Music In My Shoes

‘Silly Love Songs, Will Ferrell / Paul McCartney SNL, and The Rolling Stones Sticky Fingers E134‘ of the Music In My Shoes podcast is now available.
Apple- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/music-in-my-shoes/id1713086366?i=1000770407089
Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/episode/28bbYQkeVin6JU27Jl7wXt?si=g8QCwdXhTIyPVlOceyFIpA
Direct- https://www.buzzsprout.com/2265604/episodes/19260786-silly-love-songs-will-ferrell-paul-mccartney-snl-and-the-rolling-stones-sticky-fingers-e134
Paul McCartney got dragged for writing “silly love songs” and then turned the criticism into a No. 1 anthem. We start with that 1976 chart run, the irony baked into the lyrics, and the way one summertime hit can glue itself to your memory, right down to the bicentennial vibe and what was playing everywhere you went.

From there we jump 50 years forward to McCartney closing out Saturday Night Live with Will Ferrell, and we get real about what it means to watch a living legend perform at 83. We talk vocals, stamina, song selection, and why it matters that Paul isn’t trying to “fix” aging with tech. Then the night gets even better: the Chad Smith confusion joke, the classic Ferrell deadpan, and the surprise after-show energy where cowbell and Beatles staples (“Help” and “Drive My Car”) light up the room.

We round things out with what we’re listening to now and what still holds up, including our new “What’s Mooving Me” pick from Drivin N Cryin, plus “Minute with Jimmy” on The Rolling Stones’ “In the Stars.” That opens the door to Sticky Fingers at Muscle Shoals, the legacy issues around “Brown Sugar,” the story behind “Wild Horses,” and a quick run through Heart, Yoko Ono, Pet Shop Boys, and Depeche Mode’s media critique in “New Dress.”

Learn Something New or
Remember Something Old

‘Conversation with The Stifftones: Rock 'n' Rollin’ in a Hearse E133‘ of the Music In My Shoes podcast is now available.
Apple- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/music-in-my-shoes/id1713086366?i=1000769314509
Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/episode/447uxG1kzREVWuGQZc4Pgp?si=cNFzWw_dQ1ujXBtwp0sBQQ
Direct- https://www.buzzsprout.com/2265604/episodes/19224149-conversation-with-the-stifftones-rock-n-rollin-in-a-hearse-e133
A band that lives in a hearse sounds like a gimmick until you hear the reasons it happened and the work it takes to keep it going. We’re joined in the studio by Shaun and Rachel from The Stifftones, a DIY touring duo that turned a full reset into a full-time musical life, complete with two dogs, a rolling home, and a schedule built around small venues, open mics, and the people they meet along the way.

We talk through the origin story, from an open mic to a relationship they describe as “best frenemies,” and how that honesty becomes a creative advantage. They break down the practical side of life on the road: dividing roles, handling tension in tight spaces, and learning how to keep moving when the vehicle that carries your entire world decides to quit on you. If you care about independent music, touring logistics, and the emotional reality behind “chasing the dream,” this conversation gets specific fast.

We also dig into the album Existentialism on Main Street and how The Stifftones captured tracks across multiple locations and collaborators while staying true to their sound. Along the way we hear about mentors like Johnny Hickman of Cracker, connections to Camper Van Beethoven, the story behind their cover of “Father Winter,” and a wild REM thread that includes a Peter Buck jacket.

Listen through to the end for a live performance of “These Times,” then subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a push to go all in, and leave us a review. What part of their road life surprised you most?

Learn Something New or
Remember Something Old
The StiffTones Rachel Stief

‘Billboard Hits of May 1981: All Those Years Ago E132‘ of the Music In My Shoes podcast is now available.
Apple- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/music-in-my-shoes/id1713086366?i=1000768231621
Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/episode/30TJoEFLrq2qu26ymh9fCB?si=ObDpoy1nS8m3699w6lqlGA
Direct- https://www.buzzsprout.com/2265604/episodes/19184817-billboard-hits-of-may-1981-all-those-years-ago-e132
The fastest way to time-travel is to press play on a song you haven’t heard in years, then realize you still know every word. We pull up the Billboard Hot 100 from May 23, 1981 and take it for a spin, bouncing between classic rock, radio pop, and the kind of tracks that were simply unavoidable if you lived anywhere near a car stereo or a skating rink.

Along the way, we dig into what’s actually happening inside these hits: Billy Squier’s “The Stroke” as a music business story, Santana’s “Winning” as a case of “this does not sound like Santana,” and the emotional weight of George Harrison’s “All Those Years Ago,” made even heavier by the Beatles connections around it. We also hit Tom Petty’s “The Waiting,” Hall and Oates’ “You Make My Dreams,” and the early MTV effect that turned songs into permanent memories, for better or worse.

Then we get personal: a Jefferson Starship chorus becomes a full-on dinner-table bit, Rick Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl” comes with a wild songwriting backstory, and REO Speedwagon’s “Take It On The Run” gets a deep breakdown of why a vocal and a guitar solo can feel like one continuous emotional punch. We close out the chart with the weird brilliance of Stars on 45 and the long reign of Kim Carnes’ “Bette Davis Eyes,” then jump to a modern live-music recap featuring Kevin Kinney, Peter Buck, and a surprise Mike Mills appearance, plus a quick Ramones spotlight and a final Van Halen 5150 tangent.

If you love 1980s music, classic rock storytelling, and honest takes on music history, subscribe, and share this with a friend who lived
Learn Something New or
Remember Something Old

Originally released 72 years ago on May 20, 1954, Rock around the Clock by Bill Haley and the Comets reached #1 the following year.
Flash back to Episode 86 when we spoke about the song on the show!!!
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2265604/episodes/17411983-e86-rock-around-the-clock-back-to-the-future-and-athfest

‘Top Gun 40th Anniversary, and Show Me the Way Till the End of the Day E131‘ of the Music In My Shoes podcast is now available.
Apple- https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/music-in-my-shoes/id1713086366?i=1000767030767
Spotify- https://open.spotify.com/episode/7HaCPmoNbIHulJdsLXNWl8?si=9-dg6zBdQvyKjdZ2COi06Q
Direct- https://www.buzzsprout.com/2265604/episodes/19148444-top-gun-40th-anniversary-and-show-me-the-way-till-the-end-of-the-day-e131
Top Gun turns 40, and we can’t talk about it without talking about the soundtrack that still punches through your speakers. From the first seconds of Kenny Loggins’ “Danger Zone” on the aircraft carrier, we trace how 80s movie music uses needle drops to build character, tension, romance, and pure momentum.

We get into the details that make the Top Gun soundtrack legendary: the way the Righteous Brothers’ “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” revives an older classic for a new generation, how Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away” becomes a musical signature for Maverick and Charlie, and why “Great Balls of Fire” remains one of the most unforgettable bar-scene singalongs in film. We also swap quick takes on the movie itself, the sequel callbacks, and why sometimes the music ages even better than the action.

Then we jump into our Music in My Shoes picks and stories, including a huge milestone for the show: listeners in 100 countries. Along the way we hit The Kinks, The Doors, Peter Frampton’s live-album magic, the Psychedelic Furs “Pretty in Pink” re-recording drama, Robert Palmer’s “Addicted to Love” and the power of MTV-era visuals, plus a billion-views moment for the Outfield’s “Your Love” and a spring break memory that drilled it into one of our brains forever. Wrap it up with No Doubt’s “Just a Girl” and the eternal question of what you love hearing versus what you’d actually put on your own playlist.

Learn Something New or
Remember Something Old