Humans are a weird species… Yes, we can be inquisitive, but we can also be very docile, especially when it comes to tradition. We’re told to do something because, well, it’s always been done this way.
“The old ways are the best ways. They’ve worked for us for years, decades, centuries. Who are you to ask questions or dispute things?”
Uh, okay. But this is a rational, modern, scientific world—it’s supposed to be, anyway—so it doesn’t seem right that we don’t question something that seems a little…off.
For example, for the three days leading up to Mardi Gras, the people of Ivrea, Italy—and this is true—divide themselves into nine different teams, dress up in battle gear, and start throwing oranges at each other. And here’s the wild thing: no one knows why.
Oh, there are rumors. It may have something to do with defending the town against a tyrant ruler in the 12th century. Or maybe it was the 13th. We’re not sure. This tyrant may have assaulted a young woman the night before her wedding. She not only fought back but also cut off his head. What this has to do with nine teams throwing oranges at each other is unclear.
But we don’t have to get that weird. Let’s look at things from a different perspective. There are many objects in everyday life that we just accept as being there. It never occurs to us that these things may have names…
Have you ever heard of a “glabella?” That’s the space between our eyebrows. Before I heard that word, it never occurred to me that this part of the body had a name. Can’t get out of bed in the morning? That’s a condition known as “dysania.”
What’s “overmorrow?” It’s a more efficient way of saying “the day after tomorrow.” The word “crapulence” is real. It’s that sick feeling when you eat or drink too much. And what’s a “nurdle?” That’s what you call a tiny dab of toothpaste on your brush.
None of this information will change your life, but it does open up our lives to new perspectives on the world.
We encounter the same sort of things in music. Where do accents go when people sing? Why do artists sing the melody lines when they perform live? How come we hear lyrics wrong? Let’s answer those questions in this latest episode of “The Rock Explainer.”
As usual, we have this playlist from Eric Wilhite.
The Ongoing History Music can be heard on these stations. Don’t forget that there’s a podcast version, too, in case you miss any episodes. Get them for free wherever you get your podcasts.
- 102.1 The Edge/Toronto – Sunday night at 7pm
- Q107/Toronto – Sunday night at 9pm
- Live 88-5/Ottawa – Saturdays at 9am and Sundays at 6pm.
- 107.5 Dave-FM/Kitchener – Sunday nights at 11pm
- FM96/London – Sunday nights at 8pm
- Power 97/Winnipeg – Sunday nights at 10am and 10pm
- 107-3 The Edge/Calgary – Sundays at 10am and 10pm
- Sonic 102.9/Edmonton – Sunday at 8am and 8pm
- The Zone/Victoria – Sunday at 8am and 9pm
- The Fox/Vancouver – Sundays at 10anm and 10pm
- The Goat Network/Interior BC
- Surge 105/Halifax – Sunday at 7pm
- WAPS/WKTL The Summit/Arkon, Canton, Cleveland, Youngstown – Mon-Fri at 9pm
Don’t forget about my other podcast, Uncharted: Crime and Mayhem in the Music Industry. If you love true crime with your music, you’ll love this. Get Uncharted wherever you get your podcasts.
© 2025 Corus Radio, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Ad Choices