As I write out this little song and dance on behalf of our weekly radio program, it's just a few hours after we learned of the passing of David Crosby. If Dana and I were still doing live shows, this week's playlist would have certainly included something by Crosby, definitely with the Byrds, maybe some Crosby, Stills & Nash, perhaps more.
But we don't do the shows live anymore. That's why we're featuring music by the late Jeff Beck this week instead of last week, and why we'll likely program some Crosby in our next show instead of in this one.
I hate the idea of playlists becoming Obituary of the Moment. But with each year--hell, each week--we're forced to bid farewell to more and more of our rockin' pop idols. Mortality bites.
It's perhaps too pat to note that the music keeps playing even as its performers pass. It's true nonetheless. Our art outlives us all. The joy it brings us--the delight of art and music, storytelling, creation, vision, love, communion--is as essential as life itself. It is life itself. It's part of us. We won't let go of it until we finally have to release our hold on the material world in its entirety.
Maybe we won't let go of it then, either. A polka song says that in Heaven there is no beer. But there's gotta be music. It can't be Heaven without music.
We've got some songs to play. Even as we mourn the loss of our heroes, we embrace the joy of radio, the magic of music. We cherish the performers who are still with us. We honor the memories of those whose current gigs and current digs are beyond our human ability to comprehend. But they're out there. We hear them.
We always will.
This is what rock 'n' roll radio sounded like on another Sunday night in Syracuse this week.
This week's show is available as a podcast.
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 westcottradio.org and via the TuneIn Radio and Radio Garden apps as Westcott Radio.
REMINDER! You can help our friend (and Radio Deer Camp host) Rich Firestone, and we hope you will: Support Rich's Transition To Disabled Living. And we thanks ya!
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:
***And NOW AVAILABLE! This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 5!***
TIRnRR # 1165: 1/22/2023
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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TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS: American Girl (MCA, Anthology: Through The Years)
THE YARDBIRDS: Over Under Sideways Down (Rhino, Ultimate!)
THE BUNCH: When Will I Be Loved (A & M, SANDY DENNY: No More Sad Refrains)
THE SYLVERS: Boogie Fever (Curb, Greatest Hits)
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JUNIPER: James (Confidential, She Steals Candy)
LISA MARIE PRESLEY: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow (Capitol, Now What)
BOBBY WOMACK & THE BROTHERHOOD: Home Is Where The Heart Is (Legacy, VA: Lost Soul: Rhythm And Soul)
JEFF BECK: Tally Man (Epic, Beckology)
BRENDA & THE TABULATIONS: Walk On In (Legacy, VA: Lost Soul: Rhythm And Soul)
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JEFF BECK: Shapes Of Things (Epic, Truth)
BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD: Burned (Rhino, Buffalo Springfield)
MIKE BROWNING: Blood Of Oblivion (single) LAURIE & THE SIGHS: Party Lights (Wounded Bird, Laurie and the Sighs)
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WEDNESDAY WEEK: I Hate Lying To Mom (Enigma, What We Had)
THE JEFF BECK GROUP: I Gotta Have A Song (Epic, Jeff Beck Group)
THE TOKENS: La Bamba (Jasmine, The Lion Sleeps Tonight)
LITTLE WILLIE JOHN: Fever (Time-Warner, VA: Rock N' Roll Era: 1956)
TAJ MAHAL: Things Are Gonna Work Out Fine (Columbia, The Natch'l Blues)
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THE CYNZ: Tell That Girl To Shut Up (Jem, single) THE MnM'S: I'm Tired (Burger, Melts In Your Ears 1980-1981)
HAYLEY & THE CRUSHERS: Water On Glass (Rum Bar, Gun Sized)
THE YOUNG FRESH FELLOWS: I'd Say That You Were Upset (Frontier, Totally Lost)
JEFF BECK & ROD STEWART: People Get Ready (Epic, single)
KING CURTIS: Memphis Soul Stew (Razor & Tie, Instant Soul: The Legendary King Curtis)
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THE SMITHEREENS: Out Of This World (Tollie, The Lost Album)
THE PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: Jupiter (Roadrunner, Freaked Out & Small)
JEFF BECK: Beck's Bolero (Epic, Truth)
MAJOR LANCE: Hey Little Girl (Epic, Everybody Loves A Good Time! The Best Of Major Lance)
RANDY KLAWON & JIM BONFANTI: Marlo Maybe (single) THE AIRPORT 77s: All Torn Up Over Tina (Jem, We Realize You Have A Choice) --
SCREAMIN' JAY HAWKINS: Talk About Me (M.I.L., She Put The Wammee On Me)
THE RAMONES: Chinese Rock (Rhino, End Of The Century)
THE COUNT BISHOPS: I Ain't Got You (Soul Jazz, VA: Punk 45: Sick On You!)
CLIFF HILLIS: Good Morning And Goodnight (single) SWEET: Love Is Like Oxygen (Capitol, The Best Of Sweet)
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THE UNDERTONES: Wrong Way (Rykodisc, The Undertones)
JEFF BECK: Hi Ho Silver (Epic, Beckology)
THE ENGLISH BEAT: Click Click (IRS, I Just Can't Stop It)
WRECKLESS ERIC: Rags And Tatters (Salvo, Hits, Misses, Rags & Tatters)
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THE 101'ERS: Keys To Your Heart (Soul Jazz, VA: Punk 45: Sick On You!)
THE PATTI SMITH GROUP: So You Want To Be (A Rock 'n' Roll Star) (Arista, Wave)
THE SPONGETONES: One More Day (Loaded Goat, Too Clever By Half)
OLD 97's: Turn Off The TV (ATO, Twelfth)
THE YARDBIRDS: Train Kept A-Rollin' (Rhino, Ultimate!)
THE BEATLES: Tomorrow Never Knows (Apple, Revolver)
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THE YARDBIRDS: You're A Better Man Than I ( Warner Archives, BBC Sessions)
BIG STAR: ST 100/6 (Ardent, # 1 Record/Radio City)
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