Episode 117: “Don’t Worry Baby” by the Beach Boys

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
Episode 117: "Don't Worry Baby" by the Beach Boys
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The Beach Boys in 1964

Episode one hundred and seventeen of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Don’t Worry Baby” by the Beach Boys, and how the years 1963 and 1964 saw a radical evolution in the sound and subject matter of the Beach Boys’ work. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode.

Patreon backers also have a ten-minute bonus episode available, on “You’re No Good” by the Swinging Blue Jeans.

Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’s irregular podcasts at http://www.podnose.com/jaffa-cakes-for-proust and http://sitcomclub.com/

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Episode 112: “She Loves You” by The Beatles

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
Episode 112: "She Loves You" by The Beatles
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The Beatles in 1963. John Lennon playing harmonica while the others look on.

This week’s episode looks at “She Loves You”, the Beatles in 1963, and the start of Beatlemania in the UK. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode.

Patreon backers also have a ten-minute bonus episode available, on “Glad All Over” by the Dave Clark Five.

Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’s irregular podcasts at http://www.podnose.com/jaffa-cakes-for-proust and http://sitcomclub.com/

Continue reading “Episode 112: “She Loves You” by The Beatles”

Episode 99: “Surfin’ Safari” by the Beach Boys

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
Episode 99: "Surfin' Safari" by the Beach Boys
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The Beach Boys in 1962

This week there are two episiodes of the podcast going up, both of them longer than normal. This one, episode ninety-nine, is on “Surfin’ Safari” by the Beach Boys, and the group’s roots in LA, and is fifty minutes long. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode.

Patreon backers also have a ten-minute bonus episode available, on “Misirlou” by Dick Dale and the Deltones.

Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’s irregular podcasts at http://www.podnose.com/jaffa-cakes-for-proust and http://sitcomclub.com/

Continue reading “Episode 99: “Surfin’ Safari” by the Beach Boys”

PLEDGE WEEK: “Sixteen Tons” by Tennessee Ernie Ford

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
PLEDGE WEEK: "Sixteen Tons" by Tennessee Ernie Ford
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Welcome to the seventh and final in the Pledge Week series of episodes, putting up old bonus episodes posted to my Patreon in an attempt to encourage more subscriptions. If you like this, consider subscribing to the Patreon at http://patreon.com/join/andrewhickey . I’m glad to say that this pledge week has been successful enough that I may do another of these in a year or so.

This one is about “Sixteen Tons” by Tennessee Ernie Ford, a record that was a huge influence on many, many artists in the mid fifties.

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PLEDGE WEEK: “Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots” by the Cheers

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
PLEDGE WEEK: "Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots" by the Cheers
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Welcome to the sixth in the Pledge Week series of episodes, putting up old bonus episodes posted to my Patreon in an attempt to encourage more subscriptions. If you like this, consider subscribing to the Patreon at http://patreon.com/join/andrewhickey .

This one is about “Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots” by the Cheers, one of the first Teen Tragedy records, and Leiber and Stoller’s biggest hit. Content warning — contains mentions of deaths in accidents, and of false rape accusations. Click the cut to view a transcript of this episode:

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Episode 71: “Willie and the Hand Jive” by Johnny Otis

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
Episode 71: "Willie and the Hand Jive" by Johnny Otis
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The Three Tons of Joy by a street sign saying "London", with Johnny Otis running up to them carrying a guitar

Episode seventy-one of A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs continues our look at British music TV by looking at the first time it affected American R&B, and is also our final look at Johnny Otis.

Patreon backers also have a ten-minute bonus episode available, on “Short Shorts” by the Royal Teens, a group whose members went on to be far more important than one might expect.

Also, this is the first of hopefully many podcasts to come where Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’s irregular podcasts at http://www.podnose.com/jaffa-cakes-for-proust and http://sitcomclub.com/

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Episode 43: “I Gotta Know” by Wanda Jackson

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
Episode 43: "I Gotta Know" by Wanda Jackson
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Wanda Jackson

Episode forty-three of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “I Gotta Know” by Wanda Jackson, and the links between rockabilly and the Bakersfield Sound. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode.

Patreon backers also have a ten-minute bonus episode available, on “Bacon Fat” by Andre Williams.

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Episode 41: “Be-Bop-A-Lula” by Gene Vincent and the Bluecaps

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
Episode 41: "Be-Bop-A-Lula" by Gene Vincent and the Bluecaps
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Gene Vincent

Episode forty-one of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Be-Bop-A-Lula” by Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps, and how Vincent defined for many what a rock and roll star was. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode.

Patreon backers also have a ten-minute bonus episode available, on “Smokestack Lightning” by Howlin’ Wolf.

Continue reading “Episode 41: “Be-Bop-A-Lula” by Gene Vincent and the Bluecaps”