Strong Songs

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2026-04-17

"Holy Wars... The Punishment Due" by Megadeth

59 min

Open

Kirk surfs an avalanche straight into Thrash Valley, where he delves into the depths of Megadeth's 1990 opus "Holy Wars... The Punishment Due." It's an unstoppable rockslide of layered riffs, tempo shifts, power chords, and... power thirds?

Written by: Dave Mustaine

Album: Rust in Peace, 1990

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"Tornado of Souls" by Mustaine/Ellefson from Rust in Peace, 1990
“The Four Horsemen” by Metallica (Hetfield, Ulrich, and Mustaine) from Kill ‘Em All, 1983
“Peace Sells” by Megadeth from Peace Sells… But Who’s Buying?, 1983
“Welcome To The Jungle” by Guns n’ Roses from Appetite For Destruction, 1987
“Speed Metal Symphony” by Cacophony from Speed Metal Symphony, 1987
Mr. Tabs' "Holy Wars" transcription (YouTube)
Megadeth Live in 1992 at Hammersmith Odeon
“Channel 1 Suite” by The Buddy Rich Big Band feat. Don Menza, 1968
"What It Sounds Like" from KPop Demon Hunters, 2025
Angry Crowd Sound by Michael Ghelfi Studios
Megadeth plays “Holy Wars” live on Sirius XM in 2022

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APRIL 2026 WHOLE NOTE PATRONS
Dave Florey - AccessViolation - Jeremy Dawson - Sami Samhuri - Paul Delaney - Jenness Gardner - Melanie Andrich - Ken Hirsh - Joe Laska - David Mascetti - Christopher McConnell - Jamie White - Christopher Miller - Daniel Hannon-Barry - Jay Swartz - Damon White - Catherine Warner - Ben Barron - Corpus Frisky - Cesar - Robyn Metcalfe - Scott Lystig Fritchie - Lisa Crotty - Andy - Melissa Lucas - Greg - Julie Rowe - Rich Fish - Greer Bevel - Butch Vig - PJ and Ethan - Greg

APRIL 2026 HALF NOTE PATRONS
Colin Hodo - Paul De Surra - James Johnson - Arjun Sharma - Justin McElroy - Alexander Polson - Richard Toller - Melanie Stivers - Matt Betzel - Jeffrey Olson - Brett Douville - Brian Amoebas - Bill Thornton - Andrew Fair - Andrew Baker - Amanda Furlotti - Brad Callahan - Jennifer Bush - AJ Schuster - Tanner Morton - Gavin Doig - Chris K - Alexander - David - Naomi - Dave Sharpe - Caro Field - Jonathan Daniels - Eric Helm - Melmaniac - Dhu Wik - Tom Coleman - Diane Turner - Clare Holberton - Randy Souza - Pascal Rueger - Joshua Hill - Stephen Tsoneff - Michael Casner - Diane Hughes - Angela Livingstone - cbalmain - Eric Prestemon - Lauren Reay - Nathan Gouwens - Nell Morse - Karma Jay - Dallas Hockley - M Shane Borders - Kevin Potter - Eoin de Burca - Bonnie Prinsen - Linda Duffy - Ryan Rairigh - Achint Srivastava - Doug Belew - Abbie Berg - Jason Pratt - Geraldine Butler - Bernard Khoo - David Joske - Donald Mackie - Steve Paquin - Mino Capossela - Kelli Brockington - Adam W - Josh Singer - Rob Tsuk - Ailie Fraser - JRRJ - Jeffrey Bean - Rishi Sahay - Zak Remer - Adam Stofsky - Kenneth Jung - Bruno Gaeta - Paul Wayper - Lisa Turner - Wendy Gilchrist - Doreen Carlson - Janice Berry - Christian Hessmann - Richard Sneddon - Portland Eye Care - Deebs - Michael Shain - Jamie - David Futter - Jeff Ulm - Aaron Wade - KenIsWearingAHat - Ethan Bauman - Catherine Clause - Charles McGee - Tim Sheehan - E Margaret Warton - Matt Baxter - Dr Arthur A Gray - Steve Martino - Stu Baker - Martín Salías - Peter Harding - John Halpin - Douglas H Frazer - Heather J - Alan Maass - Dave Malloy - Robert Granat - Kaya Woodall - Kellen Steffen - Sean Murphy - Jim Sellers - Ben Stein - Bla Blupp - Dick Morgan - Lee R. - Misty Haisfield - Carlos Lerner - Dent Earl - Aaron Wilson - Chris Remo - Brian Johan Peter - Ethan Laser - James McMurry - Anthony Mentz - Thomas - Matthew Jones - Eric Sp - Max - Rand LeShay - Stephen Wolkwitz - Paul Bigelman - Monica St. Angelo - Henry Mindlin - Dave Kolas - Lauren Knotts - Joe Gallo - Merv Adrian - Michael Singer - Inmar Givoni - Mordok’s Vape Pen - Clint McElroy - John Berry - Ol Parker - Dan Cutter - Jeff - Michael - James - Kevin Marcelo - Seattle Trans And Nonbinary Choral Ensemble - Ashley - Melissa Kuhns - Jordan Gatenby - Andrew Hofer - Ian Pidd - Irritable - Meryl Allison - Sy Jacobs - Lawrence - Praline - Kevin Stafford - Daniel Nervo - Philip Kelly - Bea - Julie Kellman - Daniel Kaberon - TB - Aruni Jayatilleke - Rachel - Kym Griffith - PhantomMare - Alison Dugan - Margaret McReynolds - Betsy Barre - HiddenJester - Brian Rinckenberger - RsP - Lottie Aron - Alex Miller - Jez - Steve B - Ian Karmel - Zach Putnam - Stephen - Adam Clark - Freddy Freeman - Erik - Mathias Schmidt - Cheryl Wilke - Tucker Ped - Sarah Vetters - Aaron Cain - Daniel Markoff - Alexis - Alex - Eric Stone - Alan Kress - R J Helow - Max Barnes - Michael Martin - John Domina - James - Andrew Knutson - Doug - Sam Grogan - EwokEater42 - MT - Linda Lange - James Hicks - Michael Adamski - Mark MacIntosh - Jeff Stormer - Michael Sumner - Edward Reisert - Klodrik - Aron - Kevin Davis - Matt - Richard Randall - AlanB - Will King - TheShirtRipper - Rebecca Kline - Ned Rosen - Simon Hellman - Jim M

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2026-03-20

"Both Sides, Now" by Joni Mitchell

58 min

Open

Kirk returns to the world of Joni Mitchell for a look at the many sides of her masterpiece "Both Sides, Now." From her initial 1960s live performances, to her 1969 studio recording, to the Grammy-winning orchestral rendition she released in 2000, each version of "Both Sides, Now" shows us a different side of Joni, and of ourselves.

Written by: Joni Mitchell

Album: Clouds, 1969 | Both Sides Now, 2000

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

2022 Strong Songs episode on "Help Me" from Court and Spark
“Urge For Going” by Joni Mitchell, recorded by George Hamilton IV, 1967
“Help Me” by Joni Mitchell from Court and Spark, 1974
“Both Sides Now” as recorded by Judy Collins and Dave Van Ronk
Excerpt from Henderson the Rain King by Saul Bellow, 1959
Joni onstage w/ Brandi Carlile at The Newport Folk Festival, 2022
Joni talks with CBC's Jian Ghomeshi in 2013

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MARCH 2026 WHOLE NOTE PATRONS
Dave Florey - AccessViolation - Jeremy Dawson - Sami Samhuri - Paul Delaney - Jenness Gardner - Melanie Andrich - Ken Hirsh - Joe Laska - David Mascetti - Christopher McConnell - Jamie White - Christopher Miller - Daniel Hannon-Barry - Jay Swartz - Damon White - Catherine Warner - Ben Barron - Corpus Frisky - Cesar - Robyn Metcalfe - Scott Lystig Fritchie - Lisa Crotty - Andy - Thomas McIlheran - Melissa Lucas - Greg - Julie Rowe - Rich Fish - Greer Bevel - Butch Vig - PJ and Ethan

MARCH 2026 HALF NOTE PATRONS
Colin Hodo - Paul De Surra - James Johnson - Arjun Sharma - Justin McElroy - Alexander Polson - Richard Toller - Melanie Stivers - Matt Betzel - Jeffrey Olson - Brett Douville - Brian Amoebas - Bill Thornton - Andrew Fair - Andrew Baker - Amanda Furlotti - Brad Callahan - Jennifer Bush - AJ Schuster - Tanner Morton - Gavin Doig - Chris K - Alexander - David - Naomi - Dave Sharpe - Caro Field - Jonathan Daniels - Eric Helm - Melmaniac - Dhu Wik - Tom Coleman - Diane Turner - Clare Holberton - Randy Souza - Pascal Rueger - Joshua Hill - Stephen Tsoneff - Michael Casner - Diane Hughes - Angela Livingstone - cbalmain - Eric Prestemon - Lauren Reay - Nathan Gouwens - Nell Morse - Karma Jay - Dallas Hockley - M Shane Borders - Kevin Potter - Eoin de Burca - Bonnie Prinsen - Linda Duffy - Ryan Rairigh - Achint Srivastava - Doug Belew - Abbie Berg - Jason Pratt - Geraldine Butler - David Noah - Bernard Khoo - David Joske - Donald Mackie - Steve Paquin - Mino Capossela - Kelli Brockington - Adam W - Josh Singer - Rob Tsuk - Ailie Fraser - JRRJ - Jeffrey Bean - Rishi Sahay - Zak Remer - Adam Stofsky - Kenneth Jung - Bruno Gaeta - Paul Wayper - Lisa Turner - Wendy Gilchrist - Doreen Carlson - Janice Berry - Christian Hessmann - Richard Sneddon - Portland Eye Care - Deebs - Michael Shain - Jamie - David Futter - Jeff Ulm - Aaron Wade - KenIsWearingAHat - Ethan Bauman - Catherine Clause - Charles McGee - Tim Sheehan - E Margaret Warton - Matt Baxter - Gary Pierce - Dr Arthur A Gray - Steve Martino - Stu Baker - Martín Salías - Peter Harding - John Halpin - Douglas H Frazer - Heather J - Alan Maass - Dave Malloy - Robert Granat - Kaya Woodall - Kellen Steffen - Sean Murphy - Jim Sellers - Ben Stein - Bla Blupp - Dick Morgan - Lee R. - Misty Haisfield - Carlos Lerner - Dent Earl - Aaron Wilson - Chris Remo - Brian Johan Peter - Ethan Laser - James McMurry - Anthony Mentz - Thomas - Matthew Jones - Eric Sp - Max - Rand LeShay - Stephen Wolkwitz - Paul Bigelman - Monica St. Angelo - Henry Mindlin - Dave Kolas - Lauren Knotts - Joe Gallo - Merv Adrian - Michael Singer - Inmar Givoni - Mordok’s Vape Pen - Clint McElroy - John Berry - Ol Parker - Joseph Romero - Dan Cutter - Jeff - Michael - James - Kevin Marcelo - Seattle Trans And Nonbinary Choral Ensemble - Ashley - Melissa Kuhns - Jordan Gatenby - Andrew Hofer - Ian Pidd - Irritable - Meryl Allison - Sy Jacobs - Lawrence - Praline - Kevin Stafford - Daniel Nervo - Philip Kelly - Bea - Julie Kellman - Daniel Kaberon - TB - Aruni Jayatilleke - Rachel - Kym Griffith - PhantomMare - Dave Douglass - Alison Dugan - Margaret McReynolds - Betsy Barre - HiddenJester - Brian Rinckenberger - RsP - Lottie Aron - Alex Miller - Jez - Steve B - Ian Karmel - Zach Putnam - Adam Clark - Freddy Freeman - Erik - Mathias Schmidt - Cheryl Wilke - Tucker Ped - Sarah Vetters - Aaron Cain - Daniel Markoff - Alexis - Alex - Eric Stone - Alan Kress - R J Helow - Max Barnes - Michael Martin - John Domina - James - Andrew Knutson - Doug - Sam Grogan - EwokEater42 - MT - Linda Lange - James Hicks - Michael Adamski - Mark MacIntosh - Jeff Stormer - Michael Sumner - Edward Reisert - Klodrik - Aron - Kevin Davis - Matt - Louise Clarke - Richard Randall - Alan B - Will King - TheShirtRipper

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2026-02-20

"Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie

60 min

Open

Kirk heaps on a second helping of TWO previous Strong Songs artists: Queen and David Bowie, whose 1981 collaboration "Under Pressure" topped the charts while showing how a mid-song transformation is done.

Written by: David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon, Roger Taylor

Album: Hot Space, 1982

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

Previous Strong Songs episodes on Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" and David Bowie's "Space Oddity" and "Starman"
“Killer Queen” by Queen from Sheer Heart Attack, 1974
“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen from A Night At The Opera, 1975
“Somebody To Love” by Freddie Mercury from A Day at the Races, 1976
“We Are The Champions” by Freddie Mercury from Jazz, 1977
“Flash Gordon Theme” from Flash Gordon Original Soundtrack, 1980
“Another One Bites The Dust” by John Deacon from The Game, 1980
“Back Chat” by John Deacon from Hot Space, 1982
“Cat People” by Giorgio Moroder and David Bowie from Cat People OST (1982) and Just Dance, 1983
Brian May in Total Guitar, March 2024
Freddie Mercury TV interview with Lisa Robinson, 1984

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FEBRUARY 2026 WHOLE NOTE PATRONS
Dave Florey - AccessViolation - Jeremy Dawson - Sami Samhuri - Paul Delaney - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Jenness Gardner - Melanie Andrich - Ken Hirsh - Joe Laska - David Mascetti - Christopher McConnell - Jamie White - Christopher Miller - Daniel Hannon-Barry - Rush - Jay Swartz - Damon White - Catherine Warner - Ben Barron - Corpus Frisky - Cesar - Robyn Metcalfe - Scott Lystig Fritchie - Lisa Crotty - Andy - Thomas McIlheran - Melissa Lucas - Greg - Julie Rowe - Rich Fish - Greer Bevel - Butch Vig

FEBRUARY 2026 HALF NOTE PATRONS
Colin Hodo - Paul De Surra - James Johnson - Arjun Sharma - Justin McElroy - Alexander Polson - Richard Toller - Melanie Stivers - Matt Betzel - Jeffrey Olson - Brett Douville - Brian Amoebas - Bill Thornton - Andrew Fair - Andrew Baker - Amanda Furlotti - Brad Callahan - Jennifer Bush - AJ Schuster - Tanner Morton - Gavin Doig - Chris K - Alexander - David - Naomi - Dave Sharpe - Caro Field - Jonathan Daniels - Eric Helm - Melmaniac - Dhu Wik - Tom Coleman - Diane Turner - Clare Holberton - Randy Souza - Pascal Rueger - Joshua Hill - Stephen Tsoneff - Michael Casner - Diane Hughes - Angela Livingstone - cbalmain - Eric Prestemon - Lauren Reay - Nathan Gouwens - Nell Morse - Karma Jay - Dallas Hockley - M Shane Borders - Kevin Potter - Eoin de Burca - Bonnie Prinsen - Linda Duffy - Ryan Rairigh - Achint Srivastava - Doug Belew - Abbie Berg - Jason Pratt - Geraldine Butler - David Noah - Bernard Khoo - David Joske - Donald Mackie - Steve Paquin - Mino Capossela - Kelli Brockington - Adam W - Josh Singer - Rob Tsuk - Ailie Fraser - JRRJ - Jeffrey Bean - Rishi Sahay - Zak Remer - Adam Stofsky - Kenneth Jung - Bruno Gaeta - Paul Wayper - Lisa Turner - Wendy Gilchrist - Doreen Carlson - Janice Berry - Christian Hessmann - Richard Sneddon - Portland Eye Care - Deebs - Jamie - David Futter - Jeff Ulm - Aaron Wade - KenIsWearingAHat - Ethan Bauman - Catherine Clause - Charles McGee - Tim Sheehan - E Margaret Warton - Matt Baxter - Gary Pierce - Dr Arthur A Gray - Steve Martino - Stu Baker - Martín Salías - Dubmarine - Peter Harding - John Halpin - Douglas H Frazer - Heather J - Alan Maass - Dave Malloy - Robert Granat - Kaya Woodall - Kellen Steffen - Sean Murphy - Jim Sellers - Ben Stein - Bla Blupp - Dick Morgan - Lee R. - Abraham Benrubi - Misty Haisfield - Carlos Lerner - Dent Earl - Aaron Wilson - Chris Remo - Brian Johan Peter - Ethan Laser - James McMurry - Anthony Mentz - Thomas - Matthew Jones - Eric Sp - Max - Rand LeShay - Stephen Wolkwitz - Paul Bigelman - Monica St. Angelo - Henry Mindlin - Dave Kolas - Lauren Knotts - Joe Gallo - Merv Adrian - Michael Singer - Inmar Givoni - Mordok’s Vape Pen - Clint McElroy - John Berry - Ol Parker - Joseph Romero - Dan Cutter - Jeff - Michael - James - Kevin Marcelo - Seattle Trans And Nonbinary Choral Ensemble - Ashley - Melissa Kuhns - Jordan Gatenby - Andrew Hofer - Ian Pidd - Irritable - Meryl Allison - Sy Jacobs - Lawrence - Praline - Kevin Stafford - Daniel Nervo - Philip Kelly - Bea - Julie Kellman - Daniel Kaberon - TB - Aruni Jayatilleke - Rachel - Kym Griffith - PhantomMare - Suzanne Crawford - Dave Douglass - Alison Dugan - Margaret McReynolds - Betsy Barre - HiddenJester - Brian Rinckenberger - RsP - Lottie Aron - Alex Miller - Jez - Steve B - Ian Karmel - Zach Putnam - Edward Steen - Adam Clark - Freddy Freeman - Erik - Mathias Schmidt - Cheryl Wilke - Tucker Ped - Sarah Vetters - Aaron Cain - Daniel Markoff - LG - Alex - Eric Stone - Alan Kress - R J Helow - Max Barnes - Michael Martin - John Domina - James - Andrew Knutson - Doug - Sam Grogan - EwokEater42 - MT - Linda Lange - James Hicks - Michael Adamski - Mark MacIntosh - Jeff Stormer - Michael Sumner - Edward Reisert - Klodrik - Aron - Kevin Davis - Matt - Louise Clark - Richard Randall

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2026-01-16

"Rosanna" by Toto

60 min

Open

Kirk kicks off Strong Songs Season Eight with a second helping of Toto, whose song "Africa" got the very first episode of Strong Songs he ever made. This time around he's focusing on 1982's "Rosanna," a song that shows just what Toto could do when every member of the band gave it their all.

Written by: David Paich

Album: Toto IV, 1982

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

Guess That Record Interview with David Paich
Toto Live at the Montreaux Jazz Festival, 1991
Music Radar interview with Porcaro and Paich about the synth sounds
Jeff Porcaro explains the Rosanna groove to Drummerworld
Yacht Rock: A Dockumentary on HBO, 2024
“Home At Last” from Aja and “Babylon Sisters” from Gaucho by Steely Dan
“Fool In The Rain” by Led Zeppelin from In Through The Out Door, 1979
“Lido Shuffle” by Boz Scaggs and David Paich from Silk Degrees, 1977
“Hold the Line” by David Paich from Toto, 1978
“Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got) by Lambert/Potter, sung by the Four Tops, 1973
“Give ‘M Time” by Sammy Nestico recorded by Count Basie Big Band, 1975

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JANUARY 2026 WHOLE NOTE PATRONS
Dave Florey - AccessViolation - Jeremy Dawson - Sami Samhuri - Paul Delaney - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Jenness Gardner - Melanie Andrich - Ken Hirsh - Joe Laska - David Mascetti - Christopher McConnell - Jamie White - Christopher Miller - Daniel Hannon-Barry - Rush - Jay Swartz - Damon White - Catherine Warner - Ben Barron - Corpus Frisky - Cesar - Robyn Metcalfe - Elizabeth Culver - Rick Keeler - Lisa Crotty - Andy - Thomas McIlheran - Melissa Lucas - Greg - Julie Rowe - Rich Fish - Greer Bevel

JANUARY 2026 HALF NOTE PATRONS
Colin Hodo - Paul De Surra - James Johnson - Arjun Sharma - Justin McElroy - Alexander Polson - Richard Toller - Melanie Stivers - Matt Betzel - Jeffrey Olson - Brett Douville - Brian Amoebas - Bill Thornton - Andrew Fair - Andrew Baker - Amanda Furlotti - Brad Callahan - Jennifer Bush - AJ Schuster - Tanner Morton - Gavin Doig - Chris K - Alexander - David - Naomi - Dave Sharpe - Caro Field - Jonathan Daniels - Eric Helm - Melmaniac - Dhu Wik - Tom Coleman - Diane Turner - Clare Holberton - Randy Souza - Pascal Rueger - Joshua Hill - Stephen Tsoneff - Michael Casner - Diane Hughes - Angela Livingstone - cbalmain - Eric Prestemon - Lauren Reay - Nathan Gouwens - Nell Morse - Karma Jay - Dallas Hockley - M Shane Borders - Kevin Potter - Eoin de Burca - Bonnie Prinsen - Linda Duffy - Ryan Rairigh - Achint Srivastava - Dermot Crowley - Doug Belew - Abbie Berg - Jason Pratt - Geraldine Butler - David Noah - Bernard Khoo - David Joske - Donald Mackie - Steve Paquin - Mino Capossela - Kelli Brockington - Adam W - Josh Singer - Rob Tsuk - Ailie Fraser - JRRJ - Jeffrey Bean - Rishi Sahay - Zak Remer - Adam Stofsky - Kenneth Jung - Bruno Gaeta - Paul Wayper - Lisa Turner - Wendy Gilchrist - Doreen Carlson - Janice Berry - Christian Hessmann - Richard Sneddon - Portland Eye Care - Deebs - Jamie - David Futter - Jeff Ulm - Aaron Wade - KenIsWearingAHat - Ethan Bauman - Catherine Clause - Charles McGee - Tim Sheehan - E Margaret Warton - Luigi Boccia - Matt Baxter - Gary Pierce - Dr Arthur A Gray - Steve Martino - Stu Baker - Martín Salías - Kayla Russell - Dubmarine - Peter Harding - John Halpin - Douglas H Frazer - Alan Maass - Dave Malloy - Robert Granat - Kaya Woodall - Kellen Steffen - Sean Murphy - Grettir Asmundarson - Jim Sellers - Ben Stein - Dick Morgan - Lee R. - Abraham Benrubi - Misty Haisfield - Carlos Lerner - Dent Earl - Aaron Wilson - Chris Remo - Brian Johan Peter - Ethan Laser - James McMurry - Anthony Mentz - Thomas - Matthew Jones - Eric Sp - Max - Rand LeShay - Stephen Wolkwitz - Paul Bigelman - Monica St. Angelo - Henry Mindlin - Dave Kolas - Lauren Knotts - Joe Gallo - Merv Adrian - Michael Singer - Inmar Givoni - Mordok’s Vape Pen - Clint McElroy - John Berry - Ol Parker - Joseph Romero - Dan Cutter - Jeff - Michael - James - Kevin Marcelo - Seattle Trans And Nonbinary Choral Ensemble - Ashley - Melissa Kuhns - Jordan Gatenby - Andrew Hofer - Ian Pidd - Irritable - Meryl Allison - Sy Jacobs - Lawrence - Praline - Kevin Stafford - Daniel Nervo - Philip Kelly - Bea - Julie Kellman - Wiggy Hash - Daniel Kaberon - TB - Aruni Jayatilleke - Rachel - Kym Griffith - PhantomMare - Suzanne Crawford - Dave Douglass - Princess of Whales - Alison Dugan - Margaret McReynolds - Betsy Barre - HiddenJester - Brian Rinckenberger - RsP - Lottie Aron - Alex Miller - Jez - Steve B - Ian Karmel - Zach Putnam - Edward Steen - Adam Clark - Freddy Freeman - Erik - Mathias Schmidt - Cheryl Wilke - Tucker Ped - Sarah Vetters - Aaron Cain - Daniel Markoff - LG - MJS - Alex - Eric Stone - Alan Kress - R J Helow - Max Barnes - Michael Martin - John Domina - Maddie S - James - Andrew Knutson - Doug - Sam Grogan - EwokEater42 - MT - Linda Lange - James Hicks

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2026-01-02

Season Eight Announcement!

5 min

Open

Strong Songs Season Eight will kick off on Friday, January 16!

If you want to listen a week early, get monthly "Inside the Episode" bonuses, and support the creation of Strong Songs, go sign up for the Patreon. We're running a sale for the whole month of January - use the code STRONG8 when signing up, and your first month will be just $1.

See you in a couple weeks for the season premiere!

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-11-28

The Jazz Pianist's Perspective, with Peter Martin

86 min

Open

Kirk sits down with jazz piano legend Peter Martin to talk about Peter's musical background, his momentous early encounters with Wynton Marsalis and Kenny Kirkland, the jazz scene of the 1990s, how the Suzuki method works, and why jazz students today should be less shy about talking to their heroes.

Check out Peter's online jazz education program Open Studio, as well as You'll Hear It, the music podcast he co-hosts with Adam Maness.

