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song: Pirate Radio
artist: John Hiatt
album: Little Head
released: 1997-07-01length: 4:22
5.6
(461)
Well, those electric sheep to the valley they keep walkin
On the radio waves selling tennis shoes and beer
It induces sleep when that DJ starts his squawkin'
I'm lookin' for one song to save me on this midnight clear

So how far do we have to go to hear that Pirate Radio?
One song that could steal our hearts
Before they turn into silver and gold
Well I'm drivin' my car real slow and my baby wants to know
When we gonna hear our song on that Pirate Radio?

One star in the sky so I named it Ottis Redding
Or maybe Marvin Gaye lookin' for his Tammi Turell
There ain't no mountain high enough to stop this wedding
Rollin' out of Memphis to Detroit I can hear those bells

So how far do we have to go to hear that Pirate Radio?
One song that could steal our hearts
Before they turn into silver and gold
Well I'm drivin' my car real slow and my baby wants to know
When we gonna hear our song on that Pirate Radio?

Well, we've been drivin' all night, ever since we were teenagers,
Up to that border town where the outlaw station air waves
Where the DJ's outta sight and his heart is so courageous
And he loves every song that he's puttin' on for the free and brave

So how far do we have to go to hear that Pirate Radio?
One song that could steal our hearts
Before they turn into silver and gold
Well I'm drivin' my car real slow and my baby wants to know
When we gonna hear our song on that Pirate Radio?
John Hiatt

John Robert Hiatt (born August 20, 1952) is an American singer-songwriter. He has played a variety of musical styles on his albums, including new wave, blues, and country. Hiatt has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards and has been awarded a variety of other distinctions in the music industry.

Hiatt was working as a songwriter for Tree International, a record label in Nashville, Tennessee, when his song "Sure As I'm Sittin' Here" was covered by Three Dog Night. The song became a Top 40 hit, earning Hiatt a recording contract with Epic Records. Since then he has released 22 studio albums, two compilation albums and one live album.

Artist Website
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Creative Commons BY-SA license
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Comments ( 81 )
Posted 19 years ago by kazuma:
dango wrote:
Man, I hate this guy. Sorry to be so blunt, but I hate clunky rock tunes like this. And that's all I seem to hear from him.
As is often said, he really is quite a good writer, but the only thing worse than his singing, to my ears, is the amateur players he seems to choose most of the time to back him up. I don't always hate his vocals, but the combination of his croaking and the pedestrian musical backup really make this track difficult to bear. Maybe he needs a different producer.
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Posted 15 years ago by unclehud:
Reminds me of Tampa ten years ago.  I was tuning my crappy office radio to my usual rock station, and caught something wild just down the dial.  Listened to it for about a month, then it disappeared.

Turned out to be the "Party Pirate" station — a guy who was broadcasting for a while out of a van so the FCC couldn't track him down.  As usual, it ended ugly:  federal agents with guns.

Bill has taken up the 21st century equivalent.
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Posted 16 years ago by FlamingLotus:
I like JH's voice--he always sounds like he's smiling. Good singer (vocalist?), great songwriter!
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Posted 17 years ago by Jelani:
junebaby65 wrote:
One of the most annoying voices heard on RP....
OH you are so right on Junebaby!So right on!
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Posted 20 years ago by MrBoyo:
One of the best songwriters in rock and roll. I'd love his royalty stream...
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Posted 20 years ago by mapple:
sergeant_x wrote:
This should be considered as RP's official theme song. Love the sentiment.
Agree!
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Posted 21 years ago by laozilover:
I like this song a lot. Gave it a "7" (Quite Likeable) - even bought the CD - couldn't get it direct from Amazon.com - they patched me through to cdgiveaways.com - kinda scary, but it worked just fine.
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Posted 21 years ago by natsthename:
Hiatt can TOO sing..see him in concert with the Goners, they will rock your socks off. This is not the best song to judge him from....not one of his best, that's for sure.
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Posted 5 years ago by Isabeau:
While working as a designer at a print shop in Nashvegas, I had to call Mr. Hiatt's home and let them know their material was ready for pickup. I figured I'd get a housekeeper or his wife, instead he answered the phone. Dogs were barking in the background like crazy, and he seemed a bit flustered, like he just got in. Said his wife is the one that handled that stuff and he was clueless since he was always on the road. 
I thanked him and couldn't wipe the smile off my face the rest of the day.

By the way, Mr. Hiatt was the one that wrote the "porcupine" song that was one of Bonnie Raitt's biggest hits in the early 90's.
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Posted 11 years ago by MM_Oz:
too much like Costello - immediate 0 and PSD - sorry; not for me!
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Posted 11 years ago by ncollingridge:
PSD
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Posted 11 years ago by junebaby65:
Some people should just write songs and not sing them.
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Posted 11 years ago by jbunniii:
Haven't heard this since I dumped the CD shortly after buying it in the late '90s. I recall it was a major disappointment coming after the excellent Walk On. Listening to this track now, it's not as bad as I remember, but it is certainly not his strongest moment. 5, I guess, but only for confirmed Hiatt fans.
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Posted 11 years ago by mdnlsn:
Whoa, jarring transition from "Turn Your Radio On"!
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Posted 11 years ago by ziakut:
What an unfortunately lame JH tune. The album art is inane too.
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Posted 12 years ago by h8rhater:
Please keep it going.

Wonderful.
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Posted 12 years ago by ckcotton:
Please make it stop

Horrible
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Posted 13 years ago by railroadwail:
Saw John at the State Theatre in State College last summer.  Great entertainer and an incredible songwriter.  Go back to "Hanging Out at the Observatory" and "Overcoats," both Epic label vinyl to hear how strong he was even then.
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Posted 15 years ago by lawman:
What's he sayin' with that cover? "I'm a dickhead"? Funny segue anyway (funny as in "strange") (or rather: I don' gettit)

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Posted 15 years ago by Kdubba:
I tried......ugh....not his best work.
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listen:
The Main Mix