John Richards

Good morning, happy Friday, and welcome to The Morning Show with John Richards. It's December, the last month of 2020! -- Phoebe Bridgers is covering Merle Haggard's 1973 song here. All proceeds from the sale of this song go to Los Angeles' Downtown Women's Center: www.instagram.com --- Phoebe Bridgers said of this song: "It’s my favorite Merle Haggard Christmas song, for sure. I was revisiting his catalog at the beginning of COVID and was like, man, this s**t is so depressing. He’s been to prison, and Johnny Cash played when he was in prison and he saw that show and started making music when he got out. So pretty much all his songs are about struggling with—and I’ve been thinking a lot about, obviously, as we all have—prison reform. So he was on my mind."

Jenny Lewis and Chicago rapper Dave Cohn (Serengeti) apparently have collaborated for five songs. "Unblu" is the first of these.: www.stereogum.com --- Watch the official video for "Unblu": www.youtube.com

Two incredible voices! This was recorded sometime between 1995-1996 by Jeff Buckley and Elizabeth Fraser. The song came out of a brief and extremely intense romantic affair between Buckley and Fraser at a time that Fraser’s marriage and band, the Cocteau Twins, were both coming to an end. Fraser has talked openly about the song being too difficult for her to listen to because she still feels so emotionally connected with to it. She told the Guardian in 2009 that while recording Massive Attack's "Teardrop" - "I'd got letters out and I was thinking about him. That song's kind of about him – that's how it feels to me anyway.": www.djdmac.com

Lou writes: good morning @loserboy, am getting my request for the Cure in early this AM.... --- "'Like Cockatoos' feeds my soul. The first steps to becoming someone else, someone knew, letting go of who you thought you were. The final look at where you come from, saying goodbye to someone, something you will never feel, see or touch again. Like birds flying high, brushing the clouds, lost in a mass of blue." Here's a "love essay" about this song: annecmichaud.com

Listen, I have errands to run. And I'm stuck here waiting for this great set to end. It started with the Hendrix and somehow made it to the Cure. I meant to leave 20 min ago. I really have to go soon! Maybe play something crappy, so I can get on my way? THANKS! ---Matthew --- Well, it's not this song. Is it, Matthew? You'll be postponing your errands a while longer.. --- Matthew, you (and everyone else) can purchase Bartees Strange's fine new album at his Bandcamp page: barteesstrange.bandcamp.com

The video for "Caffeinated Consciousness" captures the "bipolar" nature of the song with its switches from percussive sound to a little more calmness: www.youtube.com

“While ‘Peanuts’ is quite clearly about a woman killing her imaginary husband, it’s also about accepting that we don’t all see the world in the same way,” frontman James Smith says. “It feels to me that divisions are getting more extreme. We’re continually squeezing what should be a wide ranging spectrum of opinions and beliefs into two immovable castles towering either side of an unelected, unaccountable line in the sand. We’re so certain we’re right that we can’t comprehend why someone else could see the world differently to the way we do.": diymag.com

Good Morning John and sparkle motion team. After yesterday's show I would love to hear PJ Harvey's "You Said Something." Thanks for being there again this morning! - Mason in Madison --- "How did we get here? To this point of living? I held my breath... And you said something." Polly Jean Harvey sang this perfect song live on The Letterman Show: www.youtube.com

Here’s what this British band had to say about the track and accompanying video: "In the search for your true calling in life, it’s easy to try so many things that you end up confused. It can lead to an enormous build-up of frustration. You may fantasize about exacting revenge upon your real or imagined enemies. Ephemeral things and small-scale escapist experiences can provide some relief!": Here’s what the band had to say about the track and accompanying video: www.stereogum.com --- Check out Live video from Dry Cleaning's KEXP in-studio back in March, which included this song: kexp.org.

'Learning to Crawl' is the third studio album released by The Pretenders. The album was released in 1984, after a hiatus following the drug overdose deaths of two band members (James Honeyman-Scott and Pete Farndon). The title of this album came from Chrissie Hynde's then-infant daughter, who was learning to crawl while the band worked on this album. --- "Middle of the Road" is Chrissie Hynde's credo. She said in an interview: "My personal discipline has been to try to stay in the middle, always, no matter what I'm doing. If I buy a jacket and it comes in three sizes, I want a medium. You have to learn how to temper yourself and hold back till you get to the end."

