A wealth of birthdays meant big sets for two D.C.-bred R&B giants, Billy Stewart and Don Covay, salutes to three (!) German rock figures, and a wide array of others, from Harry Houdini and Steve McQueen to Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Patterson Hood and Nick Lowe.
A lot of the show was devoted to the 90th birthday of Carol Kaye, the hard-working bassist for the Wrecking Crew whose work was found on thousands of recordings and scores of hits.
We began with a salute to Jesse Colin Young, who died last see, and Larry Tamblyn of The Standells who died Friday.
I pre-recorded the show Sunday so I could go to a final exhibition baseball game on Monday before opening day. It ended up being rain delayed for hours before it was cancelled altogether. Heard the end of the show as I was walking home. Oh well.
Here’s a link to the whole show; the setlist follows.
Capital Radio March 24, 2025 1 – 4:25 p.m. www.cygnusradio.com
- “Washington D.C.,” Magnetic Fields
- “Ridgetop,” Jesse Colin Young
- “Darkness, Darkness,” The Youngbloods
- “Get Together,” Youngbloods
- “Sometimes Good Guys Don’t Wear White,” The Standells
- “The Swim,” The Standells
- “Dirty Water,” The Standells
- “Billy’s Blues, parts 1 and 2,” Billy Stewart
- “Every Day I Have the Blues,” Billy Stewart
- “Sitting in the Park,” Billy Stewart
- “Summertime,” Billy Stewart
- “Believe It or Not,” Don Covay
- “Betty Jean,” Don Covay
- “Mercy, Mercy,” Don Covay
- “See-Saw,” Don Covay
- “I Was Checkin’ Out, She Was Checkin’ In,” Don Covay
- “Everything I Do Gohn Be Funky,” Don Covay
- “Pony Time,” Chubby Checker
- “Sookie Sookie,” Tina Britt
- “I Stole Some Love,” Peter Wolf
- “Chain of Fools,“ Aretha Franklin
- “Vitamin C,” Can
- “Super,” Neu!
- “99 Luftballoons,” Nena
- “The World is a Ghetto,” War
- “Ring Ring Ring (Ha Ha Hey),” De La Soul
- “Baseball Canto,” Lawrence Ferlinghetti
- “Willie Mays is Up to Bat,” Chuck Prophet
- “Houdini,” The Dream Machine
- “Houdini,” Eminem
- “Steve McQueen,” Sheryl Crow
- “Steve McQueen,” Drive-By Truckers
- “Heathens,” Drive-By Truckers
- “The Beat Goes On,” Sonny & Cher
- “When I Die,” Motherlode
- “You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feelin,’” The Righteous Brothers
- “Midnight Confessions,” The Grass Roots
- “Wichita Lineman,” Glen Campbell
- “Caroline, No [ backing track],” The Beach Boys
- “Good Vibrations [tracking excerpts],” The Beach Boys
- “God Only Knows [backing track],” The Beach Boy
- “Games People Play,” Mel Tormé
- “Feelin’ Alright,” Joe Cocker
- “Sanford and Son,” Quincy Jones
- “Across 110th Street,” Bobby Womack
- “Without Love,” Nick Lowe
- “So It Goes,” Nick Lowe
- “Long Limbed Girl,” Nick Lowe
- “Heart of the City,” Nick Lowe
- “Went to a Party,” Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets
- “What’s So Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love and Understanding? [live],” Nick Lowe & The Convincers
Capital Radio returns March 31 at 1 p.m. EDT on www.cygnusradio.com, where this and other recent shows are posted. The show can also be heard via the cygnusradio.com app, available free at iTunes or GooglePlay. Older shows are available at Substack.com/@rogercatlin.