STAFF PICKS:

Take Me Out by Franz Ferdinand — Lynch

Unwell by Matchbox Twenty— friend of the show Julie

Million Miles by Fuel — Bruce

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

I'll Be There For You by The Rembrandts (Main theme from the television series Friends).

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

STAFF PICKS:

Stupid Girl by Garbage — Lynch

But Anyway by Blues Traveler— Bruce

Walls (Circus) by FTom Petty & the Heartbreakers — Rob

NOVELTY TRACK:

Macerena by Los del Rio.

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

STAFF PICKS:

Little Wonder by David Bowie — Rob

Little White Lie by Sammy Hagar— Bruce

6 Underground by Sneaker Pumps — Lynch

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

"Soul Bossa Nova" (Main theme from the motion picture Austin Powers:  International Man of Mystery).

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

STAFF PICKS:

All Star by Smash Mouth — Wayne

Higher by Creed— Rob

The Rockafeller Skank by Fatboy Slim — Brian

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from the television series The West Wing.

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

STAFF PICKS:

Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes — Rob.

The Boys of Summer by The Ataris— Bruce

Stacy's Mom by Fountains of Wayne — Brian

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Reload by Rob Zombie (from the motion picture The Matrix Reloaded )

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

STAFF PICKS:

A Walk by Bad Religion — Wayne

Hey Man, Nice Shot by Filter — Lynch

Too Much by Dave Matthews Band — Bruce

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Waiting (Phase Two) by Porcupine Tree.

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

STAFF PICKS:

Whacha Gonna Do? by Cowboy Mouth — Wayne

Teardrop by Massive Attack — Rob.

My Father's Eyes by Eric Clapton — Clint Barret (friend of the show).

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

What is Love by Haddaway (from the motion picture A Night at the Roxbury.

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

STAFF PICKS:

Let Forever Be by The Chemical Brothers — Rob

The Kids Aren't Alright by The Offspring — Wayne

Zip-Lock by Lit — Lynch.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Wild Wild West by Will Smith (from the motion picture "Wild Wild West").

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

STAFF PICKS:

Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand by Primitive Radio Gods — Bruce

Pepper by Butthole Surfers — Rob.

All I Know by Screaming Trees — Lynch

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main Title Theme from the motion picture “Mission Impossible."

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

STAFF PICKS:

Original Fire by Audioslave — Lynch

The Kill (Bury Me) by Thirty Seconds to Mars — Rob

Woman by Wolfmother — Wayne

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

The Kraken, by Hans Zimmer (from the motion picture Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest)

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

STAFF PICKS:

Dancing Days by Stone Temple Pilots — Rob

She's A River by Simple Minds — Bruce

Stand Up by Thunder — Wayne. 

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Whiney Whiney (What Really Drives Me Crazy) by Will One Blood (from the motion picture "Dumb & Dumber").

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

STAFF PICKS:

Waydown by Catherine Wheel — Lynch

Wynona's Big Brown Beaver by Primus — Rob

I Walked by Wanderlust — Wayne

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main Theme from the motion picture "Apollo 13"

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

STAFF PICKS:

Fire Escape by Fastball — Wayne.

Somehow, Somewhere, Someway by Kenny Wayne Shepherd — Bruce

Freak of the Week by Marvelous 3 — Lynch

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

I Don't Want to Miss a Thing by Aerosmith (from the motion picture "Armageddon").

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

STAFF PICKS:

The Reason by Hoobastank — Bruce.

Heaven by Los Lonely Boys — Rob

Cold by Crossfade — Lynch

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

“If” by Bread (from the motion picture "Anchorman").

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

STAFF PICKS:

Barely Breathing by The Duncan Sheik — Bruce.

The New Pollution by Beck — Rob

I Want You by Savage Garden — Wayne

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Slowblow by Depeche Mode

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

What the Riff?!? Lead Sponsor Frank Therrien joins us from Georgia Lighting for this episode.

STAFF PICKS:

Given to Fly by Pearl Jam — Lynch 

Turn It Up by Moon Dog Mane — Wayne 

Lullaby by Shawn Mullins — Bruce

Got You Where I Want You  by The Flies — Frank Therrien

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Frostbite by Trevor Rabin (from the motion picture "Jack Frost").

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

STAFF PICKS:  

If You Could Only See by Tonic — Wayne

Song 2  by Blur— Rob

The Impression That I Get by the Mighty Mighty Bosstones — Bruce

Bound for the Floor by Local H - Lynch

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Hey Bulldog by Toad the Wet Sprocket (from the motion picture "I Know What You Did Last Summer").

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

STAFF PICKS:

Clap Your Hands by They Might Be Giants — Wayne

We Are All Made of Stars by Moby — Rob

By The Way by the Red Hot Chili Peppers — Lynch

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from the motion picture Spider Man.

STAFF PICKS:

Dreamer by Ozzy Osbourne — Rob

Standing Still by Jewel — Bruce

You Don't Bring Me Flowers by Neil Diamond & Barbara Streisand — Wayne

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Half Light by tomanandy & Low (from the motion picture “The Mothman Prophesies”). 

STAFF PICKS:

One Week by the Barenaked Ladies — Lynch

Lucky Man by The Verve — Bruce.

My Own Worst Enemy by Lit — Rob.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from "Sex and the City."

STAFF PICKS:

Save Tonight by Eagle Eye Cherry — Rob

Sex & Candy by Marcy Playground — Wayne

Walkin' On the Sun by Smash Mouth — Bruce.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Street Life by Randy Crawford (from the motion picture "Jackie Brown").

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

STAFF PICKS:

Flagpole Sitta by Harvey Danger — Wayne

Turn the Page by Metallica — Rob

Dragula by Rob Zombie — Greg

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from the television series Animaniacs.

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

STAFF PICKS:

The Middle by Jimmy Eat World — Wayne

Get Over It by OK Go — Bruce

Prayer by Disturbed — Greg

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from the motion picture "Red Dragon".

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

STAFF PICKS:

The Freshmen by The Verve Pipe — Rob.

The Distance by Cake — Wayne.

Van Halen by Nerf Herder — Bruce.  

NOVELTY TRACK:

Enter Sandman by Pat Boone.  

STAFF PICKS:

“Are You There” by Oleander — Lynch.

“If You're Gone” by Matchbox Twenty — Rob.

"Hanging By a Moment” by Lifehouse — Bruce.  

"Hemorrhage (In My Hands) - Fuel - Julie Doran.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK: "He Carves the Roast Beast" (from the motion picture "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"). 

STAFF PICKS:

“Lightning Crashes” by Live — Rob.

“Tomorrow” by Silverchair — Lynch.

“Mockingbird Girl” by Magnificent Bastards - Wayne. 

“No More ‘I Love You's’” by Annie Lennox — Bruce.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

“Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me” by U2 (from the motion picture “Batman Forever”). 

What The Riff?!? hopes you enjoy our EIGHTH ANNUAL Christmas Rabbit Hole Episode in which we riff on the Christmas standards, classics, covers, and originals that make Christmas Rock!

This year, we’re covering:

Little Drummer Boy - Joan Jett & The Blackhearts.

Jingle Bell Rock - Daryl Hall & John Oates.

I Believe In Stanta Claus - Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton.

Please Daddy (Don't Get Drunk this Christmas) - John Denver.

Last Christmas - Wham!

White Christmas - Chicago.

O Holy Night - Michael McDonald.

Christmas at Ground Zero - "Wierd Al" Yankovic.

Grown Up Christmas List - Amy Grant.

Please Come Home for Christmas -Cheap Trick.

Hard Candy Christmas - Dolly Parton.

Redneck Christmas - Ray Stevens.

All I Want for Christmas is You

- Mariah Carey.

And we close out with a very special Christmas song by Lynch’s band, “Cherubic Trash Panda” - exclusively from What the Riff?!? records!

STAFF PICKS: “Blurry” by Puddle of Mudd — Lynch. “In Too Deep” by Sum 41 — Bruce.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK: “A Kaleidoscope of Mathematics” (from the motion picture "A Beautiful Mind"). 

STAFF PICKS: “Anger Rising” by Jerry Cantrell — Rob. “Fine Again” by Seether — Lynch. “Complicated” by Avril Lavigne — Bruce.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK: “The Ballad of Serenity” (from the television series Firefly). 

STAFF PICKS:

“Closing Time” by Semisonic — Bruce.

“Blue on Black” by Kenny Wayne Shepherd — Rob.

"Inside Out” by Eve 6 — Lynch.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

“It's Not Over” by Mark Isham  (from the motion picture "Blade"). 

STAFF PICKS: "

“Weathered” by Creed — Bruce. “

“Bullitproof” by Pacifier — Wayne.

“When I'm Gone” by 3 Doors Down — Rob.

ENTERTAINMENT/LAUGH TRACK:

“Evenstar” (from the motion picture "The Lord of the Rings:  The Two Towers"). 

STAFF PICKS: “Aeroplane” by Red Hot Chili Peppers — Rob.

“Fear of Falling” by The Badlees— Bruce. "

“In the Meantime” by Spacehog — Wayne.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Tuesday's Gone by Lynyrd Skynyrd (from the motion picture “Happy Gilmore”). 

STAFF PICKS: “You Get What You Give” by New Radicals — Lynch

“Praise You” by Fatboy Slim— Bruce

Why I'm Here” by Oleander — Wayne

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK: “Main Title/Trinity Infinity” (from the motion picture "The Matrix"). 

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

STAFF PICKS:

"Absolutely (Story of a Girl)” by Nine Days — Lynch.

“Hangin Around” by Counting Crows — Rob.

"Beautiful Day” by U2 — Wayne.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

“Frolic” by Luciano Michelini (from the TV Series "Curb Your Enthusiasm"). 

STAFF PICKS:

“Breakfast At Tiffany's” by Deep Blue Something — Bruce.

“Santa Monica” by Everclear — Wayne.

"Miss Sarajevo” by Passengers (aka U2) — Rob.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:  "Beach Sequence" by Passengers  

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

STAFF PICKS:

“Without Me” by Eminem — Bruce

“No One Knows” by Queens of the Stone Age — Rob

"Downfall” by Trust Company — Lynch

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK: "Feuer Frei!" by Rammstein (from the motion picture "XXX").

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

STAFF PICKS: "Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)” by Train — Rob. “Bodies” by Drowning Pool— Wayne. "Smooth Criminal” by Alien Ant Farm — Lynch.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK: “Acro Arena (Instrumental)” by Cake. 

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

STAFF PICKS: Weak and Powerless by A Perfect Circle — Lynch. In Da Club by 50 Cent — (Fan of the Show )Clint Barrett. One Big Holiday by My Morning Jacket — Rob.

INSTRUMENTAL/ENTERTAINMENT/LAUGH TRACK: Main theme from the motion picture Once Upon a Time in Mexico.

Disclaimer: What the Riff?!? is a music commentary and review podcast that highlights rock music through historical context, personal insights, and artist appreciation. We do not claim ownership of the songs featured, which remain the property of the original artists and rights holders. All music is used under the Fair Use doctrine for purposes of criticism, commentary, and education. We encourage our listeners to support the artists by purchasing and streaming their music legally.

STAFF PICKS: “Downtown” by Neil Young — Rob. “Lump” by The Presidents of the United States of America — Wayne. “Hard as a Rock” by AC/DC — Gregg.

L/E/I TRACK: Main Theme from the motion picture "Strange Days". 

While the album continues to feature the signature harmonies associated with Crosby, Stills & Nash, it has a harder, more rocking edge to it. Some of this is undoubtedly due to the addition of Neil Young to the album, but it also reflects the challenges the group members were facing.  Both Stephen Stills and Graham Nash had gone through break-ups in their relationships, and David Crosby tragically had lost his girlfriend Christine Hinton in a car accident.

The album was highly anticipated, generating $2 million in pre-sales before its release.  It became a gold record only 14 days after release, and was on the Billboard 200 album chart for 88 weeks.  Contemporary critics provided mixed reviews, but the album has only grown in stature over time, with many reviews considering it amongst the top albums ever produced.  Deja Vu was inducted into the Grammy Hall of fame in 2012.

After its release, each of the principal members of the group would record solo albums, and the success of Deja Vu contributed to the individual success of these four solo projects.

Crosby, Stills & Nash (and sometimes Young) would continue to produce albums over the decades with their last collaboration occurring in 2015.  The death of David Crosby in 2023 ended the possibility of full reunions.

Wayne brings us this soft rock singer-songwriter live album for this week's podcast.

Carry On The opening track to the album was penned by Stephen Stills who also provides lead vocals.  It is a medley of two songs edited together with a jam session connector, and came together surprisingly fast during a time when most songs were taking a long time to finish.  The lyrics encourage the band members to keep going through times of struggle in relationships both within and outside the band.

Teach Your Children Graham Nash wrote this song in 1968 when he was with The Hollies, but had not recorded it with that group at the time.  Nash has associated the song with a photograph exhibit showing a child playing with a toy hand grenade, and the lyrics encourage parents to be careful in how they teach their children.  Neil Young does not play on this song, but the steel guitar is provided by Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead. 

Woodstock Unlike the other tracks on this album, this song was not written by any of the band members, but was penned by Joni Mitchell.  Mitchell had not attended the Woodstock festival, but was inspired to write this song told from the perspective of a concert goer after hearing her then-boyfriend Graham Nash relay the account.  It has become a signature song for the group and a staple of the 60's counter-culture.  

Our House Graham Nash wrote this song as a description of a day spent with then-girlfriend Joni Mitchell and her two cats in their Laurel Canyon home.  The song was written in an hour on Mitchel's piano.  It went to number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Theme from the motion Picture "Patton" This epic starring George C. Scott was playing in the theaters in 1970.  It won seven Academy awards, including Best Picture.

STAFF PICKS:

Let It Be by The Beatles Lynch starts the staff picks with a song inspired by a dream.  Paul McCartney's mother, Mary Patricia McCartney, died of cancer with Paul was 14.  In the dream, his mother encourages her son by saying, "It's all right, just let it be."  This single and title song from the final Beatles album debuted at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 before topping those charts.

Cecilia by Simon & Garfunkel Rob brings us the third single from the fifth and final album by Simon & Garfunkel, "Bridge Over Troubled Water."  It was developed in a late night jam when the duo and friends were banging on a piano bench and recording the sound with a tape recorder.  The lyrics depict the heartbreak of a boy delivered from Cecilia his unfaithful lover.

The Rapper by The Jaggerz Bruce features the most successful single from the band whose guitarist and primary songwriter would go on to be Donny Iris.  The song is a warning to the ladies not to be taken in by a smooth talking man telling them lies.  It went to number 2 on the charts.

Superlungs My Supergirl by Terry Reid Wayne's closes out the staff picks with a cover originally written by Donovan about a 14-year old groupie.  Terry Reid was Jimmy Page's first pick to be lead singer of Led Zeppelin, but was unavailable at the time due to his touring schedule with Cream and the Rolling Stones.  Reid would acquire the nickname of Superlungs.

NOVELTY TRACK:

Pineapple and the Monkey by The Faces This instrumental from The Faces debut album takes us out for this week. 

America is also their self-titled debut album released in the States in January 1972.  The album originally was released without “A Horse With No Name,” but when that single garnered significant commercial success it was added to a re-release of the album in early 1972.  The re-released album would top the US album charts and produce two top-10 singles.

The band would be a force in the folk-rock and soft rock genres for a generation.  With close harmonies similar to Crosby, Stills & Nash, and complex acoustic guitar arrangements, their first seven albums would be in the top 50 on the album charts, though this first debut would be their lone chart topper to date.  Their compilation album “History:  America's Greatest Hits” was released at the end of 1975.

America produced albums of original material up through 2015.  In 1977 Dan Peek left the group to pursue music in the Contemporary Christian genre.  Speculation regarding a reunion of the original members continued through the years until Peeks death in 2011.

Rob brings us a great debut folk rock album in this week's podcast.

Riverside The lead off track is a good example of the original America sound.  It has a laid back message:  I don't want to take anything from you, and I don't want you to take anything from me.  It is a “live and let live” message using a metaphor of life on two sides of the river.

A Horse with No Name This is the track that put the band on the map.  Originally entitled “Desert Song” the track takes inspiration from a Salvador Dali painting and an M.C. Escher painting.  Writer Dewey Bunnell created lyrics loosely based on his travels as a child with family through the deserts of Arizona and New Mexico.  

Three Roses Bunnell paints a picture of both a quiet life and romantic uncertainty in this song inspired by his girlfriend, soon to be wife.  “Three roses were bought with you in mind.”  Dan Peek takes lead vocal duties on this one with subdued but complex chords and harmonies.

I Need You The second single from the album was written by Gerry Beckley when he was 16 years old.  Beckley also takes lead vocals on this ballad which went to number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100.  You can sense the similarity to bands like the Beatles and Alan Parsons in this track.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from the television series “Emergency!” This first responder action series focused on Squad 51 in Los Angeles saw its debut in January 1972. 

STAFF PICKS:

Family Affair by Sly & the Family Stone Bruce begins the staff picks with the most successful hit from Sly & the Family Stone.  This song topped the Billboard Hot 100 for three weeks and the R&B Singles chart for five.  This track is a little different for the group, as the guitars are toned down, and the electric piano (with Billy Preston on keyboard) is brought up.  The lyrics talk about the ways a family can go wrong.

Roundabout by Yes Lynch brings us a song written by singer Jon Anderson and guitarist Steve Howe.  The song originated from a trip the group took in Scotland in which they encountered a number of roundabouts.  The line, “in and around the lake” came from one of the lochs they passed.  This opening track from Fragile was drastically edited to produce a single coming in at 3:27 rather than the over 8-minute original.  It reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, the group's highest charting single until 1983's “Owner of a Lonely Heart.”

Doctor My Eyes by Jackson Browne Wayne's staff pick is a single off Browne's debut and self-titled album.  The lyrics discuss the feeling that the singer is becoming jaded about life by seeing all the wrong in the world, and now being unable to cry about it.  David Crosby and Graham Nash provide backing vocals to this song which went to number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.  

Misty Mountain Hop by Led Zeppelin Rob features a song which was the B-side to Zeppelin's “Black Dog.”  The lyrics take their inspiration from the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, as well as the “Legalize Pot Rally” held in Hyde Park in July 1968.  It appeared on the massive Led Zeppelin IV album.  As Rob says, it is a “mixture of stoner idealism and Tolkien nerdery.”

COMEDY TRACK: Pigeon Song by America We exit with a little double dipping, and with gratefulness that none of us is a pigeon named Fred. 

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

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

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

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

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

Boom is their second studio album from the band, released in February 1966.  As with many songs from the mid-60's, all the songs are short.  But with a non to the future punk movement, many songs are even shorter, clocking in at just over 2 minutes.  The Sonics take their name from Boeing, the aviation company also based in Tacoma.  The name of the album is likely a play on words for the "sonic boom," the thunderous sound produced by an aircraft exceeding the speed of sound.  The music on this album is energetic and abrasive, and while some fuzzy guitar distortion is included the overall feel is raw with little extra production.

The classic lineup would fall apart by 1968, with members leaving to join other bands, attend college, or in saxophonist Rob Linds' case - become a fighter pilot in the Vietnam War.  Gerry Roslie would be the sole remaining original member with new members jumping in and out of the band until 1980.  

Wayne brings us this forerunner of punk and grunge for this week's podcast.

Cinderella The lead-off song from the album was an original piece written by Gerry Roslie.  The lyrics relay a boy meeting a girl at a bar, having a great time drinking and dancing, and just when things start to get going well, the girl is gone by midnight.  

He's Waitin' This song starts the B-side of the album, and was also a Gerry Roslie original.  This "boy loses girl" song is not a happy one!  The lyrics reflect the boy's thoughts on being burned by a girl.  Now he is telling her that Satan is waiting for her.  "It's too late, you lied, now you will fry." 

Louie, Louie Richard Berry wrote and performed this song in 1957 with The Pharaohs, and covers of this song are common with garage bands.  The Sonics' version is quite fast, and modifies the pronunciation from "Lou-ee Lou-ee" to "Lou-eye Lou-way" in the chorus.  It is hard to separate this song from the thoughts of fraternity parties and the comedy movie "Animal House." 

Shot Down The song that closes out the album laments about striking out when approaching a girl.  "I play a guitar.  I even drive a brand new car.  Big man in town, I've been shot down."  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Theme from the motion picture "The Rare Breed" This western starred James Stewart and Maureen O'Hara and was one of the first films scored by the now-legendary composer John Williams. 

STAFF PICKS:

Crying Time by Ray Charles Bruce leads off the staff picks with the lead single and starting track to Ray Charles' album of the same name.  The song was originally performed by Buck Owens in 1964, and Charles kept the country feel while taking the cover to number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.  He won the Grammy Awards in 1967 for Best R&B Recording and Best R&B Solo Performance for this track.

It's a Man's Man's Man's World by James Brown Lynch brings us a song that takes its name as a play on the name of a 1963 comedy film, "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World."  The minor key track has lyrics decrying the chauvinism of society where all the work of modern civilization are attributed to men, but it would all "mean nothing without a woman or a girl."  Brown recorded the song in only two takes, and it would become a staple of his live shows for the rest of his career.

Secret Agent Man by Johnny Rivers Rob features a surf rock song originally developed as the opening intro to the U.S. spy television series "Secret Agent," which aired from 1964 to 1966. The ditty became popular, and Rivers developed it into a full single.  The song would go to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming both a signature song for Rivers and a rock standard for future bands and shows.

Lies by The Knickerbockers Wayne's closes out the staff picks with a song from an American band deliberately trying to mimic the sound of a British Invasion song.  The trio harmonies definitely give it a Beatles quality.  As you might expect from the band name, the Knickerbockers got their start in New Jersey as a garage band.  The track came together in about a half hour.

COMEDY TRACK:

The One on the Right is On the Left by Johnny Cash This comedy song about a band with incompatible political leanings amongst its members takes us out for this week's podcast.

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

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

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

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

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

Flesh & Blood is an album that is more challenging musically than the earlier ones.  The band is toning down their glam metal persona and taking on more serious lyrical themes.  Songs cover a wide range from sex and motorcycles, to struggles with long term relationships, to frustration with the struggles seen in society.  The band would drop the excessive makeup of their earlier career, and found the songs on a more blues-oriented rock.  More piano work is included, with keyboardist John Webster contributing to the album sessions.

The result was a success, reaching triple platinum status by 1991.  The album peaked at number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart and number 3 on the UK albums chart. 

This album would be a kind of high water mark for the group, as the industry was moving away from the metal sound of the late 80's and into the grunge sound of the mid-1990's.  However, the group would go on to record and tour into the new millennium, and Bret Michaels would become both a solo act and a celebrity with his MTV reality show "Rock of Love with Bret Michaels."

Lynch brings us a look at a somewhat more mature Poison on this week's for today's podcast.

Unskinny Bop Not every song has deep or significant lyrics.  This hit single from the album started as a nonsense lyric, a placeholder that stuck.  The catchy repetition would make it a crowd favorite at concerts, and it was a top 10, going to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Valley of Lost Souls A deeper cut, this song lyrics talk about the life of a rock artist struggling to make it in a place without compassion.  It is a slower piece, but definitely not a ballad.  

Life Goes On C.C. DeVille brought the original draft of this song to the band.  The lyrics were inspired by a girlfriend of DeVille who was shot and killed in a California bar fight, and describe the quest for light at the end of a dark period in life.

Something to Believe In This ballad was the second single released from the album, and went to number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Bret Michaels dedicated this song to his friend and bodyguard James Kimo Maano who had died previously.  The lyrics reflect the frustration in the failures of society, from poverty, to the treatment of Vietnam veterans, to the hypocrisy of televangelists.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

You're In the Doghouse Now by Brenda Lee (from the motion picture “Dick Tracy”) This action movie based on the comic series from the 1930's starred Warren Beatty in the title role, along with Al Pacino and Madonna.

STAFF PICKS:

Ball and Chain by Social Distortion Wayne kicks off the staff picks with a more alternative rock song penned by a punk rock band from their third and self-titled album.  The lyrics describe a hard luck story of a man who can't escape his difficulties.  It could be about a relationship, a rut in life, or about any vice that holds you down.

Way Down Now by World Party Rob's staff pick is the first single from World Party's second studio album, "Goodbye Jumbo."  If you hear echoes of "Sympathy for the Devil," that is deliberate - though the song is much more upbeat.  It reached number 1 on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks chart.  World Party is primarily a one-man project from multi-instrumentalist Karl Wallinger from the Waterboys.

Tie Dye on the Highway by Robert Plant Bruce brings us a song off plant's fifth studio album "Manic Nirvana."  The spoken line, "What we have in mind is breakfast in bed for 400,000." is from Wavy Gravy and the Hog Farm Collective, delivered at the Woodstock festival in 1969 announcing the intention to provide free breakfast to the crowd.  

Kool Thing by Sonic Youth Lynch closes out the staff picks with a song critical of the over-the-top masculinity of LL Cool J.  It was the first single from their sixth studio album, "Goo."  The track never mentions LL Cool J personally, but references a number of his works.  Chuck D. of Public Enemy provides the spoken vocals to the song.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Mildred Pierce by Sonic Youth We double up on Sonic Youth as we end today's podcast with their instrumental based on a 1945 film noir starring Joan Crawford.  

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

D&B Together is the sixth and final album from Delaney & Bonnie.  Originally entitled "Country Life," the album was delivered to Atco/Atlantic Records behind schedule and rushed into distribution.  Although Atlantic executive Jerry Wexler was a friend of the duo, he didn't think the quality was where it needed to be and withdrew it from the market.  He later sold the contract and the album's master tapes to CBS, who reordered the running sequence and re-released it in March 1972.  In addition to frequent collaborators Eric Clapton, Leon Russell, and Duane Allman, this album also contains the work of "friends" like Dave Mason, Billy Preston, and Tina Turner. 

Despite the title, Delaney and Bonnie would divorce shortly after the album came out.  Drugs were taking their toll on the couple and their relationship could not survive it.  However, they did have a daughter named Bekka Bramlett, who was a member of Fleetwood Mac from 1993-1995 and had a long career as a backing vocalist in the music industry.

Bruce presents this underrated rock/soul album for this week's podcast.

Comin' Home This song was released in December 1969 by Atco Records (US) and Atlantic Records (international).  It was co-written by Bonnie Bramlett and Eric Clapton, and features Eric Clapton.  It went to number 84 on the US pop charts.  The lyrics are about being on the road and getting ready to come home to the one the singer loves.  

Only You Know and I Know Dave Mason originally wrote and recorded this song in 1970, and it became his first charting single, going to number 42 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Delaney & Bonnie re-recorded it and took it to number 20 on the same chart.  This single was released in 1971, another single that came out before the album.  

I Know Something Good About You This is a deeper cut on the album with an upbeat, funky sound.  It was written by Delaney Bramlett and Joe Hicks.  

Groupie (Superstar) Most people recognize this as a hit from the Carpenters, but this is the original.  Rita Coolidge came up with the idea after observing female groupies with rock starts in the late 60's, and the song was written by Bonnie Bramlett and Leon Russell.  It was the B-side to "Comin' Home."  Richard Carpenter picked it up for the Carpenters, and changed some of the lyrics to be less risqué.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from the television series The Rookies This police action series debuted in October 1972.

STAFF PICKS:

And You and I by Yes Wayne leads off the staff picks with an excerpt of the 10+ minute work written by Jon Anderson, Bill Bruford, Steve Howe, and Chris Squire. The entire song consists of four parts, but the first two were released as a single edit which hovered just outside the top 40 on the Billboard charts.   

You Wear It Well by Rod Stewart Rob brings us the first single from Stewart's fourth studio album, "Never a Dull Moment."  It went to number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 1 on the UK singles chart.  Many consider this an arrangement of Stewarts hit "Maggie May."  As with his previous album, members of the Faces join in as musicians on "Never a Dull Moment."

Lean On Me by Bill Withers Lynch features a song written and performed by Withers.  It was inspired by his experience growing up in a mining town in West Virginia. The community ethic of that town was something Withers missed when he moved to Los Angeles.  It was the first single from Withers' second album, "Still Bill." 

Turn to Stone by Barnstorm Bruce brings us a song inspired by frustration over the Vietnam War, the Nixon Administration, and the protesting that was going on at the time.  Joe Walsh left the James Gang and formed a group called Barnstorm.  The group put out three albums including one with the wonderful title "The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get."  This song is off the group's self-titled debut album. 

COMEDY TRACK:

My Ding-a-Ling by Chuck Berry We close out this week's podcast with Berry's double entendre masterpiece, on the charts in this month.  

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

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

Having a Rave Up, also known as "Having a Rave Up with the Yardbirds," is their second American album, and showcases two of their virtuoso guitarists.  The album has one side of studio recordings in which Jeff Beck is the guitarist.  Side two is a compilation of live performances featuring Eric Clapton on guitar.  During a time when most songs were expected to run about three minutes, the Yardbirds would extend these out in live performances to six or seven minutes with instrumental jams known as "rave ups."  The combination of studio and live work is an excellent introduction to The Yardbirds, as the band's strength was in their live performances.  Their studio efforts would improve with the experimentation of Jeff Beck.

Jimmy Page would become their guitarist in mid-1966 until their split-up in mid-1968.  He would form a group as "The New Yardbirds" shortly thereafter, which would be renamed shortly thereafter to Led Zeppelin.

Rob brings us this study in the origins of rock for this week's podcast. 

Heart Full of Soul This song was the first single released by The Yardbirds after Jeff Beck joined the group.  It was written by Graham Gouldman, who would later be the co-lead singer and bassist of 10cc.  The band wanted to include a sitar in the instrumentation for this song, but when things didn't work out for that, Beck experimented with his guitar to duplicate the eastern sound of the sitar instead.

You're a Better Man than I The opening song from the album is also known as "Mister, You're a Better Man than I."  It was written by brothers Mike and Brian Hugg, and is an attempt at a more folk rock song.  The socially conscious lyrics take aim at the hypocrisy of society and politics, stating that you shouldn't judge a person based on superficial appearances or education.

Smokestack Lightning The live opener to side two is a cover of an old blues song recorded by American blues artist Howlin' Wolf in 1956.  The inspiration for the title came from watching trains go by at night and seeing the sparks come out of the smokestack.

The Train Kept a-Rollin' While Aerosmith's cover may be more famous, this jump blues piece was originally performed by Tiny Bradshaw in 1951.  The Yardbirds played this song during their first American tour in 1965, and Sam Phillips recorded it for them in Memphis later that year.  It closes out side 1 of the album.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from the television action comedy "Batman" This campy superhero show premiered this month.

STAFF PICKS:

Don't Think Twice, It's Alright by The Wonder Who? Bruce begins the staff picks with a disguise group.  The Four Seasons used the name "The Wonder Who?" for four records released from 1965 to 1967, including this one.  Frankie Valli wasn't happy with his vocals on this song, and he recorded it with a "joke" falsetto voice while trying to break the tension in the studio.  

All Your Love by John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers Lynch brings us a blues song originally recorded by American blues musician Otis Rush in 1958.  Multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter John Mayall led this group, which included Eric Clapton on guitar and John McVie on bass.  This single is the lead-off track to the debut album "Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton," also known as "The Beano Album" because Clapton is reading a children's comic called "The Beano" on the front cover.

My Generation by the Who Wayne's staff pick is the hit that started the trajectory for the Who.  Guitarist Pete Townshend wrote this song about young rebellion.  Roger Daltrey incorporates a stutter in his vocals to sound like a British mod on speed.  While this song would reach number 2 on the UK charts, it topped out at number 74 on the US charts.

Day Tripper by the Beatles Rob features a well known song from the Beatles, recorded during the "Rubber Soul" album sessions but not included on the album itself.  It was released as a double A-side single along with "We Can Work it Out" during a time when the Beatles were under pressure to release a single in time for the 1965 Christmas season.  

COMEDY TRACK:

The Lurch by Ted Cassidy Ted Cassidy played Lurch on "The Addams Family," and also performed this novelty song.  

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

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

Neil Diamond was born in Brooklyn, New York, the child of a Jewish family.  At the age of 16 he was inspired by seeing folk singer Pete Seeger perform at a camp for Jewish children in upstate New York, and received his first guitar shortly thereafter.  This would set the direction of Diamond's career, starting with both taking guitar lessons and writing songs.  

After some time barely scraping by as a songwriter, Diamond began to find some success by the mid-60's, most prominently with several songs for The Monkees, including the big hit, "I'm A Believer."  Diamond moved to Los Angeles in 1969, where he recorded some of his bigger solo hits, including the iconic "Sweet Caroline."

Many consider "Hot August Night" to be Neil Diamond's best work, capturing the artist at his prime and at the top of his game.  It went to number 5 on the Billboard 200 album chart, and was number 12 for the 1973 year-end chart.  It was number 1 in Australia for 29 weeks in 1973 and 1974, and remains one of the highest selling albums in that country. 

Neil Diamond retired from touring in 2018 toward the end of his "50 Year Anniversary World Tour" after being diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.  However, Diamond did not retire from music, and continued writing and developing new projects.

Wayne brings us this soft rock singer-songwriter live album for this week's podcast.

Kentucky Woman This song is a bonus track on the CD, and many will recognize this song from the remake performed by Deep Purple.  It was written in 1967 and went to number 22 on the charts after its release.  It appeared on the compilation album, "Neil Diamond's Greatest Hits" released in 1968 on Bang records after Diamond left that label.

Cherry Cherry The inspiration for this song was an early relationship with a significantly older woman.  This was Diamond's first hit, reaching number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The most familiar studio version of this song was released in mid 1966 on Bang records, and was the final track on Diamond's debut studio album, "The Feel of Neil Diamond."

Song Sung Blue This song was originally released on Diamond's eighth studio album, "Moods."  It was his second number 1 song in the United States, and his last solo #1 song in America to date.  The musical inspiration for the song is Mozart's Piano Concerto #21, second movement.  The lyrics reflect on the power of music to heal when a sad mood is poured into a song. 

