Migrating all of the old Faux Shows over to this site turned out to be more than I have time to do. So instead of creating a separate show for each week, I’m going to create combo-shows and add to them as time permits. These will be minimal Faux Show posts that cover the themes without much discussion of the rest of the music and mini-themes. This combo-show completes the migration of all the old Faux Shows. Hooray!
Looking back at the early shows, the concept of the show was certainly evolving, and it wasn’t until about ten or fifteen shows in before they started to really take shape. The most noticeable difference is the lack of attention paid to the themes and the dependence on more well-known music. A few of these five early shows are starting to look and feel like the shows do now, but none of them are there just yet. If you are just now discovering the Faux Show, I hope you enjoy these older shows but be sure to check out the newer shows as well.

Welcome to Radio Faux Show numbers nine through thirteen.
First things first – click a link to start listening and then come back to read about this week’s songs.
Faux Show # 9 Spotify Amazon Music
Faux Show # 10 Spotify Amazon Music
Faux Show # 11 Spotify Amazon Music
Faux Show # 12 Spotify Amazon Music
Faux Show # 13 Spotify Amazon Music
Radio Faux Show # 9 (May 2, 2021)
Theme: Tarheel Born
This week’s theme is artists from the state of North Carolina. Looking back now, this is not a very good use of such a rich theme. The artists of California Faux Show from a few months later is a much better use of the theme. This one clearly shows I was still working out the kinks. Still, that first track is one of my favorites I discovered while making these shows, and the first three tracks are one of my favorites openings of any show.
Theme Selections
The Avett Brothers “Kick Drum Heart”
Elizabeth Cotton “Freight Train”
Andy Griffith “The Fishin’ Hole”
Ben Folds Five “Song for the Dumped”
Blind Boy Fuller “Baby You Gotta Change Your Mind”
Thelonius Monk (feat. Sonny Rollins) “Bemsha Swing”
Nina Simone “Feeling Good”
Arthur “Guitar Boogie” Smith “Guitar Boogie”
Superchunk “Winter Games”
James Taylor “Country Road”
Link Wray and the Wraymen “Right Turn”
Track List
Track | Artist | Song Title |
1 | SBTRKT | New Dorp. New York |
2 | Nina Simone | Feeling Good |
3 | Chudahye Chagis | Ritual Dance |
4 | Tom Jones | Pop Star |
5 | The Rezillos | Somebody’s Gonna Get Their Head Kicked In Tonight |
6 | Freddy “Boom Boom” Cannon | Palisades Park |
7 | Richard “Groove” Holmes | Misty |
8 | Arthur “Guitar Boogie” Smith | Guitar Boogie |
9 | Link Wray and the Wraymen | Right Turn |
10 | Cheap Trick | Southern Girls |
11 | Cheap Trick | Another World |
12 | Elizabeth Cotton | Freight Train |
13 | Andy Griffith | The Fishin’ Hole |
14 | James Taylor | Country Road |
15 | Thelonius Monk (feat. Sonny Rollins) | Bemsha Swing |
16 | Modern Jazz Quartet | The Queen’s Fancy |
17 | Sarah Vaughan | My Funny Valentine |
18 | The Chordettes | Mr. Sandman |
19 | Lesley Gore | You Don’t Own Me |
20 | The Delfonics | Didn’t I (Blow Your Mind This Time) |
21 | Atlantic Starr | Always |
22 | Earth, Wind, and Fire | After the Love Has Gone |
23 | The Offspring | Let the Bad Times Roll |
24 | Superchunk | Winter Games |
25 | The Avett Brothers | Kick Drum Heart |
26 | Foreigner | Long, Long Way From Home |
27 | Sonny Boy Williamson | The Sky Is Crying |
28 | Brownie McGhee | I Need a Lover |
29 | Blind Boy Fuller | Baby You Gotta Change Your Mind |
30 | Led Zeppelin | Over the Hills and Far Away |
31 | Dirty Honey | California Dreamin’ |
32 | Suzi Quatro | The Devil in Me |
33 | Suzi Quatro | Can the Can |
34 | Ben Folds Five | Song for the Dumped |
Radio Faux Show # 10 (May 9, 2021)
Theme: I Come From A Land Down Under
This week’s theme is artists from Australia. Looking back now, this is not a very good use of such a rich theme. Still, any day a Housemartins song gets played is a good day.
