Yeah, that's who you'd call...

Some unexplained rattling in the blinds freaked out one of my middle school chorus classes.  The windows and doors were closed, no one was near the blinds, and there wasn't a fan on at the time.  After hearing the clattering, the teacher, Mr. B., started singing to the tune of Ray Parker, Jr.'s "Ghostbusters," "If there's something strange in your classroom, who you gonna call?"

Before Mr. B. could sing the answer, "Ghostbusters," however, a student called out, "The janitor!"

Not a bad response, by the standards of early teenage humor...

An overlooked cover tune XCIV

If you aren't already a fan of The Kennedys and didn't see their end-of-Summer online dance party yesterday, it's unlikely that you'd expect those two--or any two--talented singer-songwriter guitarists to cover a smash 1975 dance hit.  Pete and Maura Kennedy knocked their take on Van McCoy's "The Hustle" out of the park yesterday, though, making me appreciate the tune in a way I hadn't before.  Maura does an excellent job on the recurring vocal punctuation of "Do it!" and "Do the hustle!"  Maura and Pete both shine on guitar, as well; in fact, Maura complimented her husband, saying he played the flute part on guitar perfectly.  If I'd never heard the original version, I would think the tune had been composed for two guitars.  

The Kennedys' guitar translation of "The Hustle" also reminds me of their playing on the first song of theirs I ever heard, "River Of Fallen Stars."  It's the title track from their 1995 debut CD as a duo.  This was one of the rare times I bought a CD by any artists without hearing any of their work beforehand.  The music store owner gave it a rave review, and based on his descriptions of the clear, welcoming vocals and jangly guitars, I thought, "There's no way I won't like this."  I was right.

Honorable mention: The Kennedys' version of The Kinks' hit, "Come Dancing," was another highlight of yesterday's dance party.  With two guitars and Maura's voice leading the way, the lyrics are enunciated well, allowing listeners to absorb them more fully.

A guitar-based parallel

Thanks to The Kennedys for a recent livestream performance. Their jangly guitar playing while covering "So Sad" by The Everly Brothers reminds me how much the tune sounds like one of Neil Young's best songs, "Harvest Moon."

Only in college LXXXIX

Although it wasn't mandatory, I liked to end each on-air shift at KCOU with a song that would flow at least fairly well with whatever first song the DJ after me chose.  As I was wrapping up one Sunday's edition of the oldies/album rock show, "Kruzin' Music," the DJ after me said, "Once again, you've picked a good song to end on."

The final tune I'd chosen was David Bowie's "Rock 'N Roll Suicide."  I haven't listened to it in a long time, so I just played it now to refresh my memory.  Lyrically, vocally, and instrumentally, the tune fit KCOU's general vibe then.  Most importantly, for segue purposes, it ends on a triumphant final chord.  That made it easy for the next DJ to continue the theme or start a new one.

I always appreciated that type of compliment.  I doubt I'd have gotten it, though, if I'd ended the show with "One Bad Apple" by The Osmonds.  Catchy?  Yes, but not in keeping with the general ethos of the station.

Online radio sampler highlights CXLI

Nine Friday morning highlights:

KHDX (Conway, AR)

• Caracasbaai-Cookin Soul (A laid-back neo-soul/orchestral piece; I wish I'd known about this instrumental interlude when it was released last year.)

KTWV (Los Angeles, CA)

• Shining Star-The Manhattans (I'm glad this 1980 hit still gets airplay today.  Lyrically, it's a thoughtful without being overblown way of saying, "I'm glad we're together."  Rhythmically, it's a comfortable midtempo groove.  Also recommended: "Crazy.")
• And The Beat Goes On-The Whispers (I don't hear this 1980 hit on the radio as often as "Shining Star," most likely because its beat is firmly of its time.  Its catchy rhythm would segue well with The S.O.S. Band's "Take Your Time (Do It Right)" or Bluey's "Life Between The Notes.")

WESM (Princess Anne, MD)

• Don't Get Around Much Anymore-Mose Allison (Smartly, Allison doesn't oversell the vocals on this Duke Ellington standard, giving them a casual ease.)
• Chelsea Bridge (Live)-Chicago Jazz Orchestra (A primer in how to blend a warm saxophone tone with an orchestra.)

