What the Riff?!?

By: Rob Marbury Wayne Rowan Bruce Fricks and Brian Dickhute
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  • Summary

  • Every week, “WHAT THE RIFF?!?” takes a look at a ROCK AND ROLL album that debuted or peaked on the U.S. Billboard charts during a random month between 1965-1995. Four friends discuss the artists and 4 tracks from the album as it plays in the background. Then we riff on 4 “staff picks” of other artists that were also in the charts during that month and year. You’ll hear some familiar tunes as well as some deeper cuts and entertainment tracks as we share a little look into the culture and happenings of that day— having fun recalling that “old time rock and roll.” We hope to bring back memories for you — and we encourage you to find and purchase the tracks and albums from iTunes, Spotify or your other favorite music service. You’ll find each episode with a short blog on this site. Please subscribe so you don’t miss any release! We also invite you to follow us and learn more about us @whattheriffpodcast on Facebook.
    What the Riff ©2024
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Episodes
  • 1986 - April: Metallica "Master of Puppets"

    1986 - April: Metallica "Master of Puppets"
    Nov 4 2024
    A number of bands seem to turn a corner with their third album, and Master of Puppets is no exception. Metallica's third album would achieve both critical and commercial success, crossing out of the new thrash metal sub-genre of hard rock to achieve multi-platinum recognition. Lead singer and rhythm guitarist James Hetfield collaborated with drummer Lars Ulrich as the principal songwriters, creating riffs that were assembled and reassembled over time until they formed a song. The band would then be called in to create a tile and topic for the song, at which point Hetfield would create the lyrics.Master of Puppets peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Although glam metal was on the rise, the band avoided the over-produced, synth-laden sound popular in the era, and stuck to their signature thrash metal sound with political lyrics. The resulting album would consolidate the thrash metal scene, and bring the sound into a more mainstream audience.Unfortunately, the album would also be the last one for which bassist Cliff Burton would be featured. Burton died in September 1986 while the band was on tour in Sweden, and their bus was involved in an accident.Metallica would become a huge group from the late 80's onward, and this album shows the strength of the group in those years when they were just coming into the consciousness of the commercial world.Lynch brings us this highly influential thrash metal album. Fans of the Show Julie Doran and son Zack join us in Wayne's absence for today's podcast. Welcome Home (Sanitarium)The song that concludes side 1 of the album was inspired by Ken Kesey's novel "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." The lyrics portray the thoughts of a mental patient incorrectly institutionalized in an asylum. The track starts slow and picks up steam as it goes. BatteryThis title could be a reflection of the charge of assault and battery, or it could be inspired by the military hardware of an artillery battery. There is also a connection to the original San Francisco thrash scene, centered on the Old Waldorf club on Battery Street. Control of violent urges is a connection that runs through the piece regardless of the original inspiration.Master of PuppetsCocaine addiction is the master of puppets referenced in this title track. Hetfield had friends experiencing drug addiction, and wrote this track from the perspective of the drug itself, taking over the lives of people. This will be a familiar song to fans of "Stranger Things." ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:Loved By the Sun by Jon Anderson and Tangerine Dream (from the motion picture “Legend”)This fantasy film starring Tom Cruise and Mia Sara was in the theaters at this time. STAFF PICKS:Your Wildest Dreams by the Moody BluesRob starts off the staff picks with a song that singer and guitarist Justin Heyward wrote while thinking back on his first love. It hit number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100, making this song the biggest commercial success for the Moody Blues since "Knights in White Satin."Mothers Talk by Tears for FearsBruce's staff pick was inspired by a mom telling her kids that when they make faces, they will freeze that way. It is also inspired by an anti-nuclear cartoon called "When the Wind Blows" by Raymond Briggs. The song was written by Roland Orzabal and Ian Stanley, and first performed in 1983. It went to number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100. Kiss by Prince & the RevolutionJulie features a chart topping hit and lead single from Prince's eighth studio album, "Parade." The song is more acoustic and stripped down than prior Prince hits, and Warner Bros. didn't want to release it as a single. However, Prince insisted on both its inclusion on the album and its release as a single.Addicted to Love by Robert PalmerLynch closes out the staff picks with a song that may be more famous for its video featuring models pretending to play the instruments. Palmer originally wanted to sing this song as a duet with Chaka Kahn, but was prevented from doing so by legal issues. INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:Songbird by Kenny G.You just can't go wrong with a sax as we close out today's podcast. Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?” NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.
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    47 mins
  • Rocking Halloween III - A What the Riff Rabbit Hole

