Strong Songs

Kirk picks apart not one, not two, but twenty one micro-songs by the great They Might Be Giants.What's that blue thing doing here? Who's knocking on the wall? And for that matter, who's that standing out the window? It's time to answer those questions and many more, as Kirk delves into The Might Be Giants' singular collection of mini-songs, "Fingertips." It's a stylistic smorgasbord of sound, with everything from jazz to rock to lounge to... honestly, genre doesn't exist and "Fingertips" proves it. Each tiny song shines for its brief moment of life, and then lives on forever in your imagination. Written by: John Flansburgh and John LinnellAlbum: Apollo 18 (1992)Listen/Buy via Album.LinkALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:"Particle Man," "Birdhouse In Your Soul," and "Minimum Wage" by They Might Be Giants and "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)" by Jimmy Kennedy and Nat Simon from Flood, 1990"Extra Savoir Faire" by TMBG from John Henry, 1994The 2002 documentary Gigantic (A Tale of Two Johns)“The Simpsons Main Title Theme” by Danny Elfman, 1989“Joy To The World” - lyrics by Isaac Watts as performed by Nat “King” ColeOUTRO SOLOIST: Kirk HamiltonKirk is the host of Strong Songs. He lives in Portland, Oregon, where he likes to play the drums. He thinks he's getting good but he can handle criticism.--------------------AUGUST 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSRob Bosworth - Josh Pearson - Kyle Cooke - Donald Mackie - Melissa Osborne - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - Niko - Joe Laska - Laurie Acreman - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Jenness Gardner - Simon Cammell - Guinevere Boostrom - Narelle Horn - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Bill Rosinger - Anne Britt - David Zahm - Erin - Aidan Coughlan - Jeanneret - Manning Family Four - Doug Paton - Robert Paul - Viki Dun - Dave Sharpe - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Jim Chokey - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan ApczynskiAUGUST 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAndy Painter - Karen Liu - Greg Burgess - Ailie Fraser - Simon Prieto - Breck Jones - Paul McGreal - Karen Arnold - Natalie Mistilis - Josh Singer - Phino DeLeon - Schloss Edward J., MD - Rhyanon Murray - Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Ben Machta - Victoria Yu - Kevin Rivers - Gray Dyer - Brad Clark - Christopher - Michael J. Cunningham - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Steve Paquin - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah - David Joske - Emma Sklar - Bernard Khoo - Marc - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Olivia Bishop - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Kouroth - Sharon Tree - Belinda McGrath-Steer - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Shawn McCarthy - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Nathan Gouwens - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Cookies250 - Spencer Shirley - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Jen Small - Don Hutchison - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Mark Perry - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Caro Field - Michael Bochner - Duncan - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Chris K - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Matt Gaskell - Jules Bailey - Eero Wahlstedt - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Emily Williams --------------------💃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 bottle of red... a bottle of white... whatever kind of mood you're in, we're talking Billy Joel tonight!Pull up a table and join Kirk for a long look into one of Joel's most enduring songs, the seven-and-a-half minute, five course musical meal that is "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant." The centerpiece on Joel's breakthrough 1977 album The Stranger, Italian Restaurant has got it all: schmaltzy sax, hard rock rhythms, love, heartbreak, and a pair of harmonized clarinets. Written by: Billy JoelProduced by: Phil RamoneAlbum: The Stranger (1977)Listen/Buy via Album.LinkALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:"Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)," "Just The Way You Are," "Vienna," "Only The Good Die Young," and "She's Always a Woman to Me" by Billy Joel from The Stranger, 1977Joel discussing Phil Ramone in The Complete Albums Collection documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sm5-oQNENnM“Bohemian Rhapsody” by Freddie Mercury and Queen from A Night at the Opera, 1975“One Angry Dwarf and 200 Solemn Faces” by Ben Folds from Whatever and Ever Amen, 1997“You Never Can Tell” by Chuck Berry, 1964“Jack and Diane” by John Mellencamp from American Fool, 1982“Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen from Born to Run, 1975OUTRO SOLOIST: Steve PardoThis episode's outro soloist is the one and only Steve Pardo. Steve is a Nashville, TN based producer, composer, and saxophonist. You can find out more at his website: https://www.stevepardo.com/--------------------AUGUST 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSRob Bosworth - Josh Pearson - Kyle Cooke - Donald Mackie - Melissa Osborne - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - Niko - Joe Laska - Laurie Acreman - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Jenness Gardner - Simon Cammell - Guinevere Boostrom - Narelle Horn - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Bill Rosinger - Anne Britt - David Zahm - Erin - Aidan Coughlan - Jeanneret - Manning Family Four - Doug Paton - Robert Paul - Viki Dun - Dave Sharpe - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Jim Chokey - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan ApczynskiAUGUST 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAndy Painter - Karen Liu - Greg Burgess - Ailie Fraser - Simon Prieto - Breck Jones - Paul McGreal - Karen Arnold - Natalie Mistilis - Josh Singer - Phino DeLeon - Schloss Edward J., MD - Rhyanon Murray - Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Ben Machta - Victoria Yu - Kevin Rivers - Gray Dyer - Brad Clark - Christopher - Michael J. Cunningham - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Steve Paquin - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah - David Joske - Emma Sklar - Bernard Khoo - Marc - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Olivia Bishop - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Kouroth - Sharon Tree - Belinda McGrath-Steer - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Shawn McCarthy - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Nathan Gouwens - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Cookies250 - Spencer Shirley - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Jen Small - Don Hutchison - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Mark Perry - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Caro Field - Michael Bochner - Duncan - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Chris K - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Matt Gaskell - Jules Bailey - Eero Wahlstedt - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Emily Williams --------------------💃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 sits down with producer, composer, and master mixer Brian Bender to talk about the state of the recording art.Brian Bender has been making records since the early 2000s, from slinging cable at legendary NY spots like Electric Lady and the Hit Factory to running his own studio, The Motherbrain, in Los Angeles. He’s worked with countless artists and worked on dozens of films and TV shows. He’s also the guy who taught Kirk how to play Street Fighter back in grade school.On this episode, Kirk reunites with his old buddy to talk about the producer’s role in the studio, Al Green's cookies, common mix misconceptions, how to mic drums, and how to get a good handclap sound.Follow Brian (and check out his studio) on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bdbender/Brian Bender's (Partial) Discography: https://www.discogs.com/artist/361112-Brian-BenderFilm & TV Credits: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4685996/REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:TERMSA/D or D/A: Analog to digital conversion“In the Box”: Making music entirely digitally with no outboard gearStems - Submixes of like tracks (e.g. the strings, the guitars) which an engineer can work with instead of individual tracks in order to streamline workflowMUSIC“Stop” by Joe Henry from Scar, 2001“A.D. 2000” by Erykah Badu from Mama’s Gun, 2000 (mixed by Russell Elvado)“Lay It Down” by Al Green from Lay It Down, 2008“Mother Brain” by Minako Mamano from Super Metroid, 1994“If You Hear Me,” “Promised Land” by Ben Williams from I Am a Man, 2020“Super Bad” by James Brown feat. Jabo Starks on drums, 1970“Nobody Knows My Name” by José James feat. Laura Mvala & Kris Bowers from No Beginning No End 2, 2020“Church Girl” by Laura Mvula from Pink Noise, 2021“Elevator" by Gavin Turek from Madame Gold, 2021“Guilty” by Barbra Streisand w/ Barry Gibb, 1980GEARDrums:C&C Custom Drum SetLudwig Supraphonic Snare DrumStudio Gear:Studer 2-inch 24-Track Tape RecorderAmpex 602 2-Track 1/2-Inch Tape RecorderOtari 2-inch 16-track Multitrack Tape MachineTeletronix LA-2A CompressorMicrophones:AKG 414 (The OG)Shure SM57 (The GOAT)Electro-Voice 642 Cardiline Dynamic Shotgun Mic (Kick Batter)Neumann U47 FET (Kick Head)Inverted Yamaha NS-10 Woofer (Sub Kick Mic)Sennheiser 421 (Toms)Coles 4038 ribbon (Overheads, the other GOAT)Lomo 19a19 tube condenser (Secret Russian mic)OTHER THINGSTate’s Bake ShopGeorge Massenburg explains the GML8200 Parametric EQ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kBFqHo2z9QThe movie “Barb and Star go to Vista Del Mar,” 2021Correction: Kirk initially erroneously described Bender as having won multiple Grammys and Emmys, but he has only been nominated (so far). The episode has been edited to remove the error.