The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / What Song Makes You Change The Radio Station?

**Posted by Easily Amused** June 28, 2025 12:10 pm

Leslieville Bill wrote:
Barracuda by Heart is the first one that comes to mind. It is so overplayed.

The unofficial official song of Q107. 🤨
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I have worked in the mechanical trades for over 40 years, and classic rock seems to be the genre of choice in maintenance shops and garages, no matter what the age of the technicians. Also turned up to volume '11'. 🤨
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For a while, I worked in a very large shop, where I was able to stake out a workbench way out on the north wall, and had a radio playing either classical, or NPR / CBC.

**Posted by Dial Twister** June 28, 2025 12:40 pm

Paul Jeffries wrote:
During their heyday, they (Oasis) liked to compare themselves to The Beatles. Uh, not quite, lads...

PJ

Tom Petty nailed it. "There's The Beatles, and then there's everybody else."

**Posted by Chrisphen** June 28, 2025 3:32 pm

Dial Twister wrote:
Tom Petty nailed it. "There's The Beatles, and then there's everybody else."

Alan Partridge nailed it more: "Wings were the band The Beatles could have been."

**Posted by RadioActive** June 29, 2025 6:57 am

The Eagles' Don Henley weighs on the song of theirs he wishes the radio would play more often - or at least, once! He complains its length may be one the reasons it gets ignored.

"Radio station playlists are designed to be as efficient (and include as many ads) as possible. The more songs they want to play in every hour each day, the shorter the tracks have to be. "Waiting in the Weeds" is almost eight minutes long, and while there isn't wasted time in the song, that won't translate to most radio station formats. Some classic rock-oriented outlets might randomly throw in Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird" or a shortened version of Prince's "Purple Rain," but that's the exception, not the rule."

Don Henley's Favorite Eagles Song Is One Of Their Most Underrated: "They Never Play The Good Ones On The Radio"

**Posted by darcyh** June 29, 2025 10:57 am

So many great bad songs! Here are some others:

Hey Jude - Beatles
Imagine - J Lennon
Hooked on a Feeling - Bluesuade
Lion Sleeps Tonight - Tokens
MacArthur Park - R Harris and or D Summer
Winchester Cathedral - New Vaudeville Band
You Needed Me - A Murray
You Light UP My Life - D. Boone

**Posted by Bach001** June 29, 2025 11:33 am

Absolute 100 percent dial changers--

The Beach Boys - Kokomo
Blue Swede - Hooked on a feeling
The Tokens - The Lion sleeps tonight
Glass Tiger - Don’t forget me when I’m gone / Someday
Rod Stewart - Forever Young / Rhythm of my heart (play Young turks or Some guys instead)
Platinum Blonde- Crying over you
Billy Joel - Uptown girl
Wild Cherry- Play that funky music
Men without hats - Safety dance
Moxy Fruvous - King of Spain
Patsy Gallant - From New York to LA
Hermans Hermits - I’m Henry the viii I am
Dead or Alive - You spin me round…
Crash Test Dummies - Mmmm mmm, mmmm
Eric Clapton - Wonderful tonight
Crystal Gayle - Don’t it make my brown eyes blue
Debbie Boone - You light up my life
Charlene - Never been to me

Other honorable dial changer mentions..

Belinda Carlisle - Heaven is a place on earth
Jagger/Bowie - Dancing in the Street
Bobby Curtola - Quando, Quando
Helen Reddy - Ruby Red Dress
Dan Hill - Sometimes when we touch
Alan Parsons project - Time
Europe - The final countdown
Bette Midler - From a distance
Amy Grant - Baby, baby / Every heartbeat
Michael Bolton - When a man loves a woman/ How am I supposed...
Stevie Wonder- I just called to say...
Sister Sledge - We are family
Train - Hey soul sister
Matthew Wilder- Break my stride
Beyonce - Single ladies / Halo
The Rembrandts - I'll be there for you

Last edited by Bach001 (July 1, 2025 12:20 pm)

**Posted by RadioActive** June 29, 2025 11:44 am

Bach001 wrote:
Absolute 100 percent dial changers--
Charlene - Never been to me

I once heard a disc jockey joke that the song was really "Never Been To Maine" since Me. is the short form for that state. A silly line, but I still remember it all these years later! And yes, I hate that song, too.

