Soul man and songwriter Don Covay, who died Saturday at 76, dominated the start of the program, with his own hits “Mercy Mercy” and “See Saw” leading to the songs that became hits for others from “Chain of Fools” to “Long Tall Shorty.”
Saluted last week’s shows by Jason Isbell and Evan Dando and looked forward to Sunday’s show in these parts by Freedy Johnston. Then we found a place for Bob Dylan’s unusual album of standards with similarly atmospheric music from Beck and Nick Drake, some of the standards Dylan tried earlier, on “Self Portrait,” and finally some saloon music from Sinatra himself.
Closed with nearly an hour of Bob Marley, on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of his birth.
Here’s what I played on the radio tonight:
Friday Night Rock, 2-6-2015, 9 p.m.- 1 a.m., Radio CPR 97.5 FM Washington D.C.
- “Mercy Mercy,” Don Covay
- “See-Saw,” Don Covay
- “See-Saw,” Aretha Franklin
- “Chain of Fools,” Aretha Franklin
- “I’m Hanging Up My Heart for You,” Solomon Burke
- “He Don’t Know,” Robert Cray
- “Checkin’ Out,” Bobby Womack
- “Sookie Sookie,” Iggy Pop
- “I Stole Some Love,” Peter Wolf
- “Lettle Full of Tears,” Arlene Smith / Johnny Collins
- “Three Time Loser,” Corey Glover
- “Long Tall Shorty,” Jim Carroll
- “Pony Time,” Barrence Whitfield
- “Mercy Mercy,” Todd Rundgren, Gary U.S. Bonds, Chuck Jackson
- “Chain of Fools,” Ron Wood
- “Super 8,” Jason Isbell
- “Stockholm,” Jason Isbell
- “Flying Over Water,” Jason Isbell
- “Gimme Something Good,” Ryan Adams
- “Hard Drive,” Evan Dando
- “My Drug Buddy,” The Lemonheads
- “The Great Big No,” The Lemonheads
- “It’s All True,” The Lemonheads
- “The Singer Addresses His Audience,” The Decemberists
- “Philomena,” The Decemberists
- “Sons & Daughters,” The Decemberists
- “In Love,” Fear of Pop
- “Itchycoo Park,” Small Faces
- “Comin’ On,” David Kilgour & the Heavy Eights
- “Lucica,” Hiss Golden Messenger
- “Can’t Sink This Town,” Freedy Johnston
- “Bad Reputation,” Freedy Johnston
- “Evie’s Tears,” Freedy Johnston
- “This Perfect World,” Freedy Johnston
- “Love Grows,” Freedy Johnston
- “Wichita Lineman,” Freedy Johnston
- “Hazey Jane I,” Nick Drake
- “Morning,” Beck
- “I’m a Fool to Want You,” Bob Dylan
- “Stay with Me,” Bob Dylan
- “Full Moon and Empty Arms,” Bob Dylan
- “Scarlet Town,” Bob Dylan
- “I Forgot More Than You’ll Ever Know,” Bob Dylan
- “I Threw It All Away,” Bob Dylan
- “Let It Be Me,” Bob Dylan
- “Blue Moon,” Bob Dylan
- “Drinking Again,” Frank Sinatra
- “Autumn Leaves,” Frank Sinatra
- “One for My Baby (And One More for the Road),” Frank Sinatra
- “The Very Thought of You,” Frank Sinatra
- “It Was a Very Good Year,” Frank Sinatra
- “That’s Life,” Frank Sinatra
- “Get Up Stand Up,” Bob Marley
- “Jammin,'” Bob Marley
- “Waiting in Vain,” Bob Marley
- “Three Little Birds,” Bob Marley
- “One Love / People Get Ready,” Bob Marley
- “Is This Love,” Bob Marley
- “So Much Trouble in the World,” Bob Marley
- “Could You Be Loved,” Bob Marley
- “Redemption Song,” Bob Marley
- “Buffalo Soldier,” Bob Marley
- “Lively Up Yourself,” Bob Marley (Bombay Dub Orchestra Remix)
- “No Woman No Cry,” Bob Marley (Bill Laswell Remix)
- “Turn Your Lights Down Low,” Bob Marley, remix with Lauren Hill
- “Burning and Looting,” Bob Marley remix with the Roots featuring Black Thought
Listen to Friday Night Rock weekly at 9 p.m. on Radio CPR, 97.5 FM, Washington D.C.