Nov. 11 – Don’t Let Us Get Sick (SJAW Edition)

Don’t let us get sick
Don’t let us get old
Don’t let us get stupid, all right?
Just make us be brave
And make us play nice
And let us be together tonight
- Warren Zevon

It is Social Justice Awareness Week again at KUST – the twice yearly opportunity for us to explore an issue of importance to our community, nation or world in the context of music. Great River Radio has decided to tackle the very current and very hot problem of health care reform – the topic that we hear about every day, from the extremist pundits and the self interests and the sincere reformers. It is a very personal issue – if we haven’t found ourselves sick and broken and in need of healing yet, our loved ones have, and it is inevitable that we will all interact with America’s huge and complex health care system at some point in our lives.

We want to take this opportunity to bring to GRR listeners some songs that came to mind (including many requests from our listeners) as we ponder the health care debate that is underway in this country this very day. We will supplement the music this afternoon with some readings and thoughts on the situation – one which is too often obscured by rhetorical excess, misinformation and outright lies. If you have (like we have) tried to sort out the accurate information from the politics, you may have just thrown up your hands in frustration.

Unfortunately, we can’t explain the intricacies of the bill which just passed the House, or what the Senate will do to it next. We can’t tell you how the doctor and hospital you go to price their services. We can’t explain what constitutes a “pre-existing condition” and why it isn’t covered by your insurance. But we can entertain you for two hours with music about health, healing, hospitals, illness and, finally, mercy. Tune in to Great River Radio this afternoon as we tackle health care reform in our own tiny way, and catch music by Panda Bear, Fountains of Wayne, Loudon Wainwright, Tom Waits, Annie Lennox, Conor Oberst, Ben Kweller, Ted Hawkins, The Band, Mary Gauthier, The Replacements and others – songs selected by Brian, Dan and YOU.

Next week we’ll return to regular programming at Great River Radio, bringing you a mix of the music we’ve been listening to lately. Our regular feature, Confluence, will concern our best friends: dogs. Let us know your favorite dog songs and maybe Brian and I will bring Sonny and Finn into the studio!

Playlist
Chest Fever-The Band
Rockin’ Pneumonia and th Boogie Woogie Flu-Dr. John
Sick Day-Fountains of Wayne
Hurt-Johnny Cash
Everybody Hurts-REM
Rattle My Bones-The Suburbs
Everything Is Broken-Bob Dylan
How Can A Poor Man Stand Such Times And Live-The Del Lords
Don’t Let Us Get Sick-Jill Sobule
Allergies-Paul Simon
Sorry You’re Sick-Ted Hawkins
Doctor Robert-The Beatles
Doctor Blind-Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton
Bitter Pill-Annie Lennox
The Healing Game-John Lee Hooker/Van Morrison
That Hospital-Loudon Wainwright III
Hospital Bed-Ben Kweller
Take Me Down To the Hospital-The Replacements
I Don’t Want to Die (In The Hospital)-Conor Oberst
When Water Comes To Life-Cloud Cult
Mercy Now-Mary Gauthier
Handle Me With Care-Travelling Wilburys

Nov. 3 – Things That Scare Me

It might be scary
‘til your eyes adjust
don’t fear the shadows
me you can trust

Don’t be afraid of the dark
don’t be afraid of the dark
I’ll be there to hold you
don’t be afraid of the dark

You might tremble
you might shake
scream out loud
maybe even pray

Don’t be afraid of the dark
don’t be afraid of the dark
I’ll be there to hold you
don’t be afraid of the dark

-  Robert Cray “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark”

We’re guessing that you’ve had your fill of Halloween treats the last couple of days (well, one last Twix bar couldn’t hurt). But have you ever stopped to think about the allure of this peculiar holiday? The influences on this (mostly secular) day of celebration are many. And although Halloween’s popularity spikes in the United States, many other countries now join in the fun. For some individuals, the opportunity to play dress-up and reinvent themselves is too exciting to pass up. For others, an entire population masking who they are and reveling in anonymity can be a bit disturbing.

In past years, Great River Radio has used this occasion to dig into our shared library and play music with an emphasis on Saints, Souls and Goblins. This afternoon we’ll take a little different tack as we bring you music inspired by the things that raise the hair on our arms (or backs!). You’ll hear music about darkness and shadows, homicidal maniacs and victims, graveyards and wild things. Don’t think of this as a stereotypical or clichéd attempt at playing Halloween music. We’ll have tracks from Great River Radio-endorsed artists such as Neko Case, Andrew Bird, Tom Waits, Joe Henry, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, M83, Eels and Band of Horses. We’ll have local music from Roma di Luna, Trip Shakespeare and the Suburbs. And we’ll even fit in listener request segment with some of your favorites. In other words, it’s the sort of quality music you’ve come to expect from Great River Radio. You’re not going to want to miss it.

We’re live from 4-6 p.m. (CST) today via http://www.kustradio.com
Chat with us in the studio via iChat or AIM at screen name: kustradio

Next week is our annual SJAW (Social Justice Awareness Week) show. In order to maintain our club status at KUST, each semester we must devote a show to a topic or theme that has some social relevance. Our theme next week is health care. Do you have any health- or illness-related songs you would like to hear? Send us a an email or post your requests on our Website.

Playlist
Thriller Intro-Michael Jackson
Full Moon-The Black Ghosts
I hear Noises-Tegan and Sara
Things That Scare Me-Neko Case
Don’t Be Scared-Andrew Bird
My Beloved Monsters-Eels
Monster Lve-Goldfrapp
Is There A Ghost-Band of Horses
City Full of Ghosts-Mike Scott
Bruised Ghosts-Amy Millan
King’s Highway-Joe Henry
Psycho Killer-Talking Heads
Cold Blooded Old Times-Smog
Heads Will Roll-Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Skeletons-Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Shadows-Au Revoir Simone
Shadows-Gospel Gossip
The Romance of Wolves-Roma Di Luna
Rattle My Bones-Suburbs
Dry Bones-Herman Munster
Adams Family Intro
Here Come the Martian Martians-Jonathan Richman & Modern Lovers
In Germany Before The War-Randy Newman
You Took The Words Right Out of My Mouth Intro-Meatloaf
Graveyard-Trip Shakespeare
Whistlin’ Past The Graveyard-Tom Waits
Pretty Girls Make Graves-The Smiths
Graveyard Girl-M83
The Unquiet Grave-Solas
All Is Love-Karen O.

October 27 – The Road

There’s a car outside
And there’s a road
There’s a time to stay
And a time to rock and roll
You’ve been a real good friend
But I’m on my way
If I don’t see you real soon
I’ll see you down the road someday
Jimmy LaFave  “Car Outside”

I’m a rolling stone, all alone and lost,
For a life of sin, I have paid the cost.
When I pass by, all the people say
‘Just another guy on the lost highway.‘
Hank Williams “Lost Highway”

And this traveling around
Going to be the death of me
Lyle Lovett “This Traveling Around”

Music and travelling, especially by car, have always been good companions.  Did you know that the Motorola company got its name when it started manufacturing car radios in the early 30’s?  Do you remember when car radios were options on a new car?  When they only had an AM band? Some of us now judge a car not by what’s under the hood, but by the quality, number and location of the speakers.

The music we listen on the road matches our moods – sadness when we are leaving someone, delight when we are returning home, a beat when we are rolling down the interstate, something moody when we are driving at night, something electrifying when we need to stay awake.  Something light and cheerful when the top is down, something that matches the beat of the windshield wipers when it is raining.

Perhaps there are so many “Travelling Blues” because travelling often can be lonely.  Are there so many songs about the road because musicians spend a good amount of their lives travelling from town to town?  Certain roads have been the subject of many songs (US 61 and 66 most notably.) Not to mention songs about cars themselves (we know of songs about Fords, Chevrolets and Studebakers, among others.)

This afternoon, Great River Radio will tackle road music.  What was just going to be a Confluence theme has blossomed into an entire show.  It’s been two years since we’ve done road music on GRR – and there is so much great music that works well in the car, or refers to the act of driving and leaving and returning and running away and just moving.  We’ll hear from everyone from Sarah Vaughn to Tom Waits, Son Volt to Talking Heads, there will be new music (Ruthie Foster) and old (Hank Williams), some of your favorites and some you’ve never heard before.

