Saturn’s Favorite Music the Podcast

Passive-Aggressive Playlists

Laura is joined by Paul Stroessner of the Gen X Journeys Podcast to journey through the songs an afternoon DJ plays in protest during a staff meeting announcing the sale of the radio station. We ask the questions "What would a punk rock version of 'You're No Good' sound like?"; "If there's no crying in baseball, why is this song from the movie 'A League of Their Own' so sad?";  "What if 'We Gotta Get Out of This Place' had been a Righteous Brothers song?" and "Just how deep does your voice have to be to make pathetic begging sound sexy?" Featured tracks are Linda Rondstadt's "You're No Good," Madonna's "This Used to Be My Playground," Boyz II Men's "End of the Road" and The Animals' "We Gotta Get Out of This Place."

The Achy Breaky Episode

This episode might blow up and kill the guest. We welcome back our very first guest Doc Shea for a conversation that touches on country line dancing, disco falsetto and prog rock bands meeting the MTV era. OK Go!, Weird Al, Yes, and The Monkees sneak their way into the episode. Plus we attempt to answer the questions: Why did Genesis lip synch to a ballad played back at the wrong speed? Can two famous people sing together without creating a surrealist fever dream? Is "mom rock" an underrated musical genre? Who is responsible for spreading the Macarena dance craze? And finally, is love always enough? Featured artists include Michael Bolton, Genesis, Patty Smyth and, yes, Billy Ray Cyrus.

Not Duran Duran, Just Duran

Nick Bean and Denise Goetz are back, and with these two the energy is high. We discuss just how many CDs you could get for one penny, why Denise called herself the "Motor City Mama," and the pros and cons of having actresses from mermaid movies in your pop song. Then we get into a heated debate about whether Duran Duran was really Duran Duran after it shed a couple of Taylors or whether it was only "Duran." Finally, there is a rousing pop gospel number that tries to use homelessness as the topic of a dance song. We don't shy away from controversy in this episode. We have sex, drugs, rock n' roll and even religion. Featured artists this episode-- beyond Duran Duran, of course-- are Mariah Carey, Damn Yankees and Clarence Clemons with Jackson Browne.

Don't Say "Vibe."

We get on the blue bus with Justin and Jane and travel to a spooky funeral for a horror film star, a sweaty beer filled UK dance club, and a smoke filled room with velvet curtains and we run screaming instead of walking on down the hall. On the way we take detours into British cuisine, songs you should not put on mix tapes and a missed opportunity to see The Beatles in concert. We try to avoid using the word "vibe" while describing The Stone Roses' "Fool's Gold," Bauhaus' "Bela Lugosi's Dead," and The Doors' "The End." And we return to the "Cheery Songs About Dysfunctional Relationships" file with a song by Michael Nesmith that was rejected by the producers of the Monkees, but became a hit for the Stone Poneys by way of a New York bluegrass band.

It's the Calypso and Country Episode!

Laura and guest Mary Lanphier talk sensual zombies, the musical uses of press on nails, and compare Genesis's 1970s way out prog rock sound to its 1980s adult contemporary incarnation. Plus we cover what may be the greatest key change in pop music history. Songs include Harry Belafonte's "Zombie Jamboree," Dolly Parton's "9 to 5," Genesis' "Land of Confusion," and Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You."