Friday Brings Three Great Playlists and a Lot of Wide Open Stream, March 31, 2023

Good morning, weekenders! We are one day away and we’ve got some great music on the docket today, including our ’27 & Gone’ playlist, JT’s final turn as our singer-songwriter, and a closing set from The Beatles later.

Here’s Friday’s lineup:

11:00 a.m. 27 & Gone: Various Artists

The 27 Club has some incredible members, to start Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Jim Morrison. However, those aren’t the only musicians to leave the planet at the ripe old age of 27. There’s Ron “Pigpen” McKernan of The Grateful Dead, blues legend Robert Johnson, Brian Jones a founding member of The Rolling Stones, and more. Today we play musical homage to those who left us far too soon.

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

JT takes his final turn as this week’s singer-songwriter. Tomorrow, we’ll have a brand new selection for you.

7:00 p.m. The Beatles: The Transformation Years

Music critics say The Beatles took a giant leap with Revolver, and we agree. But we also think all the signs of their explosion of creativity started just a tad earlier with Rubber Soul, one of the finest albums ever recorded by anyone. This playlist covers those albums plus Hey Jude, Magical Mystery Tour and Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band.

One more day to go before the weekend begins. What a great way to transition into nirvana. Great music at no cost, with no commercial advertising, and no overly-chatty disc jockeys. Just click the button below!

Thursday Brings Our #BecomeUngovernable House EP, Linda Ronstadt With Our AOW, and Bobbie Gentry Live at the BBC With Donovan & James Taylor, February 23, 2023

Good morning, music lovers! We’ve got a full slate of great programming today, including the music that inspired the radio station with our #BecomeUngovernable House EP!

Here’s today’s musical landscape:

10:00 a.m. The #BecomeUngovernable House EP: Various Artists

Today we bring you the music that helped inspire this radio station with our House EP. You ‘ll hear Barry McGuire, Edwin Starr, The Temptations, Peter Tosh, The Beatles, Genesis, T-Rex, The Who, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bob Dylan, Country Joe & The Fish, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Joan Baez, CSNY, Pink Floyd, The Animals, Ten Years After, The Plastic Ono Band, Billy Joel, George Harrison, Sam Cooke, The Rolling Stones, Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix, Three Dog Night, Jimmy Cliff, Richie Havens, Marvin Gaye, The Association, Phil Ochs, Tom Rush, Pete Seeger, The Band, Nina Simone and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Canciones di Mi Padre by Linda Ronstadt

We’re winding down on this one. The final airing will be sometime Saturday. This is the biggest-selling non-English album in record history. Don’t miss it.

7:00 p.m. Bobbie Gentry Live at The BBC, London with Donovan & James Taylor (1968-1969)

The reluctant star did spend some time performing live at the BBC with a little help from her friends. This is a collection from the 1968-1969 musical time period.

We’re getting closer to the weekend, folks. This is a great day to tune us in. We’re here 24/7, and when we don’t have programming we’ve got our wide Open Stream! Best of all, we’re totally free. No lie. No strings. We’re all about sharing music.

We Begin Another Work Week With Johnny Rivers, Music Banned From the Airwaves, and The Band ‘Live’ in D.C. on Monday, January 9, 2023

Good morning, music lovers across the globe! We begin yet another work week here in The Mermaid Lounge. However, do not despair! We’ve got some great music lined up for you today that will help take the workday blues away.

Here’s your Monday lineup:

11:00 a.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Johnny Rivers UPDATED!

Johnny Rivers was an Italian boy born in New York City, but raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he was influenced by the distinctive Louisiana music style. His repertoire includes pop, folk, blues and just plain good old rock n’ roll. He is best remembered for a string of hits between 1964 through 1968, including Memphis, Mountain of Love, Secret Agent Man, and The Seventh Son. He’s also written a number of songs, including Abraham, Martin and John, a great tune that became a hit for Dion. We’ve recently expanded this playlist just a bit and we’ve got it for you today.

3:00 p.m. Banned From the Airwaves: Various Artists

Yes, you can hear these songs today, but when they were first released it was another story. Some were banned for their sexual references, some for their weed references, some because of their references to guns, and some because of their references to the almighty supreme being. You’ll hear The Doors, The Everly Brothers, The Beatles, The Kinks, Paul McCartney & Wings, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Kingsmen, The Who, Van Morrison, The Shirelles, Jimi Hendrix, Chuck Berry, Barry McGuire, Them, The Rolling Stones, Peter, Paul & Mary, Billy Joel, Neil Young and more!