WNRN (Charlottesville, VA)

• Tried And True-Alexa Rose (Sensitive singing and guitar playing make good lyrics about appreciating your significant other fully sink in.)
• Speak-Nickel Creek (All three vocalists--Sean Watkins, Sara Watkins, and Chris Thile--sing this with the perfect amount of sensitivity and commitment.  Lyrically, this is a brave way of admitting that words might fail you with a potential significant other.  The band's "This Side" CD is still one of my favorites by any group.)

WXPN-2 (Philadelphia, PA)

• Bad Luck-Neko Case (A smart way to acknowledge and then shrug off life's irritants.)
• Popcorn-Shadowy Men On A Shadowy Planet (Instrumental underscoring fit for a convoluted caper.)

FM dial scan highlights CLXIV

Nine of the better tunes I've heard this morning:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Nautilus-Bob James (Sinister, slinky keyboard and bass.  The DJ made a good choice by...)
• Red Clay-Jack Wilkins (...pairing it with this jazz guitar track.  For a brisk vocal take on it, listen to Mark Murphy's version of this song he co-wrote with Freddie Hubbard.)
• So Lonely-The Everly Brothers (A somewhat overlooked track by this duo; one of many "When will she (or Will she) come back to me?" tunes of its time.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Does It Echo?-Beth Bombara (Bombara writes and sings effectively with a melancholic bent.  This metro area singer-songwriter's quality work has been consistent from album to album and deserves national attention.)
• I Wish I Knew-Blue Mitchell (Cookin' trumpet and combo accompaniment from 1960.  Mitchell plays trumpet with a warm, welcoming, forthright tone.  "I'll Close My Eyes" has a similar feel.  There's a steady consistency throughout Mitchell's "Blue's Moods" album.)
• New Day For You-Basia (The way Basia sings "Hello" at the beginning of the tune draws me in every time.  Lyrically, this is an encouraging way of saying, "Hang in there, and things will get better.")

KCLC 89.1 FM

• The Walls Are Way Too Thin-Holly Humberstone (A lot of college students grapple with uncomfortable living arrangements like this.  The tune's driving energy is appealing, and rhythmically, Crowded House's "Even A Child" would sound good after this.)

WFUN 96.3 FM

• Overjoyed-Stevie Wonder (A sincere, classy way of saying, "Just open your eyes and be with me, already.")
• After The Love Has Gone-Earth, Wind & Fire (Soaring vocals dominate this stellar track.  Most radio stations, unfortunately, don't play it in its entirety.  The winding sax riff at the end that bleeds over into "Let Your Feelings Show" on the "I Am" album is a great way to cap off one of the band's best songs.)

In memory of Charlie Watts

Listeners sometimes overlook drummers and rhythm section players.  To some extent, that's understandable.  It's human nature to listen mostly to the conspicuous elements that make a song catchy and compelling, starting (and sometimes ending with) the lead vocals.  Even with a group as accomplished as The Rolling Stones, it's easy to take the drumming for granted.  Imagine some of the band's most infectious rhythms, such as "Jumpin' Jack Flash," "Shattered," and "Honky Tonk Women," however, without the drum parts.  Multiple elements make all of those songs click, but longtime drummer Charlie Watts provided the critical rhythmic backing.

Watts passed away yesterday.  Although I appreciate his contributions to those and other Rolling Stones songs, it impresses me even more that he was such a tasteful jazz artist.  I played multiple tracks from his sublime "Warm & Tender" CD frequently on WEW in 1996.  I think the best track, on a disc packed with top-notch material, is "Bewitched."  It's the strongest version of the tune, also known as "Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered," I've heard.  Bernard Fowler really sells the concept of being enamored with someone.  I wouldn't question anyone who sings about being smitten with this much feeling and conviction.  In addition, it's one of many chances to hear Watts play in a completely different, subtler context.  I also recommend "My Foolish Heart," "My Ship," and "They Didn't Believe Me" for similar reasons.

Credit to Watts for excelling in both rock and jazz.  Not just any drummer can pull off both of those genres with equal ease.

Seeing my cat in the best light

Sometimes, when my cat, Collette, is being combative, I picture her kittens and her performing as a jug band with cleverly constructed homemade instruments.  Then, most of my exasperation fades.  After all, how can I dislike a mother cat and kitten ensemble that has such talent and ingenuity?

