Spin City Playlist For 4/29/07

1 pm hour

Give It To Me Baby- Rick James
Empty Pages- Traffic
Rock & Roll Soul- Grand Funk Railroad
Master Blaster (Jammin')- Stevie Wonder
This Is the Right Time- Lisa Stansfield
Make That Move- Shalamar
Strawberry Letter 23- Brothers Johnson

On the Flip Side segment:
17 Days- Prince (B-side to When Doves Cry)

Let's Go To Bed- The Cure
Get Up & Boogie- Silver Convention
Hold On- Ian Gomm
I Ain't No Joke- Eric B. & Rakim
Breakout- Swing Out Sister
Sunshine- The O'jays

2 pm hour

Rock & Roll Never Forgets- Bob Seger
I Do'wanna Know- REO Speedwagon
Dynamite- Jermaine Jackson
Pillow Talk- Sylvia
I'm A Greedy Man- James Brown
Johnny Hit & Run Paulene- X
Overkill- Men At Work
Stoned Love- The Supremes

Now & Then featured artist: John Mellencamp
Someday (from his latest CD "Freedom's Road")
R.O.C.K. In the U.S.A.

Endicott- Kid Creole & the Coconuts
Tired of Being Alone- Al Green
Funny Vibe- Living Colour
Destination Unknown- Missing Persons
I Just Want To Celebrate- Rare Earth

Spin City Playlist For 4/21/07

4pm hour

Freeway of Love- Aretha Franklin
Go To Hell- Alice Cooper
Hot Girls In Love- Loverboy
I Choose You- Willie Hutch
I Don't Believe You Want To Get Up & Dance (Oops, Upside Your Head)- Gap Band
Bad Boy/Havin' A Party- Luther Vandross

On the Flip Side:
Kid Dynamo- The Buggles (B-side to Video Killed the Radio Star)

Jukebox (Don't Put Another Dime)- The Flirts
You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)- Sylvester
Float On- The Floaters
This Is the Day- The The
The Stand- The Alarm
Back & Forth- Cameo

5 pm hour

Tell It To My Heart- Taylor Dayne
Heavy Love- David Ruffin
Wildflower- New Birth
Dreams- Van Halen
Life During Wartime- Talking Heads
I'm On Fire- 5000 Volts

Common Thread segment- groups that include twins as members:
Rock Steady- The Whispers
A.D. 1928/Rockin' the Paradise- Styx
One- Bee Gees

Right On the Tip of My Tongue- Brenda & the Tabulations
Help Yourself- Undisputed Truth
Hyperactive- Robert Palmer

6 pm hour

Moving Out (Anthony's Song)- Billy Joel
One of the Living- Tina Turner
On the Radio- Donna Summer
She's A Beauty- The Tubes
Breakfast In America- Supertramp
Only So Much Oil In the Ground- Tower of Power
One Night In Bangkok- Murray Head
Little Red Book- Toni Basil
Funky Cold Medina- Tone Loc (from the album "Loc-ed After Dark", which was #1 on Billboard this week in 1989)
Telephone Bill- Johnny "Guitar" Watson
Back On My Feet Again- The Babys
Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)- The Delfonics
Dark Lady- Cher
What Do All the People Know- The Monroes

Calvin Lockhart, R.I.P.

While reading the "Monitor" section in the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly, I was saddened to read about the death of actor/director Calvin Lockhart. Although he had many successes in the theater, he is probably best known for his roles in the 1st two films from the Sidney Poitier/Bill Cosby trilogy of the 1970s. As many of you may know, he played "Silky Slim" in the 1st film Uptown Saturday Night and appeared as "Biggie Smalls" in the follow-up, Let's Do It Again. I remember hearing a rumor that he was "cracked out" in Cali back in the 80s or 90s. However, by all accounts, it appears as if this wasn't the case. According to imdb.com, he returned to the Bahamas with his wife after his career took a downturn. If you would like to read more about him, here is the link to his page on imdb.com:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0516865/

Spin City Playlist For 4/14/07

4 pm hour

Walking On Sunshine- Katrina & the Waves
Your Gold Teeth II- Steely Dan
Enjoy Yourself- The Jacksons
Wishing Well- Terence Trent D'Arby
Dead Man's Party- Oingo Boingo
Island of Lost Souls- Blondie
War- Edwin Starr

On the Flip Side segment:
Tell Me What You Want (B-side to Private Eyes)- Hall & Oates

Instant Replay- Dan Hartman
I'm Coming Home- Spinners
Typical Male- Tina Turner
Kitty (orig. version of "Mickey)- Racey
You Are the Girl- The Cars
You & I- Earth, Wind, & Fire

