Al and Marty share stories behind famous songs: Split Enz’s “Six Months in a Leaky Boat”, allegedly pulled from UK radio during the Falklands War; Mart adds trivia about migrating on the SS Canberra, later used as a Falklands hospital ship. They discuss alleged inspirations and feuds including Taylor Swift/Katy Perry, “Uptown Girl,” “Black Velvet,” Peter Gabriel’s “In Your Eyes,” Toto’s “Rosanna,” Pink’s “So What,” Johnny Cash’s “I Walk the Line,” Carly Simon’s “You’re So Vain,” Alanis Morissette’s “You Oughta Know,” multiple songs about Courtney Love, Clapton’s songs about Pattie Boyd, Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight,” Elvis’ “Heartbreak Hotel,” Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” and Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

They cover origins of English town-name suffixes (Saxon, Viking, Roman), outline the Hearst media empire and Patty Hearst’s kidnapping/conviction/pardon, and end with a Pulp Fiction fact: DeVito’s company helped finance it, and Vincent/Jules nod to Twins.

If you have a fun fact you’d like us to share, send us an email to: funfactsandsidetracks@gmail.com or leave us a comment online at our social pages on Facebook or Instagram Thanks for listening and never be afraid to get sidetracked.

The boring disclaimer: We do try to double-check all of the facts we talk about. If something isn’t quite correct, we humbly apologise. Credit to our many sources including, A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, Tim from Kicking Harold, Mental Floss, Wikipedia and so many more.

Episode 10 Timeline

Season Two Kick-off: Cracking covers, Ketchup and the Card Calendar

Al and Marty return for season two of “Fun Facts and Sidetracks,” describing the show as light, non-political conversation about music, movies, history, and anything that makes them laugh.

00:00 Season 2 Kick-off: What This Show’s About (Fun Facts, Sidetracks & No Politics)

01:21 Cover Versions 101: Why Covers Matter & What Counts as a Cover

02:48 From Slavery Songs to Ram Jam: The Wild History of “Black Betty”

03:43 Personal Faves: Joe Cocker, Beatles Covers & Making a Song Your Own

06:35 Deep Cuts & Classics: Ian Moss, Amy Winehouse, Talking Heads, Hendrix & More

13:22 When Covers Become Samples: Grammys, Pop Hits & “Sampling the Samples”

15:23 Listener Picks + Fun Facts: “Yesterday” as the Most-Covered Song Ever

21:00 New Segment: Famous Companies—The Origin Story of Heinz

23:36 57 Varieties & Superfactories: Heinz’s Branding, Worker Benefits & Growth

26:38 Heinz in Wartime & Royal Approval: Beans for the Queen

27:35 Ketchup Goes to Space: NASA, ISS, and Bean Jokes

29:48 Corporate Shake-Ups: Burger King CEO, McDonald’s Split & Kraft Heinz Merger

31:25 Challenger Anniversary Sparks a Time Travel Chat

34:00 Mind-Bending Timeline Facts: Dinosaurs, Mammoths & Ancient Civilizations

41:54 Deck of Cards = A Calendar? The Hidden Math & Fortune-Telling Origins

52:51 Sampling Gone Wrong: P. Diddy, Sting & $2,000-a-Day Royalties

54:39 Wrap-Up: Send Your Fun Facts & Favourite Covers

Check out some of our favourite covers:

Ray Charles – Eleanor Rigby (Check out the kooky set design and dancers too.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kK2HF-5-b-Q

Ian Moss (Cold Chisel) - Georgia

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhFXjzRRv4w&list=RDNhFXjzRRv4w&start_radio=1

Spiderbait – Black Betty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nU1VfYYKMDk&list=RDnU1VfYYKMDk&start_radio=1

The Lemonheads – Mrs Robinson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C0sANgB9Qk&list=RD2C0sANgB9Qk&start_radio=1

David Byrne – Don’t fence me in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuMvkNDuOuQ&list=RDuuMvkNDuOuQ&start_radio=1

The White Stripes – I just don’t know what to do with myself

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzDG0jA3XVY

If you have a fun fact you’d like us to share, send us an email to: funfactsandsidetracks@gmail.com or leave us a comment online at our social pages on Facebook or Instagram Thanks for listening and never be afraid to get sidetracked.

The boring disclaimer: We do try to double-check all of the facts we talk about. If something isn’t quite correct, we humbly apologise. Credit to our many sources including, A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, Tim from Kicking Harold, Mental Floss, Wikipedia and so many more.

Exploring the Wonders of Japan & Diving into Iconic Pop Culture Memories

In this engaging episode of Fun Facts and Sidetracks, Marty and Al discuss Marty's recent trip to Japan. They celebrate their podcast's ninth birthday and delve into nostalgic pop culture, recalling old shows like HR PufnStuf and Banana Splits. They discuss the Mandela Effect, revealing misremembered movie quotes, and share fascinating behind-the-scenes stories from the Rocky franchise's music selection. The episode wraps up with an entertaining story of a bar incident involving undercover cops and a detailed retelling of the legendary 'Rumble in the Jungle' fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman.

00:00 Welcome to Fun Facts and Sidetracks

00:31 Mart's Adventures in Japan

02:06 Podcast Milestone: Ninth Birthday

02:23 Listener Feedback and Nostalgia

05:14 The Mandela Effect Explained

09:21 Rocky and the Eye of the Tiger

14:48 A Crazy Bar Story

20:12 Unbelievable Coincidences

21:00 Listener Requests: Muhammad Ali

21:27 The Legend of Muhammad Ali

23:34 Ali's Iconic Fights

25:31 Ali's Legacy and Personal Life

36:14 Debbie Harry's Surprising Shopping Trip

37:49 Wrapping Up and Listener Engagement

If you have a fun fact you’d like us to share, send us an email to: funfactsandsidetracks@gmail.com or leave us a comment online at our social pages on Facebook or Instagram Thanks for listening and never be afraid to get sidetracked.

The boring disclaimer: We do try to double-check all of the facts we talk about. If something isn’t quite correct, we humbly apologise. Credit to our many sources including, A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, Tim from Kicking Harold, Mental Floss, Wikipedia and so many more.