This stands out to me as one of the best shifts I ever did for WEW. I was especially satisfied with the music I chose and the sets I put together. It also elicited more positive feedback from listeners on the phone than almost any other shift I did there. I think that was partially due to the rain that day. In his memoir, Teacher Man, Frank McCourt writes about how rain softens the mood of a classroom. I think that's also true of a radio studio with a view of the neighborhood. Seeing downtown Clayton in the rain made me imagine that most listeners were stuck in their homes or offices and were paying closer attention than usual to the music. That illusion made me seek out a combination of reflective tunes and uptempo numbers designed to pick up listeners' spirits.
My 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. playlist on this day 21 years ago:
1. Do Nothing 'Til You Hear From Me-Nina Simone
(I'm not sure anyone could top Nat King Cole's interpretation, but you can't go wrong with Simone's version.)
2. Too Marvelous For Words-Nat King Cole
(Cole is difficult to top here, as well.)
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3. Bicycle Bounce-Erskine Hawkins
4. Too Close For Comfort-Natalie Cole
5. The Gypsy In My Soul-Melissa Manchester
(Not every vocalist can pull off showy throwback melodies and pop hits with equal ease, but Manchester has.)
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6. Can You Find It In Your Heart?-Tony Bennett
7. Blue Skies-Bing Crosby
(A safe choice, to be sure; a well-covered, easy-to-relate-to melody by the mainstay crooner. Want to hear it sung at a breakneck pace? Listen to Al Jarreau's rendition, and be amazed.)
8. Teach Me Tonight-The DeCastro Sisters
(Al Jarreau covers this effectively, as well, using an arrangement not far removed from his take on "The Christmas Song.")
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9. Lo Joe-James Williams
(From one brassy big band arrangement...)
10. King Porter Stomp-Doc Severinsen & The Tonight Show Band
(...to another.)
11. Brazil-Jimmy Dorsey with Bob Eberly & Helen O'Connell
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12. I'm Always Chasing Rainbows-Take 6
(I doubt that any other ensemble sings this with cooler self-assurance than Take 6...)
13. Cab Driver-The Mills Brothers
(...and the way it flows into my favorite vocal number in WEW's library is still one of the segues I like best.)
14. You Stepped Out Of A Dream-John Pizzarelli
(A dramatic intro sets the scene effectively, right from the first note.)
15. I Get A Kick Out Of You-Frank Sinatra
16. Easy To Love-Billie Holiday
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17. Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy-Bette Midler
(Although this isn't a track I would listen to on my own time, I respect that it resonates with many listeners and lays the groundwork for a set of uptempo tunes...)
18. Muskrat Ramble-The McGuire Sisters
(...and segues well with "Muskrat Ramble.")
19. Do You Know The Way To San Jose?-Dionne Warwick
(Along with "Cab Driver," this was another one of my favorite songs to play on WEW. For a song about aspiring stars who never made it big, this is one bouncy, inviting melody, especially the way Warwick sings it.)
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20. Here We Go Again-Glenn Miller Orchestra
21. Jivin' The Jeep-Red Norvo
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22. Fascinating Rhythm-Antonio Carlos Jobim
(I wish I'd thought to segue this with the Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 tune, "Bim Bom." Those tracks flow together effortlessly.)
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23. I'm Looking Over A Four-Leaf Clover-Art Mooney and his orchestra
24. Wish You Were Here-Eddie Fisher
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25. Cast Your Fate To The Wind-Vince Guaraldi
(One of the most recognizable contemplative piano instrumentals, and it's ideal for a rainy day. Also recommended: Allen Toussaint's played-with-jazzy-resolve cover of it.)
26. How Little We Know-Joey DeFrancesco
27. Them There Eyes-Anita O'Day
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28. The Lion Sleeps Tonight-The Tokens
29. Twilight Time-The Platters
(Leo Kottke covers this impressively on the guitar.)
30. It's Not For Me To Say-Johnny Mathis
(Another sure-fire crowd pleaser...)
31. Love Won't Let Me Wait-Nancy Wilson
(A go-to track when I wanted to follow one thoughtful, elegant vocal number with another.)
32. It Could Happen To You-Erroll Garner
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33. I Had The Craziest Dream-Harry James and his orchestra
34. The Midnight Sun Will Never Set-Sarah Vaughan
(A classy vocal number ideal for rainy days...)
35. Misty-Renee Rosnes Trio with string orchestra
(...and I love the way it segues with possibly the best piano-anchored instrumental cover of "Misty.")
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36. I Had A Dream-Jack Jones
37. When I Fall In Love-Linda Ronstadt
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38. You Are My Lucky Star-Louis Armstrong
39. Night Train To Memphis-Dean Martin
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40. Sing Joy Spring-The Manhattan Transfer
41. Beyond The Sea-Bobby Darin
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42. I Should Care-Lionel Hampton
43. Theme From "A Summer Place"-Percy Faith and his orchestra
44. Unchained Melody-The Righteous Brothers
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45. Satin Doll-Duke Ellington
46. I've Got A Feeling I'm Fallin'-Teresa Brewer
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47. On The Street Where You Live-Dennis DeYoung
(DeYoung sounds as comfortable covering this as he does singing "Babe" and "Lorelei" with Styx.)
48. Moondance-Michael Feinstein
(No one sings this with the ideal combination of earthiness and grit that Van Morrison does, but this is a strong cover version.)
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49. Open The Door, Richard!-Count Basie
50. Floatin'-Les Brown
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51. On A Slow Boat To China-Kay Kyser and his orchestra
52. Stella By Starlight-Chet Baker
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53. Is You Is Or Is You Ain't (Ma' Baby?)-Louis Jordan and his Tympany Five
54. Hallelujah, I Love Her So-Ray Charles
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55. Blues In The Night-Artie Shaw
56. Street Of Dreams-The Ink Spots
57. Why Don't You Do Right?-Peggy Lee
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58. Night Train-Buddy Morrow
(One of the slower, slyer renditions of this jazz standard; Morrow shows that it works well as a trombone showcase.)
59. Java-Al Hirt
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60. Harbor Lights-Swing And Sway With Sammy Kaye
61. Autumn In New York-Bobby Short
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62. Look For A Star-Billy Vaughn and his orchestra
63. (CLOSING THEME) Closing Time-Tom Waits
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