Theme Selections
AC/DC “Shot in the Dark”
The Atlantics “Bombora”
The Avalanches (feat. MGMT and Johnny Marr) “The Divine Chord”
The Birthday Party “Release the Bats”
Don Burrows “Don’t Be That Way”
Crowded House “Whatever You Want”
Cybotron “We’ll Be Around”
The Easybeats “Friday On My Mind”
The Hoodoo Gurus “I Want You Back” and “What’s My Scene”
INXS “Don’t Change”
Men At Work “Underground”
Kylie Minogue “Real Groove”
James Morrison “Seven Steps to Heaven”
The Scientists “This Is My Happy Hour”
Track List
Track | Artist | Song Title |
1 | AC/DC | Shot in the Dark |
2 | Buffalo Springfield | For What It’s Worth |
3 | Public Enemy (feat. Stephen Stills) | He Got Game |
4 | A Tribe Called Quest | Can I Kick It? |
5 | The Avalanches | The Divine Chord (feat. MGMT and Johnny Marr) |
6 | Kylie Minogue | Real Groove |
7 | Sam & Dave | Hold On, I’m Comin’ |
8 | Clyde McPhatter | Lover Please |
9 | Al Green | I’m Glad Your Mine |
10 | Cybotron | We’ll Be Around |
11 | INXS | Don’t Change |
12 | Depeche Mode | Just Can’t Get Enough |
13 | Novi Fosili | Ja Sam Za Ples |
14 | Annie Sophie Von Otter | For No One |
15 | Andrea Motis | Sombra De La |
16 | James Morrison | Seven Steps to Heaven |
17 | Don Burrows | Don’t Be That Way |
18 | Connie Russell | Love Me |
19 | Blood, Sweat, and Tears | Spinning Wheel |
20 | Billy Joel | Prelude/Angry Young Man |
21 | Billy Joel | Vienna |
22 | The Easybeats | Friday On My Mind |
23 | Tommy Roe | Sweet Pea |
24 | The Atlantics | Bombora |
25 | The Ventures | Walk, Don’t Run |
26 | Stiff Little Fingers | Gotta Get Away |
27 | The Slits | Typical Girls |
28 | Germs | Forming |
29 | The Scientists | This Is My Happy Hour |
30 | The Birthday Party | Release the Bats |
31 | Cheap Trick | Dream Police |
32 | Housemartins | Happy Hour |
33 | Men At Work | Underground |
34 | Crowded House | Whatever You Want |
35 | Oasis | Acquiesce |
36 | The Hoodoo Gurus | I Want You Back |
37 | The Hoodoo Gurus | What’s My Scene |
Radio Faux Show # 11 (May 16, 2021)
Theme: Spending My Allowance
This week’s theme features music that I bought when I was a young Faux child. This one is fun for me to listen to, but doesn’t hold together very well as a complete Faux Show.
Theme Selections
Bee Gees “Night Fever”
Rick Dees and his Cast of Idiots “Disco Duck”
J. Geils Band “Centerfold”
Dickie Goodman “Kong”
George Harrison “Crackerbox Palace”
Donnie Iris “Love is Like a Rock”
Kansas “Play the Game Tonight”
Kenny Loggins and Steve Perry “Don’t Fight It”
Paul McCartney “Silly Love Songs”
Night Ranger “Sister Christian”
Saga “On the Loose”
Spinners “The Rubberband Man”
Steel Breeze “You Don’t Want Me Anymore”
Sylvers “Hot Line”
Track List
Track | Artist | Song Title |
1 | Liberace | Chopsticks |
2 | Night Ranger | Sister Christian |
3 | John Lennon | Watching the Wheels |
4 | Paul McCartney | Silly Love Songs |
5 | George Harrison | Crackerbox Palace |
6 | Ringo Starr | Photograph |
7 | Jonathan Richman | Government Center |
8 | Jonathan Richman | Here Come the Martian Martians |
9 | Dickie Goodman | Kong |
10 | Rick Dees and his Cast of Idiots | Disco Duck |
11 | Donna Summer | On the Radio |
12 | Yvonne Elliman | If I Can’t Have You |
13 | Bee Gees | Night Fever |
14 | Fred Again and the Blessed Madonna | Marea (We’ve Lost Dancing) |
15 | Woody Herman and His Orchestra | Woodchopper’s Ball |
16 | Mahavishnu Orchestra | You Know, You Know |
17 | King Crimson | I Talk to the Wind |
18 | King Crimson | Thela Hun Ginjeet |
19 | Squid | G.S.K |
20 | Slowdive | Alison |
21 | Lost Horizons | Heart of a Hummingbird |
22 | Kansas | Play the Game Tonight |
23 | Kenny Loggins and Steve Perry | Don’t Fight It |
24 | Firefall | You Are the Woman |
25 | Spinners | The Rubberband Man |
26 | Sylvers | Hot Line |
27 | Janet Jackson | Nasty |
28 | Steel Breeze | You Don’t Want Me Anymore |
29 | Saga | On the Loose |
30 | Donnie Iris | Love is Like a Rock |
31 | J. Geils Band | Centerfold |
Radio Faux Show # 12 (May 23, 2021)
Theme: Creation, Duplication, Inspiration, Theft
This week’s theme is original songs, covers, songs inspired by other songs, and songs that sample or outright steal from other songs. Looking back now, this is one of the first well-researched Faux Shows and one of the first to use the theme correctly.
Track List
Track | Artist | Song Title | Creation, Duplication, Inspiration, Theft |
1 | Johnny Cash | Folsom Prison Blues | Theft: Cash paid $75K to settle a lawsuit after stealing from the original Gordon Jenkins song “Crescent City Blues” |
2 | Gordon Jenkins | Crescent City Blues | Creation |
3 | Walker Brothers | Electrician | Creation |
4 | Ultravox | Vienna | Inspiration: Midge Ure wrote Ultravox’s most famous song after being inspired by the Walker Brothers song “Electrician” |
5 | Manfred Mann’s Earth Band | Blinded by the Light | Duplication: This cover gave Springsteen the money he needed to keep going until he was able to record his breakthrough album Born To Run. |
6 | Bruce Springsteen | Blinded by the Light | Creation |
7 | Beach Boys | Surfin’ U.S.A | Theft: The Beach Boys stole Chuck Berry’s “Sweet Little Sixteen” and simply changed the lyrics, but Berry’s publishing company was given ownership before the song was released. Later releases give Berry songwriting credit. |
8 | Chuck Berry | Sweet Little Sixteen | Creation |
9 | Chuck Berry | You Can’t Catch Me | Creation |
10 | Beatles | Come Together | Inspiration and Theft: John Lennon was inspired by Berry’s “You Can’t Catch Me,” but he went a little too far and stole some lyrics. A lawsuit was settled out of court. |
11 | John Lennon | You Can’t Catch Me | Duplication: As part of the Beatle’s settlement with Berry, Lennon was required to record this cover version for his 1975 album of old rock and roll covers. |
12 | Edwin Hawkins Singers | Oh Happy Day | Creation |
13 | George Harrison | My Sweet Lord | Inspiration and Theft: George Harrison was inspired by the traditional hymn “Oh Happy Day” when he wrote this classic from his debut album. He claims that he never even noticed the similarities between his song and “He’s So Fine” by The Chiffons, but a lawsuit found him guilty of “unconscious plagiarism.” This finding is now a landmark case in copyright infringement and changed the way musicians have to think about their songwriting inspirations. |
14 | Chiffons | He’s So Fine | Creation |
15 | Ray Parker Jr. | Ghostbusters | Theft: When Ray Parker’s label was asked to have him write a song for a new comedy, they told Parker to write something like the currently popular song “I Want A New Drug.” Parker apparently took them literally and stole the Huey Lewis song and just added new lyrics about busting making him feel good. |
