What the Riff Next Gen

Alright, folks, break out your platform shoes and your dance clothes, because What the Riff is headed down to the club!  KC and the Sunshine Band was playing in all the disco dance studios in 1977, but they were particularly prominent in the Miami market, near their home town of Hialeah, Florida.  We're riffing on Part 3, unexpectedly the fourth studio album from the group (though there was a bit of a reset with their second album being self-titled and the first album having only moderate success).
Harry Wayne Casey was a part time employee at TK Records in Hialeah when he formed the band, originally called KC & the Sunshine Junkanoo Band.  Casey worked with Richard Finch, engineer for TK Records, to produce the albums, including Part 3.  Additional musicians joined, including Jerome Smith on guitar, Robert Johnson on drums, and numerous others to complete the horn section.  KC and the Sunshine Band would find a virtuous cycle, as Casey and Finch would write songs inspired by what they saw at the discos, then would see their songs played at those same clubs.
KC and the Sunshine Band were often featured as guests on FM pop powerhouse Y-100, and this exposure contributed to their success.  The first big hit was their second and self-titled album released in 1975, which produced the hits “Get Down Tonight” and “That's the Way (I Like It)”  Part 3 would continue their funk/disco dominance.  The band would continue to see success through their sixth studio album released in 1979.  Shortly thereafter styles would change, and the disco sound would not continue into the 1980's.  That, and a falling out between Casey and Finch would end the band for a while.
KC and the Sunshine Band has seen a resurgence with the popularity of retro bands, and still tours today. 
 
Wrap Your Arms Around Me
The fifth single from the album is a little bit of a deeper cut and features the horns prominently with a funky groove.
(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty
You can't go wrong with a dance song that tells you to shake your booty!  Although this first single from the album was number 1 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot Soul Singles Chart, there was some controversy attached to it, with speculation that it had a stronger sexual connotation than simply dancing.
I'm Your Boogie Man
This song written by Casey and Finch also hit number 1 on the Hot 100.  Finch said that the song was written about a DJ named Robert W. Walker, who was the first to play their song “Get Down Tonight.” 
Keep It Comin’ Love
A little softer than some, this song nevertheless was still successful.  However, it only reached number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, being kept out of the number 1 slot by Meco's “Star Wars Theme/Cantina Band,” and the big hit of the 70’s, Debbie Boone's “You Light Up My Life.”
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Main Theme from the television series “Fantasy Island”
Headlined by Ricardo Montalban as Mr. Roarke and Herve Villechaize as his right hand man, Tattoo, this show would feature a stream of actors and actresses playing one-off characters chasing their dreams on the island.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Isn't She Lovely by Stevie Wonder
Bruce leads off the staff picks with what feel is one of the most positive songs you will ever hear.  Wonder celebrates the birth of his daughter Aisha Morris on this song that opens side three of his double album, “Songs in the Key of Life.”  All instrumentation in the song is played by Wonder except for a few of the keyboard parts which were furnished by Greg Phillganes. 
Hard Luck Woman  by Kiss
Rob's staff pick sounds a lot like Rod Stewart for good reason — it was written by Paul Stanley for Stewart.  Though Stanley thought it sounded like “You Wear It Well,” his band Kiss decided it would be a good follow up to their successful ballad, “Beth.”  The song made it to 15 on the charts, and is a rare ballad.  Drummer Peter Criss sings lead on this song, as he did on “Beth.”
Red by Sammy Hagar
Wayne brings us the Red Rocker, Sammy Hagar, with an anthem off his second solo album.  This is also the album and song which gave him the name “the Red Rocker.”  A fan called him the Red Rocker when getting a picture, and Hagar liked the name.  The album was recorded at Abbey Road Studios.
I Never Cry by Alice Cooper
Brian wraps up the staff picks with a mellow ballad from the not-normally mellow Alice Cooper.  This is from the album “Alice Cooper Goes to Hell,” a concept album inspired by his visit to rehab.  Many of his fans were disappointed with this softer side of Cooper, but his performances never suffered for the presence of a ballad or two.  
   
COMEDY TRACK:
In The Mood by Henhouse Five Plus Too
It appears that we need to close this podcast out before it goes to the birds!
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.

Band on the Run would be the turning point for Paul McCartney's post-Beatles career.  After completing two solo albums, McCarney formed Paul McCartney and Wings, with the Wings name being inspired by a time of prayer at the hospital while his wife Linda was having serious complications delivering their second child.
Wings had already produced two albums which had met with mixed reviews.  McCartney had picked an exotic locale of Lagos, Nigeria as the recording spot for "Band on the Run," and just before heading out, guitarist Henry McCullough and drummer Denny Selwell left the band.  That left Paul, his wife Linda, and former Moody Blues alum Denny Laine to complete the album.
Nigeria might have been exotic, but it was a horrible choice as a recording location.  The country was run by a corrupt military dictatorship, was in the midst of a cholera epidemic, and the studio was in very poor shape.  Despite all these problems,the band would turn in a spectacular critical and commercial success.
The album has a theme of escape and freedom.  It was being put together at the same time as George Harrison, John Lennon, and Ringo Starr all were in litigation against Allen Klein, a hardnosed business manager appointed to run Apple Records in 1969.  McCartney had strongly opposed Klein's appointment at the time, and some of the confidence that comes through in the album may come from a sense of being proven right about Klein.
McCartney insisted on recording with Linda despite her lack of previous experience as a musician because he didn't want them to be apart while he was on tour.  Linda McCartney would be a part of the band from the beginning of Paul McCartney's post-Beatles career.
 
Band on the Run
The opening track and title song is a medley of three songs that all reflect freedom and escape.  The lyric, "if we ever get out of here" was inspired by George Harrison in one of the Beatles' business meetings.  The original demo recording for "Band on the Run" was stolen at knife-point in Lagos, and the band had to basically re-record it from memory.
Mamunia
This deep cut, gets its name from the Mamounia Hotel where the McCartneys stayed in Marrakesh, Morocco in 1973.  Mamounia means "safe haven" in Arabic, and McCartney considered it a metaphor for rebirth, continuing the "freedom" theme that would permeate the album.  It was the first song recorded for the album.
Helen Wheels
This song was not intended to be a part of the album, and does not appear on the British release.  Capitol Records convinced Paul McCartney to include it on the American release of the album.  The track is a road trip song, and takes its name from the nickname of the McCartney's Land Rover, "hell on wheels."  
Jet
The first single from the album was actually preceded by Helen Wheels as a non-album single released separately.  It went to number 7 on both the British and American charts at the end of March.  The name is supposedly inspired by the name of the McCartney's Labrador Retriever, though Paul McCartney has also indicated that it was also the name of a pony he owned.  
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Daybreak by Harry Nilsson (from the motion picture Son of Dracula)
A cult classic movie starring Ringo Starr and Harry Nilsson with Peter Frampton, John Bonham,  Keith Moon, and other rock stars.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Rock and Roll, Hoochie Koo by Rick Derringer
Wayne features a rock anthem based off a seductive dance from the 1880's.  Derringer originally wrote the song for Johnny Winter, but re-recorded it when he went solo.  In addition to working with Johnny Winter, he also played in Edgar Winter's group on both "Frankenstein" and "Free Ride."  Derringer also plays guitar on Weird Al Yankovic's parody, "Eat It."
Jungle Boogie by Kool & the Gang
Rob cranks up the funk with an early Kool & the Gang hit off their fourth album.  The band got their start 10 years prior to this in 1964 after high school.  The scat sound is from a roadie for the band.
The Loco-Motion by Grand Funk Railroad
Brian's pick this week is a cover originally performed by Little Eva in 1962.  The song was surprisingly successful despite the unusual choice of a 60's dance song being remade by a hard rock band.
Already Gone by The Eagles
Bruce brings us the first single from the third Eagle's album "On the Border."  This song penned by Jack Tempchin and Rob Strandlund is the relational equivalent of a "you can't fire me, I quit" song.
 
