Category: Power Pop

Welcome to Sunday in The Lounge! Today It Boils Down to Joni Mitchell and Sir Paul McCartney’s Birthday Bash, June 18, 2023

Good morning, revelers! We’ve moved our EP to Monday so we can celebrate on Macca’s official birth date. We’ve got some great stuff lined up starting with Joni Mitchell’s AOW!

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

10:00 a.m. Album of The Week: The Hissing of Summer Lawns by Joni Mitchell NEW!

Although Court and Spark remains my favorite in this Mitchell jazz-influenced genre, The Hissing of Summer Lawns continues that trend with a more experimental approach. Her seventh studio album includes jazz-rock contributors The L.A. Express and The Jazz Crusaders, along with appearances by James Taylor, Graham Nash and David Crosby.

4:00 p.m. Paul McCartney Live at The Cavern Club, Liverpool, UK, December 14, 1999 NEW!

We start McCartney’s festival with a live recording of his 1999 show at The Cavern Club in Liverpool, where it all started with The Beatles. The show was in support of his album Run Devil Run, so you’ll hear a lot of great fifties and early sixties covers from those who influenced both his and The Beatles’ music here.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Paul McCartney

This particular set includes not only Macca’s work with Wings and his solo efforts, but many of his Beatle hits also, and will close out today’s programming.

As always, there’s a lot of wide Open Stream today. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there and we hope you’ll tune us in at least for a little while in between the cookouts and festivities. We’re on 24/7. The music never stops. And there’s absolutely, positively no commercial interruption.

Happy Birthdy, Sir Paul!

We Start With Our ‘Are You Ready for The Country’ EP, Move to the Final Airing of Susan Tedeschi’s AOW, Then Kick off McCartney’s Birthday Bash Tonight, Saturday, June 17, 2023

Good morning, Macca fans! We’ve got the usual busy Saturday, but tonight we launch McCartney’s Birthday Bash as we introduce him as this week’s featured singer-songwriter.

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Are You Ready for The Country: Various Artists

Well, are you? Because we’ve got traditional and country rock rolled into one here. You’ll be treated to Guy Clark, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt, Neil Young, They Byrds, Gram Parsons, Patsy Cline, Pure Prairie League, Asleep at The Wheel, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Bob Dylan, The Eagles, Townes Van Zandt, Steve Earle, Marshall Tucker Band, Jerry Jeff Walker, Mudcrutch, The Band, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Glen Campbell, Rosanne Cash, Dan Fogelberg, New Riders of The Purple Sage, John Prine, The Desert Rose Band, Hank Williams and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Just Won’t Burn by Susan Tedeschi FINAL AIRING!

Today’s the final airing of this great blues album by singer-songwriter Susan Tedeschi. Don’t miss it!

8:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Paul McCartney NEW!

Paul McCartney is undoubtedly one of the most successful singer-songwriters of his generation with absolutely nothing left to prove to the world. Yet, he’s still out there making music and filling venues at the age of 81. And yes, it all began with The Beatles all those years ago, but this particular playlist is McCartney without The Beatles. And that’s because we still have yet to do Lennon-McCartney as our featured singer-songwriters. (That is coming.) Macca’s body of work since The Beatles split is immense, beginning with his ten years leading Wings (longer than The Beatles existed) and his solo work. This is how we kick off his birthday bash weekend. More tomorrow.

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McCartney’s Birthday Bash!

We’re at Midweek With Our ‘Ladies Day Out’ EP, Rickie Lee Jones as This Week’s Featured Singer-Songwriter, and Etta James In the Spotlight, Wednesday, June 14, 2023

Good morning, music lovers. Today we’ve got a great all-women programming lineup for you, starting with our ‘Ladies Day Out’ multi-artist EP!

Here’s your midweek lineup:

9:00 a.m. Ladies Day Out: Various Artists

It’s five hours of uninterrupted bliss from the women of music, including Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Carly Simon, Emmylou Harris, 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, Susan Tedeschi, Valerie Carter, Dusty Springfield, Dolly Parton and more!

4:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee Jones is back in The Mermaid Lounge for her second turn as our featured singer-songwriter for his week.

8:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Irma Thomas

Bringing up the rear, we’ve got the ‘Soul Queen of New Orleans’ to serenade you to close out our programming for the day.

What are you waiting for? Join your global friends from France, Germany, the Netherlands, Russian Federation, Norway, Switzerland, Spain and points beyond. We’re on 24/7 and we’re totally free of charge with no commercial advertising.

Ladies Day Out

It’s Saturday With Our ‘Ode to Morning’ EP, Guy Clark’s AOW (Final Airing), and Rickie Lee Jones as Our New Featured Singer-Songwriter, June 10, 2023

Good morning, musicologists! We have made it to Saturday. The weekenders are in The Lounge and the programming commences at 10:00 a.m. But don’t forget, we’re on 24/7 with our wide Open Stream.

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

10:00 a.m. Ode to Morning: Various Artists

We start the progamming with songs about the morning in the title, lyrics or both. You’ll hear Cat Stevens, Hoyt Axton, The Beatles, Neil Young, The Rascals, Waylon Jennings, Joan Baez, James Taylor, Gram Parsons, Simon & Garfunkel, Taj Mahal, Dan Fogelberg, Linda Ronstadt, Chris Hillman, Harry Chapin, Three Dog Night, Ry Cooder, Tim Buckley, Muddy Waters, Jonathan Edwards, Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, Pure Prairie League, Badfinger and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Texas Cookin’ by Guy Clark FINAL AIRING!

We bid a more than fond farewell to this great album today. We’re sorry to see it go, but there will be more opportunities for Guy Clark as we move through the year. Tomorrow we’ll have a brand new album for you.

8:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Rickie Lee Jones NEW!

In spite of the fact that Rickie Lee Jones has been at it for five decades, she has shunned the limelight. It’s only fitting, then, that we feature her as this week’s singer-songwriter. She has refused to be defined by one style, writing and singing songs from a variety of genres including rock, R & B, pop, soul and jazz.

Join us today. The Lounge is filling up fast, but there’s plenty of room for everyone here. We’re all about sharing great music at absolutely no cost to anyone and with no commercial interruption. See for yourselves!

Welcome Weekenders!

We’re Heading for The Weekend With Our ‘Here Comes The Night’ EP, Guy Clark and Some ‘Live’ Ronstadt Later, June 8, 2023

Good morning, musicologists! We’ve got a great mix today with our EP the night time, which J. Geils calls ‘the right time,’ Guy Clark’s AOW, and Linda Ronstadt live at Budokan later.

Here’s your musical landscape for today:

9:00 a.m. Here Comes The Night: Various Artists

We start off with songs about the night time from artists Warren Zevon, the J. Geils Band, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Them, The Beatles, Van Morrison, Patti Smith, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bruce Springsteen, The Kinks, the Electric Prunes, Phoebe Snow, Joe Walsh, The Eagles, The Ronettes, John Cougar Mellencamp, The Doors, Emmylou Harris, Poco, Neil Diamond, The Animals, The Band, The Rolling Stones, Don McLean, Steve Winwood, Cat Stevens, The Traveling Wilburys, Sam Cooke, Jimmy Cliff, Bonnie Raitt and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Texas Cookin’ by Guy Clark

We’re winding down on this gem. It’s the next-to-last airing, wth the final airing coming sometime on Saturday. Get on it.

8:00 p.m. Linda Ronstadt Live at Nippon Budokan Hall, Tokyo, Japan, March 3, 1979

What a great way to close out our programming today! We’ve got the Queen of Rock from Budokan as part of her 1979 world tour during her meteoric rise! I’ve seen her forty times in my lifetime, and she never disappointed once.

Tune us in. You’ll love us. We promise. We play nothing but great music all day long at no cost to you. It’s a labor of musical love. We ask for no information, require no subscriptions, and won’t interrupt the flow with commercial advertising

Here Comes the Night!

