10 SONGS: 7/10/2026

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 # 1344

ACTION SKULLS: Waiting For Day

Action Skulls are John Cowsill, Vicki Peterson, and Bill Mumy, and "Waiting For Day" is a Vicki Peterson composition from Action Skulls' 2023 album From A Running Horse. The song made its TIRnRR debut a couple of shows ago, as part of our spotlight on the music of Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill on June 21st. Great song, and since then the mighty Micky Dolenz has announced he'll be releasing his own version of "Waiting For Day" on his forthcoming six-song EP Timeless, due out in September. Micky has taste! We're very much looking forward to Micky's take on "Waiting For Day," and the news inspires an encore spin of the Action Skulls original this week. No need to wait. No need to wait at all.

BEN VAUGHN: Don't Say You Don't Wanna

While a couple of friends of this show (TIRnRR Fave Raves Dolph Chaney and Eytan Mirsky) have appeared as contestants on Jeopardy!, this is the first instance of a friend of the show being the proper response to a clue on Jeopardy! Under the category It's Silent, G, the game show's June 18th episode presented the clue, "Musician Ben or actor Vince," prompting me to yell from my couch, WHO IS VAUGHN?

I know who the actor is (though I don't know if I've ever seen any of his movies), and I for damned sure know the music of Ben Vaughn. Ben's syndicated radio show The Many Moods Of Ben Vaughn airs in Syracuse on SPARK WSPJ, the very same station that brings you the weekly rock 'n' roll adventures of Dana & Carl. We've been playing Ben's music for decades, going back to our pre-TIRnRR mid-1990s series Radio Peace. It was a kick to see the esteemed Mr. Vaughn receive a shoutout on the Alex Trebek stage.

As a freelance writer, I interviewed Ben Vaughn for Goldmine magazine in the '90s. Brett Vargo, co-host of the essential weekly classic alternative podcast Only Three Lads, has asked me to dig out and blog-post the Goldmine article I wrote from that interview. Good idea, Brett! It may not be soon, but it will be. I can't say I don't wanna.

BANDA AL9: I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend

Speaking of Only Three Lads, the assembled lads are planning a rare live O3L podcast on Sunday, July 19th, welcoming as their special guests Brazil's phenomenal pop combo Banda AL9. Let's have the lads tell you all about it:

"Join the Only Three Lads podcast for a special LIVE event featuring Brazil’s sensational pop combo Banda AL9! Celebrate the release of their new album, Hey! Hey! We’re Banda AL9, on Wicked Cool Records with a live Q&A, fun, games, and prizes.

"Known for their dazzling harmonies, retro-inspired style, and infectious melodies, Banda AL9 have quickly become one of the most exciting new acts in modern pop. Now, the Lads are bringing the Bandamania straight to you for an interactive event packed with music talk, behind-the-scenes stories, and plenty of laughs.

"Fans will get the chance to chat live with the band, test their pop culture knowledge in O3L-style games, and celebrate the launch of one of the year’s most buzzworthy releases. Whether you’re already a devoted AL9 fan or just discovering their music, this is your chance to experience the excitement firsthand.

"Don’t miss this unforgettable morning of music, mayhem, and pure BANDAMANIA!"

"Bandamania?" It's BANDAMONIUM!! In a good way. The O3L/Banda AL 9 team-up occurs July 19th at 10 AM Pacific time, aka 1:00 PM for us ahead-of-our-time New Yorkers, and is scheduled to bop its winningly boppin' way for about two hours. Details are here. Meanwhile, here's another spin of Banda AL9's supercool cover of the Rubinoos' power pop touchstone "I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend." HEY! HEY! YOU! YOU! A splendid time is guaranteed for all.

BETH PEABODY: Get It Out

Last week's show debuted "Out And About," one of two tracks occupying the virtual sides of a new digital single by Beth Peabody. Both "Out And About" and "Get It Out" were written and previously recorded by the great Jim Basnight--Beth is a member of Jim's band--and we also played Jim's original "Get It Out" last week. This week, we encored Beth's "Out And About" and debuted her take on "Get It Out," and we rejoiced in the power of pop. We'll hear one of these songs again this Sunday night. Which one? We'll get it out and about at the proper time.

TRIP WIRE: Katie Says

THE WELL WISHERS: Dangerous

We got two in a row from musician Jeff Shelton! See, THAT's why this is The Best Three Hours Of Radio On The Whole Friggin' Planet! In case you were, y'know...wondering. We've been playing Jeff's fine music since the early days of TIRnRR, starting with his work with Spinning Jennies. The Well Wishers! Trip Wire! Deadlights! When Jeff Shelton hits us with a rockin' pop dba, we play that rockin' pop dba!

We debuted "Dangerous" (from the new Well Wishers album Expected Outcomes) on last week's show, and I already intended to give it another spin this week. Dana's independent pick of Trip Wire's 2020 single "Katie Says" served up the perfect spot to reprise "Dangerous." 

Because all rockin' pop radio shows should occasionally offer two in a row from Jeff Shelton. GET WITH IT, you programmers! The act of doing so provides its own reward.

ANNETTE FUNICELLO WITH THE BEACH BOYS: The Monkey's Uncle

The Greatest Record Ever Made!

THE RAMONES: Touring

The summer's here. The time is right. Let's hit the road with the Ramones.

MICHAEL SIMMONS: America

I programmed this beautiful cover of Simon and Garfunkel's "America" (as heard on Michael Simmons's superb 2025 covers album Fun Where You Can Find It) without really thinking about the fact that this week's show would air the day after July 4th. I confess I haven't felt even the merest investment in our country's 250th anniversary, simply because I don't see the current state of our union as something worth celebrating.

But I still believe in the American dream, or at least I believe in its possibility. We can be better. We can regain our commitment to being a beacon for the world, even though lately we've become more like a razzafrazzin' bug-zapper. For all who are willing to walk off to look for America--the real America--we're walking right with you. 

I'm empty and aching and I don't know why.

Sometimes I lose hope of finding it. But it's out there, waiting to be restored. Truth. Justice. No kings (other than Elvis). 

The American way. Sing it, Michael.

VICKI PETERSON AND JOHN COWSILL: Don't Look Back

Good advice. Onward.

If you like what you see here on Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do), please consider a visit to CC's Tip Jar. You can also become a Boppin' booster on my Patreon page.

My new book of short stories Guitars Vs. Rayguns!! Short Stories And Other White Lies is out now, and you can get autographed copies of the new book and my previous book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) directly from me. You can still get my previous 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.

I compiled a various-artists tribute album called Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes, and it's pretty damned good; you can read about it here and order it here. 

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. You can read about our history here

THE GREATEST RECORD EVER MADE! Annette Funicello with the Beach Boys, "The Monkey's Uncle"

Drawn from a previous post, this is not part of my book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1).

An infinite number of tracks can each be THE greatest record ever made, as long as they take turns. Today, this is THE GREATEST RECORD EVER MADE!

ANNETTE [FUNICELLO, with THE BEACH BOYS]: The Monkey's Uncle

Written by Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman

Produced by Salvadore Camarata

Single, Buena Vista Records, 1965 (from the film The Monkey's Uncle)

In my book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1), my chapter about the Monkees' magnificent single "Porpoise Song (Theme From Head)" notes:

"...Everyone who knows me knows that I love the Monkees. I love the TV series, I love the prefab Kirshner-era records, the hey-hey-we're-a-real band triumph of the Headquarters LP, the Monkees with sidemen compromise of Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones, Ltd. (my favorite Monkees album), the schtick, the ambition, the songs, the image, the truth behind the image. I'm a believer already. But there's something emphatically special about the movie Head and its soundtrack. It's part of the grit that gives the cotton candy substance...."

That said, let us not be too quick to presume the cotton candy has no substance of its own. Pop music is its own reward, and any music that moves you or touches you or engages you has no need to justify itself to anyone else. Let 'em get their own soundtrack. AND their own goddamned cotton candy.

I bring this up here to acknowledge that, for some, the legend which has grown around Brian Wilson will exalt Pet Sounds and SMiLE, but perhaps not so much the Beach Boys' earlier frothy favorites. "Surf's Up" ¡SÍ!, "Surfin' Safari" ¡NO! 

If that POV exists, I disavow its validity. "I Get Around" is essential. "Help Me Rhonda" is essential. "Little Deuce Coupe," "Shut Down," "Surfin' USA," and the rest of this fun-fun-FUN! catalog are timeless, well-crafted, well-executed absolute pop gems, and they would be worthy of accolade even if Brian Wilson's ambition and vision had never went on to declare he just wasn't made for these times.

Paradoxically as ephemeral and eternal as it gets, "The Monkey's Uncle" (written by Walt Disney Studio tunesmiths the Sherman Brothers) is the title theme from a 1965 Disney flick co-starring Tommy Kirk and Annette Funicello. The film opens with Annette singing the song on-screen with the Beach Boys backing her up, and it's a winningly goofy confection perfection. It doesn't even NEED any grit!

Straitjackets are not appropriate beach wear. We are infinite. We can dance and we can think, we can dream and we can plan, goof around and create, dive into the possibility of the immediate and conjure the promise of the abstract. We can be the beach boys and beach girls we wish to be. 

Fun, fun, fun. Life is too short to disdain fleeting opportunities to enjoy it.

If you like what you see here on Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do), please consider a visit to CC's Tip Jar. You can also become a Boppin' booster on my Patreon page.

My new book of short stories Guitars Vs. Rayguns!! Short Stories And Other White Lies is out now, and you can get autographed copies of the new book and my previous book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) directly from me. You can still get my previous 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.

I compiled a various-artists tribute album called Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes, and it's pretty damned good; you can read about it here and order it here. 

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. You can read about our history here

10 SONGS (plus one): 6/27/2026

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 # 1342

VICKI PETERSON AND JOHN COWSILL: Sound On Sound

I wrote this as part of the playlist commentary for our June 7th show:

"December of this year will mark the 50th anniversary of my first live rock 'n' roll show. I've seen a bunch of other shows since then, and I hope to see many more. On Thursday night [June 4th], Dana and I had the wonderful experience of witnessing Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill in concert at a local high school. It was, in fact, a high school production, with opening mini-sets by two teen bands and one faculty band, preceded by a solo set by the lead singer of one of the teen bands.

"Sound dire? No. It was amazing. Joyous. Life-affirming. Young bands the Killer Pancakes and Clockwork (and Clockwork singer Isabella Destito) displayed talent, poise, and accomplishment, rippin' through an assortment of covers and--wait for it!--ORIGINALS that delighted the enthusiastic crowd. Faculty band After School Special likewise delivered, and John Cowsill hisself joined them onstage for a cover of Tommy Tutone's '867-5309/Jenny,' recreating his own backing vocals from the original hit record. At the very end of the show, the kids joined Vicki and John for irresistible renditions of the Bangles' 'Manic Monday' and 'Walk Like An Egyptian.' Gooseflesh.

"In between all of that, Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill mesmerized the crowd with a sublime performance. The bulk of their set was drawn from their wonderful 2025 album Long After The Fire, which presented the duo's renditions of songs written by John's late brothers Bill Cowsill and Barry Cowsill; the material was just as riveting in live performance as it is on record. The pair dipped twice into the familiar catalogues of their respective rockin' pop alma maters--the Bangles' 'In A Different Light' and the Cowsills' 'Hair'--and the cumulative effect was just...just beyond. Transcendent. I can't convey in words how happy I was to be there...."