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
TSOP (The Sound of Philadelphia) by MFSB
Almost entirely an instrumental, this disco track will take us out of this week's podcast.  MFSB stands for "Mother, Father, Sister, Brother."
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.

Canadian prog rock band Saga released their fourth album Worlds Apart in September 1981, but it took some time to catch fire.  By March 1983 their first single was peaking on the charts.   Rupert Hine, producer for Canadian power trio Rush, also produced this album which was both a critical and commercial success.  The band consisted of Steve Negus on percussion, Jim Gilmour on lead synthesizer, Ian Crichton on guitar, Jim Crichton on bass and keyboards, and Michael Sadler on lead vocals.  Sadler and Jim Crichton were the primary songwriters for the band.
This album seemed to hit a sweet spot between progressive and commercial sensibilities.  It also saw a change in the energy level out of Michael Sadler which is attributed to an interesting intervention by Rupert Hine.  It is said that Hine had Sadler climb to the rafters of the barn where the recording studio for “Worlds Apart” was located, in order to get the right emotion.  The group also toured extensively in the United States where they opened for Billy Squier and Jethro Tull, and they benefitted from airplay on their music video for "On the Loose" and "Wind Him Up"  during MTV's first year.
Worlds Apart would hit number 3 on the Top Rock Albums chart, and the single "On the Loose" hit number 26 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The album would be certified Gold in 1983, and would help the band win the Juno Award in Canada for "Most Promising Group of the Year."
This album takes us back to some really good days in 1983, and we hope it does the same for you.
Friend of the show John Lynch joins us for this album feature.
 
On the Loose
The first single from the album benefitted from airplay of its video on the new MTV cable channel.  The song is tight, with heavy synthesizer use, and excellent coordinated runs in the keyboards and guitar.  The song itself is about what it sounds like - cutting loose in the evening.
Time's Up
This deeper cut discusses the risk of being a daydreamer and a "man of inaction."  Don't let the time pass you by, wishing your life away.  Note the use of a child's voice and telephone special effects to make the point.      
The Interview
Another quintessential 80's sound can be found on this deep track.  The singer is talking to himself through multiple personalities.  The idea is of an individual trying to piece himself together through the internal interview.  "There's one thing I must know, tell me why you can't let go?"
Wind Him Up
The second single from the album is well known and energetic.  It is a portrayal of a compulsive gambler who can't break away from the casino.  It breaks into multiple sections as would be expected in a prog rock piece, but it remains accessible.  "Wind him up, he can't stop.  He's wound up tight just like the clock that's winding its second hand down."
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Main Theme from the television series "Little House On the Prairie”
This show concluded its run in March 1983.  Michael Landon directed many of the episodes as well as playing Pa Ingalls.
 
STAFF PICKS:
I Know There's Something Going On by Frida
Bruce's staff pick is from ABBA alumnae Anni-Frid Lyngstad, going by the name Frida.  Lyngstad recorded her solo album in February 1982 during the last year of ABBA, and wanted to lave a different sound.  The song was written by Russ Ballard of Argent, and was produced by Phil Collins, who also played drums and contributed backing vocals.
Goody Two Shoes by Adam Ant
"Don't drink, don't smoke?  What do you do?"  Wayne features this new wave pop hit with a distinctive swing beat.  When he came over to the States, front man Stuart Leslie Goddard shortened the name of his punk band, "Adam and the Ants" and began touring as "Adam Ant."   The song is somewhat autobiographical, as Adam Ant did not drink or do drugs.
Africa by Toto
Our Guest filling in for Brian this week is John Lynch. He brings us a song that has had incredible staying power.  Toto's start as session players comes through in the tightness and production value of their songs, with this classic being no exception.  You will also have to search far and wide to find lyrics like "sure as Kilimanjaro rises like Olympus above the Serengeti."
Shock the Monkey by Peter Gabriel
Rob's staff pick peaked at number 29 on the charts.  The song is a love song about how jealousy can release base, animal instincts.  The video flips between Gabriel in a room dressed in a business suit, and Gabriel as a shaman with his face painted.  It is a nice finish, as Saga front man Michael Sadler considered Peter Gabriel one of his vocal inspirations.
 
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
Rockit by Herbie Hancock
We finish off this week's podcast with Hancock's instrumental masterpiece.  If you haven't seen this video, you're missing out.
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.

Believe it or not, Fly Like an Eagle is the ninth studio album by the Steve Miller Band.  Guitarist, lead singer, and founder Steve Miller got his start in Chicago playing the blues.  He formed the Steve Miller Blues Band after moving to San Francisco in 1966, and shortened it to the Steve Miller Band not long after its formation.  The band started with a psychedelic rock feel in their first albums, transitioning to a more straightforward rock sound with the 1973 album  The Joker, and continuing with their 1976 release, Fly Like an Eagle.
This album was largely written by Miller who also produced it and provided vocals, guitar, and keyboards.  Additional personnel were Lonnie Turner on bass, and Gary Mallaber on percussion.  Miller was not satisfied with the recording studios where he had recorded previous albums, and built his own studio at his home in the Pacific Northwest where he would record his next album.  This also explains the multi-year break between The Joker and Fly Like an Eagle.
The Steve Miller Band had experienced commercial success with the album The Joker, but Fly Like an Eagle would take that success to a new level with three hit singles.  Fly Like an Eagle would eventually be certified quadruple platinum, and Rolling Stone would declare it the best album of 1976.
Both this album and the next, 1977's Book of Dreams were recorded at the same time.  However, Miller decided to release the two as separate albums rather than as a double album.  Both would be hits, and would constitute the heart of commercial success from the Steve Miller Band along with 1973's The Joker." 
 
