Songcraft Classic: Peter Frampton ("Do You Feel Like We Do?")

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2021 conversation with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis. ABOUT JIMMY JAM & TERRY LEWISWith 26 Billboard #1 R&B hits and 16 Billboard #1 pop hits to their credit, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis are perhaps the most influential and successful songwriting and production duo in modern music history. With a total of 41 Top 10 hits in the US, Jimmy and Terry were named ASCAP Songwriters of the Year a record-breaking nine times. They are perhaps best known for their work with Janet Jackson, beginning with the Control album, which earned the duo a Grammy for Producer of the Year. Between 1986 and 1994 they scored thirteen #1 songs with Janet on either the R&B or pop chart, including “What Have You Done For Me Lately,” “Nasty,” “When I Think of You,” “Control,” “Let’s Wait Awhile,” “Miss You Much,” “Rhythm Nation,” “Escapade” “Love Will Never Do (Without You),” “The Best Things in Life Are Free,” “That’s the Way Love Goes,” “Any Time, Any Place,” and “Again,” which earned Jimmy, Terry, and Janet an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. Jimmy and Terry got their start as musicians with Morris Day and the Time, the Prince-produced band whose biggest hit was the Jam and Lewis-penned “Jerk Out.” They made the transition to a successful songwriting and production team working with the S.O.S. band, which landed a #2 R&B hit with “Just Be Good to Me.” From there, they made their mark on pop and R&B hits for decades to come. In addition to their work with Jackson, the duo wrote and produced the #1 pop singles “Human” by Human League, “Romantic” by Karyn White, “Thank God I Found You” by Mariah Carey, and the Boyz II Men singles “On Bended Knee” and “4 Seasons of Loneliness.” Additional R&B chart toppers include “Encore” by Cheryl Lynn, “Fake” by Alexander O’Neal, “Everything I Miss at Home” by Cherelle, “Sensitivity” by Ralph Tresvant, and the Johnny Gill singles “Rub You the Right Way” and “Wrap My Body Tight.” Other highlights from their catalog include New Edition’s “If It Isn’t Love” and “I’m Still in Love With You,” “No More Drama” by Mary J. Blige, Robert Palmer’s hit pop cover of their Cherelle single “I Didn’t Mean to Turn You On,” and recordings by Gladys Knight & The Pips, Barry White, Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie, Usher, Spice Girls, Aretha Franklin, Charlie Wilson, Ledisi, Sting, Elton John, Beyonce, Rihanna, Rod Stewart, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Gwen Stefani, Willie Nelson, and many others.Always versatile, the duo has earned Grammy awards for Best R&B Album for Chaka Kahn’s Funk This, Best Gospel Song for Yolanda Adams’ “Be Blessed,” and Best Dance Recording for Janet Jackson’s #1 pop and R&B hit “All For You.” Additional Jackson hits that were written and produced with Jam and Lewis include the Janet and Michael Jackson hit “Scream” and the #1 singles “Together Again,” “I Get Lonely,” “Doesn’t Really Matter,” and the Nelly duet “Call On Me.”In total the team has earned over 100 gold, platinum, multi-platinum and diamond album certifications from the RIAA, have received more Producer of the Year Grammy nominations than anyone in history, earned the NAACP Lifetime Achievement Award, and were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. 

Counting Crows frontman Adam Duritz explains how his songwriting process has changed over the years, and offers insights into some of his songs, from early classics to recent compositions. PART ONE:Paul and Scott discuss judging a book by its cover and their possible status as idiots. PART TWO:Our in-depth conversation with Adam DuritzABOUT ADAM DURITZ:Songwriter Adam Duritz is best known as the lead singer of Counting Crows, which formed in 1991 in the San Francisco Bay area. Their 1993 debut album, August and Everything After, which was produced by T. Bone Burnett, attracted attention for songs such as “Mr. Jones,” “Round Here,” and “Rain King.” The album earned the group two Grammy nominations and was certified seven-times platinum. The double platinum follow-up album, Recovering the Satellites, reached number one and produced the top 10 pop single “A Long December.” Subsequent #1 singles on Billboard’s AAA chart include “American Girls” with Sheryl Crow, “She Don’t Want Nobody Near,” “Accidentally in Love” from Shrek 2 (which earned them an Academy Award nomination), and “You Can’t Count on Me” and “Come Around” from the band’s fifth album, Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings. In 2021 Counting Crows reached #2 on the AAA chart with “Elevator Boots” from their EP Butter Miracle, Suite One. Their eighth studio album, Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets!, will be released this Friday, May 9. You’ll hear clips of some of the new songs during our conversation, but to hear others Adam discusses, such as “With Love, From A-Z” and “Boxcars,” you’ll have to wait a few days for the new album. In all, the band has sold over 20 million albums and established themselves as vibrant live performers who often put a fresh spin on the recorded versions of their classic songs.  

