19. More Than I Have Words For. [Peter Coviello.]

Author Peter Coviello on the Jackson 5, the Mountain Goats, Sam Cooke, Los Campesinos!, and Sylvan Esso.

Peter Coviello is Professor of English at
the University of Illinois–Chicago, where he specializes in American
literature and queer studies. He’s the author of several books, including
Tomorrow’s Parties: Sex and the Untimely in Nineteenth-Century
America (2013), which was a finalist for a Lambda
Award in LGBT Studies. His most recent book is Long Players: A Love Story in
Eighteen Songs, out now from Penguin. He has written
about queer childhood, Mormon polygamy, the history of sexuality,
stepparenthood, Justin Bieber, Walt Whitman, and, whenever he’s had occasion
to, Prince. He lives in Chicago.

Peter and Michael talk about building love with rituals, songs as archives for
feelings, the difficulty of grief and consolation, the nature of prayer, and
punk music as the place where rage can transmute into joy.

ABC by the Jackson 5.
Twin Human Highway Flares
by the Mountain Goats.
I’m So Glad (That Trouble Don't Last
Always) by Sam Cooke.
We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed
by Los Campesinos!
The Glow by Sylvan Esso.

Show Notes.

Peter’s website, where you can find more
information about him and his writing, including playlists taken from his
recent book, Long Players: A Love Story in Eighteen
Songs.

This is Your
Playlist!
Every song we’ve featured on every episode, in order (...if they’re on
Spotify).