Perfectly Good Podcast - John Hiatt from A to Z

How far do we have to go, and how many tangents will hosts Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth take on our discussion of John Hiatt's 1997 song "Pirate Radio"? No matter where we end up, we have fun on the journey as we discuss the context of the time both when the song was written and when it may be set. Do you have stories of driving your car real slow and listening to Hiatt? Would you like to weigh in on our rating on this or another song? Be sure to leave a review or send us a message. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join your hosts Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth, one of whom may have had a Pink Bedroom of their own, as we discuss a song from John Hiatt's Two Bit Monsters. We review some wonderful covers of the song about the girl who's got it's all before breaking down all the lyrics and unpacking some musical similarities to Neil Diamond? Does this early song in the Hiatt catalog deserve more stars than the hosts dole out? Be sure to tell us after you check our youtube playlist with all the covers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosts Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth get help from 5-time returning guest Mike Blanchard of the GeekCast Radio Network to discuss "Permanent Hurt." After sharing some facts and statistics about this song from John Hiatt's 1993 album Perfectly Good Guitar, we break down the lyrics and reveal what we each heard and misheard in those days before the Internet and AI could tell us what we should make of any song. Do the Catholic imagery or crunchy Guilty Dog guitars give this song an extra star for you? Let us know how you'd rate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've come far enough in our alphabet that it's time for Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth to review and rate the John Hiatt song that gave our podcast it's name. Helping us out is Sean Barette, musician and author of Heartstrings: First Guitars. You can hear more from Sean on Jesse's other podcast SetLusting Bruce. How would you rate the title track from John Hiatt's 1993 album? Does being a guitar player make it easier to give a bonus point? Does watching the clip from the Tonight Show with Jay Leno sway you up or down? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Read all about it... Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth are joined by returning 3rd chair guest Ted Mills to discuss a song from John Hiatt's Slow Turning. We discuss the many, many, covers that have been uploaded to youtube and breakdown the lyrics before rating on our patented Hiatt scale. Remember, the full list of songs in our Season One is available on https://sites.google.com/view/perfectlygoodpodcast/home, as well as a form to sign up to join us. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've come to the end of another letter. Jesse and Sylvan review the songs that begin with O in our John Hiatt A to Z countdown. Did we get anything wrong? You tell us: perfectlygoodpodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over 30 years ago, Sylvan Groth found an episode of Rolling Stone at her local library and her life was forever changed for the better. David Wild, writer, podcaster, music fan and mensch for the ages join Sylvan and Jesse Jackson on this very special episode. We look back on that article and talk about Wild's continued admiration of John Hiatt's songs. It wouldn't be August 20th without Sylvan reminding you to donate to the John Hiatt Fund for Adolescent Recovery at Cumberland Heights. If you can make it to this year's benefit concert, which is a tribute to John Hiatt, we'd love to see you there! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's not too late to find happiness as we discuss "Overnight Story" But, remember the scale Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth are using when we rate every song in John Hiatt's catalog... Even one-star songs are good, because it's Hiatt. But, you might skip it every now and then when it comes on the Ipod. Also, please remember to give to Cumberland Heights for John Hiatt's birthday on August 20th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth discuss the title track to John Hiatt's second album. How many stars will the two fans give this song, and will a contemporary Dutch cover sway them? Before we start our song discussion, we're a bit giddy that this year's charity concert for Cumberland Height's John Hiatt Fund for Adolescent Recovery is a star-studded tribute to John. And, your hosts will be meeting up in Nashville to see this show a the famous Ryman Auditorium. Please join us, or give what you can to this wonderful cause. (John's birthday on August 20th is a great day to do so.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does John Hiatt talk about when he talks about being "Over the Hill"? Well, a lot more than we expected as Jesse and Sylvan started to break down this song from 2018's The Eclipse Sessions. Join us as we discuss the music and lyrics from this song, including (perhaps) an illusion to the great Raymond Carver's "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love" a few years after the film Birdman brought it back to the forefront of culture. As always, we end rating the song on our special Hiatt scale, and encourage you to join us to do the same. 1-star - Sure, it's good, because it's Hiatt. But, you might skip it every now and then when it comes on the Ipod. 2-star - A good, solid song. But, if you compare it to others... 