Month: February 2022

We Close Out The Month With Music Banned On The Airwaves, The Animals, and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Live, Monday, February 28, 2022

Good Morning, Music Lovers! February certainly is a short month, but we’re closing it out in style with some excellent programming, including a brand new playlists of songs banned ’round the world!

Hard to believe this song was banned, but that’s what happens when you “Imagine there’s no heaven.”

Here’s your musical programming for today:

11:00 a.m. Banned On The Airwaves: Various Artists NEW!

This certainly isn’t an EP, but it was fun to put together. Thanks to my compadre Dave Denton for the idea! These are songs that have been banned from different locations around the world, not just here in America. Some of them defy logic, I must say. For example, My Generation by The Who was banned by the BBC because they felt it was disparaging to people who stutter. Sailing by Rod Stewart was banned because of the war in the Falkland Islands (incidentally, this was not the only nautical song banned at this time). God Only Knows by the Beach Boys was banned because, well, God just wasn’t used in rock n’ roll music. This Note’s For You by Neil Young was banned because it was anti-capitalist.

In addition to these guys, you’ll hear Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers (yes, it’s true), The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Shirelles, Billy Joel, Paul Simon, Van Morrison, and more. There’s a list of songs and artists under the Playlist tab. Scroll down to the bottom. By the way, this is not an exhaustive list.

3:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of The Animals

The Animals were certainly one hell of a band. Steeped in R & B, the blues and rock, they were formed in Newcastle upon Tyne in the early sixties, then moved to London when they began to gain traction. Eric Burdon was the perfect lead vocalist for this band.

7:00 p.m. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Live at The PPL Center, Allentown, PA, September 16, 2014

Speaking of great bands, we give you The Heartbreakers live on the Hypnotic Eye tour. It’s hard to believe that a band can produce such brilliant material over a forty-year span, but this album proved to be one of The Heartbreakers’ finest ever. Sadly, this would also be their final album ever as Tom Petty would prematurely pass into the great wide open a week after their 40th Anniversary Tour in 2017. Nevertheless, their music lives on eternally here in The Mermaid Lounge.

The set list for this show is also under the Playlist tab. Again, scroll down to the bottom.

Come on, folks. Music makes nearly all things tolerable. The only exception would be the GOP, but I digress and we don’t want to ruin the mood here. Hey, we’re anti-capitalist too. We don’t charge you anything to tune us in. We don’t ask for a credit card or personal information. In fact, we will have no bloody idea who you are. So do it.

IMAGINE.

What Could Be Better Than Tedeschi Trucks With Our Latest AOW, George Harrison In The Spotlight, and A (Musical) British Invasion? Sunday, February 27, 2022

Good Morning, Weekenders! Yes, it’s Sunday here in The Mermaid Lounge, and we’ve got a great line-up today, kicking off a bit early with our Album of The Week!

Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi (center) are the musical power couple at the core of Tedeschi Trucks Band.

Here’s your kick-ass line-up:

9:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Revelator by Tedeschi Trucks Band NEW!

Susan Tedeschi has been around for a while, and so has Derek Trucks. But they put it all together in 2011 with the debut album of their fine band, Revelator. If you like blues-rock, this is is where you should be, people. Recorded in Susan and Derek’s Swamp Raga Studios in Jacksonville, Florida, the band shows that they are more than just a great ‘live’ band. Co-produced by Derek Trucks and producer/engineer Jim Scott, Revelator went on to with the Best Blues Album at the 54th Annual Grammy Awards, and Derek Trucks has established himself as one of the finest guitar players on the planet. Find out why.

11:00 a.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of George Harrison

George Harrison’s birthday was on February 25. We may be a bit late here in The Mermaid Lounge on birthdays but we’re never a dollar short. We play Harrison’s best stuff as the lead guitarist of The Beatles, as Nelson Wilbury, and from his solo efforts. Happy Birthday, George.