Cracklin' Rosie Originally released in 1970, this song topped the charts and sold over 1 million copies.  The studio version appeared on "Tap Root Manuscript," Diamond's sixth studio album, and was recorded with instrumentation provided by session musicians from the Wrecking Crew. While the lyrics suggest that Rosie is a prostitute, there are tales that it actually refers to a cheap sparkling wine from Canada called "Crackling Rosè."  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Theme from the animated series "Josie and the Pussycats" The animated series "Josie and the Pussycats" and "Josie and the Pussycats in Outer Space" concluded its run this month.

STAFF PICKS:

Ventura Highway by America Rob leads off the staff picks with a song inspired by a drive that vocalist and writer Dewey Bunnell took in 1963 on the Pacific Coast.  While his father was changing a flat tire, he and his brother stood on the side of the road near a road sign for Ventura, watching shapes in the clouds, inspiring the lyrics "alligator lizards in the air."

Superstition by Stevie Wonder Lynch brings us the lead single from Wonder's fifteenth studio album "Talking Book."  It's lyrics mention many popular superstitions and their negative consequences.  Stevie Wonder collaborated with Jeff Beck on the demo for this song, and Beck would include his version of "Superstition" on his "Beck, Bogert & Appice" album.

Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu by Johnny Rivers Bruce features the song originally recorded in 1957 by Huey "Piano" Smith.  The original version went to number 52 on the pop charts, but the version we all know went to number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Rivers was a member of the Wrecking Crew, and several musicians from that session group played on this single. 

It Never Rains in Southern California by Albert Hammond Wayne's closes out the staff picks with a storytelling song about a performer off to make it big.  He fails in his efforts, but wants to hide the failure from those he left behind.  Members of the Wrecking Crew also provide instrumentation on this song that went to number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.

NOVELTY TRACK:

Crazy Horses by The Osmonds This surprisingly heavy performance from the Osmonds takes us out for this week. 

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

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

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

Franklin toured outside the US for the first time in late April 1968 through May 1968.  She performed in Paris on May 7, 1968, and this concert would be released as the live album Aretha in Paris in the fall of 1968.  It was Franklin's second live album, and the first for Atlantic Records where most of her hits were recorded.

Some have criticized the backing band as not up to the task of supporting Franklin.  However, this album captures Franklin at the top of her game at a time when she was cranking out some of the biggest hits of her career.  It would be difficult for any supporting band to keep up, particularly one assembled for an overseas tour.  Regardless, this is a great album to explore as a snapshot of Aretha Franklin at the height of success.

Lynch brings us a high energy live soul album from the Queen of Soul in her prime for today's podcast.

(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction This Rolling Stones cover is the lead-off track to the album and to the concert.  The Stones had released this song in 1965, and it had become their first number 1 song in the States.  Franklin takes the tempo up for this cover.

(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman Carole King and Gerry Goffin wrote this song for Franklin based on an idea from producer Jerry Wexler.  It originally appeared on Franklin's album "Lady Soul", and went to number 8 on the U.S. charts.  It would make history when it hit the UK charts a week after Franklin's death in 2018, 51 years after the single was first released. 

(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You've Been Gone The original single for this live song was released on the "Lady Soul" album, and reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.  This song was written by Franklin and her then-husband Teddy White. The studio version of this song utilized the talents of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, who were flown in from Alabama to record in a New York City studio.

Chain of Fools Songwriter Don Covay wrote this song in his youth, and presented it to producer Jerry Wexler as a song for Otis Redding.  Wexler decided to have Franklin record it instead of Redding.  It was a big hit, taking the number 1 slot on the R&B charts for four weeks, number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and delivering Franklin a Grammy for Best R&B Vocal Performance.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Theme from the television comedy show “Laugh In” This sketch comedy show would capture a lot of American counter-culture of the time from Tiny Tim to "sock it to me!"

STAFF PICKS:

Ride My See Saw by the Moody Blues Wayne kicks off the staff picks with a psychedelic song from the second Moody Blues album, "In Search of the Lost Chord."  The song is about leaving school and finding that the world isn't what you thought it would be.  On the album, the song is preceded by a spoken word introduction called "Departure."

Harper Valley PTA by Jeannie C. Riley Rob's staff pick is a storytelling song written by Tom T. Hall about a widow named Mrs. Johnson and her tangle with the PTA.  When her teenage daughter received a note from the Harper Valley PTA criticizing the way she is living, Mrs. Johnson attends the next meeting and reveals some indiscretions of the other PTA members.

Light My Fire by Jose Feliciano Bruce features an acoustic cover of the Doors hit single with a Latin twist.  Jose Feliciano is best known for the Christmas song "Feliz Navidad," but this Puerto Rican artist also had a hit with this cover that peaked at number 3 on in late summer 1968.  His album "Feliciano!" is a selection of acoustic cover songs, and his most successful one.  He won "Best Male Pop Vocal Performance" at the 1969 Grammy Awards for this cover.

Son of a Preacher Man by Dusty Springfield Lynch closes out the staff picks with a song that writers John Hurley and Ronnie Wilkins wrote with Aretha Franklin in mind.  When Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler heard it, he thought it would be a good fit for Dusty Springfield who was recording her "Dusty in Memphis" album at the time.  

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

And I Love Her by Jose Feliciano We double up on the Latin acoustic stylings of Feliciano as this Beatles cover takes us out of this week's podcast.  

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

Born Carol Joan Klein in Manhattan, King began piano lessons at four years of age.  Her upbringing included friendship with Paul Simon and dating Neil Sedaka.  In the 50's at the age of 17 she met and married Jerry Goffin with whom she would team up on songwriting through the 60's - King writing the music and Goffin writing the lyrics.  They had several successful songs during the 60's including "Pleasant Valley Sunday" (The Monkees), "I'm Into Something Good" (Herman's Hermits), and "Up On the Roof" (the Drifters).  King and Goffin divorced by 1968, and King moved to Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles to re-start her recording career.

Tapestry features both new and old songs of Carole King's catalog.  Several new friends from the Laurel Canyon area appear on the album, including James Taylor and Joni Mitchell.  Fellow songwriter Toni Stern co-wrote two of the songs, including the hit "It's Too Late."

The album was a hit, spending 313 weeks on the Billboard Charts (second only to "Dark Side of the Moon" in time on the chart).  It also was a critical success, taking the Grammy for Album of the Year at the 1972 Grammy awards.  

King announced her retirement from music in May 2012, but has done a few things since then, including a live performance of Tapestry in Hyde Park in 2016.  

Friend of the show Greg Lyon sits in for Wayne while Bruce presents this soft rock album for this week's podcast.

Tapestry The title track to the album is a look back on life as a colorful combination of threads woven into a picture or pattern, but not one intended to last.  This is a deeper cut which was not released as a single.

Where You Lead Several songs became hits for other artists while the album was still on the charts, including this one.  Barbara Streisand recorded this song for her 1971 album, and it reached number 40.  The song takes its inspiration from the book of Ruth in the Bible.  It was also the theme song for the television series "Gilmore Girls."  Toni Stern collaborated with King to write this song.  

You've Got a Friend This is another song which became a hit for another artist.  James Taylor did this on his 1971 album, "Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon," making it to number 1 on the US charts.  The two albums were being produced concurrently, and Taylor, Joni Mitchell, and Danny Kortchmar perform on both King's version and on Taylor's version.  King has said the song is a response to the line in James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" which says "I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend."  

So Far Away James Taylor is on acoustic guitar for this piece, and King is on piano.  It went to number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was on the charts in September 1971.  It starts with a focus on the physical distance between lovers, then moves on to emotional distance. 

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from the serial Danger Island (from the television series “The Banana Splits Adventure Hour”)  This live action 10-minute adventure short appeared as a part of "The Banana Splits Adventure Hour," which concluded this month.

STAFF PICKS:

Ain't No Sunshine by Bill Withers Lynch leads off the staff picks with Withers' breakthrough single from his debut album, "Just As I Am."  The inspiration for this song was the 1962 film "Days of Wine and Roses," which portrays two characters who were alcoholics.  The idea is that someone may not be right for you, but you miss them regardless.  

Signs by Five Man Electrical Band "And the sign said 'long haired freaky people need not apply!"  Rob brings us a signature song from a Canadian band.  The song originally appeared as a B-side to a less successful song called "Hello Melinda Goodbye," but became successful on its own.  Frontman Les Emerson wrote this song after seeing so many billboards in Los Angeles which obscured the natural scenery.

Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get by The Dramatics Greg features the title song from the debut album of R&B group The Dramatics.  This song contrasting the fakeness of people with the authenticity of the singer went to number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 3 on the R&B chart.  It fuses a Motown feel with a Latin undertone.

Thin Line Between Love and Hate by The Persuaders Bruce brings us a cautionary tale about a guy who comes home late at night, finding his girl smiling and ready to cook him some dinner.  He learns his lesson when he wakes up in the hospital, beaten to within an inch of his life.  This song by a New York R&B group made it to number 15 on the US charts. 

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

The Rock by Atomic Rooster We close out with an instrumental from a British rock band originally co-formed by prog rock organist Vincent Crane and percussionist Carl Palmer.

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

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

Studio sessions for Rattle and Hum included time at Sun Studio in Memphis, and include collaborations with other musicians including Bob Dylan and B.B. King.  The intent of Rattle and Hum was to explore more American blues rock, and folk, and roots music of the 50's and 60's, and includes both original and cover songs.  

Critics were divided on the album at the time of its release.  Some felt that U2 was not celebrating blues rock and artists as much as they were attempting to insert themselves into higher echelons of rock celebrity.  Over time the criticisms of egotism would fade, as U2 has indeed proven to be a major force in the Rock pantheon.  In retrospect, both Bono and The Edge have found Rattle and Hum to be a bit of a side excursion for the band, more of a “scrapbook” than a true direction.  The new direction of U2 would be set beginning with their next studio album, “Achtung Baby” in 1991.  

Regardless, Rattle and Hum is a great album, well worth a listen.  The collaboration with other artists is worth special attention, as is its examination of the way that modern rock finds its roots in the delta blues.

Friend of the show Greg Lyon sits in for Wayne, while Rob brings us this hybrid album for today's podcast.

Angel of Harlem The second single from the album is an original studio release which was written as an homage to Billie Holiday.  Songwriting took place during the tour for ”The Joshua Tree,” and the lyrics take inspiration form various landmarks around New York City.  The track reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 9 on the UK Singles chart.  

When Love Comes to Town Recorded in Sun Studios, this U2 original song features collaboration with blues guitarist B.B. King. Live performances included B.B. King and his band during the “Lovetown Tour” in 1989.  U2 would discontinue playing the song in concert over time, but revived it in 2015 as a tribute to B.B. King after his death.  King plays lead on this song written by The Edge, who takes on rhythm guitar for this track.

All Along the Watchtower This live cover is of a song written by Bob Dylan and made famous by Jimi Hendrix.  The lyrics are of a conversation between a joker and a thief, and several lines echo lines of scripture from the book of Isaiah in the Bible.  U2 performed this live cover in San Francisco at the “Save The Yuppie Free Concert.”  Some of the lyrics were altered, which irritated Dylan. 

Pride (In the Name of Love) A live version of the studio song from the 1984 album The Unforgettable Fire, this was recorded in Denver.  The popularity of this song can be heard in the audience call-and-response.  The lyrics were inspired by elements of the civil rights movement, particularly the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Iko Iko by The Belle Stars (from the motion picture “Rain Man”) Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman turned in stellar performances in this dramatic film exploring autism.

STAFF PICKS:

Kiss by Art of Noise featuring Tom Jones Bruce leads off the staff picks with a cover of a Prince song performed by an unusual pairing of art rock group the Art of Noise with Vegas crooner Tom Jones.  This became the biggest hit for the Art of Noise to that point, reaching number 5 on the UK charts and number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100.  

She Drives Me Crazy by Fine Young Cannibals Lynch brings us the most successful single from the British pop trio, off their second and final album, “The Raw & the Cooked.” The band formed from two previous bands, one Ska, and one Punk.  The track was composed at Prince's Paisley Park Studios in Minneapolis.

Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Great White Greg features a rocker.  Great White covered a song originally written and performed by Ian Hunter in 1975.  This song went to number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Great White had a more blues-oriented sound than many of the hair metal bands of the late 80's.  Lead singer Jack Russell passed after a battle with Lewy body dementia in August 2024.

What I Am by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians Rob closes out the staff picks with the signature song off Edie Brickell & New Bohemians' debut album, "Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars."  The inspiration for the song was Brickell's frustration with the dogma exhibited in a world religions class in college.  Brickell would meet her husband and fellow musician, Paul Simon, when she performed this song on Saturday Night Live.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Sunset Road by Bela Fleck & the Flecktones This jazz fusion piece with an unusual banjo lead was on the group's debut album, and takes us out for this episode.

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Stewart compiled this album during his tenure as front man for the Faces, and all five members of that group appear on the album.  Because of contractual obligations at the time, the personnel listing on each track is a bit vague, but it is possible that all five members were on the recording of "(I Know) I'm Losing You."  

The first single released from the album was "Reason to Believe," which was a cover of Tim Hardin's 1966 song.  But the B-side of that album would be the one that would cause Rod Stewart to become a breakthrough success.  That song, written by Rod Stewart and Martin Quittenton, was "Maggie May."  The album would top the charts, and would be a noticeable success on the year-end charts of the Billboard 200 albums in 1971 (#35) and 1972 (#65), while taking the number 2 spot for the UK album charts in 1971.  Not bad for a soccer player who wasn't able to go pro!

Rob brings us the bluesy album for this week's podcast. 

(I Know) I'm Losing You This Motown hit originally recorded by The Temptations in 1966 is a lament of a relationship going bad.  Stewart's cover went to number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Motown rock group Rare Earth had a cover of this song a year earlier in 1970.  Rod Stewart has several members of the Faces playing on this track.

That's Alright/Amazing Grace Another outstanding cover, this one is of the debut single from Elvis Presley in 1954.  However, the original goes back to blues singer Arthur Crudup in 1946.  But even that long time period is dwarfed by the pairing of the traditional hymn "Amazing Grace" which dates back to 1772.  This deep cut shows some of the diversity of the album.  

Every Picture Tells a Story The lead-off and title track to the album was an original co-written by Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood.  The lyrics are told from the perspective of a musician on tour who finds adventure with women in multiple cities before returning home to think back on his travels.  The lyrics are more free-form in this song, not following a consistent pattern of rhymes.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from the television comedy "Green Acres" This sit-com featuring city dwellers who move to the country went off the air this month in 1971.

STAFF PICKS:

Don't Pull Your Love by Hamilton, Joe Frank & Reynolds Bruce starts out the staff picks with a song often attributed to Elvis Presley.  After performing with the T-Bones and having an instrumental hit with the song "No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In)" based on a popular jingle from an Alka-Seltzer TV commercial, this group went to number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Don't Pull Your Love."

It's Too Late by Carole King Lynch brings us a song with music by Carole King and lyrics penned by songwriter Toni Stern.  This breakup song is considered to be a feminist song by many, given that the woman is breaking up with the man.  Stern completed the lyrics in a single day after her breakup with fellow singer songwriter James Taylor.  This track would top the Billboard Hot 100, and would win the Grammy for Record of the Year in 1972.

Charity Ball by Fanny Wayne's staff pick is the single release and title track from Fanny's second studio album.  Fanny was one of the first all-female rock bands playing their own instruments, and the first to record an entire album.  They got their start in Sacramento after sisters June and Jean Millington (guitar and bass) moved there from the Philippines.  The group was completed with Nickey Barclay on keyboards and Alice de Buhr on drums.

If Not for You by Olivia Newton John Rob features a cover originally penned by Bob Dylan.  Olivia Newton John would make this her first international release and her breakthrough song.  Her cover closely follows George Harrison's cover, including prominent use of the slide guitar.  Olivia Newton John took this track to number 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and to number 7 on the UK singles chart.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Milky Way by Weather Report This Avant-garde jazz instrumental takes us out of this week's podcast.  

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The anticipation for Use Your Illusion I and Use Your Illusion II was incredibly high by the time these albums dropped simultaneously in September 1991.  Over 500,000 copies of the albums were sold in the first two hours of their release.  With each album having a run time of over 70 minutes, the quantity of material dwarfs that of their previous 33-minute album.  

Use Your Illusion I is generally considered the heavier rocking album of the two, as guitarist Izzy Stradlin contributed more of the songwriting to that album than to Use Your Illusion II.

Many speculate that the two albums were recorded and released simultaneously because the band was on the verge of falling apart at any time, and it was important to get the material out quickly before the band "blew up."  Whether this was true or not, the band certainly did have their share of problems staying together.  They would release an album of punk covers in 1993 called "The Spaghetti Incident?" before much of the band - including Slash and Izzy Stradlin - would depart.  

Lynch brings us a double helping of Guns N' Roses with these simultaneously-released albums for today's podcast.

November Rain Axl Rose wrote this epic symphonic power ballad which appears on the "Use Your Illusion I" album.  Clocking in at 8:57, it was the longest song to enter the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 at the time, peaking at number 3.  The song was divisive, with most of the band not wanting to pursue it, and with both Slash and bassist Duff McKagan particularly opposed to the drift towards symphonic pieces.

Knockin' On Heaven's Door This Bob Dylan cover had been performed by the group before landing on the "Use Your Illusion II" album.  The 1987 "Welcome to the Jungle" 12" single had a live version of this song on its B-side, and a studio version of "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" was released on the soundtrack to the film "Days of Thunder" in 1990.  

You Could Be Mine This track was originally used in the soundtrack for the mega-hit movie "Terminator 2:  Judgment Day."  It was the first single released from "Use Your Illusion II," and came out in June 1991.  The video features an Arnold Schwarzenegger T-800 Terminator sent from the future to kill the band members.  At the end of the video the Terminator concludes that killing the band would be a "waste of ammo."

Don't Cry This power ballad appears on both "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" in slightly different versions with different lyrics.  This song reached number 8 on the UK charts and number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 US chart.  Stradlin and Rose wrote the song back in March 1985, and Axl Rose claims that it was the first song ever written for Guns N' Roses.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Theme from the motion picture “The Addams Family” This catchy riff from the cartoon television sitcom of the 60's also appeared in the dark comedy motion picture of the same name, which came out in 1991.

STAFF PICKS:

The Only One I Know by The Charlatans UK Wayne kicks off the staff picks with the Manchester sound.  This song is the one that truly started the career of the band, including their use of the Hammond organ as a central part of the sound.  The organ riff in this song was heavily inspired by Deep Purple's 1968 song, "Hush."  The lyrics reflect the feelings a guy has for a girl, while the girl might or might not know that the guy exists.

Why Should I Cry for You? by Sting Bruce brings us a track from Sting's third album, "The Soul Cages."  Sting encountered writers block after the death of his father in 1987, and this is the song that broke through that block.  Sting had a difficult relationship with his father, and the lyrics of the song articulate the struggles he had with the grieving process, along with images from his childhood home of Newcastle.  

Texarkana by R.E.M. Rob features an unusual song from the Athens group, because front man Michael Stipe is not singing lead on it.  Bassist Mike Mills takes lead singing lyrics on this song for which he was the primary songwriter and lyricist.  It went to number 4 on the Modern Rock Tracks chart despite not being released as a single.

Into the Great Wide Open by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Lynch closes out the staff picks with a story about Eddie, a rocker who moves to L.A., gets a girlfriend, and lands an album.  He always has with high hopes the record company "don't hear a single."  The video starred a young Johnny Depp as Eddie, Faye Dunaway as Eddie's manager, and Petty as a roadie named Bart, reporter, and tattoo artist. 

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Trademark by Eric Johnson This instrumental piece from guitar virtuoso Eric Johnson was the fourth single released from his second studio album "Ah Via Musicom." 

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Young grew up in Winnipeg, Canada, and began playing and songwriting there in several groups.  His first success as a songwriter came for a song he wrote for The Guess Who which made it to the top 40 in Canada.  He was in the Mynah Birds, a Toronto group fronted by a young Rick James.  The Mynah Birds were attempting to get signed by Motown when James was arrested for being AWOL from the Navy reserves. Shortly after this, Neil Young and bassist Bruce Palmer sold the group's equipment, bought a hearse, and used it to move to Los Angeles.  He then worked as a session musician and a member of Buffalo Springfield before striking out on his own solo work while also joining Crosby, Stills & Nash.

Harvest was written after an acoustic tour the previous year, a tour prompted by a back injury Young sustained that required him to play sitting down for an extended time.  The album contains significant acoustic elements, as several tracks he played on that tour would appear on the album.  Many of the lyrics are related to Young's growing relationship with actress Carrie Snodgress.  Young was a success before recording this album, and was able to bring in a number of session musicians on several tracks including Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, and the London Symphony Orchestra.

Surprisingly, the album met mixed reviews when released, though over time the critics' assessments would turn much more positive.  The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2015.

Wayne brings us this California country-tinged album for this week's podcast.

Heart of Gold One of the tracks that arose from Neil Young's acoustic tour, this song topped the charts in the United States and Canada, and went to number 10 in the UK.  Despite its success, Young had mixed feelings about the popularity he gained from the song.  Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor provided backing vocals on this track.  The lyrics talk about a man who may be overthinking life, searching for something just beyond his grasp.

Old Man The origin of this song was an encounter that Neil Young had with the caretaker of the Broken Arrow Ranch, which Young purchased in 1970.  The old caretaker was not pleased with the young (literally) hippie-looking Young purchasing the place, and this song's lyrics talk about how the two of them were not that different.

Alabama A continuation of a diatribe from Young's “Southern Man,” this track condemns the racism of the white people in Alabama specifically, and the southern United States in general.  Neil Young would eventually come to see the lyrics as too accusatory, and too easy to misconstrue as a general condemnation of all Southerners.

The Needle and the Damage Done The inspiration for this song was a number of musicians whom Young had observed as they fell apart due to heroin addiction.  More specifically, Young wrote this song about bandmate Danny Whitten, whom Young had to let go from his tour due to his heroin use. Whitten would die of an overdose shortly thereafter.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Cabaret by Liza Minnelli (from the motion picture “Cabaret”) Minnelli stars in this period musical drama based on the Broadway show, set in Germany before World War II.

STAFF PICKS:

Mother and Child Reunion by Paul Simon Rob leads off the staff picks with a one of the earlier rock songs with reggae influences.  The song was written in response to a Jimmy Cliff song in which a mother receives a letter that her son had been killed in battle in Vietnam.  It was also inspired by Simon's loss of his dog.  The title was inspired by a menu item in a Chinese restaurant in New York - chicken and eggs - entitled “Mother and Child Reunion.”

I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony) by the New Seekers Bruce brings us a hit song which originally appeared as a commercial jingle.  Coca-Cola produced an ad called “hilltop” featuring young people of various races coming together over a Coke.  The success prompted a rewrite of the jingle into a full-length song, dropping the product references.  It became a big hit for both the New Seekers who recorded the radio jingle, and the Hillside Singers who recorded the television commercial.

Let's Stay Together by Al Green Lynch features the song which hit the top of the US singles charts, and was named number one R&B song on the Billboard Year-end chart for 1972.  It has been covered by a number of artists, with Tina Turner being the most prominent.  It was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999. 

Do You Know What I Mean by Lee Michaels Wayne's closes out the staff picks with a song about a girl that a guy lost to his best friend after taking her for granted.  It reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Lee Michaels came out of the San Francisco music scene, originally as a surf band before moving into a more "blue eyed soul" direction.  Van Halen opened for Lee Michaels at the Whiskey a Go Go in 1977.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Joy (feat. Tom Parker) by Apollo 100 This jazz instrumental covers the baroque chorale "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by J.S. Bach. 

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Two events play a lot of influence on this album.  First, Sting's mother died in 1986, inspiring the lyrics to the opening track, "Lazarus Heart."  Second Sting joined the Conspiracy of Hope tour for Amnesty International, and through this tour was exposed to victims of government oppression in Latin America.  He was particularly moved by people in Chile for whom loved ones had "disappeared" in government actions, and wrote "They Dance Alone" as a description of the mourners who would dance the traditional Cueca by themselves with a picture of their loved ones pinned to their clothes.

Sting's first solo album leaned into jazz.  This second album continues to have a jazz influence but reaches across a number of other genres including reggae, funk, acoustic rock, soft rock, and world music.  He brought in a number of solid musicians into the recording sessions including Gil Evans, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Branford Marsalis, and even his fellow Police alumnus Andy Summers

Sting would continue to further success after this album, which peaked at number 9 on the Billboard 200 chart.  In the UK, ...Nothing Like the Sun debuted and peaked at number 1 on the UK albums chart.

Bruce presents this adult contemporary album for this week's podcast.

Be Still My Beating Heart This second single from the album went to number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The lyrics are quite mature, describing the head telling the heart to settle down in the midst of an intense romance.  The title was likely inspired by a 19th Century poem from Mary Elizabeth Coleridge.  Andy Summers is playing guitar on this track.  

Little Wing Most of this album is original music written by Sting, but this one is a deeper cut and a cover.  Jimi Hendrix wrote "Little Wing" in 1967, and it appears on his "Axis" album.  Gil Evans did a jazz arrangement of this piece in 1974, and provided this arrangement and backing with his orchestra for this cover.  Sting's version runs just over 5 minutes, giving it a run time just over double that of the original Hendrix version.  

Rock Steady Another deep cut, this song is Stings humorous look at a couple who have volunteered to join a cruise, and later find out that they are joining Noah on the Ark.  "Life may be tough, but we're sailing with the Lord."  

Fragile This is the fourth single from the album, and is a gorgeous acoustic piece.  This anti-war song was likely inspired by Sting's work with Amnesty International.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

That's Amore by Dean Martin (from the motion picture “Moonstruck”)  This romance comedy starring Cher and Nicolas Cage delivered a Best Actress Oscar to Cher and a Best Supporting Actress Oscar to Olympia Dukakis. 

STAFF PICKS:

The Promise by When In Rome Rob starts this week's staff picks with the only hit from a British new wave trio.  This track went to number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, and became a popular song to play at weddings later on.  It gained a revival in popularity when it was used in the soundtrack to "Napoleon Dynamite" in 2004.  

Got My Mind Set On You by George Harrison Lynch brings us a cover of a song originally written by Rudy Clark and recorded by James Ray in 1962.  It is off Harrison's comeback album, "Cloud Nine."  Harrison worked with Jeff Lynne on the album because he wanted a producer who wouldn't be intimidated by working with a Beatle.  The teamwork went well, and the two would go on to form "The Traveling Wilburys" supergroup shortly thereafter.

Dude (Looks Like a Lady) by Aerosmith Wayne features one of many hits from Aerosmith's monster "Permanent Vacation" album.  The lyrics tell the tale of a man finding out that the "girl" he has bee pursuing at a club was a man dressed up as a woman.  The idea for the song came from Motley Crue singer Vince Neil being mistaken frequently for a woman with long blonde hair.

Mission by Rush Bruce closes out the staff picks with a song which arose from a conversation between Neal Peart and Geddy Lee about the perception people have that the rich and famous have easier lives.  The lyrics reflect how every life has its own difficulties, and perhaps those who are highly successful would often wish for a more plain and settled life at times.  

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Bailando/Aquatic Park by Carlos Santana Guitar virtuoso Carlos Santana takes us out this week with a track from his solo album, "Blues for Salvador."

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After concluding their 1988 world tour the band had some changes and interruptions.  Drummer Simon Wright left the group to join Dio, and was replaced by Chris Slade who would be with the group until 1994.  Front man and songwriter Brian Johnson took some time off to finalize his divorce, which left brothers Malcolm Young (rhythm guitar and backing vocals) and Angus Young (lead guitar) to write all the songs for the album.  They would continue to be the songwriters for the band through 2020.

Critical reviews of the album were mixed, with negative comments revolving around the idea that this album was nothing new for the band. With the benefit of hindsight it may be that the consistency with AC/DC's previous works is actually a strength of the album.  In a period of big shifts in rock music, AC/DC provided a point of stability and a return to hard rock origins.

Friend of the show Julie Doran joins us to bring us this high energy hard rock masterpiece with Rob. 

Are You Ready The anthem that leads of side 2 of the album reached number 16 on the US charts, and became the band's only number 1 hit in New Zealand.  It is used in a number of sports events and is also familiar as the official theme for WWE SmackDown on Fox.

Thunderstruck The lead off track and lead single to the album is a signature song for the band.  It started as a "little trick" Angus Young played on guitar, and Malcolm built the rhythm guitar behind that riff.  It has been performed in almost every live show the band has performed since its release. 

Moneytalks This track reached number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it the first top 40 hit for AC/DC since Back in Black in 1981.  Interestingly, the song has not been performed live since the band toured The Razors Edge.   Part of the appeal of AC/DC on this album could have been the downturn in the economy at the time, striking a cord with blue collar employment struggles.  If so, money really does talk!

The Razors Edge While this song is the title track it was not released as a single.  This dark track talks about the fine line between success and failure, good and evil, life and death.  "You're running out of lives, and here comes the razor's edge."

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Mel Torme (from the motion picture "Home Alone") This Christmas classic saw its debut from Judy Garland in the motion picture "Meet Me in St. Louis".  Mel Torme's version was used in the Christmas movie "Home Alone" which was in theaters in 1990.

STAFF PICKS:

Keep On Loving Me Baby by Colin James Wayne starts out the staff picks with a Canadian blues singer-songwriter.  This cover from James' second album, Sudden Stop, is a high energy cover of a tune originally written by Otis Rush in 1958.  James benefitted from the blues revival of the time, as well as the soon-to-come swing revival in the early- to mid-90's.

Chain of Fools by Little Caesar Lynch brings us another cover originally performed by Aretha Franklin and written by Don Covay in 1967.  Little Caesar is a hard rock band formed in the late 80's which had a short career before problems with their label, and the eclipsing of hard rock by grunge contributed to their decline.  This cover from their debut single was their most memorable

Diabolic Tastemaker by the Cherry Poppin' Daddies Bruce's staff pick is a deep cut off the Daddies' debut album "Ferociously Stoned."  This horn-heavy track first appeared on their 1989 demo tape before it was added to their album.  The band  at the time was an amalgam of punk, funk, jazz, ska, and swing at the time, thought future albums would move heavily towards swing.

If You Needed Somebody by Bad Company  Julie features the second single off Bad Company's ninth studio album, Holy Water.  It was their first top 40 hit since “Rock and Roll Fantasy” back in 1979.  The rock ballad hails from BadCo's days with Brian Howe as the front man, as Paul Rodgers had left the group in 1982 and was performing solo at the time.  

Been Caught Stealing by Jane's Addiction  Rob finishes off the staff picks with the third single from Ritual de lo Habitual, and the biggest single, topping the Billboard Modern Rock charts for four weeks.  The dog barking is Perry Farrell's pet Annie, who was brought to the studio.  The barking was not planned, but the coincidence was included on the track.

COMEDY TRACK:

Do the Bartman by The Simpsons Bart Simpson closes us out this week with this lost epic.  

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Between the revived interest sparked by "American Graffiti" and the success of the Beatles "Red" and "Blue" compilation albums, the Beach Boys released a collection of hits from their early 60's catalogue called Endless Summer.  This featured songs from their Capitol Records days, 1962-1965.  It was a near-instant success reaching the top of the charts in the United States four months after its release, and becoming their second number 1 album on the US charts.  

After the success of Endless Summer, the Beach Boys would reposition themselves as an oldies act, continuing in this vein for many years.  Brian Wilson would pen one further Beach Boys studio album in 1977 which would meet with meager sales.  Afterwards the band would focus on their classics until seeing a resurgence in the late 80's generated from another popular film, Tom Cruise's "Cocktail" 

Wayne brings us this surfin' themed compilation for this week's podcast.

Catch A Wave A true surfing song, this tune is about being on a surfboard, waiting for the right wave to come along.  This song was originally released on the 1963 album "Surfer Girl," and a rewritten version was recorded by Jan and Dean as "Sidewalk Surfin."

Little Deuce Coupe This track is about a 1932-vintage Ford model 18 hot rod used in drag racing on the streets of California.  "American Graffiti" had featured the deuce coupe prominently, along with the Beach Boys song.  The lyrics were written by local radio DJ Roger Christian.

Shut Down Another song about drag racing, "shut down" means you are about to beat the person in the race.  The phrase "tach it up" may have lost some meaning in the era of automatic transmission, but the tachometer would run high for a drag race.  The song is told from the perspective of the driver of a 1963 Corvette Sting Ray in a race against a 1962 Dodge Dart.

Fun, Fun, Fun The inspiration for this song was a story the Beach Boys heard during a radio interview.  The station owner described his daughter "borrowing" his 1963 Thunderbird to go to a drive-in hamburger shop.  The opening riffs were inspired by Chuck Berry's "Johnny B. Goode."  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Uptown Saturday Night by Dobie Gray (from the motion picture “Uptown Saturday Night”) Sidney Poitier starred in and directed this action comedy which co-starred Bill Cosby, Harry Belafonte, Richard Pryor, and Flip Wilson.

STAFF PICKS:

The Joker by the Steve Miller Band Lynch leads off the staff picks with a well known song from Steve Miller.  The names in the first line reference several of Miller's previous songs, as well as the made-up word "pompatus."  It barely cracked the top 40 in the US, hitting 40 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Miller borrowed some lyrics from the song "Lovey Dovey" when he talks about wanting to "shake your tree."

The Air that I Breathe by the Hollies Rob brings us a slow burning but iconic ballad that the Hollies covered.  The original was from Albert Hammond, and previously covered by Phil Everly.  The Hollies version was the most successful, going to number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Alan Parsons was the engineer on this song.

Hollywood Swinging by Kool & the Gang Bruce's staff pick is the first number 1 R&B Single from Kool & the Gang.  It was a crossover hit as well, going to number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Rick Westfield is the keyboardist for it and sings lead.  The song is a true story of the keyboardist wanting to become "a bad piano-playing man" with the group. 

