Episode
Our Dads, Music, and Memories :: Ep 18 Circling the Drain Podcast
- Podcast
- Circling The Drain
- Published
- Dec 24, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 4175
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://share.transistor.fm/s/8d117369
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Summary
In this deeply personal “Dads Episode,” the guys open up about the fathers who shaped their lives, careers, and love of music. From small-town country radio and booking legends like Roy Clark, to petrochemical plants, phone lines, and woodworking in retirement, each story reveals how complicated, flawed, and unforgettable dads can be. The guys trace how certain songs became emotional landmarks—Merle Haggard concerts, Elton John story songs, and country classics about fathers and sons. They share how grief hit them when their dads passed, how music and video tributes helped them heal, and how late-in-life “I’m proud of you” moments still echo years later. They also grapple with tougher truths: jealousy, absence, depression after loss, and generational discipline that would look very different today. Yet, through it all, there’s an undercurrent of gratitude for dads who showed love in their own ways—by working hard, building things, fixing cars, or just bringing their kids along for the ride. Closing out, they reflect on the importance of reconciliation while there’s still time, and how politics and pride should never be allowed to permanently sever family ties. The idea for the discussion came from Jim sharing the video he produced for his father's memorial service. R.I.P. Justin J. McCarthy 1942-2006 https://youtu.be/XdRH-i5wt6A?si=6vveiKyDKuxq4Mh1 Timed highlights: 00:00 – Opening reflection on a complicated father who wanted the spotlight, and later pride in his kids’ careers 00:54 – Show intro: Circling the Drain sets up a special “Dads Episode” 02:20 – Gene Simmons jokes, radio banter, and shifting into the topic of dads and music 03:48 – Why there seem to be more songs about moms than dads, and the impact of absent fathers 04:10 – Classic dad songs: “Cats in the C…