Podcast
Snap, Crackle, POP! with Alec Cumming
Hosted by Alec Cumming, WPKN · EN
A show dedicated to unapologetically intelligent & melodic pop music that oft includes adventure, ambition, angst, bass shenanigans, bravura, catchiness, cynicism, curiosity, dancability, deft dynamics, economy, forward momentum, glee, grace, hubris, irreverance, irony, love, maximalism, melancholy, minimalism, modesty, naïveté, overreaching, passion, prettiness, proselytizing, protest, questioning, repetition, ribaldry, sarcasm, sexiness, sincerity, specificity, swoon-worthiness, temerity, understanding, vagueness, wisdom, wit and maybe more than a little nostalgia.
29episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Higher Ground: The Songs & Roots of Stevie Wonder (the noon-to-3pm shift)
Mar 1302:54:58Tap to summarizeI usually don't save the fundraising shows I've done - there's an awful lot of begging for money - but I really enjoyed doing this show with I Messiah, the mysterious and stately reggae DJ at WPKN (for over 30 years!) All songs are performed by Stevie Wonder unless otherwise noted. ==============Isn't She Lovely Master Blaster (Jammin')Tell Me Something Good – RufusBoogie On Reggae WomanHigher Ground Heaven Is 10 Zillion Light Years Away It's A Shame – The SpinnersI Was Made to Love Her Fingertips Pts. 1 & 2 - LiveSigned, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) Until You Come Back To Me (That's What I'm Gonna Do) Too HighYou Haven't Done Nothin'Send One Your Love Hey Love I Don't Know Why I Love You I Love Every Little Thing About You – SyreetaI Wish My Cherie AmourThe Tears of a Clown – Smokey Robinson & The MiraclesI Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) Village Ghetto LandLiving for the City Golden Lady You Are the Sunshine of My Life Uptight (Everything’s Alright) High Heel Sneakers (live in Paris, 1965)Do I Do
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Good Morning, you Psychos!
Mar 1001:53:59Tap to summarizeA show wondering if there'll come a day when we won't need love, then offering some unsolicited advice at the end. Good Morning – Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O'ConnerGood Morning, How Are You, Shut Up – Ivor Cutler Trio Psycho Killer (September 1975 demo) – Talking HeadsThe Book I Read (CBS/Columbia 1976 demo) – Talking HeadsI'm Not in Love (1976 demo) – Talking Heads Hanging on the Telephone – The Nerves Forgive and Forget – The MarblesMy Three Sons (Revolve Around the Earth) – The Individuals Is It Better – Sharp PinsShe Calls Me Love – Banda AL9I've Got a Broken Heart – The Lemon Twigs You Bring the Summer – The MonkeesMe & Magdalena – The Monkees The Old Law – Father John MistyReal Deal – Endearments Steel Reserve – Cass McCombs & Chris Cohen To Love Somebody – Al Green Kentucky Too Long – Charley CrockettDiggin' In the Coal – Leah BlevinsIt's Been Too Long – Ringo Starr Here You Come Again – Dolly PartonI Can't Stay Mad at You – Skeeter DavisThe Dean and I – 10ccThat's When the Music Takes Me – Neil Sedaka Unsolicited Advice – Charles Spearin
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Whoopee! We're all Gonna Die
Mar 901:53:49Tap to summarizeI hope the "title" of this episode isn't too on the nose. But that line has been stuck in my head since he passed this weekend. The Masked Marauder – Country Joe & the Fish I-Feel-Like-I'm-Fixin'-To-Die Rag (1965 version) – Country Joe & the Fish Not So Sweet Martha Lorraine – Country Joe & the FishSilver and Gold – Country Joe & the FishComing Into Los Angeles – Arlo Guthrie Hesitation Blues – Hot Tuna Tamalpais High (At About 3) – David CrosbyHave You Seen the Stars Tonite – Paul Kantner and Jefferson StarshipStrawberry Letter 23 – Shuggie Otis After the Gold Rush – k.d. langOnly Love Can Break Your Heart – Neil Young Junk – Paul McCartneyWu-Tang – They Might Be Giants Eyeball – They Might Be GiantsGoodbye Mr. Blue – Father John MistyShooting Star – Sunflower Bean The Monsters of Pig Alley – Morrissey Fresh Air for My Mama – 10ccSolitude Is Exhausting – Paulzon Fire Senses Working Overtime – XTC I Wanna Go with Dignity – Peter Perrett 2468 – Horsegirl
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More Neil Sedaka? YOU GOT IT!