--------------------JULY 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSRob Bosworth - Josh Pearson - Kyle Cooke - Donald Mackie - Melissa Osborne - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - Niko - Joe Laska - Laurie Acreman - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Jenness Gardner - Simon Cammell - Guinevere Boostrom - Narelle Horn - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Bill Rosinger - Anne Britt - David Zahm - Erin - Aidan Coughlan - Jeanneret - Manning Family Four - Doug Paton - Robert Paul - Viki Dun - Dave Sharpe - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Jim Chokey - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan ApczynskiJULY 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSPaul McGreal - Karen Arnold - Natalie Mistilis - Josh Singer - Phino DeLeon - Schloss Edward J., MD - Rhyanon Murray - Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Ben Machta - Victoria Yu - Kevin Rivers - Gray Dyer - Brad Clark - Christopher - Michael J. Cunningham - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Steve Paquin - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah - David Joske - Emma Sklar - Spencer Stanford - Bernard Khoo - Marc - Andrew Shpall - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - Stewart Oak - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Kouroth - Sharon Tree - Belinda McGrath-Steer - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Shawn McCarthy - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Nathan Gouwens - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Cookies250 - Spencer Shirley - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Jen Small - Don Hutchison - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Mark Perry - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Steven Maron - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Albukitty - Caro Field - Michael Bochner - Duncan - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Chris K - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Chris Brown - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Matt Gaskell - Jules Bailey - Eero Wahlstedt - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Emily Williams --------------------💃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, Kirk sits down for a conversation with composer, singer, and music technologist Imogen Heap.The two talk about the creative process, live performance in the pandemic age, the shifting relationship between artist and audience, the process of developing new music technology, several of Heap's ambitious musical projects, and of course, her song "Hide and Seek," which was the subject of an episode of Strong Songs earlier this year.REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:Imogen Heap's App, home of the "Heapsters": https://imogenheap.app/The Mi.Mu Gloves: https://mimugloves.com/“Promo” by Tim Exile live for BBC Radio 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5SVhGg5UV8Tim Exile's "Endless" app: https://endlesss.fm/“Last Night of an Empire” by Imogen Heap, 2020“First Train Home” performed by Imogen Heap in her Kitchen: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5nU5O2wygE&t=1269s“Daylight Robbery” and “Hide and Seek” by Imogen Heap from Speak For Yourself, 2004“The Listening Chair” and “You Know Where to Find Me” by Imogen Heap from Sparks, 2014E.L. Doctorow’s wonderful quote, as paraphrased by Anne Lamott in her writing memoir Bird by Bird: “Writing is like driving at night in the fog. You can only see as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.”“Oustrue” by Richard Devine from Sort/Lave, 2018“YaYaYa” by Ry X from Unfurl, 2019“Mountains” by Biffy Clyro from Only Revolutions, 2009The Interdependence podcast, with Holly Herndon and Matt Dryhurst: https://interdependence.fm/--------------------JULY 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSRob Bosworth - Josh Pearson - Kyle Cooke - Donald Mackie - Melissa Osborne - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - Niko - Joe Laska - Laurie Acreman - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Jenness Gardner - Simon Cammell - Guinevere Boostrom - Narelle Horn - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Bill Rosinger - Anne Britt - David Zahm - Erin - Aidan Coughlan - Jeanneret - Manning Family Four - Doug Paton - Robert Paul - Viki Dun - Dave Sharpe - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Jim Chokey - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan ApczynskiJULY 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSPaul McGreal - Karen Arnold - Natalie Mistilis - Josh Singer - Phino DeLeon - Schloss Edward J., MD - Rhyanon Murray - Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Ben Machta - Victoria Yu - Kevin Rivers - Gray Dyer - Brad Clark - Christopher - Michael J. Cunningham - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Steve Paquin - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah - David Joske - Emma Sklar - Spencer Stanford - Bernard Khoo - Marc - Andrew Shpall - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - Stewart Oak - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Kouroth - Sharon Tree - Belinda McGrath-Steer - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Shawn McCarthy - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Nathan Gouwens - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Cookies250 - Spencer Shirley - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Jen Small - Don Hutchison - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Mark Perry - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Steven Maron - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Albukitty - Caro Field - Michael Bochner - Duncan - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Chris K - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Chris Brown - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Matt Gaskell - Jules Bailey - Eero Wahlstedt - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Emily Williams --------------------💃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 Strong Songs to talk about some Strong Covers! On this episode, Kirk tackles four famous covers, comparing each with the original while trying to suss out what makes a great cover in the first place. COVERED (HEYO):"Respect" by Otis Redding, as covered by Aretha Franklin in 1967"Satisfaction" by Jagger/Richards, as covered by Devo on Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, 1978"Mad World" by Roland Orzabal/Tears for Fears, as covered by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules for Donnie  Darko, 2001"Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen, as covered by Jeff Buckley on Grace, 1994ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:"Aretha Franklin Had Power. Did We Respect It?" by Wesley Morris for the New York Times, 2018"The Story Behind Devo's Iconic Cover of the Rolling Stones' 'Satisfaction'" by Ray Padgett for The New Yorker, 2017Ray Padgett's book Cover Me: The Story Behind the Greatest Cover Songs of All Time, 2017DEVO performing their "Satisfaction" cover live in 1977: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=70&v=jAGOgMxUHKM&feature=emb_logoPerformances of "Hallelujah" by John Cale, Pentatonix, K.D. Lang, and Rufus WainwrightOUTRO SOLOIST: Rob ReichThis episode's outro soloist is the wonderful bay area pianist/accordionist Rob Reich. He's got a bunch of albums you can check out and contributes to an array of interesting projects and experiments. Find more at his website, http://www.robreich.com/.--------------------JUNE 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSRob Bosworth - Josh Pearson - Kyle Cooke - Donald Mackie - Liam Keogh - Melissa Osborne - Per Morten Barstad - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Allison Clift-Jennings - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - Rick Klaras - Niko - Joe Laska - Laurie Acreman - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Jenness Gardner - Simon Cammell - Guinevere Boostrom - Narelle Horn - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Bill Rosinger - Anne Britt - David Zahm - Erin - Aidan Coughlan - Jeanneret - Manning Family Four - Doug Paton - Robert Paul - Viki Dun - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan ApczynskiJUNE 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSNatalie Mistilis - Josh Singer - Phino DeLeon - Schloss Edward J., MD - Rhyanon Murray - Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Ben Machta - Victoria Yu - Kevin Rivers - Gray Dyer - Brad Clark - Christopher - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Steve Paquin - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah - David Joske - Åshild Margrete Østtveit Odéen - Emma Sklar - Spencer Stanford - Bernard Khoo - Marc - Andrew Shpall - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Ben Hunt - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Andy Smith - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Kouroth - Belinda McGrath-Steer - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Shawn McCarthy - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Nathan Gouwens - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Erika L Austin - Cookies250 - Spencer Shirley - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Christopher Cudnoski - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Jen Small - Don Hutchison - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Aparajit Raghavan - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Jake Tinsley - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Judy Chapple - Mark Perry - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Steven Maron - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Albukitty - Caro Field - Michael Bochner - Duncan - Dave Sharpe - Brant Brantphillip - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Chris K - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Chris Brown - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Matt Gaskell - Jules Bailey - Eero Wahlstedt - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - Tom Lauer - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Tom Clewer - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Emily Williams --------------------💃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

