web02.fireside.fm Wed, 15 Apr 2026 02:26:52 -0500 Fireside (https://fireside.fm) Eurovision Song Context - Episodes Tagged with “Music Theory” https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm/tags/music%20theory Sun, 12 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500 We start with expertise and end up in Eurovision. It’s kind of our thing. Eurovision Song Context is a monthly podcast that looks at the Eurovision Song Contest through an unexpected lens: expert insight. Each episode, a guest from a different field — psychology, fashion, politics, design, linguistics, and more — talk about their work and how it helps us understand 2–3 Eurovision entries in a whole new light. Are these songs genuinely good? So bad they’re good? Or just weirdly unforgettable? Longform episodes come out on the 12th of every month (the "douzeth"). We're where brilliant minds meet bad key changes. en-us episodic A podcast where we bring in smart people. We talk about smart things, then veer into glitter, wind machines, and geopolitics. Experts. Insight. Eurovision chaos. Bradley Dalton-Oates We start with expertise and end up in Eurovision. It’s kind of our thing. Eurovision Song Context is a monthly podcast that looks at the Eurovision Song Contest through an unexpected lens: expert insight. Each episode, a guest from a different field — psychology, fashion, politics, design, linguistics, and more — talk about their work and how it helps us understand 2–3 Eurovision entries in a whole new light. Are these songs genuinely good? So bad they’re good? Or just weirdly unforgettable? Longform episodes come out on the 12th of every month (the "douzeth"). We're where brilliant minds meet bad key changes. no Eurovision, music, expert analysis, Europe, music, arts, culture, ESC Bradley Dalton-Oates eurovisionsongcontext@gmail.com Episode 60: (Part 2) Happy Chords, Sad Chords with Ethan Hein https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm/60 3d22116d-ee3a-4609-959f-b54995b8cef4 Sun, 12 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500 Bradley Dalton-Oates full Bradley Dalton-Oates NYU music theorist and producer Ethan Hein breaks down why “sad” chords aren’t inherently sad, using Beatles cadences, blues voice-leading, and Eurovision classics like “Euphoria” and “Fairytale” as case studies. We also talk Groove Pizza, his browser-based Accordion instrument, and what makes a chord progression feel tragic, wistful, or euphoric on the ESC stage. 50:10 no Ethan Hein's Blog; Happy Chords: https://www.ethanhein.com/wp/2017/the-happiest-chord-progression-ever/ Ethan Hein's Blog; Sad Chords: https://www.ethanhein.com/wp/2023/the-saddest-chord-progression-ever-revisited/ From Poland: DER GASN NIGN / THE STREET SONG https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swve55Y6LgU Club Recommendation, XCX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJW-VvmRKsE&list=RDEMqB6GN03U2YuNBEN7d9EqVw&start_radio=1 Groove Pizza, the aQWERTYion and other amazing digital products YOU can use! https://musedlab.org/ "Happy/Sad" ESC: Euphoria – Loreen (Sweden, 2012) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfo-8z86x80 Elina Nechayeva - La Forza - Estonia - Eurovision 2018 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76KOUIfDry8 "Fairytale" – Alexander Rybak (Norway, 2009) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXwgZL4zx9o "Only Teardrops" by Emmelie de Forest (Denmark, 2013) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k59E7T0H-Us "Satellite" by Lena (Germany, 2010) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pL9vdpSvnY De La Soul: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFnI1nwMOzY The Reflex, Copacabana: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U907umxfo5w Settings for the aQWERTYion, Eurovision: Euphoria - A major Fairytale - D natural minor Space Man - B major https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU5cJfaX3DI Discoteque - F natural minor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNweec5olYw Eurovision, Loreen, Alexander Rybak, music theory Ethan Hein's Blog; Happy Chords:
https://www.ethanhein.com/wp/2017/the-happiest-chord-progression-ever/

Ethan Hein's Blog; Sad Chords:
https://www.ethanhein.com/wp/2023/the-saddest-chord-progression-ever-revisited/

From Poland: DER GASN NIGN / THE STREET SONG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swve55Y6LgU

Club Recommendation, XCX:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJW-VvmRKsE&list=RDEMqB6GN03U2YuNBEN7d9EqVw&start_radio=1

Groove Pizza, the aQWERTYion and other amazing digital products YOU can use!
https://musedlab.org/

"Happy/Sad" ESC:

Euphoria – Loreen (Sweden, 2012)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfo-8z86x80

Elina Nechayeva - La Forza - Estonia - Eurovision 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76KOUIfDry8

"Fairytale" – Alexander Rybak (Norway, 2009)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXwgZL4zx9o

"Only Teardrops" by Emmelie de Forest (Denmark, 2013)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k59E7T0H-Us

"Satellite" by Lena (Germany, 2010)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pL9vdpSvnY

De La Soul:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFnI1nwMOzY

The Reflex, Copacabana:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U907umxfo5w

Settings for the aQWERTYion, Eurovision:

Euphoria - A major
Fairytale - D natural minor

Space Man - B major
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU5cJfaX3DI

Discoteque - F natural minor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNweec5olYw

]]> Ethan Hein's Blog; Happy Chords:
https://www.ethanhein.com/wp/2017/the-happiest-chord-progression-ever/

Ethan Hein's Blog; Sad Chords:
https://www.ethanhein.com/wp/2023/the-saddest-chord-progression-ever-revisited/

From Poland: DER GASN NIGN / THE STREET SONG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swve55Y6LgU

Club Recommendation, XCX:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJW-VvmRKsE&list=RDEMqB6GN03U2YuNBEN7d9EqVw&start_radio=1

Groove Pizza, the aQWERTYion and other amazing digital products YOU can use!
https://musedlab.org/

