11/13/09 – “The Last Time”

“The Last Time”

This week, The Friday Night Cat Fight returns to its original format.  The shows will now focus more on the Cat Fight itself and less on a “theme”.  There will still be long-form shows from time to time, but they will now be separate from the weekly Friday Night Cat Fights.

This week, we take a rock n’ roll classic from the Rolling Stones, “The Last Time” from 1965 and trace it back to its gospel roots.  Listen to the show to determine which version of the song you truly DIG THE MOST and then vote for it.  Also, this week, there is a 2nd poll asking whether or not The Stones completely ripped-off The Staple Singers’ gospel tune OR did they rewrite it and make it their own?  You decide and please, VOICE YOUR CHOICE over “The Last Time”.

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11/6/09 – The Robins – R&B Profile (Riot In Cell Block #9)

The Robins

R&B Profile

This week, I’m dedicating the entire podcast to one of the most influential and yet underrated R&B vocal groups of all time, The Robins.  The pinnacle of West Coast Doo Wop, The Robins were discovered by Johnny Otis, when they entered a talent contest at his Barrelhouse Night Club in Watts in 1949.  They recorded for a variety of labels over the course of the next 12 years.  I present to you the highlights of a long career in R&B, including the stories behind the story on this great vocal group.

In 1960, Wanda Jackson did a great cover of the Robins 1954 classic, “Riot In Cell Block #9”.  Listen to the show and then decide for yourself which one you truly DIG the MOST!

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10/30/09 – Halloween 3 – Death By Teenage!

Death By Teenage – Teen Tragedy Songs From The 50s and 60s!

Death By Teenage was a feature that I used to run every Halloween night on my old XM Radio Show, “The Night Prowl”. Each year, I examined this sub-genre of rock n’ roll chart phenomenon. Most of these songs were huge records and the writers and artists just kept pumping them out. It wasn’t enough that many of these songs featured love tortured teens dying in car crashes, no no, they soon added plane crashes, train crashes, shark encounters and even lightning strikes. All of these teens share one comonality, they all suffered “DEATH BY TEENAGE!”

So let’s listen to some of the greatest, melodramatic teenage tragedy songs ever recorded. You’ll here 2 by Ray Peterson and Dickey Lee. Songs by The Shangri-Las, Cathy Carroll and Johnny Cymbal will also be featured.

Then, vote below for your all-time favorite teenage tragedy tune. Vote for “Other”, if yours is not listed and tell us why you voted in the “comments” section.

Get ready to cry until you laugh…it’s “Death By Teenage!”

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10/23/09 – Halloween Pt. 2 – Monsters You Know (I Put A Spell On You)

Because you’re mine…

HALLOWEEN 2

Pop Culture Monsters (Drac, Frank, Wolfie & Mummy)

We celebrate part 2 of my 3 part podcast series on Halloween with many of the monsters and creatures you know from pop culture.  We’ll hear rare songs about Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolfman and The Mummy.  You’ll hear ghoulishly groovy tunes from The Hollywood Flames, The Edgar Winter Group, John Zacherle and The Calvanes.

Vote for your favorite version of the classic, “I Put A Spell On You” and don’t miss next week’s final part in the series, “Death By Teenage”.

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10/16/09 – Halloween Pt. 1 – Creatures & Monsters (Monster Mash)

It Was A Graveyard Smash…

HALLOWEEN 1

Creature & Monster Songs

Welcome to part one of my three part Halloween series of themed podcasts.  We begin this very popular theme with songs about creatures and monsters.  You’ll hear frightful favorites from The Jayhawks, Dave Edmunds, John Zacherle and Bo Diddley.  Plus, a never before heard interview that I did with the now late great Bobby “Boris” Pickett.  I was only 15 years old when I got the chance to interview him and he was a true gentleman.

VOTE for your favorite version of the Halloween classic “Monster Mash” and get ready for more tricks and treats on next week’s show.

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10/9/09 – Airplane Songs (Leaving On A Jet Plane)

Oh babe, I hate to go…

Airplane Songs

The Friday Night Cat Fight takes to the friendly skies this week for songs about airplanes and flying.  So check your “vector” and get on-board, it just might be a bumpy ride.  We’ll hear classics from Roger Miller, Ray & Bob, The Steve Miller Band and many other tunes of turbulence in the sky.

Vote for your favorite version of “Leaving On A Jet Plane”.  Will it be Peter, Paul & Mary’s #1 hit interpretation of John Denver’s tune OR John Denver’s 1969 version that appeared on his first record?  You decide and please, keep your seatbelts fastened while in your seat and thank you for not smoking.

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10/2/09 – Chicken Songs (Little Red Rooster)

Chicken Baby Chicken…

Bird Songs Part 2

Chicken Songs

The “bird” theme continues on this week’s Podcast with songs about “Chickens”.  These songs are about chickens as birds, as food and also the dance.  You’ll hear groovy tunes by Cab Calloway, Amos Milburn, Lighnin’ Slim and The Rolling Stones.

This week’s Cat Fight is between Howlin’ Wolf and Sam Cooke over the classic blues tune, “The (Little) Red Rooster”.  Dig on the show and then vote for your favorite version below.

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9/25/09 – Bird Songs (Birdland)

We like Birdland…

BIRD SONGS

This week’s Friday Night Cat Fight is truly for the birds!  I’m featuring a full hour of songs about “birds”.  You’ll hear classic tunes from Les Paul & Mary Ford, The Beatles, Ersel Hickey, Leonard Cohen and many more.  However, there will be NO songs about chickens or songs that refer to airplanes as “birds”.

Vote for your favorite version of “We Like Birdland” as Huey Smith battles Chubby Checker on this week’s “world famous” Cat Fight!

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9/18/09 – Happy Birthday B. B. King!

B. B. King

Happy 84th Birthday!

B.B. King just celebrated his 84th birthday on Wednesday, September 16th and this week I’m honoring “The King Of The Blues” with a full podcast featuring his music.  I’m focusing on his entire career to demonstrate the various “periods” that B. B. has been through musically.  From his strong beginnings right out of the gate on RPM Records in the early 1950s to his incredible live performance at Chicago’s Regal Theater.  His huge pop crossover breakthrough in 1970 to his duets with U2 and Eric Clapton.  I will also feature his most recent work, “One Kind Favor”, which came out in 2008.

This week’s Cat Fight is between the birthday boy and Howard Tate.  Listen to both versions of “Ain’t Nobody Home” before you voice your choice and vote for your favorite.

Here’s to the legendary B. B. King rolling on strong for many more years to come!

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9/4/2009 – Work Songs For Labor Day (See You In September)

…see you when the summer’s through

Work Songs

Well, it’s Labor Day Weekend again and with summer at an end and work about to pick up, I thought I’d give you a glimpse of some of the jobs out there that might be harder and more uncomfortable than yours (that is if you are currently working).  The feature this week is on “Work Songs” and man we’ve got ’em.  We’ll go from working in a coal mine and working on a chain gang to just trying to find a job and just getting by.  We’ll hear from The Isley Brothers, Nina Simone, Wynonie “Mr. Blues” Harris and many more.  Lee Dorsey even gets 2 songs in this week’s show!

Since September is here, I thought we’d vote on your favorite version of “See You In September”.  Listen to the songs on the podcast and vote for the one you truly dig the most.

And…um…don’t work too hard, baby!

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