The Perfect Song For ... a podcast about the perfect song

Coming home can be such a relief: your own bed, you are surrounded by your own history, and most importantly, you know where everything is. Homecoming can also be philosophical: a return to your roots and your own identity. Home doesn't have to be the most fabulous place on earth, but it's yours; you instinctively are drawn to defend it, with or without its secret pleasures and public problems. But what is the perfect song about coming home?

In this podcast, journalists and writers Fred de Vries and Tim Cohen are joined by someone who spends a lot of her time on the road, professional singer with Misery Loves Company Kerry Hiles. As a lot of band members do, Hiles knows all about traveling and returning home, and has chosen some fabulous songs written by South African songwriters, Coming Home by Stuart Reece, Say Africa by Dave Goldblum, and When the Cookie Jar is Empty, by Michael Franks. Other songs we discuss are Under the Milky Way, by The Church: Back Home, by Golden Earring: Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd; To Live is to Fly, by Steve Earle; Like a Rolling Stone by Bob Dylan, and Paradise by Coldplay.

The full playlist is available here: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3ALRuYWVGXjEwveg9qiyL7?si=J_L1t9anRPGVEjZc7gg7Rw

Comments, suggestions, and feedback here:

Patreon here:

https://www.patreon.com/posts/116998144

Kerry’s gig guide is available here

https://linktr.ee/miserylovescompanyza

How many of us have stood in front of a mirror, pretending we are Jimi, or Keith, or Slash, or Jimmy. And how many of us still do it, playing air guitar when we hear those screaming strings rising above the rhythm section?

We have all seen them at live concerts, faced contorted, hands cramped in the air, fingers touching invisible strings.

Air guitar, says Wikipedia, is ‘a form of dance and movement in which the performer pretends to play an imaginary rock or heavy metal style electric guitar, including riffs and solos. What makes a great air guitarist? Are there competitions? There are compilations with dozens of perfect songs to play air guitar to. Famous ones include ‘Layla’ by Derek and the Dominos, ‘Free Bird’ by Lynyrd Skynyrd and ‘Paradise City’ by Guns ‘N Roses.

In this episode, journalists and music writers Fred de Vries and Tim Cohen

try to answer some of the questions raised above. They also confess to being amateur air guitarists, and introduce you to six of their favourite air guitar songs, with, as usual, some twists.

The featured songs are ‘I’m Going Home’ – Ten Years After; ‘Voodoo Chile’ – Stevie Ray Vaughan; ‘Bohemian Like You’ – Dandy Warhols; ‘The End’ – The Beatles; 'Painkiller' - Judas Priest; ‘Sultans Of Swing’ – Dire Straits. Song suggestions, comments, episode suggestions to [email protected]

How do you feel about Saturday night? Sounds like a bit of an inane question, but is more interesting than it might seem. Traditionally Saturday night is party night, the time in the middle of the weekend when you can go wild, make love, meet people, be your total self. But ironically, precisely because that’s its reputation, not living your perfect life on Saturday night can result in depression and disappointment. Saturday night is, in short, Janus-faced, and it turns out their are songs which express both sides of the coin; songs which build you up for romance and fun on the way … and songs which bemourn the failure of those hopes and wishes.

In this episode, journalists and music writers Fred de Vries and Tim Cohen gallop over songs you might listen to before the wild partying begins, songs you might listen to while the parting is happening, and songs that bemoan the dashed hopes that Saturday night promised. The songs in this set are: (Looking For) The Heart Of Saturday Night by Tom Waits; Saturday Night by Herman Brood and his Wild Romance; 10:15 Saturday Night by The Cure; Forever Young by Sparks; Saturday Nite by Earth Wind and Fire and Another Saturday Night by Sam Cooke.

Finally we choose the perfect song for a Saturday night … or do we. Maybe there should be a song for the hopeful Saturday night and another for the hopeless Saturday night. Let us know your thoughts, preferences, songs we left out and whether, in fact, the best night of the week is not actually Saturday night, but Friday night. Emails us on [email protected]; donations at patreaon.com/theperfectsongfor. Full songs on Spotify

Breaking up is hard to do, as Neil Sedaka once reminded us. But what about bouncing back? Breaking up is sad - but bouncing back is what happens next, and it can be exhilarating, fun, revengeful and rewarding. Of course, you need the perfect song, so in the podcast, regular hosts Fred de Vries and Tim Cohen are joined by arts writer and music aficionado Sarah Buitendach to sample a selection of songs which will move you off the couch, dump the ice cream bucket, and get out there again. But before that happens, there is gonna be some getting even, self affirmation, and a few scores gonna be settled. Our selection consts of Back in the Saddle - Aerosmith; We are never Ever Getting Back Together - Taylor Swift; Dead Flowers - The Rolling Stones; You Oughta Know - Alanis Morissette; Another Girl - The Beatles; New Rose - The Damned; good 4 you - Olivia Rodrigo; I will Survive - Gloria Gaynor; and Fuck You - CeeLo Green. As always feedback, songs we missed and general comments to [email protected]; full songs on Spotify here https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2jxfNyjELfB8HDQAsBFVMg?si=NV8G28NLSxSFwcnAVhggJA and Patreon here patreon.com/ThePerfectSongFor The full versions of the songs here · ThePerfectSongFor patreon

By reputation, there is an art to seduction. It's an intricate and delicate web spun by the protagonist, who needs all the tricks of the trade available. In its best form, you are never quite sure who is doing the seducing and who is getting seduced. Whatever the case, you are going to need the perfect song. Journalists and writers Fred de Vries and Tim Cohen are joined by entrepreneur and musician Gary Rathbone to discuss the finer details of songs of seduction, and the perfect song for couch ballet. Our choices are: Wicked Game - Chris Isaak; Lover’s Rock - The Clash; Je T’aime moi non plus: Serge Gainsbourg/JaneBirkin; Wild is the Wind - David Bowie, Diamonds, FurCoat, Champagne - Suicide; Dirty Diesel - Paul Westerherg; Body Language - Isaac Hayes; Nights in White Satin - The Moody Blues and Your Love Is King - Sade. And the timing is great for Gary, who has just brought out a new album, Where We End Is Where We Begin, available here https://orcd.co/mr-opportunity He is also launching the album at The Radium Beer Hall, on Saturday, September 14th 2024. For alternative song suggestions, ideas, pod proposals email us here [email protected] The full tracks are available here · Follow us on X · And Insta

What do you listen to if you are looking for inspiration to write a poem? What song or what kind of song gets you into the mood, or helps you appreciate the process of writing poetry? In this podcast we have some suggestions, and also the perfect person to teach us about writing poetry, renowned poet and author Finuala Dowling, who has spent much of her life teaching poetry. Her five collections of poetry include Pretend you Don’t Know Me, a new and selected volume that brings together many of her most popular poems. She is joined by journalists and regulars Fred de Vries and Tim Cohen who try to pretend they too know something about the topic. The songs we chose are Nina Simone - My Father ; Nick Cave - Frogs ; Bob Dylan - Series of Dreams ; The Stooges - Search and Destroy ; Cat Power - Maybe Not ; Tom Waits - Come on up to the House ; Theuns Jordaan - Beautiful in Beaufort Wes ; Patti Smith - Ain't it strange ; and Gil-Scot Heron - The revolution won’t be televised. Agree or disagree with our choices, please contact us on [email protected]. More on Finuala is available https://finualadowling.com/. Full songs on Spotify

Kissing. It's just the best. So intimate, and full of promise. If relationships promise a long, delightful and fruitful conversation, kissing would be the part where you are introduced. And yes kissing is also dangerous, it can be illicit, and it can be completely nonchalant and innocent. Even casual, and at its worst, false.

Perhaps because of its intimate status, kissing is a very varied subject in song. It can be a hint of something more, even a kind of metaphor for the relationship itself. But kissing could also stand for betrayal, as portrayed by the infamous Judas.

The tricky question for lovers is what song do you put on if you want to indulge if some heavy-weight couch rugby. A song about kissing could be a good thermometer for trying to assess if your partner wants to go a step further. And if you do want that, it better be a good song!

So what are the best songs referencing kissing, or songs about kissing, or songs involving kissing. Journalists and writers Fred de Vries and Tim Cohen have a wide sampling here. The collection helps illustrate why there is such a small distance between “kiss me” and “kiss off”.

Commentary and feedback ... and air kisses, to [email protected] The full versions of the songs here

Breakup songs are a staple of popular music for the very obvious reason that they are so emotional and formative in our lives. They are an intersection point between people of all nations, ages and income levels, so their popularity is absolutely understandable. But which, of the huge number of breakup songs, out there is the perfect song to wallow in your grief while you recover from the trauma of a break up? Here are nine possibilities presented by journalists Tim Cohen and Fred de Vries, joined this time by former band member and journalist Lloyd Coutts: Moments - The Kinks; Eucalyptus - The National; Songbird - Eva Cassidy; Everybody Hurts - R.E.M.; M(one More Week) - The Ponies; Where Are You Tonight - Cowboy Junkies; Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division; Most of the Time - Bob Dylan. Agree (or disagree!) with our choices, we are contactable at [email protected]. The full versions of the songs are available on Spotify and if you are feeling generous we have a Patreon account (links below). Full songs on Spotify · Patreon for donations

History, it doesn't repeat itself by it rhymes - and sings (occasionally!) History is not a huge part of popular music, but every now and the, a historical event is celebrated in a song. But which song perfectly memorialises a historical event? We consider some of the options here. The contenders are The New York Mining Disaster - Bee Gees; The Night they Drove Old Dixie Down - The Band; BAP - Kristallnacht; X - 4th of July, Die Briels - Die Graf in die Myn and Red Army Blues - The Waterboys. Contact us on [email protected] #theperfectsongfor @theperfectsongfor, and if you are feeling generous www.patreon.com/ThePerfectSongFor

Some of the greatest songs tell stories - very concisely! The narrative song writing style goes back generations, but what is the perfect song for a movie script. Hosts Fred de Vries and Tim Cohen are joined by rock writer, journalist and poet Danie Maris to find the perfect song to inspire a movie script. The finalists are ... The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton - The Mountain Goats; Amilia - Joni Mitchell, Black Jack David - Warren Smith; Lola - The Kinks; Pirate Jenny - Nina Simone, Nebraska - Bruce Springsteen; Subterranean Homesick Blues - Bob Dylan and Down in the Tube Station at Midnight - The Jam. Leave us messages at [email protected], @theperfectsongfor_ #theperfectsongfor; donations at patreon.com/ThePerfectSongFor. See Danie's new poetry collection at https://www.nb.co.za/en/view-book/?id=9780624095002