Month: September 2022

We’ve Got Some Very Cool Music for Tuesday Bluesday Sandwiched Around Our Album of The Week, September 20, 2022

Good Morning, Bluesologists! We have some great Tuesday Bluesday material for you today; the only diversion will be a short trip to the Land of Psychedelia with Donovan this afternoon.

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

11:00 a.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Taj Mahal

We here in the lounge consider Taj Mahal a national treasure. I’ll never forget my 2014 trip to New Orleans and the photo I took of a great Taj Mahal mural in the box office at the House of Blues. But I digress. Taj Mahal is not only a great bluesman, but he’s a multi-instrumentalist who plays guitar, piano, banjo, harmonica and a bunch of other instruments. He has been instrumental in expanding the scope of the blues by incorporating elements of world music in his creative efforts.

3:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Sunshine Superman by Donovan

The only break in our blues programming comes mid-afternoon when we take a short trip to the land of psychedelic music with Donovan’s Sunshine Superman, our Album of The Week.

7:00 p.m. Rick Danko & Paul Butterfield Live at The Blue Note, Boulder, CO, December 13, 1979

After The Band was no more, Rick Danko teamed up with Paul Butterfield and toured as the blues-rock Danko/Butterfield Band. They went on the road together, and this performance is from The Blue Note in Boulder.

It’s always a busy day on Tuesday Bluesday, and this day is no exception! We’ve got people on from around the globe this morning as we gear up for some great blues programming. Join us. We say that metaphorically because there’s nothing to fill out (no personal information required) and no credit card asked for. If you don’t like us, you simply don’t come back. If you do like us, you continue to come back. Simple. Uncomplicated. No hidden fees. No surprises. That’s us.

Tuesday Bluesday is here!

It’s Monday and We’ve Got Everybody Singing Bob Dylan’s Music (Except Bob), Johnny Rivers In the Spotlight, and The Rolling Stones ‘Live’ in Toronto Later, September 19, 2022

The start of another work week is upon is. Of course, I’m off today but I worked a rare Sunday yesterday and am not a fan. It won’t happen again soon. But I’ll be feeling better soon with this great music.

We’ve got the Stones live from Toronto bringing up the rear!

Here’s today’s musical lineup:

11:00 a.m. Everybody But Bob: Various Artists

Today we’ve got a playlist of Bob Dylan music sung by everybody but him. You know what they say: Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Some of the people you will hear covering Bob’s compositions are Joan Baez (of course), Linda Ronstadt, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Jimi Hendrix, Joe Cocker, Johnny Winter, Richie Havens, Waylon Jennings, The Neville Brothers, Emmylou Harris, Leon Russell, The Band, Hot Tuna, Tracy Nelson, and more!

3:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Johnny Rivers

When we have the right mix of people in the store, we’re always listening to sixties music. The kids always ask, “Who’s this singing. It’s great!” The answer always seems to be: “It’s Johnny Rivers.” Sometimes we forget just how great this guy was, and how prolific his presence was in the day. He’s a Mermaid Lounge favorite for sure, and you will hear him this afternoon.

7:00 p.m. The Rolling Stones Live at The Palais Royale, Toronto, Canada, August 16, 2002

Tonight we have the Stones live from Canada on the Licks Tour. These guys are like a collection of Energizer Bunnies. They are still out there doing it, and still sounding great here in 2022. Their music is timeless.

It’s a great Monday of music and we’ve got folks from around the globe on this morning. We think the folks in the U.S. should get with the program and join them. We’re totally free; no strings, no surprises. We do not run advertising to muck up the music flow, and we don’t ask for a credit card or personal information. We don’t need that. We just need you to pull up a tab and click the link below.

Cursor Here, Please.

We Keep It Simple With a Ride On ‘The Psychedelic Express’ and Donovan’s Album of The Week, Sunday, September 18, 2022

It’s officially a keep-it-simple Sunday with a full psychedelic programming spectrum today. We start it all off with a ride on our ‘Psychedelic Express’ EP.

All aboard the trippy train!

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

10:00 a.m. The Psychedelic Express: Various Artists

Get on board. No tickets required. You’ll be entertained on your trip by Vanilla Fudge, The Chambers Brothers, The Beatles, The Electric Prunes, The Animals, Jefferson Airplane, Blues Image, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Donovan, The Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Traffic, Cream, Dr. John, Procol Harum, Fleetwood Mac, The Who, Canned Heat, Tommy James & The Shondells, Yes, Electric Light Orchestra, Mudcrutch, Blind Faith, Grateful Dead, The Velvet Underground, Big Brother & The Holding Company and more!

7:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Sunshine Superman by Donovan NEW!

