Loser: Busy Doing Nothing with Charlie

Listener comments!

11:44am listener james from westwood:

soy un amador
i'm a lover, baby, so why don't you kiss me

11:47am charlie:

i heart your re-write, LJFW!

11:48am Katya Oddio:

Same song my noodle went to first

11:48am Arnie Pectin:

Born to lose?

11:49am listener james from westwood:

that, too, is a fine musical choice!
good thursday, all!!

11:49am Katya Oddio:

and I've lost someone who's dear to me

11:51am Michael:

Ooops. Auto nick. Hiya charlie, james and Katya. May hit 50 today. Not a loser temp.

11:51am Doug S:

This program is a lose-lose! Hello from a train somewhere in Pensyltucky.

11:53am listener james from westwood:

that's the sound of the man working on the train, gang

11:54am ndbob:

hey Charlie and everyone!

11:55am Katya Oddio:

Happy day, gang! No losers, just bad circumstances that effect one's abilities to perform at peak.

11:56am Katya Oddio:

Man, Doug, your stream is the bizness. Viva Give the Drummer Radio!

11:57am kat330:

Hi, Doug! Hi, James, Katya, Arnie, Michael, Doug and Bob!

12:01pm Laura L:

Looking forward to some songs peppered with salty language!

12:02pm Katya Oddio:

Hey, kat330. Laughing even before the first set. "Get the kiddies in the room, so they can experience all the loss." Love it!

12:02pm charlie:

Greetings, Katya, Arnie, Michael, Doug, and Bob! Yes, Doug, it's a lose-lose, win-win situation here today!

12:02pm Carmichael:

Aloha, Amigos. So Doug is mobile, an air-conditioned gypsy. Let's lose this thing!!

12:02pm charlie:

And also kat330 and Laura L!

12:03pm Doug S:

Amtrak won't let me stream audio, but they forgot about the WFMU iPhone app. What losers! Go Charlie!

12:03pm kat330:

Oooops, that should have been HI, CHARLIE!!! to start off. Phone rang just as I was trying to send that first note off. So *I'm" the loser, not you, Chaz!

12:04pm ndbob:

Heya Kat and Carmichael!

12:05pm listener james from westwood:

heh, i'm more used to hearing this steely dan cut slloooowwwed down as ken's talkover music.

12:05pm charlie:

God bless the WFMU iPhone app, and all who sail with her.

12:06pm kat330:

So Doug, say it two times, twice as nice! Where are the rails taking you?

12:06pm Dervish:

I'm already enjoying this collective race to the bottom.

12:07pm Carmichael:

Aloha Bob!

12:07pm charlie:

Robert Christgau described this song as being the "tragic tale of a loser so compulsive he can't get himself hanged."

12:07pm kat330:

This show makes a great double feature with Fabio's Strength through Failure.

Lovin' the Dan.

12:09pm ?:

Hello all. No matter which album it's from, Do It Again is a good song.

12:09pm charlie:

And a late hello to Carmichael.
@? - Finally updated the album title :)

12:10pm charlie:

More salty language here...

12:10pm kat330:

@katya: [settled down a bit better now] I wrote Charlie that I have cottonballs at the ready, and soap and Q-tips ooops! guess I need to wash now! :)

12:11pm Carmichael:

Robert Gordon's Born to Lose has always been a favorite.

12:11pm Tower:

It would help if I had put my name on that last comment. I'm a failure at posting.... it's not worth living... wait, maybe I can embrace failure ... turn it to an advantage ... maybe not

12:12pm kat330:

Are the Beatles too obvious a choice I wonder?

12:13pm charlie:

Hi Tower!
No choice is too obvious for Busy Doing Nothing, kat!

12:13pm βrian:

KM is such an inspiration!

12:14pm ndbob:

Heya Todd!

12:16pm kat330:

I think the universe is saying something when I didn't have time to comment during last week's Lovers" program, but here I am (all thumbs) for the "Losers" show. [and next week is an appt. during most of the time slot :/ ]

12:16pm charlie:

Yes, @Brian, I find that song quite cheering!

12:16pm Tower:

Today's topic reminds me of the Tower label biker movie soundtrack, Born Losers. Very nice cover to the album.

12:18pm Dan in Seattle:

Pour salty language in our wounds, Charlie.

12:20pm kat330:

I guess "Dark Horse" is not really in the running.

12:20pm Carmichael:

Martin Mull did a song a few decades ago called Loser's Samba. It'll make you want to jump off the roof.

