Mark And Sarah Talk About Songs

Don't ask us why* we decided to hurl a rock at William Joel's 1980 release, "Glass Houses" -- but we're ranking that album with the help of Ambassador To Long Island Pop Culture Dan Rogge. Along the way, we met a shark named Leyna, contemplated essential Billy-ness and Blondie cosplay, added to the list of songs Mark can't retain, and went behind the scenes of an ill-advised French mash note. Grab a "Monsieur Massapequa" tee and get your karaoke picks in; it's time for another MASTAS ranker! *it was not the terrible news about the tour cancellation; we'd recorded well before that -- and we hope he's better soon! Intro and outro by Laura Barger and Jack Baldelli. Visit us on Patreon for more! SHOW NOTES Episode 111: Bruce Willis And Don Johnson (with special guests Dan and Tracie!) MASTAS Presents: Money Can't Buy You Podcast 01, "Money Can't Buy You Class" America's Damp 40, Episode 00: An Introduction Episode 51: Billy Joel, "Sleeping With The Television On" Billy Joel live in Uniondale

We end the Best New Artist season where it all began for the podcast: the Grammys. We're talking today about the 67th Grammy Awards' "big 4" categories, plus a couple of wildcards -- and along the way, the American need for underdogs, nominations of encouragement, Mark's "Folkmore" playlist, Uncanny George Valley nightmares, couples skate, and a purse dog named Aristotle. Grab an electric clarinet and join us! (Throw the clarinet in the garbage first. THEN join us.) Intro and outro by David Gregory Byrne; for more information, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Nominations list at Grammys.com Episode 1: Heavy D and the Boyz, "Now That We've Found Love" Record Of The Year Showdown, Episode 1: 1959-1974 The "Now and Then" video Episode 224: Dua Lipa, "Levitating" (allegedly) shirts are on sale at Exhibit B. rn "Chappell Roan Confronts The Sickness Of Modern Fandom" Episode 166: Taylor Swift ft. The Dixie Chicks, "Soon You'll Get Better" Best New Artist Breakdown 07: 2009-2016 The "Die With A Smile" video Record Of The Year Showdown, Episode 4: 2007-2022 Doechii's Tiny Desk concert The "Tailor Swif" video Emma Pittman and Brody Grant sing "Hopeless War"

It's the Best New Artist Breakdown season finale, featuring a MASTAS greatest-hits line-up, the return of sprung rhythm, grand unifying complaints about breakthrough categories, Elt Zeppelin, and how to evolve past Wolfman Jack in pop-music discovery. Do we agree with the Grammys' most recent BNA choices? Have we decided how to tackle the 2025 nominees? Should jerks win awards? Come spook the Recording Academy herd with us! Intro and outro by Laura Barger and Jack Baldelli; for more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Ms. Warwick "roasts" Chance The Rapper Episode 68: "Stay" Title Bout Episode 247: Julia Michaels, "All Your Exes" MB's Top 10 Songs of 2024 at The Lost Songs Project Episode 224: Dua Lipa, "Levitating" Record Of The Year Showdown, Episode 4: 2007-2022 Do Call It A Comeback, Episode 3: The NEXT Next 15 Episode 189: Yola, "Faraway Look" NPR's Stephen Thompson on Ingrid Andress's upsetting anthem Phoebe Bridgers in The New Yorker Single 19: Favorite Discoveries on NPR's Women+ Song List

Our penultimate Best New Artist Breakdown moves into the teens; we're talking about Amy Clonehouses, lost anthems of lady rage, gold-watch nominations, the Overton window of band-name ludicrosity, and much more. Grab those Kendrick Lamar seminar syllabi and have a listen! Intro and outro by Andrew Byrne; for more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Episode 107: Bond-Movie Songs, Ranked Duffy's return to social media after her ordeal Episode 166: Taylor Swift ft. The Dixie Chicks, "Soon You'll Get Better" Episode 182: The Stills, "Changes Are No Good" Episode 74: Four By Pink Pop Goes The Actor 4: '80s Movie Gents Episode 68: "Stay" Title Bout Episode 14: Bastille, "Pompeii"

As the Best New Artist Breakdown season rounds the millennium turn, we're talking about which band is playing when Jennifer Love Hewitt flees a serial killer, artists we should like on paper but fall asleep to in practice, the music of shampoo ads, and the basic room in each of our hearts. If Kanye West will make room, join us on the line between genius and madness for our latest episode! Intro and outro by David Gregory Byrne; for more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES The list of Best New Artist recipients, and nominees The Best New Artist Breakdown season premiere Episode 186: Nelly Furtado, "I'm Like A Bird" Record Of The Year Showdown, Episode 3: 1991-2006 Episode 116: Maroon 5, "Moves Like Jagger" Episode 71: Kanye West, "Jesus Walks" Amy

We're closing out the twentieth century in our fifth episode, and there are fewer howling embarrassments among our Best New Artist winners this time...but just as much anal-retentive insanity in our prep, plus diversity of sound, nothingburger arrangements saved by a Braxton, convincing Patsy Cline drag, effortful album titles, and the memory-holing of a multi-platinum act. Your dinner-party table in hell is ready, so pull up a chair and listen! Intro and outro by David Gregory Byrne; for more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES The list of Best New Artist recipients, and nominees The Best New Artist Breakdown season premiere "Frosty The Snowman...Is Melted" Beats Around The Bush, Episode 01: Hippie Hop Hooray Episode 41: Another Bad Creation, "Iesha" (with guest Nick Rheinwald-Jones!) Extra Extra Hot Great 327: Focusing In On Interior Chinatown The Lilith Fair 40, Episode 02: The Next 5 Weird Al vs. Everybody, Episode 08: Crash Test Dummies Episode 8: Jewel-erdome! "You Were Meant For Me" vs. "Hands" Episode 100: Surprise Party Episode 85: Why Aren't These Songs Super-Famous, With Pam Ribon Record Of The Year Showdown, Episode 3: 1991-2006

Confusing band names, the MTV aura, and what happens if the comedy/tragedy masks and a keyboard mate: it's the 4th episode of our Best New Artist season, which brings us great winners, indefensible losers, and tracks that are more branding exercise than song. Does Mariah tie a whole Reagan-era room together? Listen now and find out! Intro and outro by Andrew Byrne; for more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES The list of Best New Artist recipients, and nominees The Best New Artist Breakdown season premiere Best New Artist Breakdown 03: 1977-1984 Episode 242: Tracy Chapman, "Fast Car" SDB's review of Monsters Beats Around The Bush, Episode 05: The Mystery Of Tone Loc Episode 50: The Indigo Girls' "Indigo Girls," Ranked Beats Around The Bush, Episode 01: Hippie Hop Hooray Episode 164: Milli Vanilli, "Blame It On The Rain" Lisa Stansfield live at The Apollo

Disco, NuRo, and not knowing where to look during "Afternoon Delight" -- it's all part of our third episode, when we're also talking about Starman's dinner party, the mayonnaise filter, the Michael McDonald industrial complex, and Mark's request to dump all the geography-named bands into one planetary supergroup. There's only one way to lift the Best New Artist curse, and that's to listen now. Intro and outro by Laura Barger and Jack Baldelli. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES The list of Best New Artist recipients, and nominees The Best New Artist Breakdown season premiere Only Chicken Michael and Maeby sing "Afternoon Delight" Dig the styling on the Brothers Johnson "Hey Deanie" at The Lost Songs Project Record Of The Year Showdown, Episode 2: 1975-1990 In My Life's Wikipedia page Pop Goes The Actor 3: Comedians Episode 107: Bond-Movie Songs, Ranked

We're wading into the '70s in our second ep, which includes ruminations on inessential classic rock; how Karen Carpenter and Judy Garland can take you whenever they are; holding your nose and throwing your vote at the nomination dartboard; and more. We've only just beguuuuuun / to taaaaaaalk -- and to hear your comments! -- so listen now. Intro and outro by David Gregory Byrne. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES The list of Best New Artist recipients, and nominees The Best New Artist Breakdown season premiere Episode 62: "Ode To Billie Joe" And "Harper Valley PTA" '90s Soundtrack Flashback, Episode 03: Forrest Gump Episode 18: Led Zeppelin/Dread Zeppelin/Dolly Parton, "Stairway To Heaven" Episode 69: Bryan Adams, "Summer Of '69" (with guest Danny MacEachern!) "Lost Grammy Nominee: Chase" at The Lost Songs Project "Woman Of The Hour: There are no winners here" at Best Evidence

The Best New Artist Breakdown season has begun! Instead of pitting the 64 winners of the Grammys' Best New Artist category against each other, we're talking about each year's nominees and winner in the context of their time...and in today's sixties-spanning ep, we're trying to make sense of the 20th century's monocultures, how far in the past most votes had gotten stuck, the weird dominance of the ukelele in the Kennedy years, and the weird ambitions of Mr. Swingle. Ready to go Bach to the future? Listen now! Intro and outro by Andrew Byrne. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES The list of Best New Artist recipients, and nominees The Record Of The Year Showdown season premiere Episode 145: Bobby Darin, "Mack The Knife" The Beat Generation box-set playlist on Spotify The Lost Songs Project on Timi Yuro Episode 62: "Ode To Billie Joe" And "Harper Valley PTA" The Lost Songs Project on Harpers Bizarre Life Magazine's cover story on the non-golden era of hijacking

Our finale finds us talking about actor/musicians with lasting pop careers: Oscar-winners (Jamie Foxx), Grammy-winners (Childish Gambino), former child stars (Hailee Steinfeld), and Jokers (Jared Leto). After discussing contemporary stank, the competent/memorable axis, music for coffee shops, and the R&B version of that Top Chef challenge where they have to elevate gas-station snacks, we talk about what we've learned about the drive to create art. Grab Ludacris and have a listen. Intro and outro by David Gregory Byrne; special thanks to Amanda. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Record Of The Year Showdown, Episode 4: 2007-2022 Episode 68: "Stay" Title Bout SDB's review of House of Gucci at Best Evidence Episode 73: Jamie Foxx feat. Guru & Common, "Any Given Sunday" MB on "Life Is A Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me)" at The Lost Songs Project

This week's crop of actor-musician hyphenates got their thespian starts in films of the 1980s: Corey Feldman, Keanu Reeves (Dogstar), Kevin Bacon (the Bacon Brothers), and Kiefer Sutherland. Copyright-compliant Gin Blossoms tracks and workout-cooldown music prompted thoughts about perfectly good outdoor-restaurant entertainment, the artistic practice that capitalism tries to stifle, and whether pretty boys want to be told they're smart (and vice versa). Strange things are afoot at the Circle MASTAS, so grab one of Kiefer's hats and have a listen. Intro and outro by Andrew Byrne; special thanks to Amanda. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Harsh but fair, Discogs commenter TwoOneFive "Comeback King" by Corey Feldman '90s Soundtrack Flashback, Episode 04: Romeo + Juliet River's Edge

