Yo La Tengo to Perform Live for Your Pledges

Hi, I'm a cartoon depiction of WFMU DJ Gaylord Fields (click the image to enlarge it   —  that's me in the upper left panel). Since 1996, the kind, generous and talented folks in Yo La Tengo have appeared on my program (or we've shanghaied the show of a co-conspirator) with instruments in hand to raise funds. (See cartoon James, Georgia and Ira — evidently, honorary "fourth Tengo" Bruce Bennett couldn't stand still long enough to be captured by graphic artist Adrian Tomine.) For this year's presentation, we'll all be crashing Pseu Braun's show on Friday, March 16th, 8-11 PM Eastern Time, where they will sing cover songs for pledges, and my job will be to antagonize a befuddled Pseu while we spiel about how and why you should pledge to the WFMU Fundraising Marathon.

Here's how it works, if you'd like to play along: You call in with a pledge of at least $100 with a cover song you want them to Yo La Tengofy. They come up with a spot arrangement and try their level best to play it. (And keep in mind that this is not "Stump the Band" — please request a song you think they'll be familiar with in order to increase the chance they can play it. They can't play a song they don't know, after all.) Be inspired by the example of cartoon Joe from Hackensack (see panel 4): Maybe your request will appear on a second volume of the long-awaited album Yo La Tengo Is Murdering the Classics (if they dare go through that again).

Comments

[Ken Katkin]

Yo La Tengo, WFMU Marathon 2007, All-Request Webcast.
Friday, March 16, 2007 8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. EDT

I tried to keep score at home in real time as Yo La Tengo played their annual all-request set. With a little help from the google search engine, I think I was able to name almost every tune, though I’m not completely sure about my identification of Traffic’s “Low Spark of High Heeled Boys” as the medley-partner of “Mr. Soul” in the second set, nor can I name the author of the instrumental track that opens the fifth set, which Ira identified as “ ‘Crazy,’ but not the one that was requested,” or the a capella number that Ira sang just before the medley at the end, which I think he identified as “Sara.” With those caveats, here’s my scorecard:

1. Iron Butterfly – In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
2. Barry McGuire – Eve of Destruction
3. Talking Heads – Don’t Worry About the Government
4. Dead Boys – Sonic Reducer

5. Beatles – All Together Now
6. Neil Young – Mr. Soul / Traffic - Low Spark of High Heeled Boys (Medley)
7. Jimi Hendrix – Crosstown Traffic/Purple Haze (medley)
8. Pastels – Truck Train Tractor
9. Lee Hazlewood & Nancy Sinatra - Some Velvet Morning
10. Question Mark & the Mysterians – 96 Tears

11. Bert Bacharach – (snippet)
12. Velvet Underground – Who Loves The Sun?
13. Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers - Ice Cream Man
14. Grandmaster Flash & DJ Melle Mel - White Lines (Don’t Do It)
15. Rolling Stones – Emotional Rescue
16. Ace Frehley – (Back in the) New York Groove

17. David Bowie – Queen Bitch
18. Brewer & Shipley – Witchi-Tai-To (Jim Pepper)
19. Wire – Outdoor Miner
20. Rezillos - Mystery Action
21. Elvin Bishop – I Fooled Around and Fell In Love

22. (unknown) - Crazy? (instrumental)
23. T Rex – Bang A Gong (Get It On)
24. Velvet Underground – Afterhours
25. Hollies – Look Through Any Windows
26. Husker Du – New Day Rising

27. Brenton Wood - Gimme Little Sign
28. Rolling Stones – She’s A Rainbow
29. Go-Betweens - Streets of Your Town
30. Isley Brothers (also Beatles) - Twist & Shout

31. Spencer Davis Group - Gimme Some Loving
32. ZZ Top - Tush
33. Banana Splits – Banana Splits Theme Song (“The Tra La La Song”)
34. Styx – Come Sail Away

35. A Capella Song (Ira mentioned “Sara”)

36. Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart Again medley (Frank Sinatra - That’s Life; Bee Gees - Night Fever; Electric Prunes - I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night; Joey Scarbury - Believe It Or Not I’m Walking on Air (“The Greatest American Hero” theme song); Van Morrison – Madame George; Queen - Another One Bites The Dust; David Bowie – Starman; White Stripes – For The Love of Ivy).

[Brett Running]

Not sure about the other tracks but the a capella song is titled "You'll Never Walk Alone". As to which version inspired it I wouldnt even be able to venture a guess.

[Ken Katkin]

Thanks, Brett, for the tip! According to Wikipedia, "You'll Never Walk Alone" was written by Rodgers and Hammerstein in 1945 as part of the Broadway musical "Carousel." Later cover versions that were recorded by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Patti Labelle & the BlueBelles, and Gerry and the Pacemakers, *all* made the Billboard Top 100! I don't know what rock I was sleeping under during the mid-twentieth century that caused me to overlook this milestone in American popular music!

[k]

will the archive ever be made available?

[Elwyn]

What happened to my request for Michael Bolton? :-(

That would be Crazy by Patsy Kline/Willie Nelson.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crazy_%28Willie_Nelson_song%29

[Adam]

Is there any place where this recording is available?

[Gaylord Fields]

The performance is not archived at WFMU, by request of the band.