LYRICS FOR LUNCH

In May 2021, a video of a teenage punk band went viral. The original song they were performing in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month was an anti-hate original they’d written in the wake of pandemic lockdown as anti-Asian sentiments were growing among racists everywhere. “Racist, Sexist Boy” caught the attention of some heavy hitting musicians — and today the Linda Lindas have appeared in two films and are touring with Paramore. How did this all happen so quickly? We’ll give you two guesses. But even if the Linda Lindas are the new nepobabies in town, we’re here for the representation they offer to young people everywhere. And their music is pretty cool, too.

This week, with trans rights under continuous attack, we look at the life of Against Me! lead singer, Laura Jane Grace — from clashing with the law as a teenager, to coming up in the punk rock scene, to finding the courage to embody her true self. We’ll look at the secrets Laura was sharing with her fans through her music, and how her lyrical camouflage helped her and others like her find the courage to life their authentic lives.

Doja Cat’s career has not been without controversy since her 2018 internet breakout “MOOO! (Bitch I’m a Cow)” dazzled the hearts and minds of anyone with a cell phone. Since then, she’s collab’d with SZA, the Weekend, won an MTV Music Video Award for Best New Artist, and casually changed what it means to be an American rapper. But the snags she’s hit along the way have been so questionable they prompted the New York Times to ask, “Is Doja Cat Uncancelable?” Join us on our quest for the truth — on the bumpy road of blue face, joyful farm puns, and the complicated, potentially misunderstood Doja Cat song “Dindu Nuffin.”

In the mid-1960s, Sammy Davis Jr. was the third most-famous black person in the world — just behind Dr. Martin Luther King and Muhammad Ali. Davis, undoubtedly the most popular of the three, dazzled audiences with song, dance, and self-deprecation, skills he learned could help save his skin in the Army where he suffered racist violence that would leave him permanently disfigured. But Davis was determined not to let racism stop him, even when it came between him and the love of his life. This week, we explore the extraordinary life and legacy of Mister Show Business. Hold onto your hats.

Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth have been off and on since they were teenagers. More than a decade later, Miley’s burning it all down. But what are the circumstances that led to her mega-hit breakup anthem “Flowers”? And what exactly does Bruno Mars have to do with it? Did Miley and Dolly Parton start a cult to get kicked out of elementary school? We’ve got the whole scoop, this week on Lyrics for Lunch.

In 2011, Lizzy Grant reinvented herself and started on the path to superstardom. Today she is one of the most well-known musical artists in the world — under a different name. But somewhere along the way, Grant’s celeb persona may have gotten the better of her. This week we ask ourselves, who is Lizzy Grant? And at what point is the alter ego just the ego?

In 1991, an eerie, grunge tale of teen violence swept popular culture. The rumor mill went wild: Was Jeremy about a school shooting? Revenge for childhood bullying? An evil kid with Daddy issues? But the true story of Jeremy Wade Dell is a lot more complicated than the chorus of a song. And the problems that led to his death have heart-wrenchingly only gotten worse over the past two decades. Join us this week for a rollercoaster ride of tragedies — from childhood suicide to Ron DeSantis and the saga of the Tennessee Three.

This one's for Craig and Clare.

In 2002, a Little Love Song That Could finally made its way from Vanessa Carlton’s brain out into the world — and the world was never the same. How did one song manage to catapult careers (Terry Crews included) while becoming the calling card for the Basic B? What happened to Vanessa after her song went platinum? And, perhaps most importantly, who is this song about? We’ve got all this and more, this week on Lyrics for Lunch.

What happens when two domineering stage parents decide that the fate of their family is written in the stars? And how many of Destiny’s Children did Beyonce trample on her way to becoming Queen Bey? We’ve got the stories behind the scandals — this week on Lyrics for Lunch.

Equal parts unlikely and inevitable, the rise of Andre Charles from poverty in the Atlanta punk scene, to drag icon for the 20th & 21st centuries, to fracking mogul — is a story as American as apple pie. This week, we explore his one and only musical chart topper, and what exactly he means by *work.*