On Thursday It’s Songs About Colors, The Beatles at Candlestick Park & a J. Geils Band ‘Spotlight’, February 27, 2025

As we head toward the weekend, we’ve got songs about colors. It’s Open Stream with a Theme. Then it’s The Beatles’ final live performance and a J. Geils Band ‘Spotlight.’

Here’s your Thursday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Color My World: Various Artists

Who knew there were so many songs about colors? Well, you’ll see for yourself with The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Donovan, Booker T & The MGs, Electric Light Orchestra, Procol Harum, Joni Mitchell, The Who, Amy Winehouse, Sam & Dave, Badfinger, Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Elvis Costello, Neil Young, Jefferson Airplane, The Hollies, Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, Cream, Marvin Gaye, Lucinda Williams, John Hiatt, J.D. Souther, Linda Ronstadt and more!

This was The Beatles’ final planned live performance ever. Remember that recording shows was not a “thing” back in 1966. Hell, nobody ever played a huge arena like Candlestick until back in those days…except for The Beatles. They knew it would be their final paid live performance and they asked someone to bring their cassette recorder. This is the result. Nothing like what you hear now, but certainly musical history in the making.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of The J. Geils Band

Forgive our impertinance, but we give you a ‘Spotlight’ this evening from Boston’s original Bad Boys our preferred Boston-born band.

We are on track for the weekend once again, and it’s getting warmer here in the Boston area. Hopefully, spring is in the air. We’re on 24/7 and we’re free, with no commercial interruption. Do yourself a favor and tune us in. The button is below.

It’s Tuesday Bluesday with The Ladies, Then The Heartbreakers Sing the Blues, and Muddy Joins Johnny Winter, January 7, 2025

Good morning and welcome to another Tuesday Bluesday. We’re loaded with great programming today! Read on!

Here’s your Tuesday Bluesday lineup:

9:00 a.m. Ladies Sing The Blues: Various Artists

The Ladies are back: Billie Holliday, Big Mama Thornton, Ruth Brown, Nina Simone, Janis Joplin, Koko Taylor, Bonnie Raitt, Christine McVie, Marcia Ball, Ellen McIlwaine, Susan Tedeschi, Irma Thomas, Tracy Nelson, Etta James, Linda Ronstadt, Sippie Wallace, Bessie Smith, Shawn Murphy, Angela Strehli, Aretha Franklin, The Blues Broads and more.

4:00 p.m. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Sing The Blues

We all know how much Tom Petty loved the blues and dreamed of his momentous band growing old, sitting in chairs and playing away. He never got there, but The Heartbreakers played plenty of blues.

8:00 p.m. Muddy Waters: The Johnny Winter Sessions 1976-1981

After Chess Records folded, Muddy Waters needed a landing spot, so he singed up with Sky Records in 1971. Then he hooked up with energetic blues guitarist Johnny Winter, who helped return Muddy Waters to the top of his game, even winning a Grammy or two in the process.

Tuesday Bluesday is always a busy day, but there’s room aplenty in The Lounge. We’re on 24/7, we’re totally free and there’s no commercial advertising. The button is below.

On Saturday We Spend Time With The Founders, Elvis Presley and Fats Domino as We Get Back, August 3, 2024

Good morning, musicologists! Today we spend some program time with the founders of rock n’ roll; the inspiration for those whose music inspired the station. We wouldn’t be here without them.

Here’s your musical history lesson:

9:00 a.m. The Founders: Various Artists

Take a trip back in time with the artists who inspired our artists, the founders of rock n’ roll. You’ll hear Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Bo Diddley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, The Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Big Mama Thornton, Big Joe Turner, Hank Williams, Bill Haley & The Comets, Ray Charles, The Drifters, Roy Orbison, Robert Johnson, Carl Perkins, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Cash, Muddy Waters and more!

These are tough to come by, but we found an Elvis benefit concert for the USS Arizona, and jumped at the chance to get it. We have it for you this afternoon.

