SPEAKER_00 0:49

Welcome back to another Super Awesome Mix. My name is Matt Sit Home. This time, not with my co-host and co-founder of Super Awesome Mix, but our fellow host on the show, my co-host on the battle, the host of What Are You Listening to? It is Jen Tully. Jen, welcome to Super Awesome Mix.

SPEAKER_02 1:08

Thank you. Thank you. I'm so happy to be here.

SPEAKER_00 1:11

Thanks for sitting in for Sam this week. And um, as we roll into another month, we are going to do a mix where all these songs are either by title or artist or some other way related to the word May or even might. And so uh yeah, we thought this would just be a fun, fun theme mix. And I wasn't sure, Jen, like what you'd come up with, but you got back to me within like, I don't know, it felt like seconds. You just shot, it's like you had been thinking about this for a while and you were just ready to roll.

SPEAKER_02 1:42

You know what's funny? Things like this are such a challenge and such a game for me. You know, I'm so like opposed to like AI or Google. I'm like, I gotta think. Like, if if this is the challenge, May Might songs, like, can I come up with six on my own without any assistance from anything else? And so that's why you see I took a little liberty this week. I didn't only choose songs that had May Mite in the title, but um, yeah, these were the six that like popped into my head as soon as you offered me you you call it a show theme, I call it a challenge. So the gauntlet was laid.

SPEAKER_03 2:17

I had to answer.

SPEAKER_00 2:19

I love it, and I love that you didn't use uh AI or anything. Although I did think of a funny um thought recently where I was gonna maybe load in all the picks from over the years and see if AI put could put together like a you know, picks from me, picks from you, picks from Sam, and see what see what it comes up with. You know, I thought that might be an interesting, interesting mix to roll out one of these times.

SPEAKER_02 2:42

But I wonder, I think we're also varied in our you know, like sometimes Sam will come in with something that I think is a matte pick, or you know, you'll come in with something that sounds a lot like a gen pick.

SPEAKER_03 2:53

You know, I feel like we'd probably confuse AI. I don't know that they could do it.

SPEAKER_00 2:56

I think we would, yeah. I think we've kind of influenced each other a little bit or introduced each other to different things to where it's like, oh, okay, well, yeah, maybe maybe it's not just one one paintbrush across the board here.

Bee Gees And Pre Disco Magic

SPEAKER_02 3:08

If there's a Florence and Machines, uh Florence and the Machine song, who brought it? Was it me? I know Sam? Who knows? Did Matt surprise us? And we we we finally learned he's been listening to us all these years and we didn't know. Well, what do you say we jump into this mix? I think you've got our first pick this week. I think uh I think we it's time to just get going. This is such a cool theme, and I was super happy when you positioned this one to me because, like I said, it did present an interesting challenge. So let's kick it off with our first song again, which is your pick, a song called First of May by the Bee Gees.

SPEAKER_00 3:44

Yeah, I I've talked on this show about pre-disco bee Gees. And if you've never watched the HBO documentary about the Bee Gees, I mean they're just a totally different band in these early years, right? And you really can see and like you get their vocal power from some of the disco stuff, right? But it's it's such it's so kind of overwhelmed by the beats and everything like that, that I think it's hard to get a feel for how good they are from a songwriting standpoint, from a vocal standpoint. So you go back to a song like this, First of May, where it's just this lovely little song about like childhood and growing up. And it's like, I mean, I don't know. I just I really like this one. It was my pick on our song of the day. So if you're following it at Super Awesome mix, you'll get our our song of the day. So, so keep uh keep following that, keep sharing that. But um, I thought it was perfect and perfect for like the first song in this mix because it's the first of May.

SPEAKER_02 4:43

It is, it was a perfect choice. And I do, I'm with you. You like I'm a big because the Bee Gees were such an important part of my early childhood, you know, they're one of the first bands I remember hearing on the radio. Um, and it was around that whole like disco sucks movement, you know, where everybody was sort of backlashing against disco. Um, that I found myself as a young kid, I mean, three or four years old, like just loving the music and loving being able to dance to it. And so I do think it's fun to go back and listen to like a little pre-disco Bee Gees because you really get them before their controversial area era, you know, like you do you get this sweet band with this amazing voice that doesn't sound like anybody else's. Um, but it was funny in listening to this. All I could think of, it's ruined me a little bit for the Bee Gees. If you're a Saturday Night Live fan, old Saturday Night Live, when they did the Barry Gibb Talk show with Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake.

SPEAKER_03 5:39

And they went like, so I'm like, this song would have been perfect for Barry Gibb Talk Show.

Led Zeppelin Lyrics And Life Choices

SPEAKER_00 5:44

Oh, yes. No, this would have been perfect for that, no doubt. No doubt. Um, all right. Your first pick. Now, again, you got creative with some of your picks, which I loved. And so your first pick, a song we've never had on the mix before, but is wildly popular. It is Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin.

