Spin City Playlist For 1/27/07

4 pm hour

Perfect World- Huey Lewis and the News
Lovely Day- Bill Withers
Who I Am- David Ruffin
Take Me Home Tonight- Eddie Money & Ronnie Spector
She's On It- Beastie Boys
Private Joy- Prince
Boogie Wonderland- Earth, Wind, & Fire/The Emotions

Common Thread segment: Songs by former members of Traffic:
Shouldn't Have Took More Than You Gave- Dave Mason
That's Love- Jim Capaldi
The Finer Things- Steve Winwood

Rockin' Soul- Hues Corporation
Work To Do- Average White Band
24 Hour Party People- Happy Mondays

5 pm hour

I Can't Stand It- Eric Clapton
Shot In the Dark- Ozzy Osbourne
You Can't Turn Me Off- High Inergy
Laverne & Shirley theme-Cyndi Greco (31st anniv. of its TV debut)
Mama's Pearl- Jackson 5
Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)- Joe Tex
The War Song- Culture Club
World Where You Live- Crowded House

On the Flip Side segment (B-side of a 70s or 80s tune):
Sunshine (B-side to Backstabbers)- O'Jays

I Feel the Earth Move- Carole King
The Glow of Love- Luther Vandross
That Was Then, This Is Now- Dolenz & Tork of The Monkees
The Beat(en) Generation- The The
Nothing From Nothing- Billy Preston
Stellar Fungk- Slave

6 pm hour

Sugar Walls- Sheena Easton
Trick Bag- Robert Palmer
Don't Believe the Hype- Public Enemy
Mr. Big Stuff- Jean Knight
Peace Frog- Doors
Pearl Necklace- ZZ Top
Harry Hippie- Bobby Womack
Down Under- Men At Work (#1 on the pop chart this day in 1983)
Radioactivity- Royal Cash
Mary Jane- Rick James
Badge- Fanny
Go All the Way- Raspberries
Lucky Charm- The Boys
Dominoes- Robbie Nevil

Spin City Playlist For 1/20/07

4 pm hour

Synchronicity II- Police
Don't Knock My Love- Wilson Pickett
Old Fashioned Love- Commodores
Emotion- Samantha Sang
Don't Shed A Tear- Paul Carrack
Neutron Dance- Pointer Sisters
Keep It Live- Dazz Band

Common Thread segment (3 songs featuring Wolfman Jack):
Hit the Road Jack- Stampeders
Did You Boogie With Your Baby-Flash Cadillac & the Continental Kids
Clap For the Wolfman- Guess Who

Cha Cha- MC Lyte
Shake Your Pants- Cameo
Betcha By Golly Wow- Stylistics
Movin'- Brass Construction

5pm hour

Get It On (Bang A Gong)- Power Station
Road Runner- Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
Funny Vibe- Living Colour

Tribute to Denny Doherty:
Step Out- The Mamas and the Papas (from their 1971 reunion album "People Like Us")

Then Came You- Dionne Warwick and the Spinners
Got To Give It Up- Marvin Gaye

Now and Then segment:
Rock and Roll- Jerry Lee Lewis feat. Jimmy Page (from Lewis' new CD "Last Man Standing")
Chantilly Lace- Jerry Lee Lewis

Sacrifice- Steve Miller Band
At Midnight (My Love Will Lift You Up)- Rufus feat. Chaka Khan
Rockit- Herbie Hancock
Go Insane- Lindsey Buckingham
Lawnchairs- Our Daughter's Wedding
Fire On the Mountain- Marshall Tucker Band

6 pm hour

Up the Ladder To the Roof- Supremes
You See the Trouble With Me- Barry White
Yah Mo B There- Michael McDonald and James Ingram
Chains of Love- Erasure
Feel It Again- Honeymoon Suite
Let's Stay Together- Tina Turner
Keep Me Cryin'- Al Green
A Town Called Malice- The Jam
Show and Tell- Al Wilson (the song which was #1 on the Billboard pop chart on this date in 1974)
Sexy Eyes- Dr. Hook
Mamma Mia- ABBA
Jam Master Jay- Run DMC
Stay With Me- The Faces feat. Rod Stewart
Johnny Can't Read- Don Henley
Get Up and Get Down- The Dramatics

The View

Since Meredith Viera (the one person on the show that I could stand for any length of time) exited, The View has provided us with some of the funniest moments on TV as of late. I have never been a big fan of The View, nor will I probably ever be. However, thanks to You Tube (a.k.a. video crack), it has become a periodic "guilty pleasure". Here is a brief rundown:

1. Ex-Survivor castmate Elizabeth Hasselbeck having to be calmed down by Baba Wawa during a segment on the Morning After pill. I think Elizabeth needed to take a pill... of the chill variety.

2. Kelly Ripa calling into the show to take on Rosie. During Clay Aiken's guest host appearance on Regis and Kelly, Clay put his hand over Kelly's mouth because he felt she was talking to damned much. Kelly took offense to that, saying she doesn't know where his hand has been. Rosie said that Kelly's comments were homophobic. Kelly dressed Rosie down, saying that her comments to Clay had nothing to do with his sexuality...she just didn't want him putting his hand over her mouth!

