May the Fourth may be the least qualified holiday since Pi Day, but it doesn’t stop fans from kicking celebrations to hyperspace. Unfortunately, there aren’t that many songs connected to “Star Wars,” though there’s a half dozen or so that mention it.
Cinco de Mayo, which is tomorrow, has even less (cinco, specifically), so we played those.
But there were a lot of birthdays to celebrate today on Capital Radio from jazz bass great Ron Carter, turning 89, to Dick Dale, Sharon Jones and the oldest of the original 5, Jackie Jackson, turning 75.
We began by paying tribute to the last of the Ronettes, Nedra Talley, who died last week, as did UK folkie Beverley Martyn, blues guitarist Bobby Murray, Tony Wilson of Hot Chocolate and outlaw country’s David Allan Coe.
Closed with Gene Pitney’s classic, “Be-Bop-A-Lula,” recorded on this day 70 years ago.
Here’s a link to the show (in three parts); the setlist follows:
Capital Radio May 4, 2026 1 – 4:20 p.m. www.cygnusradio.com
- “Capital Radio Two,” The Clash
- “You, Baby,” The Ronettes
- “I Wonder,” The Ronettes
- “Be My Baby,” The Ronettes
- “(The Best Part of) Breakin’ Up,” The Ronettes
- “I Can Hear Music,” The Ronettes
- “The Sky is Crying,” Etta James
- “Happy New Year,” Beverley
- “Fakin’ It,” Simon and Garfunkel
- “North West Three,” Fatboy Slim
- “Brother Louie,” Hot Chocolate
- “You Never Even Called Me by My Name,” David Allan Coe
- “The Great Nashville Railroad Disaster (A True Story),” David Allan Coe
- “Compared to What,” Roberta Flack
- “Tequila,” Wes Montgomery
- “Nubia,” The Rascals
- “Un Ange En Danger,” MC Solaar & Ron Carter
- “Day-O,” Pia Zadora
- “A Girl Like You,” The Troggs
- “I Can’t Control Myself,” The Troggs
- “Enjoy Yourself,” The Jacksons
- “Doctor, My Eyes,” Jackson 5
- “Hot Summer Day,” It’s a Beautiful Day
- “You Get What You Give,” New Radicals
- “The Wild One,” Shorty Rogers & His Orchestra
- “Street Player,” Chicago
PART II (with some audio glitches at first)
- “King of the Surf Guitar,” Dick Dale & the Del-Tones
- “Misirlou,” Dick Dale & the Del-Tones
- “Esperanza,” Dick Dale
- “Pistol Packin’ Mama,” Al Dexter and his Troopers
- “100, Days 100 Nights,” Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
- “Something’s Changed,” Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
- “This Land is Your Land,” Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
- “What if We All Stopped Paying Taxes?” Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
- “Cinco de Mayo,” El Vez & Blackbird
- “Cinco de Mayo,” War
- “Cinco de Mayo,” Liz Phair
- “Cinco de Mayo,” Brave Combo
- “CInco Minutos Con Vos,” Elvis Costello & The Roots
PART III
- “Yoda,” Weird Al Yankovic
- “Improv/ Star Wars [Live],” Ryan Adams
- “Star Wars Theme / Cantina Band,” Meco
- “Clint Eastwood (Phi Life Cypher Version),” Gorillaz
- “Bicycle Race,” Queen
- “Do It,” Beastie Boys
- “Where You Get Love,” Matthew Sweet
- “Be-Bop-A-Lula,” Gene Vincent
Capital Radio returns May 11 at 1 p.m. EDT until after 4 on www.cygnusradio.com. The show can also be heard via the cygnusradio.com app, available free at iTunes or GooglePlay. Recent shows are available on demand at cygnusradio.com. Older shows are posted at Substack.com/@rogercatlin.