7:00 p.m. The Band Live at The Carter Baron Amphitheatre,Washington, D.C., July 17, 1976

We close out the programming with a live performance by a favorite here in The Mermaid Lounge. They began as Bob Dylan’s back-up band and turned into one of the most well-respected and influential bands in all of popular music. This one was broadcast live on the legendary radio show, The King Biscuit Flower Hour.

Let’s face it. Mondays suck. The one thing we can offer to improve the situation is great music. We’re here 24/7 (not just when we have programming), uninterrupted by commercial advertising of any kind (just a few station I.D. announcements from yours truly so you know where you are), and at no cost to you. We don’t even ask your name.

Today’s Music Includes ‘The Sixties Rotation, Volume Two,’ Our AOW, and a Trip Back to Woodstock ’69 (The Only Real Woodstock), Thursday, December 29, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists! Today we have full-on Sixties for the two big music programs we’re running. It’s Open Stream with a theme here in The Mermaid Lounge and if you’re a student of the sixties music scene, this is your gig.

Here’s your musical lineup:

10:00 a.m. The Sixties Rotation, Volume Two: Various Artists

We’re starting off the day with the second leg of our Sixties Rotation which covers the later musical years, for the most part. You’ll hear The Mamas & The Papas, Simon & Garfunkel, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Jefferson Airplane, The Grateful Dead, Buffalo Springfield, Sly & The Family Stone, The Temptations, The Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Roy Orbison, The Yardbirds, The Animals, Linda Ronstadt, The Byrds, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Blind Faith, Spencer Davis Group, Elvis Presley, The Box Tops, The Doors, Marvin Gaye, Wilson Pickett, The Band, Bob Dylan, Judy Collins, The Beatles, The Ronettes, The Kinks, Jimmy Cliff, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Zombies, Donovan, Velvet Underground, B.B. King, Led Zeppelin, and more!

4:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Carney by Leon Russell

We’re coming down to the wire here with this album. This is our next-to-last airing, with the final coming sometime on Saturday, time TBD. On Sunday, we’ll have a brand new selection.

7:00 p.m. Woodstock: Three Days of Peace, Love and Music: Various Artists, August 15-18, 1969, Bethel Woods, NY

The one and only Woodstock. Woodstock ’99 turned into a disaster because it replaced the ‘love’ portion of the program with ‘rage.’ The original Woodstock was NOT replicated. This EP will take you long into the night as you listen to The Band, Johnny Winter, Richie Havens, Arlo Guthrie, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Janis Joplin, CSNY, The Band, Joan Baez, Santana, Melanie, Country Joe & The Fish, Ten Years After, Jimi Hendrix, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Joe Cocker, Tim Hardin, Mountain, John B. Sebastian and more. Joni Mitchell’s Woodstock and Melanie’s Lay Down (Candles in The Rain) would tell the tale of this epic music festival.

Yeah, baby. This is definitely a tune in, turn on, drop out kind of musical day here in The Mermaid Lounge. If you’re taking a break from work between the holidays, this is your day. If you’re working and have an office, close the door, pull up a fresh browser tab, and push the button below.

It’s Friday in The Mermaid Lounge and We’ve Got ‘The Original Sixties Rotation’ EP and Volume Two of Badass Guitarists Today, December 23, 2022

Yes, musicologists, the wind is howling here and it is absolutely pouring buckets as the Boston area remains too warm for snow. It’s a great day to stay in and put on some great music. We start it off with the music that inspired the station!

Here’s your stormy Friday lineup:

11:00 a.m. The Original Sixties Rotation: Various Artists

Ah, the sixties. There was no time like it culturally, politically and especially musically. You’ll hear 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, Elvis Presley, Marvin Gaye, The Who, Tony Joe White, Barry McGuire, Fats Domino, The Temptations, Procol Harum and more!