3. The ongoing battle between Rosie and Donald Trump. Only Rosie could make me side with somebody like The Donald.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees For 2007

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recently announced the list of the upcoming inductees. Below is the list of the 2007 class (followed by my thoughts):

Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five: As you may already know, they are the 1st rap act to receive the honor. There are probably alot of people who have a problem with them getting inducted. I can hear it now, "Rap is not rock and roll" or "they didn't have enough hits to get in". What I say to people who throw out the rap not rock and roll argument is this... inductees such as Simon and Garfunkel, Bob Marley, and Hank Williams Sr. aren't necessarily rock and roll. However, since the term "rock and roll" is an umbrella title for a variety of genres, they (along with Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five) belong in the RRHOF. As for the lack of hits argument...if hits were that important an element in getting into The Hall, acts like Herman's Hermits, Olivia Newton-John, and Neil Diamond would be in already. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five may be the 1st rap act to get into The RRHOF. However, I guarantee you that they won't be the last.

REM: a personal favorite of mine and a "lock" for being inducted. However, it's hard to believe that it's been 25 years since the release of their first record (the eligibility requirement for getting inducted). I will bet that there are many 30 and 40-somethings who are saying that it seems like yesterday when they purchased a copy of "Murmur"... on vinyl no less! An added bonus is that it'll be cool to see Bill Berry rejoin his bandmates for a number or two during the induction ceremony.

The Ronettes: I was pleasantly surprised to hear that they are getting into The Hall this year. When you consider that Phil Spector (the creator of the Wall of Sound behind the Ronettes and several other acts) is in, I think you have to give the nod to The Ronettes. Although the average listener may not know any of their songs outside of "Be My Baby", The Ronettes left behind some outstanding material. If you don't believe me, pick up a copy of "The Best of the Ronettes".

Patti Smith: this is the only 2007 inductee that I am really torn on. There seems to be a conscious effort to induct more women into The RRHOF, which is a great thing. However, I think that there are other eligible women artists who should go in ahead of her (Patti Labelle/Labelle, Wanda Jackson, The Marvelettes, and Joan Jett come to mind). You can add Tina Turner to this list. Although she is an inductee for her work with Ike Turner, she has yet to be honored for her solo work. Let me also mention such worthy females who should be honored for their non-performing contributions: Ellie Greenwich, Cynthia Weil, and Rosalie Trombley (long-time music director for legendary radio station CKLW). I don't deny Patti Smith's influence and significance, I just think that the aforementioned women should go in ahead of her.

Van Halen: I am surprised that it took so long for VH to get the nod (they've been eligible since 2003). Besides the fact that they deserve to be in the RRHOF, one of the reasons that I have been looking forward to their induction is to see whether or not there will be any fireworks between DLR/Sammy and the Van Halen brothers at the ceremony. Plus, DLR is bound to give a memorable acceptance speech! It will also be really cool if all 5 members perform together on stage. I wonder if Gary Cerrone will be watching. I'll bet that it was Extremely disappointing to him that his stint with VH didn't work out.

Spin City Playlist For 1/13/07

4pm hour

The Breaks-Kurtis Blow
Head Over Heels- Go-Gos
Nobody's Business- Billy Idol
Looking For Love-Cars
You Belong To Me- Carly Simon
One For the Mockingbird- Cutting Crew
You Dropped the Bomb On Me- Gap Band

Common Thread segment (4 songs about radio):

Happy Radio- Edwin Starr
I Can't Live Without My Radio- LL Cool J
Do You Remember Rock and Roll Radio- Ramones
Life Is A Rock (But the Radio Rolled Me)- Reunion

Touch A Hand, Make A Friend- Staple Singers
He's A Friend- Eddie Kendricks

5pm hour

Panama- Van Halen
Head Above Water- Hall and Oates
Happy- Brick
Bad Girls- Donna Summer
Let Me Tickle Your Fancy- Jermaine Jackson
What's On Your Mind (Pure Energy)- Information Society
Star Love- Cheryl Lynn

Now and Then segment:
Strawberry Fields Forever (from the 2006 CD "Love")- Beatles
The Long and Winding Road- Beatles

Keep On Smiling- Wet Willie
Friends-Whodini
Atomic- Blondie
Funky Nassau- Beginning of the End

6pm hour

The Old Man Down the Road- John Fogerty
Wasted Time- Eagles
Yes I Am-Emotions
She's A Bad Mama Jama- Carl Carlton
Rollin' With Kid and Play- Kid and Play
61 Seconds- Outfield
Thunder and Lightning-Chi Coltrane

The Guilty Pleasure of the Week:
Dance With Me- Orleans

Gangsters of the Groove- Heatwave
Higher Ground- Stevie Wonder
People Who Died- Jim Carroll Band
Running Up That Hill- Kate Bush
Backstrokin'- Fatback Band