**Posted by Jody Thornton** June 29, 2025 12:17 pm

But where on earth do you still hear Charlene, Crystal Gayle, Debbie Boone, Patsy Gallant, or Richard Harris? Even before I stopped listening to FM, I never heard those songs in AGES !!!

**Posted by paterson1** June 29, 2025 12:55 pm

Jody Thornton wrote:
But where on earth do you still hear Charlene, Crystal Gayle, Debbie Boone, Patsy Gallant, or Richard Harris? Even before I stopped listening to FM, I never heard those songs in AGES !!!

Zoomer plays all of the above.

**Posted by Jody Thornton** June 29, 2025 1:11 pm

paterson1 wrote:
Jody Thornton wrote:
But where on earth do you still hear Charlene, Crystal Gayle, Debbie Boone, Patsy Gallant, or Richard Harris? Even before I stopped listening to FM, I never heard those songs in AGES !!!
Zoomer plays all of the above.

Oh OK. See, checking their ratings I could see why I missed that ... lol

**Posted by paterson1** June 29, 2025 1:32 pm

Jody Thornton wrote:
paterson1 wrote:
Jody Thornton wrote:
But where on earth do you still hear Charlene, Crystal Gayle, Debbie Boone, Patsy Gallant, or Richard Harris? Even before I stopped listening to FM, I never heard those songs in AGES !!!
Zoomer plays all of the above.
Oh OK. See, checking their ratings I could see why I missed that ... lol

Yes, if you blink you may miss the rating number. Looking at their music from yesterday Zoomer also played Pass The Dutchie by Musical Youth and Mitsou's Bye Bye Mon Cowboy. Not many stations still play those tunes...

**Posted by jughead jones** June 29, 2025 1:41 pm

Anything sung by Alanis Morissette.

**Posted by RadioAaron** June 29, 2025 2:28 pm

Bach001 wrote:
Absolute 100 percent dial changers--

Rod Stewart - Forever Young / Rhythm of my heart (play Young turks or Some guys instead)

Rhythm is Cancon

**Posted by Bach001** June 29, 2025 2:42 pm

Jody Thornton wrote:
But where on earth do you still hear Charlene, Crystal Gayle, Debbie Boone, Patsy Gallant, or Richard Harris? Even before I stopped listening to FM, I never heard those songs in AGES !!!

Zoomer
92.9 The Grand
1150 CKOC

**Posted by Easily Amused** June 29, 2025 3:16 pm

Jody Thornton wrote:
But where on earth do you still hear Charlene, Crystal Gayle, Debbie Boone, Patsy Gallant, or Richard Harris? Even before I stopped listening to FM, I never heard those songs in AGES !!!

A few years ago, I filled in at a machine design and built shop up on the Hamilton Mountain while their machine assembler was off sick. Their welder had the radio tuned to some adult contemporary station in Hamilton / Burlington, and EVERY GUDDAM DAY you would be subjected to Ms. Gallant serenading you with the NY to LA shtick.

Way back in the 1980s, my workplace came to the conclusion that WBUF FM 92.9 was on a 25-26 hour loop. Guys took special satisfaction in cranking the volume on radios as Barbara Streisand warbled through another rendition of 'The Way We Were', just to see me bluster. 🤨

Last edited by Easily Amused (June 29, 2025 3:17 pm)

**Posted by RadioAaron** June 29, 2025 3:23 pm

Easily Amused wrote:
Jody Thornton wrote:
But where on earth do you still hear Charlene, Crystal Gayle, Debbie Boone, Patsy Gallant, or Richard Harris? Even before I stopped listening to FM, I never heard those songs in AGES !!!
A few years ago, I filled in at a machine design and built shop up on the Hamilton Mountain while their machine assembler was off sick. Their welder had the radio tuned to some adult contemporary station in Hamilton / Burlington, and EVERY GUDDAM DAY you would be subjected to Ms. Gallant serenading you with the NY to LA shtick.

