A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs

A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs

Andrew Hickey

Andrew Hickey presents a history of rock music from 1938 to 1999, looking at five hundred songs that shaped the genre.

Song 177: “Never Learn Not to Love” by the Beach Boys, Part 3: “Mister, Can You Give Me Some Direction?”

Song 177: “Never Learn Not to Love” by the Beach Boys, Part 3: “Mister, Can You Give Me Some Direction?”

For those who haven’t heard the announcement I posted, songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the third part of a multi-episode look at the song “Never Learn Not to Love” by the Beach Boys, and the links between Charles Manson and the LA music scene, as well as the life of Huddie “Lead Belly” Ledbetter. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a forty-eight-minute b

Jan 31, • 0:00

Song 177: “Never Learn Not to Love” by the Beach Boys, Part Two — “Is it True What They Say About Dixie?”

Song 177: “Never Learn Not to Love” by the Beach Boys, Part Two — “Is it True What They Say About Dixie?”

For those who haven’t heard the announcement I posted, songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the second part of a multi-episode look at the song “Never Learn Not to Love” by the Beach Boys, and the links between Charles Manson and the LA music scene. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. This one is later than normal, for reasons explained in the episode. The next one should be up much

Dec 16, 2024 • 0:00

Next Episode Coming Soon

Next Episode Coming Soon

This is just to let people know that there is a better than usual reason for the longer than normal delay in the next episode. I was about to record it early last week, when checking a minor detail I discovered a book published this year, after I’d bought the books I used for the research, which showed that everything in the first half of the episode — everything that had been published in every book on Huddie Ledbetter, who is the focus of that first half — was badly mistaken. I had to totally

Dec 10, 2024 • 0:00

Song 177: “Never Learn Not to Love” by the Beach Boys, Part One, Old Folks at Home

Song 177: “Never Learn Not to Love” by the Beach Boys, Part One, Old Folks at Home

For those who haven’t heard the announcement I posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the first part of a multi-episode look at the song “Never Learn Not to Love” by the Beach Boys, and the links between Charles Manson and the LA music scene. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a fifty-five-minute bonus episode available, on “Light Flight” by Pentangle

Nov 19, 2024 • 0:00

Song 176, “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones, part 4: “Who Breaks a Butterfly?””

Song 176, “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones, part 4: “Who Breaks a Butterfly?””

For those who haven’t heard the announcement I posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the fourth and final part of a multi-episode look at the song “Sympathy for the Devil” and the career of the Rolling Stones. This episode covers January through December 1969, and may distress some listeners as it deals with murder, drowning, attempted suicide, and miscarriage. It’s not a happy episode. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more

Oct 17, 2024 • 0:00

Song 176, “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones, part 3: “Every Cop is a Criminal and All the Sinners Saints”

Song 176, “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones, part 3: “Every Cop is a Criminal and All the Sinners Saints”

For those who haven’t heard the announcement I posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the third part of a multi-episode look at the song “Sympathy for the Devil” and the career of the Rolling Stones. This episode covers so much though , even though it only takes us from February 1967 through December 1968, that by itself it is one of the longer episodes of the podcast (hence the longer-than-usual delay between parts two and three). Click the

Sep 22, 2024 • 0:00

Song 176: “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones, part 2: Traps for Troubadours

Song 176: “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones, part 2: Traps for Troubadours

For those who haven’t heard the announcement I posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the second part of a multi-episode look at the song “Sympathy for the Devil” and the career of the Rolling Stones. This episode takes us from April 1966 through to the release of “Let’s Spend the Night Together”/”Ruby Tuesday” Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a hal

Aug 19, 2024 • 0:00

Song 176: “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones, Part One: A Man of Wealth and Taste

Song 176: “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones, Part One: A Man of Wealth and Taste

For those who haven’t heard the announcement I posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the first part of a multi-episode look at the song “Sympathy for the Devil” and the career of the Rolling Stones. This episode takes us from the release of “Satisfaction” through to the release of “Paint it Black”. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a nineteen-minute

Aug 1, 2024 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “Dark End of the Street” by James Carr

PLEDGE WEEK: “Dark End of the Street” by James Carr

This episode is part of Pledge Week 2024. From Tuesday through Saturday this week I’m posting some of my old Patreon bonuses to the main feed, as a taste of what Patreon backers get. If you enjoy them, why not subscribe for a dollar a month at patreon.com/andrewhickey ? (more…)

Jul 13, 2024 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “I Love You” by People

PLEDGE WEEK: “I Love You” by People

This episode is part of Pledge Week 2024. From Tuesday through Saturday this week I’m posting some of my old Patreon bonuses to the main feed, as a taste of what Patreon backers get. If you enjoy them, why not subscribe for a dollar a month at patreon.com/andrewhickey ? (more…)

Jul 12, 2024 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “Son of a Preacher Man” by Dusty Springfield

PLEDGE WEEK: “Son of a Preacher Man” by Dusty Springfield

This episode is part of Pledge Week 2024. From Tuesday through Saturday this week I’m posting some of my old Patreon bonuses to the main feed, as a taste of what Patreon backers get. If you enjoy them, why not subscribe for a dollar a month at patreon.com/andrewhickey ? (more…)

Jul 11, 2024 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “My World Fell Down” by Sagittarius

PLEDGE WEEK: “My World Fell Down” by Sagittarius

This episode is part of Pledge Week 2024. From Tuesday through Saturday this week I’m posting some of my old Patreon bonuses to the main feed, as a taste of what Patreon backers get. If you enjoy them, why not subscribe for a dollar a month at patreon.com/andrewhickey ? (more…)

Jul 10, 2024 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “A Whiter Shade of Pale” by Procol Harum

PLEDGE WEEK: “A Whiter Shade of Pale” by Procol Harum

This episode is part of Pledge Week 2024. From Tuesday through Saturday this week I’m posting some of my old Patreon bonuses to the main feed, as a taste of what Patreon backers get. If you enjoy them, why not subscribe for a dollar a month at patreon.com/andrewhickey ? (more…)

Jul 9, 2024 • 0:00

ANNOUNCEMENT: Pledge Week 2024

ANNOUNCEMENT: Pledge Week 2024

An announcement of this year’s pledge week. To sign up to the Patreon, visit http://patreon.com/andrewhickey Transcript Welcome to Pledge Week 2024. For those who don’t know — perhaps you’ve only recently started listening to the podcast — this podcast is entirely funded by people backing me on Patreon, the crowdfunding site, and so occasionally I’ll do a pledge week, where I remind people about this and encourage people to sign up. The main benefit you get for signing up to the Patreon, other t

Jul 8, 2024 • 0:00

Song 175: “Everyday People” by Sly and the Family Stone Part 2, “My Own Beliefs Are In My Song”

Song 175: “Everyday People” by Sly and the Family Stone Part 2, “My Own Beliefs Are In My Song”

For those who haven’t heard the announcement I posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the first part of a two-episode look at the song “Everyday People”. This episode looks at the whole career of Sly and the Family Stone, from their first rehearsal until today. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a twenty-five-minute bonus episode, on “Living in the Pa

Jul 2, 2024 • 0:00

Song 175: “Everyday People” by Sly and the Family Stone Part 1 Different Strokes For Different Folks

Song 175: “Everyday People” by Sly and the Family Stone Part 1 Different Strokes For Different Folks

For those who haven’t heard the announcement I posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the first part of a two-episode look at the song “Everyday People”. This week we take a short look at the formation of Sly and the Family Stone, and in a week’s time we’ll look at the group’s career after they formed. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a twenty-five-

Jun 13, 2024 • 0:00

Song 174B: “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” Part Two, “It Takes Two”

Song 174B: “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” Part Two, “It Takes Two”

For those who haven’t heard the announcement I posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the second part of a two-episode look at the song “I Heard it Through the Grapevine”. This week we’re looking at the career of Marvin Gaye from 1963 through 1970, as well as his duet partners Mary Wells, Kim Weston, and Tammi Terrell, whose tragically short life comes with a great many content warnings. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more

May 24, 2024 • 0:00

Song 174A: “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” Part One, “If At First You Don’t Succeed…”

Song 174A: “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” Part One, “If At First You Don’t Succeed…”

For those who haven’t heard the announcement I posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the first part of a two-episode look at the song “I Heard it Through the Grapevine”. This week we take a short look at the song’s writers, Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, and the first released version by Gladys Knight and the Pips. In two weeks time we’ll take a longer look at the sixties career of the song’s most famous performer, Marvin Gaye. This e

May 7, 2024 • 0:00

An Alert: Someone Plagiarising Me

An Alert: Someone Plagiarising Me

Transcript The next proper episode will be up in a couple of days – I’m recording it tonight – but I just wanted to make a brief announcement. It has recently been brought to my attention that the French language podcast Un dernier disque avant la fin du monde has, for nearly two years, been making French-language versions of my podcast without giving me credit (the episodes before that don’t seem to be ripped off from me), and has been monetising them on Patreon – including making his own Frenc

May 3, 2024 • 0:00

Song 173: “All Along the Watchtower” Part Two, The Hour is Getting Late

Song 173: “All Along the Watchtower” Part Two, The Hour is Getting Late

For those who haven’t heard the announcement I posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the second part of a two-episode look at the song “All Along the Watchtower”. Part one was on the original version by Bob Dylan, while this part is on Jimi Hendrix’s cover version. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a half-hour bonus episode, on “Games People Play” b

Apr 14, 2024 • 0:00

Song 173: “All Along the Watchtower”, Part One: “He’s Not the Messiah”

Song 173: “All Along the Watchtower”, Part One: “He’s Not the Messiah”

For those who haven’t heard the announcement I posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the first of a two-episode look at the song “All Along the Watchtower”. This one is on the original version by Bob Dylan, while part two will be on Jimi Hendrix’s cover version. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a half-hour bonus episode, on “Alice’s Restaurant Mass

Mar 25, 2024 • 0:00

Song 172, Hickory Wind by the Byrds: Part 4, Hour of Darkness

Song 172, Hickory Wind by the Byrds: Part 4, Hour of Darkness

For those who haven’t heard the announcement I just posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the fourth and final part of a four-episode look at the Byrds in 1966-69 and the birth of country rock, this time mostly focused on what Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman did after leaving the band. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a twenty-minute bonus episode,

Mar 1, 2024 • 0:00

Song 172, Hickory Wind by the Byrds: Part 3, The Parsons Tale

Song 172, Hickory Wind by the Byrds: Part 3, The Parsons Tale

For those who haven’t heard the announcement I just posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the third part of a four-episode look at the Byrds in 1966-69 and the birth of country rock. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a half-hour bonus episode, on “Fire” by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edi

