You're an FM DJ: 26 songs in alphabetical order by artist - What tracks do you pick?

Cafe Society
41

Archers Of Loaf - Web In Front
Big Star - September Gurls
Clinic - Internal Wrangler
Dead Boys - Sonic Reducer
Eno, Brian - Here Comes The Warm Jets
Flaming Lips, The - Race For The Prize
Galaxie 500 - Snowstorm
Halo Benders, The - Don’t Touch My Bikini
Iron & Wine - Weary Memory
Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart
Kings of Convenience - Summer On The Westhill
Leo, Ted - Ballad Of The Sin Eater
My Bloody Valentine - Only Shallow
Nation Of Ulysses - Your My Miss Washington D.C
One Last Wish - This Time
Pixies, The - Caribou
Q And Not U - Soft Pyramids
Rapture, The - House Of Jealous Lovers
Slint - Good Morning, Captain
Turbonegro - Prince Of The Rodeo
Ugly Cassanova - Hotcha Girls
Violent Femmes - Kiss Off
Wire - Ex Lion Tamer
XTC - Season Cycle
Young, Neil - Cortez The Killer
Zorn, John - Latin Quarter

So this is my second attempt and these are all good songs, there is no filler, I like every band/artist on this list. But I doubt I could make a third list without compromising my taste.

I really struggled with the letter ‘Q’ and nearly caved in and put Queen on the list, but then I remembered that one of my favorite Dischord bands are called Q And Not U, and well that was it.

And yeah, I’m a geek.

42

Assuming I didn’t get fired after my first show, I would have to come up with a playlist for my second one. So here it goes again:

Aterciopelados-Florecita Rockera
Bettie Serveert-Geek
Case, Neko-Look for Me (I’ll Be Around)
Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy-Famous ‘n’ Dandy (Like Amos ‘n’ Andy)
Eno/Cale-Lay My Love
Farris, Dionne-Passion
Graham Central Station-Today
Huffamoose-James
Isley Brothers-Voyage to Atlantis
Jones, Rickie Lee-Scary Chinese Movie
Kinsey Report-Full Moon On Main Street
Love, Laura-I’m A-Givin’ Way
My Bloody Valentine-When You Sleep
N’Dour, Youssou-The Truth
October Project-Take Me As I Am
Portishead-Strangers
Queen Latifah-U.N.I.T.Y.
Reilly, Ike-Commie Drives a Nova
Smith, Patti-Frederick
Tears for Fears-Badman’s Song
Utopia-Rock Love
Violent Femmes-Nightmares
Whitley, Chris-Serve You
XTC-Scarecrow People
Young, Neil-Powderfinger
Zanes, Dan-Tested

As others have noted, some letters are harder than others, and like Hüsker Düde, I would have trouble coming up with a third list without making compromises.

43

OK, I’ll get a little more obscure without sliding underground or reverting to oldies/contemporary tracks.

I’m pretty sure every one of these got airplay at least once, somewhere:

A THOUSAND POINTS OF NIGHT Read My Lips
BOTTLE ROCKETS Radar Gun
CADELL, MERYN The Sweater
D GENERATION No Way Out
EDELWEISS Bring Me Edelweiss
FRÖZEN GHÖST Should I See
GODFATHERS Birth, School, Work, Death
HARRISON, JERRY Rev It Up
ICE T ShutUp, Be Happy
(See that even when using a different ‘B’ Band, there’s still a way to slip both Black Sabbath & Jello Biafra in)
JUDYBATS Don’t Drop The Baby
KING MISSILE Martin Scorsese
LIGHTNING SEEDS Lucky You
MacCOLL, KIRSTY Walking Down Madison
NED’S ATOMIC DUSTBIN Not Sleeping Around
ODDS Heterosexual Man
P(arade) O(f) L(osers) Stupid
QUIREBOYS 7 O’Clock
RANCID Salvation
SCREAMING BLUE MESSIAHS Jesus Chrysler Drives A Dodge
TRYNIN, JENNIFER Better Than Nothing
URE, MIDGE Cold, Cold Heart
VERVE She’s A Superstar
WOBBLE’S, JAH INVADERS… The Sun Does Rise
X-RAY SPEX Oh Bondage Up Yours
(I Was Gonna do an X-tra ‘W’ of Whale’s ‘Homo Humpin’ Slobo Babe’, but that’s cheating)
Y KANT TORI READ (Amos & Farris) The Big Picture
ZONES Mourning Star

44

apple, fiona : “across the universe”
bjork : “new world”
coldplay : “the scientist”
difranco, ani : “to the teeth”
eminem : “when the music stops”
five for fighting : “superman”
guster : “rainy day”
hay, colin : “waiting for my real life to begin”
i
jackson 5, the : “one more chance”
kamakawiwo’ole, israel : “over the rainbow/wonderful world”
little shop of horrors soundtrack : “suddenly seymour”
mitchell, joni : “little green”
nirvana : “heart shaped box”
october project : “return to me”
pink floyd : “the wall”
queen : “bohemian rhapsody”
radiohead : “fake plastic trees”
sinatra, frank : “high hopes”
they might be giants : “fingertips”
u2 : “mlk”
van morrison : “brown eyed girl”
wallflowers, the : “josephine”
x
yes : “all good people”
z

45

Feh, I didn’t have time to complete this, but I do believe I have an original x entry!

Archers of Loaf - Nostalgia
Barrett, Syd - Octopus
Citizen King - Checkout Line
the Doors - Not to Touch the Earth
Echo and the Bunnymen - Rust
Foo Fighters - For all the Cows
Gin Blossoms - Mrs Rita
Heart - Dream of the Archer
Jethro Tull - Hymn 43
Led Zeppelin - How Many More Times
Marillion - Cover my Eyes
Nephilim, Fields of the - Endemoniada
Odds - I Would be Your Man
Promise Ring - Why did we ever meet?
Queensryche - Silent Lucidity
Schascle/Twinkle - Homeland (actually, dunno the name of it.)
10,000 Maniacs - Back of the Moon
Vega, Suzanne - Blood Makes Noise
Ween - Freedom of ‘76
Xymox, Clan of - 7th time.
Yankovic, Weirld Al - Truck Drivin’ Song.

46

Mostly off the top of my head, mostly from my own CD collection:

Jann Arden – Wonderdrug
Beatles – You Won’t See Me
Sam Cooke – Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day
Del Amitri – Be My Downfall
Eagles – The Last Resort
Neil Finn – Anytime
Guns 'N Roses – Don’t Damn Me
John Hiatt – Buffalo River Home
Chris Isaak – Things Go Wrong
Billy Joel – Vienna
Kinks – Waterloo Sunset
Led Zeppelin – Houses Of The Holy
Marillion – The Uninvited Guest
Heather Nova – London Rain
O’Jays – Use Ta Be My Girl
Prince – Slow Love
Queen – You’re My Best Friend
Rolling Stones – Tumbling Dice
Bruce Springsteen – Brilliant Disguise
Toad The Wet Sprocket – Crowing
U2 – Red Hill Mining Town
Violent Femmes – Kiss Off
Who – Cut My Hair
XTC – The Disappointed
Neil Young – Harvest Moon
Zombies – Tell Her No

47

AC/DC – Touch Too Much

Brown, James – Night Train

CCR – Run Through The Jungle

Depehce Mode – I Want You Now

Eurythmics – Sweet Dreams Are Made of This

Free- All Right Now

Guns N’ Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine

Harrison, George – What Is Life

Idol, Billy – Rebel Yell

James, Tommy – Crimson and Clover

Kinks – Superman

Led Zeppelin – Immigrant Song

Mountain – Mississippi Queen

Nicks, Stevie – Stand Back

Orbison, Roy – In Dreams

Presley, Elvis – Little Sister

Queen & David Bowie-- Under Pressure

REM – Crush With Eyeliner

Seger, Bob – Her Strut

Talk Talk – Talk Talk

Uriah Heap – Easy Livin

Van Halen – Panama

Wonder, Stevie – Boogie On Reggae Woman

XMelvin, Harold & the Blue Notes – Bad Luck (part 1)

Young, Neil – Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

ZZ Top – I Thank You

48

Agent Orange - Bloodstains

Bad Livers - The Adventures of Pee Pee The Sailor

CCR - Sinister Purpose

Detroit Cobras - Right Around the Corner

Eaglesmith, Fred - Time to Get A Gun

Flamin’ Groovies - Slow Death

Grandmaster Flash - The Message

Haggard, Merle - I Can’t Hold Myself in Line

Immortal Lee County Killers - Lets Get Killed

Jazz Butcher, The - The Devil is My Friend

King Crimson - Indiscipline

Lowe, Nick - So It Goes

Minutemen, The - My Heart and The Real World

New Pornographers - Mass Romantic

Oingo Boingo - Nothing Bad Ever Happens to Me

Pixies, The - Ed is Dead

Quadrajets, The - Punkinheaded Motherfucker

Replacements, The - Kiss Me on the Bus

Split Lip Rayfield - Kiss of Death

Television Personalities - Smashing Time

Undertones, The - There Goes Norman

Velvet Underground - I Heard Her Call My Name

Wall of Voodoo - Callbox 1, 2, 3

X - Drunk in My Past

Young Fresh Fellows - Me and Ringo

Zappa, Frank - Flower Punk

49

THAT is one of the greatest songs of all time. Didya ever hear The Dictators cover? It’s even better than the awesome original IMHO.

Jon

50

Nope, hadn’t heard the Dictators version… that’ll give me something to do tomorrow. Thanks.

51

Well, I’ll follow JBW’s lead and give y’all a second set.

The Ataris - In This Diary
Basement Jaxx - Good Luck
Calexico - Not Even Stevie Nicks
Dizzy Rascal - I Luv U
Echo and the Bunnymen - The Killing Moon
Frenzal Rhomb - You Can’t Move Into My House (Get Fucked You Fucken Fuckwit)
The Go-Betweens - Cattle and Cane
Hot Hot Heat - No Not Now
Idlewild - American English
Jemini and DM - The Only One
Kosheen - Resist
The Lemonheads - Alison’s Starting To Happen
MF Doom as Viktor Vaughn feat Apani B - Can I Watch
Negativland - U2
Ozomatli - 1234
Panjabi MC feat Jay-Z - Mundian Te Bach Ke
Queens Of The Stone Age - No-one Knows
Red Rocket - Fast Trains
Something Corporate - Konstantine
Taking Back Sunday - There’s No I In Team
Ugly Duckling - Pick Up Lines
The Vines - Ms Jackson
Wilco - The Ashes Of American Flags
XTC - Dear God
Yo La Tengo - My Little Corner Of The World
Zwan - Honestly

And a bonus cause it doesn’t fit in the alphabet:

!!! - Me Guiliani Down By The Schoolyard (A True Story)
I’m very ashamed that I reused my Q and Z bands. :(.

52

Okay, I’ll bite… here’s a second list (provided I didn’t get canned after the first show):

Aquabats - Super Rad!