DISCUSSED/REFERENCED:

“Variations Sur ‘Le Carnaval de Venise” feat. Wynton Marsalis and the Eastman Wind Ensemble from Carnival, 1987
“Path Adjacent” Peter Martin w/ Gregory Hutchinson, Sarah Hanahan & Reuben Rogers from Generation S, 2023
“Bag’s Groove” by Milt Jackson from Miles Davis, Bag’s Groove, 1967
“Tea For Two” by Youmans/Ceasar, played by Art Tatum from Piano Starts Here, 1968
“Broad Way Blues” by Ornette Coleman from New York Is Now, 1968
“Swingin’ at the Haven” by Branford Marsalis from Royal Garden Blues, 1986
“Now’s The Time/Billie’s Bounce” by Charlie Parker from Jamey Aebersold Vol. 6: All Bird
“Naima’s Love Song” by Betty Carter from I_t’s Not About The Melody_, 1992
“Mental Phrasing” by Roy Hargrove live w/ Joshua Redman, Ron Blake, Peter Martin, Rodney Whitaker, Greg Hutchinson
“Turnaround” by Joshua Redman w/ Pat Metheny from Wish, 1993
“Jig-A-Jug” by Joshua Redman and “St. Thomas” by Sonny Rollins” from Spirit of the Moment: Live at the Village Vanguard, 1995
“Cat Battles” and “One Shining Soul” by Joshua Redman from Freedom in the Groove, 1996
“The Loneliness of a Long Distance Runner” intro and “Mind and Body” from Solo, Live in New York, 2015
“Why Approach Chords Matter” - Adam Maness for Open Studio on YouTube, 2025
“2 Down & 2 Across,” “Sing a Song of Song,” “Before It’s Time to Say Goodbye” by Kenny Garrett feat. Kenny Kirkland from Songbook, 1997
“Phyrzzinian Man” by Wynton Marsalis from Black Codes from the Underground, 1985
“Necessary Evil” by Elvin Jones and “Whatever Possessed Me” by Chet Baker feat. Pat LaBarbera (Tenor) and Kenny Kirkland from Brother John, 1982
“Stella by Starlight” by Hoagy Carmichael, performed by the Miles Davis Quintet on My Funny Valentine: In Concert, 1965

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NOVEMBER 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

AccessViolation – Andy – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Cesar – Christopher McConnell – Christopher Miller – Corpus Frisky – Damon White – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Dave Florey – David Mascetti – Elizabeth Culver – Greg – Jamie White – Jay Swartz – Jenness Gardner – Jeremy Dawson – Joe Laska – Julie Rowe – Ken Hirsh – Lisa Crotty – Melanie Andrich – Melissa Lucas – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Rich Fish – Rick Keeler – Robyn Metcalfe – Rush – Sami Samhuri – Thomas McIlheran

NOVEMBER 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Aaron Cain – Aaron Wade – Abbie Berg – Abraham Benrubi – Achint Srivastava – Adam Clark – Adam Stofsky – Adam W – Ailie Fraser – AJ Schuster – Alan Kress – Alan Maass – Alex – Alex Miller – Alexander – Alexander Polson – Alison Dugan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – Andrew Hofer – Andrew Knutson – Angela Livingstone – Anthony Mentz – Arjun Sharma – Aruni Jayatilleke – Ashley – Bea – Ben Stein – Bernard Khoo – Betsy Barre – Bill Thornton – Bonnie Prinsen – Brad Callahan – Brendan McLeod – Brett Douville – Brian Amoebas – Brian Rinckenberger – Brian John Peter – Bruno Gaeta – Carlos Lerner – Caro Field – Catherine Clause – Cbalmain – Charles McGee – Cheryl Wilke – Chris K – Christian Hessmann – Christopher Selby Spink – Clare Holberton – Claudia Carty – Clint McElroy – Colin Hodo – Dallas Hockley – Dan Cutter – Dani – Daniel Kaberon – Daniel Markoff – Daniel Nervo – Dave Douglass – Dave Kolas – Dave Malloy – Dave Sharpe – David – David Futter – David Joske – David Noah – Deebs – Dent Earl – Dermot Crowley – Dhu Wik – Diane Hughes – Diane Turner – Dick Morgan – Donald Mackie – Doreen Carlson – Doug Belew – Douglas H. Frazer – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Dubmarine – E. Margaret Warton – Edward Steen – Eoin De Burca – Eric Helm – Eric Prestemon – Eric Sp – Eric Stone – Erik – Ethan Bauman – Ethan Laser – Freddy Freeman – Gary Pierce – Gavin Doig – Geraldine Butler – Glenn Jackson – Grettir Asmundarson – Heather J – Henry Mindlin – HiddenJester – Ian Karmel – Ian Pidd – Inmar Givoni – Irritable – James – James – James Johnson – James McMurry – Jamie – Janice Berry – Jason Pratt – Jeff – Jeff Ulm – Jeffrey Bean – Jeffrey Olson – Jennifer Bush – Jez – Jim Sellers – Joe Gallo – John Berry – John Domina – John Halpin – Jonathan Daniels – Jordan Gatenby – Joseph Romero – Josh Singer – Joshua Hill – JRRJ – Julie Kellman – Justin McElroy – Karma Jay – Kaya Woodall – Kayla Russell – Kellen Steffen – Kelli Brockington – KenIsWearingAHat – Kenneth Jung – Kevin Marcelo – Kevin Potter – Kevin Stafford – Kym Griffith – Lauren Knotts – Lauren Reay – Lawrence – Lee R. – LG – Linda Duffy – Lisa Turner – Lottie Aron – Luigi Boccia – M. Shane Borders – Maddie S – Margaret McReynolds – Martín Salías – Mathias Schmidt – Matt Baxter – Matt Betzel – Matthew Jones – Max – Max Barnes – Melanie Stivers – Melissa Kuhns – Melmaniac – Merv Adrian – Meryl Allison – Michael – Michael Berman – Michael Casner – Michael Martin – Michael Singer – Mino Capossela – Misty Haisfield – MJS – Monica St. Angelo – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Naomi – Nathan Gouwens – Nell Morse – Ol Parker – Pascal Rueger – Paul Bigelman – Paul Wayper – Peter Harding – PhantomMare – Philip Kelly – Portland Eye Care – Princess Of Whales – R. J. Helow – Rachel – Rand LeShay – Randy Souza – Richard Sneddon – Richard Toller – Rishi Sahay – Rob Tsuk – Robert Granat – RsP – Ryan Rairigh – Sarah Vetters – Sean Murphy – Seattle Trans And Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Simon Hellman – Stephen – Stephen Tsoneff – Stephen Wolkwitz – Steve B – Steve Martino – Steve Paquin – Stu Baker – Suzanne Crawford – Sy Jacobs – Tanner Morton – TB – The Daily Solve With Chris Remo – Thomas – Tim Rosenwong – Tim Sheehan – Tom Coleman – Tucker Ped – Wendy Gilchrist – Wiggy Hash – Zach Putnam – Zak Remer

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-11-14

The Fearless Fela Kuti, with Jad Abumrad

116 min

Open

Writer, composer, and Peabody Award-winning podcaster Jad Abumrad joins Kirk to talk about Fela Kuti: Fear No Man, his new 12-part series on the life, music, and legacy of Afrobeat superstar Fela Kuti.

DISCUSSED/REFERENCED:

“Miryea’s Death” by Jack Nitzche from Revenge, 1990
“Prologue” by Alexandre Desplat from Birth, 2004
Excerpt from Port(al), music by Paola Prestini and Jad Abumrad, performed by the Brooklyn Youth Chorus
“It’s Highlife Time” and “Amaechi’s Blues” by Fela Kuti and his Koola Lobitos, ca. 1963-69
“Jeun Ko Ku,” “Eko Ile,” and “Je’nwi Temi” by Fela Kuti from Afrodesiac, 1973
“Zombie” by Fela Kuti from Zombie, 1976
“The Great Curve” by Talking Heads from Remain in Light, 1980
“Life During Wartime” and “Once in a Lifetime” by Talking Heads from Stop Making Sense, 1984
“The Prince We Never Knew“ - Sasha Weiss’ essential New York Times feature on Ezra Edelman’s unreleased Prince documentary
“RITUAL” by Jon Hopkins from Ritual, 2024
“Open Eye Signal” by Jon Hopkins from Immunity, 2013
“A Quiet Glow” by Siavash Amini from Songs for Sad Poets, 2022
“In The Dust of This Planet” - 2014 Radiolab Episode featuring the poetry of Eugene Thacker
“The Right Man (Daniele Baldelli & Marco Dionigi Cosmic Remix)” from The Units - Connections, 2011
“quiero sentirme bien” by Kali Uchis from Sin Miedo, 2020
“Looking for Love” by The Tallest Man On Earth from Henry St., 2023
“Sweet Surrender” by Sarah McLachlan from Mirrorball, 1999

--------------------

OCTOBER 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

AccessViolation – Andy – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Cesar – Christopher McConnell – Christopher Miller – Corpus Frisky – Damon White – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Dave Florey – David Mascetti – Elizabeth Culver – Greg – Jamie White – Jay Swartz – Jenness Gardner – Jeremy Dawson – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Lisa Crotty – Melanie Andrich – Melissa Lucas – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Rick Keeler – Robyn Metcalfe – Rush – Sami Samhuri – Thomas McIlheran

OCTOBER 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Aaron Cain – Aaron Wade – Aaron Wilson – Abbie Berg – Abraham Benrubi – Achint Srivastava – Adam Clark – Adam Stofsky – Adam W – Ailie Fraser – AJ Schuster – Alan Kress – Alan Maass – Alex – Alex Miller – Alexander – Alexander Polson – Alison Dugan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – Andrew Hofer – Angela Livingstone – Anthony Mentz – Arjun Sharma – Aruni Jayatilleke – Ashley – Bea – Ben Stein – Bernard Khoo – Betsy Barre – Bill Thornton – Bonnie Prinsen – Brad Callahan – Brendan McLeod – Brett Douville – Brian Amoebas – Brian Rinckenberger – Brian John Peter – Bruno Gaeta – Carlos Lerner – Caro Field – Catherine Clause – Cbalmain – Charles McGee – Cheryl Wilke – Chris K – Chris Remo – Christian Hessmann – Christopher Selby Spink – Clare Holberton – Claudia Carty – Clint McElroy – Colin Hodo – Dallas Hockley – Dan Cutter – Dani – Daniel Kaberon – Daniel Markoff – Daniel Nervo – Dave Douglass – Dave Kolas – Dave Malloy – Dave Sharpe – David – David – David – David Futter – David Joske – David Noah – David Stroud – Deebs – Dent Earl – Dermot Crowley – Dhu Wik – Diane Hughes – Diane Turner – Dick Morgan – Donald Mackie – Doreen Carlson – Doug Belew – Douglas H. Frazer – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – E. Margaret Warton – Edward Steen – Eoin De Burca – Eric Helm – Eric Prestemon – Eric Sp – Eric Stone – Erik – Ethan Bauman – Ethan Laser – Freddy Freeman – Gary Pierce – Gavin Doig – Geraldine Butler – Glenn Jackson – Grettir Asmundarson – Henry Mindlin – HiddenJester – Ian Karmel – Ian Pidd – Inmar Givoni – Irritable – James – James Johnson – James McMurry – Jamie – Janice Berry – Jason Pratt – Jeff – Jeff Ulm – Jeffrey Bean – Jeffrey Olson – Jennifer Bush – Jez – Jim Sellers – Joe Gallo – John Berry – John Halpin – Jonathan Daniels – Jordan Gatenby – Joseph Romero – Josh Singer – Joshua Hill – JRRJ – Julie Kellman – Justin McElroy – Karma Jay – Kaya Woodall – Kayla Russell – Kellen Steffen – Kelli Brockington – KenIsWearingAHat – Kenneth Jung – Kevin Marcelo – Kevin Potter – Kevin Stafford – Kym Griffith – Lauren Knotts – Lauren Reay – Lawrence – Lee R. – LG – Linda Duffy – Lisa Turner – Lottie Aron – Luigi Boccia – M. Shane Borders – Margaret McReynolds – Martín Salías – Mathias Schmidt – Matt Betzel – Matthew Jones – Max – Max Barnes – Melanie Stivers – Melissa Kuhns – Melmaniac – Merv Adrian – Meryl Allison – Michael – Michael Berman – Michael Casner – Michael Singer – Michael Wisnosky – Michelle Laughran – Mino Capossela – Misty Haisfield – MJS – Monica St. Angelo – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Naomi Watson – Nathan Gouwens – Nell Morse – Ol Parker – Pascal Rueger – Paul Bigelman – Paul Wayper – Peter Harding – PhantomMare – Philip Kelly – Portland Eye Care – Princess Of Whales – R. J. Helow – Rachel – Rand LeShay – Randal Vegter – Randy Souza – Richard Sneddon – Richard Toller – Rishi Sahay – Rob Tsuk – Robert Granat – Robert Heuer – RsP – Ryan Rairigh – Sarah Vetters – Sean Murphy – Seattle Trans And Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Simon Hellman – Stephen – Stephen Tsoneff – Stephen Wolkwitz – Steve B – Steve Martino – Steve Paquin – Stu Baker – Suzanne Crawford – Sy Jacobs – Tanner Morton – TB – Thomas – Tim Rosenwong – Tim Sheehan – Tom Coleman – Tucker Ped – Wendy Gilchrist – Whit Sidener – Wiggy Hash – Zach Putnam – Zak Remer

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-10-31

Super Mario Bros: Koji Kondo's 8-Bit Masterpiece [Twenty Thousand Hertz]

33 min

Open

This episode of Twenty Thousand Hertz originally ran in August 2025.

Kirk's 2020 episode of Strong Songs about the music of Super Mario

TWENTY THOUSAND HERTZ SHOW NOTES:

This episode was written & produced by Casey Emmerling.

From the springy jump sound to the iconic Overworld Theme, the sound of Super Mario Bros. is instantly recognizable. With just five lo-fi audio channels and 40 kilobytes of space, composer Koji Kondo created a soundscape full of unforgettable melodies. In this episode, we explore how Kondo’s playful instincts, rhythmic trickery, and love of jazz fusion defined the sound of Mario. Featuring Kirk Hamilton of Strong Songs and Thomas of Thomas Game Docs.

MUSIC FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE

Rocker Jr. - Shake [B]IT
DJARTMUSIC - 8 Bit Console from My Childhood
moodmode - Game 8-Bit On
XtremeFreddy - Bit Beats 1
moodmode - Level VII
Wesley Slover - Analog Jam 1103
Space_Cat - Light It Up
moodmode - Level VI
William Benckert - Dance of the Pixel Birds

Subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to see our new video series.

If you know what this week's mystery sound is, tell us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠mystery.20k.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Support the show and get ad-free episodes at ⁠⁠⁠20k.org/plus⁠⁠⁠.

Follow Dallas on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Join our community on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Reddit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Follow Kirk Hamilton’s podcasts ⁠Strong Songs⁠ and ⁠Triple Click⁠.

Subscribe to Thomas’ Youtube channel, ⁠Thomas Game Docs⁠.

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-10-17

Our Favorite TV Themes, with Leigh Sales

78 min

Open

It's fun to talk about TV theme songs, so that's what Kirk and special guest Leigh Sales did. Does this episode need any more introduction than that? Probably not.

Check out Leigh's wonderful podcast Chat 10 Looks 3

A YouTube Playlist of many of the themes discussed (and some they didn't get to)

DISCUSSED/REFERENCED:

The Office Theme - “Handbags and Gladrags” - 1967 by Mike D’Abo, perf. Big George Webley -
US theme 2005 by Jay Ferguson
Parks & Recreation - 2009, by Gaby Moreno and Vincent Jones
Welcome Back Kotter - by John Sebastian (1974 - 1979)
“Suicide is Painless” by Johnny Mandel, from MA_S_H
The Nanny Theme by Ann Hampton Callaway
The Brady Bunch theme by Frank De Vol & Sherwood Schwartz
Gilligan’s Island theme by Sherwood Schwartz (lyrics) & George Wyle (music)
Beverley Hillbillies theme by Paul Hennig feat. Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs
Money For Nothing/Beverley Hillbillies by Weird Al Yankovic from UHF, 1988
"Money For Nothing" by Dire Straits from Brothers in Arms, 1985
The Americans theme by Nathan Barr
"Do Ya Wanna Taste It" by Wig Wam from Peacemaker, 2021
The Pi Song from AsapSCIENCE
Symphony No. 8 in B Minor, D. 759 by Franz Schubert
“Green Acres Theme” by Vic Mizzy
“Woke Up This Morning” by Alabama 3, from The Sopranos
"A Beautiful Mine" from Mad Men by RJD2
“Sex and the City Theme” by Douglas J. Cuomo
Six Feet Under theme by Thomas Newman
Breaking Bad theme by Dave Porter
House of Cards Theme by Jeff Beal
Tank! by Yoko Kanno and Seatbelts

LEIGH'S MUSIC PICKS:

Frank Sinatra Live at the Sands, ‘66 with the Count Basie Orchestra conducted by Quincy Jones
INXS - Kick, 1987
The Villagers - Becoming a Jackal, 2010

--------------------

OCTOBER 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

AccessViolation – Andy – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Cesar – Christopher McConnell – Christopher Miller – Corpus Frisky – Damon White – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Dave Florey – David Mascetti – Elizabeth Culver – Greg – Jamie White – Jay Swartz – Jenness Gardner – Jeremy Dawson – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Lisa Crotty – Melanie Andrich – Melissa Lucas – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Rick Keeler – Robyn Metcalfe – Rush – Sami Samhuri – Thomas McIlheran

OCTOBER 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Aaron Cain – Aaron Wade – Aaron Wilson – Abbie Berg – Abraham Benrubi – Achint Srivastava – Adam Clark – Adam Stofsky – Adam W – Ailie Fraser – AJ Schuster – Alan Kress – Alan Maass – Alex – Alex Miller – Alexander – Alexander Polson – Alison Dugan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – Andrew Hofer – Angela Livingstone – Anthony Mentz – Arjun Sharma – Aruni Jayatilleke – Ashley – Bea – Ben Stein – Bernard Khoo – Betsy Barre – Bill Thornton – Bonnie Prinsen – Brad Callahan – Brendan McLeod – Brett Douville – Brian Amoebas – Brian Rinckenberger – Brian John Peter – Bruno Gaeta – Carlos Lerner – Caro Field – Catherine Clause – Cbalmain – Charles McGee – Cheryl Wilke – Chris K – Chris Remo – Christian Hessmann – Christopher Selby Spink – Clare Holberton – Claudia Carty – Clint McElroy – Colin Hodo – Dallas Hockley – Dan Cutter – Dani – Daniel Kaberon – Daniel Markoff – Daniel Nervo – Dave Douglass – Dave Kolas – Dave Malloy – Dave Sharpe – David – David – David – David Futter – David Joske – David Noah – David Stroud – Deebs – Dent Earl – Dermot Crowley – Dhu Wik – Diane Hughes – Diane Turner – Dick Morgan – Donald Mackie – Doreen Carlson – Doug Belew – Douglas H. Frazer – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – E. Margaret Warton – Edward Steen – Eoin de Burca – Eric Helm – Eric Prestemon – Eric Sp – Eric Stone – Erik – Ethan Bauman – Ethan Laser – Freddy Freeman – Gary Pierce – Gavin Doig – Geraldine Butler – Glenn Jackson – Grettir Asmundarson – Henry Mindlin – Hidden Jester – Ian Karmel – Ian Pidd – Inmar Givoni – Irritable – James – James Johnson – James McMurry – Jamie – Janice Berry – Jason Pratt – Jeff – Jeff Ulm – Jeffrey Bean – Jeffrey Olson – Jennifer Bush – Jez – Jim Sellers – Joe Gallo – John Berry – John Halpin – Jonathan Daniels – Jordan Gatenby – Joseph Romero – Josh Singer – Joshua Hill – JRRJ – Julie Kellman – Justin McElroy – Karma Jay – Kaya Woodall – Kayla Russell – Kellen Steffen – Kelli Brockington – KenIsWearingAHat – Kenneth Jung – Kevin Marcelo – Kevin Potter – Kevin Stafford – Kym Griffith – Lauren Knotts – Lauren Reay – Lawrence – Lee R. – LG – Linda Duffy – Lisa Turner – Lottie Aron – Luigi Boccia – M. Shane Borders – Margaret McReynolds – Martín Salías – Mathias Schmidt – Matt Betzel – Matthew Jones – Max – Max Barnes – Melanie Stivers – Melissa Kuhns – Melmaniac – Merv Adrian – Meryl Allison – Michael – Michael Berman – Michael Casner – Michael Singer – Michael Wisnosky – Michelle Laughran – Mino Capossela – Misty Haisfield – MJS – Monica St. Angelo – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Naomi Watson – Nathan Gouwens – Nell Morse – Ol Parker – Pascal Rueger – Paul Bigelman – Paul Wayper – Peter Harding – PhantomMare – Philip Kelly – Portland Eye Care – Princess of Whales – R. J. Helow – Rachel – Rand LeShay – Randal Vegter – Randy Souza – Richard Sneddon – Richard Toller – Rishi Sahay – Rob Tsuk – Robert Granat – Robert Heuer – RsP – Ryan Rairigh – Sarah Vetters – Sean Murphy – Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Simon Hellman – Stephen – Stephen Tsoneff – Stephen Wolkwitz – Steve B – Steve Martino – Steve Paquin – Stu Baker – Suzanne Crawford – Sy Jacobs – Tanner Morton – TB – Thomas – Tim Rosenwong – Tim Sheehan – Tom Coleman – Tucker Ped – Wendy Gilchrist – Whit Sidener – Wiggy Hash – Zach Putnam – Zak Remer

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-10-03

Strong TV Songs: HBO Edition [Recast]

68 min

Open

Originally Aired October 20, 2020

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.

REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

“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.

--------------------

SEPTEMBER 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

AccessViolation – Andy – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Cesar – Christopher McConnell – Christopher Miller – Corpus Frisky – Damon White – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Dave Florey – David Mascetti – Elizabeth Culver – Jamie White – Jay Swartz – Jenness Gardner – Jeremy Dawson – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Lisa Crotty – Melanie Andrich – Melissa Lucas – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Rick Keeler – Robyn Metcalfe – Rush – Sami Samhuri – Thomas McIlheran

SEPTEMBER 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Aaron Cain – Aaron Wade – Aaron Wilson – Abbie Berg – Abraham Benrubi – Achint Srivastava – Adam Clark – Adam Stofsky – Adam W – Ailie Fraser – AJ Schuster – Alan Maass – Alex Miller – Alexander – Alexander Polson – Alison Dugan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – Andrew Hofer – Angela Livingstone – Anthony Mentz – Arjun Sharma – Aruni Jayatilleke – Ashley – Bea – Ben Stein – Bernard Khoo – Betsy Barre – Bill Thornton – Bonnie Prinsen – Brad Callahan – Brendan McLeod – Brett Douville – Brian Amoebas – Brian Rinckenberger – Brian John Peter – Bruno Gaeta – Carlos Lerner – Caro Field – Catherine Clause – Cbalmain – Charles McGee – Cheryl Wilke – Chris K – Chris Remo – Christian Hessmann – Christopher Selby Spink – Clare Holberton – Claudia Carty – Clint McElroy – Colin Hodo – Dallas Hockley – Dan Cutter – Dan Elias – Dani – Daniel Kaberon – Daniel Markoff – Daniel Nervo – Dave Douglass – Dave Kolas – Dave Malloy – Dave Sharpe – David – David – David – David Futter – David Joske – David Noah – David Stroud – Deebs – Dent Earl – Dermot Crowley – Dhu Wik – Diane Hughes – Diane Turner – Dick Morgan – Donald Mackie – Doreen Carlson – Doug Belew – Douglas H. Frazer – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – E. Margaret Warton – Edward Steen – Eoin de Burca – Eric Helm – Eric Prestemon – Eric Sp – Erik – Ethan Bauman – Ethan Laser – Freddy Freeman – Gary Pierce – Gavin Doig – Geraldine Butler – Glenn Jackson – Grettir Asmundarson – Henry Mindlin – Hidden Jester – Ian Karmel – Ian Pidd – Ian Steding – Inmar Givoni – Irritable – James – James Johnson – James McMurry – Jamie – Janice Berry – Jason Gerry – Jason Pratt – Jeff – Jeff Ulm – Jeffrey Bean – Jeffrey Olson – Jennifer Bush – Jez – Joe Gallo – John Bauman – John Berry – John Halpin – Jonathan Daniels – Jordan Gatenby – Joseph Romero – Josh Singer – Joshua Hill – JRRJ – Julie Kellman – Justin McElroy – Kaya Woodall – Kayla Russell – Kellen Steffen – Kelli Brockington – KenIsWearingAHat – Kenneth Jung – Kevin Marcelo – Kevin Potter – Kevin Stafford – Kym Griffith – Lauren Knotts – Lauren Reay – Lawrence – Lee R. – LG – Linda Duffy – Lisa Turner – Lottie Aron – Lowell Meyer – Luigi Boccia – M. Shane Borders – Margaret McReynolds – Martín Salías – Mathias Schmidt – Matt Baxter – Matt Betzel – Matthew Jones – Max – Melanie Stivers – Melissa Kuhns – Melmaniac – Merv Adrian – Meryl Allison – Michael – Michael Berman – Michael Casner – Michael Singer – Michael Wisnosky – Mino Capossela – Misty Haisfield – Monica St. Angelo – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Naomi Watson – Nathan Gouwens – Nell Morse – Ol Parker – Pascal Rueger – Paul Wayper – Peter Harding – PhantomMare – Philip Kelly – Portland Eye Care – Princess of Whales – Rachel – Rand LeShay – Randal Vegter – Randy Souza – Richard Sneddon – Richard Toller – Rishi Sahay – Rob Tsuk – Robert Granat – Robert Heuer – RsP – Ryan Rairigh – Sarah Vetters – Sean Murphy – Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Simon Hellman – Stephen – Stephen Tsoneff – Stephen Wolkwitz – Steve B – Steve Martino – Steve Paquin – Stu Baker – Suzanne Crawford – Sy Jacobs – Tanner Morton – TB – Thomas – Tim Sheehan – Tom Coleman – Tucker Ped – Wendy Gilchrist – Whit Sidener – Wiggy Hash – Zach Putnam – Zak Remer

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-09-19

A Bob Dylan Beginner's Guide, with Matt Sitman and Sam Adler-Bell

114 min

Open

With so many dozens of albums over so many wildly disparate eras, it can take a lifetime to truly get your arms around Bob Dylan. On this episode, Kirk is joined by two guests who have spent their lifetimes doing exactly that. Matt Sitman and Sam Adler-Bell, in addition to co-hosting the terrific political history podcast Know Your Enemy, are both lifelong Dylan fans. This spring, they came on the show to give listeners a tour of Dylan's many eras, and to give newcomers a place, or places, they might start getting to know him better.

DYLAN SONGS DISCUSSED, IN RELEASE CHRONOLOGY

“Blowin in the Wind” and “Corrina, Corrina” from Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan, 1963 (and as sung by Peter, Paul and Mary)
“Like A Rolling Stone,” “Just Like Tom Thumb’s Blues,” “From a Buick 6” from Highway 61 Revisisted, 1965
“Subterranean Homesick Blues,” “Mr. Tambourine Man,” and “Outlaw Blues” from Bringing it All Back Home, 1965
“Rainy Day Women #12 & 35” and “Pledging My Time” from Blonde on Blonde, 1966
“All Along the Watchtower” and “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight” from John Wesley Harding, 1967
“Lay, Lady, Lay” and “Girl from the North Country” (with Johnny Cash) from Nashville Skyline, 1969
“Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” from Pat Garret & Billy The Kid Original Soundtrack, 1973
“Forever Young” from Planet Waves, 1974
“Tangled Up in Blue” from Blood On The Tracks, 1975
“Hurricane” and “Romance in Durango” from Desire, 1976
“Changing of the Guards” from Street-Legal, 1978
“Serve Somebody,” and “Do Right to Me Baby (Do Unto Others)” from Slow Train Coming, 1979
“Saved” from Saved, 1980
“The Groom’s Still Waiting At the Alter” and “Lenny Bruce” from Shot of Love, 1981
“Pressing On” and "Solid Rock" live in Toronto, 1980
“Neighborhood Bully,” “Jokerman,” “Sweetheart Like You” from Infidels, 1983
“Dark Eyes” from _Empire Burlesqu_e, 1985
“Brownsville Girl” from Knocked Out and Loaded, 1986
“Sylvio” from Down In The Groove, 1988
“Everything Is Broken” and “Most of the Time” from Oh Mercy, 1989
“Hard Times” from Good As I Been to You, 1992
“Train of Love,” Johnny Cash tribute, 1999
“Pay In Blood” from Tempest, 2012
“I’m A Fool To Want You“ by Frank Sinatra, Jack Wolf, and Joel Herron from Shadows in the Night, 2015, and as recorded by Frank Sinatra
“Polka Dots and Moonbeams” by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke, from Fallen Angels, 2016
“How Deep is the Ocean” by Irving Berlin from Triplicate, 2017
“I’ve Made Up My Mind to Give Myself to You” from Rough and Rowdy Ways, 2020

ALSO DISCUSSED/REFERENCED:

The Know Your Enemy episode about Dylan's The Philosophy of Modern Song
"Moonlight Mind" by Will Epstein and High Water from Crush, 2016
"Lonely Woman" by Ornette Coleman from The Shape of Jazz to Come, 1959
"Rainy Day Women #12 & 35" as recorded by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Sam’s review of A Complete Unknown in The Nation
Bob Dylan: Expecting Rain website
Episode one, "Weather”, from Dylan’s radio show Theme Time Radio Hour, featuring Muddy Waters on "Blow Wind, Blow”
Audio from D.A. Pennebaker’s 1967 documentary Bob Dylan: Don’t Look Back
Audio from Scorses’s 2005 documentary No Direction Home: Bob Dylan

GUEST MUSIC PICKS:

Sam: Lucinda Wiliams, Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, 1998
Matt: Willie Nelson, Across the Borderline, 1993

--------------------

SEPTEMBER 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

AccessViolation – Andy – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Cesar – Christopher McConnell – Christopher Miller – Corpus Frisky – Damon White – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Dave Florey – David Mascetti – Elizabeth Culver – Jamie White – Jay Swartz – Jenness Gardner – Jeremy Dawson – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Lisa Crotty – Melanie Andrich – Melissa Lucas – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Rick Keeler – Robyn Metcalfe – Rush – Sami Samhuri – Thomas McIlheran

SEPTEMBER 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Aaron Cain – Aaron Wade – Aaron Wilson – Abbie Berg – Abraham Benrubi – Achint Srivastava – Adam Clark – Adam Stofsky – Adam W – Ailie Fraser – AJ Schuster – Alan Maass – Alex Miller – Alexander – Alexander Polson – Alison Dugan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – Andrew Hofer – Angela Livingstone – Anthony Mentz – Arjun Sharma – Aruni Jayatilleke – Ashley – Bea – Ben Stein – Bernard Khoo – Betsy Barre – Bill Thornton – Bonnie Prinsen – Brad Callahan – Brendan McLeod – Brett Douville – Brian Amoebas – Brian Rinckenberger – Brian John Peter – Bruno Gaeta – Carlos Lerner – Caro Field – Catherine Clause – Cbalmain – Charles McGee – Cheryl Wilke – Chris K. – Chris Remo – Christian Hessmann – Christopher Selby Spink – Clare Holberton – Claudia Carty – Clint McElroy – Colin Hodo – Dallas Hockley – Dan Cutter – Dan Elias – Dani – Daniel Kaberon – Daniel Markoff – Daniel Nervo – Dave Douglass – Dave Kolas – Dave Malloy – Dave Sharpe – David – David – David – David Futter – David Joske – David Noah – David Stroud – Deebs – Dent Earl – Dermot Crowley – Dhu Wik – Diane Hughes – Diane Turner – Dick Morgan – Donald Mackie – Doreen Carlson – Doug Belew – Douglas H. Frazer – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – E. Margaret Warton – Edward Steen – Eoin de Burca – Eric Helm – Eric Prestemon – Eric Sp – Erik – Ethan Bauman – Ethan Laser – Freddy Freeman – Gary Pierce – Gavin Doig – Geraldine Butler – Glenn Jackson – Grettir Asmundarson – Henry Mindlin – Hidden Jester – Ian Karmel – Ian Pidd – Ian Steding – Inmar Givoni – Irritable – James – James Johnson – James McMurry – Jamie – Janice Berry – Jason Gerry – Jason Pratt – Jeff – Jeff Ulm – Jeffrey Bean – Jeffrey Olson – Jennifer Bush – Jez – Joe Gallo – John Bauman – John Berry – John Halpin – Jonathan Daniels – Jordan Gatenby – Joseph Romero – Josh Singer – Joshua Hill – JRRJ – Julie Kellman – Justin McElroy – Kaya Woodall – Kayla Russell – Kellen Steffen – Kelli Brockington – KenIsWearingAHat – Kenneth Jung – Kevin Marcelo – Kevin Potter – Kevin Stafford – Kym Griffith – Lauren Knotts – Lauren Reay – Lawrence – Lee R. – LG – Linda Duffy – Lisa Turner – Lottie Aron – Lowell Meyer – Luigi Boccia – M. Shane Borders – Margaret McReynolds – Martín Salías – Mathias Schmidt – Matt Baxter – Matt Betzel – Matthew Jones – Max – Melanie Stivers – Melissa Kuhns – Melmaniac – Merv Adrian – Meryl Allison – Michael – Michael Berman – Michael Casner – Michael Singer – Michael Wisnosky – Mino Capossela – Misty Haisfield – Monica St. Angelo – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Naomi Watson – Nathan Gouwens – Nell Morse – Ol Parker – Pascal Rueger – Paul Wayper – Peter Harding – PhantomMare – Philip Kelly – Portland Eye Care – Princess of Whales – Rachel – Rand LeShay – Randal Vegter – Randy Souza – Richard Sneddon – Richard Toller – Rishi Sahay – Rob Tsuk – Robert Granat – Robert Heuer – RsP – Ryan Rairigh – Sarah Vetters – Sean Murphy – Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Simon Hellman – Stephen – Stephen Tsoneff – Stephen Wolkwitz – Steve B – Steve Martino – Steve Paquin – Stu Baker – Suzanne Crawford – Sy Jacobs – Tanner Morton – TB – Thomas – Tim Sheehan – Tom Coleman – Tucker Ped – Wendy Gilchrist – Whit Sidener – Wiggy Hash – Zach Putnam – Zak Remer

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-09-05

Singing and Songwriting, with The Wailin' Jennys

71 min

Open

The Wailin' Jennys have been singing together for more than two decades - recording albums, touring the world, and filling venues large and small. After all these years, the trio—Ruth Moody, Heather Masse, and Nicky Mehta—have reached both a plateau and an inflection point. What's it like for a musical group that's been together for that long; for singers who've found such perfect vocal harmony for one another? How do they each think of songwriting, and of creative work in general? On their recent west coast tour, they stopped by the studio for a chat about those things and more.

THE WAILIN' JENNYS ARE:

Ruth Moody - Banjo, Guitar, Vocals
Nicky Mehta - Guitar, Drums, Vocals
Heather Masse - Bass, Vocals

Featuring excerpts from the Jennys' albums Bright Morning Stars, iTunes Session - EP, 40 Days, and Firecracker

FEATURED/DISCUSSED:

"Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Jim Steinman, sung by Bonnie Tyler and Rory Dodd
"Paradise by the Dashboard Light," "I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)," "Objects in the Rearview Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are" - by Jim Steinman sung by Meat Loaf
"Closer To Fine" and "Love's Recovery" by Indigo Girls from Indigo Girls, 1989
Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert, 2016
Kirk's essay on creativity, "Follow The Spark"
Jeff Tweedy talking songwriting on The Ezra Klein Show
"What Am I Here For" by Jade Bird

MUSIC PICKS:
Heather: Bonny Light Horseman, Keep Me On Your Mind/Set You Free, 2024
Ruth: Aaron Neville, "Louisiana 1927"
Nicky: Afghan Whigs, Black Love

--------------------

AUGUST 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Melissa Lucas – Thomas McIlheran – Andy – Lisa Crotty – Rick Keeler – Elizabeth Culver – Meryl Allison – Robyn Metcalfe – Cesar – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Jay Swartz – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Dave Florey

AUGUST 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Mathias Schmidt – Erik – Freddy Freeman – Adam Clark – Stephen – Brendan McLeod – Zach Putnam – Ian Karmel – Steve B – Worcester – Jim – Jez – Alex Miller – Lottie Aron – RsP – Michael Wisnosky – Brian Rinckenberger – Dan Elias – Hidden Jester – Betsy Barre – Ian Steding – Margaret McReynolds – Alison Dugan – Princess of Whales – Dave Douglass – Suzanne Crawford – PhantomMare – Kym Griffith – Rachel – Aruni Jayatilleke – TB – Daniel Kaberon – Wiggy Hash – Whit Sidener – Julie Kellman – Simon Hellman – Bea – Claudia Carty – Dani – Glenn Jackson – Christopher Selby Spink – Philip Kelly – Daniel Nervo – Kevin Stafford – Lawrence – Sy Jacobs – Irritable – Ian Pidd – Andrew Hofer – Jordan Gatenby – Melissa Kuhns – Ashley – Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Kevin Marcelo – James – Michael – Jeff – Dan Cutter – Joseph Romero – Ol Parker – John Berry – Danielle Kriz – Clint McElroy – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Michael York – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Lee R. – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Grettir Asmundarson – Sean Murphy – Randal Vegter – Kellen Steffen – Kaya Woodall – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Alan Maass – Douglas H. Frazer – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Kayla Russell – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Tim Sheehan – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Richard Sneddon – Christian Hessmann – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jeffrey Bean – JRRJ – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Josh Singer – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Donald Mackie – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cbalmain – Angela Livingstone – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Melmaniac – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Caro Field – Dave Sharpe – Naomi Watson – David Alexander – Jeff Patterson – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-08-22

Talkin' Tower of Power, with Adam Maness and Peter Martin [You'll Hear It]

72 min

Open

Back in May, Kirk joined pianists Adam Maness and Peter Martin of the You'll Hear It podcast to talk about what makes Tower of Power great. It was a very fun conversation, so he asked if he could run their episode in the Strong Songs feed. And here we are!

Listen to You'll Hear It anywhere you find podcasts, and find both Adam and Peter (and many others) teaching jazz lessons at OpenStudio.com.

ORIGINAL SHOW NOTES
May 19, 2025

We hand the mic to Kirk Hamilton from the Strong Songs podcast to help us break down the groovy 1973 self-titled release: Tower of Power. We unpack what makes this Oakland funk outfit a generational institution – from David Garibaldi’s precision drum fills and Rocco Prestia’s machine-gun bass lines to what may be the tightest horn section of all time. We dig into standout tracks like “What Is Hip?” and “Soul Vaccination,” spotlight Lenny Pickett’s wild ascent from TOP to SNL, and detail some funny production quirks (like why the drums are panned hard left). It’s a full-course tour through funk, soul, and brass brilliance – with a healthy side of stank face.

--------------------

AUGUST 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Melissa Lucas – Thomas McIlheran – Andy – Lisa Crotty – Rick Keeler – Elizabeth Culver – Meryl Allison – Robyn Metcalfe – Cesar – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Jay Swartz – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Dave Florey

AUGUST 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Mathias Schmidt – Erik – Freddy Freeman – Adam Clark – Stephen – Brendan McLeod – Zach Putnam – Ian Karmel – Steve B. – Worcester – Jim – Jez – Alex Miller – Lottie Aron – RsP – Michael Wisnosky – Brian Rinckenberger – Dan Elias – Hidden Jester – Betsy Barre – Ian Steding – Margaret McReynolds – Alison Dugan – Princess of Whales – Dave Douglass – Suzanne Crawford – PhantomMare – Kym Griffith – Rachel – Aruni Jayatilleke – TB – Daniel Kaberon – Wiggy Hash – Whit Sidener – Julie Kellman – Simon Hellman – Bea – Claudia Carty – Dani – Glenn Jackson – Christopher Selby Spink – Philip Kelly – Daniel Nervo – Kevin Stafford – Lawrence – Sy Jacobs – Irritable – Ian Pidd – Andrew Hofer – Jordan Gatenby – Melissa Kuhns – Ashley – Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Kevin Marcelo – James – Michael – Jeff – Dan Cutter – Joseph Romero – Ol Parker – John Berry – Danielle Kriz – Clint McElroy – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Michael York – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Lee R. – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Grettir Asmundarson – Sean Murphy – Randal Vegter – Kellen Steffen – Kaya Woodall – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Alan Maass – Douglas H. Frazer – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Kayla Russell – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Tim Sheehan – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Richard Sneddon – Christian Hessmann – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jeffrey Bean – JRRJ – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Josh Singer – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Donald Mackie – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cbalmain – Angela Livingstone – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Melmaniac – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Caro Field – Dave Sharpe – Naomi Watson – David Alexander – Jeff Patterson – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-08-08

A Song For My Father

39 min

Open

THE APOCALYPSE WERE:
Tony Capuano - Guitar, Lead Vocals
John Shorb - Alto Sax
Gene Meros - Tenor Sax
Greg Novik - Bass, Backing Vocals (guitar on Stormy Monday)
Oggie Hamilton - Drums, Backing Vocals

Featuring The Apocalypse playing:

“Good Good Lovin’” and “Try Me” by James Brown
“Hi-Heel Sneakers" by Tommy Tucker
“The Shadow of Your Smile” by Mandel & Webster
"I Don't Want To Cry" by Dixon/Jackson
“Sack of Woe” by Cannonball Adderley
“Think” by Lowman Pauling
"The Midnight Hour" by Steve Cropper & Wilson Pickett
"Shout" by The Isley Brothers
“Stormy Monday” by Aaron ’T-Bone’ Walker
"Song For My Father” by Horace Silver

ALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED:

“Stainless Soul,” “Wichita Lineman,” and “Watch Your Step” by The New Apocalypse from Stainless Soul, 1969. Listen via Demir Kelebek on YouTube

"Moanin" by Bobby Timmons recorded by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers on Moanin', 1959

Excerpt from Hot Rod Hulbert's WWIN Show via RadioMaven77

The Herald Times obituary for Ogden Hamilton

The Baltimore Sun obituary for Greg Novik

“Greg’s Goodbye” by Leah Erskin for Baltimore Magazine, 2017

--------------------

JULY 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Melissa Lucas – Thomas McIlheran – Andy – Lisa Crotty – Rick Keeler – Elizabeth Culver – Robyn Metcalfe – Cesar – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Jay Swartz – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Dave Florey

JULY 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Freddy Freeman – Adam Clark – Stephen – Brendan McLeod – Zach Putnam – Ian Karmel – Steve B. – Worcester – Jim – Jez – Alex Miller – Lottie Aron – RsP – Michael Wisnosky – Brian Rinckenberger – Dan Elias – Hidden Jester – Betsy Barre – Ian Steding – Margaret McReynolds – Alison Dugan – Princess of Whales – Dave Douglass – Suzanne Crawford – PhantomMare – Kym Griffith – Rachel – Aruni Jayatilleke – TB – Daniel Kaberon – Wiggy Hash – Whit Sidener – Julie Kellman – Simon Hellman – Bea – Claudia Carty – Dani – Glenn Jackson – Christopher Selby Spink – Philip Kelly – Daniel Nervo – Kevin Stafford – Lawrence – Sy Jacobs – Irritable – Ian Pidd – Andrew Hofer – Jordan Gatenby – Melissa Kuhns – Ashley – Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Kevin Marcelo – James – Michael – Jeff – Dan Cutter – Joseph Romero – Ol Parker – John Berry – Danielle Kriz – Clint McElroy – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Michael York – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Lee R. – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Grettir Asmundarson – Sean Murphy – Randal Vegter – Kellen Steffen – Kaya Woodall – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Alan Maass – Douglas H. Frazer – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Kayla Russell – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Tim Sheehan – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Richard Sneddon – Christian Hessmann – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jeffrey Bean – JRRJ – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Josh Singer – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Donald Mackie – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cbalmain – Angela Livingstone – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Melmaniac – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Caro Field – Dave Sharpe – Naomi Watson – David Alexander – Jeff Patterson – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-07-11

"Lean On Me" by Bill Withers

58 min

Open

For the Season Seven finale, Kirk takes a look at Bill Withers' enduring hit "Lean On Me." In the process, he takes a broader look at a bunch of Withers' other most famous songs to better understand how this plainspoken, seemingly ordinary guy managed to write so many extraordinary songs.

Written by: Bill Withers

Album: Still Bill, 1972

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

“Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Grandma’s Hands” by Bill Withers from Just As I Am, 1971
“Lonely Town, Lonely Street,” “Let Me In Your Life,” and “Use Me,” by Bill Withers, and “Who Is He (And What Is He To You)” by Bill Withers/Stan McKenny from Still Bill, 1972
“Lovely Day” by Bill Withers and Skip Scarborough, 1977
“Just The Two of Us” by Bill Withers, William Salter, and Ralph MacDonald, recorded by Grover Washington Jr., 1981
“The Way” by Meshell Ndegeocello and “Who Is He (And What Is He To You)” recorded by Ndegeocello on Peace Beyond Passion, 1996
Excerpts from Live at Carnegie Hall, released 1972
Excerpts from the 2010 documentary “Still Bill,” dir. Damani Baker and Alex Vlack
2004 Songfacts interview w/ Withers
Withers' 2015 Rock Hall of Fame acceptance speech
Record needle sound via Sounds Recorded

--------------------

JUNE 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Thomas McIlheran – Andy – Lisa Crotty – Rick Keeler – Elizabeth Culver – Meryl Allison – Robyn Metcalfe – Cesar – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Jay Swartz – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Dave Florey

JUNE 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Ian Steding – Margaret McReynolds – Alison Dugan – Princess of Whales – Dave Douglass – Suzanne Crawford – PhantomMare – Kym Griffith – Rachel – Aruni Jayatilleke – Ryan Gillen – TB – Daniel Kaberon – Wiggy Hash – Whit Sidener – Julie Kellman – Simon Hellman – Bea – Claudia Carty – Dani – Glenn Jackson – Christopher Selby Spink – Philip Kelly – Daniel Nervo – Kevin Stafford – Lawrence – Sy Jacobs – Irritable – Ian Pidd – Andrew Hofer – Jordan Gatenby – Melissa Kuhns – Ashley – Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Kevin Marcelo – Samantha Coates – James – Jeff – Dan Cutter – Joseph Romero – Ol Parker – John Berry – Danielle Kriz – Clint McElroy – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Lee R. – Callum Webb – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Grettir Asmundarson – Sean Murphy – Randal Vegter – Kellen Steffen – Kaya Woodall – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Alan Maass – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Kayla Russell – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Tim Sheehan – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Richard Sneddon – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jeffrey Bean – JRRJ – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Donald Mackie – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cbalmain – Angela Livingstone – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Melmaniac – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Caro Field – Dave Sharpe – Naomi Watson – David Alexander – Jeff Patterson – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-06-27

Bluegrass, Blue Prince, and the Blues

59 min

Open

Kirk answers a bunch of listener questions on topics like bluegrass guitar, the music of Blue Prince, good apps for training theory skills, Robert Fripp's "Frippertronics," a mysterious sound on a Gene Clark song, different types of music notation, and the legacy of the blues. All that, and a trio of terrific singer/songwriters stops by the studio to help answer a question about lyrics.

Come see Triple Click Live! Friday, July 11 at the Alberta Rose Theatre in Portland, OR. Tickets Here

Kirk has new music for sale on Bandcamp: Music For Podcasting and his original score for Arydia: The Paths We Dare Tread

Thanks to The Wailin' Jennys for coming on the show! Stay tuned for a full-length interview episode this summer, and go see them live if you can. They are amazing.

7/27/2025 Update: Several people wrote in with theories about the "Lady of the North" sound, and Kirk has been convinced it's an electric violin.

FEATURED/DISCUSSED:

“White Trash Wedding” by The Chicks from Home, 2002
A live performance of “White Trash Wedding”
“Simon’s Theme” by Trigg & Gusset from the Blue Prince original soundtrack, 2025
Kirk’s recent essay about Blue Prince and music
Two good free music sites: musictheory.net and muted.io
“What Am I Here For” by Jade Bird from Something American - EP, 2017
“Across The Sea” by The Wailin’ Jennys from Bright Morning Stars, 2011
“Lady of the North” by Gene Clark from No Other, 1974
Bass legend Lee Sklar on YouTube
Mark Lager's 2024 No Other retrospective in Under The Radar Magazine
The terrific Wonder of Stevie podcast
Tantacrul’s tremendous video about the history of music notation
“Hammond Song” by The Roaches, 1979
Chords of Orion video explaining and re-creating Frippertronics
“The Heavenly Music Corporation II” by Robert Fripp and Brian Eno from No Pussyfooting, 1973
“St. James Infirmary” rec. Joseph “King” Oliver, 1930
“Cross Road Blues” rec. Robert Johnson, ~193x
“Down Hearted Blues” rec. Bessie Smith, 1929
Two versions of "Wedding Song" by Anaïs Mitchell from Hadestown, 2018
Kirk’s essay about musical creation and “The Spark”

OUTRO SOLO: Rob Reich, prolific bay area multi-instrumentalist, died unexpectedly a few weeks ago at the age of 47. It's an unfathomable loss. Rob recorded an outro solo for Strong Songs back in its very first year, so we're including it in this episode as a tribute to him and his generous musical spirit. Read more about Rob here.

--------------------

JUNE 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Thomas McIlheran – Andy – Lisa Crotty – Rick Keeler – Elizabeth Culver – Meryl Allison – Robyn Metcalfe – Cesar – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Jay Swartz – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Dave Florey

JUNE 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Ian Steding – Margaret McReynolds – Alison Dugan – Princess of Whales – Dave Douglass – Suzanne Crawford – PhantomMare – Kym Griffith – Rachel – Aruni Jayatilleke – Ryan Gillen – TB – Daniel Kaberon – Wiggy Hash – Whit Sidener – Julie Kellman – Simon Hellman – Bea – Claudia Carty – Dani – Glenn Jackson – Christopher Selby Spink – Philip Kelly – Daniel Nervo – Kevin Stafford – Lawrence – Sy Jacobs – Irritable – Ian Pidd – Andrew Hofer – Jordan Gatenby – Melissa Kuhns – Ashley – Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Kevin Marcelo – Samantha Coates – James – Jeff – Dan Cutter – Joseph Romero – Ol Parker – John Berry – Danielle Kriz – Clint McElroy – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Lee R. – Callum Webb – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Grettir Asmundarson – Sean Murphy – Randal Vegter – Kellen Steffen – Kaya Woodall – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Alan Maass – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Kayla Russell – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Tim Sheehan – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Richard Sneddon – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jeffrey Bean – JRRJ – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Donald Mackie – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cbalmain – Angela Livingstone – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Melmaniac – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Caro Field – Dave Sharpe – Naomi Watson – David Alexander – Jeff Patterson – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-06-13

"Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" by The Police

60 min

Open

In 1981, Sting brought a demo of a song he'd been working on down to AIR Studios in Montserrat to see what his bandmates thought of it... and they wound up keeping the demo and just recording their parts on top. The result was "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," an unusual Police song, but an enduring hit.

On this episode, Kirk goes deep on every aspect of Sting's exuberant yet frustrated love song, unearthing the magic that lives in each piece of the music. This episode's subject was chosen by the Patrons of Strong Songs, who vote each season to pick one of the artists Kirk will cover on the upcoming season. If you'd like to vote on an artist for Season Eight, go sign up!

Written by: Sting

Featuring: Stewart Copeland, drums; Andy Summers, guitar; Jean Roussel, piano & keys

Album: Ghost in the Machine, 1981

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

MTV: The Making of Ghosts in the Machine w/ Jools Holland, 1982
Revolver Magazine interview feature with the band, 2000
Stewart Copeland talks about his approach to drumming
“Invisible Sun” and “Hungry For You” by The Police from Ghost in the Machine, 1981
“Every Breath You Take” and "O My God" by The Police from Synchronicity, 1983
“Message In A Bottle” and “Walking On The Moon” by The Police from Reggatta de Blanc, 1979
“One Love / People Get Ready” by Bob Marley and the Wailers, 1965
"Seven Days" by Sting from Ten Summoner's Tales, 1993
“Deep Note” (The THX Sound) by James Morrer, 1982

--------------------

MAY 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Andy – Lisa Crotty – Elizabeth Culver – Meryl Allison – Robyn Metcalfe – Cesar – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Jay Swartz – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Dave Florey

MAY 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Roger Yoon – Alison Dugan – Princess of Whales – Dave Douglass – Suzanne Crawford – PhantomMare – Kym Griffith – Rachel – Aruni Jayatilleke – Ryan Gillen – TB – Daniel Kaberon – Wiggy Hash – Whit Sidener – Julie Kellman – Simon Hellman – Bea – Claudia Carty – Dani – Glenn Jackson – Christopher Selby Spink – Philip Kelly – Daniel Nervo – Kevin Stafford – Rick Keeler – Lawrence – Sy Jacobs – Irritable – Ian Pidd – Andrew Hofer – Jordan Gatenby – Melissa Kuhns – Ashley – Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Kevin Marcelo – Samantha Coates – James – Jeff – Dan Cutter – Joseph Romero – Ol Parker – John Berry – Danielle Kriz – Clint McElroy – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Lee R. – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Grettir Asmundarson – Sean Murphy – Randal Vegter – Kellen Steffen – Kaya Woodall – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Alan Maass – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Kayla Russell – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Tim Sheehan – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Richard Sneddon – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jeffrey Bean – JRRJ – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cbalmain – Angela Livingstone – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Melmaniac – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Caro Field – Dave Sharpe – Naomi Watson – David Alexander – Jeff Patterson – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-05-30

"All The Things You Are" by Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein II

59 min

Open

The jazz standard "All The Things You Are" has been performed countless times by master jazz vocalists, 30s big bands, bebop small groups, hard-bop combos, modern deconstructionists, and even soon-to-be Kings of Pop. On this episode, Kirk takes listeners through the history of the now-famous tune, from its humble Broadway origins all the way to his recording studio in Portland, where he and some friends recorded an all-new arrangement just for Strong Songs.

Music/Lyrics: Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein II

Versions Featured:

Broadway Original Cast Recording of "Very Warm for May," - 1939
Tommy Dorsey and His Orchestra, feat. Jack Leonard, 1939
Artie Shaw w/ Hellen Forrest, 1939
Dizzy Gillespie w/ Charlie Parker, 1945
Johnny Griffin w/ Hank Mobley, John Coltrane, Lee Morgan, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Art Blakey on A Blowing Session, 1957
Ella Fitzgerald from Sings the Jerome Kern Songbook, 1963
Michael Jackson, 1973
Sonny Rollins w/ Coleman Hawkins from Sonny Meets Hawk!, 1963
Bill Evans w/ Chuck Israels, bass, and Larry Bunker, drums at Shelly’s Mane-Hole, 1963
Keith Jarrett Trio, from Standards, Vol.1, 1983
Brad Mehldau Trio, from Art of the Trio 4, 1999
Jim Hall & Pat Metheney, 1999

Strong Songs Version Featuring:

Kirk Hamilton, tenor sax
Andrew Oliver, keyboard
Scott Pemberton, guitar
Sam Howard, bass
Tyson Stubelek, drums

The "All The Things You Are" Playlist:
Spotify | Apple | YouTube Music

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

The Jazz Standards: A Guide To The Repertoire by Ted Gioia, 2012
The terrific 99% Invisible episode about The Real Book
“Autumn Leaves” by Joseph Kosma as recorded by Cannonball Adderley and Miles Davis on Somethin’ Else, 1958
“Pennies From Heaven” by Johnston and Burke, recorded by Stan Getz with the Oscar Peterson Trio, 1957
“Bye Bye Blackbird” by Henderson/Dixon, recorded by Miles Davis on ‘Round About Midnight, 1957
“All Of Me” by Marks and Simons, played by Charlie Parker, Lennie Tristano and Kenny Clarke, 1951
“I Got Rhythm” by George Gershwin, recorded by Sonny Stitt on The Hard Swing, 1961
Rachmaninoff: Prelude in C-Sharp Minor, performed by Jason Minnis, 2011
“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John, 1973
“Bird of Paradise,” recorded by Charlie Parker w/ Howard McGhee, Tpt. on The Complete Dial Recordings, Feb 1947
“Prince Albert” recorded by Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers (Mobley, Dorham, Watkins, Silver) live at Cafe Bohemia, 1955
“Poinciana” by Simon/Bernier recorded by Amhad Jamal Live At The Pershing, 1958

--------------------

MAY 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Andy – Lisa Crotty – Elizabeth Culver – Meryl Allison – Robyn Metcalfe – Cesar – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Jay Swartz – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Dave Florey

MAY 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Roger Yoon – Alison Dugan – Princess of Whales – Dave Douglass – Suzanne Crawford – PhantomMare – Kym Griffith – Rachel – Aruni Jayatilleke – Ryan Gillen – TB – Daniel Kaberon – Wiggy Hash – Whit Sidener – Julie Kellman – Simon Hellman – Bea – Claudia Carty – Dani – Glenn Jackson – Christopher Selby Spink – Philip Kelly – Daniel Nervo – Kevin Stafford – Rick Keeler – Lawrence – Sy Jacobs – Irritable – Ian Pidd – Andrew Hofer – Jordan Gatenby – Melissa Kuhns – Ashley – Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Kevin Marcelo – Samantha Coates – James – Jeff – Dan Cutter – Joseph Romero – Ol Parker – John Berry – Danielle Kriz – Clint McElroy – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Lee R. – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Grettir Asmundarson – Sean Murphy – Randal Vegter – Kellen Steffen – Kaya Woodall – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Alan Maass – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Kayla Russell – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Tim Sheehan – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Richard Sneddon – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jeffrey Bean – JRRJ – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cbalmain – Angela Livingstone – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Melmaniac – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Caro Field – Dave Sharpe – Naomi Watson – David Alexander – Jeff Patterson – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-05-16

"Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Jim Steinman and Bonnie Tyler

60 min

Open

Turn around... every now and then I get a little lonely and the snare is sounding small
Turn around... every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of sleigh bells
Turn around... every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the cannons will not fire
Turn around...

...every now and then Kirk decides to take on a classic 80s power ballad, and winds up learning a thing or two about when to use castanets and how to pull off an elegant key change. (Are you still singing along? Wow.)

Written and Produced by: Jim Steinman

Featuring: Bonnie Tyler and Rory Dodd, co-lead vocals

Album: Faster than the Speed of Night, 1983

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

The "Literal Version" of the Total Eclipse music video
Warren Huart's terrific "Produce Like a Pro" article and video about the song
“Lost in France” and “More Than a Lover” by Bonnie Tyler from The World Starts Tonight, 1977
“Bat Out of Hell” and “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” by Jim Steinman as sung by Meat Loaf and Ellen Foley on Bat Out of Hell, 1977
“Making Love Out Of Nothing At All” by Jim Steinman and recorded by Air Supply, 1983
‘One-Hit Wonder’ Bonnie Tyler Resumes Her Singing Career with a ‘Total Eclipse’ of the Charts, People Magazine, November 1983
“For Those About To Rock, (We Salute You)” by AC/DC, 1981
Tchaikovsky’s “1812 Overture” by the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukrane, 2005

--------------------

APRIL 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Andy – Lisa Crotty – Elizabeth Culver – Meryl Allison – Robyn Metcalfe – Cesar – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Jay Swartz – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Dave Florey

APRIL 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Dave Douglass – Suzanne Crawford – PhantomMare – Kym Griffith – Rachel – Aruni Jayatilleke – Ryan Gillen – Terry Auvenshine – TB – Daniel Kaberon – Wiggy Hash – Whit Sidener – Julie Kellman – Simon Hellman – Bea – Claudia Carty – Dani – Glenn Jackson – Christopher Selby Spink – Philip Kelly – Daniel Nervo – Kevin Stafford – Lawrence – Sy Jacobs – Irritable – Ian Pidd – Andrew Hofer – Jordan Gatenby – Melissa Kuhns – Ashley – Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Kevin Marcelo – Samantha Coates – James – Jeff – Dan Cutter – Joseph Romero – Ol Parker – John Berry – Danielle Kriz – Clint McElroy – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Lee R. – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Grettir Asmundarson – Sean Murphy – Randal Vegter – Kellen Steffen – Kaya Woodall – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Alan Maass – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Tim Sheehan – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Richard Sneddon – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jeffrey Bean – JRRJ – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cbalmain – Angela Livingstone – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Geoff Golden – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Melmaniac – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Caro Field – Dave Sharpe – Naomi Watson – David Alexander – Adam Georgandis – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-05-02

Bluey, Background Jazz, and the 'Best' Metal Guitar Solo

68 min

Open

How should you count The Police's "Bed's Too Big Without You?" Why do so many people revere Marty Friedman's solo on Megadeth's "Tornado of Souls"? What's going on with those pauses during the Bluey theme? And what the heck is that sound on Sly and the Family Stone's "Sex Machine"? Those questions and many more on the first mailbag episode of Season Seven.

