FM dial scan highlights XLVI

Standout selections heard today:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Are You Gonna Miss Me, Too?-Anna Fermin's Trigger Gospel (Sincere, melodic vocals, with just the right hint of a twang.  I remember buying the CD, "Oh, The Stories We Hold," at Webster Records and wishing that someone would play it on the radio.  Finally, someone did.)
• Ye Mele-Papudinho ("Radio Rio" got off to a strong start today, thanks to Andrea's choice of this vocally and instrumentally lively track.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• The Very Thought Of You-Nancy Wilson (Polished, elegant vocals on this well-covered standard.  I also recommend two piano renditions of it, by Liz Story and Billy Taylor.)
• Grantstand-Grant Green (This title track from a strong 1961 album features Grant's fast, breezy guitar in a mood that's sustained for nine minutes.)

KEZK 102.5 FM

• Caroling, Caroling-Nat King Cole (A somewhat overlooked carol that gives credit to Christmas bells for their melodious ringing.  The Manhattan Transfer's version is also recommended.)

KLOU 103.3 FM

• Minute By Minute-The Doobie Brothers (A great keyboard fade-in and smooth, subtler-than-usual vocals from Michael McDonald; I hear why R&B stations play it, as well as oldies stations.)
• In Your Eyes-Peter Gabriel (Arguably, this is Gabriel's best hit, thanks to a powerful performance of universal, heartfelt lyrics.) 

W279AQ 103.7 FM, a.k.a. KLOU-HD2

• Frosty The Snowman-The Ronettes (The Ronettes sing "Frosty..." with a light, uptempo touch that works.  I never hear America's rendition on the radio, but the band behind such hits as "Ventura Highway" and "A Horse With No Name" also recorded a strong, uptempo rendition worth hearing.)

K297BI 107.3 FM, a.k.a. KNOU-HD2 

• Christmas Time Is Here (instrumental)-Vince Guaraldi Trio (This picked up my spirits on this rainy morning, and I imagine it had the same effect on others in traffic.  As endearing as the vocal rendition from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" is, the instrumental rendition sets the mood for Christmas just as well.  Fifty years ago, Charles Schulz's imaginative characters met Vince Guaraldi's imaginative music for the first time in a half-hour special.  What a perfect match that was--the best jazz accompaniment you could ask for and the most thoughtful comic strip writing brought to life.)

Sarcastic opening ahead...

It's the most natural thing in the world for a bunch of introverted high school musicians--raising funds for an orchestra's trip to another city or simply to keep the ensemble alive.  My memories of fund raising experiences:

• My high school orchestra director demonstrated what he thought was the best way to approach potential buyers of candles, ornaments, and trinkets.  "Don't stand there, staring at the ground with the catalog closed.  Instead, look up, step forward with the catalog open, and say, "Would you like to buy...?"
• This same director also advised us not to argue with anyone who clearly wasn't interested in buying anything.  "If a customer looks at the catalog and says, 'I don't want any of this crap,' just close the catalog and say, 'Thank you.'"  "Say, 'Thank you,'" he repeated.
• One year, the distribution company ran out of bear ornaments.  "So," the orchestra director updated us, "they're providing mice ornaments instead.  Be sure to tell your customers who ordered bears."  I still wonder if any of the customers who were informed of this broke into a fit of white hot fury.  (i.e. "Arrrrrrggggghhhhh!  I have an all-bear theme established on and around my Christmas tree, and they think I'll just compromise that and accept mice?!  Grrrrrrrr!!!!  What kind of world do we live in these days?!  What happened to the days when bear-ornament distributors honored their contracts?!")
• If you participate in enough music program fund raisers, you'll eventually encounter at least one parent who's a little too caught up in the whole process.  (i.e. "Now, be sure to fill out your pizza sales tracking form!  That's how we know how much everyone has sold and how much we still have to sell to meet our goal!  Think how exciting it'll be and how accomplished you'll all feel if we break the sales record this year!")  I used to think, "I'm just here to play the bass.  The skills needed to play this instrument are completely different from the skills needed to sell to family members and friends, let alone strangers.  If the orchestra needs to rely on sales of pizza made by people who don't make pizzas for a living, isn't that a rather precarious means of existence?"
• One year, the conductor of one of my ensembles generously offered to buy a pizza from everyone in the orchestra.  The well-meaning stage manager followed up, "I'll leave it up to all of you, then, to solicit him on your own."  "For pizza," the conductor clarified quickly.
• I still wonder how many people got food poisoning the year that large stacks of pizzas were left in the hallway outside the rehearsal room, not frozen or refrigerated, for a disturbingly long time.
• As obvious as it sounds, it's best to sell items that people want.  Ask orchestra members to vote on potential designs for ensemble logos and then sell t-shirts and/or sweatshirts with the most popular logo(s.)  A memory about group order forms for shirts: I remember, in college, each orchestra player signed up to order a sweatshirt with the ensemble's logo.  By the time the order form reached the bass section, nearly everyone had signed up.  Interestingly, every single person, up to that point, had ordered an extra large sweatshirt, even though the musicians ranged in height from approximately 4'10" to 6'6".  There's an interesting psychological undercurrent at work there.

For anyone who is stuck raising funds for an orchestra, band, or choir, here's wishing you well.  Actually, here's hoping you find a way out of selling anything, as it's not really your responsibility.  If that's not possible, though, here's hoping you at least get to sell some surefire winners, such as chocolate bars, quickly.

Giving "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" its due

It took me a while to appreciate "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" as a Christmas carol.  Although I never disliked it, it wasn't one of the first carols I used to seek out.  Over time, I came to realize that its minor key isn't a detriment; it's perfectly fitting for the holiday's sacred aspect.  Chet Atkins recorded an effective, low-key rendition on guitar.  Barenaked Ladies and Sarah McLachlan gave it a kick it hadn't had before, and their version is as impressive now as it was initially.  At the perfect midpoint between reverential and cool, however, is Lou Rawls.  His baritone voice gives the carol its due while injecting it with just the right amount of jazz.  For a reverential yet cool Christmas, the version on his "Christmas Will Be Christmas" album is one to seek out.

Persistent earworm alert XIV

Not so long ago, you'd hear today's persistent earworm fairly often on oldies radio stations.  In recent years, however, oldies stations have dropped a lot of their '60s oldies in order to play more '70s and '80s hits.  A big hit from 1963 was once a staple cut on those stations, however.  Once its vaguely vaudevillian melody seeps into your mind, expect it to take root.  The song?  Bobby Vee's "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes."  That song has been lodged firmly in the back of my mind for at least six months, and I have no idea why.  It stands on its own as a tune you might seek out when you're in a carefree mood, or I can imagine it being interpreted literally with 1,000 eyes in a Muppets sketch.  The lyrics are a reminder from one significant other to another to stay faithful and not lie.  As off-putting as that might sound out of context, the song works largely because it's instrumentally catchy, and Vee sings it without even a hint of nagging or scolding.  That's an impressive feat, considering the subject matter.

Online radio sampler highlights XXVIII (Thanksgiving edition)

Among the best Thanksgiving-related selections I've heard this morning:

KWMU-3 (St. Louis, MO)

• Aaron Copland: Simple Gifts (London Symphony Orchestra/Aaron Copland, conductor) (A piece that's equally fit for Thanksgiving and Christmas; it's good to hear Copland direct his own work.)
• Jay Ungar: Thanksgiving Waltz (Jay Ungar, fiddle; Molly Mason, guitar) (If ever a fiddle could make you picture amber waves of grain at Thanksgiving...) 

WUMB (Boston, MA)

• Thank You-Bonnie Raitt (Excellent bluesy, soulful, and heartfelt vocals from early in Raitt's career; the keyboard, guitar, and flute arrangements sound like 1971 in the best sense.)
• Alice's Restaurant-Arlo Guthrie (It's an obvious choice, yes, but who else would have crafted a Thanksgiving monologue about the chain reaction that results from taking garbage to the dump?)

WXPN (Philadelphia, PA)  

• I'm Going Home-Regina Carter (Over seven minutes of low-key, contemplative violin; if you listen closely, you might hear a melody that, every so often, brings to mind the hymn, "Were You There?"  WXPN deserves a lot of credit for digging so deep into its music library.  Each Thanksgiving, the station plays so many gems about home, family, friends, and the general nature of the holiday.)
• Old Friends-Sara Lov (A spacy, moving interpretation of the Simon & Garfunkel tune; I could imagine Feist covering it similarly.)
• Home-The Boxcar Lilies (Beautiful harmonizing.)
• Amber Waves Goodbye-Michael Gulezian (One of many strong acoustic guitar pieces from a consistent album, "Distant Memories And Dreams.")
• Friends For Life-Phyllis Chapell (Pleasant alto vocals, with appealing Brazilian instrumentation.)