Almost certainly 92.1 The Jewel. They wouldn't play it now.

**Posted by g121** June 29, 2025 4:16 pm

Bach001 wrote:
Absolute 100 percent dial changers--
.
.
Debbie Boone - You light up my life
.
.

oh my .. you're evil for inflicting that memory on us !! : )) ..

**Posted by darcyh** June 30, 2025 8:44 pm

RadioActive wrote:
Bach001 wrote:
Absolute 100 percent dial changers--
Charlene - Never been to me
I once heard a disc jockey joke that the song was really "Never Been To Maine" since Me. is the short form for that state. A silly line, but I still remember it all these years later! And yes, I hate that song, too.

Charlene had the hit with this song, but I liked Mary McGregor's version better.

**Posted by Jody Thornton** June 30, 2025 8:48 pm

darcyh wrote:
Charlene had the hit with this song, but I liked Mary McGregor's version better.

I remember that CHSC on 1220 in St Catharines played the version from 1977, without the spoken interlude, even during the song's chart run in 1982. Thank Gawd for that. It wasn't until years later that I realized the non-interlude version was several years older, as I thought CHSC might've been serviced with a special disc.

**Posted by Marsden** July 1, 2025 1:37 am

I ask this question seriously - Here's what I played on my Friday night show last week. Interested to know which ones would cause you to turn me off? Thanks for your help...d

Friday June 27, 2025
Rob Stuart - A Beautiful Thing
Lindsey Buckingham - Holiday Road(always played on the Friday of a holiday weekend)
10cc - The Things We Do For Love
China Crisis - Christian (God Emoji remix)
Fixx - Deeper & Deeper (long version)
Fred Schneider - Monster (album version)
Grace Jones - The Apple Stretching
Gaudi Meets The Rebel Dread feat. Emily Capell - E=MC2
Pavarotti & Friends - We Are The World (live)
Barclay James Harvest - She Said (live at Drury Lane)
Heaven 17 - Let Me Go (12" extended version)
Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band - I'm The Urban Spaceman
INXS - Original Sin
Chuck Berry - You Never Can Tell
Jam - That's Entertainment
Depeche Mode - Stripped
Japan - Adolescent Sex
Downchild Blues Band - Flip, Flop And Fly
Jimi Hendrix Experience - ...And The Gods Made Love
Dr. John - Basin Street Blues
Joel Plaskett Emergency - Fashionable People
Elliott Murphy feat. Bruce Springsteen - Everything I Do (Leads Me Back To You)
Jools Holland - When Did You Leave Heaven
Elton John/Alessandro Safina - Your Song
Kasabian - Butcher Blues
Garfield - Play It Again Boys
Klaatu - Little Neutrino
Genesis - The Cinema Show (New Stereo Mix)
Marillion - Angelina
Lukas Graham - 7 Years
Mark Knopfler - Silvertown Blues
The The feat. Sinéad O’Connor - Kingdom Of Rain
Mike Oldfield - Five Miles Out
Strawbs - Benedictus
Otis Redding - (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - Sebastian
Dee Long - Good Night Universe

Last edited by Marsden (July 1, 2025 1:38 am)

**Posted by mic'em** July 1, 2025 9:07 am

Great selections as always David. I haven't heard Barclay James Harvest in decades. I had one of their albums , but can't recall the name of it, my son has it now. If I remember correct, there is a song on it either called or about war ? Google search , yes its this one, the song is Summer Soldier. BARCLAY JAMES HARVEST Baby James Harvest reviews

Last edited by mic'em (July 1, 2025 9:09 am)

**Posted by Leslieville Bill** July 1, 2025 9:33 am

There should be a thread that references this thread --> What Song Makes Other People Change The Radio Station That You REALLY like?

