Monday, Monday Brings ‘Banned From the Airwaves,’ Emmylou Harris Rarities, and Live Joni Mitchell, June 2, 2025

Good morning, music lovers, and welcome back to another Monday (ugh). Be that as it may, we have some great stuff for you today starting with an expanded playlist of songs once banned from the airwaves for some pretty stupid reasons!

Here’s your Monday, Monday lineup:

10:00 a.m. Banned From the Airwaves: Various Artists UPDATED & EXPANDED!

Newly expanded with about 30 minutes of new music from artists like Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Beatles, The Kingsmen, The Who, Peter, Paul & Mary, The Doors, Pink Floyd, Simon & Garfunkel, and many more who fell victim to the paranoia of some radio station executives.

4:00 p.m. Emmylou Harris: Rare Tracks & Forgotten Gems

At 4:00 p.m. we take a trip down Emmylou Lane for some stuff that you may not hear on other stations, but you’ll hear them here!

8:00 p.m. Joni Mitchell Live at Carnegie Hall, New York, NY, February 3, 1972

We close out the day’s programming with the legendary Joni Mitchell in a great performance at New York’s Carnegie Hall.

Again, we’re totally free and we’re on 24/7 for your listening pleasure. No strings. No surprises. No subscriptions or credit cards required. The button is below.

What was Puff smoking?

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.

Banned From the Airwaves!

It’s Another Monday at The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 12/14/2020

Good Morning, Students! We have your Monday morning lesson right here from The Mermaid Lounge, then we’re coming back with today’s line up!

Gladys Knight & The Pips, who made the original version (and a fucking great version, by the way) of “I Heard It Through The Grapevine, but it is Marvin Gaye’s later version that is considered the definitive version. How did that happen?

Here’s today’s lesson:

December 14, 1963: The Beatles’ I Want To Hold Your Hand begins five weeks at #1 on the UK charts. It replaced She Loves You, which was #1 for two weeks. This is the first time ever a band has replaced itself on the charts with a new song.

December 14, 1964: Although banned by some radio stations, The Kingsmen’s Louie Louie goes to #2 on the Hot 100. Only the Singing Nun could keep the from #1.

December 14, 1968: Tommy James & The Shondells released Crimson & Clover. (Over and over.)

Marvin Gaye’s I Heard It Through The Grapevine hits #1 in the US, where it stays for seven weeks. Gladys Knight & The Pips released a version in 1967 (my favorite version of the song, actually) and it went to #2 then. In spite of that, Marvin Gaye’s is considered the definitive version. I love Marvin Gaye, but I disagree.

Motown Acts own the top three spots on the Hot 100 on this day: (1) I Heard It Through The Grapevine by Marvin Gaye; (2) Love Child by The Supremes; and (3) For Once In My Life by Stevie Wonder.

Big Brother & The Holding Company’s album, Cheap Thrills, remained at #1 on the Album charts.

December 14, 1995: Released classified documents revealed that John Lennon wasn’t paranoid. The FBI had been spying on Lennon and his antiwar activities during Tricky Dick’s regime with the goal of having him deported.