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Jukebox Gems - Luister FM Jou gasheer is Doron Blackman, 'n musikant self met 'n passie vir die kunste.

Sunday Morning's 9:00 - 12:00
Luister FM 90.6
Listen Online - www.luisterfm.co.za

Jukebox Gems is 'n gespesialiseerde musiekprogram wat u die treffers van gister bied, met al die stories van u gunsteling klassieke kunstenaars. Sluit elke Sondag by ons aan vir 'n vertoning vol wonderlike musiek, stories en meer, en besoek hierdie bladsy vir 'n wenk oor wat in die volgende vertoning sal wees.

19/09/2026

On this day in 1968, the Beatles single “Hey Jude” debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at #10 (September 14)

It also went to #1 on the UK charts earlier in the week, on September 10.

Written by Paul McCartney, it was the Beatles' first release on their Apple record label, and was a #1 hit in many countries around the world, becoming the year's top-selling single in the UK, the US, Australia and Canada.

Its nine-week run at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 tied the all-time record in 1968 for the longest run at the top of the US charts, a record it held for nine years.

At over seven minutes in length, "Hey Jude" was the longest single to top the UK charts up to that time.

The ballad evolved from "Hey Jules", a song McCartney wrote to comfort John Lennon's son, Julian, after Lennon had left his wife for Yoko.

In 1997, McCartney recalled:

“I started with the idea "Hey Jules," which was Julian, don't make it bad, take a sad song and make it better. Hey, try and deal with this terrible thing.
I knew it was not going to be easy for him. I always feel sorry for kids in divorces ...”

"Hey Jude" was inducted into the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences Grammy Hall of Fame in 2001 and it is one of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's "500 Songs That Shaped Rock & Roll".

In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked "Hey Jude" at #8 on the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time", making it the highest-placed Beatles song on the list.

Click on the link below to watch:

https://youtu.be/5sep81sspkU

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19/09/2026

On this day in 1990, the Steve Miller Band single “The Joker” went to #1 on the UK Singles Chart (September 15)

It originally went to #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in early 1974 and reached the top 20 in Australia, Canada, and the Netherlands.

But more than 16 years later, in September 1990, "The Joker" reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart for two weeks after being used in a television advertisement for Levi's, thus holding the record for the longest gap between transatlantic chart-toppers.

This reissue of "The Joker" also topped the Irish Singles Chart, the New Zealand Singles Chart, the Dutch Nationale Top 100, and the Dutch Top 40.

Songfacts points out that the line, "Some people call me The Space Cowboy" is a reference to Miller's 1969 song "Space Cowboy”, the line, "Some call me a gangster of love" is a reference to his song "Gangster of Love”, while the line, "Some people call me Maurice" is a reference to Miller's 1972 song "Enter Maurice."

Steve Miller got the line at the end, "I really love your peaches want to shake your tree, lovey dovey, lovey dovey..." from "Lovey Dovey," a 1953 song by R&B group The Clovers.

That song's co-writers were Eddie Curtis, and Ahmet Ertegun, who later became head of Atlantic Records.
Miller was sued for plagiarism, so Curtis and Ertegun got co-writing credits on “The Joker”.

Miller recalled to Mojo magazine in 2012: "To me, it was an old blues double entendre, but I had to give him credit. I don't mind having Ahmet's name beside mine though."

The song from the LP of the same name has not only become one of the Steve Miller Band’s signature songs, but is also an enduring classic of the era…

Click on the link below to watch it:

https://youtu.be/dV3AziKTBUo

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19/09/2026

This week in 1979, the Randy VanWarmer single “Just When I Needed You Most” peaked on the UK Singles Chart at #8 (September 15)

VanWarmer was inspired to write "Just When I Needed You Most" by two events: his old car, that he loved and used for years, broke down on his way to work in Denver, Colorado, and he experienced a "devastating" breakup with a girlfriend.

He wrote the song six months after that breakup, co-writing it with Tony Wilson of the group Hot Chocolate two years before it became a hit.

“Just When I Needed You Most" eventually peaked at #4 in the US, #8 in the UK, and #9 in New Zealand.

It also made it to #1 on the US Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

VanWarmer attributed its success to empathy for its heartbreak scenario:

“It's happened to everyone. That emotion is universal...
I always hoped the record wasn't wallowing in self-pity and it had some redeeming value, and I guess it does."

The autoharp instrumental break between the second and third verses was performed by the Lovin’ Spoonful’s John Sebastian.

Click on the link below to watch:

https://youtu.be/yBOQgL731Ac

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19/09/2026

This week in 1974, the Leo Sayer single “Long Tall Glasses (I Can Dance)” debuted on the UK Singles Chart at #48 (September 14)

The catchy track became Leo Sayer’s first Top 10 hit in the US, peaking at #9 on the Hot 100.

It also went to #2 in the Netherlands, #3 in Belgium, #4 in the UK and Ireland, #7 in Australia, and #9 in South Africa.

The song from the album “Just a Boy” was co-written by Sayer and David Courtney, who had both teamed up to write all bar two songs on Roger Daltry’s debut solo LP a couple of years before, including “One Man Band”.

Click on the link below to watch:

https://youtu.be/c44JQWLqrCY

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Another great tune on our show this Sunday, is "Lay Down," released in 1972, which I think is a definitive folk-rock ant...
19/09/2026

Another great tune on our show this Sunday, is "Lay Down," released in 1972, which I think is a definitive folk-rock anthem and the biggest chart hit for the British progressive-folk band The Strawbs.

Written by the band’s visionary leader, Dave Cousins, the track is heavily inspired by a traditional 19th-century hymn, blending soaring, spiritual harmonies with electric, driving rock instrumentation.

Cousins, who I had the pleasure of meeting back in the day, is justifiably celebrated as one of England’s most literate and enduring singer-songwriters. He is known for his distinctively expressive voice and brilliant multi-instrumental mastery of the banjo, dulcimer, and acoustic guitar. His masterful composition transformed the song into a powerful, transcendent plea for inner peace and human connection.

Dave and I had something in common, and that was a lovely for radio. He served as a producer for Denmark’s Radio from 1969 to 1979. He also worked as the programme controller for Radio Tees, and became the highly successful managing director of Devon Air in England between 1982 and 1990.

This gave me the opportunity to introduce myself to the man. While you can see I was a little embarrassed, my gorgeous wife insisted on taking a picture, and to this day I am so grateful she did.

R.I.P Dave....

19/09/2026

On this day in 1976, the Peter Frampton single “Do You Feel Like We Do?” debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at #77 (September 18)

The song originally released on his 1973 studio album “Frampton's Camel”, was one of the three hit singles released from his signature 1976 live album “Frampton Comes Alive!”.

"Do You Feel Like We Do" became the closing number of his set and one of the highlights of a Peter Frampton show.

His concert version was considerably longer than the 6 minutes 44 seconds studio recording, with the version recorded on “Frampton Comes Alive!” alone exceeding 14 minutes, 4 of which are spent in the rock intro, 4 in the loud rock subito fortissimo outro, and 6 in the long, quiet bridge, featuring several instrumental solos utilizing Bob Mayo's electric piano and Frampton's guitar and talk box skills.

On the charts, the song went to #7 in Canada, #10 in the US, #33 in New Zealand, and #37 in the UK.

Click on the link below to watch him do it live:

https://youtu.be/y7rFYbMhcG8?si=ac0tuNIXrxe0OvAU

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Song number 2 this Sunday, is a very special tune from Paul Simon, which I believe he penned in memory of the great John...
19/09/2026

Song number 2 this Sunday, is a very special tune from Paul Simon, which I believe he penned in memory of the great John Lennon. I've never heard this song played on radio before, but it's my absolute favourite PS release.

"The Late Great Johnny Ace," released on Paul Simon's 1983 solo album Hearts and Bones, is a deeply poignant, autobiographical reflection on the loss of cultural innocence.

Simon wrote the song to explore how senseless violence has shaped his generation's history, weaving together the tragic deaths of three distinct men named "John". The track begins with R&B singer Johnny Ace who died from an accidental, self-inflicted gunshot wound on Christmas Day in 1954.

For a 13-year-old Simon, Ace’s passing marked the very first time he experienced the shocking death of a public figure he admired. The narrative then transitions through the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy.

The third and primary catalyst that compelled Simon to finish the piece was the devastating murder of John Lennon in December 1980.

Lennon’s death occurred right as Simon was working on the song. By crowning Lennon as the ultimate "Johnny Ace" of his era—the highest card in the deck—Simon uses the track to grieve his peer. Similar to our opening tune, Simon concludes with a somber, classical music coda, this time composed by Philip Glass. If you don't know this tune, please do not miss this, our #2 song for Jukebox Gems - Luister FM this Sunday morning.

While I'm pushing buttons here, let me tell you that tomorrow we open with the original version of 'Layla', from Derek a...
19/09/2026

While I'm pushing buttons here, let me tell you that tomorrow we open with the original version of 'Layla', from Derek and the Dominoes.

"Layla," released in 1970 by Derek and the Dominos, stands as one of rock history's ultimate masterpieces, and is well deserving of opening our show.

Written by Eric Clapton and Jim Gordon, the track was inspired by Clapton's agonizing, unrequited love for Pattie Boyd, who was married to his close friend and Beatles guitarist George Harrison.

The title itself draws from a 12th-century Persian poem, Layla and Majnun, about a man driven mad by unattainable love.
The song is famously split into two distinct, contrasting movements.

The first half is a high-octane rock anthem defined by its urgent, searing guitar riffs—propelled by the legendary dual-guitar interplay between Clapton and Duane Allman.

The second half shifts beautifully into a haunting, melancholic piano coda composed by Gordon, featuring cascading slide guitars that evoke a sense of bittersweet release.
Initially a commercial disappointment, "Layla" went on to achieve critical acclaim and massive chart success upon its re-release in 1972 and again with Clapton's acoustic Unplugged version in 1992.

Today, it remains an essential pillar of classic rock radio, making it the perfect showcase piece to kick off a musical journey through Jukebox Gems.

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