Monday, August 1, 2022

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio # 1140

Listen without prejudice

The late George Michael used that direction as an album title, and it's good advice. As fans of pop music, we can be creatures of habit. And we can be resistant to the idea of opening our ears and minds to music that falls outside our familiar preferred soundtracks.

This week's playlist includes a track by Madonna. STOP! Don't touch that dial. I've never been much of a Madonna fan, though I recognize her talent and have even tapped the ol' toe along with a few of her hit records. Granted, that hasn't happened often, but it has happened. Hell, I quite liked "Borderline" when it was rising on the charts, and I kinda liked "Open Your Heart" a little later on.

Madonna's music generally doesn't fit with whatever it is we try to do on this radio show. I mean, except when it does. I don't remember who it was, and it was several years back, but one of our intrepid listeners once requested we play "Dear Jessie," a track from Madonna's 1989 mega-lurchin' blockbuster album Like A Prayer. While we may have been a wee bit skeptical, I bought the track...and loved it. We played it that week. That was in 2011. I'm pretty sure that was the only time we played it.

Until now. Last week, as I was looking for playlist possibilities, "Dear Jessie" turned up in my search. I'd forgotten about the track, but a fresh spin proved that I still love it. And so, into the playlist groove. 

How much music do we dismiss without a thought? We have likes and dislikes, and that's how it ought to be. You know the mantra by now: Dig what you dig. But, sometimes, there may be more than meets the ear. Even an act you despise may be capable of crafting one (or more!) tracks that can turn your head and move your feet. Pop music is infinite.

So: Madonna returns to This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio. You can hear as she mingles with the latest indie pop from Richard Turgeon, L.A. Mood, Nick Frater, Kingdom Of Mustang, the Junior League, and the Test Pressings, nestled in all comfy with the Four Tops, Richard Hell and the VoidOids, the Motors, the Monkees, the Coasters, the Go-Go's, the Ramones, Amy Rigby, and your other TIRnRR Fave Raves. 

Would you care to dance, Ms. Ciccone? We're delighted to have you with us. This is what rock 'n' roll radio sounded like on a Sunday night in Syracuse this week.

This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl airs Sunday nights from 9 to Midnight Eastern, on the air in Syracuse at SPARK! WSPJ 103.3 and 93.7 FM, and on the web at  http://sparksyracuse.org/ You can read all about this show's long and weird history here: Boppin' The Whole Friggin' Planet (The History Of THIS IS ROCK 'N' ROLL RADIO)

TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATIONS are always welcome.

The many fine This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio compilation albums are still available, each full of that rockin' pop sound you crave. A portion of all sales benefit our perpetually cash-strapped community radio project:

Volume 1: download
Volume 2: CD or download
Volume 3: download
Volume 4: CD or download
Waterloo Sunset--Benefit For This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio:  CD or download

PS: SEND MONEY!!!! We need tech upgrades like Elvis needs boats. Spark Syracuse is supported by listeners like you. Tax-deductible donations are welcome at
http://sparksyracuse.org/support/

You can follow Carl's daily blog Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do) at 
https://carlcafarelli.blogspot.com/

TIRnRR # 1140: 7/31/2022
TIRnRR FRESH SPINS! Tracks we think we ain't played before are listed in bold

THE RAMONES: Do You Remember Rock 'n' Roll Radio? (Rhino, End Of The Century)
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RICHARD TURGEON: Better With You (Kool Kat Musik, Rough Around The Edges)
DAVID BOWIE: Scary Monsters (& Super Creeps) (EMI, Best Of Bowie)
TAVARES: It Only Takes A Minute (Rhino, VA: Can You Dig It?)
THE BROTHERS STEVE: Beat City (Futureman, VA: Action Now: 20/20 Re-Envisioned)
THE FLASHCUBES: Christi Girl [Live At The Firebarn, May 26 1979] (Big Stir, single)
TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS: Refugee (MCA, The Anthology)
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MADONNA: Dear Jessie (Sire, Like A Prayer)
ELVIS COSTELLO: Watching The Detectives (Rykodisc, My Aim Is True)
THE COASTERS: Searchin' (Warner Platinum, Yakety Yak)
NICK LOWE: Marie Provost (Yep Roc, Jesus Of Cool)
SHOES: Boys Don't Lie (Black Vinyl, Best)
SWEET: Ballroom Blitz (Capitol, The Best Of Sweet)
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NICK FRATER: Dancing With A Gertrude (Big Stir, Aerodrome Motel)
THE MOTORS: Dancing The Night Away (Rhino, VA: DIY: Teenage Kicks)
DOLENZ, JONES, BOYCE & HART: I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight (7a, Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart)
THE LA'S: Timeless Melody (London, The La's)
THE FOUR TOPS: If I Were A Carpenter Motown, 50th Anniversary: The Singles Collection)
THE REVILLOS: Motorbike Beat (Captain Oi!, Rev Up)
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L.A. MOOD: Lemongrass (Rum Bar (Cheersquad, A Print Out Of The Sun)
JACKIE LOMAX: Sour Milk Sea (Apple, VA: Come And Get It)
ALLAN KAPLON: Every Single Day (n/a, Notes On A Napkin)
RONNIE SPECTOR: Something's Gonna Happen (Bad Girl Sounds, Something's Gonna Happen)
JOHNNY POPSTAR & THE LUV EXPLOSION: Oh Renee (Futureman, VA: This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 1)
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IN DEED: Peace & Quiet (Kool Kat Musik, VA: This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 5)
RICHARD HELL & THE VOIDOIDS: I Can Only Give You Everything (Omnivore, Destiny Street Complete)
IRENE PEÑA: In This Room (Kool Kat Musik, VA: This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 5)
THE BLACK KEYS: Wild Child (Nonesuch, Dropout Boogie)
PERILOUS: Rock & Roll Kiss (Kool Kat Musik, VA: This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 5)
MYRACLE BRAH: Eight Miles High (Not Lame, VA: Full Circle)
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KINGDOM OF MUSTANG: A Little Bit Behind The Times (Kool Kat Musik, Into Beautiful Blue)
AMY RIGBY: Dancing With Joey Ramone (Signature Sounds, Little Fugitive)
THE RAMONES: Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue (Rhino, Ramones)
ALLAH-LAS: Could Be You (Mexican Summer, Calico Review)
OFF BROADWAY: Just In Time (Pavement Music, Fallin' In)
THE FLEUR DE LYS: Mud In Your Eye (Cherry Red, VA: A Slight Disturbance In My Mind)
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CRAZY ELEPHANT: Gimme Gimme Good Lovin' (Varese Sarabande, VA: Bubblegum Classics, Volume Two)
BRYAN FERRY: Let's Stick Together (Reprise, BRYAN FERRY & ROXY MUSIC: Street Life)
POP CO-OP: I Just Love To Watch Her Dance (Futureman, Suspension)
THE GO-BETWEENS: Was There Anything I Could Do (Beggars Banquet, Bellavista Terrace)
VERDELLE SMITH: Life Goes On (Columbia, single)
THE GO-GO'S: Head Over Heels (IRS, Talk Show)
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THE TEST PRESSINGS: Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes) (SpyderPop/Big Stir, VA: We All Shine On: Celebrating The Music Of 1970)
MING TEA: BBC (Hollywood, VA: Austin Powers--International Man Of Mystery OST)
QUINT: The Ballad Of Sharknado Rhapsody (BMG, VA: Sharknado 5 OST)
THE APPLES IN STEREO: The Apples Theme Song (Elephant 6, Electronic Projects For Musicians)
THE GRIP WEEDS: I'm Free (Jem, VA: Jem Records Celebrates Pete Townshend)
THE MUFFS: Pollyanna (Omnivore, No Holiday)
THE MONKEES: As We Go Along (Rhino, Head)
THE BYRDS: Ballad Of Easy Rider (Columbia, Ballad Of Easy Rider)
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THE JUNIOR LEAGUE: I Never See You (Kool Kat Musik, VA: Pop Aid)
HARMONIC DIRT: Maybe (n/a, Anthracite)
THE BEAU BRUMMELS: Laugh, Laugh (Sundazed, Introducing The Beau Brummels)
HOLE: Heaven Tonight (DGC, Celebrity Skin)
THE SCRUFFS: Revenge (Northern Heights, Wanna' Meet The Scruffs?)
THE JAM: David Watts [single mix] (Polydor, About The Young Idea)
BARRY HOLDSHIP: It's Only Make Believe (Pop Garden Radio, VA: Sing Me A Song)
THE BABLERS: You Are The One For Me (Big Stir, single)
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THE MONKEES: (Theme From) The Monkees [TV version] (Rhino, The Monkees)

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