Thanks to Nevada Jones (voice) and Scott Pemberton (guitar) for their expert contributions!

REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"Bed's Too Big Without You" by The Police from The Police, 1979
"Thirty One" by Lydian Collective from Adventure, 2018
"4K Cozy Coffee Shop with Smooth Piano Jazz Music for Relaxing, Studying and Working" on YouTube
Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playbook by Liz Pelly, 2025, and a Harper's excerpt about Spotify's "Perfect Fit Content" initiative
"Executive Blend," "Funky Fanfare," by Keith Mansfield, and "Organ Mania" by Keith Mansfield and Alan Hawkshaw from KPM 1000 Series, Vol. 1
"Tornado of Souls" by Megadeth from Rust in Peace, 1990
"Sex Machine" by Sly and the Family Stone from Stand!, 1969
"Show Me The Way" by Peter Frampton from Frampton, 1974
"Bluey Theme" by Joff Bush
"The Organic Sound of Bluey, with Sound Designer Dan Brumm" - Twenty Thousand Hertz
Demonstration of the Kustom Electronics Bag Talkbox

--------------------

APRIL 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Andy – Lisa Crotty – Elizabeth Culver – Meryl Allison – Robyn Metcalfe – Cesar – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Jay Swartz – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Dave Florey

APRIL 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Dave Douglass – Suzanne Crawford – PhantomMare – Kym Griffith – Rachel – Aruni Jayatilleke – Ryan Gillen – Terry Auvenshine – TB – Daniel Kaberon – Wiggy Hash – Whit Sidener – Julie Kellman – Simon Hellman – Bea – Claudia Carty – Dani – Glenn Jackson – Christopher Selby Spink – Philip Kelly – Daniel Nervo – Kevin Stafford – Lawrence – Sy Jacobs – Irritable – Ian Pidd – Andrew Hofer – Jordan Gatenby – Melissa Kuhns – Ashley – Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Kevin Marcelo – Samantha Coates – James – Jeff – Dan Cutter – Joseph Romero – Ol Parker – John Berry – Danielle Kriz – Clint McElroy – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Lee R. – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Grettir Asmundarson – Sean Murphy – Randal Vegter – Kellen Steffen – Kaya Woodall – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Alan Maass – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Tim Sheehan – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Richard Sneddon – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jeffrey Bean – JRRJ – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cbalmain – Angela Livingstone – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Geoff Golden – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Melmaniac – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Caro Field – Dave Sharpe – Naomi Watson – David Alexander – Adam Georgandis – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-04-18

The Music of the Muppets

63 min

Open

Kirk pays a visit the musical world of The Muppets, from their Sesame Street origins in the 60s to the globe-hopping, cinematic heights of the 70s and 80s, with plenty of detours along the way.

FEATURING:

"Sesame Street Theme" by Joe Raposo, Jon Stone, and Bruce Hart

"Mah Na Mah Na" by Piero Umilliani from Sweden: Heaven and Hell

"Pinball Number Count" by Walt Kraemer and Ed Bogas, feat. The Pointer Sisters

"Rainbow Connection" by Paul Williams (Lyrics) and William Ascher (Music), sung by Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" by Josef Zawinul from Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (Live at 'the Club'), Cannonball Adderley Quintet, 1966
"Sesame Street Theme" performed by Gladys Knight and the Pips
"Sesame Street Theme" arr. Dennis DiBlasio for Maynard Ferguson on Storm, 1982
"Bein' Green," "'C' is for Cookie," "Happiness Hotel," and "Sing" by Joe Raposo
Rowlf (<3) and Kermit pitch Sesame Street in 1968
"Mah Nah Mah Na" on Sesame Street, 1969
... and on The Muppet Show, 1976
"Groovin' High" by Dizzy Gillespie, recorded w/ Charlie Parker and Slam Stewart, 1945
A letter from Walt Kraemer on the writing and recording of "Pinball Number Count"
"The Neutron Dance" by Allee Willis and Danny Sembello recorded by The Pointer Sisters on Break Out, 1983
"Red Clay" by Freddie Hubbard from Red Clay, 1970
"The Muppet Show Theme" by Jim Henson and Sam Pottle
Buddy Rich vs. Animal drum battle from The Muppet Show, 1981

PINBALL NUMBER COUNT CHEAT SHEET

Intro:
4 + 3 + 4 + 3

Verse:
4 + 4 + 3 + 3
4 + 4 + 3
4 + 4 + 4 + 3
4 + 4 + 4 + 5

Solos:
In regular 4/4, with a bar of 5 at the very end

--------------------

APRIL 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Andy – Lisa Crotty – Elizabeth Culver – Meryl Allison – Robyn Metcalfe – Cesar – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Jay Swartz – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Dave Florey

APRIL 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Dave Douglass – Suzanne Crawford – PhantomMare – Kym Griffith – Rachel – Aruni Jayatilleke – Ryan Gillen – Terry Auvenshine – TB – Daniel Kaberon – Wiggy Hash – Whit Sidener – Julie Kellman – Simon Hellman – Bea – Claudia Carty – Dani – Glenn Jackson – Christopher Selby Spink – Philip Kelly – Daniel Nervo – Kevin Stafford – Lawrence – Sy Jacobs – Irritable – Ian Pidd – Andrew Hofer – Jordan Gatenby – Melissa Kuhns – Ashley – Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Kevin Marcelo – Samantha Coates – James – Jeff – Dan Cutter – Joseph Romero – Ol Parker – John Berry – Danielle Kriz – Clint McElroy – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Lee R. – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Grettir Asmundarson – Sean Murphy – Randal Vegter – Kellen Steffen – Kaya Woodall – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Alan Maass – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Tim Sheehan – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Richard Sneddon – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jeffrey Bean – JRRJ – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cbalmain – Angela Livingstone – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Geoff Golden – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Melmaniac – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Caro Field – Dave Sharpe – Naomi Watson – David Alexander – Adam Georgandis – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-04-04

"Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)" by The Mars Volta

59 min

Open

Kirk digs into one of the most dense and challenging records in his collection, with an analysis of "Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)" from The Mars Volta's 2003 progressive rock opus De-Loused in the Comatorium.

Written by: Omar Rodríguez-López, Cedric Bixler-Zavala, and Jeremy Ward

Produced by: Omar Rodríguez-López & Rick Rubin

Album: De-Loused in the Comatorium, 2003

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

Excerpts from Omar and Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird (2023, dir. Nicolas Jack Davies)
"One Armed Scissor" by At the Drive-In from Relationship of Command, 2000
Excerpts from The Mars Volta's 2002 demo from Landscape Tantrums, and their 2001 first demo
Episode photo by Robin Laananen

--------------------

MARCH 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Andy – Lisa Crotty – Elizabeth Culver – Meryl Allison – Robyn Metcalfe – Cesar – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Jay Swartz – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Dave Florey

MARCH 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Rachel – Aruni Jayatilleke – Ryan Gillen – Terry Auvenshine – TB – Daniel Kaberon – Wiggy Hash – Whit Sidener – Julie Kellman – Simon Hellman – Bea – Claudia Carty – Dani – Glenn Jackson – Christopher Selby Spink – Philip Kelly – Daniel Nervo – Kevin Stafford – Lawrence – Sy Jacobs – Irritable – Ian Pidd – Andrew Hofer – Jordan Gatenby – Melissa Kuhns – Ashley – Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Kevin Marcelo – Samantha Coates – James – Mark Nadasdi – Jeff – Dan Cutter – Joseph Romero – Ol Parker – John Berry – Danielle Kriz – Clint McElroy – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Matt Schoenthal – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Lee R. – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Grettir Asmundarson – Sean Murphy – Randal Vegter – Kellen Steffen – Kaya Woodall – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Alan Maass – Nick Galloway – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Tim Sheehan – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Richard Sneddon – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jeffrey Bean – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cbalmain – Angela Livingstone – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Geoff Golden – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Melmaniac – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Caro Field – Dave Sharpe – Naomi Watson – David Alexander – Adam Georgandis – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-03-21

"Fast As You Can" by Fiona Apple

52 min

Open

Kirk digs into Fiona Apple's breakneck 1999 single "Fast As You Can," a cornerstone in her late 90s collaborations with Jon Brion, as well as her work with drummer Matt Chamberlain.

Written by: Fiona Apple

Produced by: Jon Brion

Album: When The Pawn..., 1999

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

Jon Brion in Performing Songwriter Magazine, 2000
"Criminal" by Fiona Apple from Tidal, 1996
"Tymps (The Sick in the Head Song) by Fiona Apple from Extraordinary Machine, 2005
"Monday" by Jon Brion from I Heart Huckabees, 2004
"Epistrophy" by Thelonious Monk recorded w/ Milt Jackson in 1948
Sound Space Studios demonstrating a Chamberlin keyboard

--------------------

MARCH 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Andy – Lisa Crotty – Elizabeth Culver – Meryl Allison – Robyn Metcalfe – Cesar – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Jay Swartz – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Dave Florey

MARCH 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Rachel – Aruni Jayatilleke – Ryan Gillen – Terry Auvenshine – TB – Daniel Kaberon – Wiggy Hash – Whit Sidener – Julie Kellman – Simon Hellman – Bea – Claudia Carty – Dani – Glenn Jackson – Christopher Selby Spink – Philip Kelly – Daniel Nervo – Kevin Stafford – Lawrence – Sy Jacobs – Irritable – Ian Pidd – Andrew Hofer – Jordan Gatenby – Melissa Kuhns – Ashley – Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Kevin Marcelo – Samantha Coates – James – Mark Nadasdi – Jeff – Dan Cutter – Joseph Romero – Ol Parker – John Berry – Danielle Kriz – Clint McElroy – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Matt Schoenthal – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Lee R. – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Grettir Asmundarson – Sean Murphy – Randal Vegter – Kellen Steffen – Kaya Woodall – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Alan Maass – Nick Galloway – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Tim Sheehan – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Richard Sneddon – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jeffrey Bean – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cbalmain – Angela Livingstone – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Geoff Golden – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Melmaniac – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Caro Field – Dave Sharpe – Naomi Watson – David Alexander – Adam Georgandis – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-03-07

"Where The Streets Have No Name" and "With Or Without You" by U2

59 min

Open

Strong Songs Season Seven kicks off with two of the most famous songs ever recorded, from one of the biggest bands in the world. U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name" and "With or Without You" make up two-thirds of the three-song "suite" of hit singles that kicked off their 1987 album The Joshua Tree. As it turns out, the two songs have a lot to say to one another! They also have a lot to say about how U2 wrote music, and about the beautiful, messy human process of collaborative creativity.

Written by: U2

Produced by: Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois

Album: The Joshua Tree, 1987

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

Classic Albums: The Joshua Tree, 1999, dir. Philip King, Nuala O'Connor
Strong Songs episodes "Rhythm + Harmony = Music," "The Four Electric Guitars," "'In Your Eyes' by Peter Gabriel," and "Wichita Lineman' by Jimmy Webb and Glen Campbell

--------------------

FEBRUARY 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Elizabeth Culver – Meryl Allison – Cesar – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Jay Swartz – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Dave Florey

FEBRUARY 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Wiggy Hash – Whit Sidener – Julie Kellman – Simon Hellman – Bea – Claudia Carty – Dani – Glenn Jackson – Christopher Selby Spink – Philip Kelly – Daniel Nervo – Kevin Stafford – Lawrence – Sy Jacobs – Irritable – Ian Pidd – Andrew Hofer – Jordan Gatenby – Melissa Kuhns – Ashley – Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Kevin Marcelo – Samantha Coates – James – Mark Nadasdi – Jeff – Dan Cutter – Joseph Romero – Ol Parker – John Berry – Danielle Kriz – Clint McElroy – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Matt Schoenthal – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Lee R. – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Grettir Asmundarson – Sean Murphy – Randal Vegter – Kaya Woodall – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Alan Maass – Nick Galloway – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Richard Sneddon – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jeffrey Bean – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cbalmain – Angela Livingstone – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Geoff Golden – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Melmaniac – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Caro Field – Dave Sharpe – Naomi Watson – David Alexander – Adam Georgandis – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-01-31

A Bunch of Great Music Recommendations

36 min

Open

In between seasons, Kirk re-ran a bunch of old episodes and prefaced each one with a new music recommendation. He's taking those down recasts in preparation for season seven, but it seemed like a good idea to put all the music recommendations in one place. So that's what this episode is!

DISCUSSED AND RECOMMENDED:

"The Meadow" by Nickel Creek from Celebrants, 2023
"Chip Monkey" by Kick the Cat from Weirdo, 2002
"Fade to Black" by Howard Levy and Chris Siebold from Art + Adrenaline, 2018
"Disco Snails" and "Hit the Target" by Vulfmon and Theo Katz from Dot, 2024
Various tracks from Delicious in Dungeon, composed by Yasunori Mitsuda and Shunsuke Tsuchiya
"Party" by Ryokushoku Shakai from Party! EP, 2024
Sumika - "Unmei" from Unmei EP, 2024
"Duck Ankles" by David Sanborn from Taking Off, 1975
"Young Americans' by David Bowie (feat. Sanborn) from Young Americans, 1975
"The Night Owl" by Anat Cohen from Quartetinho: Bloom, 2024
"Stranded" by Sierra Hull from Weighted Mind, 2016
"Samba Party" and "Drop D" by Matteo Mancuso from The Journey, 2023
"Nite Crawler" by Larry Carlton from Larry Carlton, 1978

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | Paypal

🏠 HOMEPAGE
strongsongspodcast.com

👚 MERCH
strongsongspodcast.com/store

📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER
newsletter.kirkhamilton.com

📷 SOCIAL MEDIA
Instagram: @Kirk_Hamilton
Bluesky: @kirkhamilton.com

💬 STRONG SONGS DISCORD SERVER
strongsongspodcast.com/discord

🎧 STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTS
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS
kirkhamilton.com/gear

🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC
kirkhamilton.com/music

🎨 SHOW ART
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

--------------------

JANUARY 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Elizabeth Culver
Meryl Allison
Robyn Metcalfe
Cesar
Corpus Frisky
Ben Barron
Catherine Warner
Damon White
Jay Swartz
Rush
Daniel Hannon-Barry
Christopher Miller
Jamie White
Christopher McConnell
David Mascetti
Joe Laska
Ken Hirsh
Melanie Andrich
Jenness Gardner
Nathaniel Bauernfeind
Paul Delaney
Dave Sharpe
Sami Samhuri
Jeremy Dawson
AccessViolation
Dave Florey

JANUARY 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Wiggy Hash
Whit Sidener
Julie Kellman
Simon Hellman
Claudia Carty
Dani
Glenn Jackson
Christopher Selby Spink
Philip Kelly
Daniel Nervo
Kevin Stafford
Lawrence
Sy Jacobs
irritable
Ian Pidd
Andrew Hofer
Jordan Gatenby
Melissa Kuhns
Ashley
SeattleTransAndNonbinary ChoralEnsemble
Kevin Marcelo
Samantha Coates
James
Mark Nadasdi
Jeff
Dan Cutter
Joseph Romero
Ol Parker
John Berry
Danielle Kriz
Clint McElroy
Mordok’s Vape Pen
Inmar Givoni
Michael Singer
Merv Adrian
Joe Gallo
Lauren Knotts
Dave Kolas
Henry Mindlin
Monica St. Angelo
Stephen Wolkwitz
Rand LeShay
Max
eric sp
Matthew Jones
Anthony Mentz
James McMurry
Ethan Laser
Brian John Peter
Chris Remo
Matt Schoenthal
Aaron Wilson
Dent Earl
Carlos Lerner
Misty Haisfield
Abraham Benrubi
Lee R.
Chris Kotarba
Callum Webb
Lynda MacNeil
Dick Morgan
Ben Stein
Grettir Asmundarson
Sean Murphy
Randal Vegter
Kaya Woodall
Robert Granat
dave malloy
Tim Rosenwong
Alan Maass
Nick Galloway
Heather J
john halpin
Peter Harding
David
John Bauman
Martín Salías
Stu Baker
Steve Martino
Dr Arthur A Gray
Carolina
Gary Pierce
Matt Baxter
Luigi Boccia
E Margaret Warton
Charles McGee
Catherine Clause
Ethan Bauman
KenIsWearingAHat
Jordan Block
Aaron Wade
Jeff Ulm
David Futter
Jamie
Deebs
Portland Eye Care
Richard Sneddon
Janice Berry
Doreen Carlson
David McDarby
Wendy Gilchrist
Lisa Turner
Paul Wayper
Miles Forman
Bruno Gaeta
Kenneth Jung
Zak Remer
Rishi Sahay
Jeffrey Bean
Jason Reitman
Ailie Fraser
Rob Tsuk
NATALIE MISTILIS
Josh Singer
Amy Lynn Thornsen
Adam W
Kelli Brockington
Victoria Yu
mino capossela
Steve Paquin
David Joske
Bernard Khoo
Robert Heuer
David Noah
Geraldine Butler
Madeleine Mader
Jason Pratt
Abbie Berg
Doug Belew
Dermot Crowley
Achint Srivastava
Ryan Rairigh
Michael Berman
Linda Duffy
Liz Seger
Eoin de Burca
Kevin Potter
M Shane Borders
Dallas Hockley
Jason Gerry
Nell Morse
Nathan Gouwens
Lauren Reay
Eric Prestemon
cbalmain
Angela Livingstone
Diane Hughes
Michael Casner
Lowell Meyer
Stephen Tsoneff
Joshua Hill
Geoff Golden
Pascal Rueger
Randy Souza
Clare Holberton
Diane Turner
Tom Coleman
Dhu Wik
Melmaniac
Eric Helm
Jonathan Daniels
Caro Field
Naomi Watson
David
Alexander
Chris K
Gavin Doig
Sam Fenn
Tanner Morton
AJ Schuster
Jennifer Bush
David Stroud
Brad Callahan
Amanda Furlotti
Andrew Baker
Andrew Fair
L.B. Morse
Bill Thornton
Brian Amoebas
Brett Douville
Jeffrey Olson
Matt Betzel
Nate from Kalamazoo
Melanie Stivers
Richard Toller
Alexander Polson
Justin McElroy
Arjun Sharma
James Johnson
Kevin Morrell
Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2025-01-03

Remembering Janis Stockhouse, The Great Band Director

56 min

Open

In light of Janis Stockhouse's unexpected death at the tail end of 2024, we're re-posting Kirk's 2019 interview with her for anyone who might want to listen to it.

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.

For more information about Janis and the many tributes and memorials to her, visit The Janis Stockhouse memorial concert website.

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: BENJAMIN CORD

This episode's outro soloist is Benjamin (BJ) Cord, a fellow Bloomington North graduate and fantastic trumpet player based in Portland. Benjamin 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2024-10-04

Rediscovering Stevie Wonder, with Wesley Morris and Josh Gwynn

79 min

Open

Kirk talks with Wesley Morris and Josh Gwynn about the endless world of Stevie Wonder. Morris and Gwynn are host and producer, respectively, of the brilliant new six-part podcast series The Wonder of Stevie.

Check out Josh Gwynn's terrific pop culture podcast Back Issue, Wesley Morris's culture podcast Still Processing, and Morris' essential writing on Aretha Franklin, Jam & Lewis, Meshell Ndegeocello, and his mustache, as well as his 2019 essay about Black American Music.

REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:

"Wild Wild West" by Will Smith, Kool Moe Dee, Rub Fusari, and Stevie Wonder, 1999
"Straight, No Chaser" by Thelonious Monk, recorded 1967
Thelma Golden and Michelle Obama talking about listening to records as kids, from Episode 5 of The Wonder of Stevie

Stevie Wonder Song Excerpts:

"Keep On Running" from Music of My Mind, 1972
"You Are the Sunshine of My Life" from Talking Book, 1972
"Jesus Children of America" from Innervisions, 1973
"Boogie On Reggae Woman" from Fulfillingness' First FInale, 1974
"I Wish," "Sir Duke," and "As," from Songs in the Key of Life, 1976
"Happy Birthday" from Hotter Than July, 1980

--------------------

OCTOBER 2024 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Elizabeth Culver – Meryl Allison – Robyn Metcalfe – Brian Templet – Cesar – Bob Tucker – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Jay Swartz – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Paul Delaney – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Andre Bremer – Dave Florey

OCTOBER 2024 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Lawrence – Sy Jacobs – Irritable – Ian Pidd – Andrew Hofer – Jordan Gatenby – Melissa Kuhns – Ashley – Seattle Trans and Nonbinary Choral Ensemble – Kevin Marcelo – Matt C – Samantha Coates – James – Mark Nadasdi – Jeff – Dan Cutter – Joseph Romero – Ol Parker – John Berry – Danielle Kriz – Clint McElroy – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Suzanne – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Matt Schoenthal – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Chris Kotarba – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Grettir Asmundarson – Sean Murphy – Randal Vegter – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Alan Maass – Nick Galloway – Heather J. – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Richard Sneddon – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jeffrey Bean – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Angela Livingstone – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Geoff Golden – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Melmaniac – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Caro Field – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2024-09-27

Stevie Wonder: Music of My Mind [The Wonder of Stevie]

62 min

Open

A cross-post of the first episode of "The Wonder of Stevie," a new six-part podcast series from Higher Ground and Pineapple Street Studios. It's a great show - find it on Apple, Amazon, Spotify... it's a podcast, you know the deal.

Next week, we'll run a conversation between Kirk, host Wesley Morris, and producer Josh Gwynn all about what they learned making the show, and how they've come to think about Stevie and his music. In the meantime, check out some of Wesley Morris's writing on Aretha Franklin, Jam & Lewis, Meshell Ndegeocello, and his mustache, as well as his essential 2019 essay about Black American Music.

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2024-09-13

Behind the Scenes of Strong Songs [Gig Gab]

68 min

Open

Back in August, Kirk went on Dave Hamilton's music podcast "Gig Gab" to talk about music, Strong Songs, podcasting, and life. It was a fun conversation, and seemed worth republishing here.

You can find the full show notes here, watch a video version here, and can check out Gig Gab at giggabpodcast.com or anywhere you get podcasts.

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

Completions - I Needed Help

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2024-07-12

Post-Season Update, Summer Plans, & Some Music Recs

30 min

Open

An update on what's next now that Season Six is complete, along with some book and music recommendations!

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS

The History of Jazz by Ted Gioia, 3rd edition - 1997, revised 2021

Guitar Zero: The New Musician and the Science of Learning by Gary Marcus, 2012

MUSIC RECOMMENDATION LINKS

Steve Pardo - DOS - (also in Video Game form on Steam)

Ruth Moody - Wanderer

The Onesies - The Onesies Dig With the Wrong Foot

Sheena Ringo - Hiizurutokoro

Adi Oasis - Lotus Glow

St. Vincent - All Born Screaming

Laura Marling - Short Movie (Director's Cut)

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | Paypal

🏠 HOMEPAGE
strongsongspodcast.com

👚 MERCH
strongsongspodcast.com/store

📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER
newsletter.kirkhamilton.com

📷 SOCIAL MEDIA
Instagram: @Kirk_Hamilton
Bluesky: @kirkhamilton.com

💬 STRONG SONGS DISCORD SERVER
strongsongspodcast.com/discord

🎧 STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTS
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS
kirkhamilton.com/gear

🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC
kirkhamilton.com/music

🎨 SHOW ART
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

--------------------

JULY 2024 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Robyn Metcalfe
Brian Templet
Cesar
Bob Tucker
Corpus Frisky
Ben Barron
Catherine Warner
Damon White
Kaya Woodall
Jay Swartz
Miriam Joy
Rush
Daniel Hannon-Barry
Christopher Miller
Jamie White
Christopher McConnell
David Mascetti
Joe Laska
Ken Hirsh
Melanie Andrich
Jenness Gardner
Paul Delaney
Dave Sharpe
Sami Samhuri
Jeremy Dawson
AccessViolation
Andre Bremer
Dave Florey

JULY 2024 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Ashley
The Seattle Trans And Nonbinary Choral Ensemble
Kevin Marcelo
Matt C
Samantha Coates
James
Mark Nadasdi
Jeff
Dan Cutter
Joseph Romero
Ol Parker
John Berry
Danielle Kriz
Michael York
Clint McElroy
Mordok’s Vape Pen
Inmar Givoni
Michael Singer
Merv Adrian
Joe Gallo
Lauren Knotts
Dave Kolas
Henry Mindlin
Monica St. Angelo
Stephen Wolkwitz
Suzanne
Rand LeShay
Max
eric sp
Matthew Jones
Thomas
Anthony Mentz
James McMurry
Ethan Laser
Brian John Peter
Chris Remo
Matt Schoenthal
Aaron Wilson
Dent Earl
Carlos Lerner
Misty Haisfield
Abraham Benrubi
Chris Kotarba
Callum Webb
Lynda MacNeil
Dick Morgan
Ben Stein
Susan Green
Grettir Asmundarson
Sean Murphy
Alan Brough
Randal Vegter
Go Birds!
Robert Granat
dave malloy
Nick Galloway
Heather J
john halpin
Peter Harding
David
John Bauman
Martín Salías
Stu Baker
Steve Martino
Dr Arthur A Gray
Carolina
Gary Pierce
Matt Baxter
Luigi Boccia
E Margaret Warton
Charles McGee
Catherine Clause
Ethan Bauman
KenIsWearingAHat
Jordan Block
Aaron Wade
Jeff Ulm
David Futter
Jamie
Deebs
Portland Eye Care
Richard Sneddon
Cliff Whitlock
Janice Berry
Doreen Carlson
David McDarby
Wendy Gilchrist
Elliot Rosen
Lisa Turner
Paul Wayper
Miles Forman
Bruno Gaeta
Kenneth Jung
Adam Stofsky
Zak Remer
Rishi Sahay
Jeffrey Bean
Jason Reitman
Ailie Fraser
Rob Tsuk
NATALIE MISTILIS
Josh Singer
Amy Lynn Thornsen
Adam W
Kelli Brockington
Victoria Yu
mino capossela
Steve Paquin
David Joske
Bernard Khoo
Robert Heuer
David Noah
Geraldine Butler
Madeleine Mader
Jason Pratt
Abbie Berg
Doug Belew
Dermot Crowley
Achint Srivastava
Ryan Rairigh
Michael Berman
Linda Duffy
Bonnie Prinsen
Liz Seger
Eoin de Burca
Kevin Potter
M Shane Borders
Dallas Hockley
Jason Gerry
Nell Morse
Nathan Gouwens
Lauren Reay
Eric Prestemon
Cookies250
Damian Brady
Angela Livingstone
Diane Hughes
Michael Casner
Lowell Meyer
Stephen Tsoneff
Joshua Hill
Geoff Golden
Pascal Rueger
Randy Souza
Clare Holberton
Diane Turner
Tom Coleman
Dhu Wik
Melmaniac
Eric Helm
Jonathan Daniels
Michael Flaherty
Caro Field
michael bochner
Naomi Watson
David Cushman
Alexander
Chris K
Gavin Doig
Sam Fenn
Tanner Morton
AJ Schuster
Jennifer Bush
David Stroud
Brad Callahan
Amanda Furlotti
Andrew Baker
Andrew Fair
L.B. Morse
Bill Thornton
Brian Amoebas
Brett Douville
Jeffrey Olson
Matt Betzel
Nate from Kalamazoo
Melanie Stivers
Richard Toller
Alexander Polson
Earl Lozada
Justin McElroy
Arjun Sharma
James Johnson
Kevin Morrell
Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2024-06-28

"Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen

60 min

Open

In the season six finale, Kirk takes a deep dive into Bruce Springsteen's signature song, 1975's "Born to Run." It's all here: tremolo guitar riffs, glockenspiel arpeggios, endless sus chords, and a sax solo for the ages. Baby, we were born for it.