Mailbag time! We've got listener questions about Madonna earworms, National piano parts, Breath of the Wild music, online vocal teachers, the French horn, The Lemon Twigs, and much more. REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:“Mira, Royal Detective Theme” by Matthew Tishler and Jeannie Luriem 2020“Open Your Heart” by Madonna from True Blue, 1986“Fake Empire” by The National from Boxer, 2007“Wind Waker Theme” by Koji Kondo from The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker, 2002“The Legend of Zelda Theme” by Koji Kondo from The Legend of Zelda, 1986Ambient audio from Breath of the Wild, soundtrack by Yasuaki Iwata, Hajime Wakai, Manaka KataokaSteve Park performing Straus’s Nocturno Op. 7 for horn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ppz-j5aDROo“AH Vowel Exercise 2” by Ken Tamplin from Ken Tamplin Vocal Academy Vocal Workshop, Volume 2 (Find Ken on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6x5NRBmotXDEvLDDFWlLvA)“The One” by The Lemon Twigs from Songs for the General Public, 2020“Nuthin’ But a Good Time” by Poison from Open Up and Say… Ahh!, 1988“Confrontation with Dooku/Finale” by John Williams from Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, 2002“Game of Thrones” by Ramin Djawadi, 2011“The Impression That I Get” by The Mighty Mighty Bosstones from Let’s Face It, 1997“Hotel California” by The Eagles from Hotel California, 1976“Dead Man’s Party” by Oingo Boingo from Dead Man’s Party, 1986“Time” by Pink Floyd from The Dark Side of the Moon, 1973“November Rain” by Guns N’ Roses from Use Your Illusion, 1991“Santa Claus is Coming To Town” by Coots/Gillespie from Bill Evans Trio ’64, 1964Correction 7/16: This episode initially misidentified the rototom on "Dead Man's Party" as a cowbell. It has been updated and now contains less cowbell.OUTRO SOLOIST: Kyle MolitorKyle is a Portland-based trombonist who plays in all sorts of bands, and was also featured on the year three Strong Songs theme msuic. Find him on Instagram @tbonemolitor and check out his latest single here: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/kylemolitor/the-jazz-feat-toranpetto--------------------JUNE 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSRob Bosworth - Josh Pearson - Kyle Cooke - Donald Mackie - Liam Keogh - Melissa Osborne - Per Morten Barstad - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Allison Clift-Jennings - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - Rick Klaras - Niko - Joe Laska - Laurie Acreman - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Jenness Gardner - Simon Cammell - Guinevere Boostrom - Narelle Horn - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Bill Rosinger - Anne Britt - David Zahm - Erin - Aidan Coughlan - Jeanneret - Manning Family Four - Doug Paton - Robert Paul - Viki Dun - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan ApczynskiJUNE 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSNatalie Mistilis - Josh Singer - Phino DeLeon - Schloss Edward J., MD - Rhyanon Murray - Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Ben Machta - Victoria Yu - Kevin Rivers - Gray Dyer - Brad Clark - Christopher - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Steve Paquin - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah - David Joske - Åshild Margrete Østtveit Odéen - Emma Sklar - Spencer Stanford - Bernard Khoo - Marc - Andrew Shpall - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Ben Hunt - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Andy Smith - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Kouroth - Belinda McGrath-Steer - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Shawn McCarthy - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Nathan Gouwens - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Erika L Austin - Cookies250 - Spencer Shirley - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Christopher Cudnoski - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Jen Small - Don Hutchison - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Aparajit Raghavan - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Jake Tinsley - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Judy Chapple - Mark Perry - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Steven Maron - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Albukitty - Caro Field - Michael Bochner - Duncan - Dave Sharpe - Brant Brantphillip - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Chris K - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Chris Brown - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Matt Gaskell - Jules Bailey - Eero Wahlstedt - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - Tom Lauer - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Tom Clewer - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Emily Williams --------------------💃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

Winter, spring, summer, or fall... all you have to do is call, and Strong Songs will be there with an in-depth analysis of one of the most influential songwriters of the 20th century.This episode takes a deep dive into Carole King's ever enduring, much-covered tribute to friendship, "You've Got a Friend." What starts in Laurel Canyon in the early 70s spread outward to the world, thanks to King's revolutionary 1971 album Tapestry. 