Cinco De Mayo brought a handful of themed songs to Capital Radio today, from El Vez and Liz Phair to Brave Combo and Bob Dylan, who sings of marrying Isis on the 5th day of May. It was Tammy Wynette’s birthday, and also that of Blind Willie McTell, Johnnie Taylor and Ian McCulloch of Echo & the Bunnymen, so we played songs from all of them.
We paid tribute to a lot of musicians who had died in recent weeks, including The Alarm frontman Mike Peters; Jill Sobule. who died in a shocking house fire; and bluesman Joe Louis Walker. The TCB pianist David Briggs, whose Muscle Shoals was heard on records from The Tams and Tony Joe White to, of course, Elvis Presley, was remembered.
Closed with some ruminating about the recently announced Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2025 that includes the White Stripes, Chubby Checker, Cyndi Lauper, Joe Cocker and Outkast, with a special emphasis on a couple chosen for musical excellence, Thom Bell and Warren Zevon.
Here’s a link to the whole archived show; the setlist follows:
Capital Radio. May 5, 2025. 1 – 4:30 p.m. www.cygnusradio.com.
“Capital Radio Two,” The Clash
“Rain in the Summertime,” The Alarm
“Spirit of ’76,” The Alarm
“Stand,” The Alarm
“Bitter,” Jill Sobule
“Attic,” Jill Sobule
“I Kissed a Girl,” Jill Sobule
“Cold is the Night,” Joe Louis Walker
“I Got Nothin,’” Dion with Van Morrison and Joe Louis Walker
“Theme from the Ren and Stimpy Show (Dog Pound Hop),” Die Screaming Lederhosens
“Sheila,” Tommy Roe
“”What Kind of Fool (Do You Think I Am),” The Tams
“You Better Move On,” Arthur Alexander
“Steal Away,” Jimmy Hughes
“Polk Salad Annie,” Tony Joe White
“Love Letters,” Elvis Presley
“Way Down,” Elvis Presley
“Cinco De Mayo,” El Vez & Blackbird
“Cinco De Mayo,” Liz Phair
“Cinco De Mayo,” Brave Combo
“Tequila,” The Champs
“Isis,” Bob Dylan
“Your Good Girl’s Gonna Go Bad,” Tammy Wynette
“Apartment No. 9, “ Tammy Wynette
“Someone I Used to Know,” George Jones & Tammy Wynette
“Broke Down Engine Blues,” Blind Willie McTell
“Love Makin’ Mama,” Blind Willie McTell
“Blind Willie McTell,” Lucinda Williams
“Statesboro Blues,” The Allman Brothers Band
“WHo’s Making Love,” Johnnie Taylor
“Disco Lady,” Johnnie Taylor
“The Killing Moon,” Echo & the Bunnymen
“Mack the Knife,” Psychedelic Furs
“Let’s Twist Again,” Chubby Checker
“Pony Time,” Chubby Checker
“The Letter,” Joe Cocker
“Cry Me a River,” Joe Cocker
“So Fresh, So Clean,” Outkast
“Hey Ya,’ Outkast
“Back Stabbers,” The O’Jays
“I’ll Be Around,” The Spinners
“You’ve Got Her in Your Pocket,” The White Stripes
“There’s No Home for You Here,” The White Stripes
“Time After Time,” Cyndi Lauper
“Blue [live]” Cyndi Lauper
“Rock Steady,” Bad Company
:Back Hole Sun,” Moog Cookbook
“Mister Pleasant,” Nicky Hopkins & The Whistling Piano
“Porcelain Monkey,” Warren Zevon
“For My Next Trick I’ll Need a Volunteer,” Warren Zevon
“I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead,” Warren Zevon
“Keep Me in Your Heart,” Warren Zevon
Capital Radio returns May12 at 1 p.m. EDT on www.cygnusradio.com. The station can also be heard via the cygnusradio.com app, available free at iTunes or GooglePlay. Older shows are available at Substack.com/@rogercatlin.
