Strong Songs

By: Kirk Hamilton
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  • Summary

  • Music: it's good. On each episode of Strong Songs, host Kirk Hamilton takes listeners inside a piece of music, breaking it down and figuring out what makes it work.
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Music
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Episodes
  • The Music of the Muppets

    The Music of the Muppets
    Apr 18 2025
    Kirk pays a visit the musical world of The Muppets, from their Sesame Street origins in the 60s to the globe-hopping, cinematic heights of the 70s and 80s, with plenty of detours along the way.FEATURING:"Sesame Street Theme" by Joe Raposo, Jon Stone, and Bruce Hart"Mah Na Mah Na" by Piero Umilliani from Sweden: Heaven and Hell"Pinball Number Count" by Walt Kraemer and Ed Bogas, feat. The Pointer Sisters"Rainbow Connection" by Paul Williams (Lyrics) and William Ascher (Music), sung by Jim Henson as Kermit the FrogALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:"Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" by Josef Zawinul from Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (Live at 'the Club'), Cannonball Adderley Quintet, 1966"Sesame Street Theme" performed by Gladys Knight and the Pips"Sesame Street Theme" arr. Dennis DiBlasio for Maynard Ferguson on Storm, 1982"Bein' Green," "'C' is for Cookie," "Happiness Hotel," and "Sing" by Joe RaposoRowlf (<3) and Kermit pitch Sesame Street in 1968"Mah Nah Mah Na" on Sesame Street, 1969... and on The Muppet Show, 1976"Groovin' High" by Dizzy Gillespie, recorded w/ Charlie Parker and Slam Stewart, 1945A letter from Walt Kraemer on the writing and recording of "Pinball Number Count""The Neutron Dance" by Allee Willis and Danny Sembello recorded by The Pointer Sisters on Break Out, 1983"Red Clay" by Freddie Hubbard from Red Clay, 1970"The Muppet Show Theme" by Jim Henson and Sam PottleBuddy Rich vs. Animal drum battle from The Muppet Show, 1981PINBALL NUMBER COUNT CHEAT SHEETIntro:4 + 3 + 4 + 3Verse:4 + 4 + 3 + 34 + 4 + 34 + 4 + 4 + 34 + 4 + 4 + 5Solos:In regular 4/4, with a bar of 5 at the very end----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS! Patreon | Paypal 🏠 HOMEPAGEstrongsongspodcast.com 👚 MERCHstrongsongspodcast.com/store 📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTERnewsletter.kirkhamilton.com📷 SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: @Kirk_HamiltonBluesky: @kirkhamilton.com💬 STRONG SONGS DISCORD SERVER strongsongspodcast.com/discord🎧 STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTS Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS kirkhamilton.com/gear🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC kirkhamilton.com/music🎨 SHOW ART Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics--------------------APRIL 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSAndyLisa CrottyElizabeth CulverMeryl AllisonRobyn MetcalfeCesarCorpus FriskyBen BarronCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteJay SwartzRushDaniel Hannon-BarryChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerNathaniel BauernfeindPaul DelaneySami SamhuriJeremy DawsonAccessViolationDave FloreyAPRIL 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONSDave DouglassSuzanne CrawfordPhantomMareKym GriffithRachelAruni JayatillekeRyan GillenTerry AuvenshineTBDaniel KaberonWiggy HashWhit SidenerJulie KellmanSimon HellmanBeaClaudia CartyDaniGlenn JacksonChristopher Selby SpinkPhilip KellyDaniel NervoKevin StaffordLawrenceSy JacobsirritableIan PiddAndrew HoferJordan GatenbyMelissa KuhnsAshleySeattle Trans And Nonbinary Choral EnsembleKevin MarceloSamantha CoatesJamesJeffDan CutterJoseph RomeroOl ParkerJohn BerryDanielle KrizClint McElroyMordok’s Vape PenInmar GivoniMichael SingerMerv AdrianJoe GalloLauren KnottsDave KolasHenry MindlinMonica St. AngeloStephen WolkwitzRand LeShayMaxeric spMatthew JonesThomasAnthony MentzJames McMurryEthan LaserBrian John PeterChris RemoAaron WilsonDent EarlCarlos LernerMisty HaisfieldAbraham BenrubiLee R.Callum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganBen SteinGrettir AsmundarsonSean MurphyRandal VegterKellen SteffenKaya WoodallRobert Granatdave malloyAlan Maassjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidJohn BaumanMartín SalíasStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterLuigi BocciaE Margaret WartonTim SheehanCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeJeff UlmDavid FutterJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareRichard SneddonJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanBruno GaetaKenneth JungAdam StofskyZak RemerRishi SahayJeffrey BeanJRRJAilie FraserRob TsukNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonVictoria Yumino caposselaSteve PaquinDavid JoskeBernard KhooRobert HeuerDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyRyan RairighMichael BermanLinda DuffyBonnie PrinsenEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNell MorseNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemoncbalmainAngela LivingstoneDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffJoshua HillGeoff GoldenPascal RuegerRandy SouzaClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanDhu WikMelmaniacEric HelmJonathan DanielsCaro FieldDave SharpeNaomi WatsonDavidAlexanderAdam GeorgandisChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudBrad CallahanAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
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    1 hr and 4 mins
  • "Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)" by The Mars Volta

