Strong Songs

"Both Sides, Now" by Joni Mitchell

20 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk returns to the world of Joni Mitchell for a look at the many sides of her masterpiece "Both Sides, Now." From her initial 1960s live performances...

"Under Pressure" by Queen and David Bowie

20 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk heaps on a second helping of TWO previous Strong Songs artists: Queen and David Bowie, whose 1981 collaboration "Under Pressure" topped the chart...

"Rosanna" by Toto

16 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk kicks off Strong Songs Season Eight with a second helping of Toto, whose song "Africa" got the very first episode of Strong Songs he ever made. T...

Season Eight Announcement!

02 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Strong Songs Season Eight will kick off on Friday, January 16! If you want to listen a week early, get monthly "Inside the Episode" bonuses, and supp...

The Jazz Pianist's Perspective, with Peter Martin

28 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk sits down with jazz piano legend Peter Martin to talk about Peter's musical background, his momentous early encounters with Wynton Marsalis and K...

The Fearless Fela Kuti, with Jad Abumrad

14 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Writer, composer, and Peabody Award-winning podcaster Jad Abumrad joins Kirk to talk about Fela Kuti: Fear No Man, his new 12-part series on the life,...

Super Mario Bros: Koji Kondo's 8-Bit Masterpiece [Twenty Thousand Hertz]

31 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This episode of Twenty Thousand Hertz originally ran in August 2025.Kirk's 2020 episode of Strong Songs about the music of Super MarioTWENTY THOUSAND ...

Our Favorite TV Themes, with Leigh Sales

17 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's fun to talk about TV theme songs, so that's what Kirk and special guest Leigh Sales did. Does this episode need any more introduction than that? ...

Strong TV Songs: HBO Edition [Recast]

03 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Originally Aired October 20, 2020The Wildlings are south of the wall, the robots are rising up, Seventh Kavalry's on the move, and two percent of the ...

A Bob Dylan Beginner's Guide, with Matt Sitman and Sam Adler-Bell

19 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With so many dozens of albums over so many wildly disparate eras, it can take a lifetime to truly get your arms around Bob Dylan. On this episode, Kir...

Singing and Songwriting, with The Wailin' Jennys

05 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The Wailin' Jennys have been singing together for more than two decades - recording albums, touring the world, and filling venues large and small. Aft...

Talkin' Tower of Power, with Adam Maness and Peter Martin [You'll Hear It]

22 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Back in May, Kirk joined pianists Adam Maness and Peter Martin of the You'll Hear It podcast  to talk about what makes Tower of Power great. It was a...

A Song For My Father

08 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

THE APOCALYPSE WERE:Tony Capuano - Guitar, Lead VocalsJohn Shorb - Alto SaxGene Meros - Tenor SaxGreg Novik - Bass, Backing Vocals (guitar on Stormy M...

"Lean On Me" by Bill Withers

11 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For the Season Seven finale, Kirk takes a look at Bill Withers' enduring hit "Lean On Me." In the process, he takes a broader look at a bunch of Withe...

Bluegrass, Blue Prince, and the Blues

27 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk answers a bunch of listener questions on topics like bluegrass guitar, the music of Blue Prince, good apps for training theory skills, Robert Fri...

"Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" by The Police

13 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 1981, Sting brought a demo of a song he'd been working on down to AIR Studios in Montserrat to see what his bandmates thought of it... and they wou...

"All The Things You Are" by Jerome Kern & Oscar Hammerstein II

30 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

The jazz standard "All The Things You Are" has been performed countless times by master jazz vocalists, 30s big bands, bebop small groups, hard-bop co...

"Total Eclipse of the Heart" by Jim Steinman and Bonnie Tyler

16 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Turn around... every now and then I get a little lonely and the snare is sounding smallTurn around... every now and then I get a little bit tired of l...

Bluey, Background Jazz, and the 'Best' Metal Guitar Solo

02 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

How should you count The Police's "Bed's Too Big Without You?" Why do so many people revere Marty Friedman's solo on Megadeth's "Tornado of Souls"? Wh...

