Desert Island Discs

On Sunday, October 10th, I will be back on WMPG FM, hosting another edition of Rock Lobstah from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. EST. I hope you'll catch the broadcast on 90.9 FM if you're in the Portland, Maine, area. If not, the show will livestream at www.wmpg.org/listen

The show format is cover songs. Why covers? Because great covers work. There’s no formula to making a successful cover song. But the best covers answer two essential questions: why this song and why this performance? When they're successful, a good cover manages to comment on the original song—its brilliance, mood, even shortcomings—while also highlighting the new performer's own voice and creative interpretation.

What do people listen for in cover songs? According to Petr Janata, a psychologist at UC Davis, "We want familiarity and the ability to form expectations. With so much unknown in the world, cover songs are the macaroni and cheese of music: creamy, gooey, fat-filled, loaded with dairy and carbs (cue oxytocin production in the brain). We make the leap to connect comfort and familiarity. Wanting to hear cover songs is like wanting mac and cheese.

Graphic courtesy of Mari Anne OConnor

If you’re feeling particularly fed up today, don’t worry. You won’t be alone in feeling blue. We all have off days, those when it feels like a little black cloud is following us everywhere we go, making everything gloomy and miserable.

Life isn’t always blue skies and puppy dogs; sometimes, it’s hard work just getting through the day.

But if we were happy all the time, we wouldn’t need sad songs, and sad songs are some of the greatest songs in the world, especially country music.

Sometimes, the best thing to do is wallow in all that misery and make a day of it; sit under that rain cloud and enjoy being soaked. It’s like Dolly Parton always says: “If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”

So won't you join me this evening on WMPG FM 90.9 FM from 8:30pm to 10:00 pm ET for 90 minutes of gut-wrenching sad country songs that are guaranteed to break your heart.

If you are outside the Greater Portland listening area catch the live stream at www.wmpg.org/listen