New Mexico stan, history buff, and fluent German-speaker New Mexico Supremacist joins us in third chair for another German folk song. Wir sind des Geyers schwarzer Haufen (We are Geyer's Black Company). The song, while written in the early 1920's, details the struggles of the common man in the German Peasants' War of 1524-1525 and specifically the only heavy calvalry unit to fight on the side of the peasants during the conflict: Florian Geyer's Black Company. The ballad is strongly anti-cleric and anti-noble and has been used by various groups in Germany to rally youth to their cause... oh the German Peasant's War? Yeah it's pretty obscure, you probably haven't heard of it. Spoiler alert: everybody dies. Link to the song (this is the version we used for the episode, there are many others out there): https://youtu.be/Pg8GlYeCWuM Follow New Mexico Supremacist on Twitter (and learn German!): @NMisBestMexico Follow Scott and Sean on Twitter: Scott - @dotGiff Sean - @Hashtag_Hey_Bro Do you like any songs with historical context that you'd want to learn more about or discuss on the show? Send us a DM or an email. [email protected]

In third chair we are joined by renaissance man and talented musician Beta Pvnk discussing his song suggestion Wind of Change by the Scorpions. The song holds a special place in his heart which comes through in our discussion. This rock ballad is one of the best selling singles of all time, did it also single-handedly bring down the USSR? Was the song actually written by the CIA as a psyop during the Cold War? Grab your balalaika and give us a listen to find out! Follow Beta Pvnk on Twitter: @LatterDayPVNK and check out his awesome music, shirts, and artwork! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/BetapunkFilms Apparel: https://www.latterdaypunk.com/ Instagram: @latterdaypvnk Follow Sean and Scott: Scott - @dotGiff Sean - @hashtag_hey_bro If you've got a song you'd like to suggest for the show, drop us a line on twitter or via email and we'll bring you on. [email protected] Make sure to follow us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz-bE0S8lTdUsDq5ltc6EBQ

Scott and Sean are joined by Andrew in third chair. We discuss The Pogues' 1985 cover of And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda. The song while fictional, details the horrific slaughter wreaked upon ANZAC soldiers during the WWI Gallipoli Campaign in 1915. The song begs the question of a soldier's sacrifice and what was it all for? Originally written during the Vietnam War but set during The Great War, Eric Bogle's 1971 ballad treating the ultimate sacrifices paid by Australia's young men, was movingly covered by The Pogues (and many others), is anti-war but not anti-soldier. Heartbreaking in its realism and portrayal of lost and wasted youth, this is definitely a piece that will stick with you for a long time. Give it a listen! Link to the song: https://youtu.be/cZqN1glz4JY Link to the original by Eric Bogle: https://youtu.be/WG48Ftsr3OI Link to Waltzing Matilda (sung by Slim Dusty): https://youtu.be/FqtttbbYfSM Follow Andrew on Twitter: @ManlyFidelity Scott and Sean: @dotgiff @hashtag_hey_bro Think you've got a song with some historical context that we should discuss on the show? Send us an email or DM and we'll bring you on the pod! [email protected]

Derek joins Scott and Sean to discuss Young the Giant's 2010 song Garands (formerly called Garands at Normandie). While the song itself only vaguely references a soldier searching the woods during WWII, the lyrics inspire a larger discussion on the everyman placed in extraordinary situations. Derek enlightens us on Christopher R. Browning's 1992 book Ordinary Men and it's expose on the "ordinary men" of the German Reserve Police Battalion 101 in German-occupied Poland during WWII. A good thought exercise ensues. Give it a listen! Link to the song: https://open.spotify.com/track/2PFDOKSPOcZpOBvGBvBV0h?si=620554b9cb85486d Link to the original song (when Young the Giant was called The Jakes, and the song title was Garands at Normandie): https://youtu.be/yKtZK1nP5ZM Link to Christopher R. Browning's book Ordinary Men: https://www.amazon.com/Ordinary-Men-Reserve-Battalion-Solution/dp/0062303023/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1665172397&refinements=p_27%3AChristopher+Browning&s=books&sr=1-1&text=Christopher+Browning Find Derek on Twitter: @LatterDayDrums Follow Sean and Scott on Twitter: Sean - @hashtag_hey_bro Scott - @dotGiff Think you've got a song we should discuss on the show? Send us a DM on Twitter or email us at: [email protected]