SPEAKER_02 6:02

Yeah, I mean, you know, we could we say this a lot on the show, like, we could do a whole episode about this song. I mean, we could do a whole season about this song, honestly. Like, I think if if you if somebody had to name like the number one power ballad rock song ever, like, I mean, I think it'd be hard to think of something else other than Stairway to Heaven. And whenever you gave me the the theme for this week's mix, this was actually the first song that came to my mind in May or Might, just because there's a song or there's a lyric in the song, and I'll I'll read it a little bit later that's the inspiration. But I mean, this is obviously a Led Zeppelin classic. It's a classic in every country, all around the world. I mean, it's a song that is just so huge. Really, I think it's become synonymous with the band. Like you can't, you almost can't think of Zeppelin without thinking of Stairway to Heaven. Um, and again, I I chose this song, not because it has May or Might in the title, but one of my favorite lyrics in the song, and it's one of those, you know, we talk about this a lot on the show, how sometimes lyrics just sound different in your ear, you know, they just ring different and it matters. Um, and this is a line that has always mattered in this song. It says, if there's a bustle in your hedro, don't be alarmed now. It's just a spring queen for the May Queen. Yes, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run, there's still time to change the road you're on. And I just in a whatever seven-minute song or however long the full version of Stairway is, whichever version you're listening to, that has always, always stood out to me as just being some of the most amazing lyrics I've ever heard. Um, I just I love the a conjuring, a bustle in your hedrow, like that always sounded so, you know, British to me, you know, referencing a hedgerow. I don't know if I found that intriguing. And then I love the idea of a spring clean for the May Queen. I was like, it's just, I don't know. Lyrics to me don't get any better than that. And and then it comes with this very deep, you know, meaning about, yeah, there are two paths you can go by, but in the long run, choice is always yours, you know, like no matter there's still free will, there's still personal choice in in all the things that we do. And so I just think there's a lot packed in there. And so, yeah, strangely, this was the very first song that came to mind whenever you said we were gonna talk about May or Might songs.

SPEAKER_00 8:29

I love it. I love it.

SPEAKER_02 8:30

Have you ever heard this one, Matt? Was this a song that you knew?

SPEAKER_00 8:33

You know, I wasn't familiar with this song. I hadn't heard it since October last year on uh the classic rock station around here.

SPEAKER_02 8:41

Little band called Led Zeppelin.

SPEAKER_00 8:43

A little band, yeah. No, I'm sure that they got a future. I like where they're still together.

SPEAKER_03 8:48

They could go back. Oh, yeah. All more all members still alive, all of it. Yeah. Great.

unknown 8:52

No.

SPEAKER_00 8:53

Um, yeah, I mean, what can you say? This song is awesome. I love uh the full version, eight minutes long, like you said. I mean, you don't get actually the full version a lot of times. Sometimes they'll shorten it up if you just hear it on the radio. Um, but it's also got so much like symbolism and stuff. So I love how you pulled out the lyrics that probably kind of give a most direct message versus some of the other stuff in here that and I just can't help when I listen to a song like this, think of a band like Tenacious D, right? Who just sort of manufactured songs based off of this all this imagery, you know, so much like 70s classic rock has this, you know, we're pretty high right now, and we're gonna write this song and this is what we're seeing type type lyrics. And uh, so I love that Tenacious D just kind of took off on that. But this is an amazing song. I mean, sonically, lyrically, it's it's just great. So everything.

Zach Bryan And Rethinking New Country

SPEAKER_02 9:46

Yeah, and all the you know, Zeppelin's famous for like all their allusions to whether it's Tolkien or poetry that they love, or you know, whatever the case may be. So there's always always tons of Easter eggs if you decide to go down the Led Zeppelin rabbit hole, which of course I always encourage. Um, all right, for our third song this week, this one ended up being I I'm uh a little reluctant to say here, Matt, because you know how I feel sometimes about some of your country picks. I know a favorite. This song, oh my gosh, I've had it on repeat. This is a song called Fifth of May by Zach Bryan. Tell me about this one. Oh okay.

SPEAKER_00 10:26

Well, so I I took advantage of the fact that you're on the show this week to put not just one but two country songs on the mix. And so I was like, let me do some new country and then I'll do some old country because I know you like the old country. You're right. I wasn't sure about the new country. Um, but let me tell you, I our my wedding anniversary is the 5th of May, Cinco de Mayo, right? So I was like, all right, this is perfect. And my wife loves Zach Bryan. I'm a big fan too, but she's probably a bigger fan. Um, and so I was like, well, this is perfect that he has the song 5th of May on here that I can I could put on this and and also you know, give a shout out to our anniversary. 14 years this year.

SPEAKER_02 11:07

Congratulations, no small pee.

SPEAKER_00 11:09

Thank you. Um, but yeah, I mean, he's such a good songwriter. And I know you and I talk about new country all the time, and sometimes you can't get into it, and you're like, there's I don't know, you know, you're not sure about this guy or that guy. I think if you did a deep dive into Zach Bryan, you would find some material that you enjoy. So I'm glad to hear that you like this. Um, I'll call it the lyric from the chorus. Getting high's easy, getting drunk's fine. It's the getting by that'll get a soul down. Um, which is just kind of the you've got these little escapes in your life, right? These things that sort of get you away from reality, but it's it is that reality that'll kind of get your soul down sometimes. So um it's not the most uplifting song in the world. So I'm not saying this is how my life with my wife is, right? But it is called Fifth of May. It is by Zach Bryan. So um I uh I had to include it on here.