Take the Money and Run
The first single from the album tells the story of Billy Joe and Bobby Sue, a Bonnie-and-Clyde set of criminals, and the Texas police officer chasing them.  It is a road trip song, inspired by Miller's trips with family, listening to the radio in the car.
Wild Mountain Honey
This song is a slower and deeper cut off the album, and hearkens back to the psychedelic Steve Miller Band days.  "You run for the money but you don't even know about wild mountain honey."  Miller plays the sitar on this track.    
Serenade
A serenade from the stars!  Another deep track, the song's message appears to be both local and cosmic.  The guitar has a Spanish feel that gives off a road trip - and trippy - vibe as it switches between major and minor chords.  There's also a bit of a lag between the lyrics and the musical beat which gives it an unusual style.
Rock'n Me
The second single from the album hit number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Miller said he was inspired by Free's "All Right Now," and it was an anthem for large concert venues.  Calling out the cities of the tour was sure to be a crowd pleaser.  
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
"Gene Gene, the Dancing Machine from the television series “The Gong Show”
This show was raw comedy and a staple of syndicated afternoon reruns when we were growing up.  Gene Gene, the Dancing Machine was a technician on the show who would come out and do a dance routine toward the end of the show.  Bad, but in a good way.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Fool To Cry by the Rolling Stones
Brian leads off the staff picks with a mellow number from Mick Jagger and company off the Rolling Stones Black and Blue album.  It was the only song from the album to chart.  In this ballad, Jagger is talking to his daughter at first, then his lover, and both tell him the same thing - "you're a fool to cry, and it makes me wonder why."
A Trick of the Tail by Genesis
Bruce's staff pick features the first single from Genesis with Phil Collins taking over vocals.  The song tells about The Beast who leaves his kingdom of gold to enter the human world.  He is captured and put into a carnival freak show, but escapes by convincing his captors that he can take them to his city of gold. 
Nobody's Fault But Mine by Led Zeppelin
Wayne rocks out with the hit from Led Zeppelin's Presence album.  Blind Willie Johnson originally recorded this song in 1928.  Page and Plant took credit for writing it originally, but credited Johnson later and downgraded their credits to "arranged by" rather than claiming to have written it.
Silly Love Songs by Paul McCartney and Wings
Rob  gets "soppy" with this upbeat number from Wings.  McCartney wrote this in response to John Lennon's critique that McCartney wrote "sentimental slush."  Paul McCartney was not afraid to write love songs, and musically asks "what's wrong with that?" here in this pop hit.  
 
COMEDY TRACK:
One Piece at a Time by Johnny Cash and Tennessee Three
We finish off this week's podcast with a novelty song that would be the last top 40 hit from Johnny Cash.
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.

A number of groups came out of the psychedelic pop scene in Northern England and Scotland in the late 80's including Primal Scream, Teenage Fanclub, Jesus and the Mary Chain, and The Soup Dragons.  Their third album, Hotwired, was released in October 1992.
The Soup Dragons got their name from a character in a 1970's UK children's television series called "Clangers," which consisted of short films about a family of mouse-like creatures that live on a small moon-like planet.  They speak only in a whistled language, and only eat green soup, which is supplied by the Soup Dragon.  
The Soup Dragons lineup for this album were Sean Dickson on vocals and guitar, Jim McCullough on backing vocals and guitar, Sushil K. Dade on bass, and Paul Quinn on percussion.  They started off as an indie-rock group, but switched to a more dance-rock oriented band when they were without a drummer and started using a drum machine on their second album.
The group received some club play with their first indie-dance track called "Mother Universe," but their first big hit was "I'm Free," a fast paced cover of the Rolling Stones song.  They toured the U.S. for two years, and performed on both the David Letterman and Arsenio Hall late night shows.  
The Soup Dragons would produce one more studio album after Hotwired, and would disband a year later in 1995.
We think you will enjoy the early 90's rock-dance groove of this most successful album of the Soup Dragon's discography.
Pleasure
Is everybody ready?  This first track on the album made it to number 69 on the Billboard 100, and number 14 in the Modern Rock charts.  It is about living your life - "Take it to the limit, live it to the full."
Divine Thing
The big hit off the album made it to number 26 on the Billboard 100, and was a staple of the burgeoning stable of alternative rock stations in the early 90's.  It is an homage to Glenn Milstead, more famously known as Divine in John Waters movies.  The music video for this song is the first to display transgender and drug culture to be placed in daytime rotation in the USA. 
Sweet Layabout
This is a bit deeper of a cut.  A layabout is a lazy person who is comfortable letting others do things for them.  "Well, hallelujah.  Why don't you sit there in your chair.  'Cause you ain't nothing but the Devil's clientele."
Mindless
This track is a softer song that describes the initial infatuation of an early relationship.  You get mindless over the person and can't think of anything else.  "Jesus Christ took his time when inventing you, and Mother Nature couldn't leave our dream come true."  
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
I Gotcha by Joe Tex (from the motion picture "Reservoir Dogs")
Quentin Tarantino's debut features what Tarantino would become famous for - lots of violence, and great music.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Jump Around by House of Pain
Rob's staff pick dips into the hip-hop genre.  Everlast, DJ Lethal, and Danny Boy formed the band, and the song made it to number 3 in the U.S.  A lot of debate was created around what created the “scream” sound, with some thinking it comes from "Get Off" by Prince, and other's thinking it comes from Junior Walker and the All Stars.  The University of Wisconsin plays this in the fourth quarter to hype up the crowd.
Jimmy Olsen's Blues by The Spin Doctors
Bruce features a song inspired by the Superman comics.  Jimmy Olsen is the junior photographer.  Chris Barron was inspired to write this when sneaking into the Brown University cafeteria and seeing a girl who reminded him of Lois Lane.  The "pocket full of kryptonite" represents what is special or unique about you.
Life Is A Highway by Tom Cochrane
Brian hits the road with former Red Rider front man Tom Cochrane.  This song encourages folks to "seize the day," and get motivated.  Cochrane wrote it after a visit to Africa, and seeing the poverty around him.  It is interesting that such a positive song came out of a close brush with poverty.  Rascal Flatts would cover the song for the movie "Cars."   
At the Hundredth Meridian by the Tragically Hip
Wayne stays in Canada with a group much more popular in the Great White North than in the U.S.  The hundredth meridian is considered a dividing line between east and west Canada.  The Hip stayed together from 1984 until 2017 when lead singer Gord Downie died of brain cancer.
 
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
Forever In Love by Kenny G.
You can't go wrong with a saxophone - or can you?
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.

Hi Infidelity would be the biggest selling rock album of 1981, and would be the high water mark for REO Speedwagon.  The band at the time was Kevin Chronin on lead vocals, Gary Richrath on lead guitars, Neal Doughty on keyboards, Bruce Hall on bass, and Alan Gratzer on drums.
REO Speedwagon started out in 1967, and the name comes from a 1915 truck called the REO Speed Wagon.  Neal Doughty saw the name on the blackboard in his History of Transportation class as an electrical engineering major at the University of Illinois in Champaign, and thought the name was cool.  The original lead singer for their 1971 debut album was Terry Luttrell, who would go on to be the vocalist for Starcastle after a breakup that involved Luttrell being left in a cornfield after a bad gig.  Kevin Cronin came in for their second album, would leave during the recording sessions on their third album, then return in 1976 for their sixth album.  
Cronin and Richrath wrote a lot of the music from 1977 on, and around this time long time bassist Greg Philbin left the band, either because of the changing split in money as the band became more commercially successful, or because of his lifestyle issues affecting the music (depending on who you ask).  Bruce Hall joined thereafter for the recording of the album "You Can Tune A Piano, But You Can't Tuna Fish."  That was their first top 40 album, including the singles "Roll with the Changes" and "Time for Me to Fly."
Hi Infidelity put them over the top.  This was a pop-rock crossover, with more commercial appeal than previous rock-oriented efforts.  The big song was the ballad "Keep On Loving You," which was everywhere in early 1981.  High Infidelity would be the biggest selling rock album of 1981, taking the top spot on the Billboard 200, and certified 10 times platinum over time.
Thought they had a number of hits through the 1980's, Hi Infidelity would never be topped.  Gary Richrath would leave the band in 1989.  He reunited with the band in a concert in 1998, in 2000, and again in 2013 for a benefit concert.  REO Speedwagon tours today with Doughty, Cronin, and Hall still in the lineup, joined by Dave Amato on guitar (formerly with Ted Nugent) and Bryan Hitt on percussion (formerly of Wang Chung).
 
