As a Black kid growing up in a tumultuous home environment in 1970s Hollywood, singer-songwriter The Reverend Shawn Amos faced an identity complex. But when a friend introduced him to The Who's 1973 rock opera "Quadrophenia," he connected with

Coming Soon | Season 2!

Oct 1st, 2018 2m 42s

Play It Back is *finally* back in action -- Season 2 drops this October! Check out this trailer for a taste of what's coming up. Get ready for a bunch of new stories about powerful songs from groups like The Who, Geto Boys, Radiohead, and The C

12 | Count Frank - Yellow Bird

May 25th, 2017 25m 46s

Music producer Benjamin de Menil's earliest music memory was hearing “Yellow Bird” played by a steel drum band in Jamaica. The experience was a formative one, kindling a raging love affair with Caribbean arts that would lead to his eventual car

11 | Culture Club - Time (Clock of the Heart)

Apr 27th, 2017 24m 53s

In grade school, the moment storyteller Marc Abbott fell in love with a particular Culture Club song, he just had to put it on a mixtape to impress a lucky girl. He was willing to go great lengths to record it at just the right time -- even if

10 | Ray Charles - Georgia On My Mind

Mar 23rd, 2017 38m 10s

Musician, chanteuse, book lover, and performer extraordinaire Susan Hwang helps us celebrate our one year anniversary by sharing personal stories about her dad, Ray Charles, and the American dream. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for mor

9 | Peggy Lee - Is That All There Is?

Feb 23rd, 2017 25m 45s

At the age of 5, writer Jamie Brickhouse became obsessed with Peggy Lee and her song about escapism by means of “breaking out the booze and having a ball.” The song served as Jamie’s guide to several nights of debauchery while living in New Yor

8 | Dolly Parton - Coat of Many Colors

Jan 26th, 2017 26m 36s

Native Kentuckian storyteller, choreographer, and live performer Mark Lamb counts the ways that he’s flown on the tails of Dolly Parton’s “Coat of Many Colors.” In his warm ‘n’ buttery voice, Mark waxes reminiscent about his brave journey from

7 | Holiday Special

Dec 25th, 2016 27m 20s

In this extra special episode of Play It Back, co-hosts John Asante and Jia H. Jung revel in the holiday spirit by rapping about their favorite (and most loathed) songs of the season. Add your choice picks to the official Play It Back Holiday P

6 | Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky

Dec 5th, 2016 23m

When London-based actor Laura Killeen worked at a florist as a teenager, she was introduced to a spacey, operatic pop tune from ELO that would serve as comfort and motivation when she needed it most. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for m

5 | Tori Amos - Yes, Anastasia

Oct 19th, 2016 26m 6s

NBC Documentary producer and host of "The Soundtrack Series" podcast creator Dana Rossi reflects upon how a terrible recent tragedy brought her back to a song that she first heard in 1994 and found applicable as a salve to any trouble in high s

4 | Lil B - Wonton Soup

Sep 22nd, 2016 27m 5s

When independent radio producer Todd Whitney first discovered Lil B, he couldn't quite pin the quirky Bay Area rapper down. Were his songs serious, or was it all an act? On this episode of Play It Back, Todd explains why he gave Lil B another s

3 | Prince - I Would Die 4 U

Aug 17th, 2016 20m 16s

Storyteller Jia H. Jung takes time to mourn the departure and celebrate the life of one of the most immortal music makers of all time. She recalls her first encounter with The Purple One at age 5 in 1986 -- at 30,000 feet in the air, somewhere

2 | Ike & Tina Turner - River Deep, Mountain High

Mar 25th, 2016 19m 5s

Writer, filmmaker, and former financial trader Adam Linn shares how a whole different shade of Tina Turner guided him like a guardian angel in a rollicking (literal) blind drive over San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, during a dark time in his

1 | Tina Turner - What's Love Got To Do With It

Mar 11th, 2016 17m 51s

For the very first episode of Play it Back, we talk with writer Katie Shepherd about the power of Tina Turner's monster hit from 1984 -- and how it strengthened the relationship with her mother as she fought a life-threatening illness. Hosted o

#12 | Count Frank - Yellow Bird

May 25th, 2017 25m 46s

In this twelfth episode of Play It Back, Benjamin de Menil helps usher in the warm season by telling us about his earliest music memory of hearing “Yellow Bird” played by a steel drum band in Jamaica. The experience was a formative one, kindlin

#11 | Culture Club - Time (Clock of the Heart)

Apr 27th, 2017 24m 53s

In grade school, when storyteller Marc Abbott fell in love with a particular Culture Club song, he just had to put it on a mixtape to impress a lucky girl. Marc was willing to go great lengths to record it -- even if it meant messing with his f

#10 | Ray Charles - Georgia On My Mind

Mar 23rd, 2017 38m 10s

This tenth episode marks Play It Back's one year anniversary! Musician, chanteuse, book lover, and performer extraordinaire Susan Hwang helps us celebrate by telling us a little something about her dad, Ray Charles, and the American dream.

#9 | Peggy Lee - Is That All There Is?

Feb 23rd, 2017 25m 45s

#8 | Dolly Parton - Coat of Many Colors

Jan 26th, 2017 26m 36s

#7 | Play It Back Holiday Spectacular!

Dec 25th, 2016 27m 20s

#6 | Electric Light Orchestra - Mr. Blue Sky

Dec 5th, 2016 23m

When London-based actor Laura Killeen worked at a florist as a teenager, she was introduced to a spacey, operatic pop tune that would serve as comfort and motivation when she needed it most.

#5 | Tori Amos - Yes, Anastasia

Oct 13th, 2016 26m 6s

In this episode of Play It Back, NBC Documentary producer and The Soundtrack Series podcast creator Dana Rossi reflects upon how a terrible recent tragedy brought her back to a song that she first heard in 1994 and found applicable as a salve t

#4 | Lil B - Wonton Soup

Sep 22nd, 2016 27m 5s

#3 | Prince - I Would Die 4 U (Released November 28, 1984; Featured in 'Purple Rain': July 27, 1984)

Aug 17th, 2016 20m 16s

At Play It Back, it's never too late to mourn the departure, or rather celebrate the life of, the most immortal music makers of all time. In this special retrospective episode, PIB co-host Jia H. Jung recalls when she first encountered The Purp

#2 | Ike & Tina Turner - River Deep, Mountain High (Original 1966 Wall of Sound Recording)

Mar 25th, 2016 19m 5s

For the sophomore episode of Play it Back, we continue our story time with writer, filmmaker, and former financial trader Adam Linn. He shares how a whole different shade of Tina Turner guided him like a guardian angel in a rollicking blind dri