Listen to this week’s show here:
Cruising with The Commissioner #16 (21.07.11)
Well, this week attracted the customary tension for farmers and urologists alike on St Swithen’s day. There was added confusion as the Dartford Delta and the Weald of Welling basked in day-long sunshine on St Swithen’s day and were awash with rain afterwards. But, this did not dampen spirits at Cruise Control, where much time was devoted to sampling a pile of juicy singles and albums that had been growing with the efforts of our musical postman and some fruitful ventures to the music emporiums around and about. In addition, fellow Wireless FM DJs, Max Quirk, Johnny Alpha, The Shake and The Spongeman, all added to this week’s wish list.
Journeys around ‘this green and pleasant land’ during the week included an opportunity to meet up again with some good-humoured folks that included Paul Devine, whose knowledge of Northern Soul is truly fascinating. So, we seized the opportunity to entice him to present this week’s ‘Three From Me’ feature. His relaxed manner is disarming, but you can’t be in his company long without being lifted by his obvious enthusiasm for his musical choices and this soon becomes infectious. Anyone
who remembers evenings at The Wigan Casino with such affection has to have some stories to tell . . . . and Paul certainly does, although we may have to get him back to tell some us more than he did this time !!!
A recent visit to Cruise Control by previous ‘Three From Me’ guest, Phil Tyler, was the inspiration for an extended selection of car-related tracks. The challenge wasn’t finding them, it was which ones to choose. It was an excuse to pick some long-time favourites and some recent discoveries. There was a bit of mixing of styles, with plenty left (some very good ones too) for another occasion. Apologies to Seppo Valjakka if I mis-pronounced his name.
It was a real squeeze to get all the selected tracks into the playlist this week. Several had to be put in the ‘pending’ tray for another day, which will be a great disappointment to Max Bygraves fans, who have been waiting for their requests for some time now. However, for those who like reading lists and for the keen apostrophe prefects, here’s the playlist for this week’s show:
Cruising for fun . . . .
Well Oh Well – Tiny Bradshaw
Let’s Go, Let’s Go, Let’s Go – Hank Ballard
One More Heartache – The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
Since You Said You’d Be Mine – Lou Raglan
You’re Right Ray Charles – Joe Tex
Some Postman – The Giraffes
Ain’t Too Proud To Beg – The Temptations
Share A Little Love With Me (Somebody) – The Monitors
Billy’s Bag – Billy Preston
Three from me . . . . . Paul Devine
Do I Love You (Indeed I Do) – Frank Wilson
10 Miles High – David and the Giants
That Beatin’ Rhythm – Richard Temple
Cruising in my automobile . . . . .
She Loves My Automobile – Seppo Valjakka
Red Cadillac & A Black Moustache – Warren Smith
The Jaguar & The Thunderbird – Chuck Berry
Little Deuce Coupe – Jan & Dean
Cadillac Baby – Roy Brown
Crazy ‘Bout An Automobile – Johnny Vernazza
Flat Tire – Albert King
Mercedes Benz – Janis Joplin
Red ’69 Oldsmobile – Howard Livingston & Mile Marker 24
Mercury Blues – Canned Heat
Heaven In A Pontiac – Bill Perry
Cruising further on . . . .
Time Is On My Side – Irma Thomas
Ain’t Nobody Home – B.B. King
Chill Out – Carlos Santana & John Lee Hooker
Memory Lane . . . . with TC
Cruisin’ 1955 – Jumping George Oxford, KSAN, San Francisco
(Crazy Little Mama) At My Front Door – The Eldorados
Cruising for home . . . .
Mr Rainbow – Steve Flynn
Bye Bye Baby – The Johnny Otis Show
What Can a Man Do – Ben E King
Bumbershoot – Phil Harvey
Oh Mom (Teach me How To Uncle Willie) – The Daylighters
You Hit Me (Right Where It Hurts) – Alice Clark
Yeah, Yeah, Yeah – Joe Liggins
Behind The Painted Smile – The Isley Brothers
Three Time Loser – Wilson Pickett
Squeeze Me – Milt Trenier
There was sad news this week of the passing of Jerry Ragovoy, the writer of many classic soul songs of the Sixties. His first successes as a writer were in 1959 with songs for Fabian and Frankie Avalon, and he went on to be an arranger and producer. In the 60s he started writing soul songs under the pen name Norman Meade, including “Time Is On My Side,” that became a hit for Irma Thomas and was subsequently covered by the Rolling Stones. He also wrote many hits for Garnett Mimms and artists such as Erma Franklin, Lorraine Ellison, Janis Joplin, B.B. King and many more. We featured a couple of these in this week’s show . . . Irma Thomas (Time Is On My Side) and B.B. King (Ain’t Nobody Home), as a tribute to a great talent.
Well, The Shake had a busy week, so the Cruising Crew may have been a bit surprised to find me inviting everyone to sneak down Memory Lane in my company. Our trip took us back to the sounds of America in 1955 and particularly ‘Jumping’ George Oxford on radio station KSAN in San Francisco. It also offered an opportunity to hear again The Eldorados.
The Cruisettes certainly seemed to have a good time during the show and I hope everyone thought this was one of those good things that eventually have to come to an end. If you enjoyed this show, then perhaps you will join me next week, when once again we’ll go Cruising with the Commissioner and cruise through my choice of music.
Thanks go to Wireless FM for their goodwill and fortitude in allowing me to play what I like each week and the Cruising Crew for listening in. If you enjoyed the music on Cruising with the Commissioner then, why not take a listen to the Tuesday Night Mafia on Wireless FM, where they’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse and play music you’ll never forget.
Well, until we go cruising again . . . . Have fun!
Just Cruising 