Mar 301:54:55Tap to summarizeWatch this space: my goal is to combine this Tuesday March 3rd 2026 Snap Crackle POP! 7-9 am episode (which is 95% dedicated to Neil music) with the previous Monday March 2nd Snap Crackle POP! 7-9 am episode (which is 100% dedicated to Neil music and is co-hosted by the great Dawn Eden Goldstein), and neaten it all up somehow, so you can get all yer NEIL SEDACKY [tm Carole King] in one place. Stay tun-ed. (And if anyone wonders how my daughter's fabulous new single made the set list, I would argue she's following a Brill Building-path and has major-league songwriting chops - like, yes, Neil - and that her track can stand with the others on this show. Seriously.) Working On a Groovy Thing– The 5th Dimension Let the Good Times In – The Love GenerationLet the Good Times In – The Partridge FamilyRainy Jane – Davy JonesSugar (demo) – Neil SedakaWe Had a Good Thing Goin' – The Cyrkle (Is This The Way To) Amarillo – Tony ChristieI'm a Song, Sing Me – Neil Sedaka Superbird – Neil Sedaka Solitaire – Neil SedakaIt Hurts to Be in Love – Gene Pitney Donna – 10cc Love Will Keep us Together – The Captain & TenillePuppet Man – The 5th Dimension Don't Let It Mess Your Mind The Hungry Years – Neil Sedaka The Immigrant – Neil Sedaka Just Once In My Life (demo) – Carole KingOcean In His Eyes – Glen CambellMy Life – Julia Cumming Everything Put Together Falls Apart – Paul Simon Beginning to Breathe Again – Neil Sedaka
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Neil Sedaka, RIP! (Part 1?)
Mar 201:55:59Tap to summarizeI am probably going to re-upload this show shortly, vut for the time being here's this morning's Snap Crackle POP! tribute to Neil Sedaka, with my amazing co-host Dawn Eden Goldstein! [All songs are performed by Neil Sedaka unless otherwise noted.] That's When the Music Takes Me Stupid Cupid – Connie Francis The Diary I Go Ape One Way Ticket (To the Blues) Oh! Carol Oh! Neil – Carole King Where The Boys Are – Connie Francis Personality – Lloyd Price Calendar Girl Breaking Up Is Hard to Do I Can't Stay Mad at You – Skeeter Davis Magic Colors – Lesley GoreKissin' My Life Away (excerpt) – The Hondells When Love Comes Knockin' (At Your Door) – The Monkees Oh, Don't Come Crying Back To Me – Something Young Just to Let You Know (I Love You So) – California (Curt Boettcher)Beautiful You Love Will Keep Us TogetherLaughter In the Rain Bad Blood Breaking Up Is Hard To Do (Slow Version) Anywhere You're Gonna Be (Leba's Song)
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TOO. MUCH. SNOW.
