The Bridge: Farewell, Lilith Fan

Summary

Hit Parade: The Bridge — "Farewell, Lilith Fan"

Date: July 19, 2019
Host: Chris Molanphy
Guest: TJ Raphael (Slate Podcast senior producer, departing)
Special Guest: Rachel, Slate Plus member and trivia contestant

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Episode Overview

This episode of Hit Parade: The Bridge serves as a sendoff for senior producer TJ Raphael, who is leaving Slate for Sony Music. Host Chris Molanphy and TJ reminisce about the origins of The Bridge, discuss the importance of listener engagement, and delve into requests for future episodes. The conversation spotlights 1990s women in rock and the legacy of Lilith Fair, before the show transitions into a lively pop-chart trivia segment with a longtime Slate Plus supporter. The tone is warm, nostalgic, and playful, with reflections on music, podcasting, and community.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Tribute to TJ Raphael and Origins of The Bridge

[00:38–03:31]

• Sendoff for TJ Raphael: Chris announces TJ is leaving Slate for Sony Music. He credits TJ for inventing The Bridge mini-episodes, which helped connect listeners, enable trivia games, and offer behind-the-scenes insights.
  • “TJ, you dreamed up these mid month shows…help us catch up with our listeners and play a trivia game.” (Chris, 01:20)
  • Chris thanks TJ: “So thank you for that.”
• TJ Reflects: She discusses how collaborating on The Bridge has been one of her favorite parts of working at Slate and thanks Chris for being open to her idea.
  • “So thanks for when I came to you with the idea…Thanks for not saying are you crazy and going with it.” (TJ, 02:34)

2. Listener Engagement and Slate Plus Support

[03:31–04:12]

• Slate Plus Members: TJ and Chris highlight the importance of Slate Plus both for engagement (trivia games) and for Slate’s financial independence.
  • “If you listen to this show…you can sign up to play if you become a Slate plus member...Your support really matters.” (TJ, 03:31)

3. Recap and Reflections on Recent Broadway Episode

[04:12–05:59]

• Feedback on Broadway/pops episode: Chris describes unprecedented listener feedback on the June episode about pop chart history and Broadway:
  • Listeners were moved by his stepson Tom’s performance from Dear Evan Hansen. He notes the episode itself began with Tom’s idea and performance.
  • “I am now married and Tom is actually my stepson who performs a song from the musical Dear Evan Hansen at the end…So I'm deeply grateful to Tom…” (Chris, 04:22)

4. A Call for a '90s Women in Rock Episode & Lilith Fair's Legacy

[05:59–12:35]

• TJ’s Final Episode Request: TJ asks Chris for a deep-dive on '90s girl rock—Fiona Apple, Melissa Etheridge, Alanis Morissette, Sarah McLachlan, among others.
  • “If I had one request, it would be that you create a full length episode [on] 90s girl rock…” (TJ, 05:59)
• Chris’ Approval & Background: Chris is enthusiastic, notes his prior research, and explains the foundational role women played in the Modern Rock/Alternative charts. He identifies the creation and impact of Lilith Fair.
  • “The first number one song on Billboard's alternative music chart was Susie and the Banshees…women like Alanis Morissette, like Liz Phair…did exceedingly well both on the modern rock chart and eventually on the Hot 100 as well.” (Chris, 07:24)
  • “There's definitely a lot of story there...Probably a capper to this story…is the formation of the Lilith Fair concert series at the end of the 90s…There's plenty there…I'm going to take it under serious advisement for a future episode.” (Chris, 07:54)
• 2020 Lilith Fair—Fantasy Lineup and Social Context:
  • TJ and Chris discuss the cultural climate post-MeToo and ask why Lilith Fair hasn’t been revived.
  • Chris floats a fantasy lineup: Billie Eilish, Brandy Carlile, Courtney Barnett, Cardi B, Beyoncé—and notes the diversity a modern all-women’s festival would entail.
    • “I would put Billie Eilish on that concert…I see her as the heir apparent to everybody from Kate Bush to Tori Amos to Lorde…She is the iconoclast of her generation.” (Chris, 09:36)
    • “I feel like a modern Lilith Fair would include a really diverse array of performers…” (TJ, 12:21)
  • They both express keen interest in seeing this modern, intersectional festival.
    • “I would absolutely buy a ticket for that show.” (TJ, 11:39)

5. Pop Chart Trivia with Longtime Slate Plus Member Rachel

[12:58–22:19]

• Meet Rachel: Rachel, from Chicago, is introduced as a pop music fan and a dedicated Slate Plus member for nearly five years.
• Game Structure: Chris asks three questions—one about a previous Broadway episode, two previewing the next episode (Lennon/McCartney songs post-Beatles).
  • Rachel gets stumped on all three, but the atmosphere remains supportive and lighthearted.
• Sample Quotes:
  • “I hope you regard this moment of trivia as the culmination of your multiple years of Slate + membership.” (Chris, 13:54)
  • “It's like a very exciting reward for me.” (Rachel, 14:01)
  • Chris: “Well, gosh, I am so sorry, Rachel. It was a rough trivia round for you, but here's the good news for you. Now's the opportunity for you to turn the tables on me and ask me a trivia question.” (Chris, 18:14)

6. TJ and Rachel’s Team-Up to Stump Chris

[18:38–21:32]

• TJ’s Farewell Trivia Question: TJ and Rachel team up to stump Chris with a question about which Canadian female artist, beside Alanis Morissette, won the Juno Award for most promising female vocalist.
  • Chris guesses Avril Lavigne, but the correct answer is k.d. lang.
    • “This is such a TJ question.” (Chris, 19:30)
    • “Way to go K D Lange. That would have required some pretty deep Juno's knowledge on my part.” (Chris, 21:34)
• Deep Dive into Juno History: Rachel gives background on the award’s history among major Canadian artists.

7. Upcoming Hit Parade Episode Teaser

[23:49–25:03]

• Chris previews the next episode:
  • It will focus on the few #1 American singles credited to Lennon-McCartney that were non-Beatles songs, all of them “a little kooky.”
    • “There have only been three number one hits on the Hot 100 written by John Lennon Paul McCartney…that are not Beatles songs. And...they're all strange. So I'm gonna talk about all three of these oddball number one Lennon McCartney non Beatles hits in the July episode…” (Chris, 23:49)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Taking Creative Risks, The Bridge:
  • “At first I thought, well, let's try this and see how this works. I mean, I wasn't sure what the end product would sound like or frankly, if our listeners would embrace it, but they absolutely have.” (Chris, 02:50)
• TJ’s Humorous Self-Reflection:
  • “It might be a little embarrassing, but I still obsessively listen to the hits from Fiona Apple and Melissa Etheridge, Sarah McLachlan, four non blondes, and of course one of the most iconic figures for me, Alanis Morissette.” (TJ, 05:59)
• On the Festival Landscape:
  • “I wonder whether women no longer want to have an all women festival or if it's just kind of difficult to mount any festival these days. And that's why you don't see a rerun or a response or a comeback of Lilith Fair. But I would certainly buy a ticket for that show.” (Chris, 11:14)
• Slate Plus Loyalty:
  • “Out of all of the trivia competitors we've had on, I don't think we've had a Slate plus member of such long standing as you.” (Chris, 22:33)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Time | Segment | |----------|----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:38 | Introduction; Farewell to TJ Raphael | | 03:31 | Discussing Slate Plus & listener engagement | | 04:12 | Broadway/pop charts episode recap | | 05:59 | TJ's request for a '90s women in rock episode | | 07:24 | Chris’s breakdown of women’s impact on the alt-rock charts| | 09:19 | Lilith Fair, diversity in modern music festivals | | 12:58 | Trivia game with Rachel (long-time Slate Plus member) | | 18:38 | TJ and Rachel stump Chris with a Canadian trivia question| | 23:49 | Preview of the next Hit Parade full episode | | 25:21 | Signoff; gratitude for TJ Raphael |

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Overall Tone and Style

The conversation is intimate, enthusiastic, and playful; a mix of music history nerdery, personal gratitude, and a sense of community. Chris and TJ’s rapport is evident, particularly as they reminisce about The Bridge’s creation and embrace the quirks of music chart trivia. There’s an undercurrent of bittersweet celebration as the episode marks not just a goodbye, but also a testament to listener loyalty and creative podcasting.