Rock and Roll Heaven by The Righteous Brothers Wayne's features an ode to the rock stars who had died at an early age. This song is another example of a song that was covered, and did better than the original.  Climax performed this song in 1973 but did not chart, while the Righteous Brothers took it to the top 10 in the United States.  Lyric would be added in the years to come as more rock stars passed.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Chameleon by Herbie Hancock This jazz funk instrumental track closes out the podcast for the week. 

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

A Momentary Lapse of Reason is the first Pink Floyd album released after bassist and primary songwriter Roger Waters left the band.  Waters had expected that Pink Floyd would simply disband, and was surprised when David Gilmour and Nick Mason decided to continue without him.  Acrimony and lawsuits appeared, but in the end a Water-less Pink Floyd continued on.

Unlike many prior Pink Floyd albums, this one is not playing off a single concept.  Instead, it is a more traditional collection of songs.  Gilmour presented the album as a return to earlier Pink Floyd material, which was perhaps a reaction to common critiques of their previous album "The Final Cut" as a Roger Waters solo effort masquerading as a Pink Floyd album.  There are a number of well-known session musicians that participated in the making of this album.

The album was a commercial success, debuting at number 3 on both the US and UK albums charts.  The US tour was the most successful of the year, selling out almost every venue it played in the States.  Roger Water's lawsuits would be overcome, and a settlement was reached between Waters and the band by the end of 1987.

Lynch brings us this Pink Floyd reboot album for today's podcast and we’re joined by guest host Julie Doran joins us on this episode.

On the Turning Away This power ballad was co-written by Gilmour and British experimental composer Anthony Moore.  It is an anti-war song, one of the more political Pink Floyd songs written since the departure of Waters. It begins with a solemn Gilmour vocal supported by understated keyboards, then builds to an almost orchestral conclusion.  

Learning to Fly A surprisingly upbeat song for the group, the inspiration for this first single is David Gilmour's experience learning to fly airplanes.  At the time he would do practice flights in the mornings and work in the studio in the afternoons.  It is also a metaphor for the band coming back together after splitting with Roger Waters.

One Slip The fourth US single discusses the long-term consequences of a one-night stand, and contains the lyrics that would become the title to the album as a whole.  Gilmour co-wrote this song with Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera.  Fans of bassist Tony Levin may recognize his work on a Chapman Stick in the instrumentation for this track. 

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Real Wild Child by Iggy Pop (from the motion picture “Problem Child”) This dark comedy starring John Ritter follows the trials of Ben Healy Jr. as he adopts a less-than-model child from a questionable adoption agency.  

STAFF PICKS:

Stop by Jane's Addiction Wayne leads off the staff picks with a college radio hit off the "Ritual De Lo Habitual" album.  Lead singer Perry Farrell warns about apathy towards environmental disaster, telling people to turn off the smokestacks.  "And the water will run, come a day, the water will run, no man will stand for things he had done."

Brave New World by Michael Penn Rob brings us a jangly deeper cut with a song with rapid fire lyrics off Penn's "March" album.  The song reflects confusion in where the singer is going, perhaps making a commentary on society as it heads into a "brave new world."  "This may not be my best day, but this ain't no golden age.  You looked pretty on the freeway.  Let's drive into the brave new world."

Give It Up by Hothouse Flowers Bruce features a s song from an Irish group off their second album, "Home."  This song that went to number 2 on the US Modern Rock chart is summed up in the lyrics, "Well, this song's inspired by a good man and his tune doing good for others, sing 'Amazing Grace' for you." 

Rub You the Right Way by Johnny Gill Julie's staff pick is an upbeat hip hop song, and Gill's first single after he left New Edition earlier in the year.  Despite the lyrics, Gill was the son of a minister and got his start in gospel music.  He signed with Motown as a teenager.  Gill had become very accustomed to performing live, and had a difficult time switching to studio work.  

Blue Sky Mine by Midnight Oil Lynch closes out the staff picks with the first single off Midnight Oil's seventh studio album.  The inspiration for the song was the experience of workers in the Wittenoom asbestos mines in western Australia, where they contracted a variety of asbestos-related diseases.  The "blue" in the title refers to "blue asbestos," a form of the mineral considered most hazardous.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Erotic Nightmares by Steve Vai Guitar virtuoso Steve Vai carries us out of this week's podcast.

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

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

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

Felix Cavaliere was a classically trained pianist, and joined a band called the Starliters, where he met David Brigati and his younger brother Eddie.  Cavaliere convinced Eddie Brigati and guitarist Gene Cornish to leave the Starliters and form a band, recruiting jazz drummer Dino Danilli to flesh out the band.  They called themselves "Them" until they found out that a group out of the UK was already using that name (Van Morrison's band).  They settled on "The Young Rascals" when comedian Soupy Sales used them as his back-up band when he toured the college circuit in 1965.

Much of this album is a collection of singles rather than a cohesive piece of music.  Eight of the eleven songs are either A-side or B-side single releases.

The Rascals moved into a more psychedelic direction after this album, and they would be largely done by the early 70's.  They were early inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, receiving that honor in 1997.

Bruce presents this soulful album for this week's podcast.

Groovin' This signature song from the group almost didn't make it as a single.  Atlantic Records pushed back on this track because it was very different from the sound of their other songs, having a more Latin influence.  The inspiration for the lyrics was Cavaliere's girlfriend Adrienne Buccheri.  He only got to see her on Sundays because he was so occupied with the group, music, and touring on other days. 

You Better Run Many listeners who grew up in the 80's will be more familiar with Pat Benatar's cover of this song than the Young Rascals' original.  It was released a year before the album as a single, in May 1966.  The song has more of a garage band feel than other songs on the album.

A Girl Like You This is the lead-off song for the album, and went to number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Upbeat, feel good, this is the opening song of new love.  It starts off subdued with piano and vocals, then builds into the horns and percussion.  

If You Knew This song was released as the B-side to the single "I've Been Lonely Too Long" from their previous album called Collections.  It is the only song on the album to be listed as written by all member of the band.  Most songs were written by Felix Cavaliere and Eddie Brigati. 

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Mrs. Robinson by Simon and Garfunkel (from the motion picture “The Graduate”)  Dustin Hoffman's got his breakthrough role in this coming of age film. 

STAFF PICKS:

Green Tambourine by the Lemon Pipers Rob leads off the staff picks with the best known song from a short-lived Ohio band.  Unfortunately the success of this song would cause the record company to pigeonhole the group into doing more songs in the psychedelic genre.  The group was unenthusiastic about this direction, and would leave the label in 1969, dissolving shortly thereafter.

Sunshine of Your Love by Cream Lynch brings us a signature song from the original supergroup.  The song arose out of a bass riff that Jack Bruce created after seeing Jimi Hendrix for the first time.  Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton take turns with vocals while Ginger Baker utilizes a tribal beat on percussion.

I Can See for Miles by The Who Wayne features the only single from the Who album “The Who Sell Out.“  Although it went to number 9 on the US charts, guitarist and writer Pete Townshend expected it to do much better.  The Who made use of the studio as an instrument on this heavier, psychedelic song, using techniques similar to the Beach Boys and the Beatles at the time.

I Second That Emotion by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles Bruce closes out the staff picks with a song that originated from a trip Smokey Robinson and Al Cleveland took to a Detroit department store in search of a gift for Robinson's wife Claudette.  When Robinson told the salesman of a set of pearls, "I sure hope she likes them," Cleveland accidentally said "I second that emotion," rather than "I second that motion."  The two laughed about it and wrote this song which would go to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967.  

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Hip Hug-Her by Booker T. & the M.G.'s We close out with a funky instrumental which was on the charts at the time.  

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

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

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

However, Poison's most successful release would be their second studio album, Open Up and Say... Ah!, released in April 1988.  It would sport four hit singles, including their sole number 1 single "Every Rose Has Its Thorn."  The album itself would hit number 2 on the Billboard 200 chart.  It would also stir controversy with its cover, a picture of a demonic female with an extremely long tongue.  An alternate cover was designed to address concerns which showed only the eyes of the model.

Poison would see further success in the late 80's and early 90's, though their popularity would wane as the grunge movement took over music in the 90's.  However, Poison has seen a resurgence of popularity as a "classic" band, and front man Bret Michaels has achieved success both as a celebrity personality and as a solo artist.

Lynch brings us this glam rock album for today's podcast, and friend of the show Mike Fernandez joins us in Bruce's absence.

Fallen Angel While the lyrics describe a young girl moving from Ohio to Los Angeles to try to make it as an actress, the song is really more autobiographical of the path the band took from Pennsylvania.  This second single from the album went to number 16 on the Hot 100.

Nothin' But a Good Time" The first single from the album reached number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and is one of their best known songs.  It was built off a guitar riff by C.C. DeVille and a chorus penned by Michaels.  DeVille was largely selected for the band based on his cool riffs and party attitude.

Your Mama Don't Dance Poison take the 1972 Loggins and Messina song and makes it their own in this fourth single released from the album.  The song's lyrics highlighting the generation gap of the 50's and 60's between parents and their rebellious teenagers was a perfect fit for Poison's image.

Every Rose Has Its Thorn This ballad is Poison's sole number 1 hit.  The inspiration for it came when Bret Michaels called his girlfriend from a laundromat and heard a male voice in the background.  He was crushed, but went back into the laundromat and wrote the song right then. 

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Pump Up the Volume by MARRS (from the motion picture “My Stepmother Is an Alien”) This comedy starring Dan Aykroyd, Jon Lovitz, and Kim Bassinger may have been a flop, but the song was quite popular.

STAFF PICKS:

Mystify by INXS Rob leads off the staff picks with the fifth and final single from the "Kick" album.  Backed by a honky tonk-style piano and prominent finger-snapping, the song starts with a bluesy riff followed by a more straightforward rock sound.  INXS originally was comprised of three Farriss brothers, but they were down to Andrew and Tim Farriss by this time.  

I'm an Adult Now by Pursuit of Happiness Wayne's staff pick is a hidden gem from Canada.  This humorous single alternates between spoken verses and a sung chorus that capture the worries that plague the singer as he deals with becoming an adult and embracing adult problems.  It peaked at number 6 on the alternative music charts.   

Wild Wild West by Escape Club Mike brings us an English band with a song written by eight different people, including Stevie Wonder and Bootsy Collins.  This song has the distinction of being the only British band to have a number 1 hit in the US without charting in the UK.  "Headin' for the nineties, living in the wild, wild west."

Where Is My Mind by Pixies Lynch closes out with a signature song from the Pixies.  The inspiration for this grunge song began with an underwater diving experience, and the lyrics convey disconnection.  The Pixies were reintroduced to fans after this song appeared in "Fight Club."

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Silhouette by Kenny G. Bruce sneaks a soft sax piece from Kenny G. onto the playlist to exit this week's podcast.  

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

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

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

This was the first album that was released on their own label, Rolling Stones Records.  It was also the first album the group produced without Brian Jones, who had died two years earlier.  The members of the band were Charlie Watts on drums, Bill Wyman on bass, Mick Taylor on guitar, Keith Richards on guitar and backing vocals, and Mick Jagger on lead vocals and some guitar and percussion.  There were a number of session musicians and frequent collaborators involved in the album, including Bobby Keys on sax, and Billy Preston and Ian Stewart on keyboards.

Sticky Fingers was the band's first album to reach number 1 on album charts in both the US and the UK.  It has since reached triple platinum status, and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999.    The album was also the first album to utilize the now-iconic “mouth”  for which the group would be known.

Friend of the show Mike Fernandez joins us in Bruce's absence, while Rob brings us this amazing album from one of the giants of the rock world in this week's podcast. 

Wild Horses This softer song with a country bent was first released in 1970 by the Flying Burrito Brothers, and subsequently recorded by the Stones after originally thinking the demo wasn't worth recording.  It was originally recorded over a three-day period at Muscle Shoals Studio in Alabama in 1969.  The lyrics are about being on the road, and not being where you really want to be.

Brown Sugar The opening track to the album was also the lead single, and reached the top of the charts in the US and Canada, while reaching number 2 on the UK singles chart.  The song sounds like a strong rocking one, but the lyrics discuss slavery and rape, a much more serious topic than most realized the lyrics covered.

Bitch This track which leads off side two of the album was the B-side to the single “Brown Sugar.”  It has a strong brass section — the song originated in a jam, and features Bobby Keys on sax and Jim Price on trumpet.  The lyrics are describing love as a bitch but the title probably didn't help the band in its problems with women's groups.  

Can't You Hear Me Knocking This is the longest song on the album, clocking in at over seven minutes.  The central part of the song lasts for 2:43, with an extended jam following.  The entire track was captured in one take, and the band continued with the jam, thinking that the recording was complete.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

One Tin Soldier (from the motion picture “Billy Jack”) This counterculture song was a prominent part of the soundtrack to the action drama "Billy Jack" a part Navajo Green Beret and Vietnam War veteran defending his Freedom School students from angry townspeople.

STAFF PICKS:

Get It On by Chase Wayne starts out the staff picks with a high energy song from an artist known for his jazz trumpet.  Bill Chase brought together a band including three other trumpet players, a rock rhythm section, and front man Terry Richards on lead vocals.  This jazz fusion rock piece peaked at number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Let's Get It On by Marvin Gaye Lynch brings us a track that has taken on a life of its own as the ultimate romance song.  Backed by the Funk Brothers, it is the most successful song Gaye produced on Motown Records.  It reached number 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and the US Hot Soul Singles chart.

Love Her Madly by the Doors Mike features the first single from the album “L.A. Woman,” the sixth studio album from the Doors, and the final album with Jim Morrison before his untimely death.  Guitarist Robby Krieger wrote this song while experimenting with a 12-string guitar.  

It Don't Come Easy by Ringo Starr  Rob finishes the staff picks with a non-album single from the drummer of the recently-disbanded Beatles.  Fellow Beatle George Harrison produced the single and helped Starr write the song which peaked at number 4 on the US and UK singles charts.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Main Theme from the motion picture “The Summer of 42” We exit this week's podcast with the signature song from this Academy Award nominee and coming-of-age movie in the theaters in April 1971.

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

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

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

Physical Graffiti went to number 1 on the UK chart and number 3 on the US charts immediately.  They had planned to release the album in November 1974, but delays in producing the album's sleeve design pushed it back to February 1975.  Demand was so strong that it became the first album to go platinum on advance orders alone.

The album itself reflects a diversity that runs from hard rock to prog rock to funk - even country and honky-tonk get represented.  The group never seemed too interested in creating single-friendly compositions, so many tracks run well over 6 minutes, along with some shorter instrumental numbers.  

Led Zeppelin was considered the biggest rock band on tour during this time, and Physical Graffiti was the album that wrapped up this period.  Robert Plant was in a serious car accident with his wife in August 1975, and the group went on hiatus from touring until 1977.  Many consider this album to be the high water mark for the Led Zeppelin discography.  

Bruce presents this monster double album for this week's podcast.

Kashmir This is one of Led Zeppelin's signature songs.  It started as an instrumental recording from Jimmy Page and John Bonham.  Robert Plant wrote the lyrics while vacationing in southern Morocco (not Kashmir, as no band members had been there when this song was written).  John Paul Jones plays mellotron and added the orchestration which was played by session musicians.  All members of the band consider it one of their best tracks, and it has played in almost every concert since its debut.

Trampled Under Foot This is a funk piece largely created by John Paul Jones.  The beat was inspired by Stevie Wonder's “Superstition,” and the lyrics are drawn largely from Robert Johnson's “Terraplane Blues.” Jones originally created this in the soul genre, but John Bonham convinced the group to add a more funky feel. 

The Wanton Song Many Led Zeppelin songs have a title which does not appear in the lyrics, and this is one of those.  Jimmy Page developed the riff in 1973 and brought it to the Physical Graffiti sessions.  Page uses a backward echo on this, where the echo appears before the note.  It was played during the 1975 tour but was dropped from the setlist thereafter, making it perhaps a deeper cut.  

Houses of the Holy This track is one of the unreleased tracks from previous sessions.  It was intended as the title track from their fifth album, but was considered too similar to other songs on the album and was dropped.  Led Zeppelin never played this song live.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Movin' On Up (Theme from the television series “The Jeffersons”)  This sitcom was a spinoff from “All In the Family” which got its start in January 1975. 

STAFF PICKS:

Any Major Dude Will Tell You by Steely Dan Lynch kicks off the staff picks with the B-side from “Rikki Don't Lose That Number.” Donald Fagen says that the inspiration was hearing a lot of people using the term “dude” after they moved to L.A., finding the phrase funny and deciding to include it in a song.  The idea is that times will get better, and hope is around the corner.

Cat's In the Cradle by Harry Chapin Rob brings us a folk rock story about a father who finds the tables turned.  He didn't have time for his son as he was growing up, and his son doesn't have time for his father when he is older.  The lyrics were inspired by a poem written by Chapin's wife regarding her first husband's strained relationship with his father.

Angie Baby by Helen Reddy Wayne features another storytelling song, this one with some spookiness.  Angie is a girl of questionable sanity who lives in her own world at home with her parents.  When a neighborhood boy decides to make advances on her when her parents are gone, Angie causes him to disappear into the music of her radio…  It was a number 1 hit song.

Changes by David Bowie Bruce closes out the staff picks with a song that largely flopped when originally released as a single in 1971.  Bowie's “Hunky Dory” album did not do well until it got a second look after his 1972 release “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.”  It was re-released in 1975 as a single and went to number 1 in the UK.  

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Bron-Yr-Aur by Led Zeppelin We close out with some double dipping from Physical Graffiti for this acoustic instrumental.  

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

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

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

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

Badmotorfinger, the third studio album, finds the group just before it's breakout into grunge superstardom, an event that would occur with the release of their next album.  Taking its name from a spoof on a popular Montrose song, Badmotorfinger sports a strong heavy metal sound, but with tighter songwriting, and a bit of complexity in time signatures and tunings.  It would become the band's highest charting album to date, peaking at number 39 on the Billboard 200 chart, and going double platinum by 1996.  It was also considered a success by critics, and was nominated in 1992 for a Grammy award for Best Metal Performance.

While the album definitely has grunge elements in it, as a whole it may be considered more alternative, heavy metal, or hard rock. The band's development makes this album more difficult to pin down into a single genre, and perhaps this makes for a more interesting listening experience.

We hope you enjoy this foray into the roots of the grunge movement as Lynch brings us the album for today's podcast.

Rusty Cage The opening track to the album was the third single released, and reflects a longing for freedom and a breaking out of the “rusty cage” that life can be.  The guitars are tuned down significantly, giving the riffs a jangling sound.  Johnny Cash would cover it a few years later, turning the song into a country anthem.  

Outshined This track combines themes of self-doubt and internal struggle with appearances of external success and confidence, creating a clash within the singer.  Cornell creates depth and passion through his vocals.  “Show me the power, child.  I'd like to say that I'm down on my knees today.”

Jesus Christ Pose Unlike many tracks, this first single released from the album is credited to all four band members.  The lyrics are a rant against the hypocrisy of religious leaders who turn belief into a means of acquiring power.  This track is an example of a Soundgarden song that is more metal than grunge at this point.

Slaves & Bulldozers This song is often described as “doom metal,” and utilizes drop-tuned guitars to create a slow burn, darker sound.  The lyrics encourage the listener to consider how their situation may be turning them into either an obedient slave or a nihilistic bulldozer.  It was the last song Soundgarden played live before Chris Cornell's death in 2017.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Theme from the television series “The Cosby Show” This staple of 80's sitcom had their final episode and went off the air in April 1992.  

STAFF PICKS:

I Want to Touch You by Catherine Wheel Wayne kicks off the staff picks with the Manchester sound.  This post-psychedelic song deals with the raw emotions of a shy guy who is infatuated with a particular woman.  “It would really make my day if you'd only move away, 'cause I'm scared that if you stay, I'll want to touch you.” 

Just Take My Heart by Mr. Big Rob brings us a power ballad that peaked at number 16.  It was the fourth single from the second album by Mr. Big entitled “Lean Into It.”  The song features some excellent finger picking on an electric guitar toned down to an almost acoustic consistency.  Eric Martin is the lead singer and co-writer of the song.

Cold Day in Hell by Gary Moore Bruce features a guitar virtuoso from Northern Ireland.  Gary Moore got his start in an Irish band called Skid Row in the late 1960's but is better known as a member of Thin Lizzy.  This lead-off track to his ninth solo studio album called “After Hours” is a straightforward announcement that the man and his lover would never be getting back together. 

Silent Lucidity by Queensryche Lynch closes out the staff picks with beautiful and epic piece off the Empire album.  Chris DeGarmo, guitarist and primary songwriter for the group, was inspired to write this song after reading a book about lucid dreams.  The first iteration of the song was acoustic guitar and vocals only, and instrumentation was added later.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

The Simpsons by Danny Gatton A rock/blues guitar cover of the main theme of “The Simpsons” takes us out for today's session.  

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

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

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

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

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

Second Helping, a southern colloquialism for getting more of the same thing at the dinner table, cemented Lynyrd Skynyrd as the flag bearer for the Southern Rock genre.  At a time when a number of British artists - most notably the Rolling Stones - were digging into the rock and blues music of the American South, Lynyrd Skynyrd was the real thing.  They rode the power of their triple guitar set and the wit of Ronnie Van Zandt's lyrics to a commercial success, with the album going to number 12 on the Billboard 200 chart and certified as gold by September 1974.  While contemporary critics were more lukewarm, those reviews have been revised way upward over time.  Second Helping also contains the biggest hit of the group as well, the Southern anthem "Sweet Home Alabama."

Lynyrd Skynyrd would go on to produce many more hit songs and records in the southern rock genre before tragedy took front man Ronnie Van Zant, Steve Gaines, and backup singer Cassie Gaines in October 1977.  But Second Helping is the album that solidified their standing as an internationally successful band.

Wayne takes us through this album for this week's podcast, and Brian Dickhute joins us in Bruce's absence.

The Needle and the Spoon This song would not be the only anti-drug track in the Skynyrd discography.  The lyrics describe a man coming out of rehab, and makes use of a wah wah pedal effect that was not common to most of Skynyrd's music, but fit with the heroin subject of the song.  

Swamp Music Although not released as a single, this song got plenty of air play on FM radio, as did most of the tracks on this album.  This fast -paced track describes life in the Florida swamps.  The members of Lynyrd Skynyrd were well acquainted with outdoor life, fishing for catfish, hunting, and other "redneck" activities.

Sweet Home Alabama Everyone knows this anthem of Southern rock.  This song was written in response to Neil Young's "Southern Man," in which the band felt like the entire Southern United States was blamed for slavery.  Between the hook of the leading riff and the catchy lyrics, this song has become a staple of classic rock. This is Skynyrd's only top 10 hit, as it went to number 8 on the US charts.  Interestingly, none of the band members are from Alabama.

Don't Ask Me No Questions Gary Rossington and Ronnie Van Zandt wrote this song during a fishing trip.  Many think this is about a relationship, but it was a message to the record managers who were apathetic towards the band during the early days, but who turned demanding after they were a success.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

 Main theme from the television series, "Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C." In this sitcom spin-off from "The Andy Griffith Show," Jim Nabors plays the lovable but naive Gomer Pyle, now enlisted into the Marine Corp.  Frank Sutton, who played Sergent Carter in this series, passed away in June 1974.

STAFF PICKS:

Help Me by Joni Mitchell Rob starts the staff picks with a single from Mitchell's sixth studio album, "Court and Spark."  This track is Mitchell's biggest single, and her only song to crack the top 10 in the US, going to  number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The lyrics describe a singer who knows she is falling for the wrong man, but is either powerless to stop it or doesn't want to call things off.

Dancing Machine by the Jackson 5 Brian brings us a song that hit number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 after a multi-year dry spell.  The Jackson 5 appeared on "Soul Train" performing this song, and Michael Jackson introduced the world to "the robot" dance routine.  The Jackson 5 had a Saturday morning cartoon which kept the group in the public conscious.

Waterloo by ABBA Lynch features the song that made ABBA a household name when the Swedish group won the 1974 Eurovision Song contest singing this tune.  The lyrics compare falling in love to Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo.  The name "ABBA" comes from the first letter of each of the singers' names.

Tell Me Something Good by Rufus Wayne presents a funky song from a group featuring Chaka Kahn as lead vocalist.  Rufus is a one-hit wonder, with this song peaking at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Stevie Wonder wrote this song about a woman looking for a deeper relationship, not just a one night stand.  It was the first hit song that utilized the vocoder. 

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Dance with the Devil by Cozy Powell We close out with a drum instrumental based on Jimi Hendrix' "Third Stone from the Sun." 

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Little Creatures was their sixth studio album and the best selling album of the group's career.  The Talking Heads toned down their experimental tendencies on this one in favor of a more stripped-down, accessible approach.  While there are still elements of art music and new wave present in the tracks, they play a more whimsical role.  The songs blend in pop, folk, and country influences as well, giving the album a bright, catchy feel in addition to the wit and quirkiness for which the group was known.

The album cover was created by artist Howard Finster, and incorporates themes of Americana and everyday life.  This complemented the songs well, and was selected by Rolling Sone magazine as the album cover of the year.

The group would go on to produce two more studio albums before disbanding in 1991.  They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002.

Show co-founder Brian Dickhute is back to present this album in Bruce's absence for today's podcast. 

The Lady Don't Mind There's a certain amount of weirdness that is difficult to explain in the lyrics of just about every Talking Heads song, and this is no exception.  This reggae-tinged song talks about a lady who is hard to pin down or figure out.  "Last time she jumped out the window, well, she only turned and smiled.  You might think she would say something, but you'd have to wait a while."  

Perfect World While most songs were written by David Byrne, this one features lyrics composed years earlier by drummer Chris Frantz.  It is a deeper cut, and a mini-love story. 

Stay Up Late This track was the fourth single released from the album.  It is a song about Byrne's sister's baby, and describes an adult keeping the baby up late despite the consequences, just to have fun and enjoy this new life.  

Road to Nowhere This song was released as a single, and went to number 25 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.  Byrne describes it as "a song that presented a resigned, even joyful look at doom."  The gospel choir that leads off the track was added after the song was concluded to complete what is essentially a two-chord song.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Soul Finger by the Bar-Kays (from the motion picture Spies Like Us) Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd star in this spy comedy where novice spies are sent into the Soviet Union.

STAFF PICKS:

West End Girls by Pet Shop Boys Lynch starts the staff picks with a song about class and pressures of city life in London, inspired by a T.S. Eliot poem.  It was released twice as a single, once in April 1984 when it became a club hit, and this version as a re-recorded single in October 1985.  It went to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

It's Not Love by Dokken Wayne takes us in a more hair metal direction with a head banger tune from Dokken's third album, "Under Lock and Key."  This was the third single released from the album.  The video contains scenes where the band is playing from a flat bed truck, and was actually recorded on the road.  They received several tickets during the process, despite having permission to film.

Magic Power by Triumph Rob features a Canadian power trio from their live double album, “Stages.”  Originally recorded on their studio album, “Allied Forces,” the song describes the healing power of music.  It is one of the group's signature songs, and the live  format gives a good sense of the band's chemistry on stage.

Tonight She Comes by The Cars Brian closes out the staff picks with a previously unreleased song from the Cars' Greatest Hits album, released in October 1985.  Ric Ocasek wrote the song, and originally intended it for his solo album, but brought it to the group instead.   It was their fourth and last single to be a top 10 hit.

NOVELTY TRACK:

Strokin' by Clarence Carter We find out how Clarence Carter makes love in this concluding track from this week's podcast.  

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

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Many of their songs were locally distributed, and led to uncomfortable situations when three white guys would show up to perform for a mostly black audience that had heard their music but never saw the group.  Their courage and live performance skills won the audience over.

Shortly after supporting Madonna as an opening act on the Virgin Tour in 1985, the band recorded their debut studio and breakthrough album, Licensed to Ill.  It was released by Def Jam and Columbia Records, and became one of Columbia Records' fastest-selling debut records, and had shipped over ten million copies in the United states by 2015.  It was also a critical success, and was selected as one of "The Source's 100 Best Rap Albums."  It was hailed for hits stylized rapping, and its combination of hip hop and punk sensibilities.

The Beastie Boys would go on to greater heights of stardom in the mid to late 90's as they moved in a more alternative direction, but this is where it all started.

Lynch brings us this illin' record for today's podcast.

No Sleep Till Brooklyn The song that opens side 2 is inspired by an exhausting tour, and it chronicles many of the events that wear the band out along with their determination to not rest until they get back home to Brooklyn.  It is often the closing song at their concerts.  It also features a solo guitar riff by Kerry King of the heavy metal band Slayer.  

Paul Revere This song is a fictionalized account of how the Beastie Boys met.  It was inspired by an incident when they encountered Joseph Simmons aka "Run" of Run-D.M.C. in a recording studio.  It features a reversed beat from an 808 drum machine.

Hold It Now, Hit It This was the first single to be released from the album, and was ranked number 27 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop.  The video switches between concert footage, and the band lip synching in front of a fish-eye lens.  

Brass Monkey This is a later-produced song that takes its name from an alcoholic drink by the Heublein Company.  It samples Wild Sugar's “Bring It Here” in the song.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

If I Only Had A Brain by Ray Bolger and Judy Garland (from the motion picture “The Wizard of Oz”) Actor, dancer, and singer Ray Bolger who played the scarecrow in “The Wizard of Oz” died in January of 1987.

STAFF PICKS:

Still In Hollywood by Concrete Blonde Wayne kicks off the staff picks with the debut single from American alternative rock group Concrete Blonde's first and self-titled album.  This post-punk sound was bubbling up in the LA street scene at the time, and the lyrics portray a life in Hollywood where the town drags you down.  

Right Next Door (Because of Me) by Robert Cray Bruce's staff pick is a song off Robert Cray's fifth studio album, “Strong Persuader.” The lyrics chronicle an infidelity breaking up a marriage as told from the man who had an affair with the next door wife.  Cray played with a number of artists, and was at the final concert with Stevie Ray Vaughan before his death in a helicopter crash. 

Too Hot to Stop by Benjamin Orr Rob brings us a solo single from the second vocalist of The Cars.  This keyboard-heavy piece was off Orr's only solo album entitled “The Lace.”  After they released their Greatest Hits album in 1985, The Cars briefly split up to pursue solo projects, and both Orr and Ocasek hit the charts.

Land of Confusion by Genesis Lynch closes out the staff picks with a rare political track from Genesis that questions global leadership and the threat of nuclear war during the cold war era.  It is famous for its video which uses puppets from Peter Fluck and Roger Law caricaturing political figures of the time, and the band members themselves.

COMEDY TRACK:

Ronnie's Rap by Ron and the DC Crew Ronald Reagan was a hot commodity for comedy in 1987, as this satirical rap shows.  

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

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

The Blue Album was a compilation of Lennon-McCartney original songs, avoiding many of the successful cover songs the early group had recorded.  Unfortunately it also did not contain any George Harrison compositions from this time period.  The Red Album did not contain any covers, as the Beatles were immensely popular on their own by this time.  However, it did contain songs from George Harrison and Ringo Starr along with the numerous Lennon-McCartney originals.

The album covers are notable, as they are similar photos of the group at different points in life.  The cover to the Red Album used an image of the group looking down over the stairwell inside EMI's London headquarters.  This was a photograph taken for the group's 1963 debut LP.  The Beatles had recreated that shot in 1969 for their planned "Get Back" album, but did not use the image when the album was released in 1970 as "Let It Be."

The compilation project was a success, and convinced other groups to release similar retrospective compilations.  It is also a terrific way to see the progression of the band in seven short years of their activity.  

WSB Radio's Eric Von Haessler joins us to highlight these two influential albums in this week's podcast. 

Love Me Do The very first single released by the Beatles was this track and the lead-off track from the Red album.  John Lennon and Paul McCartney provide duet vocals on this song, and Lennon is the harmonica player.  While it is credited as a Lennon-McCartney song, John Lennon provides the bridge, and has stated that it was a McCartney song before they began working together.

Tomorrow Never Knows The concluding track from "Revolver" is the concluding track for the Red album, and shows how far the Beatles have taken their music in four short years.  They are utilizing techniques like looped drums, reverse guitar, and processed vocals that were new to the music scene at the time.

Strawberry Fields Forever This track opens the blue album.  The inspiration for this song was a park in which Lennon played as a child, and evokes a childlike innocence.  The music style was a departure from the Beatles' previous style, and is considered the introduction of the psychedelic genre.

Let It Be A profound piece after the psychedelic period, "Let It Be" is often considered the swan song for the Beatles, because it was the final single released before McCartney announced his intention to leave the band.  The  inspiration of the song was a dream Paul McCartney had about his mother.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Knocking on Heaven's Door by Bob Dylan (from the motion picture “Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid”) This western movie had a revisionist history and starred a number of celebrities, including James Coburn, Kris Kristofferson, and Bob Dylan himself. 

STAFF PICKS:

Kodachrome by Paul Simon Bruce starts out the staff picks with the lead single from Simon's third studio album "There Goes Rymin' Simon." While it did well in the US, it received little airplay in the UK due to strict rules the BBC had in place regarding product endorsements.  The idea of the song is that we fit our memories to our worldviews like we frame shots in a camera.

Money by Pink Floyd Rob brings us the lead single from the monster album "Dark Side of the Moon."  A rare song in 7/4 time with a 4/4 guitar bridge, the lyrics describe the desire and material trappings that cause people to chase after riches. 

Peaceful Easy Feeling by the Eagles Lynch features an iconic song from the Eagles.  It was written long before this time by Jack Tempchen, a prolific singer-songwriter, but appeared on the Eagles debut album. Glen Frey is on lead vocals, and the harmonies are provided by Bernie Leadon and Randy Meisner. 

Right Place, Wrong TIme by Dr. John  Eric finishes the staff picks with a funky tune from New Orleans-influenced Dr. John.  It was the first single from "In the Right Place," Dr. John's sixth studio album, and was also his biggest commercial hit, reaching number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100.

COMEDY TRACK:

The Cover of "Rolling Stone" by Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show Wayne presents the comedy single this week, as Dr. Hook seeks validation by appearing on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.

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It was his second album which would be remembered as his true nationwide debut.  Piano Man was his first release from Columbia Records, and came out while Joel was still dealing with legal issues from his former label.  Many of the tracks exhibit a story telling approach common in the early 70's.  Although Joel was in his mid-20's when the album was released, it had a maturity about it that made it do well both on the pop and adult contemporary charts.  

Despite this being his breakthrough album, Joel would struggle to find success in his follow-up albums.  He was in danger of being dropped by the record label when he hit it big once again in 1977 with "The Stranger."  From that time on, Billy Joel would be an A-list performer, capping off a long career with a decade-long residency at Madison Square Garden.

Wayne takes us through this breakthrough album for this week's podcast.

Piano Man The title track was written while Billy Joel was working at The Executive Room piano bar in Los Angeles, and is loosely based on the patrons that came through the bar told from the perspective of the piano player.  It would become both his signature song and synonymous with Joel.  "Son, can you play me a memory...I'm not really sure how it goes, but it's sad, and it's sweet, and I knew it complete when I wore a younger man's clothes."

You're My Home This song was the B-side of the "Piano Man" single, so it did get some air play.  The song has a country feel, and was written for Joel's first wife.  He could not afford to buy her anything while in California between record deals, and he wrote it as a Valentine's present.  

The Ballad of Billy the Kid If the last song was country, this next song is the Western.  This is an epic that pays tribute to a fictionalized Billy the Kid, telling a story of an outlaw in the Wild West.  The last verse switches to modern times, with Billy Joel taking the place of Billy the Kid, looking forward to new exploits.  

Captain Jack An early live radio performance of this song is what got the attention of Columbia Records in the first place.  Joel wrote the song when living in Oyster Bay, Long Island, in an apartment from which he could see drug deals going down.  "Captain Jack" is the local drug dealer, and the song reflects the sadness that comes from a life in the grip of heroin.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Gypsy Woman  by Bill Dean (from the motion picture "The Lords of Flatbush") This movie starred Henry Winkler and Sylvester Stallone before they became famous for playing The Fonz and Rocky respectively. 

STAFF PICKS:

For the Love of Money by the O'Jays Bruce starts the staff picks with a well known funk tune that went to number 9 on the Billboard Singles chart.  This song takes its title from I Timothy 6:10, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in thier greediness, and pierced themselves through."  It also was Donald Trump's WWE entrance music.

Benny and the Jets by Elton John Lynch brings us another piano artist, singing about a fictional glam-rock band.  "Oh, but they're weird and they're wonderful.  Oh, Bennie, she's really keen.  She's got electric boots, a mohair suit, you know I read it in a magazine."  The lyrics are told from the perspective of a fan at a concert.

Rikki Don't Lose that Number by Steely Dan Rob's staff pick is the lead track to Steely Dan's third album, "Pretzel Logic."  It is also their most commercially successful single, peaking at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The inspiration for this jazz-infused rock song was a New York writer and artist named Rikki Ducornet.  Future Eagles alum Timothy B. Schmit provides backing vocals.

Bad Company by Bad Company Wayne features a song that is from the self-titled album AND the self-titled group.  The inspiration for this song was a Clint Eastwood western, and it is both a lament and a celebration.  "Rebel souls, deserters we are called.  Chose a gun, and threw away the sun...".

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield We close out to a song that was both a hit at the time, and would be immortalized in the horror film "The Exorcist." 

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

In the midst of this, however, he produced a stellar live album.  Live in Australia with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra was John's twenty-eighth official album release, focusing on some of the performers earlier hits.  In the last two months of 1986, Elton John did a series of concerts as a part of his tour of Australia and New Zealand which contained two sets.  The first set was a traditional concert with John and his 14-piece band.  The second set had the band backed by the 88-piece Melbourne Symphony Orchestra with John dressed as Mozart in front of the grand piano.  The Live album captured this symphonic second set.

The album was a success, hitting number 24 on the Billboard 200 and certifying gold by January 1988.

This concert also marked a change.  It was the last in which Elton John appeared in his elaborate stage costumes.  He also underwent throat surgery in January 1987 which - while successful - permanently altered his voice.  His next few albums would be somewhat more successful, but he would sober up in the early 90's and release his highly successful "The One" album in 1992.

Bruce presents this live symphonic hit for this week's podcast.

Burn Down the Mission This song is the concluding track of John's third album, "Tumbleweed Connection."  That was a concept album with the theme of Western Americana.  The lyrics  are a bit vague, but the story tells of a poor community oppressed by some kind of powerful force.  The singer has taken direct action to remedy the situation, and is defending his action of burning down the mission as the only way to defend his family.  

Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word Hailing from his "Blue Moves" studio album, this sad song is characterized by lyricist Bernie Taupin as "that whole idealistic feeling people get when they want to save something from dying when they basically know deep down inside that it is already dead."  

Take Me to the Pilot Originally from John's self-titled second album, this song contains lyrics which both John and Taupin admit are nonsensical, but just contain words that sound good together.  Six of the 14 tracks on this live album are from Elton John's second album. 

Candle In the Wind This song from the "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" album was never released as a single in the US until it was released in this live version.  Taupin used Marilyn Monroe as an archetype of the famous artist cut down in the prime of life.  He was initially inspired by hearing Clive Davis using the phrase "candle in the wind" in tribute to Janis Joplin.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Theme from the motion picture Spaceballs Mel Brooks is at it again, this time with his classic spoof on Star Wars.  May the Schwartz be with you!

STAFF PICKS:

Throwing It All Away by Genesis Lynch kicks off the staff picks with this single from the Invisible Touch album that went to number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Genesis guitarist Mike Rutherford wrote the song and lyrics.  The upbeat music is quite different from the melancholy lyrics about a love who is leaving the singer.

Don't Let Me Die Young by Andy Taylor Rob brings us a solo single from Duran Duran's guitarist.  The video for the song depicts at-risk youth engaged in dangerous activities at night from crime and cars to drugs.  Taylor's album "Thunder" came out in the midst of the hair metal band's height. This single also features Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols.

Alone Again Or by The Damned Wayne features a cover song originally recorded in 1967 by the group Love.  The Damned began as a punk group, and moved to post-punk, somewhat goth rock over time.  Love was an inspiration for the Damned, which encouraged them to cover this song.  The horns give the track a Spanish feel.

Housequake by Prince Bruce closes out the staff picks with a party song from the double album "Sign O' The Times."  It was the B-side for the single "U Got the Look."  Prince used pitch-shifted vocals to create a higher, more feminine voice for this track.  It was originally going to be on an androgynous alter persona album called "Camille" before it was folded into this double album.  

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

21st Century Common Man, Pt. 1 by Tangerine Dream This jazz group closes out our podcast this week.  

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

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

“The Holly and the Ivy” by Jon Anderson Jon Anderson's fourth solo album came out in 1985, and was a mixture of traditional Christmas carols and original material.  This is a traditional British folk Christmas carol.  Though it can't be traced any further back than the 1800's, the association between holly and Christmas dates back to medieval times.

“Please Come Home for Christmas” by the Eagles Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and the rest of the Eagles put out this popular sad Christmas track in 1978, though it was a cover originally performed by blues pianist Charles Brown in 1960, and co-written by Brown and Gene Redd.

“The First Noel” by Crash Test Dummies Front man Brad Roberts puts his distinctive bass voice to work on this traditional Christmas tune.  This carol originated in Cornwall, England and dates back to at least the early 1800's, using the French "Noel" as a synonym for the Christmas season

“The 12 Days of Christmas” by  Straight, No Chaser This acapella group from Indiana University puts some comedic musicianship to work on this Christmas round.  We know you'll like it, sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus from the Serengeti.  

“Nut Rocker” by Emerson, Lake & Palmer ELP puts a prog rock spin on the classic Nutcracker Suite.  Russian composer Tchaikovsky wrote the original Nutcracker as a two-act ballet in 1892, and is a fantasy taking place at the foot of a Christmas tree.

“Christmas All Over Again” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers This original song was penned by Tom Petty on a ukulele in 1992.  It was used in the motion picture "Home Alone 2:  Lost in New York," and also appeared in "Jingle All the Way."  Jeff Lynne co-produced the song, played bells, bass, timpani, sang background vocals, and wishes for a Chuck Berry Songbook in the song.

“The Christmas Song” by Weezer This is not the one you're familiar with.  The more famous "The Christmas Song" was first performed by the Nat King Cole trio in 1946.  Weezer did this introspective original song with the same name in 2000 on a fan club Christmas LP.

“Minnie and Santa” by Cyndi Lauper Lauper released this light hearted Christmas song in 1998 which tells of a fling that Minnie (not the mouse!) had with old Kris Kringle.  This may sound like a cover of a classic song, but it is an original written by Lauper and Jan Pulsford.

“Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” by Frank Sinatra You can't go wrong with Old Blue Eyes and a crooner Christmas classic.  This song originated in 1943 and was in the musical "Meet Me in St. Louis," where it was sung by Judy Garland.

“God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen/We Three Kings”  by Barenaked Ladies This Christmas medley also features fellow Canadian singer-songwriter Sara McLachlan joining in with the Barenaked Ladies.

“Listen, The Snow is Falling” by Yoko Ono & the Plastic Ono Band Hear us out - this is an Ono piece that is actually quite good!  It was released in 1971 as the B-side to the better known "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)," sung by John Lennon.

“If It Doesn't Snow On Christmas” by Joe Pesci Chasing Macaulay Culkin isn't the only association Pesci has with Christmas.  He put this cover of an old Gene Autry song out on his 1998 album "Vincent LaGuardia Gambini Sings Just for You."

(and there might be a bonus ending related to the Beatles...)

We at What the Riff?!? wish every one a blessed and Merry Christmas!

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

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

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

The group created blues-oriented and psychedelic rock for their eponymously named Blind Faith debut album.  A summer tour was launched, but it was a challenging thing.  Clapton didn't want to do long jam sessions on the tour, but their single album was not a lot of material for a concert.  As a result, they wound up playing a significant amount of Cream and Traffic songs.  This delighted the audience, but irritated and distanced Clapton.  

Despite great buzz from critics and fans alike, the group was destined to only last a few months.  Clapton began drifting away while on tour, spending more time with opening act Delaney & Bonnie.  He would eventually join that group prior to launching Derek & the Dominos.  Ginger Baker would move on to form Ginger Baker's Air Force, bringing in Winwood and Grech for a short stint before Winwood rejoined Traffic.  

Rob brings us this short-lived supergroup in this week's podcast. 

Had to Cry Today The title track dispenses with the 3-minute single format in favor of a long form jam written by Steve Winwood.  The lyrics are ambiguous, and could reference a dying relationship, or perhaps a friend drifting away.

Can't Find My Way Home Winwood also wrote this well-known single from the album, covered by a number of artists including Joe Cocker, Alison Krauss, and Bonnie Raitt.  Winwood has been asked about the meaning of the lyrics, but has said that discussing song lyrics is a little like explaining a joke - it doesn't add anything to the experience.  Clapton leaves his electric guitar in favor of a rare acoustic one for this song.

Well All Right This track is the only one not written by members of Blind Faith.  Buddy Holly, Norman Petty, Jerry Allison, and Joe B. Mauldin wrote this song, and Holly sang it in 1958.  Clapton takes lead vocal duties on this song.

Sea of Joy A piece of Winwood's writing also leads off side two of the album.  While some believe the song references hallucinogens, a simpler meaning would be simply the joy of being on the water.  “And I'm feeling close to when the race is run.  Waiting in our boats to set sail.  Sea of joy.”

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Pfft You Were Gone (from the variety show “Hee Haw”) This country comedy and music show premiered on CBS in this month.  Buck Owens and Roy Clark led an ensemble of regulars and guests in this variety show.

STAFF PICKS:

These Eyes by The Guess Who Wayne starts out the staff picks with a song co-written by lead singer Burton Cummings and lead guitarist Randy Bachman.  This was their breakout song, with lyrics that describe the devastating feeling in the days following a long relationship break-up.

Badge by Cream Lynch reminds us that while Cream may have disbanded by this time, their music was still on the charts.  Eric Clapton and George Harrison wrote this song.  It was supposed to be called "Bridge," but was named "Badge," due to a misreading of the handwritten title.  George Harrison plays rhythm guitar, credited as "D'Angelo Misterioso" to avoid contractual issues.

Oh Happy Day by the Edwin Hawkins Singers Bruce features the first gospel song to hit the charts, reaching number 4 on the US singles chart.  Edwin Hawkins took a hymn originally written by Phillip Doddridge in 1755, and updated it with a piano introduction inspired by Sergio Mendes and lyrical improvisations influenced by James Brown. 

See by The Rascals  Rob finishes the staff picks with the fuzzy lead off and title track to the Rascals sixth studio album.  Between 1966 and 1968, the Rascals released a number of soul-inspired singles.  This album marked a change in the band's focus from blue-eyed soul to psychedelic rock.

COMEDY TRACK:

Gitarzan by Ray Stevens One of the earliest comedy singles from Stevens closes out our podcast this week.

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The result was a stellar success, debuting on the Billboard 200 albums chart at number 8, before moving to the top spot a week later, where it would remain for four weeks.  Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora wrote most of the songs on the album, with some assistance from songwriter Desmond Child.  Five singles from the album went into the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, with two topping that chart.

Bon Jovi would go on to an unusual achievement - remaining one of rock music's A-listers for decades.  Bon Jovi would continue to sell out arenas, a feat limited to groups such as U2, Metallica, Elton John, and the Rolling Stones.  

Friend of the show Julie Doran brings us this stellar album.  We are also joined by friend of the show Steve Hardin as we cover for the absence of both Wayne and Lynch this week. In addition, fan of the Show Christian joins us to help Rob bring his Staff Pick. 

Bad Medicine Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora collaborate with Desmond Child in the writing of this song which went to number 1 on the US charts.  The lyrics are pretty straightforward, comparing love to a drug.  "There ain't no doctor that can cure my disease."  The video features hand-held cameras provided to fans at the concert providing their "point of view" at the concert.

Living In Sin The fifth single from the album still broke into the top 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100.  This power ballad has lyrics that explore love being more powerful than the expectations of society.  Bon Jovi is singing about his high school sweetheart, whom he would marry in Las Vegas while on the New Jersey Syndicate tour.

Born to Be My Baby This single is another example for the collaboration with Desmond Child, and peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The song has a lot of similarities with Springsteen, with lyrics about a couple of working class lovers facing the world together.  The video took the opposite direction from many highly produced videos of the time, opting for low budget black-and-white.

I'll Be There For You The big hit from the album was this number 1 power ballad.  With a runtime of 5:43, this song is the longest song to hit number 1 on the charts in 1989.  The lyrics describe a guy desperately seeking to get his girl back, this time forever.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Put a Little Love in Your Heart by Al Green and Annie Lennox (from the motion picture “Scrooged”) Bill Murray stars in this retelling of "A Christmas Carol."

STAFF PICKS:

Armageddon It by Def Leppard Rob starts off the staff picks with the sixth single from the multi-platinum album, "Hysteria."  High School Student and Fan of the Show, Christian, assists with his thoughts on the band. By the time this song hit number 3 on the US charts, the album had been out for well over a year.  The lyrics are a play on words - “Hey, but are you gettin' it?  Armageddon it.”

Desire by U2 Julie's staff pick has a blues feel and a Bo Diddley beat.  The song is both a critique of the glitzy televangelist making money off his followers, and the ambition and glitz surrounding a successful rock band.  It won a Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group in 1989. 

I'm Sorry by Hothouse Flowers Bruce features a long lost hit from a Dublin group that combines Irish music with an eclectic mix of soul, gospel, and rock influences.  You know, we all have times when we're "sitting back on our deep pile reclining chair" thinking about our lives and “looking over our misdemeanors, misgivings, misfortunes, and Miss Whatever her name is," and say "I'm sorry.”

Never Tear Us Apart by INXS Steve closes out the staff picks this week.  INXS lead singer Michael Hutchence wrote the lyrics that describe a couple with an instant, almost karmic connection when they first meet.    This is the fourth single off the album "Kick" and went to number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.

COMEDY TRACK:

Wild Thing by Sam Kenison The sultry sounds of Sam Kenison take us out with this angry cover of the Troggs classic. 

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Sgt. Peppers is one of the first concept albums - taking a theme and incorporating it into the entirety of the record.  The Beatles adopted personas for this album, becoming the fictional "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band."  This allowed the band members to experiment with styles they either hadn't previously explored, or had not fully developed.  The studio also became an instrument for the band, and they incorporated techniques like multitracking, variable speed recording, and the use of sound effects to create complex soundscapes.

Lyrics vary from social commentary to whimsy, to surrealism.  While many songs remain lighthearted, others take a more somber tone, mirroring the cultural upheaval that was happening in the late 60's counterculture.  The album also brings visual art into the mix, with psychedelic cover art rather than simple photographs.

Sgt. Peppers tops many "best albums" lists, and has sold over 32 million copies worldwide.

Friend of the show Steve Hardin presents this monster album this week, and we're joined by friend of the show Julie Doran as Wayne and Lynch are out of town for today's podcast.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band The opening track introduces us to the alter ego of the band, including an intro of a pit orchestra warming up and a transitional brass band in the middle of the song.  Paul McCartney acts as the carnival barker introducing the band, reunited after 20 years.  Lennon then takes over, thanking the audience for their attendance.  

With A Little Help from My Friends Drummer Ringo Starr takes lead vocal duties on this song that has a more intimate touch.  In contrast to the bombastic start, Starr shows vulnerability as he asks what would happen if he sang out of tune, and leans on his friends for support.  Ringo Starr didn't write the music like Lennon and McCartney, but typically would sing lead on one song on each album.

Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! The track that finishes side 1 was inspired by an old circus poster from 1943 that Lennon had purchased in an antique store.  The song is a collage of circus images, complete with calliope.  It returns to the theme of the first song, but this time focusing on circus performers rather than the band. 

Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)/A Day in the Life The concluding album tracks are often played together.  The reprise of the opening track is faster paced, and more rock oriented.  The concluding track alternates between a dream sequence and the rush of an ordinary day.  It concludes with four pianos simultaneously sounding an E-major chord.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Casino Royale by Herb Alpert (from the motion picture “Casino Royale”) Not your ordinary James Bond fare, this film was a comedic spoof on the popular spy franchise starring David Niven, Peter Sellers, and Ursula Andress.

STAFF PICKS:

For What Its Worth by Buffalo Springfield Bruce's staff pick peaked at number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Stephen Stills was inspired to write the song by the Sunset Strip curfew riots in Los Angeles.  Buffalo Springfield got a close look at the riots as the house band at the Whiskey a Go Go, when young people rebelled against a strict 10:00 p.m. curfew successfully advocated by local residents, annoyed with club goers clogging the streets late at night.  

The Loser (with a Broken Heart) by Gary Lewis and the Playboys Rob brings us a jangle pop hit from the son of Jerry Lewis. Gary Lewis and the Playboys cultivated a "boy next door" image and had a string of hits in the late 60's.  Lewis was drafted into the army in 1967, and though some songs previously recorded (like this one) continued to be successful, the band began to diminish in popularity.

I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You) by Aretha Franklin Julie features a soulful song from the iconic Queen of Soul.  This is off Franklin's tenth studio album.  The first nine were jazz oriented, and much less successful than this influential album.  This album was recorded in Mussel Shoals where an altercation resulted in an abrupt change of venue to New York.

Strawberry Fields Forever by the Beatles It might appear that Steve is double dipping on this staff pick, but this well known Beatles song was a non-album single popular at the time.  The song was the result of multiple takes spliced together.  Lennon was inspired by a memory of a strawberry field where he played as a child.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Wade In the Water by Herb Alpert Alpert had a TV special this month on which he played his jazzy rendition of this gospel standard. 

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However, the classic lineup was still in place for their fifth studio album, Dr. Feelgood.  At the time, the group was facing conflicts that caused Producer Bob Rock to have each member record their parts separately.  This was also the first album recorded after the group started a quest to get sober and go through rehab.  Additionally, recording took place in Vancouver, getting the band out of the familiar (and seductive) L.A. scene.

The result of these sessions was impressive.  Dr. Feelgood was the groups most successful album to date, and went to the top of the Billboard 200 album chart, the only Crüe album to do so.  It was also reviewed positively by critics, receiving the award for "Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Album of the Year" at the American Music Awards in 1991.

Friend of the show Greg Lyon sits in for Bruce and brings us this excellent glam metal album of the late 80's for this week's podcast.

Dr. Feelgood This title track peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Mötley Crüe's most successful single to date.  The song about a drug dealer chronicles the connection between LA Rock and drug use.  It has an infectious funky riff and a more sophisticated production which departs from earlier Mötley Crüe efforts.

Don't Go Away Mad (Just Go Away) The softer approach of this power ballad song are betrayed by its adolescent lyrics.  Bassist Nikki Sixx was inspired by a movie line to make this sarcastic song. It's tongue in cheek lyrics and reference to earlier Crüe songs make it a favorite at their live shows.  like fire, don't you ever take my name in vain."

Same Ol' Situation (S.O.S.) This fifth single released from the album tells a comedic story of a boy meeting two girls, and by the end of the song the boy has been passed over while the two girls end up together.  Many of  Mötley Crüe's songs had lighter, humorous lyrics, which contributed to their appeal.

Kickstart My Heart Do not play this song when driving through a speed trap!  The song is not about a relationship, but about Nikki Sixx's heroin overdose.  Sixx was clinically dead, requiring the paramedic to inject adrenaline into his heart to get it beating again.  This single reached number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100.   

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Welcome Home by Willie Nelson (from the motion picture “Welcome Home”) This film starred Kris Kristofferson as a Vietnam War vet returning to his family after a 20-year absence.

STAFF PICKS:

New Orleans Is Sinking by the Tragically Hip Wayne turns to the college rock genre to start off our staff picks.  The Tragically Hip is better known in their native Canada than in the US, but their music is well worth a listen.  This song was recorded in Memphis, and has a delta blues feel, almost rockabilly.  The song was temporarily removed from radio playlists after hurricane Katrina broke the levies and flooded New Orleans.  

Wait for You by Bonham If you think that this song sounds like Led Zeppelin, you aren't the only one.  Rob features Jason Bonham's band.  Jason Bonham was the son of the late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham.  Jason Bonham has a playing style very similar to his father, and recruited Daniel McMaster to the band on vocals - a singer with a sound very similar to Zeppelin front man Robert Palmer.  This is the main single from the debut album, "The Disregard of Timekeeping." 

Poison by Alice Cooper Lynch brings us a song from Cooper's eighteenth album, "Trash."  This song was a major comeback single for Cooper, his first top 10 single in the US in 12 years.  The song tells the story of a guy entrapped by a girl that he knows is wrong for him, but also someone he can't let go.

Down Boys by Warrant  Greg finishes the staff picks with another hair metal band.  This is the debut single from Warrant's debut album, "Dirty Rotten Filthy Stinking Rich."  It reached number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts.  

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Stand On It by Jeff Beck with Terry Bozzio and Tony Hymas We close out with a guitar instrumental from guitar virtuoso Jeff Beck, accompanied by drummer Terry Bozzio and keyboardist Tony Hymas.

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In the summer of 1966, Dylan crashed his motorcycle near his home, and took off time to recover.  The record company was anxious to follow up Dylan's successful "Blonde on Blonde" album, but had no new recordings available, and no clarity on how long Dylan would be out of the studio.  Thus the decision to release a Greatest Hits album was an easy one for them.  

Born Robert Allen Zimmerman in Duluth, Minnesota, the stage name comes from the poet Dylan Thomas.  Bob Dylan rose out of the Beatnik coffee houses, and he took inspiration from a wide variety of sources including Woodie Guthrie, Hank Williams, and blues artists like Robert Johnson.  He has the unusual distinction of having won a Nobel Prize in Literature. 

Wayne takes us through this iconic folk rock compilation album, and friend of the show Greg Lyon joins us in Bruce's absence for this week's podcast.

Positively 4th Street This non-album single was released in 1965 between the "Highway 61 Revisited" album and the "Blonde on Blonde" album, and reached the top 10 on charts in both the US and the UK.  The lyrics are laden with bitterness, as the singer laments the lack of compassion in a person who "has a lot of nerve to say you are my friend."  An inspiration for this song could have been the reaction Dylan received from folk artists and fans when he "went electric."

Blowin' in the Wind While Dylan released this as a single in 1963, the most successful version of this song was the cover by Peter, Paul and Mary in the same year.  This well-known protest song asks a number of questions in its lyrics, most focused on issues of peace and freedom.  Whether an answer "blowin' in the wind" is obvious or difficult to grasp is left deliberately ambiguous.  

The Times They Are a-Changin' This is the title track to Dylan's 1964 album.  It is iconic today as a commentary on society in general and 1960's society in particular.  The number of groups that have covered this song is vast, including such diverse names as Joan Baez, the Beach Boys, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and Burl Ives.

Subterranean Homesick Blues A number of things make this song famous, from the early video style to the rapid lyric pace, to the inspiration for the name of the domestic terrorist group of the 70's, the Weather Underground ("you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows").  Dylan claims inspiration from Chuck Berry and the scat songs of the 1940's in the creation of this track.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Sitting There Standing by the Chocolate Watchband (from the motion picture "Riot on the Sunset Strip") This counterculture movie came out during this time, sporting a soundtrack that may be better than the film itself.

STAFF PICKS:

Detroit City by Tom Jones Rob starts the staff picks with a slow blues number originally written by Mel Tillis.  Jones cover of this country song originally released by Bobby Bare is about being lonely and homesick on the road.  Jones' version went to number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100.  

I'll Be Doggone by Marvin Gaye Lynch brings us an upbeat tune which is the first song on which he collaborated with Smokey Robinson.  The lyrics tell the singer's girlfriend that if she cheats on him he'll be (dog)gone.  This was a big time for the Motown sound.

Can't Help Falling In Love by Elvis Presley Special guest Greg's staff pick is an iconic ballad by the King.  Recorded for the movie "Blue Hawaii" in 1961, it was on the charts in 1962, but has been popular ever since.  Elvis was a great inspiration for Greg's life and musicianship.

Action Woman by the Litter Wayne features an early garage band with a fuzzy feel.  It is a good early example of psychedelic music, and chronicles a man's search for a woman of action - a more active girlfriend.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Music to Watch Girls By by the Bob Crewe Generation This is a great song title with which to finish off the podcast - or ride in an elevator! 

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Master of Puppets peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.  Although glam metal was on the rise, the band avoided the over-produced, synth-laden sound popular in the era, and stuck to their signature thrash metal sound with political lyrics.  The resulting album would consolidate the thrash metal scene, and bring the sound into a more mainstream audience.

Unfortunately, the album would also be the last one for which bassist Cliff Burton would be featured.  Burton died in September 1986 while the band was on tour in Sweden, and their bus was involved in an accident.

Metallica would become a huge group from the late 80's onward, and this album shows the strength of the group in those years when they were just coming into the consciousness of the commercial world.

Lynch brings us this highly influential thrash metal album.  Fans of the Show Julie Doran and son Zack join us in Wayne's absence for today's podcast.

Welcome Home (Sanitarium) The song that concludes side 1 of the album was inspired by Ken Kesey's novel "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."  The lyrics portray the thoughts of a mental patient incorrectly institutionalized in an asylum.  The track starts slow and picks up steam as it goes.  

Battery This title could be a reflection of the charge of assault and battery, or it could be inspired by the military hardware of an artillery battery.  There is also a connection to the original San Francisco thrash scene, centered on the Old Waldorf club on Battery Street.  Control of violent urges is a connection that runs through the piece regardless of the original inspiration.

Master of Puppets Cocaine addiction is the master of puppets referenced in this title track.  Hetfield had friends experiencing drug addiction, and wrote this track from the perspective of the drug itself, taking over the lives of people.  This will be a familiar song to fans of "Stranger Things."

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Loved By the Sun by Jon Anderson and Tangerine Dream (from the motion picture “Legend”) This fantasy film starring Tom Cruise and Mia Sara was in the theaters at this time.

STAFF PICKS:

Your Wildest Dreams by the Moody Blues Rob starts off the staff picks with a song that singer and guitarist Justin Heyward wrote while thinking back on his first love.  It hit number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, making this song the biggest commercial success for the Moody Blues since "Knights in White Satin."

Mothers Talk by Tears for Fears Bruce's staff pick was inspired by a mom telling her kids that when they make faces, they will freeze that way.  It is also inspired by an anti-nuclear cartoon called "When the Wind Blows" by Raymond Briggs.  The song was written by Roland Orzabal and Ian Stanley, and first performed in 1983.  It went to number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100. 

Kiss by Prince & the Revolution Julie features a chart topping hit and lead single from Prince's eighth studio album, "Parade."  The song is more acoustic and stripped down than prior Prince hits, and Warner Bros. didn't want to release it as a single.  However, Prince insisted on both its inclusion on the album and its release as a single.

Addicted to Love by Robert Palmer Lynch closes out the staff picks with a song that may be more famous for its video featuring models pretending to play the instruments.  Palmer originally wanted to sing this song as a duet with Chaka Kahn, but was prevented from doing so by legal issues.  

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Songbird by Kenny G. You just can't go wrong with a sax as we close out today's podcast. 

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

Highway to Hell by AC/DC  The opening track to the 1979 album of the same name features Bon Scott on his last album as lead singer of the group before his untimely death.  The name of the song was inspired by the group's gruesome touring schedule.

Shout at the Devil by Motley Crue  The Crue's 1983 breakthrough album of the same name would establish them as one of the most successful metal bands of the 80's.  The song was controversial, with many believing that it encouraged devil worship, though the lyrics themselves do not explicitly do so.

Disarm by The Smashing Pumpkins  Off their breakout album "Siamese Dream," this song references "the killer in me is the killer in you" is inspired by Billy Corgan's contemplation of his negligent parents and suicide.  The lyrics "cut that little child" caused the song to be banned by the BBC.

Demons by Imagine Dragons  This song off Imagine Dragons' major label debut studio album became their second top 10 single.  It is really not about demons in the Halloween sense, but more the tragedies of life like abuse, PTSD, and mental illness.

Voodoo by Godsmack  The third single from Godsmack's self-titled debut album was inspired by Wes Craven's film “The Serpent and the Rainbow.”  This song became Dave Bautista's theme song as Leviathan when he was in the WWE.  

Mommy's Little Monster by Social Distortion  The title track from Social Distortion's debut album tells a horror tale of a kid becoming a punk rocker.  It is another song about dealing with personal demons rather than the supernatural. 

Witch Wolf by Styx  Early in their career Styx put out this song to lead off their third album, “The Serpent is Rising.”  James Young takes lead vocal duties on this song that tells about a person accursed by a creature called the witch wolf, and night rider.

Dragula by Rob Zombie  The lead single from Rob Zombie's debut album may be his biggest hit.  The audio clip at the beginning of the song is taken from the 1960 horror film “The City of the Dead.”  The name comes from the TV sitcom "The Munsters," where Grandpa Munster has a dragster called "Drag-u-la."

The theme to the TV series "Twilight Zone" This menagerie of bizarre tales from the early days of TV still has staying power in our sci-fi culture. 

Sympathy for the Devil by the Rolling Stones  Mick Jagger walks us through a discussion with Old Scratch himself in this well-known classic from the Stones' catalogue.  The idea is a narrative from Satan's point of view as he reviews historical events.

That Old Black Magic by Frank Sinatra  Old Blue Eyes gave us this romantic song with a Halloween bent.  It was a jazz classic originally written in 1942 with lyrics penned by Johnny Mercer.  Love is "that old black magic" in this tune.

Night of the Vampire by Roky Erickson  From this cult classic album "The Evil One," this song is one of a plethora of horror-oriented tracks on the album.  Erickson spent a significant amount of time in mental institutions.

The Kill (Bury Me) by Thirty Seconds to Mars  Jared Leto, front man for the group (and perhaps better known as an actor today), has said this song is about the relationship you have with yourself, and confronting the dark side of who you are.

Take Me to Church by Hozier  This haunting hit song compares falling in love with a kind of death, and compares the lover to a kind of religion.

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

The songs on the album are largely written by Ozzy, drummer Randy Castillo, and guitarist Zakk Wylde.  Motorhead bassist and front man Lemmy Kilmister wrote the lyrics to four of the tracks on the album.  Additional musicians for this album were Bob Daisley on bass, and John Sinclair on keyboards.  This would be the last Ozzy album to feature Castillo and Daisley.

As became more common in the compact disc era of the 90's, the tracks on this album tend to be longer than the typical single.  None of the tracks clock in at less than 4 minutes, and the longest falls just short of 7 1/2 minutes.  

In addition to boasting Osbourne's first top 40 hit, he also received a Grammy for "Best Metal Performance" for the track "I Don't Want to Chane the World" when released on his "Live & Loud" album in 1994.

Rob brings us this heavy metal throwback for this week's journey back to the 90's.

Mama, I'm Coming Home This track peaked at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Osbourne's only top 40 solo single.  This power ballad contains lyrics by Lemmy Kilmister, the front man from Motorhead.  The song is about his wife Sharon, who helped turn his life around.

Desire A crunchy deep cut talks about going for what you want - not changing over time, seeking the same desire.  Osbourne also makes a reference to "Crazy train," his hit from the early 80's.  "It's the same old desire, nothing's changed, nothing's the same.  Burning like fire, don't you ever take my name in vain."

Road to Nowhere The last song on the album is a reflection on life.  Osbourne had gone sober after 20 years of drugs and alcohol, and he looking at how "the road to nowhere leads to me."  "I was looking back on my life and all the things I've done to me." 

No More Tears This very dark title track has an epic feel, and despite its length hit number 5 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, number 71 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 32 on the UK Singles chart.  The lyrics are told from the perspective of a stalker in a red light district seeking a victim to torture.   

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Wayne's World by Aerosmith (from the Saturday Night Live skit “Wayne's World”) This skit finds Wayne (Mike Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey) partying in their basement with the band Aerosmith.