Feb 16, 2024 • 0:00

Song 172, “Hickory Wind” by the Byrds: Part Two, Of Submarines and Second Generations

Song 172, “Hickory Wind” by the Byrds: Part Two, Of Submarines and Second Generations

For those who haven’t heard the announcement I just posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the second part of a multi-episode look at the Byrds in 1966-69 and the birth of country rock. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a half-hour bonus episode, on “With a Little Help From My Friends” by Joe Cocker. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a fir

Feb 1, 2024 • 0:00

Song 172, “Hickory Wind” by the Byrds: Part One, Ushering in a New Dimension

Song 172, “Hickory Wind” by the Byrds: Part One, Ushering in a New Dimension

For those who haven’t heard the announcement I just posted , songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the first part of a multi-episode look at the Byrds in 1966-69 and the birth of country rock. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a half-hour bonus episode on “My World Fell Down” by Sagittarius. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and

Jan 17, 2024 • 0:00

Announcement Regarding Schedule

Announcement Regarding Schedule

This is just a brief announcement. The fact that I’ve released stuff so inconsistently over the last year, along with the last episode being so long that it actually caused problems for Tilt’s editing softwaere has caused me to reconsider how I’m breaking these episodes up. I have had very good reasons for making the episodes longer rather than doing multiple parts — we would have had episodes titled “White Light/White Heat”, “Eight Miles High”, and “Good Vibrations” which literally didn’t menti

Jan 17, 2024 • 0:00

Episode 171: “Hey Jude” by the Beatles

Episode 171: “Hey Jude” by the Beatles

Episode 171 looks at “Hey Jude”, the White Album, and the career of the Beatles from August 1967 through November 1968. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a fifty-seven-minute bonus episode available, on “I Love You” by People!. 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-cak

Dec 17, 2023 • 0:00

Episode 170: “Astral Weeks” by Van Morrison

Episode 170: “Astral Weeks” by Van Morrison

Episode 170 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Astral Weeks”, the early solo career of Van Morrison, and the death of Bert Berns.  Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a forty-minute bonus episode available, on “Stoned Soul Picnic” by Laura Nyro. 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 podc

Nov 21, 2023 • 0:00

Episode 169: “Piece of My Heart” by Big Brother and the Holding Company

Episode 169: “Piece of My Heart” by Big Brother and the Holding Company

Episode 169 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Piece of My Heart” and the short, tragic life of Janis Joplin. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a half-hour bonus episode available, on “Spinning Wheel” by Blood, Sweat & Tears. 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

Oct 30, 2023 • 0:00

Episode 168: “I Say a Little Prayer” by Aretha Franklin

Episode 168: “I Say a Little Prayer” by Aretha Franklin

Episode 168 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “I Say a Little Prayer”, and the interaction of the sacred, political, and secular in Aretha Franklin's life and work. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a forty-five-minute bonus episode available, on "Abraham, Martin, and John" by Dion. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from

Sep 28, 2023 • 0:00

Episode 167: “The Weight” by The Band

Episode 167: “The Weight” by The Band

Episode one hundred and sixty-seven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “The Weight” by the Band, the Basement Tapes, and the continuing controversy over Dylan going electric. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a half-hour bonus episode available, on “S.F. Sorrow is Born” by the Pretty Things. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing

Aug 14, 2023 • 0:00

Episode 166: “Crossroads” by Cream

Episode 166: “Crossroads” by Cream

Episode 166 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Crossroads”, Cream, the myth of Robert Johnson, and whether white men can sing the blues. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a forty-eight-minute bonus episode available, on “Tip-Toe Thru’ the Tulips” by Tiny Tim. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’

Jul 2, 2023 • 0:00

Episode 165: “Dark Star” by the Grateful Dead

Episode 165: “Dark Star” by the Grateful Dead

Episode 165 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Dark Star” and the career of the Grateful Dead. This is a long one, even longer than the previous episode, but don't worry, that won't be the norm. There's a reason these two were much longer than average. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a twenty-minute bonus episode available, on "Codine" by the Charlatans. Errata I mispronounce Br

May 20, 2023 • 0:00

Episode 164: “White Light/White Heat” by the Velvet Underground

Episode 164: “White Light/White Heat” by the Velvet Underground

Episode 164 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at "White Light/White Heat" and the career of the Velvet Underground. This is a long one, lasting three hours and twenty minutes. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode.Patreon backers also have a twenty-three minute bonus episode available, on "Why Don't You Smile Now?" by the Downliners Sect.Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first

Apr 3, 2023 • 3:21:10

Episode 163: “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding

Episode 163: “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay” by Otis Redding

Episode 163 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “(Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay", Stax Records, and the short, tragic, life of Otis Redding. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode.Patreon backers also have a twenty-three minute bonus episode available, on "Soul Man" by Sam and Dave.Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Chec

Feb 27, 2023 • 1:54:40

Episode 162: “Daydream Believer” by the Monkees

Episode 162: “Daydream Believer” by the Monkees

Episode 162 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Daydream Believer”, and the later career of the Monkees, and how four Pinocchios became real boys. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a twenty-minute bonus episode available, on “Born to be Wild” by Steppenwolf. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’s

Jan 31, 2023 • 0:00

Episode 161: “Alone Again Or” by Love

Episode 161: “Alone Again Or” by Love

Episode one hundred and sixty-one of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Alone Again Or”, the career of Love, and the making of Forever Changes. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a twenty-minute bonus episode available, on “Susan” by the Buckinghams 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 po

Jan 13, 2023 • 0:00

XMAS BONUS: “Christmas Time is Here Again” by the Beatles

XMAS BONUS: “Christmas Time is Here Again” by the Beatles

As we’re in the period between Christmas and New Year, the gap between episodes is going to be longer than normal, and the podcast proper is going to be back on January the ninth. So nobody has to wait around for another fortnight for a new episode, I thought I’d upload some old Patreon bonus episodes to fill the gap. Every year around Christmas the bonus episodes I do tend to be on Christmas songs and so this week I’m uploading three of those. These are older episodes, so don’t have the same pr

Dec 29, 2022 • 0:00

XMAS BONUS: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

XMAS BONUS: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

As we’re in the period between Christmas and New Year, the gap between episodes is going to be longer than normal, and the podcast proper is going to be back on January the ninth. So nobody has to wait around for another fortnight for a new episode, I thought I’d upload some old Patreon bonus episodes to fill the gap. Every year around Christmas the bonus episodes I do tend to be on Christmas songs and so this week I’m uploading three of those. These are older episodes, so don’t have the same pr

Dec 28, 2022 • 0:00

XMAS BONUS: Little St. Nick

XMAS BONUS: Little St. Nick

As we’re in the period between Christmas and New Year, the gap between episodes is going to be longer than normal, and the podcast proper is going to be back on January the ninth. So nobody has to wait around for another fortnight for a new episode, I thought I’d upload some old Patreon bonus episodes to fill the gap. Every year around Christmas the bonus episodes I do tend to be on Christmas songs and so this week I’m uploading three of those. These are older episodes, so don’t have the same pr

Dec 27, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 160: “Flowers in the Rain” by the Move

Episode 160: “Flowers in the Rain” by the Move

Episode 160 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Flowers in the Rain" by the Move, their transition into ELO, and the career of Roy Wood. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a twenty-minute bonus episode available, on "The Chipmunk Song" by Canned Heat. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’s irregula

Dec 22, 2022 • 0:00

ADMIN: Holiday Schedule 2022

ADMIN: Holiday Schedule 2022

Transcript This is just to let people know what's happening with the podcast over the next few weeks, as we head into a season which has holiday celebrations for many people, including me. The podcast has been keeping to a fortnightly schedule for the last few months, but at this time of year I have commitments to visit family and friends for Christmas and New Year, and I've learned that when I'm away from home I can't record and shouldn't even make the attempt. Also, a lot of people don't have

Dec 18, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 159: “Itchycoo Park”, by the Small Faces

Episode 159: “Itchycoo Park”, by the Small Faces

Episode 159 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Itchycoo Park” by the Small Faces, and their transition from Mod to psychedelia. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a twenty-five-minute bonus episode available, on “The First Cut is the Deepest” by P.P. Arnold. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’s

Dec 7, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 158: “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane

Episode 158: “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane

Episode one hundred and fifty-eight of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “White Rabbit”, Jefferson Airplane, and the rise of the San Francisco sound. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a twenty-three-minute bonus episode available, on “Omaha” by Moby Grape. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’s irre

Nov 23, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 157: “See Emily Play” by The Pink Floyd

Episode 157: “See Emily Play” by The Pink Floyd

Episode one hundred and fifty-seven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “See Emily Play”, the birth of the UK underground, and the career of Roger Barrett, known as Syd. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a twenty-five-minute bonus episode available, on “First Girl I Loved” by the Incredible String Band. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopeful

Nov 8, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 156: “I Was Made to Love Her” by Stevie Wonder

Episode 156: “I Was Made to Love Her” by Stevie Wonder

Episode one hundred and fifty-six of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “I Was Made to Love Her”, the early career of Stevie Wonder, and the Detroit riots of 1967. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a twenty-minute bonus episode available, on “Groovin'” by the Young Rascals. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Chec

Oct 25, 2022 • 0:00

Admin: Podcast Now Fortnightly

Admin: Podcast Now Fortnightly

Transcript You'll have noticed that my experiment with timings has been only a qualified success. While my buffer did allow me to get episodes going out weekly for a while, they've started to lag again, as events and health have derailed things -- though I have managed to get a bonus episode up for Patreon backers every week. As the upcoming episode is the second one in a row to have a significant delay, I've decided that that's a sign the weekly rate for the main podcast is clearly unsustainabl

Oct 21, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 155: “Waterloo Sunset” by the Kinks

Episode 155: “Waterloo Sunset” by the Kinks

Episode one hundred and fifty-five of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Waterloo Sunset” by the Kinks, and the self-inflicted damage the group did to their career between 1965 and 1967. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a nineteen-minute bonus episode available, on "Excerpt From a Teenage Opera" by Keith West. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will

Oct 11, 2022 • 0:00

A Request

A Request

Transcript Hi. We're still on a skip week, the main podcast will be back next week, but as we've now reached a point in the podcast where more of the people discussed are living than dead, I'd just like to say something, and make a request. I've seen several people asking people mentioned in the podcast if they're listeners, on Twitter and other social media, and I would very much rather people stop doing that. Please don't tag any living subjects of my podcast episodes into tweets about those e

