Raised by Radio

So how do you describe what radio is/was or meant to you in your life? It’s not easy…a companion? A friend? A constant in your life? For me I would say all of the above.

Well over the years I have come to love it when songs describe and pay homage to the radio. There have been a lot over the years, here are some and I’ll give you my favorite of all time in a few.

At the dawn of the MTV era, “Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Bugles. In my opinion, not a great song, but timely. Also, of course the first video ever played on MTV.

“FM” by Steely Dan. Good song that I had a hard time following, I think it’s about how FM stations were clearer than AM stations, but also homage to all night radio.

Elvis Costello’s “Radio Radio”…it really paid tribute to radio, with the lyrics “Radio, marvelous radio”.

“Make me Lose Control” by Eric Carmen…ok cheating there a little, not really a song about the radio, but the line “Turn the Radio Up for that sweet sound” makes me think it’s about the radio, I mean how many of us turned the radio up in our day, or still now?

Ok…my top two…”On the Radio” by Donna Summer. Comes close to how I felt about the radio back then. And… well it was Donna Summer.

#1 for me…”Radio Ga-Ga” by Queen. “Radio what’s new? Someone still loves you” Oh man, that nailed it for me in 1984. Alot of my friends “watched” the radio (MTV) and had stopped listening, but not me! I never did! The song meant more to me in recent years because watching the Freddie Mercury Biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody, what their performance at Live aid in 1985 of the song meant to the group! Goosebump moment! Anyway, I would love to hear from you…how would you describe the radio? What are your top songs about the radio?