Monday, Monday Brings ‘Live’ Bonnie Raitt, Badfinger In The Spotlight, and Some ‘Live’ Doors Later, March 20, 2023

Good morning, music lovers! We’ve got a smorgasboard of stuff for you today with two live performances and a spotlight sandwiched in between.

Here’s Monday’s line-up:

11:00 a.m. Bonnie Raitt Live at The Record Plant, Sausalito, CA, December 9, 1973

Some early Bonnie Raitt to get your day going. The Record Plant was a proving ground for young musical artists back in the day.

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

Badfinger was the first signing to the Beatles’ Apple Records. They were originally called The Iveys, but their name was changed by The Beatles’ road manager, Neil Aspinall. Under The Beatles, Badfinger began to take off with hits like No Matter What, Come And Get It, and Day After Day. By this time, Pete Ham was establishing himself as a major songwriter. My favorite all-time Badfinger song is Baby Blue, which was never released in the UK, because during that time, Apple Records was in turmoil and the Beatles were breaking up. It was at this point that things went south for Badfinger and they became the victim of their new manager’s greed, winding up in financial ruin. Things got worse from there for the band, but they left us some great music. If you’re interested in the full story, the book Without You: The Tragic Story of Badfinger by Dan Matovina is worth the read.

7:00 p.m. The Doors Live at Cobo Arena, Detroit, MI, May 8, 1970

The Lizard King and his mates live at Cobo Arena in Detroit closes out the day’s programming.

Hey, it’s Monday. The beginning of yet another work week. What better way to start it out than with some great music?

We’re Over the Hump and Heading for the Weekend With Our AOW, Some Wide Open Stream and the Final Summer Of Love Playlist on Thursday, March 16, 2023

Good morning, music lovers! We are over the midweek hump and heading for nirvana as we give you plenty of wide Open Stream sandwiched between some excellent programming.

Here’s your musical lineup:

9:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Hot Chili Mama by BeauSoleil

We’re on the downslide with this great Cajun and Zydeco album by BeauSoleil, often called the greatest Cajun band in the world. Our final airing will be sometime on Saturday, so don’t miss your opportunity!

10:00 a.m. Open Stream with The Music Mermaid

Right after the airing of our AOW, we begin several hours of wide Open Stream courtesy of our Music Mermaid. Who knows what she’ll get you into, but she’s got 30,000 music files to choose from, so there will be no repeats.

7:00 p.m. Summer of Love, Volume Three: Various Artists

Tonight we give you the final installment of our Summer of Love Series. For the record, the SOL was not 1969. I believe that myth exists because of Woodstock. The actual Summer of Love was in 1967, but no matter because you will hear The Mamas & The Papas, The Rascals, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Jackie Wilson, Donovan, The Turtles, Vanilla Fudge, The Association, The Doors, The Youngbloods, Lulu, Buffalo Springfield and more!

Speaking of love. What’s not to love here? We are on 24/7 and we’re totally free. We’re also free of commercial advertising. Get on board.

We Keep It Simple on Sunday With Our Surprising New Album of The Week and ‘Here Comes The Night’ EP, March 5, 2023

Good morning, musicologists! We love it when musicians refuse to be “defined” and Dr. John is one of those guys. Today we have a brand new album featuring Dr. John and two of his friends, along with our ‘Here Comes The Night’ EP.

Here’s your laid-back Sunday lineup:

11:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Bluesiana Triangle by Art Blakey, Dr. John and David “Fathead” Newman NEW!

I stumbled upon this album several years ago because of my obsession with Dr. John, but it’s conception was really Art Blakey, an American jazz drummer. In addition to Dr. John on piano, guitar and vocals, it features David “Fathead” Newman, a jazz and rhythm & blues saxophonist, who is best known for his work with Ray Charles in the 50’s and early 60’s. The album is a collection of great jazz, blues and funk music that has become one of my favorites.

3:00 p.m. Here Comes The Night: Various Artists

We’re back with our EP about night time (it’s the right time, according to the J. Geils Band). In addition to them, you’ll hear Warren Zevon, 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, Linda Ronstadt, Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris, The Doors, Poco, Neil Diamond, The Animals, The Band, The Rolling Stones, The Traveling Wilburys, Sam Cooke, Jimmy Cliff, Bonnie Raitt, Don McLean, Steve Winwood, Cat Stevens and more!

Yes, it’s an official day of rest, so kick back and tune us in. Even if you’ve got stuff to do around the house, we make great background music because we run absolutely NO commercial advertising at any time. We also don’t spend a hell of a lot of time talking. We’re all about the music and we’re totally free.

Today We Take a Special Trip to Old Mexico With Linda Ronstadt and Then Jump On The Psychedelic Express, Sunday, February 19, 2023

Good morning, music lovers. This is a special day here in The Mermaid Lounge as we feature the first non-rock n’ roll album by Linda Ronstadt with Canciones di Mi Padre, the largest selling non-English-speaking album in music history.

Here’s today’s musical lineup:

11:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Canciones di Mi Padre by Linda Ronstadt NEW!

From the start, Linda Ronstadt was fully in control of her career, an unusual situation in the male-dominated rock world. By the the time she got around to making Canciones di Mi Padre, she had made her record label millions of dollars and was unafraid to take a stand about recording the songs that filled her childhood. People warned her that her career would tank if she made this album, but she paid no mind. From it’s release in late 1987, it was a worldwide smash. It sold 2.5 million copies in the U.S alone, making it the biggest selling non-English language album in American recording history. By 2012, it had sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. Ronstadt also won the Best Mexican/Mexican-American Album at the 31st Grammy Awards. Las Canciones de mi Padre also is the only recording production that used the 3 best Mariachi bands in the world: Mariachi Vargas, Mariachi Los Camperos and Mariachi Los Galleros de Pedro Rey. In 2021, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame; in 2022 it was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the National Recording Registry.

3:00 p.m. The Psychedelic Express: Various Artists

From mariachi to mind-bending. At mid-afternoon, we jump on The Psychedelic Express for a journey to the center of the mind with Vanilla Fudge, The Chambers Brothers, The Beatles, the Electric Prunes, The Animals, the Jefferson Airplane, Blues Image, Creedence Clearwater Revival, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Donovan, Strawberry Alarm Clock, The Byrds, Jimi Hendrix Experience, Traffic, Cream, Dr. John, Procol Harum, Fleetwood Mac, The Who, Canned Heat, Yes, Electric Light Orchestra, Tommy James & The Shondells, Mudcrutch, Blind Faith, the Grateful Dead, Velvet Underground, Big Brother & The Holding Company and more!

It’s Sunday. If there’s a big guy up there, even he took the day off. It’s a day of rest. Tune in, turn on and drop out with us. It’s a no-strain affair here in The Mermaid Lounge. No cost to you. Ever. We’re on 24/7. When we aren’t running programming, we’ve got our big, wide Open Stream going courtesy of The Music Mermaid.

We Keep It Simple On Sunday With Our New AOW, a Tribute Album to Townes Van Zandt, and Our ‘Here Comes The Night’ EP, February 5, 2023

It’s Sunday Funday here in The Mermaid Lounge where we love to keep it simple on the seventh day of the week. We’ve got a great new AOW this morning to start it off. Read on!

Here’s your Sunday lineup:

11:00 a.m. Album of The Week: Poet, A Tribute to Townes Van Zandt, Various Artists NEW!

This is a great multi-artist album featuring the music of singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt, who wrote many songs including Pancho & Lefty, For The Sake of The Song, If I Needed You, and To Live Is To Fly. Many of his compositions are considered to be masterpieces of American songwriting. His personal story is a sad one as he struggled with substance abuse and alcoholism and a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, but it does not diminish this man’s contribution to American popular music. On this album you will hear Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, John Prine, Delbert McClinton, Lucinda Williams, Guy Clark, Nanci Griffith, and many more pay tribute to his brilliance.

3:00 p.m. Here Comes The Night: Various Artists

This afternoon we feature a great EP extolling the virtues of the night. You’ll hear The Traveling Wilburys, Sam Cooke, Jimmy Cliff, Bonnie Raitt, Warren Zevon, the J. Geils Band, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Beatles, Them, 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, Linda Ronstadt, Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris, The Doors, Poco, Neil Diamond, The Animals, The Band, The Rolling Stones, Don McLean, Steve Winwood, Cat Stevens and more!

All of our music runs 24/7 (not just when we have programming) uninterrupted by commercial advertising and at no cost to the general public. While I’m sure many think there are “strings” attached, I assure you there is not. See for yourself.

We Ease You Into the Work Week With Our ‘On The Map’ Playlist, The I-Threes In the Spotlight, and Some Live Blind Faith Later This Evening, Monday, January 30, 2023

Happy Monday, kids! It’s the beginning of another work week and we’ve got just what you need to get rid of those Monday blues as we give you ‘On the Map’ along with The I-Threes In the Spotlight and live Blind Faith later.

Here’s your Monday, Monday lineup:

11:00 a.m. On The Map: Various Artists

We start our programming with a playlist about places across the globe, from Boston to Timbuktu, with The Beatles, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, America, Little Feat, Joni Mitchell, The Beach Boys, Paul Simon, The Lovin’ Spoonful, The Doors, The Association, Scott McKenzie, Fats Domino, Linda Ronstadt, Bonnie Raitt, Jesse Winchester, Tom Rush, James Taylor and more!

3:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of the I-Threes

As I’m learning, many people don’t know who the I-Threes are. They are Rita Marley, Judy Mowatt, and Marcia Griffiths and they are the most influential female band in Reggae and Ska who provided the background voices for Bob Marley & The Wailers. They also recorded albums individually, so today, we enlighten those who have never before heard them sing. It’s a treat.

7:00 p.m. Blind Faith Live at The Earl Warren Showgrounds, Santa Barbara, CA, August 16, 1969

Blind Faith were an English supergroup featuring Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, and Ric Grech. They weren’t around for very long, only for one album and one extended summer tour. We’ve got one of those performances from that tour for you today. (I’m sure that the Earl Warren Showgrounds were used for more than music, but the thought of a psychedelic rock band performing at a venue named after a Supreme Court judge makes me chuckle.)

We’re here no matter how damned tired we are because we have The Music Mermaid and she is large and in charge. We’re on 24/7 (not just when we have programming) totally free to the listening public. You don’t need a subscription. You don’t need a credit card, and we don’t even want to know your name. We just want you to listen.

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.

We’ve Got Our ‘Seasons’ Multi-Artist Playlist, the Final Airing of Jackson Browne as our Singer-Songwriter, and a New Carly Simon Spotlight on Friday, January 6, 2023

Good Morning, Weekenders! Yes, it’s here: The Weekend, brought to you by The Labor Movement. And it’s going to be a great musical weekend indeed. There’s no time to lose as we begin today!

Here’s your Friday lineup:

11:00 a.m. Seasons: Various Artists

It’s supposed to be winter here in the Boston area, but it has been anything but with temperatures reaching the fifties on some days. But nevertheless, it is one of the four seasons and we have a playlist for that. You’ll hear Bobbie Gentry, Janis Ian, Donovan, the Lovin’ Spoonful, Johnny Rivers, Hoyt Axton, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Wendy Waldman, Eva Cassidy, Michael Murphy, The Rolling Stones, John Prine, Electric Light Orchestra, Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, Jefferson Airplane, The Band, The Doors, The Kinks, Linda Ronstadt, Nina Simone and more!

3:00 p.m. Singer-Songwriter Series: The Music of Jackson Browne

This is the final airing of Jackson Browne as our featured singer-songwriter, an artist who wrote for others during the sixties, helped pioneer country-rock down in Laurel Canyon and put the Eagles on the map, and whose own career took off in the seventies and is still rolling. Don’t miss it. Tomorrow, we’ll have a brand new artist.

7:00 p.m. In the Spotlight: The Music of Carly Simon NEW!

This one has been on my ‘to do’ list for a while and I’ve finally brought it to fruition here. Carly Simon began singing with her sister, Lucy, back in 1963 and strung together a bunch of great hits during the seventies like Anticipation, That’s The Way I’ve Always Heard It Should Be, and You’re So Vain. While Mick Jagger appears on You’re So Vain and everyone assumed it was about him, Carly Simon actually revealed that it was about Warren Beatty.

We’re just getting warmed up for the weekend here in The Mermaid Lounge, so do give us a shot. We’re totally free 24/7 and we do not run commercial advertising. We’re not looking for anyone to pay our way here. We take care of that ourselves. It’s all about the music here. We intend to keep it that way.

Heading Toward The Weekend With Our ‘Here Comes The Night’ EP, Our AOW, and Beatle Songs With Character on Thursday, January 5, 2023

Good Morning, Musicologists! Here we are again on yet another rainy morning. This makes three in a row here in the Boston area. Plenty of rain; no snow. Highly unusual. But hey, here in The Mermaid Lounge, the living is easy and the music is outstanding!

Here’s your Thursday lineup:

10:00 a.m. Here Comes The Night, Various Artists

We have the flip side of this coming up soon, but for now we’re talking about songs with reference to night time in the title, lyrics or both. It’s Open Stream with a Theme here today. You’ll hear 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, Linda Ronstadt, Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris, The Doors, 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: Idlewild South by The Allman Brothers Band

We’re winding down on this gem of an album. The final airing will be sometime on Saturday, so if you haven’t caught it, this might be the time! We’ll have a brand new selection on Sunday.

7:00 p.m. Beatle Songs With Character UPDATED!

The Beatles loved to name drop as you will see. They invented characters like Mr. Kite, Maxwell of silver hammer fame, Lucy who floated around the sky with diamonds. You’ll also hear about the man in the mack, a barber on Penny Lane, Prudence (who was actually Mia Farrow’s sister), Prime Minister Harold Wilson, and mother Mary. This playlist has recently been expanded and updated, so give it a listen!

We’re sitting here waiting for you to join your friends from around the world in discovering what great music we play 24/7 at no cost to you. Your money is no good here. We’re also advertising free, and our disc jockeys are virtually mute. Take a spin. You’ve got absolutely nothing to lose.

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.