I'm In Love With That Song Podcast

Queen were at the top of their game and weren’t resting on their laurels when they released “Somebody To Love” as a single in 1976. Building on the layered vocals they pioneered on “Bohemian Rhapsody” the year before, “Somebody To Love” was inspired by Freddie’s love for Aretha Franklin. On this episode, we examine the various elements of this outstanding track.

Never heard of Starbelly? You should have. But it's not your fault. There was a bit of a resurgence of "power pop" bands in the late-90's/early 2000's that generated a lot of GREAT albums, but for some inexplicable reason, not much commercial breakthrough (Fountains Of Wayne being one of the few exceptions). Starbelly's debut album "Lemon Fresh" was simply brilliant, and it's one of my favorite records...

On this episode, we pay a little tribute to the great Tina Turner, with an exploration of the song she wrote about her humble beginnings in a little town called Nutbush, TN. Join us on a journey down Highway 19 to visit “Nutbush City Limits”.

When The Shazam tumbled out of Nashville in 1994, they should've landed as one of the biggest rock bands in America. Instead, they merely left us with 5 fantastic albums of hard-rocking power pop that lodged them on my list of all-time favorite bands. If you've never heard them before, here's your chance to discover their greatness with a song called "On The Airwaves" - officially certified one of the Coolest Songs In The World.

Gary Moore was never a household name, but among guitar players, he was a legend. He reinvented himself multiple times over his 40-year career: first as a hard-rocker with Thin Lizzy, then a jazzy prog-rocker with Colosseum in the 70’s; pioneering a modern heavy-metal sound in the 80’s, and playing the blues in the ‘90’s. On this episode, we delve into a track from his 1987 Celtic-flavored hard rock album, “Wild Frontier”.

Thin Lizzy is known for their hard rockin’ songs and their trailblazing twin guitar sound, but vocalist/bassist/songwriter Phil Lynott had an ear for melody, a way with words, and could write a damn fine pop song when he wanted. “Dancing In The Moonlight” has everything you want in a great Thin Lizzy song: fantastic guitar playing, wonderful lyrics, and Lynott’s one-of-a-kind voice—he could sound tough as nails, but sensitive & vulnerable, too. Let’s give this one a spin.

If you're looking for a prime example of a hard-working, dues-paying, doggedly dedicated rock band, you won't find better one than Nazareth. Launching in 1968 and continuing through today, Nazareth rode the wave of success up and down over 50 years, peaking with their classic album "Hair Of The Dog" in 1975. The last time they hit the charts was with the song "Holiday" in 1980. On this episode, we tap into this classic track...

We celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of the greatest live albums of all time, Deep Purple's "Made In Japan". This is a truly live album-- no doctored-up, overdubbed fixes here, just a killer band at the top of their game, tearing through a live set with little thought to the recording process. They thought this album would only be released to a limited audience in Japan... turned out to be a huge hit and the ultimate Deep Purple album...

In 1981, Rush had planned to release a live album, but riding a wave of good vibes & inspiration, they changed their minds and decided to record an album of new material instead. It turned out to be their best-selling album, and years later the band would still look back on it fondly. Most of their biggest hits are on this album titled Moving Pictures, but this episode we're turning our ears on a lesser-known (but fan favorite) track, "The Camera Eye".

Back on Episode 25, we listened to 5 of my favorite guitar solos; here on Episode 125, we revisit that idea and listen to some more great guitar moments. As before, I’m not saying these are the greatest solos of all time-- a great solo doesn’t have to be flashy or technically brilliant, but it does have to be memorable, it has to fit the song, and it should take the song to another level. So let's hear 5 more favorite guitar solos.