The Perfect Album Side Podcast
The Perfect Album Side Podcast
The Power of Vocal Intro Hooks
Some songs don’t wait for the chorus to hook you—they grab you from the very first word. In this episode of The Perfect Album Side, we explore the magic of vocal hook intros: those unforgettable openings where the human voice alone sets the stage, commands attention, and makes the song instantly recognizable. From haunting whispers to soaring shouts, we dig into why these moments leave such a lasting mark, how they’ve shaped decades of music history, and what makes a vocal hook intro so powerful. It’s a journey through the art of making a first impression—music that doesn’t just start, it arrives.
One idea. Six songs. Infinite possibilities...
Let me tell you what Guns N' Ammo said about it.
Speaker 2:Welcome to the Perfect Album, side One idea, six songs, infinite possibilities.
Speaker 4:This is the Perfect Album Side Podcast. My name is Steve, his name is Wyndham and we are here. You may speak now. Wyndham, that's you. I'm pointing at you. Is it okay if I speak now? You can talk now. Do I need to?
Speaker 1:hold. Like what, lord of the Flies, I need to hold the conk. You're okay, you're okay, it is so. It is really great to be in the studio, it's really great to hear the iconic, a word we use so often and a word we're going to use a little bit more today iconic opening, iconic vocal opening. It's really good to hear that today for a lot of reasons. You'll get into that later. How you doing I'm going to steal your line how you doing, man.
Speaker 4:I am fantastic, I'm really good. I hear you alluding to it, so I'll just go ahead and get it out.
Speaker 1:I'm alluded.
Speaker 4:I'm known to allude, I'm here, I'm here, and it was touch and go for a minute but I might not be here. And I don't mean just today, I mean like ever again. I was, I was, I was literally on my deathbed, I think. Uh, I had a heart attack, which you know, whatever. That was weird. Uh, I went to the doctor, they fixed me all up. I, you know, I got fixed, I'm better, I'm here, I'm not dead.
Speaker 1:The show goes on. The show does go on. I'm so thankful you're here. Uh, it's uh it's always not always, because it doesn't happen often but to get a text from uh someone you uh are uh close with and you're thankful for that, uh, that that happened. I'm glad you're right here. That's what I mean. But I can't, you know, I speak for all of our global listeners. Stone Cold Can we get the opening tone down just a bit, maybe at a whisper?
Speaker 4:You want me to do it? As I was meeting with the cardiologist, they said are you world famous for a globally renowned podcast and do you scream into the microphone? At the beginning I said yes, like every week, and they went. You got to stop that.
Speaker 1:Did you have to disclose like, hey, real quick. I know you get a lot of these questions about running and exertion, but there is something I do. I'm kind of known for it and it's actually global. But is it cool if I keep?
Speaker 4:doing this. Doc, if you could just stitch me back up, I've got a podcast to run. That's kind of how that conversation went.
Speaker 1:Just zip me back up.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, she took good care of me, but yes, I, I'm glad to be here, glad to be alive. Speaking of being alive, ozzy Osbourne he's not anymore and that's unfortunate. Yes, I was thinking about him today. He passed. What has it been a week or two now since he passed away? I think it's been like. Hasn't it been like a month? I don't know. I was in the hospital. I don't know. I could have been there for two years.
Speaker 1:We know the world continued, steve. Even though you were laid up, the world did go on, okay.
Speaker 4:Ozzy Osbourne no longer with us. I don't think it came as a big surprise to anybody. I think everybody knew that his life was coming to an end. Still very unfortunate. What a huge powerhouse in music history and although I don't think was he ever on the perfect album side uh, sports anthems chipper jones did that happen oh yeah, that happened okay nice call. Yeah, yeah, I think he was well we really are back.
Speaker 1:You're making that kind of pull. We are back well, uh, I.
Speaker 4:I think that's ozzy osbourne's only uh appearance thus far, uh to date, on the Perfect Album Side podcast. Any future ones will certainly be posthumous, which would be unfortunate.
Speaker 1:Let me ask you this so you know the whole final show Back to the Beginning. I think is what they called it in Birmingham.
Speaker 4:Something like that, yeah.
Speaker 1:And I saw snippets of it and there's a lot of things about it, like the whole Motley Crue connection with it. Did you hear about this? No, motley Crue was supposed to be a part of it. They were asked to be a part of it but they said as long as you pay for everything. And they were like no, we're not doing that, it's a charity event event. And so they were cut. Sharon Osbourne said your loss, you know, yeah, we. You need us more than we need you, believe me, and I respect that.
Speaker 4:Um, but his passing was so soon after that event yeah, like I said, I don't pretend to know the medical history of Ozzy Osbourne, but I know that it seemed like they everybody kind of knew this is it, this is it. And got that one final show in. A lot of people got to say their goodbyes. I think his daughter got engaged backstage at that show.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so he got to witness that I didn't know that.
Speaker 1:That's crazy.
Speaker 4:Obviously a huge loss for music. I mean, the guy was a legend. What else is there to say?
Speaker 1:And I'm not a big fan of Ozzy, I think, oh, why don't you just kick a man while he's down.
Speaker 4:Do you have anything negative to say about me? While I was in the hospital, you just shitting all over Ozzy.
Speaker 1:I think his music.
Speaker 4:Talking about Ozzy. Yeah, I mean, look, I'm not a I wasn't a huge Black Sabbath fan or a huge Ozzy fan. There are songs that I like there that all of us as fans of music know, and I think we all know the impact that he will have on rock music until the end of time. You know, sappy as it may be, I still like Mama. I'm Coming Home. It's my favorite Ozzy song.
Speaker 1:Totally.
Speaker 4:So good, that's a good album actually.
Speaker 1:I like the guitar riff on that Maybe my favorite riff that he had Sabbath or otherwise.
Speaker 4:Yeah, anyway, big loss for music. Speaking of live music, you somewhat recently saw live music. Tell me about it. What'd you see?
Speaker 1:I can't believe I haven't told you this yet.
Speaker 4:Well, again hospitalized.
Speaker 1:This was that weekend. It had to be Two Saturdays ago. What'd you see? You're like, shut up and tell me what you saw. I saw an opening band that I Mike Campbell. Oh yeah, he opened and I saw and the main attraction top billing was Blackberry Smoke.
Speaker 4:Oh wow, how was it? Was that your first Blackberry Smoke show?
Speaker 1:It was, and I share this with you because we like to share live music experiences, but you got me into that band.
Speaker 4:They're a good band.
Speaker 1:They are an amazing band, but I'll tell you this Shoot they are so much better live and Charlie Starr is so much better live than he is on any recording that they've had. And I know that's a singles topic we can probably have. But I think the true metal of a band is how good they are live compared to how they are when they're in the studio. And Charlie Starr is a performer. I was really impressed.
Speaker 4:I agree. For those of you that are not familiar with Blackberry Smoke, I encourage you to become familiar. Yeah, great live band. I've seen them many, many times Phenomenal. Always a good show and you know, unlike Wyndham, I like their records.
Speaker 1:I like their records too. That doesn't sound like it. I was a little underwhelmed by Mike Campbell.
Speaker 4:I was just going to ask how was Mike Campbell?
Speaker 1:It was okay. You're a big mike campbell fan too, I am, and I still like him a lot. Uh, I just was a little underwhelmed. Um, blackberry smoke was the best, but I'll tell you, they did a little jam session five song jam session at the end with mike campbell. And you know, because you're a big blackberry smoke fan, you know they play a lot of petty okay, yeah, what they play they played uh rocking.
Speaker 1:They played uh which this. I love this. They played uh southern accents. I never thought I'd hear that song live. Um, they played you got lucky. Wow, uh. They played uh running down the running down. A dream wow, that's a whole lot of tom petty stuff um, and they even played one more and I can't remember what it was and I'm sorry I didn't do a better job in show prep. But the Petty stuff was great. The Blackberry Smoke stuff was amazing. They played Baby Love by.
Speaker 4:Mother's Finest.
Speaker 1:Holy smokes. I love that song. They played Midnight Special by CCR Outstanding. They played when the Levee Breaks by Led Zeppelin.
Speaker 4:Now, I'm not familiar with them.
Speaker 1:I'm not either, but the folks around us said they were quite good.
Speaker 4:They actually do a really good cover of Remedy by the Black Crows. They close with that one a lot, which is kind of cool.
Speaker 1:That would have been really, really good. Had they played that, I would have actually gone nuts. What's interesting too. Last thing, and let's get to what we're here for we saw them on the day that Jerry died. It hit the anniversary Not only an anniversary, it was the 30-year anniversary of Jerry Garcia's passing. Okay.
Speaker 1:And so, which was interesting, breakdown sorry Breakdown was the other petty song they played, but they teased a little bit of scarlet begonias, so uh, which I thought was really cool. So, um, you know, to me blackberry smoke is georgia satellites, with a little bit of little feet, a little bit of collective soul, that hard power chord guitar and, uh, with a little, maybe a little, panic in there, just from a jam perspective but, it's phenomenal.
Speaker 1:I would go see them again. Hands down, I can't say I'd see the Dirty Knobs again, but I would definitely go see Blackberry, smoke, stone Cold. Let's kick this thing off.
Speaker 4:Another ringing endorsement for Blackberry Smoke.
Speaker 1:Last thing, oh, we've got one more thing.
Speaker 4:Well, we've often talked about the Atlanta music scene. Atlanta lost a big one yesterday. Brent Hines, lead singer and guitarist of the band Mastodon, passed away yesterday.
Speaker 3:I just saw that.
Speaker 4:So that that one, that that that sucks too. So I mean, I don't claim to be a huge Mastodon fan, but I know he was. You know they were a big deal in Atlanta and throughout the world. Did you guys ever cross paths? No, no, no, I think we we concert wise. No, maybe maybe the tour buses crossed in the night, I don't know. And I, when I say tour bus, I mean the old Dodge van that we used to drive. Uh, piece of shit.
Speaker 3:Anyway today.
Speaker 4:today we are here to build the perfect album side of vocal hooks. You know we've done some of the most iconic guitar riffs and drum beats and bass lines and things like that. Today is about vocal hooks. A song that starts off with a huge, big as Michael Bolton would say big, sexy hook, but it's all vocals. At least that's what I did. I hope that's what you did. I don't know what you did, we'll find out.
Speaker 1:No, that is what I did. I can't ever joke about that anymore, ever since the old live joke from episode 47. Wow, I don't know if that's what episode it was.
Speaker 2:I was impressed.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that was the greatest thing ever. That's exactly what I did, and I think there are a lot of pieces of music and songs that get overlooked, and a lot of times the vocal intro is something that a lot of people don't hang on to. But the ones I'm bringing to the house today Stone Cold, iconic. There it is. There's the word.
Speaker 4:I got songs that span many decades. I think I span 40 or 50 years between oldest and newest songs on my perfect album side. I got songs that are seven minutes long. I got songs that are seven minutes long. I got songs that are two minutes long. I got everything in between. So I am jacked and ready to go for this one. Are you ready?
Speaker 1:I'm ready and am I allowed to mention overlap.
Speaker 4:Yeah, overlap. I think it's going to be lower than normal. We always say two and a half three. I think it's one and a half today and I'm kind of excited about that because, although I am very stoked about the six songs that I have brought to the table from hyper tom side, I can't wait to hear what you did, because I bet you've got two or three that I just didn't think of and that are awesome, or maybe not.
Speaker 1:Maybe yours is terrible, we don't know what you're like if, if, if past history is indicator, yours are going to be awful, I'm going to go two. I'm going to go two.
Speaker 4:Okay, all right, so you're taking the over. I said one and a half, let's go.
Speaker 1:I agree with you. This is going to be interesting. I know there's two, there's one song.
Speaker 4:we definitely have overlap on this one will be on your perfect album side. Here we go.
Speaker 3:Shout to the heart and you're up to the plate. Darling, you give love a bad name.
Speaker 4:Whoo. That is how you open a song. Kids Talk about a vocal hook. I mean that one's all vocals for the first line. I love a song that starts with the chorus first of all, and this one does, and it's a vocal hook. It's vocals only for that first line or two. You Give Love a Bad Name by Bon Jovi, released July of 1986 off of the famous Slippery when Wet album. Songwriters John Bon Jovi, richie Sambora and Desmond Child, producer Bruce Fairburn. They recorded at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver. I mean there's not a whole lot we haven't already said about Bon Jovi. I mean obviously one of the biggest bands in the history of music. This song, a number one, hit in the United States on the Billboard Hot 100, top ten in Canada, australia, new Zealand and a dozen other countries. Certified platinum in the US. It just doesn't get much bigger than that kind of vocal hook. Is it on your perfect album side?
Speaker 1:Yes, it is.
Speaker 4:Yes, it is. What do you have to say about this one?
Speaker 1:Yeah, number one hit first single off. I don't know. This has got to be a top ten album for everybody ever. And as I was looking into this Stone Cold, just thinking about Slippery when Wet, three of their biggest hits, three of the biggest songs. They've got three of the most signature songs. They've got yeah, wanted, bad Name and Living on a Prayer, all from the same record. So good, and there aren't too many bands there are some and we could talk about that, but there are some, but not many, that have their possibly three biggest songs, most recognizable off one record. Here's something you said, the same thing I was going to say Desmond Child's a big part of this, but you know there's no mistaking that intro part. And if you want to get a crowd lined up for a song, play this.
Speaker 4:Yeah, and back when Richie Sambora was in the band, and if you ever saw them live when they played it, it was just the two of them belting out that opening line together in harmony. Holy shit, I mean. Whatever arena you're in just goes bananas, and this is in-your-face metal, stone Cold.
Speaker 1:This is in-your-face rock music and I don't know if Jovi, if anyone, does it better than Don Jovi. One little thing I picked up as doing this and you may be ready to talk about this, so don't let me jump in, hit me, hit me. Well, you mentioned Desmond Child, who wrote this song. Well, desmond Child wrote another song that was released about four months before this by an artist by the name of Bonnie Tyler. Yes, yeah. You know this you know where I'm headed.
