#0086 – Music for Melancholy

Melancholy is this show’s theme. More precisely, how music moves me from feeling melancholy to feeling more upbeat. We all feel melancholy from time to time, for many different reasons. Lost or unrequited love, loss of a dream, even a rainy day. whatever the reason we have all been there.

When I feel melancholy I like to first live with it for a while, then listen to songs that sweep the melancholy away.

Rock Island, WI at sunset

Move from feeling melancholy to . . .well. . . better

1. The Who – Melancholia
2. Neil Young – Birds
3. Patty Loveless – Sorrowful Angels
4. Bob Dylan – Simple Twist of Fate
5. Ray Charles – A Fool for you
6. The Doors – The Changeling
7. Rolling Stones – Rocks Off
8. Steve Earl – Galway Girl
9. The Grateful Dead – Scarlet Begonias
10. The Allman Brothers – Blue Sky
11. The Ramones – California Sun

#0076 – The Road Most Traveled

Just your basic mix of cover songs. Ska covers! Bluegrass covers! Metal covers! Punk covers!

Just your basic mix of cover songs. Ska covers! Bluegrass covers! Metal covers! Punk covers!

I know, it’s been done, but dammit it’s MY TURN.

It was brought to my attention though that on a few of these, the original songs may be less well known, so I’ve created a second mix containing the same playlist in the same order, but all original songs rather than the cover versions.

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01. Turisas – Rasputin (Boney M)
02. Van Canto – Kings of Metal (Manowar)
03. Dinosaur Jr. – Just Like Heaven (The Cure)
04. Melvins – Going Blind (KISS)
05. Apocalyptica – Welcome Home (Sanitarium) (Metallica)
06. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – Puff The Magic Dragon (Peter Paul and Mary)
07. The English Beat – Tears of a Clown (Smokey Robinson and the Miracles)
08. Fishbone – Date Rape (Sublime)
09. Reel Big Fish – Hungry Like The Wolf (Duran Duran)
10. The Meat Purveyors – Round and Round (Ratt)
11. Iron Horse – Polar Opposites (Modest Mouse)
12. Lucero – Kiss The Bottle (Jawbreaker)
13. Ramones – Needles and Pins (The Searchers)
14. Seu Jorge – Five Years (David Bowie)
15. The Slackers – Wanted Dead Or Alive (Bon Jovi)
16. Five Iron Frenzy – It’s Not Unusual (Tom Jones)
17. The Urge – This Is Radio Clash (The Clash)
18. The Protomen – No Easy Way Out (Robert Tepper)

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Put On Your Happy Face!

In his first Fireside Chat, FDR closed his remarks on the Banking Crisis in 1933 with this:

“…there is an element in the readjustment of our financial system more important than currency, more important than gold, and that is the confidence of the people. Confidence and courage are the essentials of success in carrying out our plan. You people must have faith; you must not be stampeded by rumors or guesses. Let us unite in banishing fear. We have provided the machinery to restore our financial system; it is up to you to support and make it work.

It is your problem no less than it is mine. Together we cannot fail.”

To hear FDR actually deliver it, check it out here. Otherwise, buck up, campers. Radio Gen1us is back. We’re not going anywhere and together, rocking out, mano in mano, we’ll get through this shitty shitstorm of shit. So let’s rock out a bit.

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  • Dollars and Sesne – Bob Dorough & Friends
  • I Don’t Feel Like Dancing – Scissor Sisters
  • Step On – Happy Mondays
  • Blue Jean – David Bowie
  • Baby, Hold On – Eddie Money
  • For a Few Dollars More – Ennio Morricone & Terranova
  • Newjack – Justice
  • Forever – Walter Meego
  • El Movimiento – Alla
  • Money (In God We Trust) – Extreme
  • Big Fat Money – Van Halen
  • Faith – Limp Bizkit
  • Daytime Dilemma (Dangers of Love) – The Ramones
  • Halloween Parade – Sleep Out
  • William, It Was Really Nothing – The Smiths
  • Transmission – Joy Division
  • With Plenty of Money and You – Tony Bennett & Count Basie
  • Mo Money Mo Problems – The Notorious B.I.G.
  • Straight Out the Jungle – Jungle Brothers
  • Debra – Beck

#0058 – IRON DJ – Tabula Rasa

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Iron Deejay

The subject of this delinquent-but-still-special mix is John Locke. No, not that Limey philosopher who theorized that the mind is a tabula rasa (blank slate). I’m talking about the character on ABC’s wildly frustrating and popular TV series Lost. Season whatever just closed with some major revelations about my boy John. Like the show, this mix deals in flashbacks, semi-present island time, and, if you’re lucky, flash forwards. But mostly, it doesn’t make sense. Beware that this mix contains spoilers.

Get lost in the mix:

    1. Electric Light Orchestra – I’m Alive
    2. The Ramones – I Believe In Miracles
    3. Guns N’ Roses – Paradise City
    4. Eels – My Beloved Monster
    5. Neutral Milk Hotel – King of Carrot Flowers, Part 1
    6. Death Cab For Cutie – I Will Follow You Into The Dark
    7. Downset – Anger
    8. Jane’s Addiction – Had a Dad
    9. Lodger – I Love Death
    10. Men At Work – Down Under
    11. Soundgarden – Blow Up The Outside World
    12. Bad Company – Bad Company
    13. Queen – All Dead, All Dead

      #0040 – Higher Learning

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      DJ Scott: It’s always 4:20 on Radio Gen1us, and this week I’m bringing you some songs that are under the influence.  I know that there are some glaring snubs like Gunz ‘n Roses’ Mr. Brownstone, but I couldn’t DARE leave out deserving artists like Green Jello, could I?  COULD I? This playlist covers a lot of ground, from the ridiculous to the ridiculously awesome. 

      Light up, listen up, and leave some feedback, dammit.

      Tracklist (click a song title to buy the high quality, DRM-free MP3 from Amazon):

      1. Drugs Have Done Good Things – Bill Hicks
      2. Mary Jane – Rick James
      3. Because I Got High 2007 – Afroman
      4. Smoke Two Joints – Richard Cheese
      5. Hits From The Bong – Cypress Hill
      6. White Rabbit – Jefferson Airplane
      7. Magic Medicine – Incubus
      8. Trippin’ On XTC – Green Jello
      9. Cocaine Blues (Live) – Johnny Cash
      10. Tell It To Me – Old Crow Medicine Show
      11. Cocaine – Eric Clapton
      12. Cocaine – Bob Dylan
      13. The Needle And The Spoon – Lynyrd Skynyrd
      14. Golden Brown – The Stranglers
      15. Chinese Rock – The Ramones
      16. Junkhead – Alice in Chains
      17. The Slow Drug – PJ Harvey
      18. I Want A New Drug – Huey Lewis & The News

      Listener Problems Sought!

      I’ll be providing boundless wisdom and brilliant advice in my future Dear DJ mix.  I need you to send me your problems, so that I can address them in words and, more importantly, in song.  I liked the Long Distance Dedications mix so much, that I thought this would be fun.  Your problems can be real, fictional, serious, funny, first-person, third-person, anonymous, whatever.  Just send them over to me at cuppycup@gmail.com and I’ll turn your life around.  Please make your letters similar to the Dear Abby style, but maybe less wordy.  Several examples can be found here: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/03/25/LI2005032502583.html  

      #0027 – File under: Generation Xmas

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      Happy Holiday Season to you, regardless of your affinity or affiliation.  This mix contains holiday-themed tunes by MXPX, The Ramones, Pearl Jam, AC/DC, Elvis Presley, Barenaked Ladies, Nerf Herder, The Eels, South Park, Clarence Carter, Otis Redding, MC Chris, Run-DMC, Bing Crosby, Fall Out Boy, No Doubt, The Walkmen, Dylan Thomas, David Bowie, The Pogues and Wham!