SPEAKER_02 12:01

Oh, I you know, I always joke, you're right, that I don't know my Zach's from my Luke's, from my Brian's or my Browns, right? Like I there's a lot of them out there. There's a lot to keep straight. And so I often don't, but but I uh this song actually you you accomplished your mission this week because I'm gonna go back and revisit. I think I've been poisoned to new country with that like 90s, early 2000s, like Shania Twain, yes, Jesus, Keith Urban, the wheel Keith Urban was like that carry underwood, you're like or kind of multiple.

SPEAKER_00 12:38

It's like kind of bad pop music sort of thing that had a twang. And I no, I'm with you. And I I actually used to give the caveat when I told people I like country music. I'm like, no, but I like old country. I don't really like this new stuff. Yeah, it's kind of come back around where there's certain new artists now, whether it's Zach Bryan, there's another guy named Zach Topp, um, there's uh I don't know, there's a bunch of guys out there that they sound much more like the old stuff, which so I I think you can get into it a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 13:10

I think you're right. Like I really, and and you've brought enough too, whether it's like uh Flatland Calvary. I think that's another one you brought my way. Um, you know, just from being here in Austin, we're getting a lot of uh like Chaparral is another one that I love what's and can't get enough chaparral these days. So I'm having to revamp and rethink myself with this new country. I think I have to isolate it to that 90s, late 90s, early 2000s that I really hate. But there is so much good stuff, and this song is 100% representative of this. I loved it. I listened once, I listened again, I listened a third time, and then it's just been on repeat. I even put on Zach Bryan radio because I'm like, I gotta get more of this guy.

SPEAKER_00 13:51

Like, no, I I think you'd get really into Zach Bryan in particular, and there's a few other artists out there that I think would fall into that uh that realm.

SPEAKER_02 14:00

And I like it too that it's not like I'm drinking beer with my truck and I'm going fishing, and you know, like it paints a very like wholesome. He talks about a you know, a small town in Kentucky, talks about a faded photograph, like some of those amazing classic country images that don't feel trite, that don't feel like I'm just here to sing about like beer and trucks because that's what I'm supposed to do. Like this was deep, it was insightful. I was saying too, I loved it. It was a great song, and it I like I kept getting Whiskey Town vibes from it. Those of you that know, like I'm a I'm a huge Ryan Adams fan, despite him being problematic. Um, I and so I I default often to Whiskey Town, you know, before he kind of exploded in a different direction. And this reminded me of that. It sounded like I wrote a note that says, like, I can see why Matt liked it. He sounds like a country Bruce, you know, like the feeling and the sentiment behind the song felt very like, yeah, instead of New Jersey, it's Kentucky, but it's the same kind of like thoughtful songwriting. I've loved it. I anybody that is usually in my camp about hating new country, you gotta pivot for this one. It was my favorite song that you brought this week.

Bruno Mars And Dance Floor Tests

SPEAKER_00 15:10

And uh, I think on his last album, he had guest appearances by the aforementioned Bruce. Um, and I think John Mayer joined him on a track too, which I know is one of your favorites. So um, no, get into it. I I think you're gonna like it. Um, your next pick, and this is a this is a newer one, okay? It is I Just Might by Bruno Mars.

SPEAKER_02 15:32

Oh man, I freaking love that little five-foot superstar. Like, talk about a short king, man. Bruno Mars is it for me. I just think that he is so talented. I think Bruno Mars is a person that has more talent packed in his like pinky finger than most of us will ever have in our whole lifetime.

SPEAKER_00 15:52

Like Yeah, pound for pound. Pound for pound. It's like him versus the rock, right? But the rock's like 275. Okay. Bruno's like a buck 10. So I feel like pound for pound.

SPEAKER_03 16:06

Bruno Mars is gonna take it every time, right? Like, I mean, he's just I cannot get enough.

SPEAKER_02 16:12

Like, no matter what he does, whether it's him solo, whether it's silksonic, like I am all in. Whether he's duetting with someone, Bruno Mars all day long. And this was a single.

SPEAKER_03 16:23

Um, I I had here a note that it that it was a new single released at the beginning of the year, but I'm like, that seems like maybe not that accurate since it's May already, which I don't even think we really address that how in the world is it already May?

SPEAKER_02 16:37

But that's insane. Um, but I this also too reminds me, this track reminds me of really early Bruno Mars, that do Wopson Hooligans album that sort of like introduced us to him. And this kind of goes back to that more than like 24 carat magic, which was very, you know, Mark Ronson produced and a lot more dancey. This is very much, I think, like original Bruno Mars. Um, and I, you know what else? I I love that he's just like he's super fun, he's super playful, he loves the ladies.

SPEAKER_03 17:06

So he's always writing these songs about how amazing we are as ladies and how hopeful he is that he's gonna get to take the ladies home or entertain the ladies or have the ladies entertain him, like whatever it is. I just like that he's like he's always down to have a good time.

SPEAKER_02 17:23

He loves the ladies, he's always singing nice songs about us, and like I said, I just think he's got so much talent.

SPEAKER_00 17:31

Yeah, he's great. Um, I actually included another one of his songs from uh this new album in the uh new music mix last month. Um and yeah, this is the lead single off that album, and it's it's great. The whole album's great, and you're right, it's much more of I mean, he still seems like a relatively new artist, so I hate to hesitate to say, like, throw back Bruno Mars, but but just throw out that 24 karat um album, which isn't a bad album. It's just different, right? It's just different from this. So we're not trying to say like ignore that like it's a hiccup. It's like it's really not, it's just different from what you're gonna get here on this new one. Um, but yeah, it it's awesome. And it's like, you're right, it's such a fun song. It's really just like if you can dance, then then I might make you mine. Like it's a pretty, it's also a very like kind of innocent idea in a sense. It's it's not like you know, it's just like can you move or not? That's really all he kind of cares about. He's just having fun. So anyway.

