Alright, ma … here’s the rundown.
If you’ve read my post about “It’s alright, ma, it’s only music” … a radio program hosted by legendary Milwaukee announcer Bob Reitman that I listened to regularly more than 40 years ago, you’ll know that last night on my own radio show (Roundtrip, WNRB-LP, 93.3 FM, Wausau), I dedicated the whole 2 hours to “It’s alright, ma …”
It was weird to think that at the exact same time last night (7-9 pm), Reitman was broadcasting his current edition of that storied program on WUWM in Milwaukee. So, last night’s show featured music that I either remember hearing or would expect to hear on “It’s alright ma …” back in ‘66-’69. Here’s the rundown:
Bob Dylan, It’s Alright Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) … inspiration for Reitman’s program title, and sampled in the show’s promo
Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced?
Them, Mystic Eyes … young Van Morrison and group of fellow Irishmen
Beatles, Tomorrow Never Knows … “Turn off your mind, relax and float downstream”
Buffalo Springfield, Broken Arrow … early Neil Young magnum opus
Cream, World of Pain
Jefferson Airplane, The Ballad of You & Me & Pooneil
The Who, Pictures of Lily
Small Faces, Song of a Baker
Dr. John, Gris Gris Gumbo Ya Ya … first heard by me in my Milw. living room on “it’s alright ..”
Jethro Tull, Some Day the Sun Won’t Shine for You
Crosby, Stills & Nash, 49 Bye-Byes … I will snag tix for Crosby/Nash in Wausau in Oct.
Patti Smith, Gloria … the only tune in the show that’s out of time with the 66-69 period, only because it was this tune that caught me when I was channel surfing in Chicago this past weekend and landed on today’s resurrection of “It’s alright, ma …” on WUWM
Velvet Underground, Run Run Run
Steve Miller Band, My Friend
The Baroques, Iowa, a Girl’s Name … Milwaukee’s own, and featured regularly at the Avant Garde on the east side
Love, 7 and 7 Is … Reitman used a snip of this in his original show promo back in the day
Pink Floyd, Matilda Mother … a Syd Barret bedtime story
The Byrds, 5D (Fifth Dimension)
Incredible String Band, A Very Cellular Song … one of the bravest tunes I’ve ever heard (first on “It’s alright, ma …”)
The Seeds, Rollin’ Machine … I don’t think Sky Saxon is singing about his car or Harley here
Moby Grape, Omaha
Traffic, Dear Mr. Fantasy
Next time you’re in Milwaukee on a Thursday or Saturday night, tune in WUWM (89.7) and catch Reitman on “It’s alright, ma, it’s only music” and hear what radio should be like, but usually isn’t.
Jane Neal said:
A very interesting trip.
August 8th, 2008 at 6:03 am #