2021-05-26 SiriusXM Studio, New York City, NY

Scheduled: 10:00 Local Start Time 10:01 / End Time 10:43

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The 'From My Home To Yours' series continues with Episode 22, themed "Radio Radio", which is focusing on songs about, obviously, radio. "The power and importance of my radio could not be overstated."

E Street Radio

Bruce Springsteen

Radio Radio

Hello, hello, prisoners of rock 'n' roll, friends, family, brothers and sisters and listeners from coast to coast and around the world. Welcome to Volume 22 of “From My Home to Yours”, titled “Radio Radio”. Previous to cable, previous to satellite, previous to the prominency of popular music in the New York area, you had your choice of two, two AM radio stations. And for teenagers, one listening device: the Japanese-built transistor radio. It was approximately the size of your iPhone. The transistor was your only connection to the rocking, swinging sounds and culture that was teenagedom in the greater world, in the '50s and '60s. WMCA and WABC were our two stations. I hopped between the two, coming to favor ABC with Cousin Bruce Morrow spinning the gold. The power and importance of my radio could not be overstated. I lived with it, tucked it in my schoolbag during the day, and tucked it beneath my pillow all hours of the night. This, this, this music, this was something worth living for. This was speaking to me. There were people who knew and respected who I was and who I wanted to be. There, I could find the answer to the only question my dead little town could not afford to ask: Is there anybody alive out there!

That, of course, was Elvis Costello, with one of his greatest rock 'n' roll hits: “Radio Radio”. And before that, “Radio Nowhere” by yours truly. Here are The Ravyns, “Raised on the Radio”.

That was The Nines with “It's on the Radio”. The Nines were a Canadian power-pop group out of Oakville, Ontario. And before that, The Ravyns, R-A-V-Y-N-S, with the lovely “Raised on the Radio”. Now The Ravyns were out of Baltimore, and were best known for this record, cut in 1982 and featured on the “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” soundtrack — a film that also featured my fabulous little sister Pam. This is the Mighty Mike Schermer Band, with the wonderful “My Big Sister's Radio”.

That was “You Turn Me On, I'm a Radio”, by one of the 20th century's greatest songwriters, the inimitable Joni Mitchell, and before that, the Mighty Mike Schermer Band, with “My Big Sister's Radio”. Mighty Mike Schermer was a fixture on the Bay Area club scene for 20 years before moving to Austin, Texas in 2009. He has played along musicians such as Elvin Bishop, Maria Muldaur, Bonnie Raitt — I love her — Howard Tate, Charlie Musselwhite and many more. That's a heavy set of bona fides, along with making some acclaimed records of his own. This is the one and only Van “The Man” Morrison.

That was “Border Radio” by The Blasters, one of my all-time favorite bands that I had the pleasure of sitting in for a whole set, at the Hard Rock in Los Angeles, one California night. The Brothers Alvin: Phil and Dave. A killer duo. Masters of Americana, blues, soul, punk, R&B. A beautiful group. And before that, with “Hey Mr. DJ”, the maestro, Van Morrison. And now, my good friends, Warren Zevon, with “Mohammed's Radio”.

That was, of course, The Beach Boys, with “That's Why God Made the Radio”. And that's our show. Until next time, turn on, tune in, and rock out. Go in peace.

^{By Bruce Springsteen via E Street Radio.}

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