Thank you to everyone who enjoys reading this blog, likes the music cited on it, and offers me positive feedback!  I appreciate it, and I look forward to posting on this site every day.  Thank you for giving me the incentive to write 452 consecutive posts so far.

"We gather together" for four good renditions...

Although Thanksgiving has considerably less music associated with it than Christmas, "We Gather Together" is one of its most compelling melodies.  To my ears, four of its best renditions are performed by:

• Sally Harmon (This piano-anchored arrangement is tasteful, and the violin and whistle augment it compellingly.)
• Julia Lane (A nice music box feel, thanks to Lane's nimbly-played harp and a tempo that speeds up as the hymn progresses.)
• Paul McCandless, Philip Aaberg & Michael Manring (This rendition for oboe, piano, and bass sets the tone for the Windham Hill compilation, "Thanksgiving.")
• Tom Servo, Crow & Joel Hodgson (1991 "MST3K Turkey Day" promo)  (Admittedly, it's not an official release, but it's worth viewing on YouTube.  Hodgson and his robot sidekicks promote the "Mystery Science Theater 3000" Thanksgiving marathon.  I remember first seeing this in college, and it has stayed with me ever since.)

For balance, it's not a bad idea to also watch The Mormon Tabernacle Choir perform the hymn on YouTube.  After all, if you're going to watch a parody, why not watch the hymn performed with reverence, as well?

Here's hoping everyone who desires a "We Gather Together"-style Thanksgiving will have one.

Thank you for the air time.

With Thanksgiving drawing near, I want to thank every employer who gave me the opportunity to be on the radio, especially those who allowed me to choose the music I played.  Getting to play great music for an appreciative audience is one of the most enjoyable jobs I could have.  It was always exciting to walk into a radio studio, knowing that I got to fill the next two to six hours with music I thought the audience should hear.  It was also a pleasure to hear from listeners who called in and said, "Wow!  That's a great song.  You know, a song that would go great with it is..."  I would then run to the music library to see if we had the listener's suggested track.  If we did, I'd cue it up quickly and play it on the air. 

Over the years, another thought has occurred to me.  While it's always flattering to have your abilities rewarded, I've reminded myself, "I was lucky to work for those radio stations.  I had the ability to do the job, but so did a lot of other people.  It didn't have to be me who got the gig."  I'm glad it was, though, and I'm thankful for those opportunities.

I guess someone must like the tune--maybe...

A sign of the holidays getting closer: You drive to your old college town after you graduate and hear a DJ on your old college station playing "R2-D2, We Wish You A Merry Christmas"--of his or her own free will.  And, why not?  We live in a democracy, after all.

"Your music goes here!"

"When you can't come to rehearsal, your music goes here!" one of my former orchestra conductors told the ensemble in no uncertain terms.  "If you can't be here, your music needs to be here, so everyone who is here has a part to play.  Your music goes here.  Even if you die, your music goes here!"

I could just imagine the conductor giving a eulogy in the rehearsal room for a promising music student.  He would face the orchestra solemnly and say, "This young person, taken from this earth much too soon, was a talented instrumentalist, a gifted student, and most importantly, his (or her) music went here!"

Hits you right in the heart, doesn't it?

FM dial scan highlights XLV

Noteworthy tracks heard today:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• To Live Is To Fly (Live)-Townes Van Zandt (Some of his best lyrics; Margo Timmins sings it especially well in a Cowboy Junkies cover.)
• Full Cup-Kelley McRae (McRae's angelic voice carries off this uptempo track from her latest EP, "Easy On My Mind," effectively.  Also recommended: "Morning Song," which is ideal for anyone who enjoys quiet alone time in the morning.  Stacy, the host of "Backroads," has shown good taste over the years by playing singer-songwriters such as McRae.)
• Making Pies-Patty Griffin (Lyrically, this is a sobering reminder of how life's trials add up and put some people on autopilot.  Also recommended: "Rain.")
• Cherry (Cha Cha Cha)-Cal Tjader  (Got the "1, 2, cha, cha, cha" beat in your mind?  Add vibes, and you'll have this tune.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Minor Funk-Cyrus Chestnut (A memorable, propulsive piano riff.)
• I Walk A Little Faster-Erin Bode (Sublime vocals from early in Bode's career on this cover of a Cy Coleman tune.  It's great to hear WSIE playing this St. Louis-based artist's music.)
• Bloody Mary-Barbara Dennerlein (Dennerlein's sharp, fast organ playing anchors the proceedings.  Also recommended: "Wow!") 