Sep 29, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 154: “Happy Together” by the Turtles

Episode 154: “Happy Together” by the Turtles

Episode one hundred and fifty-four of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs is the last of our four-part mini-series on LA sunshine pop and folk-rock in summer 1967. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a fifteen-minute bonus episode available, on “Baby, Now That I’ve Found You” by the Foundations. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from no

Sep 21, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 153: “Heroes and Villains” by the Beach Boys

Episode 153: “Heroes and Villains” by the Beach Boys

Episode one hundred and fifty-three of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Heroes and Villains” by the Beach Boys, and the collapse of the Smile album. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a sixteen-minute bonus episode available, on “I Had Too Much to Dream Last Night” by the Electric Prunes. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so

Sep 13, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 152: “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield

Episode 152: “For What It’s Worth” by Buffalo Springfield

Episode 152 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “For What It’s Worth”, and the short but eventful career of Buffalo Springfield. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a twenty-five-minute bonus episode available, on “By the Time I Get to Phoenix” by Glen Campbell. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’s

Aug 30, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 151: “San Francisco” by Scott McKenzie

Episode 151: “San Francisco” by Scott McKenzie

We start season four of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs with an extra-long look at “San Francisco” by Scott McKenzie, and at the Monterey Pop Festival, and the careers of the Mamas and the Papas and P.F. Sloan.  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 “Up, Up, and Away” by the 5th Dimension. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, a

Aug 22, 2022 • 0:00

Season Four Announcement

Season Four Announcement

Transcript This is the official announcement that episode one hundred and fifty-one will be up in precisely one week. I’ve just finished recording it, and am now in the process of recording episodes one hundred and fifty-two through one hundred and fifty-four while Tilt edits one hundred and fifty-one. For those of you who are Patreon backers, the Patreon-only Q&A is up now. This will be the start of season four, which is going to work slightly differently from previous seasons, because of the

Aug 14, 2022 • 0:00

July 2022 Q&A

July 2022 Q&A

While I’m still on hiatus, I invited questions from listeners. This is an hour-long podcast answering some of them. (Another hour-long Q&A for Patreon backers only will go up next week). 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/ There is a Mixcloud of the music excerpted here which can be found at https://www.mixcloud.co

Jul 30, 2022 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “You’re Gonna Miss Me” by The Thirteenth Floor Elevators

PLEDGE WEEK: “You’re Gonna Miss Me” by The Thirteenth Floor Elevators

This episode is part of Pledge Week 2022. Every day this week, I’ll be posting old Patreon bonus episodes of the podcast which will have this short intro. These are short, ten- to twenty-minute bonus podcasts which get posted to Patreon for my paying backers every time I post a new main episode — there are well over a hundred of these in the archive now. If you like the sound of these episodes, then go to patreon.com/andrewhickey and subscribe for as little as a dollar a month or ten dollars a y

Jul 16, 2022 • 0:00

Pledge Week: “Rescue Me” by Fontella Bass

Pledge Week: “Rescue Me” by Fontella Bass

This episode is part of Pledge Week 2022. Every day this week, I'll be posting old Patreon bonus episodes of the podcast which will have this short intro. These are short, ten- to twenty-minute bonus podcasts which get posted to Patreon for my paying backers every time I post a new main episode -- there are well over a hundred of these in the archive now. If you like the sound of these episodes, then go to patreon.com/andrewhickey and subscribe for as little as a dollar a month or ten dollars a

Jul 15, 2022 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “I’m Henry VIII I Am” by Herman’s Hermits

PLEDGE WEEK: “I’m Henry VIII I Am” by Herman’s Hermits

This episode is part of Pledge Week 2022. Every day this week, I’ll be posting old Patreon bonus episodes of the podcast which will have this short intro. These are short, ten- to twenty-minute bonus podcasts which get posted to Patreon for my paying backers every time I post a new main episode — there are well over a hundred of these in the archive now. If you like the sound of these episodes, then go to patreon.com/andrewhickey and subscribe for as little as a dollar a month or ten dollars a y

Jul 14, 2022 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “Hanky Panky” by Tommy James and the Shondells

PLEDGE WEEK: “Hanky Panky” by Tommy James and the Shondells

This episode is part of Pledge Week 2022. Every day this week, I’ll be posting old Patreon bonus episodes of the podcast which will have this short intro. These are short, ten- to twenty-minute bonus podcasts which get posted to Patreon for my paying backers every time I post a new main episode — there are well over a hundred of these in the archive now. If you like the sound of these episodes, then go to patreon.com/andrewhickey and subscribe for as little as a dollar a month or ten dollars a y

Jul 13, 2022 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “The Name Game” by Shirley Ellis

PLEDGE WEEK: “The Name Game” by Shirley Ellis

This episode is part of Pledge Week 2022. Every day this week, I’ll be posting old Patreon bonus episodes of the podcast which will have this short intro. These are short, ten- to twenty-minute bonus podcasts which get posted to Patreon for my paying backers every time I post a new main episode — there are well over a hundred of these in the archive now. If you like the sound of these episodes, then go to patreon.com/andrewhickey and subscribe for as little as a dollar a month or ten dollars a y

Jul 12, 2022 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “Blues Run the Game” by Jackson C Frank

PLEDGE WEEK: “Blues Run the Game” by Jackson C Frank

This episode is part of Pledge Week 2022. Every day this week, I’ll be posting old Patreon bonus episodes of the podcast which will have this short intro. These are short, ten- to twenty-minute bonus podcasts which get posted to Patreon for my paying backers every time I post a new main episode — there are well over a hundred of these in the archive now. If you like the sound of these episodes, then go to patreon.com/andrewhickey and subscribe for as little as a dollar a month or ten dollars a y

Jul 11, 2022 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “Winchester Cathedral” by the New Vaudeville Band

PLEDGE WEEK: “Winchester Cathedral” by the New Vaudeville Band

This episode is part of Pledge Week 2022. Every day this week, I’ll be posting old Patreon bonus episodes of the podcast which will have this short intro. These are short, ten- to twenty-minute bonus podcasts which get posted to Patreon for my paying backers every time I post a new main episode — there are well over a hundred of these in the archive now. If you like the sound of these episodes, then go to patreon.com/andrewhickey and subscribe for as little as a dollar a month or ten dollars a y

Jul 10, 2022 • 0:00

ADMIN: Pledge Week 2022

ADMIN: Pledge Week 2022

The Facebook community I talk about is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/293630102611672/ The post for asking Q&A questions is here The Patreon post for Q&A questions is here Transcript Hello and welcome to the start of 2022’s Pledge Week. For those of you who don’t know, this podcast is my full-time job, and I can only do it because of listener support, and the best way people can support me is to set up a regular donation through patreon.com, and to reward those supporters I do short bonus po

Jul 10, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 150: “All You Need is Love” by the Beatles

Episode 150: “All You Need is Love” by the Beatles

This week’s episode looks at “All You Need is Love”, the Our World TV special, and the career of the Beatles from April 1966 through August 1967. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a thirteen-minute bonus episode available, on “Rain” by the Beatles. 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.

Jun 26, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 149: “Respect” by Aretha Franklin

Episode 149: “Respect” by Aretha Franklin

Episode 149 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Respect”, and the journey of Aretha Franklin from teenage gospel singer to the Queen of Soul. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a fifteen-minute bonus episode available, on “I’m Just a Mops” by the Mops. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’s irregul

May 22, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 148: “Light My Fire” by the Doors

Episode 148: “Light My Fire” by the Doors

Episode one hundred and forty-eight of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Light My Fire” by the Doors, the history of cool jazz, and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. 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 Friend Jack” by the Smoke. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’s

Apr 30, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 147: “Hey Joe” by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Episode 147: “Hey Joe” by The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Episode one hundred and forty-seven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Hey Joe” by the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and is the longest episode to date, at over two hours. Patreon backers also have a twenty-two-minute bonus episode available, on “Making Time” by The Creation. 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://

Apr 16, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 146: “Good Vibrations” by the Beach Boys

Episode 146: “Good Vibrations” by the Beach Boys

Episode one hundred and forty-six of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Good Vibrations” by the Beach Boys, and the history of the theremin. 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 Gonna Miss Me” by the Thirteenth Floor Elevators. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Chec

Mar 25, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 145: “Tomorrow Never Knows” by the Beatles

Episode 145: “Tomorrow Never Knows” by the Beatles

This week’s episode looks at “Tomorrow Never Knows”, the making of Revolver by the Beatles, and the influence of Timothy Leary on the burgeoning psychedelic movement. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a fifteen-minute bonus episode available, on “Keep on Running” by the Spencer Davis Group. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check o

Mar 5, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 144: “Last Train to Clarksville” by the Monkees

Episode 144: “Last Train to Clarksville” by the Monkees

Episode 144 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Last Train to Clarksville” and the beginnings of the career of the Monkees, along with a short primer on the origins of the Vietnam War.  Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a seventeen-minute bonus episode available, on “These Boots Are Made For Walking” by Nancy Sinatra, which I mispronounce at the end of this episode as “These Boots

Feb 15, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 143: “Summer in the City” by the Lovin’ Spoonful

Episode 143: “Summer in the City” by the Lovin’ Spoonful

Episode 143 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Summer in the City’”, and at the short but productive career of the Lovin’ Spoonful.  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 “The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Any More” by the Walker Brothers and the strange career of Scott Walker. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will ho

Feb 7, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 142: “God Only Knows” by the Beach Boys

Episode 142: “God Only Knows” by the Beach Boys

Episode one hundred and forty-two of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “God Only Knows” by the Beach Boys, and the creation of the Pet Sounds album. 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 “Sunny” by Bobby Hebb. 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 podc

Jan 31, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 141: “River Deep, Mountain High” by Ike and Tina Turner

Episode 141: “River Deep, Mountain High” by Ike and Tina Turner

Episode 141 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “River Deep Mountain High’”, and at the career of Ike and Tina Turner.  Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Also, this episode was recorded before the sad death of the great Ronnie Spector, whose records are featured a couple of times in this episode, which is partly about her abusive ex-husband. Her life paralleled Tina Turner’s quite closely, and if you haven’t

Jan 16, 2022 • 0:00

Episode 140: “Trouble Every Day” by the Mothers of Invention

Episode 140: “Trouble Every Day” by the Mothers of Invention

Episode one hundred and forty of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Trouble Every Day” by the Mothers of Invention, and the early career of Frank Zappa. 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 “Christmas Time is Here Again” by the Beatles. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Che