STAFF PICKS:

Tough It Out by Webb Wilder Wayne starts out the staff picks with a deep cut.  Webb Wilder was born John Webb McMurry in Mississippi, and carries a high energy combination of rock, psychedelic, blues, and rockabilly genres in this song that encourages the listener to keep fighting for dreams even when the odds seem stacked against their fruition.  

Alive by Pearl Jam Lynch brings us a song which evolved from songwriter and front man Eddie Vedder's original intention.  Vedder reflects on the feelings of a boy discovering that he was a stepchild.  While the lyrics were intended as reflecting the curse of an emotional weight from family history, fans interpreted it as an affirmation of life.

I Can't Make You Love Me by Bonnie Raitt Bruce takes the energy way down with this soft hit off Raitt's eleventh studio album, "Luck of the Draw."  Bruce Hornsby provides the piano accompaniment.  Nashville writers Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin wrote the song after hearing about a drunk man being sentenced for shooting at his girlfriend's car.  When asked if he had learned anything, he said, "I learned, Your Honor, that you can't make a woman love you if she don't."

Anybody Listening? by Queensryche  Rob finishes the staff picks with a "prog metal" song off the "Empire" album that questions whether we really are communicating with people, and wondering if we are understood whether by word or deed.  It was an epic with multiple tempos, dynamics, and key changes that finished off the album.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Masquerade by Yes We close out with a surprisingly short song by the prog rock virtuosos off their "Union" album.

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

Kansas would have a number of personnel changes over time, but this lineup would be the classic one.  Steve Walsh is on keyboards and vocals, Robby Steinhardt is on violins and vocals, Kerry Livgren is on guitars and keyboards, Rich Williams is on guitars, Dave Hope is on bass, and Phil Ehart is on percussion.

In addition to the complex metered songs and excellent harmonies, Kansas also features Robby Steinhardt on violin in most of their songs.  The unusual use of violin in a rock band would create one of the signature sounds of Kansas.  

Kansas would go on to have a number of hits in the 80's.  In 1982 front man Steve Walsh would leave the group and be replaced by John Elfante.  In 1983 both Livgren and Hope would leave the group to form the contemporary Christian band called AD.  Later Elfante would also leave the group to join the Contemporary Christian music genre, replaced by a returning Steve Walsh.

Bruce presents this live prog rock masterpiece for this week's podcast..

Song for America This long-form masterpiece from the album of the same name was written by Kerry Livgren.  Its 3+ minute instrumental prelude did not make it onto the single release, but was a staple of FM rock stations at the time.  Livgren was inspired to write the song after viewing the country from a plane flight.

Dust In the Wind The big hit from "Point of Know Return," went to number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Livgren originally wrote the music as a guitar exercise, and his wife encouraged him to develop it into a song.  The lyrics for this ballad come from the Bible, where the Preacher from Ecclesiastes says "everything he (man) has accomplished is futile - like chasing the wind." This live version concludes with an acoustic guitar outro performed by Rich Williams.

Lonely Wind The live version of this song from their debut studio album begins with a piano solo from Kerry Livgren.  Steve Walsh penned this melancholy track about loneliness, with the wind personifying that feeling.  "Cry for me, sigh for me, sad breezes blow.  Stay for me, play for me, the song my friends will know.  My lonely wind must blow."  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Grease by Frankie Valli (from the motion picture "Grease") John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John star in this blockbuster musical set in a 50's high school.  50's icon Frankie Valli performs the title song, written by Barry Gibb.

STAFF PICKS:

Strange Way by Firefall Wayne goes more mellow than normal to start the staff picks.  This was the first track and big hit from the third album by Boulder, Colorado's Firefall.  It talks about a relationship based on relaying sorrow or self-pity, and not being able to move the current relationship forward.  

Straight On by Heart Rob brings us a well-known song from Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart.  This was the first single off their album "Dog & Butterfly," and became their third top 20 single, hitting number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The lyrics compare love to a game of chance, where you have to take some risks if you want to win.

Fat Bottomed Girls by Queen "Get on your bikes and ride!"  Lynch features a hit written by Brian May with Freddie Mercury in mind, knowing that Mercury appreciated women of "substantial girth."  It was a part of a double A side release with "Bicycle Race," and the songs reference each other in the lyrics. 

How Much I Feel by Ambrosia Bruce's staff pick is a soft rock hit that went to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Front man and co-founder David Pack wrote this song about a long-lost love that the singer will never truly get over.  Pack would go on to perform on the Kansas album "Vinyl Confessions" in 1982.

NOVELTY TRACK:

Y.M.C.A. by the Village People  All skate, everyone skate for this fun throwback that tells a young man where he can go when he's short on the dough.

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

The songs reflect Springsteen's blue collar sensibilities, but also have more pop influence musically than some of his earlier works.  Springsteen made more prominent use of synthesizers in these pieces, and the shorter, more radio-friendly tracks surely contributed to the success of the album.  “Born In the U.S.A.” was the biggest selling album of 1985, and remains Springsteen's most successful studio album.  The album's success also catapulted Bruce Springsteen's fame to stratospheric levels, a consequence which he considered a mixed blessing.

While the music is pop oriented and lively, the lyrics are often darker, reflecting the aftermath of the Vietnam war and struggles of blue collar life.  It may be a strange juxtaposition, but it worked.

Born In the U.S.A. was released in 1984, but singles from the album were still being released in 1985, the last of which was released in November.

Lynch brings us this monster album of 80's heartland rock in this week's podcast

Glory Days The fifth single released from the album was inspired by an encounter Springsteen had with an old friend and star high school baseball player in a bar in 1973.  It reflects on the passage of time and the way we look back on the days of our youth with nostalgia.    

Dancing In the Dark This track was born out of frustration.  Springsteen's manager was pushing for him to write a hit single, and the lyrics reflect the pressire Springsteen felt to write a hit.  Interestingly the song became Springsteen's biggest hit, reaching number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The video is famous for a scene where Springsteen pulls a fan - the actress Courtney Cox before her fame on the TV show “Friends” - on stage to dance.  

I'm On Fire Springsteen developed this song in early 1982 while experimenting with a slow Johnny Cash rhythm.  The lyrics are built around sexual tension for a seemingly unavailable love.  The video portrays Springsteen as an auto mechanic working on a Thunderbird for an unseen female who brings the car in frequently and always asks for him to do the work.

Born In the U.S.A. The title track and opening song to the album is a protest song disguised as a patriotic song.  It was inspired by Ron Kovic, a Vietnam War veteran and wheelchair-bound anti-war activist who wrote the memoir “Born on the Fourth of July.” Despite its protest origins, it became associated with Ronald Reagan's optimistic 1984 campaign due to its strong chorus.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Living In America by James Brown (from the motion picture “Rocky IV”) Brown makes a cameo in this Rocky movie when Balboa's antagonist turned friend Apollo Creed fights an exhibition against Soviet athlete Ivan Drogo in Las Vegas.

STAFF PICKS:

She Sells Sanctuary by the Cult Wayne gets the staff picks rolling with the first big hit from the Cult.  The lyrics reflect the feeling of safety that the singer receives when being around a particular woman.  Front man Ian Astbury has stated that "...plain and simple.  It's about sex."  This group channels a bit of goth rock and a bit of fuzzy psychedelia.

To Live and Die in L.A. by Wang Chung Rob brings us a deeper cut from the film noir "To Live and Die in L.A."  Director William Friedkin liked the group and asked them to compose the entire soundtrack.  This piece is the title track for the soundtrack, and gives off the neo-noir feel of the thriller.

Overjoyed by Stevie Wonder Bruce features a hit song of the twentieth studio album from Stevie Wonder, "In Squared Circle."  The song was written back in 1979 for the album "Journey Through the Secret Life of Plants," but didn't make that album.  It was first performed live on Saturday Night Live in 1983.  Jazz guitarist Earl Klugh contributes on this song.  

Running Up that Hill (A Deal with God) by Kate Bush Lynch finishes the staff picks with a song that got new life from the series "Stranger Things."  Bush's unusual lyrics reflect a desire to make a deal with God to trade places with her husband for a time so she would better understand him.  

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Where's the Walrus? by The Alan Parson's Project We finish off today's podcast with an instrumental from The Alan Parson's Project album "Stereotomy." 

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The songs on this album are longer than your standard single, particularly the majestic 14-minute "Telegraph Road."  Despite their length, "Private Investigations" was released as a single in the UK and reached number 2on the charts.  The shortest song, "Industrial Disease" (still clocking in at 5:50) was released as a single in the US.  It would reach number 75 on the Billboard Hot 100, but would be a staple of rock radio stations at the time.

A number of songs were written and recorded during the "Love Over Gold" sessions, but subsequently discarded from album release.  Amongst these was the song "Private Dancer," which was instead provided to Tina Turner for her comeback album of the same name.   Turner would take this song to number 7 on the US charts, and see her career reinvigorated by the success of her "Private Dancer" album.

"Love Over Gold" was a number 1 album on a number of charts, including Australia, Austria, and the UK, and reached number 19 on the US Billboard 200 albums chart.

Rob brings us this outstanding, deep, and thought-provoking album for this week's podcast.

Telegraph Road This lengthy masterpiece was inspired while Knopfler was riding in his tour bus down the 70-mile road of the same name.  The song narrarates the development and history along the road as the decades roll past.  It is easy to describe this song as prog rock, but it also contains one of the best guitar solo riffs you will hear. 

Industrial Disease Goodness me, goodness me!  We have to highlight the US single from the album.  The title comes from a term for work-related illness, and the term in this song references both individual work illness and the decline of British industry in general.  The reference to Dr. Parkinson is a British professor and satirist who is famous for the phrase "work expands to fill the time available for its completion."

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Overture to the Marriage of Figaro by Mozart (from the motion picture “Trading Places”) Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd star in this comedy about a yuppie and a homeless man who are forced to trade places as the result of a bet by two rich stock brokers.  

STAFF PICKS:

Murder By Numbers by The Police Bruce initiates the staff picks with a dark song about becoming a serial killer.  This Police song appears on the cassette and CD version of the album "Synchronicity," but was left off the vinyl due to lack of space.  It was written by Sting and Andy Summers, the only collaborative song on the album, and was recorded in a single take.  

Rock of Ages by Def Leppard Lynch brings us a huge song from Def Leppard's "Pyromania" album.  Producer Mutt Lange counts off the nonsensical "Gunter Glieben Glauten Globen," to open the song, and the lyrics form an anthem suitable for arena show openers.  Joan Jett's "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" was an inspiration to the creation of this anthem.

Don't Pay the Ferryman by Chris deBurgh Wayne's staff pick takes a fantasy approach to the story of Charon and the crossing of the river Styx, advising not to pay until the trip is done.  Irish artist Chris deBurgh broke into the US top 40 with this song, peaking at number 34.  Lines from Shakespeare's play "The Tempest" can be heard in the bridge to the song.

The Walls came Down by The Call  Rob finishes the staff picks with a song that is inspired by the Biblical tale of the fall of Jericho.  Lead singer Michael Been would pull biblical references into his lyrics, including this song.  The Call formed in 1980 in California, and blended rock, New Wave, and post-Punk.  U2 and Simple Minds both consider The Call an influence in their music.

COMEDY TRACK:

My Bologna by "Weird Al" Yankovic We close out with Weird Al's meaty take on "My Sharona by" the Knack.

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

Trilogy is the trio's third studio album, following their eponymously named debut, their second studio album entitled “Tarkus,” and their live album, Pictures at an Exhibition.  Trilogy continues a tradition of combining original material with adaptations of classical music.  It was also a challenging album for the group to make, utilizing more overdubs than previous albums.  The upside is a great sounding, polished album.  The downside is that the music was difficult to duplicate live, causing a number of the songs from Trilogy to be minimally used in set lists.

The album was considered both a critical and commercial success, reaching number 2 on the UK albums chart, and number 5 on the US Billboard 200 chart.

ELP would continue as a force in the 70's, breaking up in 1979.  Both partial and full reunions would continue through the 1980's and 1990's, with their final performance being held in 2010.  Both Keith Emerson and Greg Lake died in 2016.

Wayne takes us through this prog rock masterpiece for this week's podcast.

Fugue We open with an instrumental featuring Keith Emerson on keyboards.  A fugue is a style of music involving counterpoint, popular in the Baroque musical era of the 1600's.  You will get exposure to a lot of serious musical compositions and style listening to this group.

From the Beginning This is the "hit" from the album, if you think of Emerson, Lake & Palmer in terms of popularity.  It went to number 29 on the US charts, and is the highest charting US single.  Greg Lake wrote the music and lyrics, and plays the acoustic guitar for this ballad.  The lyrics take on a philosophical sone, emphasizing the importance of the present moment, while not missing past mistakes and missed opportunities.  

The Sheriff Keith Emerson wrote the music and Greg Lake wrote the lyrics to this western-themed track.  It tells the story of an innocent man fleeing the law, encountering the law in the form of the Sheriff, then taking the Sheriff's place after shooting him.  It ends with a great honkytonk piano solo.

Hoedown Immediately following “The Sheriff” on the album, the group creates an adaptation of Aaron Copeland's iconic “Hoe-Down,” written for his classic ballet entitled “Rodeo” in 1942.  This tune became well known after being used in advertisements by America's Beef Producers.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from the motion picture “Super Fly” Curtis Mayfield created this song for the black-oriented crime drama film of the same name.

STAFF PICKS:

Best Thing by Styx Bruce leads off the staff picks with the first single from Styx's first album.  Dennis DeYoung and James Young wrote the song and trade off on lead vocals.  It peaked at number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100.  This is a great tune to hear and grasp what the early days of Styx sounded like.  

Rock and Roll, part 2 by Gary Glitter Rob brings us a glam rock anthem made famous today by its use in sports stadiums nation wide.  This single off “Glitter,” the debut album by Gary Glitter, is the only one of his singles to crack the U.S. top 10.  Both “Rock and Roll” part 1 and part 2 peaked at number 2 on the UK singles chart.

Brandy (You're A Fine Girl) by Looking Glass It is a mystery how Lynch was able to pick up this well-known classic of yacht rock this late in the podcasts.  This track tells the story of a waitress who gives her love to a sailor, knowing that he would never be on shore for long.  

Will It Go Round in Circles by Billy Preston Wayne's staff pick is a funky tune from the man often known as the fifth Beatle.  Preston played with a number of musicians, including Ray Charles, Little Richard, Sam Cook, Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, Joe Cocker, and of course the Beatles.  This soulful tune sold over a million copies and topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Walk In the Night by Junior Walker & the All Stars This jazz-infused (largely) instrumental track closes out the podcast for the week. 

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

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

Against the Wind was an immediate success.  It went to number 2 on the Billboard 200 charts in its third week, and it sat there for 5 weeks, kepts out of the top slot by Pink Floyd's monster hit album, "The Wall."  Finally, it topped "The Wall" to take the number 1 slot and remained there for six weeks, making it Bob Seger's most successful album in his career.

There are a number of well known hits on this album, and an excellent collection of musicians as well.  In addition to the Silver Bullet Band, Seger makes use of session musicians out of Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, and is joined by backing vocals from members of the Eagles as well.

Seger retired at the end of 2019, but he performed in 2023 at Patty Loveless's induction in to the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, so we hold out hope that there will be some occasional performances still to come.

Bruce presents this folksy heartland singer songwriter for this week's podcast..

Her Strut While not released as a single, this song received some airplau as the B-side to "The Horizontal Bop."  Seger has been criticized for his adolescent humor in this song, but he claims that the inspiration for it was feminist activist Jane Fonda and her appearance before the Campaign for Economic Democracies.

Against the Wind Bob Seger has written a number of songs about looking back on life, and the title track is an example of this.  Seger was a cross country runner in high school, and he uses running as a metaphor for growing old.  This song went to number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, and he is joined by his friend and Eagles alumnus Glenn Frey for backing vocals.

Fire Lake This track is about taking risks, risking love, and just heading off with a bunch of wild people.  Seger recorded this one at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios.  If the backing vocals sounds a lot like the Eagles, there is a reason for it - those backing vocalists are Glenn Frey, Don Henley, and Timothy B. Schmit.  

You'll Accomp'ny Me This ballad is a little more country, with lyrics that basically say, "look, you may be playing the field now, but we both know in the end we'll be together."  Little Feat co-founder Bill Payne joins Seger on this track to provide organ, synth, and piano parts.  It hit number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Sleepless Nights by Gram Parsons (from the motion picture "Cruising") Al Pacino starred in this crime thriller about a serial killer targeting gay men.  

STAFF PICKS:

I Like to Rock by April Wine Wayne rocks out to start the staff picks with this Canadian band.  April Wine formed in 1969, and have released over 20 albums.  This song may be time stamped in the early 80's but it rocks out, and you can't beat lyrics like, "journey to the stars, Rock N Roll guitars!" 

Take the Long Way Home by Supertramp Rob brings us one of the hits off Supertramp's multi-platinum album, "Breakfast in America."  The lyrics to this one depict a couple growing apart as the husband starts staying away from home due to feeling like he's being ignored.  It can also be a reflection of missed opportunities to live in alignment with your heart, and not being at peace with yourself.

Rock With You by Michael Jackson Lynch features a hit from MJ's disco album, "Off the Wall."  Original lyrics were a bit more suggestive, but these were toned down to fit Jackson's wholesome image at the time.  Rod Temperton wrote "Rock with You" as his first song for Jackson, setting the stage for more collaborations, including the iconic "Thriller." 

I Wanna Be Your Lover by Prince Bruce's staff pick is the lead single from Prince's self-titled second album, and his first major hit, reaching number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1980.  Prince performs lead and backing vocals, and plays all instruments on this hit.  The end of the track includes an extended instrumental jam which is edited out for the single.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Give It All You Got by Chuck Mangioni  Flugelhorn player Mangioni wrote this song for the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York.  

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

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

The movie follows Henry Hill as he looks back on his life beginning during a time when he looked up to the Wise Guys and gangsters who ran his neighborhood.  Hill starts his narrative as a child in 1955 and continues until 1980 when Hill becomes an FBI informant on the Luccese crime family and enters the witness protection program.

The songs from that film provide the backdrop of different times in Hill's life.  Rat Pack hits reflect scenes with the gangsters, while songs from the Who and Cream reflect more disjointed times.

Hill was paid $480,000 for his contribution to the movie.  Hill passed away in 2012.

Wayne takes us through this time spanning soundtrack this week on our podcast, because this gives us the opportunity to cover some songs which are not normally in our album "window," while still giving us a window into a popular film and into the happenings of the early 90's.

Rags to Riches by Tony Bennett This crooner song is used as the backdrop when Henry Hill reflects on his childhood and states, "As far as I can remember I always wanted to be a gangster - being a ganster is better than being the President of the US."  This sets the table for the remainder of the film.

Then He Kissed Me by The Crystals Phil Spector co-wrote this song and was instrumental in increasing the popularity of the Crystals before he moved on to work with The Ronnettes.  This track is used as the backdrop of a long take where Hill and his date go to the Copacabana restaurant through the back door to a table set on the dance floor for them.

Ain't That a Kick In the Head by Dean Martin Rat Pack member and ultra-cool crooner known for his roasts and singing with a martini glass, Martin's song is the perfect fit to a montage of mob life.  Henry's wife Karen narrarates this montage.  The inspiration for the song may have been a film starring Martin and Frank Sinatra, in which Sinatra's character says, "ain't that a kick in the head." during a poker game.

Magic Bus by the Who This Who song is used in the movie during a scene of frantic, intoxicated driving where Hill believes that he is being tracked by the Feds.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from the motion picture “Troll 2” This film may be one of the best "worst" movies made, but it was in the theaters at the time, so we thought we'd brush off the theme and trot it out this week.

STAFF PICKS:

Cradle of Love by Billy Idol Rob kicks off our staff picks this week with a single off Idol's fourth studio album "Charmed Life."  Idol was in a near-fatal motorcycle accident earlier in the year, and his appearances in the David Fincher video include head shots and close-ups from the waist up, obscuring the fact that he was still recovering from his leg injuries. 

Praying for Time by George Michael Lynch features the lead single from Michael's second solo album, "Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1."  This somber, contemplative tone is a departure from his more pop-oriented hits.  Michael addresses poverty, injustice, and the human condition, concluding that some things can only be healed with time.

Tick Tock by The Vaughan Brothers Bruce's staff pick is off "Family Style," the only studio album featuring brother Jimmie and Stevie Ray Vaughan.  The song lyrics about the need to recognize that time is short are more poignant, given that the album was released a month after Stevie Ray Vaughan died in a helicopter crash.

Waiting for the Angels by The Darkside Wayne brings us one of his Manchester sound groups.  The Darkside is out of central England and have a neo-psychedelia sound with heavily distorted guitar and synthesizers.  The song lyrics are about a guy seeing lots of women in life, but not making a connection.  He's waiting for angels to bring the right one his way.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Guitar Voodoo by The Darkside We finish up this week's podcast by double-dipping on the Manchester sound with this instrumental.  

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

This group was not just political in nature, every song is laced with revolutionary rants.  The group draws inspiration from mondern revolutionary groups such as the IRA and the Black Panthers, and is highly critical of the policies of the United States, both foreign and domestic.  

RATM's debut album is largely based on their demo tape released a year before, which contained seven of the ten songs appearing on the album.  That demo tape was recorded prior to the group's first live show, and was used as a means to build awareness of the group in the days before their signing with Epic Records.

The album was a quick critical success and a slower commercial success.  The group began to really take off on the strength of the single "Killing In the Name," and after their performance at the Lollapaloosa festival in mid 1993.

Lynch brings us this high energy album in this week's podcast.

Bombtrack The opening track starts with a strong guitar riff, and deals with themes of social injustice and resistance against oppression.    

Bullet In the Head Media manipulation and control of information are the issues dealt with in this track, which became a staple of the band's live shows.  "Just victims of the in-house drive-by / They say jump, you say how high."

Wake Up This song will be familiar to fans of the 1999 film "The Matrix," as it is used at the conclusion when Neo calls the Matrix announcing he will reveal their existence.  They lyrics are a critique of racism, the CIA and government corruption.

Killing In the Name The big single from the album addresses police brutality and institutional racism.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Face to Face by Siouxie & the Banshees (from the motion picture “Batman Returns”) This movie finds Michael Keaton reprising his role as the caped crusader, facing Danny DeVito's "Penguin" and Michelle Pfeiffer's "Catwoman."

STAFF PICKS:

Empress of Pop by Insane Jane Wayne starts the staff picks with an underrated local Georgia band.  This song is a screed against Sinead O'Conner.  Insane Jane produced two albums, the first called "Each Finger," and the second (which contains this song) entitled "Green Little Pill."

Let's Get Rocked by Def Leppard During a time when hard rock was on the downswing, it is nice to hear a solid rocker which would have been at home on any of Def Leppard's 80's albums.  Rob's staff pick shows that there was still some solid rock music going on in the midst of the grunge movement.

57 Channels (and Nothin' On) by Bruce Springsteen Bruce features a Springsteen song which reflects the proliferation of cable television, but not necessarily good content on the tube.  While Springsteen considers this sone a bit of a "playful misfire," the song did go to number 68 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 6 on the Mainstream Rock charts.

Would? by Alice In Chains Lynch closes out the staff picks with a song written as a tribute to Andrew Wood, the late lead singer of Mother Love Bone, who died of a heroin overdose in 1990.  The lyrics deal with the aftermath of rehab and the uncertainty of the future.

NOVELTY TRACK:

Achy Breaky Heart by Billy Ray Cyrus Long before his daughter began her career in "Hannah Montana," Billy Ray Cyrus was all over the charts with this cheesy country song.

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

Freedom of Choice is Devo's third studio album and their breakout commercial success.  While their first two albums had generated some following, the commercial success was not at the level Warner Brothers sought, and the third album was considered a "make or break," one with the studio ready to drop the group.  Success did follow this album, with Devo exploiting the upcoming popularity of new wave while drifting a little bit towards R&B and funk sensibilities within their synth-pop framework.

The album was recorded and mixed in six weeks, with bass, guitars, and drums being recorded together live, and with synthesizers and vocals being overdubbed later.   The album peaked at number 22 on the Billboard 200, and the big single, "Whip It," reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

Rob brings us this synthisizer-driven new wave album for this week's foray into the early 80's.

Freedom of Choice Thie post-punk title song initially sounds like it is about freedom of choice.  However, it is really about people not really having freedom of choice.  Consumerism - choosing between green sneakers and blue sneakers for example - isn't really choice at all.  "Freedom of choice is what you got.  Freedom from choice is what you want."

Whip It Everyone knows this signature Devo song.  Mark Mothersbaugh has stated that the song was written as a subtle Dale Carnegie-esque message to Jimmy Carter, saying "you can do it."  The song benefitted greatly from airplay on the fledgling cable channel MTV, where their strange video involving a guy knocking the clothes off a girl with a bullwhip received continual play.

Gates of Steel The lead song from side 2 is a bit of a commentary on the mechanization of humanity.  No matter how much we believe mankind has accomplished, we're not far removed from the ape.  "A man is real, not made of steel."

Girl U Want This was the first single released from the album, though it did not chart well.  The song was supposedly inspired by The Knack, though the track reminds us more of The Cars.  "She's just the girl, she's just the girl, the girl you want."

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Fame by Irene Cara (from the motion picture “Fame”) Irene Cara sings the theme song and stars in this teen musical drama about students auditioning to study at the High School of Performing Arts.

STAFF PICKS:

Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen Lynch's staff pick is a song inspired by Elvis Presley.  Freddie Mercury wrote the song lyrics in about 10 minutes, and the band created the song in about 30 minutes.  Mercury played lead guitar for the original stuido recording.  It was the first number 1 hit that Queen had on the US Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.  

Cars by Gary Numan Wayne brings us the signature song from Gary Numan.  It was inspired by an incident of road rage Numan experienced in London, where he had to lock his doors and drive on the sidewalk to avoid getting attacked.  He was safe in his car, and inspired to write a song in about 30 minutes.  It is a signature song of the New Wave genre, and there are no guitars in this track.

Two Headed Dog (Red Temple Prayer) by Roky Erickson Bruce features a strange hard rock song with lyrics inspired by Soviet scientist Vladimir Demikhov.  Demikhov's research focusted on organ transplants, and he conducted dog head transplants in the 1950's.  This song is off Erickson's debut album with his band the Aliens, and is considered a cult classic.  

Call Me by Blondie  Rob finishes the staff picks with a hit that feaured in the film "American Gigolo."  It went to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks, the biggest hit of Blondie's career.  Lead vocalist Debbie Harry wrote the lyrics from the perspective of the main character in the film, a male prostitute.  

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Airlane by Gary Numan We close out with a double dip on new wave synth artist Gary Numan this week.

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

The first Family Stone album was called “A Whole New Thing,” and it caught good critical coverage.  Unfortunately it was a commercial failure.  Clive Davis asked for a more pop friendly sound, and Sly Stone created an approach to their second album, Dance to the Music, which followed a formula.  Each lead singer would take turns on lead vocals or sing together in unison, the songs would feature a prominent solo for the instrumentalists, and the lyrics would appeal to a wide audience even though they would still focus on peace, love, and opposition to racism.  The group really did not care for the formulaic approach of this album, but it worked when it came to commercial appeal.  “Dance to the Music” became a top 10 pop hit, and it inspired several groups to gravitate towards psychedelic soul, including the Temptations, the Impressions, and the Four Tops.

Sly Stone is the primary driver of the group, writing almost all of their songs, serving as a multi-instrumentalist, and as a primary vocalist.  His borhter Freddie Stone is on vocals and guitar, and his sister Rose Stone joins the group for the first time on this album.  Other members are Larry Graham on vocals and bass, Cynthia Robinson on trumpet and vocals, Jerri Martini on saxophone, Greg Errico on drums, and backing vocals by Little Sister (Vet Stone, Mary McCreary, and Elva Mouton).

Sly and the Family Stone would release a number of songs to hit the top 10 in the Billboard Hot 100 in the years to come.  The follow-up album to this one is called "Stand!," and is considered the band's high water mark, along with their performance in 1969 at Woodstock.  The band would encounter instability and drug problems as time went on, with the original group dissolving in 1975.  Sly Stone would continue to record as "Sly and the Family Stone" for many years afterwards using rotating musicians, until drug problems basically forced him to retire by 1987.

Bruce brings the early funk for this week's podcast.

Are You Ready This song is an expression of opposition to racism with lyrics like "Don't hate the black, don't hate the white, of you get bit, just hate the bite.  Make sure you heart is beatin' right."

Ride the Rhythm This song starts off side two of the album.  It is a straightforward dance song, and has some obvious comparisons to James Brown.  It has a nice mix of horns and "wah wah" guitar.

Don't Burn Baby Scat was an early precursor to rap music, and this track is a good example of a rapid rhyme scat.  The eastern feel is also reminiscent of George Harrison.  "Don't burn, baby, burn.  Just learn, baby, learn."

Dance to the Music Here is the big hit off the album, and the first Sly and the Family Stone single to reach the top 10 on the Billboard Charts, peaking at number 8.  It is a straight up party record, but was also one of the most influential songs of the late 60's.  The formula used by Sly Stone to make the songs on this record are clear here, even though he and the group did not like that approach.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Shape of Things to Come by Max Frost and the Troopers (from the motion picture Wild In the Streets) This dystopian comedy-drama became a cult hit of 1960's counterculture.  Max Frost and the Troopers was a fictional rock band in the film.

STAFF PICKS:

Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell Lynch starts out the staff picks with a smooth grooving song off the soul duo's album “United.”  Ashford & Simpson wrote and produced this song, which became a hit within a week of its release, going to number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the Hot Soul Singles chart.

Anyone for Tennis by Cream Rob brings us the theme song for the 1968 film “The Savage Seven,” an outlaw biker exploitation movie.  Eric Clapton's lyrics depict a callous disregard for all the turmoil going on in the world, with the singers discussing going out for a game of tennis while everything disintegrates around them.

She's A Heartbreaker by Gene Pitney Wayne features an early 60's crooner who turns to a Motown sound for this go-go hit.  It peaked at number 16 at the time.  It is about a guy who is continually drawn to a woman who breaks his heart every time.  

Love Is All Around by The Troggs Bruce's staff pick is probably most familiar to fans of the Christmas movie "Love Actually," where an old rocker converts it to a cheesy Christmas song called "Christmas Is All Around."  The Troggs' lead singer Reg Presley wrote it in about 10 minutes, inspired by a broadcast of the Salvation Army Band performing an evangelical song called "Love That's All Around."

NOVELTY TRACK:

The Unicorn by The Irish Rovers The Irish story of how the unicorn missed its appointment with Noah's Ark was on the charts in 1968, and closes out our podcast this week.

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This album finds the group shifting from a more prog rock sound to a pop rock orientation.  This transition would create a commercial success, with Cornerstone becoming the groups first top 5 album on the US charts - peaking at number 2.  The album would produce the groups first and only number 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in the power ballad "Babe."  It would also be a critical success, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group.  Not bad for a self-produced album.

The successes, however would be tempered with the first fractures appearing between the group's primary singers and songwriters.  Dennis DeYoung wanted to see the group move in a more pop direction, while Tommy Shaw preferred the rock orientation of previous albums.  James Young sided with Shaw in this dispute.  It would eventually cause a rift in the band in the mid-80's, with Shaw and DeYoung splitting up.

Friend of the show Steve Hardin presents this classic rock and pop sensation in today's podcast.

Borrowed Time The third single from the album was the lead track to side 2.  The song is a political one, portraying a United States in trouble, but oblivious to its decline.  DeYoung and Shaw co-wrote this song, and Dennis DeYoung takes lead vocal duties on this high energy track.

Boat on the River This more folk-oriented tune was a charting single in the UK and hit number 5 on the German charts, but was not released as a single in the US.  Tommy Shaw wrote and sings lead on this track, as well as playing mandolin.  It began as an experiment when Shaw first acquired a mandolin, but the band thought it sounded good enough to make it on the album.

Why Me The second single was a compromise choice.  Originally DeYoung wanted the power ballad "First Time" to be released as the second single, but when Tommy Shaw objected so strenuously to releasing two ballads in a row that he threated to leave the band over it, "Why Me" became the single.  Also written and sung by DeYoung, it is about feeling depressed even in the midst of success.  

Babe The band's sole number 1 single is a ballad about having to leave the one you love for a period of time.  Dennis DeYoung wrote it as a birthday present for his wife Suzanne.  Despite its success, it was not originally intended to appear on the album.  Tommy Shaw and James Young convinced DeYoung to put it on the album.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Rawhide by the Blues Brothers The band performs behind a protective fence in a country bar in one scene, and this is the single song from the Country AND Western genre they can play.

STAFF PICKS:

Mystery Train by UFO Wayne launches the staff picks with a cover of a song originally recorded by Junior Parker in 1953.  UFO were an English rock band originally formed in 1968.  This song is off their eighth studio album which was produced by George Martin of Beatles fame. 

Love Stinks by the J. Geils Band Lynch's staff pick is a description of a love triangle in which no one gets what they want.  Lead Singer Peter Wolf was married to actress Faye Dunaway at the time, and was headed towards a divorce which may have inspired the lyrics.  Many will remember this song from Adam Sandler's performance in "The Wedding Singer."

Even It Up by Heart Rob brings us the first single from Heart's fifth studio album, "Bebe le Strange."  It features the Tower of Power horn section in the instrumentation.  The lyrics call for reciprocity in a relationship, and also a subtle rant against the obstacles women face in the rock world.

Run Like Hell by Pink Floyd Steve Hardin wraps up the staff picks with a song written by David Gilmour and Roger Waters.  The song is used in the film "The Wall" to depict rock anti-hero Pink as a fascist dictator turning the audience into a lynch mob.  

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Seduction by Giorgio Moroder This instrumental love theme from the movie "American Gigolo" was on the charts at the time.