4:00 p.m. The British Are Coming! Various Artists

Finally, we immerse you in the sound of music from across the pond, a key part in rock n’ roll’s journey to legitimacy. You’ll hear The Beatles, The Zombies, The Who, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, The Hollies, Yes, Them, Led Zeppelin, Queen, The Animals, The Dave Clark Five, Rod Stewart, Lulu, The Searchers, Petula Clark, Rod Stewart, The Bee Gees, The Yardbirds, The Pretenders, Herman’s Hermits, Blind Faith, Cream, The Spencer Davis Group, and more!

Jump on in, folks. The music’s fine. And it’s all free, from start to finish. You don’t need no stinking credit cards. There’s no form to fill out. And there’s no personal details asked. Just do it.

Just Do It.

We Spend Saturday With the Musicians of Laurel Canyon, Say Goodbye To “Meet The Beatles” and Hear LIVE DEAD! Later, February 26, 2022

Good Morning, Weekenders! We’ve got them on from all around the globe this morning, but our friends in Germany are far and away the most populous. We’ve got a great Saturday of programming lined up, so let’s not waste any time.

Today we spend time with the musical pioneers of the Laurel Canyon scene.

Here’s today’s musical landscape:

11:00 a.m. Music From Laurel Canyon: Various Artists

For two generations of musicians (the 60s and 70s), Laurel Canyon was the place to be. It was a commune of creative activity, with all of these guys feeding off each other musically to create some of the most amazing sounds and songs in popular music history. You’ll hear The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, The Doors, The Mamas & The Papas, The Monkees, The Lovin’ Spoonful, Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell, CSNY, Neil Young, Manassas, John Mayall, The Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, J.D. Souther, Bonnie Raitt, Canned Heat, The Eagles, Carole King, Joni Mitchell, James Taylor and more! This is just about five hours of uninterrupted music.

7:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Meet The Beatles by The Beatles FINAL AIRING!

We bid a fond farewell today to our Album of The Week, what I call the musical shot heard ’round the world. During his Musicares speech in 2017, Mr. Petty said when he heard The Beatles for the first time he had his eyes opened, like everybody else. We agree. Tomorrow, however, we will have a new selection.

10:00 p.m. LIVE DEAD! The Grateful Dead Live at The Fillmore East, New York, January 2, 1970 NEW!

We have featured several of The Dead’s road performances from the Fillmore West, but this is our first airing of a show from The Fillmore East, a venue that certainly doesn’t get as much attention as it’s West Coast counterpart, but a great venue that hosted some amazing acts as well. It was part of that cross-pollination project. This is another new soundboard recording. Enjoy.

Saturday is always a good day here in The Mermaid Lounge. This one is no exception. Hey, I have to serve the retail masses, but we’ve got you covered. Neither rain, nor sleet, nor snow, nor retail will break our stride. The Music Mermaid is in charge, baby, and she’s on top of this shit. So, tune us in. You don’t need a subscription or a credit card or anything else. Just a computer.

Park It Here

It’s Snowing Outside The Mermaid Lounge, but We’ve Got Our Sixties Rotation EP and Donovan In The Spotlight To Get Us Through This Mess, Friday, February 25, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists! If you live here in the Boston area, you know that we were all standing outside a couple of days ago without so much as a jacket on. Today? Today, it’s another foot of snow. Welcome to New England in February. But we’ve got some hot tunes here for you today.

Comin’ at you at 11:00 a.m. EST. The music that inspired us!

Here’s your Friday musical landscape:

11:00 a.m. The Sixties Rotation, Volume Two: Various Artists

There’s no sense denying it, we here in The Mermaid Lounge are lost in the past and find no release in most (but not all) of today’s music. People tell me I must be open-minded, but I actually don’t. Nope. Life is too short to listen to bad music. So, we don’t. This is the music that inspired the station. You’ll hear The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, The Four Tops, Buffalo Springfield, Roy Orbison, The Yardbirds, Bob Dylan, James Brown, Chuck Berry, Donovan, The Box Tops, Vanilla Fudge, Sly & The Family Stone, Cream, The Zombies, The Doors, The Chambers Brothers, The Rolling Stones, The Animals, The Who, The Temptations, and more! That’s five hours of commercial-free, uninterrupted music.

7:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Donovan

Donovan was a very big part of the sixties sounds, so his presence in the spotlight today is particularly fitting. His unique sound came from fusing pop, jazz, folk, psychedelic rock and world music. He was a favorite when I was young, and remains so today.

In a few hours, I’ll be digging myself out and heading off to work. But if you don’t have to be anywhere today, this would be a great day to tune us in. All you have to do is give us a shot. And we’re not talking about buying a subscription that you can “cancel anytime.” Don’t you love that shit? We do not require a credit card or a subscription here. The only thing you must have is an Internet connection. End of story.

The Sixties Are Back!

We’re Heading For The Weekend With Our New ‘In Your Dreams’ EP, and Our Album of The Week Later, Thursday, February 24, 2022

Good Morning, Dreamers! We’ve got a great, new extended playlist making its debut this morning. ‘In Your Dreams’ gives you just over five hours of uninterrupted music! Read on for details!

Are you dreaming of five hours of uninterrupted music?

10:00 a.m. In Your Dreams: Various Artists NEW!

We debut our newest long player today, called In Your Dreams, a playlist that includes the word dreams (and its variations, of course) in the title or lyrics…or a song that tells a story about a dream. You will hear Cream, Paul McCartney & Wings, the Marshall Tucker Band, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Laura Nyro, Patti Smith, The Wallflowers, John Prine, John Lennon, Tom Rush, Joni Mitchell, Nanci Griffith, The Band, Bruce Springsteen, The Shelters, Hot Tuna, Townes Van Zandt, Randy Newman, Three Dog Night, Mudcrutch, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The James Gang, Taj Mahal, Aerosmith, Alison Krauss, Electric Light Orchestra, Stephen Stills, Alison Krauss, Fats Domino, Widespread Panic, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, The Youngbloods, Patsy Cline and more! That’s five straight hours of uninterrupted music.

7:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Meet The Beatles by The Beatles

The next-to-last airing of the musical shot heard ’round the world is upon us. Get it while you can, folks. When you wake up on Sunday, disgusted with another foot of snow (at least in these here parts), there’s going to be a new selection on the turntable.

Great day to tune us in. We’ve got a great collection of extended playlists with themes, and ‘In Your Dreams’ is our newest. Be here today for its debut! It won’t cost you a cent. No joining fees. No subscriptions. No money must change hands. And no personal information is required (because we do not accept advertising to keep us afloat). We’re here in The Mermaid Lounge sharing our personal collection of more than 27,000 songs!

Dream Away!

It’s Midweek With ‘The Psychedelic Express’ EP and a Wide Open Stream Afternoon With On-The-Hour Trifectas, Wednesday, February 23, 2022

Good Morning, Music Lovers! We’ve got a great midweek line-up with ‘The Psychedelic Express’ EP followed by a wide Open Stream afternoon with on-the-hour Trifectas! What could be better?

Join us early this morning aboard ‘The Psychedelic Express’

9:00 a.m. The Psychedelic Express: Various Artists

We’re getting on board ‘The Psychedelic Express’ a bit early today, but a splendid ride is guaranteed for all. You’ll hear Vanilla Fudge, The Chambers Brothers, The Beatles, The Electric Prunes, The Animals, Jefferson Airplane, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Blues Image, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Cream, The Rolling Stones, Traffic, Dr. John, Procol Harum, the Grateful Dead, The Velvet Underground, Donovan, The Byrds, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Kenny Rogers & The First Edition, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown and more!

Afternoon Wide Open Stream with Trifectas

We’ve got a wide Open Stream all afternoon and into the evening with on-the-hour Trifectas:

3:00 p.m. Linda Ronstadt

4:00 p.m. Three Dog Night

5:00 p.m. Marvin Gaye

6:00 p.m. Carly Simon

7:00 p.m. Paul McCartney & Wings

Tune us in. Join other listeners around the globe who know what we’re all about. We are totally free. There’s no advertising to kill the mood. And there’s no endless D.J. chatter. What are you waiting for?

All Aboard!

Tuesday Bluesday Brings Our Great Extended Blues Playlist, and Our Second Airing of ‘Meet The Beatles,’ February 22, 2022

Good Morning, Bluesologists! Today we bring you our monthly trip to Blues Land with our great extended blues playlist, just a little over five hours of some of the greatest blues ever.

From Muddy Waters, to B.B. King, To Johnny Winter, and Paul Butterfield. We’ve got the blues today in the best of ways!

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday line-up:

11:00 a.m. Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blues: Various Artists

Today we’ve got one of our most popular playlists for you as we deliver the blues from B.B King, Delbert McClnton, Little Walter, Slim Harpo, Ry Cooder, Canned Heat, John Lee Hooker, The Animals, Janis Joplin, The Yardbirds, Stevie Ray Vaughan, The Allman Brothers Band, Elmore James, John Mayall, James Cotton, J.J. Cale, Koko Taylor, Long John Baldry, Johnny Winter, Muddy Waters, Bonnie Raitt, Marcia Ball, the Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Susan Tedeschi, Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac, Roomful of Blues, and more!

7:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Meet The Beatles by The Beatles

Today is the second airing of the musical shot heard round the world as the British Invasion came to America on February 7, 1964. The rest, as they say, is musical history.

Before, in between, and after our programming there is no silence. We run 24/7 with some of the best music on the planet and a definite devotion to rock n’ roll, folk, blues and rhythm & blues. You won’t hear rap, hip-hop, disco, or headbanging music here. We don’t have Joe Rogan either, thankfully. We are definitely not all things to all people. But, we are always free of charge. Here in The Mermaid Lounge, it’s all about the music.

It’s Tuesday Bluesday!

Another Monday and We’re Between Heaven & Hell, We Put Steely Dan In The Spotlight, and Deliver That Sweet Soul Sound This Evening, February 21, 2022

Here we are again, people. The beginning of another work week. But we’ve got some great music for you today as we celebrate Walter Becker’s birthday and Black History Month. But hey, here in The Mermaid Lounge, every month is Black History Month.

We celebrate Walter Becker’s birthday with Steely Dan In the Spotlight

Here’s your Moan-Day line-up:

11:00 a.m. Between Heaven & Hell: Various Artists

We start the day with a real Monday playlist because on Monday we are generally between heaven and hell. Here we have references to heaven and hell in the title and lyrics, and you’ll hear from Donovan, The Eagles, Led Zeppelin, The Byrds, ZZ Top, Van Morrison, Lucinda Williams, Elvis Presley, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Fats Domino, Foo Fighters, The Grateful Dead, and more.

3:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Steely Dan

After the 60’s the music of the 70’s was a bit of a letdown. (It only got worse in subsequent decades, by the way.) But Steely Dan was one of those bands who was an oasis in the middle of a desert. Love this band and the rap that they can’t reproduce their sound ‘live’ on stage was bullshit, by the way. That was not my experience when I saw them. Today we (belatedly) celebrate Walter Becker’s birthday by putting Steely Dan In the Spotlight.

7:00 p.m. That Sweet Soul Sound: Various Artists

I’d say we’re celebrating Black History Month, but every month is Black History Month here in The Mermaid Lounge. If it weren’t for black music, there would be no rock n’ roll. And no. Elvis never said he invented rock n’ roll. He deferred to his black counterparts on that issue. You’ll hear from Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, The Four Tops, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Roberta Flack, Rare Earth, Jr. Walker & The All Stars, Fontella Bass, Edwin Starr, The Friends of Distinction, The Isley Brothers, Sly & The Family Stone, James Brown, Ray Charles, Etta James, Ben E. King, Mary Wells, Ann Peebles, The Temptations, Jackie Wilson, and more.

Your Monday doesn’t have to be a bad experience. Not when you’ve got access to all this great music totally free 24/7. No lie, people. We’re all about the music. People over profits. We live that here.

Free Music 24/7

Today We’ve Got Our ‘Folk Music From A-to-Z’ EP and The Beatles Own Our Album of The Week, Sunday, February 20, 2022

Good Morning, Music Historians! I hope this sunny Sunday (at least it is here in the Boston area) finds you in great musical spirits. If not, we hope we can help you to get there!