Don't Let Him Go
This track opens the album, and was the third single released.  Kevin Cronin wrote this hard driving song with a Bo Diddley beat.  The song is based on the experiences of all the band members and is basically a plea to all their girlfriends to have patience with them.
Follow My Heart
This is a deeper cut, not one of the singles.  It's basically about a girl that the guy knows is bad news, but he can't decide whether to follow his head or follow his heart.  Gary Richrath wrote this song with songwriter Tom Kelly.
Tough Guys
Kevin Cronin wrote this as a bit of a rebuttal to the "nice guys finish last" trope.  "She doesn't like the tough guys, she doesn't like the rough guys.  She's gonna call your bluff guys, and you better believe it's true - she don't like you."  The opening clip is from a 1937 "Our Gang" (aka "The Little Rascals") episode.  This song wasn't released as a single, but made the mainstream rock chart anyway.
Take It on the Run
The second single from the album was written by Gary Richrath and went to number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The song takes on the rumor mill in an interesting way:  "Now, I'm telling you, babe, that I don't think its true, babe, and even if it is, keep this in mind."  The music video to this song was the ninth video played on MTV's first day in August 1981, but technical difficulties resulted in only 12 seconds of the video airing.  
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
9 to 5 by Dolly Parton (from the motion picture 9 to 5)
Working women exact revenge on their boss in this satire starring Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda, and Dolly Parton.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Dreamin' by Cliff Richard
Brian's staff pick takes us to a famous British singer.  Leo Sayer helped write this upbeat song.  Richard stated that this was an unusual song for him because it is in a higher range than is typical for Richard.  The song was accumulated in the studio, as a verse would be recorded, then the next written.   
(Just Like) Starting Over by John Lennon
Rob features a song that took off the charts shortly after Lennon was shot and killed by Mark David Chapman.  Lennon was trying to create a sound that he called his "Elvis-Orbison track," and it had a definite 50's feel to it.  The song was released in October but took off on the charts after his death.
I Will Follow by U2
Wayne brings us the first single from the debut album by U2.  This single was a staple of fraternity parties across the nation at the time.  Bono wrote this song as a tribute to his mom who died when he was young.  Unusual instruments were used for percussive effect including silverware and breaking bottles.
The Turn of a Friendly Card, part 1 by The Alan Parsons Project
Bruce finishes the staff picks with the first part of a 16-minute suite bearing the same name as the album.  The Turn of a Friendly Card was a concept album revolving around gambling, gambling addiction, and what happens to a person who turns to gambling in the midst of a mid-life crisis.
 
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
The Gold Bug by The Alan Parson's Project
An instrumental from "The Turn of a Friendly Card," this song was inspired by a short story of the same name by Edgar Allen Poe.
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.

Queen's fourth studio album is the one that would launch them into super stardom and bring them personal financial success as well.  A Night at the Opera got its name from the Marx Brothers film, and many consider it to be the best album Queen ever made.
The band lineup was Freddie Mercury on lead vocals, Brian May on guitar, John Deacon on bass, and Roger Taylor on drums.  Backing vocals were performed by May and Taylor - John Deacon was the only band member who didn't sing.
The first three Queen albums were produced under a contract that resulted in the band receiving almost none of the money earned by the albums, and the group had to negotiate their way out of the deal with Trident Studios.  A Night at the Opera was quite complex, and rumored to be the most expensive album ever made at the time.  Recording took place in seven different studios on 24-track tape.  June and July of 1975 was devoted to rehearsing and developing new material, and recording was done from August to November.  Unlike many bands, the songwriting was done by all four band members.  Many innovations were used including multitracked vocals, guitar overdubs, and various instruments including the grand piano, a Wurlitzer electric piano, double bass, gongs and timpani - but no synthesizers.  
The album name was inspired by the Marx Brother's movie of the same name, which the band watched on VHS during recording sessions.  They would subsequently befriend Groucho Marx, and would again reference a Marx Brothers film with their album "A Day at the Races."  
A Night At the Opera would peak at number 4 on the Billboard 200, was the first Queen album to be certified platinum in the U.S., and would be nominated for two Grammy awards.
 
You're My Best Friend
The second single from the album  was the first Queen single to be written by bassist John Deacon, who composed it for his wife while learning to play the piano.  Deacon also played the Wurlitzer electric piano on this single, and overdubbed the bass part afterwards.
'39
Brian May wrote and sings this deep cut as a sci fi number.  The crew of an exploring ship travels off on a one-year mission, but because of the time dilation effects associated with relativistic speeds they return 100 years later.  Mercury and Taylor sang backing vocals on this track, though Freddie Mercury would sing lead when it was performed in concerts.
Love of My Life
Freddie Mercury wrote this track for Mary, and it would be covered by many bands.  This song would also become an anthem during Queen concerts in which the audience sings the song, and the band would play only the instruments from the stage without vocals.  Brian May played the harp, and Mercury played the piano solo.
Bohemian Rhapsody
A cult classic, this was the first single released from the album, to the chagrin of the record company since it was about twice as long as the typical single at the time.  The vocal arrangements were thought up by Freddie Mercury during recording - on a daily basis.  He wrote down the arrangements in blocks on a phone book.  The song would become a hit during its time, and once again when used in the movie "Wayne's World" in 1992.
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Stardust by David Essex (from the motion picture “Stardust")
This movie chronicles the rise and fall of Jim MacLaine, an international rock star.  David Essex plays the lead role and sings this song from the film.
 
STAFF PICKS:
I Cheat the Hangman by the Doobie Brothers
Bruce starts off the staff picks with a ghost story.  Guitarist Patrick Simmons wrote and sang lead on this track with inspiration from the short story by Ambrose Bierce entitled "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge."  It is about a ghost returning to his home after the Civil War and not realizing he's dead. 
SOS  by ABBA
Rob's staff pick is a palindrome, both in the song name and the band.  This is the sixth single from ABBA's self-titled third album. ABBA took its name from the first initial of each of the band members.  This single made it to number 15 on the U.S. charts.  S.O.S. would help define ABBA as a pop group.
Blue Mist by Mama's Pride
Wayne brings us a minor-key track from the pride of Saint Louis - Mama's Pride.  The song describes the feelings produced by a break-up.  Mama's Pride was a warm-up act for popular 70's bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers Band, Todd Rundgren, and Alice Cooper.  The group disbanded in 1982, but has done periodic reunions in Saint Louis since 2003. 
Nights on Broadway by the Bee Gees
Brian's track features the Bee Gees just before their launch into falsetto stardom with “Saturday Night Fever.”  This is one of the first songs on which the Bee Gees employed some falsetto vocals, yet it retains a more soulful sound than the hits of the later disco era.
   
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
The Hustle by Van McCoy
This disco line dance phenomenon closes out or mid-70'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.

