Today was a very special birthday edition of the Memphis Mystery Train. I celebrated my 27th year with a lot of my favorite songs, hastily thrown together in the wee hours of this morning.

Here's what I played today, with the local tracks marked with an asterisk and my notes in italics:

The Clash - Janie Jones
Egyptians - The Party Stomp
Why - Gemini (Birthday Song)
Bruce Springsteen - Dancing in the Dark (made in 1984, just like me!)
Thao with the Get Down, Stay Down - When We Swam
Silver Jews - Random Rules ("In 1984, I was hospitalized for approaching perfection.")
The Exciters - He's Got the Power
*Mouserocket - How to Say No
Elvis Perkins - I Heard Your Voice in Dresden
Yo La Tengo - Emulsified
The Ramones - Swallow My Pride
They Might Be Giants - Ana Ng (Pound your fists on your desk while you listen, ok?)
The Hold Steady - You Can Make Him Like You
*Jack Oblivian - Ain't Got No Money
Wanda Jackson - Hard Headed Woman
The Proclaimers - I'm Gonna Be
*Al Green - I Want to Hold Your Hand
Gories - Nitroglycerine
France Gall - Laisser Tombe les Filles

Neutral Milk Hotel - Ghost
*John Paul Keith and the One Four Fives - Memphis Girls (True story.)
Stars - Soft Revolution
Okkervil River - No Key, No Plan
*Harlan T. Bobo - Zippers and Jeans
Belle and Sebastian - The State I Am In
Those Darlins - Keep My Skillet Good and Greasy
Titus Andronicus - A More Perfect Union (This is 7 minutes long and sounds like 1998, but it's so good right now.)
New Pornographers - Mutiny, I Promise You
Detroit Cobras - Break Away
Modest Mouse - Dashboard
Neko Case - Hold On, Hold On
Rilo Kiley - Portions for Foxes
Rosemary Clooney - Come On-a My House
The Zombies - This Will Be Our Year

As this rather menacing (at least, menacing for volunteer radio) sign notes, WEVL's fall pledge drive starts tomorrow. We know how much it sucks to be hit up for money, so throughout the week, most of the DJs do special themed shows, have guests and generally try to remind you why you love us.

I'm doing three live pledge shows, the first of which is tomorrow afternoon from 2 p.m. - 4 p.m. It's all about food (and eating), and I think you'll really like it. Listen at 89.9 FM in Memphis or at wevl.org.