In the immediate aftermath of the live show, it felt imperative for This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio to program a spotlight on Vicki and John as Featured Performers. Hey! We should do that THIS week! 

And we did, filling half of this week's playlist with tracks that include Vicki and/or John, together or separately, operating within a variety of rockin' pop dbas. And we kicked things off with my favorite track from Long After The Fire, a Barry Cowsill composition called "Sound On Sound." Sound on sound? A worthy goal, and a promise kept. We'll hear "Sound On Sound" again on our next show.

THE BEACH BOYS: Beaches In Mind

John Cowsill was a touring member of the Beach Boys from 2000 to 2023. When original Beach Boys Brian Wilson and Al Jardine briefly rejoined that other guy for the 50th anniversary reunion album That's Why God Made The Radio in 2012, John played drums on two tracks, "The Private Life Of Bill And Sue" and "Beaches In Mind," and we included the latter in this week's tribute show. 

CONTINENTAL DRIFTERS: The Rain Song

Over the course of several records and varying line-ups, Continental Drifters established themselves as indie favorites in the 1990s and early '00s, and the 2024 compilation White Noise & Lightning: The Best Of Continental Drifters is as essential as essential can be. Which is pretty essential. Vicki Peterson and her eventual sister-in-law Susan Cowsill were among this distinguished legion of Drifters, and the group's 1998 album Vermillion included this lovely, wistful gem called "The Rain Song." Written by Susan and Vicki, "The Rain Song" was subsequently redone by Vicki for the Bangles' 2003 album Doll Revolution, and the Bangles' version was my introduction to the song. Both versions are superb.

VICKI AND DEBBIE PETERSON: I Wanna Be With You

From our friend Ken Sharp's fabulous 2025 compilation Play On: A Raspberries Tribute, we have Vicki joining forces with her sister (and fellow Bangle) Debbie Peterson to cover the 1972 hit record that hooked me on the power pop sound of the Raspberries. Vicki and Debbie Peterson covering Raspberries? I wanna be with that.

TOMMY TUTONE: 867-5309/Jenny

From a previous 10 Songs:

"A little Byrdsy, a little Stonesy, a little Tommy Tutonesy. See, this is why Hallmark refuses to hire me. Bastards. 

"But I digress: great song, then and now. And it came up during a recent vacation, when I discovered that my hotel's WiFi password was 8675309. Jenny could not be reached for comment. But I bet she woulda been pissed."

At some point, I probably/possibly/maybe? knew that John Cowsill sang backing vocals on Tommy Tutone's original hit recording of this song, but I had completely forgotten that fact prior to After School Special sayin' so on stage during their set opening for Vicki and John on June 4th. And I certainly shouldn't have been surprised when John bounced on stage to join After School Special in their rendition of sumpin' a little Byrdsy, a little Stonesy, a little Tommy Tutonesy. 

But I was surprised. And thrilled! They got my number, all right. They didn't know me, but it made me so happy.

SUSAN COWSILL: River Of Love

My God. This is heartbreaking...but magnificent.

"River Of Love" was written and first recorded by Barry Cowsill, who lost his life in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The sadness attached to this real-life context makes the song's tale of goodbye even more devastating. In the version recorded by Susan Cowsill (for her 2010 album Lighthouse), the effect is no less haunting, yet somehow its own sense of loss and sorrow finds comfort in beauty, love, and determination.

It also secures strength in family. All of the other surviving members of the Cowsills--John, Bob, and Paul, plus Vicki Peterson Cowsill--sing behind Susan's lead vocal, and Susan plays her late brother Barry's guitar on the track, as well. 

Another day goes rolling through my heart

As if it was another empty cup

And though I’ve wandered through these fields I’ve known before

I will never give up ‘til I see you again

I may never give up at all

And so I will take my precious time to hang around

And I’ll count the beats of my heart one by one

And even if it’s just some silly game I’m playing

Deep down I know it isn’t just for fun

‘Cause when there’s a will then there’s a way

And if I have to kneel and pray

Then I’ll kneel here and pray away

A family band. Family will endure. We'll meet again on the other side.

