Online radio sampler highlights LXXVII

Alas, I haven't heard any radio station play "Schoolhouse Rock"'s Everyone-should-live-by-these-sentiments songs, "The Great American Melting Pot" and "No More Kings," yet.  Still, the day is young.  Here are eight of the better selections--and one surprising cover song--I've heard so far today:

KAFM (Grand Junction, CO)

• Black Day In July-Gordon Lightfoot (I'm impressed that a DJ had the presence of mind to play this.  Lyrically, this is an ominous look at where we could be headed as a country.)
• America The Beautiful-Keb' Mo' (Keb' Mo''s bluesy approach to this should-be-national-anthem on the guitar and vocals serves it well.)
• Save The Country-Laura Nyro (This is better known to many listeners as a hit for The Fifth Dimension.  I just listened to Nyro's version of this on one of her compilations last week.  I smiled ruefully as I listened, thinking, "I love the optimism in her lyrics here, and I love how she sings this, but applying that optimism to the future of our country now feels like such an uphill battle.")

Points-for-chutzpah honorable mention: Give Peace A Chance-Mitch Miller & The Gang (Yes, you read that right.  It's a cover of the John & Yoko song.  I can't quite recommend it, but I suppose I should give Miller & company credit for even attempting a peace anthem that's so out of their comfort zone.  Next thing I know, someone will unearth a Ray Conniff Singers cover of The Five Man Electrical Band's "Signs.")

KWMU-3 (St. Louis, MO)

• Mark O'Connor: Appalachia Waltz (Yo-Yo Ma, cello) (As beautiful as Ma's solo reading of this is, the trio version, featuring Mark O'Connor, Edgar Meyer, and Ma is even more moving.  Sometimes, a composer strikes gold when weaving together a variety of dance styles.  When A Christmas Carol's Ebenezer Scrooge demanded that The Ghost Of Christmas Yet To Come show him "some tendneress (and) some depth of feeling," it's a shame that the spirit couldn't have played this piece in response.)
• Shenandoah (Kansas City Chorale/Charles Bruffy, conductor) (The general subtlety of this rendition makes its crescendos all the more effective.)

WVST (Petersburg, VA)

• This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)-Dave Koz featuring Kenny Lattimore & Shelea (This strong cover of Natalie Cole's hit replicates the original version's exuberance compellingly.)

WXPN (Philadelphia, PA)

• Bodhisattva-Steely Dan (There's a roof-raising level of energy on this tune that stands out among Steely Dan's many consistently excellent tracks.  For an even more seemingly caffeinated take, seek out the live-in-Santa-Monica recording.)
• Short Court Style-Natalie Prass (This is one of 2018's most pleasant melodies so far.  If I didn't know otherwise, I would have thought this was a '70s R&B track.)