Words & Music II
American Routes offers a sequel to our popular “Words and Music” show, paying special attention to great lyricists and story songs, as well as figures who’ve blurred the lines between literature and music. One of those is Steve Earle. When he isn’t busy stirring up the alt-country world with newsworthy albums like his latest “Jerusalem,” Earle spends time in Ireland writing short stories and haikus. We’ll also speak with African-American songwriter, poet, and radio host Oscar Brown Jr., and hear the potent and playful words of Mose Allison, Johnny Cash, Billie Holiday, and the story behind that most American phrase: “Doo Wah Diddy.”
HOUR ONE
Open Bed: Watermelon Man Herbie Hancock
Cantaloupe Island, Blue Note
Too Marvelous For Words Billie Holiday
Lady In Autumn: The Best of the Verve Years, Verve
I'm Not Talking Mose Allison
Allison Wonderland: The Mose Allison Anthology, Rhino
Tramp Otis Redding and Carla Thomas
Otis! The Definitive, Rhino
You Talk Too Much Canned Heat & Johnny Lee Hooker
The Best of Hooker 'N Heat, EMI
Stutterin' Cindy Charlie Feathers
Uh-Huh Honey, Norton
Instrumental: Doo Doo Doo Money Mark
Change Is Coming, Emperor Norton
Diddy Wa Diddy John Jackson
Country Blues & Ditties, Arhoolie
Diddy Wah Diddy Bo Diddley
Bo Diddley, MCA
Do Wah Diddy The Jelly Beans
The Red Bird Story, Charly
INTERVIEW: Oscar Brown Jr.
Instrumental: Watermelon Man Arthur Lyman
Sonic Sixties, Rykodisc
Pick A Bale of Cotton Leadbelly
Where Did You Sleep Last Night? Lead Belly Legacy Vol.1, Folkways
Chicago Ramsay Midwood
Shoot Out At The OK Chinese Restaurant, Vanguard
Busted Johnny Cash
Essential Johnny Cash 1955-1983 Box, Columbia/Legacy
Tear Stained Letter Johnny Cash
American IV: The Man Comes Around, Universal
Reno Nevada Richard and Mimi Farina
Troubadours of the Folk Era Vol.1, Rhino
Sweet Tequila Blues Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez
Let's Leave this Town, Train Wreck
HOUR TWO
Weary Blues Louis Armstrong
The Complete Hot Five and Hot Seven Recordings, Columbia/Legacy
The Weary Blues Langston Hughes
The Voice of Langston Hughes, Folkways
Creole Blues Baby Dodds Trio
Jazz a la Creole, GHB
Stardust Django Reinhardt with Coleman Hawkins
With His American Friends, DRG
Blue Skies Dinah Washington
Blue Skies: The Irving Berlin Songbook, Verve
Bury-It-Yourself Time Capsule Ken Nordine
The Best of Word Jazz Vol.1, Rhino
Instrumental: Boop Bop Bing Bash Grant Green
Retrospective 1961-66, Blue Note
Postcard Smoketown Red
Walkin' And Talkin' Blues Floyd Dixon
Complete Aladdin Recordings, Capitol
Talkin' Blues Bob Marley & The Wailers
Talkin' Blues, Island
Instrumental: So Ja Sah Monty Alexander
The Music of Bob Marley, Telarc
Talkin' World War III Blues Bob Dylan
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, Columbia
You Know the Rest Steve Earle
El Corazon, Warner Bros.
INTERVIEW: Steve Earle
Lonesome Valley Estil C. Ball, Lacey Richardson, Orna Ball & Blair Reedy
Sounds of the South, Atlantic
Big Rock Candy Mountain Harry McClintock
Folk Song America: A 20th Century Revival Box, Sony
End Bed: I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow Norman Blake
O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack, Mercury