Hosts Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth get help from 5-time returning guest Mike Blanchard of the GeekCast Radio Network to discuss "Permanent Hurt." After sharing some facts and statistics about this song from John Hiatt's 1993 album Perfectly Good Guitar, we break down the lyrics and reveal what we each heard and misheard in those days before the Internet and AI could tell us what we should make of any song.

Do the Catholic imagery or crunchy Guilty Dog guitars give this song an extra star for you? Let us know how you'd rate.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've come far enough in our alphabet that it's time for Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth to review and rate the John Hiatt song that gave our podcast it's name.

Helping us out is Sean Barette, musician and author of Heartstrings: First Guitars. You can hear more from Sean on Jesse's other podcast SetLusting Bruce.

How would you rate the title track from John Hiatt's 1993 album? Does being a guitar player make it easier to give a bonus point? Does watching the clip from the Tonight Show with Jay Leno sway you up or down?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Read all about it... Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth are joined by returning 3rd chair guest Ted Mills to discuss a song from John Hiatt's Slow Turning. We discuss the many, many, covers that have been uploaded to youtube and breakdown the lyrics before rating on our patented Hiatt scale.

Remember, the full list of songs in our Season One is available on https://sites.google.com/view/perfectlygoodpodcast/home, as well as a form to sign up to join us.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've come to the end of another letter. Jesse and Sylvan review the songs that begin with O in our John Hiatt A to Z countdown.

Did we get anything wrong? You tell us: [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over 30 years ago, Sylvan Groth found an episode of Rolling Stone at her local library and her life was forever changed for the better.

David Wild, writer, podcaster, music fan and mensch for the ages join Sylvan and Jesse Jackson on this very special episode. We look back on that article and talk about Wild's continued admiration of John Hiatt's songs.

It wouldn't be August 20th without Sylvan reminding you to donate to the John Hiatt Fund for Adolescent Recovery at Cumberland Heights. If you can make it to this year's benefit concert, which is a tribute to John Hiatt, we'd love to see you there!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's not too late to find happiness as we discuss "Overnight Story" But, remember the scale Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth are using when we rate every song in John Hiatt's catalog... Even one-star songs are good, because it's Hiatt. But, you might skip it every now and then when it comes on the Ipod.

Also, please remember to give to Cumberland Heights for John Hiatt's birthday on August 20th.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth discuss the title track to John Hiatt's second album. How many stars will the two fans give this song, and will a contemporary Dutch cover sway them?

Before we start our song discussion, we're a bit giddy that this year's charity concert for Cumberland Height's John Hiatt Fund for Adolescent Recovery is a star-studded tribute to John. And, your hosts will be meeting up in Nashville to see this show a the famous Ryman Auditorium. Please join us, or give what you can to this wonderful cause. (John's birthday on August 20th is a great day to do so.)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does John Hiatt talk about when he talks about being "Over the Hill"? Well, a lot more than we expected as Jesse and Sylvan started to break down this song from 2018's The Eclipse Sessions.

Join us as we discuss the music and lyrics from this song, including (perhaps) an illusion to the great Raymond Carver's "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love" a few years after the film Birdman brought it back to the forefront of culture.

As always, we end rating the song on our special Hiatt scale, and encourage you to join us to do the same.

1-star - Sure, it's good, because it's Hiatt. But, you might skip it every now and then when it comes on the Ipod.

2-star - A good, solid song. But, if you compare it to others...

3-star - A song that you would put up against anything that is popular today or of it's time and proves that John Hiatt is one of the best singer-songwriters around.

4-star - Classic - everything about the song is quality and you want to listen again and again.

5-star - The best of the best. Songs that you can't stop listening to or talking about, so that perhaps your friends and family become a bit annoyed.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth discuss "Outrunning My Soul" from John Hiatt's Eclipse Sessions. Join the hosts as they find snippets of understanding and perhaps even a meditation mantra on this song.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it feel like to wrap oneself up in a cold beef roast? And why does John Hiatt want us to imagine that as he describes one (or more) love stories in the song "Our Time" from 2008's Same Old Man?

These and other questions are answered on our way to rate on our special Hiatt five star scale. Agree? Disagree? Be sure to give us your feedback.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices