PopaHALLics

Those Songs Everybody Knows
"Happy Birthday to You." "Jingle Bells." "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow." "Auld Lang Syne." We have sung these songs countless times at birthdays, holiday gatherings, and other events. But WHERE did they come from? In this informative, amusing episode, Steve tracks down the origins of some of the best-known songs in the world.

Surprises, Scandals, and Downright Thievery
Did you know that one of these songs earned millions in royalties every year until recently? That another was popularized by Marie Antoinette? Or that the author of "Auld Lang Syne" liberally "borrowed" to create the original poem, and admitted it? You'll learn plenty of trivia to impress family and friends.

Check Out These Videos
See great clips such as a Birmingham choir's "Auld Lang Syne" set against the heart-wrenching events of 2020, Marilyn Monroe crooning to JFK, Frank Sinatra singing "Jingle Bells," and a killer performance of "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" from the classic "Some Like It Hot."

The Song's the Thing
Our Popahallics #30 Playlist includes cool renditions of the songs we discuss—as well as tunes with "song" in the title by Phoebe Bridgers, the 1975, Bob Marley & the Wailers, Florence and the Machine, and more.

Our beer this episode: Dayfall, Stone Brewing Co.

"Poppin' Rocks" theme and "Bitty Bump" bumper music are by Mike Bode

Strike the Pose
We discuss who was hot, who was not at Paris Fashion Week 2021.  Some of the shows like Balmain's were incredibly imaginative, while others were visually interesting but their clothes boring. Sorry, Chanel.   After the catwalk ends, you can show off your dancing style with our fashion-heavy playlist, from "Blue Suede Shoes" to "Supermodel."

'Cancel Culture'
It's a hot topic, but does  "cancel culture" really apply to the six Dr. Seuss books that will no longer be printed because of racist and other content? No. (Hear why.) In an era of #MeToo  we agree the won't-take-no-for-an-answer cartoon skunk Pepe Le Pew is stinking up the place. And how do we feel about even "The Muppet Show"—we're talking Kermit the Frog here, folks!—getting a warning label about content?

To Stream or Not Stream?
What's good? Hear why you should check out the Oscar-nominated drama "Sound of Metal," the Eddie Murphy comedy "Coming 2 America," the "Goonies"-esque family adventure "Finding 'Ohana", and more.

Our beers this episode: Hazy Little Thing IPA and Red Stripe Jamaican Lager

Our music is by Mike Bode

Copyright PopaHALLics 2021

Ever like something before the rest of the world caught onto its merits?  Steve and Kate discuss our favorite movies, TV shows and music that never went mainstream ... and we don't care  if you think they're weird. We prefer to  consider offbeat offerings such as "Wristcutters: A Love Story" "unique."

"Is She Going to Murder Us in Our Sleep?"
Kate remembers her college roommates being concerned over her fondness for the dark teen comedy "Heathers." Steve fondly recalls the crazy road comedy starring a fictional Russian band with odd haircuts and shoes, "Leningrad Cowboys Go America" (pictured). Or how about the absurd "Fishing with John," with musician John Lurie taking friends William Dafoe, Tom Waits and Dennis Hopper on disastrous fishing trips?  And in a role reversal, that makes her dad proud, Kate recommends the cult alien-zombie horror comedy, "Slither."

Music Off the Beaten Path
Steve raves about the campy trio Southern Culture on the Skids  and longtime Jackson Browne sideman David Lindley's "El Rayo-X" album—eclectic arrangements, great covers, vocal stylings that are an acquired taste. Kate just wants  people to stop bashing Coldplay because of Gwyneth Paltrow and give the band a chance, dammit!

Click through the links above to see what we're talking about!

You can hear all our recommendations—and more—on the Popahallics #28 Playlist.

Our theme and other music is by Mike Bode.

Copyright PopaHALLics 2021

Dad and daughter dish on pop culture over a drink. Steve and Kate reveal the meaning of life ... or at least several pop offerings that wrestle with that big question, each in its own way: Lily Brooks-Dalton's end(s)-of-the-Earth novel "Good Morning, Midnight," the racy British sitcom "Catastrophe" on Amazon Prime, and the acclaimed film starring Frances McDormand, "Nomadland." We also say: Shame on you, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, for giving Golden Globe nominations in exchange for expensive freebies!

Other Books:

• "Piranesi," Susanna Clarke
• "10,000 Doors of January," Alix N. Harrow
• "Ararat," Christopher Golden 

Other Movies and TV:

• "Midnight Sky" ("Good Morning Midnight" movie starring George Clooney), Netflix

Our beers this episode:

• Stone IPA, Stone Brewing
• Two-Hearted Ale, Bells Brewing

Our theme music is by Mike Bode

Contact us: [email protected]
Facebook and Instagram: popahalliicspodcast
Twitter: popahallics

Copyright PopaHALLics 2021 

Jump in your flying car and zoom with Steve and Kate into the future! Where mining gems on a toxic planet becomes dangerous for a couple of working class Joes  ("Prospect") ... where something weird is going on in a post-apocalyptic museum, we think ("Piranesi") .... and time travel isn't much fun for some German kids and their families ("Dark"). We also diss bear murderers and too tight jeans ("Longmire") and ponder country music: Why is it all about the bros, bro?

Streaming:

• "Prospect," Netflix
• "Dark," Netflix 
• "La Revolution," Netflix
• "Longmire," Netflix

Books:

• "The Once and Future Witches," Alix E. Harrow
• "Piranesi," Susanna Clarke
• "The Shepherd's Crown," Terry Pratchett

Music:

• "Black Like Me"
• New Black Female Country Artists
• Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Kasey Musgraves
• Willie, Waylon, Johnny 

Our Beers This Episode:

• Voodoo Ranger Captain Revolution IPA, New Belgium
• Big Wave Golden Ave, Kona Brewing

Email us: [email protected]
Facebook and Instagram: popahallicspodcast
Twitter: popahallics

Our music is by Mike Bode
Copyright 2021 PopaHALLics 

Let's slip between the pages. In this episode, Steve and Kate talk about books that sweep them away to magical skullduggery at Yale, fantastical empires, and Irish hospitals during the 1918 pandemic. 

We have great viewing recommendations too, from a Miami meeting of Cassius Clay, Malcolm X, Jim Brown and Sam Cooke to Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams competing in the Eurovision Song Contest. 

And we hear about what YOU'RE reading and watching!

Books:

• "The Ninth House," Leigh Bardo 
• "The Bone Shard's Daughter," Andrea Stewart
• "The Wintersmith," Terry Pratchett 
• "The Pull of the Stars," Emma Donoghue
• "Magic Lessons," Alice Hoffman
• "The Widows of Malabar Hill," Sujata Massey
• "We Are Called to Rise," Laura McBride

Streaming (partial list):

• "One Night in Miami," Amazon Prime
• "Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga," Netflix 
• "Outlander," Netflix
• "The Prisoner"
• "Superstore," NBC

Our beers this episode:

• Negra Modelo, Grupo Modelo
• Truth, Rhinegeist Brewing

Our music is by Mike Bode

Copyright PopaHALLics 2021

Sorry about the pun, but there's so many viewing choices out there. How do you find something you will like? What will you not "burn for," as we Halls say? Let us help! In this episode, we wade through what's streaming, so you don't have to. With our recommendations, you can use your precious viewing time on things actually worth watching.

Series;

• "Ted Lasso"
• 'WandaVision"

Movies:

• "American Assassin"
• "Rust Creek"
• "The Dig"
• "The Sunlit Night"
• "Uncle Frank"
• "Save Yourselves!"

Our Beers This Episode:

• Dragonfly IPA, Upland Brewing
• Negra Modelo, Grupo Modelo

popahallicspodcast@gmailcom
Facebook and Instagram: popahallicspodcast
Twitter: popahallics

Our music is by Mike Bode

Copyright PopaHALLics 2021

Dad and daughter dish on pop culture over a drink.  In honor of Steve's birthday, Kate interviews her dad about his years covering pop culture for a paycheck. She's never heard most of the stories, from Audrey Hepburn to rubber guns to the only time Steve was starstruck. (You'll be surprised by the answer.)

The birthday boy also compiled a bunch of his favorite songs on this week's Popahallics #23 playlist, from Adele to his favorite camp-a-billy band Southern Culture on the Skids. Here's a fun video of SCOTS doing one of our favorite tunes live, complete with a go-go dancer.

Our music is by Mike Bode

Contact us: [email protected]
Facebook and Instagram: popahallicspodcast
Twitter: popahallics

Copyright @2021

Dad and daughter dish on pop culture over a drink. Steve and Kate discuss fashion at President Joe Biden's inauguration—what's with all the monochromatic style? Did Garth Brooks live out the lyrics of "Friends in Low Places" by showing up in boots at a black tie affair? We also delve into how one witch is stuck in the relationship equivalent of "Groundhog Day." Our topics:

Streaming:

• "Broadchurch," Netflix
• "Grantchester," Amazon Prime
• "Lupin," Netflix
• "The Durrells in Corfu," Amazon Prime

Books:

• "A Witch in Time," Constance Sayers

Music: 

• Saint Motel
• Feist, "Bad to Each Other"
• Dea Matrona

Beers:

• Christmas Ale, Great Lakes Brewing Co.
• 
  

Email us: [email protected]
Facebook and Instagram: popahallicspodcast
Twitter: popahallics

Our music is by Mike Bode

Copyright PopaHALLics 2021

Dad and daughter dish on pop culture over a drink. New year, new president, new beers. Steve and Kate kick 2020 out the door and turn the page to a brighter, happier 2021—we hope. If you want to savor some good books, TV, and/or music, or just need a fun diversion from that darn pandemic, we have great recommendations!

Books:

• "The World That We Knew," Alice Hoffman
• "The Dark Tower" series, Stephen King 
• "The Guest List," Lucy Foley'
• "Orchard Blues," Stuart Woods
• "Dead Man's Walk," Larry McMurtry 

Streaming:

• British Vogue's "In the Bag," YouTube
• American Vogue's "Get Ready with Me," YouTube
• "The Colbert Questionnaire"
• "Sweet Home," Netflix

Our beer this episode: Hopslam Ale Double IPA, Bells Brewing

We sample the Strokes' album "The New Abnormal," singer/songwriter James McMurtry, and some inspiring inaugural tunes on the Popahallics #21 playlist. The New Year and the change in Washington made us think of this song—and Brian Owens' version knocked our socks off.

Email us: [email protected]
Facebook, Instagram: Popahallicspodcast
Twitter: Popahallics 

Our music is by Mike Bode 

copyright Popahallics 2021