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Date: January 24, 2026
Host: Gregory James
Feature: Better Late Than Never—Unplayed Songs from Previous Playlists
Birthday Calendar
January 18
David Ruffin b. 1941
January 19
Phil Everly b. 1939
Janis Joplin b. 1943
Robert Palmer b. 1949
January 21
Richie Havens 1941
Edwin Starr 1942
Billy Ocean 76 years old
January 22
Steve Perry 77 years old
Sam Cooke 1931
January 23
Anita Pointer b. 1948
Millie Jackson 83 years old
January 24
Neil Diamond 85 years old
Aaron Neville 85 years old
Warren Zevon b. 1947
Rock n’ Roll Trivia
The title of the B-Side to Brenda Lee’s “Jambalaya” was a telephone number. What was it?
(scroll down to find the answer below the playlist)
Playlist
* songs with * were requests
* all chart information comes from the Billboard Top 100 (for chart dates before/during July 1958) or Billboard Hot 100 (for subsequent dates) unless otherwise noted
* glossary of terms is below the playlist
6:00
OPENING THEME: Good Old Rock n’ Roll—Cat Mother and the All Night Newsboys (1969, #29, produced by Jimi Hendrix)
You're No Good Betty Everett 1964 #51 H100/RB
The footstomps were created by the Dells who also recorded on the Vee-Jay label.
I Wish I Knew The Ballads 1969 DNC
The song was also called “Butterfly.”
Hold On! I'm Comin' Erma Franklin 1969 NR
From her aptly named album “Soul Sister” which consisted of several covers.
*It Keeps You Running Doobie Brothers 1977 #37
The Boys Are Back In Town Thin Lizzy 1976 #12
The band was toiling in obscurity until this track went into heavy radio airplay in Louisville and album sales picked up
What Are You Going to Do With It Betty Wright 1981 #42 RB
Written by Stevie Wonder.
Walking On A Thin Line Huey Lewis and the News 1984 #18
This was the fifth and final single off the album “Sports.”
That's All Etta James 1955
Farmer John Don & Dewey 1959 DNC
Don and Dewey wrote the song and released it on Specialty Records. The horns really kick the song into overdrive.
Bigelow 6-200 Brenda Lee 1956 DNC
This was the B-Side to Jambalaya. She used a staccato vocal delivery to good effect.
Bare Trees Fleetwood Mac 1972 NR
Danny Kirwan wrote and sang lead on the song.
*Your Love Has Lifted Me Higher Rita Coolidge 1977 #2
This track spent 27 weeks on the Hot 100 reaching #2. Requested by Scottie and going out to Peggy with love.
Madman Across the Water Elton John 1971 NR
When people told lyricist Bernie Taupin they thought the song was about Richard Nixon, Taupin said, “that is genius—I never could have thought of that.”
7:00
Walk Away from Love David Ruffin 1976 #9 H100 #1 RB
When Will I Be Loved? Everly Brothers 1960 #8
Phil Everly wrote the song.
Trust Me Janis Joplin 1970 NR
Bobby Womack wrote the song and played guitar.
Man Smart, Women Smarter Robert Palmer 1977 #63
Great cover of a Harry Belafonte tune written in 1936 by Norman Span. The incomparable Bill Payne played piano.
High Flying Bird Richie Havens 1967 NR
This is one of the songs Havens performed at the opening set of Woodstock.
War Edwin Starr 1970 #3 RB #1 H100
The song was originally recorded by the Temptations but the group and the Motown label were leery of any controversy surrounding the Temptations, and did not want to release the track as a single. Composer Norman Whitfield recruited Edwin Starr to re-record the lead vocal.
Love Really Hurts Without You Billy Ocean 1976 #22
Ocean taught himself to play piano and he has said that one day his left hand just started playing the song’s melody.
Foolish Heart Steve Perry 1985 #18 H100 #2 AC
This was the fourth and final single released from his album “Street Talk.”
A Change is Gonna Come Sam Cooke 1965 #31 H100 # 9 RB
Cooke is reputed to have said that he wanted to write a song that would make his father proud. The record was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Fire Pointer Sisters 1979 #14 RB #2 H100
Anita Pointer originally thought the song might be too low for her to sing.
This Is It Millie Jackson 1980 DNC/NR
Great cover of Kenny Loggins’ song from her album “For Men Only.”
Hello Again Neil Diamond 1981 #6 H100 #3AC
Diamond wrote the song for the film “The Jazz Singer” in which he made his acting debut.
One Fine Day Aaron Neville 1987 NR
Backs Turned Looking Down the Path Warren Zevon 1976 NR
The Gentlemen Boys accompanied Zevon and they consisted of Jackson Browne (who sang harmony on this track), Jorge Calderón, Kenny Edwards, JD Souther and Waddy Wachtel. Lindsay Buckingham played lead guitar.
8:00
Friendship Train Gladys Knight & The Pips 1969 #17 H100 #2 RB
The Pips are astonishing in the video below. And Gladys Knight is in a class by herself.
Gimme Shelter Rolling Stones 1969 NR/DNC
Sometimes a song remains stuck in the era in which it was recorded. Not this one. Even when the storm is threatening, and the mad bull has lost its way, love is still just a kiss away.
I Know (You Don't Love Me No More) Barbara George 1962 #3 H100 #1 RB
Barbara George, who began writing songs at the age of 16, wrote this song and recorded it in New Orleans with top musicians from that city.
Do You Want to Dance? Bobby Freeman 1958 #5 H100 #2 RB
That’s the title on the record label, but it’s often referred to as “Do You Wanna Dance.” Freeman was 17 years old when his composition charted.
Hazy Shade of Winter Simon and Garfunkel 1968 #13
The song was released in 1966 as a non-album single and was later included on the “Bookends” album.
Help Me Joni Mitchell 1974 #7
The backing band on Mitchell’s biggest hit single was Tom Scott’s L.A. Express.
Mountain Of Love Johnny Rivers 1964 #9
The backing musicians were The Wrecking Crew, who previously called themselves “The First Call Gang.”
I Can't Hold On Karla Bonoff 1978 #76
She wrote many hits made famous by other people, notably Linda Ronstadt. The respect in which she was held by fellow musicians is evident in the musicians who accompanied her: Andrew Gold, Leland Sklar, Russ Kunkel, Waddy Wachtel and Kenny Edwards to name a few.
Standing In The Shadows Of Love Four Tops 1967 #2 RB #6 H100
Getting ready for the heartaches to come…sort of the anticipatory dread of being dumped. The Andantes were at their finest singing backup on this track.
Tush ZZ Top 1975 #20
Dusty Hill sang the lead vocal on the record and in concert. For a while after his death in 2021, the group played this song in concert synchronized with a recording of Hill’s last live vocal performance of the song. This video from 1980 shows what great showmen ZZ Top were.
Dizzy, Miss Lizzy Larry Williams 1958 #69
The record label has a comma after the word “dizzy.” Both Larry Williams and Little Richard recorded for Specialty Records, and Williams had to work hard to distinguish his vocal style from Little Richard’s.
Peggy Sue Buddy Holly 1957 #3
The titular Peggy Sue was the girlfriend and later wife of Jerry Allison, whose paradiddle drumming drives the song.
Along Came Jones The Coasters 1959 #9
The title of the song may have come from a Gary Cooper movie of the same name.
What's Easy For Two Is So Hard For One Mary Wells 1963 #8 RB 1964 #29 H100
The song was written and produced by Smokey Robinson and was covered by several other Motown groups.
Everytime (sic) You Go Away Paul Young 1985 #1
Composer Daryl Hall has called this record one of his favorite Hall and Oates covers.
CLOSING THEME: Sleep Walk – Santo and Johnny (1959, #1 for two weeks)
Trivia Answer
The B-Side to Brenda Lee’s “Jambalaya” was “Bigelow 6-200.”
Congratulations to Tom from Danby for correctly answering the question and winning a pair of passes to Cinemapolis, downtown Ithaca’s home for first-run, international, independent and local films.
Glossary of Terms:
DNC = did not chart
NR = not released as a single at the time
AC = Billboard’s chart for Adult Contemporary records
H100 = Billboard Hot 100
RB = Billboard’s chart of rhythm and blues records
Host January 31, 2026: John Rudan with his pre-recorded 2026 Birthday Bash Show.
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Thanks again to our sponsors Island Health & Fitness and Rasa Spa for their support every week!
