Here's the music I chose for my 5:30-10 a.m. radio stint on this day 20 years ago:
1. Don't You Know I Care-Antonio Hart
(Outstanding saxophone playing from an artist who deserves more recognition; this is the title track from a strong CD, whose three best tracks, in my opinion, are the last three on the disc. Also recommended: "Black & Gold" and "From Across The Ocean.")
2. Terry's Theme From Limelight-Frank Chacksfield and his orchestra
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3. I Only Have Eyes For You-The Flamingos
(The phrase, "sha bop, sha bop," has never been used more effectively.)
4. Never Let Me Go-Diane Schuur
5. I Thought About You-Tony Bennett
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6. Sleepwalk-Santo & Johnny
(A serene melody for guitar, in its original form here and in Larry Carlton's cover.)
7. If I Had You-Erroll Garner
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8. I Hear You Knocking-Gale Storm
9. All Or Nothing At All-Barry Manilow with The Harry James Orchestra
10. Last Date-Floyd Cramer
(Still a favorite midtempo piano instrumental; I was glad to hear Blues, Incorporated play it in concert here three years ago.)
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11. I Say A Little Prayer-Dionne Warwick
12. (What A) Wonderful World-Sam Cooke
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13. Moonlight Becomes You-Johnny Mathis
14. There! I've Said It Again-Bobby Vinton
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15. As Time Goes By-Sammy Kaye
16. Why Ask Why?-Michele Shaheen
17. The Girl From Ipanema-Stan Getz & Astrud Gilberto
(Decades later, the melody endures. Erin Bode's cover of it is recommended, as well.)
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18. I Didn't Know What Time It Was-Carmen Cavallaro and his orchestra
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19. I Got The Sun In The Morning-Les Brown and his orchestra
(A good reminder that things usually aren't as bad as they seem--and, if they are, you can still play the tune ironically...)
20. All That Jazz-Sammy Davis, Jr.
(...and then segue it with this tune.)
21. My Old Flame-Doc Severinsen & The Tonight Show Band
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22. Love Song-Ramsey Lewis
23. Love's Theme-Love Unlimited Orchestra
24. Midnight Sun-June Christy
25. Skylark-Linda Ronstadt with Nelson Riddle & his orchestra
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26. Angel Face-Milt Jackson
27. How High The Moon-Les Paul & Mary Ford
28. Winchester Cathedral-New Vaudeville Band
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29. What's New-Joey DeFrancesco
30. It's Only A Paper Moon-Ella Fitzgerald
31. Lazy Day-Spanky & Our Gang
(If this doesn't perk you up at least a smidgen, I can't help you.)
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32. Love Is Blue-Paul Mauriat
33. Tracy's Theme-Spencer Ross
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34. They Can't Take That Away From Me-John Pizzarelli
(Pizzarelli strikes the right tone here--determined yet carefree.)
35. I've Got You Under My Skin-Frank Sinatra
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36. Twilight Time-The Platters
37. Never On Sunday-The Chordettes
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38. Spanish Harlem-Ben E. King
39. Body And Soul-Coleman Hawkins and his orchestra
40. Day Dream-Duke Ellington
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41. You Belong To My Heart-Bing Crosby with Xavier Cugat and his orchestra
42. You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To-Julie London
43. Rum And Coca-Cola-The Andrews Sisters
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44. St. Louis Blues-Louis Armstrong with Velma Middleton
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45. Bolero At The Savoy-Roy Eldridge with The Gene Krupa Orchestra featuring Anita O'Day
46. Let's Go Joe-Cab Calloway
47. Save The Last Dance For Me-The Drifters
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48. Break The Ice-Maynard Ferguson and his Big Bop Nouveau Band
49. Great Times-Pat Longo with Frank Sinatra, Jr.
50. Trickle Trickle-The Manhattan Transfer
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51. You're The Top-Hal Linden & Eileen Rodgers
52. One Mint Julep-Ray Charles
(The epitome of coolness in an instrumental, in any era.)
53. The Wedding Samba-Edmundo Ros and his orchestra
54. Fly Me To The Moon-Bossa Nova-Joe Harnell and his orchestra
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55. Green, Green-The New Christy Minstrels
56. Baby Elephant Walk-Lawrence Welk and his orchestra
(As my brother remembers, our middle school speech/drama teacher only had limited resources for background music. This was one of the few in-classroom musical options students had, which gave a lot of puppet shows a whimsical bounce, by default.)
57. When I'm 64-The Beatles
58. Someone's Rocking My Dreamboat-The Ink Spots
59. The Longest Walk-Jaye P. Morgan
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60. (CLOSING THEME) Closing Time-Tom Waits
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