Written by: Bruce Springsteen

Produced by: Springsteen, John Landau, and Mike Appel

Album: Born to Run, 1975

Listen/Buy via Lynkify

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"Tenth Avenue Freeze Out" and "Thunder Road" from Born to Run, 1975
Born to Run live at Madison Square Garden, 2000, and live in Belfast, 2024
Wings for Wheels: The Making of Born to Run, 2005
Bruce Springsteen: All The Songs: The Story Behind Every Track by Jean-Michel Guesdon and Philippe Margotin

--------------------

JUNE 2024 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Robyn Metcalfe – Brian Templet – Cesar – Bob Tucker – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Paul Delaney – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Andre Bremer – Dave Florey

JUNE 2024 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Samantha Coates – James – Mark Nadasdi – Jeff – Dan Cutter – Joseph Romero – Ol Parker – John Berry – Danielle Kriz – Michael York – Clint McElroy – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Suzanne – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Matt Schoenthal – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Chris Kotarba – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Grettir Asmundarson – Sean Murphy – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Nick Galloway – Heather J. – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Richard Sneddon – Cliff Whitlock – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jeffrey Bean – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Geoff Golden – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Melmaniac – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2024-06-14

Summer Synths, Fluteception, and "The Diablo Chord"

64 min

Open

As Season Six draws to a close, Kirk opens up the Strong Songs mailbag to answer a bunch of listener questions on topics ranging from Diablo's use of lydian to what he means when he talks about "transcribing."

REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"Tristram" by Matt Uelman from Diablo, 1997
"Blast Inc. (feat. Jorgen Munkeby)" by Haunted Shores from Viscera, 2015
"One Down, One Up" by John Coltrane from New Thing at Newport, 1965
"Heart of Glass" by Debbie Harry and Chris Stein as recorded by Miley Cyrus in 2020
"Respect" by Otis Redding recorded by Aretha Franklin, 1967
"All The Things You Are" by Jerome Kern, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, 1939, and also recorded by the Brad Mehldau Trio in 1999
"Reminiscing" by Little River Band from Sleeper Catcher, 1978
"Flute Loop" by The Beastie Boys from Ill Communication, 1994
"Flute Thing" by The Blues Project from Projections, 1966
"Dream is Collapsing" and "Dream Within a Dream" by Hans Zimmer from Inception, 2010
"Concerto for Flute & Orchestra No. 1 in G Major, I. 313: I. Allegro Maestoso," feat. Sir James Galway
"Kid Charlemagne" by Steely Dan feat. Larry Carlton from The Royal Scam, 1976
"St. Thomas" by Sonny Rollins from Saxophone Colossus, 1956
"Supercell" by King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard from PetroDragonic Apocalypse; or, Dawn of Eternal Night: An Annihilation of Planet Earth and the Beginning of Merciless Damnation , 2023
"Morph" by twenty one pilots from Trench, 2018
"Summertime" by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince from Homebase, 1991
"Summer Love" by Kool and the Gang from Light of Worlds, 1974
"Nuthin' but a 'G' Thang' by Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg from The Chronic, 1992
Doctor Mix explains how to get the "Summer Madness" sound on an ARP 2600
"Ironside" by Quincy Jones as featured in the Kill Bill soundtrack, 2003
"Symphony No. 5 in D Minor, Op. 47: IV. Allegro non troppo" by Dimitri Shostakovich as recorded by the Berlin Philharmonic, 1987
"Time" by Pink Floyd from The Dark Side of the Moon, 1973
"Shit Talk" by Sufjan Stevens from Javelin, 2023

OUTRO SOLOIST: Evan Illouz

Evan is a clinical psychologist in Brooklyn, NY, who's been playing since he was in high school, about 20 years ago.

--------------------

MAY 2024 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Robyn Metcalfe – Brian Templet – Cesar – Bob Tucker – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Paul Delaney – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Andre Bremer – Dave Florey

MAY 2024 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Danielle Kriz – Michael York – Clint McElroy – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Suzanne – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian Johan Peter – Chris Remo – Matt Schoenthal – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Chris Kotarba – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Grettir Asmundarson – Sean Murphy – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Nick Galloway – Heather J. – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Carrie Schneider – Richard Sneddon – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jeffrey Bean – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Geoff Golden – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Mel – D. Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2024-05-31

"Easter Theatre" by XTC

57 min

Open

Stage left! It's time for Strong Songs to talk about XTC. Stage right! Now the song is picked, analysis can begin. Stand up! If we listen close, we'll hear some lovely notes...

On this episode, Kirk takes the stage alongside "Easter Theatre," the first single off of XTC's 1999 experimental symphono-pop album Apple Venus: Vol. 1. Bring on the bassoons and power up the mellotron; we've got some shapes to stack.

Written by: Andy Partridge

Produced by: Haydn Bendall & Nick Davies

Album: Apple Venus Vol. 1, 1999 and Instruvenus, 2002

Listen/Buy via Songwhip

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

“Senses Working Overtime” by Andy Partridge from English Settlement, 1982
“Dear God” by Partridge (eventually) from Skylarking, 1986
“Mayor of Simpleton” from Oranges & Lemons, 1989
“River of Orchids,” “I’d Like That,” “Greenman,” “Frivolous Tonight,” and “Fruit Nut” by XTC from Apple Venus, Vol. 1, 1999
"Easter Theatre (Demo Version)" and "How Easter Theatre Came to Be" released with the UK single, 1999
Partridge’s 1999 Guitar Player interview
Complicated Game: Inside the Songs of XTC by Andy Partridge with Todd Bernhardt
A subsequent behind the song interview published by XTC
“Killer Queen” by Freddie Mercury from Sheer Heart Attack, 1974
“Chicago” by Sufjan Stevens from Illinoise, 2005
“I Will Always Love You” by Dolly Parton as sung by Whitney Houston on The Bodyguard Soundtrack, 1992

--------------------

MAY 2024 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Robyn Metcalfe – Brian Templet – Cesar – Bob Tucker – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Paul Delaney – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Andre Bremer – Dave Florey

MAY 2024 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Danielle Kriz – Michael York – Clint McElroy – Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Suzanne – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian Johan Peter – Chris Remo – Matt Schoenthal – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Chris Kotarba – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Grettir Asmundarson – Sean Murphy – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Nick Galloway – Heather J. – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Carrie Schneider – Richard Sneddon – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jeffrey Bean – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Geoff Golden – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Mel – D. Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2024-05-17

"Limb by Limb" by Phish

59 min

Open

Phish may be known for their 30-minute live jams, but turns out you can distill their best qualities into a song one-tenth that length. To that end, Kirk picks apart and reassembles their 1998 studio recording of "Limb By Limb" in all its polyrhythmic, guitarpeggiated glory.

Music by: Trey Anastasio, with Page McConnell, Mike Gordon & Jon Fishman

Lyrics by: Tom Marshall & Scott Herman

Album: The Story of the Ghost (1998)

Listen/Buy via Songwhip

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"You Enjoy Myself" by Trey Anastasio from Junta, 1989
"The Story of the Ghost" and "Guyute" from The Story of the Ghost, 1998
"Little Wing" by Jimi Hendrix from Axis: Bold as Love, 1967
Excerpts from a 2017 episode of Tom Marshall's "Under The Scales," feat. Scott Herman

--------------------

APRIL 2024 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Robyn Metcalfe – Brian Templet – Cesar – Bob Tucker – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Andre Bremer – Dave Florey

APRIL 2024 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Michael York – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Suzanne – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Matt Schoenthal – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Chris Kotarba – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Sean Murphy – Thirteen71 – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Nick Galloway – Heather J. – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Carrie Schneider – Richard Sneddon – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Wen – Geoff Golden – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Mel – D. Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2024-05-03

"Heart of Glass" by Blondie

56 min

Open

You came, you saw, you voted, and you picked Blondie as Strong Songs' first listener-selected artist! After weighing a number of possible songs to focus on, Kirk decided to go with the 1978 hit that took them from the punk clubs of New York to dance floors around the world.

Wanna pick an artist for Season Seven? Go join the Patreon!

Written by: Deborah Harry and Chris Stein

Produced by: Mike Chapman

Album: Parallel Lines (1978)

Listen/Buy via Songwhip

Special Guests: Katelyn and Laurie Shook, a.k.a. Shook Twins

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"One Way or Another" by Debbie Harry and Nigel Harrison from Parallel Lines, 1978
"Atomic" by Debbie Harry and Jimmy Destri from Eat To The Beat, 1979
"Call Me" by Debbie Harry and Giorgio Moroder, 1980
"I Feel Love" by Donna Summer, Giorgio Moroder, and Pete Bellotte from I Remember Yesterday, 1977
A 2013 Guardian interview with Debbie Harry and Chris Stein on the writing of the song
A 2008 Sound on Sound article detailing the production of Parallel Lines
An interesting 1979 New York Times profile of the band

--------------------

APRIL 2024 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Robyn Metcalfe – Brian Templet – Cesar – Bob Tucker – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Andre Bremer – Dave Florey

APRIL 2024 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Michael York – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Suzanne – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Matt Schoenthal – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Chris Kotarba – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Sean Murphy – Thirteen71 – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Nick Galloway – Heather J. – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Carrie Schneider – Richard Sneddon – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Wen – Geoff Golden – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Mel – D. Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2024-04-19

"The Way" by Meshell Ndegeocello

57 min

Open

Meshell Ndegeocello is: a fearless songwriter, an outrageously funky bassist, and a groundbreaking producer who knows just how to get the most out of each musician she hires. On this episode, Kirk takes a deep dive into "The Way," the second track off of her 1996 record Peace Beyond Passion, and shines a light on some of the things that make her one of the greats.

Written by: Meshell Ndegeocello

Album: Peace Beyond Passion (1996)

Special Guest: Sam Howard

Listen/Buy via Songwhip

ALSO DISCUSSED:

"The Womb," "Ecclesiastes: Free My Heart" "The Way" by Meshell Ndegeocello from Peace Beyond Passion, 1996
"Wild Night" by Van Morrison recorded by John Mellencamp and Meshell Ndegeocello on Dance Naked, 1994
"Who Is He And What Is He To You" by Bill Withers and Stan McKinney from Peace Beyond Passion, 1996
"Birdland" by Weather Report from Heavy Weather, 1977
"Computer Blue" by Prince and the Revolution from Purple Rain, 1984
"Cat Battles" by Joshua Redman from Freedom in the Groove, 1996

--------------------

APRIL 2024 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Robyn Metcalfe – Brian Templet – Cesar – Bob Tucker – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Andre Bremer – Dave Florey

APRIL 2024 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Mordok’s Vape Pen – Inmar Givoni – Michael Singer – Merv Adrian – Joe Gallo – Michael York – Lauren Knotts – Dave Kolas – Henry Mindlin – Monica St. Angelo – Stephen Wolkwitz – Suzanne – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Matt Schoenthal – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Chris Kotarba – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Sean Murphy – Thirteen71 – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Nick Galloway – Heather J. – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – David Futter – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Carrie Schneider – Richard Sneddon – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nell Morse – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Wen – Geoff Golden – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Mel – D. Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Brad Callahan – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2024-04-05

Strong Covers, Vol. 3

57 min

Open

For the third edition of Strong Covers, Kirk takes on two famous covers of two equally famous songs: Jimi Hendrix's 1968 cover of Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower," and The White Stripes' early 2000s cover of Dolly Parton's "Jolene."

Written by: Bob Dylan & Dolly Parton

Albums:
Bob Dylan: John Wesley Harding, 1967 — Jimi Hendrix: Electric Ladyland, 1968
Dolly Parton: Jolene, 1973 — White Stripes: Live Under Blackpool Lights, 2004

Listen/Buy: Watchtower Original | Cover — Jolene Original | Cover

ALSO DISCUSSED:

Covers of "Hallelujah," "Respect," and "Gotta Get You Into My Life" featured on Strong Covers Volume 1 and Volume 2
"All Along the Watchtower" covered by Dave Matthews Band live at the United Center, 1998, and the cast of Battlestar Galactica
"Hey Joe" recorded by Jimi Hendrix, 1967
Nadine Hubbs' essay on Jolene and the "Other Woman Song"
Chip Young interview where he talks about recording the Jolene guitar part
Zac Childs shares the results of his digging into who played which part
Zac Childs' excellent YouTube channel
"Jolene" slowed down via Odinsvlog on Youtube

--------------------

FEBRUARY 2024 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Robyn Metcalfe – Brian Templet – Cesar – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Dan Austin – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Andre Bremer – Dave Florey

FEBRUARY 2024 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Suzanne – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian Johan Peter – Chris Remo – Matt Schoenthal – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Christopher Bruno – Chris Kotarba – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Sean Murphy – Thirteen71 – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Whit Sidener – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Nick Galloway – Heather J. – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Meghan O’Leary – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Carrie Schneider – Richard Sneddon – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Wen – Geoff Golden – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2024-03-22

"Águas de Março (The Waters of March)" by Antônio Carlos Jobim & Elis Regina

56 min

Open

Kirk digs into the work of master composer Antônio Carlos Jobim via his timeless 1974 duet with Elis Regina on his song "Águas de Marçco," known Stateside as "The Waters of March." He's joined by special guest Frederico Barros, Professor of Musicology at Federal University of Rio De Janeiro.

Written by: Antônio Carlos Jobim

Performed by: Jobim and Elis Regina

Album: Elis & Tom (1974)

Listen/Buy via Songwhip

ALSO DISCUSSED:

"The Girl From Ipamena" and "Desefinado" by Tom Jobim from Getz/Gilberto, 1964
"Corcovado (Quiet Night of Quiet Stars)," "Triste," and "Bigras Nunca Mais" by Jobim from Elis & Tom, 1974 and Getz/Gilberto, 1964
"Felicidade" by Jobim recorded by Vince Maggio and Mark Colby from Reunion, 1999
Chega de Saudade by Jobim as recorded by the Dizzy Gillespie Sextet

--------------------

MARCH 2024 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Robyn Metcalfe
Brian Templet
Cesar
Bob Tucker
Corpus Frisky
Ben Barron
Catherine Warner
Damon White
Kaya Woodall
Jay Swartz
Miriam Joy
SEAN D WINNIE
Rush
Daniel Hannon-Barry
Christopher Miller
Jamie White
Christopher McConnell
David Mascetti
Joe Laska
Ken Hirsh
Jez
Melanie Andrich
Jenness Gardner
Dave Sharpe
Sami Samhuri
Jeremy Dawson
AccessViolation
Andre Bremer
Dave Florey

MARCH 2024 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Lauren Knotts
Dave Kolas
Henry Mindlin
Monica St. Angelo
Stephen Wolkwitz
Suzanne
Rand LeShay
Max
eric sp
Matthew Jones
Thomas
Anthony Mentz
James McMurry
Ethan Laser
Brian John Peter
Chris Remo
Matt Schoenthal
Aaron Wilson
Dent Earl
Carlos Lerner
Misty Haisfield
Abraham Benrubi
Christopher Bruno
Chris Kotarba
Callum Webb
Lynda MacNeil
Dick Morgan
Ben Stein
Susan Green
Sean Murphy
Thirteen71
Alan Brough
Randal Vegter
Go Birds!
Robert Granat
dave malloy
Nick Galloway
Heather J
john halpin
Peter Harding
David
John Bauman
Martín Salías
Stu Baker
Steve Martino
Dr Arthur A Gray
Carolina
Gary Pierce
Matt Baxter
Luigi Boccia
E Margaret Warton
Charles McGee
Catherine Clause
Ethan Bauman
KenIsWearingAHat
Jordan Block
Aaron Wade
Jeff Ulm
David Futter
Jamie
Deebs
Portland Eye Care
Carrie Schneider
Richard Sneddon
Doreen Carlson
David McDarby
Wendy Gilchrist
Elliot Rosen
Lisa Turner
Paul Wayper
Bruno Gaeta
Kenneth Jung
Adam Stofsky
Zak Remer
Rishi Sahay
Jason Reitman
Ailie Fraser
Rob Tsuk
NATALIE MISTILIS
Josh Singer
Amy Lynn Thornsen
Adam W
Kelli Brockington
Victoria Yu
mino capossela
Steve Paquin
David Joske
Bernard Khoo
Robert Heuer
David Noah
Geraldine Butler
Madeleine Mader
Jason Pratt
Abbie Berg
Doug Belew
Dermot Crowley
Achint Srivastava
Ryan Rairigh
Michael Berman
Linda Duffy
Bonnie Prinsen
Liz Seger
Eoin de Burca
Kevin Potter
M Shane Borders
Dallas Hockley
Jason Gerry
Nathan Gouwens
Lauren Reay
Eric Prestemon
Cookies250
Damian Brady
Angela Livingstone
Sarah Sulan
Diane Hughes
Michael Casner
Lowell Meyer
Stephen Tsoneff
Joshua Hill
Wen
Geoff Golden
Pascal Rueger
Randy Souza
Clare Holberton
Diane Turner
Tom Coleman
Dhu Wik
Mel D
Eric Helm
Jonathan Daniels
Michael Flaherty
Caro Field
michael bochner
Naomi Watson
David Cushman
Alexander
Chris K
Gavin Doig
Sam Fenn
Tanner Morton
AJ Schuster
Jennifer Bush
David Stroud
Brad Callahan
Amanda Furlotti
Andrew Baker
Andrew Fair
L.B. Morse
Bill Thornton
Brian Amoebas
Brett Douville
Jeffrey Olson
Matt Betzel
Nate from Kalamazoo
Melanie Stivers
Richard Toller
Alexander Polson
Earl Lozada
Justin McElroy
Arjun Sharma
James Johnson
Kevin Morrell
Colin Hodo

--------------------

FRED'S PLAYLIST NOTES:

1 x 0 - traditional choro, Pixinguinha playing sax and sort of inventing “Brazilian counterpoint” - in the second part of this piece, when it modulates to G major, you’ll hear the sax play a rhythmic figure important to Aquarela do Brasil (see below);
Espinha de Bacalhau - choro, played by an orchestra that was created with the aim of playing Brazilian music in the manner of American Big Bands;
O Relógio da Vovó - the Trio Surdina was comprised of musicians who worked at the Radio Nacional (where Jobim would also work as an arranger) and whose compositions and way of playing were fundamental to the development of “modern” Brazilian music - yes, Desafinado!;
Aquarela Brasileira - Radamés Gnattali was an arranger at Radio Nacional and this arrangement of Ary Barroso’s Aquarela do Brasil is kind of an inflexion point - the story is (always) more complicated, but the TL;DR is its importance lies in the use of samba rhythm in the orchestral parts, not only in the percussion section, as was previously usual (attention to the long notes in the melody accompanied by the same chromatic figure played by the tenor sax in 1 x 0 above);
Copacabana - there are two versions of the song here, both sung by Dick Farney (Sinatra’s influence on him is pretty clear). The first one was arranged by Radamés Gnattali and was a huge hit at the turn of the 1940s to the 50s. The song is kind of a symbol of the stylistic change from live music in cassinos (closed by the government in 1948) to small clubs in Copacabana where Bossa Nova and Samba-jazz would eventually be born;
Copacabana (second version) - also sung by Dick Farney, but recorded much later (couldn’t find the exact date) now in complete Bossa style - I thought it could be interesting to be able to compare both versions;
Chega de Saudade - João Gilberto’s 1959 recording of Chega de Saudade. Considered by practically everyone interested in music at that time as sounding absolutely novel and unprecedented: the singing, the lyrics, the arrangement, the guitar playing. Kind of Bossa Nova’s inaugural moment, the song has kind of a choro form and I once saw Jobim say in an interview that he had the idea when he saw his mother’s housemaid singing the choro Sonoroso and he thought something like “well, it seems people can remember a long melody and all these lyrics, after all…”;
Chega de Saudade - following the commentary I made about Chega de Saudade and the choro, here a 1963 version - right in the period where it was all happening - by the old-school mandolinist Jacob do Bandolim;
Estamos Aí - sung here by Leny Andrade in her debut album, totally positioned as “Modern Popular Music”, as they would define it, it shows very clearly the new style that was emerging - the whole scat singing section in the middle is really pointing to jazz and the lyrics talk about Bossa Nova itself;
Rapaz de Bem - Johnny Alf is one of the unsung heroes and precursor of Bossa Nova: the singing, the harmonic language, the compositional aesthetics… it was all there;
Embalo - a typical example of what was called samba-jazz back then;
Influência do Jazz - by one of the early Bossa Nova composers, Carlos Lyra, the song talks about how samba was influenced by jazz in a somewhat ambivalent manner and has acquired sort of a symbolic, manifesto-like status - we hear a younger Elis Regina singing it here, in the famous program/series O Fino da Bossa;
Preconceito - two versions, first Orlando Silva’s old school version (1941), then João Gilberto singing the same song years later (2003) and doing his thing;
Aos Pés da Cruz - one of the classic João Gilberto recordings. I added it to the playlist just because it’s so beautiful;
Elis’ first recording of Águas de Março is interesting because the guitar “levada” is sort of middle ground between the “modern samba” that will be so characteristic of her band’s playing and the more subdivided earlier style of playing samba;
Coisa N. 1 - Moacir Santos was also an arranger (they were called maestros, actually) at Rádio Nacional, where Jobim, Radamés, the Trio Surdina guys and many other important musicians worked. Moacir was the only black maestro of the time and had studied with classically-trained composers like Guerra-Peixe (also a maestro at Rádio Nacional) and H. J. Koellreutter (German composer who fled Germany during the rise of the Nazis and is credited as having introduced dodecaphonism in Brazil). He wrote the “Coisas” (Things) and numbered them as if they were “Opus 1”, “Opus 2” etc. Moacir is an entire chapter in itself and unfortunately one can’t find the original 1966 recording of the Coisas on Spotify, which used practically all important “modern” musicians living in Rio de Janeiro at the time. This recording was made in 2001 with Moacir’s approval and is true to the original arrangement, though the solos were improvised by the musicians;
O Mestre Sala dos Mares - written by Elis’ contemporaries João Bosco and Aldir Blanc, we first listen to Bosco’s recording of this samba, more in the traditional style, with percussion, cavaquinho, 7-string guitar and all, and then Elis’ version with most of the band that recorded Elis & Tom - sorry for insisting with the comparison thing, but I think it’s instructive and it takes a lot of examples to start grasping some subtleties;
É Com Esse Que Eu Vou - first listen to Elis’ version and then the traditional one. This is carnival music, really, and they did this wonderful modern, samba-jazzy version;
Como Nossos Pais - another, arguably as important, side of Elis. From 1976, this is perhaps her most famous recording and serves here to show that her repertoire was considerably wider than samba. People get really moved by this recording (understandably, at least to my Brazilian ears) and despite the stylistic differences, this is also the same core band we hear in Elis & Tom.

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
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🎨 SHOW ART:
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Published 2024-03-08

"Black Hole Sun" by Soundgarden

56 min

Open

Turns out some songs stand on their own, however memorable-slash-horrifying their music video might have been.

Written by: Chris Cornell

Produced by: Michael Beinhorn

Album: Superunknown (1994)

Listen/Buy via Songwhip

ALSO DISCUSSED:

"Spoonman" and "The Day I Tried to Live" by Chris Cornell and Soundgarden from Superunknown, 1994
Kim Thayil interview at Songfacts
Norah Jones' cover of "Black Hole Sun," Live in 2021
"In My Life" by Lennon/McCartney from Rubber Soul, 1965
The 2021 Strong Songs interview with session guitarist Andrew Synowiec
"Tom Sawyer" by Rush from Moving Pictures, 1981

--------------------

FEBRUARY 2024 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Robyn Metcalfe – Brian Templet – Cesar – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Dan Austin – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Andre Bremer – Dave Florey

FEBRUARY 2024 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Suzanne – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian Johan Peter – Chris Remo – Matt Schoenthal – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Christopher Bruno – Chris Kotarba – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Sean Murphy – Thirteen71 – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Whit Sidener – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Nick Galloway – Heather J. – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Meghan O’Leary – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Carrie Schneider – Richard Sneddon – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Wen – Geoff Golden – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
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🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2024-02-23

"In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel

53 min

Open

Strong Songs Season Six kicks off with a widely requested classic: Peter Gabriel's 1986 yearner "In Your Eyes." Because why hire one rhythm section when you can hire two for twice the price?

Written by: Peter Gabriel

Produced by: Daniel Lanois

Album: So (1986)

Listen/Buy via Songwhip

ALSO DISCUSSED:

Rick Beato's Interview with So producer Daniel Lanois
"DIY" by Peter Gabriel from Peter Gabriel 2: Scratch, 1978
"Sledgehammer," "Don't Give Up," and "Big Time" by Gabriel from So, 1986
Kwame Ansah-Brew demonstrates the Talking Drum

--------------------

FEBRUARY 2024 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Robyn Metcalfe – Brian Templet – Cesar – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Dan Austin – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Andre Bremer – Dave Florey

FEBRUARY 2024 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Suzanne – Rand LeShay – Maxeric Sp – Matthew Jones – Thomas – Anthony Mentz – James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian Johan Peter – Chris Remo – Matt Schoenthal – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Christopher Bruno – Chris Kotarba – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Sean Murphy – Thirteen71 – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Whit Sidener – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Nick Galloway – Heather J. – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Meghan O’Leary – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Carrie Schneider – Richard Sneddon – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Wen – Geoff Golden – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2024-02-09

Some Bonus Beatles Covers

27 min

Open

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, 1972
The score video of Cody Fry's arrangement of "Eleanor Rigby"
Bicycle Race by Queen from Jazz, 1972

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2024-01-26

The Genius of Sonny Rollins (and Max Roach)

22 min

Open

(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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2024-01-12

Weird Al For Nothin' And Your Jokes For Free

19 min

Open

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, 1985
A 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2023-12-29

How Clyde Stubblefield Evolved Funk Drumming

22 min

Open

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 Kleiner

Russ 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 Popcorn

2. I Got The Feelin'

3. Cold Sweat

4. Mother Popcorn

5. Funky Drummer

6. Cold Sweat

7. I Got The Feelin'

8. Mother Popcorn

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2023-12-15

The Band: The Last Waltz

65 min

Open

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 Hudson

Directed by: Martin Scorsese

Album: The Last Waltz (1978)

Listen/Buy via Songwhip

ALSO DISCUSSED/REFERENCED:

"The Weight" by Robbie Robertson as covered by The Staple Singers and Aretha Franklin
Studio versions of several songs from the show, featured on The Band (1969) and Northern Lights - Southern Cross, 1975
A 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, OR
The Jeremy Wilson Foundation, helping support local musicians in need

--------------------
DECEMBER 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Brian Templet – Cesar – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Dan Austin – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Andre Bremer – Dave Florey

DECEMBER 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

James McMurry – Ethan Laser – Brian Johan Peter – Chris Remo – Matt Schoenthal – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Christopher Bruno – Chris Kotarba – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Sean Murphy – Jake Yumatilla – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Whit Sidener – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Nick Galloway – Heather Johnson – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Meghan O’Leary – John Bauman – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Carrie Schneider – Richard Sneddon – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Wen – Geoff Golden – Rob F. – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2023-12-01

Phish, Evanescence, and a Taylor Swift Dispute

59 min

Open

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, 2003
Joe Lovono plays the Aulochrome
Pat Metheney plays the Pikasso 42-string Guitar
Matt Glassmeyer and Jano Rix demonstrate the Shuitar
Future 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 Nathan Fake, covered 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, 2015/2023
Elton John plays "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" at Dodger Stadium, 2022
The NIOSH Sound Level Meter App

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

--------------------

NOVEMBER 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Cesar – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Dan Austin – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Andre Bremer – Dave Florey

NOVEMBER 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Matt Schoenthal – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Christopher Bruno – Chris Kotarba – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Sean Murphy – Jake Yumatilla – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Whit Sidener – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Nick Galloway – Heather Johnson – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Meghan O’Leary – John Bauman – Dax and Dane Huddleston – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Carrie Schneider – Richard Sneddon – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Brad Clark – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Wen – Geoff Golden – Rob F. – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2023-11-17

Strong Solos, Vol. 2: Electric Guitar-aloo

64 min

Open

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?, 1967
Larry Carlton's solo on "Kid Charlemagne" by Donald Fagen and Walter Becker (AKA Steely Dan) from The Royal Scam, 1976

OUTRO SOLOIST: Kirk Hamilton

Kirk returns for another outro guitar solo, this time with a few new licks under his belt.

--------------------

NOVEMBER 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Cesar – Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Dan Austin – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Andre Bremer – Dave Florey

NOVEMBER 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Ethan Laser – Brian John Peter – Chris Remo – Matt Schoenthal – Aaron Wilson – Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Christopher Bruno – Chris Kotarba – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Sean Murphy – Jake Yumatilla – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Whit Sidener – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Nick Galloway – Heather Johnson – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Meghan O’Leary – John Bauman – Dax and Dane Huddleston – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Carrie Schneider – Richard Sneddon – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Brad Clark – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Joshua Hill – Wen – Geoff Golden – Rob F. – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2023-11-03

The Music of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

63 min

Open

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 Usui
Original Zelda themes composed by: Koji Kondo

ALSO DISCUSSED/FEATURED

Twenty 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, 1984
Excerpts from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Ocarina of Time, The Wind Waker, Skyward Sword, and Link's Awakening
Super Mario Bros. Theme by Koji Kondo from Super Mario Bros. Odyssey, 2017

OUTRO SOLOIST: Rob Rideout

Rob 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.)