Do you love to laugh? Then fall down the ha-ha hole that is Pop Goes The Actor's third episode! This week, we're looking at comedians who tested the pop waters, including a Blues Brother, Eddie Murphy, Tracey Ullman, and Jack Black. Acting range, the cult of mid-'70s SNL, finding unexpected IQ points in a song you've heard a dozen times, and which instrument is the creme fraiche of blues tracks -- and much more. Someone here is from Jersey, so order your minimum two drinks and listen! Intro and outro by Laura Barger and Jack Baldelli; special thanks to Amanda, and to Terri. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES The "limberjack dolls" SDB was trying to think of the name for Daphne Merkin goes deep for the Times on "jolie-laide" (gift link) The Dragnet rap, a staple of morning drive-time radio at that time This Had Oscar Buzz on Bernie Our Weird Al vs. Everybody season "Whatzupwitu"'s Wikipedia page

Oh yes it's ladies' night on the second episode of Pop Goes The Actor...but IS the feeling right? Sometimes! We wend our way through copyright-compliant bugle boys of Company Wonder Woman, the adorkable Zooey Deschanel, Shelley Fabares's evident terror, Marla Gibbs's appealing blood-thinner ad, and a track from Cybill Shepherd that puts the "no" back in "bossa nova." Throw that sax in a dumpster and join us for legitimate fun vs. snarky fun, the sexual politics of Camelot-era pop, and the timeline where Rosemary Clooney is good. Intro and outro by David Gregory Byrne, and special thanks to Amanda. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Pop Goes The Actor 1: '70s Sitcoms Extra Extra Hot Great on Fallout More on the Relatives Colleen Stan, aka "the girl in the box"

Pop Goes The Actor: a mini-season about thespians who tried (and sometimes succeeded at!) being pop musicians. In our premiere episode, we're talking about Jeff Conaway (Taxi), Donny Most (Happy Days), Esther Rolle (Good Times), Ted Knight (The Mary Tyler Moore Show), and Lawrence Hilton Jacobs (Welcome Back, Kotter) -- as well as smorgasbords of grunting, when a stew has all the right ingredients and yet no taste, how long vaudeville literacy persisted, perceptions of the primetime monoculture, and all the places pop songs think we should be boinking. Grab a Tab and rotary-dial into our latest ep! Intro and outro by David Gregory Byrne, and special thanks to Amanda. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Episode 27: Patrick Swayze feat. Wendy Fraser, "She's Like The Wind" Episode 111: Bruce Willis And Don Johnson (with special guests Dan and Tracie!) Beats Around The Bush Single: The Hip-Hop-to-Acting Pipeline Do Call It A Comeback, Episode 7: Footnotes and Odd Lots

1996's Romeo + Juliet seemed like a slam-dunk ending to our soundtrack mini-season...but we have regrets! Epcot industrial music, lazy versions of Shakespeare, the psychotic hormonal jangling of youth, Scandinavian cultural crimes, and the returns of Teddy Ruxpin AND No Middle Ground with Paul Quinn accompany our struggling to remember the Wallflowers, and to decide whether it's possible for a song to be disgusting. Sidle up to an aquarium and have a listen! Intro and outro by Laura Barger and Jack Baldelli. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas! SHOW NOTES Where to watch Romeo + Juliet (though we don't advise it) The short, sad life of Quindon Tarver

This episode is, we suppose, like a box of chocolates, because technically you don't know what you're going to get, but we can tell you we're talking about the ubiquitous Forrest Gump soundtrack. Remembering top-loader VCRs, #justiceforJenn, powering through overplay, how long sixties soul acts gave themselves to get drawers on the floor, and songs Muppets sing at you. What does it sound like when the Beach Boys sing a New Yorker article about pirates? Find out with our latest episode! Intro and outro by Andrew Byrne; interstitial music by Classics IV. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas! SHOW NOTES Where to watch Forrest Gump Record Of The Year Showdown, Episode 1: 1959-1974 John Fogerty not about certain pols' use of "Fortunate Son" Episode 45: Gladys Knight And The Pips, "Midnight Train To Georgia" Episode 195: Dolly Parton's Underrated Hits

The '90s Soundtrack Flashback season is bustin' surfboards with Pulp Fiction, 1994's omnipresent Quentin Tarantino joint. After talking about how the movie itself holds up (spoiler: really well!), we move on to fights with the Ventures, QT's trademark alternate timelines, how epic moments are inevitably punctuated by frump, at-the-bank audio wallpaper, and Peanuts-apron guy's moment of glory. C'est la vie, say the rankings, so have a listen! Intro and outro by David Gregory Byrne; for more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Where to watch Pulp Fiction SDB's review of Lonely Hearts at Best Evidence SDB's piece for Slant Magazine on "Void movies" The teen-idol bracket Do Call It A Comeback, Episode 4: The Last 15 Episode 43: The Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack, Ranked

Welcome to our '90s Soundtrack Flashback mini-season! We're ranking the soundtrack albums from four legendary 1990s movies, starting with grunge-adjacent rom-com Singles. We waded into the great plaid middle of this disc to talk about the insouciance of Cameron Crowe stories, when it's okay for grunge gods to laugh, the conversation between this genre and punk (and Zep), and "hard rock for the school bus." Grab a Crystal Pepsi and a flannel buttondown and join us! Intro and outro by David Gregory Byrne; interstitial music by Alice In Chains. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Where to watch Singles This one didn't make the Poppy-Fields Couch of Fame...but Almost Famous did Episode 239: The Replacements, "Alex Chilton" (with Taylor Cole) "The hell are cross tops?" MB and SDB talk Mark Yarm Mark Yarm talks Hozier for the New York Times N...ot the Melrose soundtrack MB meant