"River Of Love" written by Barry Cowsill, Bug Music BMI

THE BANGLES: Live

The Greatest Record Ever Made!

THE BANGS: Getting Out Of Hand

The Bangles' Ground Zero. In 1981, the group was still called the Bangs when they released their first single, "Getting Out Of Hand"/"Call On Me." The A-side was written by Vicki Peterson, with lead vocal by fellow Bang/Bangle Susanna Hoffs. Following a name change, things would start getting out of hand in due time. The Bangles' legend starts here.

THE SMITHEREENS: Now And Then

The Cowsills sang back-up on "Now And Then," a track by Carteret, New Jersey's phenomenal pop combo the Smithereens. "Now And Then" appeared on 1991's Blow Up, the Smithereens' fourth album, the first album following their commercial breakthrough with the 1989 album 11 ("Smithereens 11" coined as a play on the title of the Rat Pack film Ocean's Eleven).

At this point, the Smithereens were running up respectable numbers at retail, and the Cowsills had recently regrouped with an intention to record new material. The 'Reens were fans, and believed they could help the Cowsills score a record deal.

It was not to be. Smithereens guitarist Jim Babjak told me of his frustration with this situation ("...This was at a time when we were selling hundreds of thousands of records. I thought I had a little more clout."). Unable to sign with a label, the Cowsills wound up self-releasing their album Global in 1998.

Global is my favorite album of the 1990s. Major labels are swine.

THE COWSILLS: She Said To Me

ALSO The Greatest Record Ever Made! 

*BONUS TRACK!*

VICKI PETERSON WITH JOHN COWSILL AND JONNY POLONSKY: Sheena Is A Punk Rocker

On this show, we play the Ramones just about every week. The American Beatles! The greatest American rock 'n' roll band of all time! Alas, this week's wham-packed playlist did not allow time for even the concise brilliance of da brudders--the Ramones-Paley Brothers collaboration covering the Ritchie Valens classic "Come On Let's Go" was The Last Track Out--but we did carve out a slot for our Featured Performers Vicki and John (with Jonny Polonsky) covering the Ramones. And not covering just any Ramones song; the Ramones' "Sheena Is A Punk Rocker" is the literal record that changed my life, and I do not get to my own history as writer or DJ without the specific impact that 1977 45 rpm single had on seventeen-year-old me. It is such an absolute kick to close our celebration of the magic of Vicki Peterson and John Cowsill with this particular blast of pure Carbona-fueled pop. Vicki and John really have it all. Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh YEAH! 

If you like what you see here on Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do), please consider a visit to CC's Tip Jar. You can also become a Boppin' booster on my Patreon page.

My new book of short stories Guitars Vs. Rayguns!! Short Stories And Other White Lies is out now, and you can get autographed copies of the new book and my previous book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) directly from me. You can still get my previous 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.

I compiled a various-artists tribute album called Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes, and it's pretty damned good; you can read about it here and order it here. 

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. You can read about our history here

10 SONGS: 8/2/2025

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 # 1296.

AL JARDINE: Islands In The Sun

Al Jardine is the only member of the Beach Boys whom I've seen more than, y'know, once. All three of my Al Jardine concert moments came at The New York State Fair. I saw Jardine with Hawthorne's Phenomenal Pop Combo in the late '80s (our Al performing alongside Carl Wilson and Mike Love), fronting his own band in the aughts, and again with Brian Wilson's group in 2016. Given a chance to play a brand-new track by Jardine, we figured it was our time in the sun to open this week's show with that brand-new track, "Islands In The Sun." 

