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Soundcheck

Wednesday, June 21, 2006
  • (flickr/sigma)

    The Sounds of Summer

    Every year there's a song or two that becomes that summer's essential song. Some are literally about summer, others just feel like summer. To mark the first day of summer, Rolling Stone contributing editor Anthony DeCurtis shares some of the all-time classic summer songs -- those for road trips, rolling surf, and steamy nights. And we look at the candidates for this year's chart-topping summer tune. Also: Alessandra Belloni, an Italian singer, dancer and percussionist, joins us to explain the history and meaning of the Tarantella, a trance dance ritual from Southern Italy, which has been used to cure the mythical bite of the tarantula. The Tarantella (meaning "the bite of the tarantula spider") began in ancient Greece, then moved to southern Italy, where it flourished in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

Summer Breeze

Rolling Stone contributing editor Anthony DeCurtis talks about the tradition of summer songs.
» NPR All Song Considered: Summer Songs

The Bite of Love

Alessandra Belloni, an Italian singer and percussionist, offers a primer on the Tarantella or "the bite of the spider tarantula."
» Alessandra Belloni's Web site

The Ill Effects of Urban Noise

Soundcheck

Soundcheck received an overwhelming response to our segment on the effects of urban noise. So much so that Arline Bronzaft decided to address the feedback. Listen to the original segment and read Bronzaft's response.