WFUN 95.5 FM

• Never Can Say Goodbye-The Jackson 5 (One of the group's stronger hits; Isaac Hayes covers it effectively.)

KEZK 102.5 FM

• Sleigh Ride-The Carpenters (Karen Carpenter's a cappella intro catches the ear.  Slowing down the tempo for the for the first verse before launching into a more conventional "Sleigh Ride" tempo also lifts this version above most sung renditions.  The Carpenters have been one of the two most-played artists since KEZK switched to all Christmas music Thursday...)
• It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year-Amy Grant (...and Amy Grant has been the other most-played artist since then.  Grant makes this tune her own.  That's impressive, considering that the Andy Williams version is the one that comes to many listeners' minds first...)

W279AQ 103.7 FM, a.k.a. KLOU-HD2

• It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year-Andy Williams (...Let's also give Williams his due, though.  The vocals here are so joyful, they make you not want to quibble with the "scary ghost stories" lyric.  Still, what ghost stories do people tell or hear at Christmas, other than the Charles Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol?)

September 1 already? Time to deck those halls...

During a middle school orchestra concert in the '80s, our director apologized just before the orchestra launched into "Up On The Housetop" for "playing a Christmas tune before Thanksgiving."  Imagine any director issuing that disclaimer today.

A case for being selectively charitable?

In 1985, Chicago released a song called "Good For Nothing."  Vocally and instrumentally, it stands up with anything else I've heard from the band.  Lyrically, it's about someone who does favors for others, including paying for someone's bail and lawyer, but never receives a "thank you" from them.  Given the nature of the lyrics, it's surprising that the song is included on USA For Africa's "We Are The World" album.  For an album that's intended to benefit sufferers of famine, it's puzzling that there's a song on it with the chorus, "All the good that I did was for nothing."  I suppose it could be interpreted in the album's context as "Give to those who are truly needy, such as those who have nothing to eat, instead of those who won't appreciate it."  Still, the first few times I heard it, I thought the lyrics clashed with the album's objective.

Online radio sampler highlights XXVII

Nine of the better tracks I've heard tonight:

KOSI (Denver, CO) 

• What Child Is This?-Vanessa Williams (One of the more somber Christmas carols, jazzed up to strong effect.)

KPTZ (Port Townsend, WA)

• Samba Triste-Stan Getz & Charlie Byrd (One of the smoothest uptempo saxophone and guitar numbers one could hope to hear; it's no accident that this album has stayed in print as long as it has.)

KRFH (Arcata, CA) 

• I Like To Stay Home-R. Stevie Moore (An anthem for a devoted introvert, and strangely catchy.  Moore's cover of The Association's "Along Comes Mary" is also ear-catching.)

WDCB (Chicago, IL)

• 'Tis Autumn-Bennie Wallace (Cool, elegant saxophone and piano accompaniment for taking in Autumn foliage.)
• Too Marvelous For Words-Joe Williams (Sung and played with a joyful swing.  Nat King Cole's interpretation is also strongly recommended.)

WDNA (Miami, FL)

• Sweet Illusions-Gary Keller (A warm, expansive mood piece that allows ample room for saxophone, trumpet, piano, vibes, and bass.)

WERS (Boston, MA)

• How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful-Florence + The Machine (Well-sung and well-produced, with magisterial instrumentation layered in, when appropriate; a strong 2015 release.)

WKZE (Red Hook, NY)

• Nomad-Black Dub (The tune's feel reminds me of an Esther Phillips tune, "Home Is Where The Hatred Is."  Much like "Home Is...," the tune commands attention for its lyrics and gripping presentation.)

WXPN (Philadelphia, PA)

• Sweet Seasons-Carole King (Sometimes, life goes your way.  Other times, it doesn't.  Overall, it's still a pretty great life.  King sings appropriate lyrics for Thanksgiving in one of her most appealing hits.)

"Sorry about the job..."

One evening, years ago, I called a friend who worked at another radio station, and we had this exchange:

Me:  Hey, how are you?
DJ:  Hey, Drew...Sorry about the job.
Me:  Pardon me?
DJ:  Oh, @#&*.  They haven't told you yet, have they?  They're letting everyone go.  I'm sorry.  You shouldn't have to hear this from me.

