Although the Dana and Carl radio shows date back to January of 1992, today is the 24th anniversary of the first episode of This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio. That cataclysmic radio event TIRnRR # 1--a first-in-a-series collector's item!--aired on WXXE-FM Fenner/Syracuse on December 27th, 1998. Our previous radio collaborations had been sporadic and short-lived. TIRnRR stuck around. This Sunday, January 1st, we'll present TIRnRR # 1162. That's gonna be our big year-end countdown show, playing back the 60 tracks we played the most over the course of 2022. New songs and old songs, the release dates don't matter. As always: great records don't care what year it is.
But this past Sunday, December 25th, we wanted to do something special, too. We didn't want to do the Christmas show or the Countdown show on Christmas Day, but nor did we wanna transition too abruptly from the station's holiday programming for the day.
Instead, we settled on a theme: OUR PRAYER: Love, Hope, And Holding On. No Christmas music (except maybe Yoko Ono's "Listen, The Snow Is Falling"), but a collection of songs that look ahead through light and darkness alike. The idea was to pick tracks that either recognize something good in the here and now, or see something brighter in the future. We wanted some songs that were happy, and we also needed some songs that were less so. This was the master list of tracks we drew from in programming OUR PRAYER:
[*denotes a track that was included in the actual show, which is available as a podcast]
20/20: Song Of The Universe
5TH DIMENSION: Aquarius/Let The Sun Shine In
ARCHIES: Get On The Line
JOAN ARMATRADING: Eating The Bear
P. P. ARNOLD: The First Cut Is The Deepest
*ASTROPUPPEES: On My Way
*B-52'S: Roam
BAD COMPANY: Silver, Blue And Gold
*BADFINGER: No Matter What
*BANDWAGON: Breakin' Down The Walls Of Heartbreak
*BANGLES: Live
JIM BASNIGHT: This Is Where I Belong
*BEACH BOYS: Our Prayer
*BEATLES: Here Comes The Sun
BEATLES: Two Of Us
JEFF BECK: People Get Ready
CHUCK BERRY: Promised Land
*BIG STAR: The Ballad Of El Goodo
BOX TOPS: Neon Rainbow
*MIKE BROWNING: All The Love Is Here
SOLOMON BURKE: Everybody Needs Somebody To Love
*BYRDS: My Back Pages
CARPENTERS: Only Yesterday
CHAMBERS BROTHERS: Time Has Come Today
CHEAP TRICK: Way Of The World
CHEEPSKATES: I'll Be Around
CHICAGO: Feelin' Stronger Every Day
*THE CITY: I Wasn't Born To Follow
DAVE CLARK FIVE: Catch Us If You Can
PETULA CLARK: Colour My World
*CLICK BEETLES: If Not Now Then When
*CLOUD ELEVEN: Things Will Work Out Fine
JUDY COLLINS: Both Sides Now
ELVIS COSTELLO: (What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love & Understanding
COWSILLS: Ya Gotta Get Up!
MARSHALL CRENSHAW: T.M.D.
JIM CROCE: I Got A Name
DAVE DEE, DOZY, BEAKY, MICK & TICH: Hold Tight
NEIL DIAMOND: Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show
DENNIS DIKEN & BELL SOUND: The Sun's Gonna Shine In The Morning
DOORS: Break On Through
DRIFTERS: On Broadway
WENDI DUNLAP: Season Of Loss
*EDDIE & THE HOT RODS: Do Anything You Wanna Do
EVERLY BROTHERS: On The Wings Of A Nightingale
FIRST AID KIT: America
*FIVE STAIRSTEPS: O-o-h Child
FLAMIN' GROOVIES: First Plane Home
*FLASHCUBES: When We Close Our Eyes
*FLEETWOOD MAC: Hold Me
FLESHTONES: I've Gotta Change My Life
FOOLS FACE: Stand Up
*FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE: Better Things
FOUR SEASONS: Walk Like A Man
*FOUR TOPS: Reach Out I'll Be There
*ARETHA FRANKLIN: I Say A Little Prayer
FRISBIE: Comes N Goes
GERRY & THE PACEMAKERS: It's Gonna Be Alright
GIGOLO AUNTS: Where I Find My Heaven
GO-GO'S: Can't Stop The World
ROBERT GORDON: Someday Someway
GRATEFUL DEAD: Uncle John's Band
*GREAT BUILDINGS: Hold On To Something
GUADALCANAL DIARY: Litany (Life Goes On)
GUESS WHO: No Sugar Tonight/New Mother Nature
HALFCUBES: Hand Me Down World
*GEORGE HARRISON: What Is Life
LILLY HIATT: Under The Milky Way
HOLLIES: I'm Alive
HOODOO GURUS: Something's Coming
PARTHENON HUXLEY: Double Our Numbers
ISLEY BROTHERS: Summer Breeze
*JACKSON FIVE: I'll Be There
JOE JACKSON: Steppin' Out
*JAM: But I'm Different Now
JAYHAWKS: I'm Gonna Make You Love Me
*JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS: Light Of Day
*ALLAN KAPLON: Every Single Day
*KENNEDYS: Life Is Large
KENNEDYS: Safe Until Tomorrow
BEN E. KING: Stand By Me
KINKS: Animal Farm
