In this final episode of Season 2, Butch and Kevin dig into the song that is considered by many the greatest rock song ever recorded. What we specifically take a look at are the almost dream-like lyrics and whether or not they are filled with important symbolism or just words Robert Plant created to fit the music. The beer of the week was supposed …

On this episode, the penultimate episode of Season 2, Butch and Kevin take on Green Day's protest hit, "American Idiot." It was a Top 10 hit in many countries, such as the U.K., Canada, Australia, Scotland and New Zealand, although -- despite its general popularity in the U.S. -- it only reached 61 on the Billboard Hot 100. Front man Billie Joe Arm…

Nearly 40 years ago, a rock anthem hit the airwaves -- and perhaps most importantly, MTV -- in the form of Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It." The campy, fun video and the singalong chants made it an instant hit. Kevin and Butch go down the Rock 'n' Roll Rabbit Hole on this timeless classic that remains evergreen after all this time. A few …

In 1982, Men at Work came from nowhere -- OK, actually from Australia -- to take the world by storm with their hits "Who Can it be Now?" and "Down Under," the latter of which is the story of a man's travels and the odd characters he meets along the way. Butch and Kevin dig into the song, its meaning, and some of the cultural revelations contained w…

Season 2 of Rock 'n' Roll Rabbit Hole marches on with a dive into "God Save the Queen," the seminal punk rock classic by the Sex Pistols that whipped much of jolly old England into a frenzy in 1977. Butch and Kevin talk about a lot of different perspectives on the song and how it was received, in both positive ways and negative. A few show points: …

That's right, we did it. The unrelenting "Wagon Wheel" gets the deep dive in this episode, as Butch and Kevin grit their teeth and trudge forward. This tune, which is played now by pretty much every cover band in the galaxy, started with a Bob Dylan demo. It was then completed by Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show. And then Darius Rucker, Hootie…

On this episode, Kevin and Butch take a deep dive into "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald," a classic true story song by the great Gordon Lightfoot about the freighter that sank into Lake Superior in 1975, taking all 29 crew members down with her. A few notes: Beer of the Week is, of course, Edmund Fitzgerald Porter by Great Lakes Brewing Co. What…

Hey, we're back! Sorry for the long hiatus, but we had a big show with the band and had to get a new drummer ready. It didn't help that Kevin messed up his back and was laid up for a bit. But Kevin and Butch return for another episode, this time focusing on "Money For Nothing," the memorable Dire Straits hit that ended up being a bit misunderstood …

In this episode, Kevin and Butch tackle the Americana classic "Jack and Diane" by John Cougar, aka, John Cougar Mellencamp, aka John Mellencamp. We talk about how the original lyric was interestingly different, how the song was built in studio -- it almost didn't make the cut -- and perhaps most importantly, what it meant for John Mellencamp's care…

The Tom Hanks-written and -directed "That Thing You Do!" was the surprise, feel-good hit movie of 1996, and the film's theme song of the same name not only was nominated for multiple awards, it also hit #41 on the Billboard charts. Credited to fictional band The Wonders, the song was actually written by Fountains of Wayne's Adam Schlesinger and sun…

Too-rye-ay, we're back again with Episode 2 of Season 2 of Rock 'n' Roll Rabbit Hole. In this episode, Butch and Kevin dig into a 1980s classic, "Come on Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners. We discuss the song's meaning, the band's background and the impact it made when it shot up the charts in 1982-83. Among the points covered: Beer of the Week: Fa…

And we're back for Season 2! To kick things off, we're tackling a two-fer, the double A-side single from the amazing Queen, "We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions." We talk about the songs' historic status as a double-single, why they are so frequently played back-to-back, their statuses as sports anthems and what inspired the tunes for songwriters…

On this, the final Season 1 episode, Butch and Kevin dig into "Smells Like Teen Spirit," Nirvana's seminal grunge anthem from 1991. This is the song that often gets credit for squashing hair metal once and for all, but the Rock 'n' Roll Rabbit Hole hosts take a deeper dive into the cultural shift it brought about, including comparing it with anothe…

Fountains of Wayne had its lone Top 40 hit in 2003 with "Stacy's Mom," which is often remembered for the video starring actress Rachel Hunter. In this episode, Kevin digs out an interview he did with Chris Collingwood, the band's frontman, in 2003, just two weeks after the single was released. Most of the interview was never published, so Kevin and…

It's a tale as old as ... well the 1970s, when the Eagles were flying high (pun intended) on hits like "Take it Easy" and "Peaceful Easy Feeling." Then came "Hotel California," the dark, sprawling tune with the ominous, two-minute instrumental outro. It was and continues to be one of the most notable songs in rock 'n' roll. But over the years, a co…

Just what the heck is it that makes "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey so popular, and for so long? Is it Steve Perry's pleading vocal? The big chorus that takes forever to get to? The relatable lyric? Heck, the song has been around since 1981, topped out at No. 9 on the charts, yet it's still regularly getting placement in modern pop culture, not t…

Sit with Kevin and Butch as they discuss the making of Run DMC's take on the Aerosmith classic rocker "Walk This Way." Run DMC was dead set against recording it, but producer Rick Rubin won out. By sheer will, Steven Tyler and Joe Perry were able to fly in to add vocals and guitar to the track, making it a pioneering mash-up of rap and rock. Did it…

Many if not all rock 'n' roll fans feared rock powerhouse AC/DC would die along with Bon Scott. But then Brian Johnson came along, and the result was one of the band's strongest albums ever, featuring the timeless "Back in Black." The song itself was a tribute to Scott, which makes it appropriate that it would become an AC/DC signature. On this epi…

"My Sharona" was a song that helped finally knock disco off the top of the charts. It was a massive hit for The Knack, but the band would never have another huge hit. Instead, the band would break up after their third album release and later reunite. Nevertheless, the iconic song, which was written about a real person named Sharona Alperin, would e…

The song "Jump" and the album 1984 propelled Van Halen into the rock stratosphere -- and shortly thereafter, front man David Lee Roth left the band to start a solo career. What was it about "Jump" that resonated so strongly? Was it the unexpected decision to include synthesizers? Was it the goofy, low-budget video? Whatever, it endures, and it also…

In this episode of Rock 'n' Roll Rabbit Hole, Butch and Kevin dive into the classic tune "Jenny (867-5309)" by Tommy Tutone. This 1981 hit became a hit based on its sticky guitar hook and the repeating of a phone number that, per the song, was found on a bathroom wall. It became a song that would troll many people who owned the number at the time, …

On this episode of Rock 'n' Roll Rabbit Hole, hosts Butch Bays and Kevin Gibson dig into the 1979 KISS hit "I Was Made for Loving You." Is it rock? Is it disco? Was it a sellout? Regardless of what it is or was (aside from just being a darn catchy song), it rocketed to No. 11 on the Billboard charts and sold more than 1 million copies ... but it si…

In this episode of Rock 'n' Roll Rabbit Hole, hosts Kevin Gibson and Butch Bays focus on the enduring song "Me and Bobby McGee." Written by Kris Kristofferson, its most successful recorded version was done by Janis Joplin, who topped the Billboard Top 40 chart in 1971 with her take on the tune. But along the way, many artists covered "Bobby McGee,"…

In the absolute, very first episode of Rock 'n' Roll Rabbit Hole, hosts Butch Bays and Kevin Gibson debate the all-important topic of whether "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts is rock's greatest anthem. The 1982 hit launched Jett into her post-Runaways career, which landed her in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame on the strength …