Love is Strange with Judy Collins and Jim Lauderdale

The dead of winter has us planning ahead for Valentine’s Day and life itself with songs of love—lost and found. Whether it’s from swooning crooners or heartbroken honky-tonkers, love has wedged itself prominently in the American songbook. We talk to two songwriters who specialize in matters of the heart: ’60s folk chanteuse Judy Collins and Americana songmaker Jim Lauderdale, a.k.a. “The King of Broken Hearts.” Plus we hear soulful sweet songs from the Pointer Sisters and the Four Tops, ballads of love on the rocks from George Jones and Tracy Chapman, and love confessions for “My Girl, Josephine” by Fats Domino and “Ophelia” by The Band. Join us for songs of love sad and happy, sexy and silly, careless and calculated on American Routes.

HOUR ONE

Open Bed: Both Sides Now Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Will the Circle be Unbroken, Capitol

Love is Strange Mickey & Sylvia Dirty Dancing (Soundtrack), RCA

You Were on My Mind Ian & Silvia Long Long Time, Vanguard

Give Me One Reason Tracy Chapman New Beginning, Elektra

Still Doing Time George Jones The Essential George Jones: The Spirit of Country Disc 2, Legacy

Love Me Do The Beatles The Beatles 1962-1966, Capitol

Who Do You Love? Bo Diddley His Best, MCA

Instrumental: When She Loved Me Randy Newman Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 1, Nonesuch

SEGMENT: Judy Collins

Instrumental: Body and Soul Nat King Cole The Complete Capitol Recordings of the Nat King Cole Trio, Capitol

My Man Billie Holiday Lady Day: The Best of Billie Holiday, Columbia/Legacy

My Guy Mary Wells The Best of Mary Wells: The Millennium Collection, Motown

Finest Lovin' Man Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Raitt, Warner Brothers

Time is On My Side Irma Thomas I Wish Someone Would Care, Imperial

It's All Over Now Rebirth Brass Band The Main Event: Live at the Maple Leaf, Louisiana Red Hot

Careless Love Wild Bill Davison and band with Bertha "Chippie" Hill This is Jazz, the Historic Broadcasts Vol. 6, Jazzology Records

End Bed: Wonderful World Treme Brass Band Sound of New Orleans: Best of the Brass Bands, Sound of New Orleans

HOUR TWO

Open Bed: Careless Love Blues Danny Barker The Fabulous Band of Danny Barker, Gramercy Jazz

You're the Cream in my Coffee Nat King Cole The Complete Capitol Recordings of the Nat King Cole Trio, Capitol

Sugar The Pointer Sisters The Pointer Sisters, Blue Thumb

I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch) The Four Tops The Ultimate Collection, Motown

Sugar Bee Cleveland Crochet and All the Sugar Bees Cleveland Crochet and All the Sugar Bees, Goldband

Sugar Magnolia Grateful Dead American Beauty, Warner Brothers

Instrumental: Sunshine Twist Jelly Roll Kings Rockin' the Juke Joint Down, Earwig

He Was a Friend of Mine Willie Nelson Brokeback Mountain: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Verve

Ring of Fire Johnny Cash The Essential Johnny Cash, Columbia/Legacy

Marina Los Texmaniacs Borders y Bailes, Smithsonian Folkways

My Girl Josephine Fats Domino Antoine "Fats" Domino: The Legendary Imperial Recordings, Imperial

Ophelia The Band Northern Lights, Southern Cross, Capitol

SEGMENT: Jim Lauderdale

Instrumental: Turn, Turn, Turn Bill Frisell Guitar in the Space Age, Nonesuch

Touching the Ground Brandi Carlisle Give Up the Ghost, Columbia

She Belongs to Me Bob Dylan Bringing It All Back Home, Columbia

Tomorrow is a Long Time Sandy Denny Sandy, A&M

End Bed: It's All Over Now Baby Blue Grateful Dead Dick's Picks Volume 9: The Grateful Dead Live at Madison Square Garden, Grateful Dead

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