PODCAST · music
Songbird
by Marco North
Songbird is a brutally honest, behind the scenes look at the songwriting and recording process. Based on Marco North's experiences with his debut album, Heaven Get Behind Me, he shares demos, hard-earned lessons, triumphs and finished tracks in each episode. An expat New Yorker living in Moscow, playing 100-year-old instruments, writing songs about Fellini dying, a French stalker, Kodachrome and California divorces, North shares one bittersweet anecdote after the next in this fascinating deep dive into his sparse, cinematic songs.Musicians will find inspiration, a healthy serving of laughter and great deal of comfort from this series. Music lovers will get an inside look at the creative process, and the story behind each song.
Episodes
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The story behind the song | Lord Loves a Workin' Man
This "behind the song" episode is all about another SPITBALL classic, Lord Loves a Workin' Man. Marco talks with SPITBALL's rhythm section - Chris Orcutt (drums) and Mike Webb (bass) about the origins of this lurid, muscular instrumental and ask the big questions, like "is this a rockabilly…
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The story behind the song | Use Me
This "behind the song" episode is all about SPITBALL's cover of Bill Wither's Use Me (often called Use Me Up by mistake). Marco talks with SPITBALL's "engine room" - Chris Orcutt (drums) and Mike Webb (bass) about what makes a great rhythm section and what makes a bad one. We ramble about the…
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The story behind the song | Ska'd for Life
This "behind the song" episode is all about a SPITBALL classic, Ska'd for Life. This is the first time our listeners will hear both a live CBGBs version as well as a studio version of the track, made at LOHO Studios. LOHO has recorded music for artists such as Ryan Adams, Blues Traveler, Rosanne...
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The story behind the song | Hairdryer + Home Cookin'
SERIES UPDATE: We some terribly sad news to share with our listeners. SPITBALL's glorious singer and guitarist Molly Fitch passed away. With her family's blessing, we are going to continue publishing our interviews with her, and leave the next episodes intact as a document of Molly's thoughts…
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The story behind the song | Sunshine Superman
SERIES UPDATE: We some terribly sad news to share with our listeners. SPITBALL's glorious singer and guitarist Molly Fitch passed away last week, and we are just at a complete loss. With her family's blessing, we are going to continue publishing our interviews with her, and leave the next…
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The story behind the song | Raychel + Gun/Parkside
SONGBIRD Season Two continues with a double-decker "behind the song" episode, all about Raychel and Gun/Parkside. We ask the big questions, like "Is Raychel our Sweet Jane?" and dig into SPITBALL's nimble, loose style. At any given moment you understand that we rehearsed like crazy and none of…
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The story behind the song | Coney Island Surfing
SONGBIRD returns with a long-awaited Season Two! We jump right into a "behind the song" episode, all about Spitball's signature song "Coney Island Surfing". Decades before Marco became Martin Ruby, he was the tenor sax player in this scrappy pack of knuckleheads, and he explores the surf-punk...
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Bonus | What will happen in Season 2?
Season 2 will dig into the story of Spitball, an unsigned surf-punk act that was part of the downtown NY music scene in the mid-90s. With never-heard before live recordings from CBGB's shows, and some studio work - this band epitomizes a naive, reckless energy that just has to be heard. They…
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Season 1 Finale | A Tribute to Felix McTeigue
In our Season 1 finale, Marco explores the final liner notes for Heaven Get Behind Me, where thanks are given - and we find ourselves in an unexpected tribute to a dear friend. Felix McTeigue was a revered singer-songwriter, and singlehandedly got Marco in front of a microphone, many years ago.…
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Heaven Get Behind Me | Liner Notes Part 2
In our second liner notes episode we talk through that maddening balancing act of conceiving and producing videos for the music we create. On the one hand, commerce, on the other that desire to make something rare and authentic.
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Heaven Get Behind Me | Liner Notes Part 1
In our first liner notes episode we unravel the story behind the album cover, and listen to some of the instruments used, comparing two very similar guitars that were built 100 years apart. Then, we explore the history of invented instruments and microtonal music through the work of composer…
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The story behind the song | Wallflower's Surprise
In our final behind-the-song episode of Season 1, we go deep into the bible, and an alternate life to understand what inspired Wallflower's Surprise, track 11 from Heaven Get Behind Me. As always, we hear the demo version as well as the finished track.
