Free Daily Podcast Summary
What's in a Song: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Scarlet Keys
This is a weekly podcast about the craft of songwriting hosted by Berklee College of Music Professor Scarlet Keys. She takes deep dive into the craft, technique and art of songwriting in conversations with eminent songwriters, producers, and other creatives asking questions only a songwriting professor would ask so listeners can walk away inspired and armed with clear and actionable tools and techniques they can apply to their songwriting.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 6 days ago52 min
Liz Longley DYI indie biz and live performance
Send us Fan Mail Support this podcast: Venmo @scarlet-keys Or https://buymeacoffee.com/scarlet.keys Today's guest is Liz Longley: Best known for her stop-you-in-your-tracks voice, Liz Longley is an accomplished singer-songwriter based out of Nashville, TN. With her deeply emotional music, Longley has earned accolades from some of the most prestigious songwriting competitions in the country, including the BMI John Lennon Songwriting Scholarship Competition. Her self-titled debut album rec...
- 2 weeks ago47 min
Writing for film and t.v. with Kari Kimmel at Glow music group
Send us Fan Mail Today's guest is the owner of Glow Music Group, Kari Kimmel In this episode, Kari talks about her journey as an artist and how she became to own one of the most successful licensing companies, how she champions real artists and what music supervisors are most often looking for. Workshop Nov 13: Writing Better Songs: With Scarlet Keys In this 2 1/2 hour workshop you will walk away with 12 tools to make you a better writer: 3 prompts3 chord progressions3 way...
- Jun 26, 202632 min
Part 2 Taylor Swift "Ruin the Friendship" The music, Nashville tunings, copy right infringement
Send us Fan Mail In this episode Scarlet Keys is joined with Forensic Musicologist Dr. Joe Bennett. Joe breaks down the chords in this song and shares Nashville tunings for the guitar. Joe gets granular in this discussion as he compares Lenny Kravit's "It Ain't over 'til it's over" with "Ruin the friendship" and clarify's what constitutes copyright infringement. He talks about copyrighting your songs and how to protect your original work while still finding inspiration from song...
- Jun 12, 202652 min
Taylor Swift "Ruin the Friendship" - lyric techniques and the power of a great bridge Part 1
Send us Fan Mail In this bridge, we break down "Ruin the Friendship" by Taylor Swift with a focus on lyrical techniques and a touch on melody. We talk about the power of a bridge and the alchemy of a bridge on the rest of the narrative. Support this podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/scarlet.keys Venmo: @scarlet-keys What members are saying: "I've been in Scarlet's songwriting group since it began. I've learned so much from Scarlet, her guests, and from the other members. It's ...
- Apr 23, 20269 min
Diagnosing a song
Send us Fan Mail In this episode we talk about the critical thinking skills of a songwriter and the puzzle of the song. When your song feels like it's missing something or you might feel bored by your own song but don't know what to do to change it. After the song is written, it's important to know what to look for on how to make the song as effective as possible. I hope you will join me for my next online class to learn what to look for and the solutions that can make your...
- Feb 9, 20261h 29m
Taylor Swift's Eldest Daughter break down with Guest forensic musicologist Joe Bennett
Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to a new season! We are continuing on with the Life of a Show Girl interpreted with new up coming episodes. Today, I am joined with Dr. Joe Bennett as we break down "Eldest Daughter" by Taylor Swift. Songwriting retreats: Star Island In person songwriting retreat: https://starisland.org/program/songwriting-intensive-the-art-of-the-song/Support this podcast: https://buymeacoffee.com/scarlet.keys Join the “What’s in a Song” community: https://buyme...
- Nov 10, 20251h 17m
Taylor Swift's "Father Figure" The break down with guest Forensic musicologist Joe Bennett
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we break down Father Figure from Taylor Swift's record "The Life of a Showgirl". In this episode we look at: The chord progressionMelodic hooksRhetorical devicesGuitar voicingsThe stunning bridge and what the back ground harmonies are bringing to this section to make it so spectacularPhrasingProsodySign up for the Master class:The songwriting secrets of Taylor Swift Nov 18th: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1811786424969?aff=oddtdtcreator Support this podcast:...
- Oct 26, 20251h 22m
Taylor Swift's Opalite - break down
Send us Fan Mail Track32 on "The Life of a Showgirl" - Opalite I'm back with Forensic Musicologist Dr. Joe Bennett In this episode we look at: The chord progressionChord tensionsHarmonic rhythmBorrowed chordRhetorical deviceProductionDirect modulationTo sign up with the virtual live master class "The Songwriting of Taylor Swift" with Scarlet Keys: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1811786424969?aff=oddtdtcreator Joe Bennett: To learn more about forensic musicology and professor Joe Benne...
About What's in a Song
This is a weekly podcast about the craft of songwriting hosted by Berklee College of Music Professor Scarlet Keys. She takes deep dive into the craft, technique and art of songwriting in conversations with eminent songwriters, producers, and other creatives asking questions only a songwriting professor would ask so listeners can walk away inspired and armed with clear and actionable tools and techniques they can apply to their songwriting.
Customized Recaps
AI-powered recaps with compact key takeaways, quotes, and insights.
Straight to Your Inbox
Get key takeaways from What's in a Song in a 5-minute read.
Save Hours Every Week
Stay current on your favorite podcasts without falling behind.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Podzilla's What's in a Song daily summary?
It's a free AI-powered email that summarizes new episodes of What's in a Song as soon as they're published. You get the key takeaways, notable quotes, and links & mentions — all in a quick read.
How does the What's in a Song podcast summary work?
When a new episode drops, our AI transcribes and analyzes it, then generates a personalized summary tailored to your interests and profession. It's delivered to your inbox every morning.
Is this an official What's in a Song product?
No. Podzilla is an independent service that summarizes publicly available podcast content. We're not affiliated with or endorsed by Scarlet Keys.
Can I get summaries of other podcasts too?
Absolutely! The free plan covers up to 3 podcasts, any in the catalog. Basic raises that to 15, Pro to 40 and Max to 100. Browse our full catalog at /podcasts.
How often does What's in a Song release new episodes?
What's in a Song publishes monthly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
What topics does What's in a Song cover?
What's in a Song covers topics including Music, Commentary, Comedy Interviews. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
Start getting What's in a Song summaries tomorrow morning.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.
Free forever for up to 3 podcasts. No credit card required.