lyons Melody Valdez Olivia Bishop Jeremy Schwartz John Gisselquist Elaine Martin Thomas König Kouroth Belinda Mcgrath-steer Eoin de Burca Kevin Potter M Shane Borders Pete Simm Shawn McCarthy Dallas Hockley Jana J Jason Gerry Rich Roskopf Melissa Gallo Nathan Gouwens Will Dwyer Alethea Lee Lauren Reay Eric Prestemon Erika L Austin Cookies250 Spencer Shirley Damian Brady Angela Livingstone Jeffrey C. Yarnell David Friedman Phillip Dalton Christopher Cudnoski Sarah Sulan Diane Hughes Kenneth Tiong Jo Sutherland David Catlett Michael Casner Michael York Barb Courtney Derek Bender Jen Small Don Hutchison Lowell Meyer Etele Illes Stephen Tsoneff Lorenz Schwarz Becca Sample Wen Jack Sjogren Aparajit Raghavan Benedict Pennington Geoff Golden Robyn Fraser Alexander Geddes Pascal Rueger Randy Souza JC Brendan Jubb Clare Holberton Jake Tinsley Diane Turner Tom Coleman Judy Chapple Mark Perry Malory Dhu Wik Mel Eric Helm Jake Roberts Briony Leo Bill Fuller Jonathan Daniels Steven Maron Michael Flaherty Jarrod Schindler Zoe Little Albukitty Caro Field michael bochner Duncan Dave Sharpe brant brantphillip David Cushman Alexander Jeremy Dawson Gavin Doig Sam Fenn Tanner Morton AJ Schuster Jennifer Bush David Stroud Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Chris Brown Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Matt Gaskell Jules Bailey Eero Wahlstedt Bill Thornton Brian Amoebas Brett Douville Jeffrey Olson Matt Betzel Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Melanie Stivers Richard Toller Alexander Polson Tom Lauer Earl Lozada Jon O’Keefe Justin McElroy Arjun Sharma James Johnson Andrew Lee Kevin Morrell Tom Clewer Kevin Pennyfeather Nicholas Schechter Justin Liew Emily Williams
4/7/2021 • 59 minutes, 45 seconds
"Cameo Lover" by Kimbra
Open up your heart! Open up your heart! Open up your heart, let Kimbra pull you out! On this episode, Kirk goes for a swim in the extra-buoyant waters of Kimbra's 2011 pop stomper "Cameo Lover." It's an intricate musical narrative told through shifting time-feels, retro drum beats, leaping vocals, and sneaky key changes, and it's just the song to raise our spirits after a long, dark winter. Written by: Kimbra Johnson Album: Vows (2011) Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED: “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye from Making Mirrors, 2011 “Settle Down,” “Plain Gold Ring” and “Sally I Can See You” by Kimbra (Plain Gold Ring by George Stone) from Vows, 2011 “In My Bones” by Jacob Collier from Djesse Vol. 3, 2020 “Be My Baby” by Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich, and Phil Spector as performed by The Ronettes, 1963 OUTRO SOLOIST: Dan Nervo This episode's outro soloist is the fantastic Dan Nervo. Dan plays guitar in the San Francisco Bay Area in bands like Neon Velvet, and also teaches private guitar lessons. Hit him up if you want to get good at guitar: https://www.facebook.com/DanNervoGuitarLessons/ STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com KEEP IT SOCIAL You can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongs And you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thanks to all of Strong Songs' Patrons! For more on how to support the creation of this show (and get in on the new Strong Songs Discord server), go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs MARCH 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Christopher Miller Tim Byrne Allison Clift-Jennings Patrick Funston Jamie White Johanna L. Branson Thomas König Angus McKimm Christopher Kupski Christopher McConnell Joshua Jarvis Rick Klaras Niko Laurie Acreman Ken Hirsh Jez Jenness Gardner Simon Cammell Guinevere Boostrom Narelle Horn Nathaniel Bauernfeind Bill Rosinger Anne Britt David Zahm Erin Aidan Coughlan Jeanneret Manning Family Four Matt Butler Doug Paton Robert Paul R Watson Viki Dun Christer Lindqvist Sami Samhuri Craig J Covell AccessViolation Ryan Torvik Merlin Mann Fraser Glenn CALEB ROTACH Andre Bremer Mark Schechter Dave Florey Dan Apczynski MARCH 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Bernard Khoo Andrew Shpall Robert Heuer Matthew Golden Brian Meldrum David Noah Ben Hunt Geraldine Butler Richard Cambier Madeleine Mader Andy Smith will reddell Fernando Rodriguez Timothy Dougherty Jason Pratt John Hargis Stewart Oak Caroline Miller Abbie Berg Sam Norton Nicole Schleicher Doug Belew Dermot Crowley Achint Srivastava Ryan Rairigh Michael Berman stephen matthews Bridget Lyons Melody Valdez Olivia Bishop Jeremy Schwartz John Gisselquist Elaine Martin Belinda Mcgrath-steer Eoin de Burca Kevin Potter M Shane Borders Pete Simm Shawn McCarthy Dallas Hockley Jana J Terron Ishihara Jason Gerry Rich Roskopf Melissa Gallo Nathan Gouwens Will Dwyer Alethea Lee Lauren Reay Eric Prestemon Erika L Austin Cookies250 Damian Brady Angela Livingstone Jeffrey C. Yarnell David Friedman Phillip Dalton Christopher Cudnoski Sarah Sulan Diane Hughes Kenneth Tiong Jo Sutherland David Catlett Joe Laska Michael Casner Michael York Barb Courtney Derek Bender Jen Small Don Hutchison Lowell Meyer Etele Illes Jeff Almond Stephen Tsoneff Lorenz Schwarz Becca Sample Wen Jack Sjogren Aparajit Raghavan Benedict Pennington Geoff Golden Robyn Fraser Alexander Geddes Pascal Rueger Randy Souza JC Brendan Jubb Clare Holberton Jake Tinsley Diane Turner Tom Coleman Judy Chapple Stuart Terry Mark Perry Malory Dhu Wik Mel Eric Helm Jake Roberts Briony Leo Bill Fuller Jonathan Daniels Steven Maron Michael Flaherty Jarrod Schindler Zoe Little Albukitty Caro Field Judith Stansfield michael bochner Duncan Dave Sharpe brant brantphillip Markus Koester David Cushman Alexander Jeremy Dawson Gavin Doig Sam Fenn Tanner Morton AJ Schuster Jennifer Bush David Stroud Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Brooke Wilford Cyrus N. White Chris Brown Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Matt Gaskell Jules Bailey Eero Wahlstedt Bill Thornton Brian Amoebas Brett Douville Jeffrey Olson Matt Betzel Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Melanie Stivers Richard Toller Alexander Polson John and Sharon Stenglein Tom Lauer Earl Lozada Jon O’Keefe Justin McElroy Arjun Sharma James Johnson Andrew Lee Kevin Morrell Tom Clewer Kevin Pennyfeather Nicholas Schechter Justin Liew Emily Williams
3/24/2021 • 55 minutes, 18 seconds
The Mysteries of Music, with Carmen Staaf
What's this? An off-week episode of Strong Songs??Indeed it is! For this episode of Strong Conversations (working title), Kirk hopped on a call with New York pianist Carmen Staaf to talk about the fundamental elements of music, learning to sing as an instrumentalist, teaching jazz and ear training, her collaborations with vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater and drummer Allison Miller, and the similarities between jazz and chess.Learn more about Carmen at her website: https://www.carmenstaaf.com/Check out her music here: https://carmenstaaf.bandcamp.com/ALSO REFERENCED IN THIS CONVERSATION:“Blackbird” by Paul McCartney, performed by Carmen Staaf on Eye to Eye, 2020“Saint James Infirmary” by Don Redman/Irving Mills performed by Dee Dee Bridgewater on Dee Dee’s Feathers, 2015Alexander Technique: https://alexandertechnique.com/“Take The ‘A’ Train” by Duke Ellington sung by Ella Fitzgerald on Ella Fitzgerald Sings: The Duke Ellington Songbook, 1957“I’ve Got The World on a String” by Harold Arlen performed by Sarah Vaughn with the Oscar Peterson Trio on How Long Has This Been Going On, 1978“‘Round Midnight” by Thelonious Monk performed by Betty Carter on ‘Round Midnight, 1963“Weightless” and "MLW" by Carmen Staaf and Allison Miller from Science Fair, 2018“Congratulations and Condolences” by Allison Miller’s Boom Tic Boom from Glitter Wolf, 2019Kathak dance performed by Meghranjani Medhi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZmCmQjoehwThe Harmonic Experience by W.A. Matthieu: https://www.amazon.com/Harmonic-Experience-Harmony-Natural-Expression/dp/0892815604“Nuclear Fusion” by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard from Flying Microtonal Banana, 2017“Does math actually exist?” - a good question tbh“Syl-O-G**m” by Mary Lou Williams from Zoning, 1974“Spain” by Chick Corea and Joaquin Rodrigo from Light as a Feather, 1973“Gentleman” by Féla Kuti from Gentleman, 1973STRONG MERCHVisit the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comKEEP IT SOCIALYou can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongsAnd you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!This bonus episode was made possible by Strong Songs' wonderful Patreon backers. For more on how to become a patron and support the show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsMARCH 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSChristopher Miller Tim Byrne Allison Clift-Jennings Patrick Funston Jamie White Johanna L. Branson Thomas König Angus McKimm Christopher Kupski Christopher McConnell Joshua Jarvis Rick Klaras Niko Laurie Acreman Ken Hirsh Jez Jenness Gardner Simon Cammell Guinevere Boostrom Narelle Horn Nathaniel Bauernfeind Bill Rosinger Anne Britt David Zahm Erin Aidan Coughlan Jeanneret Manning Family Four Matt Butler Doug Paton Robert Paul R Watson Viki Dun Christer Lindqvist Sami Samhuri Craig J Covell AccessViolation Ryan Torvik Merlin Mann Fraser Glenn CALEB ROTACH Andre Bremer Mark Schechter Dave Florey Dan ApczynskiMARCH 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSBernard Khoo Andrew Shpall Robert Heuer Matthew Golden Brian Meldrum David Noah Ben Hunt Geraldine Butler Richard Cambier Madeleine Mader Andy Smith will reddell Fernando Rodriguez Timothy Dougherty Jason Pratt John Hargis Stewart Oak Caroline Miller Abbie Berg Sam Norton Nicole Schleicher Doug Belew Dermot Crowley Achint Srivastava Ryan Rairigh Michael Berman stephen matthews Bridget Lyons Melody Valdez Olivia Bishop Jeremy Schwartz John Gisselquist Elaine Martin Belinda Mcgrath-steer Eoin de Burca Kevin Potter M Shane Borders Pete Simm Shawn McCarthy Dallas Hockley Jana J Terron Ishihara Jason Gerry Rich Roskopf Melissa Gallo Nathan Gouwens Will Dwyer Alethea Lee Lauren Reay Eric Prestemon Erika L Austin Cookies250 Damian Brady Angela Livingstone Jeffrey C. Yarnell David Friedman Phillip Dalton Christopher Cudnoski Sarah Sulan Diane Hughes Kenneth Tiong Jo Sutherland David Catlett Joe Laska Michael Casner Michael York Barb Courtney Derek Bender Jen Small Don Hutchison Lowell Meyer Etele Illes Jeff Almond Stephen Tsoneff Lorenz Schwarz Becca Sample Wen Jack Sjogren Aparajit Raghavan Benedict Pennington Geoff Golden Robyn Fraser Alexander Geddes Pascal Rueger Randy Souza JC Brendan Jubb Clare Holberton Jake Tinsley Diane Turner Tom Coleman Judy Chapple Stuart Terry Mark Perry Malory Dhu Wik Mel Eric Helm Jake Roberts Briony Leo Bill Fuller Jonathan Daniels Steven Maron Michael Flaherty Jarrod Schindler Zoe Little Albukitty Caro Field Judith Stansfield michael bochner Duncan Dave Sharpe brant brantphillip Markus Koester David Cushman Alexander Jeremy Dawson Gavin Doig Sam Fenn Tanner Morton AJ Schuster Jennifer Bush David Stroud Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Brooke Wilford Cyrus N. White Chris Brown Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Matt Gaskell Jules Bailey Eero Wahlstedt Bill Thornton Brian Amoebas Brett Douville Jeffrey Olson Matt Betzel Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Melanie Stivers Richard Toller Alexander Polson John and Sharon Stenglein Tom Lauer Earl Lozada Jon O’Keefe Justin McElroy Arjun Sharma James Johnson Andrew Lee Kevin Morrell Tom Clewer Kevin Pennyfeather Nicholas Schechter Justin Liew Emily Williams
3/17/2021 • 1 hour, 7 minutes, 2 seconds
"Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush
Heathcliff! It's us, it's Strong Songs, we've come home! The time has come for a deep dive into the music of the great Kate Bush, and what better song to analyze than her breakthrough 1978 hit, "Wuthering Heights." This song has it all - odd phrasing, shifting key centers, soaring vocals, character narration, an epic guitar solo, a red dress, and a celesta. Written by: Kate Bush Album: The Kick Inside (1978) Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED: “James and the Cold Gun” and “The Man with the Child in His Eyes” by Kate Bush from The Kick Inside, 1978 “Sat In Your Lap” and “The Dreaming” by Kate Bush from The Dreaming, 1982 “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush from Hounds of Love, 1985 Richard Buskin's 2004 Sound on Sound article about the writing and recording of "Wuthering Heights" - https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/classic-tracks-kate-bush-wuthering-heights The 1886 remake/remix of "Wuthering Heights" Kate Bush's iconic Red Dress music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BW3gKKiTvjs Noel Fielding's incredible live reenactment of the Red Dress video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du4uH1fC9B8 A demonstration of the bell tree: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhStPnEcXrk “The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky from The Nutcracker Suite, 1892 performed by the Vienna Philharmonic, 1999 “Starman” by David Bowie from The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, 1972 “Mr. Blue Sky” by Electric Light Orchestra from Out of the Blue, 1977 Correction 3/23/21: The glissando in the intro/post-chorus is now correctly identified as being played on a bell tree, rather than a glockenspiel or the celesta. OUTRO SOLOIST: Charles McNeal Charles McNeal is a killin' Oakland-based sax player who plays all over the bay area. He's also a master jazz transcriber, and has chronicled tons of great solos. You can find him playing out in a variety of bands and settings; the best way to keep up with his music is to subscribe to his YouTube channel or follow him on Instagram @charlesonsax2 - https://www.instagram.com/charlesonsax2 NEW MUSIC VIDEO! Kirk just finished a new music video - it's a multi-instrumental arrangement of "Greenpath" from the video game Hollow Knight. It features 18 different instruments, including solos on tenor sax and wine glasses. You can watch the whole thing on YouTube: https://youtu.be/eIVtGlcpZS0 You can also listen on Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/greenpath-from-hollow-knight-multi-instrumental-arrangement STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com KEEP IT SOCIAL You can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongs And you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! THANK YOU to all of Strong Songs' patrons for supporting the creation of this show. For more on how to become a patron, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs MARCH 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Christopher Miller Tim Byrne Allison Clift-Jennings Patrick Funston Jamie White Johanna L. Branson Thomas König Angus McKimm Christopher Kupski Christopher McConnell Joshua Jarvis Rick Klaras Niko Laurie Acreman Ken Hirsh Jez Jenness Gardner Simon Cammell Guinevere Boostrom Narelle Horn Nathaniel Bauernfeind Bill Rosinger Anne Britt David Zahm Erin Aidan Coughlan Jeanneret Manning Family Four Matt Butler Doug Paton Robert Paul R Watson Viki Dun Christer Lindqvist Sami Samhuri Craig J Covell AccessViolation Ryan Torvik Merlin Mann Fraser Glenn CALEB ROTACH Andre Bremer Mark Schechter Dave Florey Dan Apczynski MARCH 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Bernard Khoo Andrew Shpall Robert Heuer Matthew Golden Brian Meldrum David Noah Ben Hunt Geraldine Butler Richard Cambier Madeleine Mader Andy Smith will reddell Fernando Rodriguez Timothy Dougherty Jason Pratt John Hargis Stewart Oak Caroline Miller Abbie Berg Sam Norton Nicole Schleicher Doug Belew Dermot Crowley Achint Srivastava Ryan Rairigh Michael Berman stephen matthews Bridget Lyons Melody Valdez Olivia Bishop Jeremy Schwartz John Gisselquist Elaine Martin Belinda Mcgrath-steer Eoin de Burca Kevin Potter M Shane Borders Pete Simm Shawn McCarthy Dallas Hockley Jana J Terron Ishihara Jason Gerry Rich Roskopf Melissa Gallo Nathan Gouwens Will Dwyer Alethea Lee Lauren Reay Eric Prestemon Erika L Austin Cookies250 Damian Brady Angela Livingstone Jeffrey C. Yarnell David Friedman Phillip Dalton Christopher Cudnoski Sarah Sulan Diane Hughes Kenneth Tiong Jo Sutherland David Catlett Joe Laska Michael Casner Michael York Barb Courtney Derek Bender Jen Small Don Hutchison Lowell Meyer Etele Illes Jeff Almond Stephen Tsoneff Lorenz Schwarz Becca Sample Wen Jack Sjogren Aparajit Raghavan Benedict Pennington Geoff Golden Robyn Fraser Alexander Geddes Pascal Rueger Randy Souza JC Brendan Jubb Clare Holberton Jake Tinsley Diane Turner Tom Coleman Judy Chapple Stuart Terry Mark Perry Malory Dhu Wik Mel Eric Helm Jake Roberts Briony Leo Bill Fuller Jonathan Daniels Steven Maron Michael Flaherty Jarrod Schindler Zoe Little Albukitty Caro Field Judith Stansfield michael bochner Duncan Dave Sharpe brant brantphillip Markus Koester David Cushman Alexander Jeremy Dawson Gavin Doig Sam Fenn Tanner Morton AJ Schuster Jennifer Bush David Stroud Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Brooke Wilford Cyrus N. White Chris Brown Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Matt Gaskell Jules Bailey Eero Wahlstedt Bill Thornton Brian Amoebas Brett Douville Jeffrey Olson Matt Betzel Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Melanie Stivers Richard Toller Alexander Polson John and Sharon Stenglein Tom Lauer Earl Lozada Jon O’Keefe Justin McElroy Arjun Sharma James Johnson Andrew Lee Kevin Morrell Tom Clewer Kevin Pennyfeather Nicholas Schechter Justin Liew
3/10/2021 • 57 minutes, 14 seconds
Cross-Rhythms, Concept Albums & Dream Songs
Time for the first Q&A episode of Strong Songs year three! On this episode, Kirk digs into the mailbag for your questions on Jack White's guitar tone, Shabaka Hutchings' sax sound, 70s kitsch jazz, concept albums, drummers learning mallet instruments, Celtic sounds, "saving" jazz, and SOPHIE. Also, a listener shares a song that came to him in a dream. REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE: “O Superman” by Laurie Anderson from Big Science, 1982 “Let Down” by Radiohead from OK Computer, 1997 “Icky Thump” by The White Stripes from Icky Thump, 2007 “Summon the Fire” by The Comet is Coming from Trust In The Lifeforce of the Deep Mystery - 2019 “Mrs. Bluebeard” by They Might Be Giants from I Like Fun, 2018 “Tank!” by Yoko Kanno from the Cowboy Bebop Soundtrack, 1998 “The Zodiac” by David Lindup, “Funky Fanfare” and “Party Time” by Keith Mansfield, “Water Sports” by James Clarke, “Organ Mania” by Alan Hawkshaw and Keith Mansfield, all from the KPM 1000 Library Series “Astoria,” “This Means War” and “Burning Up” by Marianas Trench from Astoria, 2015 “Mébh’s Tune” by Kíla and “Wolfwalkers Theme” by Bruno Coulais from the Wolfwalkers soundtrack “Song for my Father” by Horace Silver from Song For My Father, 1965 “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” by Steely Dan from Prezel Logic, 1974 “Layer Cake” by Shoji Meguro from Persona 5, 2016 “Sonic 2: Aquatic Ruin Zone” arrangement by Carlos Eiene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC60qFBZSGg “Is it Cold In The Water?” by SOPHIE from Oil of Every Pearl’s Un-Sides, 2017 OUTRO SOLOIST: Rob Reich This episode's outro soloist is the wonderful bay area pianist/accordionist Rob Reich. He's got a bunch of albums you can check out and has been doing some really cool new stuff during Covid times. Find more at his website, http://www.robreich.com/. STRONG MERCH Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com KEEP IT SOCIAL You can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongs And you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Strong Songs' Patreon supporters are the ones who make this thing happen. Thank you all so much! For more on how to support the creation of Strong Songs, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs FEBRUARY 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Allison Clift-Jennings Patrick Funston Jamie White Johanna L. Branson Thomas König Angus McKimm Christopher Kupski Christopher McConnell Joshua Jarvis Rick Klaras Niko Laurie Acreman Ken Hirsh Jez Jenness Gardner Simon Cammell Guinevere Boostrom Narelle Horn Nathaniel Bauernfeind Bill Rosinger Anne Britt David Zahm Erin Aidan Coughlan Jeanneret Manning Family Four Matt Butler Doug Paton Robert Paul R Watson Viki Dun Christer Lindqvist Sami Samhuri Craig J Covell AccessViolation Ryan Torvik Merlin Mann Fraser Glenn CALEB ROTACH Andre Bremer Mark Schechter Dave Florey Dan Apczynski FEBRUARY 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS David Noah Ben Hunt Geraldine Butler Richard Cambier Madeleine Mader Andy Smith will reddell Fernando Rodriguez Timothy Dougherty Jason Pratt John Hargis Stewart Oak Caroline Miller Abbie Berg Sam Norton Nicole Schleicher D. Belew Dermot Crowley Achint Srivastava Ryan Rairigh Michael Berman stephen matthews Bridget Lyons Melody Valdez Olivia Bishop Jeremy Schwartz John Gisselquist Elaine Martin Belinda Mcgrath-steer Eoin de Burca Kevin Potter M Shane Borders Pete Simm Shawn McCarthy Dallas Hockley Jana J Terron Ishihara Jason Gerry Rich Roskopf Melissa Gallo Nathan Gouwens Will Dwyer Alethea Lee Lauren Reay Eric Prestemon Erika L Austin Cookies250 Spencer Shirley Damian Brady Angela Livingstone Jeffrey C. Yarnell David Friedman Phillip Dalton Christopher Cudnoski Mark Edwards Randall Browning Sarah Sulan Diane Hughes Kenneth Tiong Jo Sutherland David Catlett Joe Laska Michael Casner Michael York Barb Courtney Derek Bender Jen Small Don Hutchison Lowell Meyer Etele Illes Jeff Almond Stephen Tsoneff Lorenz Schwarz Becca Sample Wen Jack Sjogren Aparajit Raghavan Benedict Pennington Geoff Golden Robyn Fraser Alexander Geddes Pascal Rueger Randy Souza JC Brendan Jubb Clare Holberton Jake Tinsley Diane Turner Tom Coleman Judy Chapple Stuart Terry Mark Perry Malory Dhu Wik Mel Eric Helm Jake Roberts Briony Leo Bill Fuller Jonathan Daniels Steven Maron Michael Flaherty Jarrod Schindler Zoe Little Albukitty Caro Field Judith Stansfield michael bochner Duncan Dave Sharpe brant brantphillip Markus Koester David Cushman Alexander Jeremy Dawson Gavin Doig Sam Fenn Tanner Morton AJ Schuster Jennifer Bush David Stroud Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Brooke Wilford Cyrus N. White Chris Brown Mark Haberlen Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Matt Gaskell Jules Bailey Eero Wahlstedt Bill Thornton Brian Amoebas Brett Douville Jeffrey Olson Matt Betzel Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Melanie Stivers Richard Toller Alexander Polson John and Sharon Stenglein Tom Lauer Earl Lozada Jon O’Keefe Justin McElroy James Johnson Andrew Lee Kevin Morrell Tom Clewer Kevin Pennyfeather Nicholas Schechter Justin Liew Emily Williams
2/24/2021 • 58 minutes, 5 seconds
"Babylon Sisters" by Steely Dan
Here comes that Santa Ana wind again, blowing us right into the slightly skewed world of Steely Dan. It was never a question whether Strong Songs would do a Steely Dan episode, it was more a question of which song to focus on. In the end, Kirk chose "Babylon Sisters," a culmination of the band's incredible 1970s run that exemplifies Fagen and Becker's brand of pristine, laser-focused groove. It's also arguably the definitive recording of Bernard Purdie's signature Purdie Shuffle. Written by: Walter Becker and Donald Fagen Album: Gaucho (1980) Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED: “Sloop John B,” Bahamian folk song as recorded by The Beach Boys on Pet Sounds, 1966 “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” by The Temptations from Law of the Land, 1972 “Cousin Dupree” by Becker/Fagen from Two Against Nature, 2000 “Reelin' in the years” by Donald Fagen from Can’t Buy a Thrill, 1972 “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” by Fagen/Becker from Prezel Logic, 1974 “Black Friday” by Becker/Fagen from Katy Lied, 1975 "Peg," "Aja," and "Home at Last" by Becker/Fagen from Aja, 1977 “Sing Sing Sing (With a Swing)” by Louis Prima performed by the Benny Goodman Orchestra, 1936 “Cissy Strut” by The Meters from The Meters, 1969 "Rosanna" by David Paich as recorded by Toto on Toto IV, with Jeff Porcaro on drums (and Tom Scott on alto sax!) Rob Brown’s Purdie Shuffle tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g41Ab8iDaD0 OUTRO SOLOIST: Kyle Molitor Kyle is a Portland-based trombonist who plays in all sorts of bands, and was also featured on the year three Strong Songs theme msuic. Find him on Instagram @tbonemolitor and check out his latest single here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/kylemolitor/the-jazz-feat-toranpetto STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com KEEP IT SOCIAL You can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongs And you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Strong Songs' Patreon supporters are the ones who make this thing happen. Thank you all so much! For more on how to support the creation of Strong Songs, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs FEBRUARY 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Allison Clift-Jennings Patrick Funston Jamie White Johanna L. Branson Thomas König Angus McKimm Christopher Kupski Christopher McConnell Joshua Jarvis Rick Klaras Niko Laurie Acreman Ken Hirsh Jez Jenness Gardner Simon Cammell Guinevere Boostrom Narelle Horn Nathaniel Bauernfeind Bill Rosinger Anne Britt David Zahm Erin Aidan Coughlan Jeanneret Manning Family Four Matt Butler Doug Paton Robert Paul R Watson Viki Dun Christer Lindqvist Sami Samhuri Craig J Covell AccessViolation Ryan Torvik Merlin Mann Fraser Glenn CALEB ROTACH Andre Bremer Mark Schechter Dave Florey Dan Apczynski FEBRUARY 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS David Noah Ben Hunt Geraldine Butler Richard Cambier Madeleine Mader Andy Smith will reddell Fernando Rodriguez Timothy Dougherty Jason Pratt John Hargis Stewart Oak Caroline Miller Abbie Berg Sam Norton Nicole Schleicher D. Belew Dermot Crowley Achint Srivastava Ryan Rairigh Michael Berman stephen matthews Bridget Lyons Melody Valdez Olivia Bishop Jeremy Schwartz John Gisselquist Elaine Martin Belinda Mcgrath-steer Eoin de Burca Kevin Potter M Shane Borders Pete Simm Shawn McCarthy Dallas Hockley Jana J Terron Ishihara Jason Gerry Rich Roskopf Melissa Gallo Nathan Gouwens Will Dwyer Alethea Lee Lauren Reay Eric Prestemon Erika L Austin Cookies250 Spencer Shirley Damian Brady Angela Livingstone Jeffrey C. Yarnell David Friedman Phillip Dalton Christopher Cudnoski Mark Edwards Randall Browning Sarah Sulan Diane Hughes Kenneth Tiong Jo Sutherland David Catlett Joe Laska Michael Casner Michael York Barb Courtney Derek Bender Jen Small Don Hutchison Lowell Meyer Etele Illes Jeff Almond Stephen Tsoneff Lorenz Schwarz Becca Sample Wen Jack Sjogren Aparajit Raghavan Benedict Pennington Geoff Golden Robyn Fraser Alexander Geddes Pascal Rueger Randy Souza JC Brendan Jubb Clare Holberton Jake Tinsley Diane Turner Tom Coleman Judy Chapple Stuart Terry Mark Perry Malory Dhu Wik Mel Eric Helm Jake Roberts Briony Leo Bill Fuller Jonathan Daniels Steven Maron Michael Flaherty Jarrod Schindler Zoe Little Albukitty Caro Field Judith Stansfield michael bochner Duncan Dave Sharpe brant brantphillip Markus Koester David Cushman Alexander Jeremy Dawson Gavin Doig Sam Fenn Tanner Morton AJ Schuster Jennifer Bush David Stroud Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Brooke Wilford Cyrus N. White Chris Brown Mark Haberlen Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Matt Gaskell Jules Bailey Eero Wahlstedt Bill Thornton Brian Amoebas Brett Douville Jeffrey Olson Matt Betzel Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Melanie Stivers Richard Toller Alexander Polson John and Sharon Stenglein Tom Lauer Earl Lozada Jon O’Keefe Justin McElroy James Johnson Andrew Lee Kevin Morrell Tom Clewer Kevin Pennyfeather Nicholas Schechter Justin Liew Emily Williams