--------------------

OCTOBER 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Dan Austin – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Andre Bremer – Dave Florey

OCTOBER 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Christopher Bruno – Chris Kotarba – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Sean Murphy – Jake Yumatilla – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Whit Sidener – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Nick Galloway – Heather Johnson – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Meghan O’Leary – John Bauman – Dax and Dane Huddleston – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – GiantPredatoryMollusk – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Carrie Schneider – Richard Sneddon – Julian Roleff – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Brad Clark – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Wen – Geoff Golden – Rob F. – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Jules Bailey – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2023-10-27

A Little Extra Zelda

24 min

Open

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 Kondo
Various themes from Crypt of the Necrodancer: Cadence of Hyrule, composed by Danny Baranowski feat Jules Conroy on guitar
Dr. Pez's Ocarina of Time prog album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDH3g6rRjM8
Fantasie-impromptu in C-Sharp" by Frédéric Chopin, 1815, performed by Arthur Rubinstein

--------------------

OCTOBER 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Dan Austin – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Andre Bremer – Dave Florey

OCTOBER 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Christopher Bruno – Chris Kotarba – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Sean Murphy – Jake Yumatilla – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Whit Sidener – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Nick Galloway – Heather Johnson – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Meghan O’Leary – John Bauman – Dax and Dane Huddleston – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – GiantPredatoryMollusk – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Carrie Schneider – Richard Sneddon – Julian Roleff – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Brad Clark – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Wen – Geoff Golden – Rob F. – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Jules Bailey – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2023-10-20

Belle & Sebastian's Very Good Chord Progression

21 min

Open

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 F
Variation 2: | C | D | Bm | Esus E
Variation 3: | A | Bm | A/C# | Esus E

FEATURED/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

--------------------

OCTOBER 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Corpus Frisky – Ben Barron – Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Dan Austin – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Andre Bremer – Dave Florey

OCTOBER 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Dent Earl – Carlos Lerner – Misty Haisfield – Abraham Benrubi – Christopher Bruno – Chris Kotarba – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Sean Murphy – Jake Yumatilla – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Whit Sidener – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Nick Galloway – Heather Johnson – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Meghan O’Leary – John Bauman – Dax and Dane Huddleston – Martín Salías – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – GiantPredatoryMollusk – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – KenIsWearingAHat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jeff Ulm – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Carrie Schneider – Richard Sneddon – Julian Roleff – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Rob Tsuk – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Victoria Yu – Brad Clark – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Linda Duffy – Bonnie Prinsen – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Wen – Geoff Golden – Rob F. – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Jules Bailey – Andrew Fair – L. B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2023-10-06

The Four Electric Guitars

34 min

Open

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

--------------------

SEPTEMBER 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Ben Barron - Catherine Warner - Damon White - Kaya Woodall - Dan Austin - Jay Swartz - Miriam Joy - SEAN D WINNIE - Rush - Daniel Hannon-Barry - Ashley Hoag - Christopher Miller - Jamie White - Christopher McConnell - David Mascetti - Joe Laska - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Melanie Andrich - Jenness Gardner - Jeanneret Manning Family Four - Dave Sharpe - Sami Samhuri - Jeremy Dawson - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Elliot Jay O’Neill - Andre Bremer - Dave Florey

SEPTEMBER 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Abraham Benrubi - Christopher Bruno - Chris Kotarba - Callum Webb - Lynda MacNeil - Dick Morgan - Ben Stein - Susan Green - Sean Murphy - Jake Yumatilla - Alan Brough - Randal Vegter - Go Birds! - Whit Sidener - Robert Granat - Dave Malloy - Nick Galloway - Heather Johnson - John Halpin - Peter Harding - David - Meghan O’Leary - John Bauman - Dax And Dane Huddleston - Martín Salías - Tim Howes - Stu Baker - Steve Martino - Dr Arthur A Gray - Carolina - Gary Pierce - Matt Baxter - GiantPredatoryMollusk - Luigi Boccia - E Margaret Warton - Charles McGee - Catherine Clause - Ethan Bauman - KenIsWearingAHat - Jordan Block - Aaron Wade - Jamie - Deebs - Portland Eye Care - Carrie Schneider - Richard Sneddon - Julian Roleff - Doreen Carlson - David McDarby - Wendy Gilchrist - Elliot Rosen - Lisa Turner - Paul Wayper - Bruno Gaeta - Kenneth Jung - Adam Stofsky - Zak Remer - Rishi Sahay - Ailie Fraser - Von - Rob Tsuk - NATALIE MISTILIS - Josh Singer - Phino DeLeon - Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Victoria Yu - Brad Clark - Mino Capossela - Steve Paquin - Emma Sklar - Bernard Khoo - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - David Noah - Geraldine Butler - Madeleine Mader - Jason Pratt - Abbie Berg - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Olivia Bishop - John Gisselquist - Linda Duffy - Liz Seger - Eoin De Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Dallas Hockley - Jason Gerry - Nathan Gouwens - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Cookies250 - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Michael Casner - Lowell Meyer - Stephen Tsoneff - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - Clare Holberton - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Mark Perry - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jonathan Daniels - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Caro Field - Michael Bochner - Naomi Watson - David Cushman - Alexander - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Jules Bailey - Andrew Fair - L.B. Morse - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Nate From Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - Earl Lozada - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Kevin Morrell - Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2023-09-22

John Williams' Star Wars Legacy, with Dan Golding

146 min

Open

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, 2016
The Adventures of Robin Hood score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, 1938
Excerpts 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 Orchestra
Excerpts from Star Wars: A New Hope, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, all by John Williams
The "Star Wars Music Minute" podcast episode 22 feat. Dan Golding
"Medley: Star Wars" by Meco, 1977
Bill Murray singing the Star Wars theme on Saturday Night Live, 1978
Excerpts from Jurassic Park by John Williams
Excerpts 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, 2015
Excerpts 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

--------------------

SEPTEMBER 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Ben Barron - Catherine Warner - Damon White - Kaya Woodall - Dan Austin - Jay Swartz - Miriam Joy - SEAN D WINNIE - Rush - Daniel Hannon-Barry - Ashley Hoag - Christopher Miller - Jamie White - Christopher McConnell - David Mascetti - Joe Laska - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Melanie Andrich - Jenness Gardner - Jeanneret Manning Family Four - Dave Sharpe - Sami Samhuri - Jeremy Dawson - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Elliot Jay O’Neill - Andre Bremer - Dave Florey

SEPTEMBER 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Abraham Benrubi - Christopher Bruno - Chris Kotarba - Callum Webb - Lynda MacNeil - Dick Morgan - Ben Stein - Susan Green - Sean Murphy - Jake Yumatilla - Alan Brough - Randal Vegter - Go Birds! - Whit Sidener - Robert Granat - Dave Malloy - Nick Galloway - Heather Johnson - John Halpin - Peter Harding - David - Meghan O’Leary - John Bauman - Dax And Dane Huddleston - Martín Salías - Tim Howes - Stu Baker - Steve Martino - Dr Arthur A Gray - Carolina - Gary Pierce - Matt Baxter - Giantpredatorymollusk - Luigi Boccia - E Margaret Warton - Charles McGee - Catherine Clause - Ethan Bauman - Keniswearingahat - Jordan Block - Aaron Wade - Jamie - Deebs - Portland Eye Care - Carrie Schneider - Richard Sneddon - Julian Roleff - Doreen Carlson - David McDarby - Wendy Gilchrist - Elliot Rosen - Lisa Turner - Paul Wayper - Bruno Gaeta - Kenneth Jung - Adam Stofsky - Zak Remer - Rishi Sahay - Ailie Fraser - Von - Rob Tsuk - NATALIE MISTILIS - Josh Singer - Phino DeLeon - Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Victoria Yu - Brad Clark - Mino Capossela - Steve Paquin - Emma Sklar - Bernard Khoo - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - David Noah - Geraldine Butler - Madeleine Mader - Jason Pratt - Abbie Berg - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Olivia Bishop - John Gisselquist - Linda Duffy - Liz Seger - Eoin De Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Dallas Hockley - Jason Gerry - Nathan Gouwens - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Cookies250 - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Michael Casner - Lowell Meyer - Stephen Tsoneff - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - Clare Holberton - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Mark Perry - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jonathan Daniels - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Caro Field - Michael Bochner - Naomi Watson - David Cushman - Alexander - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Jules Bailey - Andrew Fair - L.B. Morse - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Nate From Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - Earl Lozada - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Kevin Morrell - Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2023-09-08

Counterpoint, Chaka Kahn, & Peter Gabriel

54 min

Open

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 Fortunes
Contrapunctus 1 by J.S. Bach recorded by the Emerson String Quartet on Bach: The Art of Fugue, 2003
T.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

--------------------

AUGUST 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Catherine Warner - Damon White - Kaya Woodall - Dan Austin - Jay Swartz - Miriam Joy - SEAN D WINNIE - Rush - Daniel Hannon-Barry - Ashley Hoag - Christopher Miller - Jamie White - Christopher McConnell - David Mascetti - Joe Laska - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Melanie Andrich - Jenness Gardner - Jeanneret Manning Family Four - Dave Sharpe - Sami Samhuri - Jeremy Dawson - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Elliot Jay O’Neill - Andre Bremer - Dave Florey

AUGUST 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Abraham Benrubi - Christopher Bruno - PAUTNA - Chris Kotarba - Callum Webb - Lynda MacNeil - Dick Morgan - Zach Wampler - Ben Stein - Susan Green - Sean Murphy - Jake Yumatilla - Alan Brough - Randal Vegter - Go Birds! - Whit Sidener - Robert Granat - Dave Malloy - Tim Rosenwong - Nick Galloway - John Halpin - Peter Harding - David - Meghan O’Leary - John Bauman - Dax And Dane Huddleston - Martín Salías - Tim Howes - Stu Baker - Steve Martino - Dr Arthur A Gray - Carolina - Gary Pierce - Matt Baxter - Giantpredatorymollusk - Luigi Boccia - E Margaret Warton - Charles McGee - Catherine Clause - Ethan Bauman - Keniswearingahat - Jordan Block - Aaron Wade - Jamie - Deebs - Portland Eye Care - Carrie Schneider - Richard Sneddon - Julian Roleff - Doreen Carlson - David McDarby - Wendy Gilchrist - Elliot Rosen - Lisa Turner - Paul Wayper - Bruno Gaeta - Kenneth Jung - Adam Stofsky - Zak Remer - Rishi Sahay - Jason Reitman - Ailie Fraser - Von - NATALIE MISTILIS - Josh Singer - Phino DeLeon - Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Victoria Yu - Brad Clark - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Steve Paquin - Emma Sklar - Bernard Khoo - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - David Noah - Geraldine Butler - Madeleine Mader - Jason Pratt - Abbie Berg - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Olivia Bishop - John Gisselquist - Linda Duffy - Eoin De Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Dallas Hockley - Jason Gerry - Nathan Gouwens - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - David Friedman - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Michael Casner - Lowell Meyer - Stephen Tsoneff - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - Clare Holberton - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Mark Perry - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jonathan Daniels - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Caro Field - Michael Bochner - Naomi Watson - David Cushman - Alexander - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Jules Bailey - Andrew Fair - L.B. Morse - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate From Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - Earl Lozada - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Kevin Morrell - Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2023-08-25

"Soul Vaccination" by Tower of Power

49 min

Open

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 Castillo

Album: Tower of Power (1973)

Listen/Buy via Songwhip

ALSO 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, 1998
Drum examples performed by Russ Kieiner, recorded by Nick D'Errico

--------------------

AUGUST 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Dan Austin – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Ashley Hoag – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – Jeremy Dawson – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Elliot Jay O’Neill – Andre Bremer – Dave Florey

AUGUST 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Abraham Benrubi – Christopher Bruno – PAUTNA – Chris Kotarba – Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Zach Wampler – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Sean Murphy – Jake Yumatilla – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Whit Sidener – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Tim Rosenwong – Nick Galloway – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Meghan O’Leary – John Bauman – Dax and Dane Huddleston – Martín Salías – Tim Howes – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Giant Predatory Mollusk – Luigi Boccia – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Carrie Schneider – Richard Sneddon – Julian Roleff – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Von – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Victoria Yu – Brad Clark – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Linda Duffy – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Jules Bailey – Andrew Fair – L.B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2023-08-11

"Killing Me Softly With His Song," as sung by Lauryn Hill, Roberta Flack, & Lori Lieberman

59 min

Open

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 Lieberman

Recorded 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, 1989

OUTRO SOLOIST: Joey Brink

Joey 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!
Patreon | Paypal

🏠 HOMEPAGE
strongsongspodcast.com

👚 MERCH
strongsongspodcast.com/store

📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER
newsletter.kirkhamilton.com

📷 SOCIAL MEDIA
Instagram: @Kirk_Hamilton
Bluesky: @kirkhamilton.com

💬 STRONG SONGS DISCORD SERVER
strongsongspodcast.com/discord

🎧 STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTS
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS
kirkhamilton.com/gear

🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC
kirkhamilton.com/music

🎨 SHOW ART
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

--------------------

JULY 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Catherine Warner
Damon White
Kaya Woodall
Dan Austin
Jay Swartz
Miriam Joy
SEAN D WINNIE
Rush
Daniel Hannon-Barry
Ashley Hoag
Christopher Miller
Jamie White
Christopher McConnell
David Mascetti
Joe Laska
Ken Hirsh
Jez
Melanie Andrich
Jenness Gardner
Jeanneret Manning Family Four
Dave Sharpe
Sami Samhuri
AccessViolation
Ryan Torvik
Elliot Jay O'Neill
Andre Bremer
Mark Schechter
Dave Florey

JULY 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Callum Webb
Lynda MacNeil
Dick Morgan
Zach Wampler
Ben Stein
Susan Green
Sean Murphy
Jake Yumatilla
Alan Brough
Randal Vegter
Go Birds!
Jeff Speck
Samuel Millett
Whit Sidener
Chance McClain
Robert Granat
dave malloy
Tim Rosenwong
Nick Galloway
john halpin
Peter Harding
David
Meghan O'Leary
John Bauman
Dax and Dane Huddleston
Martín Salías
Tim Howes
Stu Baker
Steve Martino
Dr Arthur A Gray
Carolina
Gary Pierce
Matt Baxter
GiantPredatoryMollusk
Luigi Boccia
Rob Albright
E Margaret Warton
Charles McGee
Catherine Clause
Ethan Bauman
Renee Downing
KenIsWearingAHat
Jordan Block
Aaron Wade
Travis Pollard

Jamie
Deebs
Portland Eye Care
Carrie Schneider
Richard Sneddon
Julian Roleff
Doreen Carlson
David McDarby
Wendy Gilchrist
Elliot Rosen
Lisa Turner
Paul Wayper
Bruno Gaeta
Kenneth Jung
Adam Stofsky
Zak Remer
Rishi Sahay
Jason Reitman
Ailie Fraser
Von
NATALIE MISTILIS
Josh Singer
Phino DeLeon
Amy Lynn Thornsen
Adam W
Kelli Brockington
Stephen Rawlings
Victoria Yu
Brad Clark
mino capossela
Steve Paquin
David Joske
Emma Sklar
Bernard Khoo
Robert Heuer
Matthew Golden
David Noah
Geraldine Butler
Richard Cambier
Madeleine Mader
Jason Pratt
Abbie Berg
Doug Belew
Dermot Crowley
Achint Srivastava
Ryan Rairigh
Michael Berman
Olivia Bishop
John Gisselquist
Linda Duffy
Liz Seger
Eoin de Burca
Kevin Potter
M Shane Borders
Dallas Hockley
Jason Gerry
Nathan Gouwens
Lauren Reay
Eric Prestemon
Cookies250
Damian Brady
Angela Livingstone
David Friedman
Sarah Sulan
Diane Hughes
Michael Casner
Lowell Meyer
Stephen Tsoneff
Lorenz Schwarz
Wen
Jack Sjogren
Geoff Golden
Robyn Fraser
Pascal Rueger
Randy Souza
JC
Clare Holberton
Diane Turner
Tom Coleman
Mark Perry
Dhu Wik
Mel
Eric Helm
Jake Roberts
Jonathan Daniels
Michael Flaherty
Jarrod Schindler
Caro Field
michael bochner
Naomi Watson
David Cushman
Alexander
Gavin Doig
Sam Fenn
Tanner Morton
AJ Schuster
Jennifer Bush
David Stroud
Amanda Furlotti
Andrew Baker
Jules Bailey
Andrew Fair
L.B. Morse
Brian Amoebas
Brett Douville
Jeffrey Olson
Matt Betzel
Mueller
Nate from Kalamazoo
Melanie Stivers
Richard Toller
Alexander Polson
Earl Lozada
Justin McElroy
Arjun Sharma
James Johnson
Kevin Morrell
Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2023-07-28

"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears For Fears

47 min

Open

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 Hughes

Produced by: Chris Hughes

Album: Songs from the Big Chair (1985)

Listen/Buy via Songwhip

ALSO 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, 1967
Dan Carr's excellent synth breakdowns at Reverb Machine

--------------------

JULY 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Dan Austin – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Ashley Hoag – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Elliot Jay O’Neill – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

JULY 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Zach Wampler – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Sean Murphy – Jake Yumatilla – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Jeff Speck – Samuel Millett – Whit Sidener – Chance McClain – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Tim Rosenwong – Nick Galloway – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Meghan O’Leary – John Bauman – Dax and Dane Huddleston – Martín Salías – Tim Howes – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Giant Predatory Mollusk – Luigi Boccia – Rob Albright – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – Renee Downing – Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Travis Pollard – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Carrie Schneider – Richard Sneddon – Julian Roleff – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Von – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Victoria Yu – Brad Clark – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Linda Duffy – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Jules Bailey – Andrew Fair – L.B. Morse – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2023-07-14

An Operatic Odyssey, with Luigi Boccia

218 min

Open

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.

--------------------

JULY 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Dan Austin – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Ashley Hoag – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Elliot Jay O’Neill – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

JULY 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Callum Webb – Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Zach Wampler – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Sean Murphy – Jake Yumatilla – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Jeff Speck – Samuel Millett – Whit Sidener – Chance McClain – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Tim Rosenwong – Nick Galloway – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Meghan O’Leary – John Bauman – Dax and Dane Huddleston – Martín Salías – Tim Howes – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Giant Predatory Mollusk – Luigi Boccia – Rob Albright – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – Renee Downing – Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Travis Pollard – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Carrie Schneider – Richard Sneddon – Julian Roleff – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Von – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Victoria Yu – Brad Clark – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Linda Duffy – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Jules Bailey – Andrew Fair – L.B. Morse – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2023-06-30

"You're The Voice" by John Farnham, Live in Sydney

46 min

Open

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 Farnham

Written by: Chris Thompson, Maggie Ryder, Andy Qunta, & Keith Reid

Produced by: Glenn Wheatley

Album: Whispering Jack (1986)

Listen/Buy via Songwhip

ALSO 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, 1990
The trailer for the upcoming John Farnham documentary "Finding The Voice"

--------------------

JUNE 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Dan Austin – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Ashley Hoag – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Narelle Horn – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Elliot Jay O’Neill – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

JUNE 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Lynda MacNeil – Dick Morgan – Zach Wampler – Ben Stein – Susan Green – Case Faubs – Jake Yumatilla – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Jeff Speck – Samuel Millett – Whit Sidener – Chance McClain – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Tim Rosenwong – Nick Galloway – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Anthony Mahramus – Meghan O’Leary – John Bauman – Dax and Dane Huddleston – Martín Salías – Tim Howes – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Giant Predatory Mollusk – Casey Faubion – Luigi Boccia – Rob Albright – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – Renee Downing – Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Travis Pollard – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Richard Sneddon – Julian Roleff – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Wendy Gilchrist – Elliot Rosen – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Von – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Linda Duffy – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Jules Bailey – Andrew Fair – L.B. Morse – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2023-05-26

The Light and Dark of Music, with Lily E. Hirsch

64 min

Open

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 Ono
Gustav Mahler - Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, Gilbert Kaplan w/ th Vienna Philharmonic
Oliver Sacks' book Musicophelia
"Hot in Herre" by Nelly from Nellyville, 2002
"Trash Day" by "Weird Al" Yankovic from Poodle Hat, 2003
The 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

--------------------

MAY 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Catherine Warner – Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Dan Austin – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Narelle Horn – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Elliot Jay O’Neill – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

MAY 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Ben Stein – Susan Green – Case Faubs – Jake Yumatilla – Alan Brough – Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Jeff Speck – Samuel Millett – Abraham Benrubi – Whit Sidener – Chance McClain – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Tim Rosenwong – Nick Galloway – John Halpin – Peter Harding – David – Anthony Mahramus – Meghan O’Leary – John Bauman – Dax and Dane Huddleston – Martín Salías – Tim Howes – Stu Baker – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Giant Predatory Mollusk – Casey Faubion – Luigi Boccia – Rob Albright – E. Margaret Warton – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – Renee Downing – Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Travis Pollard – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Anupama Raghavan – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Richard Sneddon – Julian Roleff – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Ailie Fraser – Von – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Linda Duffy – Sharon Tree – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Lowell Meyer – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Jules Bailey – Andrew Fair – L.B. Morse – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2023-02-17

From Bach to Miles Davis, with Emily Reese

78 min

Open

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 Pinnock
The Complete Beethoven Symphonies as recorded by John Elliot Gardiner's Revolutionary and Romantic Orchestra
Stargazer by Dave Douglas, 1994

--------------------

FEBRUARY 2023 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Dan Austin – Thomas Darst – Ed Rankin – Timothy Morshead – Jay Swartz – Ellen Nalven – Miriam Joy – Gareth Flynn – Ronjan – Kas – Patrick – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – RR – Prince M. Levy-Benitez – Kathie Hullfish – Paul McElliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Kelsair – Andrew Baker – Rob Bosworth – Josh Pearson – Kyle Cooke – Liam Keogh – Melissa Osborne – Kathleen Reus – Cynthia Hochswender – Per Morten Barstad – Christopher Miller – Tim Byrne – Jamie White – George H. Aronson – Johanna L. Branson – Angus McKimm – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Jeffrey Jue – Niko – Joe Laska – Laurie Acreman – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Jill Smith-Moore – Rachel Rakov – Narelle Horn – Mickey Clark – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Rob S. – Bill Rosinger – Anne Britt – Phil Griffin – David Zahm – Kyle Starr – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Steve Philpot – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Matt Butler – Doug Paton – R. Watson – Viki Dun – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – Craig J. Covell – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Fraser – Andrew Walters – Jared Norris – Elliot Jay O’Neill – Glenn – Caleb Rotach – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey – Dan Apczynski – Sara Walsh

FEBRUARY 2023 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Randal Vegter – Go Birds! – Jeff Speck – Samuel Millett – Abraham Benrubi – Whit Sidener – Emlia Alford – Chance McClain – Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Tim Rosenwong – Jason Morrissey – Nick Galloway – John Halpin – Jennifer Kenner – Peter Harding – David – Jared – Anthony Mahramus – Ross Shain – Meghan O’Leary – Jeffrey Puzzo – John Bauman – Dax and Dane Huddleston – Martín Salías – Tim Howes – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Giant Predatory Mollusk – Casey Faubion – Luigi Boccia – Rob Albright – E. Margaret Warton – Daniel Mosier – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – Owain Hunt – Renee Downing – Drew – Rohan Latimer – Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Tony – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Michael Flaherty – Photog19610 – Travis Pollard – Jeff Ulm – Jeff Newman – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Melissa Gallardo – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Mtwolf – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Kurt Wendelken – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Andy Painter – Karen Liu – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Simon Prieto – Von – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J. MD – Rhyanon Murray – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Gray Dyer – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Kari Kirk – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Mary Schoenmaker – Sarah – David Joske – Åshild Margrete Østtveit Odéen – Emma Sklar – Spencer Stanford – Bernard Khoo – David Blackman – Andrew Shpall – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – Brian Meldrum – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Andy Smith – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Caroline Miller – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Nicole Schleicher – Shelly Underhill – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Stephen Matthews – Bridget Lyons – Olivia Bishop – Jeremy Schwartz – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Linda Duffy – Thomas König – Bonnie Prinsen – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Shawn McCarthy – Dallas Hockley – Jana J. – Terron – Jason Gerry – Rich Roskopf – Melissa Gallo – Joel Stevenson – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Erika L. Austin – Cookies250 – Spencer Shirley – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Phillip Dalton – Mark Edwards – Randall Browning – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Matt Beams – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Barb Courtney – Derek and Laura Bender – Franco Famularo – Don Hutchison – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Jeff Almond – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Becca Sample – Mia – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Aparajit Raghavan – Benedict Pennington – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Alexander Geddes – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Latifah Makuyi – Brendan Jubb – Clare Holberton – Jake Tinsley – Georgia Livesay – David Zucker – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Suellen Moore – Brendon Oliver-Ewen – Kendra Reid – Judy Chapple – Tijs Soete – Stuart Terry – Mark Perry – Malory – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Briony Leo – Jonathan Daniels – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Stephen – Gerry Nelson – Dave King – Albukitty – Caro Field – Wayne Marsh – Judith Stansfield – Jenifer Carr – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Brant Brantphillip – Naomi Watson – Leigh Sales – Markus Koester – David Cushman – Alexander – Toni Isaacson – Jeremy Dawson – Robbie Ferrero – Jake Dye – Chris K. – Gavin Doig – Mark Steen – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – Molly – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – SP – Brooke Wilford – Alex Singer – Cyrus N. White – Shaun Wiese – Miriam Juskowicz – Mark Haberlen – Dominik Schmitt – Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua – Kate Albury – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Eero Wahlstedt – Andrew Fair – Darryl Stewart – L.B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Tim Evans – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Ravy Vajravelu – Nick Clements – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Jeff Dixon – John and Sharon Stenglein – Tom Lauerjou – Forrest Chang – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Max Schechter – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – Superman TD Jesus – James Johnson – Andrew Lee – Kevin Morrell – Tom Clewer – Kevin Pennyfeather – Flshbones – Colin Hodohazy Shacter – Kyle Simons – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-12-30

"Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" by Kate Bush

20 min

Open

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, 1985
Audio from Season 4, Episode 4 of Stranger Things
Information gleaned from Reverb Machine's excellent breakdown of the tools and techniques used on the song: https://reverbmachine.com/blog/kate-bush-synth-sounds/

--------------------

DECEMBER 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Dan Austin – Ed Rankin – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – RR – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Elliot Jay O’Neill – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

DECEMBER 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Jason Morrissey – Nick Galloway – Heather Johnson – John Halpin – Jennifer Kenner – Peter Harding – David – Anthony Mahramus – Meghan O’Leary – Jeffrey Puzzo – John Bauman – Dax and Dane Huddleston – Martín Salías – Tim Howes – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Giant Predatory Mollusk – Casey Faubion – Luigi Boccia – Rob Albright – E. Margaret Warton – Daniel Mosier – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – Renee Downing – Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Chad Hivner – Travis Pollard – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Dennis M. Edwards – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Von – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Michael J. Cunningham – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Linda Duffy – Kouroth – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Jonathan Daniels – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Andrew Fair – L.B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-12-16

The Music of Star Wars: Andor

57 min

Open

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 Three

REFERENCED ON THIS EPISODE:

Tracks from Star Wars: A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, composed by John Williams
Tracks 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 Giacchino
The Succession main credits theme by Nicholas Britell
A very cool New York/Vulture interview with Britell

--------------------

DECEMBER 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Damon White – Kaya Woodall – Dan Austin – Ed Rankin – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – RR – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Elliot Jay O’Neill – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

DECEMBER 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Robert Granat – Dave Malloy – Jason Morrissey – Nick Galloway – Heather Johnson – John Halpin – Jennifer Kenner – Peter Harding – David – Anthony Mahramus – Meghan O’Leary – Jeffrey Puzzo – John Bauman – Dax and Dane Huddleston – Martín Salías – Tim Howes – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Giant Predatory Mollusk – Casey Faubion – Luigi Boccia – Rob Albright – E. Margaret Warton – Daniel Mosier – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – Renee Downing – Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Chad Hivner – Travis Pollard – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Dennis M. Edwards – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Von – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Michael J. Cunningham – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Linda Duffy – Kouroth – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Jonathan Daniels – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Andrew Fair – L.B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-11-18

Year Four, In Review

49 min

Open

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, 2020
Andrew 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, 1984
Various 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, 1956
The 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, 1989
Various tracks from Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon, 1973

OUTRO SOLOISTS: Kirk Hamilton, Mel Carrol, Oren Kaunfer, Tim Howes, Casey Atkins

--------------------

NOVEMBER 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Ed Rankin – Timothy Morshead – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – RR – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Elliot Jay O’Neill – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

NOVEMBER 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

John Halpin – Jennifer Kenner – Peter Harding – David – Ruthie – Anthony Mahramus – Meghan O’Leary – Jeffrey Puzzo – John Bauman – Dax and Dane Huddleston – Martín Salías – Tim Howes – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Giant Predatory Mollusk – Casey Faubion – Luigi Boccia – Rob Albright – E. Margaret Warton – Daniel Mosier – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – Renee Downing – Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Chad Hivner – Travis Pollard – Jeff Ulm – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Von – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Michael J. Cunningham – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Linda Duffy – Kouroth – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Jonathan Daniels – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Andrew Fair – L.B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-11-04

Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon

60 min

Open

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, 1973

Music By: David Gilmour, Richard Wright, Roger Waters, Nick Mason
Lyrics By: Roger Waters
Engineered by: Alan Parsons

ALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED

"Blue in Green" by Bill Evans/Miles Davis from Kind of Blue 1959
"The Wizard of Oz," 1939
The 2003 documentary Pink Floyd: The Making of The Dark Side of the Moon

OUTRO SOLOIST: Kirk Hamilton

Kirk 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!

