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April 16, 2025 11:56 am  #1


Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

Music publicist Eric Alper lists his choices for the 10 greatest songs about radio. 

These lists always generate controversy because there's often so much left out. In this case, how you can omit Harry Chapin's incredible "WOLD" is beyond me. (And while "Life Is A Rock (But The Radio Rolled Me) by Reunion is a novelty tune that probably doesn't belong in this list, I have a real soft spot for it, especially the promotional versions made with real radio stations call letters worked into the lyrics.) 

But see what you think of his choices. 

The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

 

April 16, 2025 12:05 pm  #2


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

No Radio Ga-Ga?

Other than that, not a terrible list.

 

April 16, 2025 1:44 pm  #3


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

Here are some more songs...

Clap for the Wolfman-Guess Who

FM- Steely Dan

Radar Love- Golden Earring 

Roxy Music- Oh Yeah On the Radio


And Tom Petty- The Last DJ


Just a few ideas...
 


The world would be so good if it weren't for some people...
 

April 16, 2025 2:10 pm  #4


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

"And everything I had to know,
I heard it on my radio."
Queen

 

April 16, 2025 3:29 pm  #5


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

 

April 16, 2025 3:44 pm  #6


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

I don't think this would make anyone's best radio list, but how about "Angie Baby" by Helen Reddy? It's the Twilight Zone-like story of a weird woman who traps a guy in her radio as she turns the volume down. 

"Radio by her side, Angie Baby."


 

     Thread Starter
 

April 16, 2025 5:06 pm  #7


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

I second "W.O.L.D". That was the first song that came to my mind.

I liked it but perhaps not a favorite if you're Talent.

As I recall, Russ Thompson, afternoon drive at CKFM at the time, refused to play it.

 

April 17, 2025 6:04 am  #8


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

The Donna Summer, Joni Mitchell and Rush songs are the only ones I know. The others, I don't even recognize, let alone know of them.

 

April 17, 2025 6:54 am  #9


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

Country music has a large number of songs related to radio. One that comes to mind being aired currently is  ' Sounds like the radio " by Zach Top. Bing Videos   Note, Zach Top is not related to ZZ.

Last edited by mic'em (April 18, 2025 8:28 am)

 

April 19, 2025 12:48 pm  #10


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

RA WROTE: I don't think this would make anyone's best radio list, but how about "Angie Baby" by Helen Reddy? It's the Twilight Zone-like story of a weird woman who traps a guy in her radio as she turns the volume down. 

"Angie Baby" was written by Alan O'Day, who also wrote "Undercover Angel" and co-wrote "Rock and Roll Heaven".

Last edited by Doug Thompson (April 19, 2025 12:48 pm)

 

April 20, 2025 9:28 am  #11


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

Here is a personal favorite. Not well known, but a great alt. country lyric, about a free form DJ who refuses to play the consultant's playlist, and stands up for his beliefs. He also recorded a rock take on it a few years later, but this is the one that moved me: Mark Germino sings about Rex Bob Lowenstein.




 Mark Germino Rex Bob Lowenstein 1 - YouTube

Last edited by BossRadio (April 20, 2025 9:30 am)

 

April 20, 2025 9:47 am  #12


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

How about "Listen to the Radio", originally performed and co-written by Tom Robinson, which would later become a hit in Canada with its cover by the Pukka Orchestra.

Then there's also "Song on the Radio" by Al Stewart, a song he wrote as kind of a lark, as his label Arista Records wanted another hit single, another song on the radio.


PJ


ClassicHitsOnline.com...Classic hits done right!
 

April 20, 2025 10:53 am  #13


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

BJ the DJ by the late, great Stonewall Jackson

 

April 20, 2025 2:03 pm  #14


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

And the song that ended it all, "Video Killed The Radio Star," by The Buggles.
The first tune played on MTV.

Also a long shot, but it did get play on top 40 radio... "Theme from "WKRP in Cincinnati."


 

 

April 20, 2025 2:12 pm  #15


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

And while not specifically about radio itself, "The Disc Jockey's Theme Song" by Steve Allen 45 from 1957 is kinda cool.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnHVkEAYTQw

Last edited by Doug Thompson (April 20, 2025 2:14 pm)

 

April 20, 2025 2:19 pm  #16


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

Sorry, on a radio roll here. My all time favourite song about radio was created for the Radio Advertising Bureau in the U.S. by Stan Freberg. Released in 1964, it's sung by Sarah Vaughan with orchestra conducted by Quincy Jones

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjAS4JcHVwg

Last edited by Doug Thompson (April 20, 2025 2:21 pm)

 

April 20, 2025 8:29 pm  #17


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

I'll contribute "On Your Radio" by Joe Jackson.

https://youtu.be/BnoWkOOSKM4?si=DapCNqZGKvTGc6-q

 

April 20, 2025 8:39 pm  #18


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

Also, "Mexican Radio" by Wall of Voodoo, "Pilot of the Airwaves" by Charlie Dore and "Magic Power" by Triumph.



PJ


ClassicHitsOnline.com...Classic hits done right!
 

April 20, 2025 11:24 pm  #19


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

Another of my all time favs about DJs and my final one on this thread is a rockabilly number from 1959 by Boyd Bennett and His Rockets on the King label in the U.S., "Cool Disc Jockey".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LvXc71-0io

 

April 21, 2025 7:37 am  #20


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

Song on the Radio - Al Stewart

 

April 21, 2025 10:44 am  #21


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

Bill Anderson's "Country D. J."

 

April 23, 2025 8:15 pm  #22


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

No huge issues with his list, I certainly didn't expect to see Alper putting up the top notch Left of the Dial by the Replacements or Border Radio by the Blasters on there.

Van's Caravan, or Around the Dial by the Kinks perhaps.

As an R.E.M. from near beginning ('84) to last tour, about a dozen times in all, I'm certainly not going to object to Radio Free Europe (but there's no indication that song is about the radio network, Stipe back then was very into the way words and syllables sounded or represented other ideas)

Last edited by Fleadh (April 23, 2025 8:16 pm)

 

April 24, 2025 8:56 am  #23


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

Some great songs on the list and here's four more mostly from the progressive/alt era:
Byrds somewht about Ralph Emery



Selector



Beach Boys a throw-away and rather whimsical EP included with the Holland Album



John Hartford




 

Last edited by Fitz (April 24, 2025 9:14 am)


Cool Airchecks and More:
http://www.lettheuniverseanswer.com/
 

April 26, 2025 7:33 pm  #24


Re: Eric Alper Picks The 10 Greatest Songs About Radio

I Bet You They Won’t Play This Song on the Radio - Monty Python


https://youtu.be/WTzM3NnjUuw


After all is said and done, more is usually said than done.