2/10/2021 • 59 minutes, 33 seconds
"Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap
Where are we? What the hell is going on? Oh right, we're here with our podcast device, listening to an episode of Strong Songs. On this episode, Kirk dives into Imogen Heap's one-woman choral masterwork "Hide and Seek," taking a closer look at the technologies and processes Heap used to get that bewitching sound, her striking use of breath and dynamic contrast, and the many subtle ways she took the oh-so familiar "four chords" and made them sound unique. Written by: Imogen Heap Album: Speak for Yourself (2005) Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED: “Let Go” by Frou Frou from Details, 2002 “Headlock” and “The Moment I Said It” from Speak For Yourself, 2005 “Even Better than the Real Thing” by U2 from Achtung Baby, 1991 iZotope’s helpful history of the vocoder: https://www.izotope.com/en/learn/a-brief-history-of-the-vocoder.html An excerpt from Heap’s 2015 Tedx talk about the development of her Mi.Mu gloves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oeEQhOmGpg Some more cool demonstrations of the gloves: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvyVQqCO8pY&feature=emb_logo OUTRO SOLOIST: Erik Elligers Erik is a Connecticut-based multi-instrumentalist and music educator. He plays saxophone with the New London Big Band and sings and plays guitar for the fabulous band Goodnight Blue Moon - check them out, you won't regret it: https://www.goodnightbluemoon.com/ STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com KEEP IT SOCIAL You can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongs And you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thank you so much to all of Strong Songs' Patreon supporters - you make this all possible. For more on how to support the creation of Strong Songs, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs JANUARY 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Patrick Funston Jamie White Johanna L. Branson Thomas König Angus McKimm Christopher Kupski Christopher McConnell Joshua Jarvis Rick Klaras Niko Laurie Acreman Ken Hirsh Jez Jenness Gardner Simon Cammell Guinevere Boostrom Narelle Horn Nathaniel Bauernfeind Bill Rosinger Anne Britt David Zahm Erin Aidan Coughlan Jeanneret Manning Family Four Matt Butler Doug Paton Robert Paul R Watson Viki Dun Christer Lindqvist Sami Samhuri Craig J Covell AccessViolation Ryan Torvik Merlin Mann Fraser Glenn CALEB ROTACH Andre Bremer Chad Barnard Mark Schechter Dave Florey Dan Apczynski JANUARY 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Achint Srivastava Ryan Rairigh Michael Berman stephen matthews Bridget Lyons Melody Valdez Olivia Bishop Jeremy Schwartz John Gisselquist Elaine Martin Belinda Mcgrath-steer Eoin de Burca Kevin Potter M Shane Borders Pete Simm Shawn McCarthy Dallas Hockley Jana J Terron Ishihara Jason Gerry Rich Roskopf Melissa Gallo Joel Stevenson Will Dwyer Alethea Lee Lauren Reay Eric Prestemon Erika L Austin Cookies250 Damian Brady Angela Livingstone Jeffrey C. Yarnell David Friedman Phillip Dalton Christopher Cudnoski Mark Edwards Randall Browning Sarah Sulan Diane Hughes Kenneth Tiong Jo Sutherland David Catlett Joe Laska Michael Casner Michael York Barb Courtney Derek Bender Melanie Andrich Jen Small Don Hutchison Lowell Meyer Etele Illes Jeff Almond Stephen Tsoneff Lorenz Schwarz Becca Sample Wen Jack Sjogren Aparajit Raghavan Benedict Pennington Geoff Golden Robyn Fraser Alexander Geddes Pascal Rueger Randy Souza JC Brendan Jubb Clare Holberton Jake Tinsley Diane Turner Tom Coleman SUELLEN MOORE Judy Chapple Stuart Terry Mark Perry Malory Dhu Wik Mel Eric Helm Jake Roberts Briony Leo Bill Fuller Jonathan Daniels Steven Maron Michael Flaherty Jarrod Schindler Zoe Little Albukitty Caro Field Judith Stansfield Jenifer Carr michael bochner Duncan Dave Sharpe brant brantphillip Markus Koester David Cushman Alexander Jeremy Dawson Robbie Ferrero Gavin Doig Sam Fenn Tanner Morton AJ Schuster Jennifer Bush David Stroud Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Brooke Wilford Cyrus N. White Chris Brown Mark Haberlen Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Matt Gaskell Jules Bailey Eero Wahlstedt Bill Thornton Brian Amoebas Brett Douville Jeffrey Olson Matt Betzel Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Melanie Stivers Richard Toller Alexander Polson John and Sharon Stenglein Tom Lauer Forrest Chang Earl Lozada Jon O’Keefe Justin McElroy Arjun Sharma Shane DeLeon James Johnson Andrew Lee Kevin Morrell Tom Clewer Kevin Pennyfeather Nicholas Schechter Justin Liew Emily Williams
1/27/2021 • 58 minutes, 22 seconds
"Space Oddity" and "Starman" by David Bowie
Let the children lose it, let the children use it, and let all the children join in for Strong Songs year three! Kirk kicks off the new year with a pair of classics by the great David Bowie: 1969's melancholy "Space Oddity" and 1972's triumphant "Starman." What goes up, as they say, must come down. Written by: David Bowie Albums: David Bowie (1969), The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (1972) Listen/Buy Bowie: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify Listen/Buy Ziggy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ALSO FEATURED: Audio of the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing, courtesy NASA "A Day in the Life" by Lennon-McCartney, 1967 A cool Guardian interview with Rick Wakeman about playing Mellotron on Space Oddity OUTRO SOLOIST: Carlos "Insaneintherainmusic" Eieine Carlos Eienie is a prolific multi-instrumentalist and YouTube creator who's done some extremely fun jazz arrangements of great video game music, among other things. You can find him on most social media as some variant of @insaneintherainmusic, and on his website at https://www.insaneintherainmusic.com/. NEW THEME MUSIC! Thanks to BJ Cord, Kyle Molitor, and Carlos Eiene for lending their horn chops to the Strong Songs year three theme. You can watch a video of the whole band playing the tune on Twitter or Instagram. STRONG MERCH! Check out the Strong Songs merch store for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com KEEP IT SOCIAL You can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongs And you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify and Apple Music, and YouTube Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thank you so much to all of Strong Songs' Patreon supporters - you make this whole shoe possible. For more on how to help Kirk make Strong Songs, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs JANUARY 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Patrick Funston Jamie White Johanna L. Branson Thomas König Angus McKimm Christopher Kupski Christopher McConnell Joshua Jarvis Rick Klaras Niko Laurie Acreman Ken Hirsh Jez Jenness Gardner Simon Cammell Guinevere Boostrom Narelle Horn Nathaniel Bauernfeind Bill Rosinger Anne Britt David Zahm Erin Aidan Coughlan Jeanneret Manning Family Four Matt Butler Doug Paton Robert Paul R Watson Viki Dun Christer Lindqvist Sami Samhuri Craig J Covell AccessViolation Ryan Torvik Merlin Mann Fraser Glenn CALEB ROTACH Andre Bremer Chad Barnard Mark Schechter Dave Florey Dan Apczynski JANUARY 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Achint Srivastava Ryan Rairigh Michael Berman stephen matthews Bridget Lyons Melody Valdez Olivia Bishop Jeremy Schwartz John Gisselquist Elaine Martin Belinda Mcgrath-steer Eoin de Burca Kevin Potter M Shane Borders Pete Simm Shawn McCarthy Dallas Hockley Jana J Terron Ishihara Jason Gerry Rich Roskopf Melissa Gallo Joel Stevenson Will Dwyer Alethea Lee Lauren Reay Eric Prestemon Erika L Austin Cookies250 Damian Brady Angela Livingstone Jeffrey C. Yarnell David Friedman Phillip Dalton Christopher Cudnoski Mark Edwards Randall Browning Sarah Sulan Diane Hughes Kenneth Tiong Jo Sutherland David Catlett Joe Laska Michael Casner Michael York Barb Courtney Derek Bender Melanie Andrich Jen Small Don Hutchison Lowell Meyer Etele Illes Jeff Almond Stephen Tsoneff Lorenz Schwarz Becca Sample Wen Jack Sjogren Aparajit Raghavan Benedict Pennington Geoff Golden Robyn Fraser Alexander Geddes Pascal Rueger Randy Souza JC Brendan Jubb Clare Holberton Jake Tinsley Diane Turner Tom Coleman SUELLEN MOORE Judy Chapple Stuart Terry Mark Perry Malory Dhu Wik Mel Eric Helm Jake Roberts Briony Leo Bill Fuller Jonathan Daniels Steven Maron Michael Flaherty Jarrod Schindler Zoe Little Albukitty Caro Field Judith Stansfield Jenifer Carr michael bochner Duncan Dave Sharpe brant brantphillip Markus Koester David Cushman Alexander Jeremy Dawson Robbie Ferrero Gavin Doig Sam Fenn Tanner Morton AJ Schuster Jennifer Bush David Stroud Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Brooke Wilford Cyrus N. White Chris Brown Mark Haberlen Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Matt Gaskell Jules Bailey Eero Wahlstedt Bill Thornton Brian Amoebas Brett Douville Jeffrey Olson Matt Betzel Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Melanie Stivers Richard Toller Alexander Polson John and Sharon Stenglein Tom Lauer Forrest Chang Earl Lozada Jon O’Keefe Justin McElroy Arjun Sharma Shane DeLeon James Johnson Andrew Lee Kevin Morrell Tom Clewer Kevin Pennyfeather Nicholas Schechter Justin Liew Emily Williams
1/13/2021 • 53 minutes, 46 seconds
Year Two, In Review
As Year Two of Strong Songs draws to a close, it's time to take a look back. SCHEDULING NOTE: Strong Songs will be off for the month of December, and will be back for Year Three at the start of January, 2021. But before that! Let's go back, back, back in time one hundred years, to the start of 2020. SONGS DISCUSSED: "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin from Led Zeppelin IV, 1971 "Lovefool" by The Cardigans from First Band on the Moon, 1996 "Tom Sawyer" by Rush from Moving Pictures, 1981 "Toss a Coin to Your Witcher" by Sonya Belousova and Giona Ostinelli from The Witcher, 2019 "Sinnerman" as performed by Nina Simone from Pastel Blues, 1965 "God Only Knows" by The Beach Boys from Pet Sounds, 1966 "So What" by Miles Davis from Kind of Blue, 1959 "Last Goodbye" by Jeff Buckley from Grace, 1994 "Walking on Broken Glass" by Annie Lennox from Diva, 1992 "Chicago" by Sufjan Stevens from Illinois, 2005 "Kiss" by Prince from Parade, 1986 "World 1-1" by Koji Kondo from Super Mario Bros., 1985 "No One Knows" by Queens of the Stone Age from Songs for the Deaf, 2002 "Wedding Song" by Anaïs Mitchell from Hadestown (Original Broadway Cast), 2019 "The Chain" and "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac from Rumors, 1977 "Hyperballad" by Björk from Post, 1995 "A Day in the Life" by The Beatles from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967 OUTRO SOLOISTS: Kyle Molitor, Luke Price, & Kirk Hamilton Not as many new outro soloists this year as in year one, but hey, covid made it hard to record safely. Thanks to Kyle and Luke for joining the cast. STRONG MERCH! You've still got some gift-buying time before the holidays! Check it out the new Strong Songs Store cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com KEEP IT SOCIAL You can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongs And you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify, Apple Music, and thanks to listener L.B., it's now on YouTube Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thank you, so much, to ALL of Strong Songs's patrons, and to everyone who has ever been a patron of the show. For more on how to help Kirk make more Strong Songs in 2021, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs NOVEMBER 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Jeffrey Jue Rick Klaras Niko Laurie Acreman Ken Hirsh Jez Jenness Gardner Simon Cammell Guinevere Boostrom Jill Smith-Moore Narelle Horn Mickey Clark Nathaniel Bauernfeind Bill Rosinger Anne Britt David Zahm Erin Aidan Coughlan Jeanneret Manning Family Four Matt Butler Doug Paton Robert Paul R Watson Viki Dun Christer Lindqvist Sami Samhuri Craig J Covell AccessViolation Ryan Torvik Merlin Mann Fraser Glenn CALEB ROTACH Andre Bremer Chad Barnard Mark Schechter Dave Florey Dan Apczynski NOVEMBER 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Kevin Potter M Shane Borders Pete Simm Shawn McCarthy Dallas Hockley Jana J Terron Ishihara Jason Gerry Rich Roskopf Melissa Gallo Joel Stevenson Will Dwyer Alethea Lee Lauren Reay Eric Prestemon Erika L Austin Cookies250 Spencer Shirley Joshua Jarvis Damian Brady Angela Livingstone Jeffrey C. Yarnell David Friedman Phillip Dalton Christopher Cudnoski Mark Edwards Randall Browning Sarah Sulan Diane Hughes Kenneth Tiong Jo Sutherland David Catlett Joe Laska Michael Casner Michael York Barb Courtney Derek Bender Melanie Andrich Franco Famularo Don Hutchison Lowell Meyer Etele Illes Jeff Almond Stephen Tsoneff Lorenz Schwarz Becca Sample chamomiatea Wen Jack Sjogren Aparajit Raghavan Benedict Pennington Geoff Golden Robyn Fraser Alexander Geddes Pascal Rueger Randy Souza Joe C Clare Holberton Jake Tinsley Georgia Livesay David Zucker Diane Turner Tom Coleman SUELLEN MOORE Judy Chapple Stuart Terry Mark Perry Malory Dhu Wik Eric Helm Jake Roberts Briony Leo Bill Fuller Jonathan Daniels Sheilah Steven Maron Michael Flaherty Jarrod Schindler Zoe Little Albukitty Caro Field Judith Stansfield Jenifer Carr michael bochner Duncan Dave Sharpe brant brantphillip Markus Koester David Cushman Alexander Jeremy Dawson Robbie Ferrero Gavin Doig Sam Fenn Tanner Morton AJ Schuster Jennifer Bush David Stroud Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Brooke Wilford Cyrus N. White Chris Brown Mark Haberlen Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Kate Albury Matt Gaskell Jules Bailey Eero Wahlstedt Bill Thornton Brian Amoebas Brett Douville Jeffrey Olson Matt Betzel Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Melanie Stivers Richard Toller Alexander Polson John and Sharon Stenglein Tom Lauer Forrest Chang Earl Lozada Jon O’Keefe Justin McElroy Arjun Sharma Shane DeLeon James Johnson Andrew Lee Kevin Morrell Tom Clewer Kevin Pennyfeather Nicholas Schechter Justin Liew Emily Williams
11/25/2020 • 57 minutes, 48 seconds
"A Day in the Life" by The Beatles
Wake up, fall out of bed, and drag a comb across your head, cause Strong Songs is finally doing an episode about The Beatles.It's time for Kirk to tackle the fab four, and what better Beatles song to analyze than Lennon and McCartney's two-tune casserole of a closer, "A Day in the Life." Get ready for some lilting Lennon dreamscapes, some meticulous McCartney melodies, a really big glissando, and an even bigger E chord.Written by: John Lennon and Paul McCartneyAlbum: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | SpotifyALSO FEATURED:"Rhapsody in Blue" by George Gershwin (1924), performed by the New York Philharmonic"Yesterday" by Paul McCartney (Lennon/McCartney), 1966"Strawberry Fields Forever" by John Lennon (Lennon/McCartney), 1967"Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)" and "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" also from Sgt. Pepper's, 1967The Yoko Ono/John Lennon episode of the excellent podcast You're Wrong About"Mr. Blue Sky" by Jeff Lynne and ELO from Permission To Land, 1977OUTRO SOLOIST: Steve PardoThis episode's outro soloist is the one and only Steve Pardo. Steve is a Nashville, TN based producer, composer, and saxophonist. You can find out more at his website: https://www.stevepardo.com/STRONG MERCH!!As Kirk mentioned on the episode, the Strong Songs Store is now live! Check it out for some cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comKEEP IT SOCIALYou can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongsAnd you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify, Apple Music, and thanks to listener L.B., it's now on YouTube Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!This whole thing happens thanks to the support of Strong Songs's wonderful patrons. For more on how to help Kirk keep making this show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsNOVEMBER 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSJeffrey JueRick KlarasNikoLaurie AcremanKen HirshJezJenness GardnerSimon CammellGuinevere BoostromJill Smith-MooreNarelle HornMickey ClarkNathaniel BauernfeindBill RosingerAnne BrittDavid ZahmErinAidan CoughlanJeanneret Manning Family FourMatt ButlerDoug PatonRobert PaulR WatsonViki DunChrister LindqvistSami SamhuriCraig J CovellAccessViolationRyan TorvikMerlin MannFraserGlennCALEB ROTACHAndre BremerChad BarnardMark SchechterDave FloreyDan ApczynskiNOVEMBER 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONSKevin PotterM Shane BordersPete SimmShawn McCarthyDallas HockleyJana JTerron IshiharaJason GerryRich RoskopfMelissa GalloJoel StevensonWill Dwyer Alethea LeeLauren ReayEric PrestemonErika L AustinCookies250Spencer ShirleyJoshua JarvisDamian BradyAngela LivingstoneJeffrey C. YarnellDavid FriedmanPhillip DaltonChristopher CudnoskiMark EdwardsRandall BrowningSarah SulanDiane HughesKenneth TiongJo SutherlandDavid CatlettJoe LaskaMichael CasnerMichael YorkBarb CourtneyDerek BenderMelanie AndrichFranco FamularoDon HutchisonLowell MeyerEtele IllesJeff AlmondStephen TsoneffLorenz SchwarzBecca SamplechamomiateaWenJack SjogrenAparajit RaghavanBenedict PenningtonGeoff GoldenRobyn FraserAlexander GeddesPascal RuegerRandy SouzaJoe CClare HolbertonJake TinsleyGeorgia LivesayDavid ZuckerDiane TurnerTom ColemanSUELLEN MOOREJudy ChappleStuart TerryMark PerryMaloryDhu WikEric HelmJake RobertsBriony LeoBill FullerJonathan DanielsSheilahSteven MaronMichael FlahertyJarrod SchindlerZoe LittleAlbukittyCaro FieldJudith StansfieldJenifer Carrmichael bochnerDuncanDave Sharpebrant brantphillipMarkus KoesterDavid CushmanAlexanderJeremy DawsonRobbie FerreroGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerBrooke WilfordCyrus N. WhiteChris BrownMark HaberlenJuan Carlos Montemayor ElosuaKate AlburyMatt GaskellJules BaileyEero WahlstedtBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelMuellerNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonJohn and Sharon StengleinTom LauerForrest ChangEarl LozadaJon O’KeefeJustin McElroyArjun SharmaShane DeLeonJames JohnsonAndrew LeeKevin MorrellTom ClewerKevin PennyfeatherNicholas SchechterJustin LiewEmily Williams
11/11/2020 • 58 minutes, 11 seconds
Microtones, Minimalism & the Bebop Scale
Mailbag episode! Kirk answers your burning musical questions about songs from Parks & Rec, Black Sails, Lovecraft Country, and What We Do in the Shadows, as well as microtones, minimalist songwriting, the bebop scale, practicing habits, and more. REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE: “Parks & Recreation” by Gaby Moreno and Vincent Jones, 2009 “Black Sails” by Bear McCreary, 2014 “You’re Dead” by Norma Tanega from Walking My Cat Named Dog, 1966 “Lonely World” by Moses Sumney from Aromanticism, 2017 A 2018 Refinery29 article by Courtney E. Smith on the gender gap in TV composing “Melting” and "Rattlesnake" by King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard from Flying Microtonal Banana, 2017 “Can I Believe You” by Fleet Foxes from Shore, 2020 “Moon River” by Henry Mancini and Johnny Mercer, performed by Jacob Collier on Djesse vol. 2, 2019 “Money” by Pink Floyd from The Dark Side of the Moon, 1973 “Buzzcut Season” by Lorde from Pure Heroine, 2013 “I’m Down” by Paul McCartney recorded by The Beatles, 1965 “Kiss” by Prince from Parade, 1986 “End Credits” by Danny Elfman from The Nightmare Before Christmas, 1993 Twenty Thousand Hertz episodes on The Loudness Wars, Perfect Pitch, and Dies Irae (featuring Kirk!) “American Pie” by Don McLean from American Pie, 1971 "S.O.B." by Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats from their 2015 self-titled album, and live on the BBC, 2015 OUTRO SOLOIST: Dan Nervo This episode's outro soloist is the fantastic Dan Nervo. Dan plays guitar in the San Francisco Bay Area in bands like Neon Velvet, and also teaches private guitar lessons. Hit him up if you want to get good at guitar: https://www.facebook.com/DanNervoGuitarLessons/ KEEP IT SOCIAL You can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongs And you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify, Apple Music, and thanks to listener L.B., it's now on YouTube Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Strong Songs is entirely made possible thanks to the support of the show's wonderful patrons. For more on how to join their ranks, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs OCTOBER 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Jeffrey Jue Bonusround Rick Klaras Niko Laurie Acreman Ken Hirsh Jez Jenness Gardner Simon Cammell Guinevere Boostrom Jill Smith-Moore Narelle Horn Mickey Clark Nathaniel Bauernfeind Simon Cramp Bill Rosinger Anne Britt David Zahm Erin Aidan Coughlan Jeanneret Manning Family Four Matt Butler Doug Paton Robert Paul R Watson Viki Dun Christer Lindqvist Sami Samhuri Craig J Covell AccessViolation Ryan Torvik Merlin Mann Fraser Glenn CALEB ROTACH Andre Bremer Chad Barnard Mark Schechter Dave Florey Dan Apczynski OCTOBER 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Rich Roskopf Melissa Gallo Joel Stevenson Will Dwyer Alethea Lee Lauren Reay Eric Prestemon Erika L Austin Cookies250 Spencer Shirley Joshua Jarvis Damian Brady Angela Livingstone Jeffrey C. Yarnell David Friedman Phillip Dalton Christopher Cudnoski Mark Edwards Randall Browning Sarah Sulan Diane Hughes Kenneth Tiong Jo Sutherland David Catlett Joe Laska Michael Casner Michael York Barb Courtney Derek Bender Melanie Andrich Franco Famularo Don Hutchison Lowell Meyer Etele Illes Jeff Almond Stephen Tsoneff Lorenz Schwarz Becca Sample chamomiatea Wen Jack Sjogren Aparajit Raghavan Benedict Pennington Geoff Golden Robyn Fraser Alexander Geddes Pascal Rueger Randy Souza Joe C Latifah Makuyi Clare HOLBERTON Jake Tinsley Georgia Livesay David Zucker Diane Turner Tom Coleman SUELLEN MOORE Judy Chapple Stuart Terry Mark Perry Malory Dhu Wik Eric Helm Jake Roberts Briony Leo Bill Fuller Jonathan Daniels Sheilah Steven Maron MH Michael Flaherty Jarrod Schindler Zoe Little Albukitty Caro Field Wayne Marsh Judith Stansfield Jenifer Carr michael bochner Duncan Dave Sharpe brant brantphillip Leigh Sales Markus Koester David Cushman Alexander Toni Isaacson Jeremy Dawson Robbie Ferrero Gavin Doig Sam Fenn Tanner Morton AJ Schuster Jennifer Bush David Stroud Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Brooke Wilford Cyrus N. White Chris Brown Mark Haberlen Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Kate Albury Matt Gaskell Jules Bailey Eero Wahlstedt Bill Thornton Brian Amoebas Brett Douville Jeffrey Olson Matt Betzel Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Melanie Stivers Richard Toller Alexander Polson John and Sharon Stenglein Tom Lauer Forrest Chang Earl Lozada Jon O’Keefe Justin McElroy Arjun Sharma Shane DeLeon James Johnson Andrew Lee Kevin Morrell Tom Clewer Kevin Pennyfeather Nicholas Schechter Justin Liew Emily Williams
10/28/2020 • 1 hour, 2 minutes, 11 seconds
Strong TV Songs: HBO Edition