In memory of Don Everly

Don Everly, half of the singing/guitar-playing duo, The Everly Brothers, passed away Saturday.  Many of his fans have likely played such smash hits as "Bye Bye Love," "Wake Up, Little Susie," and "Cathy's Clown" since hearing the news.  There are three Everly Brothers tunes, however, that I think deserve more recognition than they usually get.  Two of them should have been hits, and the other one should have been a bigger hit:

• Gone, Gone, Gone (In my opinion, this is some of the duo's catchiest songwriting, vocal harmonizing, and forceful guitar playing.  "Gone, Gone, Gone" was a minor hit in 1964 and isn't usually heard on the radio today.  Fairport Convention played an excellent "Live At The BBC" cover of it, with Sandy Denny singing impressively commanding lead vocals.)
• Illinois (These Randy Newman-penned lyrics are an effective way to say, "This is a good place to be, and here's why..." The tune shows how smoothly the brothers harmonized with piano backing.)
• On The Wings Of A Nightingale (I've always thought this 1984 comeback tune was a pleasant anachronism.  I remember it getting limited adult contemporary radio airplay for a short time and was chagrined that its shelf life wasn't longer.  Still, for a moment, I was glad to hear such smooth throwback vocalists singing Paul McCartney's lyrics.)
  

Respect for a band's history

Kudos to the KSHE DJ who took the time to appreciate Fleetwood Mac's Danny Kirwan this morning.  After playing "Bare Trees," the DJ mentioned that Kirwan played guitar on the track and that, due to his superior musicianship, he'd joined Fleetwood Mac at age 18.  Although I'd already known this from reading multiple books on and watching various documentaries about the band, I appreciated the DJ taking the time to talk about some of the band's history.  That doesn't happen as much as it used to on most other stations; in fact, on most stations, you're lucky to hear the DJ mention the title and artist of a song.

On any music station, there should always be some element of historical context; too often, however, there isn't.

Context? CXXIII

It's informative to me whenever one noncommercial DJ says to the one who's about to take over, "So, what do you have in store for us on today's show?"  When the DJ responds, "Oh, some surprises," I think, "Either the DJ has some great music and/or an unexpected interview with an interesting artist planned, or (s)he woke up later than planned and has to wing it."

The first hour of the show usually clues me in.

Context? CXXII

An exchange between two DJs, heard last Friday, showing how disturbingly common Covid-19 has become:

DJ 1: Did they have a pandemic over at your house, too?

DJ 2: Yes, it was all-inclusive.

Online radio sampler highlights CXL

Eight standout tunes heard this morning:

WBGO (Newark, NJ)

• Snowflake-The Crusaders (Joe Sample conveys the feel of falling snow perfectly on keyboard.)
• April In Paris-Joe Pass (A tasteful, lyrical guitar interpretation.)
• Dreaming Wide Awake-Lizz Wright (Soft, elegant, moving vocals.)

WOMM (Burlington, VT)

• Hurricane-Robin Gottfried (Impressive rock guitar and bass here.  Gottfried plays guitar with the ringing clarity and confidence of Eric Johnson.  Rhythmically, this would sound right after O'Ryan Island's "Old Man.")

WPKN (Bridgeport, CT)

• Neon Blue-Amelia Meath & Blake Mills (New, spooky indie rock with quiet vocals; the backup singing of the title near the end gives the song an effective, unexpected jolt.)
• Storms-Fleetwood Mac (This Stevie Nicks-penned track from the "Tusk" album doesn't get a ton of airplay today, but it deserves its due.  These are thoughtful lyrics about a relationship that isn't meant to last.)
• Steve Reich: Tehillim--Part II (Fast) (Schonberg Ensemble, Percussion Group The Hague/Reinbert de Leeuw, conductor) (An interesting, avant-garde-sounding piece for strings, percussion, and vocals.  It could segue with "New Beginnings" by Besos de Coco featuring Charlie Chavez.)
• Jericho (Live)-Joni Mitchell (Perceptive lyrics about the necessity of friendship needing to be reciprocal until it's no longer feasible.)
  

An overlooked cover tune XCIII

I was pleasantly surprised to stumble across a concert cover on YouTube today that I hadn't seen before.  In 2012, The Kennedys and Nanci Griffith performed a spirited rendition of "Daydream Believer," best known in its incarnation by The Monkees.  The Brevard, North Carolina audience received it enthusiastically and helped make the brief a cappella portion of the sing-along shine two minutes in.  Maura Kennedy is an ideal lead singer to convey such sunny sentiments, and it's also a pleasure to hear Griffith in such an unexpected context.