The Troggs were a garage band from Andover, England who would come to be highly influential in the garage band genre of the 60's and the punk movement of the 70's.  The name is a shortened version of troglodyte, a mythical cave dweller.  The troggs wanted to create an earthy, raw feel in their music, and this inspired the name.  Their debut album From Nowhere hit the stores in 1966.
The Troggs were a quartet with Reg Presley on lead vocals, and Ronnie Bonds on drums.  Reg and Ronnie had been childhood friends in Andover, and formed The Troggs with Pete Staples on bass and Chris Britton on guitar.  This lineup would have a number of hits in 1966 and 1967, including the perennial party song covered by garage bands around the world, "Wild Thing."  The popularity of The Troggs would fall off after 1967, and they would have a number of iterations afterwards, but they always remained a quartet.  They also would be highly influential on a number of groups including Jimi Hendrix and the Ramones.  R.E.M. was influenced by them as well, and the Troggs would record an album with three members of R.E.M in 1992 entitled Athens Andover.  Paul McCartney was once asked what band he would choose to be in if he were in a band other than the Beatles, and he chose The Troggs.
The Troggs still occasionally play today, and the sole original member of the band continuing with the group is Chris Britton.  If you haven't heard this group before outside of "Wild Thing," we think you will appreciate the appeal of their raw approach to music.  
 
Hi Hi Hazel
This song a hit in the UK, and was written around the idea of a girl who leaves down as an ordinary girl and returns as a drop dead gorgeous beauty.  "Hi, hi hi Hazel, nice to see you in the neighborhood."
Wild Thing
Probably the most recognizable Troggs hit, and covered in fraternity parties from then on. This went to number 1, and has been covered by everyone from Jimi Hendrix to Sam Kenison to Cheap Trick, to the Muppets.  The song was written by Chip Taylor, who is John Voight's brother.
I Just Sing
This deeper cut has a gritty, aggressive attitude that typifies the sound of The Troggs.  "I just go to my bed, lay my hands on my head.  I open my mouth and I sing, yeah I just sing.  Yeah, I just sing."
With a Girl Like You
This track was recorded in one take, as they also did with "Wild Thing."  This was also a hit at the time, that has a more positive "sunshine pop" sound than most songs recorded by The Troggs.  It is about a guy who wants to dance with a girl he see's across the dance floor, but can't muster up the nerve to ask her to dance."
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Nashville Rebel by Waylon Jennings
The Nashville Rebel starred Waylon Jennings as an ex army man stranded in Morgan's Grove after being robbed.  His family and singing career start from there.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Bang! Bang! by the Joe Cuba Sextet
Bruce's staff pick started the boogaloo era in New York.  Joe Cuba (born Gilberto Calderon in New York) was a conga drummer of Puerto Rican descent, and would become famous in boogaloo music and later in Samba.  Boogaloo was popular from 1966 to 1969 after the Palladium Ballroom in New York City lost its liquor license and closed, leading to the decline of mambo.
Black Is Black by Los Bravos
Rob features a track with a strong bass line building to the minor key chorus.  Los Bravos were a Spanish quintet with a German lead singer.  The lyrics chronicle the loss a boy feels when his girl leaves him.
96 Tears by ? and the Mysterians
Brian's staff pick is from a group who so embraced mystery that the lead singer simply goes by a question mark.  They always wore dark glasses as a part of their intrigue.  The lead singer claimed that the number "96" has a deep philosophical meaning, but refused to say why.
Knock On Wood by Eddie Floyd
Wayne's staff pick is the original soul song made famous by Amii Stewart during the disco era.  Eddie Floyd intended this song to be sung by Otis Redding, but Floyd performed it instead.  The backing house band was Booker T. and the M.G.'s, and Isaac Hayes played piano on it.
 
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
Summer Samba (So Nice) by Walter Wandersley
Long before it became synonymous with waiting lines and hold music, this instrumental piece hit the charts in 1966.
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In the fall of 1984 there was nowhere you could go in the United States without hearing something off of Purple Rain, the album and the motion picture from Prince and The Revolution.  This album was the sixth studio album by Prince, and the first to also bill the band, The Revolution (although the band was hinted at on the album 1999, being written backwards on the album cover).  Prince would become a superstar with this album and film.
Prince (aka Prince Rogers Nelson) was born into a musical family.  His mother was a jazz singer and his father was a pianist in a jazz group called the Prince Rogers trio.  His father, John Lewis Nelson, went by the stage name Prince Rogers, from which Prince got his name.  Prince was a multi-instrumentalist, prolific singer-songwriter, producer, actor, and director.  He signed his first music contract with Warner Brothers Records at the age of 19, and had achieved considerable success with his albums “Dirty Mind,” “Controversy,” and "1999,” the last of which was a commercial success with “Little Red Corvette” receiving considerable airplay on MTV.
Purple Rain would spend 24 consecutive weeks atop the Billboard 200 chart.  Prince required his management to obtain a deal for him to star in a major motion picture in the early 1980's, at a time when he was relatively unknown outside of a few pop and R&B hits.  The film is loosely autobiographical, and follows Prince's character, the kid, as his relationships, family, and band fall apart.  Things turn around when the kid opens up to others and his career is resurrected by a song with lyrics from his father and music from his band members.  Hit songs would include “When Doves Cry” and “Let's go Crazy,” both topping the charts, and “Purple Rain,” which would hit number 2 on the charts.
Prince would go on to be a music icon, and estimates of the number of complete songs written during his lifetime range between 500 and 1000.  Prince tragically died of a fentanyl overdose in 2016 at the age of 57.  
This is an historic album and a torchbearer of a R&B/rock fusion genre that was literally everywhere in the fall of 1984.  We hope you will listen to this album in its entirety. 
 
Let's Go Crazy
“Dearly Beloved....we are gathered here today to get through this thing called 'LIFE'.”  Those fantastically quotable lines lead off the album.  You get a sense that this will be a different sound with the combination of a R&B beat and a Jimi Hendrix-style screaming guitar more associated with hard rock.  This is the second single from the album and a number 1 hit on multiple charts.
Take Me With U
This song is a duet with singer and co-star of the film, Apollonia Kotero, and was the final single released from the album.  It was originally going to be on Apollonia's band's album (Apollonia 6), but made it on the soundtrack.  Prince intended to have the singer Vanity in the lead role, but Apollonia was chosen when Denise "Vanity" Matthews resigned from Vanity 6.
I Would Die 4U
The fourth single from the album would hit number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The lyrics are thoughts on words that Jesus would say to his disciples.  This song occurs towards the end of the movie in a mini-concert, and was often paired with the song “Baby, I'm a Star” on radio at the time.
Purple Rain
The title track and third single from the album was originally intended as a country collaboration with Stevie Nicks!  According to Nicks, she received a 10-minute instrumental and was asked to write the lyrics, but was overwhelmed at the prospect.  Band member Wendy Melvoin inspired a change to the current style with her guitar chords during a practice session.  This song also has religious overtones, with the color purple often evoking images of God or end times in Prince's music.    
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Theme from the television series “Miami Vice” - Jan Hammer
This show had everyone in thrall, Don Johnson in stubble and scrunched-up jackets, and Jan Hammer on the charts in a rare instrumental hit.
 