12:21pm Carmichael:

Dick Curless!

12:21pm Katya Oddio:

Have you read yet WFMU engineer Justin Colletti's piece about the controversy over unpaid internships? The industries that abused the young are losers who lost out on the services, innovation, loyalty, and drive of young workers.

http://trustmeimascientist.com/2012/10/01/has-the-internship-turned-evil/

12:21pm Tower:

Dick Curless also had lots of 45's and LP's on the Tower label. This one's a Capitol release though.

12:22pm jan:

Listening to Charlie is the grand prize for Thursdays!

12:23pm βrian:

Martin Mull : http://youtu.be/cMA2--E103Y

12:23pm Carmichael:

A Tombstone Every Mile is my favorite Curless. And also Chick Inspector.

12:24pm kat330:

Speaking of losers, the Oscars weirdly stuck Bigelow and Affleck in that category this morning.

12:25pm Katya Oddio:

Shel!!!!

12:26pm Doug S.:

Bigelow must be just tortured over the decision.

12:27pm charlie:

Thanks for joining us, Jan!
Thanks for the info, Tower!

12:28pm kat330:

Are people looking at you funny, Doug, as you chuckle at your phone? ;)

12:28pm Tower:

LOL over the Shel Silverstein. Not many people here right now so I can crank it!

12:28pm Katya Oddio:

Charlie, that ani-gif of Secret Cigarette is too cute. Here's another:
http://secretcigarette.tumblr.com/post/40171481322/quba-is-getting-neutered-right-now-my-baby-i-just

12:29pm Doug S.:

They're just a buncha losers, kat330. (In other words, my people.)

12:32pm kat330:

Ray Wylie Hubbard performed a narrative on last night's Letterman to prove how a loser can really turn things around to win in the end. To paraphrase the song's ending: "Every day in which your gratitude is higher than your expectations will be a good day."

12:33pm frenchee:

Charleeee waves the flag for losers....yay! And Frenchee salutes it!

12:35pm frenchee:

AH! There it is, we were waiting, right gang o losers?

12:35pm kat330:

@Katya: Sweet! That feline's third eye wide open, not third eye blind.

@Charlie: Oh, of *course* there'd be Beck -- oh, and Radiohead might crown a bit later?

12:36pm Matt from Springfield:

And you know this had to played today!
Loser from Springfield, joining this fabulous non-winner!

12:36pm Matt from Springfield:

Shel Silverstein "FUCK IT"?!? Wow, I GOTTA check that out later!

12:36pm charlie:

Heya, Frenchee!
Nice sentiment, kat330!

12:36pm Carmichael:

Ya knew this song was coming ....

12:37pm Ricardo Montalban:

It's my armchair psychologist's opinion that this episode suffers from low self esteem.

12:38pm northguineahills:

Haven't been here for Charlie in ages....

12:38pm listener james from westwood:

i always assumed the "i'm a driver, i'm a winner" voice was then-pres ghw bush.

12:38pm Matt from Springfield:

Or is it YOU who has Delusions of Grandeur, Ricardo[r]? ;)

12:39pm listener james from westwood:

never a bad day with the biz!

12:39pm kat330:

All the losers are assembled here today! Hiya, latecomer losers.

12:40pm Matt from Springfield:

@LJFW: Love the Biz! And hey! He did a theme rap for this very show! Awesome!

12:40pm northguineahills:

Soy un perderdor

12:41pm Katya Oddio:

Can help but jump around with Biz BDN on BDN!

12:41pm listener james from westwood:

charlie has friends in high places, and losers in low ones.

12:41pm Matt from Springfield:

"Aaaaaaaaah don't even gimme that!" :D

12:44pm charlie:

Yo, Matt, Ricardo, NGH, Martha -- welcome to the losers' lounge.

12:44pm listener james from westwood:

oh, snap!

12:44pm kat330:

This was an epithet I heard often in 6th grade and until I got contacts several years later.

12:47pm glenn:

skeeter with nrbq. *swoon*

12:47pm Matt from Springfield:

That was the Lovin' Spoonful?? Pretty heavy for them.
And Skeeter Davis, with another breakup song.

12:47pm Tower:

There's some great stuff on Rounder Records.

12:48pm kat330:

Loser that I am, I did not know about this collaboration. Thanks for the intro, Charlie.

12:48pm Matt from Springfield:

Losers' Lizard Lounge!

