Presents in Cans (Dire Straits and Leftover Gifts)

Barry and Abigail discuss Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits and sample Wild Dog – Pale Ale and Wild Dog – Shempa Ale from Tiemann Beer in Lusaka, Zambia; Strawberry Rhubarb from New Glarus Brewing Company in New Glarus, Wisconsin; Coconut Key Lime Pie Drips and Mischievous Grin from Barn Town Brewing in West Des Moines, Iowa; and Gallo / Famosa from Cervecería Centro Americana in Guatemala City, Guatemala.Read about how the Money for Nothing music video came to be, or watch the video.We first sampled New Glarus on our season 4 Christmas episode, Christmas Beers (Straight No Chaser and Gifted Beers).Barry pointed out that Walk of Life references other songs, and Abigail compared it to American Pie by Don McLean.Abigail formally retracted a fun “fact” she had previously shared on the podcast regarding artificial banana flavoring being based on the Gros Michel banana instead of the Cavendish banana, which is the most common banana cultivar eaten today. The 2013 SciShow video where she first learned this false fact has since been edited to remove any reference to this hypothesis but points to this article that explains the hypothesis. This Hank Green video first brought the debunking of this hypothesis to Abigail’s attention.We first sampled Barn Town on our season 4 episode Barntown (Phish and Barn Town Brewery).Abigail called Why Worry an “adult lullaby,” similar to Calm Down by Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons. She then entered Why Worry into the Abigail Hummel School of Speaking Smartly About Music with a comparison to Little April Shower from Bambi (1942). She also brought up Baby Genius by Eels as having instrumental similarities. Barry mentioned Rain by Hans Zimmer from Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron (2002). The “vibes” in the personnel list likely refers to the vibraphone, which could very well have produced the rain sounds in Why Worry.Abigail asked if Mischievous Grin would count as a “cream tangerine” (we have officially gone zero episodes without mentioning the White Album!).Barry had heard that the three war songs on this album were inspired by the Falklands War between Argentina and the United Kingdom that lasted for a little over two months in 1982. Abigail had always pictured the Vietnam War, partly because of the imagery in Ride Across the River, and partly because Abigail’s consumption of war media was heavily influenced by The Things They Carried by Tim O’Brien, a novel about the Vietnam War.While discussing The Man’s Too Strong, Abigail referenced an in-character speech by comedian and professional Dungeon Master Brennan Lee Mulligan.Up next… Version 2.0 by Garbage, Abigail’s annual Phone-a-Friend submission, this time with Carlo “from Canada” Sgro, the namesake of Carlo’s Corner!Jingles are by our friend Pete Coe.Visit Anosmia Awareness for more information on Barry’s condition.Follow Barry or Abigail on Untappd to see what we’re drinking when we’re not on mic!Leave us a rating or a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!Facebook | Instagram | Bluesky | YouTube | Substack | Website | Email us | Virtual Jukebox | Beer Media Group