The eve of Tax Day brings a number of songs about taxation itself, the nature of money, the fate of the poor and the rich and finally the coming of hard times, which seemed plausible after the wild fluctuations in the stock market.
It was also the birthday of Loretta Lynn, born this day in 1932, from her tough early hits to her writing collaborations with Elvis Costello. Also the birthdays of Win Butler of Arcade Fire, turning 45; and singer Mike Burrows, turning 83.
We began by paying tribute to reggae’s Max Romeo, who died Friday at 86; and British singer Mike Berry, who died Friday at 82, and Tracy Schwarz, the last surviving member of The New Lost City Ramblers, who passed at 86.
Here’s a link to the whole show; the setlist follows.
Capital Radio April 14, 2025 1 – 4:28 p.m. www.cygnusradio.com
- “Capital Radio Two,” The Clash
- “War in a Babylon,” Max Romeo
- “Chase the Devil,” Max Romeo
- “Home Sweet Home [live],” The New Lost City Ramblers
- “My Baby Doll” Mike Berry
- “Tribute to Buddy Holly,” Mike Berry & the Outlaws
- “Black Mirror,” Arcade Fire
- “The Suburbs” Arcade Fire
- “No Cars Go,” Arcade Fire
- “Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes),” Edison Lighthouse
- “Song from Platte River,” Brewer & Shipley
- “Don’t Come Home a Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind),” Loretta Lynn
- “Fist City,” Loretta Lynn
- “Portland Oregon,” Loretta Lynn & Jack White
- “Everything It Takes,” Loretta Lynn, with Elvis Costello
- “I Felt the Chill Before the Winter Came,” Elvis Costello
- “Pardon Me, Madam, My Name is Eve,” Elvis Costello & The Imposters
- “Sales Tax,” Mississippi Sheiks
- “Tax Paying’ Blues,” J.B. Lenoir
- “Taxes on the Farmer Feeds Us All,” Ry Cooder
- “Sunny Afternoon,” The Kinks
- “Taxman,” The Beatles
- “What If We All Stopped Paying Taxes?” Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
- “1040 Blues,” The Robert Cray Band
- “Me and the I.R.S.,” Johnny Paycheck
- “Success Story,” The Who
- “Ideology,” Billy Bragg
- “Money Talks,” The Kinks
- “Money Honey,” Elvis Presley
- “Gas Money,” Skeletons
- “If You’ve Got the Money I’ve Got the Time,” Lefty Frizzell
- “Money in My Pocket,” Dennis Brown
- “Money Is,” Little Richard
- “Money (That’s What I Want) ,” Barrett Strong
- “Paper Planes,” M.I.A.
- “Lawyers, Guns and Money,” Warren Zevon
- “Free Money,” Patti Smith
- “Lord, Help the Poor & Needy,” Cat Power
- “Rich Man Poor Man,” Peter, Paul & Mary
- “Poor Boy,” The Royaltones
- “Poor Boy,” Brian Eno & David Byrne
- “Poor Little Fool,” Ricky Nelson
- “Rich Kid Blues,” The Raconteurs
- “Rich Kids Blues,” Lykke Li
- “Baby You’re a Rich Man,” The Beatles
- “Embarrassment of Riches,” Charlie Burton and the Texas Twelve-Steppers
- “Welcome to Hard Times,” Charley Crockett
- “Hard Times,” Gillian Welch
- “Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?” Bing Crosby
- “Hard Times Ahead,” Janis Martin
- “Hard Times Come Again No More,” Yo-Yo Ma, Mark O’Connor, Edger Meyer with James Taylor
- “How Can a Poor Man Stand Such Times and Live (live),” Bruce Springsteen with The Sessions Band
Capital Radio returns April 21 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.