Monday 25 July 2011

Song from "This American Life" 218: "Act V"

I've just been listening to a podcast of This American Life and I was wondering what the song was from the end of episode 218: "Act V" (at 56:11 of the 58:33-length podcast; originally aired on 9 August 2002; recently aired on 1 July 2011).

I searched around on the TAL website, but couldn't find a track listing. Then I remembered I could use Shazam on my iPad. Turns out it's "Desperado" by The Langley Schools Music Project on their album "Innocence & Despair".

Download episode
Skip to 56:59 to hear the song in context.

Grooveshark
At the time I wrote this post in July 2011, you could listen to the song on Grooveshark, but that site is now defunct. You can hear the story of Grooveshark on the StartUp podcast.

15 comments:

  1. Thank you, I was just looking for this exact thing.

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  2. You're welcome! I figured you'd be out there so I wanted to make it easier for you to find than it was for me.

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  3. Recently heard the episode and the song - very glad to track it down. Thanks.

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  4. Do you know what song is at the very opening?

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    1. Hi Evan. It's "Nights Interlude" by Nightmares On Wax. See http://shz.am/t241669 for details.

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  5. Thank you so much, Christopher. I just heard "Desperado," the last song on This American Life's "Act V" broadcast. I HAD to know who was singing and I couldn't find it anywhere.. but you did. You made my day!

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  6. You can hear an interview with the music teacher who produced the track. The interview also includes Sheila Behman, the soloist on "Desperado," who was 9-years-old at the time she recorded it. NPR Weekend Edition Saturday program 10/27/01 (Scroll down to "Langley School Project" interview), http://www.npr.org/programs/weekend-edition-saturday/2001/10/27/13022983/

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    1. Thanks for sharing the link. Wow. Real Media files. Remember when RealPlayer was popular?

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  7. Silly, but I heard Desperado on the Act V podcast and wanted to hear it again too. It's on Spotify. Thanks for finding it.

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  8. Happy to have found this blog entry! Heard it on This American Life and couldn't stop thinking about it. Turns out this was from my hometown where nothing of note really ever happens, heh. Who woulda thunk it?

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  9. thanks for the info--haunting and perfect finale to a powerful podcast!

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  10. Thank you! All these years later, just heard a re-broadcast of TAL “Act V” and loved this song. I was so happy to find this!

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    1. You’re very welcome! I’m glad I did the legwork all those years ago and that this post is still helping people answer the same desperate question I had at the time.

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