Next week we’ll return to the shorter Confluence form – since we are in Halloween season, send us your ideas on the theme of monsters.  Not too scary, please.

Playlist
Angels On The Banks-Katie Herzig
Lost Highway-Hank Williams
When It Don’t Come Easy-Ruthie Foster
Route 66 (theme)-The TV Theme Players
Detour Ahead-Sarah Vaughn
It’s Rock And Roll-Lyle Lovett
Car Outside-Jimmy LaFave
Ol’ 55-Tom Waits
Goin’ By Feel-Ray Bonneville
Please Tell My Brother-Golden Smog
Road To Nowhere-Talking Heads
Dirt Road Blues-Bob Dylan
The Road (theme)-Nick Cave and Warren Ellis
Driving With The Brakes On-Del Amitri
Chevrolet-Taj Mahal
Ford Econoline-Nanci Griffith
Studebaker-Jordan Zevon
Rules Of Travel-Rosanne Cash
Yakima-Erik Friedlander
Drive (live)-REM
61 Highway-Corey Harris
Afterglow 61-Son Volt
Drive South-John Hiatt
You Can Sleep While I Drive-Melissa Etheridge
Last Chance Texaco-Rickie Lee Jones
This Traveling Around-Lyle Lovett
Long Way-Antje Duvekot

Oct. 20 – Teachers

“The job of an educator is to teach students to see the vitality in themselves.” – Joseph Campbell

It’s time once again for Great River Radio. Our “Confluence” theme this week is “Teachers.” We’ve dug up some interesting teacher-learning related songs, and many of you have offered us a suggestion or two as well. You’ll hear from likely classroom pests Rufus Wainwright, Paul Westerberg, Matt and Kim, Lyle Lovett, Indigo Girls and Rockpile.

As always, we have some exciting new music to share with you. You might recall Irish musician Glen Hansard and Czech singer and pianist Markéta Irglová from the movie “Once.” Well, the impossibly perfect romance between the two musician/actors may have fizzled, but the two continue to make music together under the name The Swell Season. They have a new, deeply personal album out, and we will be playing a track from that release. We also have new tunes from the Avett Brothers, Heartless bastards, Rickie Lee Jones and Grizzly Bear. Echo & the Bunnymen, giants of late 80s alternative music scene, have released their 11^th studio album, “The Fountain.” Well play the first single, “I Think I Need It Too.”

One of the great advantages of connecting with so many music lovers around the country is that we get to hear about your “must-listen-to” music discoveries. We owe Aaron from Boston a tip-of-the-hat for turning us on to Mumford & Sons. They are part of the London folk rock scene that includes Noah and the Whale and Laura Marling. The group’s first release, “Sigh No More,” was released on Oct. 6 in the UK. Well spin a tune from the album and see what you think. Thanks for the rec, Aaron.

All this and so much more today on Great River Radio!

NEXT WEEK’S ASSIGNMENT – With upcoming film releases of Cormac McCarthy’s “The Road” and a new documentary on Jack Kerouac, “One Fast Move or I’m Gone: Kerouac’s Big Sur,” we thought an interesting theme for next week’s “Confluence” segment might be ROAD SONGS. We’ve done “best road music” theme shows before, so let’s get creative with this topic. Email us your requests or post them below.

Playlist
Peace Like a River-Spoon
I Think I Need It Too-Echo and the Bunnymen
Blank White Page-Mumford and Sons
Slow Life-Grizzly Bear
Hell-Teigan and Sara
Jesus, Etc-Wilco
The Art Teacher-Rufus Wainwright
Baby Learn To Crawl-Paul Westerberg
Lessons Learned-Matt and Kim
Closer-Indigo Girls
Teach Me Tonight-Etta James
Teach Me About Love-Lyle Lovett
Gloomy Monday Morning-Black Hollies
Use Somebody-Bat For Lashes
One Fast Move Or I’m Gone-Jay Farrar/Ben Gibbard
Feeling The Pull-Swell Season
Angel’s Share-Doveman
Lissie Maurus-Little Lovin’
The Mountain-Heartless Bastards
Suspicious Minds-Rusted Root
Never Ending Love-Delaney and Bonnie and Friends
Laundry Room-Avett Brothers
Old Enough-Rickie Lee Jones
Angels on the Banks-Katie Herzig