Dec 25, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 139: “Eight Miles High” by the Byrds

Episode 139: “Eight Miles High” by the Byrds

Episode one hundred and thirty-nine of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Eight Miles High” by the Byrds, and the influence of jazz and Indian music on psychedelic rock. This is a long one… 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 “Winchester Cathedral” by the New Vaudeville Band. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and wi

Dec 22, 2021 • 0:00

[Admin] An Explanation for Delays… And What I’m Going to Do About It

[Admin] An Explanation for Delays… And What I’m Going to Do About It

Hi, This is not a proper episode of the podcast. Rather, this is an explanation, at least in part, of why there have been fewer episodes than normal this year, and what I plan to do about that. One of the things I promised myself when I started this podcast was that I would not do the thing that many podcasters do of waffling on for fifteen minutes at the beginning about their lives, in an attempt to build up a parasocial relationship with the listeners. I pride myself on the work I do, and par

Dec 12, 2021 • 0:00

Second Book Announcement

Second Book Announcement

This is just to let everyone know that the second volume of the book based on the podcast should be available by the time you get this episode in your podcast app. It's been a long, long, time coming, because the last year and a bit has been far more difficult, for far more reasons, than I can go into here, but the book is now done. It's called "From the Million Dollar Quartet to the Fab Four", and contains versions of the scripts for episodes fifty-one through one hundred, revised for the book

Dec 7, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 138: “I Fought the Law” by the Bobby Fuller Four

Episode 138: “I Fought the Law” by the Bobby Fuller Four

Episode one hundred and thirty-eight of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “I Fought the Law”, and at the mysterious death of Bobby Fuller. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a fifteen-minute bonus episode available, on “Hanky Panky” by Tommy James and the Shondells. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Ti

Dec 1, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 137: “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” by James Brown

Episode 137: “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” by James Brown

Episode one hundred and thirty-seven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag” by James Brown, and at how Brown went from a minor doo-wop artist to the pioneer of funk. 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 “I’m a Fool” by Dino, Desi, and Billy. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefu

Nov 15, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 136: “My Generation” by the Who

Episode 136: “My Generation” by the Who

Episode one hundred and thirty-six of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs is a special long episode, running almost ninety minutes, looking at “My Generation” by the Who. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a fifteen-minute bonus episode available, on “The Name Game” by Shirley Ellis. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check

Nov 3, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 135: “The Sound of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel

Episode 135: “The Sound of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel

Episode one hundred and thirty-five of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “The Sound of Silence” by Simon and Garfunkel, and the many records they made, together and apart, before their success. 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 “Blues Run the Game” by Jackson C. Frank. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will ho

Oct 21, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 134: “In the Midnight Hour” by Wilson Pickett

Episode 134: “In the Midnight Hour” by Wilson Pickett

Episode 134 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “In the Midnight Hour”, the links between Stax, Atlantic, and Detroit, and the career of Wilson Pickett. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a fifteen-minute bonus episode available, on “Mercy Mercy” by Don Covay. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’s

Oct 13, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 133: “My Girl” by the Temptations

Episode 133: “My Girl” by the Temptations

Episode one hundred and thirty-three of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “My Girl” by the Temptations, and is part three of a three-episode look at Motown in 1965. 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 “Yeh Yeh” by Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from

Sep 24, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 132: “I Can’t Help Myself” by the Four Tops

Episode 132: “I Can’t Help Myself” by the Four Tops

Episode one hundred and thirty-two of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “I Can’t Help Myself” by the Four Tops, and is part two of a three-episode look at Motown in 1965. 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 “Colours” by Donovan. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out

Sep 8, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 131: “I Hear a Symphony” by the Supremes

Episode 131: “I Hear a Symphony” by the Supremes

Episode one hundred and thirty-one of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “I Hear a Symphony” by the Supremes, and is the start of a three-episode look at Motown in 1965. 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 “Rescue Me” by Fontella Bass. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Chec

Aug 25, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 130: “Like a Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan

Episode 130: “Like a Rolling Stone” by Bob Dylan

Episode one hundred and thirty of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Like a Rolling Stone" by Bob Dylan, and the controversy over Dylan going electric, 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 "Hold What You've Got" by Joe Tex. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’s

Aug 14, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 129: “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones

Episode 129: “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones

Episode 129 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones, and how they went from being a moderately successful beat group to being the only serious rivals to the Beatles. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have an eleven-minute bonus episode available, on "I'll Never Find Another You" by the Seekers. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing

Jul 30, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 128: “Mr. Tambourine Man” by the Byrds

Episode 128: “Mr. Tambourine Man” by the Byrds

Episode one hundred and twenty-eight of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Mr. Tambourine Man” by the Byrds, and the start of LA folk-rock. 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 “I Got You Babe” by Sonny and Cher. 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

Jul 22, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 127: “Ticket to Ride” by the Beatles

Episode 127: “Ticket to Ride” by the Beatles

This week’s episode looks at "Ticket to Ride", the making of the Beatles' second film, and the influence of Bob Dylan on the Beatles' work and lives. 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 "The Game of Love" by Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’s

Jul 13, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 126: “For Your Love” by the Yardbirds

Episode 126: “For Your Love” by the Yardbirds

Episode 126 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “For Your Love”, the Yardbirds, and the beginnings of heavy rock and the guitar hero.  Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a twenty-minute bonus episode available, on “A Lover’s Concerto” by the Toys. 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 pod

Jul 1, 2021 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “Hey Little Cobra” by the Rip Chords

PLEDGE WEEK: “Hey Little Cobra” by the Rip Chords

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. (more…)

Jun 21, 2021 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “Farmer John” by Don and Dewey

PLEDGE WEEK: “Farmer John” by Don and Dewey

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. (more…)

Jun 20, 2021 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “Papa Oom Mow Mow” by the Rivingtons

PLEDGE WEEK: “Papa Oom Mow Mow” by the Rivingtons

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. Today, we're going to look at a record that, like the record we looked at in the main podcast this week, has connections to Kim Fowley and to the Beach Boys, who covered it just as they did "Moon Dawg". But we'r

Jun 19, 2021 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “Muleskinner Blues” by the Fendermen

PLEDGE WEEK: “Muleskinner Blues” by the Fendermen

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. (more…)

Jun 18, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 125: “Here Comes the Night” by Them

Episode 125: “Here Comes the Night” by Them

Episode 125 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Here Comes the Night", Them, the early career of Van Morrison, and the continuing success of Bert Berns.  Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a twenty-minute bonus episode available, on "Dirty Water" by the Standells. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Ti

Jun 18, 2021 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “Sukiyaki” by Kyu Sakamoto

PLEDGE WEEK: “Sukiyaki” by Kyu Sakamoto

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. (more…)

Jun 17, 2021 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “Any Other Way” by Jackie Shane

PLEDGE WEEK: “Any Other Way” by Jackie Shane

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. (more…)

Jun 16, 2021 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “If You Wanna Be Happy” by Jimmy Soul

PLEDGE WEEK: “If You Wanna Be Happy” by Jimmy Soul

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. In this week's main episode, we're taking our first trip to Jamaica, and having our first look at ska music. But of course, ska wasn't the only music to come out of the Caribbean, and calypso music had already

Jun 15, 2021 • 0:00

ADMIN: Pledge Week 2021

ADMIN: Pledge Week 2021

Transcript About a year ago I did a pledge week, to encourage people to back me on Patreon. This seemed relatively successful, so I'm going to do it again. For those who don't know, the podcast is supported by listeners pledging money on the crowdfunding site Patreon. Listeners can give $1 a month or more, and I use that to fund the project. They also get various other bonus things, like the ability to send me private messages, free copies of my books for those on higher tiers, and so on. Some

Jun 15, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 124: “People Get Ready” by the Impressions

Episode 124: “People Get Ready” by the Impressions

Episode 124 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “People Get Ready”, the Impressions, and the early career of Curtis Mayfield.  Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a twenty-minute bonus episode available, on “I’m Henry VIII I Am” by Herman’s Hermits. 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 po

Jun 8, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 123: “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” by the Righteous Brothers

Episode 123: “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin'” by the Righteous Brothers

Episode 123 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'", the Righteous Brothers, Shindig! and "blue-eyed soul".  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 "Wooly Bully" by Sam the Sham and the Pharaohs. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’

May 25, 2021 • 0:00

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

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

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"

May 18, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 121: “The Leader of the Pack” by the Shangri-Las

Episode 121: “The Leader of the Pack” by the Shangri-Las

Episode one hundred and twenty-one of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “The Leader of the Pack", the rise and fall of Red Bird Records, and the end of the death disc trend. 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 "California Sun" by the Rivieras. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now

May 6, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 120: “A Hard Day’s Night” by the Beatles

Episode 120: “A Hard Day’s Night” by the Beatles

This week's episode, the first on the new host, looks at "A Hard Day's Night", and the making of the film that would define music cinema for decades to come. 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 "Tobacco Road" by the Nashville Teens. 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

Apr 27, 2021 • 0:00

Admin Note: Podcast Host Moved

Admin Note: Podcast Host Moved

A quick admin note about why the podcast has changed hosts. Click through for the transcript. Transcript This is a brief admin podcast to explain why a new episode of the podcast won't be up for a few days, why the podcast wasn't available for a couple of days, and also why some of you might have seen all the old episodes turn up again in your podcast app. On Monday, i woke up to find that the Recording Industry Association of America had made a DMCA complaint against episode 112, the episode on

Apr 14, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 119: “You Really Got Me” by the Kinks

Episode 119: “You Really Got Me” by the Kinks

Episode one hundred and nineteen of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “You Really Got Me” by the Kinks, and the song that first took distorted guitar to number one. 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 “G.T.O.” by Ronny and the Daytonas. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Ch

Apr 5, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 118: “Do-Wah-Diddy-Diddy” by Manfred Mann

Episode 118: “Do-Wah-Diddy-Diddy” by Manfred Mann

Episode 118 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Do-Wah-Diddy-Diddy” by Manfred Mann, and how a jazz group with a blues singer had one of the biggest bubblegum pop hits of the sixties. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a thirteen-minute bonus episode available, on “Walk on By” by Dionne Warwick. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be do

Mar 28, 2021 • 0:00

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

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

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

Mar 20, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 116: “Where Did Our Love Go?” by The Supremes

Episode 116: “Where Did Our Love Go?” by The Supremes

Episode one hundred and sixteen of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Where Did Our Love Go?” by the Supremes, and how the “no-hit Supremes” became the biggest girl group in history. 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 “She’s Not There” by the Zombies. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so