"Happy/Sad" ESC:

Euphoria – Loreen (Sweden, 2012)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfo-8z86x80

Elina Nechayeva - La Forza - Estonia - Eurovision 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76KOUIfDry8

"Fairytale" – Alexander Rybak (Norway, 2009)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXwgZL4zx9o

"Only Teardrops" by Emmelie de Forest (Denmark, 2013)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k59E7T0H-Us

"Satellite" by Lena (Germany, 2010)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pL9vdpSvnY

De La Soul:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFnI1nwMOzY

The Reflex, Copacabana:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U907umxfo5w

Settings for the aQWERTYion, Eurovision:

Euphoria - A major
Fairytale - D natural minor

Space Man - B major
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU5cJfaX3DI

Discoteque - F natural minor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNweec5olYw

]]> Episode 56: (Part 1) Sad Chords, Happy Chords with Ethan Hein https://eurovisionsongcontext.fireside.fm/56 aa20fbc2-61f4-407b-86a1-c62842371cdc Wed, 27 Nov 2024 20:00:00 -0500 Bradley Dalton-Oates full Bradley Dalton-Oates NYU music theorist and producer Ethan Hein breaks down why “sad” chords aren’t inherently sad, using Beatles cadences, blues voice-leading, and Eurovision classics like “Euphoria” and “Fairytale” as case studies. We also talk Groove Pizza, his browser-based Accordion instrument, and what makes a chord progression feel tragic, wistful, or euphoric on the ESC stage. 57:35 no Ethan Hein's Blog; Happy Chords: https://www.ethanhein.com/wp/2017/the-happiest-chord-progression-ever/ Ethan Hein's Blog; Sad Chords: https://www.ethanhein.com/wp/2023/the-saddest-chord-progression-ever-revisited/ From Poland: DER GASN NIGN / THE STREET SONG https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swve55Y6LgU Club Recommendation, XCX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJW-VvmRKsE&list=RDEMqB6GN03U2YuNBEN7d9EqVw&start_radio=1 Groove Pizza, the aQWERTYion and other amazing digital products YOU can use! https://musedlab.org/ "Happy/Sad" ESC: Euphoria – Loreen (Sweden, 2012) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfo-8z86x80 Elina Nechayeva - La Forza - Estonia - Eurovision 2018 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76KOUIfDry8 "Fairytale" – Alexander Rybak (Norway, 2009) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXwgZL4zx9o "Only Teardrops" by Emmelie de Forest (Denmark, 2013) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k59E7T0H-Us "Satellite" by Lena (Germany, 2010) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pL9vdpSvnY De La Soul: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFnI1nwMOzY The Reflex, Copacabana: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U907umxfo5w Settings for the aQWERTYion, Eurovision: Euphoria - A major Fairytale - D natural minor Space Man - B major https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU5cJfaX3DI Discoteque - F natural minor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNweec5olYw Eurovision, Loreen, Alexander Rybak, music theory Ethan Hein's Blog; Happy Chords:
https://www.ethanhein.com/wp/2017/the-happiest-chord-progression-ever/

Ethan Hein's Blog; Sad Chords:
https://www.ethanhein.com/wp/2023/the-saddest-chord-progression-ever-revisited/

From Poland: DER GASN NIGN / THE STREET SONG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swve55Y6LgU

Club Recommendation, XCX:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJW-VvmRKsE&list=RDEMqB6GN03U2YuNBEN7d9EqVw&start_radio=1

Groove Pizza, the aQWERTYion and other amazing digital products YOU can use!
https://musedlab.org/

"Happy/Sad" ESC:

Euphoria – Loreen (Sweden, 2012)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfo-8z86x80

Elina Nechayeva - La Forza - Estonia - Eurovision 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76KOUIfDry8

"Fairytale" – Alexander Rybak (Norway, 2009)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXwgZL4zx9o

"Only Teardrops" by Emmelie de Forest (Denmark, 2013)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k59E7T0H-Us

"Satellite" by Lena (Germany, 2010)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pL9vdpSvnY

De La Soul:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFnI1nwMOzY

The Reflex, Copacabana:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U907umxfo5w

Settings for the aQWERTYion, Eurovision:

Euphoria - A major
Fairytale - D natural minor

Space Man - B major
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU5cJfaX3DI

Discoteque - F natural minor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNweec5olYw

]]> Ethan Hein's Blog; Happy Chords:
https://www.ethanhein.com/wp/2017/the-happiest-chord-progression-ever/

Ethan Hein's Blog; Sad Chords:
https://www.ethanhein.com/wp/2023/the-saddest-chord-progression-ever-revisited/

From Poland: DER GASN NIGN / THE STREET SONG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swve55Y6LgU

Club Recommendation, XCX:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJW-VvmRKsE&list=RDEMqB6GN03U2YuNBEN7d9EqVw&start_radio=1

Groove Pizza, the aQWERTYion and other amazing digital products YOU can use!
https://musedlab.org/

"Happy/Sad" ESC:

Euphoria – Loreen (Sweden, 2012)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfo-8z86x80

Elina Nechayeva - La Forza - Estonia - Eurovision 2018
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76KOUIfDry8

"Fairytale" – Alexander Rybak (Norway, 2009)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXwgZL4zx9o

"Only Teardrops" by Emmelie de Forest (Denmark, 2013)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k59E7T0H-Us

"Satellite" by Lena (Germany, 2010)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7pL9vdpSvnY

De La Soul:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFnI1nwMOzY

The Reflex, Copacabana:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U907umxfo5w

Settings for the aQWERTYion, Eurovision:

Euphoria - A major
Fairytale - D natural minor

Space Man - B major
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU5cJfaX3DI

Discoteque - F natural minor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNweec5olYw

]]>