Speaker 4:Well, I was going to talk about Bonnie Tyler here in a minute, but maybe for a different reason. Go ahead.
Speaker 1:Okay. Well, she had a song written by Desmond Child called If you Were a Woman and I Was a man. The songs are incredibly similar, so I would encourage everyone dig up your old Bonnie Tyler vinyl and listen to If you Were a Woman and tell me if those two songs are not the exact same, written by the same guy.
Speaker 4:Now I got to go listen to it. Desmond Child had a huge part in writing this song, as we've talked about, but Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora were also big in the writing process. Desmond Child originally wrote this song for Bonnie Tyler, which is what I was going to say. She passed on it?
Speaker 1:I didn't know.
Speaker 4:Yeah, so she passes on it, brings it to John and Richie and they're like hell, yeah, and they had an album, a song on their first album on Bon Jovi by Bon Jovi called Shot Through the Heart.
Speaker 4:That was one of the songs on that album and so they really liked that line and wanted to bring that over. So the three of them kind of put pulled this thing together. Desmond Child said the minute John sang the opening line, the vocal hook that we talked about, I knew it was going to be a monster. And the producer, bruce Fairbairn, said we kept it dry, there's no reverb. That line had to punch through the speakers and, uh, it does check.
Speaker 1:You can check that box, it sure does. Uh, it does check. You can check that box, it sure does I there may be. It may be John Bon Jovi's best vocal performance. That's for argument. It is certainly my favorite vocal performance.
Speaker 4:It's, you know, obviously one of Bon Jovi's biggest hits and maybe the best example of what we're going for here today Opening line vocal hook. Uh, they don't get much bigger than that. That was the first song on my Perfect Album side. I assume it's the first on yours. It's one of them. Tell me what you've got on your Perfect Album side. You may begin.
Speaker 1:Yes, I am going to do this song. I thought this one for sure was going to be where you started.
Speaker 2:Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?
Speaker 3:Caught in a landslide.
Speaker 2:No escape from reality. Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see.
Speaker 3:Look up to the skies and see, I'm just a blue boy.
Speaker 1:I need no stupid. So when you started talking Stone Cold about six minutes, seven minutes this is what I thought you were kind of dropping a subtle hint about. Does it need to even be talked about? This is Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen, of course. Made famous by the original release in 1975, made famous don't call by Live Aid. Made famous by Wayne's World. Made famous by the film of the same name in 2018.
Speaker 1:But there's a lot going on in this song. But it all starts with the incredible vocals, the incredible harmony. Freddie Mercury is this the real life? And you know listening to this? And we did Queen on the last episode, back to the basics, all the way to the bass, all the way to the bass, all the way to the bass. That was much better. Uh, I, you know listening to queen again for this episode. Just, there isn't a more operatic rock and roll band than queen. I mean the who got things started, tommy and quadrophenia. But there's so much going on in this song. There's so many different parts. We did a coda episode where the coda is different than the rest of the song. How about every other part of the song is different than the rest of the song? That's what this is the vocals make it, of course.
Speaker 4:Huge vocals in this song and a big vocal hook to start the song, like you talked about. I'm going to go ahead and answer your question, which is this song on my Perfect Album side? It is not. It was two hours ago, If you remember. I texted you said I'm making changes. I pulled this one for a different song last minute. But here's the reason. I'm not arguing with anything that you just said Huge song, huge vocal hook, awesome choice. Absolutely Like I said, it was on my Perfect Album side until a couple hours ago. I pulled it off. For this reason, this song has about 10 different hooks in it and I'm not so sure that the opening lines are the most memorable part of this song.
Speaker 1:You may be exactly right. I tried to keep things in the front of the song, right, that's kind of how I patterned my perfect album side today, um, but there are so many the galileo part right probably up there, um, but this, there's so much to this song, as we said, but there's so much about this. On the live aid performance, of course, song was top 10, um, compared to a lot of beach boys music, believe it or not, which is what I was reading about. But listen to what the Economist magazine, the Economist magazine in 2015.
Speaker 4:Is that where you go to get your musical reviews?
Speaker 1:Oh, it's where I go to get everything. That's a phenomenal publication. Let me tell you what the Wall Street Journal said Let me tell you what Guns and Ammo said about it. Go ahead Before Bohemian Rhapsody. The movie was released. This is in 2015. It said, though Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones and the Beatles' Paul McCartney had experimented with symphonic elements and Roger Waters of Pink Floyd and Pete Townshend of the who had created narrative albums with distinct movements, none had the audacity to import a miniature opera into rock music. Boom, that's impressive Queen.
Speaker 4:I did do some research on this song because, like I said, it was on my Perfect Album's side. They did 180 vocal overdubs. They said that the tape you know, the two-inch tape that they recorded to was almost transparent. That's how many tracks were on there and they're like you know. We were moments away from the tape breaking and it being ruined forever.
Speaker 1:Oh, that would have been a shame.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I mean that's amazing. But 180 overdubs, that's incredible. Number one in the UK. It did not hit number one in the United States. Number two. I can't believe that and it's a shame it was top ten. Yeah, I think it's been on the perfect album side at least a couple of times, but one of them was for Songs to Chart Twice. Yes. Late 1970s and then again in 1991, 92, 93 with I think it's 92 with Wayne's World. Somebody fact check me on that?
Speaker 1:It may not have been number one Stone Cold, but it's Grammy Hall of Fame. In 2018, it officially became the most streamed song from the 20th century, surpassing Smells Like Teen Spirit and Sweet Child, but the music video surpassed one billion, with a B views on YouTube. One billion views on YouTube, making it the oldest music video to reach 1 billion views on that platform, which is great. But the bad news is it's incredibly sad, considering I'm older than this song. You Are Too, yeah, but all that aside, stone Cold, it still makes my PAS. And this was the second song I thought of. It's the first song I have on my cheat sheet here, but it was the second song I thought of. It's the first song I have on my cheat sheet here, but it was the second song I thought of. I'll get to my first song later. I thought for sure, this was on your Perfect Album side. I wasn't even going to ask you.
Speaker 4:And it was on my Perfect Album side. It was literally a couple hours ago. I pulled this one off in place for another song, which I'll play now if you're ready.
Speaker 1:Well, we'll go by the honor system, but I am going to say that I think I know what that other song is going to be.
Speaker 4:I don't know if you do. I don't know if you do.
Speaker 1:I'm going to go by the honor system. This isn't going to be like. Oh, I was going to say that one. Yeah, yeah, have a thought.
Speaker 4:This is the song that I replaced it with Carry on song that I replaced it. So so, kansas, carry on wayward son from November of 1976, off the album leftover. Chair songwriter Carrie Livgren, producer Jeff Glicksman, recorded in Bogalusa, louisiana, at the studio in the country, did not know that till this week. Uh, look, I mean a huge group from the late 70s, one of America's premier progressive rock bands. Guitarist and primary songwriter Kenny excuse me Cary Livgren, often infused spiritual and philosophical themes into his lyrics.
Speaker 4:Carry On Wayward Son was written just days before this recording session began, inspired by his internal search for direction and meaning, just that opening harmony and those opening lines. It's so recognizable and any fan of rock music knows this song and knows those opening lines there. A number 11 hit in 1977, the first Kansas single to chart, certified four times platinum by the ri double, a ranked number 96 on vh1's 100 greatest hard rock songs. Uh, it made my perfect album side, like I said, it took queen out for me. Uh, just because I thought that that opening line was a bigger vocal hook than Queen. But that's what do you think of it?
Speaker 1:Well, I think you know it's so funny. We just talked Bohemian Rhapsody. Here's another example of a song that a lot of people didn't think was going to be a hit because it was so long.
Speaker 4:This song or that one. This song is just like Bohemian.
Speaker 1:Okay, both songs are very long and both bands didn't think they had much choice of a hit until this one peaked at 11. So yeah, you seem to know some stuff about this song. I was trying to drop enough nuggets to where you would ask me.
Speaker 4:Is this song on your perfect album side this?
Speaker 1:song is on my perfect album side.
Speaker 4:There's two We've got two out of three, and we could have had three if I had stuck with Queen.
Speaker 1:I thought you were going to replace queen with. I thought you weren't going to replace queen at all. You were going to go with another queen song oh boy, oh boy.
Speaker 4:I won't say anything more than that yeah, um, so this song is on my perfect album side. It's on your perfect album side, uh, carrie livgren again, uh, singer, said I wrote it as a personal pep talk that my life was not in vain. And then Steve Walsh, one of the vocalists, said that acapella intro. No one had expected it to blow up like it did. Like you said, the song barely made the record and they didn't think it was going to be a hit. And it's. It's probably. It's this or Dust in the Wind signature hit.
Speaker 1:I have that written down verbatim.
Speaker 2:Really Dust in the Wind, signature hit I have that written down verbatim, really.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know, when my brother used to take me to school, every morning I got a big dose of Kansas Nice, and so I like Kansas. You know, even though the band, the name suggests otherwise, they were a big-time Atlanta band for a while.
Speaker 1:Do you know where they're from? Well, oh God, I know they lived in Atlanta for a while. Do you know where they're from? Well, I know they lived in Atlanta for a while. I don't know if they're they're from Kansas. I thought that was a trick, a bargain trick question. They are from Topeka. Kansas.
Speaker 4:A great town, topeka, kansas. If you haven't driven through it, I suggest you do.
Speaker 1:What are you Midwesterners? You guys like to keep things close.
Speaker 4:I gotta spend some time at a burger king uh in topeka once. I'll just leave it at that phenomenal place, I'm sure.
Speaker 1:Yeah, uh, to me it's the length of the song that kind of was a little bit bohemian rhapsody, but at the same time a lot of different parts, stone cold, a lot of different parts here yeah, this song's kind of all over the place and, like you said about Bohemian Rhapsody, it almost has movements, if you will.
Speaker 4:Yeah, a lot like that. So, yeah, I do see the similarities in those two songs and that's amazing that we're connecting those back-to-back like that. Like you said, and you said, the band initially considered leaving it off the album, but you know, the opening Carry On my Wayward Son just becomes this iconic cold open, one of the most recognizable intros in the history of rock. The song has been in a million TV shows, movies, video games, most famously as the unofficial theme song for Supernatural, where it plays every season finale, every season finale, excuse me, yeah, every time I thought about this song I was like I don't know how I can leave it off. It's just such a huge opening.
Speaker 1:And I didn't and you didn't. Nope, the vocal opening was too good.
Speaker 4:The.
Speaker 2:It's on mine, it's on yours.
Speaker 4:Hence it is on the Perfect Album side. That was my second song. It's on yours, Hence, it is on the Perfect Album side. That was my second song. It's on yours too, but it's your turn. Go ahead. What do you got?
Speaker 3:This was the first song that I thought of when this topic came came up hey, mama said, the way you move, gonna make you sweat, gonna make you groove thing, gonna make you burn, gonna make you stay.
Speaker 1:Hey, baby, when you walk that way, watch honey drip, can't keep away. Stone Cold, you said this about Bohemian Rhapsody Choosing that first one may not be the only one you could choose in the song, and that's the same with this song. Of course it's Black Dog, led Zeppelin, lead single off Led Zeppelin IV. Now this is where I said earlier I was going to be pushing the envelope on the rules here. You got the muted guitar sound to open the song and the guitar's warming up in the background, which was a Page signature. Ps. He did the same on Immigrant Song. He did the same on Friends, let's Up in Three. But then you hear that vocal opening, that iconic vocal opening, a little bit of a call and response.
Speaker 1:Stone Cold, also a Zeppelin signature, with the rest of the band Plant doing his thing, only to be followed after the lyrics by the riff itself, which was written by John Paul Jones, and the riff that we're talking about. I know we're talking about vocals, but the riff itself was based off of Smokestack Lightning by Howling Wolf. We've talked about Zeppelin a lot. Try not to do it too much. It's my favorite band. I could do it all the time, but a lot of their music was patterned, influenced, taken from whatever you want to call it.
Speaker 1:This is another example Smokestack Lighting by Howling Wolf and it's really, to kind of speak your language, stone Cold. It's really one of the most incredible drum songs in the entire Zeppelin catalog. I don't know how Bonham keeps time the way he does with the guitar riff. It's absolutely incredible.
Speaker 4:I mean, we're talking about very, very special musicians. John Bonham and Jimmy Page are not normal people. There have been many times where I've thought to myself and I have openly said on this podcast you know, I'm not so sure that we need both of us, because my perfect album side is perfect, so we'll play along, we'll let you do yours, but mine's perfect. Here's a fun fact Never even thought about this song. Never even thought about this song. Never even thought about this song. And I'll tell you right now this song will be on the perfect album side of vocal hooks. It's the best example so far, probably, and I didn't think of it and I'm ashamed.
Speaker 1:I think Bohemian in this one probably are going to be neck and neck Now. I don't know the rest of yours, but this is we talked about Slippery when, Wet and three of their biggest hits, maybe the three biggest hits most popular on one record. Well, let's Upland 4 is kind of the same way. This was an A side. Do you know what the B side to this song? It was Misty Mountain Hop, which still gets played on the radio today.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the second single release was Rock and Roll. Okay, Stairway is on this record, so it had to make my PAS. The very first song that I thought of. But it's that vocal hook Again, a lot like you Give Love a Bad Name when a singer I don't care who you are, plant or otherwise gets on stage and you open with that lyric there isn't anyone in that stadium, that arena, that concert hall that's not singing along. This was the very first song that I thought of when this topic was presented to me via text message on my cellular device. Stone called Black Dog, the hey, hey, Mama song off Led Zeppelin 4.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I mean, I don't have anything to add to what you just said. I think you said it all and I'm so ashamed that I didn't. I just didn't think of that song, and yeah, I'll show myself out.
Speaker 1:That's okay. I've been down that road, stone Cold. You will bounce back from this.
Speaker 4:If you can bounce back from a heart attack, you can bounce back from this well, make sure you let robert plant and jimmy jimmy know and apologize on my behalf. Uh, fantastic choice on your part. And this is the next song on my perfect album side. It's actually the first song. This is the song that gave me the idea. It's not the first song I thought of once we had the idea.
Speaker 2:I thought of bon jovi first, but this is the one that gave me the idea level compare I am yours now and you are mine, and two together we love through all space and time. So don't cry. One day all seven will die that's the song.
Speaker 4:I was listening to it in the car and I thought what an unbelievable vocal hook opening. We got to do a perfect album side on those. And once I came up with that idea I was like all right, bon Jovi came to mind, but to me this is the one that started this topic for me. First of all, I want to get all cards on the table. You know, and all of our listeners know, know, I love prince. I'm using the word love about another man, prince. I love prince, the baddest mother to ever walk the face of the earth, in my opinion, and this song is just one of my favorites ever. Um seven by prince and the new power generation, november 1992, off the album. Well, you know, with a little squiggly symbol, that's the name of the album, the love symbol, as Prince would tell you.
Speaker 4:Songwriter, his name was Prince, producer name was Prince. The eight different vocalists that make up the vocal hook all named Prince. I think it's the same guy, I can't be sure, but all eight of those vocal all named Prince. I think it's the same guy, I can't be sure, but all eight of those vocal parts were Prince. This guy's unbelievable, I mean, he plays most of the instruments, although not with the new power generation, but incredible song, incredible vocal hook to open it up. Prince was kind of known for pushing the boundaries of genre, identity, sexuality and sound. Seven kind of combined funk, pop, layered vocals, mysticism, gospel all these really cool things into one song and some almost Middle Eastern scales that they're using on some of this, which I thought was really cool. Number three on the Billboard Modern Rock chart, wyndham. I'm going to give you one guess what number do you think it reached on the Billboard Hot 100? You get one guess, go.
Speaker 1:Seven.
Speaker 4:You are correct, sir. It hit number seven, which is so perfect. Yeah, I mean, this song is on my perfect album side. What are you thinking?
Speaker 1:You know the song, I assume.
Speaker 4:Of course I know this song, I assume of course, I know this song um and when you presented this idea, this topic to me.
Speaker 1:I think you even used seven as your example, I think I did yeah, which which? Is unusual.
Speaker 4:I normally don't tell you an example. But I was like, okay, vocal hook, just listen to prince. That's what I'm talking about I was like wow he.
Speaker 1:I was like damn, he really did put this on his. He told me he was was going to do this.
Speaker 4:To me it's a great example. It's an eight-part harmony, all sung by the same guy, and it went to number seven and it's called Seven.
Speaker 1:I'll tell you the best thing that I heard. I do love this song, so a couple of thoughts immediately come to mind. We've heard the Van Halen versus Van Hagar. Who do you like best?
Speaker 4:What about? Well, what about Prince and the Revolution versus Prince and the New Power Generation? I won't pretend to have a strong opinion on that. I can't answer that question.
Speaker 1:Probably the Revolution Me too. But what I was really going to say is I love the gospel talk. When you started talking about that gospel vibe that comes out of this song, I think you're exactly right. That's what makes this song great. The other reason I think this song is so great is the vocal intro, which is what we're talking about. That is the song. But the song goes in a little bit. For me, when the music kicks in, it goes in a little bit of a different direction than I thought it was. After you hear the vocals at the very beginning, you think it's going to go one way, but it actually goes somewhere else, almost like a Dinosaur Jr kind of oh, wow, wow.
Speaker 1:So that's what I like best about it. It kind of keeps you guessing. But Prince is Prince and Prince is going to Prince, and I think this song is incredible. It really is one of my favorite ones, the intro vocal, just the way it goes is so good, so smooth.
Speaker 4:One of my favorite print songs uh, what you just said, I'm gonna write that down. You said uh, you know, prince is prince and he's gonna prince. I hope somebody one day says you know, steve is steve and he's gonna steve, like that's just, that was beautiful.
Speaker 1:Um well, windham is windham and, unfortunately, for 51 years he's windham he's gonna windham and he has, and it hasn't gotten him very far.
Speaker 4:I mean, look at you now, look at you. They played this song on tour. This was a staple at every show after 1992. Seven Stands is probably the most mystical vocal openings in pop history in my mind. Harmonic blend, spiritual, spiritual, genre-less sound. Uh, it's just unforgettable. And and one of my favorites, you know I love prince. There was no way I was making a perfect album side about vocal hooks without including prince. Uh, but apparently I did, without including led zeppelin. So what the hell do I know? Uh, prince made my perfect album side. I didn't ask you if it made yours it did not make mine.
Speaker 1:You teed it up for it to make mine by sharing it with me a few weeks ago, but it did not make mine For about a thousand episodes, or about 90 episodes now.
Speaker 4:We have always said we don't tell each other the songs that are on our perfect album, and today is no different. But this is probably the closest I think we've come to, because I used it as an example. You did I. But this is probably the closest I think we've come to, because I used it as an example as to how to do it. You did I think all will be forgiven one day. Our listeners will come back. They'll always be here. Yeah, yeah, prince made my perfect album. What's next on yours?
Speaker 1:good sir, I'm going with another legend, and this was a late edition. Oh boy, I had an honorable mention. Well, a song that's now an honorable mention, I replaced it with this one. We'll be very interested to see what you think of this tune. Stone Cold, here we go.
Speaker 1:Hit me so a little bit different than what you've heard so far from my first album side, but it's a vocal hook. I'm going with it, I'm sticking with it, I'm standing by it and I'm not ashamed of it. It's a vocal hook. It's only like four or five words, if that, but it's a vocal hook and it's the song that a lot of people say is what put Elvis Presley on the map. This is Hound Dog from 1956, stone Cold, and I wrestled with this one but it went number one. And it's not just the vocals, not just the 12-bar blues riff, but it was the first time Elvis had been on national TV Milton Berle Thankfully I'm not older than Milton Berle, but first time he had been on national TV without his guitar. But it was also his hip gyrations, because he had no guitar. Yeah, that's really what put him on the map and that's a topic alert, perhaps future topic hip gyrations uh, hip gyrations.
Speaker 4:You want that to be a topic?
Speaker 1:well, I mean, you know, let's have fun with it.
Speaker 4:Okay, we got we got elvis and axel. What else uh ship?
Speaker 1:shakira? Uh, maybe, okay, let's not say anymore because, yeah, we're giving away. Good, okay, we got Elvis and Axl. What else, shakira? Maybe she wrote a song about it.
Speaker 4:Let's not say anymore because, yeah, we're giving away good stuff here, yeah, that's really how I've gotten through life.
Speaker 1:Not much merit but not much talent, no substance but plenty of hip gyrations. Can I interrupt you?
Speaker 4:Please interrupt. I'm going to do it anyway, Much like Led Zeppelin phenomenal, phenomenal choice. I wish I had thought of it. It just it's really bothering me. You almost didn't make it, but if you remember, at the top of the episode I said I can't wait to hear what you because I bet you come up with something that I didn't think of and Jesus, robert Plant and Elvis Presley it doesn't get much better than that.
Speaker 1:We haven't put Elvis a lot on here. Blue Suede Shoe was on here, carl Perkins and Elvis Presley, but this was going to be a major hit. Colonel Tom Parker, however you may feel about him, he knew this was going to be a hit. He went to RCA, president Stone Cold, and you may know RCA, the logo is Victor the Dog. Yeah, yeah, colonel Tom Parker went to the president of RCA, president Stone Cold, and you may know RCA, the logo is Victor the dog, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Colonel Tom Parker went to the president of RCA and said you may want to change that to a hound dog and you're going to find out, but he caught a lot of heat heat for what he was doing on national TV. So he went back on TV with Ed Sullivan not long ago not long after, excuse me. And the rest, as they say, is history. Grammy Hall of Fame 19. Number 19 on Rolling Stone Magazine's top 500 greatest rock songs ever. I think once you get on that list the 500 greatest songs ever I think once you get into the top 50, any of those songs could be number one.
Speaker 4:But this is number 19, four times platinum.
Speaker 1:You Give Love a Bad Name was five times platinum though. Stone Cold, think about that. Yeah, this isn't my first forays, I said with the king, but this is a good one. It was the originally. How about this for a, for a single? It was originally stone cold, hound dog, the b side, to don't be cruel, and we talked about zeppelin having, uh, releasing a single with black dog on side a, misty mountain on side b. That's a pretty filthy single. I don't know if you get much better than a single release. Don't be cruel and hound dog, yeah.
Speaker 4:I bet. I bet that 45 is worth a lot of money. A first pressing of hound dog and don't be cruel, I bet that's a. That's a pretty sought after single couple of things. I want to bring up Number one. Number one it's not on my perfect album side, but I wish it was Number two. When I was in preschool I used to get up on the stage at the church that I went to preschool and I would sing this song for all the teachers and they loved it. They were big Elvis fans. I'm talking 1977, 78. I'm like two or three years old and I would sing and do Elvis on stage and you know so. Uh, the the next piece, uh, well, I've, I've lost my train of thought, but uh, phenomenal, phenomenal tune, and I wish I had thought of it. Um, I'll tell you what I love that you went back to 1957. Uh, I'm gonna go back to 1954 though. Oh my, are you ready for that?
Speaker 4:hit me with it all right, here we go show you. Oh, he's got something to say.
Speaker 1:What do you? Got to say no, no, I think I know what it is and I'll tell you if I'm right, because you just gave me that time frame, hit me with it. I've got to hear this, all right.
Speaker 6:Mr Sandman, mr Sandman.
Speaker 2:Bring me a dream. Make him the cutest that I've ever seen. Give him two lips like roses and clover.
Speaker 4:Mr Sandman by the Cordettes, october of 1954. A single release, not part of an album Mr Sandman by the Cordettes, october of 1954. A single release, not part of an album. Pat Ballard is the songwriter producing Archie Blair, recorded in New York City. They were formed in the 40s. The Cordettes transitioned away from being a barbershop quartet to pop harmony powerhouse. A number one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 for seven weeks in 1954, right before Marty McFly got there. You know because he got there November of 1955. And this song is prominently played in Back to the Future and the Gremlins. Write that down.
Speaker 4:Hit number 11 in the UK sold a million copies in 1954. Incredible. Janet Ertel, one of the Cordettes, said we were told by the producers to smile with our voices and I can't unhear that now. Smile with our voices. Lynn Evans, one of the other singers, said we recorded it live, no fixes. You can hear us grinning and laughing and I thought that's fantastic. Again, a big, prominent role in Back to the Future and the Gremlins. The vocal hook doubled as the rhythm and the lead, which is kind of rare for 1950s pop. Apparently this song is frequently used in vocal training because of the interval clarity, so I thought that was kind of cool. There's just very few songs that have an acapella intro this recognizable, Pure harmony magic in my opinion. But I love that we went back-to-back 1950s.
Speaker 1:I do too and I didn't have. Can you be the artist again, the Cordettes? I did not have the Cordettes on my PAS bingo card. You know the song. I would have said Andrews, sisters, that would have been wrong Of course.
Speaker 4:It's the.
Speaker 1:Cornettes, it would have been very wrong. That is absolutely incredible. I thought when you said 1954, it immediately popped in my head Bill Haley and the Comets rock around the clock. That would have been great too, I know, but this is amazing. That's a really great pull. I do love that. We like to smile with our voices and you can hear that in you can.
Speaker 4:It's fantastic. Uh, I, I didn't think I would ever say this. Oh, I remember what I was going to say about elvis. If you go back and listen to episode I think two or three of this podcast, there's a moment where you say and that will be the last time elvis presley ever shows up on one of my perfect album sides. Do you remember this conversation from three years ago? Cause I do.
Speaker 3:And yet here we are.
Speaker 4:And you put Elvis Presley back on the perfect album side and I know that he and his entire estate will be pleased with with not only with perfect albums, but with you personally.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I I'll sleep easier tonight because of that, but I'll also remember saying here, no easier tonight, uh, because of that. But I'll also remember saying here no, you definitely said it. I mean I kind of did. Well, like I said, blue suede shoe, uh, elvis presley, originally done by carl perkins. That was on our my perfect album. It's even in my show notes, so I believe I would have said it. I'm sorry, I was so close-minded.
Speaker 4:Yes, steve, I know that's what you're wanting me, and I think it might have been on the b-sides episode. Think about that, that for a second this was a B-Side.
Speaker 1:Oh, I got to figure out what that B-Side was, mr.
Speaker 4:Sandman, we just talked about it, remember.
Speaker 1:No, no, no the blue suede shoe.
Speaker 4:B-Side. Okay, my bad, mr Sandman by the Cordettes, later covered by Metallica just called Inner Sandman. They did a little different version, but yes, mr Sandman by the Cordettes, 1954. Makes my perfect album side. I got one or two left.
Speaker 1:How many you got left, by the way, I've got one left. If you've got two, why don't you go ahead? I've got two.
Speaker 4:Let me go with this one next. This one might be a little, we'll see if it breaks the rules piano plays softly.
Speaker 3:You should have been gone, knowing how I made you feel, and I should have been gone After all your words of steel. Oh, I must have been a dreamer Dreamer. No, and I must have been a dreamer Dreamer. No, and I must have been someone else.
Speaker 4:Oh, sherry, by Steve Perry, former frontman of Journey, april of 1984, off his first solo album Street Talk. Songwriters include Perry, randy Goodrum, craig Kramp and Bill Cuomo. Producer Steve Perry recorded at Record One in Los Angeles. The man steps away from Journey and puts out this as his first single. Unbelievable song. It's still as huge today as it was probably in 1984. A number three hit on the Billboard Hot 100, number one on mainstream rock, certified gold. Look, this one's a little maybe not because it's got that whole keyboard intro, little synthesizer intro, but then it goes silent before he comes in and to me it's just an iconic opening vocal hook. To me nobody remembers the notes of that opening piece until he starts singing, but you remember that line.
Speaker 1:Well, of course, this is just like Black Dog, it's the same thing. Wow, and I don't feel so bad in putting Black Dog on there because the vocals weren't the first thing you hear. But this Hound Dog, black Dog, mr Sandman, all great pulls this may be the pull of the episode, really.
Speaker 4:Okay.
Speaker 1:Well, because you do have the music intro it breaks the rules a little bit, but there are no rules. But then again it doesn't, because everybody remembers could have been gone. Yeah, should have been gone, not could have been gone. Excuse me, well, I'm the only one that can't remember Should have been gone then. Um, I love this pull. That's a great call.
Speaker 4:That opening line. Randy Goodrum, one of the songwriters, said that opening line. It was like throwing a punch with a tear in it. I thought it was a really cool way of putting that. Steve Perry said I wanted people to hear me first. Yeah, maybe it's an ego thing, but I mean a hell of a way to open up your solo career. I think we may have played this song a perfect downside contender on going solo in the 1980s episode, which is like episode eight or nine, something like that of this podcast. You have something to say.
Speaker 1:Let me go back to something you may have said and I missed it. Was this the first single he released as a solo artist after leaving?
Speaker 4:Journey. I am 98% sure that is factually accurate.
Speaker 1:Yes, Because you said maybe Ego, and I'm thinking. I don't think so. If this is the first song after he left Journey, Ego aside, go for it. You go bold and you go big and step on the gas which he does with that vocal intro.
Speaker 4:You know there's a whole history of Journey and some bad blood there and a lot of the bad blood stemmed from this song and I'm paraphrasing. But the rest of the band, neil, sean and those guys were like you know, hey, steve wanted to go do a solo record and that's cool, you know, go do something different from Journey. But they're like this is a Journey song. I mean, it's the same style of music, nothing's different. Like you just released a Journey song without us and that didn't sit too well with those guys, and you know they're right. I mean, his voice is incredible, unbelievable. Whatever you want to say here, I'll play it again for you when, when they're. I'm just kidding. It was inspired by his real life girlfriend, sherry Swofford. She's the pretty girl in the video, one of the most played videos of 1984 and MTV, and it's just the absolute prototype for emotional vocal entrances.
Speaker 1:Had to make my perfect episode. This is a great selection. It didn't even cross my mind, and a lot of times for this particular topic. It's easy to get lost in those first few notes.
Speaker 4:Well, I feel a little bit better about forgetting a couple of ones that you put on, since you didn't remember this one, I've got one more. You've got one more. Go ahead, sir.
Speaker 1:You don't want to keep it going.
Speaker 4:Go ahead, Mr Wyndham.
Speaker 1:You know that's the name of the song actually. They just spelled it wrong on the sleeve. This is my last one. I'm welcoming a new artist to the Perfect Album side, but had to make it. It was never in question. Here we go His fingers.
Speaker 5:Singing my life with his words Killing me softly with his song, killing me softly with his song, telling my whole life with his words Killing me softly with this song.
Speaker 1:A little bit of a gray area. Stone Cold, I'm not afraid to say it. It's a little bit of a gray area, but I didn't think the instruments were that pronounced that it would knock this one out of my perfect album side. This is Roberta Flack, the second artist to do this song. Roberta Flack, killing Me Softly Off the record Killing Me Softly, 1973. Roberta Flack has got it going on. We know that Number one hit. Number one hit. The Fugees version in 1996 didn't chart on the Hot 100, but a lot of people may forget this song was with Roberta Flack. It's not her song. It was originally recorded by Lori Lieberman. Flack heard the Lieberman version on an airplane, immediately wanted to try and record it. Which version are we listening to? We're listening to the Roberta Flack. This is version two.
Speaker 4:Yeah, After Lieberman before.
Speaker 1:After Lieberman, before Fugees.
Speaker 4:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Flack opened for Quincy Jones at the Greek Theater and Quincy said I'm not ready to go on yet. I need you to play one more song. She said, okay, well, I have this song that I've been working on. I might as well give it a shot. And the rest was history. Audience wouldn't stop screaming and clapping. Quincy told her immediately on stage don't ever play that song again until you've recorded it.
Speaker 4:That's so great. This is another one that I didn't think of. I wish it had crossed my mind, because it's it's a really, really good example of what we were going for, and I that voice. It's so good, it's so good, I mean underrated.
Speaker 1:I don't think she gets nearly the attention she deserves she did. Tonight I celebrate my love, which you've heard, yeah, and the first time I ever saw your face. Those are two major, major hits that really spotlight her voice and her amazing vocals. She's classically trained five consecutive weeks at number one stone cold more than any other song. In 1973 she wore all sorts of grammys for this grammy hall of fame, but it's the intro, right, it's that intro and it's exactly what we're here to talk about. That vocal intro hooks you in, just like we're supposed to talk about. I don't think she's got a more iconic song than this and I credit the Fugees for bringing this song back into pop culture, but she's the one that did it Well second, but it's so good, such a great example of what we were going for here today and I wish I had thought of it.
Speaker 4:Um, yeah, I my hat's off to you. I mean it's not literally, I'm gonna keep my hat on because you know I got headphones. It would be, it would be a whole shtick, uh, so I'm not gonna take my hat off, but I think you get a tip of the cap, a nod, whatever, a wink. You get it. Uh, great job. Look, I you know job. Look, we're going to build a perfect album side in a second. But look, I don't say this to you very often and maybe I don't say it enough Job. Well done today. Sir, you came to play. You came to play. These are huge. I'm excited.
Speaker 1:I did this for you, big guy. I'm excited about this episode. So much to choose from and I will. I'll tell you this I really thought about asking, calling an audible, and asking if we can bracket the timeframe, because there's a lot of great music, as you talked about going back to the fifties, 1954. And I didn't really break into the nineties or two thousands which you may be about to do. Uh, but this is a really big topic.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I mean I'll go ahead and get to get to my song. If you're ready for that, I'm ready. We do not get into the the 2000s with my song. Hang on two seconds. Yes, the final song on my perfect album sound sounds like this one.
Speaker 6:Oh Mama, I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law. Lawmen is putting in to my running and I'm so far from my home, my home. Oh mama, I can hear you a crying. You're so scared and all alone. Hangman is coming down from the gallows and I don't have very long.
Speaker 3:If chickens up can use it all. They finally found me, renegade by Styx, march of 1979.
Speaker 4:Off the album March of 1979. Off the album Pieces of Eight, songwriter Tommy Shaw. You might know Tommy Shaw better as lead vocalist and guitarist of Damn Yankees, but hey, he was also in Styx. You hate Damn Yankees, I don't hate Damn Yankees, I love Damn Yankees Good album.
Speaker 1:I thought you didn't like them.
Speaker 4:No, I liked them. Paragon Studios in Chicago, March of 1979. You know, Styx is this big arena rock again, progressive rock, band, theatrical vocals. You know they were big theater type nerds, if you will and their music comes across like that Number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, Certified Gold. That opening thing is so haunting to me and I think that's a topic right there, haunting music that that that opening line or two really haunts me I think you're right.
Speaker 1:Did you catch the heartbeat bass drum? Yeah, yeah, it's so. That's that adds to that haunting great adjective. I love that.
Speaker 4:I'm not the world's biggest Styx fan, which is weird because I've seen him in concert two or three times and it's it's an impressive show. But I'm not a big Styx guy for whatever reason, which is weird because I'm a huge meatloaf guy and they're both big theatric, you know arena rock type stuff. But anyway, tommy Shaw said that silence before the band kicks in. That's the tension we were looking for. And perfect word, perfect word. You get this haunting opening with that hook and then huge tension. Dennis DeYoung said we wanted it to sound like a last breath. And again, haunting, a last breath. Oh, I love the opening of this song. It's a good song too.
Speaker 4:They recorded it late at night to capture a hushed, intimate vocal. Renegade is the anthem used by the Pittsburgh Steelers at home games, which I didn't know that. I didn't know that Two of my friends in Pittsburgh no, never mind Go Cowboys Recognized by Classic Rock as a top 10 cold opening. And again, it's a haunting hell of a way to start a song. That's what I have to say about it. What do you think about this one?
Speaker 1:I don't think I can get any better than haunting, chilling, haunting, frightening, very, very good. I love this song and I like Styx. I don't think Styx is terrible. Tommy Shaw I probably wouldn't have. I would have said he's better known for Styx. That's why I said that about him. He is. But yeah, this is a great song. I don't think it's their signature, but as far as vocal hooks go, I love how quiet he is about it. He's so calm in that intro.
Speaker 4:It's almost like he's talking. Well, that's the one of the things they were talking about. It's it's this chilling vocal intro and then it transitions from that little fragile sound into this explosive rock band. I mean just an absolute master class in in tension, as they said, and the contrast between that quiet, haunting vocal and then just ass-kicking whole rock band. A huge vocal hook had to make my perfect album inside. That's all I have to say about that. And that's the end of the song. So perfect timing.
Speaker 4:It's like I've done this before. It's almost like I've done this before. I have brought my perfect album inside. You have brought your perfect album inside. You have shared your parchment with me. I believe you have brought your perfect album side. You have shared your parchment with me. I believe I have shared my parchment with you. We can now begin to build the perfect album side, as it were. If it's on mine and it's on yours, it's on thee. You said at the beginning you thought we'd have two crossover tunes and you were correct. You have a look on your face of inquisitiveness what's up?
Speaker 1:I'm looking at your. I'm looking at your parchment. Okay, and that was you just. You just got me to a place faster than I was getting myself, as far as I was counting how many overlap we had. And you're right, it's two.
Speaker 4:I believe we've got to. Uh, you give love a bad name by Bon Jovi and carry on wayward, son, by Kansas. They were on my perfect album side, they were on your perfect album side. Hence, they are on the perfect album side, which means we have four spots to go. The way we have done this in the past is I take a look at yours, you take a look at mine and say, yes, this has to be on the perfect album side. I'm going to let you go first, take a look at my perfect album side and say what has to be on there.
Speaker 1:Okay, I am going to go. What has to be on there? Yeah, has to be. Oh, uh, you're. You're second to last song, your last one on this list.
Speaker 3:Oh, sherry, I think that's a great great poll.
Speaker 1:I said that when you played it, and if you're patient enough to wait through the musical intro, you are going to hear one of the best, one of the boldest vocal intro hooks that we have on today's episode.
Speaker 4:And as I look at your perfect album side, it's staring me right in the face.
Speaker 5:Hey, mama said, the way you move gonna make you sweat gonna make you grow.
Speaker 4:He does it a little bit better than I do. Not much, not by much, not by much, not by much. But Led Zeppelin absolutely makes the perfect album side. Led Zeppelin hasn't made the perfect album side a lot, so hats off to them. That's exciting. Take a look at my list and say Steve, what? No, are you crazy?
Speaker 1:That doesn't belong on here, because I'm going to do the same to you and you're not gonna. You're not gonna like it, but you're gonna. Let me have it be gentle. Is what you're saying? Uh, you know, I'm just gonna do it. We may hear from some uh activist groups, but I'm gonna say, mr sandman, I love the cordettes smiling with their vocals. I love that.
Speaker 2:I do all right, all right, and you the the back to the future.
Speaker 1:You know what it makes me think of. We did a singles episode about, uh, mount Rushmore of TV sitcoms. Yeah, family ties didn't make it, but there's an episode where Jennifer's band plays Mr Sandman and uh as, as you have often said, he's not the best in the business for nothing, folks.
Speaker 4:He just referenced, uh, jennifer, from family ties.
Speaker 1:Two different Michael J Fox productions that has this song prominently displayed. But I'm going to say thank you for playing. We're going to move on without you.
Speaker 4:As I look at yours. If I had to rule one of them out, well, I ruled it out on my own Perfect Album side. Hence I'm going to rule it out on yours. I don't think Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen makes the perfect album side, because the whole song is hooks. I'm not so sure that opening couple of lines is what everybody remembers.
Speaker 1:Well, wait a minute, wait a minute. What, right about now, is when people are driving their cars off the road because they can't believe what they just heard you say.
Speaker 4:Well, I'm sorry, but Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody does not make the perfect album side of vocal hooks. I mean, if you know, as you look at your own list and I look at mine, we got to put two more songs on the perfect album side If I was going to go for one of my own. I mean it's either Seven, or either uh seven or renegade at this point, Cause you ruled out Sandman and O'Sherry's already on there. Uh, and to me it's, it's the first one that made me think of it. It's Prince, it's, it's seven by Prince, that's what I would have said.
Speaker 4:The perfect album side. Uh, as we look at yours, we got one more spot left on the perfect album side.
Speaker 1:Uh, I, I know what it's going to be, but you tell me I know, and I can't tell you, how happy I would be if we could find a way to get Roberta Flack on the Perfect Album side. But going up against Elvis Presley is going to be a real difficult challenge. So I'm going to give the nod to Hound Dog, the second pooch represented on the Perfect Album side today. That's right, the king gets it.
Speaker 4:Wow, after you said in episode three that we would never hear Elvis Presley on your perfect album side again, it's when you're really letting me and and it made the final perfect album side.
Speaker 4:Here's how it goes. The perfect album side of vocal hooks goes like this you give love a bad name by Bon Jovi, a carry on wayward Son by Kansas, oh Sherry by Steve Perry, black Dog by Led Zeppelin, seven by Prince. And finishing out the perfect album side, you Ain't Nothin' but a Hound Dog, elvis, freaking Presley Unbelievable. Look at that, presley. Unbelievable. Look at that. Bon Jovi, kansas, steve Perry, led Zeppelin, prince, elvis, that is a perfect album side. If I've ever seen one. That's not bad at all. Hey man, I'm glad to be back with you, all of you. I'm glad that I'm here with all of you and that I didn't die. That's all I have to say.
Speaker 4:That's all I have to say.
Speaker 1:That's all I have to say. I thought about it.
Speaker 4:As I was on my deathbed dying, I thought well, Wyndham will have to do it without me, and what a sad tribute it's going to be. He's going to have to have some episode with my brother or something. And I thought about that.
Speaker 2:How is it going to go down if I die?
Speaker 1:it a little bit and, honestly, the first thing I thought about it because steve does a lot of the engineering, and by a lot I mean all of it I was thinking how would I do a tribute episode for steve? I have no idea how to get this episode live.
Speaker 4:Oh, oh well well, uh, good, perfect album side, my man, I will. Uh, I'll talk to you later. I hope so later, man.
Speaker 3:Yeah this has been the perfect album side. See you next time.
