The music I chose to play on the air 25 years ago tonight:
1. Drivin' Music-The Rubinoos
(I liked starting a shift with this type of uptempo power pop. It started things off on a positive note and gave me so many potential segue options. I could have segued it with Nilsson's "Driving Along," Head East's "Since You Been Gone," "Drivin' Around" by The Raspberries, or "Back On My Feet Again" by The Babys, among others...)
2. 20 Questions-The Posies
(...I'm still happy I chose this segue, though. This tune was new at the time, and its hook still appeals to me just as much. This is why people form bands, to gather around the mic and sing a hook such as, "She's got 20 questions, and sooooo do I-i-I-Iiiiii.")
3. All Day Afternoon-Judybats
(Continuing with a power pop flavor...The production values, particularly the echo and instruments approaching sounding like they're far off, enhance an already solid tune.)
4. Still Can't...-The Cranberries
(Another track that was new then...Dolores O'Riordan takes the power pop vibe of the previous three songs and turns it into something unnerving with more downcast lyrics.)
---
5. Seven Summers-The Cruzados
6. 2,000 Miles-The Pretenders (*)
7. Sugarburn-Penelope Houston
8. Sleep-Sweetwater
---
9. Bullet-Reverend Horton Heat
10. Big Mistake-Royal Crescent Mob
11. Break The Chain-Gene Loves Jezebel
---
12. English Diplomancy-The Mighty Sparrow
13. Mantombazane-Soul Brothers
14. Catch Me If You Can (Jazz Mambo)-Bobby Watson
15. It's Not Unusual-New Duncan Imperials
---
16. Lucille-Little Richard
17. He Will Break Your Heart-Delbert McClinton
18. Ready For Dem-Naughty By Nature
19. All We Got Left Is The Beat-LL Cool J
---
20. Whatever Makes You Happy-Ten City
(A sensible "Live and let live" message, set to a beat.)
21. Immigrant Song-Infectious Grooves
22. Take Me Down-The Loud Family
23. Stretch-Curved Air
---
24. Down The Line-Big Wheel
(I'd like to think that the song's overall sentiment, "...Down the line, we'll all meet and listen to the songs we used to listen to," is an element of Heaven or at least a really great reunion.)
25. The Coupling-Candy Machine
26. Waiting-Miracle Workers
27. Here Comes The Judge-The Magistrates
28. Children Of The Revolution-T. Rex
29. No Trespassing-The Roaches
30. Change In The Weather-Buddy Guy featuring Travis Tritt
(This uptempo groove should be played on WSIE, if it isn't already in their playlist. I also recommend the title track from Guy's "Feels Like Rain" album, as it's one of my favorite contemplative blues tunes. And yes, I had a "Don't disturb this groove" moment and played an unusually long set of music. That was just how rebellious and unhinged I had become near the end of my time at KCOU. It's a wonder I didn't start a motorcycle gang or end my sentences with prepositions.)
---
31. Mama Told Me Not To Come-The Wolfgang Press (*)
(The Three Dog night hit, covered with an imaginative techno bent.)
32. Who's Been Talkin'-Screamin' Jay Hawkins
33. Happyman-Room Full Of Walters
34. Submariner-New Radiant Storm Kings
---
35. Theme From "The Young And The Restless"-Roger Williams
(I know...It's such a cliche for a KCOU playlist...) :-)
36. Strollin'-Gene Harris Quartet
(Classy, elegant piano--and one of just a few songs I was able to make work at KCOU and WEW.)
37. Sure Shot-Polvo (*)
(I'm sure I must have played a "This is a KCOU request" breaker before this; if not, this was one warped segue.)
38. That's The Point-Eleventh Dream Day
---
39. Pocket Fulla Medicine-Madder Rose (*)
40. Come Down Here-Chris Connelly (*)
41. American Eyes-The Lilac Time
(In retrospect, this would have segued well with songs 1-4. It has some of the most immediately accessible jangly guitar licks, lyrics, and vocals of any song on this playlist. Conceivably, it could even segue with Joey Scarbury's theme from "The Greatest American Hero.")
42. Be My Baby-Mini Skirt Mob
43. Hold On, I'm Comin'-Sam & Dave
---
44. Oh Yeah Alright-Napalm Sunday
45. You Move Me Like A Slug-The Boorays
---
46. Do Anything-Pete Shelley
47. Cruel Crazy Beautiful World-Johnny Clegg & Savuka
(Thematically, this would have segued well with Ten City's "Whatever Makes You Happy." Considering the range of experiences the world throws at you, I thought this was a good, all-encompassing note on which to end the shift.)
(*) indicates a listener's request.
--- indicates a station break between songs.
