Bitslap with KBC:
Playlist
from July 14, 2009
 |
View KBC's profile
|
Back in 1979, I made the decision to accept Dr Demento as my personal savior. Since then, with the help of his apostles Spike, Al, Stan and Black-Eyed Susan Brown, I have made it my mission to spread the Gospel of the Firesign and the Word of the Waller. Please join me and my fellow seekers as we find the Wisdom we crave and the Rapture we deserve. A new sermon every Tuesday (and NO collection plate!).
Also available as an MP3 podcast.
More info at our Podcast Central page.
<-- Previous playlist | Back to Bitslap with KBC playlists | Next playlist -->
Pop-up player!| Artist | Track | Comments |
|---|---|---|
| NY Mets |
FIRST INNING
|
From April 11,1962, the Mets take the field for the first time against the St Louis Cardinals, featuring Bob Murphy on vocals (he stayed with them until 2003, retirred, then died in 2004). The Mets would go on to lose this game 11-4, as well as the next nine before finally winning one, and would blunder on to a still-record 120 losses for the year. However, there are some that say that they were still better than the 2009 team [at least they were more lovable]. For the record: Gus Bell would collect the first hit and Gil Hodges (STILL not in the Hall of Fame!!!) would get the first home run. |
| Nat king Cole and Ralph Carmichael Orchestra |
THE FIRST BASEBALL GAME
|
And the Lord sayeth unto Casey, "Play Ball!" and lo, he did. Baseball as gospel is not a foreign concept, as anyone who's ever prayed for a double play can attest. Nat King Cole was born Nathaniel Adams Cole on St Patrick's Day of 1919 (just in time for spring training) and died of lung cancer from a 3-pack a day habit in 1965 at the tender age of 45 (listen up kids!). His accomplishments include that gorgeous baritone voice, killer piano chops and his daughter Natalie Cole. He was also the first African-American to get his own prime-time TV variety show on NBC in 1956. |
| Dr Elmo and Patsy |
WILL YOU BE READY AT THE PLATE [When Jesus Throws the Ball]?
|
Legend has it that Grandma got run over by a reindeer, but the truth is she was bowled over in a suicide squeeze. Dr Elmo Shropshire is a veterinarian [he divorced from Patsy in 1985]. He put up $40,000 in his own dough to make 'Grandma" [written by his friend Randy Brooks] and became a multi-millionaire, but is now embroiled in a class-action lawsuit with Sony over royalties. Same old story. |
Music behind DJ: Lionel Hampton |
CENTRAL AVE BREAKDOWN
|
|
| Julie Lambert and Doddsworth Saxhorn Band |
GEE IT'S A WONDERFUL GAME
|
Written by Ring Lardner around 1910 around the same time as "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" [by Jack Norworth]. This version was featured in Ken Burns epic "Baseball" series [and if you haven't seen it yet, you call yourself a fan?] |
| Ernie Harwell |
A GAME FOR AMERICA
|
Long-time Detroit Tigers announcer [born in 1918 and still going strong] retired in 2002. Also announced for the New York Giants, Baltimore Orioles and Brooklyn Dodgers, where he has the distinction of being the only broadcaster included in a trade when the Dodgers traded catcher Cliff Dapper to acquire his services to replace the injured Red Barber [it's dangerous in the booth]. |
| Claire Hamill |
BASEBALL BLUES
|
Although Claire is British, she shows a firm understanding of the game [yes, the players need shoes]. She's been around since the 70s and has toured with the likes of King Crimson, Jethro Tull and Procol Harum and was a member of Wishbone Ash for a spell. In the 80s, all that was forgotten as she embraced New Age music and vanished in a puff of smoke. |
| Window |
INDIANS BLUES
|
Few teams have a worse history than the Cleveland Indians [how would you like to live in Cleveland?], so it is with deep respect and empathy that we not make fun of these poor guys. From a single, the flip of which is called "I'm a Fan," so you know these guys are hurting. Leave em alone, okay? |
| Del Reeves |
PHILADELPHIA FILLIES
|
His second greatest hit [best: "Girl on the Billboard" and it's follow-up "Belles of the Southern Bell," both eerily simlar to this one]. Rumored to have a fondness for the ladies. Born on July 14, 1932 [Happy Birthday? Not so fast - he died New year's Day 2007] He retired from performing and moved over into the biz side of things, where he apparently is to blame for finding and encouraging Billy Ray Cyrus (and, by extension, Hannah Montana). Death is too good for him. |
| Danny Kaye |
D-O-D-G-E-R-S SONG (Oh, Really? No, O'Malley)
|
