07-03-14: Burn The Witch, The Bitch, She's Dead

"Rock Steady" is a top 10 single from 1971 by Aretha Franklin, featuring the legendary Bernard "Pretty" Purdie on drums. This week features covers from that decade by The Marvels and The Jackson Sisters as well as EPMD's "I'm Housin", from their 1988 debut, which samples the original Franklin single that starts this mix.

"Friday I'm In Love" is a single from May 1992 by The Cure, reaching the top 20 as their last hit. This mix features recent covers by Yo La Tengo and Dean & Britta as well as the original.

One other song repeats this week: "Softer. Softest" by Hole from their 1994 Live Through This, as well as a version of the song by the band on MTV's Unplugged.

"Sometimes Happy, Sometimes Blue" is an early studio version of "Dandelion" by The Rolling Stones, but with Keith Richards on vocals.

The rest: the moody duet "The Mess We're In" by PJ Harvey with Thom Yorke, Sonny & Cher's version of the Gershwin standard "Summertime", Kool Keith's self-explanatory "Laid Back In the Sun", Don Thomas' upbeat soul single "Come On Train", an early version of "Hold Me" by Fleetwood Mac, a studio demo of "Kiss Me On the Bus" by The Replacements, the 1927 recording "Round Town Girls" by Wanda & Ruth Neal, Brand Nubian's debut album lead track "All For One" from 1990, the giddy "You & Me (Got A Good Thing Going)" by Blue Magic with Margie Joseph, Bette Midler's discofied take of the Sinatra standard "Strangers In the Night", the first take of "She Belongs To Me" by Bob Dylan, Dion's cover of Dylan's "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue" and a cover of Hole's "Miss World" by The Afghan Whigs.

Rock Steady                                               Aretha Franklin
I'm Housin'                                                 EPMD
The Mess We're In                                     PJ Harvey & Thom Yorke
Softer. Softest                                             Hole
Friday I'm In Love                                     Dean & Britta
Summertime                                              Sonny & Cher
Laid Back In the Sun                                 Kool Keith
Rock Steady                                              Marvels
Come On Train                                         Don Thomas
Hold Me (early ver)                                  Fleetwood Mac
Sometimes Happy, Sometimes Blue         The Rolling Stones
Kiss Me On The Bus (demo)                    The Replacements
Round Town Girls                                    Wanda & Ruth Neal
Friday I'm In Love                                    The Cure
Rock Steady                                              Jackson Sisters
All For One                                               Brand Nubian
You & Me (Got A Good Thing Going)      Blue Magic & Margie Joseph
Friday I'm In Love                                    Yo La Tengo
Strangers In the Night                               Bette Midler
She Belongs To Me (take 1, solo acoustic)   Bob Dylan
It's All Over Now Baby Blue                     Dion
Softer. Softest (Mtv unplugged ver)           Hole
Miss World                                                The Afghan Whigs

06-26-14: You Will Not Be Able To Plug In, Turn On And Cop Out

"The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" was written by Gil Scott-Heron and first recorded for his 1970 debut album Small Talk at 125th and Lenox. This version is a simple arrangement with conga drums, but he re-recorded it a year later with a fuller band. This mix includes both versions as well as a live version from 1982, a cover by a children's talent show band credited as The Brother's Rap and as part of a 1973 medley by Labelle also covering Thunderclap Newman's "Something In The Air". That song, featured in the film Easy Rider, is also here.

"All Things Must Pass" is the title track to George Harrison's triple album debut from 1970. It was originally released earlier in the year when Billy Preston covered it after it was rejected for inclusion on The Beatles' 1969 album Let It Be. This mix features both the official Preston and Harrison versions as well as the Beatles outtake and an acoustic demo version by Harrison.

One other song repeats this week: Nirvana's "Stay Away" from their 1991 album Nevermind, here with a 2010 cover by Charles Bradley & The Menahan Street Band.

Camp Lo's "Black Connection" samples "Love Is The Answer" by Van McCoy.

The rest: the fiery "Hitler And Hell" by Rev. J.M. Gates, the 80s punk song "No One Wants An Alien" by The Wipers, a cover of The Smiths' "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" by Swedish punk band The Baboon Show, Nas' "Live Nigga Rap" with Mobb Deep from his 1996 album It Was Written, Barbara Mason's timely "World In A Crisis" from 1974, Tyga's rhythmic "Rack City", a new wave cover of The Kinks' "You Really Got Me" by British group The Silicon Teens, and a cover of Peter Schilling's "Major Tom" by street performer The Space Lady.

The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (live 1982)          Gil Scott-Heron
Something In The Air                                              Thunderclap Newman
All Things Must Pass (demo)                                  George Harrison
Hitler and Hell                                                         Rev. J.M. Gates
Stay Away                                                                Nirvana
No One Wants An Alien                                          The Wipers
There Is A Light That Never Goes Out                   The Baboon Show
All Things Must Pass                                               George Harrison
Black Connection                                                     Camp Lo
Love Is The Answer                                                 Van McCoy
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (first ver)      Gil Scott-Heron
Live Nigga Rap                                                      Nas ft. Mobb Deep
World In A Crisis                                                     Barbara Mason
All Things Must Pass                                               The Beatles
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised                    Gil Scott-Heron
Rack City                                                                  Tyga
You Really Got Me                                                   The Silicon Teens
Major Tom                                                                The Space Lady
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised                    The Brother's Rap
Stay Away                     Charles Bradley & The Menahan Street Band
All Things Must Pass                                                Billy Preston
Something In the Air/The Revolution Will Not Be Televised (live)       Labelle

06-19-14: You Gotta Live Before You Know The Reason Why

"California Girls" is a top five single from the summer of 1965 by The Beach Boys. Written by Brian Wilson, the chords were inspired by cowboy movie music and the melody by Bach. Wilson's father argued against the orchestral opening to the song, but it stayed. This mix features the hit cover by David Lee Roth from twenty years later as well as an all-vocal version and a stripped down studio version by The Beach Boys to accompany the original single.

"Everybody's Gotta Live" first appeared on Arthur Lee's 1972 debut solo album Vindicator. It later appeared in two different versions on his band Love's 1974 album Reel To Real. This mix includes an early non-album version from 1971 as well as the other three versions.

One other song repeats on this mix: the Leiber/Stoller song "You're The Boss", with duets by Lavern Baker with Jimmy Ricks as well as Elvis Presley with Ann-Margret.

Curtis Knight & The Squires' "How Would You Feel" is a loose interpretation of Bob Dylan's "Like A Rolling Stone", also released in 1965, featuring an uncredited Jimi Hendrix.

The rest: the lustful "Chocolate" by Big Boi with Troze, the Purple Rain outtake "We Can Fuck" by Prince & The Revolution, Junie's funky "Super Groupie", a Swamp Dogg-produced cover of The Supremes hit "Someday We'll Be Together" by Sandra Phillips, the religious drug metaphor "Jesus Is My Pusher" by Margie Singleton, the 2Pac comeback single "California Love" with Dr. Dre and Roger Troutman, the backing track of Led Zeppelin's "Living Loving Maid (She's Just A Woman)", the Pink Floyd-sampling "Home" by the Problematics, the mellow "Give Me Your Love" by Paul Skyland, Neil Sedaka's #1 hit from 1975 "Laughter In the Rain" and the tender "Something To Remember Me By" by Brighter Side Of Darkness.

California Girls                                               The Beach Boys
Everybody's Gotta Live (electric ver)             Love
Chocolate                                                         Big Boi ft. Troze
We Can Fuck                                                   Prince & The Revolution
Super Groupie                                                 Junie
California Girls                                               David Lee Roth
Everybody's Gotta Live ('71 ver)                    Love
How Would You Feel                                     Curtis Knight & The Squires
You're The Boss                           Lavern Baker and Jimmy Ricks
Someday We'll Be Together                           Sandra Phillips
Jesus Is My Pusher                                         Margie Singelton
California Love                           2Pac ft. Dre. Dre and Roger Troutman
Living Loving Maid (She's Just A Woman) (backing track)   Led Zeppelin
Home                                                               The Problematics
Everybody's Gotta Live                                  Arthur Lee
Give Me Your Love                                        Paul Skyland
Laughter In The Rain                                      Neil Sedaka
California Girls (vocals)                                 The Beach Boys
You're The Boss                                              Elvis Presley & Ann-Margret
Something To Remember You By                  Brighter Side Of Darkness
California Girls ("Lei'd In Hawaii" ver)         The Beach Boys
Everybody's Gotta Live (acoustic ver)           Love