Why Is This So Hard For You?

witshfy
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Music Commentary
  • Updated Weekly

Life is too short to curate anemic musical tastes. Classic rock and pop radio plays the same batch of focus-tested songs ad nauseam. Even stations that claim to "play everything" (stations that begin with male personal pronouns) offer only slightly larger playlists. We wondered, "Why is it so hard for people to find new songs by their favorite artists? Or better yet, find a new genre of music altogether to explore." Hence, the Why Is This So Hard For You podcast was born.

  1. 4d ago

    🎧Episode 141: Styx Prog, James Taylor Storytelling & A Collaboration No One Asked For

    Episode 141 starts in classic-rock territory, takes a cinematic singer-songwriter turn, and then heads directly into two category songs that may test everyone’s patience in very different ways. Curtis opens with Styx and a key moment in the band’s evolution—the first album to feature Tommy Shaw. The track begins almost like a straight singer-songwriter piece, restrained and melodic, before gradually opening up into the harmonies, guitars, theatricality, and full-scale Styx energy that would become such a big part of the band’s sound. Jonathan follows with James Taylor and a soundtrack song that proves even a movie assignment can still sound unmistakably like James Taylor. It’s warm, reflective, and quietly emotional, with the kind of understated storytelling and musicianship that can easily get overlooked when people stick to the familiar hits. For the category songs, Curtis introduces No One Asked For This with Brad Paisley and LL Cool J, revisiting their much-discussed attempt to tackle race relations by combining country and hip-hop in one very unusual collaboration. Jonathan then returns to Burnt To A Crisp with Bob Seger, taking on a classic-rock staple that decades of radio, movies, bars, weddings, and probably every jukebox in America have thoroughly cooked. Styx building from acoustic restraint to full arena-rock force, James Taylor going cinematic, an unlikely country-rap experiment, and Bob Seger served extra crispy—Episode 141 covers a lot of musical ground and leaves a little smoke behind. Curtis Gross is a self-employed video editor. Jonathan Workman is an adult learning consultant based in Wichita, KS. --- Make sure you are subscribed to Why Is This So Hard For You. Type Why Is This So Hard For You in your podcast provider, hit that subscription button, and leave us a five-star review. This will make it easier for other podcast listeners to find the podcast. --- The intro music is the first 30 seconds of the Ornette Coleman tune "Song X" fed into AI software that attempts to output the song to a solo piano transcription. The outro music is the first 30 seconds of Sonny Rollins' version of the tune "St. Thomas" fed into the same software.

  2. Sep 14

    🎧Episode 140: Bill Champlin AOR, Pat Metheny/Lyle Mays Atmosphere & A Sinatra/Bono Disaster

    Episode 140 gets smooth, sophisticated, and then deeply questionable as Curtis and Jonathan move from polished West Coast AOR into expansive jazz atmosphere before the category songs start raising eyebrows. Curtis opens with Bill Champlin, bringing soulful vocals, studio-musician polish, and that sweet spot where soft rock, yacht rock, and blue-eyed soul all start sharing the same expensive microphone. Jonathan follows with Pat Metheny and Lyle Mays, adding lyrical jazz fusion, spacious textures, and the kind of instrumental beauty that makes you stare thoughtfully out a window even if you are just sitting in traffic. For the category songs, Curtis brings There Should Have Been An Intervention with Frank Sinatra and Bono, a pairing that feels like someone should have gently stepped between the legends and the recording booth. Jonathan then introduces I See What You Did There with Dave Barnes, spotlighting a song packed with pop music references and clever little lyrical winks. Champlin soul, Metheny/Mays elegance, Sinatra/Bono confusion, and Dave Barnes wordplay—Episode 140 is smooth, smart, and just weird enough to keep everyone honest. Curtis Gross is a self-employed video editor. Jonathan Workman is an adult learning consultant based in Wichita, KS. --- Make sure you are subscribed to Why Is This So Hard For You. Type Why Is This So Hard For You in your podcast provider, hit that subscription button, and leave us a five-star review. This will make it easier for other podcast listeners to find the podcast. --- The intro music is the first 30 seconds of the Ornette Coleman tune "Song X" fed into AI software that attempts to output the song to a solo piano transcription. The outro music is the first 30 seconds of Sonny Rollins' version of the tune "St. Thomas" fed into the same software.