Released in 1966, this is Donovan’s most psychedelic album. It includes the iconic single Sunshine Superman, along with The Trip (no explanation required), his tribute to Jefferson Airplane with Fat Angel (which the Airplane later covered) and Season of The Witch, one of my all-time favorite songs. We’re traveling on this one for a week.

This is your day to tune in, turn on and drop out. It’s Sunday, a day of rest and relaxation. Take advantage of the good vibes by turning into a great radio station. All you need is a computer, a free tab and a mouse. No credit card required. No bullshit commercial advertising aired. No mouthy disc jockeys. What is not to love here?

All Aboard The Psychedelic Express!

It’s a Busy Saturday in The Mermaid Lounge With Our ‘Folk Music From A-to-Z’ EP, Spanky & Our Gang In the Spotlight, Our AOW, and LIVE DEAD! Later, September 17, 2022

Good Morning, Weekenders! We’ve got a great slate of music for you today here in The Lounge, including a new playlist from the Sixties “sunshine pop” band, Spanky & Our Gang. But they were more than that.

Here’s your Saturday musical landscape:

9:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Electric Music For The Mind and Body by Country Joe & The Fish FINAL AIRING!

We bid a fond farewell to this great piece of psychedelia, one of the first psychedelic albums to come out of San Francisco. Tomorrow, we’ll have a new piece of psychedelia for you. Get this one in today!

11:00 a.m. Folk Music From A-to-Z: Various Artists

We follow up Country Joe with our great folk/folk-rock EP featuring John Prine, Dave Van Ronk, Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Pete Seeger, Peter, Paul & Mary, Odetta, Cat Stevens, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Beatles, Arlo Guthrie, Bonnie Raitt, Joan Baez, The Band, Eric Andersen, Tom Rush, Judy Collins, Nanci Griffith, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, Lead Belly, Tim Hardin, The Kingston Trio, Simon & Garfunkel, Richie Havens, Jackson Browne, Guy Clark, James Taylor, The Carter Family, Linda Ronstadt, Harry Chapin, Joni Mitchell, Phil Ochs, The Stone Poneys and more!

7:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Spanky & Our Gang NEW!

Pop was a big part of the sixties music scene, and some bands did it better than others. This is one such band. Led by singer Elaine “Spanky” McFarlane, Spanky & Our Gang became known for their amazing harmonies and for a string of hits in both the U.S. and Canada, including Like To Get To Know You, Sunday Will Never Be The Same, Sunday Mornin’, and Lazy Day. But in my mind, the best song they ever made was Give A Damn. You’ll hear all of them and more here tonight.

10:00 p.m. LIVE DEAD! The Grateful Dead Live at The Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, New York, June 24, 1970

We last aired this concert in 2019, so it’s definitely like brand new. When you tool around the Internet, you’ll see people saying this was their best live performance ever. Others say their Cornell University concert was the best. Beauty is in the ear of the beholder when it comes to The Dead. But one thing’s for certain: No two concerts are ever the same, even on the same tour.

Great day to give us a listen. We’ve got a lot of people on already this morning from around the globe, including Ireland, the UK, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Australia, Germany, Japan, Russian Federation, Spain, Kansas, California, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and New York. Get with it, people. We’re totally free, we don’t accept advertising, and we’re on 24/7. No Joe Rogan either. What’s not to love?

Folk Music From A-to-Z!

Today It’s Music About Being ‘Under The Influence’ With Volume Two of ‘Repeat After Me’ Up Later On, Friday, September 16, 2022

Come on. We’ve all been under the influence at one time or another, whether it be legal or illegal. There’s no shortage of music out there talking about the subject, from John Lee Hooker to Jimi Hendrix. We’ve got it all for you in today’s EP.

Here’s your Friday lineup!

10:00 a.m. Under The Influence: Various Artists

There’s no shortage of songs on this subject, and we’ve got a very eclectic cast of characters here with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Arlo Guthrie, The Byrds, Jefferson Airplane, Donovan, Glenn Frey, John Lee Hooker, Jonathan Edwards, Little Feat, Linda Ronstadt, The Traveling Wilburys, The Temptations, Small Faces, Steely Dan, Talking Heads, The Beatles, Neil Young, New Riders of The Purple Sage, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Velvet Underground, The Rolling Stones, Dave Van Ronk, Emmylou Harris, John Prine, Jackson Browne, Steve Winwood, Led Zeppelin, Harry Chapin, The Band, The Fraternity of Man, and more! Enough to fill up just about five hours of fun, both legal and not.

7:00 p.m. Repeat After Me, Volume Two: Various Artists

More of what we began last night at 7:00 p.m. with artists covering each others songs. The Great Reboot, as it were (as opposed to the right-wing Great Reset bullshit). They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and the music business is literal proof. We have a third volume in the works.