Context? CXXI

Friday morning, a DJ on a Wisconsin radio station said a concert venue requires proof of vaccination or recent Covid test results to enter.

"Recent negative test results," he clarified.  "You don't want to show up at the venue and say, 'Here are my positive Covid test results."

For everyone's health and safety, here's hoping everyone complies.

Yet another Griffith recommendation

Since her passing on Friday, I've listened to a good helping of Nanci Griffith's music.  Another standout track I'd recommend is "Clock Without Hands."  Lyrically, it's an interesting way to describe losing the capacity to feel and becoming more stoic over time.  Lyrically and vocally, Griffith reminds me of Suzanne Vega on this tune.  Her voice sounds somewhat more produced here than usual, which is interesting if you've only heard her live or heard mostly her earlier, less overtly produced work.

Another Griffith recommendation

Seeing video of Nanci Griffith performing "This Heart" on "The Late Show With David Letterman" jogged my memory of the song and reminded me that it's one of her best uptempo tunes.  Lyrically, it's a good way to say that you're interested in someone, and rhythmically, it brings Carrie Newcomer's "The Bird Or The Wing" to mind.

Kudos to Griffith--and Letterman, for having her on his show more times than I'd realized.

In memory of Nanci Griffith

I was saddened yesterday afternoon to learn of Nanci Griffith's passing.  She had a deservedly long career but never quite got the acclaim I thought she deserved.  I've always admired the consistent, earnest sincerity with which she wrote and sang.  Here, in my opinion, are eight of her best tracks:

• Big Blue Ball Of War (Griffith details the perils of violent conflict.  In today's fractured political climate, her idealistic prescription for preventing war, sadly, sounds too far out of reach.  That doesn't mean it's incorrect, however.)
• Last Of The True Believers (It's reassuring to know that after a breakup or during a rough patch of life, you can return home, where people like and understand you.  Of Griffith's uptempo tracks, this is my favorite.)
• Late Night Grande Hotel (How do you grapple with rejection?  How do you acknowledge that the thing you do best is enjoy your own company?  First, you listen to this song.  Another reason to admire Griffith: She had the perceptive ears and impeccable taste to have Maura Kennedy, one of my favorite vocalists, as a backup singer and to let Maura and her husband, Pete, open concerts for her.  The Kennedys do an excellent cover of this tune.)
• More Than A Whisper (Live) (My favorite Griffith song, performed in concert.  When you want to tell someone you love her and you know the feeling is reciprocal, Griffith advises you here to just say it.  While looking for CDs years ago, the person I was shopping with thrust Griffith's "One Fair Summer Evening" into my hands and said, "Get it!"  Her insistence was justified.)
• Once In A Very Blue Moon (Live) (This is a perceptive metaphor for missing someone.  Once again, the intimacy of the concert setting on "One Fair Summer Evening" enhances some of Griffith's best vocals.)
• Poet In My Window (This is how you stay optimistic.  Lyrically, it encapsulates why someone would want to be a songwriter; this is one outlook most people would want to save and capture in the moment.)
• The Sun, Moon, And Stars (An endearing ode to solitude, self-reliance, and occasional regrets.)
• Who Knows Where The Time Goes? (If Sandy Denny hadn't written this, I could easily have imagined Griffith penning these lyrics.  Her sensibilities made her an ideal artist to cover this tune; who doesn't think about the passage of time and the difficulty of watching others in your life depart while you're staying put?)
  

Online radio sampler highlights CXXXIX

Friday morning highlights:

KMMS (Bozeman, MT)

• To The Island-Crowded House (Although it sounds even better as an acoustic number, the sing-along quality of the chorus still shines through.)
• Only A Memory-The Smithereens ("Yesterday Girl" is still my favorite track from this band, but "A Girl Like You" and "Only A Memory" follow a similarly appealing template.)

KOJH (Kansas City, MO)

• Keys To Paradise-Jonathan Fritzen (A steady, accessible smooth jazz piano groove.  Bob Thompson's version of Anita Baker's "Talk To Me" would sound good before this.)