Although a rabid Dodgers fan, in 1977 Danny and partner Lester Smith created the Seatle Mariners [who replaced the Seattle Pilots who moved to Milwaukee and became the Brewers - got it?]. This song is a game that never happened but could have: in 1962 the Giants and Dodgers battled for the NL crown [the Giants won the right to be slaughtered by the Yankees]. The following year, though, the Dodgers prevailed and swept the Yankees in the World Series - IN YOUR FACE YANKEE FANS!!! |
| Tommy Lasorda |
DAVE KINGMAN'S PERFORMANCE
|
Tommy's got a potty mouth!!! |
Music behind DJ: Camille Howard |
INSTANTANEOUS BOOGIE/MIRACULOUS BOOGIE
|
|
| '69 Mets |
SONG OF THE '69 METS
|
This had to be recorded after the Miracle Series. I'd love to tell you more about this record, but I seem to have lost it. I fear the cats have eaten it [which explains the vinyl furballs I've been finding around the house] |
| General Caine |
BASEBALL
|
From a 1982 cassette which I sucked dry and discarded like a clamshell (I bought it for $1.00 just for this song). On the Tabu label, the General was actually Mitch McDowell, who took the name in tribute to an officer who encouraged his musical career while he was in miltary school. After he graduated, he formed a band called Booty People which featured several members of the group War. He bounced around for awhile and was finally murdered in1992. |
| Betty Bonney with the Les Brown Orchestra |
JOLTIN JOE DiMAGGIO
|
Chronicles Joe's 1941 record setting 56-game hitting streak [which some think will never fall]. Betty's real name was Judy Johnson [yeah, big whoop] and appeared on Sid caeser's Show of Shows a lot. This song was Betty's first big one for Les Brown, having just replaced Doris Day, who decided to give it up and get married... |
| Teresa Brewer |
I LOVE MICKEY
|
The story goes that in 1956, Teresa attended a Yankee game with her friends Ruth Roberts and Bill Katz. They were so impressed with the Mick, that they left the stadium singing what would soon be this song [yeah, that's Mickey - you were expecting Mel Blanc?] Teresa, best known for "Music Music Music" would have a long happy career and married big name producer Bob Thiele and died, unhappily in 2007. Ruth Roberts and Bill Katz would achieve superstardom of their own with their stirring saga "Meet the Mets" |
| Mellow Mel and MCL Rap Machine |
DOCTOR K
|
God only knows where I found this one. |
| Brownie McGhee |
ROBBIE-DOBY BOOGIE
|
From Brownie's time before he met Sonny Terry in 1948. Larry Doby was the first black player in the American League with Cleveland (Score one for the Indians!). You think the first black president was a miracle? |
| Hozay Smith Hammerhead |
REGGIE FOR XMAS
|
The only Xmas-Baseball song I know (and believe me, I'm an expert), this was from some kind of TV kid show [in Texas I think] and was put out on a special disc for 7-11 which I got free at a yard sale. One of my most prized posessions, so naturally I have no idea where it is. [I think the Wires ate this one...] |
| Casey Stengal with Micket Mantle |
CASEY AT THE MIKE
|
How dumb is Congress? Dumb enough to call Casey Stengal before it to try to make sense of baseball's anti-trust status. This is just a small piece of a half-hour testimony that had all of Washington in stitches [unfortunatly, they all worked their way loose before we could dump them in the Potomac] For a full hilarious transcipt of this debacle, go to www.baseball-almanac.com/quotes/casey_stengel_senate_testimony.shtml. You won't be sorry [but you will have a headache]. |
| Rockin Ritchie Ray |
BASEBALL CARD LOVER
|
Yes, it is a new low. And on this one, the mighty KBC has struck out, having found no info on this guy, which is probably just as well. I can tell you that it's from Baseball's Greatest Hits [vol 1] on Rhino from 1990 where a lot of today's stuff came from [as well as volume 2]. Tune in for Baseball Pod part 2 on September 1 on most of these KBC stations! |
Music behind DJ: Slim Gaillard |
WALKIN AND COOKIN BLUES
|
|
| Dave Frishberg |
VAN LINGLE MUNGO
|
Probably the ultimate baseball song from Dave, a transplanted St Paulian who has tasted the Dodger's Cool-Aid (coming soon: Dodger Blue] |
| Russ Hodges |
SHOT HEARD ROUND THE WORLD
|
Bobby Thompson v Ralph Branca October 3, 1951. You know the story. |
<-- Previous playlist | Back to Bitslap with KBC playlists | Next playlist -->
RSS feeds for Bitslap with KBC:
Playlists feed | 
MP3 archives feed
| E-mail KBC | Other WFMU Playlists | All artists played by Bitslap with KBC |Listen on the Internet | Contact Us | Music & Programs | WFMU Home Page | Support Us | FAQ