Someone mentioned Video Killed The Radio Star. I love that song! I could listen to it 5 times in a row. Not only is the tune catchy but it a seminal song of the era.

**Posted by Shorty Wave** July 1, 2025 9:46 am

Leslieville Bill wrote:
There should be a thread that references this thread --> What Song Makes Other People Change The Radio Station That You REALLY like?

Someone mentioned Video Killed The Radio Star. I love that song! I could listen to it 5 times in a row. Not only is the tune catchy but it a seminal song of the era.

I also like Video Killed The Radio Star! There were actually two versions released in 1979, the popular one by the Buggles and the lesser known version by Bruce Woolley, who was also one of the co-writers. I still have the 7” vinyl of the Buggles version, I couldn’t afford the album at the time, colleges days!

**Posted by RonaldS** July 1, 2025 3:26 pm

Leslieville Bill wrote:
There should be a thread that references this thread --> What Song Makes Other People Change The Radio Station That You REALLY like?

Someone mentioned Video Killed The Radio Star. I love that song! I could listen to it 5 times in a row. Not only is the tune catchy but it a seminal song of the era.

I agree - I don't get tired of this one. It's structured so well that it works in different genres, i.e. as performed by a string quartet:

https://youtu.be/Op1VILvRK6U?si=JoTEfFZ5SDwV6P9v

**Posted by RadioActive** July 1, 2025 3:45 pm

First song ever played on MTV.

**Posted by Chrisphen** July 1, 2025 5:00 pm

Marsden wrote:
Fred Schneider - Monster (album version)

Why not 'Sugar in my Hog'?

Edit - counts as cancon.
Edit edit - should count as cancon.

Last edited by Chrisphen (July 1, 2025 5:02 pm)

**Posted by Evuguy** July 3, 2025 7:17 pm

Marsden: Nothing on that list mind you, some of those are pretty obscure! If you had played Pink Pony Club, then I would be gone quicker than you can say Chappel Roan.

**Posted by kevjo** July 4, 2025 11:15 am

paterson1 wrote:
g121 wrote:
martyb wrote:
Highway to Hell - AC/DC
Stairway to Heaven - The Zep
Hotel California - Eagles
Great classic tunes but that we know overly all-to-well .. I'm a huge Skynyrd fan but I'll add "Freebird" to the "change the channel" list.

I know this could get me in hot water with some, but when I hear Bohemian Rhapsody, the channel changes. Another classic that doesn't go away and is overplayed. AC/DC's You Shook Me All Night Long is getting into this territory for me as well..

It also depends on what you are doing. If you are out at the pub with some friends and these songs come on either on the radio or satellite, fine you are in the mood. You almost expect to hear these songs when you are out. But if I am in the car or listening at home, my tolerance and enjoyment level for some songs goes way down. Strange.

Agree on that. Overkill killed Bohemian Rhapsody for me a few decades ago. Also, even as a fan of Bob Seger, I can't reach for the next preset fast enough when Old Time Rock and Roll comes on - overplayed and overrated.

**Posted by Easily Amused** July 5, 2025 7:16 am

betaylored wrote:
Drake's "music", his vocal tone reminds me of the whawha whoawha teacher from the Charlie Brown cartoons.

🤣🤣🤣
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Oh, a Kendrick Lamarite, eh?! 🤨😉

**Posted by Shorty Wave** July 5, 2025 9:48 am

Update! I was listening to Zoomer yesterday and “If You Go Away” by Terry Jacks came on. What a horrible song, complete with the “Seasons in the Sun” guitar lick, I could not change the station fast enough. Very depressing stuff on such a lovely summer day I might add! Yesh!