The Sunday Read: ‘Why Did This Guy Put a Song About Me on Spotify?’
The Daily19 Mai 2024

The Sunday Read: ‘Why Did This Guy Put a Song About Me on Spotify?’

Have you heard the song “Brett Martin, You a Nice Man, Yes”?

Probably not. On Spotify, “Brett Martin, You a Nice Man, Yes” has not yet accumulated enough streams to even register a tally. Even Brett Martin, a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine and the titular Nice Man, didn’t hear the 1 minute 14 second song until last summer, a full 11 years after it was uploaded by an artist credited as Papa Razzi and the Photogs.

When Martin stumbled on “Brett Martin, You a Nice Man, Yes,” he naturally assumed it was about a different, more famous Brett Martin: perhaps Brett Martin, the left-handed reliever who until recently played for the Texas Rangers; or Brett Martin, the legendary Australian squash player; or even Clara Brett Martin, the Canadian who in 1897 became the British Empire’s first female lawyer. Only when the singer began referencing details of stories that he made for public radio’s “This American Life” almost 20 years ago did he realize the song was actually about him. The song ended, “I really like you/Will you be my friend?/Will you call me on the phone?” Then it gave a phone number, with a New Hampshire area code.

So, he called.

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.


Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episoder(2848)

Demolition at the White House

Demolition at the White House

The Trump administration completed its demolition of the East Wing of the White House on Thursday to make way for a new presidential ballroom.Luke Broadwater, who covers the White House, explains who ...

24 Okt 202527min

Is the U.S. Trying to Oust the Government in Venezuela?

Is the U.S. Trying to Oust the Government in Venezuela?

For months, President Trump has been ratcheting up the pressure on Venezuela with increasingly aggressive military actions that the administration claims are about targeting drug traffickers.But behin...

23 Okt 202529min

Le Heist

Le Heist

In just under 10 minutes on Sunday, thieves stole precious jewelry from the Louvre Museum in Paris after using a truck-mounted ladder to break into a second-floor window.Catherine Porter, a New York T...

22 Okt 202527min

How Trump Upended 60 Years of Civil Rights

How Trump Upended 60 Years of Civil Rights

During his second term, President Trump has upended 60 years of civil rights, largely under the guise of attacking diversity, equity and inclusion.Nikole Hannah-Jones, who covers racial injustice and ...

21 Okt 202538min

Why the Stock Market Just Keeps Going Up

Why the Stock Market Just Keeps Going Up

Tariffs are at their highest rate in nearly a century, and the labor market is weakening. These are volatile times for the U.S. economy — but the stock market keeps going up.Joe Rennison, a reporter c...

20 Okt 202530min

Sunday Special: Springsteen, Dylan and the Art of the Biopic

Sunday Special: Springsteen, Dylan and the Art of the Biopic

On Friday, “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere” will be released in theaters. Rather than chronicling Bruce’s entire life, the film focuses on the making of his stripped-down 1982 album “Nebraska” a...

19 Okt 20251h

'The Interview': The Culture Wars Came for Wikipedia. Jimmy Wales Is Staying the Course.

'The Interview': The Culture Wars Came for Wikipedia. Jimmy Wales Is Staying the Course.

Attacks on the site are piling up. Its co-founder says trust the process.Thoughts? Email us at theinterview@nytimes.comWatch our show on YouTube: youtube.com/@TheInterviewPodcastFor transcripts and mo...

18 Okt 202543min

A Shutdown Where None of the Normal Rules Apply

A Shutdown Where None of the Normal Rules Apply

Under normal circumstances, the profound pain of a government shutdown compels both parties to negotiate a quick resolution on behalf of the American people. But, so far, nothing about this shutdown i...

17 Okt 202532min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
forklart
popradet
stopp-verden
fotballpodden-2
rss-gukild-johaug
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
nokon-ma-ga
det-store-bildet
hanna-de-heldige
dine-penger-pengeradet
rss-ness
rss-espen-lee-usensurert
aftenbla-bla
e24-podden
rss-dannet-uten-piano
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
frokostshowet-pa-p5