The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia, from PRX, a curated network of extraordinary, story-driven shows.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Music


We start with Moonlight by Masayoshi Fujita.
We hear a couple from Warren Ellis: Piece 3 and Lala's Theme.
We hear Paranoid and Credits 2 from the score to Christine.
And Junkman's Song by Stark Reality.


Notes


There's a succinct, well-written telling of the ins and outs of Elmer's life and after-life in Christine Quigley's Modern Mummies: The Preservation of the Human Body in the 20th Century.

I also enjoyed The Career of Elmer McGurdy, Deceased, by Basgall and Arthur.


Episode 113 (Elmer McCurdy Rides Again and Again)

History

Society & Culture

The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.Music
Traffico from Carlo Rustichelli's score to Divorzio All'Italiana and Una Braveta, from his score to Amici Miei.
Tema Grottesco from Giovanni Fusco's score to L'avventura.
 Gloving it from Moondog.
Musica Bionda from the score to The Sweet Body of Deborah
The Peter Thomas Sound Orchestra plays Natascha from the score to The Perfect Marriage. 
Waltz from the Brendan Eder Ensemble
Christa Schonfeldinger plays Grieg's Smarthold - der Kobold, on the glass armonica.

Hazel, Mark, and a One-Time Juliet

The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.Music
A synth stab from As if it Would Have a Universal and Memorable Ending by Shane Carruth's score to his film, Upstream Color, a movie I love deeply. 
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by the Platters
The Girl Who was Frightened of Ashtrays by Charlie Megira
Sambolero by Luiz Bonfa. 
Water by So Percussion
Divertimiento Fur Tenorsaxophon Und Kleines Ensemble (Part 4) from Carl Oesterhelt and Johannes Ender.
Ball by Duval Timothy
Piece 3 by the great Warren Ellis.
Chora tua Tristeza from Lalo Schiffrin
Growing Up from Ben Sollee's score to Maidentrip
(Vibraphone, Marimbaphone, Malletted Wood, Two Synthesizers) and (Two Bells) by Josiah Steinbrick
Main et lee from Michel Portal

Episode 216: Awake

The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.Music
Momento Ritmico and Papete aru by Piero Umiliani
Opus 13 from Sven Libaek's score to The Set
French Doll by Larry Ashmore and David Francis
The wonderful Sewentuwa by Hailu Meriga
Wave I by Elor Saxl
Green by Hiroshi Yoshimura
NotesI originally learned about the Elephantine Colossus years ago in David McCullough's Brooklyn... and How it Got That Way, which still holds up.

Episode 215: An Eighth Wonder

The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.Music
Un geant dans la mer and Triste soiree III from the score to Marie et les naufrages by the genius, Sebastian Tellier. 
Love is Blue by Jackie Mittoo and the Soul Vendors.
Rocky Passage by Jeremiah Chiu and Marta Sofia Honer
Morris Visits Dr. Pratt from John Barry's score to The Wrong Box
Adios Muchachos from Andre Popp
Moonlight in Vermont from the great Dorothy Ashby. 
Midnight Moon by The Portland Cello Project
Dance PM by Hiroshi Yoshimura
And we hear Blind Andy Jenkins' "Floyd Collins in Sand Cave" followed by Vernon Dalhart doing the same song under the name, "The Death of Floyd Collins." We also hear Jimmy Osbourne do Andy's, "The Death of Little Kathy Fiscus."
Notes
I have a note in my years-long running list of possible story ideas that says, "event songs," but I could never remember why. Then I was reading Charles Hirschberg and Mark Zwonitzer's, Will You Miss me When I'm Gone?: The Carter Family & Their Legacy in American Music and was reminded of Andy's story (that book is great).
I also recommend the always-useful, Country Music USA, by Bill C. Malone for more on Andy and his era as well as Creating Country Music: Fabricating Authenticity by Richard A. Peterson.
If you want more about poor Floyd Collins, you could turn to Robert K. Murray and Roger W. Bruckner's, Trapped!: The Story of Floyd Collins.

Episode 214: Newsboy

The Memory Palace is a proud member of Radiotopia from PRX.Music
Abisme by Shida Shahadi
Ellen’s Image from Lalo Schiffiren’s genius score to The Fox
Circulation by H. Takahasi
Liquid Spear Waltz from Michael Andrews’ score to Donnie Darko
A8 from a terrific record called NuNu by Clever Austin
NotesI found a lot of insight in a terrific book called Extraordinary Beliefs by Peter Lamont. In it, there’s a smart historical, psychological exploration of why spiritualism was able to flourish despite all sorts of evidence opposing it.

Episode 113 (Elmer McCurdy Rides Again and Again)

Download our free app to listen on your phone