For our “Pick 5” blog series, we ask members of the Radio Bristol team to pick five songs within a given theme – from heartsongs to murder ballads and everything in between! Once they pick their “5,” they get the chance to tell us more about why they chose those songs. With a diverse staff of knowledgeable DJs, we’re sure to get some interesting song choices, which might introduce you to some new music, all easily accessible by tuning into Radio Bristol! This month’s “Pick 5” is by Josh Littleton, Radio Bristol Engineer & Technical Administrator and host of Early Morning Americana each weekday from 7am to 9am.
As the year rolls along and the winter season comes to a close, we all long for the warmer, longer days of spring. The arrival of spring means birds chirping, flowers blooming, and hopping bunnies, which make us think of everyone’s favorite rabbit-related holiday, EASTER! However, Easter means so much more than just the Easter Bunny! That’s right: I’m talking about Easter egg hunts, Easter ham, Easter lilies, and Easter chocolate and jellybeans galore. And so, in the spirit of the season, my Pick 5 theme will be devoted to all things Easter!
“Dirty Old Egg Sucking Dog,” Johnny Cash
Written by J. Clement, Johnny Cash released this version of “Dirty Old Egg Sucking Dog” in 1966 on the album Everybody Loves a Nut. Curiously, the album was released on May 1, only days after the Easter holiday had passed. A slow, melodic number with instrumentation to match the lyrics contained within, this song gives quite the opposite impression of what we think spring should sound like.
“Rabbit in the Log,” Jimmy Martin & Ralph Stanley
Written by P. Kirby, Jimmy Martin and Ralph Stanley came together for the first time to release an album unsurprisingly titled First Time Together. The album included classics like “In the Pines” and “Roll On Buddy Roll On,” but it also included “Rabbit in the Log,” which sadly doesn’t end well for the rabbit (spoiler alert: it’s cooked over the fire!).
“Chocolate Jesus,” Tom Waits
Tom Waits and Kathleen Brennan wrote the song “Chocolate Jesus” as a nod to the commoditization of religion. It was released in 1999 as part of the album Mule Variations. As you would expect from Tom Waits, this song serves up a heavy dose of sarcasm and contradiction.
“I Found My Yellow Basket,” Ella Fitzgerald
Written by Ella Fitzgerald and Van Alexander, “I Found My Yellow Basket” has an incredibly classic and uplifting feel. Ella sings: “Was it red, Was it blue, No No No, just a little yellow basket,” but don’t worry because your Easter basket can be whatever color you like!
“Needle in a Haystack,” The Velvelettes
Written by Norman Whitfield and William Stevenson, the great Motown number “Needle in a Haystack” was released in 1964. You might be wondering what this song has to do with Easter. It’s because Easter eggs are like a good man, they’re “…like finding a needle in a haystack”!