Barracudas, The - His Last Summer

Coasters, The - Yakkety Yak

Dead Milkmen, The - Stuart

Eddie and the Hot Rods - Teenage Depression

Fleshtones, The - High On Drugs (live)

Gories, The - The View From Here

Handsome Family, The - My Ghost

Inbreds, The - Wanna Be Your Friend

Jackson, Joe - Happy Loving Couples

Kinks, The - Muswell Hillbilly

Love - My Little Red Book

Meat Puppets, The - New Gods

New York Dolls, The - Pills

Old 97’s, The - Doreen

Pretty Things, The - LSD

Queers, The - See You Later Fuckface

Ramones - Havana Affair

Scott-Heron, Gil - “B” Movie

Twenty Miles - I’m A Lucky Guy

UK Subs - I Live In A Car

Vincent, Andrew & The Pirates - Bahamas

White, Jim - A Perfect Day To Chase Tornados

XTC - This Is Pop

Yardbirds, The - Shapes Of Things

Zubot & Dawson - Shame About It

BTW, thanks nitroglycerine, The Dictators’ version of “Slow Death” rocks! I still prefer The Flamin’ Groovies version… but it’s close, real close.

53

A:“Dream On”
B:“Let it Be”
C:“It’s Magic”
D:“Hungry Like the Wolf”
E:“Desperado”
F:“Learn to Fly”
G:“Black Ballons”
H:“Rock Around the Clock”
I:“Hero”
J:“Man in the Mirror”
K:“That’s the Way I Like It”
L:“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”
M:“Wonder”/“Small Town”
N:“Gypsy”
O:“Carribean Queen”
P:“I’ll Stand By You”
Q:“Radio Gaga”
R:“Start Me Up”
S:“We Built This City”
T:“Puttin’ on the Ritz”
U:
V:“Here and Now”
W:Baba O’Reilly"
X:
Y:“Amish Paradise”
Z:“She’s Got Legs”

54

This is how I spend my hours before I go to sleep. So, all you late night listeners, let’s go into melody land:

AFI - Morningstar
Bright Eyes - Something Vague
Commander Venus - Jean’s TV
Desaperacidos - Man and Wife, the Latter (Damaged Goods)
Everclear - Like A California King
Further Seems Forever - New Year’s Project
The Good Life - I Am An Island
H.I.M. - Right Here In My Arms
Incubus - Mexico
Jack Johnson - Bubbletoes
King Crimson - 20th Century Schizoid Man
Led Zeppelin - 10 Years Gone
Metallica - Nothing Else Matters
Neutral Milk Hotel - Two Headed Boy (pt. 2)
Outkast - Bombs Over Baghdad
Phish - Farmhouse
Queens of the Stone Age - Go With The Flow
Radiohead - Fake Plastic Trees
Smashing Pumpkins - Soma
Tool - Sober
U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday
Vendetta Red - Shatterday
Weezer - Say it ain’t so
XTC - Season Cycle
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps
Zao - The Icarus Complex

55

Ya gotta admit, they play it like it was their own.

Haha…back in the 80s, when I used to take way too many drugs, I made a 30 minute seemless edit of the 'Tators version and played it all the time, over and over again. I’d drive everybody crazy with it.

The only other cover that does as much justice to the original (not counting covers done by the Cramps) IMHO is The Damned’s cover of the MC5s “Looking At You” on the B-side of the Sanity Clause EP (I Think)
Anyway, since other people are posting a second list, I will too:

Aus Rotten-Xenophobia
Bad Brains-Day Tripper/She’s A Rainbow
The Cynics-She Lives (In A Time Of HEr Own)
Damned-Looking At You
Electric Eels-Jaguar Ride
F Word-Do The Nihil
Gang Of Four-At Home He’s A Tourist
Happy Flowers-They Cleaned My Cut Out With A Wire Brush
Intensified Chaos-Intensified Chaos
Jack Killed Jill-They Walked In Line
Kraut-Unemployed
Lovemasters-Pusherman Of Love
Murder City Devils-Every Shitty Thing
New Bomb Turks-Born Toulouse Lautrec
Operation Cliff Clavin - I Hate The Grateful Dead
Pagans-I Stand Alone
Quakes-New Generation
Reagan Youth-Degeneration
Shattered Faith-Reagan Country
Tenpole Tudor-Wonderbar
UK Subs-Stranglehold
Varukers-Protest and Survive
Wesley Willis-Jello Biafra
X blank X (Mike Hudson of the Pagans side project)-Full of Shit
Youth Brigade-Somebodys Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight
Zen Guerrilla-Empty Heart

Jon

56

My gawd, I forgot U2!!! ok.
U:“Where the Streets Have No Name”

57

AFI ~ ‘God Called In Sick Today’
Bowling for Soup ~ ‘Other Girls’
Clash ~ ‘London Calling’
Dropkick Murphys ~ ‘Irish Drinking Song’
Exploited, The ~ ‘Sid Vicious Was Innocent’
Flogging Molly ~ ‘Drunken Lullabyes’
Guttermouth ~ ‘Lipstick’
Hot Rod Circuit ~ ‘Misled’
I
Jackson ~ ‘All The Way’
Kut U Up ~ ‘Destination’
Lagwagon ~ ‘Falling Apart’
Misfits ~ ‘Helena’
NOFX ~ ‘Franco Un-American’
Offspring ~ ‘Want You Bad’
Posion The Well ~ ‘Pieces of You In Me’
Queers, The ~ ‘Punk Rock Confidential’
Ramones ~ ‘I Wanna Be Sedated’
Sex Pistols ~ ‘God Save the Queen’
Tsunami Bomb ~ ‘20 Going On…’
US Bombs ~ ‘In & Out’
Vandals ~ ‘My Girlfriend’s Dead’
W
X
Yellowcard ~ ‘Rough Draft’
Zwan ~ ‘Honestly’

58

I purposely have not looked at anyone’s list, so here goes:

Apples (in Stereo) - Glowworm
Belle and Sebastian - The State I Am In
Cure - Boys Don’t Cry
Dead Kennedys - Let’s Lynch the Landlord
Elvis Costello - I Don’t Want to Go to Chelsea
Fall - No Xmas for John Quays
Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci - Young Girls and Happy Endings
Husker Du - Chartered Trips
Iggy Pop - Lust for Life
Jesus and Mary Chain - The Living End
Kinks - Victoria
Luna - Superfreaky Memories
Mission of Burma - That’s How I Escaped My Certain Fate
Neutral Milk Hotel - Holland 1945
Olivia Tremor Control - I Can Smell the Leaves
Pixies - U-Mass
Question Mark and the Mysterians - 96 Tears (so I cheat…)
Raincoats - The Void
Spoon - The Past and Pending
Talking Heads - Memories Can’t Wait
U2 - New Year’s Day
Violent Femmes - Promise
Wire - Three Girl Rhumba
X-Ray Spex - I Am a Cliche
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Maps
Zero 7 - Simple Things

59

Sorry, ‘S’ is supposed to be “The Shins - The Past and Pending.” My original entry was Spoon’s “Believing is Art.”

60

AC/DC-- The Jack
Beta Band-- Dry the Rain
Crooked Fingers-- Big Darkness
The Damned-- Jet Boy Jet Girl
Eels-- Mr. E’s Beautiful Blues
Fugazi-- Margin Walker
Grant Lee Buffalo-- Dixie Drugstore
Wynonie Harris-- Good Morning Judge
Ice T-- The Girl Tried To Kill Me
Joe Jackson-- Got the Time
KRS ONE–I Can’t Wake Up
Los Lobos-- One Time, One Night
Misfits-- Bullet
NOFX-- The Brews
Oingo Boingo-- Ain’t This the Life
Posies-- Grant Hart
Queen-- Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Lou Reed-- Men of Good Fortune
Seven Seconds-- 99 Red Balloons
The The-- Armageddon Days Are Here Again
Uncle Tupelo-- Sin City
Vandals-- Long Haired Queer
Waco Brothers-- Walking On Hell’s Roof Looking at the Flowers
X-- Beyond and Back
Young Fresh Fellows-- Amy Grant
Frank Zappa-- Stinkfoot