If you work in radio long enough, this kind of exchange is almost inevitable.  A radio station changes its format, and corporate changes all of the station's personnel to give the new format a different identity.  You talk to a friend in radio before the program director and/or general manager notify you.  The program director, to his credit, broke the news to me the next day; by then, I'd already heard from two people about it.  Given that radio stations typically live or perish from ratings book to ratings book, nearly every radio announcer has--or will have--an exchange similar to this one.  Death and taxes are two of life's certainties, but radio station format and personnel changes could easily tie for third place on that list.

Only in college X

"It's a beautiful day," I said to a woman I knew from orchestra class.  "Let's dance."  She said, "OK," so we dropped our books on the ground, took each other's hands--and nearly waltzed each other into the side of a dorm.  Looking back, I'm glad we didn't decide on a particular dance before we started.  It would have compromised the spontaneity of the moment.

Good lesson, strange game

Does anyone still play musical chairs?  I suppose the lesson behind it, reacting quickly when something unexpected happens, is valuable, but the specifics of the game have always struck me as odd.  Has anyone ever admonished a participant, "I'm sorry, but you really need to anticipate when the foxtrot will stop abruptly and find a chair more quickly?"  If so, why?

"No place is safe," alas...

When I was in college, I told someone I was taking a pre-journalism class.  "Really?" she replied.  "When you write an article, even if it's not for publication, how do you manage to keep your opinion out of it?  If I were a journalist, I'd have to fight that temptation.  I have my strong opinions."  Her question surprised me.  "Unless you're writing an editorial, a column, or a review, the job (or the assignment) is to report the facts without editorializing.  That's the mindset a reporter has to have," I told her.  I remember how easy it was to tell her this when I was speaking in abstract terms, without any specific news event in mind.  Last night, however, after the horrifying terrorist attacks in Paris...

...Well, let's just say I was inclined to take the approach Nick Hornby's character, JJ, in A Long Way Down thought he would use if he were a journalist.  JJ was certain that if he reported such an attack on the air, it would be laced with obvious anger and profanity.  It's difficult to blame him.   It takes immense tongue-holding to avoid saying in a news report what any rational person would undoubtedly like to say about any attacker who dares to quash so many innocent lives without justification.  I touched on this in my previous post, "Of all the days to do a sports report..."  At an absolute minimum, if I'd been delivering a newscast last night, it would have been nearly impossible to read such a report without an edge of anger and disgust in my voice.  I understand better where that questioner was coming from all those years ago.

Another memory comes to mind.  Once, after I finished broadcasting a newscast I'd written, I talked with the DJ off the air about how much the world had changed.  "No place is safe," he said.  "Anywhere...The streets of Chesterfield, even...When I was a kid, we didn't think twice about things like trick-or-treating.  We just had fun.  Now, no place is safe."

"No place is safe," he said on that day...in 1993.

I can just imagine what he would say now.

Filling a rigid amount of time

KBIA and WEW provided good training for learning how to do an on-air break that had to last a specific amount of time.  At KBIA, national programs started or continued at specific times, and WEW carried CNN newscasts at the top of the hour.  Inevitably, there were times when I had to stretch the copy or ad-lib until the next program or newscast began.  Usually, however, I was able to speak for exactly 90 seconds or two minutes and make it sound natural.  My strategies:

• Find health-related copy to read.  You're bound to reach listeners who are interested in blood pressure screenings or new medication trials, and you'll provide a valuable public service.  
• Similarly, who isn't affected by the weather?  Even if you're scheduled to read the forecast again in another five minutes, fill time with at least that day's forecast.  If there's more time than usual to fill, read an extended forecast, within reason, and emphasize upcoming weather patterns.  (i.e.  "And then, for the next three days, there should be no doubt that it's the rainy season.  There's an 80% chance of showers Sunday through Tuesday...")
• If the station plays music, talk about the music.  That's what you're there to do anyway.  Back announce the music that you played and promote the music you have coming up.  (i.e. "After the news, we'll hear from Nat King Cole, Nancy Wilson, and Bing Crosby.")  If your station plays new releases, it's all the more crucial to promote them and give the audience reasons to listen.  (i.e. "John Pizzarelli has a new release, with a lot of great covers of standards.  We'll hear one of them, 'They Can't Take That Away From Me,' coming up.")
• Did a listener mention having a birthday or anniversary or compliment the station's music or programs?  Mention that birthday or anniversary on the air, unless the listener asked you not to, and acknowledge that you appreciated hearing from him or her.  (i.e.  "Thank you to Ed from Alton and Jane from Crestwood for calling in and enjoying the music this morning.  Here's wishing Gladys and John a happy 50th anniversary...")
• If it's the last break of your shift, and it's permitted, talk on the air with the DJ who hosts the next shift.  Provided you have at least a halfway decent rapport, you should be able to banter for at least 30 seconds about the music the next announcer will play or the topics his or her program will cover.  If you aren't allowed to banter that way, at least summarize what's coming up.  Give listeners reasons to stay tuned.  Hopefully, you'll elicit higher ratings and a chance to continue doing what you love.
• When all else fails, give a time check, a legal station ID, and mention what's coming up in mere moments, stretching slightly, if necessary.  (i.e. "It's 7:00 at WEW St. Louis, and it's time to get caught up on all the latest news from CNN...")

There shouldn't ever be a complete failure of imagination when you're on the air.  After all, there's always something to talk about.

Persistent earworm alert XIII

Ever since writing about Allen Toussaint's song, "Goin' Down," in yesterday's post, I've had a song by the same title running through my mind.  If you listened to soft rock radio regularly in the Spring of '82, you probably heard Greg Guidry's "Goin' Down," which is much more downcast, lyrically and instrumentally, than Toussaint's song.  Tonally, it falls somewhere between Foreigner's "Waiting For A Girl Like You" and Ambrosia's "You're The Only Woman."  Its intro also brings to mind a minor Alan Parsons Project hit, "I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You."  The tune, especially its chorus, "And I'm goooooooin' dowwwwwwn, for the last time," fit in perfectly on the radio at that time; I remember it being played a lot on adult contemporary stations here, especially KSLQ.  I don't think I've heard it on the radio since it was a hit, but for a brief time in the early '80s, it was the go-to hit for identifying with an overwhelmed protagonist.

FM dial scan highlights XLIV

Five of the more compelling selections I've heard this morning:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• A Break In The Clouds-The Jayhawks (Endearing, well-matched vocalists; this is a highlight of the "Smile" release.)
• Goin' Down-Allen Toussaint (Roy, the host of "Feel Like Going Home," made a strong choice here in memory of Toussaint, who passed away yesterday at age 77.  The saxophone glides along perfectly with the vocals in this infectious, uptempo tune.  Also recommended: "Working In The Coal Mine," which many articles have cited, and his version of "Cast Your Fate To The Wind," which Toussaint plays in the style of the Joe Zawinul-penned "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy.")

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Yardbird Suite-Vanessa Rubin (Tal Farlow's version is my favorite, as the tune is a great guitar instrumental.  Rubin and company prove that it also works well with vocals, keyboard, and a generous amount of space for saxophone.)
• Lotus Blossom-Andrea Brachfeld (Appealingly contemplative flute dominates this title track of Brachfeld's new release.  Also recommended: "What A Little Moonlight Can Do.")

K297BI 107.3 FM, a.k.a. KNOU-HD2 

• Ludwig van Beethoven: Wellington's Victory (Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields/Sir Neville Marriner, conductor) (An inspiring work appropriate for Veterans Day, including two of the classiest presentations of "For He's A Jolly Good Fellow" and "My Country, 'Tis Of Thee" I've heard.  Sound effects are incorporated tastefully and enhance the piece's ambiance.)

Now, look here, you orb!

This morning, for the fifth day in a row, I had to drive a route in which the sun made it difficult to see.  At one point, I shook my fist in the sun's general direction and said, "Don't do this again!"  Naturally, I realize that threatening the sun is futile.  It's cathartic, though, as B.J. Thomas proves.  In "Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head," he takes the sun to task, telling him he "didn't like the way he got things done, sleepin' on the job."  Once that's out of his system,  he's able to relax and admit that he's "never gonna stop the rain by complainin'."  And, so it is with the overly bright sun.  I knew that it was best to just mellow out "because I'm free.  Nothin's worryin' me..."

...Well, except for not being able to see whether the traffic light was red or green...

All hail the dolphin mediator...

The kindergarten counselor would walk in for her weekly session with the class, with Duso The Dolphin on one hand.  As the two of them approached, we'd all sing, "Hello, Duso.  How are you?"  At the end of the session, we'd sing, "Goodbye, Duso.  See you again."  During the session, Duso would impart wisdom to us about staying calm, treating others with respect, and not letting anger get the best of us.  Back then, I thought that the counselor had created Duso.  Years later, I learned that Duso was part of a national curriculum designed to teach kids about conflict avoidance and resolution.  Although it was a little disappointing to learn that Duso wasn't her original idea, I thought, "Why shouldn't there be hundreds of Dusos all over the country, teaching these lessons?  A dolphin, after all, is more appealing and less threatening to kids than the many hectoring adults they'll encounter during their lives.  A dolphin puppet also works as a sympathetic ear and lesson dispenser in any era--certainly more than any well-meaning yet corny theater troupe singing lyrics to kids such as, 'A peaceful resolution, that's what it's all about.  No need to raise your voices, no need to scream and shout.'"  (Granted, I've never heard anyone sing those exact lyrics, but they're not far removed from what I remember about school assemblies and Saturday morning TV shows aimed at kids.)  I don't know if counselors still use Duso puppets in kindergarten today, but it wouldn't be a bad idea if they did.

