Episodes
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This week, the Bad Piano Player features composer Ray Henderson, charter member of the Songwriter's Hall of Fame, writer of Animal Crackers In My Soup, Bye Bye, Blackbird, Don't Bring Lulu, The Birth of The Blues, The Best Things In Life Are Free, The Thrill Is Gone, and you're not going to believe this, but we're not doing ANY of those! Tune in to hear the six we did learn!
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This week, in response to many emails and texts, the Bad Piano Player decided we couldn't wait until Robbie Burns day or St. Patrick's day to do another Celtic songs episode. The demand was too great! So we learn six songs from the cradle of golf and whiskey. Aged in the wood, and sung with our special mediocre care. And of course I'm kidding. We didn't get any emails or texts. Enjoy, my lads and lassies.
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This week, the Bad Piano Player introduces a lyricist-slash-songwriter we've featured before, but never in his own episode. The wonderful Johnny Burke, he of "Pennies From Heaven" and "Moonlight Becomes You" fame gives us six of his best! Tune in and smell the music.
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This week, the Bad Piano Player takes his second crack at the Glasgow-born, Newcastle-raised Mark Knopfler, with seven songs (Seven? YES! SEVEN) from his solo career. Including YOUR favorite! (I hope). Tune in to listen to a guitar virtuoso interpreted by a bad piano player. It's gonna be scary, kids!
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The Bad Piano player first featured lyricist Mitchell Parish in his own episode four years ago. Episode five, season one. We thought it high time this prolific poet had a second six songs featured. We wish we could promise no Arms-Charms rhymes, but we can't. Them's the breaks. Tune in and hang with the cool kids, kids!
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This week, we feature composer Lew Pollack, born in New York City in 1895. Have you heard of him? No? Well you've heard his music, I feel reasonably sure. The bad piano player would bet this episode on it. Tune in for the classics and the obscures.
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This week, the Bad Piano Player features the most most obscure song he could find for six of his favorite modern singers and songwriters. We call the episode Their Most Obscure. Amazing how that works out. Tune in and maybe we’ll do your fave obscure song!
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This week's episode features lyricist Edgar Leslie, 1885-1976, whose canon includes many famous songs we're not going to do! In accordance with the Bad Piano Player manifesto, we bring you six Edgar Leslie lyrics you probably don't know, but trust me, they rock! Or perhaps I should say, they bounce. Tune in for the words, stay for the music. Set a spell, take your shoes off...
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This week, the Bad Piano Player takes a look at the short-lived Song Hits magazine of the mid 1930s. They included music and we're doing three each from three issues in 1935. Songs written by some people we know and some we don't. Tune and sit back. It's going to be old-school musical!
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This week, our post Canada Day episode features the Australian born, Judy Garland discovery, singer-songwriter Peter Allen. Composer, lyricist, singer, one-man show dynamo. Gone too soon. Six of our picks of his best. Enjoy, kids, in the full flower of summer.
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This Fortnight Tuesday, the Bad Piano Player, who has featured Harry Warren, Tom Waits, Irving Berlin, Sam Coslow and Frank Loesser three times, gives a third episode honor to James V Monaco. And as always, we hope you enjoy this well deserved inclusion. Tune in and be dazzled again by his great music.
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For our first June episode, the Bad Piano Player features jazz violinist, composer and arranger Matt Malneck (1903-1981). New Jersey born songwriter who has long deserved and finally gets his own episode. Tune in, kids, because it is gonna swing.
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This week, the Bad Piano Player goes into his bag of Sam Coslow songs and stories for-- would you believe it-- a third time! Six great songs and fabulous stories to go along with 'em. Mae West, Garbo, Mabel Normand, and some sketchy singing too! How can it miss, when the chorus goes like this! Tune in, my darlings. I'll be at the piano.
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This week, Fortnight Tuesday brings two more giants of the American songbook, the team of Irving Kahal, lyricist, and Sammy Fain, composer, both members of the Songwriters' Hall Of Fame, and two men we've featured before, but at last they get the singular honor of their own private, six-song episode. Tune in, my beauties, and be enchanted.
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This week, the Bad Piano Player assays the redoubtable Ralph Rainger; composer, arranger, accompanist, preparer of piano rolls, bandleader, and oh yes, lawyer. Film composer nonpareil in a bright but short career. You may not have heard of him, but you have heard him. Tune in, Raingers!
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This week, the bad piano player features violinist, composer, director, screenwriter, and in his time, Da Hardest Workin' Man in Show Bidness. Say hello to Victor Schertzinger, director of 88 films and holder of 146 soundtrack credits. Tune in, kids. It's gonna be epic.
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This week, the Bad Piano Player assays a composer/bandleader/singer you've never heard of. I swear! Radio and recording star of the 1930's Jack Little, who was of course known as Little Jack Little, not to be confused with the vaudeville Little Jack Little, who was only four feet five inches tall. No! Not that guy. The other guy! Tune in, kids. Gonna be epic.
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This week, the Bad Piano Player does his second foray into the incredible career of songwriter Sam Coslow. From New York, Tin Pan Alley, to Hollywood, and finally, Wall Street. As always, with songs! Tune in, kids.
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This week, the Bad Piano Player finds a songbook with old friends Mitchell Parish, Carl Sigman, Frank Loesser, and Harry Warren in it. And we throw in a Mack Gordon for good measure. It's gonna be old timey and old movie as well, so get some popcorn and set a spell. Elroy, get some refreshments for our guests.
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This week, the bad piano player assays the Oklahoma born songwriter Jimmy Webb, born in Elk City 77 years ago. Winning a song of the year Grammy award at age 21 didn't slow this guy down one bit, kids. Tune in for six of the best.
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