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2020 conversation with Peter Frampton. ABOUT THIS BONUS EPISODEThe exceedingly generous and gentlemanly Peter Frampton talks about David Bowie giving him his very first job; Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones getting him into a recording studio for the first time; stumbling into session work thanks to George Harrison; writing two massive hits in the same day; how the loneliness of stratospheric success impacted his songwriting; and the inside stories of classics such as "Baby, I Love Your Way," "Show Me the Way," "Do You Feel Like We Do," "I'm in You," and many more.    

Drive-By Truckers co-founder Patterson Hood chats about his band, the evolution of his songwriting process, and his most recent solo album.PART ONEWater. Bed. Rock!!!PART TWOOur in-depth conversation with Patterson HoodABOUT PATTERSON HOODMuscle Shoals, Alabama, native Patterson Hood is best known, along with Mike Cooley, as the co-founder of the band Drive-By Truckers. Drawing from a range of rock and country influences, the group emerged from the Athens, Georgia, music scene in the mid-1990s, releasing their debut album, Gangstabilly, in 1988. Following the success of their third album, Southern Rock Opera, Drive-By Truckers were named Band of the Year by No Depression magazine in 2002. Jason Isbell joined the group for the acclaimed albums Decoration Day, The Dirty South, and A Blessing and a Curse. Following Isbell’s departure, the album Brighter Than Creation’s Dark became Drive-By Truckers’ first album to reach the Top 40 on the Billboard 200 chart. Subsequent albums The Big To-Do, Go-Go Boots, English Oceans, and American Band all reached the Top 40, as well as the top ten on Billboard’s US Rock chart. In all, the band has released fourteen studio albums. In addition to his work with Drive-By Truckers, Hood has released four solo albums. The latest, released in February, is called Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams. 

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2015 conversation with Swamp Dogg.  ABOUT SWAMP DOGGR&B cult favorite Jerry “Swamp Dogg” Williams is best known as the co-writer, with Gary U.S. Bonds, of the cross-genre classic, “She’s All I Got,” which became a Top 10 R&B single for Freddie North and a #2 country hit for Johnny Paycheck in 1971. Tracy Byrd recorded it in 1996, hitting #4 on Billboard’s Country rankings and introducing the song to a new generation of fans. Williams’ career began in 1954 when, at the age of 12, he made his first record, “HTD Blues.” He found success in the 1960s, recording the Top 40 R&B hit “Baby You’re My Everything” under the name Little Jerry Williams, and writing songs for other artists, including Gene Pitney’s Top 20 Pop single, “She’s a Heartbreaker.” He became Atlantic Records’ first African American staff producer in 1968, but left the following year to pursue independent projects in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. By the 1970s he was an in-demand producer and songwriter, penning Top 40 R&B hits for Doris Duke, Arthur Conley, and Dee Dee Warwick. Around the same time, he reinvented himself as Swamp Dogg, releasing a series of eccentric deep soul albums whose gonzo lyrics were marked by frank sexuality, biting satire, radical politics, and provocative social observations. His debut LP, Total Destruction to Your Mind, was eventually certified Gold, while subsequent releases, including Gag a Maggott, I’m Not Selling Out – I’m Buying In, An Awful Christmas and a Lousy New Year, and The White Man Made Me Do It have earned considerable accolades among underground music lovers and earned Swamp what one journalist described as “a cultural niche somewhere between Rudy Ray Moore and Frank Zappa.” In recent years, his vast catalog has been sampled by Kid Rock, Talib Kweli, DMX, and others. 

Six-time Grammy winner and Toto co-founder David Paich joins us to talk about his life as a hit songwriter for his own band and others.PART ONE:Scott and Paul talk about their visit with David Paich and other bits of tomfoolery.PART TWO: Our in-depth conversation with David PaichABOUT DAVID PAICH:David Paich is best known as one of the founding members of Toto, and the writer of some the group’s classic hits such as “Africa,” “Rosanna,” “Hold the Line,” “Georgy Porgy,” “99,” and “Pamela.” In addition to his success with the band, David collaborated with Boz Scaggs on the multi-million-selling Silk Degrees album, including the hits “Lowdown” and “Lido Shuffle,” and he co-wrote and produced the Cheryl Lynn hit “Got to Be Real.” Additionally, David composed much of the score for the David Lynch film Dune as well as the theme music for the 2008 summer Olympics. He is a six-time Grammy winner—including for Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Producer of the Year—and he won an Emmy Award for Best Song or Theme. David’s songs have been recorded by Glen Campbell, Chicago, Weezer, Mary J. Blige, Anderson .Paak, and many others. As a studio musician he contributed to legendary recordings, including Michael Jackson’s Thriller album and “We Are the World.” David released his debut solo album, Forgotten Toys, in 2022. 

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2020 conversation with Linda Perry.   ABOUT LINDA PERRYSinger, songwriter, musician, producer, and Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee Linda Perry first made her mark as an artist, serving as lead vocalist and primary songwriter of the group 4 Non Blondes, which is best known for the Top 15 pop hit “What’s Up?” Following a couple of solo albums, Linda emerged as a powerhouse songwriter and producer thanks to her work on P!nk’s multiplatinum Misundaztood album. The debut single, “Get The Party Started,” which Linda wrote solo, was a global smash. She followed it up with another solo-written composition, “Beautiful,” which became a chart-topping ballad for Christina Aguilera that earned a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year. Subsequent chart success came with Gwen Stefani’s debut solo single “What You Waiting For,” Alicia Keys’s “Superwoman,” Ariana Grande’s debut single “Put Your Hearts Up,” Miley Cyrus’s “Hands of Love,” and additional singles for Aguilera, including the Top 10 hits “Hurt” and “Keeps Gettin’ Better.” Recently, Linda collaborated with Dolly Parton on the soundtrack of the film Dumplin’, including the song “Girl in the Movies,” which was nominated for both a Golden Globe and a Grammy award. Linda is a four-time Grammy nominee, including a 2019 nomination for Producer of the Year, making her the only solo female producer to ever earn a nomination for their work producing other artists. The long list of artists Linda has produced, collaborated with, or had her songs covered by include Adele, Courtney Love, Cheap Trick, Faith Hill, Britney Spears, KT Tunstall, Weezer, Pat Benetar, Solange, L.P., Joan Jett, The Chicks, Vanessa Carlton, Celine Dion, Elvis Costello, and Lady Gaga. In addition to her prolific songwriting and production activities, Perry is a multi-faceted music industry entrepreneur, having worked as a music publisher, manager, or mentor with artists such as James Blunt, Dorothy, and Natasha Bedingfield.

Three-time Grammy nominee and My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James joins us to talk about the evolution of his songwriting and the band's new album, Is. PART ONE:Paul and Scott chat about ideal song length and extend an invitation to Taylor Swift PART TWO:Our in-depth conversation with Jim JamesABOUT JIM JAMES:Jim James is best known as the frontman of the band My Morning Jacket, which he formed in Louisville, Kentucky in 1998. As the band’s primary songwriter, James has embraced everything from roots music to experimental psychedelic sounds. To date, they’ve released nine full length studio albums, two of which—Evil Urges and Circuital—reached the Top 10 on the Billboard album chart. My Morning Jacket has received three Grammy nominations for Best Alternative Album. In addition to the band, Jim has released four solo albums and formed the supergroup Monsters of Folks with Conor Oberst, M. Ward, and Mike Mogis, which released a self-titled album in 2009. My Morning Jacket’s new album is called Is. 

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2015 conversation with Bill Withers.  ABOUT BILL WITHERSPop and R&B legend Bill Withers released nine albums between 1971 and 1985 that included such classic songs as “Lean on Me,” “Ain’t No Sunshine,” “Grandma’s Hands,” “Use Me,” “Lovely Day,” and “Just the Two of Us.” Though he stepped away from the limelight in the mid-1980s, his songs have become classics that have withstood the test of time and been covered by iconic artists including Aretha Franklin, Michael Jackson, Gladys Knight, Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson, Paul McCartney, Ike & Tina Turner, Smokey Robinson, Al Green, The Staple Singers, Diana Ross, Neil Diamond, Sting, Linda Ronstadt, Roberta Flack, Buddy Guy, Barbra Streisand, and George Benson. Additionally, his music has been sampled by Jay-Z, Dr. Dre, L.L. Cool J, Tupac Shakur, and Kanye West. Withers was in the inaugural class of the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame, and is a nine-time Grammy nominee. He won three Grammy awards for Best R&B song for “Ain’t No Sunshine” in 1971, “Just the Two of Us” in 1981, and the Club Nouveau cover of “Lean on Me” in 1987. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2015.

Guster's Ryan Miller discusses his songwriting process before Scott, Paul, and Ryan go totally off the rails on 80s pop songs, Sebastian Bach, and other random stuff. One of the most fun interviews we've had in a while! PART ONE:Paul and Scott chat about the time Paul opened for Guster, their friend who met his wife thanks to Guster fandom, and the phenomenon of social cultures forming around certain performers. PART TWO:Our in-depth conversation with Guster's Ryan MillerABOUT RYAN MILLER:Ryan Miller is best known for his work with the alternative rock band Guster. With nine studio albums and a dedicated live following, the band has topped Billboard’s independent albums chart with Evermotion in 2015 and Look Alive in 2019. Among their top 5 singles on Billboard’s Adult Alternative Airplay chart are the songs “Amsterdam,” “Careful,” “One Man Wrecking Machine,” “Satellite,” and “Overexcited.” In addition to his work with the band, Miller has composed the scores for over 15 feature films, and launched his own TV show on Vermont PBS. The creative omnivore has also written a screenplay, a musical, and several feature articles. But Miller always returns to the band he loves. Guster’s most recent album is 2024’s Ooh La La.