When I say "Nitty Gritty Dirt Band", you probably have one of two thoughts:

1. Will The Circle Be Unbroken, "Mr. Bojangles", Nashville, Roy Acuff, Earl Scruggs, Jimmy Martin, and Mother Maybelle Carter
   
2. Who?
   

They have a modern reputation as a country band, but in 1967, they sounded like this:

The Kinks hit it big in 1964 with "You Really Got Me", a simple, yet memorable tune with a killer hook that would influence guitar heroes for decades. If you flipped over the 45 when you bought it, this is what you would have heard:

You know "Take Five" by Dave Brubeck (yes you do). Now, clap along with "Unsquare Dance" - short but sweet!

I've gotten my first three requests, so it's time for the All-Request Lunch Hour! You can make a suggestion over on the right of this page!

Tamara suggested a theme (which I'm still working on putting together), and also this song from one of my all-time favorites: Talking Heads.

Here's your song, Tamara, and thanks for listening!

Carmen was inspired by yesterday's King of Radio entry to suggest The Oogum Boogum song. 

If you listen all the way til the end, at around 2:25, I don't think he's singing the phrase "check out the boots"... but maybe that's just me... Thanks for the suggestion, Carmen!

You may be familiar with Screaming Trees and the song "Nearly Lost You" from the "Singles"movie soundtrack, but their "Sweet Oblivion" album is really worth listening to. Thanks to Scott (not me, I swear) for this suggestion from that LP. Songs from this album will be featured again in the future!

I'm a little under the weather this afternoon. Maybe sharing some fun music will make me feel better.

Michael Jackson used to be in a group with his brothers. They were pretty darn good.

I like Jonathan Richman a whole lot. You'll see him here often. Here's a great representation of what it's like to see him live. The audience in this clip seems to take a few seconds before they really catch on to him, but by the end, it feels like a JoJo show.

Fun to hear, fun to watch!

Since it's Mardi Gras, I thought I'd share three tunes that have nothing to do with celebrating the day!

You are very familiar with "I Want Candy" or maybe "Do You Wanna Hold Me" by Bow Wow Wow. Did you know they recorded more than two songs? Well, they did, and here's my favorite. It's all about recording your favorite songs onto a cassette, and then carrying those songs where ever you go. We all did it in the 80's, and many did the same in the 90's with CD's before mp3 players made it all obsolete.

Speaking of "I Want Candy", it was originally recorded by The Strangeloves. And if you like that song, I'm betting you'll dig this one too.

You know that song "Some Kind of Wonderful" by Grand Funk that they play at weddings? There was another song with that title by The Drifters. Is it wrong to say that I like this version better? It's a little peppier than The Drifters' version.

Let's get your toes tapping on this Monday, shall we?

I know you know Otis Redding from "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay" and "The Song Duckie Sings at the Record Store in the Movie Pretty in Pink". Here's a great live nugget from a talent who was taken from us too soon.

It's difficult to have a long, successful music career. It's actually pretty rare. It can be even more difficult when you've got young artists nipping at your heels. I believe "4 Minutes" is Madonna's answer to Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl". I'm ok with that. Both are great songs!

[the original video does not allow embedding, so here's a fan-made version]

Uruguay has given the world so many great artists like Los Shakers and um... 

Just turn this one up, ok? It's so good.

As I was putting this post together, I realized that at least three of may favorite artists had "Valentine" songs. Seems like a no-brainer to post all three today!

Now, if I was really "King of Radio", I'm not sure how often I'd actually play these particular songs, but the artists will be showing up often for sure.

And so in no particular order, I give you my three Valentine's Day selections, starting with Elvis Costello.

"My Funny Valentine" is originally from the 1937 musical "Babes in Arms". The movie featured Mickey "The Mick" Rooney. It's been recorded hundreds of times, and of all the versions I've heard, this one certainly was recorded by Elvis Costello. 

Up next, the title track from the album "Blue Valentine" by Tom Waits. It's from his earlier days, which were blusey and jazzy, unlike his more recent work, which has been truck tires and megaphones.

I don't know if the recent film has anything to do with the Tom Waits song or album, but if there were hipsters involved in the making of the film, I'd say "probably". 

Finally, to wrap up today's Love Fest, it's (apparently) the Artist of the Day here at The Vertical Files: The Replacements.

I love that Paul pronounces "February" with both "R"s. Not everybody does that. This is a studio out-take, but sounds almost identical to the version that ended up on "Pleased to Meet Me".

I'm never going to try to force "King of Radio" to have a theme. Mostly it's just songs I like in a random order. If a theme happens naturally (like today), it happens!