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Transcript

[TJ Raphael]

You're listening ad free on Amazon Music.

[James Brown (song lyrics)]

In a cold sweat. The way I like it is the way it is. I've got mine don't worry about his get up get on up Stay on the scene.

[Chris Melanfy]

Hey everybody, this is Chris Melanfy, host of Hit Parade, Slate's podcast of pop chart history. Welcome to the Bridge.

[James Brown (song lyrics)]

Should I take him to the bridge? Go ahead, take him on to the bridge. Take him to the bridge. Can I take him to the bridge? Take him to the bridge.

[Chris Melanfy]

Come on. That's Get Up. I Feel Like Being a Sex Machine by James Brown. The song where the Godfather of Soul literally asks if he can take us to the bridge of the song. We played this on the very first episode of Hit Parade, the Bridge, when it launched in April 2018. And we're playing this song again to offer a full year farewell to the person responsible for these Hit Parade mini episodes. That would be Slate Podcast senior producer TJ Raphael, my colleague who helps me take it to the Bridge every month. First off, welcome back to the Bridge, tj.

[TJ Raphael]

Hi Chris, how are you? I'm good. Thanks so much for having me on one more time.

[Chris Melanfy]

Yes, one more time being the operative words. Tj, you dreamed up these mid month shows that Bridge, our full length monthly episodes, help us catch up with our listeners and play a trivia game. And you, TJ had have been involved both behind the boards as our editor and producer and booker of guests, and often in front of the mic with me as well. And I'm here to tell our listeners that TJ just announced a couple of weeks ago that she is leaving the warm embrace of Slate for Sony Music, where she will be a senior producer for their new podcasting division. Working with podcasting titans Adam Davidson and Laura Mayer. We at Slate and Hit Parade couldn't be sadder for ourselves or happier for tj, this is deserved acknowledgement of her awesome talents. So tj, first of all, congratulations.

[TJ Raphael]

Thank you so much. That really is so nice. It has been one of my favorite parts of my job here at Slate has been working with you on Hit Parade, doing these mini episodes of the Bridge, and also just working with you, giving feedback and hearing and listening to what you're making in the full length episode. So I'm glad that we were able to start this little tradition of checking in every month with our listeners and playing some trivia and kind of deep debriefing about the longer narrative pieces that you're doing. So thanks for when I came to you with the idea. Thanks for not saying are you crazy and going with it. So I appreciate it, too.

[Chris Melanfy]

I never thought it was a crazy idea. I'll admit that. At first I thought, well, let's try this and see how this works. I mean, I wasn't sure what the end product would sound like or frankly, if our listeners would embrace it, but they absolutely have. I mean, when I go out and do our live shows or meet listeners out in the world, many of them say, I became a Slate plus member so that I could do the trivia. I want to be on Hit Parade, the Bridge. I just think it draws us closer to our audience and gives us a chance to kind of go behind the scenes of how we make this program. So it really has been vital to helping Hit Parade grow and connect us to our listeners. So thank you for that.

[TJ Raphael]

Yeah, thank you, Chris. And thank you to our listeners and especially our Slate plus members. If you listen to this show, you know that before we do our trivia segment, we always tell people you can sign up to play if you become a Slate plus member. And Slate plus is very important to Slate. And it's journalism. It allows us to be financially independent at a time when journalism around the country and honestly around the world is kind of struggling. We can be more financially independent by getting direct support from our audience from people who really care about journalism. So thank you so much to all of our listeners, but especially our Slate plus members. Your support really matters.

[Chris Melanfy]

Speaking of listener feedback and listener involvement, I must say I have gotten more listener feedback on the June episode, full length episode of Hit Parade about the history of Broadway and the pop charts and show tunes in general than I have quite possibly on any Hit Parade episode. And in part, I don't take full credit for that. I think it has to do with my very special guest at the very end of the episode. My I can now say this stepson. No longer my soon to be stepson stepson. I am now married and Tom is actually my stepson who performs a song from the musical Dear Evan Hansen at the end. And yeah, that was. I would like to thank all of the listeners on Twitter, on email who have wished me well in my new marriage, in my journey as a stepfather, and have said such kind things, deservedly kind things, about Tom's performance. I will also say briefly that this episode is unusual in the history of Hit Parade, the two plus year history of Hit Parade, in that it really grew. I was not kidding in those closing credits. It really grew from Tom's request backwards. Tom came to me more than a year ago and said, have you ever done an episode about Broadway music? And I said, well, no. And Broadway music is not necessarily chart music, so that would be hard. It basically took me the better part of a year to think up, okay, how would I approach an episode talking about show tunes on the charts, given that Broadway hasn't topped the charts in like 50 years, years, what would I do? And little by little, I kind of pieced it together. And then I realized that Tom's performance could be the culmination of the episode. So I'm deeply grateful to Tom, frankly, for proposing it in the first place, and so grateful again to our listeners who clearly enjoyed the result. So thank you all.

[TJ Raphael]

You know, to follow in Tom's footsteps. Since it is my last episode with you on the bridge, I do have one tiny request to make listeners. I know you guys have all been in this position where you're like, wow, Chris should really make a Hit Parade episode about this topic. And if I had one request, it would be that you create a full length episode. A 90s girl rock. I mean, it might be a little embarrassing, but I still obsessively listen to the hits from Fiona Apple and Melissa Etheridge, Sarah McLachlan, four non blondes, and of course one of the most iconic figures for me, Alanis Morset.

[James Brown (song lyrics)]

It's the good advice.

[TJ Raphael]

You know, I think when people think about 90s rock, they think think about like grunge and they think about Nirvana. But like, what about all these women that like, were also really influential? I feel like rockers in the 90s and you know, I feel like Alanis Morris is still sort of revered out there in so many ways. So can you talk about that a little bit since maybe one day in the future we'll get a full length episode. But if not, here's my opportunity to ask your thoughts on it.

[Chris Melanfy]

That is seriously an excellent suggestion. And it's not even that far removed from one of the topics I've been thinking about for a future full length hit parade. I myself have written, not actually for Slate. When I was writing for Pitchfork magazine about five, six years ago, I did a history for Pitchfork about Billboard's Modern rock tracks chart, which is now called their alternative chart, but when they founded it in 1988, they called it Modern Rock Tracks and little remember detail. The first number one song on Billboard's alternative music chart was Susie and the Banshee's Peekaboo. So basically that chart was topped by a woman to start. And then as we go into the 90s, women really did very well as so called alternative rock rose. Women like Alanis Morissette, like Liz Phair, like PJ Harvey, like Sarah McLachlan, did exceedingly well both on the modern rock chart and eventually on the Hot 100 as well. So there's definitely a lot of story there. Probably a capper to this story, not to give too much away if I wind up doing this episode is the formation of the Lilith Fair concert series at the end of the 90s. I believe it launched in 1997. Just Sarah McLaughlin was really having her big coming out moment on the charts, you know, doing her big album Surfacing, which was coming off of an already big prior album. There's plenty there. You are very much not alone, tj, in wanting to talk more about that era. And so I'm going to take it under serious advisement for a future episode.

[TJ Raphael]

Given like this moment in culture in 2019 between, you know, we've had these two very large women's marches. We've had, you know, women kind of standing up around me too. Like why isn't the Lilith Fair back if there was a 2019 Lilith Fair? Who are you booking for it?

[Chris Melanfy]

Oh wow, that's a great question. Only because I have her on the brain right now because she's at number two on the charts and trying to go to number one and knock out Old Town Road by Lil Nas X. I would put Billie Eilish on that concert. I see her as the heir apparent to everybody from Kate Bush to Tori Amos to Lorde. She, you know, is the iconoclast of her generation. Sort of the left field female pop artist of her generation.

[Billie Eilish (song lyrics)]

So you're a tough guy, like you're really rough guy, just can't get guy, Just always so puff guy, I'm that bad type. Make your mom a sad type, make your girlfriend mad type. I seduce your dad type. I'm the bad guy.

[Chris Melanfy]

So she jumps immediately to mind. And then of course in the world of Americana, you have people like Brandy Carlile, who electrified the Grammys this year. And then of course in the world of alternative rock, you have people like Courtney Barnett. So there's a rich tapestry of women artists across the genre spectrum. It's not just limited to pop, it's not limited to rock in hip hop, my goodness. I mean, we're having a really fertile time with of course, Cardi B, whom you and I have talked about on Hit Parade, the Bridge before. But she is not alone. There are numerous women rappers who are on the come up right now. There's really a great spectrum, and I think a modern Lilith Fair would probably be, at the very least, an amazing concert. I wonder if in the 20 years since Lilith Fair, the festival business has gotten so big with the likes of Coachella. I mean, look at the way Beyonce commanded Coachella such that everybody renamed it Baycella last year. You know, the festival business has gotten so big that I wonder whether women no longer want to have an all women festival or if it's just kind of difficult to mount any festival these days. And that's why you don't see a rerun or a response or a comeback of Lilith Fair. But I would certainly buy a ticket for that show.

[TJ Raphael]

I would absolutely buy a ticket for that show. And I think that in 2019, that Lilith Fair, like you had mentioned, Cardi B, like, and Beyonce, I think a 2019 or a 2020 Lilith Faire would be much more intersectional. It would be a lot less white than it was in the 90s. And I think it would feature a lot more diverse arrays of music. Like, I can think of, you know, Lizzo, who, she has a lot of, like, you know, feminist commentary in her music.

[James Brown (song lyrics)]

Woke up feeling like I just might run for president, even if there ain't no precedent. Switching up the messaging. I'm about to add a little estrogen. Buy my whip by myself, pay my rent by myself.

[TJ Raphael]

I feel like a modern Lilith Fair would include a really diverse array of performers, and I would be really anxious to see it. So I'm putting the call out there. Whoever's listening for, please organize that for me, and I'll be eternally grateful.

[Chris Melanfy]

As will I.

[TJ Raphael]

All right, well, let's take a break and play some trivia.

[Chris Melanfy]

Now comes the time in Hit Parade, the Bridge, where we do some trivia, and I'm delighted to be joined on the line by Rachel. Rachel, are you there?

[Rachel]

Yes, I'm here. Hello.

[Chris Melanfy]

Hi there, Rachel. I understand you're joining us from Chicago, is that right?

[Rachel]

Yep, that's right.

[Chris Melanfy]

So what do you do in Chicago, if you don't mind me asking?

[Rachel]

I'm a legal editor for a legal education company.

[Chris Melanfy]

Oh, cool. So are you also a pop music fan? How does that tie into your vocation, if you will?

[Rachel]

I don't think it really ties into my vocation, but I am a pop music fan.

[Chris Melanfy]

Fantastic. I also was wondering if you are a Slate plus member.

[Rachel]

I am.

[Chris Melanfy]

Excellent. How long have you been a Slate plus member?

[Rachel]

It's almost been five years. I joined just a few months after Slate plus started.

[Chris Melanfy]

Wow. So you're a die hard. You've been a loyal Slate plus member for quite some time.

[Rachel]

Yes.

[Chris Melanfy]

That's excellent. I hope you regard this moment of trivia as the culmination of your multiple years of Slate + membership.

[Rachel]

It is. It's like a very exciting reward for me.

[Chris Melanfy]

And this is my opportunity to remind listeners that while this bridge episode is available to all Hit Parade subscribers, we only open our trivia rounds to Slate plus members. So if you are a member and would like to be a trivia contestant, visit slate.com hit parade signup that's slate.com hit parade signup so just to remind everyone how this works, I'm going to ask you three trivia questions. The first will be a callback to our prior full length Hit Parade episode, and the second and third questions will be a preview of the next full length episode of Hit Parade. Are you ready for some trivia, Rachel?

[Rachel]

Yes, I'm ready.

[Chris Melanfy]

All right, Fantastic. Here we go. Question one. In last month's episode, I mentioned several Broadway cast albums that have charted well in the last two decades. Though none has gone to number one. Like hair in 1969, a few have come close. Which of the following cast albums has had the highest debut on the Billboard 200 album chart in the 21st century? A. Dear Evan Hansen, B. Rent, C. The Book of Mormon or D. Hamilton?

[Rachel]

I'll go with B.

[Chris Melanfy]

I'm sorry, the correct answer was A. Dear Evan Hansen.

[TJ Raphael]

On the outside always looking in Will I ever be more than I've always been? Cause I'm tap tap tapping on the glass waving through a window.

[Chris Melanfy]

Both the Book of Mormon and Hamilton have peaked higher, reaching number three. But only Dear Evan Hansen debuted within the top ten, all the way up at number eight. All right, one down, two to go. Here's your chance for some redemption. These next two questions, as I said, are going to be a preview of the next episode. Here we go. Question 2. The following covers of Lennon McCartney songs, all issued after the Beatles broke up, reached the top 10 on the Hot 100. But only one of them them hit number one. Which one? A. Earth, wind and fire, got to get you into my life. B. Elton John, Lucy in the sky with diamonds. C. Anne Murray, you won't see me or D. Tiffany, I saw him standing there.

[Rachel]

I'll go with D. Tiffany, I am sorry.

[Chris Melanfy]

The correct answer was B. Elton John.

[James Brown (song lyrics)]

Lucy in the sky with God.

[Chris Melanfy]

His cover of Lucy in the sky with Diamonds, a John Lennon song From the Beatles Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album was Recorded with Lennon himself. Okay, that was a tough one. I've got one more question for you. Let's see if you can get this one right. Are you ready for question three?

[Rachel]

Yes.

[Chris Melanfy]

All right, here we go. The number one song of 1981 according to Billboard, was Kim Karnes Bette Davis eyes. It spent nine weeks on top of the Hot 100 that year, but its nine week run at number one was interrupted for just one week by what artist? A, Eddie Rabbit, B, Sheena Easton, C, the stars on 45? Or D reo Speedwagon?

[Rachel]

B.

[Chris Melanfy]

I am sorry, the correct answer was C, the stars on 45. Their medley of a dozen songs, 10 of them oldies, mostly by the Beatles, hit number one in June 81. Pausing Kim Karns epic run. Its title set a chart record for most words in a number one song. And it's so long, I'm going to have to reveal it in our next full length episode of Hit Parade. Well, gosh, I am so sorry, Rachel. It was a rough trivia round for you, but here's the good news for you. Now's the opportunity for you to turn the tables on me and ask me a trivia question. And I do not have the best record in this trivia round. This might be your chance for revenge. Do you have a question for me?

[TJ Raphael]

Well, I'm gonna jump in here, Chris, and I'm actually gonna throw Rachel a lifeline. I've actually worked on this trivia question to give to you for my final episode of Hit Parade, the Bridge. So I'm gonna send that over to Rachel and Rachel's gonna try to ask you it. And so hopefully me and Rachel, we're gonna team up on you right now.

[Chris Melanfy]

All right, I'm being ganged up on, but I'm ready for it. Lay it on me.

[Rachel]

Okay. Alanis Morissette is one of Canada's most well known exports. Hailing from Ottawa before moving to Los Angeles in 1995, Morissette even won a Juno Award, a high accolade from Canada's music recording industry for most promising female vocalist when she was just 17 years old. Which other Canadian female act won the same award? A, K, D Lang, B Celine Dion, C Avril Lavigne OR D Sarah McLachlan?

[Chris Melanfy]

This is such a TJ question.

[TJ Raphael]

Sorry, Chris.

[Chris Melanfy]

No, don't apologize. That's a compliment, especially given what we were just talking about. And it's really tough. I mean, I know about the Junos. I know what the Junos are, but gosh, I'll be Darned if I can figure out which of those four very prominent women. It's not like there's a ringer in the bunch, you know, won that prize. So this is going to be a pure guess. I'm just going to go for what I think is probably the strangest of the four picks and go with Avril Lavigne.

[Rachel]

No, the correct answer is a Katie language.

[James Brown (song lyrics)]

Always been.

[TJ Raphael]

Wow, I know, right out of all of those you think Selena.

[Chris Melanfy]

I really, I feel, I feel better because I never would have gotten that I right. Celine Dion was sort of the obvious pick to me. Avro was the left field pick. Never would have picked Kady Lang. That, that's amazing.

[TJ Raphael]

So, so Rachel, we got some vindication, so why don't you explain the question to Chris.