STAFF PICKS:
The Bird by Morris Day and the Time
Bruce leads off the staff picks with another group propelled to stardom by "Purple Rain."  Prince had a clause in his Warner Brothers contract that allowed him to recruit and produce other artists for the label, and The Time was one that he assembled in 1981.  Prince collaborated on much of the work from The Time, including this third album "Ice Cream Castle."  Morris Day and the Time played a rival house band in the movie "Purple Rain."
If This Is It by Huey Lewis and the News
Brian brings us the fourth single from the hugely successful album “Sports.” The video demonstrates Lewis's humor, with beach scenes and the band buried up to their necks.  "So let me go, or make me want to stay...If this is it, please let me know."  This is the first Huey Lewis song to break into the top 40 in the U.K.  
New Girl Now by Honeymoon Suite
Wayne's staff pick features a deeper cut from a Canadian hair metal band.  This chronicles the issues that may follow when a guy has a specific type of girl he falls for.  The band hails from the Niagara Falls area, and the connection with that popular honeymoon location explains the origin of their name.  The sound has hints of new wave with the synthesizer in the background.  
A Girl In Trouble (Is a Temporary Thing)  by Romeo Void
Rob  closes out this week's staff picks with a more pop-oriented song from a decidedly non-pop band.  The band, sometimes associated with new wave, really wanted to be considered a punk band.  Singer Deborah lyall considered the band to be a reaction against the bleached blonde conformity of the time, and was proud of her Native American heritage.  The lyrics portray a more positive “taking care of things yourself” attitude than the minor key would suggest.
 
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
Shortberry Strawcake by Sheila E.
We finish off this week's podcast with another Prince-related artist.  Sheila E. had this instrumental track on her album "Glamorous Life." 
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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 Ramones are considered the first true punk band by many.  Despite never having a lot of commercial success, the band achieved immortality as the founders of a rock genre, and inspired a multitude of bands to follow.  Their debut album, self titled as Ramones started it all in 1976.  The album came out in February but we're featuring it in the summer of 1976 which is considered the "summer of punk."
The Ramones got their name from Paul McCartney of The Beatles, who would check into hotels using the pseudonym "Paul Ramon."  Each band member took on the Ramone name, so the band consisted of Joey Ramone on lead vocals, Johnny Ramone on guitar, Dee Dee Ramone on bass and backing vocals, and Tommy Ramone on drums and backing vocals.  The Ramones came out of Queens, New York and got their start in 1974 playing at the Manhattan clubs like Max's Kansas City and CBGB's, where they would be regulars.  
While the iconic look of the ban is imitated frequently, at the time of the hippie and glam rock popularity they stood out in their black leather jackets.  The music was different as well - high energy, simple chords, and tight, short singles.  They played fast, and they played loud!  
Recording was fast as well.  Sessions for this debut album were completed in a week at a cost of $6,400.  The result gave the appearance of a do-it-yourself work which hid the very deliberate work with overdubbing and doubling vocals.
While the debut album was not considered a commercial success at the time, it has grown in stature over the years to the point that it clocks in a number 33 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of all time, and number 1 on Spin Magazine's list of "50 Most Essential Punk Records."
The group would tour almost continually from their founding until they disbanded in 1996.  Unfortunately all four of the founding members of the Ramone's have died.
Friend of the show Ted Shomake joins us to highlight this iconic band and album.
 
Judy Is A Punk
This song refers to Jackie and Judy, two juvenile delinquents who join the Ice Capades and the domestic terrorist Symbionese Liberation Army.  They may have died by the end of the song.  Clocking in at just over a minute and a half, you'd better listen quick!
Blitzkrieg Bop
If you have only heard one Ramones song, this is likely the one that you've heard.  Despite the thinking that the song drops Nazi references, it is really about going to a concert.  The band wanted to be a big rock and roll band, and this song was designed to give the audience something to chant, similar to the Bay City Rollers song, "Saturday Night."  "Hey! Ho!...Let's go!"
53rd and 3rd
Bassist Dee Dee Ramone wrote this homage to the New York street corner also known as "The Loop," a location notorious for male prostitution in the mid-70's.  The song tries to make a bleak reality something fun. 
Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue
Much of the work of the Ramones was designed to be shocking, but not meant to be taken seriously.  "Now I wanna sniff some glue.  Now I wanna have somethin' to do."    
Let's Dance
While the rest of this album is original music, this is a cover of a 1962 song performed Chris Montez and written by Jim Lee.  The Ramones took the speed and volume up from the Montez version, but otherwise stayed pretty faithful to the original.
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Theme from the motion picture “Logan's Run"
Actually we are playing the more disco oriented theme from the television series "Logan's Run." but the motion picture of the post-apocalyptic world hit the theaters this month.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Don't Go Breaking My Heart by Elton John and Kiki Dee
Brian's staff pick features a famous duet inspired by the duets of Motown.  John recorded his part in Toronto and Dee recorded her part in London.  The original version had Elton John singing over 3/4 of the song, but he was reigned in by the producer.  The song was a big hit, clocking in at the top of the charts in both the U.S. and the U.K.  Surprisingly, this song is the first number 1 hit in the U.K for Elton John.
Tear the Roof Off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk) by Parliament
Bruce brings us perhaps the most famous P-Funk song, written by drummer Jerome Brailey, Bassist Bootsy Collins, and producer/founder George Clinton.  This is off the fourth Parliament album "Mothership Connection."  It was a concept album loosely based on an outer space theme, and would create the base for future P-Funk concerts. 
Cherry Bomb by the Runaways
Wayne's staff pick brings us back to the punk feel with an all female band.  Joan Jett and Lita Ford both got their start in this group.  Other members included Jackie Fox on bass, Sandy West on drums, and lead singer Cherie Currie also contributed her name to the title of the song.  The Runaways were a "put together" group rather than an organic group.
Tom Tauberts Blues by Tom Waits
Ted Shomake brings us a deep cut which captures the turn in Waits music from commercial to the more gravelly feel his later works would have.  The song is about an alcoholic seeking money to go "waltzing Matilda," or going walking around as a vagrant.  It is a lyrically dense, heartbreaking song.
   
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
Movin'  by Brass Construction
This disco tinged mostly-instrumental takes us out of this episode.
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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.

Roger Waters is one of the best known rock celebrities, both as a founding member of Pink Floyd and as a solo artist after leaving the band.  Amused to Death is his third solo album, and Waters considers it to be a continuation of The Wall.  The name is inspired by the book "Amusing Ourselves to Death" by Neil Postman.  The concept of the album is a television where the channels are continually being changed at random by an ape, and critiques the senseless obsession with T.V.
Waters had been politically critical for some time before this album, and he continues that critique as he examines the glamorization of war, greed and egotism, and the dumbing down of nearly everything through media and bureaucracy.  
For this effort, Waters would be joined by a strong cast of session talent, including future American Idol Judge Randy Jackson, Jeff Porcaro, Patrick Leonard, and guitar virtuoso and Yardbirds alumni Jeff Beck.  Waters also went with a more streamlined approach to the album, utilizing "real people playing real instruments," as he told the Los Angeles Times.  
Amused to Death would be Waters last solo work for a long time, as the album "Is this the Life We Really Want?" would not appear for almost 25 years.  Amused to Death is a great an underappreciated album, and we hope you will listen to it in its entirety as an excellent post-Pink Floyd concept.
 
