"Did You Ever Have To Make Up Your Mind" - Lovin' Spoonful, 1965

How does Bob Harris make up his mind what songs to put together for his various BBC Radio 2 programs?

I can't always listen to his Thursday night, Friday night, and Saturday night shows "live". When I can't, I record them and then listen to them on my MP3 player when I can.

I'm teaching in London all this week, so I'm getting caught up on some of Bob's shows while I'm commuting. I was jammed into one of the last available seats on a Thameslink train this evening, after an especially stressful day, listening to the program from Friday night the 14th of October. Bob's musical selections are always so interesting -- really eclectic -- along the lines of some of the playlists from another favorite radio station of mine, KGSR in Austin, Texas.

To my delight, Bob had selected the most interesting sequence of three songs to add to that particular Friday-night show. The first was Genesis' "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" (from 1973's "Selling England By the Pound"), then came Sarah Harmer's "Greeting Card Aisle" (from her CD release "All Of Our Names" -- I discovered her music on one of my trips to Canada for work), and then a recent James McMurtry release called "Childish Things" (from the CD of the same name).

That was an incredible three-some, in my mind...and just when I needed a little cheering up, too! Genesis songs are special favorites of John's, Sarah Harmer is a favorite of mind, and John and I discovered James McMurtry together (because Robert Earl Keen frequently records his songs).

What a gift, Bob! How do you make up your mind what to play on the radio?

Janet