The Beatles land in America, February 7, 1964

Here’s your Sunday Funday line-up:

11:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Meet The Beatles by The Beatles NEW!

As you know, The Beatles are the other half of our ‘house band’ line-up (Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers being the other half). We here in The Mermaid Lounge are very careful not to overplay either band, but this is a very special month for Beatles fans, especially myself. The Beatles first landed in America on February 7, 1964…on my tenth birthday. My present from my mother on that day was Meet The Beatles, their first U.S. release. The album changed my musical life forever. It gave me my own generation of music after having listened to my sisters’ music for several years which, by the way, I acknowledge as the beginning of rock n’ roll. The Beatles were listening to my sisters’ music as well, and drew their inspiration from those artists. We will talk about that later, however.

It is time Meet The Beatles gets its due as our Album of The Week. The Beatles changed everything, not just popular music, but popular culture as well. In England, their debut album was titled With The Beatles, and had a different line-up of songs. Today we give you the U.S. version of their debut album with the iconic cover photographed by Robert Freeman, who also photographed several other Beatle album covers. In the UK, the cover was straight black & white. In the U.S., it was released as a blue duotone.

3:00 p.m. Folk Music From A-To-Z: Various Artists

We also have a great EP celebrating another important part of popular music history called folk music. Pete Seeger, Woody Guthrie and Odetta inspired Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and so many others you’ll hear in this playlist. Those “others” include Nanci Griffith, The Band, Bonnie Raitt, Eric Andersen, Peter, Paul & Mary, Tom Rush, Judy Collins, Jesse Winchester, The Stone Poneys, John Prine, Cat Stevens, Phil Ochs, Dave Van Ronk, Simon & Garfunkel, The Beatles, Arlo Guthrie, The Wallflowers, and more!

Come on. It’s a day of rest and relaxation. And before the Blue Laws were dropped here in Massachusetts, there weren’t any stores open to continue the capitalism game. It’s time to, as The Beatles once said, “get back to where we once belonged.” This is a good day to start.

Get Back, People!

Saturday In The Mermaid Lounge Brings The ‘Ladies Day Out’ EP, the Final Airing of Our AOW, and LIVE DEAD! Later, February 19, 2022

Good Morning, Weekenders! Another Saturday has rolled around here in The Mermaid Lounge, and we’re just chock full of good musical programming for you today! Read on!

The women of music are large and in charge today here in The Mermaid Lounge!

Here’s today’s programming:

11:00 a.m. Ladies Day Out: Various Artists

Often overlooked, but never here in The Lounge. When I used to listen to regular rock music stations, the women of music were almost an afterthought. You’d have thought that Joan Jett and Stevie Nicks were the only female singers on the damned planet. In fact, women have delivered an awful lot of great music over the years and deserve their place in the spotlight. Today you’ll hear Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Carly Simon, Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders), Petula Clark, Laura Nyro, Cilla Black, Irma Thomas, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Etta James, Janis Joplin, Carole King, Maria Muldaur, Susan Tedeschi, Phoebe Snow, Nicolette Larson, Valerie Carter, Eva Cassidy, Lucinda Williams, Wendy Waldman, Shawn Colvin, The Ronettes, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Norah Jones, Phoebe Snow, and many more! (There’s even some Stevie Nicks and Joan Jett.)

7:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Laid Back by Gregg Allman FINAL AIRING!

Today is the swan song for Gregg Allman’s Laid Back, his very first solo album. Tomorrow when you wake up, we’ll have a brand new selection for you.

10:00 p.m. LIVE DEAD! The Grateful Dead Live at Miami Arena, Miami, FL, October 26, 1989 NEW!

Another new soundboard recording from the ultimate road and jam band, this time with their infamous Wall of Sound. Get on it, people. It’s a Saturday night staple here in The Mermaid Lounge especially for Deadheads.

Before, after and in-between all this great program we have our wide Open Stream, courtesy of The Music Mermaid who, as you know, has impeccable taste. That’s why she’s here.

Saturday’s Here!