Perfect Sense, Part 1
This song is about a world where live transmissions of wars are viewed as entertainment.  With the freshness of the Gulf War from the previous year in mind, Waters had a solid basis for this view of the world.  "The monkey looked up at the stars and thought to himself, memory is a stranger, history is for fools." 
The Bravery of Being Out of Range
Another song influenced by the Gulf War, Waters found it laughable that the use of cruise missiles and long-range attacks would be considered noble or courageous.  This track hearkens back to older Pink Floyd albums, and specifically references the song "Sheep" from the 1977 album "Animals."
Amused to Death
The title track utilizes a lot of sound effects and clips.  The song mirrors the Neil Postman book, in chronicling an alien species who comes to earth after the human race has gone extinct before our time.  Humanity died out by focusing on television entertainment rather than more important things, and literally amused itself to death.  
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Would? by Alice In Chains (from the motion picture soundtrack “Singles")
This Cameron Crowe dark comedy featured a veritable plethora of grunge artists on the soundtrack.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Constant Craving by k. d. lang
Rob brings us a softer and melancholy staff pick from lang's second solo album.  The video for this song takes it inspiration from the Samuel Beckett play "Waiting for Godot."  k. d. lang drew initial inspiration from Country music legend Patsy Cline.  This song was her biggest U.S. hit, going to number 38 on the charts. 
Dizz Knee Land  by Dada
Wayne goes alternative with his staff pick.  The song was inspired by a marketing promotion that Disney used at the time, having sports stars saying, "I'm going to Disneyland!" right after a big win.  Instead of highlighting big wins, the lyrics are "I just robbed a grocery store," or "I just tossed a fifth of gin," or "I just flipped off President George - I'm going to dizz knee land."
Start the Car by Jude Cole
Bruce features the opening and title track from singer/songwriter Jude Cole's third solo album.  The lyrics are a declaration that this city is no place to be, and that it is time to leave.  The bluesy heartland feel is a nice departure from the grunge music which was in ascendance at the time.
Do I Have to Say the Words? by Bryan Adams
Brian's pick is the fifth single release of Adam's album "Waking Up the Neighbors."  The song was originally titled "Rescue Me," but Mutt Lange changed the name, slowed the song, and added a new chorus to transform the song into a ballad.  The song was a hit, rising to number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, and to number 2 in Canada.
   
COMEDY TRACK:
Smells Like Nirvana by Weird Al Yankovic
The prolific prince of parody turns his sights on the founding fathers of grunge as we close out 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.

While many bands of the 80's were focusing on the synth-heavy New Wave or screaming guitars of Hard Rock, one band was taking their inspiration from the 50's roots of Rock.  The Stray Cats came out of New York  in 1979 and developed a devoted following quickly, but moved to the UK after hearing of a revival of the 50's subculture there.  Inspired by the Sun Records artists of the 50's, the Stray Cats combined Rockabilly and Punk genres to form their sound.
The Stray Cats were a trio with Brian Setzer on guitar and lead vocals, Lee Rocker on double bass, and Slim Jim Phantom on drums.  They continued to tour and record in the UK, and released two albums there in 1981 before turning their interest back to the States.  Their debut American album, Built for Speed, was comprised of songs selected from their first two albums released in England, plus the previously unreleased title track.
The group benefitted from having both a unique sound and air play on the then-new MTV.  Unlike most music of the time, songs were short and tight, without synthesizers or more modern sensibilities.  Also, unlike the music of the time, everything was stripped down to the bare essence in this group.  Phantom's drum set consisted of just a few pieces, worlds away from the massive sets fielded by prog rock groups like Asia and Rush.  Brian Setzer wrote most of the songs, and had the distinctive look that would become associated with the group. 
Unfortunately, Setzer also tired of the group quickly, and the Stray Cats broke up in 1984.  Setzer would go on to be the concert guitarist for the Honeydrippers (with Robert Plant as front man).  The group would reunite frequently over the years, and each member continued to tour either with their own bands or in support of other musicians.
The group continues to tour off and on today, and released a new album in 2021.
 
Built for Speed
This is the title track and the only song on the album previously unreleased.  It is about cars, and hot rodding on the road.  “Well I'm cruising low and I'm cruising mean, well I'm cruising slow in my dream machine.  You're my hot rod mama and you're really built for speed.”
Rock This Town
An easily recognizable hit, “Rock This Town” cracked the top 10.  This song was the introduction to Rockabilly to many people.  It is about hitting the clubs at night, dancing the night away.  The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame lists this song as one of the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll.  “We're gonna rock this town, rock it inside out.”  
Baby Blue Eyes
A deeper cut from the album, this tells the struggle of a guy in love with a pretty girl he just doesn't trust.  While in England, the Stray Cats attracted the attention of many famous artists including members of the Rolling Stones, the Who, and Led Zeppelin.
Stray Cat Strut
This track is the most famous of the Stray Cat's tunes, and received significant airplay on both radio and MTV.  It reached number 3 on the charts.  “I'm flat broke but I don't care.  I strut right by with my tail in the air.”  Setzer's songs are original but carry the sound of a 50's cover.
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Flying Theme from the motion picture “E.T. the Extraterrestrial”
The film that made Steven Spielberg a household name was released this month.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Space Age Love Song by A Flock of Seagulls
Rob's staff pick peaked at number 30 on the Billboard charts.  This New Wave group is out of Liverpool.  When they couldn't come up with a name for the track, guitarist Paul Reynolds suggested the name because he thought it sounded like a space age love song.  Mike Score's well-known hairdo was the result of a mistake after his hair was accidentally pushed down in the center before going onstage.
Tainted Love/Where Did Our Love Go? by Soft Cell
Bruce features the first hit from vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball, better known as Soft Cell.  Tainted Love was originally recorded as a B-side in 1964 by Gloria Jones, but it didn't chart.  Almond heard it when working in a cloakroom, and the duo started performing it with synthesizers instead of guitars.  It was a big hit in the U.S. as part of the Second British Invasion.  The extended dance version combined Tainted Love with the Supremes' hit “Where Did Our Love Go?”
Wake Up Little Susie by Simon and Garfunkel
Brian's staff pick hearkens back to the early days of rock with a cover of the Everly Brothers song recorded at Simon and Garfunkel's live concert from Central Park.  The song did well and was part of the inspiration for Simon and Garfunkel's tour in 1983.
I Want Candy by Bow Wow Wow
Wayne's staff pick features a cover originally performed in 1965.  Bow Wow Wow's version had both a rockabilly and punk feel to it.  The lead singer was underage at the time, and the risque pictures on the album created considerable controversy.
 
COMEDY TRACK:
She Got the Goldmine (I Got the Shaft) by Jerry Reed
Jerry Reed's cautionary tale reminds us that it is better to learn how to cook than to marry for food as we close out the 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.

By 1973 Elvis had definitely not left the building.  In fact, January 1973 would be the month that Elvis Presley would broadcast a concert live via satellite to 38 countries.  The concert would air in the United States on NBC in April 1973, and would be the basis for the album we are featuring - Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite, the four-month delay being a result of a conflict with Super Bowl VII (which Miami Dolphin fans will recall as the culmination of Miami's undefeated season).
Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis's manager, got the idea of a live satellite broadcast from Richard Nixon's 1972 visit to China.  There is also speculation that Parker took this step in lieu of an international tour to avoid revealing his status as an illegal immigrant in the United States (Parker was Dutch).  The concert was scheduled at the conclusion of the fifty-nine show engagement at the Las Vegas Hilton.
The special was produced by Marty Pasetta, who had produced television specials for others like Perry Como, Glen Campbell, and multiple specials from Hawaii for Don Ho.  Pasetta was concerned after seeing what he considered a lackluster live Elvis show in Long Island.  Despite a dismissive stance from Colonel Parker, Pasetta took his ideas directly to Presley.  He wanted a lower stage with a runway, allowing better audience participation.  He wanted mirrors to frame the stage and neon lights to read "Elvis" in the language of all the countries to which the concert was broadcast.  Finally, and most controversially, he wanted Elvis to lose weight for the show.  Presley was impressed with his frankness, and took up his ideas, even embarking on an exercise routine at Graceland.  
Aloha From Hawaii via Satellite would bookend the comeback era for Elvis which was started with his 1968 television special.  Elvis would encounter difficulties in his family life, health, and prescription drug use that would eventually result in his untimely death in 1977.
 
