Rock 'n' Roll Rabbit Hole

In this final episode of Season 2, Butch and Kevin dig into the song that is considered by many the greatest rock song ever recorded. What we specifically take a look at are the almost dream-like lyrics and whether or not they are filled with important symbolism or just words Robert Plant created to fit the music.

• The beer of the week was supposed to be Founder's Centennial IPA, but then Butch busted out Korbel champagne to celebrate our one-year anniversary. Cheers!

On this episode, the penultimate episode of Season 2, Butch and Kevin take on Green Day's protest hit, "American Idiot." It was a Top 10 hit in many countries, such as the U.K., Canada, Australia, Scotland and New Zealand, although -- despite its general popularity in the U.S. -- it only reached 61 on the Billboard Hot 100. Front man Billie Joe Armstrong write "American Idiot" as a response to his frustration over the national news media manipulating the public. A few points that were hit:

• The Beer of the Week was Sierra Nevada (hey, California band, California beer).

Nearly 40 years ago, a rock anthem hit the airwaves -- and perhaps most importantly, MTV -- in the form of Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It." The campy, fun video and the singalong chants made it an instant hit. Kevin and Butch go down the Rock 'n' Roll Rabbit Hole on this timeless classic that remains evergreen after all this time. A few show notes:

• This episode's so-called Beer of the Week is Mr. American IPA, made with plenty of Cascade hops, from Louisville brewery Noble Funk Brewing Co.

In 1982, Men at Work came from nowhere -- OK, actually from Australia -- to take the world by storm with their hits "Who Can it be Now?" and "Down Under," the latter of which is the story of a man's travels and the odd characters he meets along the way. Butch and Kevin dig into the song, its meaning, and some of the cultural revelations contained within, not to mention a sad twist that came years later. A few talking points:

• The Beer of the Week is, of course, Foster's, the beer that originated in Australia and rose on its ad campaign of, "Foster's: Australian for Beer." (It's brewed elsewhere today.)

Season 2 of Rock 'n' Roll Rabbit Hole marches on with a dive into "God Save the Queen," the seminal punk rock classic by the Sex Pistols that whipped much of jolly old England into a frenzy in 1977. Butch and Kevin talk about a lot of different perspectives on the song and how it was received, in both positive ways and negative. A few show points:

• Our Beer of the Week is Carlsberg, probably the best beer in the world. Probably.

That's right, we did it. The unrelenting "Wagon Wheel" gets the deep dive in this episode, as Butch and Kevin grit their teeth and trudge forward. This tune, which is played now by pretty much every cover band in the galaxy, started with a Bob Dylan demo. It was then completed by Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show. And then Darius Rucker, Hootie himself, decided to record it, thus ruining it forever. A few notes:

• Beer of the Week took the form of Terrapin Hopsecutioner IPA. Nomnom.

On this episode, Kevin and Butch take a deep dive into "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," a classic true story song by the great Gordon Lightfoot about the freighter that sank into Lake Superior in 1975, taking all 29 crew members down with her. A few notes:

• Beer of the Week is, of course, Edmund Fitzgerald Porter by Great Lakes Brewing Co. What else would it be?

Hey, we're back! Sorry for the long hiatus, but we had a big show with the band and had to get a new drummer ready. It didn't help that Kevin messed up his back and was laid up for a bit. But Kevin and Butch return for another episode, this time focusing on "Money For Nothing," the memorable Dire Straits hit that ended up being a bit misunderstood and even controversial. A few notes about the episode:

• This week's beer was Spotted Cow, the much-loved Wisconsin staple brewed by New Glarus Brewing.

In this episode, Kevin and Butch tackle the Americana classic "Jack and Diane" by John Cougar, aka, John Cougar Mellencamp, aka John Mellencamp. We talk about how the original lyric was interestingly different, how the song was built in studio -- it almost didn't make the cut -- and perhaps most importantly, what it meant for John Mellencamp's career. A few points:

• Beer of the Week: Dragonfly IPA by Upland Brewing, which is based in Mellencamp's current hometown.

The Tom Hanks-written and -directed "That Thing You Do!" was the surprise, feel-good hit movie of 1996, and the film's theme song of the same name not only was nominated for multiple awards, it also hit #41 on the Billboard charts. Credited to fictional band The Wonders, the song was actually written by Fountains of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger and sung by Candy Butchers' front man Mike Viola. So, is it a real song or a fake song? If it hit the actual charts, it's real, right? Butch and Kevin talk about how the song came to be, its place in music and much more on Episode 3 of Season 2 of Rock 'n' Roll Rabbit Hole. A few notes:

• This week's beer of the week was The Truth IPA from Rhinegeist Brewing. We also tasted a new bourbon which is available only in Kentucky: Green River Distilling Co. Straight Bourbon Whiskey.