Mark And Sarah Talk About Songs

We're ranking songs with dubious heroes -- meaning tunes about people who are quite possibly jerks. We're also talking about the legacy of Kenny Rogers, the reason not to discuss babies in an Arby's, and the worst approximations of calypso music. Our intro is by Andrew Byrne, and our outro is by Jude. Want to leave us a voicemail? Just call 646-389-0767! You can email us at talkaboutsongs@gmail.com, tweet us at @talksongs, or Facebook us at facebook.com/mastas.podcast. To get access to bonus content (and vote in ranking episodes), become a patron at patreon.com/mastas.

A listener request for INXS gets us talking about "New Sensation," grade-grubbing, and the need for artists who are very good...but not quite revolutionary. Our intro is by Laura Barger and Jack Baldelli, and our outro is by Karen Carpenter. Want to leave us a voicemail? Just call 646-389-0767! You can email us at talkaboutsongs@gmail.com, tweet us at @talksongs, or Facebook us at facebook.com/mastas.podcast. To get access to bonus content (and vote in ranking episodes), become a patron at patreon.com/mastas.

We're talking about songs we like by artists we don't, which means we're venting our spleens about Rod Stewart, pondering the blandness of Five For Fighting, considering the alleged history of Kenny Chesney, and breathing heavily about Scotty McCreery. Our intro is by Andrew Byrne, and our outro is by Chris Carmack (as Will, on Nashville). Want to leave us a voicemail? Just call 646-389-0767! You can email us at talkaboutsongs@gmail.com, tweet us at @talksongs, or Facebook us at facebook.com/mastas.podcast. To get access to bonus content (and vote in ranking episodes), become a patron at patreon.com/mastas

We get our indie feelings out with a song from Canadian rock band The Stills. Meanwhile, Mark surprises Sarah on his journey with this week's tune, and Sarah makes Mark realize he misunderstood something she said like 100 episodes ago. Our intro is by David Gregory Byrne, and our outro is by Boards of Canada. Want to leave us a voicemail? Just call 646-389-0767! You can email us at talkaboutsongs@gmail.com, tweet us at @talksongs, or Facebook us at facebook.com/mastas.podcast. To get access to bonus content (and vote in ranking episodes), become a patron at patreon.com/mastas.

Talking about Weezer's "My Name Is Jonas" gets us deep into Sarah's family tree, the limits of irony as a pop-music strategy, and the reasons Weezer probably developed it super-intense fan base to begin with. Our intro is by David Gregory Byrne, and our outro is by the Jonas Brothers. Want to leave us a voicemail? Just call 646-389-0767! You can email us at talkaboutsongs@gmail.com, tweet us at @talksongs, or Facebook us at facebook.com/mastas.podcast. To get access to bonus content (and vote in ranking episodes), become a patron at patreon.com/mastas.

Madonna is such a BOSS that she has 13 top-20 hits that don't appear on The Immaculate Collection or GHV2. 13! For most artists, that would be a career. For Madge, it's table scraps. But of course, these songs aren't scraps at all. They deserve to be ranked, and so we're ranking them, along with your help! Please enjoy our whoops of joy, hollers of dissent, and gasps of surprise as we learn how we feel about "Causing a Commotion," "Rain," and more! [This Single first appeared on our Patreon (http://patreon.com/mastas) page in January of 2018.]

We're ranking "argumentative duets" from the Human League, Brandy & Monica, and more. We're also talking about Scandinavian animators, the music in bubble tea places, and the various meanings of the term "booty basement." Our intro is by Andrew Byrne, and our outro is by Etta James. Want to leave us a voicemail? Just call 646-389-0767! You can email us at talkaboutsongs@gmail.com, tweet us at @talksongs, or Facebook us at facebook.com/mastas.podcast. To get access to bonus content (and vote in ranking episodes), become a patron at patreon.com/mastas.

Talking about Donna Summer's '80s hit has us pondering artists who can outlast backlashes, enjoying music to spite someone, and the unheralded legacy of a restroom attendant named Onetta. Our intro is by Laura Barger and Jack Baldelli, and our outro is by Q-Feel. Want to leave us a voicemail? Just call 646-389-0767! You can email us at talkaboutsongs@gmail.com, tweet us at @talksongs, or Facebook us at facebook.com/mastas.podcast. To get access to bonus content (and vote in ranking episodes), become a patron at patreon.com/mastas.

A dance-floor masterpiece is our topic today, but in addition to the Village People's hot hot disco hit, we're also talking about stuffed animals, allies in getting loud, and that time Sarah set a world Macarena record. Come for the disco, stay for Uncle Popper's Playhouse! Our intro is by Andrew Byrne, and our outro is by Queen. Want to leave us a voicemail? Just call 646-389-0767! You can email us at talkaboutsongs@gmail.com, tweet us at @talksongs, or Facebook us at facebook.com/mastas.podcast. To get access to bonus content (and vote in ranking episodes), become a patron at patreon.com/mastas.

Talking about Rufus Wainwright's "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk" gets us thinking about turning big emotions into digestible songs, the dramatic impact of opera, and the times parents are allowed to read their kids' diaries. (Answer: Almost never!) Our intro is by David Gregory Byrne and our outro is by Ben Folds. Want to leave us a voicemail? Just call 646-389-0767! You can email us at talkaboutsongs@gmail.com, tweet us at @talksongs, or Facebook us at facebook.com/mastas.podcast. To get access to bonus content (and vote in ranking episodes), become a patron at patreon.com/mastas.

There are so many ways to be happy, and Pharrell Williams' song "Happy" pretty much covers them all. We're also talking about songs that sound confident, honeymoon rituals, and important hats of 2014. Our intro is by Andrew Byrne and our outro is by Katrina and the Waves. Want to leave us a voicemail? Just call 646-389-0767! You can email us at talkaboutsongs@gmail.com, tweet us at @talksongs, or Facebook us at facebook.com/mastas.podcast. To get access to bonus content (and vote in ranking episodes), become a patron at patreon.com/mastas.

It's our third annual Oscar-themed episode with our good pal Joe Reid! This year, we're talking about Oscar-winning songs having major anniversaries -- from The Little Mermaid, Tarzan, and Crazy Heart -- and making an unexpected turn into our grandmother's favorite tunes. Our intro is by David Gregory Byrne, and our outro is by the Cox Family. Want to leave us a voicemail? Just call 646-389-0767! You can email us at talkaboutsongs@gmail.com, tweet us at @talksongs, or Facebook us at facebook.com/mastas.podcast. To get access to bonus content (and vote in ranking episodes), become a patron at patreon.com/mastas. Special Guest: Joe Reid.

We bow before the incredible rhymes in "Passin' Me By" by the Pharcyde, and we also talk about the pleasure of parsing lyrical references, the "collegiate" rap of the early '90s, and the best time to call someone a nincompoop. Our intro is by Andrew Byrne, and our outro is by De La Soul. Want to leave us a voicemail? Just call 646-389-0767! You can email us at talkaboutsongs@gmail.com, tweet us at @talksongs, or Facebook us at facebook.com/mastas.podcast. To get access to bonus content (and vote in ranking episodes), become a patron at patreon.com/mastas.

It's a crazy miracle that "One Night In Bangkok" was a top-three single, but here we are. As we talk about Murray Head's hit song -- written by the guys from ABBA (!) and Tim Rice (!!) -- we also talk about the special weirdness of the early '80s, the least likely musicals, and George Michael's little white shorts. Our intro is by Laura Barger and Jack Baldelli, and our outro is by Taco. (OF COURSE IT IS.) Want to leave us a voicemail? Just call 646-389-0767! You can email us at talkaboutsongs@gmail.com, tweet us at @talksongs, or Facebook us at facebook.com/mastas.podcast. To get access to bonus content (and vote in ranking episodes), become a patron at patreon.com/mastas.

[Content advisory: This episode touches on family separation, American slavery, and cultural trauma.] We welcome back Eli Oberman (a great musician and our resident wind expert) to discuss Nina Simone's "Wild Is The Wind." We cover the upbeat moments in sad songs, singers who make you glad to feel wistful, and the perfect time to call a skiffle band. Our intro is by Laura Barger and Jack Baldelli, and our outro is by Johnny Mathis. Want to leave us a voicemail? Just call 646-389-0767! You can email us at talkaboutsongs@gmail.com, tweet us at @talksongs, or Facebook us at facebook.com/mastas.podcast. To get access to bonus content (and vote in ranking episodes), become a patron at patreon.com/mastas. Special Guest: Eli Oberman.

Our roller skating dreams are fueled by Hall & Oates, "Private Eyes," and the simple pleasures of an effortless groove. Then we think about the fate of being the second most-famous member of a duo. Shut up, And! Our intro is by Andrew Byrne, and our outro is by Huey Lewis and The News. Want to leave us a voicemail? Just call 646-389-0767! You can email us at talkaboutsongs@gmail.com, tweet us at @talksongs, or Facebook us at facebook.com/mastas.podcast. To get access to bonus content (and vote in ranking episodes), become a patron at patreon.com/mastas.

The time has come for us to rank every song on Alanis Morissette's decade-defining album. Which songs sound different to our middle-aged ears? Which songs have unexpectedly become favorites? Why is Judith Light involved? Our intro is by David Gregory Byrne and our outro is by Michelle Branch. Want to leave us a voicemail? Just call 646-389-0767! You can email us at talkaboutsongs@gmail.com, tweet us at @talksongs, or Facebook us at facebook.com/mastas.podcast. To get access to bonus content (and vote in ranking episodes), become a patron at patreon.com/mastas.

Yes, Heidi Klum recorded a Christmas song, and no, we can't believe it either. Her Teutonic hubris has us talking about frightened children, Seal's domestic coping strategies, and those rare cultural artifacts that deserve both an F and an A. Our intro is by David Gregory Byrne, and our outro is by Fountains of Wayne. Want to leave us a voicemail? Just call 646-389-0767! You can email us at talkaboutsongs@gmail.com, tweet us at @talksongs, or Facebook us at facebook.com/mastas.podcast. To get access to bonus content (and vote in ranking episodes), become a patron at patreon.com/mastas.

We celebrate Mark's birthday with the campy masterpiece that is Reba McEntire's "Fancy." Take a shot of moonshine every time we mention fake fingernails, celebrate sex positivity, or slip into southern accents! Our intro is by Andrew Byrne and our outro is by Reba's daughter-in-law. Want to leave us a voicemail? Just call 646-389-0767! You can email us at talkaboutsongs@gmail.com, tweet us at @talksongs, or Facebook us at facebook.com/mastas.podcast. To get access to bonus content (and vote in ranking episodes), become a patron at patreon.com/mastas.

Can Julian Lennon's '80s hits escape the gravitational pull of his dad's legacy? Can ANY musical child of a rock star do that? And why are talking about novelty items that look like a uterus? Listen on to find out! Our intro is by Laura Barger and Jack Baldelli, and our outro is, naturally, by The Beatles. Want to leave us a voicemail? Just call 646-389-0767! You can email us at talkaboutsongs@gmail.com, tweet us at @talksongs, or Facebook us at facebook.com/mastas.podcast. To get access to bonus content (and vote in ranking episodes), become a patron at patreon.com/mastas.