It's puzzling what stays in your mind, 39 years later.

An overlooked cover tune X

If you listen to Peter Mulvey's music, you'll notice that he's a generally serious singer-songwriter.  "Wings Of The Ragman" and "Better Way To Go" are two of the first songs of his that come to my mind.  Although there are some bits of humor, Mulvey, for the most part, pairs his introspective lyrics and imagery with acoustic guitar arrangements to match.  It surprised me, then, when listening to his CD, "The Trouble With Poets," to hear him cover Fats Waller's "You Meet The Nicest People In Your Dreams" so smoothly.  I never would have imagined Mulvey, or really, anyone besides Waller singing, "I've searched this universe over, from Wackenacksack to Dover, and now that we have met, how sweet it seems..."  I also didn't expect to hear a piano-and-trumpet melody transferred so gracefully to the guitar and mandolin.  There's a circus-like dancing bear quality to the tune that Waller and Mulvey both capture, which makes it work equally well in either genere.  It's unlike any other tune on "The Trouble With Poets," and Mulvey, to his credit, labels it as the album's intermission.  It's an inspired, unexpected choice.

Persistent earworm alert XII

It's not played on the radio today, but in 1980, Charlie Dore had a fairly big hit.  In "Pilot Of The Airwaves," she sings about a listener calling a DJ to request a song.  The listener calls this particular DJ because she has "been listening to your show on the radio, and you seem like a friend to me."  The caller isn't demanding.  In fact, she even sings, "You don't have to play it, but I hope you'll do your best."  The song is almost beside the point, as she says he can play "any record of your choice," provided that she hears him on the air saying, "This is for the girl who didn't sign her name.  Yes, she needs a dedication just the same."  Something about referring to radio shows as theater of the mind in yesterday's post reminded me of this song, and I've been thinking of it, especially its opening, "Pilot of the airwaves, here is my request...," ever since then.  A DJ has an interesting relationship with listeners.  Some of them think they know you because they've heard you so often.  Dore's one American hit captures this relationship accurately through its lyrics and sports a memorable, uplifting chorus about it that's hard to forget.

Maintaining one's illusion as a record fixer-upper

A memory of former St. Louis R&B station WZEN from the early '80s: I remember the announcer, Dr. Jockenstein, playing Bobby Womack's "If You Think You're Lonely Now," when it began to skip.  Jockenstein faded it out and started another record.  A little while later, he said on-air that a listener had called and asked him, "What are you going to do about 'If You Think You're Lonely Now?'  I've got to hear it!"  Jockenstein said he "went into the operating room and came back with this..."  Womack's tune started playing again, without skips.  I always liked that instead of just saying, "Here's an alternate copy of the tune that won't skip," "I changed the needle on the turntable," or "I switched to a different turntable," he stayed true to his on-air persona and maintained the theater of the mind that a radio show is supposed to provide.

FM dial scan highlights XLIII

Six of the stronger songs I've heard today:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Stewball-Peter, Paul & Mary (A favorite ode to one fast racehorse.  Most listeners should recognize the melody, as it was used later in "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" by John Lennon and Yoko Ono.)
• Next To You-The Carpettes (Universal power pop-style lyrics, with blistering guitar accompaniment.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Curacao (Live)-Janice Friedman Trio (Friedman anchors this swirling, uptempo number effectively on the piano; it's one of 2015's stronger jazz tracks.)

WFUN 95.5 FM

• Yearning For Your Love-The Gap Band (This is how you write and sing from the heart.  The in-no-rush instrumental intro sets the tone perfectly.  The vocals are sung with exactly the right amount of feeling and no over-the-top theatrics.)

KPNT 105.7 FM

• Lemon Eyes-Meg Myers (Forcefully sung and produced so it leaps out of the speakers and brings Haim's music to mind.)
• Jump Right In-The Urge (This was the song that garnered this St. Louis band national success.  If you like the feel of it, check out the second half of the band's earlier release, "Puttin' The Backbone Back," to get a full scope of The Urge's range.)