    "Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)" by The Mars Volta
    Apr 4 2025
    Kirk digs into one of the most dense and challenging records in his collection, with an analysis of "Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)" from The Mars Volta's 2003 progressive rock opus De-Loused in the Comatorium.Written by: Omar Rodríguez-López, Cedric Bixler-Zavala, and Jeremy WardProduced by: Omar Rodríguez-López & Rick RubinAlbum: De-Loused in the Comatorium, 2003Listen/Buy via Album.LinkALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:Excerpts from Omar and Cedric: If This Ever Gets Weird (2023, dir. Nicolas Jack Davies)"One Armed Scissor" by At the Drive-In from Relationship of Command, 2000Excerpts from The Mars Volta's 2002 demo from Landscape Tantrums, and their 2001 first demoEpisode photo by Robin Laananen----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS! Patreon | Paypal 🏠 HOMEPAGEstrongsongspodcast.com 👚 MERCHstrongsongspodcast.com/store 📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTERnewsletter.kirkhamilton.com📷 SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: @Kirk_HamiltonBluesky: @kirkhamilton.com💬 STRONG SONGS DISCORD SERVER strongsongspodcast.com/discord🎧 STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTS Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS kirkhamilton.com/gear🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC kirkhamilton.com/music🎨 SHOW ART Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics--------------------MARCH 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSAndyLisa CrottyElizabeth CulverMeryl AllisonRobyn MetcalfeCesarCorpus FriskyBen BarronCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteJay SwartzRushDaniel Hannon-BarryChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerNathaniel BauernfeindPaul DelaneySami SamhuriJeremy DawsonAccessViolationDave FloreyMARCH 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONSRachelAruni JayatillekeRyan GillenTerry AuvenshineTBDaniel KaberonWiggy HashWhit SidenerJulie KellmanSimon HellmanBeaClaudia CartyDaniGlenn JacksonChristopher Selby SpinkPhilip KellyDaniel NervoKevin StaffordLawrenceSy JacobsirritableIan PiddAndrew HoferJordan GatenbyMelissa KuhnsAshleySeattle Trans And Nonbinary Choral EnsembleKevin MarceloSamantha CoatesJamesMark NadasdiJeffDan CutterJoseph RomeroOl ParkerJohn BerryDanielle KrizClint McElroyMordok’s Vape PenInmar GivoniMichael SingerMerv AdrianJoe GalloLauren KnottsDave KolasHenry MindlinMonica St. AngeloStephen WolkwitzRand LeShayMaxeric spMatthew JonesThomasAnthony MentzJames McMurryEthan LaserBrian John PeterChris RemoMatt SchoenthalAaron WilsonDent EarlCarlos LernerMisty HaisfieldAbraham BenrubiLee R.Callum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganBen SteinGrettir AsmundarsonSean MurphyRandal VegterKellen SteffenKaya WoodallRobert Granatdave malloyAlan MaassNick Gallowayjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidJohn BaumanMartín SalíasStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterLuigi BocciaE Margaret WartonTim SheehanCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeJeff UlmDavid FutterJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareRichard SneddonJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanBruno GaetaKenneth JungZak RemerRishi SahayJeffrey BeanJason ReitmanAilie FraserRob TsukNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonVictoria Yumino caposselaSteve PaquinDavid JoskeBernard KhooRobert HeuerDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanLinda DuffyBonnie PrinsenEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNell MorseNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemoncbalmainAngela LivingstoneDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffJoshua HillGeoff GoldenPascal RuegerRandy SouzaClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanDhu WikMelmaniacEric HelmJonathan DanielsCaro FieldDave SharpeNaomi WatsonDavidAlexanderAdam GeorgandisChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudBrad CallahanAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
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    59 mins
  • "Fast As You Can" by Fiona Apple