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The story behind the song | Kodachrome Shangri-La
How did this track become the official single from Heaven Get Behind Me? Is Shangri-La like Santa for adults? Why do people miss Kodachrome? The answers to these questions and three different demos play a part in our latest behind-the-song episode.
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The story behind the song | Mascara
If we know we are going to die, what choices do we make – about how and when we meet this moment. Will we go kicking and screaming, or will we find some grace? And who gets to decide, us or someone that cares about us –maybe more than we do. We talk through these questions in our latest...
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The story behind the song | Stone Blind Rain
Can you manufacture a vulnerable performance? How did the idioms "whistling past the graveyard" and "potters field" originate? What is blind rain? The answers to these questions are part the latest behind-the-song episode, as we listen to the demo and final version of "Stone Blind Rain" track 8...
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The story behind the song | Way Up There (Don't Say a Word)
Can a terrible person write a great song? Can they sing it? These questions - along with the search for an ancient instrument, a chance meeting with a Russian DJ, a crash course in the music of goth-rock legend David Eugene Edwards and a hilarious Ebay experience - inspired "Way Up There (Don't…
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The story behind the song | Sebastapol
What is the life of an expat? Can they ever really go home? These questions - along with a screenplay about the Book of Enoch - inspired "Sebastapol" (track 6 from Heaven Get Behind Me). In this latest "behind the song" episode we have our first interview, with Eve North who performed a guest…
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The story behind the song | The Letter Reader
What does it take to break a person? Can they be saved? How does it feel to seek revenge on the world? These are the questions that inspired The Letter Reader, track 5 from Heaven Get Behind Me. In this "behind the song" episode we talk about prison, in its many forms. We also discuss the…
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The story behind the song | California Divorce
What is your favorite breakup song? In this SONGBIRD "behind the song" episode, we talk about divorce and other major life events - how they shape us, how we navigate them and somehow move on. "California Divorce" is at the center of this conversation, track five from Heaven Get Behind Me. We...
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The story behind the song | Long Tall Man
In SONGBIRD's latest "behind the song" episode, we tackle the story behind Long Tall Man (track four from Heaven Get behind Me). Inspired by Ry Cooder's score for Paris, Texas (by way of a Blind Willie Johnson cover) and a documentary about Townes Van Zandt - this song is pure minimalism. We talk...
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The story behind the song | Marfa
In SONGBIRD's third episode, a stalker's email evolves into the song MARFA from Martin Ruby's debut album HEAVEN GET BEHIND ME. As usual, we talk through the specific challenges this track presented to the songwriting process. The demo as well as the final mastered version are included.
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The story behind the song | Fellini Was Dying (drunk in the afternoon)
In SONGBIRD's first "behind the song" episode, Marco explores the real life story that inspired the first track from Heaven Get Behind Me. We talk through the songwriting process, listen to the demo version, go deep into the technical choices and then we hear the final mastered version of the track.
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An introduction (Living through the songwriting process)
In this introductory episode, Marco explains what the show is about, the reason it is called SONGBIRD and shares some hard luck stories behind the making of his debut album, Heaven Get Behind Me. Sneak previews of some of the songs are included.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Songbird is a brutally honest, behind the scenes look at the songwriting and recording process. Based on Marco North's experiences with his debut album, Heaven Get Behind Me, he shares demos, hard-earned lessons, triumphs and finished tracks in each episode. An expat New Yorker living in Moscow, playing 100-year-old instruments, writing songs about Fellini dying, a French stalker, Kodachrome and California divorces, North shares one bittersweet anecdote after the next in this fascinating deep dive into his sparse, cinematic songs.Musicians will find inspiration, a healthy serving of laughter and great deal of comfort from this series. Music lovers will get an inside look at the creative process, and the story behind each song.
HOSTED BY
Marco North
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Songbird have?
Songbird currently has 23 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Songbird about?
Songbird is a brutally honest, behind the scenes look at the songwriting and recording process. Based on Marco North's experiences with his debut album, Heaven Get Behind Me, he shares demos, hard-earned lessons, triumphs and finished tracks in each episode. An expat New Yorker living in Moscow,...
How often does Songbird release new episodes?
Songbird has 23 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Songbird?
You can listen to Songbird on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Songbird?
Songbird is created and hosted by Marco North.
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