Online radio sampler highlights XXVI

Five gems I've heard tonight:

KBEM (Minneapolis, MN)

• Ponta de Areia-Esperanza Spalding (Engaging vocals and bass, both of which are customary for Spalding.  This is an excellent cover of a Milton Nascimento song in which the piano also shines.)

WFDU (Teaneck, NJ)

• Steppin' Out-Memphis Slim (A two-minute blues instrumental that swings; in a relatively short time, the piano, saxophone, and guitar all have their moments in the sun.)

WUMB (Boston, MA)

• I Am Waiting-Ollabelle (Well-matched female/male vocal harmonies on this cover of a Rolling Stones tune that doesn't get a lot of airplay today.  Lyrically, it seems that the protagonist--or antagonist, depending on your point of view--really wants to win this game of hide-and-seek.  If I thought it looked proper on the page, I'd insert a smiley emoticon at this point.)

WXYC (Chapel Hill, NC)

• Mine-Everything But The Girl (Tracey Thorn presents this tale of a woman relying on someone who is unreliable matter-of-factly and rather breezily.  Everything But The Girl excels at this type of presentation.)

WYCE (Grand Rapids, MI)

• Short Skirt/Long Jacket-Cake (The guy in this song has an extremely specific vision of the woman he seeks.  It's not as realistic, perhaps, as the vision Marshall Crenshaw describes in "Cynical Girl."  With a riff this catchy, though, I'd like to believe his quest will be successful--and mutually fulfilling for both people.)

Infallible opinions?

When I was in high school, I would sometimes ask friends to fill out music surveys I created.  I would ask them to grade various songs I'd heard, and I'd tally the results.  One friend, before filling out each survey, would tell me, supposedly jokingly, "And remember, I'm right."  His opinions about the songs, in other words, were supposedly the right ones and beyond dispute.  Naturally, he was being facetious.  Or, perhaps not...

A jaded student's voice-over gig #1

I was a senior in high school when the modern thought class teacher asked me to record the voice-overs for a slide show about existentialism.  I never took the class, but it involved reading books by Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre and having philosophical discussions.  I don't remember much about the script, but I still remember the lines I read for the first and last slides.  "Modern life..." I read, sounding as weary as I could at 18, "...We live in a world that puzzles us, frustrates us, isolates us."  For the last slide, I read from the script, "And thus, we cry out."  I never saw the finished product.  Looking back, however, it amuses me that the English teacher had heard me on the intercom doing jazz band concert announcements I'd written, such as, "The jazz band will rock the earth tonight, and everyone's invited...Be advised, however, that the administration might ask you to help board up any geological rifts that occur in the auditorium," and thought, "Say, that's just the jaded voice that's needed for this slide show about despair and the futility of existence."

SiriusXM highlights XX

Standout selections heard since Friday:

'40s Junction 

• Satin Doll-Duke Ellington (One of the best jazz dance melodies ever recorded, with exactly the right proportions of elegance and power.)

The Coffee House 

• Don't Dream It's Over (acoustic)-Neil Finn (As strong as Crowded House's original electrified version is, it's a pleasure to hear Finn make it sound just as compelling acoustically.)

The Loft 

• Breakdown-Audra Mae & The Almighty Sound (Mae & company convey this Tom Petty song's grit in an effective cover.)

Real Jazz

• Dancing In The Dark-Bill Charlap & Renee Rosnes (Two pianos serve the song well.)
• If You Only Knew-Ray Brown Trio (Piano played with the grace and beauty of falling leaves or snow.)

Siriusly Sinatra 

• Autumn Leaves-Nat King Cole (One of the most elegant seasonal accompaniments a listener could choose.)

Symphony Hall

• Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 in E-flat major, "Romantic" (St. Louis Symphony Orchestra/Hans Vonk, conductor) (Sweeping, majestic passages for horns and strings shine in this rendition.)

Watercolors

• After All-Al Jarreau (One of Jarreau's smoothest ballads.  Also recommended: the entire "Jarreau" album.)
• New Shoes-Mindi Abair (At first, I wondered if this was a sax-based cover of a Steely Dan tune.  It isn't, but given the complexity and originality of Steely Dan's music, it's good to hear Abair capture some of that band's spirit.)
• Sister Moon-Sting & Herbie Hancock (An already strong Sting song becomes even stronger, thanks to Hancock's contribution on the piano.)