What a way to start 2025! A Happy/Sad New Year - the tune is "So Sad About Us" and we begin with Pete Townhend's demo which is probably from 1966. A melodic guitar ostinato with drone notes and sensitive soprano choirboy singing that ends abruptly. The song then gets overorchestrated by The Merseys - the first released version - but it's less a Wall of Sound and more a Ball of Mud. We're saved by The Who, who produce a proto-powepop masterpiece when they finally wax it. Sweden's The Mascots author a great garagey version in '67 but it's not exactly cricket, is it (listen to the garbled bridge)? ... The Jam brought the song back in 1978 and they "la la la la la la la" as well as anyone can. A discussion of wiry, leather-skinned British men ensues. In North America in '92, The Breeders delivered the song with a glint in their eyes before they blew up big. All this and palm muting tips for the gearheads!

What a way to start 2025! A Happy/Sad New Year - the tune is "So Sad About Us" and we begin with Pete Townhend's demo which is probably from 1966. A melodic guitar ostinato with drone notes and sensitive soprano choirboy singing that ends abruptly. The song then gets overorchestrated by The Merseys - the first released version - but it's less a Wall of Sound and more a Ball of Mud. We're saved by The Who, who produce a proto-powepop masterpiece when they finally wax it. Sweden's The Mascots author a great garagey version in '67 but it's not exactly cricket, is it (listen to the garbled bridge)? ... The Jam brought the song back in 1978 and they "la la la la la la la" as well as anyone can. A discussion of wiry, leather-skinned British men ensues. In North America in '92, The Breeders delivered the song with a glint in their eyes before they blew up big. All this and palm muting tips for the gearheads!

What a way to start 2025! A Happy/Sad New Year - the tune is "So Sad About Us" and we begin with Pete Townhend's demo which is probably from 1966. A melodic guitar ostinato with drone notes and sensitive soprano choirboy singing that ends abruptly. The song then gets overorchestrated by The Merseys - the first released version - but it's less a Wall of Sound and more a Ball of Mud. We're saved by The Who, who produce a proto-powepop masterpiece when they finally wax it. Sweden's The Mascots author a great garagey version in '67 but it's not exactly cricket, is it (listen to the garbled bridge)? ... The Jam brought the song back in 1978 and they "la la la la la la la" as well as anyone can. A discussion of wiry, leather-skinned British men ensues. In North America in '92, The Breeders&nbsp;delivered the song with a glint in their eyes before they blew up big. All this and palm muting tips for the gearheads!

So Sad About Us

The usual format is this: we pick a song from the 1950s or 1960s (genres range from garage, R&amp;B, Girl Groups, Motown and Doo-Wop), and discuss three versions of that song, or sometimes we just play a song we haven’t heard before and react to it. We’ve covered classics like “Little Bit o’ Soul” and “Psychotic Reaction” to rarities like “Jump and Dance” by the Carnaby, and “Ringo I Love You” by Bonnie Jo Mason (aka Cher). Our aim is to discuss what makes these songs interesting, ineffable, or even intolerable. We place special emphasis on the “moments” in these songs where, perhaps, a new interpretation will emerge from. A close look at song structure is also present in our discussions. If that sounds academic, maybe it is a little bit, but we like to keep the analysis in the spirit of the songs we speak of – which means we drink some spirits (for Erik, it’s bourbon, for Weldon, it’s Stambecco) – and that means by the third song, things can get a little wild. Basically, we talk about rock!

Music

Music Commentary

Music History

The usual format is this: we pick a song from the 1950s or 1960s (genres range from garage, R&B, Girl Groups, Motown and Doo-Wop), and discuss three versions of that song, or sometimes we just play a song we haven’t heard before and react to it. We’ve covered classics like “Little Bit o’ Soul” and “Psychotic Reaction” to rarities like “Jump and Dance” by the Carnaby, and “Ringo I Love You” by Bonnie Jo Mason (aka Cher). Our aim is to discuss what makes these songs interesting, ineffable, or even intolerable. We place special emphasis on the “moments” in these songs where, perhaps, a new interpretation will emerge from. A close look at song structure is also present in our discussions. If that sounds academic, maybe it is a little bit, but we like to keep the analysis in the spirit of the songs we speak of – which means we drink some spirits (for Erik, it’s bourbon, for Weldon, it’s Stambecco) – and that means by the third song, things can get a little wild. Basically, we talk about rock!

Share So Sad About Us

Sign up to save your podcasts

So Sad About Us

So Sad About Us

More shows like In The Past: Garage Rock Podcast

Pivot

The SBL Podcast

Retrospect '60s Garage Punk Show

Pod Save America

Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend

The Al Franken Podcast

Politics War Room with James Carville & Al Hunt

The Daily Beast Podcast

The Rest Is History

The Ezra Klein Show

Fly on the Wall with Dana Carvey and David Spade

The Rest Is Politics

Club Random with Bill Maher

The Rest Is Politics: US

Inside Trump's Head