5 pm hour
Bang A Gong (Get It On)- T. Rex
C 30, C 60, C 90, Go!- Bow Wow Wow
Hard Times- Run DMC
Dirty Mind- Prince
The Wizard- Uriah Heep
Ain't No Half Steppin'- Heatwave
Luka- Suzanne Vega

The Guilty Pleasure of the Week:
Everything Is Beautiful- Ray Stevens

Are You Man Enough- Four Tops
Love Is the Key- Maze feat. Frankie Beverly
Will It Go 'Round In Circles- Billy Preston
Show Me- The Pretenders
Cold As Ice- Foreigner
Ego Tripping Out- Marvin Gaye

6 pm hour

Love Or Let Me Be Lonely- Friends of Distinction
The Show Must Go On- Three Dog Night
Antmusic- Adam & the Ants
Broken Wings- Mr. Mister
(I'm Just Thinking About) Cooling Out- Jerry Butler
Messing With My Mind- Labelle
Mississippi Queen- Mountain
Whisper To A Scream (Birds Fly)- Icicle Works
Rock Me Amadeus- Falco (song was #1 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart this week in 1986)
Me Myself & I- De La Soul
Last Night A DJ Saved My Life- Indeep
No Matter What- Badfinger
Hard Luck Woman- Kiss
I Didn't Mean To Turn You On- Cherelle

Spin City Playlist For 4/7/07

4 pm hour

Theme From Shaft- Isaac Hayes
Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom Boom)- Staple Singers
Pearl In the Shell- Howard Jones
How Long- Ace
Little Jackie Wants To Be A Star- Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
I Go To Work- Kool Moe Dee
Photograph- Def Leppard

Common Thread segment (belated 62nd b-day tribute to Eric Clapton):
Bell Bottom Blues
Promises
Rock & Roll Heart
I Can't Stand It

I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love- The Emotions
I Got Ants In My Pants- James Brown
Summer Days- Partridge Family

5 pm hour

Da Butt- E.U.
My Heart Goes Bang Bang- Dead or Alive
Fascination- David Bowie
Car Wash- Rose Royce
She Don't Let Nobody (But Me)- Curtis Mayfield
Together In Electric Dreams- Philip Oakey & Giorgio Moroder
Hungry Heart- Bruce Springsteen
Stoney Ground- The Foundations
The Mirror- Spooky Tooth
Live & Let Die- Paul McCartney & Wings
And You Know That- Sequence
Here Comes Your Man- The Pixies
De Do Do Do De Da Da Da- The Police
(If You Let Me Make Love To You Then) Why Can't I Touch You- Ronnie Dyson

6 pm hour

(Every Time I Turn Around) Back In Love Again- LTD
I've Got To Use My Imagination- Gladys Knight & the Pips
Changing Everyday- Culture Club
Young Turks- Rod Stewart
Contusion- Stevie Wonder
Special Care- Fanny
Beat's So Lonely- Charlie Sexton
In the Rain- The Dramatics (song was #1 on the R&B charts this week in 1972)
I Couldn't Believe It- David Ruffin & Eddie Kendricks
Joystick- Dazz Band
Breakdown- Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
Make Believe- Joan Jett & the Blackhearts
The Killing Moon- Echo & the Bunnymen

Spin City Playlist For 3/24/07

4 pm hour

Sunglasses At Night- Corey Hart
Satisfaction Guaranteed- Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
You Stepped Into My Life- Melba Moore
Crumblin' Down- John Cougar Mellencamp
Backstabbers- O'jays
King of the World- Steely Dan
I Can Understand It- Bobby Womack
(If Loving You Is Wrong) I Don't Want To Be Right- Luther Ingram
Summer- War
Too Late- Junior
Cruel Summer- Bananarama
Funky Nassau- Beginning of the End

5 pm hour

What I Like About You- Romantics
Neighbours- Rolling Stones
So Very Hard To Go- Tower of Power
Hot Stuff- Donna Summer
Boys Do Fall In Love- Robin Gibb
Jailhouse Rap- Fat Boys
Be Thankful For What You Got- William DeVaughn

On the Flip Side:
Monday Morning (B-side to Say You Love Me)- Fleetwood Mac

Day By Day- Hooters
Bit By Bit- Stephanie Mills
Take Me To the River- Al Green
Manic Mechanic- ZZ Top
Girls Girls Girls- Motley Crue
Lay Away- Isley Bros.
La Bel Age- Pat Benatar