    "Fast As You Can" by Fiona Apple
    Mar 21 2025
    Kirk digs into Fiona Apple's breakneck 1999 single "Fast As You Can," a cornerstone in her late 90s collaborations with Jon Brion, as well as her work with drummer Matt Chamberlain.Written by: Fiona AppleProduced by: Jon BrionAlbum: When The Pawn..., 1999Listen/Buy via Album.LinkALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:Jon Brion in Performing Songwriter Magazine, 2000"Criminal" by Fiona Apple from Tidal, 1996"Tymps (The Sick in the Head Song) by Fiona Apple from Extraordinary Machine, 2005"Monday" by Jon Brion from I Heart Huckabees, 2004"Epistrophy" by Thelonious Monk recorded w/ Milt Jackson in 1948Sound Space Studios demonstrating a Chamberlin keyboard----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS! Patreon | Paypal 🏠 HOMEPAGEstrongsongspodcast.com 👚 MERCHstrongsongspodcast.com/store 📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTERnewsletter.kirkhamilton.com📷 SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: @Kirk_HamiltonBluesky: @kirkhamilton.com💬 STRONG SONGS DISCORD SERVER strongsongspodcast.com/discord🎧 STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTS Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS kirkhamilton.com/gear🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC kirkhamilton.com/music🎨 SHOW ART Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics--------------------MARCH 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSAndyLisa CrottyElizabeth CulverMeryl AllisonRobyn MetcalfeCesarCorpus FriskyBen BarronCatherine WarnerDamon WhiteJay SwartzRushDaniel Hannon-BarryChristopher MillerJamie WhiteChristopher McConnellDavid MascettiJoe LaskaKen HirshMelanie AndrichJenness GardnerNathaniel BauernfeindPaul DelaneySami SamhuriJeremy DawsonAccessViolationDave FloreyMARCH 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONSRachelAruni JayatillekeRyan GillenTerry AuvenshineTBDaniel KaberonWiggy HashWhit SidenerJulie KellmanSimon HellmanBeaClaudia CartyDaniGlenn JacksonChristopher Selby SpinkPhilip KellyDaniel NervoKevin StaffordLawrenceSy JacobsirritableIan PiddAndrew HoferJordan GatenbyMelissa KuhnsAshleySeattle Trans And Nonbinary Choral EnsembleKevin MarceloSamantha CoatesJamesMark NadasdiJeffDan CutterJoseph RomeroOl ParkerJohn BerryDanielle KrizClint McElroyMordok’s Vape PenInmar GivoniMichael SingerMerv AdrianJoe GalloLauren KnottsDave KolasHenry MindlinMonica St. AngeloStephen WolkwitzRand LeShayMaxeric spMatthew JonesThomasAnthony MentzJames McMurryEthan LaserBrian John PeterChris RemoMatt SchoenthalAaron WilsonDent EarlCarlos LernerMisty HaisfieldAbraham BenrubiLee R.Callum WebbLynda MacNeilDick MorganBen SteinGrettir AsmundarsonSean MurphyRandal VegterKellen SteffenKaya WoodallRobert Granatdave malloyAlan MaassNick Gallowayjohn halpinPeter HardingDavidJohn BaumanMartín SalíasStu BakerSteve MartinoDr Arthur A GrayCarolinaGary PierceMatt BaxterLuigi BocciaE Margaret WartonTim SheehanCharles McGeeCatherine ClauseEthan BaumanKenIsWearingAHatJordan BlockAaron WadeJeff UlmDavid FutterJamieDeebsPortland Eye CareRichard SneddonJanice BerryDoreen CarlsonDavid McDarbyWendy GilchristLisa TurnerPaul WayperMiles FormanBruno GaetaKenneth JungZak RemerRishi SahayJeffrey BeanJason ReitmanAilie FraserRob TsukNATALIE MISTILISJosh SingerAmy Lynn ThornsenAdam WKelli BrockingtonVictoria Yumino caposselaSteve PaquinDavid JoskeBernard KhooRobert HeuerDavid NoahGeraldine ButlerMadeleine MaderJason PrattAbbie BergDoug BelewDermot CrowleyAchint SrivastavaRyan RairighMichael BermanLinda DuffyBonnie PrinsenEoin de BurcaKevin PotterM Shane BordersDallas HockleyJason GerryNell MorseNathan GouwensLauren ReayEric PrestemoncbalmainAngela LivingstoneDiane HughesMichael CasnerLowell MeyerStephen TsoneffJoshua HillGeoff GoldenPascal RuegerRandy SouzaClare HolbertonDiane TurnerTom ColemanDhu WikMelmaniacEric HelmJonathan DanielsCaro FieldDave SharpeNaomi WatsonDavidAlexanderAdam GeorgandisChris KGavin DoigSam FennTanner MortonAJ SchusterJennifer BushDavid StroudBrad CallahanAmanda FurlottiAndrew BakerAndrew FairL.B. MorseBill ThorntonBrian AmoebasBrett DouvilleJeffrey OlsonMatt BetzelNate from KalamazooMelanie StiversRichard TollerAlexander PolsonJustin McElroyArjun SharmaJames JohnsonKevin MorrellColin Hodo
    Show More Show Less
    53 mins

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    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for Gdj Bellamy

Great breakdown and analysis. thank you

Really enjoyed this analysis and holistic approach you have looking at the performance, thank you

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
Profile Image for John Cougar

A fine analysis and exploration of a true classic

I love that someone so caring and insightful can take this subject matter and dive into it so deeply and with so much attention to detail! Even to the point of analysing the outboard fx used and to go ahead and learn the guitar parts. SO WELL DONE. Love this series, very muchly.

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