Radio Show, Wednesday December 19 10pm-midnight

The Spinners - It's A Shame
Bjork - Big Time Sensuality
Thurl Ravenscroft - You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch
Stephin Merritt - Ukulele Me!
Of Montreal - Lysergic Bliss
Looking Glass - Brandy (You're A Fine Girl)
Steve Miller Band - Dance, Dance, Dance
Two Dollar Pistols - When It Was Over
E. G. Daily - One Way Love
Matthew Sweet - Girlfriend
Mazzy Star - Flowers In December
Ivy - The Best Thing
The Ronettes - Sleigh Ride
The Monotones - Book Of Love

Germaine introduced me to the voice of Thurl Ravenscroft. He was the voice of Tony the Tiger and he can be heard in many animated Disney films. I wonder if he and Cliff Edwards ever worked together. I just love his voice: deep and kinda ominous. Germ sent me a couple Marlboro commercials and a song about North Carolina featuring Thurl. I like it when they pop up on my Ipod. As I was searching for a photo of Thurl, I found this slew of Thurl Ravenscoft mp3s. Holy cow!

I keep forgetting that we have the soundtrack to Better Off Dead at the radio station. I just love the school dance scene with E. G. Daily and her band singing "One Way Love." After googling her name, I discovered that she not only has a website but she is still making music as well as doing animation voiceover. She's contributed her voice to Rugrats and the Powerpuff Girls. She looks weird.

My entire playlist can be found here.

I Don't Hate All Christmas Music

I am not a fan of Christmas music. But there are a few yuletide songs that I cannot live without. Pearl Bailey's "Jingle Bell Cha Cha Cha" being one of them. And I guess that there is only one more, "Winter Wonderland" by Darlene Love, but only because that song is featured in the my favorite movie of all-time, Better Off Dead.

But now I'm adding one more song to the list. "White Christmas" by the Drifters. Listen to it. Doo wop makes everything better.


Thanks, Christa!!!

UPDATE: I was so impressed with the Drifters' version of "White Christmas" that I ran out to Offbeat Music and bought a Drifters Greatest Hits Collection. OH. MY. GOD. It's incredible. They sing a version of "Memories Are Made Of This" that just about made me run off the road. I think I have listened to it at least 15 times today. And I have watched that silly little flash video of "White Christmas" just as many times. The Drifters are the best!!!

More Ricky Nelson

Writer, Jody Rosen explains Hawley like I am unable to. Rosen really gets it. All I know is that Richard Hawley has rekindled my obsession with Ricky Nelson now.

Ricky Nelson makes me swoon.

Radio Show Friday, November 30, 2007

Damon and Naomi - Lilac Land
Massive Attack - Better Things
Tippy Canoe - Neighbor of the Telltale Heart
Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark - Enola Gay
Joe Henry - Civilians
Roy Orbison - In Dreams
Emmylou Harris - Sweet Old World
Ella Fitzgerald - I Can't Get Started
Holiday - Everything You Say
The Cure - Just Like Heaven
Rick Nelson - I Heard That Lonesome Whistle Blow
Everything But the Girl - Another Bridge
Richard Hawley - Valentine

What a week. I should've posted about my radio show much earlier in the week, but I was busy in NYC seeing Richard Hawley.

I love Richard Hawley's music partially because I love Roy Orbison and Ricky Nelson. I forgot about my love for Ricky Nelson until this week. I used to play him almost every day when I worked at Cameron's. When I was the cute little sales girl and arrived at work early enough, I got to pick the music that we would listen to for the entire day. It usually consisted of at least one of the following: Fred Astaire, Tex Williams, Elvis, Ricky Nelson, Van Morrison's Enlightenment record, and Aretha Franklin's Sweet Bitter Love. Getting to program the music for the day was the only incentive for me to get to work on time. There were a couple of folks that we all dreaded to program the CD changer. One guy was addicted to the Rent soundtrack and played it so frequently that I was on the verge of going postal. [By the way, support your local businesses like Cameron's during the holidays. Buy local.]

Here is Nelson singing "Lonesome Town" which Hawley covers. Ricky Nelson makes me melt. [Christa, this is for you.]



During my radio show, I played two songs in honor of my band, the High Dollar Hot Dogs. We haven't played in so long that I feel like we've broken up. But we're supposed to be doing some uke gigs after Christmas. In honor of us, I played "I Can't Get Started" as performed by Ella. And I played Ricky Nelson's take on Hank William's "I Heard That Lonesome Whistle Blow." Both of these songs are in the HDHD's repertoire. Well, Noah and Ted have worked out the arrangement for "I Heard That Lonesome Whistle Blow," but I haven't heard it yet.

My entire playlist can be found here.

Now that the semester is over for the kids, I've lost my 8-10am Friday morning slot. But for you west coast folks, I'll be on at a time that you can hear me... the next two Wednesday nights from 9-midnight EST.

The Melody Haunts My Reverie & I'm Once Again With You

Around ten years ago, I regularly hung out in the local record stores blowing entire minimum wage paychecks on music. There was one store on Franklin Street, that I thought was the coolest. The manager, Brett, was so nice and we totally clicked musically. We clicked on a old school level that no straight man had ever clicked with me before. He'd order things for the store with me in mind, especially western swing, vintage country and 1950s pop vocalists. When someone came in selling an old R&B CD or doo wop or some old vocalist CD, he'd save it for me. There was always a little Charlotte pile waiting for me each week.

And the music that he introduced me to was just mind-blowing to me: the harmonies of the Everly Brothers pop hits, the craziness of Billy Stewart's scat, and the cowboy tunes of Tex Ritter. He helped me get beyond the cheesiness of 1950s pop, too, which was no small feat.

And then the mix tapes started. These were all cassettes of course. We traded like mad. And to this day, no one has made a better mix tape than Brett. There was one that contained the most heavenly selection of music that I had ever heard. I loved that tape. I listened to it constantly. Each 45-minute side was perfectly dreamy and pretty. And he made the tape just for ME! I swooned over him. I painstakingly tried to uncover hidden meanings in his song choices and song placement hoping to discover that Brett was in love with me. He wasn't. But we did have a small handful of dates, one of which ended with me dancing in his arms to "Since I Don't Have You" by the Skyliners. Ah...

After that date, things fizzled for Brett. We still traded mixes, but it wasn't the same. Soon the record store closed and Brett moved away. I have no idea what happened to him, but I will never forget him or that mix tape. To this day, it is my favorite mix tape ever.

His song selections included:
Night and Day - Fred Astaire
It's All In the Game - Tommy Edwards
You Belong To Me - Jo Stafford
Indian Love Call - Slim Whitman
Memories Are Made Of This - Dean Martin
Five Minutes More - Tex Beneke
Give Me More More More of Your Kisses - Lefty Frizzell
Wish You Were Here - Eddie Fisher
Book Of Love - Monotones
I'm A Little Mixed Up - Betty James
Tears on My Pillow - Little Anthony and the Imperials
Love Letters - Ketty Lester
Summer Place - Percy Faith

The tape is old now and very, very played. I am scared to listen to it because I don't want it to break. One day, I'll transfer it off the cassette and onto my laptop. Is there a USB cassette deck on the market yet?

Ella and Her Fellas

I needed an Ella fix this morning. About halfway through this, it gets really really nutty... a cappella scat and it just gets better. She is crazy brilliant.

Radio Show Thursday, November 22 9AM-Noon

Wendy Renee - Bar-B-Q
Cisco Houston - Beans, Bacon And Gravy
The Viscounts - Shortnin' Bread
Louis Prima & Keely Smith - Banana Split For My Baby
Frank Sinatra - The Coffee Song
Big Bill Schaeffer - I Hate Popcorn
Louis Jordan - Cole Slaw
Little Joe and the Thrillers - Peanuts
Little Eva - Let's Turkey Trot
Oliver Twist - Food, Glorious Food
The Ink Spots - Pork Chops and Gravy
Sweet Violet Boys - I Love My Fruit
Little Jimmy Dickens - Cornbread and Buttermilk
Lonnie Donegan - Ham N' Eggs
Roscoe Gordan - Cheese and Crackers

On Thanksgiving morning, I did a three-hour show on food. Nothing but food songs. I loved it. I searched hard to find songs just about food. Not songs that mention food or songs about food-named dance styles. I wanted to hear folks singing about food or eating. Chomp. Chomp.

I made two exceptions to this rule, due to the fact that I rediscovered how much I love doo wop while researching this show. One of these exceptions was "Peanuts" by Little Joe and the Thrillers, which I played at full volume ten times before leaving for work on Wednesday. I was dancing hard in the kitchen until I realized that I was late for my 8am meeting.

The other exception to my food rule was Little Eva's "Let's Turkey Trot" which is about dancing. But I thought that this song is just brilliant. Instead of the backing vocalists singing "doo wop diddy diddy" as you might expect in a standard doo wop tune, they were singing "gobble gobble diddy diddy." How cool is that!?!?! So I just had to play it for Thanksgiving.

I discovered lots of new-to-me food songs from folks I know like Little Jimmy Dickens, Louis Jordan, the Sons of the Pioneers and Anita O'Day. And then there were songs from folks I had never heard of like the Sweet Violet Boys, the Thrones, and Bradley Kincaid.

But I think my favorite was the Viscounts' take on "Shortnin' Bread." That song is so much fun. It's a high-energy rockabilly number that makes me want to put on a cowgirl outfit with lots and lots of fringe and rollerskate around my house and dance like a lunatic. Wheeeeeeee!!!!!!

You can see all seventy-two food songs here. Chow!

Thanksgiving Radio Show

I won't be on the radio this Friday morning due to the holiday schedule, but I will be on Thursday from 9am to noon eastern standard time. I just got the motherload of crazy old food songs all of which I hope to play on Thursday. I even have some new hot dogs songs!!! Heaven. And wouldn't you love to hear Sammy Davis, Jr. singing "Plop Plop Fizz Fizz" or the Andrews Sisters' take on "One Meat Ball?" Well, I got 'em!

I just have to figure out how to get these songs off my computer onto a CD. I cannot seem to burn CDs, but I am hoping that I can burn through Itunes.

I hate my new computer.... it is so frustrating and depressing. This is part of the reason that my blog posts have been less frequent. If you are interested in a fancy new laptop running Vista, let me know. I'll give you a deal.

But tune into WXYC on Thursday. Food songs always improve my mood. Even if I don't get this new crop of food songs off my laptop, I still have lots to play. I wish I could find a song about bacon-wrapped hot dogs. Yummmmmm. My next mix CD will definitely be a collection of meat songs focusing on pork products.

Musical Horrorscope

Sammy Davis, Jr. - Please Don't Talk About Me When I'm Gone
Robert Crumb & His Cheap Suit Serenaders - Sing Song Girl
Tom Waits - Come On Up To the House
Donovan - Riding In My Car
Billy Stewart - I Do Love You

I haven't gotten my musical horrorscope in awhile. I can't really read too much into this, except for maybe the first song.

I have my last board presentation tomorrow afternoon. I have only 6 more weeks at my current job! I am very excited about the change. At my new job, I'll have the joy to work around music, while still crunching numbers. It is so exciting and I am extremely happy. So, when that first song came up on the Ipod, I thought about my board presentation and telling the board goodbye and then jumping on the conference table and in my best Sammy Davis, Jr. voice, singing:

"You go your way, I'll go mine.
It's best that we do.
Here's a kiss - I hope that this
Brings lots of luck to you.

Makes no difference how I carry on.
Please don't talk about me when I'm gone."


In all likelihood, I won't do this, as our board is comprised of a bunch of really nice folks and the words of that song are a bit harsh. But that certainly would make my presentation less boring.

Everything Is Better With Roller Skates

It was a real soul-sucking day at work. I haven't been this stressed out at work in a long time.

But this video made it all better. I have watched it at least 5 times since I've been home tonight. The last two minutes are absolutely mind-blowing, so don't miss it. Put Gene Kelly in a suit and on roller skates and you'll get my vote for the hottest man that ever lived. Sigh.



I've always thought about what kind of postcard would send to Post Secret. I think that my anonymous secret would be that every now and then I look on Ebay for autographed photos of the young Gene Kelly because I want to own something that he touched.

Radio Show Friday, September 21 8-10AM

The Real Tuesday Weld - Kix
Hank Snow - I've Been Everywhere
Great Northern - Home
Carolyn Mark - The One That Got Away (With It)
The Cure - In Between Days
Shout Out Louds - Tonight I Have To Leave It
Danny Kaye - Inchworm
Bright Eyes - If the Brakeman Turns My Way
Kishore Kumar - Doob Doob Jata Hoon
Richard Thompson - 1952 Vincent Black Lightning
Sol Hoopii - Weave a Lei
Okkervil River - Savannah Smiles

When it comes to new records, this is my favorite time of year. It's like Christmas. It seems like everyone's got a new record out and is touring right now. It's a fun time, albeit an expensive time. I played a ton of new stuff on Friday from the Real Tuesday Weld, Bright Eyes, the Great Northern, Carolyn Mark (half of the Corn Sisters with Neko Case). I wish I had an extra few bucks to get some of these fabulous new releases, but instead I've been spending my cash on cocktail dresses, cashmere wraps and wedding gifts.

But I am thinking about taking on a new accounting client.... one of my FAVORITE restaurants in Durham. I could use the extra cash. But I cannot decide if I should take a new client or not, as I am already working six days a week. The food is fabulous... what should I do?!?!? If I work more, then I can buy more records. But if I work more, I won't have time to listen to these new records. Oh well, I'll decide after I return from Italy.

A friend gave me the new Shout Out Louds record a few months ago and I just fell in love with it. I played it for a friend who said that that they sounded like a derivative of the Cure. But I don't care. I love their new wavey pop sound. They're coming to the Cradle in October (all the way from Sweden), but I am going to be out of town, which I am a little sad about. Our Ill Wills, is probably gonna be on my top ten list for the year. It is extremely catchy and fun.

Okkervill River. Who are they? Where did they come from? Why haven't I heard of them until now? How come they didn't invite me to go canoeing?! I've played them a couple of times on the radio and I liked what I heard off their new record, The Stage Names. But today as I am typing this, I can't remember what they sounded like! I might just get their new record and listen. They're coming to the Cradle soon as well.

And if you missed my show on Friday, you missed this great song by Danny Kaye. He's got some really wacky songs, but this one is very pretty. For some reason "Inchworm" reminds me of my grandparents. But I don't know why. Probably because I was just in Danville (where my grandparents lived) this weekend. I do remember him singing this on the Muppet Show.



My entire playlist can be found here.

Damn, Now That's Sexy

I've had the song, "I Only Have Eyes for You" on the brain lately. For one, some of Richard Hawley's songs remind me of the Flamingos' take on "I Only Have Eyes for You." And second, I've been watching Busby Berkeley clips and my absolute favorite is the "I Only Have Eyes for You" scene that he choreographed for the film, Dames. In fact, the song was written for that film.

I searched YouTube to see what I could find and I found this version featuring Peggy Lee and Dave Barbour. I am becoming more and more of a Peggy Lee fan these days. This just makes me melt.

Speaking Of Busby Berkeley and Dream Jobs

I want to be Carmen Miranda when I grow up. In Busby Berkeley musicals. With bananas. And monkeys.

Oh How I Love That Potato Salad Song

I have never seen "Solid Potato Salad" performed by anyone ever. But now I can say that I can (and you, too). Minty sent me this amazing video.

Watch the whole thing. Don't give up after a minute. Just watch the whole thing. Yowza!

Radio Show, Sunday June 24 3-5PM

chris powell & the five blue flames - hot dog
ella fitzgerald/louis armstrong - summertime
eartha kitt - i want to be evil
helen o'connell - brazil
kay starr - you're just in love
carmen miranda - yipsee-i-o
harry belafonte - jump in the line
cliff "ukelele ike" edwards - dinah
rosemary clooney/bing crosby - how about you
ethel merman - everything's coming up roses
blossom dearie - rhode island is famous for you
spike jones - knock knock (who's there?)
marion hutton - three little fishes (itty bitty poo)
shirley bassey - big spender
betty hutton - doin what comes naturally

Today was the final Divaville that I will ever cohost with Christa. Although I was getting a little teary on my drive up to WXDU, we had a great time in the station. I was dancing so hard to "Brazil" by Helen O'Connell, I seemed to have injured my hip. On the good side.

