Eytan Mirsky's "This Year's Gonna Be Our Year" is my # 1 ring-out-the-old/ring-in-the-new song, probably one of my all-time top ten tracks of any description. On TIRnRR, we usually open or close the calendar year with a spin of Eytan Mirsky vowing that this year will be THE year, the shining moment when we turn everything around in our favor.
And so we open our first show of 2025 with that song choice. I love the song, and I will always love the song. But right now, probably more than ever before, I have difficulty believing in its stated promise. I feel broken in ways I can't articulate, partially as a result of time and loss, largely because of the state of the union, the state of the world. This haunts me, and it threatens to rob me of hope.
Maybe the haunting will succeed in its attempted theft of all that is light. I acknowledge that possibility. We live in a material world where darkness can thrive in spite of our best actions, our best intentions. All we love can be broken.
But what's broken can heal, at least sometimes.
I have not given up, and I hope you haven't given up either. If it turns out to be impossible for this year to be our year, maybe we can still build...something. We can create. We can sing. We can dance. We can do all of that, but only if we remember the plight of those who can't dance in this moment. We dedicate ourselves to helping all of our friends get back to the dance floor. We can fight back. We can. We will.
Maybe that’s delusional. Or maybe it’s all we have.
This year's gonna be our year? The odds are against that. But we'll stand our ground for as long as we're able to stand. This year. Next year. Every year. If it's a clarion call, we'll answer with what determination remains. Sing it, Brother Eytan. Sing it.
This is what rock 'n' roll radio sounded like on another 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, streaming at SPARK stream, and on the Radio Garden app as WESTCOTT RADIO. Recent shows are archived at 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).
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Carl's new book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) is now available, and you can order an autographed copy here. You can still get Carl's previous book Gabba Gabba Hey! A Conversation With The Ramones from publisher Rare Bird Books, OR an autographed copy here. If you like the books, please consider leaving a rating and/or review at the usual online resources.
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:
TIRnRR # 1267: 1/5/2025
TIRnRR FRESH SPINS! Tracks we think we ain't played before are listed in bold.
SUGAR PIE DeSANTO: Soulful Dress (Kent Soul, Go Go Power [The Complete Chess Singles 1961-1966])
SUPER 8: Resolution (Happy New Year) (single) THE RONETTES: Be My Baby (Abkco, The Best Of The Ronettes)
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THE SPONGETONES: Nothing Really Matters When You're Young [REDACTED]
ALEX CHILTON: Free Again [original mono mix] (Big Beat, VA: Thank You Friends--The Ardent Records Story)
THE ISLEY BROTHERS: Shout (Part One) (MOJO, VA: Songs The Beatles Taught Us)
LUCINDA WILLIAMS: I've Got A Feeling (Highway 20, Sings The Beatles From Abbey Road)
ROCKPILE: Heart (Columbia, Seconds Of Pleasure)
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THE CAMPBELL APARTMENT: In My Dreams (n/a, [510])
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD: I Only Want To Be With You (Mercury, The Very Best Of Dusty Springfield)
THE ROMANTICS: What I Like About You (Nemperor, The Romantics)
ROBERT GORDON: Someday, Someway (Razor & Tie, Red Hot 1977-1981)
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DICK DALE AND HIS DEL-TONES: Miserlou (Ace, VA: The Birth Of Surf)
THE SAINTS: (I'm) Stranded (Amsterdamned, [I'm] Stranded)
FRANKIE FORD: Sea Cruise (Scotti Brothers, VA: The Best Of Ace Records: The Pop Hits)
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MOON MARTIN: Dangerous (Capitol, Escape From Domination)
THE MARVELETTES: Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead (Motown, The Definitive Collection)
SUGAR PIE DeSANTO: Witch For A Night (Kent Soul, Go Go Power [The Complete Chess Singles 1961-1966])
THE BIRDS: Say Those Magic Words (Rhino, VA: Nuggets II)
THE FOUR TOPS: I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) (Motown, The Ultimate Collection)
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THE JAC (INTERNATIONAL EDITION): Are You Ever Coming Back (single) SUGAR: If I Can't Change Your Mind (Rykodisc. Copper Blue)
SLYBOOTS: If We Could Let Go (single) THE BAY CITY ROLLERS: Saturday Night (Arista, The Definitive Collection)
SHONEN KNIFE: She's The One (Good Charamel, Osaka Ramones)
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The Greatest Record Ever Made!
AMERICA: Sister Golden Hair (Rhino, The Complete Greatest Hits)
CONTINENTAL DRIFTERS: I Can't Let Go (eggBERT, VA: Sing Hollies In Reverse)
THE LOUD FAMILY: We're For The Dark (Copper, VA: Come And Get It: A Tribute To Badfinger)
MATERIAL ISSUE: Bus Stop (eggBERT, VA: Sing Hollies In Reverse)
JOHNNY JOHNSON AND THE BANDWAGON: Gasoline Alley Bred (Kent Soul, Breakin' Down The Walls Of Heartache)
THE HOLLIES: King Midas In Reverse (EMI, All The Hits And More: The Definitive Collection)
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THE BEACH BOYS: Darlin' (Capitol, Smiley Smile/Wild Honey)
ABBA: On And On And On (Polydor, More ABBA Gold)
CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL: Hello Mary Lou (Fantasy, Chronicle, Vol. 2)
RONNIE SPECTOR: All I Want (Bad Girl Sounds, The Last Of The Rock Stars)
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THE RAMONES: Blitzkrieg Bop (Rhino, Ramones)
SPARKS: Mickey Mouse (Repertoire, Angst In My Pants)
SMOKEY ROBINSON AND THE MIRACLES: The Tears Of A Clown (Motown, VA: Hitsville USA)
ETTA JAMES AND SUGAR PIE DeSANTO: In The Basement (Part 1) (Chess, ETTA JAMES: The Essential Etta James)
THE B-52'S: Legal Tender (Rhino, Nude On The Moon: The B-52's Anthology)
NEW ORDER: Dreams Never End (Factory, Movement)
THE BEATLES: I Should Have Known Better (Apple, A Hard Day's Night)
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SUGAR PIE DeSANTO: It Won't Be Long (Jasmine, Sugar Pie: A Little Bit Of Soul 1957-1962)
SUGAR PIE DeSANTO: Mr And Mrs (Kent Soul, Go Go Power [The Complete Chess Singles 1961-1966])
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