The Music of the Muppets

18 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk pays a visit the musical world of The Muppets, from their Sesame Street origins in the 60s to the globe-hopping, cinematic heights of the 70s and...

"Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)" by The Mars Volta

04 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk digs into one of the most dense and challenging records in his collection, with an analysis of "Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)" from The Mars Volt...

"Fast As You Can" by Fiona Apple

21 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk digs into Fiona Apple's breakneck 1999 single "Fast As You Can," a cornerstone in her late 90s collaborations with Jon Brion, as well as her work...

"Where The Streets Have No Name" and "With Or Without You" by U2

07 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Strong Songs Season Seven kicks off with two of the most famous songs ever recorded, from one of the biggest bands in the world. U2's "Where the Stree...

A Bunch of Great Music Recommendations

31 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In between seasons, Kirk re-ran a bunch of old episodes and prefaced each one with a new music recommendation. He's taking those down recasts in prepa...

Remembering Janis Stockhouse, The Great Band Director

03 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In light of Janis Stockhouse's unexpected death at the tail end of 2024, we're re-posting Kirk's 2019 interview with her for anyone who might want to ...

Rediscovering Stevie Wonder, with Wesley Morris and Josh Gwynn

04 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk talks with Wesley Morris and Josh Gwynn about the endless world of Stevie Wonder. Morris and Gwynn are host and producer, respectively, of the br...

Stevie Wonder: Music of My Mind [The Wonder of Stevie]

27 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

A cross-post of the first episode of "The Wonder of Stevie," a new six-part podcast series from Higher Ground and Pineapple Street Studios. It's a gre...

Behind the Scenes of Strong Songs [Gig Gab]

13 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Back in August, Kirk went on Dave Hamilton's music podcast "Gig Gab" to talk about music, Strong Songs, podcasting, and life. It was a fun conversatio...

Post-Season Update, Summer Plans, & Some Music Recs

12 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

An update on what's next now that Season Six is complete, along with some book and music recommendations!BOOK RECOMMENDATIONSThe History of Jazz by Te...

"Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen

28 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In the season six finale, Kirk takes a deep dive into Bruce Springsteen's signature song, 1975's "Born to Run." It's all here: tremolo guitar riffs, g...

Summer Synths, Fluteception, and "The Diablo Chord"

14 Jun 2024

Contributed by Lukas

As Season Six draws to a close, Kirk opens up the Strong Songs mailbag to answer a bunch of listener questions on topics ranging from Diablo's use of ...

"Easter Theatre" by XTC

31 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Stage left! It's time for Strong Songs to talk about XTC. Stage right! Now the song is picked, analysis can begin. Stand up! If we listen close, we'll...

"Limb by Limb" by Phish

17 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Phish may be known for their 30-minute live jams, but turns out you can distill their best qualities into a song one-tenth that length. To that end, K...

"Heart of Glass" by Blondie

03 May 2024

Contributed by Lukas

You came, you saw, you voted, and you picked Blondie as Strong Songs' first listener-selected artist! After weighing a number of possible songs to foc...

"The Way" by Meshell Ndegeocello

19 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Meshell Ndegeocello is: a fearless songwriter, an outrageously funky bassist, and a groundbreaking producer who knows just how to get the most out of ...

Strong Covers, Vol. 3

05 Apr 2024

Contributed by Lukas

For the third edition of Strong Covers, Kirk takes on two famous covers of two equally famous songs: Jimi Hendrix's 1968 cover of Bob Dylan's "All Alo...

"Águas de Março (The Waters of March)" by Antônio Carlos Jobim & Elis Regina

22 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk digs into the work of master composer Antônio Carlos Jobim via his timeless 1974 duet with Elis Regina on his song "Águas de Marçco," known St...

"Black Hole Sun" by Soundgarden

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Turns out some songs stand on their own, however memorable-slash-horrifying their music video might have been.Written by: Chris CornellProduced by: Mi...

"In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Strong Songs Season Six kicks off with a widely requested classic: Peter Gabriel's 1986 yearner "In Your Eyes." Because why hire one rhythm section wh...

Some Bonus Beatles Covers

09 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this bonus episode from May 2022, Kirk goes through a handful of other covers of the three Beatles songs he recently discussed on the show."Gotta G...

The Genius of Sonny Rollins (and Max Roach)

26 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

(Originally recorded in May 2022) There's always more to say about Sonny Rollins, so Kirk shares a few of his other favorite Sonny moments, along with...

Weird Al For Nothin' And Your Jokes For Free

12 Jan 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Weird Al has been writing songs and recording parodies for four decades, and his musical footprint is unfathomably wide. In this minisode, originally ...

How Clyde Stubblefield Evolved Funk Drumming

29 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Recorded in August 2022 as an addendum to the main feed episode "Strong Grooves, Volume 1," special guest Russ Kleiner takes Kirk through the evolutio...

The Band: The Last Waltz

15 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

For the Season Five finale, Kirk takes a look at The Band and Martin Scorsese's beloved 1978 concert film The Last Waltz - "The beginning of the begin...

Phish, Evanescence, and a Taylor Swift Dispute

01 Dec 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's time for another mailbag episode, as Kirk takes on questions about Evanescence piano, Kelis bells, and counting in songs by Phish, Vessels, Ten Y...

Strong Solos, Vol. 2: Electric Guitar-aloo

17 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The electric guitar is a beautiful, maddening instrument, and man does it sound good in the right hands. On this episode, Kirk takes a deep dive into ...

The Music of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

03 Nov 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk wasn't expecting to make a full-length episode about the music of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, but then he played the game. And her...

A Little Extra Zelda

27 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

On this bonus episode, originally recorded as a Patreon bonus in 2022, Kirk goes through a few great Legend of Zelda pieces that he didn't manage to g...

Belle & Sebastian's Very Good Chord Progression

20 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk takes a tour through the cycling, modulating chord sequence in Belle & Sebastian's buoyant 2017 song "The Girl Doesn't Get It."Variation 1: | C |...

The Four Electric Guitars

06 Oct 2023

Contributed by Lukas

There are so many electric guitars. Truly, there is a guitar for every mood, every season, and every feeling. But there are four types of electric gui...

John Williams' Star Wars Legacy, with Dan Golding

22 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Composer John Williams is the defining sound of Hollywood and, arguably, the most widely listened to composer in the world. Kirk decided he needed som...

Counterpoint, Chaka Kahn, & Peter Gabriel

08 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk answers your questions on 60s pop counterpoint, Chaka Kahn syncopation, Taylor Swift's re-recording project, good practice habits, Peter Gabriel'...

"Soul Vaccination" by Tower of Power

25 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk climbs inside the machine-gun rhythms and unstoppable grooves of the legendary Oakland funk outfit Tower of Power.Written by: Doc Kupka and Emili...

"Killing Me Softly With His Song," as sung by Lauryn Hill, Roberta Flack, & Lori Lieberman

11 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's not uncommon for a song to be written for one artist, only to become widely known after being recorded by another. It's less common for a song to...

"Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears For Fears

28 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk kicks off Strong Songs Season 5 with Tears For Fears' 1985 hit "Everybody Wants to Rule The World." From classic synths and drum machines to surp...

An Operatic Odyssey, with Luigi Boccia

14 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Special guest Luigi Boccia takes Kirk on a magical journey through the world of the opera tenor, from Caruso and Lauri Volpi to Di Stefano and Pavarot...

"You're The Voice" by John Farnham, Live in Sydney

30 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

John Farnham's "You're The Voice" was a worldwide hit, and nowhere was it more popular than in the Aussie singer's homeland. A couple weeks ago, Kirk ...

The Light and Dark of Music, with Lily E. Hirsch

26 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Author and musicologist Lily E. Hirsch joins Kirk to talk about the many different aspects of music she's explored in her books.REFERENCED ON THIS EPI...

From Bach to Miles Davis, with Emily Reese

17 Feb 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk sits down with musician and podcaster Emily Reese to talk about the beauty of Bach's "Goldberg Variations," the distinct sound of Davis/Evans/Mul...

"Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)" by Kate Bush

30 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Happy holidays! Here's a Patreon minisode Kirk published last summer about Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill." See you in 2023!ORIGINAL SHOW NOTES, 6/...

The Music of Star Wars: Andor

16 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Look, sometimes a TV soundtrack is so good that you have no choice but to make a whole podcast episode about it.And so here we are, as Kirk takes a de...

Year Four, In Review

18 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk takes a look back some of his many musical memories from Strong Songs, Year Four.FEATURED/DISCUSSED:"Blood and Thunder" by Mastodon from Leviatha...

Pink Floyd: The Dark Side of the Moon

04 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

For the 100th episode of Strong Songs, Kirk takes a deep dive into one of the most famous concept albums ever recorded. Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side o...

"The Biggest Ball of Twine in Minnesota" by "Weird Al" Yankovic

21 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's time for a Strong Songs road trip, as Kirk unravels one of "Weird Al" Yankovic's most understated, grandiose songs. So come along, for a journey ...

Singing Drummers & Jazz Flute

07 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's time to answer more of your musical questions, with topics including singing drummers, Elvis Costello harmonies, how to find a music teacher, unu...

Strong Grooves, Vol. 1 (feat. Russ Kleiner)

23 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Drummers like Clyde Stubblefield, Zigaboo Modeliste, and Bernard Purdie defined the sound of the bands they played with not because of their flashy ch...

"Jesus, Etc." by Wilco

09 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Few lyricists have Jeff Tweedy's ability to fluidly shift between plainspoken emotion and abstract imagery. The Wilco frontman has been writing beauti...

Lofi Beats & The Circle of Fifths

26 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk answers a crop of new listener questions on topics ranging from Steve Perry's vocal technique, Art Garfunkel's guitarmonies,  the Carolina Crown...

"Help Me" by Joni Mitchell

12 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There are few singer-songwriters as inimitable as Joni Mitchell, with her swirling song forms, leaping melodies, and that magical voice, untethered by...

A Jazz Mystery, Solved

29 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

After more than two years, a Strong Songs jazz mystery is finally solved.Thanks to listener (and outro soloist) Jeff Bean, who finally cracked the cas...

The Music of Final Fantasy VII

15 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Back in July 2020, Kirk made a special episode of his video games podcast Triple Click all about the music of Final Fantasy VII. It was basically an e...

"Silent All These Years" by Tori Amos

17 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tori Amos was one of the most distinctive songwriters of the 90s, and remains a powerful musical voice decades later. "Silent All These Years," one of...

Three to Tango, with Alex Krebs and Andrew Oliver

03 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Tango is more than just dance, and more than just music - it's a whole artistic genre. For some people, it's a way of life. One such person is Alex Kr...

Strong Solos, Vol. 1

20 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There's nothing like a good instrumental solo—that moment when a lone player stands in the spotlight and takes the helm, leading the band in an unch...

"Wichita Lineman" by Jimmy Webb & Glen Campbell

06 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

I hear you singin' in the wire... I can hear you through the whine... and the Strong Songs podcast is talking about one of the best songs of all time....

Robot Composers & Horror Music

22 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Ever wonder what makes some music sound scarier than other music? Same.Kirk answers listener questions about music in horror movies, Tune-Yards horn a...

The Music of The Legend of Zelda

08 Apr 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Few video game series have a musical tradition as rich as The Legend of Zelda.From Zelda's Lullabye to Epona's Song to the Great Fairy Fountain and Dr...

Mario Kart & That 'Musical' Sound

25 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk answers questions about Guns 'n Roses, Mario Kart 64, phasers, and what makes a song sound like it's from a musical.DISCUSSED/REFERENCED ON THIS ...

"Just What I Needed" by The Cars

11 Mar 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It's not the perfume that you wear... it's not the ribbons in your hair.... I guess it's just the perfect blend of synths and electric guitars  that ...

Story of a Session Guitarist, with Andrew Synowiec

25 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

You might not know Andrew Synowiec's name, but chances are you've heard his guitar playing. Heck, chances are you heard his guitar playing this week.S...