3-star - A song that you would put up against anything that is popular today or of it's time and proves that John Hiatt is one of the best singer-songwriters around. 4-star - Classic - everything about the song is quality and you want to listen again and again. 5-star - The best of the best. Songs that you can't stop listening to or talking about, so that perhaps your friends and family become a bit annoyed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth discuss "Outrunning My Soul" from John Hiatt's Eclipse Sessions. Join the hosts as they find snippets of understanding and perhaps even a meditation mantra on this song. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What does it feel like to wrap oneself up in a cold beef roast? And why does John Hiatt want us to imagine that as he describes one (or more) love stories in the song "Our Time" from 2008's Same Old Man? These and other questions are answered on our way to rate on our special Hiatt five star scale. Agree? Disagree? Be sure to give us your feedback. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosts Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth are joined by all-star Perfectly Good Podcast guest and superfan Nick Brown to discuss the title track from John Hiatt's 2010 album, The Open Road. As we explore the lyrical themes of hopelessness, resilience, and the complex desire for both home and the road, we wonder about the heroine of this story and whether she may appear in other songs. Special thanks to Lightning 100, Nashville's independent radio for their interview with John Hiatt, which we have sampled. Be sure to check out the full version, which is part of the "Open Road" playlist on our youtube channel. Be like Nick! Share your thoughts, whether it's about this song or one we have discussed earlier in our A to Z journey, and try to beat his 5-song record by joining us for an episode. E-mail perfectlygoodpodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosts Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth are joined by John Hiatt Fan Page admin Jamey Rogers for his 3rd appearance on the podcast. Together, we discuss "Only the Song Survives" from John Hiatt's 2001 Crossing Muddy Waters. But, wait, is this the verse you said that you lost? Stay till the end for a special bonus from the era of radio. Special thank you to Juergen, host of the Perfectly Good Cigar German John Hiatt fanpage for making us aware that there was a draft of this song neither of us had heard before. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosts Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth discuss another song from John Hiatt's Eclipse Sessions. While "One Stiff Breeze" does not fit the typical mold of this great singer-songwriter's work, it provides lots of questions for our hosts. Is it a completely different expreience when you read only the verses? Why is the title hidden at the end? Who is John Hiatt telling "I love you?" Explore these questions and share your own rating after we give our 1-5 star analysis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether it's Monday, or Tuesday, or any other day you listen to Perfectly Good Podcast, we hope that you will enjoy our discussion of "One of Them Damn Days" from John Hiatt's Mystic Pinball. Hosts Sylvan and Jesse share just the facts, break down the lyrics and rate on our special one to five star scale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hosts Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth go back to nearly the beginning with the first song on John Hiatt's second album, Overcoats. We're discussing "One More Time" by reviewing just the facts about the song and breaking down the lyrics. Before that, Jesse shares his experience seeing Lilly Hiatt in Plano, Texas. Be sure to catch her if you can and tell her how much you loved hearing her on the podcast. As always, we end the episode giving this week's song our One-to-Five star rating. Please tell us if you agree. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Perfectly Good Podcast is audio only - but believe us that hosts Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth are smiling just like Mona Lisa as we discuss the final song from John Hiatt's album Stolen Moments. For feedback and to schedule a time to be on the show, please e-mail perfectlygoodpodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you rate any John Hiatt song out of the context of his albums? This is just one of the questions Jesse Jackson and Sylvan Groth ponder as we continue our A to Z journey with "On With You" from 2008's Same Old Man. Join us as we discuss where we each were when John released the music celebrating his 20 years of marriage and the themes of love, and various levels of maturity. As always, we share "just the facts," break down the lyrics, and finally give our rating on the special Perfectly Good Podcast 5-star scale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Perfectly Good Podcast has discussed 190 of John Hiatt's songs and we have 113 left to go for Season One! While we recover from the excitement of having Lilly Hiatt join us, we do not have a new show this week. However, please join us in thanking some of the wonderful guests who have made our A to Z journey such a joy. And THANK you for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices