My Top 20 Songs: November 2009

The radio has always been part of my life. I was raised on radio. In fact, not many people know that I was a minor radio star when I was 10 years old. I co-hosted a call-in show called "Popular Politics Soccer". We would play some music and people would call in to tell us who they were going to vote for in the following presidential election. Since then, I have always wanted to go back on the air. Some day I just might... These are my top 20 songs about the Radio and DJ's

1. Queen – Radio Ga Ga

I’d sit alone and watch your light / My only friend through teenage nights / And everything I had to know / I heard it on my radio / You gave them all those old time stars / Through Wars of Worlds - invaded by mars / You made ‘em laugh / you made ‘em cry / You made us feel like we could fly / Radio

2. Steely Dan – FM

Give her some funked up music / she treats you nice / feed her some hungry reggae, she’ll love you twice / the girls don’t seem to care tonight / as long as the mood is right / FM - no static at all

3. Miguel Rios – No Estas Sola

No estás sola / alguien te ama en la ciudad / no tengas miedo / que la alborada llegará / No estás sola / te queremos confortar / sal al aire / cuéntanos de lo que vas / La noche es así niña / no olvides sonreír / que mañana empiezas a vivir.

4. Rush – The Spirit of Radio

Invisible airwaves / Crackle with life / Bright antennae bristle / With the energy / Emotional feedback / On a timeless wavelength / Bearing a gift beyond price / Almost free...

5. Charlie Dore – Piliot of the Airways

Pilot of the airwaves / Here is my request / You don't have to play it / But I hope you'll do your best / I've been listening to your show on the radio / And you seem like a friend to me / Any record of your choice / I don't mind / I'd be happy just to hear your voice / Saying this is for the girl / Who didn't sign her name / Yes, she needs a dedication just the same

6. The Buggles – Video Killed the Radio Star

And now we meet in an abandoned studio / We hear the playback and it seems so long ago / And you remember the jingles used to go / Oh-a oh / You were the first one / Oh-a oh / You were the last one / Video killed the radio star / Video killed the radio star / In my mind and in my car, we can't rewind we've gone to far

7. Triumph – Magic Power

She climbs into bed, pull the covers overhead and turns her little radio on / She's had a rotten day so she hopes the DJ's gonna play her favorite song / It makes her feel much better, brings her closer to her dreams / A little magic power makes it better that it seems

8. The Ramones – Do you Remember Rock’n'Roll Radio?

Do you remember Murray the K, Alan Freed, and high energy? / It's the end, the end of the 70's / It's the end, the end of the century / Do you remember lying in bed with your covers pulled up over your head? / Radio playin' so no one can see / We need change, we need it fast / Before rock's just part of the past / 'Cause lately it all sounds the same to me

9. Donald Fagen - The Nightfly

I'm Lester the Nightfly / Hello Baton Rouge / Won't you turn your radio down / Respect the seven second delay we use / So you say there's a race of men in the trees / You're for tough legislation / Thanks for calling / I wait all night for calls like these / An independent station / WJAZ / with jazz and conversation

10. The Guess Who - Clap for the Wolfman

Do Ron Ron and the Duke of Earl / They were friend's of mine / The highway's on my moonlight drive / Snuggled in, said "baby, just one kiss" / She said "no, no, no" / Romance ain't keepin' me alive / I said "hey babe, do you want to coo, coo, coo" / She said "uh, uh, uh" / So I was left out in the cold / I said "you're what I've been dreamin' of" / She said "I don't want to know" / "Oh you know, she was diggin' the cat on the radio" / Clap for the Wolfman / he’s gonna rate your record high

11. Steve Carlisle - WKRP in Cincinnati

Baby, if you've ever wondered / Wondered whatever became of me / I'm living on the air in Cincinnati / Cincinnati, WKRP / Got kind of tired packing and unpacking / Town to town and up and down the dial / Maybe you and me were never meant to be / But baby think of me once in awhile / I'm at WKRP in Cincinnati..

12. Wall of Voodoo - Mexican Radio

I wish I was in Tijuana / Eating barbequed iguana / I'd take requests on the telephone / I'm on a wavelength far from home / I feel a hot wind on my shoulder / I dial it in from south of the border / I hear the talking of the DJ / Can't understand just what does he say? / I'm on a Mexican radio / I'm on a Mexican, whoa-Oh, radio

13. REM – Radio Song

When I got to the show / yo, ho, ho / I could tell that you had been crying, crying / It's that same sing song and the DJ sucks / It makes me sad / I tried to turn it off / To say goodbye, my love / That radio song / Hey, hey, hey

14. David Bowie – DJ

I am a D.J., I am what I play / can't turn around no, can't turn around / I am a D.J., I am what I play / I got believers (kiss-kiss) / Believing me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9mlwcAmEpo

15. Dr. Hook – The Radio

Lately, I've been givin' everything I've got to feeling alone / Baby you got me livin' one of them hard luck songs on the radio / Oh and I know, if I change the station I'll get the same song / Hope it ain't on the top too long

16. Dire Straits – Sketeaway

She gets rock’n’roll from a rock’n’roll station / and a rock’n’roll dream / She’s making movies on location / She don’t know what it means / But the music make her wanna be the story / And the story was whatever was the song what it was / Roller girl, don’t worry / DJ play the movies all night long

17. Robbie Williams – Radio

Listen to the radio / And you will hear the songs you know / Make it effervescent here / And you might have a job my dear / My dear

18. Al Stewart – Song on the Radio

I was making my way through the wasteland / The road into town passes through / I was changing the radio stations / With my mind on you / Oh your friends call you "Lily Paloma" / But that's not the way that you are / It's too much of a gentle misnomer / For a shooting star

19. The Carpenters – Yesterday Once More

When I was young / I’d listened to the radio / Waiting for my favorite songs / Waiting they played I’d sing along / It made me smile / Those were such happy times / And not so long ago / How I wondered where they’d gone / But they’re back again / Just like a long lost friend / All the songs I loved so well

20. Eric Carmen – Make Me Lose Control

Turn the radio up for that sweet sound / Hold me close never let me go / Keep this feeling alive / Make me lose control

I’m beginning a new thread in this blog. From time to time, I’ll publish my list of top 20 songs in different languages. Even when I do not speak a word of German, I am a big fan of many German bands, especially Scorpions and Rammstein. I invite you all, specially those of you who speak German or who have German heritage, to play along and discover great music you have been missing out for years… Hier sind meine 20 Lieder auf Deutsch!