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Thursday, Jun 15 2023, 7AM
Happy birthday to the late Harry Nilsson who would have been 82 years old today.
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This song recently found new popularity as the theme song for the TV series Russian Doll.
Golden Brown was the most played song in the UK in 1982. #Facts. The most popular song in the US that same year? You guessed it, "Physical" by Olivia Newton-John. "Eye of the Tiger"by Survivor came in second and then, thank goodness Joan Jett released "I Love Rock 'n Roll" which came in third.
This is be a perfect song.
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Paul Weller has said this is his favorite song, Pete Townshend has called it "divine", and Tim Finn once said it was the song he wished he had written. To paraphrase Nicholas Cage on SNL, "that's HIGH PRAISE."
Featured in a montage from Rushmore. Max Fischer is “one of the worst students we’ve got,” says the Headmaster of the prestigious Rushmore Academy.
The track's original title was "Little Greenback", which is slang for a US dollar. However, the single was given the erroneous title "Little Green Bag", which some took to be a "bag of marijuana". The lyrics of the song adds to the belief that it's about marijuana, since it describes quite similarly the confusion of trying to find the bag, The "Little Green Bag" title was then retained for all subsequently released versions of the single, as well as the group's 1970 debut album, also titled Little Green Bag.
HOLLER is the forthcoming album from The Watson Twins produced by Grammy Nominated producer Butch Walker and recorded "live" at his studio the Butcher Shop in Nashville. This collection of songs finds the twins leaning deeper into their Americana & Country roots.
"Highwomen" is a reworking of Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson's country supergroup's theme song "The Highwayman."
The Highwomen are a butt-kicking super-group made up of local hero Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby, Maren Morris, and Amanda Shires. - www.thehighwomen.com
The Highwaymen were a supergroup featuring Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson. By day they wrote killer songs like this. At night, fueled by whiskey and the love of good women, they traversed the country writing wrongs with hard, cold justice. Oh, and a really cute Corgi named Stan. #TheMoreYouKnow #OwenShouldNotBeAllowed
On this day 25 years ago, these two heroes took to the Storytellers stage and created magic...
...a really cute Corgi named Stan. #ImadeThatUp
On this date in 1989, Nirvana's debut album "Bleach" was released in the US on Sub Pop. Both the band and record label were never heard from again...wait, that's not true.
As the legend goes, Kurt Cobain stopped by KCMU (what would become KEXP) after the release of Nirvana’s first 7-inch single, Love Buzz / Big Cheese. He personally handed over a copy to the station then sat in his car with his radio tuned in and waited to hear his song. When he didn’t hear it, he called in and requested the song himself.
Shocking Blue was a Dutch psych rock band formed in The Hague in 1967. They had numerous international hit singles and sold over 13.5 million records by 1973 before disbanding. And as you just heard, the first Nirvana song ever played on KEXP was a cover of Shocking Blue's “Love Buzz.”
Hey John,
My son is graduating kindergarten today and I’m trying not to ugly cry. We’ve listened to Kexp every day of his long six years so much now that he thinks I work there (which I’m totally down for except have no transferable skills). Anyhow, he absolutely loves David Bowie. Could you please send out some Space oddity to my son, August?
Thank you so much !
Love from Bellingham,
Liz & August
Ashes to ashes, funk to funky
We know Major Tom's a junkie
Strung out in heaven's high
Hitting an all-time low
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“Ashes to Ashes” is a follow up to “Space Oddity,” and in this song, Major Tom is revealed to be a drug addict.
This song is also about David Bowie’s own experiences with drug addiction. In 1977, David Bowie’s friend and producer Brian Eno brought David Bowie to Berlin to kick his drug addiction. This journey resulted in three seminal David Bowie albums: Low, “Heroes”, and Lodger. They are known as The Berlin Trilogy, also called his “Berlin Period.”
Dieser Titel ist eigentlich eine Referenz und Fortsetzung von David Bowies ikonischem Song Space Oddity“ aus den späten 1960er Jahren. Es wurde ursprünglich auf Deutsch, Schillings Muttersprache, veröffentlicht.
Außerdem sind John und Owen sehr hübsch und lustig.
Some say the inspiration for Bernie Taupin's lyrics, however, was the short story The Rocket Man, written by Ray Bradbury. The sci-fi author's tale is told from the perspective of a child, whose astronaut father has mixed feelings at leaving his family in order to do his job.
Others say it's inspired in some way by David Bowie's Space Oddity.
Recording, performed and mixed during the pandemic. Just incredible. Watch and cry. www.youtube.com
For all the beautiful kids graduating from whatever year of school they are in. We love you all so much.
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, "Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
- Mr. Fred Rogers
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An untrained children's choir accompanies the Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman on this song from the soundtrack that she composed for the 2009 film.: www.youtube.com
That Mr. Rogers clip always makes me bawl. My little sister has downs syndrome and she is the sweetest person and I feel so lucky to have grown up with her in my life. You really know how to get all the feels going :)
Nikki & Esteban
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“There was a story going around about the Special Olympics. For the hundred-yard dash, there were nine contestants, all of them so-called physically or mentally disabled. All nine of them assembled at the starting line and, at the sound of the gun, they took off. But one little boy didn't get very far. He stumbled and fell and hurt his knee and began to cry. The other eight children heard the boy crying. They slowed down, turned around, and ran back to him--every one of them ran back to him. The little boy got up, and he and the rest of the runners linked their arms together and joyfully walked to the finish line.
They all finished the race at the same time. And when they did, everyone in the stadium stood up and clapped and whistled and cheered for a long, long time. And you know why? Because deep down we know that what matters in this life is more than winning for ourselves. What really matters is helping others win, too, even if it means slowing down and changing our course now and then.”
― Fred Rogers
This song was originally going to be part of a four-track EP. However according to songwriter Charlie Fink, when they took it to their record label, they said: "You should probably do more with this." So they did.
In 1989, Byrne licensed the lyrics for this song (about a little kid who wants to keep the baby up all night) for a children’s book, with images by illustrator Maira Kalman.
See the band ascend in their white jumpsuits in the video for "Stay Up Late": bit.ly
The song features only Mike Mills on piano, Michael Stipe on vocals and orchestral instruments arranged by Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones.
R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck wasn’t needed on the track, but he recalled the song’s creation: “Being competitive bastards that we are, Mike and I started auditioning chord changes and tunes for Michael,” he said. “Mike had a piano instrumental that he played to Michael. He listened once, nodded his head to hear it again, and on the second pass he sang the lyrics. It was ‘Nightswimming,’ exactly like the record we would record a year later. I was standing in the corner dumbfounded.”: americansongwriter.com
This might be the best set in the history of radio. I’ve gotten nothing done this morning so far because I'm glued to the radio (which isn’t much different than most other mornings, but still!). The emotion just keeps going and I love it. Well done John. And thank you:)
Tommy from LA
#Truth
Could you play a song for my son, Esteban. He's been through a lot in these past two weeks. Way too much for a 7 year old to go through. And because of it we had to pull him from his school and we're fighting for a transfer. Anyways. If you could squeeze in a Tears for Fears song. He and I share a huge love for music and KEXP. Thank you so much.
Nikki
"Roam from the b-52s
Celebrating two years of sobriety today - thank you for the awesome soundtrack!!!
Jason"
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Famed hitmaker Nile Rodgers produced this track -- he helped the B-52s break out of a creative funk and expand their audience. When they made the album, they had to start without Rodgers, who was wrapping up another project. This ended up giving the album even more creative energy, as they spent a month recording four songs with Don Was, including "Love Shack." youtu.be
"Hey since you guys are already doing a 2 for Tuesday theme. I wonder if you could send a Double shot out to Melody who had a double whammy loss this week. Over the weekend she broke both arms in mountain biking accident. Then while she was having surgery on her wrist - her mom who was in decline passed away.
It has been a tough week - but we have had so many friends and family help out which is the silver lining.
If Owen Murphy could do his cheezy radio voice and send a double shot to melody or either Sinead O'connor or First Aid kit.
Thank you,
JB and Melody."
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"I Am Stretched on Your Grave" was taken from an anonymous 17th-century poem titled "Táim sínte ar do thuama". The album was nominated for four Grammy Awards in 1991, including Record of the Year, Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.
Watch her perform this song live at a 1990 Brussels concert: youtu.be
In the Catholic church, Cecilia is the patron saint of musicians. In this context, the song can be interpreted as the singer asking for musical guidance, possibly to help writing a song. Paul Simon says he can't remember the specific inspiration when he was writing the song, but he knew Cecilia is the goddess of music.
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"...the strange sounding rhythm to this particular track was Paul and Art slapping their thighs, while Paul's brother Eddie thumped a piano bench and a friend named Stewie Scharff strummed a guitar with its strings slackened to the point of atonality....": www.songfacts.com
""Girlfriend in a Coma” is an AIDS song. It’s a response to the crisis that took the lives and broke the hearts of so many friends and lovers – the holocaust of the 1980s. In contradistinction to Elvis Costello’s notion that Morrissey could not complete an introductory thought, the song’s terse, subtle elegance goes on to address a worldwide trauma."
