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 # 1311
From a previous 10 Songs regarding "Goodbye Girl" by Squeeze:
"My favorite Squeeze song. Although I was a relative latecomer to Squeeze fandom, I fell hard for 'Pulling Mussels (From The Shell),' and also liked 'Annie Get Your Gun.' Then they broke up. Then they got back together! I didn't own any of Squeeze's stuff until the late '80s, when Singles--45's And Under became one of my early CD purchases. More purchases would follow. I now have many favorite Squeeze songs. 'Goodbye Girl' remains my # 1."
With the passing of former Squeeze drummer Gilson Lavis, it seemed imperative for a pop-obsessed radio show like ours to attempt some sort of proper salute and appreciation. We figured our best way to do that was to open the show with three Squeeze classics in a row, then circle back to one more Squeeze perennial near the end of the show.
And I wanted to start with "Goodbye Girl," not just because it's my top Squeeze track, but because Lavis's distinctive arrangement of the song's percussion stands as testimony to his talent and ingenuity. Squeezing our way forward, the 1980 Argybargy album track "Vicky Verky" has been a frequent fixture on TIRnRR playlists, and "If It's Love" (from 1989's Frank.) finally makes its long-overdue TIRnRR debut this week, as This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio remembers Gilson Lavis.
THE PEPPERMINT KICKS: Number One Record
"Number One Record?" Hey! We PLAY the hits! "Number One Records" is the latest single from the Peppermint Kicks' exquisite new album Pop Rocks In My Chewing Gum, and it's an exercise in needle-to-groove exuberance directed by a benevolent deity toward eager disciples of rock 'n' roll radio. Since this IS rock 'n' roll radio, it's our Heavenly obligation to play the Peppermint Kicks. Writhe with the tithe, baby. Like the Rutles before them, the Peppermint Kicks are number one, number one.
THE ARMOIRES: You're Not The Police
It was my great, great pleasure to curate the 2025 various-artists blockbuster Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes. The album was released by our friends at Big Stir Records, and I'll piddle all over the sin of false modesty and tell you it's really, really good. As further evidence of the set's essential 'n' undeniable awesomeness, we offer another spin of Big Stir's de facto house band the Armoires and their irresistible channeling of Cheap Trick and the Byrds for this epic cover of the Flashcubes' "You're Not The Police."
THE LEMON TWIGS: Play On
My pal Ken Sharp is to the ace compilation Play On: A Raspberries Tribute as I am to Make Something Happen!, a passionate rockin' pop advocate eager to proclaim and celebrate the legacy of an all-time favorite combo. Among the many 'Berries-flavored treats Ken assembled for Play On, he recruited current pop buzzsters the Lemon Twigs to contribute a sublime rendition of the album's title track, a song which also happens to be one of my own top Raspberries tunes. We'll hear two more tracks from Play On: A Raspberries Tribute on our next show, including a Raspberries rocker by Ken Sharp hisself. Play on? Damned straight we will.
MATERIAL ISSUE: I'd Wait A Million Years
Material Issue's cover of the Grass Roots' hit "I'd Wait A Million Years" comes to us via Yellow Pills Volume 4, the beyond-fab 1997 chapter in Jordan Oakes's essential series of power pop compilations. I'm a little surprised to see we've never played it before, but its presumed million-year wait for TIRnRR airplay ends now, thanks to Dean Brownrout.
Dean was the co-owner of the Big Deal Records label, which was the home of the Yellow Pills CDs and to a big, big stack o' worthies by a big, big roster of TIRnRR Fave Raves. Dean has been promoting his new book No Big Deal (subtitled "Chasing the indie music dream in the last days of the record business"), and that promotion brought him to an appearance on the 1000 Greatest Misses podcast. You can hear that episode right here. The music on this very special Big Deal edition of 1000 Greatest Misses included Material Issue's "I'd Wait A Million Years" (alongside worthies by Wondermints, Adam Schmitt, Splitsville, and the Sighs), and we couldn't miss this inspiration and opportunity to program a Material Issue track we ain't played before. Worth the wait!
BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD: Sit Down I Think I Love You
The Greatest Record Ever Made!
THE FLASHCUBES: Reminisce
Also from Make Something Happen! A Tribute To The Flashcubes, one of three new nonpareil tracks by the Flashcubes. 'Cubes guitarist Paul Armstrong's "Reminisce" serves as the album's opening salvo, it was the first advance single, and it is without question my top track of 2025. Reminiscing AND looking forward. It's all I want to do.
SQUEEZE: Pulling Mussels (From The Shell)
My first favorite Squeeze song. "Goodbye Girl" more or less supplanted it over time, but it's still just fantastic, and you can't go wrong with the best of Squeeze. Godspeed, Gilson Lavis.
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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. 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.
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