The California-meets-the-Caribbean vibe of "Islands In The Sun" strikes me as a better version of "Kokomo." Don't turn away! I know that comparison risks damning the song with faint praise, but "Islands In The Sun" is actually pretty good, and I hereby declare it agreeably radio-ready. I would be delighted to add a fourth in-concert Al Jardine experience should the opportunity arise. Let the sun shine down on our Beach Boys island home.

BLACK SABBATH: Am I Going Insane

All of us are sick of having to bid farewell to so many of our idols. The late Ozzy Osbourne wasn't necessarily one of my idols, but I feel the loss just the same, and I feel the driving inner need to pay some sort of respect to one of the giants of rock 'n' roll. We did have Ozzy's "Crazy Train" perched in the playlist's staging area, but it never found its spot in the show. 

My own interest in the Prince of Darkness tends to center on a couple of specific and unapologetically obvious Black Sabbath favorites, "Iron Man" and "Paranoid." I loved "Iron Man" when I was a teen, and I considered playing all of its six bludgeoning minutes here (and it would not have been its TIRnRR debut). I knew I wanted to circle back to "Paranoid" near the end of the show, and I wanted our first set to include a Sabbath cut we'd never played before. 

"Am I Going Insane" fit the moment like a custom-made straitjacket. The song carries an inherent pop core amidst its prerequisite crunch, and it asks the same eternal rhetorical question burning in everyone's achin' craniums in these troubled times. Going? Gone, off the rails on a crazy train. Ozzy saw it coming.

THE CYNZ: Can't Help Thinking About Me

The second week in a row for well-deserved airplay of this ace track from the forthcoming various-artists tribute album Jem Records Celebrates David Bowie, as the Cynz turn in their epic rendition of Bowie's "Can't Help Thinking About Me." SPOILER ALERT! The track establishes its third week in a row this Sunday. We play the hits! Sunday will also see the debut of a Jem Records Celebrates David Bowie treat by power pop king Paul Collins, with more to come in future weeks. Can't help thinking about Jem's great new salute to Bowie.

THE TWEEDS: I Need That Record

Don't we all, brothers and sisters. Don't we all.

SHAUN CASSIDY: Hey Deanie

The Greatest Record Ever Made!

THE FLASHCUBES: The Sweet Spot

Back during the Flashcubes' original late '70s run, they used to include "Hey Deanie" in their set lists, though they credited the song to its author Eric Carmen rather than its hitmaker Shaun Cassidy. No matter! Opening a set with a Greatest Record Ever Made! spin of Cassidy's "Hey Deanie" was a swell set-up to include the Flashcubes' own current dancin'-like-diamonds-in-the-moonlight single "The Sweet Spot" in that very same sweet set. Hey Deanie! Meet us at the sweet spot!

CHUCK BERRY: Promised Land

From my book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1):

"...Chuck Berry knew well the travails of the downtrodden. Dark skin, humble origin, destined to transcend all and everything to become the single most important performer in the history of rock 'n' roll. His mind was quick, his fingers precise, wedding intricate, unforgettable wordplay to a guitar he played like a-ringin' a bell. He struggled. He pushed. He got noticed. He got pushed back. He kept pushing back in turn, smiling and duck-walking, while quietly seething behind his flamboyant mask. A nice man? Tough to say, but beside the point. An important man? If you've ever loved rock 'n' roll, you should be ashamed to even ask that question.

"Berry built the foundation (and much of the walls) of his legacy in the '50s, when segregation was commonplace throughout much of this Land of the Free, when failure to mind one's place wasn't just a breach of protocol; it was a de facto criminal act. 

"Into this tinderbox, Chuck Berry brought black music that made white kids dance. He wrote in code--most famously, the irresistibly potent brown-skinned handsome man became (wink) a brown-eyed handsome man, man--but he crafted and chronicled the American teen-age dream with greater eloquence than anyone, black or white. It was inevitable that he would be slapped down.