Mar 10, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 115: “House of the Rising Sun” by the Animals

Episode 115: “House of the Rising Sun” by the Animals

Episode one hundred and fifteen of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “House of the Rising Sun” by the Animals, at the way the US and UK music scenes were influencing each other in 1964, and at the fraught question of attribution when reworking older songs. 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 “Memphis” by Johnny Rivers. Tilt Araiza has assisted i

Feb 27, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 114: “My Boy Lollipop” by Millie

Episode 114: “My Boy Lollipop” by Millie

This week’s episode looks at “My Boy Lollipop” and the origins of ska music. 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 “If You Wanna Be Happy” by Jimmy Soul. 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.c

Feb 18, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 113: “Needles and Pins” by The Searchers

Episode 113: “Needles and Pins” by The Searchers

This week’s episode looks at “Needles and Pins”, and the story of the second-greatest band to come out of Liverpool in the sixties, The Searchers. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a sixteen-minute bonus episode available, on “Farmer John” by Don and Dewey. 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 ht

Feb 8, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 112: “She Loves You” by The Beatles

Episode 112: “She Loves You” by The Beatles

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

Jan 30, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 111: “Heat Wave” by Martha and the Vandellas

Episode 111: “Heat Wave” by Martha and the Vandellas

Episode one hundred and eleven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Heat Wave” by Martha and the Vandellas, and the beginnings of Holland-Dozier-Holland. 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 Boyfriend’s Back” by the Angels. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out T

Jan 20, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 110: “Be My Baby” by the Ronettes

Episode 110: “Be My Baby” by the Ronettes

Episode 110 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Be My Baby”, and at the career of the Ronettes and Ronnie Spector.  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 Saint Nick” by the Beach Boys. 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://

Jan 9, 2021 • 0:00

BONUS: A Tribute to Gerry Marsden

BONUS: A Tribute to Gerry Marsden

I just heard the sad news that Gerry Marsden, of Gerry and the Pacemakers, has died today aged seventy-eight. As the latest episode of the podcast is late due to personal issues, I thought I’d make this available to the general public – this is a ten-minute Patreon bonus episode I did back in October, on Gerry and the Pacemakers, so it’s here as a little tribute. He’ll be missed. (more…)

Jan 3, 2021 • 0:00

Episode 109: “Blowin’ in the Wind” by Peter, Paul, and Mary

Episode 109: “Blowin’ in the Wind” by Peter, Paul, and Mary

Episode one hundred and nine of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Blowin’ in the Wind”, Peter, Paul and Mary, Bob Dylan, the UK folk scene and the civil rights movement. Those of you who get angry at me whenever I say anything that acknowledges the existence of racism may want to skip this one. 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 “Santa Claus i

Dec 23, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 108: “I Wanna Be Your Man” by the Rolling Stones

Episode 108: “I Wanna Be Your Man” by the Rolling Stones

Episode 108 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “I Wanna Be Your Man” by the Rolling Stones and how the British blues scene of the early sixties was started by a trombone player. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have an eight-minute bonus episode available, on “The Monkey Time” by Major Lance. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so

Dec 16, 2020 • 0:00

BONUS: I Read The NewsToday Oh Boy: The Kennedy Assassination

BONUS: I Read The NewsToday Oh Boy: The Kennedy Assassination

The third in the occasional series of ten-minute looks at topics in the news during the time we’re looking at covers the Kennedy assassination. Click through for the transcript: (more…)

Dec 16, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 107: “Surf City” by Jan and Dean

Episode 107: “Surf City” by Jan and Dean

Episode 107 of A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs looks at “Surf City” and the career of Jan and Dean, including a Pop Symphony, accidental conspiracy to kidnap, and a career that both started and ended with attempts to get out of being drafted. 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 “Hey Little Cobra” by the Rip Chords. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a

Dec 8, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 106: “Louie Louie” by the Kingsmen

Episode 106: “Louie Louie” by the Kingsmen

Episode 106 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Louie Louie” by the Kingsmen, and the story of how a band that had already split up accidentally had one of the biggest hits of the sixties and sparked a two-year FBI investigation. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have an eight-minute bonus episode available, on “It’s My Party” by Lesley Gore. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing

Dec 2, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 105: “Green Onions” by Booker T. and the MGs

Episode 105: “Green Onions” by Booker T. and the MGs

Episode 105 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Green Onions”, and how a company started by a Western Swing fiddle player ended up making the most important soul records of the sixties. 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 “He’s So Fine” by the Chiffons. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing

Nov 24, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 104: “He’s a Rebel” by “The Crystals”

Episode 104: “He’s a Rebel” by “The Crystals”

Episode 104 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “He’s a Rebel”, and how a song recorded by the Blossoms was released under the name of the Crystals.  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 “Sukiyaki” by Kyu Sakamoto. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’s irregul

Nov 16, 2020 • 0:00

BONUS: I Read The News Today Oh Boy — The Profumo Affair

BONUS: I Read The News Today Oh Boy — The Profumo Affair

This month’s ten-minute extra bonus episode on news events at the time we’re looking at is on the Profumo Affair, and how a sex scandal transformed Britain. Click through to the full post to read a transcript. (more…)

Nov 16, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 103: “Hitch-Hike” by Marvin Gaye

Episode 103: “Hitch-Hike” by Marvin Gaye

Episode one hundred and three of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Hitch-Hike” by Marvin Gaye, and the early career of one of Motown’s defining artists. 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 “Any Other Way” by Jackie Shane. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’s

Nov 5, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 102: “Twist and Shout” by the Isley Brothers

Episode 102: “Twist and Shout” by the Isley Brothers

Episode one hundred and two of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Twist and Shout” by the Isley Brothers, and the early career of Bert Berns. 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 “How Do You Do It?” by Gerry and the Pacemakers. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Ti

Oct 26, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 101: “Telstar” by the Tornados

Episode 101: “Telstar” by the Tornados

Episode 101 of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs is the first one of the podcast's third year. This one looks at "Telstar" by the Tornados, and the tragic life of Joe Meek, Britain's first great pop auteur. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Apologies for the lateness of this one -- my two-week break got extended when my computer broke down. Patreon backers also have a ten-minute bonus episode available, on "Wipe Out"

Oct 17, 2020 • 0:00

BONUS: I Read The News Today, Oh Boy: The Cuban Missile Crisis

BONUS: I Read The News Today, Oh Boy: The Cuban Missile Crisis

This is the first of a new monthly feature that will run alongside the main podcast — once a month I’ll be doing a ten-minute bonus episode looking at non-music news from the time we’re covering in the podcast. These can be skipped if you’re only interested in the music, but add valuable context about the culture in which those records were made. This month’s is on the Cuban Missile Crisis. Year three of the podcast starts in a few days’ time, with “Telstar”. Click through for the episode transc

Oct 6, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 100: “Love Me Do” by the Beatles

Episode 100: “Love Me Do” by the Beatles

This week there are two episodes of the podcast going up, both of them longer than normal. This one, episode one hundred, is the hundredth-episode special and is an hour and a half long. It looks at the early career of the Beatles, and at the three recordings of “Love Me Do”. 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 h

Sep 26, 2020 • 0:00

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

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

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 w

Sep 25, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 98: “I’ve Just Fallen For Someone” by Adam Faith

Episode 98: “I’ve Just Fallen For Someone” by Adam Faith

Episode ninety-eight of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “I’ve Just Fallen For Someone” by Adam Faith, and is our final look at the pre-Beatles British pop scene. 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 “San Francisco Bay Blues” by Jesse Fuller. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now

Sep 15, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 97: “Song to Woody” by Bob Dylan

Episode 97: “Song to Woody” by Bob Dylan

Episode ninety-seven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Song To Woody” by Bob Dylan, and at the Greenwich Village folk scene of the early sixties. 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 “Sherry” by the Four Seasons. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt’s irregu

Sep 10, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 96: “The Loco-Motion” by Little Eva

Episode 96: “The Loco-Motion” by Little Eva

Episode ninety-six of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “The Loco-Motion” by Little Eva, and how a demo by Carole King’s babysitter became one of the biggest hits of the sixties. 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 “Duke of Earl” by Gene Chandler. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from

Sep 1, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 95: “You Better Move On” by Arthur Alexander

Episode 95: “You Better Move On” by Arthur Alexander

Episode ninety-five of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “You Better Move On”, and the sad story of Arthur Alexander. 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 “Mother-In-Law” by Ernie K-Doe. 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.pod

Aug 27, 2020 • 0:00

BONUS: “Strawberry Fair” by Anthony Newley

BONUS: “Strawberry Fair” by Anthony Newley

This is a special extra episode of the podcast, not one of the “proper” five hundred. A book I’ve written, on the TV series The Strange World of Gurney Slade, has just become available for pre-order from Obverse Books, so to publicise that I’ve done an extra episode, on the pop music career of its star, Anthony Newley. The next normal episode will be up in a day or two. Transcript below the cut. Erratum: In a previous version of this episode, I mentioned, in passing, my understanding that Newley

Aug 24, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 94: “Stand By Me”, by Ben E. King

Episode 94: “Stand By Me”, by Ben E. King

Episode ninety-four of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Stand By Me” by Ben E. King, and at the later career of the Drifters. 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 “If I Had a Hammer” by Trini López. 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

Aug 18, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 93: “Please Mr. Postman” by the Marvelettes

Episode 93: “Please Mr. Postman” by the Marvelettes

Episode ninety-three of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Please Mr. Postman” by the Marvelettes, and the career of the first group to have a number one on a Motown label. 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 “Take Good Care of My Baby” by Bobby Vee. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so f

Aug 10, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 92: “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” by the Tokens

Episode 92: “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” by the Tokens

Episode ninety-two of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” by The Tokens, and at a seventy-year-long story of powerful people repeatedly ripping off less powerful people, then themselves being ripped off in turn by more powerful people, and at how racism meant that a song that earned fifteen million dollars for other people paid its composer ten shillings. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episo

Aug 2, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 91: “The Twist” by Chubby Checker

Episode 91: “The Twist” by Chubby Checker

Episode ninety-one of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “The Twist” by Chubby Checker, and how the biggest hit single ever had its roots in hard R&B. 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 “Viens Danser le Twist” by Johnny Hallyday, a cover of a Chubby Checker record that became the first number one for France’s biggest rock star. Tilt Araiza has a

Jul 25, 2020 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “Sixteen Tons” by Tennessee Ernie Ford

