AMERICAN ROUTES
Songs as Poems; Poems as Songs Songs as Poems; Poems as Songs August 10th, 2022 (Hour 1)
Songs as Poems; Poems as Songs

We listen for poetry in music and music in poetry, songs as poems and poems as songs with Langston Hughes, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, and Ken Nordine. Plus, a visit to New York’s City Lore with poet-folklorist Steve Zeitlin, who rides the POEMobile to the People’s Poetry Gathering and then back to New Orleans to meet Louisiana’s poet laureate, Mona Lisa Saloy.

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BIG VOICES WITH K.D. LANG & TOPSY CHAPMAN

September 13th, 2006

From shouters to chanteuses, R&B melisma to the high lonesome sound of bluegrass, this week we bring you some of the biggest voices on the American soundscape. Neo-retro vocalist k.d. lang comes by to talk about her loves and influences from ’50s country to smoky lounge music. New Orleans singer Topsy Chapman tells us how a stint as a singing waitress on Bourbon Street and growing up with 15 siblings led her to an international career as a song stylist.

  • Listen to Hour One
  • Listen to Hour Two

HOUR ONE

  • Open Bed: I Gotta Right to Sing the Blues Earl Hines
    Earl Hines in New Orleans, Chiaroscuro
  • I Gotta Right to sing the Blues Louis Armstrong
    Louis Armstrong The Complete RCA Victor Recordings, BMG
  • I'm Going To Live the Life I Sing About in My Song Marion Williams
    Precious Lord: Recordings of the Great Gospel Songs of Thomas A. Dorsey, Columbia/Legacy
  • That's How I Got to Memphis Solomon Burke
    Nashville, Shout! Factory
  • The Weight The Band
    Across the Great Divide, Capitol
  • I've Been Loving You Too Long Ike and Tina Turner
    Bold Soul Sister: The Best of the Blue Thumb Recordings, Hip-O
  • Instrumental: Third Man Theme Mickey Baker
    The Wildest Guitar, Stone
  • Reconsider Baby Elvis Presley
    The King of Rock and Roll: The Essential 60's Masters, RCA/BMG
  • Crazy Patsy Cline
    The Patsy Cline Collection, MCA
  • Instrumental: Faded Love Johnny Gimble et al
    Hits of Western Swing, CMH
  • INTERVIEW: k.d. lang

    Listen
  • That Lucky Old Sun (Just Rolls Around Heaven All Day) Johnny Cash
    American III: Solitary Man, American
  • Both Sides, Now Joni Mitchell
    Hits, Reprise
  • Over the Rainbow / What a Wonderful World Israel Kamakawiwo'ole
    Meet Joe Black Soundtrack, Universal

HOUR two

  • Sing, Sing, Sing Louis Prima
    Capitol Collectors Series, Capitol
  • Wheel of Fortune The Barry Sisters
    Hebrew National Kosher Classics, RCA
  • Lonely at the Top Randy Newman
    Sail Away, Reprise
  • The Best is Yet to Come Frank Sinatra w/ Count Basie
    It Might as Well Be Swing, Reprise
  • Straight to the Top Tom Waits
    Franks Wild Years, Island
  • Instrumental: Just Another Sucker on the Vine Tom Waits
    Swordfishtrombones, Island
  • I Feel Like Singing Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks
    Where's the Money?, MCA
  • Doin' the New Lowdown Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson
    Stars of the Apollo, Columbia/Legacy
  • INTERVIEW: Topsy Chapman

    Listen
  • Please Don't Drive Me Away Sam Cooke
    Night Beat, RCA
  • She Thinks I Still Care George Jones
    The Definitive Collection: 1955 - 1962, Mercury
  • Today I Sing the Blues Aretha Franklin
    Aretha Sings The Blues, Columbia
  • Instrumental: Jesus Will Fix It For You Sonny Treadway
    Jesus Will Fix It, Arhoolie
  • Tryin' to Make Heaven My Home Viola Jones & Congregation
    Southern Journey, Vol. 3: 61 Highway Mississippi, Rounder
  • Open Bed: I Wish I Could Sing George Coleman
    George Coleman: Bongo Joe, Arhoolie
  • Rivers of Babylon The Melodians
    The Best of the Melodians, 1967-1973, Trojan
  • Down by the Riverside Mahalia Jackson
    The Essential Mahalia Jackson, Columbia
  • End Bed: Basin St. Blues Henry Butler
    American Routes original recording,

THE LATEST STREAMS

  • August 10th, 2022

    SONGS AS POEMS; POEMS AS SONGS

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  • August 3rd, 2022

    CARIBBEAN CRUISE & SOUTH LOUISIANA SOJOURN: GARIFUNA GUITARIST AURELIO & CREOLE ACCORDIONIST CEDRIC WATSON

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  • July 27th, 2022

    THE FOLK REVIVAL REVISITED

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