Playing By Ear - Episodes Tagged with “80s”

Dead Man's Party (Oingo Boingo)

Doug Lief — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0700

For Halloween we're bringing out the Pumpkin King himself, Danny Elfman, for a look back at Oingo Boingo's signature album "Dead Man's Party". The band worked some new wave weird science that fills this record with spooky melodic fun that will rattle your bones from beginning to end.

Listen along with us for next time. Your homework for next time is "The Rise And Fall of a Midwest Princess" by Chappel Roan.

Be sure to also check out our weekly pop culture podcast, "Nostalgium Arcanum" (https://nostalgiumarcanum.fireside.fm/).

If you want to support us and get extra goodies, become a Patreon subscriber at www.patreon.com/nostalgium, where you can join our Discord and get bonus episodes of this show, the "Still Muppeting" podcast, "Cartoon Therapy", and our Batman: The Animated Series retrospective "The Brave and the Bald" featuring Rich Baker.

Find us on the socials here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4009185735998587/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/playingbyearpod/

Ami's handmade earrings can be found at https://www.etsy.com/shop/MomoBunnysmoreCo

Check out Kyle's band, Kyle and The Silver Dork, wherever you get you music, or here on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0cxlTh9yM7rSBkZBb5aIKw

Or, you can find the podcast on YouTube if that's your thing: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuMQMvkgVN7njP4fQo7JWH90pwIqb6WCw

Musical Credits:

Playing By Ear Theme - Kyle Lieberman
All songs from "Dead Man's Party" by Oingo Boingo
Yahoo! - Erasure

Appetite For Destruction (Guns N' Roses)

Doug Lief — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 00:00:00 -0700

Welcome to the jungle! On their monster debut Guns N' Roses exploded out of the paradise city of Los Angeles serpentining their way up record charts, delivering one of the greatest albums of the 1980s, perhaps of all time. Axl Rose, Slash, and company set a rock and metal standard that perhaps no band has equaled since. I mean, where do we go, where do we go now?

Listen along with us for next time. Your homework for next time is "Dead Man's Party" by Oingo Boingo.

Support us, join the discussion, and get bonus content at www.patreon.com/nostalgium!

Also, Doug was recently a guest over on the Play Along Podcast so go check out that episode.

Find us on the socials here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4009185735998587/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/playingbyearpod/

Ami's handmade earrings can be found at https://www.etsy.com/shop/MomoBunnysmoreCo

Check out Kyle's band, Kyle and The Silver Dork, wherever you get you music, or here on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0cxlTh9yM7rSBkZBb5aIKw

Or, you can find the podcast on YouTube if that's your thing: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuMQMvkgVN7njP4fQo7JWH90pwIqb6WCw

Musical Credits:

Playing By Ear Theme - Kyle Lieberman
All songs from "Appetite For Destruction" by Guns N' Roses

Mini-Sode: 9 to 5 (Dolly Parton)

Doug Lief — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 16:00:00 -0700

To help you along with your working week, we're going to start releasing mini-episodes on individual songs, and this time, we're celebrating the late and unimaginably great Dolly Parton by analyzing one of her most famous tracks, 9 to 5.

For now these Mini-Sodes are free, but eventually they'll only be available for our Patreon subscribers at www.patreon.com/nostalgium, where you can join our Discord and get bonus episodes of this show, the Still Muppeting podcast, and Cartoon Therapy.

Find us on the socials here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4009185735998587/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/playingbyearpod/

Ami's handmade earrings can be found at https://www.etsy.com/shop/MomoBunnysmoreCo

Check out Kyle's band, Kyle and The Silver Dork, wherever you get you music, or here on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0cxlTh9yM7rSBkZBb5aIKw

Or, you can find the podcast on YouTube if that's your thing: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuMQMvkgVN7njP4fQo7JWH90pwIqb6WCw

Musical Credits:

Playing By Ear Theme - Kyle Lieberman
9 to 5 by Dolly Parton

The Innocents (Erasure)

Doug Lief — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:15:00 -0700

We give a little respect to Erasure's "The Innocents". The album features classic 80s new wave synth sounds that perfectly suit Vince Clarke's smooth voice. Vivacious, danceable, and sometimes moving, "The Innocents" perfectly encapsulates everything that makes Erasure what it is, a pop confection with more depth than you might expect at first glance.

Please listen along with us. Your homework for next time is "Parallel Lines" by Blondie.

Support us, join the discussion, and get bonus content at www.patreon.com/nostalgium

Be sure to check out out our other podcasts. There is "Nostalgium Arcanum" (https://nostalgiumarcanum.fireside.fm/) for more pop culture from the past. There is also our Jim Henson show, "Still Muppeting", which is available at www.patreon.com/stillloadingpod.

Find us on the socials here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4009185735998587/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/playingbyearpod/

Ami's handmade earrings can be found at https://www.etsy.com/shop/MomoBunnysmoreCo

Check out Kyle's band, Kyle and The Silver Dork, wherever you get you music, or here on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0cxlTh9yM7rSBkZBb5aIKw

Or, you can find the podcast on YouTube if that's your thing: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuMQMvkgVN7njP4fQo7JWH90pwIqb6WCw

Musical Credits:

Playing By Ear Theme - Kyle Lieberman
All music by Erasure

Flesh & Blood (Poison)

Doug Lief — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 00:15:00 -0800

By 1990 hair metal was on the precipice of irrelevance, soon to be swept aside by grunge. Nevertheless, the genre's last big year was filled with big riffs, big beats, and big hair as Poison ripped some incredible bops (unskinny or otherwise) that we had a blast reviewing.

Please listen along with us. Your homework for next time is "Goths" by The Mountain Goats.

Support us, join the discussion, and get bonus content at www.patreon.com/nostalgium

Find us on the socials here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4009185735998587/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/playingbyearpod/

Ami's handmade earrings can be found at https://www.etsy.com/shop/MomoBunnysmoreCo

Check out Kyle's band, Kyle and The Silver Dork, wherever you get you music, or here on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0cxlTh9yM7rSBkZBb5aIKw

Or, you can find the podcast on YouTube if that's your thing: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuMQMvkgVN7njP4fQo7JWH90pwIqb6WCw

Musical Credits:

Playing By Ear Theme - Kyle Lieberman
All music by Poison

Bad (Michael Jackson)

Doug Lief — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 00:15:00 -0800

By the time of 1987's "Bad" Michael Jackson was an unstoppable cultural phenomenon, perhaps the most singularly famous person in the entire world, and all off of the strength of its predecessor, "Thriller" which remains the best-selling album of all time. Could the King of Pop continue his reign, or would this album live up to its title? Nearly 40 years on, "Bad" remains an incredible collection of infectious grooves that cements the Gloved One's place in music history.

Please listen along with us. Your homework for next time is "Drive" by Bic Runga.

Support us, join the discussion, and get bonus content at www.patreon.com/nostalgium

Find us on the socials here:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/4009185735998587/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/playingbyearpod/

Ami's handmade earrings can be found at https://www.etsy.com/shop/MomoBunnysmoreCo

Check out Kyle's band, Kyle and The Silver Dork, wherever you get you music, or here on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0cxlTh9yM7rSBkZBb5aIKw

Or, you can find the podcast on YouTube if that's your thing: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuMQMvkgVN7njP4fQo7JWH90pwIqb6WCw

Musical Credits:

Playing By Ear Theme - Kyle Lieberman
All music by The Beatles