A quick State of the Podcast update and info on our release schedule for the rest of this year. Do not fret, we're not ending the podcast! We've just hit a scheduling logjam and need to slow down a bit in order to keep as cool as we can.

Amanda has been fascinated with murder ballads for many years, so in this episode she's telling you (and Ben and Mike) all about them! This isn't an exhaustive overview of the genre, just the backstories behind a few great songs. From a couple of murdered girls in 18th-century England to a stolen hat in 20th-century America, these tragic stories have been transformed into compelling songs that we're still singing today.

Some notes:

• Mike wishes to note that the phonograph era was well underway in 1911; he just meant there weren't exactly DJs yet.
• You really must read Paul Slade's book Unprepared To Die if you want the full stories, plus more! At the very least, check out his website.
• We'd really like to hear Skyclad or somebody similar do a cover of "Pretty Polly."
• Turns out "Matty Groves" isn't based on any real events, it's just a great story.
• Nick Cave did not include "Stagger Lee" in the shows Amanda and Mike saw, but Kylie Minogue did sing "Where the Wild Roses Grow" when Rich saw her at Madison Square Garden!

The songs:

• The Louvin Brothers - Knoxville Girl
• Sandy Denny - Pretty Polly
• Lloyd Price/Nick Cave - Stagger Lee
• Sam Cooke - Frankie & Johnny
• Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds - Where the Wild Roses Grow

Intro: Nazareth - The Ballad of Hollis Brown (of course)

Outro: A bit of dialogue from David Rawlings & Gillian Welch after their excellent rendition of "Pretty Polly"

Cohosts: Amanda Rodgers, Ben Marlin, Mike DeFabio

More bonus episodes! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod

Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod

You might think we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel by choosing The Present for our annual Moody Blues episode, but that’s not true at all. Even though the band themselves hated it, and it’s quite polarizing among Moody Blues fans, all of us here at Discord and Rhyme think it’s terrific. As with Long Distance Voyager, you need to be prepared for the ultra-slick ‘80s production, but underneath that gloss there are some top-notch Moody Blues songs and super great instrumental details, including Patrick Moraz’s keyboards. If you’re a The Present skeptic, we hope you’ll listen to this episode and end up convinced that it’s a truly great album.

Cohosts: Rich Bunnell, Phil Maddox, John McFerrin, Amanda Rodgers

Complete show notes: https://discordpod.com/listen/163-the-moody-blues-the-present-1983

Discord & Rhyme's merch store: http://tee.pub/lic/discordpod

Support the podcast! https://www.patreon.com/discordpod