As if to even the ante set by other holidays, there were a bunch of New Year’s Eve songs to play on today’s Capital Radio — and a few to honor its tradition at midnight: a kiss.
But Dec. 30 also had an abnormally large number of birthdays to note, ranging from Bo Diddley, born this day in 1928, to Patti Smith, turning 78, and Jeff Lynne, 77. There were birthdays for funnywoman and onetime hitmaker Tracy Ullman , 65; and Mountain’s Felix Pappalardi, born this day in 1939– the same year as Del Shannon. And it was the birthday of fully half of the Monkees — both Davy Jones (1945) and Michael Nesmith (1942), the same year the guitarist extroardinaire Robert Quine was born on this day.
We began with a short salute to a President with the longest life, Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at 100.
Here’s the setlist:
Capital Radio December 30, 2024. 1:00 to 4:23 p.m. www.cygnusradio.com
“Capital Radio Two,” The Clash
“Ramblin’ Man,” The Allman Brothers Band
“Georgia on My Mind,” The Band
“Jimmy Carter Says ‘Yes,’” Gene Marshall
“Jimmy Carter,” Blue Mountain
“Diddley Daddy,” Bo Diddley
“Pills,” Bo Diddley
“Ask the Angels,” Patti Smith
“Summer Cannibals,” Patti Smith
“They Don’t Know,” Tracy Ullman
“Blank Generation,” Richard Hell & the Voidoids
“Girlfriend,” Matthew Sweet
“Downtown Train,” Tom Waits
“A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You,” The Monkees
“Daydream Believer,” The Monkees
“The Girl I Knew Somewhere,” The Monkees
“Joanne,” Michael Nesmith & The First National Band
“Telephone Line,” Electric Light Orchestra
“Not Alone Any More,” Traveling Wilburys
“September Song,” Jeff Lynne
“Theme for an Imaginary Western,” Mountain
“Hats off to Larry,” Del Shannon
“Little Town Flirt,” Del Shannon
“Runaway,” Del Shannon
“Let’s Start the New Year Right,” Bing Crosby
“I Still Believe in New Year’s Eve,” The Minus 5
“New Year’s Eve,” First Aid Kit
“New Year’s Eve,” Van Duren
“New Year’s Eve,” Ike Reilly
“New Year’s Eve,” Tom Waits
“After New Year’s Eve,” The Heartbeats
“The New Year,” Jimmy Jules & The Nuclear Soul System
“New Year’s Resolution,” Otis Redding & Carla Thomas
“New Year’s Resolution,” Camera Obscura
“Happy New Year,” Huey “Piano” Smith & The Clowns
“Bringing in a Brand New Year,” B.B. King
“Happy New Year,” Lightnin’ Hopkins
“Another Brand New Year,” The Bottle Rockets
“Happy New Year,” Dido
“Happy New Year Blues,” Mary Harris
“The New Year,” Death Cab for Cutie
“Happy New Year, Baby,” Jo Ann Campbell
“Hello Mr. New Year,” Coolbreezers
“What a Year for a New Year,” Dan Wilson
“This Will Be Our Year,” The Zombies
“My Dear Acquaintance (A Happy New Year),” Regina Spektor
“Kiss,” Prince & the Revolution
“Kiss Me Quick,” Elvis Presley
“Kiss Me,” Tom Waits
“Kiss Me Like You Mean It,” The Magnetic Fields
“Give Him A Great Big Kiss,” The Shangri-La’s
“Auld Lang Syne,” B.B. King
Capital Radio returns Jan. 6 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.