6 pm hour

Goin' Back To Cali- LL Cool J
I Feel Sanctified- The Commodores
A Star In the Ghetto- Ben E. King & AWB
Mickey- Toni Basil
Take It Off- Alex Chilton
We Close Our Eyes- Go West
Jack & Jill- Raydio
Me & Bobby McGee- Janis Joplin (#1 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart this week in 1971)
Mama Told Me Not To Come- Wilson Pickett
Down On My Knees- John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band
Jump To It- Aretha Franklin
Boys Don't Cry- The Cure
Is That Love- Squeeze
Count Me Out- New Edition

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Although I am a week late, I still wanted to toss in a couple of pennies regarding this year's RRHOF Induction Ceremony:

1. It was cool to see The Ronettes after all of these years. Both curious and understandable at the same time, none of the members mentioned Phil Spector during their speeches. Allegedly due to illness, member Estelle Bennett (Ronnie Spector's sister) did not perform with The Ronettes during their set. A younger female singer stood in for her. However, at the end of their performance of "Be My Baby", the substitute left the stage and they brought out Estelle to take a bow with Ronnie and Nedra Talley (the 3rd member, who is also Ronnie and Estelle's cousin). If there is more to the story behind the substitution, maybe Ronnie will shed some light if she writes an update to her autobiography (naturally titled "Be My Baby").

2. During his speech, Grandmaster Flash took the time to make note that despite what some people think, what he and the Furious Five did musically was very much a part of rock and roll. Although they are the 1st rap/hip hop act to be inducted, they certainly will not be the last.

3. Given that we live in world that can be too PC, I give credit to Patti Smith for peforming her song "Rock and Roll Nigger" (of course, VH-1 bleeped out the offending word). For anyone unfamiliar with the song, it is in no way racist (it attempted to redefine the term "Rock and Roll Nigger" as a badge of honor for anyone who lived outside the establishment). Since there was no public outcry over her performance of this song during the induction ceremony, one of two things happened. People not familiar with the tune actually listened to the lyrics or they didn't see the performance at all. I'll keep my cynicism in check for a moment and go with the former.

4. Michael Stipe of R.E.M. looked sharp as hell in his white suit! Also, props to Eddie Vedder for his subdued (but hilarious) speech inducting R.E.M. I especially liked what he said about listening to "Murmur" over 1,200 times even though you can't understand a fucking thing [frontman Michael Stipe] is saying." Another highlight was Eddie duetting with Michael during R.E.M.'s performance of "Man On the Moon".

5. I was thoroughly disappointed that only 2 of Van Halen's inducted members (Sammy Hagar and Michael Anthony) showed up. However, Eddie Van Halen did have a legit excuse (he's in rehab). Maybe brother Alex's no-show is related to that. As for Diamond Dave, it appears that he didn't show because of a dispute over what songs he would perform. According to Scott Weiland (who, along with his group Velvet Revolver, inducted VH and performed some VH tunes), David was adamant about doing ''Jump.'' Weiland added that "Jump was not really us, and we don't have a keyboard player." As a side note, Gary Cherone (the man who replaced Sammy Hagar as VH lead singer) was not inducted with Van Halen. However, bassist Michael Anthony showed tremendous class during his induction speech by mentioning Cherone's contribution to VH.

Rock & Roll Hall Welcomes Class of 2007 (clip approx. 2 minutes in length)

Spin City Playlist For 3/17/07

4 pm hour

Back In Black- AC/DC
Pay To the Piper- Chairmen of the Board
Cheaper To Keep Her- Johnnie Taylor
I'm Still Standing- Elton John
Since Yesterday- Strawberry Switchblade
The Ghost In You- Psychedelic Furs
One Nation Under A Groove- Funkadelic

Common Thread segment: songs feat. artists named Pat, Patti, or Patrick
A Girl Like You- Smithereens (lead singer Pat DiNizio)
Love's Got A Line On You- Scandal feat. Patty Smyth
Yo Mister- Patti Labelle
Born To Be Alive- Patrick Hernandez

Three Ring Circus- Blue Magic
Getaway- Earth, Wind, & Fire
Let It Flow- Grover Washington, Jr.

5 pm hour

Causing A Commotion- Madonna
Escape (I Need A Break)- Whodini
Who'd She Coo- Ohio Players
Baby What A Big Surprise- Chicago
Blister In the Sun- Violent Femmes
Yes Or No- Go Gos
Crosstown Walk Up- JoBoxers
Patches- Clarence Carter

Now & Then segment's feat. artist: Paul Westerberg
Right To Arm Bears- solo tune from the soundtrack to the 2006 film Open Season
Alex Chilton- The Replacements

I've Done Everything For You- Rick Springfield
Sweet Thing- Rufus feat. Chaka Khan
How Good Is Your Game- Billy Paul
Your Saving Grace- Steve Miller Band
Romancing the Stone- Eddy Grant

6 pm hour

I Ran (So Far Away)- A Flock of Seagulls
Underground- Men At Work
Drive Me Wild- Vanity 6
You Sexy Thing- Hot Chocolate
Come & Get To This- Marvin Gaye
Come Back & Stay- Paul Young
You Little Trustmaker- Tymes
Reflections of My Life- Marmalade
Hold It Now, Hit It- Beastie Boys (from the album that was #1 on the charts this week in 1987, Licensed To Ill)
Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody- Brick
I'm A Sucker For Your Love- Teena Marie
Leave Me Alone- Michael Jackson
No One Like You- Scorpions
Disturbance At the Heron House- REM

Spin City Playlist For 3/10/07

4 pm hour

So Emotional- Whitney Houston
The Relay- The Who
Slippery When Wet- Commodores
So Alive- Love & Rockets
I.G.Y. (What A Beautiful World)- Donald Fagen
Party Train- Gap Band

Common Thread segment (songs about time):
Hazy Shade of Winter- Bangles
Too Much Time On My Hands- Styx
Time After Time- Cyndi Lauper
It Only Takes A Minute- Tavares

Mighty Love- Spinners
Biggest Part of Me- Ambrosia
Absolute Beginners- David Bowie

5 pm hour

Centerfold- J. Geils Band
Angeleyes- ABBA
What Am I Gonna Do With You- Barry White
Walk This Way- Run DMC
Really Wanna Know You- Gary Wright
Wait For Me- Hall & Oates
New Year's Day- U2

On the Flip Side segment:
Funkier Than A Mosquita's Tweeter- Ike & Tina (B-side to Proud Mary)

Life of Illusion- Joe Walsh
Jackie Blue- Ozark Mountain Daredevils
Get Down On It- Kool & the Gang

Tribute to Brad Delp, the lead singer of Boston:
Cantcha Say (You Believe In Me)/Still In Love
Peace of Mind

6 pm hour

Boogie Oogie Oogie- A Taste of Honey
Alligator Woman- Cameo
Motorcycle Mama- Sailcat
Never Ending Story- Limahl
The Metro- Berlin
Kelly's Eyes- Andre Cymone
Put Your Hands Together- O'jays
Tangled Up In Blue- Bob Dylan (from the album "Blood On the Tracks", which was #1 on the Billboard charts this week in 1975)
I'm No Angel- Gregg Allman
He's the Greatest Dancer- Sister Sledge
Glamour Boys- Living Colour
Too Much Posse- Public Enemy
Everybody Needs Somebody To Love- Blues Brothers
Freedom Rider- Traffic

Spin City Playlist For 3/3/07

4 pm hour

Staying Alive- The Bee Gees
Please Pardon Me (You Remind Me of a Friend)- Rufus feat. Chaka Khan
Too Hot To Handle- Heatwave
Stay With Me Tonight- Jeffrey Osborne
See A Little Light- Bob Mould
Christine- Siouxsie & the Banshees
Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime- The Korgis

Common Thread segment:
Songs about the telephone (in honor of Alexander Graham Bell's birthday):
Hot Line- The Sylvers
Obscene Phone Caller- Rockwell
Hanging On the Telephone- Blondie
Vienna Calling- Falco

Have You Seen Her- The Chi-Lites
Get the Cream Off the Top- Eddie Kendricks
House of Fire- Alice Cooper

5 pm hour

Would I Lie To You- Eurythmics
Long Time Coming- Ready For the World
Get Off- Foxy
Long Tall Glasses- Leo Sayer
Theme From Foxy Brown- Willie Hutch
Rent- Pet Shop Boys
I'll Set You Out O.K.- Con Funk Shun

Now & Then segment's featured artist: Diana Ross
More Today Than Yesterday (from her 2007 CD I Love You)
Upside Down

You Made Me Believe In Magic- Bay City Rollers
In My Dreams- Dokken
Atomic Dog- George Clinton
The Gigolo- O'Bryan
One Monkey Don't Stop No Show- Honey Cone

6 pm hour

A View To A Kill- Duran Duran
Ladies First- Queen Latifah feat. Monie Love
Dance Hall Days- Wang Chung
Draggin' the Line- Tommy James
AC/DC- Sweet
Jimmy Loves Maryann- Josie Cotton
Kiss- Prince
I Don't Know If It's Right- Evelyn "Champagne" King
Bridge Over Troubled Water- Simon & Garfunkel (song that was #1 on the Billboard pop singles chart this week in 1970)
Rockin' Roll Baby- Stylistics
Color of Success- Morris Day
Run To You- Bryan Adams
Lonely At the Top- Mick Jagger
Theme from the Rockford Files- Mike Post