The sophomore release from this London five-piece is set to arrive on January 15th, 2021, a year we think still might happen. shamebanduk.bandcamp.com -- Watch the official video for "Water in the Well": www.youtube.com -- shame played live in the KEXP Gathering Space in October 2018, hosted by Kevin Cole. youtu.be

shame, shame, John! --- This release from "Drunk Tank Pink" is "a song about love that is lost and the comfort and displeasure that comes after you close your eyes, fall into sleep, and are forced to confront yourself,” says singer Charlie Steen.: www.nme.com

Good Morning John - I wanted to share that a few weeks back we were talking with our 8 year old son about Family and Friends and who we could hang out with during pandemic. He says, "What about John in the Morning, he's kind of like family isn't he? We do know him don't we?" Pretty hard to explain, "Yeah kinda - we know him, but he doesn't know us." Anyhow - yesterday he asks, "Wouldn't it be amazing if John could sing all the songs he plays?" Ha ha - I tried to explain that technically, you do sing on that Casper Baby Pants song. But he says you're just talking, not singing. Can you play David Bowie - DJ You are not an imposter, you get it right too often for it to be just a lucky fluke. Happy Friday --J.B. and his son THEO --- It's pretty exciting in the booth!: www.youtube.com

Loving the new Doves album. This current set that you’re playing has a bunch of energy behind it… Can you add the song "Carousels" to the mix? Thanks, have a GREAT Friday morning! ---Henry in Austin -- Based around a drum sample by the beloved late Tony Allen, Jimi Goodwin shares of Doves' first single in 11 years, "'Carousels' is a really exciting track to come back with, especially now as it’s shot through with a lot of hope.

Seattle's own Say Hi is a.k.a. Eric Elbogen. Go here to learn lots more about his artist and to purchase the 2020 release, "Diamonds & Donuts": sayhitoyourmom.com

The original instrumental track for this song was created for The Stranger's SPLIFF film festival trailer. -- "Riches can't dissolve me...Judgement can't control me....But here I am...Going nowhere, eating dirt...On a freeway with everybody else... Read the lyrics and purchase this new single from local musician Erik Blood and L.A.-based singer/songwriter Gary V (Prism Tats)?: erikblood.bandcamp.com

Erasure is beatmaker Vince Clarke and lead singer Andy Bell. This song is known for the very high note Andy Bell hits toward the end, which gives you an idea of why Clarke chose him from a long queue of applicants after he placed an ad in Melody Maker looking for a vocalist. ---- According to Spin magazine (February 1989), Andy Bell would sometimes introduce this song on stage by saying: "When I was a little girl, I asked my mummy, 'Can I be gay when I grow up?' She replied, 'Yes if you show a little respect." : www.nylon.com

Christine and the Queens has linked up with renowned French band Indochine for a new song called “3SEX.” It’s a reworking of the new wave group’s hit “3e sexe,” originally found on their 1985 album "3." Check out the music video , featuring Chris and Indochine lead singer Nicola Sirkis.: www.youtube.com

Hello. Can you play "Alive" by Empire of the Sun please. For Alice and Felix. Thx✌️😷✌️ Mark in Snohomish ----- "Loving every minute 'cause you make me feel so alive, alive, alive, alive..." Watch musicians and performance artists Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore in the video for the song: www.youtube.com

Whale, whale, whale, what have we here? --- It’s my burfday… As it's the only song that guarantees I will immediately get up and start dancing no matter where I am, what I’m doing....Will you pls play…Whale....'Hobo Humpin Slobo Babe' As we could all use a little more dance in our lives JJ in San Jose --- Someone wrote: "I remember hearing this song and wondering if Bjork and the Beastie Boys got into a car accident together." Watch the video: www.youtube.com JJ in San Jose

Sports radio host Jim Rome stole this from Iggy; we're stealing it back. --- David Bowie co-wrote this song with Iggy Pop, with Bowie composing the music on a ukulele. Musically, it was inspired by the opening to the American Forces Network News, which the pair listened to in Berlin. Iggy recalled: "Once a week the Armed Forces Network would play Starsky & Hutch and that was our little ritual. AFN would broadcast an ID when they came on the air, a representation of a radio tower, and it made a signal sound, 'beep-beep-beep, beep-beep-ba-beep.' And we went, 'Aha we'll take that!'. David grabbed his ukulele, worked out the chords, and away we went." --- Fun KEXP fact: This song from Iggy Pop was the first, and also the last, that we played at our old home on Dexter Ave!

