It would have been the 92nd birthday of the Canadian poet who died a decade ago after leaving some wonderful music and musings. We played a handful of Leonard Cohen’s best, but could have played a lot more. We also recognized the birthday of remarkable Zappa keyboardist Don Preston, who turned an amazing 94 today, and Muscle Shoals bassist David Hood, 83. And Dickey Lee turned 90.
Trugoy of De La Soul was born this day in 1968, and we paid tribute to a pair of sci-fi and horror novelists each born this day, in different centuries, H.G. Wells and Stephen King. We paused to note the passings last week of one of the Vandellas, Rosalind Ashford, and of the singer/songwriter turned Broadway innovator Duncan Sheik. The show marked the 50th anniversary of Tom Waits’ memorable “Small Change,” and the 15th anniversary of R.E.M. calling it quits.
Finally, there were a few songs to get you ready for Farm Aid 2026.
Here’s the archived show in three parts; the setlist follows.
Capital Radio September 21, 2026 1- 4:14 p.m. www.cygnusradio.com
- “Washington, D.C.,” The Magnetic Fields
- “Waka/Jawaka,” Frank Zappa
- “Dog Breath, In the Year of the Plague,” The Mothers of Invention
- “Chelsea Hotel No. 2,” Leonard Cohen
- “Famous Blue Raincoat,” Leonard Cohen
- “Anthem,” Leonard Cohen
- “Everybody Knows,” Leonard Cohen
- “Dance Me To the End of Love [live],” Leonard Cohen
- “Warm and Tender Love,” Percy Sledge
- “Respect Yourself,” The Staple Singers
- “Me Myself & I, “De La Soul
- “Feels Good Inc.,” Gorillaz
- “I Saw Linda Yesterday,” Dickey Lee
PART II
- “Hotel California,” The Moog Cookbook
- “Invisible Man,” The Breeders
- “Shape of Things to Come,” Max Frost & the Troopers
- “Time Machine,” Matthew Sweet
- “Island of Lost Souls,” Blondie
- “Time After Time,” Miles Davis
- “The Last Men on the Moon,” The Stranglers
- “Misery,” The Beatles
- “Carrie Ann,” The Hollies
- “The Shining,” Badly Drawn Boy
- “Stand,” R.E.M.
- “Pet Sematary,” Ramones
PART III
- “Nowhere to Hide,” Martha & the Vandellas
- “Quicksand,” Martha & the Vandellas
- “Jimmy Mack,” Martha & the Vandellas
- “Barely Breathing,” Duncan Sheik
- “Far Away,” Duncan Sheik
- “Shout.” Duncan Sheik
- “September,” Earth, Wind & Fire
- “I Love the Life I Live,” Willie Nelson
- “Comes a Time [live],” Neil Young + Promise of the Real
- “Check It Out,” John Mellencamp
- “State of Mind,” Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs with Margo Price
Capital Radio returns Sept. 28 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.