Where's the Downbeat in This Metroid Theme?

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, 2020
• Tuvan-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, 2002
• Aboriginal 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 Bowen
• An NPR interview with Wendell Pierce about his role as trombonist Antoine Batiste on Treme
• An excerpt from the climactic drum solo from Whiplash
• The jam session scene from episode one of Kids on the Slope
• The ridiculously well animated jazz band from Yakuza 0
• The final guitar showdown from Crossroads feat. Steve Vai
• The episode of 99% Invisible about The Real Book
• A collection of alphabetical tune excerpts from The Real Book, Vol. 1
• Audio from “Reset,” the third episode of James Acaster’s Netflix special Repertoire
• “Space Oddity” by David Bowie from David Bowie, 1969
• The 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, 1969
• The excellent book Harmonic Experience: Tonal Harmony from Its Natural Origins to Its Modern Expression by W.A. Mathieu

OUTRO SOLOIST: Jeff Bean

Jeff 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.

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OCTOBER 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Ashley 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 Apczynski

OCTOBER 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Paul Wayper
Miles Forman
Dennis M Edwards
Jeffrey Ferris
Bruno Gaeta
Kenneth Jung
ben
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
JeffyThanadros
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

KIRK'S SUGGESTED LIST OF REAL BOOK TUNES TO LEARN*

A
A Child is Born
A Fine Romance
A Night in Tunisia
Afro Blue
Afternoon in Paris
Alice in Wonderland
All Blues
All of Me
All of You
All the Things You Are
Alone Together
Anthropology
April in Paris
Autumn in New York
Autumn Leaves

B

Beautiful Love
Bewitched
Black Orpheus
Blue Bossa
Blue In Green
Blue Monk
Blues for Alice
Blue Train
Body and Soul

C
Chega De Saudade
Chelsea Bridge
Confirmation
Corcovado
Cottontail


D
Darn that Dream
Days of Wine and Roses
Desafinado
Dolphin Dance
Don’t Get Around Much Anymore

E
Easy to Love

F
Footprints
Four
Freddie Freeloader

G
Giant Steps
Girl from Ipanema
God Bless the Child
Goodbye Porkpie Hat
Groovin High

H
Have You Met Miss Jones
Here’s That Rainy Day
How High the Moon
How Insensitive

I
I Can’t Get Started
I could Write a Book
I Let a Song Go Out of my Heart
I Love You
I Mean You
Impressions
In a Mellow Tone
In a Sentimental Mood
In Your Own Sweet Way
Invitation
It Don’t Mean a Thing

J
Joy Spring (if you’re feeling adventurous)
Just Friends

K

There are no K songs in the Real Book! I take this personally!

L
Lady Bird
Like Someone in Love
Lullaby of Birdland
Lush Life (there will one day be an episode about this masterpiece)

M
Maiden Voyage
Misty
Mood Indigo
Mr. P.C.
My Favorite Things
My Foolish Heart
My Funny Valentine
My One and Only Love

N
Night and Day
Night has a Thousand Eyes

O
Oleo
Once I Loved
One Note Samba
Out of Nowhere

P
Pensatia (a difficult but beautiful tune)
Pent-Up House
Prelude to a Kiss

R
Recordame
‘Round Midnight

S
Satin Doll
Scrapple from the Apple
Seven Steps to Heaven
The Shadow of Your Smile
Sidewinder
Someday My Prince Will Come
Song For My Father
Sophisticated Lady
So What
Stella By Starlight
Stolen Moments
Stompin’ at the Savoy
Straight, No Chaser
Sugar

T
Take Five
Take the “A” Train
There Is no Greater Love
There Will Never Be Another You
They Can’t Take That Away From Me
Triste
Turn Out The Stars

U
Up Jumped Spring

W
Waltz For Debby
Well You Needn’t
When I Fall In Love
Windows

Y
Yesterdays
You 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