Back after a couple weeks absence, there were a lot of things to take note of: The 50th anniversary of the recording of John Coltrane’s “A Love Supreme,” the 50th anniversary of the death of Sam Cooke, the death of Rolling Stones saxophonist Bobby Keyes this month and the birthday today of Professor Longhair and Phil Ochs.
But then it was Nick Lowe’s performance last week that led to a floodgate of Christmas music, at least two hours of it it, using everything from new Ben Kweller, to classic Big Star, NRBQ, the Beatles, Marvin Gaye, the Fuzztones and Fat Daddy, culminating with “Fairytale of New York” and “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home.”
Here’s what I played on the radio tonight:
Friday Night Rock, 11-19-2014, 9 p.m.-1 a.m., Radio CPR 97.5 Fm, Washington, D.C.
- “Acknowledgement,” John Coltrane
- “Nothing Can Change This Love,” Sam Cooke
- “Chain Gang,”Sam Cooke
- “Wonderful World,” Sam Cooke
- “Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day,” Sam Cooke
- “Having a Party,” Sam Cooke
- “Twistin’ the Night Away,” Sam Cooke
- “I Got the Blues,” The Rolling Stones
- “Can’t You Hear Me Knockin,” The Rolling Stones
- “Brown Sugar,” The Rolling Stones
- “Sweet Virginia,” The Rolling Stones
- “Rip This Joint,” The Rolling Stones
- “Happy,” The Rolling Stones
- “Whole Lotta Loving,” Professor Longhair
- “Tipitina,” Professor Longhair
- “There But for Fortune,” Phil Ochs
- “When I’m Gone,” Phil Ochs
- “Rome Wasn’t Built in a Day,” Nick Lowe
- “Long Limbed Girl,” Nick Lowe
- “What’s So Funny (Bout Peace Love and Understanding),” Nick Lowe
- “A Dollar Short of Happy,” Nick Lowe
- “I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day,” Nick Lowe
- “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” Los Straightjackets
- “Sleigh Ride,” Los Straightjackets
- “Christmas Wish,” NRBQ
- “Merry Christmas Baby,” Southern Culture on the Skids
- “Christmas Time,” Chris Stamey & the dB’s
- “Sha La La,” Cathy Harrington
- “Jesus Christ,” Big Star
- “It Ain’t Christmas Yet,” Ben Kweller
- “Ain’t No Christmas in the Projects,” Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings
- “Santa Claus Go Straight to the Ghetto,” James Brown
- “Merry Christmas Baby,” Vernon Garrett with Sir Stan and the Counts
- “Christmas Groove,” Vernon Garrett with Sir Stan and the Counts
- “Soul Christmas,” Count Sidney & His Dukes
- “Fat Daddy,” Fat Daddy
- “I Want to Come Home for Christmas,” Marvin Gaye
- “Purple Snowflakes,” Marvin Gaye
- “Christmas Time (is Here Again),” The Beatles
- “Latke Clan,” The LeeVees
- “We Three Bings,” Blame It On Christmas
- “Christmas Time is Here,” John Fahey
- “Winter Wonderland,” Chet Baker
- “Jul Song,” Dark Horses
- “No More Christmas Blues,” The Vacant Lots
- “Santa Claus,” The Fuzztones
- “Please Daddy, Don’t Get Drunk This Christmas,” Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison
- “Christmastime,” Aimee Mann
- “Make It Home,” Juliana Hatfield
- “Merry Christmas from the Family,” Robert Earl Keen
- “The Gift of Giving,” Bill Withers
- “Listening to Otis Redding at Home During Christmas,” Okkervil River
- “Snowboarding,” The Pearlfishers
- “I Want an Alien for Christmas,” Fountains of Wayne
- “Santa’s Beard,” They Might Be Giants
- “Ole Year Christmas,” The Sisterhood
- “Yah Das Ist Ein Christmas Tree,” Mel Blanc
- “The Christmas Song,” The Ravonettes
- “Maybe This Christmas,” Ron Sexsmith
- “Everything is Cool,” John Prine
- “Winter Song,” Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson
- “Xmas Time (It Sure Doesn’t Feel Like It),” Mighty Mighty Bosstones
- “Father Christmas,” The Kinks
- “Merry Christmas (I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight),” The Ramones
- “White Christmas,” Charlie Parker (King Kooba remix).
- “White Christmas,” Corporal Blossom
- “The Christmas Song,” Corporal Blossom
- “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” No-L
- “”Little Drummer Boy,” Corporal Blossom
- “Trim Yo Tree,” Mojo Nixon
- “Just Like Christmas,” Low
- “Give Me a Second Chance for Christmas,” Mike Viola and the Candy Butchers
- “Fairytale of New York,” The Pogues
- “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” Darlene Love
- “Jingle Bells,” Cuba L.A.
Friday Night Rock returns Dec. 26 on Radio CPR, 97.5 FM, Washington, D.C. at 9 p.m.