Reports of mysterious drones in New Jersey and beyond prompted a handful of songs with drones in the title, at least. There were far more songs, of course, about flying saucers and UFOS, from Jefferson Airplane to Jimmy Durante to Hüsker Dü, among others.
This led to a Flaming Lips connection of space to Santa, through their movie “Christmas on Mars,” and the 60th anniversary of of the childrens’ cult classic “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.”
This led to packed sets that had variations on the “Christmas Time is Coming” theme, as well as the coming home for Christmas variations. Closed with more of a Wham! than a bang.
Here’s the set list:
Capital Radio. December 16, 2024. 1 – 4:28 p.m. www.cygnusradio.com
“Capital Radio Two,” The Clash
“Drone: Nodrone,” The Cure
“Drones in the Valley,” Cage the Elephant
“Pop Drone,” Cheap Trick
“A Conjunction of Drones Simulating The Way in Which Sufjan Stevens has an Existential Crisis in the Great Godfrey Maze,” Sufjan Stevens
“Hanky Panky Nohow (Drone Mix),” John Cale
“Have You Seen the Saucers?” Jefferson Airplane
“Flyin’ Saucers Rock ’n’ Roll,” Billy Riley & His Little Green Men
“Mermaid Avenue Vol. II,” Billy Bragg and Wilco
“Flying Saucer Attack,” The Rezillos
“Two Little Men in a Flying Saucers,” Ella Fitzgerald by Arthur Pitt and Elaine Wise
“Concerning the UFO Sighting Near Highland, Illinois,” Sufjan Stevens
“Saw a UFO,” Eels
“We’re Going UFO’ing,” Jimmy Durante
“Unfunky UFO,” Parliament
“UFO,” Soul, Inc.
“UFOs, Big Rigs and BBQ,” Mojo Nixon & the World Famous Blue Jays
“Zero Zero UFO,” Ramones
“Books About UFOs,” Husker Du
“Born in a UFO,” David Bowie
“Waiting for the UFO’s,” Graham Parker
“Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft,” The Langley Schools Music Project
“The Distance Between Mars and the Earth, Pt. 1,” The Flaming Lips
“Christmas Laughing Waltz,” Imagene Peise
“A Change at Christmas (Say It Isn’t So),” The Flaming Lips
“You Cannot Win ‘Em All,” Steve Forbert
“So Much Wine,” The Handsome Family
“The Problem,” Lambchop
“Mixed Bizness,” Beck
“Christmas is Coming,” Vince Guaraldi Trio
“Christmas Is A-Coming,” Lead Belly
“Christmas Time is Coming (A Street Carol),” Stormy Weather
“Christmas is Coming,” Petty Booka
“Christmas is Coming,” The Payolas
“Christmas Coming,” Alton Ellis
“Christmas is Coming,” Old 97’s
“Christmas Time’s A-Coming,” Emmylou Harris
“Christmas Can’t Be Far Away,” Dean and Britta and Sonic Boom
“Silver Bells,” Wilson Pickett
“He’s Coming Home,” Dean and Britta and Sonic Boom
“My Boyfriend’s Coming Home for Christmas,” Toni Wine
“Please Come Home for Christmas,” Charles Brown
“I Want to Come Home for Christmas,” Marvin Gaye
“Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” Darlene Love
“Home for the Holidays,” The dB’s
“Everybody’s Coming to My House,” David Byrne
“Listening to Otis Redding at Home During Christmas,” Okkervil River
“I’ve Got Dreams to Remember,” Otis Redding
“We Could Have This,” Ben Folds with Lindsey Kraft
“Make It Home,” Juliana Hatfield
“Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” Corporal Blossom
“Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” Swamp Dogg
“Papa Noel,” Brenda Lee
“Last Christmas,” Wham!
Capital Radio returns Dec. 23 at 1 p.m. ET on www.cygnusradio.com. The show can also be heard via the cygnusradio.com app, available free at iTunes or GooglePlay. Older shows are available at Substack.com/@rogercatlin.