Read this piece in Rolling Stone:
www.rollingstone.com
Brandon Summers of The Helio Sequence performed "Lately" live in the KEXP studio in 2018. Watch the full session here:
youtu.be
theheliosequence.bandcamp.com
www.heliosequence.com
Dogs was a post-punk-influenced indie rock band from London. They toured with Paul Weller and Razorlight. Their first album, Turn Against This Land, released on 19 September 2005, was recorded at Sawmills Studio in Cornwall, produced by John Cornfield. It was released by Island Records.
Also how did they get the band name "Dogs," thats amazing.
Title says all.
Eagle Seagull was an American indie rock band from Lincoln, Nebraska, United States that singer/songwriter Eli Mardock formed in 2004.
Who Is She? is playing Babe Fest on Sat, June 10 at the Lo-Fi and the Paramount Theatre on July 6th!
Debut full-length from Robin Edwards (Lisa Prank), Bree Mckenna (Tacocat), Julia Shapiro (Chastity Belt), and Emily Nokes (Tacocat) is out August 25th!
whoisshe.bandcamp.com
Is your mother worried? Would you like us to assign someone to worry your mother?
(This was released on this day in 2021 yaaay)
This was the number one album of 2022 as voted by you - our wonderful listeners!
This debut album from Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers is fantastic: www.wetlegband.com
Morgan hosted Wet Leg at Thing Fest in August, 2022:
www.youtube.com
The Divinyls are singer Christina Amphlett and guitarist Mark McEntee. They wrote this with the songwriting team of Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg, who have a knack for writing hit songs for female vocalists. They also wrote "I'll Stand By You," "Like A Virgin," "Eternal Flame," "True Colors" and "So Emotional."
This is clearly about masturbation, but there's more to it. In our interview with Billy Steinberg, he said: "What I like about the song is that in spite of the fact that the chorus kind of boldly says that, the verse was much more sort of poetic and kind of meaningful. It says, 'I love myself, I want you to love me, when I feel down I want you above me, I search myself, I want you to find me, I forget myself, I want you to remind me.' Those words I think are very strong and it's not an obvious start to finish jack off song. I like playing with words, and whether it's 'Like a Virgin' or 'I Touch Myself,' I like taking phrases or words that are sort of untapped and find a way to write something meaningful and that has a rebelliousness because really that's what rock's all about. Talking 'bout my generation, you know."
bit.ly
Divinyls "I Touch Myself" live:
youtu.be
This song was considered controversial, as it dealt with masturbation. It was included on the Parents Music Resource Center's "Filthy Fifteen" list, due to its sexual lyrics; this led to the creation of the Parental Advisory sticker.
Anyway, the "Filthy Fifteen" makes a great playlist:
www.rollingstone.com
American social issues advocate Tipper Gore reportedly co-founded the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC) in 1985 because she witnessed her daughter Karenna, who was 11 years old at the time, listening to "Darling Nikki". As examples of what they meant, PMRC published a list of 15 popular "filthy" songs, with "Darling Nikki" first. The PMRC would later become known for leading to the use of the well-known Parental Advisory sticker on album covers.
That's right, the Gore family is responsible for the Parental Advisory sticker AND the Internet. Thanks, Obam-er, Gore.
Although "Whip It" was not about masturbation (SURE, JAN) or sadomasochism as some listeners believed, Devo used these sexual themes for an accompanying music video. The video is set on a dude ranch where cowboys and cowgirls are watching Mothersbaugh whip the clothing from a cigarette-smoking woman.
www.youtube.com
"Dancing with Myself” originated from Billy Idol and one of his homies actually witnessing people dance with themselves, in front of mirrors, in a Japanese disco. That’s why at the beginning of the song he gives a shoutout to “Tokyo”.
It can totally be a double entendre, though.
"Girls on Film" was released on this day in 1981.
This song is best known for its video, which was the first extended video ever made and was quite racy. In an interview on the band's Greatest Hits DVD collection, Simon Le Bon says that the controversy over the song's notoriously raunchy music video eclipsed the song's message of fashion model exploitation. The video was directed by Lol Creme and Kevin Godley, who were the leaders of the group 10cc and also recorded as Godley & Creme. bit.ly Watch the video here: youtu.be