Strong Songs

On this episode, Kirk dives in to one of the most influential jazz recordings of all time. As the lead track on Miles Davis's landmark album Kind of Blue, "So What" signaled a new era in jazz harmony, composition, and improvisation. This episode will get into what that actually means, how the tune works, and why the seven musicians who played on Kind of Blue were each such a crucial part of the album's magic. Artist: Miles Davis Album: Kind of Blue (1959) Written by: Miles Davis Listen/Buy via Album.Link ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED: “Will O’ the Wisp” by Miles Davis and Gil Evans from Sketches of Spain, 1960 “Seven Steps to Heaven” by Victor Feldman/Miles Davis from Four And More (Live), 1966 “Giant Steps” by John Coltrane from Giant Steps, 1960 “Resolution Pt. 2” by John Coltrane from A Love Supreme, 1965 “This Here” By Cannonball Adderley from The Cannonball Adderley Quintet in San Francisco, 1960 “Mercy Mercy Mercy” by Josef Zawinul from Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, 1966 “Autumn Leaves” by by Joseph Kosma, performed by the Bill Evans Trio on Portrait in Jazz, 1959 “Dancing in the Dark” by Dietz/Schwartz, performed by the Bill Evans Trio on Trio 64, 1964 “No Blues” by Miles Davis performed by Wes Montgomery and the Wynton Kelly Trio on Smokin’ at the Half Note, 1965 “Donna Lee” by Charlie Parker/Miles Davis recorded by the Charlie Parker Quintet, 1947 “I Wish” by Stevie Wonder from Songs in the Key of Life, 1976 “Excursions” by A Tribe Called Quest from The Low End Theory, 1991 “Rimshot [Intro]” by Erykah Badu from Erykah Badu: Live, 1997 Discussion of Miles: The Autobiography by Miles Davis and Quincy Troupe, 1990 Discussion of Ascension: John Coltrane and his Quest by Eric Nisenson, 1995 2026 Edit: Correctly identified the second note in Miles' opening phrase. The Strong Songs Kind of Blue Playlist Kirk made a new playlist of the recordings discussed on this episode, in the hopes that it would give a sense of how the seven musicians on Kind of Blue went on to make all kinds of great music as bandleaders. It's in chronological order, so don't put it on shuffle. Unless, you know, you want to. Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1X2ETUpsFfH03FHOZDCiic?si=UHahG4EcRcSQ_tBlpzSakA Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/strong-songs-kind-of-blue-playlist/pl.u-mJy8DG8t1g8Ka OUTRO SOLOIST: BJ Cord This episode's outro soloist is BJ Cord, a fantastic trumpet player based in Portland. BJ works at Monette trumpets making some of the most beautiful horns in the world, and is a regular presence on their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monettetrumpets -------------------- April 2020 Whole-Note Patrons AccessViolation - Andrew Walters - Caleb Rotach - Chad Barnard - Clint Johnson - Craig J. Covell - Dan Apczynski - Dave Florey - Glenn - Jared Norris - Mark Schechter - Merlin Mann - R Watson - Ryan Torvik - Viki Dun April 2020 Half-Note Patrons AJ Schuster - Albukitty - Alex Singer - Alexander Polson - Amanda Furlotti - Andre Bremer - Andrew Baker - Andrew Lee - Arjun Sharma - Bill Thornton - Brant Brantphillip - Brett Douville - Brian Amoebas - Brooke Wilford - Chas Lednicky - Chris Brown - Christer Lindqvist - Cyrus N. White - Darryl Stewart - Dave King - David Stroud - Duncan - Earl Lozada - Eero Wahlstedt - Elliot Jay O’Neill - Emily Williams - Fishbones - Forrest Chang - Gavin Doig - Gerry Nelson - Jacob Dye - Jaehoon Jeong - James Johnson - Jeffrey Olson - Jenifer Carr - Jennifer Bush - Jeremy Dawson - John and Sharon Stenglein - Jon O’Keefe - Joujou - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Judith Stansfield - Jules Bailey - Justin Liew - Justin McElroy - Kate Albury - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Leigh Sales - Mark Steen - Markus Koester - Matt Betzel - Matt Gaskell - Max Schechter - Melanie Stivers - Michael Blackwell - Michael Bochner - Miriam Juskowicz - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Nicholas Schechter - Richard Toller - Robbie Ferrero - Robert Paul - Sam Fenn - Samuel Gardner - Shane DeLeon - SP - Tanner Morton - Tom Clewer - Tom Lauer - Toni Isaacson - Wayne Marsh --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

On this episode... a prank.April Fools’ Day has run its course, which means it’s time to update this episode description to accurately reflect what’s in the episode. Hopefully this joke made some listeners laugh, and didn't ruffle too many feathers.The actual full episode on Miles Davis’s “So What” should be live as of this update, and next in your feed.To give credit where it's due:Song: "Never Gonna Give You Up"Artist: Rick AstleyAlbum: Whenever You Need Somebody (1987)Written by: Stock Aitken WatermanListen/Buy via Album.LinkSpecial thanks to Emily for being an excellent test audience.--------------------April 2020 Whole-Note PatronsAccessViolation - Andrew Walters - Caleb Rotach - Chad Barnard - Clint Johnson - Craig J. Covell - Dan Apczynski - Dave Florey - Glenn - Jared Norris - Mark Schechter - Merlin Mann - R Watson - Ryan Torvik - Viki DunApril 2020 Half-Note PatronsAJ Schuster - Albukitty - Alex Singer - Alexander Polson - Amanda Furlotti - Andre Bremer - Andrew Baker - Andrew Lee - Arjun Sharma - Bill Thornton - Brant Brantphillip - Brett Douville - Brian Amoebas - Brooke Wilford - Chas Lednicky - Chris Brown - Christer Lindqvist - Cyrus N. White - Darryl Stewart - Dave King - David Stroud - Duncan - Earl Lozada - Eero Wahlstedt - Elliot Jay O’Neill - Emily Williams - Fishbones - Forrest Chang - Gavin Doig - Gerry Nelson - Jacob Dye - Jaehoon Jeong - James Johnson - Jeffrey Olson - Jenifer Carr - Jennifer Bush - Jeremy Dawson - John and Sharon Stenglein - Jon O’Keefe - Joujou - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Judith Stansfield - Jules Bailey - Justin Liew - Justin McElroy - Kate Albury - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Leigh Sales - Mark Steen - Markus Koester - Matt Betzel - Matt Gaskell - Max Schechter - Melanie Stivers - Michael Blackwell - Michael Bochner - Miriam Juskowicz - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Nicholas Schechter - Richard Toller - Robbie Ferrero - Robert Paul - Sam Fenn - Samuel Gardner - Shane DeLeon - SP - Tanner Morton - Tom Clewer - Tom Lauer - Toni Isaacson - Wayne Marsh --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

As sure as there are stars above you, Strong Songs will be here to deliver musical deep-dives straight into your eardrums. This week is no different, as Kirk picks apart Brian Wilson's chamber-pop masterpiece "God Only Knows."The sleigh bells ring, the french horn solos, and The Wrecking Crew lays down the foundation for an immaculate collection of chords and melodies, all placed over a bass line that's as Bach as it is Beach-y. Turns out there's a reason so many people call this the greatest song ever written.Artist: The Beach BoysAlbum: Pet Sounds (1966)Written by: Brian Wilson & Tony AsherListen/Buy via Album.LinkALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:"And Your Dream Comes True" by The Beach Boys from Summer Days (And Summer Nights), 1965Discussion of Danny Tedesco's excellent 2008 documentary The Wrecking CrewOUTRO SOLOIST: Luke PriceThis episode's outro soloist is the wonderful Portland fiddle player Luke Price. When he's not working as a side man in a variety of killer bands, Luke joins his wife Rachael to form the excellent songwriting duo DEAN!. They've got a new album coming soon and it's gonna be pretty great; in the meantime you can follow them on Instagram and listen to some of their stuff on their website, wearedean.com.