12:48pm Brian in UK:

Those words are true today as they ever were
Those words are true today as they ever were
Those words are true today as they ever were
Those words are true today as they ever were

12:49pm ndbob:

Sure is Todd:)

12:49pm aaron in Jcity:

CHARLIE DELIVERS AMAZING TUNES THIS PM! Thank you Sir Charlie!

12:49pm Brian in UK:

@ngh are you smiling?

12:50pm Doug S.:

@Brian in UK
Looks like you're doing your best Bart Simpson impression.

12:51pm Brian in UK:

WE ARE NORMAL AND WE WANT OUR FREEDOM.

12:52pm Brian in UK:

Can't skate, won't skate.

12:53pm Katya Oddio:

June, like buttah baby

12:54pm northguineahills:

I will be smiling after yet another follow up interview in a few minutes. Thus far, all things are looking purty.

12:54pm Laura L:

"Magazines" on this same June Christy record would fit perfectly in your theme too.

12:55pm Brian in UK:

Good luck, ngh.

Doug, how's the back holding up?

12:55pm kat330:

@ngh: Good luck x10 and keep those Hubbard words in mind today!

12:56pm kat330:

The Lowest of the Lowe.

12:57pm charlie:

How true, kat330!
hiya Aaron in JC and Brian in UK

12:57pm listener james from westwood:

a lowe-down dirty shame that he's let things slide.

12:57pm Doug S.:

@Brian
Spending nine and a half hours sitting on a train is not doing wonders for my back. I am applying Charlie's show to it topically and it's helping bigtime.

12:58pm Matt from Springfield:

You know things will go up soon, once they fall so Lowe.

12:58pm Brian in UK:

@kat330 What's that 'life is a telescope viewed from the wrong end'?

Watchya Charlie.

1:00pm Katya Oddio:

This show and you folks make Thursdays so damn much fun

1:00pm Brian in UK:

Doug, when you have a bad back & people say sit down & rest that is the worst thing you can do. Get up & walk about every half hour, then a quart of Jim Beam rye.

1:01pm charlie:

Good luck, NGH.
Hey, Doug, too bad you have to take a 9phr train trip with that bad back :(
Feel better soon!

1:01pm kat330:

@Brian: All interconnected with Aimee Mann, Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe.

1:02pm charlie:

"Let Hurt put you in the loser's seat" (!)

1:03pm kat330:

@Doug: Is the trip for at least a very winning reason I hope?

1:06pm Matt from Springfield:

Smoky, torchy torch song!

1:06pm Doug S.:

Brooklyn Dodgers radio announcer Red Barber used to always use the phrase "in the catbird seat" to describe a team or player being in an advantageous or beneficial position. This program's for dogbirds everywhere.

1:08pm kat330:

This is making me think down the list of powerful female vocals about losing, specifically Nina Simone's "My Man's Gone Now."

1:09pm Doug S.:

@kat330
Tim Smith, the feller producing the documentary film about WFMU is interviewing me at the station tomorrow. I'll be doing the Friday edish of GTDS live from Studio C in the belly of the Mothership!

1:10pm kat330:

@Doug: Yay, I'd say a winning reason indeed! Make sure Station Manager Ken gives you a free enema as he promises.

1:11pm Matt from Springfield:

@Doug: Not even "in the doghouse", we're the dogs kicked out of their own doghouses!

1:11pm northguineahills:

Wow, I knew this was Patty Waters in the first second, and all I have of hers is "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair"

1:12pm listener james from westwood:

charlie brown would be better at football if lucy didn't yank the goddamn thing away each time.

1:12pm Matt from Springfield:

Oh wow! Mollusk, Doug! Mothership shows are always great, and being included in the doco!

Make sure you meet with Melvin Van Peebles when you're up there! :)

1:13pm kat330:

@ngh: I have Nina's version of that, too. Small world.

@ndbob: My sis' b'day is next Tuesday -- is that yours, too, perchance?

1:13pm jan:

Listening to "Dr. Lucy" - painful.

1:14pm frenchee:

Reva sounded a lot like Kaye Ballard there for a minnit.

1:14pm kat330:

@MfS: Kiitos for the "mollusk"!

Whomp, there it is!

1:14pm listener james from westwood:

hey, easy on that trainwreck talk until doug disembarks!

1:15pm Matt from Springfield:

YES! Great occasion to play this sometimes overlooked "Beatles For Sale" cut!

1:15pm frenchee:

Oh boy, oh boy! Señor Schulkind in studio C, that's no loser!

