6/12/11 – The “Red Hot” Cat Fight!

Friday Night Cat Fight Podcast

“Red Hot”

The Friday Night Cat Fight takes on one of the most rockin’, hot burnin’ rockabilly sides of all-time, “Red Hot.”  But the tune didn’t start out as a rockabilly barn burner.  It began as a cheerleader’s chant “Our team is red hot,” which was turned into a mid-tempo R&B tune by its writer Billy “The Kid” Emerson.  He cut his original for Sun Records in 1955, the same label that would issue Billy Riley’s immortal version in 1957.  Also in ’57, the great Bob Luman cut a cover of “Red Hot” for Imperial Records.  We round off this week’s competition with Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs 1966 stab at it, which went to #82 on the national charts.  Then in 1977, Robert Gordon took the tune back 20 years to its rockabilly glory with his rendition, which hit #83 nationally.

So, which version of “Red Hot” is TRULY RED HOT?  You decide.  Listen to the Cat Fight Podcast and then vote for the one you dig the most in our online poll.

Which One Do You DIG THE MOST? - "Red Hot"

• Billy "The Kid" Emerson (1955)
• Billy Riley & His Little Green Men (1957)
• Bob Luman (1957)
• Sam The Sham & The Pharaohs (1966)
• Robert Gordon (with Link Wray) (1977)

View Results

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2/4/2011 – The Day The Music Died Cat Fight-2011!

Friday Night Cat Fight Podcast

“The Day The Music Died” Cat Fight – 2011

The Friday Night Cat Fight Podcast honors the 52 anniversary of “The Day The Music Died,” that terrible plane crash that took the lives of Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper (J.P. Richardson).

There will be 2 separate Cat Fights this week.

The first is over a tune that was written by J.P. Richardson and originally recorded by him.  His buddy George Jones covered it in 1959 and made it his first of MANY #1 Country singles.

The second Cat Fight is between Robert & Johnny and Ritchie Valens over the tune, “We Belong Together.”  Robert & Johnny co-wrote the song and took it to #12 on the R&B charts, but Ritchie puts a heartfelt touch to the tune and makes it all his own.

Plus, the podcast also contains a little tribute to Buddy Holly, whose loss is still very much felt today.

So listen, vote and dig this week’s Friday Night Cat Fight Podcast with Matt The Cat.

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1/7/2011 – The “Unchained Melody” Cat Fight!

Friday Night Cat Fight Podcast

“Unchained Melody”

The Friday Night Cat Fight takes on one of the most popular, most covered and best selling songs of all-time with “Unchained Melody.”  Originally, it was written for the 1955 motion picture, “Unchained,” but after Les Baxter released an instrumental version of the tune on Capitol and it hit #1, it became one of the biggest songs of 1955, with versions by Al Hibbler and Roy Hamilton topping the R&B charts and charting top 10 on the pop lists.  We’ll also feature some very unique and heartfelt renditions of “Unchained Melody” by Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps (1957), New York’s Vito & The Salutations (1963) and the mega-selling 1965 Righteous Brothers classic.

So listen and then vote for your favorite version of “Unchained Melody.”  With over 500 covers of this tune, I couldn’t feature them all, but I think all six that are featured here are worth your time.

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10/15/10 – “Matchbox Blues” Cat Fight!

Friday Night Cat Fight Podcast

“Matchbox Blues”

The Friday Night Cat Fight takes on one of the greatest and most recognizable classic blues tunes this week with a 4-way Cat Fight over “Matchbox Blues.”  Blind Lemon Jefferson’s 1927 original will go up against Leadbelly’s 1934 Library Of Congress field recording, while Carl Perkins made it his own in 1957, it was The Beatles that took it into the American Charts in 1964.  Listen to all 4 and then decide for yourself which one you truly DIG THE MOST!

Plus, at the end of the Podcast, I’ll have a little tribute to 2 great soul singers that passed away over the past week (Solomon Burke & General Johnson).

Listen, Dig and VOTE!

