Strong Songs – Details, episodes & analysis

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

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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/.

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💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS! 
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--------------------

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

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.

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💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS! 
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🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS 
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🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC 
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🎨 SHOW ART 
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

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

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

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

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS! 
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 🏠 HOMEPAGE
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 👚 MERCH
strongsongspodcast.com/store

 📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER
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📷 SOCIAL MEDIA 
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💬 STRONG SONGS DISCORD SERVER 
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🎧 STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTS 
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS 
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🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC 
kirkhamilton.com/music

🎨 SHOW ART 
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

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

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

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

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS! 
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 🏠 HOMEPAGE
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 👚 MERCH
strongsongspodcast.com/store

 📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER
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📷 SOCIAL MEDIA 
Instagram: @Kirk_Hamilton
Bluesky: @kirkhamilton.com

💬 STRONG SONGS DISCORD SERVER 
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🎧 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

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

MAY 2020 WHOLE NOTE PATRONS

AccessViolation Aidan Coughlan Andre Bremer andrew walters Anne Britt Bill Rosinger CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Christer Lindqvist Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey David Zahm Doug Paton Erin Glenn Jared Norris Jeanneret Manning Family Four Kyle Starr Mark Schechter Matt Butler Merlin Mann Mickey Clark Nathaniel Bauernfeind R Watson Robert Paul Ryan Torvik Simon Cramp Steve Philpot Viki Dun

MAY 2020 HALF NOTE PATRONS

AJ Schuster Albukitty Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Fuller brant brantphillip Brendon Oliver-Ewen Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Briony Leo Brooke Wilford Caro Field Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Clare HOLBERTON Clint Johnston Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart Dave King David Stroud David Zucker Dhu Wik Diane Turner Duncan Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Georgia Livesay Gerry Nelson Jaehoon Jeong Jake Tinsley James Johnson Jarrod Schindler Jeffrey Olson Jenifer Carr Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe Jonathan Daniels Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Judith Stansfield Judy Chapple Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kendra Reid Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Leigh Sales Malory Mark Haberlen Mark Perry Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Betzel Matt Gaskell Melanie Stivers MH Michael Blackwell michael bochner Michael Flaherty Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Peter Scott Queen Latifah Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Sam Fenn Shane DeLeon Sheilah SP Stephen Steven Craig Maron Steven Maron Stuart Terry SUELLEN MOORE Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Coleman Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson Wayne Marsh Zoe Little

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/.

----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

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

MAY 2020 WHOLE NOTE PATRONS

AccessViolation Aidan Coughlan Andre Bremer andrew walters Anne Britt Bill Rosinger CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Christer Lindqvist Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey David Zahm Doug Paton Erin Glenn Jared Norris Jeanneret Manning Family Four Kyle Starr Mark Schechter Matt Butler Merlin Mann Mickey Clark Nathaniel Bauernfeind R Watson Robert Paul Ryan Torvik Simon Cramp Steve Philpot Viki Dun

MAY 2020 HALF NOTE PATRONS

AJ Schuster Albukitty Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Fuller brant brantphillip Brendon Oliver-Ewen Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Briony Leo Brooke Wilford Caro Field Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Clare HOLBERTON Clint Johnston Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart Dave King David Stroud David Zucker Dhu Wik Diane Turner Duncan Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Georgia Livesay Gerry Nelson Jaehoon Jeong Jake Tinsley James Johnson Jarrod Schindler Jeffrey Olson Jenifer Carr Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe Jonathan Daniels Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Judith Stansfield Judy Chapple Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kendra Reid Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Leigh Sales Malory Mark Haberlen Mark Perry Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Betzel Matt Gaskell Melanie Stivers MH Michael Blackwell michael bochner Michael Flaherty Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Peter Scott Queen Latifah Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Sam Fenn Shane DeLeon Sheilah SP Stephen Steven Craig Maron Steven Maron Stuart Terry SUELLEN MOORE Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Coleman Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson Wayne Marsh Zoe Little

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.

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS! 
Patreon | Paypal

 🏠 HOMEPAGE
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 👚 MERCH
strongsongspodcast.com/store

 📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER
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📷 SOCIAL MEDIA 
Instagram: @Kirk_Hamilton
Bluesky: @kirkhamilton.com

💬 STRONG SONGS DISCORD SERVER 
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🎧 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

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MAY 2020 WHOLE NOTE PATRONS

AccessViolation Aidan Coughlan Andre Bremer andrew walters Anne Britt Bill Rosinger CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Christer Lindqvist Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey David Zahm Doug Paton Erin Glenn Jared Norris Jeanneret Manning Family Four Kyle Starr Mark Schechter Matt Butler Merlin Mann Mickey Clark Nathaniel Bauernfeind R Watson Robert Paul Ryan Torvik Simon Cramp Steve Philpot Viki Dun

MAY 2020 HALF NOTE PATRONS

AJ Schuster Albukitty Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Fuller brant brantphillip Brendon Oliver-Ewen Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Briony Leo Brooke Wilford Caro Field Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Clare HOLBERTON Clint Johnston Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart Dave King David Stroud David Zucker Dhu Wik Diane Turner Duncan Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Georgia Livesay Gerry Nelson Jaehoon Jeong Jake Tinsley James Johnson Jarrod Schindler Jeffrey Olson Jenifer Carr Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe Jonathan Daniels Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Judith Stansfield Judy Chapple Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kendra Reid Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Leigh Sales Malory Mark Haberlen Mark Perry Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Betzel Matt Gaskell Melanie Stivers MH Michael Blackwell michael bochner Michael Flaherty Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Peter Scott Queen Latifah Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Sam Fenn Shane DeLeon Sheilah SP Stephen Steven Craig Maron Steven Maron Stuart Terry SUELLEN MOORE Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Coleman Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson Wayne Marsh Zoe Little

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/

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS! 
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🎧 STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTS 
Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music

🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS 
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🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC 
kirkhamilton.com/music

🎨 SHOW ART 
Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

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

APRIL 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

AccessViolation andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Clint Johnson Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann R Watson Ryan Torvik Viki Dun

APRIL 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

AJ Schuster Albukitty Alex Singer Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton brant Phillip Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Christer Lindqvist Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart Dave King David Stroud DuncannLL Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Gerry Nelson Jacob Dye Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jeffrey Olson Jenifer Carr Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Judith Stansfield Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Leigh Sales Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Betzel Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell michael bochner Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Robert Paul Sam Fenn samuel gardner Shane DeLeon SP Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson Wayne Marsh

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

----LINKS-----

💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS! 
Patreon | Paypal

 🏠 HOMEPAGE
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 👚 MERCH
strongsongspodcast.com/store

 📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER
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📷 SOCIAL MEDIA 
Instagram: @Kirk_Hamilton
Bluesky: @kirkhamilton.com

💬 STRONG SONGS DISCORD SERVER 
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🎧 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

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

APRIL 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

AccessViolation andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Clint Johnson Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann R Watson Ryan Torvik Viki Dun

APRIL 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

AJ Schuster Albukitty Alex Singer Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton brant Phillip Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Christer Lindqvist Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart Dave King David Stroud DuncannLL Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Gerry Nelson Jacob Dye Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jeffrey Olson Jenifer Carr Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Judith Stansfield Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Leigh Sales Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Betzel Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell michael bochner Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Robert Paul Sam Fenn samuel gardner Shane DeLeon SP Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson Wayne Marsh

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

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.

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1X2ETUpsFfH03FHOZDCiic?si=UHahG4EcRcSQ_tBlpzSakA

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

----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

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

APRIL 2020 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

AccessViolation andrew walters CALEB ROTACH Chad Barnard Clint Johnson Craig J Covell Dan Apczynski Dave Florey Glenn Jared Norris Mark Schechter Merlin Mann R Watson Ryan Torvik Viki Dun

APRIL 2020 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

AJ Schuster Albukitty Alex Singer Alexander Polson Amanda Furlotti Andre Bremer Andrew Baker Andrew Lee Arjun Sharma Bill Thornton brant brantphillip Brett Douville Brian Amoebas Brooke Wilford Chas Lednicky Chris Brown Christer Lindqvist Cyrus N. White Darryl Stewart Dave King David Stroud Duncan Earl Lozada Eero Wahlstedt Elliot Jay O'Neill Emily Williams FlSHBONES Forrest Chang Gavin Doig Gerry Nelson Jacob Dye Jaehoon Jeong James Johnson Jeffrey Olson Jenifer Carr Jennifer Bush Jeremy Dawson John and Sharon Stenglein Jon O’Keefe joujou Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua Judith Stansfield Jules Bailey Justin Liew Justin McElroy Kate Albury Kevin Morrell Kevin Pennyfeather Leigh Sales Mark Steen Markus Koester Matt Betzel Matt Gaskell Max Schechter Melanie Stivers Michael Blackwell michael bochner Miriam Juskowicz Mueller Nate from Kalamazoo Nicholas Schechter Richard Toller Robbie Ferrero Robert Paul Sam Fenn samuel gardner Shane DeLeon SP Tanner Morton Tom Clewer Tom Lauer Toni Isaacson Wayne Marsh