You Know Who... Does the Humpty Hump Day

Sonny Rollins, circa 1960

The big story this week, obviously, was the passing of the Saxophone Colossus himself, Sonny Rollins. Entering immortality on Monday at the age of 95, his brilliance and influence cannot be overemphasized. He may be gone, but the carnival will never stop.
 
Not much else to say. I’m still working my way through the dozens of albums I obtained in the last couple of months. Between that and the multifarious group of artists highlighted in today’s “history lesson,” today’s show was all over the place in the best possible way. From Benny Goodman to The Monkees to Blondie to a double-header of Radiohead, I think there is something for everyone.
 
Click here to check it out:
LIC Radio 5/27/2026
 
 
Sonny Rollins Quartet
“Don't Stop the Carnival”
(Traditional)
Live Under the Sky, Yomiuri Land/Open Theatre East, Tokyo, JP, 7/31/83
 
Sonny Rollins – tenor saxophone
Pat Metheny – guitar
Alphonso Johnson – electric bass
Jack DeJohnette – drums
 
 
Benny Goodman and his Orchestra
“Goodnight, My Love”
(Mack Gordon, Harry Revel)
Single A-side (Victor, 1936)
 
Featuring Ella Fitzgerald on vocals
 
 

Buster Poindexter
(a.k.a. David Johansen)
Photo by John Atashian

Buster Poindexter
“House of the Rising Sun”
(Traditional)
From Buster Poindexter  (RCA, 1987)
 
 
The Monkees
“Randy Scouse Git”
(Micky Dolenz)
From Headquarters  (Colgems, 1967)
 
 
Ten Years After
“Love Until I Die”
(Alvin Lee)
From Ten Years After  (Deram, 1967)
 
 
Chubby Checker
“Dance the Mess Around”
(Kal Mann, David Appell)
Single A-side (Parkway, 1961)
 
 
The B-52’s
“Dance This Mess Around”
(Ricky Wilson, Fred, Schneider, Keith Strickland, Kate Pierson, Cindy Wilson)
From The B-52’s  (Warner Bros., 1979)
 
 
Fleetwood Mac
“Mean Mistreatin' Mama”
(Leroy Carr)
From Live at the BBC  (Castle Communications, 1995)
Recorded at 201 Piccadilly, Studio 1, London, UK, 5/27/68
Originally recorded by Lerot Carr and Scrapper Blackwell; Single A-side (Vocalion, 1934)
 
 

Treat Her Right

Treat Her Right
“Hank”
(Mark Sandman)
The Stone Pony, Asbury Park, NJ, 5/27/88
Studio version released on Tied to the Tracks  (RCA, 1989)
 
 
George Harrison
“Nowhere to Go”
(George Harrison, Bob Dylan)
EMI Studios, London, UK, 5/27/70 (Beware of ABKCO!)
 
In this one session Harrison recorded over a dozen songs to be considered for what would become All This Must Pass. Previously called “Everybody Comes to Town,” “Nowhere to Go” was composed during the same November, 1968 songwriting session that produced the album’s opener, “I’d Have You Anytime.” “Nowhere to Go,” however, did not make the cut, and in fact, was never revisited. So you’ll pardon the expression that it went… well… nowhere.
 
 

Journey (Pre-Steve Perry)
Photo by David Tan

Journey
“To Play Some Music”
(Gregg Rolie, Neal Schon)
The Record Plant, Sausalito, CA, 5/27/1975
Studio version released on Journey  (Columbia, 1975)
 
 
Tony Levin
“On the Drums”
(Tony Levin)
From Bringing It Down to the Bass  (Flatiron Recordings, 2024)
 
 
Atlanta Rhythm Section
“So in to You”
(Buddy Buie, Dean Daughtry, Robert Nix)
Belmont Park, Elmont, NY, 5/27/78
Studio version released on A Rock and Roll Alternative  (Polydor, 1976)
 
 
Blondie
“(I'm Always Touched by Your) Presence, Dear”
(Gary Valentine)
The Paradise, Boston, MA, 5/27/1978
Studio version released on Plastic Letters  (Chrysalis, 1978)
 
 
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts
“Light of Day”
(Bruce Springsteen)
Asbury Beach Party, Asbury Park, NJ, 5/27/88
Studio version recorded by The Barbusters*; released on Light of Day (Music From The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)  (Blackheart/CBS, 1987)
 
*Though credited to “The Barbusters,” the fictional band in the film Light of Day, the track was recorded Jett along with her backing band, The Blackhearts. Though her “bandmates” in the movie included Michael J. Fox and Michael McKean, both credible musicians in their own right, it is safe to assume that they had nothing to do with the recording of the track.
 
 

Back-to-back Radiohead (Woo-Hoo!)
Photo by Gie Knaeps

Radiohead
“Just”
(Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Philip Selway, Ed O'Brien, Colin Greenwood)
The Astoria, London, UK, 5/27/94
Studio version released on The Bends  (Parlophone/Capitol, 1995)
 
 
Radiohead
“Electioneering”
(Thom Yorke, Jonny Greenwood, Philip Selway, Ed O'Brien, Colin Greenwood)
Pinkpop Festival, Landgraaf, NL, 5/27/96
Studio version released on OK Computer  (Parlophone/Capitol, 1997)
 
 
Birthday Boys and girls today include André 3000, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes of TLC, Sean Kinney of Alice in Chains, Siouxsie Sioux, Ramsey Lewis, Neil Finn of Crowded House, Pete Sears of Jefferson Starship and Hot Tuna, and the astonishing jazz bassist, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen (NHØP for short).
 
 
Crowded House
“Don’t Dream It’s Over”
(Neil Finn)
Great Woods Performing Arts Center, Mansfield, MA, 9/17/87
Studio version released on Crowded House  (Capitol/EMI, 1986)
 
 
Starship
“Jane”
(David Freiberg, Jim McPherson, Craig Chaquico, Paul Kantner)
Unknown date and venue. Broadcast on 6/14/86.
Originally recorded by Jefferson Starship; released on Freedom at Point Zero  (Grunt, 1979)
 

Jello Biafra with Melvins
“Rock N Roll McDonalds”
(Wesley Willis)
Black Cat, Washington, DC, 10/25/05
Originally recorded by Wesley Willis; released on Rock Power (self-released, 1995)
 

NHØP
"The great Dane with the
never-ending name"

This one was in the “leftovers and backburners” folder and I just had to throw it in for fun.
 
 
Philip Catherine / Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen / Billy Hart: drums
“Airpower”
(Philip Catherine)
Zürich International Jazz Festival, Limmathaus, Zürich, CH, 13/13/78
Originally recorded by Larry Coryell and Philip Catherine; released on Twin House  (Elektra, 1977)