Ahhhh....the Friday song! Go here to vote for your top ten albums of the year, as well as for the winner of the first annual (and maybe only) KEXPY Awards: www.kexp.org --- There is NOTHING better than Henry announcing the Friday song. Please don’t ever let that end even when this pandemic is behind us. It’s truly one of the greatest joys. ❤️---Megan Jasper ---- Henry introducing the Friday song = smile across my face for life! We made it to another Fridayyyyyy! See y'all at SMOOCH ---Megan (like Vegan) in Kirkland

Good morning, my friends. If it works, I'd love to hear Fidlar's West Coast today. Be well, Greg from Greenlake --- Here's Fidlar in our studio back in 2015: www.youtube.com

I LOVE SEATTLE!!!! "Earthquake, tsunami, there's still no place i'd rather be..." They love Seattle, and we love TacocaT. Watch a KEXP live version of "I Love Seattle" in their 2018 performance at The Little London Plane during Upstream Music Fest: youtu.be tacocat.bandcamp.com

Greetings John....happy Friday to ya. Thanks for the great show yesterday. You do good things. Felt like hearing Viva! Sea Tac if you have a chance to fit it in. ❤ Ric in Belltown --- This was the very first song we played when we moved into our New Home.: www.thestranger.com

Upendra (“Uh - PEN - druh”) would like to make a birthday request for my wife Melanie! “Maybe I’m Amazed.” ---This one's for you, Melanie, from Upendra. Happy birthday! --- Recognize that voice? That's Sir Roderick David Stewart with his mates Ronnie Lane, Ronnie Wood, Ian McLagan and Kenney Jones in a live performance: www.youtube.com

He's fine. Don't worry! Rod Stewart is very much alive! ---- Dear John— This rod stewart song is maybe the first song I ever loved when I was a kid, now I’m rocking it in the kitchen with my own son who’s the age I was when I heard it. He loves it, too. Thanks for this moment! Josh in Ann Arbor ------ This song was inspired by the woman who deflowered Stewart when he was 16. In a 2007 interview, Stewart said: "'Maggie May' was more or less a true story, about the first woman I had sex with, at the Beaulieu Jazz Festival." He said, "There on a secluded patch of grass, I lost my not-remotely-prized virginity with an older (and larger) woman who'd come on to me very strongly in the beer tent. How much older, I can't tell you - but old enough to be highly disappointed by the brevity of the experience."

This song was born out of frontman Michael Stipe's exasperation at having to wake bassist Mike Mills up to go to work on the "Green" sessions. The band's former drummer, Bill Berry, remembered in the liner notes for Part Lies, Part Heart, Part Truth, Part Garbage: "Michael mentioned, only once, that these lyrics were a polite jab at Mike's proclivity to sleep late when afforded the opportunity. Notice, however, that Mike's vocal enters before Michael's. He must have beat Mr. Stipe to the studio on that particular occasion!"

Seattle favorites The True Loves performed this song and others live for KEXP listeners at The Little London Plane during Upstream Music Fest in 2018: www.youtube.com

Jimmy James is also fine. He's on John's lawn right now. - Owen --- Lamarr says of the song’s title, “While we were recording in the studio, the studio engineer, Jason Gray, asked me what was the name of the song? I said ‘I have no idea.’ Then he said, ‘How about Call Your Mom?’ and I said, ‘That’s dope. Let’s do it.’ : bit.ly -- The band's sophomore release, "I Told You So," will be out on January 29th. You can pre-order it now: delvonlamarrorgantrio.bandcamp.com

Hot off the heels of their most recent record ‘Man from the Future,’ Seattle-based psychedelic funk group, Polyrhythmics are releasing the follow-up EP ‘Fondue Party,' out on Color Red today, Friday, December 4, 2020.: polyrhythmics.bandcamp.com