16 | Huey Lewis and the News | I Want a New Drug | Creation |
17 | Prince | 1999 | Creation |
18 | Phil Collins | Sussudio | Inspiration and Theft: This ridiculous song is arguably Collins’ most popular non-Genesis hit, and it sounds a LOT like “1999.” Collins has always admitted that he loves the music of Prince and listened the album 1999 constantly while on tour with Genesis at the time. He was never sued and both songs now live on as classics of the MTV era. |
19 | Spirit | Taurus | Creation |
20 | Led Zeppelin | Stairway to Heaven | Inspiration and Theft: Randy California of Spirit spent decades attempting to win his plagiarism case against Led Zeppelin. He claimed that Jimmy Page stole his instrumental melody after hearing it nightly while Spirit toured with Led Zeppelin. Jimmy Page claimed that this is simply a common descending guitar figure that has been played for decades by guitarists in many genres. This is one of the most famous copyright cases in music history, and in the end Led Zeppelin were found not guilty, after multiple appeals and finally a Supreme Court decision to not hear the case. |
21 | Black Keys | Crawling King Snake | Duplication |
22 | Big Joe Williams | Crawling King Snake | Creation |
23 | Big Joe Williams | Baby Please Don’t Go | Creation |
24 | Them | Baby Please Don’t Go | Duplication |
25 | Rolling Stones | The Last Time | Creation |
26 | Andrew Loog Oldham | The Last Time | Duplication |
27 | Verve | Bittersweet Symphony | Duplication and Theft: The Verve sampled the Oldham cover of “The Last Time,” but they failed to get permission from The Rolling Stones management company. In the end, the song was given songwriting credit by Jagger/Richards, and all royalties were given to the Stones. Twenty years later, Jagger/Richards gave copyright back to The Verve, claiming that they deserved all of the credit for writing such a great song and they never cared about getting credit in the first place. |
28 | Jorge Ben | Taj Mahal | Creation |
29 | Rod Stewart | Da Ya Think I’m Sexy? | Theft: A lawsuit was filed by Ben and settled out of court after Stewart stole the chorus to “Taj Mahal.” Stewart has always admitted to “unconscious plagiarism,” claiming that he was spending a lot of time in Brazilian discos at the time he wrote his song and “Taj Mahal” was one of his favorites while doing so. |
Radio Faux Show # 13 (May 30, 2021)
Theme: Bob Dylan
This week’s theme is songs written, performed, or inspired by Bob Dylan. Looking at this one now, it is a very weak use of the theme. Still, Nick Drake into Belle and Sebastian really shows how far ahead of his time Drake was, and the Adele cover of the Dylan song gets better every time you hear it.
Theme Selections
Bob Dylan “Talkin’ New York,” “It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding),” “Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again,” “Jokerman,” “Gotta Serve Somebody,” “Make You Feel My Love,” “Shelter From the Storm,” and “I Contain Multitudes”
Adele “Make You Feel My Love”
Belle and Sebastian “Like Dylan in the Movies”
Track List
Track | Artist | Song Title |
1 | Bob Dylan | Talkin’ New York |
2 | Bob Dylan | It’s Alright, Ma (I’m Only Bleeding) |
3 | Nick Drake | Place to Be |
4 | Nick Drake | Hazey Jane II |
5 | Belle and Sebastian | Like Dylan in the Movies |
6 | Bob Dylan | Stuck Inside of Mobile With the Memphis Blues Again |
7 | Pavement | Cut Your Hair |
8 | ABBA | Waterloo |
9 | Teach In | Ding-a-Dong |
10 | Dadi Freyr | 10 Years |
11 | Kabza de Small | Funu |
12 | Antonio Neves | A Pegado Agora e Essa |
13 | Benny Goodmand and His Orchestra | Sing, Sing, Sing |
14 | Mel Blanc | I Taut I Taw a Puddy Tat |
15 | Bob Dylan | Jokerman |
16 | Bob Dylan | Gotta Serve Somebody |
17 | Bill Withers | Use Me |
18 | Lettuce | Ndugu |
19 | The Winstons | Amen Brother |
20 | Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock | Keep It Going Now |
21 | Stetsasonic | Bust That Groove |
22 | N.W.A. | Straight Outta Compton |
23 | Adele | Rolling in the Deep |
24 | Adele | Make You Feel My Love |
25 | Bob Dylan | Make You Feel My Love |
26 | Bob Dylan | Shelter From the Storm |
27 | Bob Dylan | I Contain Multitudes |
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