Wonder Why

On this edition of Wonder Why, @chadsmart and @MikeDeKalb travel back  to 2006. Once there the question changes from why did Saving Jane only  have one hit to how to did Saving Jane manage to crack a chart dominated  by hip-hop, R&B and without the aid of anyone guesting on their  track.

Saving Jane hailed from Columbus, Ohio and hit the charts with their  song "Girl Next Door." A song that a few years later, some say was  redone by one of the most popular artists of the 2000s. Is it plagiarism  or simply a case of an age old story told through song?

After breaking down the career of Saving Jane, it's time for the  picks of the month. Mike goes with a band he recently saw in concert  while Chad pulls inspiration from Saving Jane to make his pick.

This episode was originally recorded in 2019 for the Jittery Monkey Podcast Network

Time to jump back into the time machine and examine another One Hit  Wonder* from the '80s. This month @chadsmart and @MikeDeKalb break down  the career of English band Scritti Politti. Hitting the U.S. charts in  late 1985 with The Perfect Way, Scritti Politti were poised to follow up  their British success. Or so it seemed. Unfortunately, future songs  wouldn't fare as well.

Mike gives all the details on the band's formation and post The  Perfect Way career while Chad adds very little to the conversation.  After the discussion of Scritti Politti, it's time for the Picks of the  Month. Chad chooses the return album of an early 2000's pop star while  Mike goes with one of the 1990s/2000s alternative heavyweights.

This episode was originally recorded in 2018 for the Jittery Monkey Podcast Network.

The latest edition of Wonder Why features an artist whose musical  career was short-lived due to a more successful television career.  That’s not really a spoiler given the prolific nature of Tracey Ullman’s  body of work over the past thirty years. Taking her comedic career out  of consideration, could Tracey Ullman’s musical career lasted beyond her  one hit in 1984?

That’s the focus @chadsmart and @MikeDeKalb examine. Breaking down  Tracey’s album “You Broke My Heart in 17 Places” track by track, with  discussion about Stiff Records staff and song writer Kirsty MacColl the  dots are connected to artists and people ranging from the Beach Boys to  Alice Cooper to Charles Manson. And of course, there’s talk about The  Simpsons.

Wrapping up the episode, Mike and Chad give their picks of the month.  What do they think you should be listening to at the start of 2019?  What are the options for next month? Will Mike say “interesting and  fascinating?” Will Chad work in a reference to the band Extreme? All  these questions and more you weren’t asking are answered in the episode.

This episode was originally recorded in 2019 for the Jittery Monkey Podcast Network.

This month on Wonder Why, Chad "Limited Effort" Smart and Mike  "Rabbit Hole" DeKalb attempt to talk about Sly Fox's 1986 hit "Let's Go  All The Way" and figure out why the duo of "Mudbone" Cooper and Michael  "Not Hector" Camacho didn't find success with any follow up singles.

Breaking down the history of Sly Fox does get a bit funky at times.  Find out the interesting use of the back beat of "Let's Go All the Way"  as well as what a couple of clowns had to do with exposing one of Mtv's  worst kept secrets.

Once they've exhausted the history of Sly Fox, @chadsmart and @MikeDeKalb give your their holiday picks for the month.

This episode was originally recorded in 2018 for the Jittery Monkey Podcast Network.

Strike up the band cause we're getting The Party started on the  latest edition of Positive Cynicism's monthly series Wonder Why.  @chadsmart and @MikeDeKalb break out the festive hats (or are those  mouse ears) to discuss the pop group The Party's biggest hit and career.  Formed by members of the new Mickey Mouse Club, The Party hit the  charts in 1991 with a cover of the Dokken classic "In My Dreams" off  their second album In the Meantime In Between Time. Unfortunately, the  dream would end after a few weeks on the charts. The group would release  one other studio album before the party was over.

Chad and Mike break down the In the Meantime album while giving their  impressions on why the group didn't reach the success of other similar  early 90s pop groups. There are some interesting cover song choices and  interpretations on the album.

After the discussion about The Party, it's time to reveal the picks  of the month. This month's choices are a southern country/rock band from  Nashville and a purple phenom from Minnesota.

This episode was originally recorded in 2018 for the Jittery Monkey Podcast Network.

Drop the Beat. In this edition of Wonder Why, we're kicking it old  school style. Taking it back to the streets of Brooklyn as @chadsmart  and @MikeDeKalb break down the history of Rob Base and DJ Easy Rock. The  two rap pioneers hit the Top 40 chart with the infectious crowd-pleaser  "It Takes Two" in 1988.  Personal issues and a changing musical  landscape are two reasons the rap duo may have only had one chart hit.  Even without chart success, Rob Base has had a steady career and still  performs regularly on '80s and '90s throwback concerts.

After the discussion of Rob Base, Mike and Chad offer up their picks  of the month for Septober. One's a band with over a decade of of  success, the other pick is a new band promoting their first album.

This episode was originally recorded in 2018 for the Jittery Monkey Podcast Network.

We're traveling back to 1996 asking deep philosophical questions on  this edition of Wonder Why. Traveling from Anchorage, Kentucky to New  York City, we examine the career of Joan Osborne. Is she a folksy  Americana singer? Soulful funk singer? Or Top 40 Pop singer? Based on  the sound of her Top 10 hit, "One of Us," audiences expected one sound but listening to her album Relish, might have been surprised at the other songs.

In addition to the discussion about Joan Osborne, @chadsmart and  @mikedekalb give their picks of the month. This month they choose an  actor/musician and female alternative icon.

The show concludes with the reveal of choices for the September edition. Bust out the converse, track suits and gold chains.

This episode was originally recorded in 2018 for the Jittery Monkey Podcast Network.

The seventh edition of Wonder Why is one for the books. Taking a trip  back to the summer of 1970, @chadsmart and @mikedekalb examine the hit  and "career" of English artist Ray Dorsett, pka Mungo Jerry. Mungo Jerry  had a summertime hit with "In the Summertime." A catchy jingle that  peaked at #3 on the Billboard chart and then Mungo Jerry was only heard  from again if you were in Europe. Why was there not a follow up hit?

Before the discussion begins, Mike talks about attending a recent  concert by previous Wonder Why artist, Thomas Dolby.  After the Mungo  Jerry discussion, Mike and Chad turn the focus to their picks of the  month.  Find out what Gary Cherone, Tupac and Scott Caan have in common.

This episode was originally recorded in 2018 for the Jittery Monkey Podcast Network.

Another month, another edition of Wonder Why. This month, @chadsmart and @mikedekalb examine the career of 80's hair metal band, Autograph.  Opening for Van Halen and scoring a top 30 hit with their debut single,  "Turn Up the Radio," Autograph looked poised to make it big on the  charts in 1985. Unfortunately, their success peaked with the first  single. After the first album, Autograph continued to record throughout  the 1980s releasing two more albums before the band members decided to  go their separate ways.

Since the breakup, Autograph have reformed and released new albums including their 2017 release, Get Off Your Ass. During this edition of Wonder Why breakdown  the career of Autograph and offer their assessments of why the band's  career didn't reach continued heights alongside other 80s metal bands  like Bon Jovi, Motley Crue and Ratt.

Wrapping up the show are the picks of the month. Find out why Mike thinks everyone should keep a Bob Marley CD in their car. While Chad advocates for everyone to buy Butch Walker's latest (and every) album.

This episode was originally recorded in 2018 for the Jittery Monkey Podcast Network.

@chadsmart and @mikedekalb return with another edition of Wonder Why.  This edition features a listener suggested One Hit Wonder Choice. Chad  and Mike break down the 1979 hit song What You Won't Do for Love by Bobby Caldwell. While Mike was familiar with the song, Chad had  never heard it before. What opinion do they have of the song and the  debut album which included the song?

In addition to the discussion of Bobby Caldwell, @chadsmart continues  the #SummerOfPositivity #GiveawayGalore by offering a unique prize  which ties in with Bobby Caldwell's late 1980s era.  This is one  giveaway on which you don't want to miss out.

For the wrap up segment, @mikedekalb chooses the options for the June  edition of #WonderWhy and Mike and Chad give their #PicksOfTheMonth.  What albums do they think you should be listening to this month? What do  bicycles have in common with both their picks?

This episode was originally recorded in 2018 for the Jittery Monkey Podcast Network.