1:16pm ndbob:

@kat Yes it is:)

1:16pm Matt from Springfield:

@Kat: I've determined that those in favor of "mollusk" as a word for "cool" should use it amongst each other, and explain it. Then gradually expand the circle of Mollusk-speakers! :)

Incidentally what is "kiitos"? Like a kudos?

1:17pm kat330:

"True, pride comes before a fall" -- on my very lo-fi poodle transistor radio, I always thought that lyric was something in French.

1:18pm Matt from Springfield:

@Anchovy: I hope the previous comment explains? Mollusk = cool. Since there's only so many words to use for "cool", kat and Philo coined "mollusk" as another way to express that :)

1:19pm kat330:

@Matt: It's Finnish "Thanks!" Others in the philo-kat lexicon are "bocoors" for "but of course," and "miguel" for "might well" as in, "that miguel be true, but I couldn't possibly say."

1:20pm Matt from Springfield:

@kat: I don't hear very well, especially interpreting components of mumbled/garbled sound. If I was transistor reliant, EVERYTHING would sound like French to me.

1:22pm Doug S.:

I wish Amtrak would make it a little mollusker in my car.

1:23pm Matt from Springfield:

Interesting, glad you expanded the lexicon! I saw "bocoors" before, I thought it was French beaucours or something like that. "Miguel" is like a figurative spelling of an individual's pronunciation. Like I recently coined "Zmatter of fact" because that's how I've always said it!

1:23pm kat330:

How could that be necessary, Doug -- you're already the molluskest!

1:25pm Matt from Springfield:

@Doug: There isn't a Mollusk Car on your train? Amtrak's doing a trial program where they have a chill lounge car called the Mollusk Car. Which, also serves a menu of shellfish and lobster bisque, naturally.

1:25pm Doug S.:

My New Year's resolution was to be less shellfish.

1:25pm Matt from Springfield:

Ergo Phizmiz, always a delight! 'Specially with collab-ing with People Like Us!

1:26pm Katya Oddio:

Heart Ergo Phizmiz -- and his little girls!
http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Talulah_Lotus/Robot_Sun

1:26pm kat330:

Mmm, shrimp cocktail.

1:29pm Matt from Springfield:

NOO!! WHY is the reefer all gone?!
This wouldn't be a problem if we had "Sensory Gardens" on every porch!

1:29pm kat330:

@Katya: IIRC, you're a FMA curator, yes? So does that mean you comb the interwebs for music to add; or only create music yourself to upload; or people know to bring their music to you? [probably a bit of all the above]

1:31pm Matt from Springfield:

Wow, thanks Katya! I'm always in the market for "outsider" music. Did you write the description for that entry?

1:32pm Matt from Springfield:

"Ashes to ashes, funk to funky / We know Major Tom's a junkie"!

1:33pm kat330:

@ndbob: Wow, then what a lucky guess! Was really just manipulating a way to get the info from you since I only had a general idea. :)

1:35pm Brian in UK:

What about those who are afraid of winning?

1:35pm kat330:

@Brian VERY valid point.

1:36pm ndbob:

@kat Quite a good guess:)

1:37pm kat330:

Though it IS true my sister's b'day is next Tuesday, too.

1:37pm Katya Oddio:

Kat, yes x 4. Matt, no. Ergo Phizmiz did. He has a FANTASTIC catalog and several side projects on the FMA.

1:38pm Katya Oddio:

Matt, if you like kids performing, may I suggest a pet project Kazoomzoom?
http://www.kazoomzoom.com/

1:39pm Matt from Springfield:

@Katya: 4 yeses to 1 no? I'm such a loser... ;)

1:40pm kat330:

Thanks, Katya!

Matt, you gotta pepper 'em with questions to better your odds.

1:40pm Katya Oddio:

Gah, I'm such a loser for phrasing it like that. No one will ever love me, if I keep it up. ;D

1:41pm Matt from Springfield:

Psapp is great, excellent arrangements too! But then again I'm such a psapp for keyboards and tape loops.

And thanks for the other link Katya! Everyone wins, with children's recordings!

1:43pm Matt from Springfield:

@kat: Gotta spread out a number of questions--just keep shooting buckshot until I hit something! :)

1:44pm kat330:

Sure wish I could have found a local children's choir to perform my contest entry. Would've been so much more mollusk that way.

1:46pm northguineahills:

That David Holmes sounds A LOT like Gainesbourg.

I haven't seen Noah (Retard Riot) Since 2008.

1:46pm kat330:

This Holmes bed music suggests some ambivalence between the track and album titles.

