LYRICS FOR LUNCH

LYRICS FOR LUNCH

By Lindsay Tucker & Aviv RubinstienMusicMusic Commentary
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LYRICS FOR LUNCH episodes

  • It's The End of The World As We Know It — And We Feel Fine!
    In 1987, R.E.M. released an album that would catapult the band from Slightly Obscure to Mainstream Rock Heroes — inspiring Rolling Stone to declare the Georgian quartet: "America's Best Rock & Roll Band"! And on that Little Album That Could was a 4-minute ode to the End of Days, a word salad delivered with such erratic fury that more than 20 years later, it still compels listeners in their darkest hours to fire it up and attempt to sing along. But what do the words really mean? And what does it have to do with Lester Bangs and Leonard Bernstein? Take a ride with us as we take a closer look at The End of The World As We Know It. It's fine. Everything's fine.
    1 hr 5 min
  • It's "Teenage Dirtbag," baby!

    Think "Teenage Dirtbag" is merely an angsty ode to outsiderdom? Maybe you could have sworn it was a Weezer song. Or a new TikTok trend. Here's the thing: it is some of these things — and so much more. This week, we take a closer look at some bizarre events that inspired a banger of a cult hit that has kept its creator, Wheatus, just barely culturally relevant for more than two decades. With guest appearances by Tipper Gore, Dashboard Confessional, Harry Styles, and yes, Weezer, it's everything our inner teenagers could ever want and more. 

    1 hr 28 min
  • The Cure: Just Like Heaven and the Mystery of Myra Poleo
    The Cure is perhaps as influential as 80s bands get. The post-punk groups’s emotive love songs famously evolve from despair to euphoria and back again with a casual elegance achieved by very few. So who - or what? - inspired enraptured heart-wrenchers like “Just Like Heaven” and “Pictures of You”? We’ll give you one guess :) This week when we deep dive into the band that seamlessly bridged pop, new wave, punk, goth, grunge, and dirgey rock and left a mark on the hearts of so many.
    1 hr 9 min
  • Fuck Ted Nugent and his "Cat Scratch Fever"

    You know the overzealous gun-nut of cock rock, but do you know the poop-crusted, draft-dodger, Motor City Madman who relentlessly bragged about his "jail bait" problem? This week we're at it again, exposing blatant sex crimes of the music industry that rather than going punished, are instead lauded with accolades — yep, its worst offenders (read: Ted Nugent) are handed platforms and privileges like eponymous television shows, sold-out stadiums, and invitations to State of the Unions. If you thought Ted Nugent was just a loud-mouthed asshole who took his machine gun to a herd of 455 innocent pigs and threatened democratic leaders to suck on the barrel of said rifle, you only know a fraction of the story. We've got the whole thing this week on the deluge of the Nuge.

    1 hr 36 min
  • “Hands Clean”: How We Failed Alanis Morisette
    In 1995, Alanis Morisette changed the rules of rock and roll forever — paving the way for female voices overdue for a mainstream platform. So then how is it that her most vulnerable confessions were turned a blind eye? This week, we look at the complexities of teenage stardom and the price that comes with shattering glass ceilings.
    1 hr 49 min
  • No one likes Blink 182's "What's My Age Again" when it's 23
    This week we take a look at the song that immortalized being 23 and stupid. But what is it about Blink 182's ode to never growing up that somehow actually made them immortal? Did it have anything to do with extra terrestrials or the nine lives of its band members? And what role did the band's childish misogyny play in shaping the hearts and minds of the impressionable young people who loved it? Do aliens really exist? What does Green Day have to do with any of it? All this and more, this week when we take you back to the days of infamous White House scandal and Y2K hysteria. Hold on to your undies. 
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    1 hr 33 min
  • Anarchy in the U.K. / God Save the Queen

    By listener request, this supersized episode covers the history of the Sex Pistols from the perspective of their two "visionaries": Malcolm MacLaren and John Lydon (Johnny Rotten). Who was actually in creative control of the band? And more importantly, who was more full of shit? The history of the seminal punk band has a lot more twists and turns that you might think — with detours to Buster Poindexter, Judge Judy, Lizzo, and more. 

    2 hr 3 min
  • Long Live Joni Mitchell and Her Beloved "Both Sides Now"
    In our first episode of season 2, we look at the life that shaped the Joni Mitchell legacy—and how her real and raw ballad "Both Sides Now" has become a media darling and cult classic in its own right. It wasn't always Moons and Junes and Fairytales for Mitchell, who first performed "Both Sides Now" at the age of 23. But she sure made magic out of misery. This week, we honor the grace and glory of one of the great poets and musical masterminds of this generation. It sure is good to be back.
    **A few weeks after this episode was recorded, Joni Mitchell recaptured the hearts of music lovers everywhere with her surprise set alongside Brandi Carlile at Newport Folk Festival that included a heartfelt rendition of “Both Sides Now.” We highly recommend checking it out if you haven’t yet had the pleasure of watching it.
    1 hr 28 min
  • Saying Bye Bye Bye to Lou Pearlman

    Matthew Ducey joins us once again for the thrilling conclusion to the Lou Pearlman story. In addition to fleecing two of the biggest singing groups of all time, Lou is also responsible for one of the biggest Ponzi schemes in American history. The commission of which takes us on an international manhunt. All this and more, this week on Lyrics for Lunch.

    1 hr 12 min
  • Special ep: The Lou Pearlman Story with guest Matthew Ducey

    This week, for our extra spectacular 50th episode, we are joined by Matthew Ducey, producer of The Boyband Con: The Lou Pearlman Story. In this long awaited episode, we discuss the rise of Lou Pearlman, creator (and sixth member) of the Backstreet Boys, N*Sync, LFO, O-Town, and many more bands. We explore Pearlman's humble beginnings from bling crashing and insurance fraud to becoming one of the biggest record producers of all time. And it's all thanks to a chance encounter with New Kids on the Block. Now that's what we call, the Right Stuff. 

    1 hr 7 min

About LYRICS FOR LUNCH

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A podcast serving up the snackable stories behind your favorite songs.