--------------------March 2020 Whole-Note PatronsAccessViolation - Andrew Walters - Caleb Rotach - Chad Barnard - Craig J. Covell - Dan Apczynski - Dave Florey - Glenn - Jared Norris - Mark Schechter - Merlin Mann - Ryan TorvikMarch 2020 Half-Note PatronsAJ Schuster - Alex Singer - Alexander Polson - Amanda Furlotti - Andre Bremer - Andrew Baker - Andrew Lee - Arjun Sharma - Bill Thornton - Brant Brantphillip - Brett Douville - Brian Amoebas - Brooke Wilford - Chas Lednicky - Chris Brown - Christer Lindqvist - Cyrus N. White - Darryl Stewart - David Stroud - Earl Lozada - Eero Wahlstedt - Elliot Jay O’Neill - Emily Williams - Fishbones - Forrest Chang - Gavin Doig - Jacob Dye - Jaehoon Jeong - James Johnson - Jeffrey Olson - Jennifer Bush - Jeremy Dawson - John and Sharon Stenglein - Jon O’Keefe - Joujou - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Jules Bailey - Justin Liew - Justin McElroy - Kate Albury - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Leigh Sales - Mark Steen - Markus Koester - Matt Gaskell - Max Schechter - Melanie Stivers - Michael Blackwell - Miriam Juskowicz - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Nicholas Schechter - Richard Toller - Robbie Ferrero - Sam Fenn - Samuel Gardner - Shane DeLeon - SP - Tanner Morton - Tom Clewer - Tom Lauer - Toni Isaacson --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

It's a pretty stressful time, and I (Kirk) had a feeling some of you might be cooped up, staring at your phones and anxiously checking the news. I'm right there with you.I've found a lot of comfort in music over the last few days, and occasionally, some much-needed distraction. I wanted to try to share that with all of you, so I made a new playlist featuring songs from artists I've talked about on Strong Songs.You can find it here:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3OYYGNNXWw6lNvYU2OY1Mi?si=5DtK6owKS3Cv-s3-tpkTzwApple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/a-playlist-for-trying-times-strong-songs/pl.u-11zBvz3hmqpG7Google Play: https://play.google.com/music/preview/pl/AMaBXylOrnWocYbzZ6XTVYPJuHh1APp_ZyXr_769Ztu9a_CQzYVUVbi_zxRdY3w0O36oCbDW9bMiUuaYvWljw-7_J9uWejR9hw==?u=0 (Thanks Thomas!)Here's the track list, for those who may want to create it for themselves:1. Toto - Rosanna 2. Paul Simon - Spirit Voices 3. Beyoncé - Love On Top 4. Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke 5. ABBA - Take a Chance on Me 6. Queen - Love of my Life 7. Frozen 2 - Into The Unknown 8. Art Blakey - Come Rain or Come Shine 9. Electric Light Orchestra - Across the Border 10. Lin-Manuel Miranda - Piragua 11. Elton John - This Song Has No Title 12. Janelle Monáe - Wondaland 13. Heart - Love Alive 14. Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees 15. Madonna - Borderline 16. Aretha Franklin - I Say a Little Prayer 17. Seal - Crazy 18. Danny Elfman w/ Oingo Boingo - Just Another Day 19. Dolly Parton - The Light of a Clear Blue Morning 20. Led Zeppelin - The Battle of Evermore 21. The Cardigans - Great Divide 22. Rush - La Villa Strangiato 23. Nina Simone - Feelin’ GoodIf you have some free time, consider sitting down with the playlist, turning up the volume, and seeing what you hear. Where's the thump? Where are the pop and sizzle? What are the vocals doing? How about the bass? Are there any unexpected instruments in the mix?Barring unforeseen events, I'll be back this coming Wednesday with a new episode. Stay safe, and take care of each other out there.~KH--------------------March 2020 Whole-Note PatronsAccessViolation - Andrew Walters - Caleb Rotach - Chad Barnard - Craig J. Covell - Dan Apczynski - Dave Florey - Glenn - Jared Norris - Mark Schechter - Merlin Mann - Ryan TorvikMarch 2020 Half-Note PatronsAJ Schuster - Alex Singer - Alexander Polson - Amanda Furlotti - Andre Bremer - Andrew Baker - Andrew Lee - Arjun Sharma - Bill Thornton - Brant Brantphillip - Brett Douville - Brian Amoebas - Brooke Wilford - Chas Lednicky - Chris Brown - Christer Lindqvist - Cyrus N. White - Darryl Stewart - David Stroud - Earl Lozada - Eero Wahlstedt - Elliot Jay O’Neill - Emily Williams - Fishbones - Forrest Chang - Gavin Doig - Jacob Dye - Jaehoon Jeong - James Johnson - Jeffrey Olson - Jennifer Bush - Jeremy Dawson - John and Sharon Stenglein - Jon O’Keefe - Joujou - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Jules Bailey - Justin Liew - Justin McElroy - Kate Albury - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Leigh Sales - Mark Steen - Markus Koester - Matt Gaskell - Max Schechter - Melanie Stivers - Michael Blackwell - Miriam Juskowicz - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Nicholas Schechter - Richard Toller - Robbie Ferrero - Sam Fenn - Samuel Gardner - Shane DeLeon - SP - Tanner Morton - Tom Clewer - Tom Lauer - Toni Isaacson --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Oh, sinner man, where you gonna run to? To the rock? To the river? To the sea? Well, wherever you run, you'll still be starring in a Strong Songs analysis of one of Nina Simone's greatest recordings.Yes, it's time for Strong Songs' first-ever analysis of a live recording, as Kirk digs in to legendary pianist/vocalist Nina Simone's 1965 interpretation of the traditional spiritual song "Sinnerman." It's time for some syncopated piano, popless grooves, band crash-landings, hand-clap breakdowns, hip hop samples, and one spectacular vocal cadenza.Artist: Nina SimoneAlbum: Pastel Blues (1965)Written by: Traditional, arr. Nina SimoneListen/Buy via Album.LinkALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:"I Put a Spell On You" and "Feeling Good" as performed by Nina Simone on I Put a Spell On You, 1965"Strange Fruit" as performed by Simone on Pastel Blues, 1965"Sinner Man" arranged by Les Baxter for his orchestra"Oh, Timbaland" by Timbaland from Shock Value, 2007"Get By" by Talib Kweli from Quality, 2002Audio from John McTiernan's underrated 1999 remake of The Thomas Crown AffairAudio from Liz Garbus' excellent 2015 documentary What Happened, Miss Simone?OUTRO SOLOIST: Rob ReichThis episode's outro soloist is the wonderful bay area pianist/accordionist Rob Reich. Rob performs all over the place with a bunch of different groups, and is a total pleasure to see play. He's got a bunch of albums you can check out and contributes to an array of interesting projects (Live silent-film scores! Circus music!) and experiments. Find more at his website, http://www.robreich.com/.--------------------March 2020 Whole-Note PatronsAccessViolation - Andrew Walters - Caleb Rotach - Chad Barnard - Craig J. Covell - Dan Apczynski - Dave Florey - Glenn - Jared Norris - Mark Schechter - Merlin Mann - Ryan TorvikMarch 2020 Half-Note PatronsAJ Schuster - Alex Singer - Alexander Polson - Amanda Furlotti - Andre Bremer - Andrew Baker - Andrew Lee - Arjun Sharma - Bill Thornton - Brant Brantphillip - Brett Douville - Brian Amoebas - Brooke Wilford - Chas Lednicky - Chris Brown - Christer Lindqvist - Cyrus N. White - Darryl Stewart - David Stroud - Earl Lozada - Eero Wahlstedt - Elliot Jay O’Neill - Emily Williams - Fishbones - Forrest Chang - Gavin Doig - Jacob Dye - Jaehoon Jeong - James Johnson - Jeffrey Olson - Jennifer Bush - Jeremy Dawson - John and Sharon Stenglein - Jon O’Keefe - Joujou - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Jules Bailey - Justin Liew - Justin McElroy - Kate Albury - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Leigh Sales - Mark Steen - Markus Koester - Matt Gaskell - Max Schechter - Melanie Stivers - Michael Blackwell - Miriam Juskowicz - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Nicholas Schechter - Richard Toller - Robbie Ferrero - Sam Fenn - Samuel Gardner - Shane DeLeon - SP - Tanner Morton - Tom Clewer - Tom Lauer - Toni Isaacson --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

It's time for the first Strong Songs listener Q&A of 2020, so let's get into it!Kirk answers listener questions on topics like Zeppelin and Cake counting, the decline (and rise) of the saxophone, Muse's approach to vocal processing, whether piano is an "easy" instrument, Bruno Mars's musical magpieism, and in a first, a listener's request that Strong Songs help him solve a mystery.Update 2/25/20: Mystery solved! Fabian's mystery song is "Me, Myself, I" by Joan Armatrading. Thanks to everyone who wrote in with the answer, and thanks as well to Fabian, who did a pretty great job re-creating it from memory.REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:“The Ocean” by Led Zeppelin from Houses of the Holy, 1973“Closer (feat. Halsey)” from Collage - EP by The Chainsmokers, 2016“What’s Up Danger” by Blackway and Black Caviar from the Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Soundtrack, 2018“Overture” by Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori from the Halo: Reach soundtrack, 2010“Married Life” by Michael Giacchino from the Up soundtrack, 2009“Song For My Father” by Horace Silver from Song for My Father, 1964“So What” and “Freddie Freeloader” by Miles Davis from Kind of Blue, 1959“Shake, Rattle and Roll” by Big Joe Turner from Shake, Rattle & Rock, 1958“Baker Street” by Gerry Rafferty from City to City, 1978“Run Away” by SunStroke Project & Olia Tira, 2010“One Shining Soul” by Joshua Redman from Freedom in the Groove, 1996“Muscle Museum” by Muse from Showbiz, 1999“Nugget” by Cake from Fashion Nugget, 1996“Ain’t That Easy” by D’Angelo and the Vanguard from Black Messiah, 2014“Locked out of Heaven” by Bruno Mars from Unorthodox Jukebox, 2012“Finesse” by Bruno Mars from 24k Magic, 2016“Can’t Stand Losing You” by Sting and the Police from Outlandos D'Amor, 1978“Poison” by Bell Biv DeVoe from Poison, 1990“On Our Own” by Bobby Brown from the Ghostbusters II soundtrack, 1989OUTRO SOLOIST: Galen ClarkGalen Clark plays keyboard and organ and acts as bandleader for the soul jazz group Trio Subtonic; you can find playing regularly around Portland, Oregon and occasionally on tour. Find more information at their website, https://www.triosubtonic.net.--------------------February 2020 Whole-Note PatronsAccessViolation - Andrew Walters - Caleb Rotach - Chad Barnard - Craig J. Covell - Dan Apczynski - Dave Florey - Glenn Jared Norris - Mark Schechter - Merlin Mann - Ryan TorvikFebruary 2020 Half-Note PatronsAJ Schuster - Alex Singer - Alexander Polson - Amanda Furlotti - Andre Bremer - Andrew Baker - Andrew Lee - Arjun Sharma - Bill Thornton - Brett Douville - Brian Amoebas - Brooke Wilford - Chas Lednicky - Chris Brown - Christer Lindqvist - Cyrus N. White - Darryl Stewart - David Stroud - Earl Lozada - Eero Wahlstedt - Elliot Jay O’Neill - Emily Williams - Fishbones - Forrest Chang - Gavin Doig - Jacob Dye - Jaehoon Jeong - James Johnson - Jeffrey Olson - Jennifer Bush - Jeremy Dawson - John and Sharon Stenglein - Jon O’Keefe - Joujou - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Jules Bailey - Justin Liew - Justin McElroy - Kate Albury - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Mark Steen - Markus Koester - Matt Gaskell - Max Schechter - Melanie Stivers - Michael Blackwell - Miriam Juskowicz - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Nicholas Schechter - Richard Toller - Robbie Ferrero - Sam Fenn - Samuel Gardner - Shane DeLeon - Shaun Wiese - SP - Tanner Morton - Tom Clewer - Tom Lauer - Toni Isaacson --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

What's that you say? You'd like a bonus mini-episode all about the cheeseball fantasy earworm "Toss A Coin To Your Witcher"? Well, Kirk is happy to oblige.This mini-sode started as a segment in next week's mailbag episode, but it became involved enough that Kirk decided to spin it out into its own little thing. Hopefully it gives all you Witcher fans out there a better appreciation for why you can't get this song out of your head, and if it gets the song BACK in your head in the process... well, sorry. Or maybe you're welcome?Band/Artist: Joey Batey, aka Jaskier, aka The Bard DandelionAlbum: The Witcher: Music from the Netflix Original SeriesWritten by: Sonya Belousova & Giona OstinelliLyrics by: Jenny KleinListen/Buy via Album.Link--------------------February 2020 Whole-Note PatronsAccessViolation - Andrew Walters - Caleb Rotach - Chad Barnard - Craig J. Covell - Dan Apczynski - Dave Florey - Glenn Jared Norris - Mark Schechter - Merlin Mann - Ryan TorvikFebruary 2020 Half-Note PatronsAJ Schuster - Alex Singer - Alexander Polson - Amanda Furlotti - Andre Bremer - Andrew Baker - Andrew Lee - Arjun Sharma - Bill Thornton - Brett Douville - Brian Amoebas - Brooke Wilford - Chas Lednicky - Chris Brown - Christer Lindqvist - Cyrus N. White - Darryl Stewart - David Stroud - Earl Lozada - Eero Wahlstedt - Elliot Jay O’Neill - Emily Williams - Fishbones - Forrest Chang - Gavin Doig - Jacob Dye - Jaehoon Jeong - James Johnson - Jeffrey Olson - Jennifer Bush - Jeremy Dawson - John and Sharon Stenglein - Jon O’Keefe - Joujou - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Jules Bailey - Justin Liew - Justin McElroy - Kate Albury - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Mark Steen - Markus Koester - Matt Gaskell - Max Schechter - Melanie Stivers - Michael Blackwell - Miriam Juskowicz - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Nicholas Schechter - Richard Toller - Robbie Ferrero - Sam Fenn - Samuel Gardner - Shane DeLeon - Shaun Wiese - SP - Tanner Morton - Tom Clewer - Tom Lauer - Toni Isaacson --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

A modern day warrior's mean, mean stride; today's Strong Song has mean, mean pride!Yes, it's time for Kirk to tackle a song by the legendary Canadian rock trio Rush, and what better song than "Tom Sawyer"? Of course, what starts with Tom doesn't end there, as Kirk takes a broader look at Rush's musical legacy, with extra attention for the band's legendary drummer Neil Peart, who tragically died last month.It's a longer-than-usual episode covering a variety of topics, from odd meter counting; to "kite and anchor" solos; to drum snobs; to just what kind of person spends 30 years conquering the world of rock drumming, only to seek out a new teacher and reinvent himself.Band/Artist: RushAlbum: Moving Pictures (1981)Written by: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil PeartLyrics by: Neil Peart and Pye DuboisListen/Buy via Album.LinkNote: This episode has been updated to correct the pronunciation of Neil Peart's last name, which, as it turns out, is pronounced "Peert" and not "Pert."ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:"La Villa Strangiato" by Rush from Hemispheres, 1978"Jump" by Van Halen from 1984, 1984"Come Sail Away" by Styx from The Grand Illusion, 1977The free (!) VST plugin OBXD Synthesizer"Autumn Leaves" by the Keith Jarrett Trio from After The Fall, recorded 1998/released 2018"Whippersnapper" by the Wayne Krantz Trio from Two Drink Minimum, 1995"YYZ" by Rush from Moving Pictures, 1981"Spirit of the Radio" by Rush from Permanent Waves, 1980"The Monster" by Buddy Rich from Krupa and Rich, 1956 (1994 CD re-release)Clips from various episodes of Freaks and GeeksExcerpts from the excellent 2002 documentary Neil Peart: A Work In ProgressOUTRO SOLOIST: BJ CORDThis episode's outro soloist is BJ Cord, a fantastic trumpet player based in Portland who recorded this, the first-ever Strong Songs outro solo. BJ works at Monette trumpets making some of the most beautiful horns in the world, and is a regular presence on their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/monettetrumpets--------------------February 2020 Whole-Note PatronsAccessViolation - Andrew Walters - Caleb Rotach - Chad Barnard - Craig J. Covell - Dan Apczynski - Dave Florey - Glenn Jared Norris - Mark Schechter - Merlin Mann - Ryan TorvikFebruary 2020 Half-Note PatronsAJ Schuster - Alex Singer - Alexander Polson - Amanda Furlotti - Andre Bremer - Andrew Baker - Andrew Lee - Arjun Sharma - Bill Thornton - Brett Douville - Brian Amoebas - Brooke Wilford - Chas Lednicky - Chris Brown - Christer Lindqvist - Cyrus N. White - Darryl Stewart - David Stroud - Earl Lozada - Eero Wahlstedt - Elliot Jay O’Neill - Emily Williams - Fishbones - Forrest Chang - Gavin Doig - Jacob Dye - Jaehoon Jeong - James Johnson - Jeffrey Olson - Jennifer Bush - Jeremy Dawson - John and Sharon Stenglein - Jon O’Keefe - Joujou - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Jules Bailey - Justin Liew - Justin McElroy - Kate Albury - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Mark Steen - Markus Koester - Matt Gaskell - Max Schechter - Melanie Stivers - Michael Blackwell - Miriam Juskowicz - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Nicholas Schechter - Richard Toller - Robbie Ferrero - Sam Fenn - Samuel Gardner - Shane DeLeon - Shaun Wiese - SP - Tanner Morton - Tom Clewer - Tom Lauer - Toni Isaacson --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

Kirk breaks down the two most fundamental aspects of music: rhythm and harmony. There's the Y-axis, harmony, which tells us which frequencies we're hearing in which combinations. And there's the X-axis, rhythm, which tells us how those frequencies are playing out over time. Much like most music, it's a mix of math and magic that takes many moons to master.REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:"I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton, performed by Whitney Houston"Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin from Led Zeppelin IV, 1971The Pentatonix cover of "Havana" from Top Pop, Vol. 1"Stayin' Alive" by the Bee Gees from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, 1977"Countdown" by John Coltrane from Giant Steps, 1960"The Waltz of the Flowers" by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky from The Nutcracker, 1892"You Really Got Me" by The Kinks from The Kinks, 1964"Use It" by the New Pornographers from Twin Cinema, 2005"Take Five" by Paul Desmond and "Blue Rondo a  la Turk" by Dave Brubeck from Time Out, 1959"Cory Wong teaches audience to count 25/8" posted by Arlington Hayne to YouTube"Weni" by Timnit Welday