The Wildlings are south of the wall, the robots are rising up, Seventh Kavalry's on the move, and two percent of the world's population has vanished. Time for another edition of Strong TV Songs! This time around the focus is on HBO, a network that has defined much of the broader TV landscape over the past couple of decades. So let's dig into a bunch of great music from a bunch of good shows, with themes for Dothraki raiders, Alethiometers, robot farmgirls, nuns with guns, monstrous moguls, and lost souls. Special thanks to the key of C minor for making this episode possible. DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE: “Woke Up This Morning” by Alabama 3 from Exile on Coldharbour Lane, 1997 “Six Feet Under” by Thomas Newman, 2001 “Deadwood” by David Schwartz, 2004 “Way Down In The Hole” by Tom Waits from Franks Wild Years, 1987. Performed by Waits, The Blind Boys of Alabama, The Neville Brothers, DoMaJe, and Steve Earle “Game of Thrones” by Ramin Djawadi, 2011 "Game of F***in' Thrones" by Anamanaguchi, 2012 “Pacific Rim” by Ramin Djawadi feat. Tom Morello from Pacific Rim, 2013 “Doom Patrol” by Clint Mansell and Kevin Kiner, 2019 “His Dark Materials” by Lorne Balfe, 2019 “Westworld” and “Sweetwater” by Ramin Djawadi, 2016 “Ezio’s Family” by Jesper Kyd from Assassin’s Creed II, 2009 "How The West Was Really Won,” “Nun With a Motherf***ing Gun,” and “Children of Krypton” by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, 2019 “Succession” by Nicholas Britell, 2018 "Kiss from Daddy" by Demi Adejuyigbe, 2019 “The Departure” and “Dona Nobis Pacem” by Max Richter from The Leftovers, 2014 OUTRO SOLOIST: Luke Price This episode's outro soloist is Portland fiddle player Luke Price. When he's not working as a side man in a variety of killer bands, Luke joins his wife Rachael to form the excellent songwriting duo DEAN!. You can follow them on Instagram and listen to some of their stuff on their website, wearedean.com. KEEP IT SOCIAL You can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongs And you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify, Apple Music, and thanks to listener L.B., it's now on YouTube Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thank you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon backers - you are amazing, and you make all of this possible. For more on how to support Strong Songs, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs OCTOBER 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Jeffrey Jue Bonusround Rick Klaras Niko Laurie Acreman Ken Hirsh Jez Jenness Gardner Simon Cammell Guinevere Boostrom Jill Smith-Moore Narelle Horn Mickey Clark Nathaniel Bauernfeind Simon Cramp Bill Rosinger Anne Britt David Zahm Erin Aidan Coughlan Jeanneret Manning Family Four Matt Butler Doug Paton Robert Paul R Watson Viki Dun Christer Lindqvist Sami Samhuri Craig J Covell AccessViolation Ryan Torvik Merlin Mann Fraser Glenn CALEB ROTACH Andre Bremer Chad Barnard Mark Schechter Dave Florey Dan Apczynski OCTOBER 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Rich Roskopf Melissa Gallo Joel Stevenson Will Dwyer Alethea Lee Lauren Reay Eric Prestemon Erika L Austin Cookies250 Spencer Shirley Joshua Jarvis Damian Brady Angela Livingstone Jeffrey C. Yarnell David Friedman Phillip Dalton Christopher Cudnoski Mark Edwards Randall Browning Sarah Sulan Diane Hughes Kenneth Tiong Jo Sutherland David Catlett Joe Laska Michael Casner Michael York Barb Courtney Derek Bender Melanie Andrich Franco Famularo Don Hutchison Lowell Meyer Etele Illes Jeff Almond Stephen Tsoneff Lorenz Schwarz Becca Sample chamomiatea Wen Jack Sjogren Aparajit Raghavan Benedict Pennington Geoff Golden Robyn Fraser Alexander Geddes Pascal Rueger Randy Souza Joe C Latifah Makuyi Clare HOLBERTON Jake Tinsley Georgia Livesay David Zucker Diane Turner Tom Coleman SUELLEN MOORE Judy Chapple Stuart Terry Mark Perry Malory Dhu Wik Eric Helm Jake Roberts Briony Leo Bill Fuller Jonathan Daniels Sheilah Steven Maron MH Michael Flaherty Jarrod Schindler Zoe Little Albukitty Caro Field Wayne Marsh Judith Stansfield Jenifer Carr michael bochner Duncan Dave Sharpe brant brantphillip Leigh Sales Markus Koester David Cushman Alexander Toni Isaacson Jeremy Dawson Robbie Ferrero Gavin Doig Sam Fenn Tanner Morton AJ Schuster Jennifer Bush David Stroud Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Brooke Wilford Cyrus N. White Chris Brown Mark Haberlen Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Kate Albury Matt Gaskell Jules Bailey Eero Wahlstedt Bill Thornton Brian Amoebas Brett Douville Jeffrey Olson Matt Betzel Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Melanie Stivers Richard Toller Alexander Polson John and Sharon Stenglein Tom Lauer Forrest Chang Earl Lozada Jon O’Keefe Justin McElroy Arjun Sharma Shane DeLeon James Johnson Andrew Lee Kevin Morrell Tom Clewer Kevin Pennyfeather Nicholas Schechter Justin Liew Emily Williams
10/14/2020 • 1 hour, 5 minutes, 51 seconds
"Hyperballad" by Björk
It's early in the morning; no one is awake. From the top of the mountain, the soft light of dawn comes into view. You take a deep breath, and prepare for a journey with the great genius of musical travel. On this episode, Kirk dives into Björk's 1995 electro-pop masterpiece "Hyperballad," paying special attention to how carefully she weaves together music and lyrics to create a sense of space, and thus a feeling of travel. Written and produced by: Björk Co-produced by: Nellee Hooper Album: Post (1995) Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify SPECIAL GUEST: ICELAND For the visualization exercise Kirk mentions in the episode, some photos of the Icelandic countryside can be found here and here. Or really anywhere online. ---------- OUTRO SOLOIST: BJ Cord This episode's outro soloist is BJ Cord, a fantastic trumpet player based in Portland. BJ works at Monette trumpets making some of the most beautiful horns in the world, and is a regular presence on their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monettetrumpets KEEP IT SOCIAL You can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongs And you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify, Apple Music, and thanks to listener L.B., it's now on YouTube Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thank you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon backers - you are making all of this happen. For more on how to support Strong Songs, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs SEPTEMBER 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Rick Klaras Laurie Acreman Ken Hirsh Jez Jenness Gardner Simon Cammell Guinevere Boostrom Jill Smith-Moore Rachel Rakov Narelle Horn Mickey Clark Nathaniel Bauernfeind Simon Cramp Bill Rosinger Anne Britt David Zahm Erin Aidan Coughlan Jeanneret Manning Family Four Matt Butler Doug Paton Robert Paul R Watson Viki Dun Christer Lindqvist Sami Samhuri Craig J Covell AccessViolation Ryan Torvik Merlin Mann Glenn CALEB ROTACH Andre Bremer Chad Barnard Mark Schechter Dave Florey Dan Apczynski SEPTEMBER 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Jeffrey C. Yarnell David Friedman Phillip Dalton Christopher Cudnoski Mark Edwards Randall Browning Sarah Sulan Diane Hughes Matt Beams Niko Kenneth Tiong Jo Sutherland David Catlett Michael York Derek Bender Melanie Andrich Franco Famularo Don Hutchison Lowell Meyer Etele Illes Jeff Almond Stephen Tsoneff Lorenz Schwarz Becca Sample Wen Jack Sjogren Aparajit Raghavan Benedict Pennington Geoff Golden Robyn Fraser Alexander Geddes Pascal Rueger Randy Souza Joe C Latifah Makuyi Clare HOLBERTON Jake Tinsley Georgia Livesay David Zucker Diane Turner Tom Coleman SUELLEN MOORE Judy Chapple Stuart Terry Mark Perry Malory Dhu Wik Eric Helm Jake Roberts Briony Leo Bill Fuller Jonathan Daniels Sheilah Steven Maron MH Michael Flaherty Jarrod Schindler Zoe Little Gerry Nelson Albukitty Caro Field Wayne Marsh Judith Stansfield Jenifer Carr michael bochner Duncan brant brantphillip Leigh Sales Markus Koester Alexander Jeremy Dawson Gavin Doig Sam Fenn Tanner Morton AJ Schuster Jennifer Bush David Stroud Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Brooke Wilford Cyrus N. White Chris Brown Mark Haberlen Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Kate Albury Matt Gaskell Elliot Jay O'Neill Jules Bailey Eero Wahlstedt Darryl Stewart Bill Thornton Brian Amoebas Brett Douville Jeffrey Olson Matt Betzel Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Melanie Stivers Richard Toller Alexander Polson John and Sharon Stenglein Tom Lauer Forrest Chang Earl Lozada Jon O’Keefe Justin McElroy Arjun Sharma Shane DeLeon James Johnson Andrew Lee Kevin Morrell Tom Clewer Kevin Pennyfeather Nicholas Schechter Justin Liew Emily Williams
9/30/2020 • 48 minutes, 21 seconds
Good Synths, Bad Acoustics & Moana
Mailbag episode! Kirk tackles your questions on subjects ranging from a Warren Zevon piano part, to the unfortunate prevalence of bad acoustics at live shows, to why Moana is such a good movie. It's been a rough week; thanks everyone who wrote in. DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE: “Flaming” by Pink Floyd from The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, 1967 “Golden Brown” by the Stranglers, 1981 “Woke Up Today” and “In My Room” by Jacob Collier from In My Room, 2016 “Reckless” by Nate Wood/Four from X.it, 2019 “Stranger Things” by Kyle Dizon and Michael Stein “Succession” by Nicholas Britell “Hillbilly Hare” by Carl Stalling Audio from Hot Fuzz, 2007 “The End of the Tour” by They Might Be Giants from John Henry, 1994 “Dancing Queen” by ABBA from Arrival, 1976 “All Summer Long” by Kid Rock from Rock N Roll Jesus, 2007 “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd from Second Helping, 1973 “Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevon from Excitable Boy, 1978 The excellent documentary Twenty Feet From Stardom “Gimme Shelter” by the Rolling Stones feat. Merry Clayton from Let It Bleed, 1969 “You Know How We Do It” by Ice Cube from Lethal Injection, 1993 “Nuthin’ but a G thang” by Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg from The Chronic, 1992 “Windows 95 Login” by Brian Eno, 1995 “All Things Considered” by Don Voegeli, arr. Wycliffe Gordon “Good Night Until Tomorrow” by Nobuo Uematsu from Final Fantasy VII, 1997 “Fingertips” by They Might Be Giants from Apollo 18, 1992 "Honey Jar" by The Wood Brothers from Live at the Barn, 2017 “I Am Moana” and “How Far I’ll Go” by Lin Manuel Miranda feat. Auliʻi Cravalho from Moana, 2016 Correction 9/16: A listener pointed out that I failed to mention the explicit "Sweet Home Alabama" reference that comes a bit later in "All Summer Long." I added a mention of it to the episode. - KH OUTRO SOLOIST: Kirk Hamilton Kirk is the host of Strong Songs. He lives in Portland, Oregon, a charming, smoke-filled city where no one can go outside because the air is poison. He used to play shows around the Pacific Northwest, but since live music can no longer safely exist, he mostly sits at home sipping coffee by the air purifier, thinking "This is fine." KEEP IT SOCIAL You can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongs And you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify, Apple Music, and thanks to listener L.B., it's now on Google Play. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thank you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon backers - all 1,000 plus of you! You are incredible, and you're making it possible for this show to exist. For more information on how support Strong Songs, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs SEPTEMBER 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Rick Klaras Laurie Acreman Ken Hirsh Jez Jenness Gardner Simon Cammell Guinevere Boostrom Jill Smith-Moore Rachel Rakov Narelle Horn Mickey Clark Nathaniel Bauernfeind Simon Cramp Bill Rosinger Anne Britt David Zahm Erin Aidan Coughlan Jeanneret Manning Family Four Matt Butler Doug Paton Robert Paul R Watson Viki Dun Christer Lindqvist Sami Samhuri Craig J Covell AccessViolation Ryan Torvik Merlin Mann Glenn CALEB ROTACH Andre Bremer Chad Barnard Mark Schechter Dave Florey Dan Apczynski SEPTEMBER 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Jeffrey C. Yarnell David Friedman Phillip Dalton Christopher Cudnoski Mark Edwards Randall Browning Sarah Sulan Diane Hughes Matt Beams Niko Kenneth Tiong Jo Sutherland David Catlett Michael York Derek Bender Melanie Andrich Franco Famularo Don Hutchison Lowell Meyer Etele Illes Jeff Almond Stephen Tsoneff Lorenz Schwarz Becca Sample Wen Jack Sjogren Aparajit Raghavan Benedict Pennington Geoff Golden Robyn Fraser Alexander Geddes Pascal Rueger Randy Souza Joe C Latifah Makuyi Clare HOLBERTON Jake Tinsley Georgia Livesay David Zucker Diane Turner Tom Coleman SUELLEN MOORE Judy Chapple Stuart Terry Mark Perry Malory Dhu Wik Eric Helm Jake Roberts Briony Leo Bill Fuller Jonathan Daniels Sheilah Steven Maron MH Michael Flaherty Jarrod Schindler Zoe Little Gerry Nelson Albukitty Caro Field Wayne Marsh Judith Stansfield Jenifer Carr michael bochner Duncan brant brantphillip Leigh Sales Markus Koester Alexander Jeremy Dawson Gavin Doig Sam Fenn Tanner Morton AJ Schuster Jennifer Bush David Stroud Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Brooke Wilford Cyrus N. White Chris Brown Mark Haberlen Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Kate Albury Matt Gaskell Elliot Jay O'Neill Jules Bailey Eero Wahlstedt Darryl Stewart Bill Thornton Brian Amoebas Brett Douville Jeffrey Olson Matt Betzel Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Melanie Stivers Richard Toller Alexander Polson John and Sharon Stenglein Tom Lauer Forrest Chang Earl Lozada Jon O’Keefe Justin McElroy Arjun Sharma Shane DeLeon James Johnson Andrew Lee Kevin Morrell Tom Clewer Kevin Pennyfeather Nicholas Schechter Justin Liew Emily Williams
9/16/2020 • 54 minutes, 20 seconds
"The Chain" and "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac
Thunder only happens when it's raining, and Strong Songs only crams two songs into an episode when it's super warranted. This episode warrants just such a pairing, with a focus on two tunes by the great Fleetwood Mac. First there's the collaboratively written group-sing stomper "The Chain," and then comes Stevie Nicks' heartbeat anthem "Dreams." Both were featured on the band's classic 1977 album Rumors, and both have more than stood the test of time. "The Chain" was written by Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, Mick Fleetwood, Christine McVie, and John McVie. "Dreams" was written by Stevie Nicks. Album: Rumors (1977) Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ---------- OUTRO SOLOIST: Kyle Molitor Kyle is a Portland-based trombonist who plays in all sorts of bands, and the dude can really get it done. Find him on Instagram @tbonemolitor and check out his upcoming single here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/kylemolitor/the-jazz-feat-toranpetto KEEP IT SOCIAL You can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongs And you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify, Apple Music, and thanks to listener L.B., it's now on Google Play. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thank you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon backers - you rule, and are making this all possible. For more on how to support Strong Songs, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs SEPTEMBER 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Rick Klaras Laurie Acreman Ken Hirsh Jez Jenness Gardner Simon Cammell Guinevere Boostrom Jill Smith-Moore Rachel Rakov Narelle Horn Mickey Clark Nathaniel Bauernfeind Simon Cramp Bill Rosinger Anne Britt David Zahm Erin Aidan Coughlan Jeanneret Manning Family Four Matt Butler Doug Paton Robert Paul R Watson Viki Dun Christer Lindqvist Sami Samhuri Craig J Covell AccessViolation Ryan Torvik Merlin Mann Glenn CALEB ROTACH Andre Bremer Chad Barnard Mark Schechter Dave Florey Dan Apczynski SEPTEMBER 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Jeffrey C. Yarnell David Friedman Phillip Dalton Christopher Cudnoski Mark Edwards Randall Browning Sarah Sulan Diane Hughes Matt Beams Niko Kenneth Tiong Jo Sutherland David Catlett Michael York Derek Bender Melanie Andrich Franco Famularo Don Hutchison Lowell Meyer Etele Illes Jeff Almond Stephen Tsoneff Lorenz Schwarz Becca Sample Wen Jack Sjogren Aparajit Raghavan Benedict Pennington Geoff Golden Robyn Fraser Alexander Geddes Pascal Rueger Randy Souza Joe C Latifah Makuyi Clare HOLBERTON Jake Tinsley Georgia Livesay David Zucker Diane Turner Tom Coleman SUELLEN MOORE Judy Chapple Stuart Terry Mark Perry Malory Dhu Wik Eric Helm Jake Roberts Briony Leo Bill Fuller Jonathan Daniels Sheilah Steven Maron MH Michael Flaherty Jarrod Schindler Zoe Little Gerry Nelson Albukitty Caro Field Wayne Marsh Judith Stansfield Jenifer Carr michael bochner Duncan brant brantphillip Leigh Sales Markus Koester Alexander Jeremy Dawson Gavin Doig Sam Fenn Tanner Morton AJ Schuster Jennifer Bush David Stroud Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Brooke Wilford Cyrus N. White Chris Brown Mark Haberlen Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Kate Albury Matt Gaskell Elliot Jay O'Neill Jules Bailey Eero Wahlstedt Darryl Stewart Bill Thornton Brian Amoebas Brett Douville Jeffrey Olson Matt Betzel Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Melanie Stivers Richard Toller Alexander Polson John and Sharon Stenglein Tom Lauer Forrest Chang Earl Lozada Jon O’Keefe Justin McElroy Arjun Sharma Shane DeLeon James Johnson Andrew Lee Kevin Morrell Tom Clewer Kevin Pennyfeather Nicholas Schechter Justin Liew Emily Williams
9/2/2020 • 58 minutes, 14 seconds
"Wedding Song" from Hadestown
Who's gonna lay the wedding table? Who's gonna make the wedding bed? And what about the rings? Funny you should ask. On this episode, Kirk takes a deep dive into "Wedding Song," one of the signature numbers from Anaïs Mitchell's 2019 musical Hadestown. It's time for some conversational song form, a bunch of key changes, a touch of Jeff Buckley falsetto, and just a biiiiiit of trombone. Turn off your snares, and let's do this. Written by: Anaïs Mitchell, w/ arranging by Michael Chorney Directed by: Rachel Chavkin Performed By: Eva Noblezada & Reeve Carney Album: Hadestown (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (2019) Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: "Wedding Song” from the 2010 Hadestown concept album "Chant" and "Doubt Comes In" from Hadestown Update 3/11/2021: Added a credit to Hadestown co-orchestrator Todd Sickafoose ------ Hey, It's Lindsay! Huge thanks to Lindsay Ellis for providing a description of what happens on stage when Orpheus debuts his big song. If you like musicals, check out her podcast MusicalSplaining, which she co-hosts with Kaveh Taherian. Lindsay also makes YouTube video essays about film and musical theater and recently published her first novel, Axiom's End. Follow her on Twitter at @thelindsayellis. OUTRO SOLOIST: Galen Clark This episode's outro soloist is Mr. Galen Clark, who plays keyboard and organ and acts as bandleader for the soul jazz group Trio Subtonic. Find more information at their website, https://www.triosubtonic.net. KEEP IT SOCIAL You can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongs And you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify, Apple Music, and thanks to listener L.B., it's now on Google Play. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thank you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon backers - this is all possible because of you. For more on how to help make Strong Songs possible, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs AUGUST 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Laurie Acreman Ken Hirsh Jez Jenness Gardner Simon Cammell Guinevere Boostrom Jill Smith-Moore Rachel Rakov Kyle Starr Narelle Horn Mickey Clark Nathaniel Bauernfeind Simon Cramp Bill Rosinger Anne Britt David Zahm Erin Aidan Coughlan Jeanneret Manning Family Four Matt Butler Doug Paton Robert Paul R Watson Viki Dun Christer Lindqvist Sami Samhuri Craig J Covell AccessViolation Ryan Torvik Merlin Mann Glenn CALEB ROTACH Andre Bremer Chad Barnard Mark Schechter Dave Florey Dan Apczynski AUGUST 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Michael Casner Michael York Derek Bender Melanie Andrich Franco Famularo Don Hutchison Lowell Meyer Etele Illes Jeff Almond Stephen Tsoneff Lorenz Schwarz Becca Sample Wen Jack Sjogren Aparajit Raghavan Benedict Pennington Geoff Golden Adam Conway Robyn Fraser Alexander Geddes Pascal Rueger Randy Souza Joe C Latifah Makuyi Clare HOLBERTON Jake Tinsley Georgia Livesay David Zucker Diane Turner Tom Coleman SUELLEN MOORE Brendon Oliver-Ewen Judy Chapple Stuart Terry Mark Perry Malory Dhu Wik Eric Helm Briony Leo Bill Fuller Jonathan Daniels Sheilah Steven Maron MH Michael Flaherty Jarrod Schindler Zoe Little Gerry Nelson Dave King Albukitty Caro Field Wayne Marsh Judith Stansfield Jenifer Carr michael bochner Duncan brant brantphillip Leigh Sales Markus Koester Toni Isaacson Jeremy Dawson Robbie Ferrero Gavin Doig Sam Fenn Tanner Morton AJ Schuster Jennifer Bush David Stroud Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker SP Brooke Wilford Cyrus N. White Chris Brown Mark Haberlen Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Kate Albury Matt Gaskell Elliot Jay O'Neill Jules Bailey Eero Wahlstedt Darryl Stewart Bill Thornton Brian Amoebas Brett Douville Jeffrey Olson Matt Betzel Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Melanie Stivers Richard Toller Alexander Polson John and Sharon Stenglein Tom Lauer Forrest Chang Earl Lozada Jon O’Keefe Justin McElroy Arjun Sharma Shane DeLeon James Johnson Andrew Lee Kevin Morrell Tom Clewer Kevin Pennyfeather Chas Lednicky Nicholas Schechter Justin Liew Emily Williams
8/19/2020 • 58 minutes, 54 seconds
Muppet Whistles, Throat Singing & Steely Dan
Mailbag! Episode! We've got questions about Tuvan throat singing (how does it work??), the Unsolved Mysteries theme (why is it so creepy??), the intro to Don McLean's "American "Pie" (how do they count it??), Steely Dan (why do some people hate them??), Andrew Bird's whistling solo from 2011's The Muppets (how did he do that??), Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" (what key is it in??), and more. DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE: “Unsolved Mysteries Theme” composed by Gary Malkin and Michael Boyd “Halloween Theme” by John Carpenter “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd from Second Helping, 1973 “Yuve Yuve Yu” by The Hu, 2018 “Chylandyk” by Huun-Huur-Tu, 1997 “The One I’m Waiting For” by Relient K from MMHMM, 2004 “The Breton Kingdom / Rouantelezh Vreizh” by Alan Stivell from Before Landing, 1977 “American Pie” by Don Mclean from American Pie, 1971 “The Squeaky Wheel” by The Dear Hunter from Act IV: Rebirth in Reprise, 2015 “Be My Baby” as recorded by The Ronettes, 1963 “Janie Runaway” by Steely Dan from Two Against Nature, 2000 “Lingala” by the SF Jazz Collective from their self-titled 2005 album “Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk” by The New Pornographers from Together, 2010 “The Whistling Caruso” by Andrew Bird from The Muppets, 2011 OUTRO SOLOIST: Luke Price This episode's outro soloist is the wonderful Portland fiddle player Luke Price. When he's not working as a side man in a variety of killer bands, Luke joins his wife Rachael to form the excellent songwriting duo DEAN!. They've got a new album coming soon and it's gonna be pretty great; in the meantime you can follow them on Instagram and listen to some of their stuff on their website, wearedean.com. KEEP IT SOCIAL You can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongs And you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify, Apple Music, and thanks to listener L.B., it's now on Google Play. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thank you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon backers - you are making all this possible. For more information on how support Strong Songs, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs AUGUST 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Laurie Acreman Ken Hirsh Jez Jenness Gardner Simon Cammell Guinevere Boostrom Jill Smith-Moore Rachel Rakov Kyle Starr Narelle Horn Mickey Clark Nathaniel Bauernfeind Simon Cramp Bill Rosinger Anne Britt David Zahm Erin Aidan Coughlan Jeanneret Manning Family Four Matt Butler Doug Paton Robert Paul R Watson Viki Dun Christer Lindqvist Sami Samhuri Craig J Covell AccessViolation Ryan Torvik Merlin Mann Glenn CALEB ROTACH Andre Bremer Chad Barnard Mark Schechter Dave Florey Dan Apczynski AUGUST 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Michael Casner Michael York Derek Bender Melanie Andrich Franco Famularo Don Hutchison Lowell Meyer Etele Illes Jeff Almond Stephen Tsoneff Lorenz Schwarz Becca Sample Wen Jack Sjogren Aparajit Raghavan Benedict Pennington Geoff Golden Adam Conway Robyn Fraser Alexander Geddes Pascal Rueger Randy Souza Joe C Latifah Makuyi Clare HOLBERTON Jake Tinsley Georgia Livesay David Zucker Diane Turner Tom Coleman SUELLEN MOORE Brendon Oliver-Ewen Judy Chapple Stuart Terry Mark Perry Malory Dhu Wik Eric Helm Briony Leo Bill Fuller Jonathan Daniels Sheilah Steven Maron MH Michael Flaherty Jarrod Schindler Zoe Little Gerry Nelson Dave King Albukitty Caro Field Wayne Marsh Judith Stansfield Jenifer Carr michael bochner Duncan brant brantphillip Leigh Sales Markus Koester Toni Isaacson Jeremy Dawson Robbie Ferrero Gavin Doig Sam Fenn Tanner Morton AJ Schuster Jennifer Bush David Stroud Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker SP Brooke Wilford Cyrus N. White Chris Brown Mark Haberlen Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Kate Albury Matt Gaskell Elliot Jay O'Neill Jules Bailey Eero Wahlstedt Darryl Stewart Bill Thornton Brian Amoebas Brett Douville Jeffrey Olson Matt Betzel Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Melanie Stivers Richard Toller Alexander Polson John and Sharon Stenglein Tom Lauer Forrest Chang Earl Lozada Jon O’Keefe Justin McElroy Arjun Sharma Shane DeLeon James Johnson Andrew Lee Kevin Morrell Tom Clewer Kevin Pennyfeather Chas Lednicky Nicholas Schechter Justin Liew Emily Williams
8/5/2020 • 59 minutes, 31 seconds
"No One Knows" by Queens of the Stone Age
It's time for a journey of the mind, as Kirk picks apart one of the best hard rock tunes of the early 2000s. Queens of the Stone Age's "Songs for the Deaf" includes enough bangers that it was tough to pick a single song to focus on, but in the end, "No One Knows" won the day with its combination of grit, groove, and focus. On this episode, Kirk dives deep into the tune's tightly wound, surprisingly swinging arrangement, with special focus on Dave Grohl's meticulous drumming. Artist: Queens of the Stone Age Album: Songs for the Deaf (2002) Written by: Josh Homme and Mark Lanegan Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: "“Prelude from Final Fantasy VII” by Nobuo Uematsu, 1997 “My Sharona” by The Knack from Get The Knack, 1969 “Big Dipper” by Thad Jones performed by the Thad Jones & Mel Lewis Orchestra on Central Park North, 1959 OUTRO SOLOIST: Dan Nervo This episode's outro soloist is the fantastic Dan Nervo. Dan plays guitar in the San Francisco Bay Area in bands like Neon Velvet, and also teaches private guitar lessons. Hit him up if you want to get good at guitar: https://www.facebook.com/DanNervoGuitarLessons/ TRIPLE CLICK On last week's episode of Kirk's video game podcast Triple Click, he did a Strong Songs-style breakdown of some of the music from the classic JRPG Final Fantasy VII. Triple Click is on all major podcast services, and you can find that episode here: https://maximumfun.org/episodes/triple-click/the-music-of-final-fantasy-vii/ KEEP IT SOCIAL You can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongs And you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @Kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify, Apple Music, and thanks to listener L.B., it's now on Google Play. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thank you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon backers - you are amazing. Seriously. For more information on how to help make Strong Songs possible, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs JULY 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS AccessViolation Aidan Coughlan Andre Bremer Anne Britt Bill Rosinger CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Christer Lindqvist Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey David Zahm Doug Paton Erin Glenn Guinevere Boostrom Jeanneret Manning Family Four Jill Smith-Moore Kyle Starr Mark Schechter Matt Butler Merlin Mann Mickey Clark Narelle Horn Nathaniel Bauernfeind R Watson Rachel Rakov Robert Paul Ryan Torvik Viki Dun JULY 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS AJ Schuster Adam Conway Albukitty Alexander Geddes Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Aparajit Raghavan Arjun Sharma Benedict Pennington Bill Fuller Bill Thornton Brendon Oliver-Ewen Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Briony Leo Brooke Wilford Caro Field Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Clare HOLBERTON Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart Dave King David Stroud David Zucker Dhu Wik Diane Turner Duncan Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams Eric Helm Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Geoff Golden Georgia Livesay Gerry Nelson Jack Sjogren Jake Tinsley James Johnson Jarrod Schindler Jeffrey Olson Jenifer Carr Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson Joe C John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe Jonathan Daniels Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Judith Stansfield Judy Chapple Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kendra Reid Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Latifah Makuyi Leigh Sales MH Malory Mark Haberlen Mark Perry Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Betzel Matt Gaskell Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Michael Flaherty Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Pascal Rueger Randy Souza Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Robyn Fraser SP SUELLEN MOORE Sam Fenn Shane DeLeon Sheilah Steven Maron Stuart Terry Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Coleman Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson Wayne Marsh Wen Zoe Little brant phillip michael bochner
7/22/2020 • 55 minutes, 25 seconds
"4'33" by John Cage (Twenty Thousand Hertz)
It seemed pretty unlikely that Strong Songs would ever cover John Cage's infamous "silent" composition "4'33", so we figured, on this off-week, it'd be fun to run an episode of the fabulous podcast Twenty Thousand Hertz on the subject instead. (Also, Kirk and 20KHz host Dallas Taylor like one another's shows and decided to do a little cross promotion.) This episode originally ran on January 22, 2020, and the full show notes and credits are below. You can find out more about Twenty Thousand Hertz at the show's website, https://www.20k.org. This is a really cool podcast episode. Hope you dig it! ORIGINAL 20KHz SHOW NOTES (Aired 01/22/2020) This episode was written and produced by Martin Zaltz Austwick. John Cage was a respected composer when, in 1952, he created his “silent piece”, 4’33’’ - a piece that would have the music world scratching their heads. This episode asks whether 4’33’’ is really “silent”, and we explore the history of a piece musicians still talk about today - and speak to the man who campaigned to get it to the top the British charts in 2010. Featuring composers Kyle Gann and Nahre Sol, and artist Dave Hilliard. MUSIC FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE Plastic Furniture by Audioblocks Sleepwalker by Hey Lunar Minor Stretch by Sound of Picture Footnote by Martin Zaltz Austwick A Bad Crossword (Instrumental) by Martin Zaltz Austwick Snowmelt by Martin Zaltz Austwick Slow Minnesota by Martin Zaltz Austwick Am Trans by Martin Zaltz Austwick Got Spark by Martin Zaltz Austwick Twenty Thousand Hertz is produced out of the studios of Defacto Sound, and hosted by Dallas Taylor. Follow the show on Twitter & Facebook. Become a monthly contributor at 20k.org/donate. Check out Kyle Gann’s No Such Thing as Silence: John Cage's 4'33" wherever you get your books. See Nahre’s work at nahresol.com. Find Dave Hilliard on Instragram at davehilliardart. Listen to more of Martin Zaltz Austwick’s music at palebirdmusic.com.
7/15/2020 • 31 minutes, 55 seconds
"World 1-1" from Super Mario Bros.
Classic video game consoles like the Nintendo Entertainment System didn't just play games; they also played music. Their onboard synthesizers put strict limits on what kinds of music game composers could write, but from those limits came a cornucopia of musical themes that remain iconic even today. On this episode, Kirk peels back the layers of Koji Kondo's "World 1-1" music from the first Super Mario Bros., revealing a perfectly polished musical gem. Level: World 1-1 Game: Super Mario Bros. (1985) Written by: Koji Kondo ------ ALSO FEATURED: The Legend of Zelda theme and various other tracks from Super Mario Bros. and Super Mario Bros. 3, all by Koji Kondo "Nascence" from Journey by Austin Wintory feat. Tina Guo, 2012 "El Cayuco" by Tito Puente from Dance Mania, 1958 Audio from the Basileous Productions playthrough of World 1-1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-avspZlbOWU OUTRO SOLOIST: Steve Pardo This episode's outro soloist is the one and only Steve Pardo. Steve is a Nashville, TN based producer, composer, and saxophonist, and also does work in the world of video games, having spent several years at Harmonix, where he helped make music games like Rock Band and Dance Central. You can find out more at his website: https://www.stevepardo.com/ TRIPLE CLICK If you want to listen to Kirk talk about video games every week, check out his new video game podcast Triple Click, which he co-hosts with Polygon's Maddy Myers and Bloomberg News's Jason Schreier. It's on all major podcast services, and also at http://tripleclickpodcast.com. KEEP IT SOCIAL You can follow Strong Songs on Twitter @StrongSongs: http://twitter.com/strongsongs And you can find Kirk on Twitter @Kirkhamilton and on Instagram at @kirk_Hamilton: https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify, Apple Music, and thanks to listener L.B., it's now on Google Play. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thank you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon backers - you all make all this possible. For more information on how to support the show, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs JULY 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS AccessViolation Aidan Coughlan Andre Bremer Anne Britt Bill Rosinger CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Christer Lindqvist Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey David Zahm Doug Paton Erin Glenn Guinevere Boostrom Jeanneret Manning Family Four Jill Smith-Moore Kyle Starr Mark Schechter Matt Butler Merlin Mann Mickey Clark Narelle Horn Nathaniel Bauernfeind R Watson Rachel Rakov Robert Paul Ryan Torvik Viki Dun JULY 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS AJ Schuster Adam Conway Albukitty Alexander Geddes Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Aparajit Raghavan Arjun Sharma Benedict Pennington Bill Fuller Bill Thornton Brendon Oliver-Ewen Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Briony Leo Brooke Wilford Caro Field Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Clare HOLBERTON Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart Dave King David Stroud David Zucker Dhu Wik Diane Turner Duncan Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams Eric Helm Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Geoff Golden Georgia Livesay Gerry Nelson Jack Sjogren Jake Tinsley James Johnson Jarrod Schindler Jeffrey Olson Jenifer Carr Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson Joe C John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe Jonathan Daniels Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Judith Stansfield Judy Chapple Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kendra Reid Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Latifah Makuyi Leigh Sales MH Malory Mark Haberlen Mark Perry Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Betzel Matt Gaskell Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Michael Flaherty Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Pascal Rueger Randy Souza Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Robyn Fraser SP SUELLEN MOORE Sam Fenn Shane DeLeon Sheilah Steven Maron Stuart Terry Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Coleman Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson Wayne Marsh Wen Zoe Little brant brantphillip michael bochner
7/8/2020 • 59 minutes, 16 seconds
"Satisfied" from Hamilton (Updated!)
A toast to the groom! To the bride! To knowing you'll always regret the sacrifice you made for your sister! In this updated 2019 episode, Kirk takes a dive into Lin-Manuel Miranda's epic Broadway musical Hamilton, focusing on Renée Elise Goldsberry's first act showstopper, "Satisfied." Regret tinges an otherwise joyous day as Angelica Schuyler remembers the night she met Alexander Hamilton, fell in love with him, and quickly realized they could never be together. It's a heady mix of complex rhyme schemes, powerhouse vocals, and musical character motifs so densely interwoven that it's hard to keep track of them all. (Note: This is an updated version of an episode that originally ran on May 1, 2019. It includes a new intro and outro, a couple of small editing tweaks, the show's current theme music, a new aside about Angelica's introduction to Alexander, and some added mentions of Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton's fabulous musical director.) Artist: Renée Elise Goldsberry, Lin-Manuel Miranda Album: Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording), 2015 Composed by: Lin-Manuel Miranda Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: Tracks from The Hamilton Instrumentals, 2017 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ OUTRO SOLOIST: Rob Reich This episode's outro soloist is the wonderful bay area pianist/accordionist Rob Reich. He's got a bunch of albums you can check out and contributes to an array of interesting projects and experiments. Find more at his website, http://www.robreich.com/. 'GRAM BY 'GRAM If you're interested in occasional music and Portland-related photos and videos, as well as teases for upcoming Strong Songs episodes, follow Kirk on Instagram @kirk_hamilton. https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify, Apple Music, and thanks to listener L.B., it's now on Google Play. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thank you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons! You all make this show happen. For more information on how to become a patron, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs STRONG SONGS JUNE 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS AccessViolation Aidan Coughlan Andre Bremer Anne Britt Bill Rosinger CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Christer Lindqvist Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey David Zahm Doug Paton Erin Glenn Jeanneret Manning Family Four Kyle Starr Mark Schechter Matt Butler Merlin Mann Mickey Clark Narelle Horn Nathaniel Bauernfeind R Watson Robert Paul Ryan Torvik Simon Cramp Viki Dun STRONG SONGS JUNE 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Adam Conway AJ Schuster Albukitty Alexander Geddes Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Fuller Bill Thornton brant brantphillip Brendon Oliver-Ewen Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Briony Leo Brooke Wilford Caro Field Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Clare HOLBERTON Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart Dave King David Stroud David Zucker Dhu Wik Diane Turner Duncan Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Geoff Golden Georgia Livesay Gerry Nelson Jaehoon Jeong Jake Tinsley James Johnson Jarrod Schindler Jeffrey Olson Jenifer Carr Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson Joe C John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe Jonathan Daniels Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Judith Stansfield Judy Chapple Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kendra Reid Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Latifah Makuyi Leigh Sales Malory Mark Haberlen Mark Perry Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Betzel Matt Gaskell Melanie Stivers MH Michael Blackwell michael bochner Michael Flaherty Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Pascal Rueger Randy Souza Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Robyn Fraser Sam Fenn Shane DeLeon Sheilah SP Stephen Steven Maron Stuart Terry SUELLEN MOORE Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Coleman Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson Wayne Marsh Zoe Little
7/1/2020 • 49 minutes, 36 seconds
"Kiss" by Prince
You don't have to be beautiful, rich, OR cool to appreciate Prince - you just need a little extra time, a pair of ears, and a pulse.It's finally time to talk about the Purple One on Strong Songs, specifically his 1986 chart-topper "Kiss." How did a song that was originally written for a standard band become so stripped-down and distinct? Why do those vocal and guitar parts work so well? And who was responsible for some of the sounds and styles Prince was channeling when he recorded it?All that and more, on this episode.Artist: PrinceAlbum: Parade (1986)Written by: PrinceListen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify------ALSO FEATURED:"Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag" by James Brown, 1965"I Got the Feelin'" by James Brown, 1968"Say Man" by Bo Diddley, 1959"Manic Monday" by Prince (!) performed by The Bangles on Different Light, 1986“Addicted to Love” by Robert Palmer from Riptide, 1985“Rock Me Amadeus” by Falco from Falco 3, 1985“West End Girls” by the Pet Shop Boys from Please, 1984“Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck Berry, 1958“St. Louis Blues” by W.C. Handy performed by Bessie Smith, 1929“Make Me Feel” by Janelle Monae from Dirty Computer, 2018A 2013 Sound on Sound interview with "Kiss" producer David Z: https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/prince-kissUpdate 6/24: A couple listeners pointed out that Prince actually *wrote* The Bangles' "Manic Monday," which is too fun of a fun-fact not to mention on the episode.OUTRO SOLOIST: Sam HowardThis episode's outro soloist is bassist Sam Howard. Sam lives in Nashville, TN, where he performs and tours with all kinds of artists. Sam played all the way through the Strong Songs outro, so keep an ear out for his playing mixed under the horns on the way out. You can find out what Sam's up to at his website, https://samhowardmusic.com.TRY YOUR OWN OUTRO SOLOYou can download a solo-free version of the Strong Songs outro music to play around with, if you'd like. It's on Kirk's Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-soloThere's also a chart, here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nklRY_xAGon5ljriyxu45lKQ762W6Yv3/view?usp=sharingSTRONG TWEETSYou can now follow Strong Songs on Twitter at @StrongSongs. So, do that! http://twitter.com/strongsongsNOW ON SPOTIFYStrong Songs is now on Spotify! You can find the show here: https://open.spotify.com/show/5umVTiMQIg2bDpTZaHZqbI?si=mNYpIYq2TqaXSSeUv_JRdQ'GRAM BY 'GRAMIf you're interested in occasional music and Portland-related photos and videos, as well as teases for upcoming Strong Songs episodes, follow Kirk on Instagram @kirk_hamilton. https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG MERCH!Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comSTRONG PLAYLISTSKirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify, Apple Music, and thanks to listener L.B., it's now on Google Play.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!Thank you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons! You all make this show happen. For more information on how to become a patron, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsSTRONG SONGS JUNE 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSAccessViolation Aidan Coughlan Andre Bremer Anne Britt Bill Rosinger CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Christer Lindqvist Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey David Zahm Doug Paton Erin Glenn Jeanneret Manning Family Four Kyle Starr Mark Schechter Matt Butler Merlin Mann Mickey Clark Narelle Horn Nathaniel Bauernfeind R Watson Robert Paul Ryan Torvik Simon Cramp Viki DunSTRONG SONGS JUNE 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAdam Conway AJ Schuster Albukitty Alexander Geddes Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Fuller Bill Thornton brant brantphillip Brendon Oliver-Ewen Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Briony Leo Brooke Wilford Caro Field Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Clare HOLBERTON Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart Dave King David Stroud David Zucker Dhu Wik Diane Turner Duncan Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Geoff Golden Georgia Livesay Gerry Nelson Jaehoon Jeong Jake Tinsley James Johnson Jarrod Schindler Jeffrey Olson Jenifer Carr Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson Joe C John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe Jonathan Daniels Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Judith Stansfield Judy Chapple Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kendra Reid Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Latifah Makuyi Leigh Sales Malory Mark Haberlen Mark Perry Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Betzel Matt Gaskell Melanie Stivers MH Michael Blackwell michael bochner Michael Flaherty Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Pascal Rueger Randy Souza Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Robyn Fraser Sam Fenn Shane DeLeon Sheilah SP Stephen Steven Maron Stuart Terry SUELLEN MOORE Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Coleman Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson Wayne Marsh Zoe Little
On this Strong Songs mailbag episode, Kirk answers your most pressing questions on subjects ranging from horn transposition, to why audiences have a hard time clapping on 2 and 4, to what the heck that sound is on the bridge to "Every Little Thing She Does is Magic." DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE: “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC from The Razors Edge, 1990 “Roll” by Fatai from Undone - EP, 2015 “Take My Breath Away” by Berlin from Count Three & Pray, 1986 “We Will Rock You” by Queen from News Of The World, 1977 ‘Every Time We Say Goodbye” by Cole Porter, sung by Ella Fitzgerald “Horsepower” by Justice from Audio, Video, Disco, 2011 “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen as sung by Rufus Wainwright “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” by Sting and the Police from Ghost in the Machine, 1981 “You Don’t Know What Love Is” as played by Sonny Rollins from Saxophone Colossus, 1956 “Desafinado” by Antonio Carlos Jobim feat. Stan Getz from Getz/Gilberto, 1964 “Home Fries” by Joshua Redman from Freedom in the Groove, 1996 “Children Go” by Chris Potter from Traveling Mercies, 2002 “3-in-1 Without The Oil” by Rahsaan Roland Kirk from Domino, 1962 “Singin’ the Blues” by the Original Dixie Jazz Band, feat. Frankie Trumbauer on C Melody Sax, 1920 “Lingus” by Snarky Puppy feat. Cory Henry from We Like It Here, 2014 “Warriors” by Aaliyah Rose from She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, 2019 “What Have We Done” by Shook Twins from Some Good Lives, 2019 BLACK LIVES MATTER As Kirk mentioned on the show, below are some things to read and watch to learn more about America's shameful history of systemic racism. Just three things, actually: The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander, which should be required reading in all U.S. high schools - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Jim_Crow An excellent new NPR video explaining the history of the New York Cabaret Card, which was used by the NYPD to discriminate against black jazz musicians: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUFWf-63kNk&feature=emb_logo Wesley Morris's 2019 Times essay about white appropriation of black American music: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/music-black-culture-appropriation.html There's a huge number of additional articles, books, and videos a person could check out to better educate themselves about this often overwhelming subject. But if you listen to this show and are looking for somewhere to start, start with those three. OUTRO SOLOIST: You? A bunch of listeners have requested a solo-free version of the Strong Songs outro music to play around with. So, now there is one! You can find it on Kirk's Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-outro-music-no-solo STRONG TWEETS You can now follow Strong Songs on Twitter at @StrongSongs. So, do that! http://twitter.com/strongsongs NOW ON SPOTIFY Strong Songs is now on Spotify! You can find the show here: https://open.spotify.com/show/5umVTiMQIg2bDpTZaHZqbI?si=mNYpIYq2TqaXSSeUv_JRdQ 'GRAM BY 'GRAM If you're interested in occasional music and Portland-related photos and videos, as well as teases for upcoming Strong Songs episodes, follow Kirk on Instagram @kirk_hamilton. https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on both Spotify and Apple Music. You can also find a recent playlist Kirk specifically designed for listening while staying home and not spreading viruses on Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play (thanks Thomas for making that last one) SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thank you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons! You're making all of this possible. For more information on how to become a patron, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs STRONG SONGS JUNE 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS AccessViolation Aidan Coughlan Andre Bremer Anne Britt Bill Rosinger CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Christer Lindqvist Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey David Zahm Doug Paton Erin Glenn Jeanneret Manning Family Four Kyle Starr Mark Schechter Matt Butler Merlin Mann Mickey Clark Narelle Horn Nathaniel Bauernfeind R Watson Robert Paul Ryan Torvik Simon Cramp Viki Dun STRONG SONGS JUNE 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Adam Conway AJ Schuster Albukitty Alexander Geddes Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Fuller Bill Thornton brant brantphillip Brendon Oliver-Ewen Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Briony Leo Brooke Wilford Caro Field Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Clare HOLBERTON Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart Dave King David Stroud David Zucker Dhu Wik Diane Turner Duncan Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Geoff Golden Georgia Livesay Gerry Nelson Jaehoon Jeong Jake Tinsley James Johnson Jarrod Schindler Jeffrey Olson Jenifer Carr Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson Joe C John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe Jonathan Daniels Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Judith Stansfield Judy Chapple Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kendra Reid Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Latifah Makuyi Leigh Sales Malory Mark Haberlen Mark Perry Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Betzel Matt Gaskell Melanie Stivers MH Michael Blackwell michael bochner Michael Flaherty Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Pascal Rueger Randy Souza Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Robyn Fraser Sam Fenn Shane DeLeon Sheilah SP Stephen Steven Maron Stuart Terry SUELLEN MOORE Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Coleman Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson Wayne Marsh Zoe Little
6/10/2020 • 1 hour, 47 seconds
"Chicago" by Sufjan Stevens
D, A, C, G. Four chords, placed end to end, repeated over and over again. On this episode, Kirk takes a deep dive into Sufjan Stevens's "Chicago," the centerpiece of his brilliant 2005 album Illinois. It's a towering construction supported by four chords, with building blocks of vibraphones, wurlitzers, strings, and choral harmonies. D, A, C, G. Eyes on the road; all things go. Artist: Sufjan Stevens Album: Illinois (2005) Written by: Sufjan Stevens Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: "The Bird Women of Golden Gate Park" by Kirk Hamilton from The Exited Door, 2009 "Supernova" by Meklit from When The People Move, The Music Moves Too (2017) "Come on! Feel the Illinoise!" by Sufjan Stevens from Illinois, 2005 "X. Section 8" by Steve Reich from Music for 18 Musicians, 1978 "Clocks" by Coldplay from A Rush of Blood to the Head, 2002 OUTRO SOLOIST: Kirk Hamilton Kirk is, well, the host of Strong Songs. He decided to finally record an outro solo at the start of 2020. He's playing tenor sax, and there's actually a video of him recording the solo here: https://twitter.com/kirkhamilton/status/1214319584959877123 STRONG TWEETS You can now follow Strong Songs on Twitter at @StrongSongs. So, do that! http://twitter.com/strongsongs NOW ON SPOTIFY Strong Songs is now on Spotify! You can find the show here: https://open.spotify.com/show/5umVTiMQIg2bDpTZaHZqbI?si=mNYpIYq2TqaXSSeUv_JRdQ 'GRAM BY 'GRAM If you're interested in occasional music and Portland-related photos and videos, as well as teases for upcoming Strong Songs episodes, follow Kirk on Instagram @kirk_hamilton. https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on both Spotify and Apple Music. You can also find a recent playlist Kirk specifically designed for listening while staying home and not spreading viruses on Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play (thanks Thomas for making that last one) SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thank you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons! It has been really incredible to see people signing up to support the show. For more information on how to do that, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs MAY 2020 WHOLE NOTE PATRONS AccessViolation Aidan Coughlan Andre Bremer andrew walters Anne Britt Bill Rosinger CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Christer Lindqvist Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey David Zahm Doug Paton Erin Glenn Jared Norris Jeanneret Manning Family Four Kyle Starr Mark Schechter Matt Butler Merlin Mann Mickey Clark Nathaniel Bauernfeind R Watson Robert Paul Ryan Torvik Simon Cramp Steve Philpot Viki Dun MAY 2020 HALF NOTE PATRONS AJ Schuster Albukitty Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Fuller brant brantphillip Brendon Oliver-Ewen Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Briony Leo Brooke Wilford Caro Field Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Clare HOLBERTON Clint Johnston Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart Dave King David Stroud David Zucker Dhu Wik Diane Turner Duncan Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Georgia Livesay Gerry Nelson Jaehoon Jeong Jake Tinsley James Johnson Jarrod Schindler Jeffrey Olson Jenifer Carr Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe Jonathan Daniels Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Judith Stansfield Judy Chapple Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kendra Reid Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Leigh Sales Malory Mark Haberlen Mark Perry Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Betzel Matt Gaskell Melanie Stivers MH Michael Blackwell michael bochner Michael Flaherty Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Peter Scott Queen Latifah Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Sam Fenn Shane DeLeon Sheilah SP Stephen Steven Craig Maron Steven Maron Stuart Terry SUELLEN MOORE Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Coleman Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson Wayne Marsh Zoe Little
5/27/2020 • 57 minutes, 10 seconds
The Magic of Sound, with Dallas Taylor
Kirk is joined by Dallas Taylor, sound designer and host of the fabulous sound-focused podcast Twenty Thousand Hertz.The two of them talk about what makes a great recording, the ineffable energy of live music, the history of the Roland TR-808 drum machine, album mastering and the "Loudness Wars" of the 1980s and 90s, how music can take you back to certain times in your life, and the merits of listening to albums on vinyl. They also nerd out pretty hard about Hamilton.FEATURED & DISCUSSED:Episodes of Twenty Thousand Hertz on the Roland TR-808, Mastering and "The Loudness Wars," and the audio design of Hamilton“Sinnerman” by Nina Simone from Pastel Blues, 1965Whitney Houston's legendary performance of “The Star-Spangled Banner” at the 1991 Super Bowl“Brand New Funk” by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince from He’s The DJ, I’m The Rapper, 1988“Bad Guy” by Billie Eilish from When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?, 2019The 2008 Universal studio fire that destroyed countless master recordings from countless major artists“Black Sabbath” by Black Sabbath from Black Sabbath, 1970Various songs by Lin Manuel-Miranda from Hamilton, 2015“Such Great Heights” by The Postal Service from Give Up, 2003“Everything in its Right Place” by Radiohead from Kid A, 2000“Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)” by The Mars Volta from Deloused in the Comatorium, 2003“So What” by Miles Davis from Kind of Blue, 1959LISTEN TO TWENTY THOUSAND HERTZ:It really is a great podcast, and if you like Strong Songs you will almost certainly like it, too. You can find the show on all podcast platforms and on its website, https://www.20k.org/.NEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG MERCH!Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comTHANK YOU, STRONG SONGS PATRONS!This episode was made possible by all of Strong Songs's backers on Patreon. Not only do you all make it possible to dedicate extra time to bonus episodes like this one, you make the show itself happen. So, thank you!If you want to support Strong Songs, go to: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsMAY 2020 WHOLE NOTE PATRONSAccessViolation Aidan Coughlan Andre Bremer andrew walters Anne Britt Bill Rosinger CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Christer Lindqvist Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey David Zahm Doug Paton Erin Glenn Jared Norris Jeanneret Manning Family Four Kyle Starr Mark Schechter Matt Butler Merlin Mann Mickey Clark Nathaniel Bauernfeind R Watson Robert Paul Ryan Torvik Simon Cramp Steve Philpot Viki DunMAY 2020 HALF NOTE PATRONSAJ Schuster Albukitty Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Fuller brant brantphillip Brendon Oliver-Ewen Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Briony Leo Brooke Wilford Caro Field Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Clare HOLBERTON Clint Johnston Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart Dave King David Stroud David Zucker Dhu Wik Diane Turner Duncan Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Georgia Livesay Gerry Nelson Jaehoon Jeong Jake Tinsley James Johnson Jarrod Schindler Jeffrey Olson Jenifer Carr Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe Jonathan Daniels Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Judith Stansfield Judy Chapple Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kendra Reid Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Leigh Sales Malory Mark Haberlen Mark Perry Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Betzel Matt Gaskell Melanie Stivers MH Michael Blackwell michael bochner Michael Flaherty Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Peter Scott Queen Latifah Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Sam Fenn Shane DeLeon Sheilah SP Stephen Steven Craig Maron Steven Maron Stuart Terry SUELLEN MOORE Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Coleman Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson Wayne Marsh Zoe Little
5/20/2020 • 1 hour, 10 minutes, 2 seconds
"Walking on Broken Glass" by Annie Lennox
Are you living in an empty room, with all the windows smashed? Then this is the podcast episode for you. It's time for a deep dive into Annie Lennox's 1992 pop banger "Walking on Broken Glass," with all its syncopated pianos, string section interludes, ever-changing backup vocals, and tasty guitar cameos. Won't you pick the pieces up? Artist: Annie Lennox Album: Diva (1992) Written by: Annie Lennox Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" by The Miami Sax Quartet from Four of a Kind, 2013 “Why" and "Little Bird" by Annie Lennox from Diva, 1992 "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" by Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart from the Eurythmics album Sweet Dreams, 1983 "Like a Prayer" by Madonna from Like a Prayer, 1989 "You Can Call me Al" and "Graceland" by Paul Simon from Graceland, 1986 "New Slang" by the Shins from Oh, Inverted World, 2001 OUTRO SOLOIST: Galen Clark This episode's outro soloist is the one and only Galen Clark. Galen plays keyboard and organ and acts as bandleader for the soul jazz group Trio Subtonic; you can find playing regularly around Portland, Oregon and occasionally on tour. Find more information at their website, https://www.triosubtonic.net. STRONG TWEETS You can now follow Strong Songs on Twitter at @StrongSongs. So, do that! http://twitter.com/strongsongs 'GRAM BY 'GRAM If you're interested in occasional music and Portland-related photos and videos, as well as teases for upcoming Strong Songs episodes, follow Kirk on Instagram @kirk_hamilton. https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on both Spotify and Apple Music. You can also find a recent playlist Kirk specifically designed for listening while staying home and not spreading viruses on Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play (thanks Thomas for making that last one) SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thank you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons! You make it possible for each episode of this show to get the time and attention it deserves. If you want to support Strong Songs, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs MAY 2020 WHOLE NOTE PATRONS AccessViolation Aidan Coughlan Andre Bremer andrew walters Anne Britt Bill Rosinger CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Christer Lindqvist Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey David Zahm Doug Paton Erin Glenn Jared Norris Jeanneret Manning Family Four Kyle Starr Mark Schechter Matt Butler Merlin Mann Mickey Clark Nathaniel Bauernfeind R Watson Robert Paul Ryan Torvik Simon Cramp Steve Philpot Viki Dun MAY 2020 HALF NOTE PATRONS AJ Schuster Albukitty Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Fuller brant brantphillip Brendon Oliver-Ewen Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Briony Leo Brooke Wilford Caro Field Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Clare HOLBERTON Clint Johnston Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart Dave King David Stroud David Zucker Dhu Wik Diane Turner Duncan Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Georgia Livesay Gerry Nelson Jaehoon Jeong Jake Tinsley James Johnson Jarrod Schindler Jeffrey Olson Jenifer Carr Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe Jonathan Daniels Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Judith Stansfield Judy Chapple Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kendra Reid Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Leigh Sales Malory Mark Haberlen Mark Perry Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Betzel Matt Gaskell Melanie Stivers MH Michael Blackwell michael bochner Michael Flaherty Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Peter Scott Queen Latifah Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Sam Fenn Shane DeLeon Sheilah SP Stephen Steven Craig Maron Steven Maron Stuart Terry SUELLEN MOORE Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Coleman Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson Wayne Marsh Zoe Little
5/13/2020 • 59 minutes, 7 seconds
"Last Goodbye" by Jeff Buckley
The bells in the church tower chime, so it's time to grab our Telecasters and talk about Jeff Buckley. Specifically, it's time for a deep dive into Buckley's "Last Goodbye," one of the centerpiece songs on his sole studio album, Grace. There'll be spacious drums, grand basslines, spiraling string parts, alternative guitar tunings, and of course, loads of beautiful singing. Artist: Jeff Buckley Album: Grace (1994) Written by: Jeff Buckley Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: “Mojo Pin,” "Grace," "Hallelujah" and "Corpus Christi Carol" all from Grace, 1994 “Unforgiven (Last Goodbye)” from Live at Sin-é, 1993 OUTRO SOLOIST: Dan Nervo Dan plays guitar all around the San Francisco Bay Area in bands like Neon Velvet, and also teaches private guitar lessons - in fact, he taught Kirk some of the guitar parts for "Last Goodbye" back in the day. Hit him up if you want to get really good at guitar: https://www.facebook.com/DanNervoGuitarLessons/ 'GRAM BY 'GRAM If you're interested in occasional music and Portland-related photos and videos, as well as teases for upcoming Strong Songs episodes, follow Kirk on Instagram @kirk_hamilton. https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on both Spotify and Apple Music. You can also find a recent playlist Kirk specifically designed for listening while staying home and not spreading viruses on Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play (thanks Thomas for making that last one) SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thank you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons! You are all incredible. If you want to support Kirk making the show (and also see a new behind-the-scenes video about how he makes it), go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs APRIL 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS AccessViolation andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Clint Johnson Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann R Watson Ryan Torvik Viki Dun APRIL 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS AJ Schuster Albukitty Alex Singer Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton brant Phillip Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Christer Lindqvist Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart Dave King David Stroud DuncannLL Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Gerry Nelson Jacob Dye Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jeffrey Olson Jenifer Carr Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Judith Stansfield Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Leigh Sales Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Betzel Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell michael bochner Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Robert Paul Sam Fenn samuel gardner Shane DeLeon SP Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson Wayne Marsh
4/29/2020 • 59 minutes, 2 seconds
Devo, AC/DC, and a Mystery Solved
It's time for another Strong Songs listener Q&A, as Kirk goes into the mailbag to answer your most burning musical questions.How does Devo make 11/8 time sound so smooth? What makes one song sound like a train, while another one sounds like a pack of horses? Why does the turnaround of Janelle Monáe's "Make Me Feel" sound so odd? What kinds of effects did Michael Brecker use on his saxophone? How does AC/DC's Angus Young rock the intro to "Thunderstruck" so hard? Those questions and many more... on this ep.FEATURED ON THIS EPISODE:"Me, Myself, I" by Joan Armatrading from Joan Armatrading, 1980“Blockhead” by Devo from Dusty Now for the Future, 1979“Funky Sea, Funky Dew” by Michael and Randy Brecker from Heavy Metal Be-Bop, 1978“We Built This City” by Starship from Knee Deep in the Hoopla, 1985“In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida” by Iron Butterfly from In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, 1978“Thunderstruck” by AC/DC from The Razors Edge, 1990“Where The Streets Have No Name” by U2 from The Joshua Tree, 1987“Make Me Feel” by Janelle Monáe from Dirty Computer, 2018“Wheel In The Sky” by Journey from Infinity, 1978“Last Train Home” by Pat Metheney from Still Life (Talking), 1987“Graceland” by Paul Simon from Graceland, 1086“Cissy Strut” by The Meters from The Meters, 1960“In Case You Don’t Live Forever” by Ben Platt from Sing To Me Instead, 2019“Joy Spring” by Clifford Brown from Clifford Brown & Max Roach, 1954“Ghost Catching” and “Professor Elvin Gadd” by Chad York and Darren Radtke from Luigi’s Mansion 3, 2019Reference to Ezra Klein's recent podcast episode about "Social Solidarity"Reference to the incredible Reply/All episode "The Case of the Missing Hit"Note: An earlier version of this episode incorrectly stated that Ben Platt wrote Dear Evan Hansen, which was in fact written by Justin Paul and Benj Pasek, with book by Steven Levenson. Platt starred as Evan Hansen in the original cast.Correction 10/2021: At long last, Kirk has corrected his description of Angus Young's guitar solo on "Thunderstruck." It is played entirely on the B string, which makes it so much cooler.OUTRO SOLOIST: Kyle MolitorKyle is a Portland-based trombonist who plays in all sorts of bands, and the dude can really get it done. Find him on Instagram @tbonemolitor and find his upcoming shows on his website: https://klmolitor.wixsite.com/tbone'GRAM BY 'GRAMIf you're interested in occasional music and Portland-related photos and videos, as well as listening recommendations and teases for upcoming Strong Songs episodes, follow Kirk on Instagram @kirk_hamilton. https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG MERCH!Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comSTRONG PLAYLISTSYou can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music.You can also find a new playlist Kirk specifically designed for listening while staying home and not spreading viruses on Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play (thanks Thomas for making that last one)SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!Thank you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons; you rule. If you want to support Kirk making this show, do so here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsAPRIL 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSAccessViolation andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Clint Johnson Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann R Watson Ryan Torvik Viki DunAPRIL 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAJ Schuster Albukitty Alex Singer Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton brant Phillip Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Christer Lindqvist Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart Dave King David Stroud DuncannLL Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Gerry Nelson Jacob Dye Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jeffrey Olson Jenifer Carr Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Judith Stansfield Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Leigh Sales Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Betzel Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell michael bochner Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Robert Paul Sam Fenn samuel gardner Shane DeLeon SP Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson Wayne Marsh
4/15/2020 • 1 hour, 4 minutes, 43 seconds
"So What" by Miles Davis
On this episode, Kirk dives in to one of the most influential jazz recordings of all time.As the lead track on Miles Davis's landmark album Kind of Blue, "So What" signaled a new era in jazz harmony, composition, and improvisation. This episode will get into what that actually means, how the tune works, and why the seven musicians who played on Kind of Blue were each such a crucial part of the album's magic.Artist: Miles DavisAlbum: Kind of Blue (1959)Written by: Miles DavisListen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify------ALSO FEATURED:“Will O’ the Wisp” by Miles Davis and Gil Evans from Sketches of Spain, 1960“Seven Steps to Heaven” by Victor Feldman/Miles Davis from Four And More (Live), 1966“Giant Steps” by John Coltrane from Giant Steps, 1960“Resolution Pt. 2” by John Coltrane from A Love Supreme, 1965“This Here” By Cannonball Adderley from The Cannonball Adderley Quintet in San Francisco, 1960“Mercy Mercy Mercy” by Josef Zawinul from Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, 1966“Autumn Leaves” by by Joseph Kosma, performed by the Bill Evans Trio on Portrait in Jazz, 1959“Dancing in the Dark” by Dietz/Schwartz, performed by the Bill Evans Trio on Trio 64, 1964“No Blues” by Miles Davis performed by Wes Montgomery and the Wynton Kelly Trio on Smokin’ at the Half Note, 1965“Donna Lee” by Charlie Parker/Miles Davis recorded by the Charlie Parker Quintet, 1947“I Wish” by Stevie Wonder from Songs in the Key of Life, 1976“Excursions” by A Tribe Called Quest from The Low End Theory, 1991“Rimshot [Intro]” by Erykah Badu from Erykah Badu: Live, 1997Discussion of Miles: The Autobiography by Miles Davis and Quincy Troupe, 1990Discussion of Ascension: John Coltrane and his Quest by Eric Nisenson, 1995The Strong Songs Kind of Blue PlaylistKirk made a new playlist of the recordings discussed on this episode, in the hopes that it would give a sense of how the seven musicians on Kind of Blue went on to make all kinds of great music as bandleaders. It's in chronological order, so don't put it on shuffle. Unless, you know, you want to.Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1X2ETUpsFfH03FHOZDCiic?si=UHahG4EcRcSQ_tBlpzSakAApple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/strong-songs-kind-of-blue-playlist/pl.u-mJy8DG8t1g8KaOUTRO SOLOIST: BJ CordThis episode's outro soloist is BJ Cord, a fantastic trumpet player based in Portland. BJ works at Monette trumpets making some of the most beautiful horns in the world, and is a regular presence on their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monettetrumpets'GRAM BY 'GRAMIf you're interested in occasional music and Portland-related photos and videos, as well as teases for upcoming Strong Songs episodes, follow Kirk on Instagram @kirk_hamilton. https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG MERCH!Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comSTRONG PLAYLISTSYou can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music.You can also find a new playlist Kirk specifically designed for listening while staying home and not spreading viruses on Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play (thanks Thomas for making that last one)SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!Thank you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons; you all are the best. If you want to support Kirk making the show, do so here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsAPRIL 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSAccessViolation andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Clint Johnson Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann R Watson Ryan Torvik Viki DunAPRIL 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAJ Schuster Albukitty Alex Singer Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton brant brantphillip Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Christer Lindqvist Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart Dave King David Stroud Duncan Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Gerry Nelson Jacob Dye Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jeffrey Olson Jenifer Carr Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Judith Stansfield Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Leigh Sales Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Betzel Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell michael bochner Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Robert Paul Sam Fenn samuel gardner Shane DeLeon SP Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson Wayne Marsh
4/1/2020 • 59 minutes, 38 seconds
April Makes Fools of Us All
On this episode... a prank. April Fools’ Day has run its course, which means it’s time to update this episode description to accurately reflect what’s in the episode. Hopefully this joke made some listeners laugh, and didn't ruffle too many feathers. The actual full episode on Miles Davis’s “So What” should be live as of this update, and next in your feed. To give credit where it's due: Song: "Never Gonna Give You Up" Artist: Rick Astley Album: Whenever You Need Somebody (1987) Written by: Stock Aitken Waterman Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify Special thanks to Emily for being an excellent test audience. *** 'GRAM BY 'GRAM If you're interested in occasional music and Portland-related photos and videos, as well as teases for upcoming Strong Songs episodes, follow Kirk on Instagram @kirk_hamilton. https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS You can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music. You can also find a new playlist Kirk specifically designed for listening while staying home and not spreading viruses on Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play (thanks Thomas for making that last one) SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thank you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons; you all are the best. If you want to support Kirk making the show, do so here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs APRIL 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS AccessViolation andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Clint Johnson Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann R Watson Ryan Torvik Viki Dun APRIL 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS AJ Schuster Albukitty Alex Singer Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton brant brantphillip Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Christer Lindqvist Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart Dave King David Stroud Duncan Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Gerry Nelson Jacob Dye Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jeffrey Olson Jenifer Carr Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Judith Stansfield Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Leigh Sales Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Betzel Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell michael bochner Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Robert Paul Sam Fenn samuel gardner Shane DeLeon SP Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson Wayne Marsh
4/1/2020 • 10 minutes, 30 seconds
"God Only Knows" by The Beach Boys
As sure as there are stars above you, Strong Songs will be here to deliver musical deep-dives straight into your eardrums. This week is no different, as Kirk picks apart Brian Wilson's chamber-pop masterpiece "God Only Knows." The sleigh bells ring, the french horn solos, and The Wrecking Crew lays down the foundation for an immaculate collection of chords and melodies, all placed over a bass line that's as Bach as it is Beach-y. Turns out there's a reason so many people call this the greatest song ever written. Artist: The Beach Boys Album: Pet Sounds (1966) Written by: Brian Wilson & Tony Asher Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: "And Your Dream Comes True" by The Beach Boys from Summer Days (And Summer Nights), 1965 Discussion of Danny Tedesco's excellent 2008 documentary The Wrecking Crew OUTRO SOLOIST: Luke Price This episode's outro soloist is the wonderful Portland fiddle player Luke Price. When he's not working as a side man in a variety of killer bands, Luke joins his wife Rachael to form the excellent songwriting duo DEAN!. They've got a new album coming soon and it's gonna be pretty great; in the meantime you can follow them on Instagram and listen to some of their stuff on their website, wearedean.com. 'GRAM BY 'GRAM If you're interested in occasional music and Portland-related photos and videos, as well as teases for upcoming Strong Songs episodes, follow Kirk on Instagram @kirk_hamilton. https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS You can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music. You can also find a new playlist Kirk specifically designed for listening while staying home and not spreading viruses on Spotify, Apple Music, and Google Play (thanks Thomas for making that last one) SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! A huge thank-you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons, and to everyone who has recently signed up! If you want to support Kirk making the show, do so here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs MARCH 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS AccessViolation andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann Ryan Torvik MARCH 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS AJ Schuster Alex Singer Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton brant brantphillip Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Christer Lindqvist Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart David Stroud Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Jacob Dye Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jeffrey Olson Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Leigh Sales Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Sam Fenn samuel gardner Shane DeLeon SP Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson
3/18/2020 • 56 minutes, 12 seconds
A Playlist For Trying Times
It's a pretty stressful time, and I (Kirk) had a feeling some of you might be cooped up, staring at your phones and anxiously checking the news. I'm right there with you. I've found a lot of comfort in music over the last few days, and occasionally, some much-needed distraction. I wanted to try to share that with all of you, so I made a new playlist featuring songs from artists I've talked about on Strong Songs. You can find it here: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3OYYGNNXWw6lNvYU2OY1Mi?si=5DtK6owKS3Cv-s3-tpkTzw Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/a-playlist-for-trying-times-strong-songs/pl.u-11zBvz3hmqpG7 Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/preview/pl/AMaBXylOrnWocYbzZ6XTVYPJuHh1APp_ZyXr_769Ztu9a_CQzYVUVbi_zxRdY3w0O36oCbDW9bMiUuaYvWljw-7_J9uWejR9hw==?u=0 (Thanks Thomas!) Here's the track list, for those who may want to create it for themselves: 1. Toto - Rosanna 2. Paul Simon - Spirit Voices 3. Beyoncé - Love On Top 4. Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke 5. ABBA - Take a Chance on Me 6. Queen - Love of my Life 7. Frozen 2 - Into The Unknown 8. Art Blakey - Come Rain or Come Shine 9. Electric Light Orchestra - Across the Border 10. Lin-Manuel Miranda - Piragua 11. Elton John - This Song Has No Title 12. Janelle Monáe - Wondaland 13. Heart - Love Alive 14. Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees 15. Madonna - Borderline 16. Aretha Franklin - I Say a Little Prayer 17. Seal - Crazy 18. Danny Elfman w/ Oingo Boingo - Just Another Day 19. Dolly Parton - The Light of a Clear Blue Morning 20. Led Zeppelin - The Battle of Evermore 21. The Cardigans - Great Divide 22. Rush - La Villa Strangiato 23. Nina Simone - Feelin’ Good If you have some free time, consider sitting down with the playlist, turning up the volume, and seeing what you hear. Where's the thump? Where are the pop and sizzle? What are the vocals doing? How about the bass? Are there any unexpected instruments in the mix? Barring unforeseen events, I'll be back this coming Wednesday with a new episode. Stay safe, and take care of each other out there. ~KH ------- MARCH 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS AccessViolation andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann Ryan Torvik MARCH 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS AJ Schuster Alex Singer Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton brant brantphillip Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Christer Lindqvist Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart David Stroud Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Jacob Dye Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jeffrey Olson Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Leigh Sales Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Sam Fenn samuel gardner Shane DeLeon SP Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson
3/13/2020 • 10 minutes, 56 seconds
"Sinnerman" by Nina Simone
Oh, sinner man, where you gonna run to? To the rock? To the river? To the sea? Well, wherever you run, you'll still be starring in a Strong Songs analysis of one of Nina Simone's greatest recordings. Yes, it's time for Strong Songs' first-ever analysis of a live recording, as Kirk digs in to legendary pianist/vocalist Nina Simone's 1965 interpretation of the traditional spiritual song "Sinnerman." It's time for some syncopated piano, popless grooves, band crash-landings, hand-clap breakdowns, hip hop samples, and one spectacular vocal cadenza. Artist: Nina Simone Album: Pastel Blues (1965) Written by: Traditional, arr. Nina Simone Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: "I Put a Spell On You" and "Feeling Good" as performed by Nina Simone on I Put a Spell On You, 1965 "Strange Fruit" as performed by Simone on Pastel Blues, 1965 "Sinner Man" arranged by Les Baxter for his orchestra "Oh, Timbaland" by Timbaland from Shock Value, 2007 "Get By" by Talib Kweli from Quality, 2002 Audio from John McTiernan's underrated 1999 remake of The Thomas Crown Affair Audio from Liz Garbus' excellent 2015 documentary What Happened, Miss Simone? OUTRO SOLOIST: Rob Reich This episode's outro soloist is the wonderful bay area pianist/accordionist Rob Reich. Rob performs all over the place with a bunch of different groups, and is a total pleasure to see play. He's got a bunch of albums you can check out and contributes to an array of interesting projects (Live silent-film scores! Circus music!) and experiments. Find more at his website, http://www.robreich.com/. 'GRAM BY 'GRAM If you're interested in occasional music and Portland-related photos and videos, as well as teases for upcoming Strong Songs episodes, follow Kirk on Instagram @kirk_hamilton. https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS You can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! A huge thank-you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons! If you want to support Kirk making the show, do so here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs MARCH 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS AccessViolation andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann Ryan Torvik MARCH 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS AJ Schuster Alex Singer Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton brant brantphillip Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Christer Lindqvist Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart David Stroud Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Jacob Dye Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jeffrey Olson Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Leigh Sales Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Sam Fenn samuel gardner Shane DeLeon SP Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson
3/4/2020 • 55 minutes, 15 seconds
Muse, Mars, and a Mystery
It's time for the first Strong Songs listener Q&A of 2020, so let's get into it! Kirk answers listener questions on topics like Zeppelin and Cake counting, the decline (and rise) of the saxophone, Muse's approach to vocal processing, whether piano is an "easy" instrument, Bruno Mars's musical magpieism, and in a first, a listener's request that Strong Songs help him solve a mystery. Update 2/25/20: Mystery solved! Fabian's mystery song is "Me, Myself, I" by Joan Armatrading. Thanks to everyone who wrote in with the answer, and thanks as well to Fabian, who did a pretty great job re-creating it from memory. REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE: “The Ocean” by Led Zeppelin from Houses of the Holy, 1973 “Closer (feat. Halsey)” from Collage - EP by The Chainsmokers, 2016 “What’s Up Danger” by Blackway and Black Caviar from the Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Soundtrack, 2018 “Overture” by Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori from the Halo: Reach soundtrack, 2010 “Married Life” by Michael Giacchino from the Up soundtrack, 2009 “Song For My Father” by Horace Silver from Song for My Father, 1964 “So What” and “Freddie Freeloader” by Miles Davis from Kind of Blue, 1959 “Shake, Rattle and Roll” by Big Joe Turner from Shake, Rattle & Rock, 1958 “Baker Street” by Gerry Rafferty from City to City, 1978 “Run Away” by SunStroke Project & Olia Tira, 2010 “One Shining Soul” by Joshua Redman from Freedom in the Groove, 1996 “Muscle Museum” by Muse from Showbiz, 1999 “Nugget” by Cake from Fashion Nugget, 1996 “Ain’t That Easy” by D’Angelo and the Vanguard from Black Messiah, 2014 “Locked out of Heaven” by Bruno Mars from Unorthodox Jukebox, 2012 “Finesse” by Bruno Mars from 24k Magic, 2016 “Can’t Stand Losing You” by Sting and the Police from Outlandos D'Amor, 1978 “Poison” by Bell Biv DeVoe from Poison, 1990 “On Our Own” by Bobby Brown from the Ghostbusters II soundtrack, 1989 OUTRO SOLOIST: Galen Clark Galen Clark plays keyboard and organ and acts as bandleader for the soul jazz group Trio Subtonic; you can find playing regularly around Portland, Oregon and occasionally on tour. Find more information at their website, https://www.triosubtonic.net. 'GRAM BY 'GRAM If you're interested in occasional music and Portland-related photos and videos, follow Kirk on Instagram @kirk_hamilton. https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS You can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! A huge thank-you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons! If you want to support Kirk making the show, do so here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs FEBRUARY 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS AccessViolation andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann Ryan Torvik FEBRUARY 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS AJ Schuster Alex Singer Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Christer Lindqvist Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart David Stroud Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Jacob Dye Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jeffrey Olson Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Sam Fenn samuel gardner Shane DeLeon Shaun Wiese SP Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson
2/19/2020 • 57 minutes, 24 seconds
"Toss a Coin to Your Witcher" from The Witcher
What's that you say? You'd like a bonus mini-episode all about the cheeseball fantasy earworm "Toss A Coin To Your Witcher"? Well, Kirk is happy to oblige. This mini-sode started as a segment in next week's mailbag episode, but it became involved enough that Kirk decided to spin it out into its own little thing. Hopefully it gives all you Witcher fans out there a better appreciation for why you can't get this song out of your head, and if it gets the song BACK in your head in the process... well, sorry. Or maybe you're welcome? Band/Artist: Joey Batey, aka Jaskier, aka The Bard Dandelion Album: The Witcher: Music from the Netflix Original Series Written by: Sonya Belousova & Giona Ostinelli Lyrics by: Jenny Klein Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ----- NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! The biggest of thank-yous to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons! If you want to support Kirk making the show, do so here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs FEBRUARY 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS AccessViolation andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann Ryan Torvik FEBRUARY 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS AJ Schuster Alex Singer Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Christer Lindqvist Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart David Stroud Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Jacob Dye Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jeffrey Olson Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Sam Fenn samuel gardner Shane DeLeon Shaun Wiese SP Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson
2/10/2020 • 16 minutes, 29 seconds
"Tom Sawyer" by Rush
A modern day warrior's mean, mean stride; today's Strong Song has mean, mean pride! Yes, it's time for Kirk to tackle a song by the legendary Canadian rock trio Rush, and what better song than "Tom Sawyer"? Of course, what starts with Tom doesn't end there, as Kirk takes a broader look at Rush's musical legacy, with extra attention for the band's legendary drummer Neil Peart, who tragically died last month. It's a longer-than-usual episode covering a variety of topics, from odd meter counting; to "kite and anchor" solos; to drum snobs; to just what kind of person spends 30 years conquering the world of rock drumming, only to seek out a new teacher and reinvent himself. Band/Artist: Rush Album: Moving Pictures (1981) Written by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart Lyrics by: Neil Peart and Pye Dubois Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify Note: This episode has been updated to correct the pronunciation of Neil Peart's last name, which, as it turns out, is pronounced "Peert" and not "Pert." ------ ALSO FEATURED: "La Villa Strangiato" by Rush from Hemispheres, 1978 "Jump" by Van Halen from 1984, 1984 "Come Sail Away" by Styx from The Grand Illusion, 1977 The free (!) VST plugin OBXD Synthesizer "Autumn Leaves" by the Keith Jarrett Trio from After The Fall, recorded 1998/released 2018 "Whippersnapper" by the Wayne Krantz Trio from Two Drink Minimum, 1995 "YYZ" by Rush from Moving Pictures, 1981 "Spirit of the Radio" by Rush from Permanent Waves, 1980 "The Monster" by Buddy Rich from Krupa and Rich, 1956 (1994 CD re-release) Clips from various episodes of Freaks and Geeks Excerpts from the excellent 2002 documentary Neil Peart: A Work In Progress OUTRO SOLOIST: BJ CORD This episode's outro soloist is BJ Cord, a fantastic trumpet player based in Portland who recorded this, the first-ever Strong Songs outro solo. BJ works at Monette trumpets making some of the most beautiful horns in the world, and is a regular presence on their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monettetrumpets 'GRAM BY 'GRAM If you're interested in occasional music and Portland-related photos and videos, follow Kirk on Instagram @kirk_hamilton. https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS You can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! The biggest of thank-yous to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons! If you want to support Kirk making the show, do so here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs FEBRUARY 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS AccessViolation andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann Ryan Torvik FEBRUARY 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS AJ Schuster Alex Singer Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Christer Lindqvist Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart David Stroud Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Jacob Dye Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jeffrey Olson Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Sam Fenn samuel gardner Shane DeLeon Shaun Wiese SP Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson
2/5/2020 • 1 hour, 12 seconds
Rhythm + Harmony = Music
Kirk breaks down the two most fundamental aspects of music: rhythm and harmony.There's the Y-axis, harmony, which tells us which frequencies we're hearing in which combinations. And there's the X-axis, rhythm, which tells us how those frequencies are playing out over time. Much like most music, it's a mix of math and magic that takes many moons to master.REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:"I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton, performed by Whitney Houston"Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin from Led Zeppelin IV, 1971The Pentatonix cover of "Havana" from Top Pop, Vol. 1"Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, 1977"Countdown" by John Coltrane from Giant Steps, 1960"The Waltz of the Flowers" by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky from The Nutcracker, 1892"You Really Got Me" by The Kinks from The Kinks, 1964"Use It" by the New Pornographers from Twin Cinema, 2005"Take Five" by Paul Desmond and "Blue Rondo a la Turk" by Dave Brubeck from Time Out, 1959"Cory Wong teaches audience to count 25/8" posted by Arlington Hayne to YouTube"Weni" by Timnit Welday via YouTube"Janie Runaway" by Steely Day from Two Against Nature, 2000'GRAM BY 'GRAMIf you're interested in occasional music and Portland-related photos and videos, follow Kirk on Instagram @kirk_hamilton. https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/NEWSLETTER/MAILING LISTSign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribeSTRONG MERCH!Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.comSTRONG PLAYLISTSYou can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music.SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON!This episode was made possible by Patreon, so, the biggest of thank-yous to all of Strong Songs's Patreon backers! The next one of these bonus episodes will focus on individual instruments, so if you want to help reach the goal to make that episode happen, head over here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongsJANUARY 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSAccessViolation andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann Ryan TorvikJANUARY 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAdam Georgandis Alex Singer Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Cyrus N. White David Stroud Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Jacob Dye Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jasmine Fellows Jeffrey Olson Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Mark Steen Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero samuel gardner Shane DeLeon Shaun Wiese SP Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Lauer
1/29/2020 • 54 minutes, 4 seconds
"Lovefool" by The Cardigans
You don't have to cry, pray, or beg - Kirk is happy to break down one of the 90s' most iconic pop hits without any further encouragement. Yes, it's time to take apart The Cardigans' 1996 hit "Lovefool," a song that sounds one way when it's that Romeo + Juliet song that's on the radio all the time, and another way when it's the centerpiece of First Band on the Moon. Kirk zooms out a bit more than usual to place this song in the context of its (fantastic) corresponding album, and to hopefully help everyone better appreciate the meticulous mastery of The Cardigans. Band/Artist: The Cardigans Album: First Band on the Moon (1996) Written by: Nina Persson and Peter Svensson Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: Many other tracks from First Band on the Moon ------ OUTRO SOLOIST: Kyle Molitor Kyle is a Portland-based trombonist who plays in all sorts of bands, and the dude can really get it done. Find him on Instagram @tbonemolitor and find his upcoming shows on his website: https://klmolitor.wixsite.com/tbone 'GRAM BY 'GRAM If you're interested in occasional music and Portland-related photos and videos, follow Kirk on Instagram @kirk_hamilton. https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS You can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! The biggest of thank-yous to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons! If you want to support Kirk making the show, do so here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs JANUARY 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS AccessViolation andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann Ryan Torvik JANUARY 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Adam Georgandis Alex Singer Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Cyrus N. White David Stroud Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Jacob Dye Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jasmine Fellows Jeffrey Olson Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Mark Steen Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero samuel gardner Shane DeLeon Shaun Wiese SP Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Lauer
1/22/2020 • 49 minutes, 36 seconds
"Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin
Do you hear a faint.... bustling? It's coming from your hedgerow. It's not just a spring clean for the May queen... it's a new episode of Strong Songs, straight from the Internet to your eardrums! Yes, Strong Songs is back from the holidays and ready for a lush new year of thumps, pops, sizzles, and higgada-buggadas. On the first episode of 2020, Kirk goes deep into Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven," a song that develops with unusual subtlety, from those quiet opening guitar arpeggios to that howling, rocking culmination. Band/Artist: Led Zeppelin Album: Led Zeppelin IV (1971) Composed by: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO DISCUSSED: "Black Dog" also from Led Zeppelin IV Clips from Wayne's World, 1992, and a Billboard magazine retrospective with director Penelope Spheeris "Taurus" by Spirit from Spirit, 1968 "The Mandalorian" by Ludwig Göransson from The Mandalorian soundtrack, 2019 "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen from A Night at the Opera, 1975 "Grace" by Jeff Buckley from Grace, 1994 A clip from Jeff Buckley Live at Sin-é (Legacy Edition), 1993, which is a really incredible live compilation and you should listen to it ------ OUTRO SOLOIST: Kirk Hamilton Kirk is, well, the host of Strong Songs. He realized he'd never actually done an outro solo, so he figured he'd kick off year two by recording one. He's playing tenor sax, and there's actually a video of him recording the solo here: https://twitter.com/kirkhamilton/status/1214319584959877123 'GRAM BY 'GRAM If you're interested in occasional music and Portland-related photos and videos, follow Kirk on Instagram @kirk_hamilton. https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS You can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! The biggest of thank-yous to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons, especially all the new folks who signed up in December! If you want to support Kirk making the show, do so here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs JANUARY 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS AccessViolation andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann Ryan Torvik JANUARY 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Adam Georgandis Alex Singer Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Cyrus N. White David Stroud Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Jacob Dye Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jasmine Fellows Jeffrey Olson Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Mark Steen Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero samuel gardner Shane DeLeon Shaun Wiese SP Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Lauer
1/8/2020 • 57 minutes, 12 seconds
Year One, In Review
Strong Songs is one year old! In honor of that anniversary, Kirk takes a look back on the year that was, sharing musical highlights from each of the show's 20 single-song episodes. SCHEDULING NOTE: Strong Songs will be off in December, and will return for Year Two on January 8, 2020. If you're a patron over on Patreon, that means you won't be charged for the month of December. That also makes December a great month catch up on episodes you may have missed, share the show with your friends, listen to Year One playlists, and enjoy a hopefully very musical holiday season. SONGS DISCUSSED: "Africa" by Toto from Toto IV, 1982 "You Can Call Me Al" by Paul Simon from Graceland, 1986 "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" by Beyoncé from I Am... Sasha Fierce, 2008 "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder from Songs in the Key Of Life, 1976 "Thriller" by Michael Jackson from Thriller, 1982 "Dancing Queen" by ABBA from Arrival, 1976 "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen from A Night At The Opera, 1975 "Let It Go" from Frozen, 2013 "Moanin'" by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers from Moanin', 1959 "Mr. Blue Sky" by Electric Light Orchestra from Out Of The Blue, 1977 "Satisfied" by Lin-Manuel Miranda from Hamilton, 2015 "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" by Elton John from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973 "Tightrope" by Janelle Monáe from The Archandroid, 2010 "Barracuda" by Heart from Little Queen, 1977 "Paranoid Android" by Radiohead from OK Computer, 1997 "Like a Prayer" by Madonna from Like a Prayer, 1989 "Think" by Aretha Franklin from the Blues Brothers soundtrack, 1980 "Kiss From a Rose" by Seal from Seal II, 1994 "Making Christmas" by Danny Elfman from The Nightmare Before Christmas, 1993 "I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton from Jolene, 1974, and as performed by Whitney Houston on The Bodyguard soundtrack, 1992 ------ YEAR ONE PLAYLISTS You can find new playlists with these 20 songs on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/strong-songs-year-1/pl.u-V9D7gaGiJ7o0a and Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5d9ym1sUymGoySMXOw3zbZ?si=knUCLdHHTQ2lTIQq-uXYmQ OUTRO SOLOIST: All Of Them! Thanks to all of the outro soloists we've featured over the past few months: BJ Cord, Galen Clark, Rob Reich, Dan Nervo, Sam Howard, and Steve Pardo. We'll feature plenty more great soloists in Year Two. SOCIAL MEDIA ALERT You can find Kirk on Twitter @kirkhamilton, and if you're interested in occasional music and Portland-related photos and videos, follow him on Instagram @kirk_hamilton. https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG PLAYLISTS In addition to the year-one playlists above, you can find bigger playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music. STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! The biggest of all thank-yous to all of Strong Songs's Patreon backers. Hundreds of people have supported the show since the Patreon launched over the summer, and you've made it possible for Strong Songs to be what it is. For Year Two, we're adding a smaller "Eighth-Note" tier for those of you who just want to kick in a little bit, since a few folks have asked for that. Find out more here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs NOVEMBER 2019 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann Ryan Torvik NOVEMBER 2019 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Alex Singer Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Cyrus N. White David Stroud Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jasmine Fellows Jeffrey Olson Jennifer Bush John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O'Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Kingy Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Miriam Juskowicz Molly Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller samuel gardner Shane DeLeon Shaun Wiese SP Tanner Morton Tim Tom Clewer Tom Lauer Thanks everyone for listening - see you in 2020!
