What the Riff?!?

著者： Rob Marbury Wayne Rowan Bruce Fricks and Brian Dickhute
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  • Every week, “WHAT THE RIFF?!?” takes a look at a ROCK AND ROLL album that debuted or peaked on the U.S. Billboard charts during a random month between 1965-1995. Four friends discuss the artists and 4 tracks from the album as it plays in the background. Then we riff on 4 “staff picks” of other artists that were also in the charts during that month and year. You’ll hear some familiar tunes as well as some deeper cuts and entertainment tracks as we share a little look into the culture and happenings of that day— having fun recalling that “old time rock and roll.” We hope to bring back memories for you — and we encourage you to find and purchase the tracks and albums from iTunes, Spotify or your other favorite music service. You’ll find each episode with a short blog on this site. Please subscribe so you don’t miss any release! We also invite you to follow us and learn more about us @whattheriffpodcast on Facebook.
    What the Riff ©2024
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あらすじ・解説

Every week, “WHAT THE RIFF?!?” takes a look at a ROCK AND ROLL album that debuted or peaked on the U.S. Billboard charts during a random month between 1965-1995. Four friends discuss the artists and 4 tracks from the album as it plays in the background. Then we riff on 4 “staff picks” of other artists that were also in the charts during that month and year. You’ll hear some familiar tunes as well as some deeper cuts and entertainment tracks as we share a little look into the culture and happenings of that day— having fun recalling that “old time rock and roll.” We hope to bring back memories for you — and we encourage you to find and purchase the tracks and albums from iTunes, Spotify or your other favorite music service. You’ll find each episode with a short blog on this site. Please subscribe so you don’t miss any release! We also invite you to follow us and learn more about us @whattheriffpodcast on Facebook.
What the Riff ©2024
世界 社会科学 音楽
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  • 1971 - September: Carole King "Tapestry"

    1971 - September: Carole King "Tapestry"
    2025/05/05
    Many mark the start of the singer-songwriter genre to have begun when Carole King released her second studio album, the iconic Tapestry. As would be expected from a singer-songwriter, all of the songs on the album were either written or co-written by King. Tapestry is considered one of the greatest albums of all time in the soft rock genre.Born Carol Joan Klein in Manhattan, King began piano lessons at four years of age. Her upbringing included friendship with Paul Simon and dating Neil Sedaka. In the 50's at the age of 17 she met and married Jerry Goffin with whom she would team up on songwriting through the 60's - King writing the music and Goffin writing the lyrics. They had several successful songs during the 60's including "Pleasant Valley Sunday" (The Monkees), "I'm Into Something Good" (Herman's Hermits), and "Up On the Roof" (the Drifters). King and Goffin divorced by 1968, and King moved to Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles to re-start her recording career.Tapestry features both new and old songs of Carole King's catalog. Several new friends from the Laurel Canyon area appear on the album, including James Taylor and Joni Mitchell. Fellow songwriter Toni Stern co-wrote two of the songs, including the hit "It's Too Late."The album was a hit, spending 313 weeks on the Billboard Charts (second only to "Dark Side of the Moon" in time on the chart). It also was a critical success, taking the Grammy for Album of the Year at the 1972 Grammy awards. King announced her retirement from music in May 2012, but has done a few things since then, including a live performance of Tapestry in Hyde Park in 2016. Friend of the show Greg Lyon sits in for Wayne while Bruce presents this soft rock album for this week's podcast.TapestryThe title track to the album is a look back on life as a colorful combination of threads woven into a picture or pattern, but not one intended to last. This is a deeper cut which was not released as a single.Where You LeadSeveral songs became hits for other artists while the album was still on the charts, including this one. Barbara Streisand recorded this song for her 1971 album, and it reached number 40. The song takes its inspiration from the book of Ruth in the Bible. It was also the theme song for the television series "Gilmore Girls." Toni Stern collaborated with King to write this song. You've Got a FriendThis is another song which became a hit for another artist. James Taylor did this on his 1971 album, "Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon," making it to number 1 on the US charts. The two albums were being produced concurrently, and Taylor, Joni Mitchell, and Danny Kortchmar perform on both King's version and on Taylor's version. King has said the song is a response to the line in James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" which says "I've seen lonely times when I could not find a friend." So Far AwayJames Taylor is on acoustic guitar for this piece, and King is on piano. It went to number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was on the charts in September 1971. It starts with a focus on the physical distance between lovers, then moves on to emotional distance. ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:Main theme from the serial Danger Island (from the television series “The Banana Splits Adventure Hour”) This live action 10-minute adventure short appeared as a part of "The Banana Splits Adventure Hour," which concluded this month. STAFF PICKS:Ain't No Sunshine by Bill WithersLynch leads off the staff picks with Withers' breakthrough single from his debut album, "Just As I Am." The inspiration for this song was the 1962 film "Days of Wine and Roses," which portrays two characters who were alcoholics. The idea is that someone may not be right for you, but you miss them regardless. Signs by Five Man Electrical Band"And the sign said 'long haired freaky people need not apply!" Rob brings us a signature song from a Canadian band. The song originally appeared as a B-side to a less successful song called "Hello Melinda Goodbye," but became successful on its own. Frontman Les Emerson wrote this song after seeing so many billboards in Los Angeles which obscured the natural scenery.Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get by The DramaticsGreg features the title song from the debut album of R&B group The Dramatics. This song contrasting the fakeness of people with the authenticity of the singer went to number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 3 on the R&B chart. It fuses a Motown feel with a Latin undertone.Thin Line Between Love and Hate by The PersuadersBruce brings us a cautionary tale about a guy who comes home late at night, finding his girl smiling and ready to cook him some dinner. He learns his lesson when he wakes up in the hospital, beaten to within an inch of his life. This song by a New York R&B group made it to number 15 on the US charts. INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:The Rock by Atomic RoosterWe close out with an instrumental from a British rock band originally ...
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    35 分
  • 1989 - February: U2 "Rattle and Hum"

    1989 - February: U2 "Rattle and Hum"
    2025/04/28
    U2 released a part-live, part studio album in October 1988 called Rattle and Hum. This album accompanied a filmed “Rockumentary” of the band which was filmed in Denver and Arizona. Originally intended to be entitled “U2 in the Americas,” the album and film instead take their name from lyrics in the song “Bullet the Blue Sky’ from their album “The Joshua Tree.” Studio sessions for Rattle and Hum included time at Sun Studio in Memphis, and include collaborations with other musicians including Bob Dylan and B.B. King. The intent of Rattle and Hum was to explore more American blues rock, and folk, and roots music of the 50's and 60's, and includes both original and cover songs. Critics were divided on the album at the time of its release. Some felt that U2 was not celebrating blues rock and artists as much as they were attempting to insert themselves into higher echelons of rock celebrity. Over time the criticisms of egotism would fade, as U2 has indeed proven to be a major force in the Rock pantheon. In retrospect, both Bono and The Edge have found Rattle and Hum to be a bit of a side excursion for the band, more of a “scrapbook” than a true direction. The new direction of U2 would be set beginning with their next studio album, “Achtung Baby” in 1991. Regardless, Rattle and Hum is a great album, well worth a listen. The collaboration with other artists is worth special attention, as is its examination of the way that modern rock finds its roots in the delta blues.Friend of the show Greg Lyon sits in for Wayne, while Rob brings us this hybrid album for today's podcast.Angel of HarlemThe second single from the album is an original studio release which was written as an homage to Billie Holiday. Songwriting took place during the tour for ”The Joshua Tree,” and the lyrics take inspiration form various landmarks around New York City. The track reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 9 on the UK Singles chart. When Love Comes to TownRecorded in Sun Studios, this U2 original song features collaboration with blues guitarist B.B. King. Live performances included B.B. King and his band during the “Lovetown Tour” in 1989. U2 would discontinue playing the song in concert over time, but revived it in 2015 as a tribute to B.B. King after his death. King plays lead on this song written by The Edge, who takes on rhythm guitar for this track.All Along the WatchtowerThis live cover is of a song written by Bob Dylan and made famous by Jimi Hendrix. The lyrics are of a conversation between a joker and a thief, and several lines echo lines of scripture from the book of Isaiah in the Bible. U2 performed this live cover in San Francisco at the “Save The Yuppie Free Concert.” Some of the lyrics were altered, which irritated Dylan. Pride (In the Name of Love)A live version of the studio song from the 1984 album The Unforgettable Fire, this was recorded in Denver. The popularity of this song can be heard in the audience call-and-response. The lyrics were inspired by elements of the civil rights movement, particularly the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:Iko Iko by The Belle Stars (from the motion picture “Rain Man”)Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman turned in stellar performances in this dramatic film exploring autism. STAFF PICKS:Kiss by Art of Noise featuring Tom JonesBruce leads off the staff picks with a cover of a Prince song performed by an unusual pairing of art rock group the Art of Noise with Vegas crooner Tom Jones. This became the biggest hit for the Art of Noise to that point, reaching number 5 on the UK charts and number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100. She Drives Me Crazy by Fine Young CannibalsLynch brings us the most successful single from the British pop trio, off their second and final album, “The Raw & the Cooked.” The band formed from two previous bands, one Ska, and one Punk. The track was composed at Prince's Paisley Park Studios in Minneapolis.Once Bitten, Twice Shy by Great WhiteGreg features a rocker. Great White covered a song originally written and performed by Ian Hunter in 1975. This song went to number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Great White had a more blues-oriented sound than many of the hair metal bands of the late 80's. Lead singer Jack Russell passed after a battle with Lewy body dementia in August 2024.What I Am by Edie Brickell & New BohemiansRob closes out the staff picks with the signature song off Edie Brickell & New Bohemians' debut album, "Shooting Rubberbands at the Stars." The inspiration for the song was Brickell's frustration with the dogma exhibited in a world religions class in college. Brickell would meet her husband and fellow musician, Paul Simon, when she performed this song on Saturday Night Live. INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:Sunset Road by Bela Fleck & the FlecktonesThis jazz fusion piece with an unusual banjo lead was on the group's debut album, ...
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    44 分
  • 1971 - May: Rod Stewart "Every Picture Tells a Story"

