There are a ton of songs out there about the music business, radio, and DJs. And those songs aren't always 100% positive about the medium that, let's face it, made the singers and songwriters their money.
Let's hear your faves (and if it's not obvious, please post lyrics).
I want to start off with REM's Radio Song because Michael Stipe & co are definitely nipping the hand that feeds them.
Here's the closing rap from KRS-One:
KRS-One wrote:
Check it out
What are you saying, what are you playing?
Who are you obeying, day-out, day-in, huh?
Baby, baby, baby, baby
That stuff is driving me crazy
DJs communicate to the masses
Sex and violent classes
Now our children grow up prisoners
All their life, radio listeners
You'd think that people would've had enough of silly love songs
But I look around me and I see it isn't so
Some people want to fill the world with silly love songs
And what's wrong with that?
I'd like to know
'Cause here I go again
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hightor
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Mon 22 Jul, 2024 04:30 am
I know of at least three jazz tunes that were written in honor of radio DJ's.
Jumpin' with Symphony Sid was written for Sid Torin, who had a 35 year radio career in NYC and Boston.
Quote:
Jumpin' with my boss Sid in the city
Jumpin' with my boss Sid in the city
Mr. President of that DJ committee
We're gonna be up all night gettin' ready
We want you to spin the sounds from the city
Far down in the land that's real real pretty
Let everything go real crazy over jazz
Make everything go real crazy over jazz
Let everything cool for me and my baby
I don't want to think we're listening too lazy
It's gotta be Pressburg cheering all the Basie
It's gotta get it all set right clear on the eighty
Let it roll
Let it roll
Robbin's Nest, composed by Charles Thompson and Illinois Jacquet, was the theme to Fred Robbins' west coast radio show in 1947. Although Ella Fitzgerald did write lyrics for the tune, they're only marginally connected to the DJ.
Quote:
Give me something gentle
Make it sentimental
Whatever you could suggest
I'll take Robbin's Nest
Make it sweet and tender
So I must surrender
You know I'd like nothing but the best
So I'll take Robbin's Nest
For when I get that feeling
Goin' 'round and 'round
Something brings me down
Way down, way down
Give me something sweet and gentle
Make it sentimental
Whatever you could suggest
I'll take Robbin's Nest
When I get that feeling
Goin' 'round and 'round
Something brings me down
Way down, way down
Give me something sweet and gentle
Make it sentimental
Whatever you could suggest
I'll take Robbin's Nest
Blues for M.F. was written by Oliver Nelson and King Curtis and refers to Mort Fega, a well-known New York DJ. I listened him to pretty regularly in the '60s. No lyric for this one so I'll provide a musical description instead.
Quote:
The LP "Soul Battle" was released on Prestige records in 1961, matrix (7223). It lands on Track 2, Side A. It featured three tenor sax players King Curtis, Oliver Nelson, and Jimmy Forest, Roy Haynes pick up drum duties, Gene Casey and George Duvivier sound out the session on piano and bass respectively. (...) For years I had assumed that MF stood for ************, but the original Soul Battle LP spells out in parentheses that the M.F. stands for Mort Fega. The back of the LP spends a mere 26 lines describing the song, So I'll quote a bit of that as it's relevant to our story here.
..."Blues for M.F. is a tone poem with a fine set of altered blues changes which lend themselves to distinguished soloing by all three of the reed men. The tune certainly captures the intensity, the sincerity, and the quiet humor which have made Mort Fega one of the nations most popular jazz announcers..."
The song is an exploration of a blues scale replete with flatted thirds, but with a very steady meter to provide a platform to hold all nine minutes and thirty seconds of soulful sax solos. Each is worldessly singing the praises of Mort Fega who was at the peak of his career at the time. Unusually this wasn't even the first Jazz tune dedicated to Mr. Fega. In 1959 The Red Garland Trio Plus Ray Baretto recorded Manteca for Prestige (7139). Donald Fagen testified in a 2006 obituary for the man that the song was played on Fega's show regularly:
"I looked forward to Mort’s between-track commentary as much as to the music itself. With Red Garland’s “Mort’s Report” playing softly in the background, Mort, with the grace and enthusiasm that reveals itself only in the most bona-fide jazz lover, would carefully list every soloist and sideman." source
In '67, the Byrds had an ode to the game of working with the company (who are waiting there, to sell plasticware) to make it big (also admirably covered by Tom Petty) - So, You Want to be a Rock 'n Roll Star ~
Petty version ~
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thack45
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Mon 22 Jul, 2024 10:12 am
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hightor
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Mon 22 Jul, 2024 11:02 am
I Dig Rock and Roll Music by Peter, Paul, and Mary contains this reference to radio censorship in the final verse:
Paul Stookey wrote:
(...)
I dig, oh-oh, rock and roll music
I could really get it on in that scene
I think I could say somethin' if you know what I mean
But if I really say it, the radio won't play it
Unless I lay it between the lines
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rOTKeoAs7M[/youtube]
I can barely get my head around the idea that this song is some 40 years old. Loved it then, and still want to listen the whole album from time to time : ) like right now.
I would have posted lyrics but for some unknown to me reason, I can't copy them (growl)
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jespah
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Tue 23 Jul, 2024 02:14 pm
Tom Petty's back, singing about the corporatization (is that a word?) of radio, with The Last DJ:
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edgarblythe
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Tue 23 Jul, 2024 02:42 pm
Roll Over Beethoven
Chuck Berry
Well, I'ma write a little letter
I'm gonna mail it to my local DJ
Yeah, it's a jumping little record
I want my jockey to play
Roll over Beethoven, I gotta hear it again today
You know my temperature's rising
The jukebox blowing a fuse
My heart's beating rhythm
And my soul keep a-singing the blues
Roll over Beethoven
Tell Tchaikovsky the news
Well, if you feel and like it
Go get your lover, reel and rock it
Roll it over then move on up just
A trifle further and reel and rock with one another
Roll over Beethoven
Tell Tchaikovsky the news
Well, early in the morning I'm giving you my warning
Don't you step on my new shiny shoes
Hey diddle diddle, I'ma play my fiddle
Ain't got nothing to lose
Roll over Beethoven
Everybody, repeat after me
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Roll over Beethoven
Tell Tchaikovsky the news
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Region Philbis
2
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Tue 23 Jul, 2024 03:14 pm
Elvis Costello & The Attractions ~ Radio, Radio
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jespah
2
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Wed 24 Jul, 2024 08:16 pm
This song has been rattling around in my head for several days now. It's Listen Like Thieves by INXS.
Michael Hutchence et al. wrote:
On the talk back show
On the radio
At the local bar
In the hot traffic by the red tail lights
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Real Music
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Thu 25 Jul, 2024 12:20 am
Indeep - Last night a D.J. saved my Life
(1983)
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Real Music
4
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Thu 25 Jul, 2024 12:24 am
Ice-T (Radio Suckers)
(1988)
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jespah
2
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Thu 25 Jul, 2024 01:34 pm
The band Boston chronicles their early years in the biz with Rock & Roll Band ~
Tom Scholz wrote:
Playin' for week in Rhode Island
A man came to the stage one night
He smoked a big cigar, drove a Cadillac car
And said boys, I think this band's outta sight
Oh, sign a record company contract
You know I've got great expectations
When I hear you on the car radio you're gonna be a sensation
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Real Music
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Thu 25 Jul, 2024 06:49 pm
World's Famous Supreme Team - Hey DJ
(1984)
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jespah
2
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Thu 25 Jul, 2024 07:18 pm
Well, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, and some guys named Bruce Springsteen and Little Steven Van Zandt are Havin' a Party, and they hope the radio DJ takes requests...
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