This show began with one from the new debut disc by the School, who certainly enjoy working their favorite '60s influences into their tunes. The track we heard here took me back to the early years of that decade, when Arthur Alexander had his greatest success, and both of those opening numbers worked a theme of romantic loss that we followed through the rest of the tunes in this set. Diane Dane was a character in That Thing You Do!, which was Tom Hanks's directorial debut, and her song from that soundtrack led to a Beatles track that features one of those amazing John Lennon lead vocals from their early days. Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings added a bit of 21st-century soul to the mix from their new disc, which brought on Alton Ellis with a reggae version of Tyrone Davis's 1969 hit. Then we finished with the New York Dolls from last year's album setting one of their early tunes to a reggae beat, followed by Peter Tosh along with Mick Jagger on a tune whose title appeared two more times later on in the program.

I finally got my hands on a copy of the new disc by Jason & the Scorchers, which came out last month and is their first since the mid-'90s. It's moved into my current rotation of personal favorites, and here we heard a tune that looks back to days gone by with a knowing grin. Nils Lofgren once covered a Goffin/King tune that also referenced the past to comment on the present, and from there we heard the Kinks remembering good times followed by a pair of splendid Kinks covers from Steve Forbert and the Marble Tea. At that point it was time for She & Him and Teenage Fanclub with entries two and three in the same title but different song category, which led to Big Star pointing out what should be obvious and Wilco not happy about it at all.

Speaking of Wilco, Nels Cline has released a new disc of instrumental tunes, and the one we heard immediately conjured up an old Mahavishnu Orchestra track. That brought on a Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds song that has an appealingly menacing tone, which makes it the perfect tune to listen to while you're hanging out on the street described so memorably by John Cooper Clarke. At that point the resignation set in as we finished with a trio of tracks from Leonard Cohen, Dr. Dog and the Minus 5.

The final section grew out of a moving Roky Erickson song from his new disc with Okkervil River. His search for understanding and beneficence after the many travails of his life is reflected in many of the songs on this album, including the one that closed the show. Coming before it was a fine freeform radio selection of artists who all seemed to be searching for answers to their own trials and tribulations.

Here's the complete playist.

NELSON RIDDLE ORCHESTRA . . . . . Route 66 Theme (opening theme) . . . . . Route 66 and Other Great TV Themes/More Hit TV Themes
THE SCHOOL . . . . . Let It Slip . . . . . Loveless Unbeliever
ARTHUR ALEXANDER . . . . . Anna (Got To Him) . . . . . The Ultimate Arthur Alexander
DIANE DANE . . . . . My World Is Over . . . . . That Thing You Do!: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
THE BEATLES . . . . . I Call Your Name . . . . . Past Masters (Remastered)
SHARON JONES & THE DAP-KINGS . . . . . I Learned The Hard Way . . . . . I Learned The Hard Way
ALTON ELLIS . . . . . Change My Mind . . . . . The Best of Studio One, Vol. 1
NEW YORK DOLLS . . . . . Trash . . . . . 'Cause I Sez So
PETER TOSH . . . . . Don’t Look Back . . . . . Bush Doctor

JASON & THE SCORCHERS . . . . . Golden Days . . . . . Halcyon Times
NILS LOFGREN . . . . . Goin’ Back . . . . . Nils Lofgren
THE KINKS . . . . . Days . . . . . The Village Green Preservation Society
STEVE FORBERT . . . . . Starstruck . . . . . This Is Where I Belong: The Songs of Ray Davies & The Kinks
THE MARBLE TEA . . . . . Sunny Afternoon . . . . . Free Digital Download
SHE & HIM . . . . . Don’t Look Back . . . . . Volume Two
TEENAGE FANCLUB . . . . . Don’t Look Back . . . . . Grand Prix
BIG STAR . . . . . You Get What You Deserve . . . . . #1 Record/Radio City
WILCO . . . . . The Thanks I Get . . . . . The Thanks I Get

THE NELS CLINE SINGERS . . . . . King Queen . . . . . Initiate
THE MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA . . . . . Birds Of Fire . . . . . Birds of Fire
NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS . . . . . Night Of The Lotus Eaters . . . . . Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!
JOHN COOPER CLARKE . . . . . Beasley Street . . . . . Snap, Crackle & Bop
LEONARD COHEN . . . . . Everybody Knows . . . . . I'm Your Man
DR. DOG . . . . . I Only Wear Blue . . . . . Shame, Shame
THE MINUS 5 . . . . . All Worn Out . . . . . The Minus 5

ROBYN HITCHCOCK & THE VENUS 3 . . . . . Born On The Wind . . . . . Propellor Time (Dig)
THE ROLLING STONES . . . . . Let It Loose . . . . . Exile on Main Street (Dlx)
CAMERA OBSCURA . . . . . James . . . . . My Maudlin Career
MARY GAUTHIER . . . . . Sweet Words . . . . . The Foundling
KRIS KRISTOFFERSON . . . . . Sunday Morning Coming Down . . . . . 16 Biggest Hits-Kris Kristofferson
CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL . . . . . Long As I Can See The Light . . . . . Cosmo's Factory
ROKY ERICKSON WITH OKKERVIL RIVER . . . . . Forever . . . . . True Love Cast Out All Evil

Here's another one from Creedence Clearwater Revival

Technorati Tags: Internet radio freeform radio music beatles she & him peter tosh wilco creedence clearwater revival