    Rocking Halloween III - A What the Riff Rabbit Hole
    Oct 28 2024
    What The Riff?!? makes another scary trip down the Halloween rabbit hole with these theme songs, movie and TV music, and rock songs with a bent towards the macabre. We hope you enjoy this third edition of "Halloween" from What the Riff?!? Highway to Hell by AC/DC The opening track to the 1979 album of the same name features Bon Scott on his last album as lead singer of the group before his untimely death. The name of the song was inspired by the group's gruesome touring schedule.Shout at the Devil by Motley Crue The Crue's 1983 breakthrough album of the same name would establish them as one of the most successful metal bands of the 80's. The song was controversial, with many believing that it encouraged devil worship, though the lyrics themselves do not explicitly do so.Disarm by The Smashing Pumpkins Off their breakout album "Siamese Dream," this song references "the killer in me is the killer in you" is inspired by Billy Corgan's contemplation of his negligent parents and suicide. The lyrics "cut that little child" caused the song to be banned by the BBC.Demons by Imagine Dragons This song off Imagine Dragons' major label debut studio album became their second top 10 single. It is really not about demons in the Halloween sense, but more the tragedies of life like abuse, PTSD, and mental illness.Voodoo by Godsmack The third single from Godsmack's self-titled debut album was inspired by Wes Craven's film “The Serpent and the Rainbow.” This song became Dave Bautista's theme song as Leviathan when he was in the WWE. Mommy's Little Monster by Social Distortion The title track from Social Distortion's debut album tells a horror tale of a kid becoming a punk rocker. It is another song about dealing with personal demons rather than the supernatural. Witch Wolf by Styx Early in their career Styx put out this song to lead off their third album, “The Serpent is Rising.” James Young takes lead vocal duties on this song that tells about a person accursed by a creature called the witch wolf, and night rider.Dragula by Rob Zombie The lead single from Rob Zombie's debut album may be his biggest hit. The audio clip at the beginning of the song is taken from the 1960 horror film “The City of the Dead.” The name comes from the TV sitcom "The Munsters," where Grandpa Munster has a dragster called "Drag-u-la."The theme to the TV series "Twilight Zone" This menagerie of bizarre tales from the early days of TV still has staying power in our sci-fi culture. Sympathy for the Devil by the Rolling Stones Mick Jagger walks us through a discussion with Old Scratch himself in this well-known classic from the Stones' catalogue. The idea is a narrative from Satan's point of view as he reviews historical events.That Old Black Magic by Frank Sinatra Old Blue Eyes gave us this romantic song with a Halloween bent. It was a jazz classic originally written in 1942 with lyrics penned by Johnny Mercer. Love is "that old black magic" in this tune.Night of the Vampire by Roky Erickson From this cult classic album "The Evil One," this song is one of a plethora of horror-oriented tracks on the album. Erickson spent a significant amount of time in mental institutions.The Kill (Bury Me) by Thirty Seconds to Mars Jared Leto, front man for the group (and perhaps better known as an actor today), has said this song is about the relationship you have with yourself, and confronting the dark side of who you are.Take Me to Church by Hozier This haunting hit song compares falling in love with a kind of death, and compares the lover to a kind of religion. Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?” NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of these songs and we neither sell, nor profit from them. We share them so you can learn about them and purchase them for your own collections.
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    50 mins
  • 1992 - February: Ozzy Osbourne "No More Tears"

    1992 - February: Ozzy Osbourne "No More Tears"
    Oct 21 2024
    No More Tears, the sixth solo studio album by Ozzy Osbourne, was released at an interesting time in rock music. Hair metal acts were in decline, and grunge was about to take off. Nevertheless, Ozzy hit it big with this album, reaching number 7 on the Billboard 200 charts, and providing Osbourne's only solo top 40 hit. No More Tears is generally considered his best album since his first two solo albums, "Blizzard of Oz," and "Diary of a Madman," both of which featured the late Randy Rhodes on guitar. The songs on the album are largely written by Ozzy, drummer Randy Castillo, and guitarist Zakk Wylde. Motorhead bassist and front man Lemmy Kilmister wrote the lyrics to four of the tracks on the album. Additional musicians for this album were Bob Daisley on bass, and John Sinclair on keyboards. This would be the last Ozzy album to feature Castillo and Daisley.As became more common in the compact disc era of the 90's, the tracks on this album tend to be longer than the typical single. None of the tracks clock in at less than 4 minutes, and the longest falls just short of 7 1/2 minutes. In addition to boasting Osbourne's first top 40 hit, he also received a Grammy for "Best Metal Performance" for the track "I Don't Want to Chane the World" when released on his "Live & Loud" album in 1994.Rob brings us this heavy metal throwback for this week's journey back to the 90's.Mama, I'm Coming HomeThis track peaked at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Osbourne's only top 40 solo single. This power ballad contains lyrics by Lemmy Kilmister, the front man from Motorhead. The song is about his wife Sharon, who helped turn his life around.DesireA crunchy deep cut talks about going for what you want - not changing over time, seeking the same desire. Osbourne also makes a reference to "Crazy train," his hit from the early 80's. "It's the same old desire, nothing's changed, nothing's the same. Burning like fire, don't you ever take my name in vain."Road to NowhereThe last song on the album is a reflection on life. Osbourne had gone sober after 20 years of drugs and alcohol, and he looking at how "the road to nowhere leads to me." "I was looking back on my life and all the things I've done to me." No More TearsThis very dark title track has an epic feel, and despite its length hit number 5 on the US Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, number 71 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number 32 on the UK Singles chart. The lyrics are told from the perspective of a stalker in a red light district seeking a victim to torture. ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:Wayne's World by Aerosmith (from the Saturday Night Live skit “Wayne's World”)This skit finds Wayne (Mike Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey) partying in their basement with the band Aerosmith. STAFF PICKS:Tough It Out by Webb WilderWayne starts out the staff picks with a deep cut. Webb Wilder was born John Webb McMurry in Mississippi, and carries a high energy combination of rock, psychedelic, blues, and rockabilly genres in this song that encourages the listener to keep fighting for dreams even when the odds seem stacked against their fruition. Alive by Pearl JamLynch brings us a song which evolved from songwriter and front man Eddie Vedder's original intention. Vedder reflects on the feelings of a boy discovering that he was a stepchild. While the lyrics were intended as reflecting the curse of an emotional weight from family history, fans interpreted it as an affirmation of life.I Can't Make You Love Me by Bonnie RaittBruce takes the energy way down with this soft hit off Raitt's eleventh studio album, "Luck of the Draw." Bruce Hornsby provides the piano accompaniment. Nashville writers Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin wrote the song after hearing about a drunk man being sentenced for shooting at his girlfriend's car. When asked if he had learned anything, he said, "I learned, Your Honor, that you can't make a woman love you if she don't."Anybody Listening? by Queensryche Rob finishes the staff picks with a "prog metal" song off the "Empire" album that questions whether we really are communicating with people, and wondering if we are understood whether by word or deed. It was an epic with multiple tempos, dynamics, and key changes that finished off the album. INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:Masquerade by YesWe close out with a surprisingly short song by the prog rock virtuosos off their "Union" album. Thanks for listening to “What the Riff?!?” NOTE: To adjust the loudness of the music or voices, you may adjust the balance on your device. VOICES are stronger in the LEFT channel, and MUSIC is stronger on the RIGHT channel.Please follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/whattheriffpodcast/, and message or email us with what you'd like to hear, what you think of the show, and any rock-worthy memes we can share.Of course we'd love for you to rate the show in your podcast platform!**NOTE: What the Riff?!? does not own the rights to any of ...
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    49 mins

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