I just love Ethel Merman's "Everything's Coming Up Roses." I recommend singing it at the top of your lungs. Out of tune. Like no one else is watching. It feels great. But I should think twice before consuming caffeine... that drug brings out the crazies.


I think that the idea of Divaville grew out of a Thursday Night Feature that Christa and I cohosted on WXYC in the late 1990s of jazz and female vocalists from the 40s and 50s. In 2000, we cohosted a show of female vocalists once a month on Sunday mornings on WXDU. Eventually, Christa took the show into her own hands and created Divaville, a 2-hour show dedicated to the music that makes us both melt: vocalists of the 20s - 60s. Over the past six years, I'd sometimes pop up at WXDU to help out. My "help" usually was just me saying, "OOOO, let' s play this. Or I want to hear that." I would always want to play "Hot Dog" by Chris Powell or the "Monster Mash" by Bobby "Boris" Pickett.

Today, Christa and I sang Kay Starr's "You're Just In Love" together... each singing the separate parts. It was a lovely spontaneous duet just for the two of us during our last radio show together. I keep telling myself that I am not going to cry about Christa's departure.

Our entire playlist can be found here.

Radio Show, Tuesday June 19 6-9PM

Ethel Merman - Heat Wave
We All Have Hooks For Hands - Jumpin Jean-Luc
The Shangri-Las - The Dum Dum Ditty
Versus - Shangri-La
Les Paul - Chicken Reel
Jens Lekman - A Man Walks Into A Bar
Bowerbirds - Human Hands
Don Lennon - Young People Need Guidance
Louis Prima - Oh Marie
Lonnie Donegan & His Skiffle Group - Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor (On the Bedpost Overnight)
Cripple Lilies - Bella of the Rocks
Sugarplum Fairies - Not Smart At All
Little Willie John - Leave My Kitten Alone
Richard Hawley - Just Like the Rain
Annie Hayden - Swingin Party

I don't know what's happened to WXYC's Music Directors, but whatever it is, I like it. The MDs must've all fallen in love at the same time a couple weeks agoor something, because the music in rotation (the required hourly tracks that all DJs must play) is really wonderful: lots of pretty melodic pop music. Just this week, I discovered We All Have Hooks For Hands, the Sugerplum Faires and the Cripple Lillies, all of which are in rotation. My new favorite local band, the Bower Birds, have something in rotation. Two months ago, I dreaded playing the required cuts, because I felt like it was all noisy, scronky, dissonant stuff. But lately our rotation has introduced me to lots of new stuff that I love like Autumn Shade and Loney, Dear. Go Music Directors!!!!

So, I find myself thinking about Ethel Merman's voice kinda frequently these days. Doesn't everyone? Years ago, I couldn't stand the sound of her voice, but she's grown on me and now, I think I love her. It' s fun to sing along and imitate her. Try it sometime. And look at her with the Muppets! I don't remember seeing that episode... I'll have to put it in my Netflix queue. BTW, if you would like to hear Ethel Merman this afternoon, tune into Divaville on WXDU from 3-5PM.

Last week, Christa sent me a link to a Louis Prima performance which we discussed at length the hilarity of Keely Smith. Just check out the expression on her face. You can hear Louis Prima today on Divaville, too.

The entire playlist for last Tuesday's show can be found here.

Brooklyn's Banjo Ukulele Band

I have to thank Bill for telling me about Les Chauds Lapins. They perform 1920s and 30s French songs using of all instruments: THE BANJO UKULELE. Their amazing interpretation of "These Foolish Things" ["Ces Petites Choses"] is absolutely stunning. You must go to their MySpace page right now and listen to it. I mean it. And "Vous Etes Jolie" makes me melt... I want to be able to play my banjo uke like that. It's the most beautiful music I have heard in a very long time. I've got chills.

I also like that the English translation of Les Chauds Lapins is the hot rabbits. Heh. Heh. Heh.

Radio Show, Tuesday June 5 6-9PM

Frederick Knight - I've Been Lonely For So Long
Silicon Teens - Let's Dance
Clientele - Winter on Victoria Street
Bobby Darin - Lonely Road
Elvis Costello - Radio, Radio
Dinah Washington - What A Difference A Day Makes
Pete Townshend - Let My Love Open the Door
Velvet Underground - I Found A Reason
Ennio Morricone - Once Upon a Time In the West
Billy Bragg & Wilco - California Stars
Ella Fitzgerald - You Do Something To Me
Tito Puente - Ran Kan Kan
Ernie Kovacs - Hot Cakes and Sausage
Brigitte Bardot - Moi Je Joue

I think that I could play Wilco every week on the radio. And why shouldn't I? I love them.

Cole Porter. Cole Porter. I've had "You Do Something To Me" on the brain for a couple days. It makes me very happy. I wanted to play it on the air on Tuesday, but I couldn't think of any version except for Ella's during the 45 seconds I had before the song playing on the air ended. The Ella songbooks are easy to find, so I played her version. Eh. I wish I had taken the time to find a version with a little more gusto. Lately, I've found some of Ella's songbooks a bit schmaltzy. But her Cole Porter songbook was my gateway into the world of vocalists and tin pan alley songwriters.

"Lonely Road" by Bobby Darin is one of my all-time favorite songs. I absolutely love Bobby Darin. Before I ever bought a CD player, my Bobby Darin obsession led me to purchase a his 4-CD box set. I'm crazy for the man. If I were ever brave enough to do karaoke, I would want to sing Bobby Darin songs all night long. Especially "Lonely Road." I used to sing it to my cat, who really didn't care one way or another about the song or Bobby Darin as long as she got a treat at the end of the song. He'd probably do a kick-ass version of "You Do Something To Me." And his hit, "Beyond the Sea" makes me weak in the knees. I think that if someone sang that song to me while playing the ukulele, I think I would melt.

I'm working on a new mix tape, and I think that Tito Puente's Ran Kan Kan from the Mambo Kings soundtrack is going to be the impetus. GO TITO!

The rest of Tuesday's playlist can be found here. I love my radio show.

Lone Lonely Alone

For the past week or so, the general pain in my ankle has subsided but I am still a little unstable and have limited mobility in my ankle joint. I am able to get up and and do basic stuff like short driving, short walking, laundry, etc., but these remaining limitations are really taking their toll on me. Now that I am not in pain, I desperately want to get back to doing everything that I used to. But I can't, and that is driving me crazy. I cannot walk on grass or gravel. I cannot run. Heck, I cannot even walk fast. I can't walk down stairs without taking one single step at a time.


I finally ditched the cane this weekend not because my doctor instructed me to, but because I am so sick of using it. And I am sick of people telling me that the cane is sexy. It's not. I'll admit that Fred is quite handsome in his natty tux, top hat and cane, but he's dancing with his cane and not using it to hobble across the room. And he's not a girl.

I think that the lack of exercise is really draining me physically and emotionally. I just need to get out and run or do some yardwork or bike or swim or something. I think that if I could exercise, I'd have more energy. I've been active all weekend in the sense that I have been going out to restaurants and seeing friends and going to shows. It's nice to be around people, but it's not cutting this malaise.

As I drove to Chapel Hill this morning, I listened to the end of The Charm of the Highway Strip by the Magnetic Fields and then I decided to get my one-song musical horrorscope, which was the following Wilco song:

Shakin' sugar from a sugar spoon
Peppermint tea afternoon
Alone, alone, alone

Taking a shower take another nap
Watching television take a bath
Alone, alone, alone

Feel like a book, but I just cant start it
Feel like a lover, brokenhearted
Look in the mirror at the face in the glass
Look like a question no one ever asks

Alone
Like I'm supposed to be
Lone lonely alone Like
I'm supposed to be

Go for a walk, go for a drive
Listen to the stereo stay inside
Alone, alone, alone

Alone
Like I'm supposed to be
Lone lonely alone
Like I'm supposed to be

It's a great song, which I played over and over in the car. But what a horribly depressing musical horrorscope! I hope tomorrow's is something more cheery. Maybe I'll get a Fred Astaire song tomorrow. That would make me happy.

A Fine Romance

I just cannot get enough of the Ella and Louis duets. They make me swoon. Ummmmmmmmmm.....