KPRS-HD2 (Kansas City, MO)

• Knocks Me Off My Feet-Stevie Wonder (Wonder's piano intro provides instant atmosphere, and his vocals further his established mood.  Considering the strength of this tune, I'm surprised it wasn't a top 40 hit.  It's one of many highlights from his excellent "Songs In The Key Of Life" album.)
• Easy-The Commodores (One of the band's best hits; a laid-back piano line underscores good lyrics about feeling put upon.)

KVOQ (Denver, CO) 

• Kyoto-Phoebe Bridgers (Bridgers emotes convincingly; this track got my attention in much the same way "Motion Sickness" did.  Lyrically, it reminds me that not everyone grows up with parents as caring and attentive as mine.)
• Talk Of The Town-The Pretenders (This isn't one of the most-played Pretenders radio tracks, but it should be.  Lyrically, vocally, and instrumentally, everything clicks.  A strong hook?  Check.  A sing-along chorus?  Check.  Lyrics that build well?  Check.  This should have been as big of a hit as one the band's other best tracks, "Back On The Chain Gang.")

WMKV (Reading, OH) 

• Time After Time-Harry James (A fun cha-cha for trumpet and orchestra.)

Just so lifelike

You know you have a radio mindset when you wake up during a storm and muse, "What sound effects album is that from?  That's some realistic thunder."

Only in college LXXXVIII

During one of my "Kruzin' Music" shows, KCOU's program director heard me playing Fleetwood Mac's "Say You Love Me" and remarked, "Oh, I've always liked that song.  I remember listening to it when I was a kid." 

Even when your radio station's mission is to play the newest and most obscure indie music, everyone should appreciate a well-known song's strong hook.

Persistent earworm alert CCXL

I rarely go to hardware stores.  Thanks to a persistent jingle, however, I fight the urge to shop at Ace Hardware when I don't need anything.  After all, when a store's jingle is "Ace is the place with the helpful hardware folks," it makes you feel like you'll be welcome--even if you're just perusing the merchandise.

"And now, news for the passive listener..."

I'm sure I'm not the only American radio listener who has this experience while driving.  I'll listen to the BBC World Service, and my mind will start to wander.  Ten minutes will go by, and I'll realize that I don't remember a word of what I've just heard.

And yet, due to the gravity with which the news was presented, I'll still feel informed.  Hours later, I'll hear news or an interview regarding that same topic, and I'll think, "That sounds vaguely familiar.  I remember hearing something about that, I think, on KWMU."

There's nothing like feeling faintly informed about the world around you.

FM dial scan highlights CLXIII

Sunday standouts:

KDHX 88.1 FM

• Bodhran And Beatbox-Matthew Olwell (An infectious, percussive melody; find some pens and pencils and drum along.)
• Four Strong Winds-Ian & Sylvia (A primer in stately, emotive folk singing.  The duo's version of "Early Morning Rain" is also especially strong.)

WSIE 88.7 FM

• Willow Weep For Me-Lisa Hilton & Terell Stafford (A classy, stylish take on this much-covered tune.  I've heard more vocal renditions of it than instrumental ones, but this duo shows how well the song translates to the piano and trumpet.)
• Rotation-Herb Alpert (The memorable title track on Alpert's "Rise" album eclipsed this tune somewhat.  This midtempo trumpet and rhythm section track deserves more attention; it's ideal accompaniment for night driving.)

KSHE 94.7 FM

• Hoedown-Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Aaron Copland's famous movement from "Rodeo," electrified and sped up.)
• Life Is You-Batdorf & Rodney (As common as these vocal sentiments are, they're impossible to dislike when sung with sincerity and played so convincingly on the guitar and organ.)
• World Turning-Fleetwood Mac (One of a great many examples from the band's self-titled 1975 album that showed why the vocal troika of Lindsey Buckingham, Stevie Nicks, and Christine McVie was poised for massive success.  Vocally and instrumentally, this is one of the more forward tracks from the album.  Also recommended: Leo Kottke's strong vocals-and-guitar rendition.)
  

The hand-scratching default option

Earlier this week, my cat, Collette, decided that I'd become too accustomed to her biting my feet.  To my surprise, while I attempted to eat, she started scratching my left hand lightly.  I'm not sure what her motivation was, but I half-expected her to sing, to the tune of "Just What I Needed" by The Cars, "Just when you think that I'll bite you, I'll scratch your left hand instead..."

Later, while petting her on the head, I said, "Oh, good old sort of nice part of the time Collette..."

What cat doesn't love a compliment with qualifiers?

Online radio sampler highlights CXXXVIII

Ten Friday morning highlights:

KBAQ (Phoenix, AZ)

• Georg Philipp Telemann: Concerto For Four Violins in D major (Musica Antiqua Koln/Reinhard Goebel, conductor) (Mostly brisk and invigorating, but the lyrical, sorrowful passages are just as captivating.)
• Erik Satie: Three Gymnopedies (Pascal Roge, piano) (Three subtle, contemplative piano movements that could also work in a new age context.  I also recommend renditions by Liona Boyd, Christopher Parkening, and John Williams.)

KUTX (Austin, TX)

• Free Your Mind-Made Kuti (A swirling stew of trumpet, saxophone, and rhythm section, centered around a hypnotic vocal refrain.)
• Stargazer-Golden Dawn Arkestra (When the tempo picks up, the tune has an appealingly brassy, '70s vibe.)

WEAA (Baltimore, MD)

• What's New-Ahmad Jamal (A dreamlike piano solo take on this standard.)
• Confirmation (Live)-Modern Jazz Quartet (The vibraphone carries the bouncy melody of this Charlie Parker tune impressively.)

WUMB (Boston, MA)

• Angel Mine-Cowboy Junkies (Margo Timmins sings these sensitive, thoughtful lyrics about staying together and seeing past someone's imperfections quietly and effectively.  This is the group's best song, in my opinion.)
• Whatever's For Us, For Us-Joan Armatrading (A pleasant acoustic tune from 1972; folky, direct lyrics and guitar.)

WWHM (Sumter, SC)

• Caravan Of Love-Isley-Jasper-Isley (I hadn't heard this welcoming R&B ballad in some time.  I was glad to be reminded of it and to flash back to early 1986, when KYKY played it.)
• Emotion-Samantha Sang (Sang was the right lead vocalist to pull off the wistfulness the lyrics required.  Considering this was a hit in 1978, The Bee Gees were the right backing vocalists.)

Context? CXX

This morning, I'm not sure if it was a radio talk show host or guest that said, "The robots are getting quicker than humans, and we're in deep, deep trouble."

After hearing that grim proclamation about the dangers of automation, I sought balance.  I felt reassured when I watched a TED Talk about how far artificial intelligence has to go before it matches the reasoning capacity of people.

Undeniably, robots are here.  While they're useful for certain rote tasks, it's reassuring to know they can't do everything--yet.

Time to come up for air

One day in the '80s, I realized that I knew the intricacies of a radio station a little too well.

"Hmmm...," I thought.  "KSD hardly ever plays that jingle.  I'm not surprised, actually, because the station bills itself as KS94, and the vocalists are singing, 'K-S-S 94, K-S-S 94.'  Granted, the second S is an echo of the first one, but casual listeners might be confused and write down the wrong call letters if they participate in an Arbitron survey.  Then, KSD's listeners will be undercounted, and the station might have to change formats."

I decided it was time to read a book.

Linguistic bemusement V

I made a point, early on in my broadcasting career, of not back announcing a music set by saying, "OK, that was..."  It's too easy to fall back on that crutch.  I was more likely to say something like, "(Station's call letters) with new music from (the name of the artist...)"

Even on a casual, noncommercial station where every DJ is a volunteer, "OK, that was..." makes you sound like you just woke up or can't think of anything else to say.

Linguistic bemusement IV

It's a quirk of radio DJs to slip into "this hour" and "next hour" patter.  When you're on the air, it's customary to say, "This hour, we'll have music from...," or "Next hour, we'll give away one hundred dollars to one lucky listener."

That phrasing sounds odd in any other context, however.  I've never said to my cat, "Collette, later this hour, I'll give you some food," or "Next hour, I'll change the cat litter."

No false enthusiasm here

A professional commercial radio DJ isn't supposed to sound grumpy.  When you're a DJ for your own fictitious station that no one can hear, however, you can convey any kind of mood you want.  Thus, I once introduced a song with, "It's Monday, with a long slog of a day ahead.  Fortunately, Linda Ronstadt will help us all through it with 'You're No Good...'"