There was a "35 moisture-units per hour" joke here but Sarah just couldn't get it to go. YOU should go listen to the second-to-last episode of our America's Damp 40 countdown, as America, Dan Hill, Seals & Crofts, Kenny Loggins, and Foreigner all slosh onto the chart. How did George Martin get in here? Did one of the legion of Dans solve toxic masculinity -- from Canada? Why did the users disagree with us about the dampness of partnered sex on a hot day? And who won the battle for Kenny Loggins's soul, feelings and underpants or triumph and uniforms? Fill a 200-lb bag with tapioca and draw a Sharpie beard on the side of it: it's Episode 07. Our intro is by David Gregory Byrne, and our outro is by the Primitives. Interstitial music provided by Aimee Mann. To contact us or buy our books, visit MarkAndSarahTalkAboutSongs.com. To become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES The Damp 40 homepage America's Gerry Beckley talks to American Songwriter about "Sister Golden Hair" Someone get Dan Hill a cocktail Check out our sponsor, Noom

Three quarters of the way through the America's Damp 40 countdown! Wading into the swamp this week are Nicolette Larson, Bread, Barry Manilow, Jim Croce, and the Garden State's own Dr. Hook, and as Mark fondly remembers a bank vestibule and conjures a mating dance involving a drink with grenadine in it, Sarah wonders if the titular Mandy has called the police. Foundational texts of moisture, dramaturgical research on pay phones, the Beverly Hills, 90210 Spring Dance, and the many sins of Shel Silverstein all come up for discussion during the ongoing reign of Dan terror we're calling Episode 06. Our intro is by Andrew Byrne, and our outro is by Karen Carpenter. Interstitial music provided by Lola Rico LLC. To contact us or buy our books, visit MarkAndSarahTalkAboutSongs.com. To become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES The Damp 40 homepage The origin story of "Mandy"/"Brandy" (which does not involve a dog) "Barry Manilow: The Surprise Jingle Hitmaker" Ep 109 on Def Leppard's "Pour Some Sugar On Me" Check out our sponsor, Noom

It's getting real -- real soggy, that is -- as we wrestle with the next five songs in the America's Damp 40 countdown. William Joel, Kenny Rogers, Randy Vanwarmer, Bertie Higgins, and yet another Dan (Fogelberg) have us talking about emotional-labor issues, when vulnerability is actually wimpiness, songs that sound like karaoke stock videos look, whether the poor man's Jimmy Buffett is in fact Jimmy Buffett, and how to get fired from Hallmark for dysfunctional metaphorizing. How did these songs change the landscape of our Top 10? And could someone please find Randy Vanwarmer's ex-girlfriend's cat? Hang a bag of DampRid: it's Episode 05. Our intro is by David Gregory Byrne, and our outro is by Donovan. Interstitial music provided by John Sebastian and the Sweathogs. To contact us or buy our books, visit MarkAndSarahTalkAboutSongs.com. To become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES The Damp 40 homepage Our Lovin' Spoonful episode Our "songs with 'song' in the title" episode Check out our sponsor, Noom

We've reached the halfway point in our America's Damp 40 countdown, and with Steely Dan, Ambrosia, England Dan and John Ford Coley, Olivia Newton-John, and 10cc entering the chart, it's getting dark AND damp in here. The condescension of older boyfriends, saying the quiet part out loud, sexual grift, calling the Seals family onto the (shag) carpet, vicarious embarrassment, and that time Sandy from Grease had too much tempranillo at the Christmas party and awked out big-time. We're chipping away at the layers of Casio that form an emotional carapace for Seventies Man, so grab an avocado-colored hard hat and join us: it's Episode 04. Our intro is by Andrew Byrne, and our outro is by Sir Elton John. Interstitial music provided by ONJ. To contact us or buy our books, visit MarkAndSarahTalkAboutSongs.com. To become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES The Damp 40 homepage Mr. Drake will now hear arguments Check out our sponsor, Noom