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6/11/10 – The History of “Frankie & Johnny”

The History Of

“Frankie & Johnny”

This week, The Friday Night Cat Fight tackles one of the greatest folk tunes of all-time, “Frankie & Johnny.”  We trace the history of the tune back to the Nineteenth Century and play 15 different versions of the song.  Only 6 versions are in competition in the Cat Fight this week, though.  The classic blues rendition of the tune by Mississippi John Hurt leads us off, then we jump to Johnny Cash’s telling of tale as “Frankie’s Man, Johnny” from 1959.  From there, Brook Benton and Sam Cooke give the tune a soul twist from the early ’60s.  Versions by the Greenwood Country singers and Elvis round out the competition. 

The rest of the show is filled out with various blues, country, big band and rockabilly versions of “Frankie & Johnny” that it’ll make any man think twice before doing his woman wrong. 

So listen, dig and VOTE for your favorite version of “Frankie & Johnny” on the Friday Night Cat Fight Radio Podcast with Matt The Cat.

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3/5/10 – History Of “Milk Cow Blues” & More!

The History of

“Milk Cow Blues”

Do you ever wonder where classic songs come from?  I do constantly.  That’s a major reason why I’m tracing the interesting history of a true blues and rock n’ roll classic, “Milk Cow Blues.”  On this week’s program, I trace this song’s evolution over NINE songs.  However, only FIVE of those NINE are in contention in the Friday Night Cat Fight!  Please pick your favorite and vote for it.

This week’s show also contains a rare record by character actor Jim Backus, one of Ray Charles’ spiritual influences, a tribute to Patsy Cline and a few “notes” on the Beat Generation.  Listen, vote and dig, baby! 

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2/19/10 – “Susie-Q” Cat Fight For Dale Hawkins

Susie-Q

This week, I’m dedicating the podcast to Dale Hawkins, who we lost on February 13, 2010 at the age of 73.  Dale was one of a kind and I was very fortunate enough to have interviewed him a few years ago.  You will hear a portion of that interview in this week’s podcast.  The full, complete interview is available on my “Radio Interviews” page.

Listen to the podcast and then vote for the version of the classic “Susie-Q” that you TRULY DIG THE MOST!  This podcast also includes a little tribute to Jack Johnson, 2nd tenor for the 50s vocal group, The Cardinals, who passed away on Feb 8th at the age of 76.

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1/29/10 – “Rave On” Cat Fight In Memory Of Buddy Holly!

Rave On

This week, M. Ward, Marshall Crenshaw, The Real Kids and Sonny West all battle it out over Buddy Holly’s defining version of “Rave On.”  We remember the musical legacy of Buddy Holly as we approach the 51st anniversary of his tragic death.  “Rave On,” one of Buddy’s signature tunes was written by Bill Tighman, Norman Petty AND Sonny West.  Sonny actually recorded the tune FIRST in early 1958, but it was Holly’s version in May of ’58 that would propel the tune to #37 on the charts.  From there, many different renditions of the song have appeared.  I’ve chosen four of them for your consideration this week.  Don’t try and compare them to Buddy’s version, as they will all surely fall short.  Please try and compare them against each other and vote for the one you truly DIG THE MOST!

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10/23/09 – Halloween Pt. 2 – Monsters You Know (I Put A Spell On You)

Because you’re mine…

HALLOWEEN 2

Pop Culture Monsters (Drac, Frank, Wolfie & Mummy)

We celebrate part 2 of my 3 part podcast series on Halloween with many of the monsters and creatures you know from pop culture.  We’ll hear rare songs about Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolfman and The Mummy.  You’ll hear ghoulishly groovy tunes from The Hollywood Flames, The Edgar Winter Group, John Zacherle and The Calvanes.

Vote for your favorite version of the classic, “I Put A Spell On You” and don’t miss next week’s final part in the series, “Death By Teenage”.

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10/16/09 – Halloween Pt. 1 – Creatures & Monsters (Monster Mash)

It Was A Graveyard Smash…

HALLOWEEN 1

Creature & Monster Songs

Welcome to part one of my three part Halloween series of themed podcasts.  We begin this very popular theme with songs about creatures and monsters.  You’ll hear frightful favorites from The Jayhawks, Dave Edmunds, John Zacherle and Bo Diddley.  Plus, a never before heard interview that I did with the now late great Bobby “Boris” Pickett.  I was only 15 years old when I got the chance to interview him and he was a true gentleman.

VOTE for your favorite version of the Halloween classic “Monster Mash” and get ready for more tricks and treats on next week’s show.

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