"Blurred Lines," the sound of the summer of 2013, is compared (unfavorably) with a cold sore in today's episode, which pits Robin Thicke, TI, and Pharrell against Weird Al's screed against bad grammar and usage errors. Despairing of Shazam, continuing to die on the hill of "irregardless," and the tyranny of younger siblings over the #oldladywalk playlist...we're working through all of it, AND figuring out who's going to "win" the season. It would be a Class-Y felony to miss it, so listen now. Our intro is by David Gregory Byrne, and our outro is by Aimee Mann. For more information/to become a patron of the show and hear all episodes of this season, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES "What...is this thing?" Start at the beginning! ThickeCorp's "Blurred Lines" video Weird Al's "Word Crimes" video More on the copyright/royalties battle Whose side are you on, NPR?? Slate breaks down all the aforementioned crimes

Thirty years after the death of frontman Kurt Cobain, Nirvana and their music still feel very close. Does that have anything to do with Weird Al's equally "defining" parody, a track that let Al "sell out" again after the disastrous UHF experience...with a band at the bleeding edge of the sell-out conversation? The shroud of tragedy, the performance of self, rebellious chaos, and ballerina tutus: better get to the gym, y'all! It's an all-new MASTAS. Our intro is by Laura Barger and Jack Baldelli, and our outro is by Hole. For more information/to become a patron of the show and hear all episodes of this season, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES "What...is this thing?" Start at the beginning! Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit" video Weird Al's "Smells Like Nirvana," which...will probably look familiar WAvE Episode 20: "The Saga Begins"

It's an all-time training-montage banger vs. Weird Al's vision for Rocky XIII in today's episode, as we drop Wiki factoids, contemplate an all-depressing-follow-up-hits season, digress at length on Live's legal battles, and wonder when in Reagan's presidency the Me Decade became sentient. Greetings from the Sly Stallone industrial complex; get that sammich to go and listen to an all-new episode! Our intro is by Andrew Byrne, and our outro is by the Waitresses. For more information/to become a patron of the show and hear all episodes of this season, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES "What...is this thing?" Start at the beginning! The "Eye Of The Tiger" video The secret history of "Eye Of The Tiger" "Rye Or The Kaiser" on Weird Al's YT channel Collector's Call Live's unseemly death Weird Al vs. Everybody, Episode 14: "King Of Suede"

You can't always control what people do with your art once it's out in the world -- something Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits may have learned the hard way with both the original "Money For Nothing" AND Weird Al's re-imagining of the song via a dream sequence in UHF. Essential references versus essential songs, 20th-century TV's preoccupation with yokels, and resting Don Henley face...they're all in this episode, so finish up that microwave-oven install and listen. Our intro is by Andrew Byrne, and our outro is by the Allman Brothers Band. For more information/to become a patron of the show and hear all episodes of this season, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES "What...is this thing?" Start at the beginning! The "Money For Nothing" video Weird Al vs. Everybody Episode 9: "I Lost On Jeopardy" George's Beverly Hillbillies dream Knopfler and Harris in concert

It's that Airbnb pasta-taxonomy poster in pop-song form: "Lasagna," Weird Al's take on Los Lobos's take on Ritchie Valens's take on the Mexican folk song Sarah and her classmates dutifully droned during first-period Spanish. Before we cast our votes (and yours!), we talk about the restaurant from Big, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Dr. Melfi's ex-husband, Sophia Petrillo, forgetting the word "benefit," and Polish jokes. Are we putting the "no" back in "buongiorno"? Listen and see! Our intro is by Laura Barger and Giacomo Baldelli, and our outro is by Claudio Villa for the Big Night soundtrack. For more information/to become a patron of the show and hear all episodes of this season, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES "What...is this thing?" Start at the beginning! The "La Bamba" video The "Lasagna" "video" One somewhat prosaic but accurate translation of the lyrics Angelique Kidjo's website The Asti restaurant (RIP) Episode 150: 10,000 Maniacs' "In My Tribe," Ranked Pop Chart's "Permutations of Pasta" poster Sophia Sicily-stories supercut SDB's Quiet on Set review "Fact Check: Did Rudy Giuliani Marry His Cousin?"

Late-sixties melodrama meets early-nineties blockbuster in today's episode, as we contemplate who left the Barney cake out in the rain while comparing Richard Harris's "MacArthur Park" and Weird Al's "Jurassic Park." Claymation, foiled cantatae, The Odyssey, Godspell, and songs for when the coffee's kickin' in, plus the YouTube-comments bingo card and an "un-preciation" of a popular novel, all factor into our discussion. Listen and enjoy unironically! Our intro is by David Gregory Byrne, and our outro is by the Association. For more information/to become a patron of the show and hear all episodes of this season, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES "What...is this thing?" Start at the beginning! Please to enjoy Richard Harris's ridic sideburns while listening to "MacArthur Park" The "Jurassic Park" video Bless your heart, Delia Owens

The unique legacy of Tommy James and the Shondells adds another chapter today, as Weird Al contends with Tiffany's smash cover of "I Think We're Alone Now." We're discussing Jersey-girl aspirational fashion, budge sound that's a feature and not a bug, and that person you could know becoming that person everyone does know. Take a break from sewing patches on your jean jacket and have a listen! Our intro is by David Gregory Byrne, and our outro is by the Ramones. For more information/to become a patron of the show and hear all episodes of this season, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES "What...is this thing?" Start at the beginning! The "I Think We're Alone Now" video "I Think I'm A Clone Now" fan vid with lyrics Episode 100: Surprise Party March MASTAS's Teen Idol Bracket "'A very sinister and dark story': How the mob helped Tommy James become a hit machine"

