PLEDGE WEEK: “Farmer John” by Don and Dewey

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
PLEDGE WEEK: "Farmer John" by Don and Dewey
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This is a bonus episode, part of Pledge Week 2021. Patreon backers get one of these with every episode of the main podcast. If you want to get those, and to support the podcast, please visit patreon.com/andrewhickey to sign up for a dollar a month or more.

Click below for the transcript.

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Episode 122: “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
Episode 122: "A Change is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke
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Sam Cooke in a dinner jacket

Episode 122 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs is a double-length (over an hour) look at “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke, at Cooke’s political and artistic growth, and at the circumstances around his death. This one has a long list of content warnings at the beginning of the episode, for good reason…

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 “My Guy” by Mary Wells.

 

Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. For this episode, he also did the re-edit of the closing theme. Check out Tilt’s irregular podcasts at http://www.podnose.com/jaffa-cakes-for-proust and http://sitcomclub.com/

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Episode 76: “Stagger Lee” by Lloyd Price

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
Episode 76: "Stagger Lee" by Lloyd Price
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Lloyd Price

Episode seventy-six of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Stagger Lee” by Lloyd Price, and how a barroom fight 125 years ago led to a song performed by everyone from Ma Rainey to Neil Diamond. 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 “That Crazy Feeling” by Kenny Rogers.

I have also beeped out some expletives in the song excerpts this week, so as not to be censored by some podcast aggregators, and so I’ve uploaded an unbeeped version for backers.

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 76: “Stagger Lee” by Lloyd Price”

Episode 60: “You Send Me” by Sam Cooke

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
Episode 60: "You Send Me" by Sam Cooke
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Sam Cooke smoking a cigarette and playing a guitar

Episode sixty of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “You Send Me” by Sam Cooke 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 “Little Darlin'” by The Gladiolas.

Also, an announcement — the book version of the first fifty episodes is now available for purchase. See the show notes, or the previous mini-episode announcing this, for details.

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Episode 54: “Keep A Knockin'” by Little Richard

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
Episode 54: "Keep A Knockin'" by Little Richard
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Little Richard

Episode fifty-four of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Keep A Knockin'” by Little Richard, the long history of the song, and the tension between its performer’s faith and sexuality. 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 “At the Hop” by Danny and the Juniors.

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Episode 34: “Tutti Frutti” by Little Richard

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
Episode 34: "Tutti Frutti" by Little Richard
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Little Richard

Episode thirty-four of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Tutti Frutti” by Little Richard, and at the rather more family-unfriendly subject the song was originally about. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode.

Also, a reminder for those who didn’t see the previous post — my patreon backers are now getting ten-minute mini-episodes every week, and the first one is up, and I guested on Jaffa Cake Jukebox this week, talking about the UK top twenty for January 18 1957.

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Episode 12: “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” by Lloyd Price

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
Episode 12: "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" by Lloyd Price
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Lloyd Price

Welcome to episode twelve of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” by Lloyd Price. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode.

Continue reading “Episode 12: “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” by Lloyd Price”

“Rocket 88” by Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
"Rocket 88" by Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats
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A poster showing Jackie Brenston in front with his saxophone, while Ike Turner glowers at him from the piano in the background

Welcome to episode eleven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Rocket 88” by Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode.

Continue reading ““Rocket 88” by Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats”