Greetings friends, patriots, and believers in democracy! The staff here at the Thom Hartmann Program wants to start a "community-style" discussion with you about the show's bumper music! (The bumper music is the music we play when we come back from a commerical break, right before Thom starts talking.) We pick the songs to play every morning with relevence to current topics, news, etc... As you can guess we try to rotate the songs and keep things as fresh as possible! We are always updating our bumper music library with more and more songs daily, which brings us to the "Tag You're It" part! If you have any suggestions of music we should play please post them on this board!
Here are a couple things to keep in mind when thinking bumper music: Up-beat (lots of energy), good lyrics, and no cuss words ever!!! We really appreicate your help and creativity. Now... TAG YOU'RE IT!!!
Comments
You used to have a page with links to some of the music you use on the show. It would be nice to have that page back.
The bumpers are listed in Sue's Daily Stack every day. We send out the daily stack in the newsletter after the show and then it's posted on the site later as Sue's Daily Stack under radio show. Sue and Jacob put alot of work into posting the bumpers daily. Are you signed up for the newsletter?
Leonard Cohen has some great tunes and lyrics:
Everybody Knows
First we take Manhattan
The Future
(These have political themes)
I think you're already doing a great job. I thought of another labor/waitress song, maybe for labor day, "Boogie-Woogie Blueplate" by Maryann Price. Upbeat and short. thanx!
How about some world music. Cacao would be a great one to start with; best Cuban music anywhere. How about some Middle Eastern Rap? Or maybe some more Independent labels; Michael Franti, Tracy Chapman, or hear some 'urban' voices present and past JZ, Tupac Shakur, Queen Latifah, etc.
Or how about even John Trudell; playing cuts from Tribal Voices, Graffiti Man, Bone Daze, or Blue Indians.
As a matter of fact it might be interesting to have Trudell on for an interview ...maybe for Columbus Day ... if you have not heard him speak, he's an extremely eloquent spokesman for Indigenous issues.
Those are my suggestions at present.
Good Luck!
Pro-Liberate!
-OSR
Here's a song I would like to suggest, listen to it with the Bush Admin in mind.
Spiraling Shape by They Might Be Giants.
N
Here's another vote for Michael Franti & Spearhead (GREAT choice, smartrat), specifically 2 tunes from the album "Yell Fire" - the title track, and Light Up Your Lighter.
I'd also like to suggest two tunes from Gov't Mule's "High and Mighty" album - Like Flies, and Unring the Bell.
And finally, a nice, bouncy number from California's ALO, from the album "Roses & Clover" called Lady Loop - this one would be PERFECT for situations where Thom wants to point out some form of hypocracy or self-contradiction. Here's the opening verse -
I hear you talkin' out the right side,
I hear you talkin' out the left side,
I hear you talk about the way things ought to be.
I gotta figure out your angle.
I got the feelin' that you're no angel.
Your preachin' style's not foolin' me.
Thanks for asking!
Electric Avenue by Eddy Grant,
Allentown by Billy Joel, who, along with Thom Hartmann, is the other boomer who gets it about generation-X,
Don't Push Me by Grandmaster Flash
mstaggerlee - The ALO tune Lady Loop is so awesome! Thank you so much!!! As well as the Michael Franti & Spearhead tunes! I've never heard Michael Franti before and literally became an instant fan! Keep the tunes coming everybody!!! Thank you so much!
- Jacob
:o)
Don Henleys CD: Inside Job, has several great tunes that fit topics Thom's shows cover. i.e."Nobody Else In The World But You","Inside Job". Also, Jackson Browns newer CD has some great tunes that would match up well. Thanks for the music! It's a great addition.
...." We are always updating our bumper music library with more and more songs daily, which brings us to the "Tag You're It" part! If you have any suggestions of music we should play please post them on this board!...."
Louise, I love your taste in bumper music!
I heard a story about what is on the Pope's iPod
That Vatican playlist in full
The Beatles Revolver
David Crosby If I Could Only Remember My Name
Pink Floyd Dark Side of the Moon
Fleetwood Mac Rumours
Donald Fagen The Nightfly
Michael Jackson Thriller
Paul Simon Graceland
U2 Achtung Baby
Oasis (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
Carlos Santana Supernatural
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The David Crosby album caught my eye~
check who plays on this tune~David Crosby, Neil Young, Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh and Michael Shrieve
DAVID CROSBY lyrics -" What Are Their Names "
I think this tune would make great bumper music because of the long instrumental lead in that could be edited and adjusted to length
[Instrumental (Electric Guitars)]
I wonder who they are
The men who really run this land
And I wonder why they run it
With such a thoughtless hand
What are their names
And on what streets do they live
I'd like to ride right over
This afternoon and give
Them a piece of my mind
About peace for mankind
Peace is not an awful lot to ask
[Instrumental Ending (Electric Guitars)]
~~~~~~~~
All The Best!
Daily
Rush, the progressive rock group, has tons of great songs and lyrics. One website notes some song quotes by Neil Peart. http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Neil_Peart
If I ever have kids, they will be educated in part by this group.
Don Henley's Dirty Laundry
Joe Hill, any rendition, esp. performed by Paul Robeson
I, too, would like to see a window or page to some of the artists and titles of the bumper music you play.
We would need a volunteer to organize that. We get them listed in the Daily Stack every day.
good political message in Handlebars by the Flobots
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLUX0y4EptA
Perfect bumper song for Fundamentalist Christians: "Jesus Loves Me (But He Can't Stand You)" by the Austin Lounge Lizards!
Also "Zen Gospel Singing" by the Austin Lounge Lizards.
The mind spins just thinking of the possibilities...or maybe I just remember that records used to go round and round.
Anyway, this might be a good place to recall a story:
Colin Powell and Pete Seeger both recieved Kennedy Center honors a few years back. So, with Colin Powell sitting there on the stage, Pete sang Country Joe's "Feel Like I'm Fixin' to Die Rag."
A few suggestions:
Tom Paxton - Buy a Gun for Your Son, I'm Changing My Name to Fanny Mae
The Weavers - The Banks are Made of Marble
Phil Ochs - (Almost anything) Santo Domingo, Cops of the World, Crucifixion
I'll also echo the Michael Franti suggestion.
A couple of days ago Thom asked for links about South America; check out the work of Mark Weisbrot.
ps Tar Beach - John Sebastian (I know its about sunbathing on urban roofs, but...)
Merle Haggard.." Rainbow Stew "
Beach Boys. " Don't Go Near The Water "
Ok, here's a few
The Staple Singers:
Long Walk To D.C.
I'll Take You There
Touch A Hand (Make A Friend)
Be What You Are
We'll Get Over
How about some good ole Bruce Cockburn?
How about having some more adrenalin charged music. Grunge/The Seattle Sound and that era (1988-1994) is a great place to start:
The Melvins- A History of Bad Men
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ank_2cZvdYU
Love Battery Half Past You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_1pAW7sBow
Love Battery Out Of Focus
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6LB0MQI4V4
Gruntruck - All right
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opzP_l1JR6Y
Tad - Dementia
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBlCfwTragw
Jack Pepsi - Tad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=il066mCId1s
Swerve Driver - Never Lose That Feeling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYwvJgE7l14
Swerve Driver - Duel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9xCibsXdqI
New World Man by RUSH
"He's got a problem with his power/With weapons on patrol/He's got to walk a fine line/And keep his self-control"
Fight the Power by Public Enemy
"Got to give us what we want/Gotta give us what we need/Our freedom of speech is freedom or death/We've got to fight the powers that be" (get the clean version to avoid one explitive)"
Television by Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy (ALMOST ALL SONGS APPLY)
"Television the drug of the Nation/Breeding ignorance and feeding radiation/...Socialism means unamerican/...It's the perpetuation of the two party system/Where image takes place over wisdom/Where sound bite politics are served/To the fast food culture"
Bullet the Blue Sky by U2
And I can see those fighter planes
Across the mud huts as children sleep
Through the alleys of a quiet city street.
Up the staircase to the first floor
We turn the key and slowly unlock the door
As a man breathes into his saxophone
And through the walls you hear the city groan.
Outside, is America
Outside, is America
We've got a bigger problem now by the Dead Kennedys
(pieces of it won't make sense because it was written with Reagan in mind - only one line that would need cutting, but overall it's timeless)
You'll go quitely to boot camp
They'll shoot you dead, make you a man (Pat Tillman?)
Don't you worry, it's for a cause
Feeding global corporations' claws (Halliburton, Blackwater, excuse me, Xe)
Die on our brand new poison gas (BP byproducts)
El Salvador or Afghanistan (good places for war in any decade I guess)
Just to expand the weed songs beyond Afroman's Because I Got High:
Kevin Grady - The Marijuana Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6U3Wq-3jy0
Toby Keith - Ill never smoke weed with Willie again
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iezk-z6hy9k
Snoop Dogg ft. Willie Nelson - My Medicine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWCa3GvbNUE
Snoop Dogg & Willie Nelson in Amsterdam (at De Melkweg, I think during the Cannabis Cup) - I Aint Superman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyLReBNDlnk
And of course:
Cypress Hill - Hits From Da Bong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qoCq-KsmZU
Kottonmouth Kings - Proud To Be A Stoner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OelysykSytA
Just to expand the weed songs beyond Afroman's Because I Got High:
A far FAR better Afroman song about weed is "Sell Your Dope" -- seriously, best rap song ever.
Leonard Cohen has some great tunes and lyrics:
Everybody Knows
First we take Manhattan
The Future
(These have political themes)
Count me in as agreeing with Poor Richard
Just to expand the weed songs beyond Afroman's Because I Got High:
Kevin Grady - The Marijuana Song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6U3Wq-3jy0
Toby Keith - Ill never smoke weed with Willie again
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iezk-z6hy9k
Snoop Dogg ft. Willie Nelson - My Medicine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWCa3GvbNUE
Snoop Dogg & Willie Nelson in Amsterdam (at De Melkweg, I think during the Cannabis Cup) - I Aint Superman
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyLReBNDlnk
And of course:
Cypress Hill - Hits From Da Bong
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qoCq-KsmZU
Kottonmouth Kings - Proud To Be A Stoner
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OelysykSytA
a classic from 1970
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzdLUU7jRx4
I can't leave out Commander Cody
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9QIpSg6E_k&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzdLUU7jRx4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzdLUU7jRx4
jesse didn't get the air time he deserved in the 60s and early 70s but thankfully President Carter let this brave protester and thousands of others come home
Saturday in the park
(Chicago:Songwriters: Lamm, Robert William)
Saturday in the park
I think it was the Fourth of July
Saturday in the park
I think it was the Fourth of July
People dancing, people laughing
A man selling ice cream
Singing Italian songs
Eicay vare, eise narde
Can you dig it (yes, I can)
And I've been waiting such a long time
For Saturday
Another day in the park
I think it was the Fourth of July
Another day in the park
I think it was the Fourth of July
People talking, really smiling
A man playing guitar
Singing for us all
Will you help him change the world
Can you dig it (yes, I can)
And I've been waiting such a long time
For today
Slow motion riders fly the colors of the day
A bronze man still can tell stories his own way
Listen children all is not lost
All is not lost
Oh no, no
Funny days in the park
Every day's the Fourth of July
Funny days in the park
Every day's the Fourth of July
People reaching, people touching
A real celebration
Waiting for us all
If we want it, really want it
Can you dig it (yes, I can)
And I've been waiting such a long time
For the day
Rush, the progressive rock group, has tons of great songs and lyrics. One website notes some song quotes by Neil Peart. http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Neil_Peart
If I ever have kids, they will be educated in part by this group.
Excellent call!
Im with MattA - Bruce Cockburn !!! (pronounced Co-burn)
An upbeat one from his 80's rocker period... "They Call It Democracy"
Padded with power here they come
International loan sharks backed by the guns
Of market hungry military profiteers
Whose word is a swamp
And whose brow is smeared with the blood of the poor.
Who rob life of its quality
Who render rage a necessity
By turning countries into labor camps
Modern slavers and dragon's champions of freedom.
IMF dirty MF
Takes away everything it can get
Always making certain that there's one thing left
Keep them on the ropes with unsupportable debt.
And they call it democracy.
And they call it democracy.
And they call it democracy....
Bruce is a guitar wizard with a full vocal range and an awesome poet - he's in the Canadian Music Hall of Fame - Bruce was recently celebrated in Toronto (available on CNBC) You can hear Bruce at True North.
His best known songs are "If A Tree Falls In The Forest.." and "If I Had A Rocket Launcher" - BNL's first hit was Bruce's "Lovers in a Dangerous TIme".
Try "Wait No More" (I'm it!) , "Put It In Your Heart" (Tag you're it!) , and "The Trains Don’t Go There Anymore," (de-industrialization) ... It's all good...
and of course: Michael Franti - Bomb Bomb and so many more...
Here's some that haven't been mentioned yet. Pretty much all of these are political.
John Lennon - Power to the People - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wos-dDxpJlQ
Black Eyed Peas - Power to the People - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YUbvYMweQy0
Patti Smith - People Have the Power - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbkKYTfUVx0
Earth Opera - Great American Eagle Tragedy (hard to find clip anywhere, lyrics here - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&add...
Midnight Oil - Beds Are Burning - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpkGvk1rQBI (lead singer now heads up government dept for the environment in Australia!)
Midnight Oil - Blue Sky Mine - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nehTQIhw0-U (pretty relevant now with mining disasters!)
Bruce Springsteen - The Ghost of Tom Joad - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DEtA5fhk4k
Bruce Springsteen - My Hometown - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CSFSX-Qh54
Heaven 17 - Crushed by the Wheels of Industry - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0KmN2LEITE
Heaven 17 - We Don't Need this Fascist Groove Thing! - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B-uWoYs3X4
The Clash - Career Opportunities - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqJdGlwLAcc
Billy Bragg - Internationale - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk69e1Vcmvg
Gil Scott-Heron - Work for Peace - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPqpV9olIlw
Dave Matthews Band - Everybody Wake Up - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75MY9OFae1Q
Lizzie West & the White Buffalo - 19 Miles to Baghdad - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om6b9G0uePo
Iris Dement - Wasteland of the Free - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhgb9hYjX3g
Stephan Smith - Business
Ian Rhett - (I didn't know I was) UnAmerican
Cucumbers - Illegal
Cat Power - Maybe Not - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skreabVrMRk
Jonatha Brooke - WAR
1000 Paper Cranes - Baghdad Suite
Rex Alpha - It's Ecocide (BP oil spill) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4QLckqzA70
To be released soon:
Bright Eyes - Coyote Song (anti-Arizona song)
Parody:
WWDMDD - BP Gulf Oil Spill Song (Beverly Hillbillies parody) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNDP-7og3aU
Parody to make:
Thompson Twins - Don't Mess with Dr. Dream (Update to be "Don't Mess with Dr Dean" if Howard Dean starts a new party) - original: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH17bmDzuAk
Cars and guitars - the mighty Swervedriver. Beautiful harmonies and riffs.
Swervedriver - Never Lose That Feeling
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYwvJgE7l14
Swervedriver - Sandblasted
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEi7DGe6xO4
Swervedriver - Rave Down
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGDIGbPLQ4U
Swervedriver - Last Train To Satansville
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfRheSlOvUs
Another song by Midnight Oil that's completely relevant to the BP oil disaster is "River Runs Red (Black Rain falls)" which totally forecasts the Corexant rain that BP's unleashed on the Southeast. Check out this page for this song and Blue Sky Mine that Midnight Oil played in a street protest performance in front of the Exxon building in New York 20 years ago in response to the Exxon Valdez spill.
http://www.slicingupeyeballs.com/2010/05/28/midnight-oil-exxon-video-bla...
And of course Peter Garrett still works today to protect the environment in Australia's government as its Environment minister.
We need more musicians like Peter and his gang today!
Anything by Gianluca Zanna
NEW WORLD ORDER http://unitedstates.fm/music/NewWorldOrderMix04.mp3
GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE ME DEATH http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI2bfWiotGY
DONT TREAD ON US http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFKzbN_0WLw
THANK YOU AMERICA http://unitedstates.fm/music/Thank%20You%20America%20classic.mp3
WE THE PEOPLE http://unitedstates.fm/music/wethepeople.mp3
One of the anthems stuck in my mind from the 60's/70's.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8zmkzshUvE&feature=related
probably not what you want but more than worth a look
rocking russkies
http://www.tothepointnews.com/content/view/3114/85/
Gil Scott-Heron | We Almost Lost Detroit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b54rB64fXY4
On nuclear power and M.U.S.E. (Musicians United for Safe Energy).
I can't believe no one has mentioned Rage Against The Machine yet.
And the videos are something to behold too.
Rage Against The Machine
The Ghost Of Tom Joad (protagonist of The Grapes Or Wrath)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjGmNYihLoM
RATM - Killing in the name - official video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkuOAY-S6OY
On police brutality
Rage Against The Machine - Testify Music Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JSBhI_0at0
GW/Al Gore, "free trade" and the death penalty (and that's just the first 10 seconds). Nice song in case there ever will be impeachment.
Rage Against The Machine - Sleep Now In The Fire
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wu67yo-3jfw
Rage Against the Machine - People of The Sun
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7hQgCJGNspI
Rage Against The Machine - Wake up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1T8xgHdMEM
Thank you very much for playing the Charley Pride song "Burger and fries" today.
It's been over 10 years since I've heard that song.
I used to work as Charley's Stage Manager in Branson.
The new anthem:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVoP5SvqJVo
Thank you all for your contributions! This thread has become officially amazing! Keep up the great work everybody!
I love the wide variety you play on the show! Here are a couple suggestions that come immediately to mind:
The 30 second Bewitched intro music (its upbeat and fun, could be used in a 'voodoo economics' piece)
"Lawyers, Guns & Money" - Warren Zevon
"911 is a Joke" - Public Enemy
"People Have the Power" - Patti Smith
"Kharma Police" or "No Surprises" - Radiohead
And a personal, shameless plug (sent this to Louise recently), "Transnational Welfare Queen" by Silk & Olive
Hi all. My suggestion would be John Fogerty. He has had a long progressive (peace, freedom) strain to his music. His last album 'Revival' has a number of tunes that may be appropriate for various topics, including: Don't You Wish It Was True, Gunslinger, (and the Bush,Cheney rave-up), I Can't Take It No More.
Try The Clash's "Know Your Rights"
Awesome early '80s punk.