In this episode Scott and Sean are joined by esteemed podcast guest and published author Nim, in third chair. Spirited discussions ensue addressing Karl Freiherr von Manteuffel-Katzdangen's moving poem Die Grenzwacht hielt im Osten (AKA Die Baltenfahne) which was later set to music. Nim enlightens us on the Interwar period of Germany, Baltic Germans, and the Freikorps. Baltic Germans-where are they now? What's a Freikorps? Where is Courland? Why is there such a dirth of German Interwar folk songs in my Spotify playlist? Why am I crying in the club rn? Listen and find out. Follow Nim on Twitter: @AnchorStill Subscribe to his Nimstack: https://nimacheraghi.substack.com YouTube Link for the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D3iDCBQgvHQ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/0RAhagdQoPoBAWoEgVtiXR?si=a8e859e122724f11 Follow Sean and Scott on Twitter: @dotgiff @hashtag_hey_bro Think you've got a good song we should discuss on the show? Let us know: [email protected]

Matt Wilson joins us to discuss the Screeching Weasel deep track "El Mozote." We expound on the El Mozote Massacre from the El Salvadoran Civil War and the My Lai Massacre from the Vietnam War. Matt imparts his knowledge on the song he picked and the band that inspired so many more well-known punk bands. Join us as we delve deeper into this unknown (and horrific) chapter in El Salvadoran history. Link to the song on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ucCjy82c0KA Matt Wilson is the singer and lyricist for the bands Near Dark and Set Your Goals. Check them out: https://neardarkny.bandcamp.com/releases https://open.spotify.com/artist/2Ivw6FhAZpa7kiAXWztCq5?si=8VrKRZQhQWCTxzk7LNvckA Follow us on twitter: Scott: @dotgiff Sean: @hashtag_hey_bro Think you know a good song we should discuss on the show? Drop us a line: [email protected]

In this episode Scott and Sean are joined by the great Brett Cain. We discuss Gordon Lightfoot's ballad (and his magnum opus) The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and the maritime disaster that inspired it. Brett is a published author, artist, boxer, and huge Gordon Lightfoot fan. Think you know everything about Lightfoot's most popular song? Give this episode a listen, you may be surprised... Follow Brett on Twitter: @brettwcain Check out his awesome podcast The Ironside Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/1mXjly9zxM3RAzZUe3FlPM?si=12f69ddf0eb8420b Buy his books here: https://www.amazon.com/Brett-Cain/e/B07N96X35H/ref=aufs_dp_fta_dsk Link to song: https://open.spotify.com/track/536L9C0N7vhYdibCJx3cI2?si=0e39e449b0c14a88 Link with photos of the ship and it's final voyage route: https://www.theknightshift.com/2005/11/we-are-holding-our-own-thirty-years.html Have a song you want to talk with us about? Feel free to reach out to us: Scott: @dotgiff Sean: @hashtag_hey_bro Email: [email protected]

Scott and Sean do a deep dive into 2003's "Fields of Athenry" by Dropkick Murphys. The song is a cover of an Irish folk song from 1979 discussing a fictional man who is sent to an Australian penal colony for stealing during the potato famine of the late 1840s. What do potatoes, corn, and libertarianism have to do with Celtic punk? Listen and find out! Find us on twitter: Sean- @hashtag_hey_bro Scott- @dotgiff Song: https://youtu.be/t5VTeGWQyMs Paddy Reilly Version: https://youtu.be/_NlrsmEvv1Q Email: [email protected]

Sean and Scott discuss Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner, written by Warren Zevon and David Lindell. A song about a talented European mercenary who fought for The Congo in a civil war during the 60s... or did he? Links: The song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRWCK9zGynA Cover (with war footage): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDGDw4GWcf4 Last performance on Letterman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhRRWwH3Fro

Troy and Scott discuss American Pie by Don McLean. A description of the transition between the innocence of the 50s to the unrestrained 60s. McLean pin points a specific tragedy as the "day the music died" or the beginning of this transition. Listen in to find out what he thought and how a horrific plane crash prompted one of the most recognizable songs ever. Links: Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yHTpGog0IY Tour schedule picture (mentioned): https://imgur.com/a/AA4gpPG