--------------------

NOVEMBER 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Ed Rankin – Timothy Morshead – Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – RR – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Elliot Jay O’Neill – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

NOVEMBER 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

John Halpin – Jennifer Kenner – Peter Harding – David – Ruthie – Anthony Mahramus – Meghan O’Leary – Jeffrey Puzzo – John Bauman – Dax and Dane Huddleston – Martín Salías – Tim Howes – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Giant Predatory Mollusk – Casey Faubion – Luigi Boccia – Rob Albright – E. Margaret Warton – Daniel Mosier – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Ethan Bauman – Renee Downing – Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Chad Hivner – Travis Pollard – Jeff Ulm – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Von – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Michael J. Cunningham – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Abbie Berg – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Linda Duffy – Kouroth – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Jonathan Daniels – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Andrew Fair – L.B. Morse – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Colin Hodo

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-10-21

"The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota" by "Weird Al" Yankovic

54 min

Open

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, 1989

Listen/Buy via Songwhip

Also 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 Flag
Audio from VH1 Behind The Music: "Weird Al" Yankovic, 1999

Outro Soloist: Casey Atkins

Casey 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.

--------------------

OCTOBER 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Ronjan – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Elliot Jay O’Neill – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

OCTOBER 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Anthony Mahramus – Meghan O’Leary – Jeffrey Puzzo – John Bauman – Dax and Dane Huddleston – Sea – Martín Salías – Tim Howes – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Giant Predatory Mollusk – Casey Faubion – Luigi Boccia – Rob Albright – E. Margaret Warton – Daniel Mosier – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Owain Hunt – Renee Downing – Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Tony – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Chad Hivner – Travis Pollard – Jeff Ulm – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Von – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Michael J. Cunningham – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Linda Duffy – Kouroth – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Tijs Soete – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Jonathan Daniels – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Andrew Fair – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-10-07

Singing Drummers & Jazz Flute

59 min

Open

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, 1989
The 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, 2010

8/10/22 Update: Fixed a couple of small mistakes and added a mention of the subject matter of "Veronica"

OUTRO SOLOIST: Tim Howes

Tim 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)

--------------------

OCTOBER 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Ronjan – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Elliot Jay O’Neill – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

OCTOBER 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Anthony Mahramus – Meghan O’Leary – Jeffrey Puzzo – John Bauman – Dax and Dane Huddleston – Sea – Martín Salías – Tim Howes – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Giant Predatory Mollusk – Casey Faubion – Luigi Boccia – Rob Albright – E. Margaret Warton – Daniel Mosier – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Owain Hunt – Renee Downing – Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Tony – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Chad Hivner – Travis Pollard – Jeff Ulm – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Von – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Michael J. Cunningham – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Linda Duffy – Kouroth – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Tijs Soete – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Jonathan Daniels – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Andrew Fair – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-09-23

Strong Grooves, Vol. 1 (feat. Russ Kleiner)

59 min

Open

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/DISCUSSED

Cold 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, 1959
The Treme Brass Band at the Red Beans and Rice parade, 2013
“Shoo Fly Marches On,” by Dr. John, 1973
Babylon Sisters by Steely Dan from Gaucho, 1980

SPECIAL GUEST: Russ Kleiner

Russ 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 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.

--------------------

SEPTEMBER 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Ronjan – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – RR – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

SEPTEMBER 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

John Bauman – Dax and Dane Huddleston – Martín Salías – Tim Howes – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Giant Predatory Mollusk – Casey Faubion – Luigi Boccia – Rob Albright – E. Margaret Warton – Daniel Mosier – Catherine Clause – Owain Hunt – Renee Downing – Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Tony – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Chad Hivner – Travis Pollard – Jeff Ulm – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Von – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Michael J. Cunningham – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Linda Duffy – Kouroth – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Tijs Soete – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Jonathan Daniels – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Andrew Fair – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-09-09

"Jesus, Etc." by Wilco

53 min

Open

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 Tweedy

Music by: Jeff Tweedy and Jay Bennett

Album: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, 2001

Listen/Buy via Songwhip

Also 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, 1999
Audio from Jeff Tweedy's 2021 interview on The Ezra Klein Show
Excerpts from Tweedy's 2020 book How To Write One Song: Loving the Things We Create and How They Love Us Back
Audio of a pedal steel guitar demonstration by Steve Fishell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrbSL92Kz1Y

This episode has been updated to better identify one of the chords in the chorus.

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/

--------------------

SEPTEMBER 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Jay Swartz – Miriam Joy – Ronjan – Sean D. Winnie – Rush – Daniel Hannon-Barry – RR – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

SEPTEMBER 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

John Bauman – Dax and Dane Huddleston – Martín Salías – Tim Howes – Steve Martino – Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Giant Predatory Mollusk – Casey Faubion – Luigi Boccia – Rob Albright – E. Margaret Warton – Daniel Mosier – Catherine Clause – Owain Hunt – Renee Downing – Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Tony – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Chad Hivner – Travis Pollard – Jeff Ulm – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Von – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Michael J. Cunningham – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Linda Duffy – Kouroth – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Tijs Soete – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Jonathan Daniels – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Andrew Fair – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-08-26

Lofi Beats & The Circle of Fifths

55 min

Open

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 YouTube
Slate's Decoder Ring on “That Seattle Muzak Sound,” by Benjamin Frisch
"Black Betty," traditional work song performed by Ram Jam, 1977
LearnSomeDrums’ 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, 1971

OUTRO SOLOIST: Oren Kaunfer

Oren 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.

--------------------

AUGUST 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Miriam Joy – Ronjan – Sean D. Winnie – Daniel Hannon-Barry – RR – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

AUGUST 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Giant Predatory Mollusk – Casey Faubion – Luigi Boccia – Rob Albright – E. Margaret Warton – Daniel Mosier – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Owain Hunt – Renee Downing – Drew – Rohan Latimer – Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Tony – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Chad Hivner – Travis Pollard – Jeff Ulm – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Von – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Bonnie Prinsen – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Tijs Soete – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Jonathan Daniels – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Andrew Fair – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-08-12

"Help Me" by Joni Mitchell

55 min

Open

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 MItchell

Album: Court and Spark, 1974

Listen/Buy via JoniMitchell.com

Also 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, 1976

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, they're great: https://www.goodnightbluemoon.com/

--------------------

AUGUST 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Miriam Joy – Ronjan – Sean D. Winnie – Daniel Hannon-Barry – RR – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

AUGUST 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Dr. Arthur A. Gray – Carolina – Gary Pierce – Matt Baxter – Giant Predatory Mollusk – Casey Faubion – Luigi Boccia – Rob Albright – E. Margaret Warton – Daniel Mosier – Charles McGee – Catherine Clause – Owain Hunt – Renee Downing – Drew – Rohan Latimer – Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Tony – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Chad Hivner – Travis Pollard – Jeff Ulm – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Von – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Bonnie Prinsen – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Tijs Soete – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Jonathan Daniels – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Andrew Fair – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-07-29

A Jazz Mystery, Solved

12 min

Open

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-07-15

The Music of Final Fantasy VII

40 min

Open

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, 2020

It’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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-06-17

"Silent All These Years" by Tori Amos

51 min

Open

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 Amos

Album: Little Earthquakes, 1992

Listen/Buy via Songwhip

Also featured:

"Precious Things," also by Amos, from Little Earthquakes
Amos performing "Silent All These Years" from Tori Amos Live at Montreaux 91/92

OUTRO SOLOIST: Galen Clark

This 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.com

Update 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.

--------------------

JUNE 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Patrick – Sean D. Winnie – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Prince M. Levy-Benitez – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Rob Bosworth – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Laurie Acreman – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Doug Paton – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

JUNE 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Owain Hunt – Renee Downing – Drew – Rohan Latimer – Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Tony – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Chad Hivner – Travis Pollard – Jeff Ulm – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Mtwolf – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W. – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Caroline Miller – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Bonnie Prinsen – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Spencer Shirley – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Tijs Soete – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Bill Fuller – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-06-03

Three to Tango, with Alex Krebs and Andrew Oliver

57 min

Open

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 Berretin
Selections 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, 2013

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 one of his singles here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/kylemolitor/the-jazz-feat-toranpetto

--------------------

JUNE 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Patrick – Sean D. Winnie – Daniel Hannon-Barry – Prince M. Levy-Benitez – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Rob Bosworth – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Laurie Acreman – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Doug Paton – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

JUNE 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Owain Hunt – Renee Downing – Drew – Rohan Latimer – Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Tony – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Chad Hivner – Travis Pollard – Jeff Ulm – Jamie – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Mtwolf – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Caroline Miller – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Bonnie Prinsen – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Spencer Shirley – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Tijs Soete – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Bill Fuller – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-05-20

Strong Solos, Vol. 1

53 min

Open

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, 1991
Sonny Rollins on "St. Thomas" from Saxophone Colossus, 1956
Joe Morello on "Take Five" by Paul Desmond/The Dave Brubeck Quartet from Time Out, 1959
Chris Potter on "Janie Runaway" by Steely Dan from Two Against Nature, 2000

ALSO 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 Philharmonic

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. You can find out more at his website: https://www.stevepardo.com/

--------------------

MAY 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Patrick – Sean D. Winnie – Daniel Hannon-Barry – RR Prince M. Levy-Benitez – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Kelsair – Rob Bosworth – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Laurie Acreman – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Doug Paton – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

MAY 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Tony – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Michael Flaherty – Chad Hivner – Travis Pollard – Jeff Ulm – Jeff Newman – Jamie – Max Dickstein – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Mtwolf – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – David Blackman – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Caroline Miller – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Nicole Schleicher – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Bonnie Prinsen – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Spencer Shirley – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Tijs Soete – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Bill Fuller – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-05-06

"Wichita Lineman" by Jimmy Webb & Glen Campbell

53 min

Open

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 Webb

Produced by: Al De Lory

Performed by: Glen Campbell w/ The Wrecking Crew

Album: Wichita Lineman, 1968

Listen/Buy via Songwhip

ALSO FEATURED/DISCUSSED:

“God Only Knows” by Brian Wilson & The Beach Boys from Pet Sounds, 1966
Excerpts from "The Wrecking Crew!" documentary directed by Danny Tedesco, 2008
Excerpts 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, 1969
Glen Campbell performing “Wichita Lineman” with a Fender Bass VI on The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour

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/.

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MAY 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Patrick – Sean D. Winnie – Daniel Hannon-Barry – RR Prince M. Levy-Benitez – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Kelsair – Rob Bosworth – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Laurie Acreman – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Doug Paton – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

MAY 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Ken Is Wearing a Hat – Tony – Jordan Block – Aaron Wade – Michael Flaherty – Chad Hivner – Travis Pollard – Jeff Ulm – Jeff Newman – Jamie – Max Dickstein – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Mtwolf – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – David Blackman – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Caroline Miller – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Nicole Schleicher – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Bonnie Prinsen – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Spencer Shirley – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Tijs Soete – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Bill Fuller – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-04-22

Robot Composers & Horror Music

56 min

Open

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, 2006
Melissa 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, 1997
Shawn Rivera demonstrates a Conga delizado or “Moose Call”:
“Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard” by Paul Simon from Paul Simon, 1972
An 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 it
Various compositions by @MelodyBot3456
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” by U2 from Joshua Tree, 1987

OUTRO SOLOIST

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/.

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APRIL 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Daniel Hannon-Barry – RR Prince M. Levy-Benitez – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Kelsair – Rob Bosworth – Kyle Cooke – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Laurie Acreman – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Doug Paton – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Merlin Mann – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

APRIL 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Chad Hivner – Travis Pollard – Jeff Ulm – Jeff Newman – Max Dickstein – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Mtwolf – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Mary Schoenmaker – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – David Blackman – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Nicole Schleicher – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Bonnie Prinsen – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Tijs Soete – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Bill Fuller – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Eero Wahlstedt – Andrew Fair – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Andrew Lee – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-04-08

The Music of The Legend of Zelda

54 min

Open

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 Williams
The Super Mario Bros. theme by Koji Kondo, and the episode of Strong Songs discussing it
Kirk's weekly video game podcast Triple Click, which he makes along with Jason Schreier and Maddy Myers

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.

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APRIL 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Daniel Hannon-Barry – RR Prince M. Levy-Benitez – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Kelsair – Rob Bosworth – Kyle Cooke – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Laurie Acreman – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Doug Paton – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Merlin Mann – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

APRIL 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Chad Hivner – Travis Pollard – Jeff Ulm – Jeff Newman – Max Dickstein – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Mtwolf – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Mary Schoenmaker – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – David Blackman – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Nicole Schleicher – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Bonnie Prinsen – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Tijs Soete – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Bill Fuller – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Eero Wahlstedt – Andrew Fair – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Andrew Lee – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-03-25

Mario Kart & That 'Musical' Sound

56 min

Open

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 Nagata
A 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, 2000
An excerpt from the October 2021 episode of “Backstage Pass with Eric Vitro” featuring Arianna Grande
Audio 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, 1985

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.

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MARCH 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Daniel Hannon-Barry – RR Prince M. Levy-Benitez – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Kelsair – Rob Bosworth – Kyle Cooke – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Tim Byrne – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Laurie Acreman – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Doug Paton – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Merlin Mann – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

MARCH 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Max Dickstein – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Mtwolf – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Mary Schoenmaker – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – David Blackman – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Caroline Miller – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Nicole Schleicher – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Bonnie Prinsen – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Phillip Dalton – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Tijs Soete – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Bill Fuller – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Zoe Little – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Eero Wahlstedt – Andrew Fair – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Andrew Lee – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-03-11

"Just What I Needed" by The Cars

52 min

Open

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 Ocasek

Albums: The Cars, 1978 and Heartbeat City, 1984

Listen/Buy to both albums on all platforms via Songwhip

ALSO 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, 1984

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

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MARCH 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Daniel Hannon-Barry – RR Prince M. Levy-Benitez – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Kelsair – Rob Bosworth – Kyle Cooke – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Tim Byrne – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Laurie Acreman – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Doug Paton – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Merlin Mann – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

MARCH 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Max Dickstein – Deebs – Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Mtwolf – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Mary Schoenmaker – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – David Blackman – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Caroline Miller – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Nicole Schleicher – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Bonnie Prinsen – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Phillip Dalton – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Tijs Soete – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Bill Fuller – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Zoe Little – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Eero Wahlstedt – Andrew Fair – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Andrew Lee – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-02-25

Story of a Session Guitarist, with Andrew Synowiec

53 min

Open

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=RyGo9NmZUNw
Wes 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, 2012
A video with Andrew about his work and his home studio
A Spotify playlist Andrew maintains featuring things he's played on
Andrew's website, with lots more credits and other info

--------------------

FEBRUARY 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Daniel Hannon-Barry – RR Prince M. Levy-Benitez – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Kelsair – Rob Bosworth – Kyle Cooke – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Tim Byrne – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Laurie Acreman – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Doug Paton – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Merlin Mann – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

FEBRUARY 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Melissa Gallardo – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Mtwolf – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Simon Prieto – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Kari Kirk – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Mary Schoenmaker – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – David Blackman – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – Brian Meldrum – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Caroline Miller – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Nicole Schleicher – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Bonnie Prinsen – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Phillip Dalton – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Michael York – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Tijs Soete – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Bill Fuller – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Zoe Little – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Eero Wahlstedt – Andrew Fair – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Andrew Lee – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Nicholas Schechter – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-02-11

Strong Covers, Vol. 2

55 min

Open

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, 1984

OUTRO SOLOIST: Sam Howard

This 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.

--------------------

FEBRUARY 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Daniel Hannon-Barry – RR Prince M. Levy-Benitez – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Kelsair – Rob Bosworth – Kyle Cooke – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Tim Byrne – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Laurie Acreman – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Bill Rosinger – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Doug Paton – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Merlin Mann – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

FEBRUARY 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Portland Eye Care – Adam Ray – Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Melissa Gallardo – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Mtwolf – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Simon Prieto – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Kari Kirk – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Mary Schoenmaker – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – David Blackman – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – Brian Meldrum – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Caroline Miller – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Nicole Schleicher – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Bonnie Prinsen – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Phillip Dalton – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Michael York – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Tijs Soete – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Bill Fuller – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Zoe Little – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Eero Wahlstedt – Andrew Fair – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Andrew Lee – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Nicholas Schechter – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-01-28

Funky Drummers, Cheap Guitars & Sting

50 min

Open

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, 1992
Skins 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, 2014
The Powerpuff Girls theme, by James L. Venable, 1998
A complete list of songs that sample Clyde Stubblefield’s drum break on “Funky Drummer”
Ben Sisario’s 2011 NYT feature on Stubblefield

OUTRO SOLOIST: Mel Carroll

Mel 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.

--------------------

JANUARY 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

RR Prince M. Levy-Benitez – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Kelsair – Rob Bosworth – Kyle Cooke – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Tim Byrne – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Laurie Acreman – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Bill Rosinger – Anne Britt – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Doug Paton – Robert Paul – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Merlin Mann – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

JANUARY 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Melissa Gallardo – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Mtwolf – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Karen Liu – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Simon Prieto – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Gray Dyer – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Kari Kirk – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Mary Schoenmaker – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Marc – David Blackman – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – Brian Meldrum – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Caroline Miller – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Nicole Schleicher – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Bridget Lyons – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Bonnie Prinsen – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Phillip Dalton – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Michael York – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Brendan Jubb – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Tijs Soete – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Briony Leo – Bill Fuller – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Zoe Little – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Eero Wahlstedt – Andrew Fair – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Andrew Lee – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Nicholas Schechter – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2022-01-14

"Blood and Thunder" by Mastodon

42 min

Open

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: Mastodon

Album: Leviathan, 2004

Listen/Buy on all platforms via Songwhip

OUTRO SOLOIST: Kirk Hamilton

Kirk 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.

--------------------

JANUARY 2022 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

RR Prince M. Levy-Benitez – Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Kelsair – Rob Bosworth – Kyle Cooke – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Tim Byrne – Jamie White – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Laurie Acreman – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Melanie Andrich – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Bill Rosinger – Anne Britt – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Doug Paton – Robert Paul – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Merlin Mann – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

JANUARY 2022 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Anupama Raghavan – Demetri Detsaridis – Carrie Schneider – Alenka Grealish – Anne Gerry – Richard Sneddon – David Judson – Julian Roleff – Melissa Gallardo – Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Mtwolf – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jungben – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Jason Reitman – Karen Liu – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Simon Prieto – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Gray Dyer – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Kari Kirk – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Mary Schoenmaker – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Marc – David Blackman – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – Brian Meldrum – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Caroline Miller – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Nicole Schleicher – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Bridget Lyons – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Bonnie Prinsen – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Phillip Dalton – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Michael York – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Brendan Jubb – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Tijs Soete – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Briony Leo – Bill Fuller – Steven Maron – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Zoe Little – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Eero Wahlstedt – Andrew Fair – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Andrew Lee – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Nicholas Schechter – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-11-17

Year Three, In Review

46 min

Open

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.

REFERENCED/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 Jules
Curt 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, 1978
Love 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, 1984

INTERVIEWS: Carmen Staaf, Lindsay Ellis, Imogen Heap, Brian Bender, and Eric Vetro

OUTRO SOLOISTS: Carlos Eiene, Jeff Bean, and Eric Elligers

--------------------

NOVEMBER 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Kelsair – Rob Bosworth – Kyle Cooke – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Tim Byrne – Jamie White – Christopher Kupski – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Laurie Acreman – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Bill Rosinger – Anne Britt – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Doug Paton – Robert Paul – Viki Dun – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Merlin Mann – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

NOVEMBER 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Mtwolf – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Kurt Wendelken – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Stefan Niebrügge – Jason Reitman – Karen Liu – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Simon Prieto – Breck Jones – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Rhyanon Murray – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Gray Dyer – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Kari Kirk – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Mary Schoenmaker – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Marc – David Blackman – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – Brian Meldrum – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Caroline Miller – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Nicole Schleicher – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Bridget Lyons – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Phillip Dalton – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Michael York – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Becca Sample – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Benedict Pennington – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Brendan Jubb – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Briony Leo – Bill Fuller – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Zoe Little – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – 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 – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Andrew Lee – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Nicholas Schechter – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-11-10

Singing Like A Star, with Eric Vetro

55 min

Open

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, 2013

--------------------

NOVEMBER 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Kelsair – Rob Bosworth – Kyle Cooke – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Tim Byrne – Jamie White – Christopher Kupski – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Laurie Acreman – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Bill Rosinger – Anne Britt – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Doug Paton – Robert Paul – Viki Dun – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Merlin Mann – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

NOVEMBER 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Mtwolf – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Kurt Wendelken – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Stefan Niebrügge – Jason Reitman – Karen Liu – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Simon Prieto – Breck Jones – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Rhyanon Murray – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Gray Dyer – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Kari Kirk – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Mary Schoenmaker – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Marc – David Blackman – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – Brian Meldrum – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Caroline Miller – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Nicole Schleicher – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Bridget Lyons – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Phillip Dalton – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Michael York – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Becca Sample – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Benedict Pennington – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Brendan Jubb – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Briony Leo – Bill Fuller – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Zoe Little – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – 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 – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Andrew Lee – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Nicholas Schechter – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-11-03

Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense

59 min

Open

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 Demme

REFERENCED/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, 1983
A 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, 1980
The documentary 20 Feet From Stardom

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/.

--------------------

NOVEMBER 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Elliot Rosen – Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Kelsair – Rob Bosworth – Kyle Cooke – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Tim Byrne – Jamie White – Christopher Kupski – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Laurie Acreman – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Bill Rosinger – Anne Britt – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Doug Paton – Robert Paul – Viki Dun – Dave Sharpe – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Merlin Mann – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey

NOVEMBER 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Janice Berry – Doreen Carlson – Mtwolf – David McDarby – Abigail Duffield – Rapha David – Wendy Gilchrist – Lisa Turner – Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Kurt Wendelken – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Stefan Niebrügge – Jason Reitman – Karen Liu – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Simon Prieto – Breck Jones – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Rhyanon Murray – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Gray Dyer – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Kari Kirk – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Mary Schoenmaker – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Marc – David Blackman – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – Brian Meldrum – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Caroline Miller – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Nicole Schleicher – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Bridget Lyons – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Phillip Dalton – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Michael York – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Becca Sample – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Benedict Pennington – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Brendan Jubb – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Briony Leo – Bill Fuller – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Zoe Little – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – 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 – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Andrew Lee – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Nicholas Schechter – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-10-20

Metroid Music, Bond Themes & Jazz Philosophy

64 min

Open

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/DISCUSSED:

“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, 2020
Tuvan-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, 2002
Aboriginal 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 Bowen
An NPR interview with Wendell Pierce about his role as trombonist Antoine Batiste on Treme
An excerpt from the climactic drum solo from Whiplash
The jam session scene from episode one of Kids on the Slope
The ridiculously well animated jazz band from Yakuza 0
The final guitar showdown from Crossroads feat. Steve Vai
The episode of 99% Invisible about The Real Book
A collection of alphabetical tune excerpts from The Real Book, Vol. 1
Audio from “Reset,” the third episode of James Acaster’s Netflix special Repertoire
“Space Oddity” by David Bowie from David Bowie, 1969
The 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, 1969
The excellent book Harmonic Experience: Tonal Harmony from Its Natural Origins to Its Modern Expression by W.A. Mathieu

OUTRO SOLOIST: Jeff Bean

Jeff 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.

KIRK'S SUGGESTED LIST OF REAL BOOK TUNES TO LEARN*

A
A Child is Born
A Fine Romance
A Night in Tunisia
Afro Blue
Afternoon in Paris
Alice in Wonderland
All Blues
All of Me
All of You
All the Things You Are
Alone Together
Anthropology
April in Paris
Autumn in New York
Autumn Leaves

B
 Beautiful Love
Bewitched
Black Orpheus
Blue Bossa
Blue In Green
Blue Monk
Blues for Alice
Blue Train
Body and Soul

C
Chega De Saudade
Chelsea Bridge
Confirmation
Corcovado
Cottontail

 D
Darn that Dream
Days of Wine and Roses
Desafinado
Dolphin Dance
Don’t Get Around Much Anymore

E
Easy to Love

F
Footprints
Four
Freddie Freeloader

G
Giant Steps
Girl from Ipanema
God Bless the Child
Goodbye Porkpie Hat
Groovin High

H
Have You Met Miss Jones
Here’s That Rainy Day
How High the Moon
How Insensitive

I
I Can’t Get Started
I could Write a Book
I Let a Song Go Out of my Heart
I Love You
I Mean You
Impressions
In a Mellow Tone
In a Sentimental Mood
In Your Own Sweet Way
Invitation
It Don’t Mean a Thing

J
Joy Spring (if you’re feeling adventurous)
Just Friends

K 
There are no K songs in the Real Book! I take this personally!

L
Lady Bird
Like Someone in Love
Lullaby of Birdland
Lush Life (there will one day be an episode about this masterpiece)

M
Maiden Voyage
Misty
Mood Indigo
Mr. P.C.
My Favorite Things
My Foolish Heart
My Funny Valentine
My One and Only Love

N
Night and Day
Night has a Thousand Eyes

O
Oleo
Once I Loved
One Note Samba
Out of Nowhere

P
Pensatia (a difficult but beautiful tune)
Pent-Up House
Prelude to a Kiss

R
Recordame
‘Round Midnight

S
Satin Doll
Scrapple from the Apple
Seven Steps to Heaven
The Shadow of Your Smile
Sidewinder
Someday My Prince Will Come
Song For My Father
Sophisticated Lady
So What
Stella By Starlight
Stolen Moments
Stompin’ at the Savoy
Straight, No Chaser
Sugar

T
Take Five
Take the “A” Train
There Is no Greater Love
There Will Never Be Another You
They Can’t Take That Away From Me
Triste
Turn Out The Stars

U
Up Jumped Spring

W
Waltz For Debby
Well You Needn’t
When I Fall In Love
Windows

Y
Yesterdays
You 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

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OCTOBER 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Kelsair – Rob Bosworth – Kyle Cooke – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Tim Byrne – Jamie White – Christopher Kupski – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – 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 – Viki Dun – Dave Sharpe – Christer Lindqvist – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Merlin Mann – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey – Dan Apczynski

OCTOBER 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Kurt Wendelken – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Stefan Niebrügge – Jason Reitman – Karen Liu – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Simon Prieto – Breck Jones – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Rhyanon Murray – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Gray Dyer – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Kari Kirk – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Mary Schoenmaker – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Marc – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – Brian Meldrum – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Fernando Rodriguez – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Caroline Miller – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Nicole Schleicher – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Bridget Lyons – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Spencer Shirley – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Phillip Dalton – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Michael York – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Becca Sample – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Benedict Pennington – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Alexander Geddes – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Brendan Jubb – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Briony Leo – Bill Fuller – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Zoe Little – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Jeremy Dawson – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – 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 – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Andrew Lee – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Nicholas Schechter – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-10-06

"Love Will Never Do (Without You)" by Janet Jackson

55 min

Open

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 Lewis

Produced by: Janet Jackson, Jam & Lewis

Album: Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814, 1989

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/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, 1989
Emu SP-1200 Beatmaking demonstration by Chief Rugged on YouTube
Discussion 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, 1985
Estelle Caswell’s Vox Earworm video about the Orchestra Hit
“The Chain” by Fleetwood Mac from Rumors, 1977

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/

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OCTOBER 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Ashley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Kelsair – Rob Bosworth – Kyle Cooke – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Tim Byrne – Jamie White – Christopher Kupski – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – 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 – Viki Dun – Dave Sharpe – Christer Lindqvist – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Merlin Mann – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey – Dan Apczynski

OCTOBER 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Paul Wayper – Miles Forman – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Kurt Wendelken – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Stefan Niebrügge – Jason Reitman – Karen Liu – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Simon Prieto – Breck Jones – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Rhyanon Murray – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Gray Dyer – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Kari Kirk – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Mary Schoenmaker – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Marc – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – Brian Meldrum – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Fernando Rodriguez – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Caroline Miller – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Nicole Schleicher – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Bridget Lyons – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Spencer Shirley – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Phillip Dalton – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Michael York – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Becca Sample – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Benedict Pennington – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Alexander Geddes – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Brendan Jubb – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Briony Leo – Bill Fuller – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Zoe Little – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Jeremy Dawson – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – 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 – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Andrew Lee – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Nicholas Schechter – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-09-21

"September" by Earth, Wind & Fire

55 min

Open

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 Willis

Produced by: Maurice White

Album: The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire Vol. 1, 1978

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/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, 1973

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/

--------------------

SEPTEMBER 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Rob Bosworth – Josh Pearson – Kyle Cooke – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Tim Byrne – Jamie White – Christopher Kupski – Christopher McConnell – Joshua Jarvis – 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 – Viki Dun – Dave Sharpe – Christer Lindqvist – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Merlin Mann – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey – Dan Apczynski

SEPTEMBER 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Kurt Wendelken – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Stefan Niebrügge – Jason Reitman – Karen Liu – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Simon Prieto – Breck Jones – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Rhyanon Murray – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Gray Dyer – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Kari Kirk – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Mary Schoenmaker – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Marc – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – Brian Meldrum – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Fernando Rodriguez – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Caroline Miller – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Nicole Schleicher – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Stephen Matthews – Bridget Lyons – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Dallas Hockley – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Rich Roskopf – Melissa Gallo – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Spencer Shirley – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffrey C. Yarnell – David Friedman – Phillip Dalton – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Michael York – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Becca Sample – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Benedict Pennington – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Alexander Geddes – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Brendan Jubb – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Briony Leo – Bill Fuller – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Zoe Little – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – David Cushman – Alexander – Jeremy Dawson – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – 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 – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Andrew Lee – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Nicholas Schechter – Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-09-08

Clave, Chorus & "Careless Whisper"

61 min

Open

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/DISCUSSED:

“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, 2009
The 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 Big
Dan Forshaw’s video about Steve Gregory’s “Careless Whisper” sax solo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UvoRqBDwsI

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.