7:00 p.m. Badass Guitarists, Volume Two: Various Artists

We’ve got volume two for you today. Aside from those pictured above (l-r, Albert Lee of Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band, Jimi Hendrix, John Fogerty and Bo Diddley), you’ll hear the handiwork of Lowell George and Paul Barrere (Little Feat), Brian May (Queen), Waddy Wachtel (Linda Ronstadt and a ton of session work), Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt, Mike Campbell and Tom Petty (The Heartbreakers), Ritchie Blackmore (Deep Purple), Neil Young, Joey Molland (Badfinger) and more!

Step out with us today. Come on. You know you want to. There’s no time like the present.Before, in between, and after we’ve got that great big wide Open Stream expressly run by The Music Mermaid. This is her kind of weather and she’ll be on form. Do it.

The Day Before Turkey Day Brings Our House EP and New ‘Live’ Bob Marley & The Wailers Recorded for Rockpalast, Wednesday, November 23, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists! Yes, it’s the day before Thanksgiving and today we give thanks for all the great music we get to play here in The Mermaid Lounge every day. We start the day off with our ‘House’ EP full of the generation of music that inspired this station, and give you a new ‘live’ Wailers performance later.

Here’s today’s musical landscape:

9:00 a.m. The #BecomeUngovernable House Playlist: Various Artists

Yes, this is the music that inspired me to start this station from the first generation of classic rock, and those who were inspired by them to carry on the tradition. You will hear Barry McGuire, The Temptations, Edwin Starr, Peter Tosh, The Beatles, T-Rex, The Who, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Genesis, Bob Dylan, Country Joe & The Fish, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Joan Baez, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, CSNY, Pink Floyd, The Animals, Ten Years After, The Plastic Ono Band, George Harrison, Sam Cooke, The Rolling Stones, Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix, Three Dog Night, Jimmy Cliff, Richie Havens, Marvin Gaye, The Association, Phil Ochs, Tom Rush, Pete Seeger, The Band, Nina Simone and more!

4:00 p.m. Bob Marley & The Wailers Live at Westfalenhalle, Dortmund, Germany, June 13, 1980 NEW!

Recorded live for viewing on Rockpalast, a popular German television show. We’ve got Bob Marley and his gang of reggaeologists at the top of their form for this one. This is a brand new airing for this station and we love it.

Once again, it’s a great day to tune us in. Take a trip on the music express that won’t cost you a penny. We don’t require a subscription or a credit card. All we ask is that you open up a tab and click on the button below. Simple. No surprises. We promise.

It’s Sunday in The Mermaid Lounge and We’ve Got Spirit With the AOW and Our ‘House Music’ EP On Tap, October 23, 2022

Good Morning, Psychedelia Lovers! We’ve got a mixed bag today with yet another psychedelic music EP and our House EP that combines a ton of musical genres into one great playlist. The rest is Open Stream.

The #BecomeUngovernable House EP starts at 3:00 p.m. today!

Here’s your Sunday musical landscape:

11:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus by Spirit NEW!

Spirit was one of those bands that hung around in your head poking you with a stick until you realized just how good they were. I’m not much for reinventing the wheel just so I can say I wrote it, so I’m giving you a great description of the album from a great website called uDiscoverMusic:

Released in November 1970, this was the original psychedelic era’s final masterpiece. Lyrically, Twelve Dreams Of Dr Sardonicus wraps up everything that era was trying to say. Songs like “Nature’s Way” and “Nothing To Hide” thumb their noses at the straight world; “Love Has Found A Way” and “Life Has Just Begun” illustrate how much is possible if your mind is ready for it. Musically, it’s endlessly inventive, bringing the band’s jazz, pop and heavy rock factions onto the same astral plane. And though it crystallises a moment in time, it doesn’t sound the least bit dated.
Must hear: Life Has Just Begun

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

3:00 p.m. The #BecomeUngovernable House Music EP: Various Artists

A great eclectic collection of musical artists and songs in this one; all he music that made me want to start this shit to begin with. Most of it has a message that still resonates today. You will hear Barry McGuire, The Temptations, Edwin Starr, Peter Tosh, The Beatles, Genesis, T-Rex, The Who, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bob Dylan, Country Joe & The Fish, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Bob Marley & The Wailers, Joan Baez, CSNY, Pink Floyd, The Animals, Ten Years After, The Plastic Ono Band, George Harrison, Sam Cooke, The Rolling Stones, Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix, Three Dog Night, Jimmy Cliff, Richie Havens, Marvin Gaye, The Association, Phil Ochs, Tom Rush, Pete Seeger, The Band, Nina Simone and more!

