Have You Heard This One?

Seattle in the 90s: A tidal wave of unforgettable music roars out of the city. Nirvana, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam take over global pop culture and Seattle is declared the world's coolest place to be. But here, reality is different for young people. For almost two decades, the Teen Dance Ordinance has made it illegal for anyone under 18 to attend concerts without a parent or guardian. Police raid p...

Some Christmas songs aren’t as merry or bright as they seem. Annie Zaleski uncovers the mystery and drama behind Bobby Helms’ 1957 holiday hit, “Jingle Bell Rock.” 🔗ANNIE’S LINKS:  This Is Christmas, Song by Song: The Stories Behind 100 Holiday Hits Website Newsletter Instagram   Facebook ⭐️Enjoying the podcast? Please leave a rating and review on your podcast app. See Privacy Policy a...

In 1971, the legendary Festival Rock y Ruedas de Avándaro was held near Valle de Bravo in Mexico. The concert, which was a homegrown response to Woodstock, caused panic within the authoritarian government. Cristian Salazar shares how the revolutionary festival changed native rock in Mexican forever. 🔗CRISTIAN’S LINKS:  Website ⭐️Enjoying the podcast? Please leave a rating and review on your...

Jeanne-Paule Marie Deckers earned international fame as the cheerful, wholesome Singing Nun behind 1963’s “Dominique.” The story of this jaunty one-hit wonder reveals the complex existence of its singer. Jessica Gentile details the life and death of Sœur Sourire, the Smiling Sister. 🔗JESSICA’S LINKS:  Website Twitter ⭐️Enjoying the podcast? Please leave a rating and review on your podcast a...

Ursula Bogner’s experimental, homemade electronic music places her among the genre’s great pioneers. But her recordings went unheard for decades, until one fateful encounter changed everything. It’s a case of a marginalized artist finally gaining recognition for their contributions to modern music — or is it? Rose Bacci shares the strange story surrounding an early electronic musician. 🔗ROSE...

Rumor has it that Nashville’s first women-only bar was opened by a pioneering lesbian country singer. It turns out, this rumor is only a little bit truthful. Natalie Weiner digs into the incredible life and legacy of Wilma Burgess, the lost voice of the Nashville Sound. 🔗NATALIE’S LINKS:  Don’t Rock the Inbox Website ⭐️Enjoying the podcast? Please leave a rating and review on your podcast a...

One of the most high-profile feuds in recent music history was stoked by one little word: bitch . J’na Jefferson dives into the controversial term’s origins and its use in popular music to answer the essential question: is the word bitch offensive, harmless, or empowering? 🔗J’NA’S LINKS:  Website Instagram Twitter ⭐️Enjoying the podcast? Please leave a rating and review on your podcast app....

Norma Tanega lived an extraordinary life. She was a talented folk musician whose work captured Bob Dylan’s attention. She had a hit song and a record deal. She was the longtime hidden romantic partner of Dusty Springfield. So why don’t more people know her name? And why does her story feel so incomplete? Lexi Pandell does her part to fill in the gaps in Norma’s history. 🔗LEXI’S LINKS:  Websi...

Have You Heard This One? is a sound-rich music anthology series dedicated to telling the stories of overlooked artists, fascinating characters, under-represented voices, funny moments, important events, forgotten chapters of history, and some of the greatest music stories seldom told. Each episode is hosted by a different journalist taking listeners on a deep dive into the heart of music and fando...

'Recipe for Disaster'  author Alison Riley talks about a breakup that led to the ruin of nearly all of PJ Harvey's catalog... plus, the meal that got her through it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Whatever name you call Stagger Lee, we know one thing for sure: He shot Billy Lyons in plain sight, with a bar full of witnesses. If you’ve heard the song, you might think he did it because he lost a game of dice. But the real Stagger Lee wasn’t gambling at all. He got mad when Billy took his Stetson hat and wouldn’t give it back, so he fired the gun. What could lead to such a violent end? There’s...

Frankie killed Albert one night in St. Louis, back in 1899. Songwriters took a few liberties, even changing some names (that’s where “Johnny” comes in). Then Hollywood took more liberties while building multiple films around the song. Unfortunately for Frankie, it was a ballad people kept singing for over a hundred years — a ballad that ultimately killed her.  Preorder the "Songs In The Key O...

On Christmas Day 1929, Charlie Lawson committed the chilling act of murdering his wife and children. What’s darker is the reason why, according to some true crime authors. But are they right, and what do we know today about the rare phenomenon of familicide? Preorder the "Songs In The Key Of Death" EP via Bandcamp now! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice a...

When we talk about the sexism of murder ballads, “Omie Wise” jumps to the forefront as one of the most prominent examples. Whether the true story involves a woman who was drowned because she became inconvenient or because she stood up to a no-good man, they both end the same way — with Naomi Wise dead, and many tales that got it wrong. Preorder the "Songs In The Key Of Death" EP via Bandcamp now!...

When Henry Clay Beattie's wife Louise died under what turned out to be mysterious circumstances in 1911, the trial of the century began. Figuring out the circumstances of her death would lead to a million lines of newsprint all over the country — and end with the electric chair. Preorder the "Songs In The Key Of Death" EP via Bandcamp now! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Califo...

A 14-year-old girl named Delia Green was shot to death on Christmas night in 1900 by a boy who thought she was being mean to him. How did that turn into a song about a “lowdown” and “trifling” woman who was cheating on her man — and a song that would save Johnny Cash’s career? Preorder the "Songs In The Key Of Death" EP via Bandcamp now! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Californ...

Songs in the Key of Death looks at the historic true crimes that inspired a selection of murder ballads, combining music, true crime, history, and edge-of-your-seat storytelling along with new music from artists Sad13 and Bonnie "Prince" Billy. Hosted by music critic and author Courtney E. Smith (Refinery29, MTV, Record Collecting For Girls), each episode of season one focuses on a single murder b...