1:47pm Katya Oddio:

Awww! And with all our hearts we will ALWAYS never love you, loser Martha!

1:47pm Katya Oddio:

Kat, the birthday song contest?

1:47pm Vicki:

Hello! Here's one... mediamogul.seas.upenn.edu...

1:48pm Doug S.:

One of my great radio regrets: I had Laura Veirs booked to perform on my show soon after her Carbon Glacier record came out. On that album, she does a song called "Snow Camping" on which a choir of children sing. The same day as Laura's appearance on my show, a group of school kids from Hoboken was visiting WFMU and I was going to endeavor to have them sing with Laura on Snow Camping, but Laura called and cancelled at the last minute. Oh well. What a loser.

1:49pm Matt from Springfield:

@charlie: After all the "My Dick" Amanda played yesterday, there is NAUGHT too puerile for GTDR! ;D

1:49pm charlie:

Oh, hi, Vicki -- yes, thank you.

1:50pm Tower:

I have lots of Uwe Schmidt as Senior Coconut and Atom tm.

1:50pm kat330:

@Katya: Yep, here: freemusicarchive.org...

Aww, Doug, that is the opposite of mollusk. :, Had you already done a lot of rehearsing with them?

1:52pm Katya Oddio:

Cool, Kat!!!

Vicki, think first hearing of "Nobody Loves U" was via a Frenchman on this show
http://www.ouiedire.net/en/show/elsewhere/01/

1:52pm Vicki:

Oh did you have it lined up already?!

1:52pm kat330:

Hey, there's nothing more bracing than a good hard cry from time to time.

1:53pm Doug S.:

@kat330
No. It was all a grand idea that never had the chance to gel. I was going to surprise Laura with a gaggle of kids.

1:53pm Vicki:

oh yes - nice playlist katja

1:54pm listener james from westwood:

some of those judy garland tapes really make for rough listening.

1:55pm charlie:

No, Vicki, I had the "drug attic" track cued up :)
But I've played it a lot before....

1:55pm Katya Oddio:

Wish Judy was still with us punching it out like Wanda is.

1:55pm ndbob:

excellent show Charlie!

1:55pm listener james from westwood:

not sure who i want more to provide the score for the film version of my life: air, david holmes, or the whitefield bros. maybe all 3. air can take my flintstone-vitamin-addled 1970s.

1:55pm Brian in UK:

Was that a giggle of kids. See you later baked potata.
Nice one, Charlie.

1:56pm Vicki:

ah! The whole of Stifled Love is a loser album

1:56pm Matt from Springfield:

Great one, Vicki!

Love this Wanda Jackson!

1:57pm northguineahills:

I love losing this set, Charlie.

1:58pm Katya Oddio:

It's a wonder any of us survive.

1:58pm Vicki:

we don't, eventually

1:58pm kat330:

Loved every last note, sigh, and bawl, Charlie! Thank you!

May not see y'all next week, so everyone have a great week and keep your daily gratitude higher than your daily expectations! :)

1:59pm Carmichael:

I'll be back later for Failure. See ya, Losers!!

2:00pm charlie:

Thanks for being here, losers, I mean friends. Going overtime one song, then I'll leave, I promise ;)

2:00pm Vicki:

Nice show Charlie, only tuned in towards the end cos I've been out - will listen to the archive once you've finished though!

2:00pm frenchee:

ha! So long, suckahs!
Great show, Charlie

2:01pm listener james from westwood:

this loser show lost so hard it went through a loser warp and came out winners. thanks, charlie, and safe, back-friendly travels, doug!

2:01pm kat330:

[Only saying goodbye to those I see here on BDN exclusively]

2:01pm Matt from Springfield:

So thoroughly a loser show, it ended up winning! Thanks charlie!
Have a great afternoon everyone! See ya later kat, if not sooner!

Gratitude higher than expectations!!

2:01pm listener james from westwood:

lol, judas priest got sued for songs less suggestive than this one!

2:02pm Tower:

Great show and great company, or commiseration, whichever you prefer. Thanks Charlie! See ya all!

2:02pm Michael:

Thanks charlie - fun show as always. Watch out for the mud or you'll be a .....
See ya next week!

2:05pm Doug S.:

Losing is for lovers.

2:05pm Katya Oddio:

Suppose we'll see by who is missing next week who took the advice offered in this show. Stick around, gang!

2:08pm joerg:

wel done Charlie, you're a winner

2:08pm charlie:

I predict full attendance! See you all next time.