Songs About Radio,On the Radio

Anything to do with the world of music...old or new

Songs About Radio,On the Radio

Postby BossRadio » Fri Oct 14, 2011 7:10 am

The campus radio thread made me think ...of my favorite 'songs about' radio. The most commonly mentioned is probably Harry Chapin's 'W.O.L.D.',and I've always dug George Jone's "Radio Lover",about a jock's cheating spouse,but this obscure little story song really grabs me. (Can-Con too, I believe) Take a listen,and add your contribution if you have one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYQZMtLv9ng
Minutus cantorum, minutus balorum, minutus carborata descendum pantorum
BossRadio
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 361
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 9:09 am
Location: the outskirts of the edge of the fringe of the centre of the universe

Re: Songs About Radio,On the Radio

Postby jon » Fri Oct 14, 2011 7:39 am

"Heard it on the X" by ZZ Top always comes to mind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GVFoOW1a5A
User avatar
jon
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 9256
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 10:15 am
Location: Edmonton

Re: Songs About Radio,On the Radio

Postby Paul P » Fri Oct 14, 2011 8:09 am

Being nice is my resolve - in 2012
User avatar
Paul P
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 350
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 5:03 pm

Re: Songs About Radio,On the Radio

Postby radiofan » Fri Oct 14, 2011 8:15 am

How about a Country Classic from 1964, Stonewall Jackson's "BJ The DJ" ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxFOOE8EoUU
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
User avatar
radiofan
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 13719
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 2:24 pm
Location: Keremeos, BC

Re: Songs About Radio,On the Radio

Postby CubbyCam » Fri Oct 14, 2011 8:18 am

Or Donna Summer's "On the Radio" from 1979...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPzMxB2uct0
CubbyCam
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 394
Joined: Mon May 25, 2009 11:52 am

Re: Songs About Radio,On the Radio

Postby jon » Fri Oct 14, 2011 8:23 am

Who would expect the guy who sang "Teen Angel" in 1959 to have a hit about Radio? Well, I sure didn't, until I heard "Top Forty, News, Weather and Sports" by Mark Dinning a couple of months ago for the first time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQ7msF3e-XU
User avatar
jon
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 9256
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 10:15 am
Location: Edmonton

Re: Songs About Radio,On the Radio

Postby 45 RPM » Fri Oct 14, 2011 8:28 am

A Can-Con entry here from Rush, his one a staple on Classic Rock stations.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Tq-UsaRchI
User avatar
45 RPM
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 228
Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2007 11:01 am
Location: Hanna, AB

Re: Songs About Radio,On the Radio

Postby Russ_Byth » Fri Oct 14, 2011 8:31 am

And a crossover one (radio-TV)... also the first music video ever played on MTV. (What would we do without You Tube!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iwuy4hHO3YQ
User avatar
Russ_Byth
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 1298
Joined: Thu Nov 16, 2006 9:08 pm
Location: West Kelowna

Re: Songs About Radio,On the Radio

Postby Tape Splicer » Fri Oct 14, 2011 9:07 am

And then there is the song about a fictional radio station on TV..... I know that I've had "WKRP" moments where i worked.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgrVP_J0 ... re=related
Tape Splicer
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 775
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 4:45 pm

Re: Songs About Radio,On the Radio

Postby kat » Fri Oct 14, 2011 9:10 am

From 1974 one about radio and the songs it plays, Life Is A Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me) by Reunion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16kh-AP4OCU
The world has two kinds of people. Cat people and idiots.
User avatar
kat
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 532
Joined: Tue May 30, 2006 9:36 pm
Location: Bellingham, WA

Re: Songs About Radio,On the Radio

Postby Howaboutthat » Fri Oct 14, 2011 9:15 am

And now here's Harry Chapin!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVh6aOwY08g
Houston, We're dealing with morons!.
User avatar
Howaboutthat
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 2509
Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:28 pm
Location: Vernon

Re: Songs About Radio,On the Radio

Postby jon » Fri Oct 14, 2011 9:17 am

I almost forgot one Top 40 hit that probably doesn't even mention radio in the lyrics, but is definitely ABOUT radio. "Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)" by The Buckinghams is arguably about, not just inspired by, Art Roberts' Sunday evening Oldies show of the same name, on WLS Chicago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Uw0q8f01a8

I was lucky enough to correspond with Art shortly before he died. And he told me that The Buckinghams asked his permission before writing the song.

Art actually had a theme song for the show called "Hey Baby, They're Playing Our Song", but it was different.
User avatar
jon
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 9256
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 10:15 am
Location: Edmonton

Re: Songs About Radio,On the Radio

Postby radiofan » Fri Oct 14, 2011 9:23 am

Howaboutthat wrote:And now here's Harry Chapin!


Whenever Harry did a concert that included W.O.L.D., he'd change the call letters to whatever the sponsoring station in each city was. In Vancouver he did a CFMI-I-I-I-I-I version.

Another radio song that wasn't a big hit ... KYYX in Seattle palyed this in the late 70's for a few weeks ..PR Battle and "Radio Loves You"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGSKXhhsnWI
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
User avatar
radiofan
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 13719
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 2:24 pm
Location: Keremeos, BC

Re: Songs About Radio,On the Radio

Postby Tape Splicer » Fri Oct 14, 2011 9:24 am

According to "Wikipedia" : "a full-length version of the original theme song was released in 1979 on a 45 rpm vinyl single on the MCA Records label. It peaked at 65 on the pop singles charts in 1981 and at 29 on the adult contemporary chart in 1982. The lyrics refer to the life of charictor Andy Travis."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMvWc_Px ... re=related
Tape Splicer
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 775
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2011 4:45 pm

Re: Songs About Radio,On the Radio

Postby Ross Ewage » Fri Oct 14, 2011 9:30 am

Let's not forget Joni Mitchell's early 1970s hits You Turn Me On I'm A Radio

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4GqB1t4PBA
Ross Ewage
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 46
Joined: Sat Aug 11, 2007 12:39 am
Location: Duncan

Next

Return to Music Notes

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 77 guests