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The band wrapped up their Pyromania tour in early 1984, and started writing their next album shortly thereafter.  Producter John "Mutt" Lange began working with them to arrange the songs, but was suffering from burnout and couldn't commit to producing the album.  Jim Steinman (of Meatloaf's "Bat Out of Hell" fame).  The fit was not good, and the band parted ways with Steinman by the fall.  They began self-producing, but it was slow work.  Then in December tragedy struck, as drummer Rick Allen crashed his Corvette, losing his left arm in the accident.  The band stuck with him as he returned to the drums, using a combination of acoustic and electronic drums and MIDI pedals to trigger sounds for parts ordinarily played with the left arm.  Self-production was continued until Mutt Lange was able to rejoin in mid-1985.  Final recording sessions occurred in early 1987, and the finished product finally was released in August 1987.

Def Leppard's goal with the album, was amazingly aggressive:  they wanted to create a rock album similar to Michael Jackson's "Thriller," such that every track on the album could potentially be a hit single.  This goal was largely achieved, as seven of the albums tracks were released as singles, an unpresidented achievement for a rock band at the time.  This would also produce controversy with Def Leppard fans, as the group was perceived by some as selling out to commercial "hair metal" sensitivities popular at the time. 

Friend of the show Steve Hardin joins us in Bruce's absence, and Lynch brings us this monster album of heavy metal (or hair metal, depending on your perspecitve) for week's podcast.

Hysteria The title track was the fourth single from the album, and the group's first top 10 single in the US.  Drummer Rick Allen came up with the name for this slow rocker.  "'Cause it's a miracle, oh say you will, ooh babe.  Hysteria when you're near."

Animal This fast paced song was the second release in the US and the first single in the UK where it broke into the top 10.  It was one of the more difficult songs for the group to write, going through multiple iterations with multiple producers before arriving in the style used on the album.

Rocket This track was almost created as an instrumental, but morphed into a tribute song, referencing many of the influential groups of the 60's and 70's.  It also features a backwards masking vocal from another song on the album (Gods of War) which says, "we're fighting with the gods of war."  

Pour Some Suger On Me Often considered Def Leppard's signature song, this track was a last-minute addition to the album.  It came out of an acoustic jam developed by lead singer Joe Elliott.  Producer Mutt Lange liked the tune and pushed for its development despite the album being behind schedule.  It was created in about 2 weeks, and would reach number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

I Get Around by The Beach Boys (from the motion picture “Goor Morning, Vietnam”) This movie starred Robin Williams as an Armed Forces Radio Service DJ who is popular with the troops, but problemmatic to the bureaucrats.

STAFF PICKS:

Say You Will by Foreigner Rob starts the staff pick with a song that hit number 6 on the charts.  Foreigner evolved their sound in the late 80's to meet the aesthetic of the day, with heavier use of the synthesizer and less guitar riffs.  It is the first single from their sixth studio album, "Inside Information."

No New Tale to Tell by Love and Rockets Wayne's staff pick is an alternative rock sound with an unusual flute instrumentation from a group out of the UK underground.  This was their first US hit, going to number 18 on the US Mainstream Rock chart.  It is from their third album, "Earth, Sun, Moon," and they would release another four albums before breaking up in 1989,

Big River by the Beat Farmers Friend of the show Steve Hardin brings an unusual song with a country/rocakabilly slant.  The lyrics discuss following a girl down the Mississippi.

Faith by George Michael Lynch finishes the title track from George Michael's debut solo album.  This song with a Bo Diddley beat on an acoustic rhythm guitar went to number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Michael wrote the song because he needed faith in his own abilities after leaving the band Wham! to go solo.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Complexity by Front Line Assembly This Canadian industrial band released their first full-length album in 1987.

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

Feats Don't Fail Me Now is the band's fourth studio album, and it went to number 36 on the US Top LP's chart.  It is hard to go wrong when, in addition to the regular band members you have the Tower of Power on horns, and backing vocals from Emmylou Harris and Bonnie Raitt.  The album was recorded at Blue Seas Recording Studio in Maryland, and it provided two advantages.  First, it had just opened and needed a band for their "shakedown cruise," letting Little Feat record on the cheap.  Second, it was far away from their home base in Los Angeles, which kept Lowell George away from many familiar temptions of drugs and women.

While Lowell George would soon begin to deteriorate in health (he died of a heart attack in 1979), this album shows him and his band at the height of their artistic prowess.  The surviving members of Little Feat would regroup in 1987, and the band continues to perform today.

Wayne takes us through this little feat of southen rock for this week's podcast.

Feats Don't Fail Me Now The title track received significant airplay on FM radio and it leads off side two of the album.  That driving bass line and funky drumbeat is sometimes called Country Funk Boogie.  The message of the song is one of perseverance and determination to get back the girl the singer loves.

Oh Atlanta If you were living in the metro-Atlanta area in the 70's or 80's, you definitely are familiar with this song.  Billy Payne takes lead vocal duties on this track, and it features Bonnie Raitt and Emmylou Harris on backing vocals.  "Well, you can drop me off on Peachtree, I got to feel that Georgia sun.  And the women there in Atlanta, they make you awfully glad you come."

Spanish Moon This track was written by Lowell George and features the Tower of Power horn section.  This is a deeper cut, but it has a latin groove while maintaining both a bluesy and funky sound.  The origin of the song is a dream George had of a dangerous nightclub in New Orleans called the Spanish Moon.

Rock and Roll Doctor The song considered the hit off the album is an anthem to the healing power of music.  "Two degress in bebop, a PhD in swing, he's a master of rhythm, he's a rock and roll king."  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from the motion picture “Together Brothers” The Love Unlimited Orchestra provided this title track to

STAFF PICKS:

Radar Love by Golden Earring Lynch's starts our staff picks this week with a Dutch rock band originally formed in 1961.  Lead vocalist Barry Hay and guitarist George Kooymans wrote this single that reached number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart.  The lyrics describe a man driving a long way to be with his love, and communicating with her through a mystical bond he calls "radar love."

Keep on Smilin' by Wet Willie Bruce features the title track from Wet Willie's third studio album.  It is their biggest hit, reaching number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The song itself is rather stoic, encouraging the listener to keep smiling through the difficulties and pain of life.

The Night Chicago Died by Paper Lace Rob's staff pick is a story telling song that topped the US chart for one week in 1974.  The lyrics describe a shoot-out between the Chicago Police and Al Capone's gangsters, and worries from the wife of a police officer that her husband wouldn't make it home.  The song ends on a positive note when her husband walks through the door.

Beach Baby by The First Class Wayne brings us a British band made up of all session players.  They call themselves "the first class" because they considered themselves to be a kind of supergroup of the UK music session set.  This song would be a one-hit wonder, reaching number 4 in the US, but other singles would not see the same level of success.

NOVELTY TRACK:

Rub It In by Billy "Crash" Craddock This novelty song hit the top of the country charts.  It may be more familiar as the jingle from Glade air fresheners, where they sing, "plug it in."

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Megadeth is one of the founding bands of the thrash metal genre, and considered one of the "big four" of U.S. thrash metal (along with Anthrax, Metallica, and Slayer).  The heart of the band, primary songwriter, and sole constant member of the band throughout the years is Dave Mustaine.  The formation of the band is well known as a revenge effort on Mustaine's part.  He was fired from his role as lead guitarist of Metallica just prior to the recording of their debut album due to personal issues with James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, and due to drug abuse problems.  The name of the group was inspired by a political pamphlet from Alan Cranston that read "The arsenal of megadeath can't be rid no matter what the peace treaties come to."  Mustaine took the word out of that pamphlet and adjusted the spelling.

Rust In Peace is the group's fourth studio album, released in late September but featured in November as it was gaining traction with fans at the time.  The album name came from a bumper sticker Mustaine saw that read, "May all your nuclear weapons rust in peace."  It was the first album to feature Marty Friedman on guitar and Nick Menza on drums.  Dave Mustaine is on guitars and lead vocals, and long time collaborator David Ellefson completes the quartet on bass and backing vocals.

The album takes on a number of topics including religion, plitics, warfare, and personal issues Dave Mustaine was dealing with such as drug and alcohol addiction.  Mustaine explored a number of religious expressions over his life, and became a born again Christian after attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and focusing on his Christian faith.  

Lynch brings us this hallmark album of thrash metal in this week's podcast

Holy Wars...the Punishment Due The opening track starts fast, shifts to a slower acoustic bridge, and finishes at a higher speed.  The lyrics discuss religious conflict with particular attention being paid to the situations in Israel and Northern Ireland.  The subtitle "the Punishment Due" is a reference to the Marvel comic book character called the Punisher.  It was the first single released from the album  

Hangar 18 The second single is the second track from the album, and was inspired by the Roswell alien conspiracy theory.  Hangar 18 is supposedly located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, and was believed to be the location where an alien spacecraft and/or bodies were stored.

Tornado of Souls This is a somewhat deeper cut since it was never released as a single, but it is considered a staple of the band's discography.  Marty Friedman's guitar solo in this piece is considered one of the best metal solos of all time, and one of the hardest to play.  Bassist David Ellefson co-wrote the lyrics, making it one of the few songs on the album not written by Mustane alone.

Rust in Peace...Polaris The concluding song reflects the album title.  It is written from the perspective of a Polaris nuclear weapon, and reflects the catastrophic consequences of nuclear warfare.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Shotgun by Junior Walker & The All Stars (from the motion picture “Misery”) This movie based on the Stephen King novel starring James Caan and Kathy Bates would win Bates an Oscar for Best Actress.

STAFF PICKS:

Full Circle by the Jeff Healey Band Rob starts the staff pick with this blues-infused pick which is the lead track to the Jeff Healey Band's second album, "Hell to Pay."  Bobby Whitlock, a member of the supergroup Derek and the Dominos is playing the Hammond organ on this piece.  Jeff Healey, blind since an early age, was known for holding his guitar in his lap while playing.

Vigilante Man by Hindu Love Gods Wayne's staff pick is a bit of a super group.  Warren Zevon got together with the members of REM minus Michael Stipe to create this single album on a lark.  The group recorded old standards for the album, and this one was originally done by Woody Guthrie in 1940.  The song itslef is about hired thugs who would chase away migrants trying to escape the Dust Bowl by moving to California.

Traveling Riverside Blues by Led Zeppelin Bruce features another cover song, this one written by Robert Johnson in 1937.  Led Zeppelin recorded it in 1969, but it was not released until 1990, over ten years after "Fool in the Rain," their last single.  It hit number 7 on the Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart in November 1990.

Blaze of Glory by Jon Bon Jovi Lynch finishes the staff picks with a rock ballad containing elements of country and western, written for the motion picture "Young Guns II."  It won the Golden Globe award for Best Original Song, and topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart, making it one of Bon Jovi's most successful solo hits.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Theme from the motion picture "Dances with Wolves" by the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards This cinematic piece accompanied the Kevin Costner Western which was out in 1990.

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

Russell was born with cerebral palsy, which produced some paralysis on his right side.  He walked with a limp, and he was bullied as a kid over it.  He also developed a piano playing style that favored his left hand, and keyboardists will recognize that as unusual since the right hand typically plays the melody on songs.

We are looking at the third solo studio album from Leon Russell called Carney.  This is Russell's most successful album in the United States, and comes when he was at his height as both a musician and a performer.  It went to number 2 on the Billboard Album chart.  Carney is organized with a first side that tends toward folk or roots rock, and a side two that is more psychedelic.  Russell was quite the start at this time, and he found that fame had some downsides.  Carney contains observations about the rock star lifestyle, and compares it two the performers at a carnival midway.  

Russell's fame as a solo performer would fall off about three years after this album when he would trend in a more country direction.  He remained a force in the studio and as a songwriter throughout his life.  Leon Russell passed in his sleep in 2016 at home while recovering from heart surgery.

Bruce presents this icon of the singer-songwriter era in today's podcast, as previous host Brian Dickhute sits in this week in Lynch's absence.

Manhattan Island Serenade We're leading off with a deeper cut from the album.  It's lyrics are told from the perspective of a guy broken down on the side of the road, thinking about a long lost love as the rain falls and the cars drive by.

Tightrope This is the big hit off the album.  It went to number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100.  This song encapsulates the theme of the album well, comparing the rock performer to a tightrope walker, with all the risks and the joys of performing stunts in front of the crowd.  

If the Shoe Fits Russell takes on the groupies and hangers-on in this song.  It's a little like Pink Floyd's “Have a Cigar,” but instead of focusing on managers taking advantage of the band, this song looks at the parasitical elements of the press and the fans.  It maintains a light, satirical feel despite the pessimism embedded in the lyrics.

This Masquerade While never a hit for Russell, this song received some airplay as the B-side to “Tightrope.”  It would also be covered by a number of artists including Helen Reddy and the Carpenters, but it's most successful cover iteration would be from George Benson on this “Breezin'” album.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Dueling Banjos (from the motion picture Deliverance) Burt Reynolds stars in this action/horror film about a group of rafters who encounter strange back woods locals while rafting in Georgia.

STAFF PICKS:

I Can See Clearly Now by Johnny Nash Wayne gets us rolling on the staff picks with an optimistic song which went to number 1 in 1972.  The inspiration was an eye surgery that Nash had undergone which left him temporarily blind.  The song reflects the hope and joy when he was able to see again, and inspires hope during times of adversity. 

You Don't Mess Around with Jim by Jim Croce Rob brings us one of Croce's signature lyrical stories.  Jim Walker was the baddest pool hustler around until Slim showed up at the pool hall and cut Jim to ribbons in a fight. “You don't tug on Superman's cape, you don't spit into the wind, you don't pull the mask of the old Lone Ranger, and you don't mess around with Jim.” 

Too Late to Turn Back Now by the Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose Brian features  a family soul singing group out of Florida formed in the 60's as a gospel group before adding Sister Rose in 1970. Carter, Eddie and Rose Cornelius released this single as a follow-up to their hit “Treat Her Like a Lady.”  The follow-up was even more successful than the former hit, going to number 2 in the Billboard Hot 100, while the previous hit went to number 3.  

I Wanna Be Where You Are by Michael Jackson Bruce's staff pick is the third single off MJ's debut solo album.  It went to number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Leon Ware and Arthur “T-Boy” Ross wrote this song, and Arthur Ross is the brother of Diana Ross.  Michael Jackson was producing solo work while continuing as a member of the Jackson 5, and his brothers are singing backup on this song.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Outta Space by Billy Preston We close out this week's podcast with a little sci-fi funk.

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James Ambrose Johnson, Jr. was born in Buffalo where he was in a number of groups and bands as a teenager.  He joined the US Navy Reserves to avoid being drafted, then moved to Toronto in 1964 where he formed the rock band “The Minah Byrds.”  Unfortunately he failed to let Uncle Sam know of his change of address, and would spend a few months in jail on charges of desertion.  Shortly after his release he moved to California where he honed his craft in a number of rock and funk bands.  He became a bigger hit and better known after signing with Gordy Records in 1977.  

Street Songs is Rick James' fifth solo studio album, and his most successful.  It was an immediate success and went to number 3 on the US pop charts, while also spending 20 weeks at the number 1 spot on the US R&B chart.

James would go on to be a successful producer and songwriter.  His personal life would be unstable, and a hard life including drug abuse contributed to his early death in 2004.  

WTR Host Lynch is out this week, so former founding host Brian Dickhute comes back with his funk on for this podcast.

Give It To Me Baby The lead single and lead-off track to the album went to number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 1 on the US R&B chart.  It is a big dance song with a strong horn section, and the lyrics are pretty straightforward.  Surprisingly, this is the best selling single from the album, even better than “Super Freak,” though that song would have more longevity. 

Ghetto Life This deeper cut was released as the third single from the album, though it barely missed cracking the Billboard charts when it reached number 102.  The lyrics in this funk song depict life in a depressed Buffalo inner city, where hustles were needed to make ends meet.

Super Freak Here is the single that would become Rick James' signature song.  This ode to “a very kinky girl” reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, and features background vocals from the Temptations.  James would get further benefit when the song was used by MC Hammer as the foundation for his hit single “U Can't Touch This.”

Below the Funk (Pass the J) Another deeper cut, this funky track is somewhat autobiographical, describing how James grew up on the street as the child of a single mother “on the corners hangin' out with all the hoodlums.”  Rick James would struggle with drug addiction throughout his life.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Maybellene by Chuck Berry (from the motion picture “Porky's”) This is the movie that started the teen sex genre, with practical jokes and run-ins with corrupt authority figures.

STAFF PICKS:

Blood Stains by Agent Orange Wayne opens the staff picks with a heavy metal power punk trio.  The group takes its name from both the defoliant used by the military in Vietnam and the county in metro Los Angeles from which the group hails.  The song is considered “skate punk,” and was used in Tony Hawk's pro skater video game.

Alien by the Atlanta Rhythm Section Bruce brings us the sole single from ARS's tenth studio album Quinella.  The lyrics are about feeling out of place and away from home.  This keyboard-heavy song peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was the last top 40 hit by the group.

Winning by Santana Rob features a song originally written and performed by Russ Ballard, and covered by Santana with Alex Ligertwood singing lead.  It went to number 17 on the Billboard Hot 100, one of Santana's biggest hits.  It is a positive song about overcoming difficulties.

Say Goodbye to Hollywood by Billy Joel Brian closes out the staff picks with this song paying homage to Ronnie Spector.  While this track premiered several years prior on the Turnstyles album, the live version from the Songs In the Attic album came out in 1981.  It was recorded in the Milwaukee arena, and was more successful as a live song than as a studio song.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Hooked on Classics by the Royal Philhormonic Orchestra and Louis Clark This instrumental mosaic of well known classics from the symphony was a hit on the charts in 1981.

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The group began recording the album at Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger's house, using the Stones’ mobile recording studio, then moved to a more traditional studio in London.  Most of the album is made up of songs originally intended for the Lifehouse project.  Who's Next would see the Who make significant use of synthesizers and other keyboard sounds on this album, making the synthesizers a more integrated part of the songs than on previous albums.  Drummer Keith Moon's style was also more formalized than before, and the overall album was focused on a good sound where previous albums were perhaps tilted toward a sonic projection of the image of the band.

Who's Next would contain some of the most iconic songs that the band produced, and retrospectively is considered by many to be the best album The Who ever produced.  The album would reach number 1 on the UK charts, and number 4 on the US charts.

Rob brings us this iconic album for today's podcast, and friend of the show Mike Fernandes sits in for Bruce this week.

Mobile This lighter song is a celebration of life on the open road.  Roger Daltrey steps aside as Pete Townshend takes over lead vocal duties.  Daltrey actually was not present at the recording of this song, leaving Keith Moon (drums), John Entwistle (bass), and Townshend (vocals, guitar, keyboards) to record it as a power trio.

A Bargain Often misconstrued as a love song to a woman, this track actually is about a relationship with God.  It contends that sacrificing everything for a relationship with God is not a sacrifice at all, but a bargain.  Much of Pete Townshend's work is inspired by eastern mysticism.

Won't Get Fooled Again The last track on the album is an 8 1/2-minute epic.  It was originally intended as a closing number to the "Lifehouse" rock opera.  The lyrics offer a critique of both government and revolutionary change, summarized in the phrase "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."  Townshend was inspired to write this song after chasing Abbie Hoffman off the stage at Woodstock.

Baba O'Riley  The title of the lead track to the album is a combination of two of Townshend's mentors, Indian spiritualist Meher Baba and American Composer Terry Riley.  The repeated phrase "teenage wasteland" was inspired by Townshend's observations of youths at Woodstock strung out on acid.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

The Beat Goes On by Sonny & Cher (from the television variety show “Sonny and Cher Comedy Hour”) The singing duo Sonny and Cher started this sketch comedy and music show in 1971.  It would run for 3 years until their divorce.

STAFF PICKS:

Sweet City Woman by The Stampeders Wayne brings us a banjo-laden hit from a Canadian trio.  The lyrics were inspired by an encounter with a girl with wild eyes who came from the prairie to start life in the big city.  It hit number 8 on the US charts and number 1 in Canada.  It also won a number of Juno awards in 1972.  You may remember it from an episode of "Better Call Saul."

Take Me Home, Country Roads by John Denver Lynch keeps the banjo hits coming with a signature song from John Denver.  It went to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, and would become one of four official state songs for West Virginia.  Denver recorded this song in only two hours.

Nobody by the Doobie Brothers  Mike brings us a lost song from the first album by the Doobie Brothers.  Neither this song nor the album charted when it was released, but it displays a number of riffs and styles which would become staples of Doobie Brothers songs.  It was re-released in 1974 after the group had achieved success, and it reached number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Maggie May by Rod Stewart  Rob closes out the staff picks with a hit single off Stewart's third solo album "Every Picture Tells a Story."  The lyrics describe the contradictory feelings of a boy in a relationship with an older woman.  The inspiration was a true encounter Stewart had with a woman at the 1961 Beaulieu Jazz Festival.  The song went to number 1 in Australia, the US, the UK, and Canada.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Orchid by Black Sabbath We close out with a surprisingly soft instrumental from an ordinarily more heavy hitting band.

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The name of the album is a bit of self deprecation.  The term "plastic soul" was used at the time to describe some artists' attempts to duplicate the sound of black American soul music, and the Beatles recognized their efforts as less-than authentic.  It also has a double meaning, referencing the Wellington boot worn in rural northern England.

The album  combines elements of folk rock, soul, progressive rock, and the newly-emerging psychedelic sound.  It would set a new standard with rock groups, encouraging the creation of high quality albums rather than just making a string of singles that were merged onto an LP record.  It also shows the increasing maturity of the group in lyrics and music.  

Lynch brings us this classic album from one of the greatest rock bands of all time, and friend of the show Mike Fernandez sits in while Bruce is out.

Baby You Can Drive My Car The opening track was written by Lennon and McCartney.  The lyrics are told from the perspective of a woman who expects to be a big star, and offers the man the opportunity to be her chauffeur.  At the end you find out that she doesn't have a car, but at least now she has a chauffeur.  

Norwegian Wood It really isn't possible to have a deeper cut when you're talking about the Beatles, but this may be as close as we can get.  John Lennon is the primary writer - with some contributions from Paul McCartney - and the lyrics discuss an extramarital affair he had in London.  George Harrison plays sitar on this song, and it is the first use of that instrument recorded in a major release in the rock world. 

In My Life The lyrics from this song were written by John Lennon, and is perhaps the first time he wrote a song inspired from his childhood.  George Martin plays the piano on the bridge, but recorded it at half speed.  This creates the tinny harpsicord feel when the song is run at full speed.

Michelle Paul McCartney is the primary writer of this song, inspired by the popularity of Parisian "Left Bank" culture, and contains french lyrics despite McCartney's lack of fluency in the language.  The music was partially inspired by chet Atkin's finger picking style.  McCartney began writing the song in 1958, and it went to number 1 in France where it was released ahead of the album.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

The James Bond Theme (from the motion picture “Thunderball”) This was the fourth film in the spy series starring Sean Connery as James Bond.  It was originally planned to be the first film of the series, but was pushed back due to legal disputes.

STAFF PICKS:

Treat Her Right by Roy Head and the Traits Wayne leads off the staff picks with a short, happy, party song.  While this may have a surf song vibe, the band is from Texas.  The lyrics tell about how a guy is supposed to treat a woman, and the benefits thereof.  The song peaked at number 2, and is the best known song by the group.  

Hang On Sloopy by the McCoys Rob brings us a song originally recorded by the Vibrations in 1964 with the title "My Girl Sloopy."  A jazz singer in Ohio named Dorothy Sloop inspired the name.  The McCoys version went to number 1 on the pop charts, and would be picked up by a number of garage bands.  Rick Derringer is the front man for the group.

California Girls by The Beach Boys Mike's staff pick is a well-known song from the album "Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!)" by the group.  Brian Wilson conceived the song during an acid trip, thinking about film scores from Westerns and - of course - girls.

Eve of Destruction by Barry McGuire Lynch closes out the staff picks with a protest song often covered.  P.F. Sloan wrote this song after the Kennedy assassination, the Gulf of Tompkin military action, and other social upheaval of the early to mid-60's.  American media used this song as an example of what was wrong with youth culture, counterintuitively driving the popularity of the song.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Hole in the Wall by The Packers This jazz instrumental closes out this week's podcast.

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The Cure is considered to have hit the height of their commercial appeal with Wish, their ninth stuio album.  Personnel for this album were Boris Williams on percussion (his last album appearance with the group), Perry Bamonte on guitars and keyboards (his first appearance as a member of the group), Pori Thompson on guitar (his last appearance with the group for 16 years), Simon Gallop on bass, and Robert Smith on vocals, keyboards, guitar, and bass.  The Cure would see a lot of personnel changes through the years, with Robert Smith being the only consistent member throughout, and the driving force behind the band.

Wish was written with a lighter alternative rock sound than their previous albums, making many songs more accessible both to the less devoted fan and to commercial radio.  It went to number 2 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in the US, and number 1 on the UK albums chart.

Bruce presents this monster of goth rock in today's podcast.

A Letter to Elise The third single from the album had its first release prior to the album on a 1991 episode of MTV Unplugged.  It is a song about resignation, of realizing that things are just not going to work out.  It went to number 2 on the US Alternate Airplay charts.

High One of the more upbeat songs, this is the lead single from the album.  It went to number 1 on the US Modern Tracks, and 42 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It chronicles the feelings of love and infatuation.  Despite their reputation, many Cure songs are not dark and melancholy.  

To Wish Impossible Things This is a deeper track, and a darker one.  It is about relationships generally, and more specifically looking back on a relationship that is no more.  The title comes from the idea that selfish wishes do not turn out well when they are granted.

Friday I'm In Love This was the band's second single and the big hit from the album.  It peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 (the last top 40 hit for the Cure to date), and at number 1 on the Billboard Modern Tracks chart.  This surprisingly happy song about looking foward to Friday has become one of the signature songs from the group.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Yo Cousin Vinny by Joe Pesci The starring actor from "My Cousin Vinny" takes a comedic turn with this song inspired by the movie "My Cousin Vinny."

STAFF PICKS:

To Be With You by Mr. Big Lynch starts off the staff picks with an acoustic rock ballad.  Front man and co-writer Eric Martin provides lead vocals to this song which topped the Billboard Hot 100.  It was a single off the album "Lean Into It," and is considerdd the groups most successful song to date. 

Black Flag by Kings X Rob's staff pick is the lead single off Kings X's self-titled album, their fourth studio album, and the first on Atlantic Records.  Kings X has often been labeled as a Contemporary Christian album, but they have inspired a number of prog rock groups through the years.  Unlike many bands, the core lineup of the band has remained the same for over forty years.

The End of Everything by The Charlatans UK Wayne brings us a deeper cut from a group from the midlands in England.  This song's lyrics are inspired by a friend feigning an illness so he could leave the army.  The band appended the "UK" at the end of their name to avoid confusion with a 60's American band also called "the Charlatans."

Until Your Love Comes Back Around by RTZ Bruce wraps up the staff picks with a ballad from a short-lived band out of Boston.  Former members of the band Boston, including guitarist Barry Goudreau and vocalist Brad Delp formed RTZ with keyboardist Mrian Maes, percussionist Dave Stefanelli, and bassist Tim Archibald.  This song went to number 26 on the US charts.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Elmira St. Boogie by Danny Gatton This instrumental gets us moving as we close out this week's podcast.

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Despite forming in California, Creedence Clearwater Revival was known for their Louisiana sound often described as "swamp rock" or later as roots rock.  They tended towards an earlier rock sound during a time when much of their fellow performers were moving in a more psychedelic direction.  But CCR (as the band was known, or Creedence) would find prolific success in the time from 1969 to 1971 when they would produce 14 consecutive top 10 singles and five consecutive top 10 albums.

The band featuring front man and multi instrumentalist John Fogerty, brother Tom Fogerty on rhythm guitar and backing vocals, Stu Cook on bass, and Doug Clifford on percussion got their start as a band playing rock standards and instrumentals in 1959 under the name "The Blue Velvets."  They changed their name to "the Golliwogs" in 1964, then became CCR in 1967.  The name Creedence Clearwater Revival comes from three sources - John Fogerty's friend Credence Newball, a beer commercial touting "clear water," and the word "revival" depicting the members' re-commitment to the band.

Cosmo's Factory is the band's fifth studio album takes its title from the warehouse in Berkeley where the band practiced in early days.  Doug "Cosmo" Clifford called it "The Factory" because they practiced there almost daily.  This album went to number 1 on the Billboard 200 charts and remained there for nine weeks.  It is one of those albums that appears to be a "greatest hits" album rather than a studio release because of the number of very familiar songs originating on it.

The group would be prolific, but short-lived.  Tom Fogerty left the group at the end of 1971 and the rest had an acrimonious falling out shortly thereafter.  But for a few years, CCR produced a gigantic body of work, despite never having a number 1 hit.

Wayne takes us through this classic album of swamp rock for this week's podcast.

Who'll Stop the Rain Often considered a Viet Nam protest song, the inspiration for this track is actually Woodstock, where multitudes of music fans congregated in the rain to hear the music of the age.  It was released as a double A single along with "Travelin' Band," and went to number 2 on the American charts.

Run Through the Jungle Another song mistakenly considered to be a Viet Nam protest (and often used that way in films), Fogerty wrote this about the proliferation of guns in the United States, comparing city streets to a jungle.  This was another double A single release, paired with "Up Around the Bend."  It has appeared in multiple films including "Air America," "Rudy," and "Tropic Thunder."

Up Around the Bend This track is a more straightforward invitation to a gathering that is, as you might guess, up around the bend.  It went to number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and number 3 on the UK singles charts.  John Fogerty wrote this song, as he did most of the original CCR tracks.

Travelin' Band This song draws its inspiration from 1950's rock songs, particularly paying homage to the style of Little Richard.  The lyrics talk about a band on the road.  It's reference to "737 coming out of the sky" - a new passenger plane at the time the song was written - put the song on a list of inappropriate tracks in a post-9/11 memo by Clear Channel.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from the television series “Dark Shadows” A feature length horro film entitled "House of Dark Shadows" was released in 1970 based on the vampire soap opera. 

STAFF PICKS:

Tears of a Clown by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles Lynch's staff pick has upbeat music that belies the sad lyrics depicting a man who has to put on a happy front despite facing the loss of his love.  The track was originally recorded in 1966, but not released until 1970.  It topped both the UK charts and the US Billboard Hot 100.  

Long Long Time by Linda Ronstadt Rob's staff pick may not be a rock song in the traditional sense, but it shows off the vocal capabilities of one of the leading female rock figures prior to her breakthrough as a soloist.  The song about a woman's undying love for a guy who will never be hers went to number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Ain't No Mountain High Enough by Diana Ross Bruce features a song written by Ashford and Simpson in 1966, and originally a hit for Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell who took it to number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967.  Diana Ross released this as a solo song with a reworked sound incorporating gospel elements with strings and horns.  It went to number 1 making it Ross's first number 1 solo hit.

Vehicle by The Ides of March Wayne presents a one-hit wonder out of Chicago with a funky sound and a great horns section.  The vocalist and guitarist for The Ides of March would later become a founding member of Survivor.  General Motors used this song extensively in national advertising, and it will tend to get you driving faster!

NOVELTY TRACK:

Chicken Strut by the Meters This novelty song inspired a short-lived dance, and wraps up this week's podcast.

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

Sweet Freedom is a compilation album that explores McDonald's work from his first two albums plus a number of collaborations.  The album title is taken from the track he had recently completed for the motion picture soundtrack “Running Scared,” a buddy cop comedy starring Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines.

After a troubled youth, McDonald began his music career in earnest as a vocalist and keyboardist for Steely Dan.  After that he was tapped as keyboardist and vocalist for The Doobie Brothers, a position which would eventually lead to his fronting the band and turning it in a more soulful direction.  In 1982 he started a solo career which would combine a soft rock style with his signature “blue eyed soul” sensibilities.

Lynch is examining this “greatest hits” album with an eye towards some of the collaborations that have involved Michael McDonald, many of which are signature anthems and ballads of the early 80's soulful catalog that will eventually become known as yacht rock.

We hope you enjoy this weeks podcast!

Sweet Freedom Rod Temperton, known for his work with Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones, composed this single.  It is a bit of a departure from McDonald's typical style with its upbeat melody and horns.  It went to number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, and of course became the title track for this compilation album.

Yah Mo B There This song is a collaboration with the late James Ingram which peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Co-written and produced by Quincy Jones and Rod Temperton, the song was originally a more contemporary Christian song with the title "Yahweh Be There."  Ingram suggested the title change, opening up the lyrics to more ambiguity to fit a wider audience.

On My Own A number 1 song from the Billboard charts in the US, this track finds McDonald paired with Patti LaBelle on a breakup duet.  Interestingly, the two recorded their tracks completely separately, and did not actually meet until they performed the song together on The Tonight Show in 1986.

I Keep Forgettin' (Every Time You're Near) This song peaked at number 4, and was McDonald's first success as a solo artist.  It was a cover originally sung by Chuck Jackson in 1962.  McDonald's version features his sister Maureen providing backup vocals, adding familial harmony to the mix.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme to the television game show “Card Sharks” This game show originally ran on NBC from 1978 to 1981, and returned for a second iteration to CBS in 1986.

STAFF PICKS:

Too Late by Asia Rob leads off the staff picks this week with a track from Asia's third album, “Astra.”  John Wetton returned to the group after a brief separation in late 1983 when he was replaced by Greg Lake for tour dates.  Steve Howe is replaced by Mandy Meyer for this third Asia album.

Goodbye by Night Ranger Bruce brings us the last top 40 hit (to date) by Night Ranger.  Drummer Kelly Keagy takes lead vocals on this Brian Blades-composed power ballad written after losing his brother to a drug overdose.  “It's hard living life on this memory go-round.”

Walk Like An Egyptian by The Bangles Wayne's staff pick is the best known song by the group.  Songwriter Liam Sternberg took inspiration for this song from a rough trip across the English Channel, when his fellow passengers were walking carefully with their arms outstretched due to the choppy waters.  It would become a number 1 single, and Billboard's number 1 song in 1987.

These Dreams by Heart Lynch closes out the staff picks with as song that emerged from a collaboration between Bernie Taupin and Martin Page.  Taupin originally envisioned it as a song for Stevie Nicks, but after she turned it down, the song was restructured for Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart.  Nancy Wilson takes lead on this song dedicated to her friend Sharon Hess, who had lost her battle with leukemia.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Shade Gate by Hawkwind This instrumental appears on Hawkwind's fourteeneth studio album, which was inspired by the works of fantasy novelist Michael Moorcock.

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

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

In 1985, rock legends Van Halen were at a pivotal juncture. Following the departure of charismatic lead vocalist David Lee Roth, the band faced the daunting task of finding a new frontman. After an exhaustive search, Eddie Van Halen connected with a familiar face from the music scene—Sammy Hagar, the dynamic solo artist and former Montrose vocalist. Their reunion sparked a creative resurgence, culminating in the release of "5150" in March 1986, a landmark album that would redefine the band’s trajectory.

"5150" not only marked a major milestone for Van Halen but also drew a clear line in the sand among their global fanbase. While some longtime followers preferred the "Diamond Dave" era, dubbing the new lineup "Van Hagar," the album’s overwhelming success spoke volumes. It soared to the top of the Billboard 200, achieving double platinum status by the end of May 1986, despite mixed initial reviews that later turned favorable.

The introduction of Sammy Hagar brought notable changes to Van Halen’s sound and stage dynamics. Hagar's guitar skills, while distinct from Eddie Van Halen’s iconic style, added a new layer of musical flexibility, allowing Eddie to showcase more keyboard talent during live performances. This shift was evident in their tours, which increasingly featured songs from the post-Roth era, adapting to Hagar’s vocal and instrumental style.

Throughout his tenure, Sammy Hagar helped propel Van Halen to new heights, contributing to three studio albums and a live album. He parted ways with the band in 1996, leaving behind a legacy of innovation and success.

Exploring "5150": A Track-by-Track Look

"5150": Beyond its chart-topping fame, the title track "5150" delves into the tumult of a romantic impasse, its title drawing from the California legal code for an involuntary psychiatric hold. This code is also the namesake of Eddie Van Halen’s recording studio, adding a personal touch to the song’s narrative.

"Summer Nights": This upbeat track captures the essence of youthful summer evenings with just a radio for company. Notably, it was Sammy Hagar’s first recording with Van Halen, originating from an impromptu jam session that set the tone for his role in the band.

"Why Can't This Be Love": Serving as the gateway to the Sammy Hagar era for many fans, this hit single climbed to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, reminiscent of the keyboard-driven vibrancy of "Jump" from their "1984" album.

"Love Walks In": This power ballad combines profound percussion with a slower, keyboard-oriented sound. Inspired by Sammy Hagar’s mystical experiences, the lyrics weave themes of alien encounters and telepathy, showcasing the band’s experimental side.

Join us on our rock and roll podcast as Rob dives deep into the enduring legacy of Van Halen’s "5150," exploring how this album continues to resonate with fans and musicians alike.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

A Kind Of Magic by Queen (from the fantasy motion picture “Highlander”) Queen provides the soundtrack to this fantasy drama about immortals clashing throughout history, because "there can be only one."

STAFF PICKS:

The Big Money by Rush  Bruce starts the staff picks with the leading track from Rush's "Power Windows."  The lyrics explore the power of money, and aspects of power form the theme to the tracks on the album.  There's a better balance on this album between the synthesizers and guitars than on the previous two Rush albums.

Don't Want to Know If You Are Lonely by Husker Du Wayne brings us a high energy tune from Minnesota's punk/alternative band trio Husker Du.  The song is about a broken up couple who still have feelings for each other, but know it is best to move on.  While not charting, the song would receive significant airplay on college radio.

Kyrie by Mr. Mister  Lynch's staff pick was inspired by lyricist John Lang's memories of singing in an Episcopal church as a child.  The words "Kyrie Eleison" means "Lord have mercy" in Latin, and forms an important part of the liturgy in both Roman Catholic and Orthodox christian traditions.  This song topped the US charts in March for two weeks.

In My Dreams by Dokken  Rob picks up the pace as he wraps up the staff picks this week.  The lyrics depict a guy who keeps thinking of his girl as still with him even though the relationship ended long ago.  The band is named after founder and lead vocalist Don Dokken, and got their start in Los Angeles in 1978.

COMEDY TRACK:

Inside by Van Halen We double dip this week as Sammy Hagar takes a humorous look at how he was selected for Van Halen, and what he had to do to transform himself into their front man.

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The 1980's saw a resurgence in interest in blues rock, and this was a benefit for George Thorrogood.  The band would see continued success from their commercial breakthrough album, “Bad to the Bone,” released in 1982.  Albums would consist of both original material and covers of classic blues songs.  Much of their material has a humorous angle, though the blues style is solid and unapologetic, drawing influence from such artists as Elmore James, John Lee Hooker, and Bo Diddley.

The George Thorogood Collection showcases some of the biggest hits from the band throughout the 70's and 80's.  It was released in March 1989, and we will be covering several hits from this album today.

Wayne takes us through this blues boogie greatest hits album for this week's podcast.

I Drink Alone One of the better known George Thorogood hits, this pun-laden song peaked at number 13 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks, and was an original from Thorogood.  “Now every morning just before breakfast, I don't want no coffee or tea.  Just me and by good buddy Weiser - that's all I ever need.”

Bad to the Bone This is the signature song of George Thorogood and the Destroyers.  Despite failing to crack the Top 100 in the US, it is universally identifiable from commercials, TV shows, movies, and the song itself.  It has been in over 25 films, including the iconic biker scene from “Terminator 2.”

Move It On Over While this song does not appear on the “Collection,” we had to include it in this look at the band.  It is a cover song originally written and recorded by Hank Williams in 1947, and depicts the struggles of a guy who has come home late and found himself - literally - in the doghouse.

Gear Jammer The deeper cut originally came out in 1985, and has become an anthem of truckers everywhere.  It talks about rolling down the road in an 18-wheeler, and looking to make time so the trucker can get home to his baby.  You'll find yourself moving at a high speed if you play this song in your car!

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Bad Boys by Inner Circle (from the television series “COPS”) This reality-based show premiered in 1989, and had an iconic song with a reggae riff.

STAFF PICKS:

You're What You Want to Be by Cruel Story of Youth Rob launches the staff picks with a deep cut from a lost band.  This Wisconsin foursome produced their only album (self-titled) in 1989).  The song itself is a good one in the alternative music genre, though it seems overproduced to us.  

Girl You Know Its True by Milli Vanilli Bruce risks cancellation from the show for putting this decidedly non-rock travesty on the picks.  Milli Vanilli released the album of the same name, which got them both commercial success and critical recognition via a Grammy award in 1989 despite not singing a note on the album.  No musical survey of 1989 would be complete without acknowledging the Milli Vanilli controversy.

Eternal Flame by The Bangles Lynch brings us a ballad from Susanna Hoffs from the girl group The Bangles.  They started their career singing 60's rock songs, then incorporated some 70's punk before hitting it big with their own material.  It topped the charts in 9 different countries.  

You Got It by Roy Orbison Wayne closes out the staff picks  with a hit posthumously released from Roy Orbison's album "Mystery Girl." It went to number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Fellow Traveling Wilburys alumni Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne co-wrote the song with Orbison, and they play on the single along with an uncredited George Harrison.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:Ytse Jam by Dream Theater We close out with a prog rock instrumental from Dream Theater's debut album.

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The group took on personas of half-brothers, with George Harrison as Nelson Wilbury, Jeff Lynne as Otis Wilbury, Roy Orbison as Lefty Wilbury, Bob Dylan as Lucky Wilbury, and Tom Petty as Charlie T. Wilbury Jr.  Frequent collaborator Jim Keltner provides percussion work and takes on the name of Buster Sidebury.  The name Wilbury comes from a running joke between Lynne and Harrison.  When some error in the equipment would occur during the production of Harrison's "Cloud Nine" album, Harrison said, “We'll bury 'em in the mix.”

The Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1 had to be done in 10 days, because Dylan and Orbison had upcoming tours and projects.  Generally the writing and recording of a song was completed in a single day.  The result was a commercial and critical success, and the album won the Grammy for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group in 1990.

Bruce presents this supergroup in today's podcast.

Margarita This track starts with an 80's electronic feel, but quickly moves into a Bo Diddley beat that is more roots rock.  A deeper cut, this song was released as the B-side to the single "Handle with Care."

Handle With Care The big single went to number 45 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 2 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart.  This song was the impetus to bringing the group together, as it was originally supposed to be an extra track for a B-side of a European single, but the result was deemed too good for a limited release.

Not Alone Any More This deeper track finishes off side 1.  It was written mainly by Otis Wilbury for the vocal style of Lefty Wilbury, although all members are credited as songwriters.  The lyrics reflect themes of loneliness, which were Lefty's signature style back in the 60's.

End of the Line This was the band's second single.  It peaked at number 63 on the Billboard Hot 100, but number 2 on the Album Rock Tracks chart.  Roy Orbison died of a heart attack at age 52 after recording the song but before the video was made.  The video features a guitar sitting in a rocking chair in memorial to Orbison

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Baby Doll by Devo (from the motion picture “Tape Heads”) Despite sporting an all-star cast, this comedy movie bombed at the box office.

STAFF PICKS:

Big League by Tom Cochrane and Red Rider Wayne starts off the staff picks with a bittersweet song.  Cochrane tells a tale of a young hockey star destined for the pros until he lost his life in a car crash.  It was inspired by a true story told to Cochrane by the boy's father.  This song went to number 9 on the American Billboard Rock Tracks chart, and gets frequent airplay on classic rock radio stations in Canada. 

Didn't Know It Was Love by Survivor Rob's staff pick finds the singer looking back at a relationship he missed, and hoping it isn't too late.  Survivor had their big splash a few years prior with “Eye of the Tiger,” and this is off their seventh album, “Too Hot to Sleep.”  Unfortunately it barely made it onto the Billboard 200 album chart at 187, and the group broke up shortly thereafter.

Kokomo by The Beach Boys Lynch brings us the first number 1 US hit for the Beach Boys since the 60's.  The song was featured in the Tom Cruise movie “Cocktail,” and the song reflects a relaxed tropical vibe.  This single reinvigorated the Beach Boys, as fans began to look at their catalogue again.

What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy) by Information Society Bruce wraps up the staff picks with the signature song from a Minneapolis synth pop trio.  This song started as a 10-minute instrumental jam, but received minimalist lyrics reflecting the trouble people have communicating for the single release.  It also features sampled lyrics from Star Trek, particularly the repeated "pure energy" lyric from Leonard Nimoy's Mr. Spock.

COMEDY TRACK:

A Nightmare on My Street by DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince This single reflects the Halloween vibe as Will Smith aka The Fresh Prince riffs on Freddy Kruger's horror in “A Nightmare on Elm Street.”

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The DeLeo brothers form the heart of the band:  Dean DeLeo's guitar work provides the sonic foundation, and Robert DeLeo's bass playing adds a groove to the band's sound.  Eric Kretz anchors the rhythm section on percussion.  And front man Scott Weiland completes the lineup with his charismatic presence and distinctive vocal style.  Weiland's emotion and raw energy helped make "Core" a pivotal release in the grunge movement.

"Core" hit he airwaves with a sonic explosion, with an energy that captured the angst and spirit of the early 90's grunge movement.  Several tracks from this album would become anthems of the 90's generation, led by tracks like "Plush" and "Sex Type Thing."  Despite its commercial success (reaching number 3 on the Billboard 200), "Core" was initially met with poor critical reviews, with many critics considering it too derivative of other grunge artists like Nirvana and Pearl Jam.  Over time, however, "Core" would receive more positive reviews as it took its place as a seminal release of the grunge movement.

Lynch takes us on this journey back to 1993, when the Stone Temple Pilots were introducing themselves to the world.

Creep This song is a slower, more introspective track that highlights the band's grunge influences.  The lyrics deal with feelings of isolation and alienation, with Weiland delivering a haunting vocal performance.  The acoustic arrangement is a nice contrast to the heavier tracks of the album.

Sex Type Thing The opening track to the album features an aggressive guitar riff and a powerful vocal performance from Weiland.  It was controversial due to its lyrical content, which is written from the perspective of a rapist.  Despite the controversy (or perhaps because of it) “Sex Type Thing” became one of STP's most recognized songs.

Plush This track is arguably the most famous song from the album.  “Plush” showcases STP's softer side with its acoustic guitar intro and catchy chorus.  Weiland's lyrics were inspired by a news story about a woman who was found dead in San Diego, adding a layer of mystery and intrigue to the song.  The video for "Plush" won the band an MTV Video Music Award for Best New Artist and features the band playing in various desert scenes.

Wicked Garden A hard-hitting rock track known for its gritty guitar riff and energetic chorus, this may be considered a deeper cut.  The song deals with the loss of innocence and the darker side of human nature, themes that recur throughout the album.  Over time “Wicked Garden” has become a fan favorite and a staple of STP's live shows.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme to Star Trek:  Deep Space Nine The third entry into the Star Trek franchise takes place on a fixed space station near the border of the Federation.  It had its debut in January of 1993.

STAFF PICKS:

Love Is On the Way by Saigon Kick Bruce leads off the staff picks with a one hit wonder.  Miami-based Saigon Kick released this single from their second album, "The Lizard," and it went to number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Jason Bieler provides guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals for the band, and wrote this song.  Lead vocals are provided by Matt Kramer.  Additional band members were Tom DeFile on bass and Phil Varone on percussion. 

Regret by New Order Rob brings us the lead song from New Order's sixth studio album, "Republic."  The single went to number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100. New Order formed from the remnants of the band Joy Division.  The album was made in order to save the Hacienda - a Manchester club part owned by the band.  

Teen Angst (What the World Needs Now) by Cracker Wayne's staff pick is from Cracker's debut album, and features catchy, clever, ironic songs.  The lyrics take a swipe at late 80's and early 90's folk rock songs.  Interestingly, the lyrics do not include the words "Teen Angst."  The track got airplay on alternative radio stations, and went to number 1 on the new Billboard "Modern Rock" chart.

All Apologies by Nirvana Lynch closes out the staff picks with one of Nirvana's most poignant and introspective works from their third and final studio album "In Utero."  Songwriter and front man Kurt Cobain describes the song as a tribute to his wife and daughter, but it took on significance as a farewell note of sorts after Cobain's death.

COMEDY TRACK:

Bedrock Anthem by "Weird Al" Yankovic Weird Al channels a couple of well-known songs from the Red Hot Chili Peppers for this prehistoric parody.

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The album obviously has similarities to Journey due to Perry's vocals, but it is significantly softer than the more pop rock/hard rock approach typical of Journey.  The songs are written or co-written by Perry, and showcase Perry's voice in a more ballad-heavy manner.  The lead single, “Oh Sherrie,” was written about his relationship with Perry's then-girlfriend Sherrie Swafford, and hit number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.  We covered “Oh Sherrie” on episode #148, but there are three other singles that broke into the top 40, powering the album to number 12 on the Billboard 200 album charts and to 2x Platinum in sales.

Perry had worked outside of Journey during his tenure with the band, including vocal work with both Sammy Hagar and Kenny Loggins.  Other members of the band were also working on side projects, so it was expected that all would return to the group after their separate projects.  Perry followed suit, this, but troubles began to surface with personnel changes and  Perry's mother's failing health causing the "Raised on Radio" Journey album to be delayed.

Street Talk gives us a good look at Steve Perry outside of the rest of the Journey band members, during a time when Perry was at the top of his vocal game.

Rob brings us this excellent album for today's podcast.

She's Mine The track that starts side two is a slow rocker that demonstrates Perry's versatility in musical styles.  The lyrics describe a struggle between a guy and his rival over a girl.  It made it to number 21 on the US charts - and you can't go wrong with a sax. 

Captured By the Moment This song is deeper lyrically, with Perry looking at significant times in history and music as snapshots in a frame.  He pays tribute to some key figures from the 60s and 70s including Martin Luther King Jr, Jackie Kennedy, the Beatles, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and others.  It has a distinctive 80's keyboard sound.   

Foolish Heart A subdued piece, this track is the second-biggest hit from the album after "Oh, Sherrie."  The lyrics depict a guy longing for love, but who does not trust his heart to make good choices.  It was co-written with Randy Goodrum, who wrote "You Needed Me" for Anne Murray.  It was the last single released from the album.  

Strung Out This faster paced track closes out the album, and discusses love from the perspective of a guy longing for a woman in a relationship with another.  "I feel like Bogart in a crazy movie.  Bogie and me, we never beg - but this time maybe I've got voices in my head."  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from the television series “Who's the Boss?” Tony Danza plays a former baseball athlete trying to raise his daughter while working as a live-in housekeeper for a single advertising executive.  Alyssa Milano played Danza's daughter.

STAFF PICKS:

I Wanna Rock by Twisted Sister  Wayne kicks off the staff picks with glam rock sensation Twisted Sister in their follow-up to "We're Not Gonna Take It."  Many listeners may be more familiar with a cover of this song performed by SpongeBob SquarePants in "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie" entitled "Goofy Goober Rock."

For Whom the Bell Tolls by Metallica Lynch brings us a signature song from Metallica's 1984 album, "Ride the Lightning."  The heavy riffs typical of Metallica are accented by the toll of chimes, and the lyrics are inspired by Ernest Hemmingway's novel of the same name dealing with war, death, and fate set in the Spanish Civil War.

Hard Habit to Break by Chicago  Bruce takes the tempo way down with a hit off Chicago 17.  Vocal duties are carried by Bill Champlin and Peter Cetera, and the song is arranged by David Foster.  The lyrics depict a man struggling to get over a long lost love whom he took for granted.  Chicago 17 is Chicago's best selling album, and their last with Peter Cetera in the group.

No More Lonely Nights by Paul McCartney  Rob closes out the staff picks with a single from the soundtrack to McCartney’s film, "Give My Regards to Broad Street."  McCartney brings in Pink Floyd alumnus David Gilmour for guitar work on this song.  Gilmour requested that his session fee be donated to a charity of Paul's choice.  It went to number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Zoolookologie by Jean Michel Jarre We close out on a jazz fusion number from the time which uses samples of voice and spoken words to form an art rock sonic landscape.

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The debut and eponymously named album Outlaws would blend Southern rock with Country and hard rock, and would create a great concert draw for the band.  Their use of three guitars would come to be known as "the Florida Guitar Army."  Hughie Thomasson and Billy Jones both provided lead guitar and vocals, and Henry Paul would provide further electric and acoustic guitar as well as vocals.  Monte Yoho on drums and Frank O'Keefe on bass would round out the group.

While there's definitely a Southern Rock feel to the Outlaws, there is also a lot of Country and even bluegrass mixed in.  The technical chops are impressive, and there is a lot of harmony employed in the group as well.  The album would peak at number 13 on the Billboard Top LP's & Tape chart.

Wayne takes us through this guitar-driven Southern Rock album for this week's podcast.

Waterhole This instrumental song leads off side two of the album, and has a bluegrass feel.   It is the opening track to side two of the album.

There Goes Another Love Song The hit single on the album also is the leading track.  It peaked at number 34 on the Billboard Hot 100, and features Hughie Thomasson on lead vocals.  The lyrics depict a guy on the road who is missing his faraway love, and seems to encounter love songs one after another.

Song for You This may appear to be an instrumental at first because of the long intro before the vocals come in.  The lyrics reflect a guy who is breaking a girl's heart, but can't seem to avoid doing so.  There are some great harmonies in this track.

Green Grass and High Tides The last song on the album is a true epic.  The album version is almost 10 minutes long, but has been stretched to 30-minute versions in concert jams.  Hughie Thomasson conceived the album while at a beach cookout and imagining all the rock greats who had passed on rising from the grave to play a show.  The name comes from a Rolling Stones' "Best of" album title.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from the motion picture “The Apple Dumpling Gang” Walt Disney Productions put out this comedy western about a gambler tricked into taking care of a group of orphans.  Bill Bixby, Don Knotts, and Tim Conway star in this movie. 

STAFF PICKS:

One of These Nights by the Eagles Lynch starts off the staff picks with a song penned by the duo of Glenn Frey and Don Henley.  It became the second number 1 single for the group in the US, behind "Best of My Love."  This track takes inspiration from soul music like Al Green and B.B. King, and has been described as an anthem for procrastinators and dreamers.  

Blue Sky by Joan Baez Rob profiles a cover song originally performed by the Allman Brothers on their 1972 album, "Eat a Peach."  Originally written by Dickey Betts about his girlfriend Sandy "Bluesky" Wabegijig, Baez covers this on her 1975 album "Diamonds & Rust."  If it sounds familiar to you, Baez is actually backed up by the Allman Brothers Band for this single.

Landslide by Fleetwood Mac Bruce features a song written by Stevie Nicks at a time when she was considering whether to continue to pursue life as a musician or give up her dream and go back to school.  Despite its popularity today, the song was not originally released as a single until the live version from "The Dance" in 1997.

Motorhead by Hawkwind Wayne closes out the staff picks  with a B-side from the prog rock group Hawkwind written by bassist Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister while he was with the group.  Lemmy was fired from the band one day before the album's release, but would go on to fame in the band Motorhead.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Journey of the Sorcerer by the Eagles A rare instrumental from the Eagles takes us out this week.

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Unplugged was recorded in front of an audience at Bray Studios in England for the "MTV Unplugged" series.  This series was started in 1989, and several artists would release albums from this show, including Mariah Carey, Nirvana, and Page and Plant.  Clapton's Unplugged album was a monster hit, winning three Grammy awards in 1993.  It was Clapton's bestselling album, and the bestselling live album of all time, selling 26 million copies.  Clapton recorded this in January 1992, and it contains a mix of his solo material, songs from previous groups, and blues standards from long ago.

Eric Clapton continues to play and tour today.  He recently released a song called "Voice of a Child" in late 2023 and organized a charity concert to raise funds for children in the Gaza Strip.  He also collaborated with Van Morrison in November 2020 on an anti-lockdown single called "Stand and Deliver," and said regarding vaccine mandates that he would not perform on any stage where there is a discriminated audience present.  

Bruce presents this laid back live blues album in this week's podcast.

Running On Faith This track was originally on the Journeyman album from 1989, Clapton's eleventh studio album.  Jerry Lynn Williams wrote this song, as he did several other Clapton songs including "Pretending" and "Forever Man."  They lyrics tell of taking each day as it comes in confidence that love will come to the singer in due time.

Tears in Heaven This song originally appeared on the soundtrack for the 1991 film "Rush."  In March of that year Clapton's 4-year old son Connor died in a fall from a New York City apartment, causing Clapton to isolate himself for a while.  Scoring the music for the film gave him a way to cope with the loss.  He wrote the first verse and asked Will Jennings to write the rest.  It is deliberately ambiguous, as it is about his son, but also meant to be part of the film.  It is his best-selling single in the United States.

Rollin' and Tumblin' The recording of this song picks up mid-verse because it was recorded in a break when the cameras and recording equipment were off.  Clapton began performing this Muddy Waters blues song impromptu, and the musicians around him joined in.  It was last performed by Clapton when he was with Cream, and the audience clearly loves it.

Layla The signature song from Derek and the Dominos was significantly altered by Clapton and acoustic guitar player Andy Fairweather.  They changed it to a shuffle beat, removed many of the familiar riffs and piano exit, and jazzed it up.  Clapton is also singing an octave lower than the original, which was at the top of his vocal range back in the day.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Theme from the television series “Martin” Martin Lawrence had a comedy series popular in the US at this time, with Martin playing many characters, both male and female.

STAFF PICKS:

Sister Shade by Mary's Danish Wayne brings us an unfortunately underrated song from the 90's as his staff pick.  This grunge group actually featured two female lead singers: Gretchen Seager and Julie Ritter. Mary's Danish formed in the late 1980's and released four albums.  Unfortunately, they became a victim of mismanagement, incompetent promotion, and a difficult contract that left them without money from the royalties. 

Even Flow  by Pearl Jam Lynch's staff pick is a signature song from Pearl Jam.  The music was written as an instrumental demo before Eddie Vedder's arrival as front man for the band.  Vedder wrote the lyrics focusing on the life of a homeless person overlooked by society.  Originally performed live in October 1990, it has become Pearl Jam's most performed song.

These Are Days by 10,000 Maniacs Rob showcases another group with a female lead for his staff pick.  The song encourages the listener to recognize the miracle in front of you, to live in the moment.  Many associate it with the birth of a child, though the meaning is left ambiguous.  This song is one of 10,000 Maniacs' biggest hits, and is one of the last the group did before Natalie Merchant left to pursue a solo career.

Runaway Train by Elton John (featuring Eric Clapton) Bruce wraps up the staff picks with the second single from John's 1992 album "The One."  The song includes contributions from Eric Clapton, who plays guitar and provides vocals in the second verse.  "The One" was Elton John's 23rd studio album, and his biggest selling album in the US since 1976.  The lyrics compare trying to get back into control of life to a runaway train.

COMEDY TRACK:

Taco Grande by “Weird Al” Yankovic You can't go wrong with the sultry parodies of Weird Al as an exit from today's podcast.

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Recorded during their 1984 world tour, "World Wide Live" showcases the band at their best, and is a testament to their skill as live performers.  The album was produced by Dieter Dierks, and was initially released as a 2-LP vinyl set, a cassette, and a VHS of tour footage showing off the band's stage presence.  Folks, you got your money's worth when you originally purchased this album!

From the high intensity of rockers like "Big City Nights" and "Rock You Like a Hurricane," to the raw emotion of ballads like "Still Loving You," the Scorpions deliver a performance that connects with their audience.  Hearing the live versions gives you a sense of the band in a way that is hard to capture from the studio arrangements.

Lynch leads this journey back to 1985, when the Scorpions were rocking the world like a...well...they were rocking the world.

Big City Nights This song from "Love at First Sting" leads off side two of the first LP.  Schenker and Meine composed this one, as they did with many Scorpions songs.  This homage to night life in the city was released as the third single from their studio album, but failed to chart.

No One Like You Originally appearing on their 1982 album, "Blackout,"  this track deals with infatuation and desire.  Despite its only reaching number 65 on the Billboard Hot 100, it is one of the songs that established the Scorpions as premiere hard rockers of the 80's.

Still Loving You Long before the hair metal ballad became a trope, the Scorpions demonstrated their ability to handle a slower song while still maintaining intensity and raw emotion.  The lyrics are of a guy struggling to convince the girl he has lost to give their love a second chance.

Rock You Like a Hurricane The Scorpions' signature song first appeared on "Love at First Sting" the year before this live album was released.  It reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100, a rare Scorpions song to break the top 40.  The track leads off side three of the album.  The risqué video would be a prime exhibit of the PMRC in their quest for more parental control over child access to music videos.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Crazy by Patsy Cline A film called "Sweet Dreams" chronicles the life of country music star Patsy Cline, and was in American theaters in this month.

STAFF PICKS:

Whole of the Moon by The Waterboys Wayne gets the staff picks started this week with the best-selling song from an overlooked British-Irish rock-folk band.  Cerebral and artsy, with lyrics like "I saw the crescent, you saw the whole of the moon," the song is about individuals with rare depth.  The Waterboys reformed in 2000, and can still be seen touring, primarily in Europe.

Lay Your Hands On Me by The Thompson Twins Rob brings us a song from the British group that has neither members named Thompson nor twins.  It went to number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Thompson Twins member Tom Bailey has said that the song takes religious ritual as a metaphor for the connection between artist, performer, and artist.

It's Only Love by Bryan Adams and Tina Turner Bruce's staff pick is the sixth and final single from Adam's amazingly popular album "Reckless," and also appears on Turner's "Tina Live in Europe" released in 1988.  Loaded with melancholy and anger from a breakup, the song encourages the jilted lover to remember - it's only love.  This song went to number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Money for Nothing by Dire Straits Lynch features a signature song from Mark Knopfler and Dire Straits, with a strong helping of Sting to boot.  This Grammy Award-winning track was a staple of MTV, and spent three weeks atop the US pop charts.  The lyrics are a conversation between two working-class men as they watch music videos.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Tears In a Prophet's Dream by Celtic Frost This Swiss heavy metal bands instrumental takes us out for this week's podcast.

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

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

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

Minute By Minute, the eighth studio album from the group, comes from the height of the McDonald era.  It is a high water mark for the Doobie Brothers both commercially and critically.  The album would spend 87 weeks on the Billboard 200 album charts in the U.S., topping the charts in five of those weeks.  It would also produce multiple nominations and wins at the Grammy awards in 1980 including Record and Song of the Year wins for “What a Fool Believes.”

The Doobie Brothers would break up in 1982, then reform with Johnston back as front man in 1987.  Michael McDonald would rejoin the band full time in 2019 in time for their 50th anniversary tour. You can still find them on tour today.

Rob brings us this soulful album for today's podcast.

What A Fool Believes The lyrics of this hit narrate the story of a man who meets an old crush and tries to rekindle their relationship, only to find out that there never really was a relationship in the first place.  Michael McDonald and Kenny Loggins wrote this single, which became a number 1 hit in the US and Canada.

Dependin' On You Michael McDonald and Patrick Simmons wrote this song, and Simmons takes over lead singer duties.  It went to number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The Latin-infused call-and-response song celebrates a rock solid love that is always there.

Don't Stop to Watch the Wheels This shuffle beat deeper cut is sung by Patrick Simmons, and was the B-side from the single release of “What a Fool Believes.” “Look out, hold on, don't stop to watch the wheels go 'round.  Look out, hold on, I got to cover ground.”

Minute By Minute The title track finds Michael McDonald handling lead vocals, and was written by McDonald and Lester Abrams.  The single was released in April of 1979, and it went to number 14 on the US charts.  The smooth keyboard-driven sound reflects the  Motown inspiration, and is a hallmark song of the “yacht rock” genre.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Every Which Way But Loose by Eddie Rabbitt (from the motion picture “Every Which Way But Loose”) Clint Eastwood would take a break from his action and western movies for this comedy with an orangutan co-star named Clyde.

STAFF PICKS:

Don't Stop Me Now by Queen  Bruce leads off this week's staff picks with a single from Queen's "Jazz" album.  While this tribute to hedonism did well in the UK, it only hit number 86 on the US charts.  It would grow in popularity over time, and would be featured in multiple commercials including Toyota, L'Oréal, and American Idol.

Double Vision by Foreigner Lynch features a song from Foreigner's second album of the same name.  It reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Surprisingly, the inspiration for the song title was an event at a hockey game when a goalie had to be removed after a collision on the ice because he was experiencing double vision.

Homicide by 999  Wayne brings us a band from London that is named for the number used in the UK to reach emergency services.  This punk-infused song takes a tongue-in-cheek look at serial killers.  While a top 40 hit in the UK, it didn't chart in the States.  You might recognize this song from the soundtrack to the John Wick series, “The Continental.”

Follow You Follow Me by Genesis  Rob closes out the staff picks with a softer song from the progressive group Genesis, the closer from their album “...And Then There Were Three...”  The group had condensed to the three members of Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford, and Tony Banks, after former member Steve Hackett chose to leave.  

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Steamer Lane Breakdown by The Doobie Brothers We get a little double dip of the Doobies as we exit today's podcast on this instrumental number. 

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This album was also a comeback for the group.  The original group consisted of Fred Schneider on vocals, Kate Pierson on vocals and keyboard, Cindy Wilson on vocals and tambourine, Ricky Wilson on guitars, and Keith Strickland on percussion.  Ricky Wilson died of AIDS in October 1985, and hadn't told the band other than Keith Strickland that he had the then-terminal disease because he didn't want anyone worrying or fussing over him.  His death devastated the group, particularly his sister, Cindy Wilson.  The band did not tour to promote their 1985 album release “Bouncing off the Satellites,” nor did they put out any new music until 1989.

When they got back together they decided to remain a foursome.  Keith Strickland moved to guitar and they brought in session drummers to fill in.  It took about a year to compose the songs from this album, with the group spending a lot of time working through their grief in the loss of Ricky Wilson.  The resulting album, however, was a tremendous success, with two songs breaking into the top 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100, the first songs of the group to do so.

Bruce brings us this comeback album in this week's podcast.

Love Shack This has become the B-52's signature song.  It went to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 - the group's first top 40 hit.  The inspiration for this song was partly an African American club outside Athens, Georgia, called the “Hawaiian Ha-Le.”  It was a place that looked like a shack from the outside, but hosted a great selection of bands.

Cosmic Thing The title track and lead-off song to the album preceded the album by a few months.  It was released on the soundtrack to the film “Earth Girls Are Easy.”  It is also known as “(Shake That) Cosmic Thing.”

Channel Z A deeper cut , this track has a little more political feel.  It discusses the changes happening in the world, along with pollution, radiation, and other concerns.  “Space junk, laser bombs, ozone holes, better put up my umbrella!”  The band never lost their dance connection, with songs leaning more towards party and less towards politics.

Roam The second big hit leads off side 2, and also went to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Kate Pierson and Cindy Wilson duet on this song, making it the only vocal track on the album in which Fred Schneider doesn't have a vocal.  It was the second and final US top-10 hit for the group.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

It Had to Be You by Harry Connick, Jr. (from the motion picture “When Harry Met Sally”) Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan star in this romantic comedy, with Harry Connick, Jr. providing most of the soundtrack.

STAFF PICKS:

I'll Be You by the Replacements Wayne features a Minnesota band which got their start in the punk genre before moving to alternative rock.  This song plays in the bachelor party in the 1996 comedy “Jerry Maguire.”  The replacements formed in 1979, and it would be 10 years before this song would be their sole entry into the top 100, peaking at number 51.

Free Fallin' by Tom Petty Lynch's staff pick is a big hit off Petty's solo album “Full Moon Fever.”  This song documents the feelings that a guy has after breaking up with his girl.  Petty has ELO founder and fellow Traveling Wilburys member Jeff Lynne joining him on this single, providing synthesizer, bass, acoustic guitar, and backing vocals.

Lay Your Hands On Me  by Bon Jovi Rob brings us an epic rock song from Jon Bon Jovi off the album “New Jersey.” This one hit number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, the fourth single from the album to break into the top 10 on the pop charts.  Dolly Parton covered this single in 2014, rearranged as a gospel song.

If Dirt Were Dollars by Don Henley Bruce closes out the staff picks with a deeper cut off Henley's massive album “End of the Innocence.” Never one to shy away from politics and culture, Henley rails in this track against materialism, hypocrisy, false patriotism, and hubris.  “These days the buck stops nowhere, no one takes the blame.  But evil is still evil in anybody's name.”

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

It Had to Be You by Harry Connick, Jr. We double dip on the Entertainment track to end this week's podcast, as Connick did a vocal and instrumental version of this classic song. 

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

Cash had left his original label, Sun Records, back in 1958.  However, he had left an extensive catalogue of songs with Sam Phillips at Sun.  Given his success and the upcoming Johnny Cash TV show, Sun Records decided it would be a good time to release a compilation of his earlier hits from 1954 through 1958.  This compilation was released on two albums, "Original Golden Hits, Volume I" and "Original Golden Hits, Volume II," which reached numbers 4 and 3 on the US Country charts respectively.  

Cash would go on to fame in TV and film in the 70's, and would continue recording up until his death in 2003.

While not strictly rock music, the Man in Black was an icon of American music and an inspiration for many in country, rock, and pop genres.  It is also a special memory for Wayne, as he listened to this  8-track as he traveled with his father out of California to Alabama.

Wayne takes us through this greatest hits album for today's podcast.

Home of the Blues The inspiration for this song was the "Home of the Blues" record shop on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee.  The store which was open from the late 40's until the mid 70's was a place he used to hang out, buy records, and meet other musicians. 

Hey Porter This is Cash's first recorded song.  The setting is just after World War II, and the song focuses on a man returning home from overseas who feels elated to be returning to his native South, the last leg of which is by train.  Note that there is no percussion in this song, but Cash played his guitar with dampened strings to acquire a percussive effect.

I Walk the Line Johnny Cash's first number 1 hit on the Billboard country charts eventually crossed over to the US pop charts, reaching number 17 and selling over 2 million copies in the United States.  The lyrics reflect temptations and the need to be accountable for your actions.  The frequent key changes make this song distinctive.

Get Rhythm This was the B-side to "I Walk the Line."  It was re-released in 1969 as an A-side, and went to number 60 on the Billboard pop chart.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from the television series “Fat Albert” The origin of Bill Cosby's animated series was an animated primetime television special that first aired on NBC on November 12, 1969. 

STAFF PICKS:

Birthday by Underground Sunshine Rob starts off the staff picks with a cover of the Beatles song by a group from Wisconsin.  The band had been around for a few years, but this cover helped them attain greater success.  Their cover made it to number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100.  

Down on the Corner by Credence Clearwater Revival Lynch's staff pick is one of the best known songs by CCR.  The song talks about a band called "Willy and the Poor Boys" playing in the street for spare change.  It went to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 by the end of 1969.  

I Can't Get Next to You by The Temptations  Bruce gets us all moving with the number 1 single from David Ruffin, Melvin Franklin, Otis Williams, Eddie Kendricks, and Paul Williams - better known as The Temptations.  This was the second of four number 1 hits from the group, and was written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for the Motown label. 

I'm Tired by Savoy Brown Wayne's staff pick charted at number 74 on the top 100, and has a very heavy electric blues feel.  Three members of this group out of London would go on to form Foghat.  The group's name came from American Blues label Savoy Records - a name that had an elegant sound.  "Brown" was added as an extremely plain word that contrasted nicely with the elegance of "Savoy."

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Treat by Santana Santana would produce a number of excellent instrumental hits during his decades in the rock scene, and this one is from his debut album.

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

The appropriately-titled album Evolution is Journey's fifth studio album.  Here we find Steve Perry settling in as front man while still sharing lead vocal duties with keybaordist Gregg Rolie.  They have also replaced drummer Aynsley Dunbar with Steve Smith, previously with Ronnie Montrose's band.  The band is continuing to explore a more radio-friendly sound.  The lineup for this band includes Perry, Rolie, and Dunbar, along with Neil Schon on guitar, and Ross Valory on bass.

At the time, "Evolution" was the band's most successful album, and it reached number 20 on the Billboard 200 chart.  It also featured their first single to enter the top 20.  The album was actually released in March of 1979, but was recorded in the fall of 1978.  We're featuring it in January of 1979 because - well - that's where we were able to fit it in.

Brian rejoins us in todays podcast to sub for an absent Wayne, and to profile this album. 

Too Late A deeper cut written by Perry and Schon, this song was written about a friend from Steve Perry's hometown who was wrestling with addiction to drugs.  It was a plea to get out of town and the surroundings that fed his addiction before it was too late to break the chains of addiction.

Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin' The biggest hit from the album is a slow rocker with a shuffle beat.  It hit number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November of 1979, the group's first foray into the top 20.  The song is based on a true story about a cheating woman who finds out that turnabout is fair play - and that cheating on a songwriter can result in your being memorialized in a song.

City of the Angels While they were known as a San Francisco band, this album track pays homage to Los Angeles.  It was written by Perry, Schon and Rolie.  On the album, "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" immediately leads into this track, and you will occasionally hear these played together on album-oriented stations and satellite radio.

Just the Same Way This single finds Gregg Rolie taking turns with Perry on lead vocals.  It was written by Rolie, Schon, and Ross Valory, making it the only song on the album not written or co-written by Steve Perry.  It is an infatuation song, with a great call-and-answer in the chorus between Rolie and Perry.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

The Pink Panther Theme by Henry Mancini The Saturday morning cartoon show with a silent protagonist, "The Pink Panther," ended its run after 10 years.

STAFF PICKS:

Gold by John Stewart Lynch's staff pick is a top 5 hit from John Stewart's album "Bombs Away Dream Babies," his first solo top 40 hit.  Both Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks contributed to the album, and Nicks provides backing vocals on this song.  The vocals describe the dark, cynical side of the recording industry.

Planet Claire by The B-52's Rob brings us a musical interpretation of a B-rated sci-fi movie.  Once the instrumental and sound-effects - with a Peter Gunn-inspired beat - give way to Fred Schneider's vocals, we find that the girl is from Planet Claire, drives a Plymouth Satellite, and "some say she's from Mars, or one of the seven stars that shine after 3:30 in the morning.  Well, she isn't!"

Dance the Night Away by Van Halen  Bruce features the first US top 20 hit by Van Halen.  This song is unusual because it is the only song on the "Van Halen II" album that originated in the studio rather than as a song the group had honed on tour for a long time.  It also downplays Eddie Van Halen's guitar virtuosity and brings up the vocal harmonies.  Fleetwood Mac's "Go Your Own Way" was an inspiration for this single.

Rock n Roll Fantasy by Bad Company Brian's staff pick was written by Bad Co. front man Paul Rogers, and reflects the truth that Rock music is escapism, a fantasy to take you away from the stress of the everyday world for a bit.  It was the lead single from the album "Desolation Angels."  While not their highest charting single, it is their best selling single.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Main Theme from the motion picture "Alien" The disturbing soundtrack was one element of what made this sci-fi horror film so creepy.

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

Duran Duran had found success in the UK with their self-titled debut album in 1981, and expectations were high for the group.  Rio would find the band leaning heavily on upbeat tracks, a couple of synth-heavy ballads, and more experimentation with musical sounds and instruments than their first album.  Many tracks also had accompanying videos, leaning into the MTV market.  The photogenic appeal of the band also bolstered the popularity of their videos.

Critics were neutral to negative on the album when released, but the commercial appeal was stunning.  Duran Duran would dominate American charts from the back half of 1982 throughout 1983, and the band would become an icon of 1980's music.

The album was released in May of 1982, but was recorded in January through March of 1982, resulting in our placement of the album in this month. 

Brian joins us in Wayne's absence, while Rob brings us this iconic New Wave album for today's podcast

Rio The title track was the third single released from the album.  Bassist John Taylor came up with the title, reflecting optimism and an exotic feel for the album.  Sounds at the start of the song were created by throwing small metal rods onto the strings of a grand piano.  Andy Hamilton is the saxophone soloist on this track.

New Religion This deeper cut leads off side two of the album, and is a dialogue between the ego and the alter-ego, featuring conflicting voices in the chorus.  The song is a bit darker than others on the album.  "I'm talking for free, I can't stop myself - It's a new religion.  I've something to see, I can't help myself - It's a new religion."

Last Chance  on the Stairway Another deeper cut, the lyrics to this song talk about taking chances and testing limits.  "And please don't say leave till later, I've had my last chance on the stairway."

Save a Prayer This ballad was Duran Duran's biggest hit in the UK at the time, though not originally released as a single in the US.  The lyrics depict two strangers falling into a one-night stand, living in the moment and letting the consequences wait for a later time.  The synthesizers create a beautiful but haunting sonic landscape.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main Theme from the motion picture “The Thing” Not to be confused with the Fantastic Four character, this John Carpenter film depicts a research team in Antarctica encountering a hostile extraterrestrial who can assimilate then imitate humans.

STAFF PICKS:

Leather and Lace by Don Henley and Stevie Nicks  Brian brings us a duet from alumni of the Eagles and Fleetwood Mac.  Stevie Nicks wrote this song about a relationship between two very different individuals, based on her own experiences in relationships with both Don Henley and fellow Fleetwood Mac member Lindsey Buckingham.

Love is Like a Rock by Donnie Iris Bruce features the second single from Iris's second album, "King Cool."  It has an infectious riff.  It went to number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The song originated as an instrumental jam, with lyrics added afterwards.

Physical by Olivia Newton-John  While Lynch takes some grief for bringing such a pop song into this rock broadcast, the single was a monster hit in the 80's.  While the video would portray scenes of exercise in the gym, the lyrics were considered much more sexual and controversial at the time.

Addicted by Le Roux  Rob closes out the staff picks with a rocking hit lost in time.  Le Roux is a band from Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  Roux is a cajun thickening base for gumbo.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

I Advance Masked by Andy Summers & Robert Fripp Police guitarist Andy Summers and long time King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp had this instrumental rock track out on which we end the podcast.

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

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

The Bee Gees actually didn't get involved with the film until it was in post-production.  John Travolta was dancing to Stevie Wonder and Boz Scaggs when the scenes were filmed.  Columbia Records refused legal clearance for Scaggs material because they were pursuing another disco movie at the time, and the Bee Gees were commissioned to write the songs for the film.  The brothers Gibb wrote the songs primarily in a single weekend.  

The resulting success would change the trajectory of both the Bee Gees and actor John Travolta.  The Bee Gees would become a group often compared to the Beatles in the late 70's.  Travolta, already well known for his role in the television series "Welcome Back, Kotter," would become an A-list celebrity and a household name.

In 2013 the album was added to the National Recording Registry in the Library of Congress for preservation.

Lynch is responsible for this travesty, as the other participants do so under protest.  Support your local rock band, folks!

Night Fever This song was originally called "Saturday Night," but Robin Gibb was concerned about that name because of the number of songs already bearing the name.  "Night Fever" was inspired by Percy Faith's "Theme from 'A Summer Place'", and it spent 8 weeks at the top of the Billboard charts.

How Deep Is Your Love This pop ballad was released in September of 1977, ahead of the movie.  It had hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 by Christmas Day of 1977, remained there for 3 weeks, and spent 17 total weeks in the top 10.  Barry Gibb has commented that this is his favorite Bee Gees song.  It won Best Pop Performance by a Group at the February 1978 Grammy awards.

You Should Be Dancing Prior to their involvement with the "Saturday Night Fever" soundtrack, the Bee Gees first released this track on their album "Children of the World" in 1976.  This is the song playing when Travolta takes over the disco dance floor. 

Jive Talkin' Here is another song that had been previously issued before the soundtrack was released.  The lead single from the album "Main Course" was released in May 1975, long before "Saturday Night Fever."  The song was originally called "Drive Talking," and the rhythm was inspired by the sound the band's car made crossing the Julia Tuttle Causeway as they traveled to the studio in Miami.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Dancing Queen by ABBA A mockumentary called "ABBA:  The Movie" was in the theatres at this time in the U.S.

STAFF PICKS:

Is She Really Going Out with Him by Joe Jackson Wayne gets the staff picks going with a song that asks why good looking women date horrible men.  Joe Jackson is often confused with Elvis Costello, another artist releasing albums at the time.  This is Jackson's debut single from his debut album, "Look Sharp."

The Gambler by Kenny Rogers Bruce brings us Kenny Roger's signature song.  Songwriter Don Schlitz wrote this song in 1976 and it was recorded by several musicians including Johnny Cash before Rogers took it to number 1 on the country charts and number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The gambler looks through life through the lens of poker, knowing "every hand's a winner, and every hand's a loser," and of course "you've got to know then to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em."

Stumblin' In by Chris Norman and Suzi Quatro Rob's staff pick is the sole top 40 hit by female rock pioneer Suzi Quatro, and Norman's only hit outside of his previous band, Smokie.  This duet made it to number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Both singers have a smoky vocal sound.

Do You Think I'm Sexy? by Rod Stewart Lynch notes Stewart's ability to surf the waves of popularity with this staff pick.  While Rod Stewart honed his craft in the rock genre, he achieved both popularity and notoriety with his polarizing choice of embracing disco music in the late 70's.  Today this song remains one of his most popular tunes.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Pegasus by The Allman Brothers Band The Allman Brothers were decidedly NOT a disco band in this instrumental jam.

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

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

Naturally is the fifth album from the band and the second released in 1970.  Three singles from the album entered the Billboard top 20, with "Joy to the World" topping the charts.  As with contemporaries like the Beach Boys and Crosby, Stills, and Nash, you get an abundance of vocal harmonies with Three Dog Night.  Given the origins with three vocalists, perhaps this is not surprising.

Three Dog Night takes its name from the Australian Outback, and how the Aborigines would keep warm at night by sleeping with a dingo - dogs native to the continent.  A very cold evening would be known as a three-dog night.  While the group was inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000, they have not yet been inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Much of their work was composed by others, and this has been used as an excuse for their lack of recognition.

Three Dog Night continues to produce music today, though Danny Hutton is the only original member still with the group.  

Wayne takes us through this album for today's podcast.

One Man Band The first single released from the album went to number 19 on the Billboard charts.  The lyrics describe a man who wants to be the only one for his lover - her one man band.  There are great close harmonies and work on the Hammond organ in this one.

Joy to the World The big hit from the album went to number 1 on the Billboard charts and remained there for six weeks.  It was not expected to be a hit, but was instead expected to just be a "filler" song for the album with nonsensical but catchy lyrics.  Singer-songwriter, guitarist, and actor Hoyt Axton wrote the song.  Chuck Negron is the lead singer on this hit.

Liar Russ Ballard of Argent wrote this song, and released it as Argent's first single off their self-titled album.  While that version did not chart, the Three Dog Night rendition went to number 7 on the Billboard charts, benefitting from its release after their number 1 hit with "Joy to the World."  The haunting lyrics describe a relationship in trouble.

I Can Hear You Calling This song leads off the album and appears as the B-side to "Joy to the World," but was never released as a single itself.  The funky grooves feature heavy use of the Hammond organ and a big drum beat.  The lyrics reflect a person who keeps getting called on the phone by a lover he has left behind.  

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from the television series “H.R. Pufnstuf” This odd children's show from Sid and Marty Krofft left the airwaves in October 1970. 

STAFF PICKS:

Fire and Rain by James Taylor Rob starts off the staff picks with this soft rock hit.  Taylor wrote the song after the suicide of a friend.  It was the second single from Taylor's second album, "Sweet Baby James."   It peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

It Don't Matter to Me by Bread Bruce brings us another soft hit.  Bread was a soft rock group formed and fronted by David Gates, along with Jimmy Griffin and Rob Royer.  Gates, a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma, ran in the same circles as Leon Russell in Tulsa bar bands before moving to California.  The song reflects an openness in the singer's relationship, wanting only the best for his love.

Knock Three Times by Dawn  Lynch features a group which would later be known as Tony Orlando and Dawn.  Orlando was working as an executive at April-Blackwood Music, and released the song without listing his name to protect his position from accusations of a conflict of interest.  The song went to number 1.  The lyrics reflect a secret romance between a man and his neighbor from the floor below.

Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go by Bettye LaVette Wayne's staff pick is a bit of a James Brown song with a female voice.  Bettye LaVette came out of Detroit but was signed by Atlantic Records rather than their competitors in Detroit, Motown Records.  LaVette is a long time singer of blues, soul, and R&B starting in the early 60's and continuing today.  This song is about letting loose and having a good time living in the moment.

COMEDY TRACK:

Bridget the Midget by Ray Stevens We wrap up the podcast with the comedy stylings of Ray Stevens singing about Bridget the Midget, the Queen of the Blues.

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

Face the Music was ELO's fifth studio album, and the one which would be their real worldwide breakthrough.  The album moved away from the large-scale orchestral pieces and contained more single-friendly material.  It would be the first ELO album to go Platinum.   The band at the time consisted of multi-instrumentalist and creative heart Jeff Lynne, Bev Bevan on percussion, Richard Tandy on keyboard, Kelly Groucutt on bass and vocals, Mik Kaminski on violin, Hugh McDowell on cello, and Melvyn Gale on cello.  Louis Clark was the conductor of the orchestra and did some of the orchestral and choral arrangements along with Lynne and Tandy.

We're catching ELO on their way up with this album.  The band would hit the pinnacle of their success with 1977's double album "Out of the Blue."  In 1986 Lynne would leave the group to pursue other projects, while Bevan would form the group "ELO, part II," eventually renamed "The Orchestra."  Lynne would reform the group as Jeff Lynne's ELO  along with Richard Tandy in 2014.

Bruce presents this symphonic rock album in this week's podcast.

Fire On High The opening track is a largely instrumental piece.  Drummer Bev Bevan is vocalizing the backward lyrics, "The music is reversible but time is not.  Turn back, turn back, turn back, turn back!"  Lynne had received criticism from some fundamentalist groups about backward masking on the El Dorado album, and this is his joking response.  The song's mix of symphony with rock and roll was played at home games for the Atlanta Thrashers hockey team.

Strange Magic This was the second single from the album and features keyboardist Richard Tandy playing the guitar part while Lynne plays a 12-string acoustic fed through a phase shifter.  It went to number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Nightrider While this is a deeper cut, it actually was released as a single and just didn't chart.  Bassist Kelly Groucutt takes turns with Jeff Lynne to provide lead vocals on this song.  The title was also the title of Lynne's first major band prior to forming ELO. 

Evil Woman This song about a bad woman is the first single and the big hit off the album.  As seems common with many hit singles, it was originally written as a filler track to give the album a longer runtime with no thought to its being a hit.  Lynne wrote it in about 30 minutes.  It went to number 10 on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK singles charts.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To) (from the motion picture "Mahogany") Diana Ross stars in this film about a woman torn between a life in Rome as a fashion designer and life in Chicago with the man she loves.  Ross sane the theme as well.

STAFF PICKS:

Fool for the City by Foghat Wayne launches the staff picks with this rocking tribute to the city from the Platinum-selling album of the same name.  "I'm ready for the city, air pollution, here I come."  The album cover features the drummer fishing in a manhole in New York City.  New York City policemen on patrol stopped at the scene and jokingly asked if they had a fishing license.  Foghat came out of the remnants of a group called Savoy Brown. 

They Just Can't Stop It (Games People Play)  by The Spinners Rob features a crossover success that hit the number 1 spot on the US Hot Soul Singles chart and number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The song was recorded at Philadelphia's Signa Sound Studios, and the female vocals are provided by the studio backing vocal group called Sweethearts of Sigma - Carla Benson, Evette Benton, and Barbara Ingram.  Evette Benton is the lead female voice on the song.

Lyin' Eyes by the Eagles California country is the focus of Lynch's staff pick.  Lyin' Eyes appeared on the Eagles' 1975 album "One of These Nights," and was written by Henley and Frey.  Don Henley took lead vocal duties on this one.  It went to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals.  The origin of the song was observing young attractive women in Hollywood dating older rich guys.

Bad Blood by Neil Sedaka Bruce brings us a lost number 1 hit.  Sedaka was better known for his work in the 1950's and early 60's, but had a revival during the mid-70's.  This song about a woman who is trouble also features an uncredited vocal by Elton John.  Sedaka sings and plays piano on this song, while David Foster provides the keyboard work.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Will o' the Wisp by Leon Russell We finish off with a brief piano instrumental from singer-songwriter Leon Russell's album of the same name.

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

The album actually has two names, as "Fables of the Reconstruction" was the name if you held the cassette or album with one side up, and if you flipped it over the name appeared as "Reconstruction of the Fables."  The suggestion of the name "Reconstruction" came from Michael Stipes' father who was a carpenter.  It is also a loaded term in the American South from which the Athens, Georgia band hails —  “Reconstruction” is the period of time immediately following the American Civil War when the South was being brought back into the Union.  The songs on the album have a darker sound than earlier works, and the lyrics draw from Southern Gothic works.  This was the first album recorded outside the U.S., as the band traveled to London to work at Livingston Studios with producer Joe Boyd.

While the singles from the album would not be considered hits in the United States, the album reached number 28 on the US Billboard 200 chart, and number 35 on the UK Albums Chart.  It would feature two singles, “Driver 8’ and“Can't Get There from Here,” which would become well known over time.

Rob brings us this transitional album for today's podcast

Driver 8 The second single released from the album refers to the Southern Crescent train line.  It ran under the Southern Railway until 1979 when Amtrak bought them out, and continues as the Amtrak Crescent today.  “And the train conductor says take a break, Driver 8.”

Green Grow the Rushes This deeper cut  was written as a pact between Michael Stipe and Natalie Merchant of 10,000 Maniacs, relating to the poor treatment of indigenous peoples and migrant workers.  “Green grow the rushes, go.  The compass points the workers home.”

Maps and Legends Inspired by preacher and Southern folk artist Howard Finster, this song uses the reading of a map as a metaphor for reading a person.  Like the map reveals stories in little symbols on it, people are the accumulation of their experiences and stories.

Can't Get There from Here This song was the lead single from the album and peaked at number 10 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart - meaning it peaked at about 110 in US popularity.  It is the first R.E.M. song to have a horn section.  You can sense the Soul inspiration in it.  The lyrics about “Philomath” refer to an unincorporated community just outside of Athens, Georgia.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Weird Science by Oingo Boingo (from the motion picture “Weird Science”) Two geeky high school students create the perfect woman in this sci-fi comedy partly based on Frankenstein, and largely based on the 1951 comic “Made of the Future” by Al Feldstein.

STAFF PICKS:

Drive by The Cars  Lynch brings us a version of the Cars single from the 1985 Live Aid concert.  Bassist Benjamin Orr takes on the lead vocal duties for this ballad which was written by frequent front man Ric Ocasek.  The studio version appeared on their 1984 album Heartbeat City,  and became one of the bands biggest hits.

Take On Me by a-ha Bruce features the first US hit by a Norwegian band.  While a-ha released the song twice before without it becoming a hit, the third release with its video combining pencil sketch animation and live performance would propel it to the number 1 slot in the U.S.  Its 2 1/2 octave-spanning chorus makes it one of the hardest songs to sing.

Summertime Girls by Y & T  Wayne's staff pick is a hair band rocker, the first and only hit by Y&T.  It went to number 55 on the Billboard Hot 100, but was played frequently on the television series “Baywatch.”  The Band Y&T was originally known as "Yesterday & Today," and although they don't have many hits they have sold over 4 million albums worldwide, and were an inspiration for Lars Ulrich of Metallica to become a musician.

Dancing in the Street by David Bowie and Mick Jagger  Rob closes out the staff picks with a cover originally recorded by Martha and the Vandellas in 1964 (but we all agreed that the Van Halen cover is the best there is).Jagger and Bowie's version made it to number 7 on the US chart and number 1 on the UK chart.  This collaboration was their contribution to the Live Aid charity movement.

NOVELTY TRACK:

Tequila by The Champs We close out this week's podcast with the tune that helped Pee Wee Herman avoid catastrophe at the hands of a biker gang in “Pee Wee's Big Adventure.”

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

Toto IV was both a commercial and critical success.  Three of the singles would be top 10 hits, and the album would achieve triple Platinum status as it became known as one of the best albums of the year.  Critically, the group would earn six Grammy awards including Album of the Year, and Record of the Year for the single “Rosanna.”

The group would spend much of 1982 and 1983 on tour, though there would be some changes in personnel.  Bassist David Hungate left the group shortly after the release of Toto IV, sensing that the success of the album and the fame of the group would negatively impact time with his family.  Lead singer Bobby Kimball was in and out of court fighting prosecution on drug-related charges.  Those charges would eventually be dismissed in late May 1983, but he would be released from the band after missing many recording sessions.

The album is a soft-rock masterpiece, with balanced synth and keyboard sounds and soaring harmonies.  Songs have a jazzy feel, interspersed with piano-based ballads.

Lynch has been lobbying for a long time to do this album, and we hope you enjoy it for this week's podcast.

Rosanna The biggest hit from the album was often thought to be inspired by actress Rosanna Arquette who was dating keyboardist Steve Porcaro.  However, writer David Paich says the lyrics were based on various girls he had known in the past rather than a single individual.  The shuffle drum pattern is reminiscent of both Bo Diddley rhythms and John Bonham's groove on "Fool in the Rain."

Make Believe This sunny-feeling single hit number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It describes a time of looking back with an old lover, remembering the moments they shared.  It was the second US single from the album.  David Paich wrote the song, and Bobby Kimball is on lead vocals.

I Won't Hold You Back The piano-oriented ballad peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, and held the number 1 spot on the US Adult Contemporary chart for three weeks.  It looks back on a failed romance as the singer lets go of what he had.  Guitarist Steve Lukather takes lead vocals duties for this track, and Eagles alumnus Timothy B. Schmidt provides backing vocals in the chorus. 

Africa While this song did well as a single, it has grown into a cultural icon.  It did top the Billboard Hot 100 in 1983, but would see a resurgence in popularity over time, particularly after Weezer's cover in 2018.  The lyrics depict a man struggling between his love for the continent and returning to his relationship elsewhere. 

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Main theme from the motion picture “Ladyhawke” This fantasy movie starring Rutger Hauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Matthew Broderick hit the big screen in April of 1985.

STAFF PICKS:

Walking on Sunshine by Katrina and the Waves Wayne starts us off with a popular and optimistic song that got the band Grammy-nominated for Best New Artist.  It is off their debut and eponymously named album.  It was first released in Canada, though the band was out of England.  It went to number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Summer of '69 by Bryan Adams Bruce brings us this well-known song from Adams' album "Reckless," which was released in April of 1985.  The original name was going to be "Best Days of My Life," and in the first draft the lyric "summer of '69" only appeared once.  With the name change, "Summer of '69" replaced several appearances of the phrase "best days of my life," in the track.

High On You by Survivor Rob's staff pick is an ode to the intoxication and infatuation of new love.  It is the first top 10 single from their album "Vital Signs," and arose from a jam during touring sound checks.  Mickey Thomas from Jefferson Starship and Peter Wolf from the J. Geils Band are supporting musicians on this track.

Silent Running by Mike + the Mechanics Lynch finishes the staff picks with a synth-heavy song with science fiction lyrics.  The singer is a father who has journeyed into the future and is now communicating back to his son with instructions for mitigating the coming war and catastrophe.  This is the first single released by Mike + the Mechanics, and it went to number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Moments In Love by Art of Noise This largely instrumental piece is a signature song from the art rock group.

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

The album Porno for Pyros benefitted from the success of Jane's Addiction and the buzz surrounding the new group.  Porno for Pyros began a nationwide tour to support the band prior to the release of the first album.  By the time the album was released in 1993 there was a pent-up demand for it, causing it to surge to number 3 on the Billboard 200 album chart.  With a blend of punk, psychedelic rock and alternative, the album gained both commercial and critical success.

The band was impactful on the alternative rock scene, but was short-lived.  They would release a follow-up album in 1996 before disbanding in 1998.  They would have reunions in 2009 and 2020, and the original line-up has recorded new material as of 2023 to be released as an EP in 2024.

Wayne takes us through this alternative rock album. 

Cursed Female This track was released as the first single as a medley with the song “Cursed Male.”  The lyrics reflect the abuse women face in life.  It reached number 3 on the Modern Rock charts.  “Cursed to be born beautiful, poor, and female, there's none that suffer more.”

Cursed Male Forming a medley with “Cursed Female” for the first single, this song turns to the difficulties males face in life.  “All the guys that really have the money are too old to have a good time with it...Too old to turn the women on, too old to have a fast car and drive it.”

Pets This is the hit from the album.  It deals with dissatisfaction with the human race on the brink of destruction.  The song describes how aliens might take over the world and treat human beings as great pets.  It reached number 1 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.

Packin' .25 This track has the LA riots as its inspiration.  It reflects the idea of people carrying a handgun in order to achieve respect.  Interestingly, a 25-caliber pistol is not a very powerful weapon.  “I dreamt all yesterday how I might make a man feel with a gun up to his face!  Show respect to me.  I don't care what you're thinking, I'll wipe that thought away!

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers (from the motion picture “Benny and Joon”) Johnny Depp and Mary Stuart Masterson star in this film about two eccentric people falling in love.

STAFF PICKS:

Daughter by Pearl Jam Lynch gets the staff picks rolling with the second single from Pearl Jam's "Vs." album.  It talks about a girl with severe dyslexia whose mother doesn't understand the condition.  The lack of understanding prompts the mother to abuse the daughter, thinking she is being deliberately lazy and disruptive. 

Woman by Brother Cane Rob features a deeper cut from Alabama band Brother Cane off their debut album.  This grunge-tinted song has a slow, haunting, mournful feel that builds into a faster paced, minor epic by the middle of the song before returning to the slow theme at the end.  The singer discusses an unstable relationship.  “I used to know better, now I don't know what's worse - having it all maybe, or having nothing for sure.”

Rebirth of Slick (Cool Like Dat) by Digable Planets  Bruce brings us the first single from the debut album Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space).” The lyrics are a celebration of hip-hop, the Brooklyn underground scene, jazz, style, and the confidence of the group.  Digable Planets sampled “Stretching” by Art Blakley & the Jazz Messengers for the chorus.

Lollipop Serenade by Insane Jane Wayne's staff pick is from a local Atlanta band with a female lead.  Insane Jane put out two albums, the first called “Each Finger” and the second called “Green Little Pill.” The lead singer was known as “Yellow.”  This may be a song that those outside of Atlanta may not have heard before.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Beer :30 by The Reverend Horton Heat Well, it is largely instrumental, if you don't count the occasional “beer” and “get naked” statements thrown in.

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

The quartet signed to Chess Records in 1956, but did not experience success with that label.  In fact they would not find significant success with multiple records including Red Top, Riverside Records, and Columbia Records for the next seven years.  What they would gain is a lot of opportunities to polish their act and stage presence with extensive touring.  Berry Gordy Jr. convinced them to move to Motown in 1963, initially to record jazz standards and sing backup.  At Motown they experienced success in their own right.

Reach Out is their fourth studio album, and their biggest selling album.  The Four Tops had multiple hits, primarily through the writing of the Motown team known as Holland-Dozier-Holland.  Reach Out would be their last album with that songwriting team, as Holland-Dozier-Holland left Motown shortly after this album was recorded.  It went to number 11 on the Billboard Top LP's chart.

The Four Tops were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1990, and still perform today, with Duke Fakir as the sole original member.

Bruce presents this soulful album in this week's podcast.

Bernadette This song was released in February of 1967 and reached number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.  It would be the final top 10 hit for the Four Tops in the 1960's.  The song is a plea from the boy to Bernadette to stick with him.  

Standing In the Shadows of Love This single is a heartbreak song about sleepless nights and soul searching for what went wrong.  It hit number 2 on the soul charts and number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967.  It is a bit of a reworked song, as the Supremes had a B-side in 1963 called "Standing at the Crossroads of Love."

Last Train to Clarksville Reach Out was a mixture of original songs and covers, and this song made famous by the Monkees is one of the covers.  They also included "If I Were a Carpenter," "Walk Away Renee," and "I'm A Believer" on this album. 

Reach Out I'll Be There Here is the signature song of the Four Tops.  It was released in 1966 and spent two weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100.  It alternates between a minor and major key, giving it a Russian feel in the verse and a gospel feel in the chorus according to Lamont Dozier.  The writers intentionally put Levi Stubbs at the top of his vocal range to make sure there was a hunger and wailing in his voice. 

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Light My Fire by The Doors The Doors appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was their first and last when they promised to change the lyrics "girl we couldn't get much higher," only to leave them unedited in the live performance.

STAFF PICKS:

Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison Lynch launches the staff picks with this hit single off Morrison's debut album, which peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The nostalgic lyrics which seem tame today were considered too suggestive for the time and were banned by some radio stations.  However, it remains popular today, and as of 2015 was the most downloaded and played song of the entire 60's decade.

The Letter  by The Box Tops Rob features a short song with a blue-eyed soul feel.  The Box Tops took this song to number 1 on the charts, making it The Box Tops best seller.  Joe Coker would cover this in 1970, and take it to number 7 on the charts.  The producer overdubbed the song with an airplane sound he located at a local library.

Testify by Parliament Wayne brings us an early hit from George Clinton and Parliament before their Funkadelic days.  Actually, George Clinton is the only member of Parliament who is recorded on this song.  The group was based in New Jersey and the other members were not able to travel to Detroit for the recording.  As a result, Clinton is joined by local session musicians and singers to complete the song.

Funky Broadway by Wilson Pickett Bruce closes out the staff picks with a song that Pickett picked up from Arlester “Dyke” Christian.  Dyke Christian was living in Phoenix and playing with a group called Dyke & the Blazers.  Unfortunatley in 1971 Dyke Christian was shot to death at the age of 27.  This is the first charting single with the word "funk" in the title.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Groovin' by Booker T. & the M.G.'s We finish off with an instrumental cover of the ballad made famous by The Rascals.

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