America's Damp 40 countdown "welcomes" another five songs to the fray, including selections from Orleans, Melissa Manchester, James Taylor, Lionel Richie, and Dolly Parton. Is Manchester the girl from "Chevy Van"? How do the paradigm challenges of drag relate to moisture levels? Was JT low-key hateful this whole time? And did Sarah crack the anti-moisture code of country music before the police arrived to arrest her for speculating on Mr. Richie's "alone time"? It's Episode 03, and it is NOT for kids. Our intro is by David Gregory Byrne, and our outro is by the Commodores. Interstitial music provided by Ol' Blue Eyes with an assist from Sarah's birthday-mate, Stephen Sondheim. To contact us or buy our books, visit MarkAndSarahTalkAboutSongs.com. To become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES The Damp 40 homepage The Brady Bunch Variety Hour's dance medley takes on "Dance With Me" Lionel Richie's "Hello" video Get 10% off from our sponsor, BetterHelp And check out our other sponsor, Noom

The next 5 songs join the America's Damp 40 countdown, so buckle up for Gerry Rafferty, the Eagles, Todd Rundgren, Sammy Johns, and our old friend Paul Davis as we settle our first top 10. Penthouse letters gone feloniously awry, Glenn Frye-colepsy, predicting saxophone sales, the one time Sarah will let herself use the word "iconic," and a side of toasted nuts: it's Episode 02! Our intro is by Andrew Byrne, and our outro is by Stealers Wheel. To contact us or buy our books, visit MarkAndSarahTalkAboutSongs.com. To become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES The Damp 40 homepage More on "the 'Baker Street' phenomenon" Jon Miltimore breaks down "Baker Street"'s lyrics at Intellectual Takeout The making of "Best Of My Love" MASTAS Episode 142: Don Henley, "The End Of The Innocence" Episode 103: Meat Loaf, "Paradise By The Dashboard Light" Todd Rundgren named one of his children "Rebop," and other times he was a jackwagon 1977's The Van Episode 117 on the troubling sexual politics of Paul Davis Get 10% off from our sponsor, BetterHelp And check out our other sponsor, Noom 

America's Damp 40 is now officially underway with our first 5 songs! Art Garfunkel, Juice Newton, Christopher Cross, Styx, and Player form the foundation of our moist pop-chart project. The mystery of Dudley Moore, Michael McDonald's mentholated support, the difference between longing and a boner, sonic butter, the Garfunkel/Midler Venn, and Ridge Forrester -- this episode's got something for everyone. Our intro is by David G. Byrne, and our outro is by Thomas "Fats" Waller. To contact us or buy our books, visit MarkAndSarahTalkAboutSongs.com. To become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES The Damp 40 homepage Get 10% off from our sponsor, BetterHelp Jimmy Webb on Wikipedia Webb and Linda Ronstadt's version of "All I Know" Ep 157 on Styx's "Come Sail Away" Stereogum's Tom Breihan on "Baby Come Back"

Welcome to America's Damp 40, our season dedicated to ranking the moistest soft rock hits of all time. In this episode, we explain the premise, discuss how our rankings will work, reveal the songs in contention, and talk about all the shag carpeting on which a person can make love. Our intro is by Andrew Byrne, and our outro is by The Association. To contact us or buy our books, visit MarkAndSarahTalkAboutSongs.com. To become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas. SHOW NOTES The Damp 40 homepage Check out Noom

In our most meta episode ever, we're ranking 13 songs with the word "song" in the title, which allows us to discuss everything from Weird Al to porpoises to the very best times to sound like Simon and Garfunkel. Our intro is by David Gregory Byrne, Andrew Byrne, Laura Barger, AND Jack Baldelli. (Truly!) Our outro is by Soykus Paynoot. To contact us or buy our books, visit MarkAndSarahTalkAboutSongs.com. To become a patron of the show, visit patreon.com/mastas.

The ostentatious awesomeness of Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now” gets us talking about songs you can’t possibly sing along to and the various reasons Freddie Mercury is eternal.