Classic Rock Album Olympics

Court and Spark by Joni Mitchell In this episode of Classic Rock Album Olympics music historians Gary Wenstrup and Robert Rodriguez go to Joni Mitchell’s 1974 album Court and Spark and determine which songs earn their gold, silver and bronze medals. Medal Winners ⁠Raised On Robbery⁠ ⁠Just Like This Train⁠ ⁠Free Man In Paris⁠ ⁠Twisted⁠  By the release of Court and Spark, Joni was already widely regarded as one of the most important voices of her generation. As a solo artist, she had released a remarkable run of albums—Song to a Seagull (1968), Clouds (1969), Ladies of the Canyon (1970), and the groundbreaking Blue (1971)—that earned her both critical praise and a devoted audience. Songs like “Both Sides Now,” (which Judy Collins took to #8) “Chelsea Morning,” and “The Circle Game” had also become hits for other artists, establishing her not only as a powerful performer, but as one of the most influential songwriters of the era.    After years of writing deeply personal, introspective acoustic songs, with Court and Spark Joni felt herself drawn toward richer arrangements, new textures, and a wider emotional palette. To realize that vision, she collaborated with members of the L.A. Express, a talented group of jazz and session musicians, giving the album a sophisticated, fluid sound that still carried her unmistakable lyrical voice. Upon release, Court and Spark was both a critical and commercial triumph. It reached #2 on the U.S. Billboard 200. Three singles were released: “Help Me” got to #7 Joni’s only Top 10 hit, “Free Man In Paris” (#22) and Raised On Robbery (#65). Speaking of Free Man In Paris...as we discuss the song is about record executive David Geffen who later came out as gay, but was romantically involved with Cher 1973-1975. Court and Spark marks a turning point in Joni Mitchell’s artistic journey—an album where she moves fully into the space between folk, pop, and jazz, creating music that is elegant, emotionally layered, and distinctly her own. It stands today not just as one of her most approachable albums, but also one of her most masterfully constructed, a work of insight, sonic beauty, and enduring influence.  Bonus Tracks Basketball Jones Twisted by Lambert, Hendricks & Ross Help Me Court And Spar⁠k Side One Court And Spark Help Me Free Man In Paris People's Parties The Same Situation Side Two Car On A Hill Down To You Just Like This Train Raised On Robbery Trouble Child Twisted   Hashtags: #JoniMitchell #CourtAndSpark #1974Music #SingerSongwriter #HelpMe #FreeManInParis #LAExpress #JazzInfluence #ClassicAlbums #VinylCollection #MusicPodcast #AlbumDeepDive Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Classic Rock Album Olympics music historians Gary Wenstrup and Robert Rodriguez enter Led Zeppelin’s 1973 album Houses of the Holy and award their gold, silver and bronze medals.  Medal Winners ⁠The Rain Song⁠ ⁠Dancing Days⁠ ⁠Over The Hills And Far Away⁠ ⁠D’yer Mak’er⁠ ⁠The Ocean⁠ This is the group’s fifth studio album, and notably, the first Zeppelin record to actually have a title instead of a number. Coming off the monumental success of Led Zeppelin IV, the band used Houses of the Holy to push outward creatively, exploring styles beyond the heavy blues-rock they were originally known for.  The album has a more colorful atmosphere compared to their earlier work. Jimmy Page layered acoustic and electric guitars with more studio effects; Robert Plant leaned into warm, expressive lyricism; John Paul Jones embraced keyboards, Mellotron textures, and early synthesizers; and John Bonham played with a powerful but increasingly varied rhythmic style. The result is an album that moves with confidence from epic rock to lush balladry, from funk-influenced rhythm experiments to playful reggae-inspired grooves.  Houses of the Holy quickly hit #1 on the U.S. Billboard 200.  Although Led Zeppelin was famously resistant to the single-driven pop market, two tracks were released as singles in the U.S.: “Over the Hills and Far Away,” which reached #51 on the Billboard Hot 100, and “D’yer Mak’er,” which reached #20. Houses of the Holy reinforced the band’s reputation not only as the biggest hard-rock act of the era, but as a group constantly evolving and comfortable taking risks at the top of the mountain.  The album’s cover, designed by Hipgnosis and photographed at The Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland, features a series of golden-tinted children climbing the stone formations—an image loosely inspired by the science fiction novel Childhood’s End by Arthur C. Clarke. The artwork has since become one of rock’s most recognizable visuals. Bonus Tracks The Rain Song (Live) The Ocean (Live) Side One The Song Remains The Same The Rain Song Over The Hills And Far Away The Crunge Side Two Dancing Days D'yer Mak'er No Quarter The Ocean Hashtags: #LedZeppelin #HousesOfTheHoly #ClassicRock #RobertPlant #JimmyPage #JohnPaulJones #JohnBonham #OverTheHillsAndFarAway #NoQuarter #TheOcean #RockHistory #1973Music #VinylCollection #MusicPodcast #AlbumDeepDive Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Classic Rock Album Olympics music historians Gary Wenstrup and Robert Rodriguez dig into Paul Simon’s 1983 album Hearts and Bones. The album was written and recorded following Simon and Garfunkel’s Concert In The Park in 1981 and their world tour of 1982–1983.  Some of the songs intended for Hearts and Bones were performed on the tour.  Paul and Art began recording and intended that the finished product would be an all-new Simon & Garfunkel studio album.  