Rock 'n' Roll Rabbit Hole

Too-rye-ay, we're back again with Episode 2 of Season 2 of Rock 'n' Roll Rabbit Hole. In this episode, Butch and Kevin dig into a 1980s classic, "Come on Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners. We discuss the song's meaning, the band's background and the impact it made when it shot up the charts in 1982-83. Among the points covered:

• Beer of the Week: Falls City English Style Pale Ale (we also tasted a bit of Limestone Branch rye, a local barrel pick)

And we're back for Season 2! To kick things off, we're tackling a two-fer, the double A-side single from the amazing Queen, "We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions." We talk about the songs' historic status as a double-single, why they are so frequently played back-to-back, their statuses as sports anthems and what inspired the tunes for songwriters Brian May and Freddie Mercury, respectively. A few notes:

• Beer of the Week is Jai Alai IPA by Cigar City Brewing

On this, the final Season 1 episode, Butch and Kevin dig into "Smells Like Teen Spirit," Nirvana's seminal grunge anthem from 1991. This is the song that often gets credit for squashing hair metal once and for all, but the Rock 'n' Roll Rabbit Hole hosts take a deeper dive into the cultural shift it brought about, including comparing it with another notable song that brought about a similar seismic shift decades earlier. A few points:

• Yes, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" essentially killed hair metal.

Fountains of Wayne had its lone Top 40 hit in 2003 with "Stacy's Mom," which is often remembered for the video starring actress Rachel Hunter. In this episode, Kevin digs out an interview he did with Chris Collingwood, the band's frontman, in 2003, just two weeks after the single was released. Most of the interview was never published, so Kevin and Butch included as many of Chris's quotes as possible, from naked guys across the street to gardening while stoned to whatever happened to the protagonist from "Leave the Biker." Along the way, they talk about "Stacy's Mom" and how it became an unexpected hit for a band that were already music industry veterans. Here are a few highlights to listen for:

• This week's beer is Hops For Teacher IPA from J. Wakefield Brewery in Florida. Good stuff!

It's a tale as old as ... well the 1970s, when the Eagles were flying high (pun intended) on hits like "Take it Easy" and "Peaceful Easy Feeling." Then came "Hotel California," the dark, sprawling tune with the ominous, two-minute instrumental outro. It was and continues to be one of the most notable songs in rock 'n' roll. But over the years, a contingent of people came to hate the song and the band that created it. Why? We dig into it from a variety of perspectives. First, a few notes:

• This week's beer is New Glarus Moon Man, a beer only available in Wisconsin. (Kevin is a Green Bay Packers fan, and he and Butch recently went to Green Bay for training camp; this beer came back with them.)

Just what the heck is it that makes "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey so popular, and for so long? Is it Steve Perry's pleading vocal? The big chorus that takes forever to get to? The relatable lyric? Heck, the song has been around since 1981, topped out at No. 9 on the charts, yet it's still regularly getting placement in modern pop culture, not to mention numerous cover versions that continue to re-energize the song. It literally is the top-sold digital track of the 20th century. Kevin and Butch dig into the song's staying power. Over beers.

• This week's beer is JB's Birthday Beer, a banana hefeweisen brewed by our friend JK Mabry, who also offers his opinion of the song at hand.

Sit with Kevin and Butch as they discuss the making of Run DMC's take on the Aerosmith classic rocker "Walk This Way." Run DMC was dead set against recording it, but producer Rick Rubin won out. By sheer will, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry were able to fly in to add vocals and guitar to the track, making it a pioneering mash-up of rap and rock. Did it change the course of rock music history? A few notes:

• Beer of the week is Against the Grain Citra Ass Down 2IPA.

Many if not all rock 'n' roll fans feared rock powerhouse AC/DC would die along with Bon Scott. But then Brian Johnson came along, and the result was one of the band's strongest albums ever, featuring the timeless "Back in Black." The song itself was a tribute to Scott, which makes it appropriate that it would become an AC/DC signature. On this episode, we dig deep into "Back in Black" and offer up some insights into the remaking of the band in its transition to Johnson. A few tidbits to kick things off:

• This week's beer is Harveistoun Old Engine Oil Black Ale.

"My Sharona" was a song that helped finally knock disco off the top of the charts. It was a massive hit for The Knack, but the band would never have another huge hit. Instead, the band would break up after their third album release and later reunite. Nevertheless, the iconic song, which was written about a real person named Sharona Alperin, would endure. The band's late, great front man Doug Fieger would ultimately call it the band's "Golden Albatross," which is the main topic Butch and Kevin focus on during this episode.

A few topics covered:

• This week's beer is Uber Hipster IPA by Falls City Brewing Co. in Louisville.

The song "Jump" and the album 1984 propelled Van Halen into the rock stratosphere -- and shortly thereafter, front man David Lee Roth left the band to start a solo career. What was it about "Jump" that resonated so strongly? Was it the unexpected decision to include synthesizers? Was it the goofy, low-budget video? Whatever, it endures, and it also started the ball rolling to the often-maligned Van Hagar era. Butch and Kevin discuss all this and more, with some details about the song and video you may not know. A few points to get you started:

• This week's beer is Apollo IPA from Apocalypse Brew Works.