SPEAKER_02 18:27

But I love that that that's such a big deal, you know. He's like, don't ruin it.

SPEAKER_03 18:31

You know, it's like um everybody has their things, but like, you know, a lot of times ladies are like checking out a dude's shoes, you know. So like when they stand up and get out from the table, you're like, please don't let him have bad shoes. Please don't let him have bad shoes, you know. That's what I think about when I hear this song from Bruno. He's like, please let her be able to dance. Like, please don't just let her be a disaster on the dance floor. Like that would ruin it for me. So I I actually do. I love the sentiment here as well.

Bruce Springsteen Hope In Despair

SPEAKER_02 18:54

But all right, as we head into our next track, of course, we've already mentioned him once, twice, three times on the show because it's you, Matt. But for our for our fifth song on the playlist, um, you chose a song called Atlantic City by Bruce Springsteen.

SPEAKER_00 19:12

Yeah, the chorus, Everything Dies, baby, that's a fact. And maybe everything that dies someday comes back. So some deep thoughts from Bruce. Jen, I don't want us to go down the rabbit hole of the Nebraska album and the Springsteen movie that came out last year. Everyone should go listen to What Are You Listening to? I was just on there with Jen. Yeah. And we talk all about it and our very strong thoughts about how we did not like the movie. But, and we both say this, we really like the Nebraska album. And Atlantic City is probably the most popular song from that album. It still gets played today. This one's actually been covered a number of times too by even some country artists, and and they've done a pretty uh pretty great job with it, having having some fun with it. So um, yeah, it's a great one, and I called it out because of that. That maybe everything that dies someday comes back, because I think that's a really notable line in the uh in the song, which which kind of exhibits a lot of a lot of despair and a lot of kind of hope for a better day, some way, somehow. Because obviously he ends up doing some some kind of shady things, the character in this. But um, but yeah, so had to include some Bruce and thought Atlantic City was was a good choice.

SPEAKER_02 20:29

Yeah, always. I you know, again, this is a this is one of those Bruce songs that um I think I don't want to say it's a deep track, it's not, but I don't think it comes to mind initially when you think of Bruce songs. And this is one that's always been a favorite of mine from the very first time I heard it on through. Like, I think it's the one that kind of made me think, like, oh, who is this? Who's singing this? You know, like of course, when I was young, there was no such thing as Shazam, folks. You couldn't just find out, you had to wait and listen. Who is it?

SPEAKER_00 20:59

Well, you would just check Google? You had to just check Google or what? No, it didn't.

SPEAKER_02 21:03

None of that. That didn't have to be a lot of it. None of that did not have any of that. Um and this was a song that I sought out like who is this? I have to know more. You know, I love this song. It's saying so much. Um, and so I was so happy to see it on this week's playlist. I think that this is such a good song. And again, one of my one of my favorites by Bruce.

SPEAKER_00 21:23

All right, halfway point here of the mix, track six. And this was a curveball. Like, I kind of picked up on Stairway to Heaven when you threw it on here. This one took you a second. This is Slide by the Goo Goo Dolls.

SPEAKER_02 21:35

Yeah, so I did. I got a little sneaky here. Um, so May Might is not in the title, but the song he is singing to a woman named May. And I always love this from the very first moment. I mean, I have to give a little preface while we're in our nostalgia space here. But so there was a song called Name that most people know by the Goo Goo dolls, right? They came out on their first album, an album called A Boy Named Goo, and kind of launched them. Everybody was in love with the song name. It got constant airplay. You could not turn on your car radio without hearing that song.

SPEAKER_00 22:09

It still gets a ton of airplay.

SPEAKER_02 22:10

Everywhere, all the time. So their second album was this an album called Dizzy Up the Girl, which came out in 1998. Um, and that is the album that this song is on slide. It also features probably their biggest hit, um, a song called Iris. Yeah, which is a beautiful, beautiful song. Um, but I always liked this one. I think this was the first I think they released this single before they released Iris, actually, when this album came out. Um, and I just thought it was a great song. It sounds great, it's kind of rocky, but then you get into The lyrics, and um it's a little bit of like a late 90s version of Papa Don't Preach, right? It's it's this couple that's in a situation where they have an unplanned pregnancy and they're trying to figure out what to do. They grew up in a religious Catholic household if you're listening to the lyrics and are exploring their options. And so I think that um the the line that I thought of whenever again I was um I was thinking about the playlist or what what songs I would pick, it says, um, May, put your arms around me. What you feel is what you are, and what you are is beautiful. Oh, May, do you want to get married or run away? Like it's just this very tough choice, and it comes kind of at the end. You have, I think, two verses before he even calls her name. And so I think that it's I don't know. I feel like there's there's and maybe I'm making the song deeper than it is, but I like that you sort of have this thoughtfulness and then it almost builds to the frustration um of what are we gonna do here? To where he has to call out her name, right? Like, May, what are we gonna do? You know, like um, and so it just always was it felt urgent to me. And I love it in a song, I think so much is um is imagery and imagination when you're listening to a song. And so I love it when you get a name. You know, I always think about like in Fire and Rain by James Taylor or Carol King, depending on which version, but um, you know, when in Fire and Rain, when he calls out Suzanne, you know, like you never hear any more, but he just says, Suzanne, the plans we made put an end to you. Like I just when there's a name attached to something, it resonates differently. And so this song always resonated to me differently because we know that the character he's singing to, whether real or imagined, is called May.