Also Sprach Zarathustra/See See Rider
The Ricard Strauss tone poem made famous in "2001: A Space Odyssey" starts off the concert.  The intro leads into the blues standard "See See Rider" first performed by Gertrude "Ma" Rainey in the 1920's, and covered by many performers including Chuck Willis, Mitch Ryder & the Detroit Wheels, and the Animals.
Burning Love
Dennis Linde wrote this song for Elvis in 1972, and it was a big hit, rising to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The track would be the last Elvis song to reach the 1op 10 in the U.S.
My Way
This song is a cover originally performed by Frank Sinatra in 1969.  The lyrics are from Paul Anka.  Although it remains closely associated with Sinatra, it would also become a staple of Elvis performances in the 70's, and would hit number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 shortly after Presley's death.
American Trilogy
Country composer Mick Newbury wrote this medley, and it would be popularized by Presley as the showstopper for many of his concerts.  The medley includes the 19th century southern song, “Dixie,” the marching hymn of the Union army, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” and the African American spiritual “All My Trials.” 
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Theme from the television series “Bonanza"
The final episode of this long-running Western TV series aired in this month.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Papa Was a Rollin' Stone by the Temptations
Bruce's staff pick is a funky and long song, with the album version of the song running 11 minutes and 46 seconds.  Originally released by The Undisputed Truth, the Temptations would take this song to number 1, and would win 3 Grammy awards.  “Papa was a rollin' stone.  Wherever he laid his hat was his home, and when he died, all he left us was alone.” 
You Turn Me On I'm a Radio  by Joni Mitchell
Rob heads into the folk genre with singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell and this single from her fifth studio album.  David Crosby, Graham Nash, and Neil Young all participated in the recording session for this song, but only Nash's harmonica work made it to the final cut.  This was Mitchell's first top 40 hit in the United States. 
Dixie Chicken by Little Feat
Wayne's Southern Rock staff pick was actually recorded by a Los Angeles band.  Bonnie Raitt sings backing vocals on this song.  The story is about a guy who marries a girl in a drunken haze, only to be left shortly thereafter.
Living In the Past by Jethro Tull
Brian's pick is a 5/4 metered song by rock flutist Ian Anderson.  This is the highest charting track from Jethro Tull.  It was a rejection of the happy tone that was fashionable in the post-Beatles music of the time.  Despite its success, Anderson did not like it.
   
FINISHING TRACK:
I Can't Help Falling in Love With You by Elvis Presley
Elvis closed out his concert with this song, and we're closing out this week's podcast the same way..
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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.

While Under the Table and Dreaming may have been released in September 1994 as the debut studio album by the Dave Matthews Band, songwriter and guitarist David John Matthews was working as a bartender in 1990 when a friend encouraged him to get together with drummer Carter Beauford and record a demo of a few songs he had written.  Matthews also brought in saxophonist LeRoi Moore, and the trio began working on songs in 1991.  Beauford recalled the three piece band was, according to Wikipedia “Awful.  Not just kind of bad, I mean heinously bad...Sometimes it amazes me that we ever had a second rehearsal.”  Fortunately, they did have more rehearsals, as Matthews brought in Stefan Lessard on bass, Peter Griesar as keyboardist (he would leave the band just before the big breakout), and violinist Boyd Tinsley (in 1992).
The Dave Matthews Band built a following similar to the Grateful Dead through constant touring in the 1990's.  They were famous for constantly changing their setlist and song arrangement so that no two concerts were the same, they also encouraged fans to record their performances, another similarity to the Grateful Dead.  Armed with a solid following in Virginia and a live EP called “Recently” recorded earier in 1994, the DMB would enter the studio with famed producer Steve Lillywhite to produce this certified 6x Platinum album.
There has never really been a time when the Dave Matthews Band hasn't been popular since this debut.  When they released their album “Come Tomorrow” in 2018, it debuted at number 1 on the Billboard 200, making DMB the first band to have seven consecutive studio albums debut at the peak.
This is a great album, and we know you will enjoy downloading it for your collection
Ants Marching
This is the second single released, and it reached #18 on the Billboard Alternative chart.  It was written back in 1991 about people who live very settled lives, doing the same thing over and over - like ants marching.  The album title comes from this song, “He remembers being small - playing under the table and dreaming.”
The Best of What's Around
This is the opening track from the album.  It is about a guy cheering up a friend who is down.  “See you and me have a better time than most can dream, have it better than the best.  So we can pull on through whatever tears at us, whatever holds us down.  And if nothing can be done we'll make the best of what's around.”
Lover Lay Down
This is a deep cut off the album, and it is a pretty straightforward love song.  “Oh please lover lay down, spend some time with me.  Together share this smile.”
What Would You Say
We don't recommend that you look for a deeper meaning in the lyrics from the lead single from the album.  While the lyrics are mostly nonsense, we do appreciate the line, “I was there when the bear ate his head - thought it was a candy.”  The harmonica will sound familiar to Blues Traveler fans, as John Popper contributes those notes.
 
ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:
Sympathy for the Devil by Guns 'N' Roses (from the motion picture Interview with the Vampire)
Axl Rose and company provide their take in this cover of the Rolling Stones song for the horror hit based on Anne Rice's novel.
 
STAFF PICKS:
Plowed by Sponge
Wayne start's this week's staff picks on a rocking track from the Sponge album “Rotting Piñata.”  The song lyrics are about trying to achieve a goal and failing.  “In a world of human wreckage where I'm lost and I'm found and I can't touch the ground, I'm plowed into the sound.”
I'll Stand By You by the Pretenders
An unusual ballad, Brian brings us  a big hit from Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders.  This was the first time Hynde wrote in collaboration with others, songwriters Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg.  Hynde was embarrassed about writing the pop song at first, but warmed up to it over time.  The song reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Need Your Lovin' by Tesla
Rob’s staff pick is off Tesla’s album “Bust A Nut.”  Vocalist Jeff Keith fronts this band made famous in the hair metal era.  This track is a love song, but with a stronger beat than would be the case if it were a ballad.  Tesla continues to tour today.
6:00 by Dream Theater
Bruce rounds out the staff picks with the opening track from Dream Theater's album Awake.  Keyboardist Kevin Moore penned these lyrics, supposedly about a man stuck in a situation looking for a way out, but in reality about Moore's increasing distance from the band and desire to leave.  The opening samples are from the 1987 movie “The Dead,” a film adaptation of a James Joyce short story.
 
INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:
#34 by the Dave Matthews Band
It's a little double dipping on the DMB with this instrumental, which would appear on the CD as the 34th track.  A number of bands would “hide” music on distant tracks on their CD releases.
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.