  3. Sep 7

    🎧Episode 139: Atlanta Rhythm Section Deep Cuts, Al Jarreau Smoothness & Cutting Crew Redemption

    Episode 139 moves from Southern rock atmosphere into silky adult-contemporary sophistication before the category songs take a hard turn into overplayed-radio exhaustion and late-’80s redemption. Jonathan opens with Atlanta Rhythm Section, bringing melodic classic rock, polished Southern groove, and the kind of overlooked album-cut energy that fits perfectly in the deep cuts lane. Curtis follows with Al Jarreau, adding warm vocals, smooth jazz-pop elegance, and enough musical sophistication to remind everyone that “easy listening” does not mean “easy to sing.” For the category songs, Jonathan brings Burnt To A Crisp with The Righteous Brothers, revisiting a legendary record that has been played, covered, re-played, re-covered, and emotionally slow-danced into dust. Curtis then brings Remember This One Instead with Cutting Crew, making the case that there is more to the band than the one massive hit everyone immediately thinks of. Southern polish, Jarreau-level vocal class, a gloriously overcooked classic, and a better Cutting Crew conversation—Episode 139 is smooth, familiar, and just roasted enough. Curtis Gross is a self-employed video editor. Jonathan Workman is an adult learning consultant based in Wichita, KS. --- Make sure you are subscribed to Why Is This So Hard For You. Type Why Is This So Hard For You in your podcast provider, hit that subscription button, and leave us a five-star review. This will make it easier for other podcast listeners to find the podcast. --- The intro music is the first 30 seconds of the Ornette Coleman tune "Song X" fed into AI software that attempts to output the song to a solo piano transcription. The outro music is the first 30 seconds of Sonny Rollins' version of the tune "St. Thomas" fed into the same software.

  4. Aug 31

    🎧Episode 138: Brecker Brothers Live Funk, Tom Scott Cool & A Dolly/Steve Perry Collab From Hell

    Episode 138 brings the horns, the grooves, and one deeply questionable duet decision as Jonathan and Curtis move from jazz-funk fireworks into smooth studio-player territory before the category songs start causing emotional damage. Jonathan opens with a live Brecker Brothers performance, bringing precision horn lines, funk muscle, and the kind of jazz fusion intensity that makes everyone in the room feel slightly underqualified. Curtis follows with Tom Scott, adding polished saxophone-led cool, West Coast session-player energy, and that sweet spot where jazz, funk, and AOR start sharing custody. For the category songs, Jonathan returns with Collab From Hell #2, featuring Dolly Parton and Steve Perry in a pairing that sounds fascinating on paper and dangerously unstable once the microphones are on. Curtis then brings Original Versions with Spider, digging into the earlier life of a song better known through another artist’s hit version. Live fusion chaos, Tom Scott smoothness, original-version detective work, and a duet that probably should have required a permit—Episode 138 is slick, strange, and fully committed to the bit. Curtis Gross is a self-employed video editor. Jonathan Workman is an adult learning consultant based in Wichita, KS. --- Make sure you are subscribed to Why Is This So Hard For You. Type Why Is This So Hard For You in your podcast provider, hit that subscription button, and leave us a five-star review. This will make it easier for other podcast listeners to find the podcast. --- The intro music is the first 30 seconds of the Ornette Coleman tune "Song X" fed into AI software that attempts to output the song to a solo piano transcription. The outro music is the first 30 seconds of Sonny Rollins' version of the tune "St. Thomas" fed into the same software.

  5. Aug 24

    🎧Episode 137: Steely Dan Soundtrack Cool, Doobie Brothers Smoothness & Rodney Dangerfield Rap

    Episode 137 settles into prime late-’70s studio-player territory, with Curtis bringing Steely Dan and Jonathan following with the Doobie Brothers for a double shot of slick production, soft rock polish, and yacht rock-adjacent groove. Curtis opens with a Steely Dan cut built for radio mythology, full of jazz-pop sophistication, dry wit, and that unmistakable Becker/Fagen perfectionism. Jonathan keeps the smoothness going with the Doobie Brothers, bringing Michael McDonald-era soul, harmony, and AOR warmth into the mix. For the category songs, Curtis returns to Sonic Holocaust with Rodney Dangerfield, proving once again that novelty rap and celebrity comedy records can be a very dangerous combination. Jonathan then brings #1 In Our Hearts with Van Morrison, spotlighting a classic that somehow never reached the top spot but still feels permanently installed in the American songbook. Steely Dan cool, Doobie Brothers groove, Rodney Dangerfield chaos, and Van Morrison singalong royalty—Episode 137 is smooth, strange, and just a little damaged. Curtis Gross is a self-employed video editor. Jonathan Workman is an adult learning consultant based in Wichita, KS. --- Make sure you are subscribed to Why Is This So Hard For You. Type Why Is This So Hard For You in your podcast provider, hit that subscription button, and leave us a five-star review. This will make it easier for other podcast listeners to find the podcast. --- The intro music is the first 30 seconds of the Ornette Coleman tune "Song X" fed into AI software that attempts to output the song to a solo piano transcription. The outro music is the first 30 seconds of Sonny Rollins' version of the tune "St. Thomas" fed into the same software.

  6. Aug 17

    🎧Episode 136: Rick Springfield Deep Cuts, King Crimson Prog Thunder & Robert Palmer Burnout

    Episode 136 jumps from pop-rock deep cuts to full-on prog-rock chaos, then winds its way through original-version history and a song that got absolutely cooked by overexposure. Jonathan opens with Rick Springfield he really doesn't like, bringing a polished early-career cut with plenty of melodic pop craftsmanship. Curtis follows with King Crimson, heading straight into one of prog rock’s defining statements—jagged, intense, ambitious, and still capable of making normal classic rock sound like it forgot to do its homework. For the category songs, Jonathan brings an Original Version with George Benson, spotlighting the earlier soul-jazz side of a song many listeners know from a much bigger later recording. Curtis then returns to the podcast’s original category, Burnt To A Crisp, with Robert Palmer, revisiting a massive ’80s hit that became so unavoidable it practically needed its own fire extinguisher. Pop-rock polish, prog rock madness, original-version discovery, and a perfectly roasted overplayed classic—Episode 136 has range, volume, and a little smoke damage. Curtis Gross is a self-employed video editor. Jonathan Workman is an adult learning consultant based in Wichita, KS. --- Make sure you are subscribed to Why Is This So Hard For You. Type Why Is This So Hard For You in your podcast provider, hit that subscription button, and leave us a five-star review. This will make it easier for other podcast listeners to find the podcast. --- The intro music is the first 30 seconds of the Ornette Coleman tune "Song X" fed into AI software that attempts to output the song to a solo piano transcription. The outro music is the first 30 seconds of Sonny Rollins' version of the tune "St. Thomas" fed into the same software.

  7. Aug 10

    🎧Episode 135: Rickie Lee Jones Pirates, King’s X Deep Cuts & A Dog Police Disaster

    Episode 135 gets strange in all the right ways, moving from literary singer-songwriter atmosphere to heavy, harmony-rich rock before crashing directly into one of the most baffling novelty records ever allowed near a microphone. Curtis opens with Rickie Lee Jones, bringing smoky art-pop storytelling, jazz-shaded songwriting, and the kind of album-cut depth that rewards a closer listen. Jonathan follows with King’s X, adding muscular riffs, big vocal textures, and a deep cut that shows why the band has always lived somewhere between hard rock, prog, soul, and “why weren’t they bigger?” For the category songs, Curtis takes Sonic Holocaust exactly where it belongs with Dog Police, a song that feels less like music criticism and more like filing a police report. Jonathan then introduces Dead Ringer with Bonnie Tyler, a category that works on two levels: the song’s unmistakable connection to Bon Jovi’s arena-rock DNA, and the sad new weight behind revisiting Tyler’s powerhouse voice. Rickie Lee Jones mystery, King’s X muscle, Dog Police chaos, and a Bonnie Tyler curveball with a bittersweet edge—Episode 135 is weird, heartfelt, and fully committed. Curtis Gross is a self-employed video editor. Jonathan Workman is an adult learning consultant based in Wichita, KS. --- Make sure you are subscribed to Why Is This So Hard For You. Type Why Is This So Hard For You in your podcast provider, hit that subscription button, and leave us a five-star review. This will make it easier for other podcast listeners to find the podcast. --- The intro music is the first 30 seconds of the Ornette Coleman tune "Song X" fed into AI software that attempts to output the song to a solo piano transcription. The outro music is the first 30 seconds of Sonny Rollins' version of the tune "St. Thomas" fed into the same software.

  8. Aug 3

    🎧Episode 134: Monkey House Yacht Rock, James Taylor Warmth & Earth, Wind & Fire Joy

    Episode 134 brings together modern yacht rock polish, classic singer-songwriter comfort, original-version history, and one of the most joyful records ever to miss the top spot. Curtis opens with Monkey House, bringing sleek AOR production, studio-musician detail, and that throwback West Coast sound that feels custom-built for deep cut obsessives. Jonathan follows with James Taylor, adding warm soft rock, gentle craftsmanship, and the kind of understated songwriting that sneaks up on you. For the category songs, Jonathan brings Original Version with The La’s, digging into a jangly pop classic before it became part of the larger musical bloodstream. Curtis then takes #1 In Our Hearts straight to Earth, Wind & Fire, because some songs do not need a number-one chart position to feel permanently undefeated. Smooth grooves, thoughtful songwriting, original-version detective work, and a soul-funk celebration for the ages—Episode 134 is easy to love. Curtis Gross is a self-employed video editor. Jonathan Workman is an adult learning consultant based in Wichita, KS. --- Make sure you are subscribed to Why Is This So Hard For You. Type Why Is This So Hard For You in your podcast provider, hit that subscription button, and leave us a five-star review. This will make it easier for other podcast listeners to find the podcast. --- The intro music is the first 30 seconds of the Ornette Coleman tune "Song X" fed into AI software that attempts to output the song to a solo piano transcription. The outro music is the first 30 seconds of Sonny Rollins' version of the tune "St. Thomas" fed into the same software.

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5
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3 Ratings

About

Life is too short to curate anemic musical tastes. Classic rock and pop radio plays the same batch of focus-tested songs ad nauseam. Even stations that claim to "play everything" (stations that begin with male personal pronouns) offer only slightly larger playlists. We wondered, "Why is it so hard for people to find new songs by their favorite artists? Or better yet, find a new genre of music altogether to explore." Hence, the Why Is This So Hard For You podcast was born.

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