62 episodes
- Music in this episode:
The Beatles - “If I Fell” (1964)
Roberta Flack - “If I Fell” (2012)
Small Axe Rhythm - “If I Fell (Version Instrumental)” (1985)
føamēk - “From the Very Start” (2020)
The jazz musician who described “If I Fell” as the first musically interesting Beatles song was the late Joe Giglio, who I took some guitar lessons from when I was younger.
At one point, I say that Paul is straining to hit an A; I meant he’s straining to hit a G.
For a classical theorist’s take on the song, check out Alan Pollack’s excellent analysis.
Previously:
The Beatles in 10 Songs, Part 1: “Twist and Shout”
The Beatles In 10 Songs, Part 2: “She Loves You”
Get full access to Ethan teaches you music at ethanhein.substack.com/subscribe - Music in this episode:
The Beatles - “She Loves You” (1963)
Elvis Presley - “All Shook Up” (1957)
The Andrews Sisters - “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” (1941)
John Williams - Imperial March (1977)
The Isley Brothers - “Twist and Shout” (1962)
Keely Smith - “She Loves You” (1964)
Mary Wells - “He Loves You” (1965)
Adam and the Ants - “Family Of Noise” (1979)
The Beatles - “All You Need Is Love” (1967)
I can’t find a direct attribution for the George W. Bush quote about the early vs late Beatles; the closest I can come is a reference to it in this article.
As always, I refer you to the invaluable A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs podcast for historical background.
Previously:
Part 1 - “Twist and Shout”
Next:
Part 3 - “If I Fell”
Get full access to Ethan teaches you music at ethanhein.substack.com/subscribe - Music in this episode:
The Beatles - “Twist and Shout” (1963)
The Top Notes - “Twist and Shout” (1961)
Ritchie Valens - “La Bamba” (1958)
The Isley Brothers - “Twist and Shout” (1962)
David Bowie - “Let’s Dance” (1983)
Salt-N-Pepa - “Twist and Shout” (1988)
For background on the song, I drew extensively on A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, which you will definitely enjoy listening to if you enjoyed listening to this.
Next: part 2 - “Twist and Shout”
Get full access to Ethan teaches you music at ethanhein.substack.com/subscribe - Music in this episode:
Louis Armstrong - “What a Wonderful World” (1967)
Louis Armstrong - “Hello, Dolly!” (1964)
Louis Armstrong - “When The Saints Go Marching In” (1938)
Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong - “Dream a Little Dream of Me” (1950)
Louis Armstrong and his Hot Seven - “Melancholy Blues” (1927)
Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five - “Hotter Than That” (1927)
Louis Armstrong and his Hot Five - “West End Blues” (1928)
Jimmie Rodgers - “Blue Yodel No 9” (1930)
Hoagy Carmichael - “(Up A) Lazy River” (1930)
Louis Armstrong - “Lazy River” (1931)
Louis Armstrong - ‘When It’s Sleepy Time Down South” (1931)
Louis Armstrong & the Mills Brothers - “Old Folks At Home” (1937)
References:
Charles Hiroshi Garrett - Struggling to Define a Nation: American Music and the Twentieth Century (2008)
Charles Hersch - “Poisoning Their Coffee: Louis Armstrong and Civil Rights” (2002)
Get full access to Ethan teaches you music at ethanhein.substack.com/subscribe - Music in this episode:
Dolly Parton - “Traveling Man” (1971)
Dolly Parton - “Jolene” (1973)
Dolly Parton - “9 to 5” (1980)
Dolly Parton - “Travelin’ Prayer” (1999)
Dolly Parton - “Marry Me” (2001)
Dolly Parton - “Stairway to Heaven” (2002)
Dolly Parton - “Don’t Think Twice” (2014)
Dolly Parton - “Purple Rain” (2023)
References:
I include excerpts of a couple of interviews with Dolly. There’s this one:
and this one:
I also include an excerpt of this excellent Paul Thompson video about the bassline in “Traveling Man”:
Get full access to Ethan teaches you music at ethanhein.substack.com/subscribe
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