Tonight's show honours International Worker's Day which is celebrated every year on May 1.It's genesis goes back to the Haymarket Affair(uprising) of May 1 1886 when police fired into a public assembly of workers(killing 4) striking for an 8 hour work day in Chicago,Illinois.The incident eventually went international but the United States opted out because of the movement's ties to communism.Over 80 countries celebrate the holiday(often referred to as "May Day").Tonight's show honours the labours of the worker and celebrates Chicago,where the movement started, with pop,soul and rock originating in the "Windy City".
| Our first set honours what really matters about International Workers Day,the worker-here are some musical thoughts on the subject. |
| Welcome To The Working Week Elvis Costello - My Aim Is True(1977) |
| Working Man Otis Rush - Mourning In The Morning(1969) |
| Working In The Coal Mine Lee Dorsey - Great Googa Mooga(1991) |
| Working For The Man Roy Orbison - The All-Time Greatest Hits Of Roy Orbison |
| Hard Working Man Power of Zeus - The Gospel According To Zeus(1970/1995) |
| Five O'Clock World The Vogues - VA:Good Morning,Vietnam,The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack(1987) |
| Working Man Beggar's Opera - Get Your Dog Off Me!(1973/2003) |
| The rest of the show celebrates music out of Chicago.Next up:some "supper club" soul singers who scored big hits.Lou Rawls transitioned smoothly(like everything he recorded) to disco in the mid 70's. |
| Love Is A Hurtin' Thing Lou Rawls - VA:Soul Shots,A Collection Of Sixties Soul Classics(1988) |
| Natural Man Lou Rawls - VA:Soul Hits Of The '70's(1991) |
| Duke Of Earl Gene Chandler - VA:Super Oldies Vol 6(1970) |
| Groovy Situation Gene Chandler - VA:Soul Hits Of The '70's(1991) |
| Paul Butterfield was an important figure,updating Chicago blues.Several important bands(Electric Flag,Mike Bloomfield,Elvin Bishop and others)got their start with Butterfield.In fact,horn rock owes a debt to Butterfield, Al Kooper and Chicago native(producer) James Guercio. |
| Born In Chicago The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - The Paul Butterfield Blues Band(1965) |
| Killing Floor The Electric Flag - A Long Time Comin'(1968) |
| That's Alright Mama Barry Goldberg - Two Jews Blues(1968) |
| Free Chicago - Chicago III(1970) |
| Vehicle The Ides Of March - VA:Super Hits Of The '70's(1993) |
| Lighthouse The Flock - Dinosaur Swamps(1970) |
| Next up:a grab bag of pop,rock and prog(Styx was Chicago's answer to Yes in the early 70's) out of the Chicago area.Gaining airply on radio station WLS was considered an imprtant step to the national stage. |
| Kind Of A Drag The Buckinghams - VA:Party Rock(1973) |
| Wayfaring Stranger H.P. Lovecraft - H.P. Lovecraft(1967) |
| Gloria The Shadows of Knight - Gloria(1965) |
| Uno Ino Harvey Mandel - The Best of Harvey Mandel(1975) |
| Rock & Roll Feeling Styx - Best of Styx(1977) |
| Auf Wiedersehen Cheap Trick - Heaven Tonight(1978) |
| Curtis Mayfield was the king of Chicago soul(performing,writing,producing, scouting and nurturing talent and running his own record label).The next set shows a few of his performance and musical connections. |
| It's All-Right The Impressions - VA:Soul Shots,Vol 3(1991) |
| The Monkey Time Major Lance - VA:Soul Shots Vol 2(1991) |
| Finally Got Myself Together(I'm A Changed Man) The Impressions - VA:Soul Hits of The '70's(1991) |
| Mr. Dream Merchant Jerry Butler - VA:Soul Shots Vol 2(1988) |
| Superfly Curtis Mayfield - VA:Superfly,Soundtrack To The Motion Picture(1972) |
| We finish with Baby Huey's huge voice and tragic life and drummer Maurice White who left for L.A. and put together Earth,Wind and Fire. |
| Listen To Me Baby Huey - The Baby Huey Story/The Living Legend(1971) |
| Love Is Life Earth,Wind and Fire - Earth,Wind and Fire(1971) |
| Thank you for listening.Next show broadcasts May 15.Remember those before you in the labour movement. |
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May Day!
8:34 AM, April 30th, 2014