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Fats Domino

Was anybody playing rock n’ roll before Fats Domino? I’m not actually sure, but I do know he was playing music that nobody had ever heard before. The man is one of the stalwarts of rock n’ roll, and tonight we put him In the Spotlight.

We’re in the Wayback Machine Heading for the Sixties, and We’ve Got Jackson Browne’s AOW, Thursday, January 25, 2024

Good morning, time travelers. We’re headed back to the early sixties today with ‘The Original Sixties Rotation’ EP, and we’ve also got some rare ‘live’ Hendrix.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m.  The Original Sixties Rotation: Various Artists

Personally speaking, the sixties and early seventies were the best of times in music. It is why I started the station to begin with. This EP features Del Shannon, Little Eva, The Drifters, The Beatles, Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Hollies, The Walker Brothers, Mary Wells, Dusty Springfield, The Searchers, The Monkees, Sonny & Cher, Petula Clark, Glen Campbell, Johnny Rivers, The Dave Clark Five, The Supremes, Harry Nilsson, The Band, The Yardbirds, The Kinks, Simon & Garfunkel, Blind Faith, Janis Joplin, Chuck Berry, The Temptations, Elvis Presley, Marvin Gaye, The Who, Bob Dylan, Tony Joe White, Barry McGuire, Fats Domino and more!

4:00 p.m.  Album of The Week: Late For The Sky by Jackson Browne

Jackson Browne’s Late For The Sky, his third studio album, is the first album in our ‘Happy 50th Birthday’ series of albums to open up the new year.

Yes, there’s no venue in the title because this show was held on a farm on the lower slope of the Haleakala volcano on a makeshift stage. The only audience were a few hundred Maui residents who heard the show was happening and showed up. These folks got to see a rare, little-known Hendrix performance. There’s a long story behind how this show came about and why it was so “secret” to begin with. It’s explained here much better than I could ever manage.

Our Simple Sunday Fare Includes The Boogaloo Swamis With Our AOW and the ‘Color My World’ EP, December 10, 2023

Good morning, weekenders! We are here in the Boston area with temps of about 55 degrees slated for today, absurd for December in New England. People just seem to love the effects of global warming. That’s all I hear. Just wait. That’s all I can say.

Here’s your Sunday Funday lineup:

More than likely, you’ve never heard of this Boston-based band unless you have sought out Cajun and Zydeco music, but I learned about them at Johnny D’s Uptown, a favorite haunt of my youth. They are a fantastic band playing some of the best New Orleans sounds on the planet. These days, you can only get their music on Ebay or Discogs. We have been on a search for more, and we’ve finally found some. It’s on the way. Get ready by listening to this great album.

3:00 p.m. Color My World: Various Artists

Primary colors are a popular topic in the music world. We’ve got an entire EP about color from The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Donovan, Booker T & The MG’s, Electric Light Orchestra, Procol Harum, Joni Mitchell, The Who, Amy Winehouse, Sam & Dave, Badfinger, Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Elvis Costello, Neil Young, Jefferson Airplane, The Hollies, Elvis Presley, Janis Joplin, Cream, Marvin Gaye, Lucinda Williams, John Hiatt, J.D. Souther, Linda Ronstadt and more!

Midweek is Here With Our ‘Water, Water Everywhere’ EP, Bruce Springsteen, and ‘Live’ Linda Ronstadt Later, On Wednesday, April 26, 2023

Good morning, musicologists! We’re at midweek and we’ve got a great multi-artist EP about water to start us off this morning, followed by The Boss and The Queen of Rock.

Here’s your midweek lineup:

9:00 a.m. Water, Water Everywhere: Various Artists

The earth is composed of 71% water, and it’s a popular topic to our artists in all its forms. You’ll hear Paul McCartney, Deep Purple, Joe Cocker, Simon & Garfunkel, The Beatles, Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Otis Redding, The Doobie Brothers, Valerie Carter, Bob Dylan, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Al Green, Loggins & Messina, Bob Seger & The Silver Bullett Band, Linda Ronstadt, Spirit, The Grass Roots, The Beach Boys, Lindisfarne, Van Morrison, Bonnie Raitt, Carole King, Steely Dan, Tom Rush, Donovan, America, Johnny Rivers and more!

4:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Bruce Springsteen

Springsteen takes his second turn as our featured singer-songwriter for the week.

8:00 p.m. Linda Ronstadt Live at Rai Halle, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, November 21, 1976

A very young, post-Heart Like A Wheel Linda Ronstadt takes the stage in Amsterdam for this one as she began her meteoric rise to the undisputed Queen of Rock during the seventies. I have no doubt she’d still be singing if she could. She is missed here in The Mermaid Lounge, but she has left a body of work that remains untouched, and she’s still the queen here.

Here we are at midweek and we’re waiting for you to join your international friends from across the globe this morning. All you need to do is click on the button below.

We End the Work Week With Our ‘Ode To Morning’ EP and The Allman Brothers ‘Live’ at The Fillmore East, on Friday, November 11, 2022

Good Morning, Music Lovers! We are on the final work day of the week (for most, but not for all), and we start it all off with our ‘Ode to Morning’ EP. The Allman Brothers Band bring up the rear later!

Here’s today’s musical lineup:

11:00 a.m. Ode To Morning: Various Artists

Ah, yes, we often open the month with our ‘Here Comes The Night’ EP and ease into our ‘Old To Morning’ EP. We’ve got it here today for you and it features Joni Mitchell, The Move, Fleetwood Mac, Foreigner, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Nina Simone, Cat Stevens, Hoyt Axton, The Rascals, The Beatles, Joan Baez, Neil Young, Waylon Jennings, James Taylor, Gram Parsons, Simon & Garfunkel, Taj Mahal, Dan Fogelberg, Harry Chapin, Three Dog Night, Ry Cooder, Tim Buckley, Muddy Waters, Linda Ronstadt, Jonathan Edwards, Townes Van Zandt, Pure Prairie League, Bob Dylan, Chris Hillman, Badfinger and more!

7:00 p.m. The Allman Brothers Band Live at The Fillmore East, New York City, March 12-13, 1971

Tonight we’ve got The Brothers live from a legendary venue, Bill Graham’s Fillmore East. I believe this is the very first time they ever played One Way Out ‘live’ anywhere, and that is undoubtedly a favored track here in The Mermaid Lounge!

Come on, folks, it’s Friday all around the globe and we’ve got a lot of listeners on this morning from a variety of locations, including Germany (always), the UK, Spain, Portugal, Australia, New York, California, Washington and points beyond. We’re totally free, we accept no advertising, and your money is absolutely no good here. Just listen.

Today It’s Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash in Nashville, Our ‘All About Blue’ Playlist, and Rare Gems From Emmylou Harris, Monday, April 4, 2022

Good Morning, Music Lovers! Those Mondays always seem to roll around again, don’t they? But you can certainly make it better by tuning us in. I promise.

Here’s your Monday line-up:

11:00 a.m. Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash: The Nashville Sessions 1969

In the midst of recording Nashville Skyline, Bob Dylan got together with Johnny Cash ‘in session’ in Nashville to churn out some music. As it turns out one of those songs would make it onto the album, The Girl From the North Country. The rest were released much later, and we have them here for you today.

3:00 p.m. All About Blue: Various Artists

Today’s multi-artist list is all about the color blue in the title, lyrics or both. You’ll hear Robert Johnson, Marvin Gaye, Shawn Colvin, Phoebe Snow, Linda Ronstadt, Van Morrison, Electric Light Orchestra, Jerry Jeff Walker, The Beatles, Cream, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, B. B. King, Little Feat, The Smithereens, Canned Heat, Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan, John Lee Hooker, Buddy Guy, The Doors, and more!

7:00 p.m. Emmylou Harris: Rare Tracks and Forgotten Gems

We have a nice 47-minute interlude to close out our programming today. These are some of the songs you may not be so familiar with, including some sung with The Pretenders, Linda Ronstadt, The McGarrigle sisters, Dr. John, Willie Nelson, and Steve Earle.

And then we’re back to wide Open Stream. Mondays always need a boost, so why not make it musical. Close your office door, pull up a tab, and listen in with your friends from around the globe today. You won’t regret it. I promise.

We’re Over The Hump and On the Downslide To The Weekend; Today, It’s a Tale of Two Bobs Here on Thursday, March 17, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists! Yeah, it’s St. Patrick’s Day. Big woo. We’ve got a tale of two Bobs for you instead here in The Mermaid Lounge. Read on to learn more!

Today it’s a tale of two Bobs here in The Mermaid Lounge

Here’s today’s musical landscape:

11:00 a.m. Bob Dylan: Rare Performances From The Copyright Collection (1962-1966)

I’d love to say that this effort was for esoteric, artistic reasons, but I’d be lying. This was a business move designed to ensure that Dylan’s music wouldn’t enter the public domain in Europe. But that really doesn’t matter to us here in music land. The important thing is the music. Nevertheless, it gives us a glimpse of Bob Dylan’s very early career and that is, historically, enough for us.

3:00 p.m. Album of The Week: The Traveling Wilburys, Volume 3

Yeah, again, the two-day warning. We’re winding down on this great volume of work, so it’d be a good time to listen in. We’ll have our final airing on Saturday. And by Sunday, we’ll have a new selection. Git on it, people.

7:00 p.m. Bob Marley & The Wailers Live at The Stanley Theater, Pittsburgh, PA, September 23, 1980

We’ve got some great reggae here today in what turned out to be Bob Marley’s very last live performance before his death from cancer in May of 1981.

We’re here every day spinning the tunes for you free of charge, no questions asked, no credit card required, and no “subscription cancel anytime” bullshit. That’s because we’re not doing this for the money. We’re doing this for the music. I know it’s hard to believe in this day and age, but see for yourself.

It’s Tuesday Bluesday Here in The Mermaid Lounge With Jimmy Reed, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, and Dusty Springfield, November 2, 2021

Good Morning, Bluesologists! We have a fine line-up today, but it does involve some explaining! Hey, this is why we write this blog every morning, come hell or high water (as my mother would say).

John Mayall, The Godfather of British Blues

Here’s today’s line-up:

Remember, kids, the devil is in the details!

11:00 a.m. John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Live in 1967

These great archival recordings feature one of the best Bluesbreakers line-up ever, with John Mayall (vocal, keyboards, harmonica), Peter Green (lead guitar), John McVie (bass) and Mick Fleetwood (drums). This iteration of The Bluesbreakers were only together for about three months, but one die-hard fan managed to sneak a reel-to-reel recorder into five London venues to capture this music history. While these one-track files have been engineered a bit, please keep in mind that this is 1967 and, although a bit rough, this is genuine music history.

3:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Dusty in Memphis by Dusty Springfield

Our second airing of this great Album of The Week choice. Although this album sold poorly when released, it is recognized by the critics as one of the greatest albums ever recorded.

7:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Jimmy Reed NEW!

Jimmy Reed is one of the most underrated bluesmen of his generation, but one thing is for certain: His particular style of electric blues was popular with both blues and non-blues audiences. His hits Honest I Do (1957), Baby What You Want Me To Do (1960), Big Boss Man (1961) and Bright Lights, Big City (1961) made it to both Billboards rhythm & blues and Hot 100 Singles charts. This Spotlight feature is taken from the Live at Carnegie Hall album set, which is basically a studio recreation of a past live concert, along with some of his greatest hits. We thought this would make a great way to introduce some folks to a guy who may have fallen through their blues cracks.

Come on, blues lovers! This is your day here in The Mermaid Lounge, and you would be greatly remiss in allowing this one to pass you by. Join your friends from Netherlands, Russian Federation, Portugal, Italy, Spain, Texas (yes, Texas), the Faroe Islands and points beyond this morning. What are you waiting for?

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