Resources that focus on individual songs (performances)

[chris]

Is there a resource (podcast, video series, streaming, DVD, whatever!) that focuses on teaching about individual songs based one or more performances? I'm thinking something that delves into the composition, history, aspects of the performance to look for, ideally even digging into individual parts of the performance, references to other sings, important riffs, all of it.

If you are familiar with Strong Songs, Song Exploder, or Tape Notes, I'm hoping for something along those lines, but given the type of music particularly akin to Strong Songs. I have a limited knowledge of music theory, nor am I a musician, so things that focus on learning songs are less interesting.

[chris]

A quick followup: I discovered that the Strong Songs podcast has focused on two songs, and I think the episodes are excellent at delving into some of the intricacies of the songs:

• Moanin'
• Stolen Moments

I hope they do more!

[AllenLowe]

1 hour ago, chris said:

A quick followup: I discovered that the Strong Songs podcast has focused on two songs, and I think the episodes are excellent at delving into some of the intricacies of the songs:

• Moanin'
• Stolen Moments

I hope they do more!

I don't know if it's what you are thinking about but my project, Turn Me Loose White Man, has two books and 30 CDs, and is a breakdown and analysis of over 800 songs from the history of American vernacular music, 1900-1960. It's got virtually every style of music in it.

[Teasing the Korean]

Alec Wilder's American Popular Song 1900-1950 focuses on the songs themselves as written.  He notes in the intro how many songs were "improved" over the decades by instrumentalists, singers, and arrangers who revised melodies and/or chord progressions.  He does not go into specifics on these, which seems to be what you're seeking, but he references the very topic the OP is addressing.

[chris]

Both of these look great. Thank you!