50 years later, those songs are still with us, and "You've Got a Friend" remains one of the most meaningful tributes to simple, platonic love. Written by: Carole KingAlbum: Tapestry (1971)Listen/Buy via Album.LinkALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:"I Feel The Earth Move" and "So Far Away," both by Carole King, and "It's Too Late" by King with lyrics by Toni Stern, from Tapestry, 1971"You've Got a Friend" as recorded by James Taylor on Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon, 1971"You've Got a Friend" as recorded by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway on Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway, 1972"Precious Lord, Take My Hand/You've Got a Friend" as recorded by Aretha Franklin on Amazing Grace, 1972"(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman" by Carole King and Gerry Goffen as recorded by Aretha Franklin, 1967Harvey Kubernik's exceptional chronicling of Tapestry's place in the broader 1970s music scene:  https://www.musicconnection.com/kubernik-carole-king-tapestry-50th-anniversary/Kubernik's book on Laurel Canyon: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/6464198-canyon-of-dreams"You've Got a Friend" as recorded by Donny Hathaway on Live, 1972OUTRO SOLOIST: Charles McNealCharles McNeal is a killin' Oakland-based sax player who plays all over the bay area. He's also a master jazz transcriber, and has chronicled tons of great solos. You can find him playing out in a variety of bands and settings; the best way to keep up with his music is to subscribe to his YouTube channel or follow him on Instagram @charlesonsax2 - https://www.instagram.com/charlesonsax2--------------------JUNE 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSRob Bosworth - Josh Pearson - Kyle Cooke - Donald Mackie - Liam Keogh - Melissa Osborne - Per Morten Barstad - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Allison Clift-Jennings - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - Rick Klaras - Niko - Joe Laska - Laurie Acreman - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Jenness Gardner - Simon Cammell - Guinevere Boostrom - Narelle Horn - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Bill Rosinger - Anne Britt - David Zahm - Erin - Aidan Coughlan - Jeanneret - Manning Family Four - Doug Paton - Robert Paul - Viki Dun - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan ApczynskiJUNE 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSNatalie Mistilis - Josh Singer - Phino DeLeon - Schloss Edward J., MD - Rhyanon Murray - Amy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Ben Machta - Victoria Yu - Kevin Rivers - Gray Dyer - Brad Clark - Christopher - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Steve Paquin - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah - David Joske - Åshild Margrete Østtveit Odéen - Emma Sklar - Spencer Stanford - Bernard Khoo - Marc - Andrew Shpall - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Ben Hunt - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Andy Smith - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Kouroth - Belinda McGrath-Steer - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Shawn McCarthy - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Nathan Gouwens - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Erika L Austin - Cookies250 - Spencer Shirley - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Christopher Cudnoski - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Jen Small - Don Hutchison - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Aparajit Raghavan - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Jake Tinsley - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Judy Chapple - Mark Perry - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Steven Maron - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Albukitty - Caro Field - Michael Bochner - Duncan - Dave Sharpe - Brant Brantphillip - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Chris K - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Chris Brown - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Matt Gaskell - Jules Bailey - Eero Wahlstedt - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - Tom Lauer - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Tom Clewer - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Emily Williams --------------------💃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

Link it to the world, link it to yourself, link it to your podcast app, because it's time to talk about Muse.Kirk takes a deep dive into not one but two songs off of Muse's seminal 2001 album Origin of Symmetry: "New Born," which kicks the album off with a strong pop-rock approach, and "Micro Cuts," a mid-album high point that shows off their more eclectic influences. It's time for some contrapuntal harmony mixed with some good old fashioned blues riffs, and a lot of guitar fuzz on top.Written by: Matthew BellamyAlbum: Origin of Symmetry (2001)Listen/Buy via Album.LinkALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:"Plug In Baby," "Space Dementia," "Bliss," and "Citizen Erased" by Matthew Bellamy from Origin of SymmetryManson Guitar Works, makers of Matt Bellamy's futuristic custom guitars: https://www.mansonguitarworks.com/OUTRO SOLOIST: Galen ClarkThis episode's outro soloist is Mr. Galen Clark, who plays keyboard and organ and acts as bandleader for the soul jazz group Trio Subtonic. Galen's also going to be on tour this summer playing keyboards with Sleater-Kinney. Find more information at their website, https://www.triosubtonic.net, and find Sleater-Kinney tour dates at their website, http://www.sleater-kinney.com/--------------------MAY 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSJosh Pearson - Kyle Cooke - Donald Mackie - Liam Keogh - Melissa Osborne - Per Morten Barstad - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Allison Clift-Jennings - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - Rick Klaras - Niko - Joe Laska - Laurie Acreman - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Jenness Gardner - Simon Cammell - Guinevere Boostrom - Narelle Horn - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Bill Rosinger - Anne Britt - David Zahm - Erin - Aidan Coughlan - Jeanneret - Manning Family Four - Doug Paton - Robert Paul - R Watson - Viki Dun - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan ApczynskiMAY 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSAmy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Ben Machta - Victoria Yu - Kevin Rivers - Gray Dyer - Brad Clark - Christopher - Michael J. Cunningham - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah - David Joske - Åshild Margrete Østtveit Odéen - Emma Sklar - Spencer Stanford - Bernard Khoo - Marc - Andrew Shpall - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Ben Hunt - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Andy Smith - Will Reddell - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Melody Valdez - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Thomas König - Kouroth - Belinda McGrath-Steer - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Shawn McCarthy - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Nathan Gouwens - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Erika L Austin - Cookies250 - Spencer Shirley - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Christopher Cudnoski - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Jen Small - Don Hutchison - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Aparajit Raghavan - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Jake Tinsley - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Judy Chapple - Mark Perry - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Steven Maron - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Albukitty - Caro Field - Michael Bochner - Duncan - Dave Sharpe - Brant Brantphillip - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Chris Brown - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Matt Gaskell - Jules Bailey - Eero Wahlstedt - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - Tom Lauer - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Tom Clewer - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Emily Williams --------------------💃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

The fine folks at WNYC's fabulous opera podcast Aria Code recently reached out about doing a cross-promotion with Strong Songs, and now here we are, running an episode of their show in the Strong Songs feed.If you enjoy it, you should definitely go check out the show - Aria Code is very easy to find on all major podcast platforms.ORIGINAL SHOW NOTES (via Aria Code)Aired: March 10, 2021Sometimes, the only thing that gets us through the darkest moments is knowing that the sun will rise again on a new day. Puccini's final opera, Turandot, is about courage in the face of adversity, and love triumphing over fear. In other words, it is exactly what the world needs right now. The aria “Nessun dorma” is Prince Calaf’s declaration of love and resounding victory cry. In this episode, host Rhiannon Giddens and three guests explore what makes this aria so popular even beyond the opera house, and how it became an anthem of resilience and hope during the COVID-19 pandemic. This episode features Italian tenor Franco Corelli in a Metropolitan Opera performance from the Before Times (a.k.a. 1966).The Guests:Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin is the Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera, Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Orchestre Métropolitain in Montreal.  He loves conducting Puccini’s biggest, most majestic opera, but his favorite moments are the intimate arias like “Nessun dorma.”Writer Anne Midgette is the former classical music critic for The Washington Post. She first heard the aria on a Book of the Month Club cassette tape in college, and thinks the secret sauce for “Nessun Dorma” is in its climactic underdog declaration of “Vincerò” -- “I will win.”Dr. Michael Cho is a pulmonary and critical care physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, and has been on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s also a violist, and has been playing with the Longwood Symphony Orchestra for more than 15 years. Recently, he joined the National Virtual Medical Orchestra, a group that formed during COVID to give people in the medical field a chance to play together. Watch their performance of "Nessun Dorma" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOKW42q7HWE&feature=emb_logoIn April of 2020, 700 children across Europe sang a virtual performance of "Nessun dorma" as a message of hope and solidarity, from Europa InCanto. You can meet two of the stars in this episode, and watch their performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MZWmikiJVIQ&feature=emb_logo --------------------💃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

