How We Heard It

Album covers inspire, shock and tease

You don't get a second chance to make a first impression, so over the years music artists have relied on the visual cues of their album covers to help sell their product.
Sexy photos, dramatic images, optical illusions, striking colors and eye-catching fonts have all been used to grab attention, titillate and intrigue.
Album covers were vital in the vinyl heyday, but as consumers turned more and more to CDs and tapes, designers had to adapt to smaller canvases. And as the world migrated to digital consumption, an "album cover" became nothing more than a thumbnail image on your phone.
Still, vinyl has rebounded to a degree and every music release, regardless of format, still has some kind of visual attachment to generate interest, so the "album cover" lives on.
On this episode of "How We Heard It," veteran music critics Chuck Campbell and Wayne Bledsoe and musician/engineer John Baker guide you through the best and worst album covers, talking about the iconic art - plus their personal favorites - from the Beatles to today.
They also bust up long-believed myths about some album covers, talk about banned covers and answer important questions like "whose butt is that?," "what's in his pocket?" and "why does she look insane?"

Cheaters! These songs about them have us shook

Why do cheaters cheat?
Seems like there are as many reasons as there are songs about cheaters. They cheat simply because they're tempted or because they want revenge or because they're lonely or because they don't care or because they want a thrill or because they're addicted to sex or because they're drunk.
There are likewise numerous responses to being cheated on. Many are devastated or infuriated or sink into denial. But some see it as an opportunity - to leave someone they were over anyway or to retaliate by also cheating or maybe to cash in financially.
And sometimes a cheating incident will prompt a couple to open their relationship ... for better or worse.
This week, the "How We Heard It" hosts dive into an ocean of cheating songs told from the perspectives of the cheaters as well as those who were cheated on and even those who are the other man or other woman.
From modern songs to songs from the earliest days of popular music, these cuts range from enlightening to bitter and from prickly to comforting. So buckle in while your hosts get to the bottom of things.
 

How do you want to be remembered?

Are you a sweet soul? A deep thinker? A party animal?
All of the above?
In this episode of "How We Heard It," your hosts debate the criteria for creating a final playlist - for a celebration of life or just a celebration in general.
What kind of songs would you want played at your funeral? Wayne's given it a lot of thought, but Chuck and John? Not so much.
Join the guys as they get sweet and salty and poignant and goofy as they sort out songs that move their hearts and songs that make them laugh - and most importantly, songs they want others to associate with them (or at least think about) when they go to the great beyond.
And "She Bop" is just a joke. Maybe.

These summer hits catch us at our happiest

Another summer is upon us, and with it comes a new wave of summer hits that we'll remember forever.
What is it about songs this time of year that makes them hit so much better?
For starters, summer is the most popular season - one with the longest days, the most vacations and the best weather for being outdoors (notwithstanding oppressive heat waves). We meet new people in summer, we go to new places in summer, we allow ourselves to chill out in summer, we fall in love in summer ... and we're just plain happier in summer.
We already have a bounce in our step, so what better time for a new song with bounce? We're already more giddy, so what better time for a catchy, crowd-pleasing hit? 
Kick back and relax with a cool beverage as your "How We Heard It" hosts stroll through the memories of the best summer hits in history - from last year to before you were born.
That "to-do" list can wait till fall.

Remember these one-hit wonders? (We sure do, for better and worse.)

One-hit wonders come from all directions, from serious artists who expected a long career of hit songs to novelty acts who never even expected that first one. But the end result is always the same: It's one and done for the performer.
In this episode of "How We Heard It," your hosts look at an array of their favorite and their most hated one-hit wonders over the years, ranging from before they were born to artists from the past few years who are projected to be one-hit wonders even though they're still just in their 20s.
Some of music's most cherished songs (as well as some of the most despised ones) have been delivered by one-hit wonders, and love them or hate them, they made their mark and can't be forgotten - no matter how hard you try.

Get your paws on these great songs about animals!

This week "How We Heard It" is going to the dogs ... and cats and horses and any other critter you can think of.
When your hosts decided to explore songs about animals, they couldn't believe how many old and new gems they turned up, as well as some truly terrible songs.
Artists of every genre have found excuses to do songs about animals, and they've come up with just about everything. Songs about dogs alone run the gamut from daydreaming about your dog to losing your dog to wanting to be someone else's dog (don't ask). Paul McCartney got enigmatic, and you won't believe what Dolly Parton did with a dog song.
There's more: cat songs, elephant songs, lion songs, songs about sea creatures ... and a surprising array of songs about horses and ponies by the likes of Lil Nas X, Kacey Musgraves, Chappell Roan, Ginuwine, Laid Back and one oldie by The Osmonds that was one of the strangest turns in pop-music history.
Join us and let the animal lover in you run wild.

These songs will help you get over your ex

Songs do a great job of marking all the chapters of a relationship - titillation, infatuation, obsession ... followed by the comforting warmth of deep and abiding love ... (sometimes) followed by hurt, misunderstanding and betrayal ... followed by anger, separation and acceptance.
Yet once the breakup is over and done, we sometimes get stuck, unable to move forward or go back, awash in residual negative feelings that swallow us like quicksand.
You know as well as anyone you're only hurting yourself when you get like this, but your "How We Heard It" team is here to help.
This week's episode is all about letting the old you go and embracing  your future with the help of artists who tap into humor and resilience - and maybe throw one last jab at that ex - as they move on to rejoin the world around them.
So quit crying in your beer, get a haircut and buy a new shirt. You've got a life to live!

We never want to see these movies again!

Your hosts at "How We Heard It" love movies just as much anyone, and like everyone else, they'll watch their favorite films again and again.
But there are some good movies - some great movies even - that they never intend to watch again.
In this week's episode they go through several acclaimed, or at least popular, films they won't be replaying, and they explain why. Their reasons are many and they often don't agree with each other, but at the end of the day, they're "fin" with these films.
Are there any great movies you won't watch again?

The highs and lows of drugs and alcohol in music

Songwriters in most every genre dabble in themes of alcohol and drug use - some of them just looking for a good time, some of them looking for a serious escape from their lives and some of them looking to feed an addiction.
On this episode of "How We Heard It," the guys take it all in, from the playful and silly party songs to the sobering cries for help from artists who are no longer with us.
If you or someone you care about is struggling with substance abuse, please seek the advice of a trusted friend, family member or professional.
And if you just want to unwind with a cold one or have a toke, we've got you covered.
No judgment.

Why do these great mean songs feel so good?

Forget about sappy love songs and happy party songs. Sometimes you've just got to rip somebody a new one, and you don't want to be nice about it.
The cathartic power of a mean song can't be underestimated, whether you just need to get something off your chest or you need to dig deep and drive someone completely out of your life.
So this week the hosts of "How We Heard It" are mad as hell and they're not going to take it anymore. They've come up with their favorite mean songs for any situation - whether you need to obliterate an ex, tell off a co-worker or shake your fist at the whole world.
Let us help you help yourself.