Can Weird Al inch ahead in the season standings with "I Lost On Jeopardy," his parody of the Greg Kihn Band's "Jeopardy"? We're talking early adopters, terrible album-title puns we admire, second careers, cheap-but-creepy videos, and how MB's personal Jeopardy! journey deepens his appreciation of this Yankovic joint. Tell 'em what they've won, Don Pardo! (It's either an all-new WAvE episode or some Rice-a-Roni.) Our intro is by Laura Barger and Jack Baldelli, and our outro is by the Waitresses. For more information/to become a patron of the show and hear all episodes of this season, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES "What...is this thing?" Start at the beginning! The Greg Kihn Band's "Jeopardy" video Weird Al's "I Lost On Jeopardy" video Horror Show on Goodreads WAvE Episode 04: "Eat It"

This week's match-up pits The Presidents of the United States of America's "Lump" against Weird Al's "Gump"...but is it really a face-off if the original is two thirds of the way towards being the parody? What is the age of Al-wakening? What's the difference between "unserious" and "unpretentious"? Are butt-adjacent references the Yankovic equivalent of a Hitchcock cameo? And did Al have any choice when it came to his subject matter back then? Watch out for those shifting matrices; it's an all-new ep of MASTAS. Our intro is by David Gregory Byrne, and our outro is by the Offspring. For more information/to become a patron of the show and hear all episodes of this season, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES "What...is this thing?" Start at the beginning! The official video for PUSA's "Lump" And the video for "Gump" Chris Ballew on his lyrical inspirations Episode 70: REM's "Out Of Time," Ranked Do Call It A Comeback, Episode 7: Footnotes and Odd Lots

"What if we just........didn't." That's one of the questions confronting us as WE confront an out-of-character entry in the Weird Al songbook: "Fat." The problems don't start there; there's the cheap-sounding and turgidly self-serious original, "Bad"; by problematic artist Michael Jackson; the risible video by MJ, and the shortcutsy cruelty from WA...there's even an ill-advised decision in a high-school talent show. Bass requests, Staying Alive references, and conscientious objections: it's an all-new MASTAS! Our intro is by Laura Barger and Jack Baldelli, and our outro is by the Stone Roses. For more information/to become a patron of the show and hear all episodes of this season, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES "What...is this thing?" Start at the beginning! Michael Jackson's "Bad" video We'll skip the link to the "Fat" video but here's some history on it The only three pop-culture minutes with more "hoooo!"s in it than "Bad"

Grab a tube sock for your privates: it's time to pit the Red Hot Chili Peppers against Weird Al! Before Mark makes the pun that drives our listenership numbers off a cliff, we're discussing the omnipresent Chilis hits "Under The Bridge" and "Give It Away"; how many songs Weird Al might have tried to fit his Flintstones joke set into before settling on these; the five items '90s dorm rooms had to contain lest their occupants risk expulsion; and the difference between "sexy" and "just always naked all the time." Hashtag justice for the Bee Girl: it's an all-new episode of MASTAS! Our intro is by David Gregory Byrne, and our outro is by Queens of the Stone Age. For more information/to become a patron of the show and hear all episodes of this season, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES "What...is this thing?" Start at the beginning! The "Under The Bridge" video The "Give It Away" video The "Bedrock Anthem" video ...and of course Blind Melon's "No Rain" That Rolling Stone cover story, in which Anthony Kiedis talks about the birth of "Under The Bridge" Flea's podcast, This Little Light

Welcome to the Weird Al vs. Everybody season of MASTAS! We're looking at a couple dozen Weird Al Yankovic songs and the originals that inspired him, and choosing a winner in each match-up -- starting with Coolio homage "Amish Paradise"! Before we get into self-serious videos for movies we think might be fake, cultural appropriation of pre-tech societies, and how Stevie Wonder feels about our swearing, we've got an important announcement about voting and future in-person events...but then we're back to discussing whether Weird Al-chemy turns "Gangsta's" into gold. Listen now, English! Our intro is by David Gregory Byrne; the WAvE theme-let is a mash-up of Oingo Boingo, Elvis Costello, Black Box, and Michael Buffer; and our outro is by The Primitives. For more information/to become a patron of the show and hear all episodes this season, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES The "Gangsta's Paradise (feat. L.V.)" video The "Amish Paradise" video People recaps the Coolio/Al "feud" Vision Quest: it exists, people "Pastime Paradise" at WhoSampled.com

The competition is over, but the discussion of comeback songs isn't -- and today's is about comebacks in the answer/clapback sense. Seven "answer" songs come under the MASTAScope, as well as the frequency with which Neil Young is told to shut it, Bavaria's unexpected move to Ireland, the Judy Cycle opera we need to see, and pop songs that have become microplastics in their ubiquity. Vaseline those teeth and have a listen. Our outro for today's episode is by Neil Young. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Not sure what's going on here? Start at the beginning! Answer songs on Wikipedia The Lost Songs Project on "Judy's Turn To Cry" "No one knows why Ambrose Bierce disappeared, but here are some theories" Episode 79: TLC, "No Scrubs" Episode 195: Dolly Parton's Underrated Hits

It's time to declare a winner -- the definitive pop-music comeback song -- but the road to the final result is a twisty one. "Believe" and "Walk This Way" each crystallize the concept of the comeback, but in different ways, so to help us choose, we're watching videos, discussing the synecdoche of Cher, rummaging through a bin of PhD-thesis topics, and resisting arithmetic. Is the outcome predictable, or precedent-setting? AutoTune a drum roll and listen! Our intro is an LL Byrne J mash-up, and our outro is by the Strokes. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Not sure what's going on here? Start at the beginning! "Walk This Way"'s official video

The semifinal round is, while somewhat predictable, still full of ups and downs, including Spelling Bee's interest in our works and days, the way Adam Lambert takes and gives meaning, how far is far enough for a song we actively dislike, Latin-phrase drag names, scary puppets, and reader comments! Sorry about the sweaty-Reagan reference; distract yourself with our penultimate DCIAC episode. Our intro is an LL Byrne J mash-up, and our outro is by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Not sure what's going on here? Start at the beginning! JASTAS: Til Tuesday, "Voices Carry" It's not John's and SDB's first meatloaf rodeo More on portmanteaux Do Call It A Comeback, Episode 7: Footnotes and Odd Lots Spitting Image

We're down to eight great comeback songs; which ones will join the Do Call It A Comeback season's Final Four? We're quoting Wayne's World, we're putting things in plaid place out of eight, we're remembering upsetting Beatles gifts, we're adding salt to temp tracks, and we're wondering why it so often seemed like nobody cared about Laura Branigan's reputation. Transmitting live-to-tape from the floor of the Utah legislature while on a date with Bonnie Raitt, it's Mark And Sarah Talk About Songs! Our intro is an LL Byrne J mash-up, and our outro is by Squeeze. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Not sure what's going on here? Start at the beginning! Laura Branigan's insupportable "Hold Me" cover art Toothy D's Vegas residency Do Call It A Comeback, Episode 7: Footnotes and Odd Lots Episode 125: ABBA-sode with Adam Grosswirth

The Sweet 16 is here, along with the return to numbered rankings...and the unkindest cuts of all, plus another Auto-Tune justice conversation, myriad matrices, Tracy Chapman's post-nineties Flintstones car, 92.5% of Cher's butt, unpleasant flashbacks to the sophomore dance, and the long wait for a muffin basket from Nick Rhodes. Quick, before another UHF quote-fight breaks out -- walk THIS way to hear our latest episode! Our intro is an LL Byrne J mash-up; our interstitial music is by Beck, and our outro is by Joni Mitchell. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Not sure what's going on here? Start at the beginning! Do Call It A Comeback, Episode 7: Footnotes and Odd Lots MASTAS Presents: Money Can't Buy You Podcast 01, "Money Can't Buy You Class" The Beatles, "Now and Then" Episode 107: Bond-Movie Songs, Ranked Walk This Way: Run-DMC, Aerosmith, And The Song That Changed American Music Forever Songs That Saved Your Life on "Pesty Shopfield"

We're taking a quick break before the emotional press of the Sweet 16 to talk about a handful of "off-label" comebacks: award-winners, kids' songs, comebacks only we noticed, and more. We wonder whether it's possible to have been too big to truly come all the way back; we contemplate a truly catastrophic remix of self-loathing; and we bemoan sad computers, unfortunate spiritual-title phrasing, and Jackwagon Wenner. Got some snitty advice for dead people? Us too! Get on board! Our intro is an LL Byrne J mash-up, and our outro is the Stone Roses. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Not sure what's going on here? Start at the beginning! SDB mentions the Backstreet comeback on PCHH Do Call It A Comeback, Episode 3: The NEXT Next 15 Behind the Music on David Cassidy (sort of) SDB's capsule review of C'mon, Get Happy MB talks "Hey Deanie" on The Lost Songs Project The Lilith Fair 40, Episode 06: The Hurty 30

Mark's spreadsheet of history has spoken: we're choosing the rest of the Do Call It A Comeback season's Sweet 16 this week! From the top of the pallet of improbable late-'80s comeback songs, we're surveying the joyful geeky dance of Robin Gibb, the 20 percent of our income we owe to Duran Duran, the most tiresomely groovy Ben & Jerry's flavors, Canadian spellings, and what's playing when we're drinking a Crystal Light at the hotel spa. What would The $1.98 Video Show have looked like? Find out in our latest episode! Our intro is an LL Byrne J mash-up, and our outro is The Connells. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Not sure what's going on here? Start at the beginning! Do Call It A Comeback, Episode 3: The NEXT Next 15 Mad World: An Oral History of New Wave Artists and Songs That Defined the 1980s Dinner For Five

The Round Of 32 is underway! After a brief chat about our head-vs.-heart processes in this round, we descend into the valley of the shadow of twos: struggling to come up with the word "metamorphosis," confronting the history of Auto-Tune, measuring levels of exposure to Britpop, and planning a community-college class on interpretive dance. Everybody's got their Limburger, we also learn -- what's yours? Grab a thesaurus and your most exhausting album title and have a listen. Our intro is an LL Byrne J mash-up, and our outro is Everything But The Girl. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Not sure what's going on here? Start at the beginning! The Sonny-and-Cher scene from The Simpsons's "The Springfield Files" The LA Times's LZ Granderson on Jann Wenner needing to eat a bee Last week's episode sends a love note to "Tragedy" Episode 131: The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," Ranked Get it, Miz Sarkisian "The tri-state area's most distinctive vehicle of non-stop music for your special event"

The last 15 songs have entered the comeback fray, along with Nickelodeon dominance, stinky vocals in classic songs, what Clive Davis is drinking while he waits for artists at a crossroads, perfect blends of horniness and intelligence, and what happens when you drop John Belushi's Joe Cocker imitation in a vat of AI. Should Bob Dylan live in a saguaro in Joshua Tree and other questions for the ages, as we wrap up the first round of our definitive-comeback season! Our intro is an LL Byrne J mash-up, and our outro is Sarah Vaughan. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Not sure what's going on here? Start at the beginning! Episode 16: The Monkees, "Circle Sky" Episode 221: The Monkees, "Pleasant Valley Sunday" Extra Hot Great 466: Canada Day Forcenings Listen To Sassy talks about that Deadheads piece Esquire looks back at "Touch Of Grey" The official "Touch Of Grey" video, with all its moving comments Episode 74: Four By Pink First-Name Basis, Episode 3: The Third 10 Episode 112: The Lovin' Spoonful, "Darling Be Home Soon" Episode 87: Mariah Carey, "Emotions" Nathan Rabin on Glitter Donny Osmond dance-moves supercut of "White & Nerdy"

It's the second half of the first round, and some of our toughest choices yet, as we struggle with how comebacks used to look in a monoculture; human Razzie Awards; the comeback-osity of an "X featuring Y" track; why J. Lo never seems to be having fun; weird H.W. Bush presidency detritus; returns from '70s banishment; and what exactly we have to do to get fake fade-outs in pop songs outlawed. Throw on a Nauset Warriors ringer tee; it's time for an all-new MASTAS. Our intro is an LL Byrne J mash-up, and our outro is the Bee Gees. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Not sure what's going on here? Start at the beginning! Extra Extra Hot Great 263 on Special Forces: World's Toughest Test Remembering Kozmo.com J.Lo's social-hygiene approach to life Shades of Blue was on for THREE SEASONS, people Episode 43: The "Saturday Night Fever" Soundtrack, Ranked Episode 138: Duran Duran, "Rio" Episode 109: Def Leppard, "Pour Some Sugar On Me" Episode 100: Surprise Party MB writes up the Sundays at Chart Chat

The next 15 songs in our definitive-comeback-song season storm the booth! Sometimes the song is coming back to the podcast from a previous season; sometimes our lunch is coming back on us thanks to cynical bongo glurge; and sometimes we're wondering if there's a portrait of Jeff Lynne in an attic somewhere? Execrable album-only tracks, the supergroup conundrum, market forces' inability to control a film soundtrack, how you score the montage during The Big Game, and our joint memoir, Morbid Tales Of Disgruntlement (To A Bossa Nova Beat). Throw on a gold lamé tunic and some fuzzy slippers, dunk those Russell Stovers in a vodka mart, and tell Alexa to crank this all-new MASTAS ep! Our intro is an LL Byrne J mash-up, and our outro is Michelle Branch. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Not sure what's going on here? Start at the beginning! Episode 242: Tracy Chapman, "Fast Car" The "Got My Mind Set On You" video More on The Harder They Come Our cousin pod, Listen To Sassy, also seeks justice for Cher Stevie Wonder burns it down on The Ed Sullivan Show at just 13 years old Record Of The Year Showdown, Episode 3: 1991-2006 Dionne Warwick: Don't Make Me Over on Prime Episode 193: Nelly, "Ride Wit Me"

What is the most representative comeback song in pop history? Our Do Call It A Comeback season will find out...and we have been here for years, thinking about the philosophical definition of a comeback, great creative leaps forward, when B-plus vocals lead to A-plus artistry, the middle-school melodrama of '70s supergroups, savvy collaborations, and how MTV brought the '60s into the Reagan era. Put up a Successories poster and slap it out with a new MASTAS season! Our intro is an LL Byrne J mash-up, and our outro is Luscious Jackson. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES An oral history of Atlanta's Backstreet nightclub Episode 200: Cher's 10 Most Popular Songs, Ranked More on Ray Davies's sister(s) Episode 30: Robyn, "Call Your Girlfriend" Episode 150: 10,000 Maniacs' "In My Tribe," Ranked Scott Muni's New York Times obituary (gift link) The chilly shade of Cheap Trick's Wikipedia page Episode 105: Miley Cyrus, "See You Again" Record Of The Year Showdown, Episode 4: 2007-2022

It was a winding road from our #FirstNameBasis finale to our favorite jock jams, but we hope y'all ARE ready for this contemplation of sporty hype tracks -- as well as county fairs, Snuffy Smith, Yankee Stadium's unpredictable PA loyalties, which song is the ur-JJ, the apparent international exchange program at work in early JJ albums, early-'90s rappers who are both ignorant of and apathetic towards decent flow, NKOTB's "hard" period, and Gary Glitter in purgatory. Strike it up, Cotton-Eye Joes! For more content and discussion, follow us on Patreon, Facebook, and/or Instagram! SHOW NOTES Not sure what's going on here? Start at the beginning of the season Or with the FNB finale The Rednex "masthead" "Is [Buck Showalter] Too Smart For Baseball?" Beats Around The Bush, Episode 06: Cringe-Hop Wipes Out The "All-Star Jock Jams" line-up

Whoooo's number ooooone? (BA BA BAAAAAA!) That's not a spoiler, by the way, so you'll have to listen to our First-Name Basis finale to find out which name song is the most iconic of all time -- and also what SDB's grandma called farts, differing sources of iconicity, listener testimony from an Eileen, which song has a reliable narrator, and when the "M" in "MILF" stands for "Monkee." Season picks crash and burn, we split babies and bemoan overalls...it's the usual chaos and kismet, and it's (sorry in advance) SO GOOD! SO GOOD! Our intro is [deep breath] Elliott Smith, Ben Folds, Andrew Byrne, Laura Barger, AND Jack Baldelli; interstitial music provided by the Police; and our outro is by Dover. SHOW NOTES For more information/to become a patron of the show, find us on Patreon ...or on Instagram ...or on Facebook Not sure what's going on here? Start at the beginning of the First-Name Basis season Your guide to Jersey rest stops Weird Al's first Emmy SDB's future Mary Mary dress Montclair's own Kreskin The first First-Name Basis Single

The rankings only get more challenging as the First-Name Basis season confronts its Top 20 -- as well as iconic pop numbers, Jersey "law," unholy mash-ups of finalist songs, the cease-and-desist letter SDB should expect any moment now from Laura Branigan's estate, and your co-hosts ranking themselves 21st at remembering to play all the clips. Liza, Yoda, "Cocaine," and avant-garde math: beat back those man-eating Casio vines and join us! Our intro is [deep breath] Elliott Smith, Ben Folds, Andrew Byrne, Laura Barger, AND Jack Baldelli, and our outro is Deee-Lite. SHOW NOTES For more information/to become a patron of the show, find us on Patreon ...or on Instagram ...or on Facebook Not sure what's going on here? Start at the beginning of the First-Name Basis season Laura Branigan vs. "The Power of Love" Laura Branigan vs. an accurate obit Liza, the Muppets, and Lola Rico Tony LLC Roxanne's "soundtracks" page at IMDb

Welcome to the intermission of our First-Name Basis season -- in which we're contemplating important songs with more than one name in them, and ranking them, too! And while this ep is dropping in the middle of the season, we actually recorded it first, so if it seems like we're working through our metrics for what's iconic when it comes to name songs...we are! Time is a flat pop chart! We're also talking about disco murder ballads, the underrepresentation of men's names in this season, why John Cougar is like Erica Kane, Gap khakis, song prequels, and justice for Cotton-Eye Joe. Before you write your congressperson a letter about banishing the word "dump" from pop songs, listen to our latest episode! Our intro is [deep breath] Elliott Smith, Ben Folds, Andrew Byrne, Laura Barger, AND Jack Baldelli, and our outro is Billy Pilgrim. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Not sure what's going on here? Start at the beginning of the season America's Damp 40, Episode 1 Episode 146: John Cougar, "Pink Houses"

We're finishing out the Top 40 in our First-Name Basis season with an all-timer set of 10 songs: all three of the songs your co-hosts and their husbands picked to win the whole season, and the diabetic garbage that's been torturing SDB for decades. We're also discussing mall anchor restaurants, the peak period of cinema-storyline videos, enduring bobby-soxer cuteness, startlingly low chart performance, and whether "fap-fap-fap" is in fact an emotion. Tie down that swingset and join us for an all-new MASTAS! Our intro is [deep breath] Elliott Smith, Ben Folds, Andrew Byrne, Laura Barger, AND Jack Baldelli, and our outro is Jim Croce. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Not sure what's going on here? Start at the beginning of the season Record Of The Year Showdown, Episode 5: Round Of 32, '59-'90 The story of "Rosanna" The First-Name Basis "prequel" episode at Patreon Episode 64: Three By '80s Starship Episode 72: Fountains of Wayne, "Stacy's Mom" and "Red Dragon Tattoo"

"Mark and Sarah: why ya buggin'?" Why aren't we buggin' in the third ep of our First-Name Basis season: the weird fade-out during Barry Manilow's "Mandy"-ending glory note, "Mary"-song vote-splitting, SEO retitling, cheerleader moxie, the all-killer-no-filler pop charts of 1984, and Reality Bites as a crystal ball into adulthood. We're also craving Girl Scout cookies and honoring Wilson Pickett's narrative restraint as we continue crafting the season's Top 20, so call up your Aunt Khaleesi and tell her there's an all-new MASTAS! Our intro is [deep breath] Elliott Smith, Ben Folds, Andrew Byrne, Laura Barger, AND Jack Baldelli, and our outro is Weezer. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Not sure what's going on here? Start at the beginning of the season America's Damp 40, Episode 6: The Dirty 30 "Hello" Joe Reid on The Simpsons S05.E09, "The Last Temptation of Homer" Episode 9: Joplin Carlile LLC, "Get It While You Can" And "That Year" Bring It On's credits blooper reel What your Girl Scout cookie is called depends on which bakery produced it Record Of The Year Showdown, Episode 5: Round Of 32, '59-'90 Episode 85: Why Aren't These Songs Super-Famous, With Pam Ribon

The second batch of 10 songs is raising tough questions for our First-Name Basis season, like: Does difficult subject matter preclude a song from moving on? How can you tell if a songwriter has never lived in NYC...and how drunk WERE the Kingsmen? Would Rick Springfield REALLY just pine for some lady? We also fondly remember You Can't Do That On Television, pay tribute to Weird Al Yankovic, and save you from Succession finale spoilers, so if you can't hear the drums, turn up the volume on Episode 2. Our intro is [deep breath] Elliott Smith, Ben Folds, Andrew Byrne, Laura Barger, AND Jack Baldelli, and our outro is Sarah Vaughn. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Not sure what's going on here? Start at the beginning of the season Episode 125: ABBA-sode! Law & Order S07.E13, "Matrimony" "Eddie Vedder Is Still Learning to Live With Loss" "Yoda" Quaid In Full Episode 131: The Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," Ranked

Our First-Name Basis season is underway! Our mission: to identify the most iconic song associated with a first name. But how? It starts right here, as we look at the first 10 in our FNB Top 40 and decide which songs/names move on to the next round. Along the way, we make predictions, remember Just One Of The Guys and American Crime Story, stand too close to you with Chardonnay breath, re-scan upstate towns to fit into country songs, and pay tribute to the car trips and roller rinks of our youths. Come on, Eileens: it's an all-new MASTAS season! Our intro is [deep breath] Elliott Smith, Ben Folds, Andrew Byrne, Laura Barger, AND Jack Baldelli, and our outro is De La Soul. For more information/to become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES Snopes fact-check on MB's assertion about people with the 867-5309 phone number: true! "Santa Jenny" King Killer Studios Episode 108: Elvis Costello and Duran Duran, "Watching The Detectives" ...These Are Their Stories SDB keeps getting Looking Glass and The Lovin' Spoonful confused Episode 220A: Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water," Ranked Episode 76: George Michael, Elton John, and George Michael and Elton John The Lost Songs Project on Laura Branigan's "Solitaire"