Before, in between, and after we’ve got that great wide Open Stream with The Music Mermaid calling the shots. The music never stops here; she’s always on duty. As you know, she has impeccable taste in music. Give us a shot, folks. We’re on 24/7 at no charge to you.

We Kick Off Tom Petty Month Today and Give You Some ‘Live’ Hendrix and Neil Young To Boot, Monday, October 3, 2022

Good Morning, Pettyologists! This is the month we remember the leader of one of our house bands as we modestly dip our toes into Tom Petty Month. Hard to believe he passed five years ago yesterday.

Welcome to Tom Petty Month

Here’s today’s musical landscape:

11:00 a.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of The Traveling Wilburys

We kick off Tom Petty month modestly today with the greatest supergroup of all time In the Spotlight today. Tom was only part of this band, but he was an important cog in the wheel of friendship that made this band work.

3:00 p.m. Neil Young & Crazy Horse Live at The Cow Palace, San Francisco, CA, October 22, 1978

We’ve got Neil Young and one of his most consistent back-up bands live for you at mid-afternoon. We haven’t aired this one for a while, so tune it in.

7:00 p.m. Jimi Hendrix Live at The Berkeley Community Theatre, Berkeley, CA, May 30, 1970 NEW!

Hendrix performed this one just a few months before his untimely death. It’s also brand new to the station; we’ve never heard it before ourselves.

Before, in between, and after we’ve got that great wide Open Stream, and a little later today, we’ll be adding music to that stream to make it even better. The Music Mermaid demands it. We’ve got our usual cast of listeners on from around the globe. Join us (and we mean that rhetorically; there are no joining requirements except that you push that button below).

It’s Open Stream Thursday With Trifectas and Our Album of The Week, April 21, 2022!

Good Morning, Streamers! We’ve got a great Open Stream Thursday here with Trifectas at the top of each hour starting earlier than usual! Read on for details!

Here’s your Trifecta Thursday line-up:

10:00 a.m. Aretha Franklin

11:00 a.m. Bob Marley & The Wailers

12:00 p.m. Dusty Springfield

1:00 p.m. Jimi Hendrix

2:00 p.m. Mudcrutch

3:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Common Sense by John Prine

This will be the next-last-airing of this great Prine album. The final will be on Saturday and then on Sunday, we’ll have a brand new selection!

4:00 p.m. The Beatles

5:00 p.m. Stevie Wonder

6:00 p.m. Van Morrison

7:00 p.m. Tom Petty (solo work)

It’s a great day to tune in, turn on, drop out, as a famous man once said. So why not do it with #BecomeUngovernable Radio? Hang out with The Music Mermaid because, as you all know, she has impeccable taste.

Today We’ve Got Some Badass Guitarists, Our AOW, and We Hear From That Other House Band Later, Thursday, April 14, 2022

Good Morning, Musicologists! We’ve got a great line-up going for you today including some badass guitarists, Asleep At The Wheel’s Route 66, and that other house band later.

Here’s today’s musical landscape:

11:00 a.m. Badass Guitarists, Volume One: Various Artists

They’re baaaaack, those badass guitarists. You’ll hear the handiwork of Dickie Betts, Duane Allman, George Harrison, Mike Campbell, Bonnie Raitt, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Steve Winwood, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Joe Perry, Pete Townsend, Lowell George, Stephen Stills, Walter Becker and more! Volume 2 coming up tomorrow!

3:00 p.m. Album of The Week: Route 66 by Asleep At The Wheel

This is the next-to-last airing of this week’s selection, a great one from a great Texas swing band. Get in on it while you can! On Sunday, we’ll have a brand new selection!

7:00 p.m. The Beatles Live at The BBC, Volume One: Pop Go The Beatles!

In total, The Beatles performed for 52 BBC radio programs, including Pop Go The Beatles! which began in June of 1963. We’ve got them here for you today. Keep in mind that the BBC studios were not as advanced as those at Abbey Road, so some alterations were necessary.

Great day for some great music! It was beautiful here yesterday, but doesn’t look so promising here today. Nothing that some great music won’t help. Join your friends from Chile, Germany, the UK, Korea, Australia, Greece, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, and points beyond!