    1971 - May: Rod Stewart "Every Picture Tells a Story"
    2025/04/21
    Every Picture Tells a Story is a great name for Rod Stewart's third solo studio album. The songs consist of solid storytelling, using mixture of original and cover tracks to paint a mosaic of life, love, and loss. This album would mark the transition of Stewart from a solid rock vocalist to an A-list performer. Every Picture Tells a Story hit the top of the album charts in both the US and the UK, and its blend of rock, blues, and folk music would have a staying power over the decades. Supposedly the album was compiled on a shoestring budget, and consists of a number of songs paired with extended jams.Stewart compiled this album during his tenure as front man for the Faces, and all five members of that group appear on the album. Because of contractual obligations at the time, the personnel listing on each track is a bit vague, but it is possible that all five members were on the recording of "(I Know) I'm Losing You." The first single released from the album was "Reason to Believe," which was a cover of Tim Hardin's 1966 song. But the B-side of that album would be the one that would cause Rod Stewart to become a breakthrough success. That song, written by Rod Stewart and Martin Quittenton, was "Maggie May." The album would top the charts, and would be a noticeable success on the year-end charts of the Billboard 200 albums in 1971 (#35) and 1972 (#65), while taking the number 2 spot for the UK album charts in 1971. Not bad for a soccer player who wasn't able to go pro!Rob brings us the bluesy album for this week's podcast. (I Know) I'm Losing YouThis Motown hit originally recorded by The Temptations in 1966 is a lament of a relationship going bad. Stewart's cover went to number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. Motown rock group Rare Earth had a cover of this song a year earlier in 1970. Rod Stewart has several members of the Faces playing on this track.That's Alright/Amazing GraceAnother outstanding cover, this one is of the debut single from Elvis Presley in 1954. However, the original goes back to blues singer Arthur Crudup in 1946. But even that long time period is dwarfed by the pairing of the traditional hymn "Amazing Grace" which dates back to 1772. This deep cut shows some of the diversity of the album. Every Picture Tells a StoryThe lead-off and title track to the album was an original co-written by Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood. The lyrics are told from the perspective of a musician on tour who finds adventure with women in multiple cities before returning home to think back on his travels. The lyrics are more free-form in this song, not following a consistent pattern of rhymes. ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:Main theme from the television comedy "Green Acres"This sit-com featuring city dwellers who move to the country went off the air this month in 1971. STAFF PICKS:Don't Pull Your Love by Hamilton, Joe Frank & ReynoldsBruce starts out the staff picks with a song often attributed to Elvis Presley. After performing with the T-Bones and having an instrumental hit with the song "No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach's In)" based on a popular jingle from an Alka-Seltzer TV commercial, this group went to number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Don't Pull Your Love."It's Too Late by Carole KingLynch brings us a song with music by Carole King and lyrics penned by songwriter Toni Stern. This breakup song is considered to be a feminist song by many, given that the woman is breaking up with the man. Stern completed the lyrics in a single day after her breakup with fellow singer songwriter James Taylor. This track would top the Billboard Hot 100, and would win the Grammy for Record of the Year in 1972.Charity Ball by FannyWayne's staff pick is the single release and title track from Fanny's second studio album. Fanny was one of the first all-female rock bands playing their own instruments, and the first to record an entire album. They got their start in Sacramento after sisters June and Jean Millington (guitar and bass) moved there from the Philippines. The group was completed with Nickey Barclay on keyboards and Alice de Buhr on drums.If Not for You by Olivia Newton JohnRob features a cover originally penned by Bob Dylan. Olivia Newton John would make this her first international release and her breakthrough song. Her cover closely follows George Harrison's cover, including prominent use of the slide guitar. Olivia Newton John took this track to number 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and to number 7 on the UK singles chart. INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:Milky Way by Weather ReportThis Avant-garde jazz instrumental takes us out of this week's podcast. Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?” NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or ...
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    34 分

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