Feb 2401:55:02Tap to summarizeSnowhaustion? These g-ddamn blizzards keep happening on Sunday nights, which means these days that the Monday- and Tuesday- wee hours commute to WPKN's Fairfield Avenue studios in downtown Bridgeport becomes impossible, so I have to pre-record these shows, which often improves the quality of the show (yay!) but it takes me too much damn time to prepare (boo!_ because I fuss over them too much. (Did I write about this about yesterday's show? I'm losing it, people. A mind is a terrible thing.)This was actually a re-jiggered - and, franky, improved - January 26th show. I think it came out well. My apologies to Steve Di Costanzo for my forgetting to mention that I was filling in for his RADIO BASE CAMP SHOW, as I will continue to do until April. Enjoy your world travels, Steve, but get back here safely and soonly! Cold, Cold, Cold – Little FeatBlizzard of '77 – Nada SurfCold Hands, Warm Heart – Brendan BensonSnowglobe – Sugar Fight Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out – Bruce Springsteen & the E Street BandColdest Winter EVER! – Lewis BlackShe’s So Cold – The Rolling StonesIce Cold Daydream – Shuggie Otis Slip Slidin’ Away – Paul SimonThe Blizzard – Camera ObscuraCold, Cold Heart – Norah Jones (Hank Williams cover)Out In the Cold Again – Sam CookeSnow – Claudine Longet (Randy Newman cover) Snowfall – EisleyLooks Like a Cold, Cold Winter – Ingrid MichaelsonSong for a Winter’s Night – Gordon LightfootHazy Shade of Winter – Simon & GarfunkelAvenue – Saint Etienne The Fox in The Snow – Belle & Sebastian Cold Light of Day – Lewisburg Howlin’ Wind – Graham Parker & The Rumour (R.I.P. & thank you Andrew Bodnar)Ice Cold Ice – Hüsker DüWhen It Touches You, A Snowflake Dies – Norma TanegaSoon It Will Be Cold Enough – Emancipator It’s a Cold Night for Alligators – Roky EricksonThe Blizzard – Jim Reeves Amid the Falling Snow – EnyaThe Frozen Man – James Taylor Walking On Thin Ice – Yoko OnoSometimes in Winter – Blood, Sweat & Tears (Hey, you guys know that you can friend me on Facebook so you can get the latest info on upcoming SCP broadcasts, right??)
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Calvin, O Calvin...
Feb 2301:54:54Tap to summarizeToday was the crazy-ass "Calvin" blizzard day - still happening as I post this - so for this morning it was time for another last-minute Sunday pre-recorded Snap Crackle POP! show for a Monday morning. And yeah, yada yada I like to do these shows live, weather traffic yada yada, and pre-recording is such a pain because I fuss over the shows too much (tho grateful to have an opportunity to delete all my ummms and ahhhs and delete my word-retrieval shenanigans). But this show gets to the point, PLUS I get to play my daughter Julia's first-ever solo single. I'm enjoying the re-listen, especially after last week's live fiascoes. Valhalla, I am coming!=================Cold Rain and Snow (live at the Capitol Theatre, Port Chester, NY 2/21/1971) – Grateful Dead Angel In the Snow – Elliot Smith Valley Winter Song – Fountains of Cold As Ice – Foreigner Hazy Shade of Winter – The Bangles Wu Tang – They Might Be GiantsGoodbye Girl – The Shins Junior’s Farm (live BBC 2) – Squeeze Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five – Paul McCartney and Wings The Immigrant Song – Led ZeppelinSnow Blind – Black SabbathHeavy Snow – Lightnin’ HopkinsCold, Cold Heart – Hank WilliamsHold Steady – Queen Esther Headless Heroes – Eugene McDaniels My Life – Julia Cumming Anyone Who Ever Had a Heart (live) – Wynonna So Far Away – Carole KingThat’s the Way I’ve Always Heard It Should Be – Carly Simon American Obituary – U2How Much Did You Get for Your Soul? – Lucinda WilliamsA Plea – Flea The Windows of the World – Dionne WarwickWinter (Giles Martin 2020 mix) – The Rolling StonesFrozen Pines – Lord Huron White Winter Hymnal – Fleet FoxesFreeing Wheels – Souled American
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It's a Mardi Gras WPKN Fun(d)raiser!
Feb 1302:41:58Tap to summarizeLaissez les bons temps rouler! Yes, this is a fundraiser for our dear radio station, but the music is SO GOOD and I had SO MUCH FUN. Christine Ohlman (The Beehive Queen!) and Amy Wachtel (The Night Nurse!) and I had never hung out - heck, I hadn't even met Christine, a legendary and soulful vocalist/performer who fronts NBC's Saturday Night Live, whom I was hoping I could someday meet, until 10 minutes to air. (I was 50 minutes late!!! So sorry ladies.) It was such a pleasure doing this show, and - you know - I really do miss New Orleans. I gotta get back there, tout de suite!!!Barefootin' – Robert ParkerEnjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think) – The Specials504 – Soul Rebels Brass Band Meet De Boys On The Battlefront - The Wild TchoupitoulasIko, Iko – The Dixie CupsJa Funmi – King Sunny Ade 79rs Bout to Blow – 79rs Gang Holy Cow – Lee DorseyLet the Four Winds Blow – Toots & The MaytalsHey Pocky Way – The Neville Brothers She Put the Hurt on Me – Prince La LaWho Shot the Lala – Oliver MorganThey All Ask'd for You – The MetersParty Time – Lee “Scratch” Perry Tell It Like It Is – Aaron NevilleYou Talk Too Much – Joe Jones Here Comes the Hotstepper – Ini KamozeTime Is On My Side – Irma ThomasHouse Of The Rising Sun – Gregory Isaacs Tell The Truth (Uptown Remix) – Jon Batiste feat. Big Chief RomeoLady Marmalade – LaBelleTrick Bag – Earl KingI'm Gone – Jon Cleary One Scotch – Admiral Bailey & Chaka DemusSophisticated Cissy – The MetersOoh Poo Pah Do – Jessie HillMy People – Cha Wa Right Place Wrong Time – Dr. JohnLife (Is What You Make of It) – Frighty Ride Your Pony – Lee DorseySay Hey [I Love You] – Michael Franti & Spearhead Feat. Cherine AndersonBony Moronie – Larry WilliamsWalking To New Orleans – Fats Domino Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans? - Louis Armstrong
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Magic In The Air: The Big, Orchestral Pop Sound of Black America (part 1?)
Feb 901:50:49Tap to summarizeAs part WPKN's Black History Month celebration, I focus here on the type of music Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff and Thom Bell made - something I'm here calling "Black Orchestral Pop", and what some others would call "Champagne Soul" (although that can be a problematic phrase to the creators themselves). Ironically, this music is such a focus of love and a huge topic for me... it was ridiculous that I dedicated a 2-hour show to it - I only played one Thom Bell song, right at the end. I HAVE TO DO ANOTHER ONE. There Goes My Baby – The DriftersSmoke Gets In Your Eyes – The PlattersI Only Have Eyes For You – The FlamingosDon't Make Me Over – Dionne WarwickMake It Easy On Yourself – Jerry ButlerBaby I'm Yours – Barbara LewisAny Day Now (My Wild Beautiful Bird) – Chuck JacksonI Hear a Symphony – The SupremesReach Out (I'll Be There) –The Four TopsMy Whole World Ended (The Moment You Left Me) – David RuffinGive Me Just a Little More Time – Chairmen of the BoardStay with Me – Lorraine EllisonThe Last One to Be Loved – Lou JohnsonGoin' Out of My Head – Little Anthony & the ImperialsAin't Nothing Like the Real Thing – Marvin Gaye & Tammi TerrellSomeday We'll Be Together – Diana Ross & the SupremesCalifornia Soul – The 5th DimensionWhere Is the Love – Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway (Groovefunkel Extended Remix)A Song for You – Donny HathawayI'm Going Down – Rose RoyceJust My Imagination (Running Away with Me) – The TemptationsKeep On Truckin' (part 1) – Eddie KendricksRainy Night In Georgia – Brook BentonDidn't I Blow Your Mind This Time – The Delfonics
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