Longer Friday night show than usual started with a tribute to Ben E. King, who died Thursday at 76, solo and with his work in The Drifters. And a nod, too, to Jack Ely, 71, of the Kingsmen who sang lead on its greatest song and was promptly kicked out.
Forty-three years ago today was Marvin Gaye Day in Washington, D.C., so his “What’s Going On” concert at the then-new Kennedy Center provided a good starting points for songs that served as commentary on the week in Baltimore from Gil Scott-Heron, Tom Waits, Randy Newman and the Clash.
New documentaries led to sets of the Who and Nirvana. Ended with some Joni Mitchell and Sufjan Stevens and a half hour of music leading into Saturday’s Funk Parade in D.C.
Here’s what I played on the radio tonight, that was also available streaming here.
Friday Night Rock, 5-1-2015, 9:15 p.m.-1 a.m., Radio CPR, 101.7 FM, Washington, D.C.
- “There Goes My Baby,” The Drifters
- “Dance with Me,” The Drifters
- “This Magic Moment,” The Drifters
- “Spanish Harlem,” Ben E, King
- “Young Boys Blues,” Ben E, King
- “Stand By Me,” Ben E, King
- “Don’t Play That Song (You Lied),” Ben E, King
- “I (Who Have Nothing),” Ben E, King
- “Louie Louie,” The Kingsmen
- “That’s Cool, That’s Trash,” The Kingsmen
- “Haunted Castle,” The Kingsmen
- “Jolly Green Giant,” The Kingsmen
- “Little Latin Lupe Lu,” The Kingsmen
- “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)” Marvin Gaye (live)
- “What’s Going On,” Marvin Gaye (live)
- “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” Gil Scott-Heron
- “Winter in America,” Gil Scott-Heron
- “Living for the City,” Stevie Wonder
- “Oh My God,” Michael Franti & Spearhead
- “Way Down in the Hole,” Tom Waits
- “Clap Hands,” Tom Waits
- “Baltimore,” Randy Newman
- “Days Like This,” Billy Bragg
- “Career Opportunities,” The Clash
- “London’s Burning,” The Clash
- “Police and Thieves,” The Clash
- “Police on My Back,” The Clash
- “Ghetto Defendant,” The Clash
- Beasts of No Nation,” Fela Kuti & Egypt ‘8o
- “Fight the Power, parts 1 and 2,” The Isley Brothers
- “No Cities to Love,” Sleater-Kinney
- “Juke,” Little Walter
- “It Ain’t Right,” Little Walter
- “Roller Coaster,” Little Walter
- “My Generation (Radio Jungle),” The Who
- “Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere,” The Who
- “The Good’s Gone,” The Who
- “Substitute,” The Who
- “Silver,” Nirvana
- “About a Girl,” Nirvana (live)
- “Come as You Are,” The King
- “For Free,” Joni Mitchell
- “A Case of You,” Joni Mitchell
- “Free Man in Paris,” Joni Mitchell
- “Detroit, Lift Up Your Weary Head! (Rebuild! Restore! Reconsider!),” Sufjan Stevens
- “The Only Thing,” Sufjan Stevens
- “Death with Dignity,” Sufjan Stevens
- “Give It Up or Turnit A Loose,” James Brown
- “Express Yourself,” Charles Wright & the Watts 102nd Street Rhythm Band
- “I Know You Got Soul,” Bobby Byrd
- “Pass the Peas,” The JB’s
- “I Can Understand It,” The New Birth
Friday Night Rock returns Friday at 9 p.m. on Radio CPR, 101.7 FM in Washington, D.C. or online here.