Metroid Music, Bond Themes & Jazz Philosophy

Polish your reading glasses and pour a cup of tea - it's time for a Strong Songs mailbag!On the last Q&A episode of year three, Kirk answers questions on Metroid meter, mystery Bond instruments, (more) Tuvan throat singing, how to count odd meters like The Terminator theme, actors who pretend to play instruments, and how to define a musical "work," even if the work in question is improvised.REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:“Wishing” by John Frusciante from The Will to Death, 2004“Super Metroid Theme” by Kenji Yamamoto from Super Metroid, 1994“Kwolok’s Malaise” by Gareth Coker from Ori and the Will of the Wisps, 2020Tuvan-style throat singing from Ghost of Tsushima: Iki Island, 2021“Alash Khem (Alash River Song)” performed by Congar Ol’Ondar w/ Béla Fleck and the Flecktones on Live at the Quick, 2002Aboriginal Australian musician Lewis Burns performing traditional Digiridoo“Main Title from The Terminator” by Brad Fiedel, 1984"Blue Rondo a la Turk" by Dave Brubeck from Time Out, 1959“Spectre” by Radiohead, 2015“You Only Live Twice” by John Barry and Leslie Bricusse, performed by Nancy Sinatra for You Only Live Twice, 1967“Sonata for Oboe and continuo in c minor, RV53” by Antonio Vivaldi, performed by In-Gun Hwang“Bassoon Concerto in F Major, Op. 75” by Carl Maria von Weber, performed by Michele BowenAn NPR interview with Wendell Pierce about his role as trombonist Antoine Batiste on TremeAn excerpt from the climactic drum solo from WhiplashThe jam session scene from episode one of Kids on the SlopeThe ridiculously well animated jazz band from Yakuza 0The final guitar showdown from Crossroads feat. Steve VaiThe episode of 99% Invisible about The Real BookA collection of alphabetical tune excerpts from The Real Book, Vol. 1Audio from “Reset,” the third episode of James Acaster’s Netflix special Repertoire“Space Oddity” by David Bowie from David Bowie, 1969The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry on The Philosophy of Music:Jimi Hendrix’s performance of Frances Scott Key’s “The Star Spangled Banner” at Woodstock, 1969The excellent book Harmonic Experience: Tonal Harmony from Its Natural Origins to Its Modern Expression by W.A. MathieuOUTRO SOLOIST: Jeff BeanJeff Bean is a poet and a professor of English and creative writing at Central Michigan University. He also went to Kirk's high school, where he discovered his love of jazz guitar. You can read his work at his website.KIRK'S SUGGESTED LIST OF REAL BOOK TUNES TO LEARN*AA Child is BornA Fine RomanceA Night in TunisiaAfro BlueAfternoon in ParisAlice in WonderlandAll BluesAll of MeAll of YouAll the Things You AreAlone TogetherAnthropologyApril in ParisAutumn in New YorkAutumn LeavesB
Beautiful LoveBewitchedBlack OrpheusBlue BossaBlue In GreenBlue MonkBlues for AliceBlue TrainBody and SoulCChega De SaudadeChelsea BridgeConfirmationCorcovadoCottontail
DDarn that DreamDays of Wine and RosesDesafinadoDolphin DanceDon’t Get Around Much AnymoreEEasy to LoveFFootprintsFourFreddie FreeloaderGGiant StepsGirl from IpanemaGod Bless the ChildGoodbye Porkpie HatGroovin HighHHave You Met Miss JonesHere’s That Rainy DayHow High the MoonHow InsensitiveII Can’t Get StartedI could Write a BookI Let a Song Go Out of my HeartI Love YouI Mean YouImpressionsIn a Mellow ToneIn a Sentimental MoodIn Your Own Sweet WayInvitationIt Don’t Mean a ThingJJoy Spring (if you’re feeling adventurous)Just FriendsK
There are no K songs in the Real Book! I take this personally!LLady BirdLike Someone in LoveLullaby of BirdlandLush Life (there will one day be an episode about this masterpiece)MMaiden VoyageMistyMood IndigoMr. P.C.My Favorite ThingsMy Foolish HeartMy Funny ValentineMy One and Only LoveNNight and DayNight has a Thousand EyesOOleoOnce I LovedOne Note SambaOut of NowherePPensatia (a difficult but beautiful tune)Pent-Up HousePrelude to a KissRRecordame‘Round MidnightSSatin DollScrapple from the AppleSeven Steps to HeavenThe Shadow of Your SmileSidewinderSomeday My Prince Will ComeSong For My FatherSophisticated LadySo WhatStella By StarlightStolen MomentsStompin’ at the SavoyStraight, No ChaserSugarTTake FiveTake the “A” TrainThere Is no Greater LoveThere Will Never Be Another YouThey Can’t Take That Away From MeTristeTurn Out The StarsUUp Jumped SpringWWaltz For DebbyWell You Needn’tWhen I Fall In LoveWindowsYYesterdaysYou Don’t Know What Love Is*There are many other great tunes in the Real Book, this is just a selection to start with if you're learning repertoire. Also, feel free to skip any of these, especially the more beboppy tunes, if they're too tricky. Or if you don't like them. Or for whatever other reason. Good luck! ~K--------------------OCTOBER 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONSAshley Hoag – Mark and Michelle – Kelsair – Rob Bosworth – Kyle Cooke – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Tim Byrne – Jamie White – Christopher Kupski – Christopher McConnell – David Mascetti – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Laurie Acreman – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Bill Rosinger – Anne Britt – David Zahm – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Doug Paton – Robert Paul – Viki Dun – Dave Sharpe – Christer Lindqvist – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Merlin Mann – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey – Dan ApczynskiOCTOBER 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONSPaul Wayper – Miles Forman – Dennis M. Edwards – Jeffrey Ferris – Bruno Gaeta – Kenneth Jung – Kurt Wendelken – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Stefan Niebrügge – Jason Reitman – Karen Liu – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Simon Prieto – Breck Jones – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Rhyanon Murray – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Gray Dyer – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Kari Kirk – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Mary Schoenmaker – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Marc – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – Brian Meldrum – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Fernando Rodriguez – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Caroline Miller – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Nicole Schleicher – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Bridget Lyons – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Susan Plein – Dallas Hockley – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Spencer Shirley – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffy Thanadros – David Friedman – Phillip Dalton – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Michael York – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Becca Sample – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Benedict Pennington – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Alexander Geddes – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Brendan Jubb – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Briony Leo – Bill Fuller – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Zoe Little – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – Naomi Watson – David Cushman – Alexander – Jeremy Dawson – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Eero Wahlstedt – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Andrew Lee – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Nicholas Schechter – Emily Williams --------------------💃STRONG SONGS LIVE!🕺July 11, 2026 | Portland, ORBuy Tickets Here (Livestream Tix Now Available!)----LINKS-----💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS!Patreon | One-Time Donation🏠 HOMEPAGE👚 MERCH💬 DISCORD SERVER📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA:Instagram | YouTube | Bluesky🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG:Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music🎨 SHOW ART:Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics