Snap, Crackle, POP! with Alec Cumming

This is a VERY SPECIAL SUPERSIZED EDITION of SNAP CRACKLE POP! On Monday, October 19th 2026, I aired a 2-hour version of a show I had originally aired on WPKN in December 2022, when John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants called in for an interview to help promote his band's New Years Eve gig... in 2022. Fast forward (almost) four years, and I'm noticing that They Might Be Giants will be BACK at New Haven's College Street Music Hall on December 31, 2026! So I decided to replay the 2022 interview on Monday, with my exhortations to have listeners email in for a ticket giveaway. 

But - check THIS out - now I'm uploading the show, I decided to add in more than a half-hour MORE music and MORE John Flansburg that I had leftover from the 2022 interview! Plus new music from the lads on their excellent 2026 album THE WORLD IS TO DIG. So this is pretty substantial... and I hope you enjoy! Thank you, John. I LOVE THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS.  

Wu-Tang (The World Is To Dig, 2026)

13 [excerpt] (Miscellaneous T, 1991)

Boat Of Car (They Might Be Giants, 1986)

Number Three (They Might Be Giants, 1986)

We’re The Replacements (Miscellaneous T, 1991)

Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head (They Might Be Giants, 1986)

Don’t Let’s Start (They Might Be Giants, 1986) 

Snowball in Hell (Lincoln, 1988)

Piece of Dirt (Lincoln, 1988)

Ana Ng (Lincoln, 1988)

Your Racist Friend (Flood, 1990)

Older (Long Tall Weekend, 1999)

I Palindrome I (Apollo 18, 1992)

Fingertips (Apollo 18, 1992) 

Meet James Ensor (John Henry, 1994)

Laughing – Pere Ubu (The Modern Dance, 1977)

Boots – The Residents (Meet The Residents, 1974)

I Should Be Allowed To Think (John Henry, 1994)

S-E-X-X-Y (Factory Showroom, 1996)

I Can Hear You (Factory Showroom, 1996) 

James K. Polk (Factory Showroom, 1996) 

Doctor Worm (Severe Tire Damage, 1998)

Mink Car (Mink Car, 2001)

No! (No!, 2002)

Fibber Island (No!, 2002)

Boss Of Me (Mink Car, 2001)

Flying V (Here Come the ABCs, 2005) 

Violin (No!, 2002)

Twisting (Flood, 1990)

Here In Higglytown (Here Come the ABCs, 2005)

Another First Kiss (Mink Car, 2001) 

Cloissoné (Join Us, 2011)

All Alone (They Got Lost, 2002)

Memo to Human Resources (The Spine, 2005)

Wicked Little Critta (Mink Car, 2001) 

Can’t Keep Johnny Down (Join Us, 2011)

You’re on Fire (Nanobots, 2013)

The Communists Have the Music (My Murdered Remains, 2018)

Moonbean Rays (Book, 2021)

Overnight Sensation (The World Is To Dig, 2026)

They Might Be Giants (Flood, 1990) 

Birdhouse In Your Soul (Flood, 1990)

I actually edited out a lot of the complaining I've been doing lately about my laptop and being flustered about being flustered, but you can still hear me bitching at the beginning, and I HAVE TO STOP. It's time to Get Things Done! Inspired by the new Joe McGinty/Paige Siegwardt jam and the stunning new Tom Waits cover by Eddie Skuller, I'm moving forward with a (sassy) New Attitude! Or something like that. 

Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In – The 5th Dimension 

Toledo – Elvis Costello

Corner Of My Eye – The Lemon Twigs

Rosy, Won't You Please Come Home – The Kinks

Yours Forever – Bishop Briggs feat. Matt Maeson

Charles Atlas/I Can't Reach You – The Who

You Need a Mess of Help to Stand Alone – The Beach Boys

Mom, I’m Going Back to Therapy – Julia Cumming 

Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town – Kenny Rogers & The First Edition

Angel On Your Shoulder – Dave Alvin 

Border Radio – The Blasters

I'm Shakin' – Little Willie John

Someday, Someway – Marshall Crenshaw 

The Magic Number – De La Soul 

Answer Me, My Love – Swamp Dogg 

Buffalo Stance – Neneh Cherry

Get Things Done! – Joe McGinty feat. Paige Siegwardt and The Joe McGinty 7 

Wendy – Joe McGinty & Jesse Malin

Air on a G String – Baby Steps

House Where Nobody Lives – Eddie Skuller

Rock On – Eddie Skuller

Didn't Want to Have to Do It – Ralfi Pagan 

Coconut Grove – The Lovin' Spoonful

September Song (live) – Rufus Wainwright 

Mezcal Moth – Ward White 

On September 3rd 2018, I had a 3-hour 4-7 afternoon on-air shift at WPKN. It was Labor Day, and before the show I put out a "hive mind" request on Facebook for recommenmdations on songs that would be, well, good to play on Labor Day, about Labor, as this holiday is particularly distant from its reason for being - it's almost completely only thought of the "summer is over, back to school/work" holiday. I got over 400 replies! When I got to the (old) WPKN Studios at the University of Bridgeport, the AC was not working, and boy did I complain. 🙄 I edited out of most of the whiny complaining part for today's show. 

Now it's September 7, 2026 (zoom!) and it's once again a Labor Day and a Monday, the day on which I now have a weekly two-hour "drive time" 7-9am morning show. I decided to resuscitate, as it were, the 2018 show and songs, with a tiny bit of updated VO and "rewind" sound effects. So I did, and here's what today's show sounded like, with a little "thank you" coda at the end. 

Minimum Wage – They Might Be Giants

Get a Job – The Silhouettes

Working in The Coal Mine – Lee Dorsey 

Big Boss Man – Jimmy Reed

Chain Gang – Sam Cooke 

Back On the Chain Gang – The Pretenders

9 to 5 – Dolly Parton

Car Wash – Rose Royce 

A Day in the Life of a Working Man – David Ruffin 

I've Been Working – Van Morison 

Bus Rider – Guess Who 

Working Too Hard – The Beat 

Millworker – Bette Midler 

Allentown – Billy Joel 

5 O’Clock World – The Vogues 

Matthew & Son – Cat Stevens

I Just Got My Pay – The Beach Boys 

Government Center – Jonathan Richman & The Rubinoos 

Manic Monday (extended version) – The Bangles 

Don't Worry About the Government (live) – Talking Heads 

The Good Thing – Talking Heads 

Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now – The Smiths 

There Is Power in a Union – Billy Bragg

Take Stuff from Work – King Missile (feat. John S. Hall)

Workingman's Blues #2 – Bob Dylan 

VDT – Tom Juravich 

Sick Day – Fountains of Wayne 

It’s Not My Place (In the 9 to 5 world) – The Ramones

Career Opportunities – The Clash 

Clampdown – The Clash 

Shipbuilding – Robert Wyatt 

Unemployment – JJ Cale

Welcome to the Working Week – Elvis Costello

Thank you for all the song recommendations via Facebook! Mark Sagarin, Bill Holdship, Patrick Trettenero, Daniel Martin Baker, Marice Elizabeth, Larry Stockel, Jimmy Howland, Daniel Martin Baker, John S. Hall, Jeff Samet, David Belgrave, Jhh Lowengard, Darren DeVivo, Bruce Bernstein, Howard Wuelfing and Norm Wallerstein (RIP)

(Artwork pictured: "Workers on the Cathedral of Learning" by Harry W. Scheuch, born Elizabeth, NJ 1906, died Pittsburgh, PA 1978.)

This show features:
- my current long-term Monkees obsession (long live Micky Dolenz and his ongoing love of psychedelia!)
- a buncha great new or new-ish songs, as per usual, if I say so myself
- a really touching, sad and yet melodically catchy song from a father about a son who passed away far too soon 
- a sneak peek at an upcoming Gershwin Brothers interview/special (sorry I didn't get to mention it on the air, or even back announce it, I was distracted by my incoming live in-studio guest)
- a last half-hour or so where I have head Zamboni (and host of WPKN's Storied Sounds) Dave Schneider on as my guest, as we talk about The Coveralls' August 22nd gig at Black Rock Porchfest 2026, the Zambonis' upcoming ferryboat excursion (next stop: Port Jeff!) and some upcoming Hanukkah (Chanukah? Xanukah?) magic with the LeeVees this December

Lost Boys – Phoebe Bridgers

Waiting for Day – Micky Dolenz

Birth of an Accidental Hipster – The Monkees  

The Door into Summer (live) – The Monkees  

Come to Me – Vicki Peterson & John Cowsill

Oh Dorian – Ben Kweller (feat. MJ Lenderman)

Break the Jaw – Madison Cunningham 

Revel In the Knowledge – Julia Cumming

Good Times // End Times – Goose

Stone Over Water – Death Cab for Cutie

Stray Cats in Spain – Jeff Tweedy

Scour Your Heart – Stephanie Seymour

Bianca Sativa – The Gershwin Brothers

Sea Of Heartbreak – Johnny Cash feat. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

I Don't Like Hockey No More – The Zambonis

I Never Lived – Joybuzzer

Hockey Monkey – The Zambonis feat. James Kochalka Superstar 

How Do You Spell Channukkahh? – The LeeVees

Buckaroo – The Buckaroos

One of my "new music" shows, which I should probably do more of. Or else I should keep a higher percentage of new-ish material placed alongside the various pop music rabbit holes the show oft burrows itself down into. Anyway, I like this one. "The "Hammond Song" cover is a good 'un, but you knew I'd say that, right? But it really really IS. 

You Retreat in Time and Space [Time edit] – Boards of Canada

Immortal Hands – Stereolab 

The Vision & The Call – Laurelynn Dossett featuring Charly Lowry 

The Hallelujah Trail – Charley Crockett

Casablanca – Susannah Hoffs 

Lilac Wine – Arooj Aftab & Beck 

The Book of Love – Olivia Rodrigo 

Sunday Morning – Beth Gibbons 

Hammond Song – Wolf Alice (feat. Julia Cumming & Bria Saldana) 

White Horses – Wolf Alice 

moody – Royel Otis 

In Spirit – WHY?

I Only Ever Wanted to See You Fail – The Reds, Pinks and Purples

Long After Midnight – Flock of Dimes 

Long Way to Fall – Bedouine 

Oh My Love – John Lennon 

Yours Forever – Bishop Briggs (feat. Matt Maeson)

Unfinished Sympathy (live) – Hooverphonic 

Doomscrollin’ – The Gershwin Brothers 

What Are You Doing for the Rest of Your Life? – Kandace Springs 

This Is Your Night – The Flat Five 

Chelsea Morning – Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66

Light Flight – Pentangle

Summertime, Summertime – Foggy Otis

Aquarius (partial) – Boards of Canada   

I've gotten to know the mysterious, enigmatic, and rather brilliant deejay Kid Ginseng - a producer and turntablist with deep roots in early classic hip-hop and underground dance music - a little bit over the last few years, and I love talking with him about how he puts together his minimalist (or are they maximalist?), classic electrofunk jams. The Kid is living and creating in the present yet is deeply knowledgable about the jam-masters who've come before him. (He's also a really sweet guy.) So a few weeks ago - at the Coveralls gig at Walrus Alley in Westport, to be exact - I asked him if he would join me on my Monday morning Snap Crackle POP! show someday. 

And on this sunny summer Bridgeport morning he did! And he even debuted his newest mixtape, which incorporates some really deep-stark-funky jams and beats, both new and vintage, alongside his own innovative tracks from the last few years. We agreed to swoop in and out of the mix like we were at a party, which was really really fun and enlightening for me. So here it is, with a particularly boogie-down episode of Snap, Crackle, BOUNCE! (I mean POP!)

Big Fun – Inner City 

Cavern – Liquid Liquid

U.F.O. – ESG

Last Night a D.J. Saved My Life – Indeep

Let the Music Play – Shannon

The Adventures of Grandmaster Flash on the Wheels of Steel – Grandmaster Flash

Kraftjerkz Freakout Mix # 3 – featuring: 

* Don’t Stop (intro) – Kid Ginseng

* Looking for the Perfect Beat (instrumental) – Afrika Bambaataa

* Love Can’t Wait – Tony “Dr. Edit” Garcia feat. Lil Suzy

* I Need a Freak – Sexual Harassment

* Night Drive Break

* Rock the Planet – The Megatrons

* Fix It in the Mix (instrumental) – Pretty Tony

* My Tascam – Kid Ginseng

* I Go Off – Kid Ginseng

* Eye Spy – Unsighted

* It’s Nokoman – DJ Technician

* East 7 Miles – CEM3340

* Crackworld – DJ Di’jital

* Armada (DJ Maaco Remix) – DJ Di’jital

* 808 Kits – DJ Di’jital

Computer Love – Kraftwerk

I hope it doesn't seem odd to have a "Wooo!" in this podcast's headline, in terms of the fact that our honoree - early '60s rocker Freddy Cannon - passed away this previous weekend. He was a "Wooo!" kind of guy, and his music was unquestionably joyous rock 'n' roll. (Subtlety was not his forte.) So a lot of today's music was joyous (almost all of it, anyway) as Dawn Eden Goldstein and I took a musical journey through the years 1959 through 1963/4, what one might call the post-Elvis-getting-into-the-army and pre-Beatles pop music era. Did Elvis die when he went into the service? Did Rock 'n' Roll? Maybe Don McLean would differ, but Dawn, Freddy and I say "nay".  And then: "Wooo!"

Action (theme song for ABC-TV's “Where The Action Is”) – Freddy Cannon 

Don't Ever Charge – The Crickets

Claudette (demo) – Roy Orbison

Sweet Suzie – Johnny Burnette 

Crying In the Rain – Carole King 

From Me to You – Del Shannon 

Tallahassee Lassie – Flamin' Groovies 

Soldier of Love – Arthur Alexander

Rock and Roll Will Never Die – Wild Hares

Time’s Passing By – Lia Pamina & Dario Persi

Dumb Head – Ginny Arnell 

He’s a Rebel – The Crystals

Half Heaven Half Heartache – Gene Pitney

Killer Joe – The Rocky Fellers

Hippie Hippy Shake – Chan Romero 

Tallahassee Lassie – Freddie Cannon 

Transistor Sister – Freddie Cannon

Way Down Yonder in New Orleans – Freddy Cannon

Bony Moronie – Larry Williams
 Whole Lotta Loving – Fats Domino

Palisades Park – Freddy Cannon 

Stuck On You – Elvis Presley 

Fortune Teller – Benny Spellman 

You're No Good – Dee Dee Warwick 

The Last One to Be Loved – Lou Johnson 

This Empty Place – The Searchers

Have I the Right – The Honeycombs
 Just What I Needed – Big Daddy

Okefenokee – Freddy Cannon
Palisades Park – The Beach Boys

Long live The Rolling Stones! And Aggie Miller and Nick Kivlen and everybody, for that matter. 

Never Wanna Lose You – The Rolling Stones   

Covered In You – The Rolling Stones   

Dandelion – The Rolling Stones

Baby You're a Rich Man – The Beatles

Emotional Rescue – The Rolling Stones      

Monday the 13th – The Afterschools

Blast – Hovvdy 

Lovesick – Wishy 

If You Change – Widowspeak 

Lost Boys – Phoebe Bridgers

Sadie – Aggie Miller 

the feeling – Steve Lacy 

Good Times / End Times – Goose

Addicted to the Sunset – Nick Kivlen 

Stone Over Water – Death Cab for Cutie 

Me and Magdalena (Version 2) – The Monkees

Terri – Micky Dolenz 

Doomscrollin' – The Gershwin Brothers

Dead End Street – The Kinks

Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometimes – Beck     

It was supposed to rain more than it actually did this Monday morning. But I stuck with the playlist, reality be damned. 

Summer Rain – Johnny Rivers 

Here's That Rainy Day (Koop Remix) – Astrud Gilberto 

Raindrops – Dee Clark 

Summer Rain – Leon Bridges (feat. Jazmine Sullivan)

Why Does It Always Rain on Me? – Travis 

Rainy Days and Mondays – The Carpenters 

Here Comes That Rainy Day Feeling Again – The Fortunes 

Crying Inside – Nick Lowe & Los Straightjackets

Ram On – Paul & Linda McCartney 

Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey – Paul & Linda McCartney 

Season Cycle – XTC 

I Can't Stand the Rain – Ann Peebles 

I Think It's Gonna Rain Today – Dusty Springfield 

It's Raining Today – Scott Walker 

Carolina Rain – Rhiannon Giddens 

Rainy Day – Shuggie Otis

I Wish It Would Rain – Temptations  

Rain on the Roof – The Lovin' Spoonful

Rain Hat Day – Luper Dupree

It's Raining Again – Supertramp

Crying In the Rain – Carole King 

Laughter In the Rain – Neil Sedaka

Raining In My Heart – Graham Nash 

The End of Comedy – Drugdealer (feat. Weyes Blood)

That Summer Feeling – Jonathan Richman

Shiny Happy People – Mickey Dolenz

Porpoise Song – The Monkees
The Door Into Summer – The Monkees
You Bring the Summer – The Monkees
Terri – Mickey Dolenz

Kiss Me on the Bus – The Replacements
Left of the Dial – The Replacements
Cut Your Hair – Pavement

It Only Takes One Lion – Belle and Sebastian
Watching the Omnibus – The Bug Club
Have U Ever Been to Wales – The Bug Club
Blowin' Up – Kiwi Jr.
Sound Asleep/Wide Awake – Pearl & The Oysters

Good Kid – Dana and Alden
The Sofa – Wolf Alice
Hollywood Communication – Julia Cumming
Jazzman – Carole King

In The Beginning – The Autumn Defense
Chelsea Morning – Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66
Night In the City – Joni Mitchell
My Front Pages – Arlo Guthrie

You're My Favorite Song – Neil Diamond
Brooklyn Roads – Neil Diamond
But You Just Woke Me Up – This is Lorelei