PLEDGE WEEK: “Sixteen Tons” by Tennessee Ernie Ford

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

Jul 19, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 90: “Runaway” by Del Shannon

Episode 90: “Runaway” by Del Shannon

Episode ninety of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Runaway” by Del Shannon, and at the early use of synthesised sound in rock music. 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 “Blue Moon” by the Marcels. 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 h

Jul 18, 2020 • 0:00

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

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

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. C

Jul 18, 2020 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “Ain’t Got No Home” by Clarence “Frogman” Henry

PLEDGE WEEK: “Ain’t Got No Home” by Clarence “Frogman” Henry

Welcome to the fifth 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 “Ain’t Got No Home” by Clarence “Frogman” Henry, a classic of both novelty music and New Orleans R&B. Click the cut to view a transcript of this episode: (more…)

Jul 17, 2020 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “Shake a Hand” by Faye Adams

PLEDGE WEEK: “Shake a Hand” by Faye Adams

Welcome to the fourth 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 “Shake a Hand” by Faye Adams, a classic of gospel-tinged R&B that influenced Little Richard, Elvis Presley, and Paul McCartney among others. Click the cut to view a transcript of this episode: (more…)

Jul 16, 2020 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “Blue Yodel #9” by Jimmie Rodgers

PLEDGE WEEK: “Blue Yodel #9” by Jimmie Rodgers

Welcome to the third 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 “Blue Yodel #9” by Jimmie Rodgers, but it’s really about two great women who shaped twentieth century popular music without much credit — Lil Hardin and Elsie McWilliams Click the cut to view a transcript of this episode: (more

Jul 15, 2020 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK: “The Flying Saucer” by Buchanan and Goodman

PLEDGE WEEK: “The Flying Saucer” by Buchanan and Goodman

Welcome to the second 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 . Click the cut to view a transcript of this episode: (more…)

Jul 14, 2020 • 0:00

PLEDGE WEEK BONUS: “Chantilly Lace” by the Big Bopper

PLEDGE WEEK BONUS: “Chantilly Lace” by the Big Bopper

Welcome to Pledge Week! I’m doing a week of posting some of the Patreon bonuses I’ve done, to encourage those who can to sign up to my Patreon. ERRATUM: My understanding when I did this episode was that “White Lightning” was recorded right after the Big Bopper’s death. That is not actually the case — Jones just turned up drunk to the session because he was drunk, not because of his friend’s death, and they *released* the record a few days after Bopper’s death. Every day of Pledge Week will start

Jul 13, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 89: “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” by the Shirelles

Episode 89: “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” by the Shirelles

Episode eighty-nine of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” by the Shirelles, and at the beginnings of the Brill Building 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 “Tom Dooley” by the Kingston Trio. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Til

Jul 10, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 88: “Cathy’s Clown” by the Everly Brothers

Episode 88: “Cathy’s Clown” by the Everly Brothers

Episode eighty-eight of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Cathy’s Clown” by The Everly Brothers, and at how after signing the biggest contract in music business history their career was sabotaged by their manager. 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 “Poetry in Motion” by Johnny Tillotson. (more…)

Jul 2, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 87: “Apache” by the Shadows

Episode 87: “Apache” by the Shadows

Episode eighty-seven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Apache”, by the Shadows, and at the three years in which they and Cliff Richard were on top of the music world. Patreon backers also have a fifteen-minute bonus episode, on “Handy Man” by Jimmy Jones. My apologies for the lateness of this episode, which is due to my home Internet connection having been out for a week. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from

Jun 23, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 86: “LSD-25” by the Gamblers

Episode 86: “LSD-25” by the Gamblers

Episode eighty-six of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “LSD-25” by the Gamblers, the first rock song ever to namecheck acid, and a song by a band so obscure no photos exist of them. (The photo here is of the touring lineup of the Hollywood Argyles. Derry Weaver, the Gamblers’ lead guitarist, is top left). Patreon backers also have a fifteen-minute bonus episode, on “Papa Oom Mow Mow” by the Rivingtons. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will

Jun 10, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 85: “Three Steps to Heaven” by Eddie Cochran

Episode 85: “Three Steps to Heaven” by Eddie Cochran

Episode eighty-five of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Three Steps to Heaven” by Eddie Cochran, and at the British tour which changed music and ended his life. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a fifteen-minute bonus episode, on “Quarter to Three” by Gary US Bonds. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out

Jun 5, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 84: “Shakin’ All Over” by Johnny Kidd and the Pirates

Episode 84: “Shakin’ All Over” by Johnny Kidd and the Pirates

Episode eighty-four of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at "Shakin' All Over" by Johnny Kidd and the Pirates, and how the first great British R&B band interacted with the entertainment industry. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a fifteen-minute bonus episode, on "Under Your Spell Again" by Buck Owens. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully b

May 28, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 83: “Only The Lonely” by Roy Orbison

Episode 83: “Only The Lonely” by Roy Orbison

Episode eighty-three of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Only the Lonely” by Roy Orbison, and how Orbison finally found success by ignoring conventional pop song structure. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have two bonus podcasts — part one of a two-part Q&A and a ten-minute bonus on “Walk Don’t Run” by the Ventures. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and w

May 22, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 82: “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” by Elvis Presley

Episode 82: “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” by Elvis Presley

Episode eighty-two of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" by Elvis Presley, and the way his promising comeback after leaving the Army quickly got derailed. This episode also contains a brief acknowledgment of the death of the great Little Richard, who died just as I was recording this episode. 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 avai

May 14, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 81: “Shout” by the Isley Brothers

Episode 81: “Shout” by the Isley Brothers

Episode eighty-one of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Shout” by the Isley Brothers, and the beginnings of a career that would lead to six decades of hit singles. 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 “Tell Laura I Love Her” by Ray Peterson. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now o

May 4, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 80: “Money” by Barrett Strong

Episode 80: “Money” by Barrett Strong

Episode eighty of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Money” by Barrett Strong, the dispute over its authorship, and the start of a record label that would change music. 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 “Alley Oop” by the Hollywood Argyles. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now

Apr 27, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 79: “Sweet Nothin’s” by Brenda Lee

Episode 79: “Sweet Nothin’s” by Brenda Lee

Episode seventy-nine of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Sweet Nothin’s” by Brenda Lee, and at the career of a performer who started in the 1940s and who was most recently in the top ten only four months ago. 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 “16 Candles” by the Crests. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will

Apr 22, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 78: “What’d I Say” by Ray Charles

Episode 78: “What’d I Say” by Ray Charles

Episode seventy-eight of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “What’d I Say” by Ray Charles, and at Charles’ career in jazz, soul, and country. 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 “Sea of Love” by Phil Phillips. 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 pod

Apr 13, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 77: “Brand New Cadillac” by Vince Taylor and the Playboys

Episode 77: “Brand New Cadillac” by Vince Taylor and the Playboys

Episode seventy-seven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Brand New Cadillac” by Vince Taylor and the Playboys, and the sad career of rock music’s first acid casualty. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers have two bonus podcasts this week. There’s a half-hour Q&A episode, where I answer backers’ questions, and a ten-minute bonus episode on “The Hippy Hippy Shake” by Chan Romero. Tilt Araiza has

Apr 7, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 76: “Stagger Lee” by Lloyd Price

Episode 76: “Stagger Lee” by 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

Mar 31, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 75: “There Goes My Baby” by the Drifters

Episode 75: “There Goes My Baby” by the Drifters

Episode seventy-five of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “There Goes My Baby” by the Drifters, and how a fake record label, a band sacked for drunkenness, and a kettledrum player who couldn’t play led to a genre-defining hit. 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 “Rebel Rouser” by Duane Eddy Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pa

Mar 23, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 74: “It Doesn’t Matter Any More” by Buddy Holly

Episode 74: “It Doesn’t Matter Any More” by Buddy Holly

Episode seventy-four of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “It Doesn’t Matter Any More” by Buddy Holly, and at the reasons he ended up on the plane that killed him. 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 “Chantilly Lace” by the Big Bopper. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Che

Mar 17, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 73: “La Bamba” by Ritchie Valens

Episode 73: “La Bamba” by Ritchie Valens

Episode seventy-three of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “La Bamba” by Ritchie Valens, and is the first of a two-part story which will conclude next week with an episode on Buddy Holly. 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 “Kansas City” by Wilbert Harrison. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by doing a first-pass edit, and will hopefully be do

Mar 9, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 72: “Trouble” by Elvis Presley

Episode 72: “Trouble” by Elvis Presley

Episode seventy-two of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Trouble” by Elvis Presley, his induction into the army, and his mother’s death. 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 “When” by the Kalin Twins. 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

Mar 2, 2020 • 0:00

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

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

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

Feb 24, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 70: “Move It” by Cliff Richard and the Drifters

Episode 70: “Move It” by Cliff Richard and the Drifters

Episode seventy of A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs looks at "Move It" by Cliff Richard, and the beginning of rock and roll TV 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 "Poor Little Fool" by Ricky Nelson, another artist whose career was made by TV, and one who influenced Cliff Richard hugely.  ERRATUM: I say Cliff Richard was sixteen when he first heard “He

Feb 17, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 69: “Fujiyama Mama” by Wanda Jackson

Episode 69: “Fujiyama Mama” by Wanda Jackson

Episode sixty-nine of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Fujiyama Mama” by Wanda Jackson, and the first rock and roller to become “big in Japan” 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 “Purple People Eater” by Sheb Wooley. (more…)

Feb 10, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 68: “Yakety Yak” by the Coasters

Episode 68: “Yakety Yak” by the Coasters

Episode sixty-eight of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Yakety Yak'” by The Coasters, and at the group’s greatest success and split, and features discussion of racism, plagiarism, STDs and Phil Spector. 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 “Tears on My Pillow” by Little Anthony and the Imperials. (more…)

Feb 4, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 67: “Johnny B. Goode”, by Chuck Berry

Episode 67: “Johnny B. Goode”, by Chuck Berry

Episode sixty-seven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Johnny B. Goode” by Chuck Berry, and the decline and fall of both Berry and Alan Freed. 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 “Splish Splash” by Bobby Darin. (more…)

Jan 27, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 66: “Great Balls of Fire” by Jerry Lee Lewis

Episode 66: “Great Balls of Fire” by Jerry Lee Lewis

Episode sixty-six of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at "Great Balls of Fire" by Jerry Lee Lewis. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. This one comes with a bit of a content warning, as while it has nothing explicit, it deals with his marriage to his thirteen-year-old cousin. Patreon backers also have a ten-minute bonus episode available, on "Rumble" by Link Wray. Resources As always, I've created a Mixcloud stre

Jan 20, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 65: “Maybe” by the Chantels

Episode 65: “Maybe” by the Chantels

Episode sixty-five of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Maybe” by the Chantels, and covers child stardom, hymns in Latin, and how to get discovered twice in one day. 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 “Don’t You Just Know It” by Huey “Piano” Smith and the Clowns. (more…)

Jan 13, 2020 • 0:00

Episode Sixty-Four: “Reet Petite” by Jackie Wilson

Episode Sixty-Four: “Reet Petite” by Jackie Wilson

Episode sixty-four of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Reet Petite” by Jackie Wilson, and features talent contests with too much talent, the prehistory of Motown, a song banned by the BBC, and a possible Mafia hit. 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 “Get a Job” by the Silhouettes. (more…)

Jan 6, 2020 • 0:00

Episode 63: “Susie Q” by Dale Hawkins

Episode 63: “Susie Q” by Dale Hawkins

Episode sixty-three of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Susie Q” by Dale Hawkins, and at the difference between rockabilly and electric blues. 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 “Shake a Hand” by Faye Adams. (more…)

Dec 30, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 62: “Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis Presley

Episode 62: “Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis Presley

Episode sixty-two of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Jailhouse Rock” by Elvis Presley, and at his relationships with Colonel Tom Parker, Leiber and Stoller, his band members, and the film industry. 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 Santa Claus is Back in Town, also by Elvis, which ties in more than most to this episode. (more…)

Dec 22, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 61: “That’ll Be the Day” by The Crickets

Episode 61: “That’ll Be the Day” by The Crickets

Episode sixty-one of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at "That'll Be the Day" by The Crickets. 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 "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" by Gene Autry Errata I say in here that Larry Welborn lent Holly a thousand dollars. That money was actually lent Holly by his brother, also called Larry. I also at one point say "That'

Dec 16, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 60: “You Send Me” by Sam Cooke

Episode 60: “You Send Me” by Sam Cooke

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. (more…)

Dec 9, 2019 • 0:00

Book Announcement

Book Announcement

Transcript This is just a quick announcement that the book based on the first fifty episodes of the podcast is now available for purchase. From Savoy Stompers to Clock Rockers covers forty-nine of the first fifty episodes – I’ve replaced the episode on Bill Doggett with a version of the Patreon-only bonus episode on Johnnie Ray. It’s currently available in paperback (UK) (US) and ebook versions, and there’ll be links to buy it in the liner notes to this announcement and in the notes to every epi

Dec 9, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 59: “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” by Jerry Lee Lewis

Episode 59: “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” by Jerry Lee Lewis

Episode fifty-nine of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On” by Jerry Lee Lewis. 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 “So Long I’m Gone” by Warren Smith. (more…)

Dec 2, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 58: “Mr. Lee” by the Bobbettes

Episode 58: “Mr. Lee” by the Bobbettes

Episode fifty-eight of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Mr. Lee” by the Bobbettes, and at the lbirth of the girl group 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 “Little Bitty Pretty One”, by Thurston Harris. (more…)

Nov 25, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 57: “Flying Saucers Rock ‘n’ Roll” by Billy Lee Riley and the Little Green Men

Episode 57: “Flying Saucers Rock ‘n’ Roll” by Billy Lee Riley and the Little Green Men

Episode fifty-seven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Flying Saucers Rock ‘n’ Roll” by Billy Lee Riley and the Little Green Men, and at the flying saucer craze of the fifties. 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 “Silhouettes” by the Rays, and the power of subliminal messages. (more…)

Nov 18, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 56: “Bye Bye Love” by the Everly Brothers

Episode 56: “Bye Bye Love” by the Everly Brothers

Episode fifty-six of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at "Bye Bye Love" by The Everly Brotherss, and at the history of country close harmony. 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 "Short Fat Fannie" by Larry Williams. Resources As always, I've created a Mixcloud streaming playlist with full versions of all the songs in the episode. There are no firs

Nov 11, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 55: “Searchin'” by the Coasters

Episode 55: “Searchin'” by the Coasters

Episode fifty-five of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Searchin'” by The Coasters, and at the lineup changes and conflicts that led to them becoming the perfect vehicle for Leiber and Stoller. 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 “Raunchy” by Bill Justis. (more…)

Nov 4, 2019 • 0:00

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

Episode 54: “Keep A Knockin'” by 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. (more…)

Oct 28, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 53: “I Put a Spell on You” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins

Episode 53: “I Put a Spell on You” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins

Episode fifty-three of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “I Put a Spell on You” by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, and the career of a man who had more than fifty more children than hit records. 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 “Since I Met You Baby” by Ivory Joe Hunter (more…)

Oct 21, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 52: “Twenty Flight Rock”, by Eddie Cochran

Episode 52: “Twenty Flight Rock”, by Eddie Cochran

Episode fifty-two of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Twenty Flight Rock” by Eddie Cochran, and at the first great rock and roll film 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 “Teen-Age Crush” by Tommy Sands. (more…)

Oct 14, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 51: “Matchbox” by Carl Perkins

Episode 51: “Matchbox” by Carl Perkins

Episode fifty-one of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Matchbox” by Carl Perkins, and at the session that turned into the historic Million Dollar Quartet jam session. 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 “Blue Yodel #9” by Jimmie Rodgers. (more…)

Oct 7, 2019 • 0:00

BONUS: Question and Answer Episode 2

BONUS: Question and Answer Episode 2

This week’s episode of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs is the second of two bonus episodes answering listener questions at the end of the first year of the podcast. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a bonus podcast, answering even more questions. (more…)

Sep 30, 2019 • 0:00

BONUS: Question and Answer Episode 1

BONUS: Question and Answer Episode 1

This week’s episode of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs is the first of two bonus episodes answering listener questions at the end of the first year of the podcast.. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

Sep 23, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 50: “Honky Tonk” by Bill Doggett

Episode 50: “Honky Tonk” by Bill Doggett

Episode fifty of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Honky Tonk” by Bill Doggett, and uses his career to provide a brief summary of the earlier episodes of the podcast as we’re now moving forward into the next stage of the story. 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 “Sixteen Tons” by Tennessee Ernie Ford. (more…)

Sep 16, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 49: “Love is Strange” by Mickey and Sylvia

Episode 49: “Love is Strange” by Mickey and Sylvia

Welcome to episode forty-eight of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. This one looks at “Love is Strange” by Mickey and Sylvia, and how a reluctant bluesman who wrote books on jazz guitar, and a failed child star who would later become the mother of hip-hop, made a classic. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a bonus episode available. This one’s on “Ain’t Nobody’s Business” by Jimmy Witherspoon

Sep 9, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 48: “Rock With the Caveman” by Tommy Steele

Episode 48: “Rock With the Caveman” by Tommy Steele

Welcome to episode forty-eight of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. This one looks at "Rock With the Caveman" by Tommy Steele, and the birth of the British rock and roll industry. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a bonus episode available. This one's on "The Death of Rock and Roll" by the Maddox Brothers and Rose, in which we look at a country group some say invented rock & roll, and how th

Sep 2, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 47: “Goodnight My Love” by Jesse Belvin

Episode 47: “Goodnight My Love” by Jesse Belvin

Welcome to episode forty-seven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. This one looks at “Goodnight My Love” by Jesse Belvin, and at the many groups he performed with, and his untimely death. . 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 podcast, on “In the Still of the Night” by the Five Satins (more…)

Aug 26, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 46: “Brown-Eyed Handsome Man” by Chuck Berry

Episode 46: “Brown-Eyed Handsome Man” by Chuck Berry

Episode forty-six of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Brown-Eyed Handsome Man” by the Chuck Berry Combo, and how Berry tried to square the circle of social commentary and teen appeal. 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 “Rock and Roll Waltz” by Kay Starr.. (more…)

Aug 19, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 45: “Blueberry Hill”, by Fats Domino

Episode 45: “Blueberry Hill”, by Fats Domino

Episode forty-five of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Blueberry Hill” by Fats Domino, and at how the racial tensions of the fifties meant that a smiling, diffident, cheerful man playing happy music ended up starting riots all over the US. Patreon backers also have a ten-minute bonus episode available, on “Birmingham Bounce” by Hardrock Gunter. (more…)

Aug 11, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 44: “Train Kept A-Rollin'”, by Johnny Burnette and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Trio

Episode 44: “Train Kept A-Rollin'”, by Johnny Burnette and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Trio

Episode forty-four of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Train Kept A-Rollin'” by Johnny Burnette and the Rock ‘n’ Roll Trio, and how a rockabilly trio from Memphis connect a novelty cowboy song by Ella Fitzgerald to Motorhead and Aerosmith. 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 “Jump, Jive, an’ Wail”, by Louis Prima. (more…)

Aug 5, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 43: “I Gotta Know” by Wanda Jackson

Episode 43: “I Gotta Know” by 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. (more…)

Jul 29, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 42: “Ooby Dooby” by Roy Orbison and the Teen Kings

Episode 42: “Ooby Dooby” by Roy Orbison and the Teen Kings

Episode forty-two of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Ooby Dooby” by Roy Orbison and the Teen Kings, and the time when Sam Phillips got things badly wrong.. 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 “Blue Yodel #9” by Jimmie Rodgers. (more…)

Jul 22, 2019 • 0:00

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

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

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. (more…)

Jul 15, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 40: “Drugstore Rock ‘n’ Roll” by Janis Martin

Episode 40: “Drugstore Rock ‘n’ Roll” by Janis Martin

Episode forty of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Drugstore Rock ‘n’ Roll”, by Janis Martin, an early rockabilly classic by the woman known as “the Female Elvis”. 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 “Fever” by Little Willie John (more…)

Jul 7, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 39: “Please Please Please” by James Brown and the Famous Flames

Episode 39: “Please Please Please” by James Brown and the Famous Flames

Episode thirty-nine of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Please Please Please” by James Brown, and at the early rock and roll career of the Godfather of Soul. 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 “Come Go With Me” by the Del Vikings. (more…)

Jul 1, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 38: “Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley

Episode 38: “Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley

Episode thirty-eight of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Heartbreak Hotel” by Elvis Presley, and is part three of a trilogy on the aftermath of Elvis leaving Sun, and the birth of rockabilly. 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 “The Flying Saucer” by Buchanan and Goodman. Also, it came too late for me to acknowledge in the episode itself, but

Jun 24, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 37: “I Walk The Line” by Johnny Cash

Episode 37: “I Walk The Line” by Johnny Cash

Episode thirty-seven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “I Walk The Line” by Johnny Cash, and is part two of a trilogy on the aftermath of Elvis leaving Sun, and the birth of rockabilly. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a thirteen-minute bonus episode available, on “Don’t Be Angry” by Nappy Brown. (more…)

Jun 16, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 36: “Blue Suede Shoes” by Carl Perkins

Episode 36: “Blue Suede Shoes” by Carl Perkins

Episode thirty-six of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Blue Suede Shoes” by Carl Perkins, and is part one of a trilogy on the aftermath of Elvis leaving Sun, and the birth of rockabilly. 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 “Black Denim Trousers and Motorcycle Boots” by the Cheers. (more…)

Jun 9, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 35: “Why Do Fools Fall In Love?” by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers

Episode 35: “Why Do Fools Fall In Love?” by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers

Episode thirty-five of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs looks at “Why Do Fools Fall in Love?” by Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, and at the terrible afterlife of child stardom. 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 “Space Guitar” by Johnny “Guitar” Watson. (more…)

Jun 3, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 34: “Tutti Frutti” by Little Richard

Episode 34: “Tutti Frutti” by 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,

May 28, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 33: “Mystery Train”, by Elvis Presley

Episode 33: “Mystery Train”, by Elvis Presley

Welcome to episode thirty-three of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. This one looks at “Mystery Train” by Elvis Presley. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

May 20, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 32: “I Got A Woman” by Ray Charles

Episode 32: “I Got A Woman” by Ray Charles

Welcome to episode thirty-two of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. This one looks at “I Got A Woman” by Ray Charles. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

May 13, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 31: “Only You” by the Platters

Episode 31: “Only You” by the Platters

Welcome to episode thirty-one of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. This one looks at “Only You” by the Platters. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

May 6, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 30: “Bo Diddley” by Bo Diddley

Episode 30: “Bo Diddley” by Bo Diddley

Welcome to episode thirty of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. This is the last of our three-part look at Chess Records, and focuses on "Bo Diddley" by Bo Diddley. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Resources As always, I've created a Mixcloud streaming playlist with full versions of all the songs in the episode.I accidentally used a later rerecording of "I Wish You Would" by Billy Boy Arnold on the playlist, but I us

Apr 29, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 29: “Maybellene” by Chuck Berry

Episode 29: “Maybellene” by Chuck Berry

Welcome to episode twenty-nine of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. This is the second of our three-part look at Chess Records, and focuses on “Maybellene” by Chuck Berry. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

Apr 22, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 28: “Sincerely” by the Moonglows

Episode 28: “Sincerely” by the Moonglows

Welcome to episode twenty-eight of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at The Moonglows and “Sincerely”. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

Apr 14, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 27: “Tweedle Dee” by LaVern Baker

Episode 27: “Tweedle Dee” by LaVern Baker

Welcome to episode twenty-seven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at LaVern Baker and “Tweedle Dee”. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

Apr 7, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 26: “Ain’t That A Shame” by Fats Domino

Episode 26: “Ain’t That A Shame” by Fats Domino

Welcome to episode twenty-six of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at Fats Domino and “Ain’t That A Shame”. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

Apr 1, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 25: “Earth Angel” by the Penguins

Episode 25: “Earth Angel” by the Penguins

Welcome to episode twenty-five of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Earth Angel” by the Penguins. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

Mar 26, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 24: “Ko Ko Mo” by Gene and Eunice

Episode 24: “Ko Ko Mo” by Gene and Eunice

Welcome to episode twenty-four of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Ko Ko Mo” by Gene and Eunice. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

Mar 18, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 23: “Pledging My Love” by Johnny Ace

Episode 23: “Pledging My Love” by Johnny Ace

Welcome to episode twenty-three of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Pledging My Love” by Johnny Ace Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Also, remember I’m three-quarters of the way through the Kickstarter for the first book based on this series. (more…)

Mar 11, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 22: “The Wallflower” by Etta James

Episode 22: “The Wallflower” by Etta James

Welcome to episode twenty-two of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “The Wallflower” by Etta James. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Also, remember I’m halfway through the Kickstarter for the first book based on this series. (more…)

Mar 4, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 21: “Rock Island Line” by Lonnie Donegan

Episode 21: “Rock Island Line” by Lonnie Donegan

Welcome to episode twenty of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Rock Island Line” by Lonnie Donegan. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

Feb 25, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 20: “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley and the Comets

Episode 20: “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley and the Comets

Welcome to episode twenty of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley and the Comets. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

Feb 18, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 19: “That’s All Right, Mama” by Elvis Presley

Episode 19: “That’s All Right, Mama” by Elvis Presley

Welcome to episode nineteen of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we're looking at "That's All Right Mama" by Elvis Presley. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Resources As always, I've created a Mixcloud streaming playlist with full versions of all the songs in the episode. Elvis' 1950s catalogue is, at least in the UK, now in the public domain, and can thus be found in many forms. This three-CD box set contains

Feb 11, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 18: “Sh-Boom” by the Chords

Episode 18: “Sh-Boom” by the Chords

Welcome to episode eighteen of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Sh-Boom” by the Chords. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

Feb 4, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 17: “Money Honey” by Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters

Episode 17: “Money Honey” by Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters

Welcome to episode seventeen of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Money Honey” by the Drifters. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

Jan 28, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 16: “Crazy Man Crazy” by Bill Haley and the Comets

Episode 16: “Crazy Man Crazy” by Bill Haley and the Comets

Welcome to episode sixteen of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Crazy Man Crazy” by Bill Haley and the Comets. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

Jan 21, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 15: “Hound Dog” by Big Mama Thornton

Episode 15: “Hound Dog” by Big Mama Thornton

Welcome to episode fifteen of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Hound Dog” by Big Mama Thornton. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

Jan 14, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 14″Jambalaya” by Hank Williams

Episode 14″Jambalaya” by Hank Williams

Welcome to episode fourteen of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Jambalaya” by Hank Williams. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

Jan 7, 2019 • 0:00

Episode 13: “Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean” by Ruth Brown

Episode 13: “Mama He Treats Your Daughter Mean” by Ruth Brown

Welcome to episode thirteen of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “(Mama) He Treats Your Daughter Mean” by Ruth Brown. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

Dec 31, 2018 • 0:00

Episode 12: “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” by Lloyd Price

Episode 12: “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” by 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. (more…)

Dec 23, 2018 • 0:00

“Rocket 88” by Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats

“Rocket 88” by Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats

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. (more…)

Dec 16, 2018 • 0:00

Episode 10: “Double Crossin’ Blues”, by Johnny Otis, Little Esther, and the Robins

Episode 10: “Double Crossin’ Blues”, by Johnny Otis, Little Esther, and the Robins

Welcome to episode ten of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at “Double Crossin’ Blues” by Johnny Otis, Little Esther, and the Robins. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

Dec 9, 2018 • 0:00

Episode 9: “How High The Moon” by Les Paul and Mary Ford

Episode 9: “How High The Moon” by Les Paul and Mary Ford

Welcome to episode nine of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at Les Paul and Mary Ford, and “How High The Moon”. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

Dec 3, 2018 • 0:00

Episode 8: “The Fat Man” by Fats Domino

Episode 8: “The Fat Man” by Fats Domino

Welcome to episode eight of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at Fats Domino and “The Fat Man”. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. (more…)

Nov 26, 2018 • 0:00

Episode 7: Wynonie Harris and “Good Rockin’ Tonight”

Episode 7: Wynonie Harris and “Good Rockin’ Tonight”

Welcome to episode seven of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at Wynonie Harris and “Good Rockin’ Tonight” (more…)

Nov 19, 2018 • 0:00

Episode 6: The Ink Spots — “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin”

Episode 6: The Ink Spots — “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin”

Welcome to episode six of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at the Ink Spots and “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin” (more…)

Nov 12, 2018 • 0:00

Episode 5: Rosetta Tharpe and “This Train”

Episode 5: Rosetta Tharpe and “This Train”

Welcome to episode five of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at Sister Rosetta Tharpe and “This Train” (more…)

Nov 5, 2018 • 0:00

Episode 4: “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie” by Louis Jordan

Episode 4: “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie” by Louis Jordan

Welcome to episode four of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at Louis Jordan and “Choo Choo Ch’Boogie” (more…)

Oct 29, 2018 • 0:00

A Disclaimer

A Disclaimer

Transcript This is not a full episode of A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs. The full episode will also turn up in your podcatcher. But I thought I should do a separate episode as a disclaimer. I’m placing this one here because in the next epsiode proper I talk about “the king of Western swing” and I don’t refer to Spade Cooley, and I thought I should explain why. You see, there were two people who were generally called “the King of Western Swing”, both had a good claim for it. One of them was

Oct 21, 2018 • 0:00

Episode 3: “Ida Red” by Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys

Episode 3: “Ida Red” by Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys

Welcome to episode three of A History of Rock Music in Five Hundred Songs. Today we’re looking at Bob Wills and “Ida Red”. (more…)

Oct 21, 2018 • 0:00

Episode 2: “Roll ‘Em Pete” by Big Joe Turner and Pete Johnson

Episode 2: “Roll ‘Em Pete” by Big Joe Turner and Pete Johnson

Here’s the second episode, on “Roll ‘Em Pete” by Big Joe Turner and Pete Johnson. One erratum before we continue — in the episode, I say that “Shake, Rattle, and Roll” follows a particular formula common in hokum songs. That’s not actually true for the original version — it is true for Bill Haley’s cover version, and Elvis’ and the versions after them, but in Joe Turner’s version the part we now know as the chorus didn’t come in until near the end. Sorry about the mistake. (more…)

Oct 14, 2018 • 0:00

Episode 1: “Flying Home” by the Benny Goodman Sextet

Episode 1: “Flying Home” by the Benny Goodman Sextet

Welcome to the first episode proper of A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs! As this is the first real episode, you may notice a couple of flaws in the production — those will hopefully get ironed out in the coming weeks. In the meantime, sit back and listen to the story of “Flying Home” by the Benny Goodman Sextet! (more…)

Oct 7, 2018 • 0:00

Introduction

Introduction

Welcome to A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs! Episode 1, the first episode proper, is coming next week, but for now here’s an introduction, laying out my plans for the series. As I say in the tag at the end of every episode, please, if you like this episode, tell someone about it — word of mouth is important, especially with these early episodes. Resources Mentioned in the Podcast My book, California Dreaming: The LA Pop Music Scene and the 60s, available here. Transcript Rock and roll as a c

Sep 30, 2018 • 0:00

Switch to the Fountain App