[Rachel]

Okay. Katie Lang took home the most promising female vocalist juno back in 1985, about six years before she record recorded her album Ingenue, which peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200 in 1992. Celine Dion was nominated for the award in 1987, but lost to a singer named Rita McNeil. A soft spoken independent singer songwriter in the folk, pop and country genres. McNeil became the top selling country artist in Canada in 1990 and 1991, outselling such American stars as Garth Brooks and Clint Black. Though she's won 14 Juno Awards and has been nominated 29 times, Sarah McLachlan was never nominated for Most promising Female Vocalist of the year. Avril Lavigne was also not nominated for a Juno for Most promising Female Vocalist, namely because the award was discontinued in 1993.

[Chris Melanfy]

Wow. Wow.

[TJ Raphael]

Way to go Katie Lang.

[Chris Melanfy]

Way to go K D Lange. That would have required some pretty deep Juno's knowledge on my part. I should have guessed that out of the four, K D. Lange was the most Grammy like artist. If you regard the Junos as the Canadian Grammys, you know the one likeliest to take home a prize like that. But it's still a very left field winner out of those four women who are all very prominent Canadian artists. So I feel happily stumped by that question, I guess. Rachel, you and I were totally blanked out in this trivia round and that makes us, that makes us even. So I hope you feel a little better about that. And Rachel, in all seriousness, thank you so so much for taking part in our trivia competition on Hit Parade, the Bridge.

[Rachel]

Thank you for having me. It was fun even though I missed all my questions.

[TJ Raphael]

No, thank you so much for being a Slate plus member five years strong. That's. We launched the program Five years ago. So thanks for being an OG Slate plus member. We really appreciate your support.

[Chris Melanfy]

Yeah. If I can throw in one prize for you. Out of all of the trivia competitors we've had on, I don't think we've had a Slate plus member of such long standing as you.

[Rachel]

Oh, wow.

[Chris Melanfy]

Many people, there have even been a handful of people who became Slate plus members so they could do the trivia round. But you are really an old school Slate plus member, so we truly appreciate that. In all seriousness, thank you. Well, I feel chastened and I am really glad that on your way out the door, tj, you managed to stump me one last time with a question direct from you and very much in your idiom. So congratulations, you. You got me fair and square.

[TJ Raphael]

Yeah, I mean, it's not that I like to see you lose these trivia questions, but it's always fun to see you challenged just because I think, you know, you have so much knowledge. You've been a, a music journalist and critic for such a long time and, you know, you do pull it out too sometimes. Sometimes.

[Chris Melanfy]

Sometimes.

[TJ Raphael]

But you do pull it out and like, you know, I mean, I never know any of the answers to these questions. So, you know, good on you for being a good sport every episode and, you know, rolling with the punches. Before we wrap up, can you tell me about the next episode of Hit Parade? You know, what can we expect from the full length show from the July episode?

[Chris Melanfy]

So this is a quirky one and I think those last two trivia questions reflected it. I am actually, full disclosure, adapting an article that I wrote for Slate four years ago. It appeared in the summer of 2015. It was called without the Beatles. And the premise of the article was that this is the fun chart trivia fact. There have only been three number one hits on the Hot 100 written by John Lennon Paul McCartney, that duo that, you know, teamed up and if one of them wrote the song, it got credited to both of them as the unit Lennon McCartney. There have been only three number one hits by Lennon McCartney that are not Beatles songs. And here's the thing, they're all strange. So I'm gonna talk about all three of these oddball number one Lennon McCartney non Beatles hits in the July episode of Hit Parade. And honestly, because this was already an article, it'll be not entirely new to a handful of loyal Slate readers. But frankly, I to play clips of these songs, I really think enriches the experience of hearing this story, especially the stars on 45. You kind of have to hear what they sound like. They're all a little kooky. So that's what the July episode of Hit Parade is going to be all about.

[TJ Raphael]

Awesome. Chris. Well, I can't wait to listen. And you know I'm going to continue listening from afar, especially to the Bridge. I got to keep tabs on this trivia. I got to learn something every month, especially now that I'm not behind the board. I got to keep up with it, everything. So thank you so much again for the last time. I'm TJ Raphael, Senior producer of the Slate Podcast Network.

[Chris Melanfy]

And I'm Chris Melanfi. Thank you, tj. I cannot thank you enough for conceiving of Hit Parade the Bridge, making it such a pleasure for me and all of our listeners for the last year and a half. We will miss you so much, TJ And I know that you will keep marching on the one.

[James Brown (song lyrics)]

Sam.