KINKS: Waterloo Sunset
KISS: Shout It Out Loud
*LEGAL MATTERS: Light Up The Sky
*JOHN LENNON: Power To The People
LIBRARIANS WITH HICKEYS: I Better Get Home
LINDA LINDAS: Never Say Never
CIRCE LINK & CHRISTIAN NESMITH: I'm On Your Side
CHRIS LUND: Every Thing Is Fine
LYRES: You Won't Be Sad Anymore
*MAMA CASS: It's Getting Better
MARVELETTES: I'll Keep Holding On
HAYLEY MARY: Like A Woman Should
CAROLYNE MAS: In The Rain
MAVERICKS: Brand New Day
*PAUL McCARTNEY: Hope Of Deliverance
*MELANIE WITH THE EDWIN HAWKINS SINGERS: Lay Down (Candles In The Rain)
*EYTAN MIRSKY: This Year's Gonna Be Our Year
MONKEES: As We Go Along
MOODY BLUES: Ride My See Saw
MORNING LINE: Might Believe
JOHNNY NASH: I Can See Clearly Now
*NAZZ: Forget All About It
MICHAEL NESMITH: Rising In Love
NEW MATH: Die Trying
NEW PORNOGRAPHERS: All For Swinging You Around
O'JAYS: Put Your Hands Together or Love Train
PHIL OCHS: I Ain't Marching Anymore
RICHARD ÖHRN: Time's Not Running Out
*MARYKATE O'NEILL: I'm Ready For My Luck To Turn Around
*YOKO ONO: Listen, The Snow Is Falling
PACIFIC SOUL LTD: We Go High
PALEY BROTHERS & RAMONES: Come On Let's Go
PANDORAS: It's About Time
GRAHAM PARKER: Don't Let It Break You Down
PARTIES: Let's Call It Love
PARTRIDGE FAMILY: Singing My Song
POLICE: Message In A Bottle
POP CO-OP: Suspension
*POPDUDES: Share The Land
NOLAN PORTER: Keep On Keepin' On
*PRETENDERS: I'll Stand By You
PRINCE: Let's Go Crazy
R.E.M. (or TROGGS): Love Is All Around
*JOEY RAMONE: What A Wonderful World
RAMONES: I Believe In Miracles
RAMONES: Something To Believe In
*RASCALS: People Got To Be Free
*REMAINS: Don't Look Back
REMBRANDTS: I'll Be There For You
*AMY RIGBY: Tom Petty Karaoke
*ROLLING STONES: Happy
ROLLING STONES: I'm Free
ROMANTICS: When I Look In Your Eyes
ROSE ROYCE: Wishing On A Star
ROXY MUSIC: Take A Chance With Me
RUBINOOS: Nothing A Little Love Won't Cure
EVIE SANDS: If You Give Up
SEARCHERS: Don't Throw Your Love Away
DEL SHANNON: Keep Searchin'
SHIVVERS: Please Stand By
JIMMY SILVA: The Weight Of The Wind
SIMON & GARFUNKEL: The Boxer
*SLAPBACKS: Make Something Happen
SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE: Everybody Is A Star
SMALL FACES: Get Yourself Together
PATTI SMITH: Dancing Barefoot
*PATTI SMITH: People Have The Power
VERDELLE SMITH: Life Goes On
*SMITHEREENS: Face The World With Pride
SNIFF 'N' THE TEARS: Driver's Seat
*SONNY: Laugh At Me
SPINNERS: I'll Be Around
SPONGETONES: Anyway Town
*BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN: Girls In Their Summer Clothes
STANDELLS: Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White
*RINGO STARR: It Don't Come Easy
SUN SAWED IN 1/2: The Beholder And His Eye
SUPREMIUM: What She Needs
TEENAGE FANCLUB: Don't Look Back
TEGAN & SARA: Walking With A Ghost
TRANSLATOR: No Time Like Now
SUZANNE VEGA: Left Of Center
VILLAS: Someone To Hold On To
VOGUES: Lovers Of The World Unite
WHO: Won't Get Fooled Again
STEVIE WONDER: Higher Ground
ROY WOOD: Songs Of Praise
YOUNGBLOODS: Get Together
ZOMBIES: Time Of The Season
This master list would have filled a nine-hour show. We whittled it down to three hours, programming back-and-forth like we always do. The original template was to open with "Our Prayer" by the Beach Boys, close with the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again," and add Eytan Mirsky's "This Year's Gonna Be Our Year" as the bonus track at the very end. In assembling the show, it felt better to replace "Won't Get Fooled Again" with Bruce Springsteen's "Girls In Their Summer Clothes," but the Beach Boys and Brother Eytan retained their designated places.
The only track on the final playlist that wasn't on the master list was "Do You Wanna Dance" by the Ramones. It just seemed to fit. Our prayer includes the hope that there'll be some dancin' going on.
And I tell ya: TIRnRR has been asking you to dance for 24 years now. Year 25 begins with the countdown show on January 1st. We pray you'll join us.
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, on the web at http://sparksyracuse.org/, and via the TuneIn Radio and Radio Garden apps as Westcott Radio.
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
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
***And NOW AVAILABLE! This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 5!***
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