"Some say that he mighta had it coming. Maybe. Others say the rap was racially-motivated, pure and simple. Berry was busted for a violation of the Mann Act, transporting a minor across a state line for immoral purpose. It's plausible to suggest that Berry may have been guilty, but it's also plausible that he wasn't. Guilty or not, Berry spent a year and a half behind bars. While still a guest of the state, Berry wrote 'Promised Land.' 

"Fitting...."

CHRIS VON SNEIDERN: No Promise

Since I haven't yet completed the writing process for any new books in 2025, my biggest project this year has been Big Stir Records' September 12th compilation Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes. It's been a lot of work, absolutely worth it, and I do believe you're gonna love it. Here's evidence on my behalf: Pop Gem Factory foreman and expatriate Central New Yorker Chris von Sneidern paying homage to the shared sound of the 315 by taking on "No Promise," my # 1 favorite Flashcubes song.

And nailing it. Plenty of promise to go around!

BLACK SABBATH: Paranoid

THE BEATLES: Polythene Pam

My favorite Ozzy track, segued into Ozzy's all-time favorite band. Ozzy and I for damned sure had that in common.

If you like what you see here on Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do), please consider a visit to CC's Tip Jar. You can also become a Boppin' booster on my Patreon page.

My new book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) is now available, and you can order an autographed copy here. You can still get my 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.

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. You can read about our history here

10 SONGS: 7/19/2025

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 # 1294.

THE SPONGETONES: Help Me Janie

Dana and I were latecomers to the magic of the Spongetones, but we've made up for lost time with a proud and efficient gusto, and it would be accurate to list the Spongetones as one of the defining artists of This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio's long and hook-infatuated history. We jumped immediately on to the splendor of the Spongetones' recent single "Lulu's In Love," and we approached brand-new single "Help Me Janie" with the very same enthusiastic approach of We have to play this NOW!!!!

"Lulu's In Love," "Help Me Janie," and another soon-to-be-released new Spongetones single will also appear as studio bonus tracks on the Spongetones' forthcoming live album The 40th Anniversary Concert...And Beyond, brought to you by the visionaries at Big Stir Records. We opened this week's show with "Help Me Janie." This Sunday, we'll play "Help Me Janie" again, and we'll hear a little bit of 40th Anniversary Concert live Spongetones, too. One of the defining artists of This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio. Of course we play them. It's what we do.

VAN HALEN: You Really Got Me

In early 1978, I was a second-semester freshman in college when Van Halen released their insistently unsubtle cover of the Kinks' British Invasion classic "You Really Got Me." I loved the Kinks' version, and I detested--detested!!--Eddie 'n' Alex 'n' Michael 'n' David Lee's meatball bludgeoning. I subsequently opened my mind to allow occasional tolerance (and even appreciation) of some individual Van Halen tracks (particularly the great "Dance The Night Away"), but my fortified opposition to the very idea of Van Halen's "You Really Got Me" remained entrenched and unassailable.

On the other hand, our pal Dave Murray is fond of the VH version, and he had a birthday this week. So what the hell; I bought the track and we played it on the show. ("Bought the track?" Yeah. I really got it.)

I will concede that Van Halen's "You Really Got Me" is miles better than the "You Really Got Me" I attempted for this year's annual Dave Murray birthday video. And I also have to concede that Van Halen's "You Really Got Me" is fine, the lingering disdain expressed by my eighteen-year-old self notwithstanding. It's not the equal of the Kinks--let's not veer too close to the loopy here--but it inhabits its skin as it oughta, and I'm starting to understand its appeal. 

THE FLASHCUBES: It's You Tonight

THE WIGS: Tell It All

REDD KROSS: Ballad Of A Love Doll

One track apiece from each of the three discs in a fabulous new compilation called I Wanna Be A Teen Again (North American Power Pop 1980-1989). I Wanna Be A Teen Again was curated by Australian publicist and music guy David Laing, a friend to TIRnRR and a friend to all who cherish the pop with the power. The esteemed Mr. Laing's own Grown Up Wrong! label is responsible for my go-to Flamin' Groovies compilation Between The Lines: The Complete Jordan/Wilson Songbook '71-81, and David has likewise done stellar work assembling I Wanna Be A Teen Again for the UK's mighty Cherry Red Records.