Before, in between and after we have our great wide Open Stream courtesy of The Music Mermaid. She is in full control and, as you well know, she has great taste in music. Join our friends from Greece, Italy, France, the UK, Russian Federation, Portugal, Spain, Australia, Canada, Mexico, Japan, Kansas, Massachusetts, Texas and Cali. They are all on this busy morning.

Under The Influence

We’re Heading For the Weekend With The Animals, Our ‘Repeat After Me’ Playlist, and Our Album of The Week, Thursday, September 15, 2022

Good Morning, Music Lovers! We’re on the downslide to the weekend this morning, and we’ve got some great programming on the way!

We’ve got that great British blues-rock band, The Animals, In the Spotlight to start it all off!

Here’s Thursday’s lineup:

11:00 a.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of The Animals

Nothing like a little Eric Burdon & The Animals to get the blood boiling early. Truly one of the most influential bands in the early days of blues-rock and part of The British Invasion. We love them here in The Mermaid Lounge. We give you this from a book on the subject:

The Animals, thanks in large part to Eric Burdon’s powerful, gritty vocals, were one of the most authentic-sounding rhythm and blues revival groups of the British Invasion. The band was also one of the few First Wave acts to make a successful transition from mainstream pop to progressive rock in the late 1960s.

Survey of American Popular Music
by Frank Hoffmann and modified for the web by Robert Birkline

3:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Electric Music for The Mind and Body by Country Joe & The Fish

We’re on our next-to-last airing of this great psychedelic masterpiece. Saturday will be our final farewell as we move into a brand new psychedelic selection on Sunday.

7:00 p.m. Repeat After Me, Volume One: Various Artists

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and music provides plenty of proof. In this particular volume of Repeat After Me, you’ll hear Aretha Franklin sing Carole King, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers sing The Animals, Tracy Nelson sing Bob Dylan, Emmylou Harris sing Simon & Garfunkel, Linda Ronstadt sing Tom Petty, The Beatles sing Barrett Strong, and on and on. It’s a great concept because you get to hear the original and the reboot! Volume Two is tomorrow, and Volume Three is in the works!

This is a fine day to join the fun here in The Mermaid Lounge. We have programming for sure, but the bulk of our day is spent on our wide Open Stream of 27,000+ songs. It’s a challenge to hear a repeat any time during the week. Give us a shot. We’re also completely free, no surprises, no strings.

Repeat After Me returns!

We’re at The Midweek Point with Our ‘Are You Ready for The Country’ EP and The Band ‘Live’ in Asbury Park Later, Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists! We begin the day just a bit early as it is Truck Day in ACE Hardware retail land. But we will have control of the music we have to listen to, and it’ll be right here.

They started as Dylan’s back-up band and became one of the most influential bands in popular music history. And they are most certainly a Mermaid Lounge favorite.

Here’s your midweek line-up:

10:00 a.m. Are You Ready for The Country: Various Artists

We’re back with our tribute to real country music (not bad pop bands with fiddles, as Tom Petty calls the pretenders), and the Laurel Canyon crowd who were instrumental in the development of country-rock. You’ll hear Guy Clark, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Neil Young, The Byrds, Gram Parsons, Pure Prairie League, Asleep at The Wheel, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Bob Dylan, The Eagles, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, The Marshall Tucker Band, Jerry Jeff Walker, Mudcrutch, The Band, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Bonnie Raitt, Glen Campbell, Rosanne Cash, Dan Fogelberg, New Riders of The Purple Sage, John Prine and more!

7:00 p.m. The Band Live at The Casino Arena, Asbury Park, New Jersey, July 20, 1976

As Robbie Robertson explains, they wound up with their name because that’s what everyone referred to them as when they were recording in the early years. From their beginnings as Dylan’s back-up band, The Band became one of the most revered and influential bands in music history. We here in The Mermaid Lounge love The Band. They are in our top three. Guess who the other two are.

One more day on the front lines of retail hell coming up. We had a totally unhinged woman with a paintbrush up her ass come in yesterday. It was a thing of beauty. We’re going to see if we caught her tirade on camera. But hey, it’s a new day and we’ve got great music on tap.

Are you ready?

It’s Tuesday Bluesday with Our ‘Best of Chicago Blues’ EP and ‘Live’ Johnny Winter Bringing Up The Rear, September 13, 2022

Good Morning, Bluesologists! Here we are again in the midst of another Tuesday Bluesday! Today we take a trip to Chicago for some blues.

We start off Tuesday Bluesday with our big, bad Chicago blues EP!

Here’s today’s musical landscape:

11:00 a.m. The Best of Chicago Blues: Various Artists

We travel to Chicago for a dose of the blues with Otis Rush, Willie Dixon, Albert King, Muddy Waters, Little Walter, Bo Diddley, Koko Taylor, Lowell Fulson, Howlin’ Wolf, Buddy Guy, Magic Slim, Son Seals, Sonny Boy Williamson, James Cotton, Paul Butterfield, Elmore James, Jimmy Reed, Otis Spann and more!

7:00 p.m. Johnny Winter Live at The Bottom Line, New York City, NY, September 5, 1978

One of the best bluesmen of all time here, albeit a bit overlooked at times. Winter was not only a great blues guitarist and singer, known for his high-energy blues albums and live performances in the late 60s and 70s, but he also produced three Grammy Award-winning albums for the great Muddy Waters.

9:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Electric Music for The Mind and Body, Country Joe & The Fish

We close out the day’s programming outside the realm of the blues with one of the first psychedelic albums to come out of San Francisco.

Tuesday Bluesday in The Mermaid Lounge is always a great take, so why not join us today. If you’ve never experienced #BecomeUngovernable Radio before, this would be a great day to start. We’re on with our friends from around the world already. Join us. We’re totally free and ask for no information. The only requirement is curiosity, a computer, a free tab and the will to switch to a better music source.

Welcome to Tuesday Bluesday!

Monday Brings Two ‘Live’ Gigs, One From Hot Tuna and One From Mudcrutch, Later It’s Open Stream With Trifectas, September 12, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists! Monday has reared its head here in The Mermaid Lounge and I’ve got a morning mission of mercy on tap. The Music Mermaid, however, is here to take care of our musical musings for the day.

Here’s your musical landscape today:

12:00 p.m. Hot Tuna Live at Sweetwater, Mill Valley, CA, January 27-28, 1992

It’s been a minute since we’ve heard this one, so step right up and get yourself some live acoustic blues from a great band that knows how to deliver.

4:00 p.m. Mudcrutch Live at The Fonda Theatre, Hollywood, CA, June 26, 2016

Speaking of great bands, we’ve got the tour I deeply regret missing when it pulled into Boston’s House of Blues where the definitive live version of Hungry No More was recorded. I haven’t yet gotten over my short-sightedness on this one. It is a Monday and this is Mudcrutch and, while I’m not declaring it Mudcrutch Monday, it technically is. I felt the need to say that.

After Mudcrutch, it’s wide Open Stream with the Mermaid in charge. I hear she’s got some unannounced Trifectas planned, so I’d better leave it that way. She says you’re just going to have to listen to find out who’s on tap at the top of selected hours. Some of them are new. But my lips are sealed.

Monday, Monday.

We Begin Delving Into the World of Psychedelic Music With Our AOW, and Then The Women of Music Take Over, Sunday, September 11, 2022

Good Morning, Psychedelic Music Lovers! We’ll delve into the world of psychedelic music over the next few weeks with our Album of The Week. We start it off with Country Joe & The Fish!

Today we take a mind-expanding trip into psychedelic music!

Here’s your musical lineup for Sunday:

11:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Electric Music For the Mind and Body by Country Joe & The Fish NEW!

Country Joe & The Fish’s debut album was released in May of 1967, and was one of the very first psychedelic music albums to come out of San Francisco. We include the write up from DiscoverMusic below:

An early 1967 release, Country Joe And The Fish’s debut album opened up all kinds of possibilities: heady jams, poetic ballads, free-form ragas and even a taste of political satire. Because Joe McDonald was a songwriter first, the whole album is wrapped in a tuneful package. The closing “Grace” is a romantic epic in honour of Grace Slick (Janis Joplin would get similar treatment on the follow-up album).

https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/best-psychedelic-albums/

Songs from the LP made it to the airwaves of progressive radio stations like KSAN and KMPX in San Francisco, and I distinctly remember listening to Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine on Boston’s WMEX back in the day. I managed to catch Country Joe live at Boston Garden as well.

3:00 p.m. Ladies Day Out: Various Artists

Starting mid-afternoon, the ladies of music take over the lounge and what a line-up it is with Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Carly Simon, Chrissie Hynde, Petula Clark, Laura Nyro, Cilla Black, Irma Thomas, Aretha Franklin, Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Etta James, Janis Joplin, Carole King, Maria Muldaur, Lucinda Williams, Rosanne Cash, Eva Cassidy, Wendy Waldman, Shawn Colvin, The Ronettes, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Norah Jones, Phoebe Snow, Nicolette Larson, Sheryl Crow, Valerie Carter and more!

It’ a keep-it-simple Sunday here in The Lounge. The Music Mermaid is fully in charge today pushing out the great mind-expanding sounds for our friends from Germany, the UK, Chile, Finland, Denmark, The Netherlands, Italy, Ireland, Japan, the Faroe Islands, Texas, Kansas and New York this morning. Why not join us?

Tune in. Turn on. Drop out.