The Eighties are officially over as Mark and Kenny come full circle while wrapping up Like a Prayer – and pay a visit to a (semi) intoxicating oddity.
All I Want To Do Is Talk About Madonna
S2, E12 - Act of Contrition
Kenny and Mark close out their conversations about Like a Prayer (and the 80s) with the final track – a ground-breaking (and one of the strangest) moment of Madonna’s canon. Topics include Catholic imagery, the upcoming onslaught of tell-all biographies, Prince’s guitar solos, and Madonna’s first “I Don’t Give A ****” moment.
S2, E11 - Spanish Eyes
Mark makes a passionate case for the closing ballad (and official song) on Like a Prayer while Kenny comes around to see the light from that candle. Is this song about AIDS? About gang violence? About war? Is it about Marco Loya’s backing vocals? All (or nothing) is revealed!
S2, E10 - Keep it Together
Kenny and Mark sway along with the oft-forgotten fifth single from Like a Prayer. Topics include: turning Detroit beats into stadium anthems, magnets and the legendary Madonna cheese, Joe Henry, fedoras, the troublesome British accent, safe havens and sleeping on the floor, the fabulous maxi-single remixes for this song, and the complicated sibling rivalries that impact all of us – while Mark outs himself as a potential Madonna back-up singer! “Keep people together!”
S2, E9 - Oh Father
Kenny and Mark continue exploring Madonna’s (semi) autobiographical songwriting on this “shoulda been” classic Madonna power ballad. Topics include: male authority figures, Simon & Garfunkel’s Concert in Central Park, Kenny’s love of acoustic gravitas, the return of David Fincher, threatening shadows, singing statues, Charlton Wilborn, and an ode to one of the greatest moments in Madonna Hair History. Plus … another Special Guest (and longtime listener) joins Mark to discuss his experience performing the song … Dominic Yacobozzi!
S2, E8 - Dear Jessie
Mark rescues this off-beat gem from Like a Prayer while not even candy kisses and a sunny day can keep Kenny from hijacking the episode with a dreadful reminder of what a difference a decade makes. It’s not ALWAYS a holiday (or a love parade) around here, kids.
S2, E7 - Cherish
Kenny and Mark dive into Side Two of Like a Prayer with one of the most romantic songs in the whole canon. Topics include Herb Ritts, shooting mermen in black & white, Tony Ward, the importance of reading plays to write sincere lyrics, and Mark’s dream Shakespeare casting for Madonna. Plus … a Very Special Guest joins Mark to discuss her long and quite personal relationship with the song … his sister Kate!
S2, E5- Til Death Do Us Part
Kenny and Mark deep dive into the true lost gem from side one of Like a Prayer. Topics include Sean Penn, Sean Penn, Sean Penn, and … oh yeah … Sean Penn Version.2016 as well as autobiographical songwriting, Madonna’s brand of artistic revenge, the frustrations and merits of working hard, and lots of armchair psychology over the nature of relationships, time, and the need for vulnerability. Stuff is getting REAL, kids …