However, tensions during recording led to the project being released as a Paul Simon solo album. Hearts and Bones peaked at #35 in the U.S.  Commercially, it was Paul Simon’s poorest performing solo album to date.  The initial single Allergies only reached #44 and the follow up single Think Too Much (A) did not chart.  To our ears, however, the album is innovative, insightful and deeply moving.  The case can be made that Hearts and Bones is an important transition album between Simon’s 1970s solo success and his 1986 smash Graceland.  With Hearts and Bones, Simon began experimenting with unusual rhythms, layered production, and a more adventurous studio approach.  This laid the foundation for Graceland’s fusion of pop and world music. Medal Winners Rene and Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After The War Think Too Much (B) Hearts And Bones Train In The Distance Bonus Tracks Allergies Cars Are Cars Think Too Much (A) Rene And Georette Magritte With Their Dog After The War with Art Garfunkel Song About The Moon Side One Allergies Hearts And Bones When Numbers Get Serious Think Too Much (b) Song About The Moon Side Two Think Too Much (a) Train In The Distance Rene And Georgette Magritte With Their Dog After The War Cars Are Cars The Late Great Johnny Ace Hash Tags #PaulSimon #HeartsAndBones #MusicPodcast #AlbumDeepDive #80sVibes #ClassicAlbum #SongwriterSpotlight #MusicLegends #BehindTheMusic #VinylVibes #LoveAndLoss #HeartbreakSongs #StoryBehindTheSong #MusicThatMovesYou #EmotionalLyrics #SoulfulSounds #FromHeartsToGraceland #PaulSimonFans #GracelandJourney #MusicHistory #CreativeEvolution #ArtistsJourney #NowPlaying #MusicRewind #PodcastLife #PopCulture #OnThisAlbum #ThrowbackTunes #IconicAlbums Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Classic Rock Album Olympics music historians Gary Wenstrup and Robert Rodriguez discuss The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and award their gold, silver and bronze medals accordingly.  Often considered the most important rock album ever made, it saw The Beatles abandon touring to focus on studio recordings.  Adopting the alter-ego of a fictional Edwardian-style band, they experimented with new sounds, orchestration, and studio techniques, pushing rock into the realm of art. Released during the “Summer of Love,” it became a cultural touchstone of 1967 and stayed atop the US Billboard charts for 15 weeks.  It was a cultural phenomenon.  Everyone was playing it.  Everyone was talking about it. Sgt. Pepper won 4 Grammy Awards in 1968, including Album of the Year (first rock album to do so) and paved the way for albums (not singles) becoming the coin of the realm in pop/rock music. The album is also credited with expanding the artistic scope of rock music and influencing generations of musicians to come.  As Rodger Waters from Pink Floyd said “It gave me and my generation permission to branch out and do whatever we wanted.”   Medal Winners Good Morning Good Morning Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds Lovely Rita A Day in the Life   Hash Tags TheBeatles #SgtPepper #SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand #ClassicAlbum #1967 #SummerOfLove #PsychedelicRock #RockHistory #MusicLegends #BeatlesForever #VinylCommunity #NowSpinning #OnTheTurntable #IconicAlbum #GreatestAlbum #FlowerPower #SixtiesVibes #Counterculture #JohnLennon #PaulMcCartney #GeorgeHarrison #RingoStarr #George Martin #BritishInvasion #AlbumOfTheYear #MusicHistory #TimelessMusic #LegendaryBand   Something About The Beatles Podcast with Robert Rodriguez 259: Sgt. Pepper Olympiad – SATB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Classic Rock Album Olympics music historians Gary Wenstrup and Robert Rodriguez go deep on Badfinger’s Straight Up.  Badfinger’s story is one of great songs and huge heartbreak.  Formed in the mid-1960s in Wales, the group began as The Iveys, playing a mix of British rock and pop. In 1968 they became the first band signed to The Beatles’ Apple Records. Paul McCartney gave them “Come and Get It” to record which became a worldwide hit in 1969 and they changed their name to Badfinger. Under Apple, Badfinger released — Magic Christian Music (1970), No Dice (1970), and Straight Up (1971).  But their success was marred by disastrous management and legal disputes. After leaving Apple for Warner Bros. in 1973, the band recorded two more excellent albums, but financial mismanagement — particularly by manager Stan Polley — left them unable to access royalties from their hit records. In April 1975, overwhelmed by despair, lead singer and songwriter Pete Ham took his own life at age twenty-seven.  In 1983 Tom Evans did the same. Straight Up is Badfinger’s third studio album with production support from Todd Rundgren, George Harrison and Geoff Emerick. It is their most commercially successful release.  Two singles were released from the album Day After Day (US Billboard Hot 100 #4) and Baby Blue (US Billboard Hot 100 #14).  Baby Blue’s popularity peaked again in 2013 when used in the Breaking Bad finale   Medal Winners Perfection Baby Blue Name of the Game Day After Day Sweet Tuesday Morning   Bonus Tracks Without You No Matter What Take It All Name of the Game (Geoff Emerick version) Carry On Till Tomorrow Suitcase (Live)   Hashtags   #Badfinger #StraightUp #PowerPop #ClassicRock #1970sMusic #AppleRecords #DayAfterDay #BabyBlue #ToddRundgren #GeorgeHarrison #Leon Russell   Home - Classic Rock Album Olympics   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices