Bill and Frank’s Guilt-Free Pleasures

Lionel Richie: "Hello" (He starts with "I Love You")

Only Lionel could lead with "I love you" when finding the girl of his dreams. We discuss why he can pull this off and why "Hello" is so amazing. We also do so much more! Get ready for an emotional ride. 
Links:
The Number Ones by Tom Briehan
The Epic Music Video
Singing with Jimmy Fallon
Thank you for listening! Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, etc., or send us an email at BandFGuiltFree@gmail.com! We’d love your feedback—please rate and review on the podcast provider of your choice, and don’t forget to share our podcast with your friends! We have lots of episodes - stay awhile and listen to some more ;)
Our theme music is by the incredibly talented Ian McGlynn.

Calloway: "I Wanna Be Rich" (and have just a little love, peace and happiness)

It's refreshing to hear the bold honesty of Calloway. What do they want? They want to be rich! (And also for/full of love, peace, and happiness.) For this episode, we discuss money, lots and lots of money, we explore some incredible categories (the Hallmark movie is back!), and we also dive into the history of Calloway. From what we've learned, they got their wish in the end.
Links:  
Official Video
In Living Color Version
New Version
Flute Edit
Thank you for listening! Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, etc., or send us an email at BandFGuiltFree@gmail.com! We’d love your feedback—please rate and review, and don’t forget to share our podcast with your friends!
Our platonic love theme music is by the incredibly talented Ian McGlynn.

David Foster: "Love Theme from St. Elmo's Fire" (from a Ski Movie Villain)

We’ve never tried this before, but we’re going for it: today’s song is an instrumental. We kept a slight safety net, since a version with lyrics does exist, but the 'Love Theme from St. Elmo’s Fire' is best known for the way its keys, synths, and sax evoke their own kind of poetry. Join us for a journey involving dewy meadows, aggressive unicorns, and ski movie villains. Buckle up, friends.
Link: 
Promotional Video
Thank you for listening! Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, etc., or send us an email at BandFGuiltFree@gmail.com! We’d love your feedback—please rate and review, and don’t forget to share our podcast with your friends!
Our platonic love theme music is by the incredibly talented Ian McGlynn.

Joe Jackson: "Steppin' Out" (with Dave Kitchen)

Dave Kitchen brings us what he feels to be a "quintessential guilt-free pleasure." Joe Jackson's "Steppin' Out" is undeniably of its time, but what a glorious time that was. We discuss the backstory of the song as well give a close reading of its lyrics. We also discuss the New York City of 1982, which is nearly a world away from the NYC of today. Be prepared to be transported back to another time as we step out into the night!
Links:
Music Video
Live version with original drum machine
Thank you for listening! Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, etc., or send us an email at BandFGuiltFree@gmail.com! We’d love your feedback—please rate and review, and don’t forget to share our podcast with your friends!
Our theme music is by the incredibly talented Ian McGlynn.

Lou Bega: "Mambo No. 5" (Hi Monica!)

This is a big moment for Frank - he's been wanting to do Lou Bega's giant signature tune for a long time. Bill isn't nearly as enthused, but this is not Hate Month, and so it's time to let a little bit of Angela, Pamela, Sandra, Rita, Monica, Erica, Tina, Sandra, Mary, and Jessica into our lives. Ladies and gentleman: here is our episode on "Mambo No. 5!"
Link:
Official Video
Thank you for listening! Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, etc., or send us an email at BandFGuiltFree@gmail.com! We’d love your feedback—please rate and review, and don’t forget to share our podcast with your friends!
Our theme music is by the incredibly talented Ian McGlynn.

Thompson Twins: "Hold Me Now" (Adventures in Babysitting with The Julies)

We're very excited to have The Julies back as guests! "Hold Me Now" suits both the aesthetic of our show as well as the taste of our friends. Beyond exploring the musical layers of the Thompson Twins' biggest hit, we unpack the memories tied to the track: namely, Frank's childhood longing for his babysitter. 
The Julies have a great new album out. You can find and buy Cherisher here and stream it on whatever service you use.
Follow the Julies on Instagram or Facebook!
More helpful links:
Hold Me Now official video
Hold Me Now Live Aid performance
The Julies' Summermouth on youtube
Thank you for listening! Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, etc., or send us an email at BandFGuiltFree@gmail.com! We’d love your feedback—please rate and review, and don’t forget to share our podcast with your friends!
Today's special theme music is by The Julies.

Was (Not Was): Walk the Dinosaur (Boom Boom Acka Lacka Lacka Boom)

While often remembered as a catchy novelty track, Was (Not Was)’s “Walk the Dinosaur” is actually about our own imminent extinction through nuclear annihilation. Who knew the song would continue to be relevant almost forty years after its release? We trace the band’s humble beginnings in Michigan to their surprising success throughout the 80s, with guest vocalists that included Leonard Cohen, Ozzy Osbourne, Madonna, Frank Sinatra Jr. and Kim Basinger (!). For us, and maybe to the chagrin of the Was brothers, we believe the highlight of it all is this way smarter-than-people-realize hit whose video was continuously on our TV sets in 1989.  
Links
Music Video
Frank Sinatra Jr Performance
Thank you for listening! Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, etc., or send us an email at BandFGuiltFree@gmail.com! We’d love your feedback—please rate and review, and don’t forget to share our podcast with your friends!
Our theme music is by the incredibly talented Ian McGlynn.
 

Simply Red: Holding Back the Years (Holding ONNNNN)

Mick Hucknall may be a polarising figure in the British media (well, I guess it mostly is only the "hate" pole), but how can anyone deny the power of "Holding Back the Years"? It's a song birthed in a stream of consciousness writing exercise but steeped in a history of childhood sadness. We discuss our own sadness, give a deep analysis of the song and video, and we also discuss why we refuse to pair a wine with this Simply Red.
Links:
Official Video
Frantic Elevators version
Simply Red Live from Santiago
Thank you for listening! Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, etc., or send us an email at BandFGuiltFree@gmail.com! We’d love your feedback—please rate and review, and don’t forget to share our podcast with your friends!
Our theme music is by the incredibly talented Ian McGlynn.

Dan Hill: "Sometimes When We Touch" (Hold the last note without crying, Frank!)

Today, we dive into Dan Hill’s 1977 mega-ballad, "Sometimes When We Touch." Often labeled the ultimate "weeper," this track explores themes of masculine fragility and raw vulnerability. These concepts commonplace today but groundbreaking for the late 1970s. We discuss how a 19-year-old Hill penned these intense lyrics to compete for the affection of a polyamorous woman who was simultaneously dating a professional football player and a photographer. We also examine the song's unlikely collaboration with songwriter Barry Mann, which helped propel the track to number three on the Billboard Hot 100 during a week otherwise dominated by the Bee Gees. From death-defying encounters involving a gun in the Bahamas to a hostage-like bowling incident, we explore how Hill endured his "albatross" until he recognized it as an open door to a world of opportunities. Join us as we analyze the lyrics and determine if this polarizing hit is truly a guilt-free pleasure or simply "too effing intense" for the average listener!
1970s video
1990s video
SCTV "High Q" Sketch
Thank you for listening! Connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, etc., or send us an email at BandFGuiltFree@gmail.com! We’d love your feedback—please rate and review, and don’t forget to share our podcast with your friends!
Our theme music is by the incredibly talented Ian McGlynn.
 

Mr. Mister: "Broken Wings" (You got to release the one you love)

We go deep in this week’s episodes by delving into the complexities of relationship-mending. For example, the only way to keep someone is to let them go. It’s the paradox of Broken Wings, and we are here to learn to fly again. Despite a bad coffee order to start things, we get right on track and discuss the enduring influence of Khalil Gibran on music - or at least on a few Beatles songs and this Mr. Mister tune. We discuss redemption, healing, and dangerous blackbirds. Frank also brings a Hallmark movie to possibly end all Hallmark movies.