10 Songs is a weekly list of ten songs that happen to be on my mind at the moment. The lists are usually dominated by songs played on the previous Sunday night's edition of This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl. The idea was inspired by Don Valentine of the essential blog I Don't Hear A Single.
This week's edition of 10 Songs draws exclusively from the playlist for This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio # 1201. This show is available as a podcast.
THE FLASHCUBES: Forget About You
I realize I'm getting perilously close to emulating a robocall in this situation, but nonetheless: The Flashcubes. Pop Masters. My album of the year in 2023. The current single, with the 'Cubes covering (and improving!) the Motors' "Forget About You," is my favorite among fave raves here, and it's racked up some significant TIRnRR airplay to prove it.
We're giving this fab track a break next week. It's earned it! It'll be back. There's no danger of us ever forgetting about the Flashcubes.
(And the Flashcubes themselves--well, three of them--will be represented on our next show, but with a slightly older track, as we try to pay some modest tribute to the great Ducky Carlisle.)
We were pointed toward current UK rockin' poppers the Evening Sons' utterly stellar track "I Gotta Gurl" by pop journalist and author S. W. Lauden, and by Brothers Steve drummer Steve Coulter. That's kinda like getting advice from Superman and Clark Kent, and it's advice best followed. Look! Up in the sky, Clark! Um...Clark? Hey, where did Clark get to...?
Anyway. Supersteve's Remember The Lightning is a pret' damned good resource for discovering pop with power. We're listening to what he says! Remember The Lightning also led us to the Whiffs, who finally make their TIRnRR debut this week with an ace li'l number called "Wanted," from their 2023 release Scratch 'N' Sniff.
Clark Kent and Superman. S. W. Lauden and Steve Coulter. Hell, Paul McCartney and Bernard Webb. Listen to what the man said.
THE FOUR TOPS: If I Were A Carpenter
The Greatest Record Ever Made!
THE RAMONES: Gimme Gimme Shock treatment
Heh. I don't actually require shock treatment at the moment. There is a lot going on, but enough of it is happy, and that makes the odd bits o' stress easier to shrug off. October is...something. Something good, something bad, not in equal parts. As always, we ask ourselves: What would the Ramones do? And again: 1-2-3-4. On with it. Up with it. Gimme what gimmes we can grab.
THE CYNZ: I Need You
We've been programming a number of tracks from the recent tribute album Jem Records Celebrates Ray Davies. It's a wonderful collection of Jem Records' artists saluting our esteemed Sir Raymond Douglas Davies, and I'd be hard-pressed to pick out one single preferred track.
But I think the Cynz and their cover of the Kinks' "I Need You" have accrued the most TIRnRR airplay off this album. In a previous 10 Songs, I wrote, "The Kinks' 'I Need You' isn't as well known as its proto-punk brethren 'You Really Got Me' and 'All Day And All Of The Night,' but it is indeed in that same proud-to-be-loud sense of willful abandon. The Cynz nail it, and we're playing it again on our next show.
"We need to."
THE KINKS: Days
October 1st would have been my dad's 104th birthday, We lost Dad in 2012, and we lost Mom in 2021. At Dad's memorial service in 2012, my eulogy for him included lyrics from "Days" by the Kinks. It was one of my favorite records. It still is, but it's not something I play much anymore. Its connection to loss is too strong, too specific.
But this month, Dad's youngest grandchild--my daughter--is getting married. I know that Mom and Dad will only be there in spirit...but their spirits will be there, loving and proud.
And once again: I thank you for the days.
GUADALCANAL DIARY: Litany (Life Goes On)
As it must.
THE POWERPUFF GIRLS: Love Makes The World Go 'Round
And love does make the world go 'round.
Nothing else can.
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Carl's new book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones is now available, courtesy of the good folks at Rare Bird Books. Gabba Gabba YAY!! https://rarebirdlit.com/gabba-gabba-hey-a-conversation-with-the-ramones-by-carl-cafarelli/
If it's true that one book leads to another, my next book will be The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1). Stay tuned. Your turn is coming.
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, streaming at SPARK stream and on the Radio Garden app as WESTCOTT RADIO. Recent shows are archived at Westcott Radio. You can read about our history here.
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