--------------------

SEPTEMBER 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Rob Bosworth - Josh Pearson - Kyle Cooke - Donald Mackie - Melissa Osborne - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Jamie White - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - 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 - Viki Dun - Dave Sharpe - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Glenn - Jim Chokey - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan Apczynski

SEPTEMBER 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Kurt Wendelken - Adam Stofsky - Zak Remer - Rishi Sahay - Stefan Niebrügge - Jason Reitman - Karen Liu - Greg Burgess - Ailie Fraser - Simon Prieto - Breck Jones - Paul McGreal - Karen Arnold - Natalie Mistilis - Josh Singer - Phino DeLeon - Schloss Edward J., MD - Rhyanon Murray - Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Ben Machta - Victoria Yu - Kevin Rivers - Gray Dyer - Brad Clark - Christopher - Michael J. Cunningham - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Steve Paquin - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah - David Joske - Emma Sklar - Bernard Khoo - Marc - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Olivia Bishop - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Kouroth - Sharon Tree - Belinda McGrath-Steer - Liz Seger - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Nathan Gouwens - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Cookies250 - Spencer Shirley - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Jen Small - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Mark Perry - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Caro Field - Michael Bochner - Duncan - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Chris K - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - 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 - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-08-25

"Fingertips" by They Might Be Giants

59 min

Open

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 Linnell

Album: Apollo 18 (1992)

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/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, 1994
The 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” Cole

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.

--------------------

AUGUST 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Rob Bosworth - Josh Pearson - Kyle Cooke - Donald Mackie - Melissa Osborne - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - 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 - Viki Dun - Dave Sharpe - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Jim Chokey - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan Apczynski

AUGUST 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Andy Painter - Karen Liu - Greg Burgess - Ailie Fraser - Simon Prieto - Breck Jones - Paul McGreal - Karen Arnold - Natalie Mistilis - Josh Singer - Phino DeLeon - Schloss Edward J., MD - Rhyanon Murray - Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Ben Machta - Victoria Yu - Kevin Rivers - Gray Dyer - Brad Clark - Christopher - Michael J. Cunningham - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Steve Paquin - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah - David Joske - Emma Sklar - Bernard Khoo - Marc - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Olivia Bishop - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Kouroth - Sharon Tree - 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 - Cookies250 - Spencer Shirley - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - 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 - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Mark Perry - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Caro Field - Michael Bochner - Duncan - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Chris K - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - 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 - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-08-11

"Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" by Billy Joel

56 min

Open

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 Joel

Produced by: Phil Ramone

Album: The Stranger (1977)

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/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, 1977
Joel 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, 1975

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. You can find out more at his website: https://www.stevepardo.com/

--------------------

AUGUST 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Rob Bosworth - Josh Pearson - Kyle Cooke - Donald Mackie - Melissa Osborne - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - 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 - Viki Dun - Dave Sharpe - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Jim Chokey - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan Apczynski

AUGUST 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Andy Painter - Karen Liu - Greg Burgess - Ailie Fraser - Simon Prieto - Breck Jones - Paul McGreal - Karen Arnold - Natalie Mistilis - Josh Singer - Phino DeLeon - Schloss Edward J., MD - Rhyanon Murray - Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Ben Machta - Victoria Yu - Kevin Rivers - Gray Dyer - Brad Clark - Christopher - Michael J. Cunningham - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Steve Paquin - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah - David Joske - Emma Sklar - Bernard Khoo - Marc - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Olivia Bishop - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Kouroth - Sharon Tree - 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 - Cookies250 - Spencer Shirley - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - 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 - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Mark Perry - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Caro Field - Michael Bochner - Duncan - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Chris K - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - 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 - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-07-28

The Producer's Philosophy, with Brian Bender

75 min

Open

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-Bender
Film & TV Credits: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4685996/

REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

TERMS

A/D or D/A: Analog to digital conversion
“In the Box”: Making music entirely digitally with no outboard gear
Stems - Submixes of like tracks (e.g. the strings, the guitars) which an engineer can work with instead of individual tracks in order to streamline workflow

MUSIC

“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, 1980

GEAR

Drums:

C&C Custom Drum Set
Ludwig Supraphonic Snare Drum

Studio Gear:

Studer 2-inch 24-Track Tape Recorder
Ampex 602 2-Track 1/2-Inch Tape Recorder
Otari 2-inch 16-track Multitrack Tape Machine
Teletronix LA-2A Compressor

Microphones:

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 THINGS

Tate’s Bake Shop
George Massenburg explains the GML8200 Parametric EQ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kBFqHo2z9Q
The movie “Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar,” 2021

Correction: 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.

--------------------

JULY 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Rob Bosworth - Josh Pearson - Kyle Cooke - Donald Mackie - Melissa Osborne - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - 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 - Viki Dun - Dave Sharpe - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Jim Chokey - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan Apczynski

JULY 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Paul McGreal - Karen Arnold - Natalie Mistilis - Josh Singer - Phino DeLeon - Schloss Edward J., MD - Rhyanon Murray - Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Ben Machta - Victoria Yu - Kevin Rivers - Gray Dyer - Brad Clark - Christopher - Michael J. Cunningham - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Steve Paquin - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah - David Joske - Emma Sklar - Spencer Stanford - Bernard Khoo - Marc - Andrew Shpall - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - Stewart Oak - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Kouroth - Sharon Tree - 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 - Cookies250 - Spencer Shirley - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - 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 - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Mark Perry - 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 - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Chris K - 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 - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-07-14

The Music All Around Us, with Imogen Heap

78 min

Open

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/DISCUSSED:

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=r5SVhGg5UV8
Tim 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, 2014
E.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, 2009
The Interdependence podcast, with Holly Herndon and Matt Dryhurst: https://interdependence.fm/

--------------------

JULY 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Rob Bosworth - Josh Pearson - Kyle Cooke - Donald Mackie - Melissa Osborne - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - 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 - Viki Dun - Dave Sharpe - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Jim Chokey - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan Apczynski

JULY 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Paul McGreal - Karen Arnold - Natalie Mistilis - Josh Singer - Phino DeLeon - Schloss Edward J., MD - Rhyanon Murray - Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Ben Machta - Victoria Yu - Kevin Rivers - Gray Dyer - Brad Clark - Christopher - Michael J. Cunningham - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Steve Paquin - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah - David Joske - Emma Sklar - Spencer Stanford - Bernard Khoo - Marc - Andrew Shpall - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - Stewart Oak - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Kouroth - Sharon Tree - 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 - Cookies250 - Spencer Shirley - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - 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 - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Mark Perry - 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 - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Chris K - 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 - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-06-30

Strong Covers, Vol. 1

60 min

Open

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):

"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, 1994

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"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, 2017
Ray Padgett's book Cover Me: The Story Behind the Greatest Cover Songs of All Time, 2017
DEVO performing their "Satisfaction" cover live in 1977: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=70&v=jAGOgMxUHKM&feature=emb_logo
Performances of "Hallelujah" by John Cale, Pentatonix, K.D. Lang, and Rufus Wainwright

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/.

--------------------

JUNE 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Rob Bosworth - Josh Pearson - Kyle Cooke - Donald Mackie - Liam Keogh - Melissa Osborne - Per Morten Barstad - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Allison Clift-Jennings - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - 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 - Viki Dun - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan Apczynski

JUNE 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Natalie Mistilis - Josh Singer - Phino DeLeon - Schloss Edward J., MD - Rhyanon Murray - Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Ben Machta - Victoria Yu - Kevin Rivers - Gray Dyer - Brad Clark - Christopher - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Steve Paquin - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah - David Joske - Åshild Margrete Østtveit Odéen - Emma Sklar - Spencer Stanford - Bernard Khoo - Marc - 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 - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - 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 - 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 - 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 - Chris K - 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 - Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-06-16

Ska Horns & Madonna Melodies

55 min

Open

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/DISCUSSED:

“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, 1986
Ambient audio from Breath of the Wild, soundtrack by Yasuaki Iwata, Hajime Wakai, Manaka Kataoka
Steve 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, 1964

Correction 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 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

--------------------

JUNE 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Rob Bosworth - Josh Pearson - Kyle Cooke - Donald Mackie - Liam Keogh - Melissa Osborne - Per Morten Barstad - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Allison Clift-Jennings - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - 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 - Viki Dun - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan Apczynski

JUNE 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Natalie Mistilis - Josh Singer - Phino DeLeon - Schloss Edward J., MD - Rhyanon Murray - Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Ben Machta - Victoria Yu - Kevin Rivers - Gray Dyer - Brad Clark - Christopher - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Steve Paquin - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah - David Joske - Åshild Margrete Østtveit Odéen - Emma Sklar - Spencer Stanford - Bernard Khoo - Marc - 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 - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - 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 - 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 - 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 - Chris K - 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 - Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-06-02

"You've Got a Friend" by Carole King

59 min

Open

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 King

Album: Tapestry (1971)

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/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, 1967
Harvey 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, 1972

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

--------------------

JUNE 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Rob Bosworth - Josh Pearson - Kyle Cooke - Donald Mackie - Liam Keogh - Melissa Osborne - Per Morten Barstad - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Allison Clift-Jennings - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - 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 - Viki Dun - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan Apczynski

JUNE 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Natalie Mistilis - Josh Singer - Phino DeLeon - Schloss Edward J., MD - Rhyanon Murray - Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Ben Machta - Victoria Yu - Kevin Rivers - Gray Dyer - Brad Clark - Christopher - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Steve Paquin - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah - David Joske - Åshild Margrete Østtveit Odéen - Emma Sklar - Spencer Stanford - Bernard Khoo - Marc - 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 - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - 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 - 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 - 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 - Chris K - 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 - Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-05-19

"New Born" and "Micro Cuts" by Muse

56 min

Open

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 Bellamy

Album: Origin of Symmetry (2001)

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"Plug In Baby," "Space Dementia," "Bliss," and "Citizen Erased" by Matthew Bellamy from Origin of Symmetry
Manson Guitar Works, makers of Matt Bellamy's futuristic custom guitars: https://www.mansonguitarworks.com/

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. 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/

--------------------

MAY 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Josh Pearson - Kyle Cooke - Donald Mackie - Liam Keogh - Melissa Osborne - Per Morten Barstad - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Allison Clift-Jennings - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - 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 - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan Apczynski

MAY 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Ben Machta - Victoria Yu - Kevin Rivers - Gray Dyer - Brad Clark - 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 - Marc - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-05-14

"Nessun dorma" by Giacomo Puccini (Aria Code)

33 min

Open

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, 2021

Sometimes, 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_logo

In 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-05-05

Strung Beats, Jazz Battles & The Notes You Don't Play

61 min

Open

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/DISCUSSED:

“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, 2015
Frédéric 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, 1959

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/

--------------------

May 2021 Whole-Note Patrons

Josh Pearson - Kyle Cooke - Donald Mackie - Liam Keogh - Melissa Osborne - Per Morten Barstad - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Allison Clift-Jennings - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - 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 - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan Apczynski

May 2021 Half-Note Patrons

Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Ben Machta - Victoria Yu - Kevin Rivers - Gray Dyer - Brad Clark - 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 - Marc - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - 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 - Emily Williams

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-04-30

Explaining Musicals, with Lindsay Ellis

58 min

Open

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 WORK

Lindsay'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/DISCUSSED:

“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, 2019
An 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, 2020

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-04-21

Sidechain Compression & Saxophone Traffic Cones

59 min

Open

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/DISCUSSED:

“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 Philharmonic
The 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, 1987

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/.

--------------------

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 2012 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-04-07

"Stolen Moments" by Oliver Nelson

59 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/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.

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-03-24

"Cameo Lover" by Kimbra

55 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/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/

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-03-17

The Mysteries of Music, with Carmen Staaf

67 min

Open

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/

REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

“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, 2015
Alexander 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, 2019
Kathak dance performed by Meghranjani Medhi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ZmCmQjoehw
The 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, 1973

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-03-10

"Wuthering Heights" by Kate Bush

57 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/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

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-02-24

Cross-Rhythms, Concept Albums & Dream Songs

58 min

Open

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/DISCUSSED:

“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/.

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-02-10

"Babylon Sisters" by Steely Dan

59 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/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

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-01-27

"Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap

58 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/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/

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2021-01-13

"Space Oddity" and "Starman" by David Bowie

53 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

Listen/Buy Ziggy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

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.

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-11-25

Year Two, In Review

57 min

Open

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.

REFERENCED/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.

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-11-11

"A Day in the Life" by The Beatles

58 min

Open

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 McCartney

Album: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"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, 1967
The 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, 1977

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. You can find out more at his website: https://www.stevepardo.com/

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-10-28

Microtones, Minimalism & the Bebop Scale

62 min

Open

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/DISCUSSED:

“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/

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-10-14

Strong TV Songs: HBO Edition

65 min

Open

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.

REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

“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.

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-09-30

"Hyperballad" by Björk

48 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

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

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-09-16

Good Synths, Bad Acoustics & Moana

54 min

Open

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.

REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

“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."

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-09-02

"The Chain" and "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac

58 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

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

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-08-19

"Wedding Song" from Hadestown

58 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"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.

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-08-05

Muppet Whistles, Throat Singing & Steely Dan

59 min

Open

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.

REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

“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.

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-07-22

"No One Knows" by Queens of the Stone Age

55 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"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/

--------------------

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 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 - Steven Maron - Stuart Terry - Suellen Moore - Tanner Morton - Tom Clewer - Tom Coleman - Tom Lauer - Toni Isaacson - Wayne Marsh - Wen - Zoe Little - Brant Phillip - Michael Bochner

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-07-15

"4'33" by John Cage (Twenty Thousand Hertz)

31 min

Open

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 D allas 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.

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-07-08

"World 1-1" from Super Mario Bros.

59 min

Open

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 REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

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.

--------------------

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 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 - Steven Maron - Stuart Terry - Suellen Moore - Tanner Morton - Tom Clewer - Tom Coleman - Tom Lauer - Toni Isaacson - Wayne Marsh - Wen - Zoe Little - Brant Brantphillip

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-07-01

"Satisfied" from Hamilton (Updated!)

49 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

Tracks from The Hamilton Instrumentals, 2017

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

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/.

--------------------

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

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-06-24

"Kiss" by Prince

56 min

Open

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: Prince

Album: Parade (1986)

Written by: Prince

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"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, 2018
A 2013 Sound on Sound interview with "Kiss" producer David Z: https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/prince-kiss

Update 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 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. 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.

--------------------

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

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-06-10

Tricky Counting, Straight Saxes & Transposing Horns

60 min

Open

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."

REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

“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

--------------------

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

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-05-27

"Chicago" by Sufjan Stevens

57 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"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

--------------------

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 - Fishbones - 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-05-20

The Magic of Sound, with Dallas Taylor

70 min

Open

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, 1965
Whitney 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?, 2019
The 2008 Universal studio fire that destroyed countless master recordings from countless major artists
“Black Sabbath” by Black Sabbath from Black Sabbath, 1970
Various 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, 1959

LISTEN 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/.

--------------------

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 - Fishbones - 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-05-13

"Walking on Broken Glass" by Annie Lennox

59 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"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.

--------------------

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 - Fishbones - 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-04-29

"Last Goodbye" by Jeff Buckley

59 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

“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/

--------------------

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 - Fishbones - 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-04-15

Devo, AC/DC, and a Mystery Solved

64 min

Open

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.

REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"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, 2019
Reference 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 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

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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 - Fishbones - 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1X2ETUpsFfH03FHOZDCiic?si=UHahG4EcRcSQ_tBlpzSakA

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-04-01

"So What" by Miles Davis

59 min

Open

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 Davis

Album: Kind of Blue (1959)

Written by: Miles Davis

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

“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, 1997
Discussion of Miles: The Autobiography by Miles Davis and Quincy Troupe, 1990
Discussion of Ascension: John Coltrane and his Quest by Eric Nisenson, 1995

2026 Edit: Correctly identified the second note in Miles' opening phrase.

The Strong Songs Kind of Blue Playlist

Kirk 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.

Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/strong-songs-kind-of-blue-playlist/pl.u-mJy8DG8t1g8Ka

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

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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 - Fishbones - 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-04-01

April Makes Fools of Us All

10 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

Special thanks to Emily for being an excellent test audience.

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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 - Fishbones - 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-03-18

"God Only Knows" by The Beach Boys

56 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"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.

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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 - Fishbones - 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3OYYGNNXWw6lNvYU2OY1Mi?si=5DtK6owKS3Cv-s3-tpkTzw

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-03-13

A Playlist For Trying Times

10 min

Open

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:

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

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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 - Fishbones - 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-03-04

"Sinnerman" by Nina Simone

55 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"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/.

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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 - Fishbones - 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-02-19

Muse, Mars, and a Mystery

57 min

Open

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/DISCUSSED:

“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.

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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 - Fishbones - 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-02-10

"Toss a Coin to Your Witcher" from The Witcher

16 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

--------------------

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 - Fishbones - 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-02-05

"Tom Sawyer" by Rush

60 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

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 REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"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

--------------------

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 - Fishbones - 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-01-29

Rhythm + Harmony = Music

54 min

Open

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/DISCUSSED:

"I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton, performed by Whitney Houston
"Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin from Led Zeppelin IV, 1971
The 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

--------------------

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 - Fishbones - 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-01-22

"Lovefool" by The Cardigans

49 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

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

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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 - Fishbones - 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2020-01-08

"Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin

57 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/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

--------------------

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 - Fishbones - 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2019-11-27

Year One, In Review

50 min

Open

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.

REFERENCED/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.

--------------------

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 - Fishbones - 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!

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2019-11-13

"I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton

58 min

Open

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) via Album.Link

Listen/Buy (TBLWIT) via Album.Link

Listen/Buy (The Bodyguard) via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

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/

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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 - Fishbones - 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2019-10-30

"Making Christmas" from The Nightmare Before Christmas

50 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

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

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/

--------------------

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 - Fishbones - 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2019-10-16

"Kiss From a Rose" by Seal

52 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

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.

--------------------

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 - Fishbones - 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2019-10-02

Fiddle Battles and Bad Sax

55 min

Open

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/DISCUSSED:

"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/.

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2019-09-25

Secrets of a Great Band Director, with Janis Stockhouse

55 min

Open

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/DISCUSSED:

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

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2019-09-18

"Think" by Aretha Franklin

50 min

Open

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

Albums: Aretha Now, 1968 and The Blues Brothers: Original Soundtrack, 1980

Composed by: Aretha Franklin and Teddy White

Listen/Buy (Original) via Album.Link

Listen/Buy (Blues Brothers) via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/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.

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2019-09-04

"Like a Prayer" by Madonna

44 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/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/

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2019-08-21

Pyramid Song, Nirvana & Marty McFly

49 min

Open

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/DISCUSSED:

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

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

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/

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2019-08-07

Strong TV Songs: Animated Edition

70 min

Open

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.

FEATURED 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 REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"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/.

--------------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2019-07-24

"Paranoid Android" by Radiohead

55 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"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.

--------------------

JULY 2019 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Caleb Rotach - Chad Barnard - Dan Apczynski - Dave Florey - Sara Walsh

JULY 2019 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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2019-07-10

"Barracuda" by Heart

47 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"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/

--------------------

JULY 2019 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Caleb Rotach - Chad Barnard - Dan Apczynski - Dave Florey - Sara Walsh

JULY 2019 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Alexander Polson - Andre Bremer - Andrew Lee - Arjun Sharma - Chas Lednicky - Earl Lozada - Emily Williams - FlSHBONES - Forrest Chang Jaehoon Jeong J- ames 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!

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2019-06-26

"Tightrope" by Janelle Monáe

54 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

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

-----------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!
Patreon | One-Time Donation

🏠 HOMEPAGE

👚 MERCH

📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:
Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky

🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎨 SHOW ART:
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Play Episode Page Apple Extract Knowledge

Published 2019-06-12

"Tiny Dancer" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" by Elton John

46 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

Album 2: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"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.

---------------

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

--------------------

💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺
July 11, 2026 | Portland, OR
Buy Tickets Here

----LINKS-----

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Published 2019-05-29

Hamilton, Hozier, Multiphonics & Modes

58 min

Open

Mailbag May returns for round two, as Kirk continues catching up on listener questions.

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/DISCUSSED:

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

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Published 2019-05-15

Tool, Game of Thrones & More Cowbell

42 min

Open

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.

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/DISCUSSED:

"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

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Published 2019-05-08

Five Albums That Shaped Me

21 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

--

The Cardigans, First Band on the Moon, 1996

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

--

Stan Getz, Stan Getz and the Oscar Peterson Trio, 1958

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

--

Spacehog, The Chinese Album, 1998

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

--

Maria Schneider, Allégresse, 2000

Listen/Buy via Album.Link | Maria Schneider's Website

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Published 2019-05-01

"Satisfied" from Hamilton

49 min

Open

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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

Tracks from The Hamilton Instrumentals, 2017

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Published 2019-04-17

"Mr. Blue Sky" by Electric Light Orchestra

35 min

Open

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." 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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"Yesterday" by Paul McCartney from Help!, 1965
"Confirmation" by Charlie Parker, 1946, included on In Person

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Published 2019-04-03

"Moanin'" by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers

42 min

Open

Dust off your head charts and brush up your best licks, cause it's time to wade into the warm, welcoming waters of jazz. 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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"Freddie Freeloader" by Miles Davis from Kind of Blue, 1959
"Giant Steps" by John Coltrane from Giant Steps, 1960
"I Wish" by Stevie Wonder from Songs in the Key of Life, 1976
("I Wish" was also featured on a 2018 episode of Strong Songs)
"Jordu" by Duke Jordan from Clifford Brown and Max Roach, 1954
"Cherokee" by Ray Noble as performed by Clifford Brown on Study in Brown, 1955
"Tank!" by Yoko Kanno from the Cowboy Bebop soundtrack
The wonderful anime Kids on the Slope, streamable on Hulu and Crunchyroll.

--------------------

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Published 2019-03-21

Syncopation, Subdivision & The Four Chords

45 min

Open

The Strong Songs mailbag is overflowing, so it's time to dive in and answer some listener questions. 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."

REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"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
"First Tube" by Phish from Farmhouse, 2000
"Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" by Anne Bredon, recorded by Led Zeppelin on their self-titled debut, 1969
"Free Bird" by Lynyrd Skynyrd from their amazingly titled album (Pronounced 'Lĕh-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd), 1974
"Just a Friend" by Biz Markie from The Biz Never Sleeps, 1989
"Liquid Dance" by AR Rahman, Palakkad Sriram and Madhumitha from the Slumdog Millionare soundtrack, 2008
A cool demonstration of Konnakol performed live by Umamahesh, Umashankar, and Selvaganesh
"Prom Night" by Anamanaguchi, 2014
"Spectra" by Chipzel from Spectra, 2013
"Strike the Earth!" by Jake Kaufman from the Shovel Knight soundtrack, 1989
"Mt Saint Michel + Saint Michael's Mount" by Aphex Twin from Drukqs, 2001
"Well You Needn't" by Thelonious Monk from Misterioso (Live), 1965

--------------------

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Published 2019-03-06

"Let It Go" from Frozen

51 min

Open

What happens when you put a straight-up power ballad in the middle of a Disney movie? "Let it Go" happens, that's what. 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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey from Escape, 1981
"Part of Your World" by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman from The Little Mermaid, 1989
"A Whole New World" by Alan Menken and Tim Rice from Aladdin, 1992
"When Will My Life Begin?" by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater from Tangled, 2010
"Defying Gravity" by Stephen Schwartz from Wicked, 2003
"How Far I'll Go" by Lin-Manuel Miranda from Moana, 2016

--------------------

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🎨 SHOW ART:
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Published 2019-02-20

"Bohemian Rhapsody" by Queen

49 min

Open

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.

Band/Artist: Queen

Album: A Night At The Opera, 1975

Composed by: Freddie Mercury

Produced by: Roy Thomas Baker

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"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

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🎨 SHOW ART:
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Published 2019-02-06

"Dancing Queen" by ABBA

38 min

Open

It's time to get lost in the bittersweet beats of ABBA's 1976 hit "Dancing Queen." 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 via Album.Link

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Published 2019-01-23

The Beatles, Brubeck, Bond and Beyond

48 min

Open

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.

REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins from Face Value, 1981
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
"In My Life" by Lennon–McCartney from Rubber Soul, 1965
"I Will Follow You Into The Dark" by Ben Gibbard from Plans, 2006
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
"Blue Rondo a la Turk" by Dave Brubeck from Time Out, 1959
"Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" by Lennon-McCartney from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, 1967
"Money" by Roger Waters from The Dark Side Of The Moon, 1973
"The Way" by Tony Scalzo from All The Pain Money Can Buy, 1998
"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
"Mind Games" by John Lennon from Mind Games, 1973
A nifty "Doctor Mix" YouTube video demonstrating the Mellotron
"Theme from Dr. No" by Monty Norman, arranged by John Barry from Dr. No, 1962
"Skyfall" by Adele Adkins and Paul Epworth from Skyfall, 2012
"Manners Maketh Man" by Henry Jackman and Matthew Margeson (I failed to co-credit Margeson on the show) from Kingsman: The Secret Service, 2015
"Permission to Come Aboard" by Rupert Gregson-Williams from Aquaman, 2018
"Wonder Woman Theme" by Hans Zimmer and Junkie XL performed by Tina Guo, released as a single in 2017
"Gimme Shelter" by Jagger/Richards from Let It Bleed, 1969

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Published 2019-01-09

"Thriller" by Michael Jackson

29 min

Open

Darkness falls across the land, and it's the right time for Michael Jackson's "Thriller." 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 via Album.Link

------

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

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Published 2018-12-26

"I Wish" by Stevie Wonder

27 min

Open

Ever wish you could just be a kid again? Stevie does. 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 via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

"Superstition" by Stevie Wonder, from Talking Book, 1972
"Higher Ground" by Stevie Wonder, from Innervisions, 1973
"Wild Wild West" by Will Smith, Moe Dewese, Rob Fusari, and Stevie Wonder, from Willennium, 1999
Classic Albums: Songs in the Key of Life

--------------------

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Published 2018-12-12

"Single Ladies" by Beyoncé

26 min

Open

On this episode, Kirk dives into one of the greatest pop songs of all time.

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 via Album.Link

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Published 2018-11-28

"You Can Call Me Al" by Paul Simon

17 min

Open

This week, Kirk breaks down one of his favorite songs from one of his favorite albums.

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 via Album.Link

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