The Big Summer Weekend is Here With Buffalo Springfield, The Beatles Top 100, and Guy Clark Later, Saturday, May 27, 2023

Happy Memorial Day Weekend, musicologists! We have excellent music lined up for you today as we get into the first official weekend of the summer season!

Here’s your Saturday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Buffalo Springfield by Buffalo Springfield FINAL AIRING!

Today we bid a fond farewell to Buffalo Springfield’s debut album as our Album of the Week. Tomorrow, we’ll have a brand new selection for you.

11:00 a.m. The Beatles: Top 100 Countdown

We aired this last year at this time and we repeat the process today as we pay homage to one of our House Bands, the band that changed everything from haircuts, to clothing styles and, most importantly, to music itself in just seven years together. There was never a band like them before, and we are still waiting for their equal. From our perspective, that day will never come.

8:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Guy Clark NEW!

A Mermaid Lounge favorite for sure. On a freezing winter night in Harvard Square with my friends, we were looking for a break from the cold. We walked in to Passim’s Coffee House to warm up, sat down, and were treated to a very unexpected event. A singer-songwriter named Guy Clark was playing there live that night. We stuck around. It was an amazing revelation. We were certainly happy we did. The next day, I went out and bought everything I could find. Tonight, we introduce him as our featured singer-songwriter.

It’s a looong weekend, so kick your shoes off. We’ve got great music in store for you right through Monday. If you haven’t yet tuned us in, this would definitely be a good weekend to do it. We’re totally free 24/7, and we’re also totally free of commercial advertising. It’s just wall-to-wall music.

The Beatles Top 100!

Today Gives You Buddy Holly In the Spotlight, Features Bob Dylan’s Final Turn as Our Singer-Songwriter, and The Beatles Give Us a Change in Time, Friday, May 26 2023

Happy Friday, musicologists! You know, our House Bands had their influencers, just as our House Bands have influenced others. Today we put one of the Beatles’ biggest influencers In the Spotlight as we work on some new summer playlists featuring the founding fathers and mothers of rock and roll.

Here’s today’s musical lineup:

11:00 a.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Buddy Holly

Buddy Holly was an American singer and songwriter who played a central and pioneering role in the development of rock and roll. Born in Lubbock, Texas, Holly learned to sing and play guitar along side his siblings. The Beatles cite Holly and his Crickets as a major influence in their early style. They studied his music and his delivery, and chose the name The Beatles in tribute to his band, The Crickets. Although Lennon wore his patented round wire-rimmed glasses later in his life, his first set of eyeglasses were Buddy Holly style. Today we put him In the Spotlight.

4:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Bob Dylan FINAL AIRING!

Mr. Dylan takes his final spin as this week’s featured singer-songwriter. Bob Dylan is also an artist who has claimed Buddy Holly as a major influence. He saw Holly for the first time when he was just 17-years-old in Duluth, and cited his infuence as he received his 1998 Grammy for his album Time Out Of Mind.

8:00 p.m. The Beatles: A Change In Time NEW!

Speaking of The Fab Four, they too have influenced many, and they changed just about everything musically- and culturally-related in their seven years together. Unhappy with touring (they felt like nobody was actually listening to what they were singing), they decided to give up the road and focus on their art. Once they took this step, their creativity took a leap to a whole other level. Tonight we intro a new playlist of Beatle songs that feature mixes of different time signatures. We think you’ll like it.

We’re at the end of the work week, except for those who continue to toil through the weekend in retail hell. Personally, I think the blue laws should make a comeback. Sunday should be a day off for everyone. The greedy capitalists don’t quite see it that way. But here in The Mermaid Lounge, we’re on 24/7 at absolutely no charge to the public. And we accept no commercial advertising either. It’s all about the music.

Buddy Holly Spotlight!

It’s Friday in The Mermaid Lounge With the ‘Everybody But Bob’ Playlist, Aretha’s Final Turn as Our Singer-Songwriter, and The Beatles Live at The BBC, Vintage 1963, May 19, 2023

Good morning, musicologists! We’ve once again made it to Friday and we’ve got some great music on tap for today as you can see.