Strong Covers, Vol. 2

11 Feb 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Three different artists! Three different covers! Of songs by one beloved band!On the second edition of "Strong Covers," we're digging into covers of t...

Funky Drummers, Cheap Guitars & Sting

28 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

What do George Michael, Nicki Minaj, Ed Sheeran, and the Powerpuff Girls have in common?The answer, as you'll learn on this episode, is a funk drummin...

"Blood and Thunder" by Mastodon

14 Jan 2022

Contributed by Lukas

White! Whale! Holy! Grail!Strong Songs kicks off year four by getting H-E-A-V-Y, with an analysis of Mastodon's "Blood and Thunder." Pass straight pas...

Year Three, In Review

17 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk takes a look back at the many musical memories of Strong Songs Year Three.Year Three is over, and it's time to revisit the songs analyzed, the qu...

Singing Like A Star, with Eric Vetro

10 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What do Ariana Grande, Shawn Mendes, John Legend, and Katy Perry have in common? They all study with Eric Vetro, one of the most in-demand vocal coach...

Talking Heads: Stop Making Sense

03 Nov 2021

Contributed by Lukas

What is this, a film podcast?? It's time for something a little different, as Kirk puts down his record player and climbs onstage for Jonathan Demme ...

Metroid Music, Bond Themes & Jazz Philosophy

20 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Polish your reading glasses and pour a cup of tea - it's time for a Strong Songs mailbag!On the last Q&A episode of year three, Kirk answers questions...

"Love Will Never Do (Without You)" by Janet Jackson

06 Oct 2021

Contributed by Lukas

They said it couldn't last, so we had to prove them wrong... by making an episode of Strong Songs all about Janet Jackson, Jimmy Jam, and Terry Lewis....

"September" by Earth, Wind & Fire

21 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Ba de ya! Say that you remember! Ba de ya! Dancing in September! Ba de  yah! Musical analysiiiis!It's finally time for Strong Songs to take on one of...

Clave, Chorus & "Careless Whisper"

08 Sep 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Well, look at that - it's a mailbag episode! Kirk answers your questions on Bo Diddley, Minecraft, The Supremes, chorus guitar, XTC, Parquet Courts, a...

"Fingertips" by They Might Be Giants

25 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk picks apart not one, not two, but twenty one micro-songs by the great They Might Be Giants.What's that blue thing doing here? Who's knocking on t...

"Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" by Billy Joel

11 Aug 2021

Contributed by Lukas

A bottle of red... a bottle of white... whatever kind of mood you're in, we're talking Billy Joel tonight!Pull up a table and join Kirk for a long loo...

The Producer's Philosophy, with Brian Bender

28 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Kirk sits down with producer, composer, and master mixer Brian Bender to talk about the state of the recording art.Brian Bender has been making record...

The Music All Around Us, with Imogen Heap

14 Jul 2021

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode, Kirk sits down for a conversation with composer, singer, and music technologist Imogen Heap.The two talk about the creative process, ...

Strong Covers, Vol. 1

30 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

It's time for Strong Songs to talk about some Strong Covers! On this episode, Kirk tackles four famous covers, comparing each with the original while ...

Ska Horns & Madonna Melodies

16 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Mailbag time! We've got listener questions about Madonna earworms, National piano parts, Breath of the Wild music, online vocal teachers, the French h...

"You've Got a Friend" by Carole King

02 Jun 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Winter, spring, summer, or fall... all you have to do is call, and Strong Songs will be there with an in-depth analysis of one of the most influential...

"New Born" and "Micro Cuts" by Muse

19 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

Link it to the world, link it to yourself, link it to your podcast app, because it's time to talk about Muse.Kirk takes a deep dive into not one but t...

"Nessun dorma" by Giacomo Puccini (Aria Code)

14 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The fine folks at WNYC's fabulous opera podcast Aria Code recently reached out about doing a cross-promotion with Strong Songs, and now here we are, r...

Strung Beats, Jazz Battles & The Notes You Don't Play

05 May 2021

Contributed by Lukas

The Strong Songs mailbag has gotten pretty overstuffed lately, so Kirk decided to take another crack at it. That means it's time for more of your musi...