The Strong Songs mailbag has gotten pretty overstuffed lately, so Kirk decided to take another crack at it. That means it's time for more of your musical questions!On this episode, we bounce around between the best songs for performing CPR, country music multiphonics, Noname's strung beats, the slide saxophone, Stevie Nicks guitar tones, Roxanne syncopation, how to find a voice teacher, whether competition is good for music, and what it means when people say jazz is about "the notes you don't play."REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:“Stayin Alive” by the Bee Gees from the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack, 1977“Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen from The Game, 1980“Freight Train” by Alan Jackson from Freight Train, 2010“Something” by Lalah Hathaway and Snarky Puppy from Family Dinner, 2013“Sunny Duet (feat. theMIND)” and “Yesterday” by Noname from Telefone, 2016“Waves” by J Dilla from Donut, 2006“Swamp Thing” by Hiatus Kayote from Choose Your Weapon, 2015Frédéric Couderc on the slide saxophone playing “Come Sunday” by Duke Ellington: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjnrM3GZMS8“Edge of Seventeen” by Stevie Knicks from Bella Donna, 1981“Bring on the Night” by The Police from The Police, 1979“Roxanne” by The Police from Outlandos d’Amor, 1978“The Eternal Triangle,” by Sonny Stitt from Sonny Side Up, 1957“You Don’t Know What Love Is” by Raye and DePaul, recorded by Sonny Rollins on Saxophone Colossus, 1956“So What” by Miles Davis from Kind of Blue, 1959OUTRO SOLOIST: Erik ElligersErik is a Connecticut-based multi-instrumentalist and music educator. He plays saxophone with the New London Big Band and sings and plays guitar for the fabulous band Goodnight Blue Moon - check them out, you won't regret it: https://www.goodnightbluemoon.com/--------------------May 2021 Whole-Note PatronsJosh Pearson - Kyle Cooke - Donald Mackie - Liam Keogh - Melissa Osborne - Per Morten Barstad - Christopher Miller - Tim Byrne - Allison Clift-Jennings - Patrick Funston - Jamie White - Christopher Kupski - Christopher McConnell - Joshua Jarvis - Rick Klaras - Niko - Joe Laska - Laurie Acreman - Ken Hirsh - Jez - Jenness Gardner - Simon Cammell - Guinevere Boostrom - Narelle Horn - Nathaniel Bauernfeind - Bill Rosinger - Anne Britt - David Zahm - Erin - Aidan Coughlan - Jeanneret - Manning Family Four - Doug Paton - Robert Paul - R Watson - Viki Dun - Christer Lindqvist - Sami Samhuri - Craig J. Covell - AccessViolation - Ryan Torvik - Merlin Mann - Fraser - Glenn - Andre Bremer - Mark Schechter - Dave Florey - Dan ApczynskiMay 2021 Half-Note PatronsAmy Lynn Thornsen - Adam W - Kelli Brockington - Stephen Rawlings - Ben Machta - Victoria Yu - Kevin Rivers - Gray Dyer - Brad Clark - Christopher - Michael J. Cunningham - Kari Kirk - Mark Boggs - Mino Capossela - Mary Schoenmaker - Sarah - David Joske - Åshild Margrete Østtveit Odéen - Emma Sklar - Spencer Stanford - Bernard Khoo - Marc - Andrew Shpall - Robert Heuer - Matthew Golden - Brian Meldrum - David Noah - Ben Hunt - Geraldine Butler - Richard Cambier - Madeleine Mader - Andy Smith - Will Reddell - Fernando Rodriguez - Timothy Dougherty - Jason Pratt - Stewart Oak - Caroline Miller - Abbie Berg - Sam Norton - Nicole Schleicher - Doug Belew - Dermot Crowley - Achint Srivastava - Ryan Rairigh - Michael Berman - Stephen Matthews - Bridget Lyons - Melody Valdez - Olivia Bishop - Jeremy Schwartz - John Gisselquist - Elaine Martin - Thomas König - Kouroth - Belinda McGrath-Steer - Eoin de Burca - Kevin Potter - M Shane Borders - Pete Simm - Shawn McCarthy - Dallas Hockley - Jana J - Jason Gerry - Rich Roskopf - Melissa Gallo - Nathan Gouwens - Will Dwyer - Alethea Lee - Lauren Reay - Eric Prestemon - Erika L Austin - Cookies250 - Spencer Shirley - Damian Brady - Angela Livingstone - Jeffrey C. Yarnell - David Friedman - Phillip Dalton - Christopher Cudnoski - Sarah Sulan - Diane Hughes - Kenneth Tiong - Jo Sutherland - Michael Casner - Michael York - Barb Courtney - Derek Bender - Jen Small - Don Hutchison - Lowell Meyer - Etele Illes - Stephen Tsoneff - Lorenz Schwarz - Becca Sample - Wen - Jack Sjogren - Aparajit Raghavan - Benedict Pennington - Geoff Golden - Robyn Fraser - Alexander Geddes - Pascal Rueger - Randy Souza - JC - Brendan Jubb - Clare Holberton - Jake Tinsley - Diane Turner - Tom Coleman - Judy Chapple - Mark Perry - Dhu Wik - Mel - Eric Helm - Jake Roberts - Briony Leo - Bill Fuller - Jonathan Daniels - Steven Maron - Michael Flaherty - Jarrod Schindler - Zoe Little - Albukitty - Caro Field - Michael Bochner - Duncan - Dave Sharpe - Brant Brantphillip - David Cushman - Alexander - Jeremy Dawson - Gavin Doig - Sam Fenn - Tanner Morton - AJ Schuster - Jennifer Bush - David Stroud - Amanda Furlotti - Andrew Baker - Chris Brown - Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua - Matt Gaskell - Jules Bailey - Eero Wahlstedt - Bill Thornton - Brian Amoebas - Brett Douville - Jeffrey Olson - Matt Betzel - Mueller - Nate from Kalamazoo - Melanie Stivers - Richard Toller - Alexander Polson - Tom Lauer - Earl Lozada - Jon O’Keefe - Justin McElroy - Arjun Sharma - James Johnson - Andrew Lee - Kevin Morrell - Tom Clewer - Kevin Pennyfeather - Nicholas Schechter - Emily Williams --------------------💃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