Here’s your Friday lineup:

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

There’s no denying Mr. Dylan’s songwriting chops. The man has won a Pulitzer Prize for that talent, and he is one of the most recorded artists of all time. That’s the point of today’s playlist: To showcase Dylan’s talents through the interpretations of others, including Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Maria Muldaur, The Byrds, Them, Hot Tuna, Linda Ronstadt, Leon Russell, The Turtles, Emmylou Harris,The Neville Brothers, Joan Baez and more!

3:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Aretha Franklin FINAL AIRING!

Today is the final airing of Aretha Franklin as this week’s singer-songwriter. Tomorrow we’ll introduce our next artist.

8:00 p.m. The Beatles Live at The BBC, London, UK, June 1963

The freewheeling fab four in their infancy is truly a treat for all Beatlemaniacs, of which I am but one. They are our House Band for a reason.

We’re one step away from the weekend. We’ll help you get there in style today. If you’re lucky enough to have an office, shut your door, pull up a tab and push the button below. You’ll see we’re all we say we are. Totally free, totally commercial free, and with no chatty DJ’s to interrupt the flow.

Friday in The Lounge!

It’s Saturday and The Women of Music are in Charge; We’ve Also Got Mudcrutch and Aretha Franklin, May 13, 2023

Good morning, musicologists! Today it’s ‘Ladies Day Out’ as our featured EP, Aretha Franklin as our new featured singer-songwriter and Mucrutch’s final turn with our AOW.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Album of the Week: Mudcrutch by Mudcrutch FINAL AIRING!

Today we bid a fond farewell to Mudcrutch’s self-titled 2008 debut album. Tomorrow we’ll have a brand new selection for you.

12:00 p.m. Ladies Day Out: Various Artists

At high noon, the women of music take over. They come in all shapes and sizes and all musical genres, including Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Carly Simon, Emmylou Harris, 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 Crown, Susan Tedeschi, Valerie Carter, Dusty Springfield, Dolly Parton and more. Five hours of uninterrupted music!

8:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Aretha Franklin NEW!

The undisputed Queen of Soul’s career spanned six decades with global sales of over 75 million records, making her one of the world’s best selling musical artists. She charted 112 singles on the U.S. Billboard charts, including 73 Hot 100 entries, 17 Top 10 pop singles, 100 R & B entries with 20 number one R & B singles. ‘Nuff said.

We’ve made it to the weekend. I’ve got one more day in retail hell, but The Music Mermaid can take it from here. She has impeccable taste in music and will keep the place humming before, in between and long after our programming is completed.

Ladies Day Out!

We Debut Our New ‘What’s In A Name’ EP, Give You Lukas Nelson & POTR, and Some ‘Live’ Joni Mitchell Later on Monday, May 1, 2023

Welcome to a brand new month! Today we debut a new EP we didn’t even realize we had, give you Willie’s boy at mid-afternoon, and close out with Joni Mitchell later.

Here’s your Monday, Monday music:

9:00 a.m. What’s In a Name: Various Artists NEW!

We’ve played this song before, but we didn’t realize how many hours of music this amounted to, so it becomes an official EP this morning! You’ll hear Them, The Velvet Underground, Neil Diamond, The Band, Linda Ronstadt, The Kinks, Steely Dan, Buddy Holly, Janis Joplin, Donovan, Carly Simon, Shawn Colvin, Warren Zevon, Emmylou Harris, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Beatles, Jonathan Edwards, John Lennon, Chuck Berry and more!

3:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: Lukas Nelson & Promise of The Real

It’s been a spell since we’ve heard from these guys and this playlist is probably in need of an updating, which we shall undertake soon. But in the meantime, we’ve got them In the Spotlight at mid-afternoon today.

8:00 p.m. Joni Mitchell Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, February 3, 1973

We close out the programming on Monday with some great live Joni Mitchell from Carnegie Hall at the beginning of her illustrious career. She is a musical treasure who refuses to be defined by any one genre. Enjoy.

Hey, it’s Monday and by all measures, all Mondays are tough. Why not improve your situation with some great music? We’ve got it here for you courtesy of The Music Mermaid, your constant companion.

Monday, Monday