11/27/2019 • 50 minutes, 50 seconds
"I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton
It takes an extremely strong song to top the charts three separate times in three separate decades, but "I Will Always Love You" is just such a song. Written and recorded (twice) by Dolly Parton and then re-recorded in show-stopping fashion by Whitney Houston, the ballad has morphed from a fond farewell to a former mentor, to a theatrical goodbye to a lover, to a soaring ode to the very notions of love and loss. We follow that journey from the beginning, with all the vocal tricks, dramatic line-readings, and epic key changes that were added along the way. Band/Artist: Dolly Parton & Whitney Houston Albums: Jolene (1974), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982), and The Bodyguard soundtrack (1992) Composed by: Dolly Parton Listen/Buy (Jolene): Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify Listen/Buy (TBLWIT): Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify Listen/Buy (The Bodyguard): Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO DISCUSSED/FEATURED: The sensational new WNYC podcast Dolly Parton's America "The Last Thing On My Mind" by Dolly Parton and Porter Wagoner "Applejack" by Dolly Parton from New Harvest...First Gathering, 1977 "Let It Go" from Frozen performed by Idina Menzel ------ OUTRO SOLOIST: Dan Nervo Mr. Dan Nervo has the tiller for this episode's outro solo. Dan plays guitar all around the San Francisco Bay Area in bands like Neon Velvet, and also teaches private guitar lessons. Hit him up if you want to get really good at guitar: https://www.facebook.com/DanNervoGuitarLessons/ ONE 'GRAM AT A TIME If you're interested in occasional music and Portland-related photos and videos, follow Kirk on Instagram @kirk_hamilton. https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS You can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! The biggest of thank-yous to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons. If you want to support Kirk making the show, do so here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs NOVEMBER 2019 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS (Thank you!!) andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann Ryan Torvik NOVEMBER 2019 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Alex Singer Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Cyrus N. White David Stroud Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jasmine Fellows Jeffrey Olson Jennifer Bush John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O'Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Kingy Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Miriam Juskowicz Molly Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller samuel gardner Shane DeLeon Shaun Wiese SP Tanner Morton Tim Tom Clewer Tom Lauer
11/13/2019 • 58 minutes, 57 seconds
"Making Christmas" from The Nightmare Before Christmas
When the full moon starts to climb, we'll all sing out... it's time to talk about the best stop-motion animated Halloween/Christmas movie musical ever made! Hee hee hee hee heeee! Tim Burton and Danny Elfman's maniacal miniature-musical The Nightmare Before Christmas was unusual when it came out in 1993 and, despite the fact that it went on to became a beloved Disney classic, is still unusual today. The centerpiece ensemble song "Making Christmas," during which the well-meaning but hopeless denizens of Halloween Town attempt to craft their own kind of creepy Christmas, is a crucial turning point for the film, both narratively and musically. In this episode, Kirk takes a closer look at what makes "Making Christmas" tick, from its densely interwoven character motifs to its ever-shifting orchestration to its earth-shaking contrabass woodwinds. Band/Artist: Danny Elfman and the Halloween Town Cast Album: The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack, 1993 Composed by: Danny Elfman Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: Various other songs from The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack, 1993 "The Simpsons Theme" by Danny Elfman, 1989 "Dead Man's Party" and "Weird Science" by Danny Elfman/Oingo Boingo from Dead Man's Party, 1985 "Dies Irae" performed by the monks of the Abbey of Notre Dame "Theme from The Shining" by Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind, 1980 "The Carol of the Bells" by Mykola Leontovych, 1914, with lyrics by Peter J. Wilhousky, as conducted by John Williams on the soundtrack from Home Alone ------ Update 10/31: After I published this episode on the 30th, several listeners wrote in to tell me about the Dies Irae, a 13th century Gregorian death chant that also shares the first four notes of the "Making Christmas" motif and has turned up in a TON of movies besides. I wasn't familiar with the Dies Irae (I know!), so I've updated the episode to include a mention of it. You'll have to redownload the episode if you want to hear that version. You can also watch a great Vox explainer video about the Dies Irae here: https://www.vox.com/videos/2019/9/16/20868789/creepy-melody-movies-catholic-chant-lion-king-shining - Kirk ------ NEW MUSIC VIDEO! It's a multi-instrumental arrangement of the theme from the classic adventure game The Secret of Monkey Island, featuring both pennywhistle and normal whistle, among other instruments: https://youtu.be/zf7VQiu1MGo To catch the next one, subscribe to Kirk's YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/kirkhamiltonmusic ------ OUTRO SOLOIST: Steve Pardo This episode's outro soloist is the one and only Steve Pardo. Steve and Kirk met when they were both jazz saxophone students at the University of Miami; Steve currently lives and performs around the Nashville, TN area. He's a producer, composer, and does work in the world of video games, having spent several years at Harmonix, where he helped make music games like Rock Band and Dance Central. You can find out more at his website: https://www.stevepardo.com/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS You can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thanks as always to everyone who supports Strong Songs on Patreon. If you want to support Kirk making this podcast, find out more here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs OCTOBER 2019 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann OCTOBER 2019 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Alex Singer Alexander Polson Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Cyrus N. White Dominik Schmitt Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jasmine Fellows Jeffrey Olson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O'Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller samuel gardner Shane DeLeon Shaun Wiese SP Tim Tom Clewer Tom Lauer
10/30/2019 • 50 minutes, 48 seconds
"Kiss From a Rose" by Seal
There is so much a man can tell you, so much he can say... especially if that man is named Kirk, and the thing he's telling you about is Seal's "Kiss From a Rose." Kirk goes back to the 90s for a close look at Seal's Grammy-winning, Batman-adjacent power ballad and finds a song that's much more interesting than he even remembered. It's an indulgent world of thick counterpoint, long phrases, harp flourishes, and oboe solos, with some of the richest vocal arranging this side of a chamber choir. Band/Artist: Seal Album: Seal II, 1994 and the Batman Forever soundtrack, 1995 Composed by: Seal Produced by: Trevor Horn Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ OUTRO SOLOIST: Sam Howard This episode's outro soloist is bassist Sam Howard. Sam lives in Nashville, TN, where he performs and tours with all kinds of artists, most recently hitting the road with the wonderful singer/guitar-shredder Molly Tuttle. Sam played all the way through the Strong Songs outro, so keep an ear out for his playing mixed under the horns on the way out. You can find out what Sam's up to at his website, https://samhowardmusic.com. NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS You can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! The biggest of thank-yous to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons. The show is drawing ever-nearer to its next goal, which will mean a bonus episode all about music terminology. If you want to support the show, do so here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs OCTOBER 2019 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann OCTOBER 2019 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Alex Singer Alexander Polson Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Cyrus N. White Dominik Schmitt Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jasmine Fellows Jeffrey Olson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O'Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller samuel gardner Shane DeLeon Shaun Wiese SP Tim Tom Clewer Tom Lauer
10/16/2019 • 52 minutes, 39 seconds
Fiddle Battles and Bad Sax
Kirk opens the Strong Songs mailbag to tackle your questions about demonic fiddle playing, lousy sax solos, Led Zeppelin counting, fake-out intros, reverb, children's music, and more. REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE: "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" by the Charlie Daniels Band from Million Mile Reflections, 1979 "The Eternal Triangle" by Sonny Stitt from Sonny Side Up, 1959 "The Jones Girl" by the Five Satins, 1956 "Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, 1977 "Hot For The Mountain" and "Never Too Late" by Natalie Prass from The Future and the Past, 2018 "Destination" by Nickel Creek from A Dotted Line, 2014 "My Doorbell" by the White Stripes from Get Behind Me Satan, 2005 "It's All Over Now" by the Rolling Stones, 1964 "For The Love of Money" by the O'Jays, 1974 "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin from Led Zeppelin IV, 1971 "Gumboots" by Paul Simon from Graceland, 1986 "You Really Got Me" by the Kinks, 1964 "Baby Beluga" by Raffi from Baby Beluga, 1980 "Bananaphone" by Raffi from Bananaphone, 1994 "Here Comes the Sun" by George Harrison from Abbey Road, 1969 "Freddie Freeloader" by Miles Davis from Kind of Blue, 1959 "Searching" by Hanne Hukkelberg from Little Things, 2005 OTHER LINKS Gal Gracen's original Tweet about the Jones Girl sax solo: https://twitter.com/galgracen/status/1176740969988800513 A few studies about the effects of music on people in restaurants OUTRO SOLOIST: Rob Reich This episode's outro soloist is the wonderful bay area pianist/accordionist Rob Reich. Rob performs all over the place with a bunch of different groups, and is a total pleasure to see play. He's got a bunch of albums you can check out and contributes to an array of interesting projects (Live silent-film scores! Circus music!) and experiments. Find more at his website, http://www.robreich.com/. NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS You can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! A huge thank-you as always to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons! The show is nearing its next goal, which will mean a bonus episode all about music terminology. If you want to support the show, here's the link: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs OCTOBER 2019 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann OCTOBER 2019 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Alex Singer Alexander Polson Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Cyrus N. White Dominik Schmitt Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jasmine Fellows Jeffrey Olson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O'Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller samuel gardner Shane DeLeon Shaun Wiese SP Tim Tom Clewer Tom Lauer
10/2/2019 • 55 minutes, 48 seconds
Secrets of a Great Band Director, with Janis Stockhouse
In this Patreon-funded special episode, Kirk sits down with his former high school band director Janis Stockhouse to talk about her life as a music educator. Janis started teaching at North high school in Bloomington, Indiana, in the early 1980s. It was a time when "jazz education" as a concept was still a relatively new thing. She retired 38 years later, having grown the North band program into a well-known Midwest institution, winning countless awards at festivals around the world and regularly turning out graduates who would go on to become professional musicians, as well as many others who would simply have a lifelong love of music. On this episode she tells the story of starting out at North and developing the program, along with her thoughts on how to get students to practice, which composers she prefers for student groups, women in jazz, funding for the arts, and some good old-fashioned album recommendations. REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE: Janis's 2004 book Jazzwomen: Conversations With Twenty-One Musicians, which she co-wrote with Wayne Enstice - there are used copies on Amazon, and you should really track down a copy and read it The late great jazz legend David Baker, whose NYT obituary captured at least some of his legacy: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/30/arts/music/david-baker-who-helped-bring-jazz-studies-into-the-academy-dies-at-84.html MUSIC ON THIS EPISODE: "IU Swing Machine" by David Baker as played by the 2016 IU Celebration Big Band "Don't Get Sassy" by the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis big band "Hang Gliding" by Maria Schneider from Alegresse "Bright Eyes" as played by the Bill Holman big band "Take the 'A' Train" by Billy Strayhorn as performed by the Duke Ellington orchestra "Vol. 6: All 'Bird' - Now's The Time" Play-A-Long by Jamey Aebersold (featuring Kenny Barron and Ron Carter(!!)) "Laugh, Clown, Laugh" by Abbey Lincoln from Abbey Is Blue, 1959 "Song Patrol" by Jane Ira Bloom from Early Americans, 2016 "Lingala" by the SF Jazz Collective from their 2005 self-titled album "So What" and "Flamenco Sketches" by Miles Davis from Kind of Blue, 1959 "My Favorite Things" as performed by John Coltrane on My Favorite Things, 1966 "Mercy Mercy Mercy" by Josef Zawinul as performed by the Cannonball Adderley quintet on Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, 1966 OUTRO SOLOIST: BJ CORD This episode's outro soloist is BJ Cord, a fellow Bloomington North graduate and fantastic trumpet player based in Portland. BJ works at Monette trumpets making some of the most beautiful horns in the world, and is a regular presence on their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monettetrumpets NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS You can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! This episode was made possible entirely because of the show's Patreon patrons, so a huge thank you to all of them! The show is nearing its next goal, which will mean another bonus episode like this one, so if you want to support the show, here's the link: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs SEPTEMBER 2019 WHOLE NOTE PATRONS andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Sara Walsh SEPTEMBER 2019 HALF NOTE PATRONS Alexander Polson Andre Bremer Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Cyrus N. White Dominik Schmitt Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jasmine Fellows Jeffrey Olson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O'Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Kyle Simons Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller samuel gardner Shane DeLeon Shaun Wiese Tim Tom Clewer Tom Lauer
9/25/2019 • 55 minutes, 17 seconds
"Think" by Aretha Franklin
Let's go back, let's go back, let's go way on back to that time Aretha Franklin recorded one of her best songs. On this episode, Kirk dives into two different versions of Franklin's classic tune "Think." First it's the laid back groove and roomy mix of the 1968 original, then it's time to fast-forward 12 years for the juiced-up arrangement she recorded with the Blues Brothers band in 1980. It's a story of how different production techniques, arrangements, and tempos can lead to two very different—but equally excellent—versions of the same song. We've done Dancing Queen, we've covered the band Queen, so it feels like it's past time for the Queen of Soul. NOTE: This episode is best enjoyed along with four fried chickens and a Coke. Band/Artist: Aretha Franklin Album: Aretha Now, 1968 and The Blues Brothers: Original Soundtrack, 1980 Composed by: Aretha Franklin and Teddy White Listen/Buy (Original): Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify Listen/Buy (Blues Brothers): Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED: "Respect" by Otis Redding, performed by Aretha Franklin on I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, 1967 "She Didn't Cut Me Loose" by Curtis Selgado from Soul Shot, 2012 Wesley Morris's excellent 2018 NYT obituary: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/16/arts/music/respect-aretha-franklin-death.html Franklin's scene from The Blues Brothers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLbPv6yIvBU (you should really just watch the whole movie) OUTRO SOLOIST: Galen Clark This episode's outro soloist is the one and only Galen Clark. Galen plays keyboard and organ and acts as bandleader for the soul jazz group Trio Subtonic; you can find playing regularly around Portland, Oregon and occasionally on tour. Find more information at their website, https://www.triosubtonic.net. NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS You can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Many, many thanks to all of Strong Songs's patrons! A patron-funded bonus episode should be finished for next week, so look forward to that. If you want to support the show, check out the Strong Songs Patreon. Here's the link: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs SEPTEMBER 2019 WHOLE NOTE PATRONS andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Sara Walsh SEPTEMBER 2019 HALF NOTE PATRONS Alexander Polson Andre Bremer Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Cyrus N. White Dominik Schmitt Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jasmine Fellows Jeffrey Olson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O'Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Kyle Simons Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller samuel gardner Shane DeLeon Shaun Wiese Tim Tom Clewer Tom Lauer
9/18/2019 • 50 minutes, 50 seconds
"Like a Prayer" by Madonna
Life is a mystery, everyone must stand alone... except for everyone listening to this episode, because we're traveling together through doubt and deliverance with Madonna's "Like a Prayer." Kirk takes a look at the high-contrast drama of the megastar's 1989 megahit, with its cathedral-like verses, bus-driving guitar rhythms, bouncy basslines, and perfectly placed Latin percussion flourishes. The music video got a lot of attention back in the day, but there's plenty in the song itself to celebrate, from Prince's mystery guitar to Madonna's vulnerable vocals to the joyful power of the Andraé Crouch Choir. Band/Artist: Madonna Album: Like a Prayer, 1989 Composed by: Madonna and Patrick Leonard Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED: "Open Your Heart To Me" by Madonna from True Blue, 1986 "Like a Prayer" as covered by the cast of Glee The music video for "Like a Prayer": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA983t3Rdzs Three excellent music documentaries: "Muscle Shoals," "Standing in the Shadows of Motown," and "20 Feet From Stardom." (Seriously, watch all three!) OUTRO SOLOIST: Steve Pardo This episode's outro soloist is the one and only Steve Pardo. Steve and Kirk met when they were both jazz saxophone students at the University of Miami; Steve currently lives and performs around the Nashville, TN area. He's a producer, composer, and does work in the world of video games, having spent several years at Harmonix, where he helped make music games like Rock Band and Dance Central. You can find out more at his website: https://www.stevepardo.com/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS You can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! A huge thank-you to everyone who's signed up to become a patron of Strong Songs—your support is making it possible to make this show as good as it can be! Stay tuned for a bonus episode in the next few weeks, made possible entirely by our Patrons. If you want to support the show, check out the Strong Songs Patreon. Here's the link: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs SEPTEMBER 2019 WHOLE NOTE PATRONS andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Sara Walsh SEPTEMBER 2019 HALF NOTE PATRONS Alexander Polson Andre Bremer Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Cyrus N. White Dominik Schmitt Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jasmine Fellows Jeffrey Olson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O'Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Kyle Simons Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller samuel gardner Shane DeLeon Shaun Wiese Tim Tom Clewer Tom Lauer
9/4/2019 • 44 minutes, 50 seconds
Pyramid Song, Nirvana & Marty McFly
Kirk opens up the Strong Songs mailbag to answer your questions about Marty McFly's musical instructions, Ian Anderson's flute style, Kurt Cobain's guitar tone, how to count songs by P!nk and Radiohead, and what to do if you play an "unsexy" instrument. REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE: Back to the Future, a 1985 movie that you've probably seen "Johnny B. Goode" by Chuck Berry, 1958 "Walk Me Home" by P!nk "Where the Boys Are" performed by Connie Francis, 1960 "Come as You Are" by Nirvana from Nevermind, 1991 "Cross-Eyed Mary" by Jethro Tull from Aqualung, 1971 "Money For Nothing" by Dire Straits from Brothers in Arms, 1985 "Pyramid Song" by Radiohead from Amnesiac, 2001 PYRAMID SONG COUNTING BREAKDOWN: Keyboard (eighth notes): [(3 3 4 3 3) + (3 3 4 3 3)] x 2 = 64 eighth notes, aka 32 beats Drums (quarter notes): [(3 2 3) + (3 2 3)] x 2 = 32 quarter notes, aka 32 beats Kirk also made this ludicrous infographic: https://twitter.com/kirkhamilton/status/1164239460604641280 Other links: The Wikipedia entry for the Mere-Exposure Effect: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mere-exposure_effect OUTRO SOLOIST: Dan Nervo No new outro soloist this episode - we're re-sharing a guitar solo by the fantastic Dan Nervo. Dan plays guitar all around the San Francisco Bay Area in bands like Neon Velvet, and also teaches private guitar lessons. Hit him up if you want to get really good at guitar: https://www.facebook.com/DanNervoGuitarLessons/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS You can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! The biggest possible thank-you to everyone who's signed up to become a patron of Strong Songs—your support is making it much easier to dedicate the time that the show deserves! If you want to support the show, check out the Strong Songs Patreon. Here's the link: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs AUGUST 2019 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Caleb Rotach Chad Barnard Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Sara Walsh AUGUST 2019 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Alexander Polson Andre Bremer Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Chas Lednicky Earl Lozada Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jasmine Fellows Jeff Dixon Jeffrey Olson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Kyle Simons Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Nick Clements Ravy Vajravelu Richard Toller Shane DeLeon Tim Tom Clewer Tom Lauer
8/21/2019 • 49 minutes, 18 seconds
Strong TV Songs: Animated Edition
It's time for something a little different, as Kirk takes a look at the theme songs from some of the most beloved animated TV shows of all time. This super-sized episode focuses on five different pieces of music, each of which is the theme for a different animated show. It's a ton of music in a variety of styles, full of frantic key shifts, earwormy melodies, bodacious drum fills, and a surprising number of saxophone solos. The songs, in order: "The Simpsons Theme" by Danny Elfman, 1989 "Duck Tales" by Mark Mueller, 1987 "Rescue Rangers" by Mark Mueller, 1989 "A Cruel Angel's Thesis" from Neon Genesis Evangelion, by Hidetoshi Satō, Neko Oikawa, and Toshiyuki Omori, 1995 "Tank!" from Cowboy Bebop, by Yoko Kanno, 1998 ALSO FEATURED: "Maria" from West Side Story's 2009 Broadway cast recording, by Leonard Bernstein The Batman: The Animated Series theme by Danny Elfman "The Disney Afternoon Theme" and "Monkey In Your Tank" performed by The Disney Afternoon Studio Chorus "A Cruel Angel's Thesis: Bike Horn Cover" by Alex Small-Butera on YouTube "Front Burner" arranged by Sammy Nestico for the Count Basie big band "Cat Blues" and "Sax Quartet" from the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack, both by Yoko Kanno OUTRO SOLOIST: Rob Reich This episode's outro soloist is the fantastic bay area pianist/accordionist Rob Reich. Rob performs all over the place with a bunch of different groups, and is a total pleasure to see play. He's got a bunch of albums you can check out and contributes to an array of interesting projects (Live silent-film scores! Circus music!) and experiments. Find more at his website, http://www.robreich.com/. NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS You can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! The biggest possible thank-you to everyone who's signed up to become a patron of Strong Songs—your support is making it much easier to dedicate the time that the show deserves! If you want to support the show, check out the Strong Songs Patreon. Here's the link: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs AUGUST 2019 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Caleb Rotach Chad Barnard Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Sara Walsh AUGUST 2019 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Alexander Polson Andre Bremer Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Chas Lednicky Earl Lozada Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jasmine Fellows Jeff Dixon Jeffrey Olson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Kyle Simons Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Nick Clements Ravy Vajravelu Richard Toller Shane DeLeon Tim Tom Clewer Tom Lauer
8/7/2019 • 1 hour, 10 minutes, 20 seconds
"Paranoid Android" by Radiohead
Brace for a pressurized descent, as Kirk braves the undercurrents of Radiohead's alt-rock masterpiece "Paranoid Android." It's a structurally distinct, sonically adventurous, harmonically varied, and unexpectedly Bohemian Rhapsodyesque journey into the human psyche as Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, and the rest of their not-so-merry band plumb the depths of 90s alienation. Band/Artist: Radiohead Album: OK Computer, 1997 Composed by: Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Ed O'Brien, Colin Greenwood, Philip Selway Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: "Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen "Fitter Happier" from OK Computer "Hyper Music" by Muse (This episode's audio was edited to correct some flanger/phaser confusion, thanks to listener Oblong Thong for sharing this cool catalogue of Greenwood's guitar effects: https://thekingofgear.com/jonny/effects) OUTRO SOLOIST: Galen Clark This episode's outro soloist is the one and only Galen Clark. Galen plays keyboard and organ and acts as bandleader for the soul jazz group Trio Subtonic; you can find playing regularly around Portland, Oregon and occasionally on tour. Find more information at their website, https://www.triosubtonic.net. NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS You can find playlists containing every Strong Song as well as all of Kirk's weekly music picks from his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen, on both Spotify and Apple Music. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! As always, a massive thank-you to everyone who's signed up to become a patron of Strong Songs- your support makes it possible to make the show what it is! If you want to support the show, check out the Strong Songs Patreon. Find out more here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Caleb Rotach Chad Barnard Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Sara Walsh HALF-NOTE PATRONS Alexander Polson Andre Bremer Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Chas Lednicky Earl Lozada Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jasmine Fellows Jeff Dixon John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O'Keefe joujou Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Kyle Simons Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller Shane DeLeon Tom Clewer Tom Lauer
7/24/2019 • 55 minutes, 11 seconds
"Barracuda" by Heart
It's time for the hardest rocking song ever written about sea life, as Kirk takes a deep dive into Heart's 1977 body-shaker "Barracuda." A deceptively complex song written around a deceptively straightforward riff, "Barracuda" opens the door for a discussion of the particulars of guitar tone, stompbox effects, the long history of the "galloping groove," why Ann Wilson's vocals rock as hard as they do, and a brief tribute to her sister Nancy's killer guitar chops. Band/Artist: Heart Album: Little Queen, 1977 Composed by: Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Roger Fisher, Michael DeRosier Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: "Pride and Joy" by Stevie Ray Vaughan "Make a Mistake with Me" by Brad Paisley "November Rain" by Guns 'n Roses feat. Slash "This Flight Tonight" as performed by Nazareth "Immigrant Song" by Led Zeppelin "William Tell Overture" by Gioachino Rossini "Crazy on You" by Heart "Black Dog" by Led Zeppelin A cool interview with Roger Fisher about creating his Barracuda guitar tone, as well as that "Alien Attack" sound: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcQik5m0t9Q A Wall Street Journal interview with the Wilsons about the process of writing the song: https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-rage-behind-hearts-barracuda-11557331740 OUTRO SOLOIST: Dan Nervo This episode's outro soloist is the fantastic Dan Nervo. Dan plays guitar all around the San Francisco Bay Area in bands like Neon Velvet, and also teaches private guitar lessons. Hit him up if you want to get really good at guitar: https://www.facebook.com/DanNervoGuitarLessons/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Join the club over at the Strong Songs Patreon and help make this show as good as it can be. We're still working toward 250 backers, at which point Kirk will do a bonus interview episode with an interesting musician or educator. Find out more here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Caleb Rotach Chad Barnard Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Sara Walsh HALF-NOTE PATRONS Alexander Polson Andre Bremer Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Chas Lednicky Earl Lozada Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jasmine Fellows Jeff Dixon John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O'Keefe joujou Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Kyle Simons Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller Shane DeLeon Tom Clewer Tom Lauer A huge thank you to all of Strong Songs' patrons - your support makes it possible to make the show what it is!
7/10/2019 • 47 minutes, 24 seconds
"Tightrope" by Janelle Monáe
Whether you're high or low, you got to tip on the tightrope... and Kirk's got to tip right into a Strong Songs analysis of "Tightrope" by Janelle Monáe. It's time for some thump, some pop, and some sizzle, along with some clever rap phrasing, phrygian harmonies, surprise ukulele, and the funkiest horn section in Metropolis. Band/Artist: Janelle Monáe Album: The ArchAndroid, 2010 Composed by: Janelle Monáe, Nathaniel Irvin III, Charles Joseph II, Antwan “Big Boi” Patton Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: Several other songs from The ArchAndroid; "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder from Natural Wonder Live; re-created beats from Strong Songs episodes on Beyoncé's "Single Ladies" and Michael Jackson's "Thriller." For more on the lore behind Monáe's Metropolis suite, read this great summary by Charles Pulliam-Moore at io9: https://io9.gizmodo.com/from-metropolis-to-dirty-computer-a-guide-to-janelle-m-1825580195 OUTRO SOLOIST: BJ CORD This episode's outro soloist is BJ Cord, a fantastic trumpet player based in Portland by way of Chicago. BJ works at Monette trumpets making some of the most beautiful horns in the world, and is a regular presence on their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monettetrumpets THE STRONG SONGS THEME! You can listen to a (basically) final mix of the Strong Songs Theme Song on Kirk's Soundcloud here: https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton/strong-songs-theme-song NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Join the club over at the Strong Songs Patreon and help make this show as good as it can be. We're well on our way to 250 backers, at which point Kirk will do a bonus interview episode with an interesting musician or educator. Find out more here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs A huge thank you to all of the show's backers for June, in particular those who've signed up for the Half- and Whole-Note tiers. JUNE WHOLE-NOTE BACKERS: Caleb Rotach Chad Barnard Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Sara Walsh HALF-NOTE BACKERS: Andre Bremer Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Chas Lednicky Earl Lozada Emily Williams Fishbones Forrest Chang Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jasmine Fellows Jeff Dixon John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Kyle Simons Max Schechter Michael Blackwell Shane DeLeon Tom Lauer Thanks, too, to everyone who has signed up in the last couple weeks.
6/26/2019 • 54 minutes, 46 seconds
"Tiny Dancer" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" by Elton John
Elton John and his lyricist Bernie Taupin wrote so many great songs over the years that it was impossible to pick a single one for Strong Songs. So, why not do two? Kirk dives into a pair of classics by the storied songwriting duo, talking about Elton's chameleon-like voice, his love of pedal tones and embrace of the circle of fourths, the fascinating relationship between lyricist and songwriter, and what it means for a song to sound "piano-y." Both songs by: Elton John with lyrics by Bernie Taupin Album 1: Madman Across the Water, 1971 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify Album 2: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: "I'm Still Standing," "Your Song," and "Grey Seal," all by Elton John and Bernie Taupin. "I Want Love" by John/Taupin, as performed in the 2019 movie Rocketman. NEW THEME MUSIC! Strong Songs has a new theme song! It'll evolve a bit over the next few episodes as Kirk adds a couple more musicians to the mix, so that should be fun. Hope you dig it. NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! The new theme music was a result of the Strong Songs Patreon hitting its first goal of 150 backers. It's juuuuust about to break the next goal of 200, too. At 250, Kirk will do a bonus interview episode with an interesting musician or educator. Find out how you can support the creation of this show over at the Strong Songs Patreon: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs A huge thank you to all of the show's backers this first month, in particular those who've signed up for the Half- and Whole-Note tiers. WHOLE-NOTE BACKERS: Caleb Rotach Chad Barnard Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Sara Walsh HALF-NOTE BACKERS: Andre Bremer Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Chas Lednicky Earl Lozada Emily Williams Fishbones Forrest Chang Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jasmine Fellows Jeff Dixon John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Kyle Simons Max Schechter Michael Blackwell Shane DeLeon Tom Lauer Thanks, everyone. You're making it possible to put in the extra time and work to make episodes like this one shine.
6/12/2019 • 46 minutes, 42 seconds
Hamilton, Hozier, Multiphonics & Modes
Mailbag May returns for round two, as Kirk continues catching up on listener questions. NEW THEME MUSIC INBOUND! Strong Songs passed its first goal of 150 backers on Patreon! That means Kirk will write all-new theme music for the show. Keep an ear out for that sometime in June, most likely. A huge thank you to everyone who's signed up to support the show so far - we've also got some new goals, which you can check out over on the page: https://www.patreon.com/strongsongs MAILBAG MAY, PART 2 The Strong Songs mailbag continues to overflow. This week we've got some follow-ups on Hamilton as well as questions about Mariah's whistle register, vocal multiphonics, rhythmic misdirection, the lydian mode, and the differences between a sequencer, a sampler, and a synthesizer. REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE: Various pieces from Hamilton, composed by Strong Songs celebrity endorser Lin-Manuel Miranda, 2015 The graphic novel Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli, 2009 "Counting Stars" by OneRepublic from Native, 2013 "The Third Eye" by the Pillows from My Foot, 2006 "The Simpsons Theme" by Danny Elfman, 1989 "Something" by Snarky Puppy feat. Lalah Hathaway from Family Dinner Vol 1, 2013 "Emotions" as performed by Mariah Carey on Emotions, 1991 "Movement" by Hozier, 2019 "Show Me The Way" by Peter Frampton from Frampton, 1975 "Nut Bush City Limits" by Ike and Tina Turner, 1973 "Shake Your Rump" by the Beastie Boys from Paul's Boutique, 1989 "Without You" by Pete Ham and Tom Evans, as performed by Harry Nilsson, 1971 "White Winter Hymnal" as performed by Fleet Foxes, 2008 "Fugue 24" by Anathallo from Sparrows, 2002 "God Only Knows" as performed by the Beach Boys on Pet Sounds, 1966 "Baba O'Riley" by Pete Townshend and The Who from Who's Next, 1971 "Memories" by Thutmose from the Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse soundtrack, 2018 ———————————— NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com
5/29/2019 • 58 minutes, 11 seconds
Tool, Game of Thrones & More Cowbell
It's time for Mailbag May, a long-running (aka brand new) Strong Songs tradition where Kirk spends the month of May catching up on listener questions. NEW PATREON GOAL! A huge thank you to everyone who has signed up to back the show so far on Patreon! You are all beautiful. If Strong Songs can hit its first goal of 150 backers, Kirk will write new theme music for the show. Head over there to learn more: https://www.patreon.com/strongsongs MAILBAG MAY, PART 1 The Strong Songs mailbag overfloweth, and Kirk's got enough material recorded for two Q&A episodes. For this first part, we've got questions about chords, Tool, fire extinguishers, perfect pitch, Avengers and Game of Thrones music, the popularity of the flute, earworms, drum solos, and the inherent humor of the cowbell. REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE: "Mr. Blue Sky" by Electric Light Orchestra "Lateralus" by Tool (apparently it's actually pronounced lah-ter-allis) An entertaining video compilation of "The Lick": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krDxhnaKD7Q "Turkey in the Straw," American traditional Kirk's Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/kirkhamilton "The Avengers" by Alan Silvestri "Happy Birthday" by the Hill Sisters "Moondance" by Van Morrison "Juice" by Lizzo from her 2019 album Cuz I Love You The Saturday Night Live "More Cowbell" sketch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVsQLlk-T0s "The Night King" and "Game of Thrones" by Ramin Djawadi from Game of Thrones "Pacific Rim" by Ramin Djawadi from Pacific Rim "Sight of You" by Sigrid from her 2019 album Sucker Punch "Wipe Out" by the Surfaris, 1963 ———————————— NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com
5/15/2019 • 42 minutes, 29 seconds
Five Albums That Shaped Me
Strong Songs now has a Patreon! Learn more about how you can support the show here: https://patreon.com/strongsongs. Kirk gets his Patreon pitch out of the way up front, then lists five albums that have shaped him as a musician over the years, talking a little bit about why each one is great. There could've been like a hundred different albums on this episode, but hey, let's start with five. Those albums are: -- Frank Zappa, The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life, 1991 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify -- The Cardigans, First Band on the Moon, 1996 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify -- Stan Getz, Stan Getz and the Oscar Peterson Trio, 1958 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify -- Spacehog, The Chinese Album, 1998 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify -- Maria Schneider, Allégresse, 2000 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Spotify | Maria Schneider's Website ———————————— NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com
5/8/2019 • 21 minutes, 54 seconds
"Satisfied" from Hamilton
A toast to the groom! To the bride! To knowing you'll always regret the sacrifice you made for your sister! Kirk takes an overdue dive into Lin-Manuel Miranda's epic Broadway musical Hamilton, focusing on Renée Elise Goldsberry's first act showstopper, "Satisfied." Regret tinges an otherwise joyous day as Angelica Schuyler remembers the night she met Alexander Hamilton, fell in love with him, and quickly realized they could never be together. It's a heady mix of complex rhyme schemes, powerhouse vocals, and musical character motifs so densely interwoven that it's hard to keep track of them all. (UPDATE 6/30/2020: This episode's audio file has been updated since it originally ran on May 1, 2019. It includes a new intro and outro, a couple of small editing tweaks, the show's current theme music, a new aside about Angelica's introduction to Alexander, and some added mentions of Alex Lacamoire, Hamilton's fabulous musical director.) Artist: Renée Elise Goldsberry, Lin-Manuel Miranda Album: Hamilton (Original Broadway Cast Recording), 2015 Composed by: Lin-Manuel Miranda Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: Tracks from The Hamilton Instrumentals, 2017 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ OUTRO SOLOIST: Rob Reich This episode's outro soloist is the wonderful bay area pianist/accordionist Rob Reich. Rob performs all over the place with a bunch of different groups, and is a total pleasure to see play. He's got a bunch of albums you can check out and contributes to an array of interesting projects (Live silent-film scores! Circus music!) and experiments. Find more at his website, http://www.robreich.com/. 'GRAM BY 'GRAM If you're interested in occasional music and Portland-related photos and videos, as well as teases for upcoming Strong Songs episodes, follow Kirk on Instagram @kirk_hamilton. https://www.instagram.com/kirk_hamilton/ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com STRONG PLAYLISTS Kirk has condensed his Strong Songs picks into a single new list, which you can find on Spotify, Apple Music, and thanks to listener L.B., it's now on Google Play. SUPPORT STRONG SONGS ON PATREON! Thank you to all of Strong Songs's Patreon patrons! You all make this show happen. For more information on how to become a patron, go here: https://Patreon.com/StrongSongs
5/1/2019 • 49 minutes, 36 seconds
"Mr. Blue Sky" by Electric Light Orchestra
Today's forecast calls for blue skies, and today's Strong Songs calls for an in-depth analysis of Electric Light Orchestra's "Mr. Blue Sky." NOW ON PATREON Strong Songs now has a Patreon! If you liked this episode (or, you know, any of them), we hope you'll consider supporting the show. Learn more here: https://www.patreon.com/strongsongs BLUE SKIES It's time to welcome all our pretty faces to the human race, thanks to ELO's most enduring concert-rock classic. Kirk goes for a sunny stroll on a beautiful musical day full of layered vocals, fire extinguisher drumming, time-tested chords, Les Paul solos, vocoders, and... unexpected saxophone interludes? Band/Artist: Electric Light Orchestra Album: Out Of The Blue, 1977 Composed by: Jeff Lynne Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: "Yesterday" by Paul McCartney from Help!, 1965 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify -- "Confirmation" by Charlie Parker, 1946, included on In Person Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ———————————— NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com
4/17/2019 • 35 minutes, 6 seconds
"Moanin'" by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
Dust off your head charts and brush up your best licks, cause it's time to wade into the warm, welcoming waters of jazz. NOW ON PATREON Strong Songs now has a Patreon! If you liked this episode (or, you know, any of them), we hope you'll consider supporting the show. Learn more here: https://www.patreon.com/strongsongs MOANIN' This episode's Strong Song is Bobby Timmons' gospel-tinged "Moanin'," from Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers' 1959 album of the same name. Kirk zooms out a bit more than usual to talk about jazz small-group arranging, how a great solo is constructed, how jazz song-form works, and how (hopefully) to have a better appreciation for what's going on on a given jazz recording, even if you don't play. He also talks about anime. Band/Artist: Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers Album: Moanin', 1959 (recorded in 1958) Composed by: Bobby Timmons Personnel: Lee Morgan, trumpet; Benny Golson, tenor sax; Bobby Timmons, piano; Jymie Merritt, bass; Art Blakey, drums Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: "Freddie Freeloader" by Miles Davis from Kind of Blue, 1959 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify -- "Giant Steps" by John Coltrane from Giant Steps, 1960 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify -- "I Wish" by Stevie Wonder from Songs in the Key of Life, 1976 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ("I Wish" was also featured on a 2018 episode of Strong Songs) -- "Jordu" by Duke Jordan from Clifford Brown and Max Roach, 1954 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify -- "Cherokee" by Ray Noble as performed by Clifford Brown on Study in Brown, 1955 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify -- "Tank!" by Yoko Kanno from the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack -- The wonderful anime Kids on the Slope, streamable on Hulu and Crunchyroll. ———————————— NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com
4/3/2019 • 42 minutes, 46 seconds
Syncopation, Subdivision & The Four Chords
The Strong Songs mailbag is overflowing, so it's time to dive in and answer some listener questions. NOW ON PATREON Strong Songs now has a Patreon! If you liked this episode (or, you know, any of them), we hope you'll consider supporting the show. Learn more here: https://www.patreon.com/strongsongs LISTENER Q&A Kirk digs into creative subdivision, syncopated melodies, major 9th chords, famous drum fills, chiptunes, "bad" singing that's actually good, jazz chords, Indian drum languages, and how to be a better music listener. Update 12/23/2020: Kirk has traveled back in time to correct this episode's erroneous diagnosis of a strange sound on Led Zeppelin's "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You." SHOW NOTES/LINKS ———————————— "The Four Chords" as performed by The Axis of Awesome on YouTube ———————————— A cool breakdown of the "Amen Break" drum fill ———————————— "Puttin' on the Ritz" by Irving Berlin, performed by Ella Fitzgerald Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ———————————— "First Tube" by Phish from Farmhouse, 2000 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ———————————— "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" by Anne Bredon, recorded by Led Zeppelin on their self-titled debut, 1969 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ———————————— "Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd from their amazingly titled album (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd), 1974 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ———————————— "Just a Friend" by Biz Markie from The Biz Never Sleeps, 1989 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ———————————— "Liquid Dance" by AR Rahman, Palakkad Sriram and Madhumitha from the Slumdog Millionare soundtrack, 2008 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify A cool demonstration of Konnakol performed live by Umamahesh, Umashankar, and Selvaganesh ———————————— "Prom Night" by Anamanaguchi, 2014 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "Spectra" by Chipzel from Spectra, 2013 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "Strike the Earth!" by Jake Kaufman from the Shovel Knight soundtrack, 1989 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ———————————— "Mt Saint Michel + Saint Michael's Mount" by Aphex Twin from Drukqs, 2001 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ———————————— "Well You Needn't" by Thelonious Monk from Misterioso (Live), 1965 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ———————————— NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com
3/21/2019 • 45 minutes, 25 seconds
"Let It Go" from Frozen
What happens when you put a straight-up power ballad in the middle of a Disney movie? "Let it Go" happens, that's what. STRONG SONGS ON PATREON Strong Songs has a Patreon! If you liked this episode (or, you know, any of them), we hope you'll consider supporting the show. Learn more here: https://www.patreon.com/strongsongs LET IT GO On this episode, Kirk climbs to the top of a snowy peak and summons all his magical powers to figure out why Elsa of Arendelle's self-coronation song rocks as hard as it does, and what it says about the evolution of Disney musical numbers over the past 30 years. Band/Artist: Idina Menzel Album: Frozen Original Soundtrack, 2013 Composed by: Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey from Escape, 1981 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "Part of Your World" by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman from The Little Mermaid, 1989 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "A Whole New World" by Alan Menken and Tim Rice from Aladdin, 1992 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "When Will My Life Begin?" by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater from Tangled, 2010 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "Defying Gravity" by Stephen Schwartz from Wicked, 2003 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "How Far I'll Go" by Lin-Manuel Miranda from Moana, 2016 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com
3/6/2019 • 51 minutes, 11 seconds
"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen
Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Well, either way, this is definitely an episode of Strong Songs about Queen's genre-blending rock saga "Bohemian Rhapsody." STRONG SONGS ON PATREON Strong Songs has a Patreon! If you liked this episode (or, you know, any of them), we hope you'll consider supporting the show. Learn more here: https://www.patreon.com/strongsongs MAMA, JUST KILLED A MAN Kirk dives into Freddie Mercury's operatic opus and learns a lot about vocal technique, piano motifs, harmonic easter eggs, studio production, Strategic Brian May Deployment™, and all the ways doubling a track can make your voice sound cool in the studio. Band/Artist: Queen Album: A Night At The Opera, 1975 Composed by: Freddie Mercury Produced by: Roy Thomas Baker Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: "Don't Stop Me Now" by Freddie Mercury from Jazz, 1978 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "We Will Rock You" by Brian May from News of the World, 1977 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "Somebody to Love" by Freddie Mercury from A Day at the Races, 1976 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "Bohemian Rhapsody" a cappella cover by Pentatonix from PTX Vol. IV: Classics Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe ------ SPOTIFY PLAYLIST! You can now follow a Spotify playlist with all the songs from this show, as well as everything featured as one of Kirk's music picks on his other podcast, Kotaku Splitscreen. STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com
2/20/2019 • 49 minutes, 50 seconds
"Dancing Queen" by ABBA
It's time to get lost in the bittersweet beats of ABBA's 1976 hit "Dancing Queen." STRONG SONGS ON PATREON Strong Songs has a Patreon! If you liked this episode (or, you know, any of them), we hope you'll consider supporting the show. Learn more here: https://www.patreon.com/strongsongs YOU CAN DANCE, YOU CAN JIVE On this longer-than-usual episode, Kirk tries to tease out some of the things that make this song so iconic and enduring, from its lush arrangement to its clever harmonies, repeating melodic motifs, and maximalist audio production. Band/Artist: ABBA Album: Arrival, 1976 Composed by: Benny Anderson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Stig Anderson Produced by: Stig Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com
2/6/2019 • 38 minutes, 7 seconds
The Beatles, Brubeck, Bond and Beyond
It's time for an extra-long episode as Kirk answers your questions about Phil Collins drum solos, musical Wilhelm screams, odd time signatures, Beatles instrumentation, drop-tuned guitars, Bond music, and much more. STRONG SONGS ON PATREON Strong Songs has a Patreon! If you liked this episode (or, you know, any of them), we hope you'll consider supporting the show. Learn more here: https://www.patreon.com/strongsongs SHOW NOTES/LINKS ———————————— "In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins from Face Value, 1981 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ———————————— Jennifer Hudson sings "The Star Spangled Banner" by Frances Scott Key and John Stafford Smith at Super Bowl XLIII, 2009 ———————————— A YouTube compilation of the Wilhelm Scream An excellent Vox video on the history of the "Orchestra Hit" sample "When I Think of You" by Janet Jackson, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis from Control, 1986 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "In My Life" by Lennon–McCartney from Rubber Soul, 1965 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" by Ben Gibbard from Plans, 2006 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ———————————— A cool NPR article about Paul Tanner's Tannerin, developed as a more playable derivation of Leon Theremin's original Theremin. "Good Vibrations" by Brian Wilson and Mike Love from a 1966 Beach Boys LP Single Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ———————————— "Blue Rondo a la Turk" by Dave Brubeck from Time Out, 1959 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" by Lennon-McCartney from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "Money" by Roger Waters from The Dark Side Of The Moon, 1973 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ———————————— "The Way" by Tony Scalzo from All The Pain Money Can Buy, 1998 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "You Think I Ain't Worth A Dollar, But I Feel Like A Millionaire" by Josh Homme and Mario Lalli from Songs for the Deaf, 2002 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ———————————— "Mind Games" by John Lennon from Mind Games, 1973 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify A nifty "Doctor Mix" YouTube video demonstrating the Mellotron ———————————— "Theme from Dr. No" by Monty Norman, arranged by John Barry from Dr. No, 1962 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "Skyfall" by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth from Skyfall, 2012 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "Manners Maketh Man" by Henry Jackman and Matthew Margeson (I failed to co-credit Margeson on the show) from Kingsman: The Secret Service, 2015 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ———————————— "Permission to Come Aboard" by Rupert Gregson-Williams from Aquaman, 2018 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "Wonder Woman Theme" by Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL performed by Tina Guo, released as a single in 2017 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ———————————— "Gimme Shelter" by Jagger/Richards from Let It Bleed, 1969 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com
1/23/2019 • 48 minutes, 46 seconds
"Thriller" by Michael Jackson
Darkness falls across the land, and it's the right time for Michael Jackson's "Thriller." STRONG SONGS ON PATREON Strong Songs has a Patreon! If you liked this episode (or, you know, any of them), we hope you'll consider supporting the show. Learn more here: https://www.patreon.com/strongsongs STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com IT'S CLOSE TO MIDNIGHT Kirk picks apart Rod Temperton's dance floor classic in all its groovy, corny, sound effect-y glory. Band/Artist: Michael Jackson Album: Thriller, 1982 Composed by: Rod Temperton, produced by Quincy Jones Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ A NOTE FROM KIRK: It’s been a couple months since I produced this episode, and just a few days since I watched the first part of “Leaving Neverland,” a devastating new HBO documentary in which two men, Wade Robson and James Safechuck, detail their alleged childhood sexual abuse at the hands of Michael Jackson. It’s an intense and difficult documentary to watch, but I recommend that everyone listening to this episode do so. Jackson’s estate denies it all, but watching people on camera relaying such painful memories, in such excruciating detail, is both wrenching and convincing. It’s impossible to separate an amazing song like “Thriller” from the man who sang it. I still think Thriller is a great song and admire the many people involved in making it, but hearing Robson and Safechuck’s accounts, on top of the similar stories I and the culture at large brushed aside or shrugged our shoulders at when they first surfaced many years ago, has certainly changed the way I hear Jackson’s voice. I’m leaving this episode as is, but I wanted to add this note, as well as to link to this New York Times editorial on Jackson’s legacy by Wesley Morris, which says so much, so well. ~KH 3/6/2019
1/9/2019 • 29 minutes, 34 seconds
"I Wish" by Stevie Wonder
Ever wish you could just be a kid again? Stevie does. STRONG SONGS ON PATREON Strong Songs has a Patreon! If you liked this episode (or, you know, any of them), we hope you'll consider supporting the show. Learn more here: https://www.patreon.com/strongsongs THE JOY THE DAY WOULD BRING Kirk breaks out the bass and digs into what makes Stevie Wonder's "I Wish" swing like it does, then looks back to some earlier Wonder tunes to guess at why his funkiest stuff tended to be in E-flat. Band/Artist: Stevie Wonder Album: Songs in the Key of Life, 1976 Composed by: Stevie Wonder Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify ------ ALSO FEATURED: "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder, from Talking Book, 1972 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "Higher Ground" by Stevie Wonder, from Innervisions, 1973 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify "Wild Wild West" by Will Smith, Moe Dewese, Rob Fusari, and Stevie Wonder, from Willennium, 1999 Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify Classic Albums: Songs in the Key of Life: Amazon NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com
12/26/2018 • 27 minutes, 29 seconds
"Single Ladies" by Beyoncé
On this episode, Kirk dives into one of the greatest pop songs of all time. STRONG SONGS ON PATREON Strong Songs has a Patreon! If you liked this episode (or, you know, any of them), we hope you'll consider supporting the show. Learn more here: https://www.patreon.com/strongsongs UP IN THE CLUB Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It)" is arguably the defining song of the last decade, but it's far from your average pop tune. With its unusual tensions and unstoppable groove, it defies safe harmony and resolution, and its composers were more than happy to flip the beat and leave their audience searching for the downbeat. Band/Artist: Beyoncé Album: I Am... Sasha Fierce, 2008 Composed by: Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Christopher Stewart, Terius Nash, Thaddis Harrell Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com
12/12/2018 • 26 minutes, 22 seconds
"You Can Call Me Al" by Paul Simon
This week, Kirk breaks down one of his favorite songs from one of his favorite albums. STRONG SONGS ON PATREON Strong Songs has a Patreon! If you liked this episode (or, you know, any of them), we hope you'll consider supporting the show. Learn more here: https://www.patreon.com/strongsongs IF YOU'LL BE MY BODYGUARD Paul Simon's "You Can Call Me Al" was a single from his incredible 1986 album Graceland, and its music video introduced a generation to the wonders of goofy lip-synching and fretless bass solos. It's a harmonically simple tune with a cleverly dense arrangement, and brilliantly uses musical layering. Band/Artist: Paul Simon Album: Graceland, 1986 Composed by: Paul Simon Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com
11/28/2018 • 17 minutes, 50 seconds
"Africa" by Toto
On the first episode of Strong Songs, Kirk breaks down Toto's hit song "Africa," a single so good that it still lights up the Internet today. Band/Artist: Toto Album: Toto IV, 1982 Composed by: David Paich and Jeff Porcaro Listen/Buy: Apple Music | Amazon | Spotify STRONG SONGS ON PATREON Strong Songs has a Patreon! If you liked this episode (or, you know, any of them), we hope you'll consider supporting the show. Learn more here: https://www.patreon.com/strongsongs NEWSLETTER/MAILING LIST Sign up for Kirk's mailing list to start getting monthly-ish newsletters with music recommendations, links, news, and extra thoughts on new Strong Songs episodes: https://kirkhamilton.substack.com/subscribe STRONG MERCH! Visit the Strong Songs merch store for some very cool t-shirts, mugs, totes, and more: store.strongsongspodcast.com
11/18/2018 • 21 minutes, 54 seconds
Trailer
This is the trailer for Strong Songs, recorded in June of 2020. Hope you give the show a listen!