via YouTube"Janie Runaway" by Steely Day from Two Against Nature, 2000--------------------January 2020 Whole-Note PatronsAccessViolation - Andrew Walters - Caleb Rotach - Chad Barnard - Dan Apczynski - Dave Florey - Glenn Jared Norris - Mark Schechter - Merlin Mann - Ryan TorvikJanuary 2020 Half-Note PatronsAdam Georgandis - Alex Singer - Alexander Polson - Amanda Furlotti - Andre Bremer - Andrew Baker - Andrew Lee - Arjun Sharma - Bill Thornton - Brett Douville - Brian Amoebas - Brooke Wilford - Chas Lednicky - Chris Brown - Cyrus N. White - David Stroud - Earl Lozada - Eero Wahlstedt - Elliot Jay O’Neill - Emily Williams - Fishbones - Forrest Chang - Gavin Doig - Jacob Dye - Jaehoon Jeong - James Johnson - Jasmine Fellows - Jeffrey Olson - Jennifer Bush - Jeremy Dawson - John and Sharon Stenglein - Jon O’Keefe - Joujou - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Jules Bailey - Justin Liew - Justin McElroy - Kate Albury - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Mark Steen - Matt Gaskell - Max Schechter - Melanie Stivers - Michael Blackwell - Miriam Juskowicz - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Nicholas Schechter - Richard Toller - Robbie Ferrero - Samuel Gardner - Shane DeLeon - Shaun Wiese - SP - Tanner Morton - Tom Clewer - Tom Lauer --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics

You don't have to cry, pray, or beg - Kirk is happy to break down one of the 90s' most iconic pop hits without any further encouragement.Yes, it's time to take apart The Cardigans' 1996 hit "Lovefool," a song that sounds one way when it's that Romeo + Juliet song that's on the radio all the time, and another way when it's the centerpiece of First Band on the Moon. Kirk zooms out a bit more than usual to place this song in the context of its (fantastic) corresponding album, and to hopefully help everyone better appreciate the meticulous mastery of The Cardigans.Band/Artist: The CardigansAlbum: First Band on the Moon (1996)Written by: Nina Persson and Peter SvenssonListen/Buy via Album.LinkALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:Many other tracks from First Band on the MoonOUTRO SOLOIST: Kyle MolitorKyle is a Portland-based trombonist who plays in all sorts of bands, and the dude can really get it done. Find him on Instagram @tbonemolitor and find his upcoming shows on his website: https://klmolitor.wixsite.com/tbone--------------------January 2020 Whole-Note PatronsAccessViolation - Andrew Walters - Caleb Rotach - Chad Barnard - Dan Apczynski - Dave Florey - Glenn Jared Norris - Mark Schechter - Merlin Mann - Ryan TorvikJanuary 2020 Half-Note PatronsAdam Georgandis - Alex Singer - Alexander Polson - Amanda Furlotti - Andre Bremer - Andrew Baker - Andrew Lee - Arjun Sharma - Bill Thornton - Brett Douville - Brian Amoebas - Brooke Wilford - Chas Lednicky - Chris Brown - Cyrus N. White - David Stroud - Earl Lozada - Eero Wahlstedt - Elliot Jay O’Neill - Emily Williams - Fishbones - Forrest Chang - Gavin Doig - Jacob Dye - Jaehoon Jeong - James Johnson - Jasmine Fellows - Jeffrey Olson - Jennifer Bush - Jeremy Dawson - John and Sharon Stenglein - Jon O’Keefe - Joujou - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Jules Bailey - Justin Liew - Justin McElroy - Kate Albury - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Mark Steen - Matt Gaskell - Max Schechter - Melanie Stivers - Michael Blackwell - Miriam Juskowicz - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Nicholas Schechter - Richard Toller - Robbie Ferrero - Samuel Gardner - Shane DeLeon - Shaun Wiese - SP - Tanner Morton - Tom Clewer - Tom Lauer --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics