The last Friday Night Rock show of the year had its usual onslaught of New Year’s songs, heavy on the variations of “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” and “Auld Lang Syne,” from performers as diverse as Chuck Brown, Andrew Bird, Jimi Hendrix and Bobby Darin.
But there were also so many significant deaths in the past year, a couple of hours were reserved to remembering David Bowie, Leonard Cohen, Prince, Merle Haggard, Leon Russell, Sharon Jones, George Michael, Phife Dawg and Alan Vega.
And the show began and ended with Debbie Reynolds from “Singing in the Rain.” Here’s what I played on the radio tonight:
Friday Night Rock, 12-30-2016, 9:30 p.m.-1 a.m., Radio CPR, 101.7 FM, Washington, D.C.
- “Good Morning,” Debbie Reynolds
- “What Are You Doing Christmas Eve?” Ella Fitzgerald (Mangini vs. Pallin mix)
- “What Are You Doing Christmas Eve?” The Head and the Heart
- “What Are You Doing Christmas Eve?” Lena Horne
- “What Are You Doing Christmas Eve?” Chuck Brown
- “After New Year’s Eve,” The Heartbeats
- “Happy New Year Blues,” Mary Harris
- “Happy New Year,” Lightnin’ Hopkins
- “Bringing in a Brand New Year,” B.B. King
- “Taking Down the Tree,” Tracey Thorn
- “That Was the Worst Christmas Ever!” Sufjan Stevens
- “Let’s Start the New Year Right,” Bing Crosby
- “New Year’s Day,” Charlie Robison
- “Brand New Year,” Bottle Rockets
- “What A Year for a New Year,” Dan Wilson
- “New Year’s Revolution,” Graham Parker
- “New Year’s Resolution,” Otis & Carla
- “The Closing of the Year,” Wendy & Lisa
- “The New Year,” Death Cab for Cutie
- “New Year’s Eve,” Tom Waits
- “My Dear Acquaintance (A Happy New Year),” Regina Spektor
- “Auld Lang Syne,” Susan McKeown & Lindsey Horner
- “Auld Lang Syne,” Andrew Bird
- “Auld Lang Syne,” Jimi Hendrix
- “Auld Lang Syne,” The Beach Boys
- “Auld Lang Syne,” Esquivel
- “Christmas Auld Lang Syne,” Bobby Darin
- “This Land is Your Land,” Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
- “8 Days (Of Hanukkah),” Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
- “100 Days, 100 Nights,” Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
- “Bonita Applebaum,” A Tribe Called Quest
- “Can I Kick It?” A Tribe Called Quest
- “Golden Years,” David Bowie
- “TVC 15,” David Bowie
- “Life on Mars?” David Bowie
- “Ziggy Stardust,” David Bowie
- “Starman,” David Bowie
- “Rebel Rebel,” David Bowie
- “Lazarus,” David Bowie
- “Jukebox Baby,” Alan Vega
- “Faith,” George Michael
- “Father Figure,” George Michael
- “The Bottle Let Me Down,” Merle Haggard
- “I’m a Lonesome Fugitive,” Merle Haggard
- “Here Comes the Freedom Train,” Merle Haggard
- “Roll in My Sweet Baby’s Arms,” Leon Russell
- “A Song for You,” Leon Russell
- “Democracy,” Leonard Cohen
- “You Want It Darker,” Leonard Cohen
- “Treaty,” Leonard Cohen
- “It Seemed the Better Way,” Leonard Cohen
- “Pop Life,” Prince
- “When You Were Mine,” Prince
- “I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man,” Prince
- “Sign O’ the Times,” Prince
- “When Doves Cry,” Prince
- “You Are My Lucky Star,” Debbie Reynolds
Friday Night Rock returns Jan. 20 on Radio CPR, 101.7 FM, Washington, D.C. or online at www.tinyurl.com/radiocpr