While Sam and Martin prepare for Orphans, please enjoy a guest-podcast from our friends Fran and Babs of the Over/Underrated Music Podcast, featuring your regular SbS hosts as guests talking about some NY art rock, David Byrne’s lack of love, and the genius of the two Johns.
Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Talking Heads Overrated Playlist
They Might Be Giants Underrated Playlist
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Next week Song by Song pushes into Waits's 2004 release Real Gone, but before we kick off, Sam & Martin acknowledge the 2017 remaster, how the show will deal with these different versions, and handle any other business arising.
Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Top of the Hill, Real Gone (remastered), Tom Waits (2004/2017)
Neutrinowatch podcast, also available at neutrinowatch.org, Martin Zaltz Austwick & Lily Sloane (2021-present)
New York Art Rock: Talking Heads & They Might Be Giants, Over/Underrated Podcast, Fran James & Barbara Mendes-Jorge (2022)
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Back with Martin & Sam, Bárbara and Fran find a little more danceability this week, albeit in a more cliched image of doomed relationships and gender roles. With some consideration of cabaret numbers and cowboys, we take a look at how Waits shapes the tone of the album, and whether everyone needs a nap.
Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Everything Goes to Hell, Blood Money, Tom Waits (2002)
I'm Tired, Blazing Saddles Soundtrack, Madeline Kahn (1974)
Straight To The Top (Rhumba), Franks Wild Years, Tom Waits (1987)
I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me), Whitney, Whitney Huston (1987)
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Fran James and Bárbara Mendes-Jorge of the Over/Underrated podcast join Sam & Martin to kick off season 20 with a song about the saddest body of water you can imagine (feedback pending). We compare to other wet songs from musical theatre, discuss vocal quality and tone, and touch on the difference between enjoyment and analysis.
Music extracts used for illustrative/review purposes include:
Misery Is the River of the World, Blood Money, Tom Waits (2002)
Old Man River, Showboat, Paul Robeson/Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II (1936)
Ol' Man River, single, Ray Charles/Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II (1963)
Ol' Man River, The Concert Sinatra, Frank Sinatra/Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II (1963)
Ol' Man River, Cilla, Cilla Black/Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II (1965)
Ol' Man River, Should Sister, Aretha Franklin/Jerome Kern/Oscar Hammerstein II (1966)
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