Picks of the week: Lost Notes and About Race
Solomon Georgio is your guide to some of the most obscure musical stories that haven’t yet been told. First up is the tale of the Kingsmen’s Louie Louie, which is exposed as a track about a lovesick Jamaican sailor that initially boasted lyrics so obscene they made critics’ ears tingle. And that’s before you even get to the drummer’s profanity in the middle. Enthralling yarns about New Edition, Johnny Cash and pirate radio are promised in future episodes and they’re expertly told. HV
About Race with Reni Eddo-Lodge Podcast
In her 2017 book Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race, Reni Eddo-Lodge presented a critique of the structural racism that many ignore in favour of “colourblind” thinking. It’s a line she investigates further in this excellent podcast, offering considered journalism alongside interviews with contributors as varied as Guardian columnist Owen Jones and musicians Akala and Billy Bragg. Her dissection of BBC Two’s controversial White Season is a must-listen. HJD
Your picks: mercenary war, cold cases and song-craft explained
Salammbô is weird. Gustave Flaubert’s retelling of the mercenary war in ancient Carthage flits between salaciousness and violence. This Victorian fantasy is read by Eli Sessions who carefully but with the kind of energy needed to get you through all 15 chapters. I strongly recommend that you listen first to his introductory episode, in which he sets the scene. You’ll barely know what’s going on, but it won’t matter. Just dive in and enjoy the whole amazing thing. Recommended by Steve Bowbrick
Many popular true crime podcasts are about finding the suspects, closing the case and moving on to the next crime. Someone Knows Something is different and works on the premise that someone must have seen, heard or recently discovered knowledge about what happened in each case. Nothing was more true to this theme than in the latest season about Charles Moore and Henry Dee: two black men who were killed and left in the Mississippi River by the Ku Klux Klan. Host David Ridgen and Charles’s brother Thomas returned to the scene of the crime and began asking questions — and they did encounter someone that knew something, which eventually led to justice. You’ll hang on every word Ridgen says and become invested in finding justice for those who are at the centre of the case. Recommended by Kristin Menconi
Finding out a little about an artist, their inspiration, and the production process for a song enriches the experience of listening. The creative process in general is fascinating and unique to each artist. The host Hrishikesh Hirway carefully teases out information of guests who have included Rivers Cuomo from Weezer and the man behind the Game of Thrones theme, Ramin Djawadi. It’s a bit like Inside The Actors’ Studio, as the musicians tell you in great detail how they pieced together songs that often made their name. Recommended by Review by Charles Loes
Guardian pick: what do our teeth tell us about our past?
Scientists have been digging up clues about the origins of humans for centuries, and remains of human species continue to come to light. But while fossilised skulls and bones are exciting, one of the greatest clues is right under our noses. So what do we know about how human teeth have evolved over time? And what kinds of insight do we get about our evolution when we look at teeth found in people across the world today? Nicola Davis speaks to Peter Ungar, distinguished professor of anthropology and director of environmental dynamics at the University of Arkansas in the US, about his new book Evolution’s Bite. His research into teeth helps us understand exactly what makes teeth so special for archaeologists. RS
