Under the Covers

Here's one thing that's taken a lot of getting used to in our new town: we don't get a reliable signal for our former beloved NPR station, WNYC.*  Our new local station has some of my must-have programming (Morning Edition; All Things Considered; Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me; This American Life), but also a lot that makes me crazy (can anyone explain to me why Faith Middleton has her own show?  I'd really like to know).   

I was therefore thrilled to discovered that we had excellent reception for my favorite music station (back to when I used to listen to music), WFUV.  The Boy and The Girl have gotten used to a steady diet of Dan Zanes and They Might Be Giants, but every now and again they'll be happy enough to putter around while I listen to music I like--and that's been a surprising mood booster.  Well, maybe not booster exactly since the songs I gravitate towards tend to be somewhat grim, but it gives me a chance to feel like me.

I've always been struck by cover songs, and here are the ones that have grabbed me lately:

Marianne Faithfull's "Down from Dover" (after Dolly Parton)--Okay, I'd never heard the original, but this version had me so rapt I needed to pull over in the car to listen to the ending.  Bleak.  Incredibly bleak.  But beautiful.

Rufus Wainright's "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" at Carnegie Hall (after Judy Garland)--Wainwright's concert at Carnegie Hall was one of the few musical events I've been aware of in the past few years, and this song makes me wish desperately that I'd found a way to be there.

The Lemonheads' "Beautiful" (after Christina Aguilera)--This song is a mystery to me.  It's not a particularly interesting rendition, and it seems to sacrifice a lot of indie cred for no particularly good reason.

What are you listening to?

*Yes, I know I can listen online, but that's just not always convenient.

Comments

[susie]

If you ever figure out the answer to the Faith Middleton question, let me know. She's like some kind of celebrity in Connecticut and I have no idea why.

[Anita]

I feel so cool ever since I've discovered kexp.org on-line. It keeps me sane while I work from home. They are a Seattle radio station and dj's are so loveable and they also have nyc shows on 91.5FM in the morning 6AM - noon. I don't understand why NY cannot have a station like this full time!!!

[Anita]

oooh and speaking of covers, here's one that might interest you http://fr.truveo.com/The-flaming-lips-Borderline/id/431365080 Flaming lips covering Madonna's Borderline.

[Heather]

I don't think I could live without an NPR station on my car ride into and home from work. I also love listening to WXPN, the radio station from the University of Pennsylvania, which also hosts World Cafe Live as well as playing great alternative music. I'm also in love with my iPod and my current favorite album to listen to is the new Pet Shop Boys CD that came out a few months ago. I'm going to the concert in Atlantic City in September and I paid extra for VIP tix to meet the band. I can't wait. I've been such a huge fan for forever (over 20 years now) and have never seen them in concert, as they usually don't tour the States very often. They usually stick to the UK and Europe. Woo hoo!!!

[Kristin]

Loved XPN when I was in Philly. =)

Are you somewhere where you could pick up anything from NJ? Or CT? (From where I am Up North, I'm almost sheepishly lucky to get PBS tv from 3 states, plus my own state's little extra kid one.)

And here's how little I know NY radio (grew up on LI, but wasn't really looking for NPR outlets back then: any chance there's more than one right from the city? Up here, we have news on one station, and classical/folk from another. For a while after I moved here, I couldn't figure out where some of my favorite stuff had gone.... But I imagine you'd have come across that sort of thing already if it were there, given that you, you know, lived there for a while. Just brainstorming. I know I'd miss my NPR if it were me. =)

Good luck!