SPEAKER_00 24:21

I tell you what, and I think I speak for a lot of people out there. I've never given the song that much thought. And I've heard it a million times.

SPEAKER_01 24:33

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:33

Um, but you're right. And I think most people think of it as kind of a up, it's an upbeat song, right? It sounds upbeat. And certainly, um, you know, just the lines you called out, it almost sounds like romantic in a way, but you're right when you dig into the lyrics. I mean, this is just another one of those classic examples. I feel like we talk about it on the show all the time, of songs that kind of are appreciated for a different reason than what they are, right? And you even mentioned it recently. We were uh on your show talking about Madonna and Papa Don't Preach. And you're like, no, no, no, she doesn't want to have an abortion.

unknown 25:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 25:11

Like that song kind of gets vilified. Like it's kind of the opposite of this song where everybody just thinks this is like a happy romantic song. It's like that song, it's like she's kind of knocked a little bit for for getting knocked up. And then it's like, no, no, uh, I I want to keep the baby. People just sort of overlook that line, and I think they just wanted to hate Madonna at that time. But yeah, it is a uh, it's no, it's it's just a much deeper song, and I don't think I'd ever really thought about it until you kind of call that the May. And I was like, Where's May in this? What is this? And then I was like, wait a minute, more to it than I thought.

SPEAKER_03 25:44

I know, and I'm certainly not suggesting that you should go and evaluate Goo Goo dolls the way maybe you would Led Zeppelin. Like, I don't know that they're that deep.

SPEAKER_00 25:55

Maybe, but in in in line with the word we keep using on the show, maybe you should. Maybe you might.

SPEAKER_02 26:04

Right, right. But I do, you know, there are a handful of songs, and you cannot deny like their popularity in the mid to late 90s, they really were everywhere. Like and then and then they just sort of kind of went away.

SPEAKER_00 26:16

Um they're back this year. I think they just had a new album, I think, in the last few months. They they've come out with uh some new work, but you're right, it's been forever since that's happened.

Might Songs And Wild Genre Swerves

SPEAKER_02 26:25

I'll I'll check that out. Um, I would be interested to see what they're doing these days. Um, all right. Speaking of another band that I'm always interested in listening to, I was so happy to see this one make an appearance. But your next pick is a favorite, uh, a song called You Might Think by the Cars.

SPEAKER_00 26:45

Yeah, so we're moving away from May and focusing on might. Okay. Um, Rick O'Cassick doing the vocals for this one. Um, it's so funny because I, when preparing for this, I went back and watched the music video because I remember the music video being like notable. And it is the most 80s-looking music video of all time. I mean, it would be like if someone just discovered iMovie today and was like, I'm gonna use every effect that I could possibly use, because that's essentially what they did in this one. The video is a little creepy because Rico Cassick, the lead singer, who I mean did pretty well with the ladies, he was married to Paulina Porskova. Paulina Porskova. Yeah, uh, who is a supermodel, and um yeah, but he's essentially stalking this woman in the video, so that's a little weird. Uh again, a lot of cheesy effects. And so if you look at the just the video and you listen to the song, you're just thinking, oh my god, this is just like a cheesy 80s song. Okay, now just go listen to the song on its own. And I think the song kind of holds up, like just on its own. Like, I don't think it sounds super 80s at all. And like, I think it it's actually a really well written song. And I don't know. I I I just kind of had a weird experience with this one because all I could think about was the music video, but when I kind of stripped it away, I was like, you know what? This is a great song. I could see why it was like probably one of their most popular hits.

SPEAKER_02 28:10

I love the cars. The cars are again another all-time favorite band of mine. I think that they are fantastic. Um, that Candy O album is like genius. Um, yeah, I love the Cars, and I loved that this song featured um on our playlist this week. And like for some reason, too, like there are two bands that anytime I hear them, I don't care if it's dead of winter and pouring rain. I feel like it's summer. One of them is Van Halen and the other is the cars. Like those two bands just sound like summer to me. And so I love that. For a May mix, I was like, yep, it's almost summertime. Like nothing says it's about to be summer like the cars to me. So I love that you found a song with Might in the title. That was good. Um, and then I love that it happened to be this one because the cars are definitely a favorite.

SPEAKER_00 29:02

All right, track eight. And I I love that you pick these guys. This is Birdhouse in Your Soul by They Might Be Giants.

SPEAKER_02 29:11

There you go. I took some liberties here again and chose a band with Might. But again, as soon as you said this was the theme, I'm like, ooh, we got to put a They Might Be Giants song in there. Um, and also, too, they've been top of mind for me because there is a documentary out right now. Um, you know, I love a rock doc. Um, and it's there there's one playing right now that's about uh the band Sparks. Um and such an interesting, like kooky 80s band. I think I was introduced to Sparks. They're one of those bands that are like your favorite artist, favorite artist, you know, like definitely people uh attribute them as being a major influence all the time. It's one of those bands that you'll always see in liner notes or acceptance speeches or whatever. But a lot of people don't know exactly who they are. I was familiar with them because again, anybody that's ever listened to What Are You Listening to knows I'm a huge fan of the movie Valley Girl. And they had two songs on the Valley Girl soundtrack. Um, uh a song called Angst in My Pants and another one called A Monster of Love. Um and these are Spark songs, not they might be giant songs, but I'm I I'm calling them out because I think that a band like They Might Be Giants would not exist without a band like Sparks. So this is kind of a twofer here where um I'm I'm encouraging listeners to go explore both. You know, they might be giants with sort of a I I don't, I mean, I don't want to say they were like a silly band. You know, you referenced Tenacious D earlier, which is obviously uh also, too, though, not really a joke band. Like, you know, they're they're serious musicians.

SPEAKER_00 30:46

They're really good songwriters, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 30:48

Yeah. So same thing with they might be giants. Like they, I think they get written off a lot of times as just kind of being a joke or silly or like a less um a less um like pop culture relevant devo or something, you know. Like I think they don't get as much love as maybe they should for being as talented as they are. So this is my um encouragement to go check out they might be giants, because I really do think that there's something there. And you know what? If you dig in and it's not for you, okay, but I think you'll be entertained at least. Like go in and check out and maybe start with this album. Um, this is from their 1990 album, Flood, has Bird House in Your Soul, and then it has another um one of their popular songs called Istanbul was Constantinople, um, which is like silly, but um also funny. So definitely if you're not familiar with They Might Be Giants for the month of May and in honor of our May Might playlist, go check out the album Flood and let us know what you think.

SPEAKER_00 31:47

Um they came to my college once and played, yeah, which was like kind of they were better. I was not into them, right? I was like, ah, come on. Like kind of what you're saying, like this is kind of a jokey band, right? Yeah, but then we went and saw them live, and I was like, all right, this is fun, like they're pretty good, you know. So it kind of came around on the live show um when I saw them back in the day. But yeah, I mean, I I totally agree that they are more talented musically than they probably get credit for. Yeah, um, as was Devo. Um, but you know, while I'm listening to this, I feel like Weezer was probably listening to these guys, going, what if we were 10% more serious? Could we have a career in music? Because I mean, I feel like that's kind of the difference. It's like they're 10% more serious than what they might be giants were, and they've obviously had a monster uh music career versus versus these guys. Such a great way to phrase it, and also hugely influenced by Sparks, Weezer was so right, and so yeah, it's it's almost like just this lineal thing that it's like, oh, one of them ends up being being huge, right? Um in the same way, I don't know, you see this genetically sometimes where it's like there there's a star NFL player, NBA player, and it's like, you know, granddad was a pretty good college player, right? And you just see like generationally, it just kind of upticks a little bit. I feel like Weezer is kind of this next generation where it's like, oh, they they kind of figured out how to be popular, right? That just a little bit, they did that a little bit better than they might be giants.

SPEAKER_02 33:19

So that's such a good evolution. Um to borrow a Pokemon term.

SPEAKER_00 33:23

Oh, there we go. Yes, it is like a Pokemon evolution, evolution, right?

SPEAKER_03 33:28

Like that's uh that's what that I nice job.

SPEAKER_00 33:31

Which which there's no doubt they might be giants would be writing songs about Pokemon if they're still around.

SPEAKER_03 33:36

Yeah, totally. Well, we're we're gonna take a hard left here and go um go in a completely different direction from They Might Be Giants with your next pick.

SPEAKER_02 33:47

Um, this is also another classic, um, Wherever I May Roam by Metallica.

SPEAKER_00 33:54

I gotta say, and I'm not gonna spoil what the next song is, but this has got to be the only time they might be giants, Metallica, and this next artist are are kind of in a line together. So I can't wait to introduce. Unless you've ever been in my car for more than just hanging out with Jen for extended amounts of time. Um, but it's an outlier for this mix, too. Um, it's perfect title, wherever I may roam. It has such an amazing intro. I mean, the slow burn to just get it started, then the guitar kicks in. It's it's six minutes long. So kind of, you know, along the lines of like Stairway to Heaven and just kind of the extended, just sort of awesome rock song, right? Um, a lot of weird symbolism here while they're rocking, but I mean, I don't know. This is just an all-time classic from Metallica and just a perfect title for this for this mix.

SPEAKER_02 34:47

Agreed. I love Metallica. I love, you know, I'm a I'm a rock gal at the end of the day. And some of my favorite bands that I listen to now, I again I say this a lot, but wouldn't exist without Metallica. You know, I'm a huge Royal Blood fan, and I don't think you'd have Royal Blood without Metallica. Um, and so I think that uh a lot is owed to Metallica, and I love this song. And I love all of Metallica. Like, I'm one of those strange, weird creatures that like so many people are like, after the black album, I I don't even acknowledge Metallica, you know, like just talk to my dude friends and like they, you know, they're not having any of it.

SPEAKER_00 35:22

Um I'm sorry I left you that voicemail. Okay, I shouldn't have just randomly called and said that to you.

SPEAKER_02 35:29

But I'm a fan of the whole catalog, so uh, you know, or their whole discography. I've been a Metallica gal from the beginning. So um yeah, love to seeing this song on there. And uh, and uh and yes, we uh we are we are setting ourselves up here for a pretty strange uh back half in terms of transitions.

Tootsie It Might Be You And Nuance

SPEAKER_00 35:48

Yeah. So we had they might be giants, then we took a sharp left. Like imagine you're driving in the car with us. We take a sharp left, and now we're on Metallica and we're just rocking for six minutes, okay? Now we're gonna hit a sharp right turn and run right into some traffic. We're gonna slow things down. Track 10, It Might Be You by Steven Bishop.

SPEAKER_02 36:10

I mean, how can I not include this one? If I have an opportunity for a May Mite song, I'm gonna wedge this one in every darn time. I Jen, I'll be honest.

SPEAKER_00 36:22

I did a fist pump when I saw It Might Be You by Steven Bishop. I was like, oh, good one. Why didn't I think of that?

SPEAKER_02 36:28

Um this is such a good song. I'm sorry. I'll fight anybody about this song. Like, you can make fun of me for my mom yacht rock taste here, but like this is an all-time favorite. It's been on and off my desert island mixes throughout the years. Like this one I love. Obviously, it's from the movie Tootsie, which is also a favorite movie of mine. Um, if you've not seen Tootsie, that one also holds up.

SPEAKER_00 36:56

Although I well, that was gonna be my question for you, Jen. Was like, I was like, okay, it's from Tootsie. Yeah, Tootsie and the Tom Hanks vehicle, bosom buddies, came out about the same time. Similar premise in that it's the man dressing as a woman in order to get a job, right? That's essentially the uh the the the through line here. Could we do that? Could we do these movies or TV shows today?

SPEAKER_02 37:24

You know, I was uh it's a great question. I don't know that we could. And I have to give them credit for being groundbreaking in the way that they presented themselves in a time before we were having really uh genuine, thoughtful conversations around this sort of thing, right? Because I think that um, and I think too, you know, I'm I'm a spoiler alert for Tootsie if for somehow you haven't seen the movie over the last 40 years. But I also love at the end, like like his lie or his like I feel like it could be made because something like a dear Evan Hansen can be made, right? Like this is kind of that same premise. To me, it's not so much about like, oh, he's dressing like a woman, that's problematic. It's more like I'm in this difficult situation, I gotta solve the problem. This is the solve. And the solve that they come up with ends up creating more problems, right? Like in the case of Tootsie, he falls in love with this woman that he can't actually acknowledge because she's a straight woman and he's dressed like a woman. And, you know, at the end, he actually has to come clean, reveal the truth, and then his problems don't go away, but he's able to sort of, you know, get on a path to redemption. So for me, the story is more about lying and you know, thinking you're making things better and actually creating more problems and how you recover from that and get back on a path to redemption than like this is it okay to dress and drag, you know, no, I I agree.

SPEAKER_00 38:53

And even like the show Bosom Buddies with with Tom Hanks and Peter Scolari. Shout out to Peter Scolari. Um, you uh that like they're not mocking it, right? Like they're kind of like you're saying, they were just trying to solve a problem at a specific point in time.

SPEAKER_01 39:08

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 39:09

All that being said, though, I don't know if you could make either one of them today without getting some heat in some way, shape, or form. But you're right, for the time, while that was a little bit part of part of the joke, it was actually almost like in a Mrs. Doubtfire sort of way. It's like they're just sort of juggling these things. Like it's it's more the juggling that's funny than the wow, this guy is dressing like a woman that is is funny, right? It it's more just the trying to navigate. And and I think in both cases, they end up kind of pointing out sort of things that women are going through at the time and and and what is problematic about the treatment of women rather than um anything having to do with a guy dressing as a woman. A hundred percent. Yeah, I I think you know, if anybody could allow for any nuance these days, I think you could make those movies, but I just don't think we allow for it. So I don't know if we could do it.

SPEAKER_02 40:04

Yeah, it's a shame. If if we can't, and I kind of hope we don't, the original related is so fantastic with Jessica Ling with Right.

SPEAKER_00 40:13

There's no need to remake the movie. It's a very well-done movie, right? Like I it was just kind of interesting. It popped into my head that, like, I wonder if you could even do this now. And I think you probably couldn't.

SPEAKER_02 40:23

Yeah, I think you're probably right about that. But go back and watch the original Tootsie. It is, it is such a great movie. It's really, it's a classic. And um, this song is just so beautiful. This song feels like a hug to me. Every time I hear this song, like I just am happy and feel like I'm getting a hug. It's a hug. So good, so dreamy. Um, Stephen Bishop is just yes, nails it. Um, all right, we're coming around the home stretch here, and it gets weirder, folks.

Waylon Jennings Outlaw Wisdom

SPEAKER_03 40:54

Our transitions stay weird. Um, we're gonna go from They Might Be Giants to Metallica to Stephen Bishop to I May Be Used, but baby I ain't used up by Wayland Jennings.

SPEAKER_02 41:10

Classic.

SPEAKER_00 41:11

Yeah, you know, like I said, Jen, I had to had to take advantage of being on the show. Wanted to make sure there was a country song you would appreciate. And so included some Wayland Jennings here. Um, I love the title, I love the theme here, just kind of about getting older and just like, hey, you know, but don't let that fool you, kind of thing. Um, I have no doubt it went it influenced Toby Keith when he wrote the lines, I ain't as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was.

SPEAKER_01 41:38

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 41:38

Um, there's definitely a connection there. Um, but yeah, I mean, it just I don't know. I just I just love how Wayland Jennings sounds and the guitar here and and everything about his voice and just how he's you know, it's so funny. Some of these old country artists, they don't have amazing like voices at all. No, right? But it's like they're they're selling this song, and like you're you're absolutely like in with Weyland, like you're right there with him, even though it's like just on his own. If he's singing in the choir, you're like, Can you make this guy stop? You know?

SPEAKER_02 42:10

Yeah. Yeah, but it's so true. That whole outlaw country, you know, movement that started back in the day, I think is so um, you know, I think it that sums it up, right? These guys weren't the best singers and didn't have five octave vocal ranges, but what they brought was this really insightful songwriting, um, these tongue-in-cheek lyrics, um, these very honest, open dives into the male psyche that I think you wouldn't necessarily expect from country music. I think you got from these early outlaw country artists, and Wayland Waylon Jennings is is just one of the best. I mean, you almost don't get any better to the point that when you're talking about like 10% more and 10% more in like grandfather to child to child. I mean, you know, I love a lot of the work that Shooter Jennings does, whether he's producing, you know, I mean, I think that that Jennings line is just so strong. Um, and I had the opportunity um a few years ago, probably, I don't know, 15 years ago now, well, more than that, almost 20 years ago now, I produced a summer concert series out at the Fender uh Center for Performing Arts in Riverside, California, actually. And um, or Corona, they were actually in Corona, California. Um, and we had Waylon Jennings out at the at the venue. So we got to love Wayland and he performed. Um and it was it was pretty insane. Um Merle Haggard was there that season as well. So I got some country legends, and just uh these guys uh like their stories are on their face, they're in their songs, like just everywhere they go. It's almost like part of their clothing, you know. So this is a great one. A Wayland Jennings classic. If you don't know this one, go listen immediately.

Khruangbin Calm Landing And Wrap Up

SPEAKER_00 43:55

All right, let's bring it home. Track 12. This is May 9th by, and I'm probably gonna screw this up, Kurongbin.

SPEAKER_02 44:03

Krungbin. Krungbin. Krungbin.

SPEAKER_00 44:06

Not bad.

SPEAKER_02 44:07

Yeah. So Krungbin is a band that I like if you've listened to the show, if you've been listening to Song of the Day, you'll see I've been dropping these guys in everywhere. They're not a new band. Um, they're a band based out of Houston. And so we see them a lot in Austin where I'm based. You know, they're through town a lot. And I just think they're so cool. Like everything about Krungbin is cool. Like they're um, this song is from their uh 2024 album called A La Sala. Um, and a lot of their songs are just instrumental. You know, there was a few years back when Friday Night Lights was really popular, there was a band from Austin called it. Explosions in the Sky that did a lot of songs from Friday Night Lights, and they kind of had a moment. I feel like that's kind of crungbin now, right? Like they're mostly instrumental. Um, this song does have lyrics, which is a little bit interesting for them as a choice. Um, and and this one just uses a lot of imagery, you know, specifically about May showers, sort of representing a longing for some kind of a release or a fresh start. And so um I just think it's such a peaceful, lovely way to kind of wrap out uh or wrap up a playlist that's about May Might songs, whether we're talking about, you know, May as in can I or might as in I'm fixing to if you're Texan, or May like the month, or like the woman's name. You know, I feel like we just explored a lot of different things um within those two words, and this seemed like a nice way to kind of put a button on it. If we start it with, you know, the Beachies first of May, we kind of got to end it, I think, with something really peaceful like this.

SPEAKER_00 45:43

I agree. I feel like we started off soft. We we were all over the road at that point, right? So these the we've really taken the listeners just on this crazy journey, and this song was perfect as like a nice soft landing spot, right? And just kind of all right, let's bring it down. Let's get you settled down, you can fall asleep now, all that, you know. I mean, it's just it's perfect. So I'd say well done there on uh on this pick. Um, I wasn't familiar with them, but I know explosions in the sky. And once you said that, I kind of made the association in my head. I was like, yeah, that is, they've got that same feel. So um I'm a big fan of them. So I'm I'm excited to get into more of this and and listen, listen more.

SPEAKER_02 46:25

So yeah, dig into crungbin. Great, they're great.

SPEAKER_00 46:28

All right. Well, Jen, thank you so much for filling in. And um, you may or might, may or may not come back on the show sometime, right?

SPEAKER_02 46:37

I think I I think I might.

SPEAKER_00 46:39

Okay, you think you might. Perfect, perfect. Well, folks, uh, we would love it if uh you joined us again. And in the meantime, you can join us on social media at super awesome mix on Instagram and Threads and of course YouTube. You got to go check out Jen's show, What Are You Listening to? I pop on there from time to time, as well as Sam, and she also has some interesting guests and topics. And folks, you better go ahead and subscribe to The Battle because Jen and I are planning season four of that show. Um, each season is self-contained, so you can go back and listen to the first three seasons of that and have some fun with it, but then get ready for season four coming probably this fall. We're already making plans for that. So, in the meantime, Jen, myself, and even Sam, we're working on our next mixes. So, for Jen, this is Matt. We'll see you next time.