Comments on: I'm a radio. Turn me on.

Question: I'm a radio. Turn me on.

jbickers — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 16:49:06 -0800

What's the perfect song to play on the radio, first thing in the morning, New Year's Day?

Getting ready to sign on very early tomorrow morning - I get to play the first song of 2007 on my station. So what's the perfect song to start the broadcast year? I'm leaning toward "Beautiful Day" by U2, because I like the sentiment, but it does feel a little easy/cliched ...

By: Kickstart70

Kickstart70 — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 16:56:29 -0800

Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's mix of Over the Rainbow and It's a Wonderful World.

However, I'm a bit biased, as it was the song that ended my mother's memorial service in November.

By: jbickers

jbickers — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 16:59:54 -0800

Very interesting suggestion - believe it or not, that is unquestionably the most requested song we get. Heartbreakingly lovely.

(And condolences on your loss, by the way.)

By: booner

booner — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 17:00:20 -0800

There's always that other U2 song, "New Year's Day", but I'd go with Smashing Pumpkin's "Today" or maybe "This Will Be Our Year" by The Zombies.

By: LoriFLA

LoriFLA — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 17:01:54 -0800

Kickstart, I love that song.

You might try Jessica by the Allman Brothers. It's cheerful, upbeat, and very positive.

By: pettins

pettins — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 17:08:21 -0800

New Years Day by U2 has got a lot of the qualities, as well as Beautiful Day which I agree is very upbeat and a good message.

American Pie (Don Mclean) would be a good sing along but maybe this is more for the night before (which is what we are just coming back from) hence why my selection is a bit limited.

Enjoy, whatever you choose in the end...

Happy New Year!

By: SPrintF

SPrintF — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 17:10:29 -0800

An American Tune - Paul Simon:

"Still, tomorrow's going to be another working day,
And I'm trying to get some rest.
That's all I'm trying,
To get some rest."

By: dydecker

dydecker — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 17:11:57 -0800

I would play Nina Simone - Feeling Good

By: furtive

furtive — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 17:13:47 -0800

I Need More Time - The Meters

"I need more time, for my, dreams to, come true."

By: Freedomboy

Freedomboy — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 17:18:11 -0800

Rainy Night in Georgia, Hole in My Shoe[any takers on that one?], Good Day Sunshine, repeat.

By: jrossi4r

jrossi4r — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 17:30:51 -0800

Watch the Sunrise by Big Star.

By: doublesix

doublesix — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 17:31:20 -0800

Husker Du - New Day Rising (youtube). I'd link to the lyrics but there aren't really any.

By: LoriFLA

LoriFLA — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 17:32:52 -0800

I should mention that the song Jessica is an instrumental. It's one of those songs that make you glad you are alive. It's a mood boost. It's an "open the curtains and let the sun shine in" kind of song.

By: deadmessenger

deadmessenger — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 17:37:04 -0800

I Can See Clearly Now, by Johnny Nash. Great way to start a day, or a year.

Oh, and ditto Jessica as an alternate. What a great upbeat song.

By: wsg

wsg — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 17:45:15 -0800

Chelsea Morning - Joni Mitchell. Any Joni, actually.

By: nowonmai

nowonmai — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 17:46:14 -0800

"Curse You All Men" by Emperor is always a good one. Low on sugary schmaltz and ferociously complex, it's good for driving out the stuffiness and lethargy of a New Years Day hangover.
It's also a lot more appropriate for the times than any of that crap that pretends that it's a wonderful world or that next year is going to be any less awful than this.

By: rougy

rougy — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 17:50:51 -0800

The The - "This Is the Day Your Life Will Surely Change."

(sorry - don't know the real title)

Oh. And you know another kind of hip, cool, forgotten song?

It's the song that Kris Kringle's future wife, Jessica, sings in that Christmas special, the one with the Winter Warlock and Fred Astaire as the narrator - "My World's Beginning Today."

It's kind of sappy, but I heard it last week and I've been singing it ever since.

By: JPowers

JPowers — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 17:59:02 -0800

Death Can for Cutie's "The New Year." Lyrics:

"so this is the new year.
and i don't feel any different.
the clanking of crystal
explosions off in the distance (in the distance).

so this is the new year
and I have no resolutions
for self assigned penance
for problems with easy solutions

so everybody put your best suit or dress on
let's make believe that we are wealthy for just this once
lighting firecrackers off on the front lawn
as thirty dialogues bleed into one

i wish the world was flat like the old days
then i could travel just by folding a map
no more airplanes, or speedtrains, or freeways
there'd be no distance that can hold us back."

By: Dizzy

Dizzy — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 18:02:13 -0800

"'Tis A Gift To Be Simple" and "Fanfare For The Common Man"-- both by Aaron Copland.
Sunrise music.
Washing away the pain and dirt and residue of the day music.
Brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it.

By: kimota

kimota — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 18:06:35 -0800

The Beatles - Here Comes The Sun has that 'fresh start'/redemptive feeling

Foo Fighters - Next Year has a wistful nature; maybe it'll help someone keep a resolution?

By: kimota

kimota — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 18:08:00 -0800

Also, The Call's Let The Day Begin

By: thilmony

thilmony — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 18:21:54 -0800

oingo boingo - dead man's party.

By: fire&wings

fire&wings — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 18:35:41 -0800

Song to the siren by This Mortal Coil

By: garbo

garbo — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 18:37:10 -0800

Natasha Bedingfield...UnWritten?

I am unwritten, can't read my mind, I'm undefined
I'm just beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned

Staring at the blank page before you
Open up the dirty window
Let the sun illuminate the words that you could not find

Reaching for something in the distance
So close you can almost taste it
Release your inhibitions
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten

Oh, oh, oh

By: Slarty Bartfast

Slarty Bartfast — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 18:47:11 -0800

Wash Away by Joe Purdy. Sorta captures the sadness and freshness of the New Year.

I got troubles oh, but not today
Cause they're gonna wash away
They're gonna wash away

And I have sins Lord, but not today
Cause they're gonna wash away
They're gonna wash away

And I had friends oh, but not today
Cause they're done washed away
They're done washed away

And oh, I've been cryin'
And oh, I've been cryin'
And oh, no more cryin'
No, no more cryin' here

We get along Lord, but not today
Cause we gonna wash away
We gonna wash away

And I got troubles oh, but not today
Cause they gonna wash away
This old heart gonna take them away

By: solid-one-love

solid-one-love — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 19:07:48 -0800

"Back in Black", AC/DC.

By: Chrischris

Chrischris — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 19:43:58 -0800

Perfect Day The Velvet Underground
I'll Take You There The Staple Sisters
Everyone Van Morrison

By: jimfl

jimfl — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 19:59:51 -0800

Kraftwerk - Autobahn

Vor uns liegt ein weites Tal
Die Sonne scheint mit Glitzerstrahl

(In front of us is a wide valley
The sun is shining with glittering rays)

Plus: it's 21 minutes long, giving you a chance to get your own New Year on in the booth.

By: jeffmshaw

jeffmshaw — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 20:35:04 -0800

"New Years" by Asobi Seksu. Dreamy, catchy, poppy and all in Japanese save two words.

By: naoko

naoko — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 21:00:41 -0800

This is maybe a little silly, but a song that never fails to make me happy is ELO's "Mr. Blue Sky" - great for starting a day or a year.

By: Listener

Listener — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 22:18:24 -0800

Radio Radio

By: StrangeTikiGod

StrangeTikiGod — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 23:21:08 -0800

"We're All In This Together" by Old Crow Medicine Show. Lyrics follow:

Well my friend, well I see your face so clearly
Little bit tired, little bit worn through the years
You sound nervous, you seem lonely
I hardly recognize your voice on the telephone

In between I remember
Just before we wound up broken down
Drive out to the edge of the highway
Follow that lonesome dead-end roadside sound

Chorus:
Were all in this thing together
Walkin the line between faith and fear
This life dont last forever
When you cry I taste the salt in your tears

Well my friend, lets put this thing together
And walk the path that worn out feet have trod
If you wanted we can go home forever
Give up your jaded ways, spell your name to God

(Chorus)

All we are is a picture in a mirror
Fancy shoes to grace our feet
All that there is is a slow road to freedom
Heaven above and the devil beneath

(Chorus)

By: kowalski

kowalski — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 23:24:07 -0800

There's a fantastic mashup of U2's "New Year's Day" and Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody". It's called "I Wanna Dance With Some Bono" and was put together by Go Home Productions in 2002. To my knowledge it's not available any longer on the web, but you should be able to soulseek for it.

By: bingo

bingo — Sun, 31 Dec 2006 23:32:53 -0800

Good Morning, Bubblegum by melissa may and sleepy pete (mefi compilation).

By: Dave Faris

Dave Faris — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 01:46:44 -0800

Those Were the Days, by Mary Hopkins.

By: doublesix

doublesix — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 02:14:12 -0800

Well ... its 5:12AM in Louisville. What did you play?

By: jbickers

jbickers — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 02:50:48 -0800

Well ... its 5:12AM in Louisville. What did you play?

Went with an old standby ... "Monday morning rock" by Marshall Crenshaw. Will undoubtedly spin several of these other excellent suggestions before the day is out.

Thanks, all!

By: jbickers

jbickers — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 03:04:26 -0800

Oh, and "This will be our year" by the Zombies. Truly excellent.

By: rolypolyman

rolypolyman — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 12:11:35 -0800

Interestingly the first song I heard today was "Life During Wartime" by Talking Heads. It's almost recommendable.

By: armoured-ant

armoured-ant — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 13:22:17 -0800

Sobering Up. But, clearly, I'm biased.

By: Kickstart70

Kickstart70 — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 22:43:56 -0800

So....what was chosen?

By: Kickstart70

Kickstart70 — Sat, 06 Jan 2007 01:28:59 -0800

Please ignore me.

By: ontic

ontic — Mon, 26 Feb 2007 22:47:40 -0800

A little late to this one, but I would have suggested "Days" by Elvis Costello.