The presence of Syracuse's own power pop powerhouse the Flashcubes makes I Wanna Be A Teen Again a compulsory purchase for me--I buy every project that includes the Flashcubes--but man, I would have wanted this set with a Badfinger-approved no matter what. You got your big names, you got your relative obscurities, and you have all star positions in between. On this week's show, we repped I Wanna Be A Teen Again with spins of the Flashcubes' basement tape of "It's You Tonight" (which was later re-recorded in the '90s for Jordan Oakes' first Yellow Pills compilation), the Wigs' ace "Tell It All," and MTV 120 Minutes superstars Redd Kross with "Ballad Of A Love Doll," and circled back for NRBQ's "You Can't Hide" at the end of the show. Is it power pop? Don't ask. Just dig.

If you're stranded in the British Isles (and I, for one, would be deeply jealous), you can order I Wanna Be A Teen Again directly from Cherry Red. If you're back in the USA, I recommend purchase through Kool Kat Musik. Either way, in the words of the late Bob Segarini: Gotta have pop!

LOLAS: Underneath The Waves

Speaking of Kool Kat Musik, one of the label's own fresh releases is a new album from long-time TIRnRR Fave Raves Lolas. Lolas' debut album Ballerina Breakout was a fixture on this show upon its release in 1999 (our first full year on the air); we know 'em, we love 'em, we can't live without 'em. And the latest Lolas long-player Big Hits And Freak Disasters lives up to the legacy, as Lolas keep on keepin' on with the sound that suits The Best Three Hours Of Radio On The Whole Friggin' Planet. From Big Hits And Freak Disasters, "Underneath The Waves" debuts on this week's show, and will return to the airwaves this Sunday.

AMY RIGBY: Heart Is A Muscle

We have heard that Amy Rigby wasn't all that enthused about her song "Heart Is A Muscle," that maybe she almost chose not to record it, and that she probably wasn't sure about releasing it once she did record it.

Well.

For whatever it's worth, this track from Amy's oh-so-nice 2024 album Hang In There With Me was one of TIRnRR's most-played tracks last year, and it has already secured a berth on 2025's year-end countdown show. Gotta keep the ol' heart exercised.

OSCAR TONEY, JR.: Ain't That True Love

The Greatest Record Ever Made!

THE ARMOIRES: You're Not The Police

The forthcoming various-artists blockbuster Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes has been a long-percolatin' labor of love, and the project is barreling with giddy determination toward its September 12th street date. Hey, look! WE MADE SOMETHING HAPPEN!

Over the past few days, I've had the opportunity to view (and wholeheartedly approve) Margie Finer's design for the album's graphics, and finally bask in the glow of a job well done. On this week's show, we reprised Make Something Happen! delights by Ballzy Tomorrow, sparkle*jets u.k., and the Kennedys, and we were pleased to present the premiere of the Armoires' uberpop Beatles-Byrds-Cheap Trick interpretation of the Flashcubes' "You're Not The Police." Send out an APB: The Armoires' "You're Not The Police" provides further brilliant evidence of the sheer arresting (HAR!) nature of this collection.

On Sunday, the Armoires' "You're Not The Police" will return to the scene of the crime, alongside further spins of Cubic covers by Ballzy Tomorrow and Librarians With Hickeys, plus another spin of the Flashcubes' own new single from Make Something Happen! Wanna make something out of it? Well, we're glad to have ya with us. Set bright lights to stun.

THE BEACH BOYS: That's Why God Made The Radio

Asked and answered. We rest our case.

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My new book The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) is now available, and you can order an autographed copy here. You can still get my 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.

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. You can read about our history here.