Lyrics Undercover
By Brian Ibbott, Denver Post
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Podcast Description
A weekly show that explores the meanings and inspirations behind the lyrics of popular music.
| Name | Description | Released | Price | ||
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1 |
Lyrics Undercover 245: “Falling In Love Again” – Marlene Dietrich | The 1930 film, ‘The Blue Angel’ transitioned Marlene Dietrich from silent films to what were, at the time, called “audible movies.” It was there she delivered the subject for this week’s Lyrics Undercover, ‘Falling In Love Again,’ which became her signature tune. Lyrics Undercover 245: “Falling In Love Again” – Marlene Dietrich (click [...] | 2/1/12 | Free | View In iTunes |
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2 |
Lyrics Undercover 241: “Bulls On Parade” – Rage Against The Machine | You have to wonder whether Lorne Michaels was deliberately trying to stir the pot when Rage Against the Machine was booked as the Saturday Night Live musical guest opposite former Republican presidential contender Steve Forbes. The pairing worked about as well as one might expect, with the band being disinvited from the NBC building [...] | 11/21/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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3 |
Lyrics Undercover 237: “Someone Like You” – Adele | This week’s Lyrics Undercover focuses on what it might mean to be born American. In 1984, Bruce Springsteen answered that question with a hard and often misunderstood hit: “Born in the USA.” Lyrics Undercover 237: “Someone Like You” – Adele (click here to listen) | 9/24/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Lyrics Undercover 233: “Born In The U.S.A.” – Bruce Springsteen | This week’s Lyrics Undercover focuses on what it might mean to be born American. In 1984, Bruce Springsteen answered that question with a hard and often misunderstood hit: “Born in the USA.” Lyrics Undercover 233: “Born In The USA” – Bruce Springsteen (click here to listen) | 8/24/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Lyrics Undercover 229: “Young Americans” – David Bowie | David Bowie’s “Young Americans” album was released in 1975, at a time when an irresistible dance beat was pounding through the airwaves and clubs. Disco hadn’t reached its apex—that would come in 1977, with the film “Saturday Night Fever.” This week Lyrics Undercover considers David Bowie’s contribution to that time, one of his first [...] | 7/20/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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6 |
Lyrics Undercover 225: “Code Monkey” – Jonathan Coulton | Code Monkey is described as a song for geeks, the success of its creator a fluke. Jonathan Coulton and his fans would argue both counts. This week, Lyrics Undercover isn’t telling the story behind the song. Instead, I’ll be using the song and its writer as an example of how technology has changed the [...] | 6/15/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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7 |
Lyrics Undercover 221: “The Crane Wife pt. 3″ – The Decemberists | A literate song from a hyper-literate group is the focus of this week’s Lyrics Undercover. The Decemberists, a group not easily categorized, hail from Portland. Their first album on a major label was “The Crane Wife,” released in 2006. Today we look at the album’s lead song, “The Crane Wife Part 3,” which grew [...] | 5/9/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Lyrics Undercover 217: Landslide – Fleetwood Mac [repost] | A wistful song written in Aspen, reflecting the humbling landscape, is the topic of this week’s Lyrics Undercover. “Landside” first appeared on Fleetwood Mac’s self-titled 1975 album. (This is the monthly free episode of Lyrics Undercover, which is included in the Coverville feed. To subscribe, visit LyricsUndercover.com) Lyrics Undercover 217: Landslide – Fleetwood [...] | 3/28/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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9 |
Lyrics Undercover 213: Chelsea Dagger – The Fratellis | A sports stadium anthem, and a listener request from Dawn, is the topic of this week’s Lyrics Undercover. The Fratellis envisioned their first hit as as a rock ‘n’ roll gig in an old speakeasy; no one was more surprised when “Chelsea Dagger” took on its unanticipated life. (This is the monthly free episode [...] | 2/9/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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10 |
Lyrics Undercover 209: I Heard It Through The Grapevine – Marvin Gaye (and more!) | This week on Lyrics Undercover, we’ll look at a Motown breakup song that is a classic. “I Heard it Through the Grapevine,” is sung by a narrator who has no clue that his relationship is ending. Only from gossip, ‘through the grapevine,’ does he discover that his partner is cheating. (This is the monthly [...] | 1/4/11 | Free | View In iTunes |
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11 |
Lyrics Undercover 207: Lily, Rosemary and The Jack of Hearts – Bob Dylan | “Blood on the Tracks,” released in 1975, marked a return to popularity for Bob Dylan, after several years of lukewarm interest from both fans and critics. It remains an album considered one of Dylan’s best. This week on Lyrics Undercover we’ll look at a song that tells a story as completely as any novel, [...] | 12/6/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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12 |
Lyrics Undercover 204: I Will Possess Your Heart – Death Cab For Cutie | This week on Lyrics Undercover, we look at a dark hit, a story told from the point of view of a stalker. Creepiness didn’t stand in the way of success for “I Will Possess Your Heart.” The song hit No. 70 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2008, and in 2009 the song was [...] | 11/5/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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13 |
Lyrics Undercover 200: Feeling Good – Nina Simone | Muse’s cover of “Feeling Good” was just voted the best cover song ever by fans at NME.com, beating out The Beatles’ cover of “Twist and Shout” and Johnny Cash’s version of “Hurt.” This week on Lyrics Undercover, we’ll go back to visit an iconic performance of the song—itself a cover—performed by the soulful Nina [...] | 10/8/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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14 |
Lyrics Undercover 196: Because The Night – Patti Smith | The subject of this week’s Lyrics Undercover is a woman who has followed her own unconventional path, and a song that is one of the few that grew from a collaboration with Bruce Springsteen. Patti Smith is ambitious, unconventional and challenging, her music a singular fusion of rock and poetry. Springsteen wrote the music [...] | 9/7/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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15 |
Lyrics Undercover 192: Chelsea Hotel #2 – Leonard Cohen | For 40 years, Leonard Cohen has been a cult darling, a songwriter’s writer and a primal musical influence. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008, his way of telling a story has influenced several generations of musicians. He’s a poet, a Zen master, and social critic. The current generation is [...] | 8/2/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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16 |
Lyrics Undercover 188: Jesse’s Girl – Rick Springfield | his week on Lyrics Undercover and, at the request of Tom in Texas, we are going to look at a song about girlfriend angst. The song’s been around for almost 30 years, but it’s current enough to show up on the television show Glee: “Jesse’s Girl,” by Rick Springfield. Lyrics Undercover 188: Jesse’s [...] | 7/7/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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17 |
Lyrics Undercover 184: Weapon Of Choice – Fatboy Slim | Today on Lyrics Undercover, we’ll make our way through the worm-ridden desert landscape of Fatboy Slim’s “Weapon Of Choice”, and figure out what it all has to do with Christopher Walken’s dance routine. Lyrics Undercover 184: Weapon Of Choice – Fatboy Slim (click here to listen) | 6/4/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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18 |
Lyrics Undercover 181: Graceland – Paul Simon | On today’s Lyrics Undercover, we’re following the Mississippi delta all the way to the gates of the King’s famous castle, as we ride along with Paul Simon and his 1986 hit single, “Graceland”. Lyrics Undercover 181: Graceland – Paul Simon (click here to listen) | 5/6/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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19 |
Lyrics Undercover 177: One Of Us – Joan Osborne | Were Joan Osborne and her songwriting team trying to infuriate organized religion? This week we’re uncovering the story behind Osborne’s 1995 hit “One of Us.” Lyrics Undercover 177: One Of Us – Joan Osborne (click here to listen) | 3/3/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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20 |
Lyrics Undercover 173: Hey Soul Sister – Train | Back at the end of the 1990s, bands like Train dominated the US airwaves. They’ve had to reinvent themselves to stay visible in the changing musical landscape. This week on lyrics undercover, we hop on board for a nostalgic trip back in time with Train’s single “Hey Soul Sister.” Lyrics Undercover 173: Hey [...] | 1/6/10 | Free | View In iTunes |
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Lyrics Undercover 169: Black Velvet – Alannah Myles | What singer worked Alannah Miles up in a Mississippi heat and inspired her to write her sultry 1988 hit “Black Velvet”? Find out in this week’s Lyrics Undercover! Lyrics Undercover 169: Black Velvet – Alannah Myles (click here to listen) | 11/11/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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22 |
Lyrics Undercover 165: Chuck E’s In Love – Rickie Lee Jones [repost] | What could make a boy behave this way? This week on Lyrics Undercover, we visit West Hollywood in the late 1970s as we uncover the story behind Rickie Lee Jones’ hit, “Chuck E.’s in Love.” Lyrics Undercover 165: Chuck E.’s In Love (click here to listen) | 10/12/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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23 |
Lyrics Undercover 161: Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond | A photograph inspired a young, little-known songwriter. Today on Lyrics Undercover, we’re taking a look at a major hit for Neil Diamond, “Sweet Caroline.” Lyrics Undercover 161: Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond (click here to listen) | 9/8/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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24 |
Lyrics Undercover 157: Beth – Kiss | Lyrics Undercover 157: Beth – Kiss (click here to listen) | 8/5/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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25 |
Lyrics Undercover 153: Bad, Bad Leroy Brown – Jim Croce | Lyrics Undercover 153: Bad, Bad Leroy Brown – Jim Croce (click here to listen) | 7/8/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
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26 |
Lyrics Undercover 149: Rehab – Amy Winehouse | Lyrics Undercover 149: Rehab – Amy Winehouse (click here to listen) | 6/10/09 | Free | View In iTunes |
| Total: 26 Episodes |
Customer Reviews
Peeling back the layers
Ever want to know what a song is really about? Brian Ibbott from Coverville peels back the layers to analyze the lyrics while sharing some background on the artist or band known for the song. R U Listening?
Outstanding, Informative, Entertaining
Easily my second favorite podcast after Brian's other production, Coverville. He breaks down the lyrics, history of the bands, and the influences behind the scenes for every song in a smooth, mellow voice that is matchless on the interwebz.
Very Interesting
Nice combination of artist background and song background. Very entertaining for a fan of popular music and music history. Nice job Brain.
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