Coming Up Tomorrow On The Dickenbock Report: Otis Blackwell's Birthday

(image from the Wikipedia)

One of the architects of what we now call rock & roll, Otis Blackwell, was born on February 16, 1931. According to the Wikipedia, "Blackwell composed more than a thousand songs, garnering worldwide sales of close to 200 million records." On his birthday, therefore, we'll listen to the songs he wrote as performed by musicians inspired not just by him, but also the original artists who first recorded his songs.

That's tomorrow, February 16, from noon to 1pm, on 91.1+107.1fm in Portland, & online everywhere at xray dot fm. Don't be cruel, please tune in. Or else the Dickenbock Report staff will be all shook up.

This Week In Self Help (February 9 10 11 + 13)

My cats are very affectionate with one another.

My wife told me this week I am dealing with the anxiety & trauma of how fucked-up our country is by making lots of radio shows. If that is true, I am sorry. But this week I was on the radio a lot & I'll understand if you can't forgive me for that.

Sunday - the 9th - the Dickenbock Report reported on National Pizza Day.

Listen at XRAY dot fm. Or listen at Self Help Radio dot net.*

Monday - the 10th - I subbed for an hour on KBOO before Self Help Radio.
KBOO doesn't archive sub shows. But you can listen at Self Help Radio dot net.*
You can see the playlist for that show here.

Tuesday - the 11th - Self Help Radio's Valentine Show for 2025 was about affection.

Listen at KBOO dot fm. Or listen at Self Help Radio dot net.*

Also Tuesday - the 11th - Corporate Standardized Programming played lots of new releases.

It's included on the Self Help Radio KBOO recording.
But you can listen to the show on its own at Self Help Radio dot net.

Finally Thursday - the 13th - I played a lot of reggae on KBOO for a sub show.

KBOO doesn't archive sub shows as I've said. But you can listen at Self Help Radio dot net.*

You can see the playlist for that show here.

Is that it? Oh I hope so. Happy Valentine's Day!

* If needed, use the username SHR & password selfhelp to access.

Self Help Radio 021125: Valentine's Day 2025 - Affection

Just in time for Valentine's Day! Or - a little early for Valentine's Day! It's Self Help Radio's Valentine's Day show for the year 2025. There were many songs called "Love & Affection" - lots of them covers of either the jazz standard or the Joan Armatrading song - that it occurs to me that the two are separate - you can love someone without being affectionate toward them, & you can have affection for someone without really loving them. But it seems the consensus that the two together make the best combination, & I hope you have a lot of both this Valentine's Day.

In any event - you can listen to this anytime, not just some arbitrary holiday. You can listen to it on the KBOO website. Or you can listen to it on the Self Help Radio website. If you choose the latter, you may need this info: username SHR password selfhelp. Lots of stuff happens on the show, most of it is noted below.

Happy Valentine's Day you affectionate fool!

Self Help Radio Valentine's Day Affection Show

"Sweet Affection" Sarah Vaughan _The Magic Of Sarah Vaughan_

"True Affection" Byron Johnson _The Fifties: Rockabilly Fever_

"Affection" Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers _Back In Your Life_

introduction & definitions

"Object Of My Affection" The Boswell Sisters _Shout, Sister, Shout!_

"Just A Little Fond Affection (Buddy Stewart, vocal)" Gene Krupa & His Orchestra _1945_

"Girls Need Love & Affection" The Marvelettes _Love & Affection (More Motown Girls)_

"Soul Affection" The Interpretations _All Night Soul Stomp! Dancefloor Boogaloo Romp!_

"Love & Affection" Joan Armatrading _Joan Armatrading_

Kim & Katy call in.

"Fond Affections" This Mortal Coil _It'll End In Tears_

"Love & Affection" The Triffids _In The Pines_

"Public Displays Of Affection" Morcheeba _Charango_

"True Affection" Father John Misty _I Love You Honeybear_

"Losing Your Affection" Future Bible Heroes _Eternal Youth_

Emory & Charlton call in

"Affection Rejected" The Records _Smashes, Crashes, & Near Misses_

"Schoolgirl Affection" Toothpaste 2000 _Va Va Voom!_

"If You Want Affection" Red Sleeping Beauty _Kristina_

"A Crumb Of Your Affection" Linda Smith _Till Another Time: 1988-1996_

"New Affections" The Silly Pillows _New Affections_

Our resident cinephile Chuck stops by.

"Affection" Zap Mama _Supermoon_

"Stolen Affection" Etta James _Stickin' To My Guns_

"Seasonal Affection Disorder" The Receptionists _The Last Letter_

"Pure Affection" Eternal Summers _Prisoner EP_

"The Object Of Your Affections" The Harvest Ministers _Orbit_

conclusion & goodbye

"I Want Love & Affection (Not The House Of Correction)" Nathaniel Mayer _Village Of Love_

"Savage Affection" The Holocaust _Tutti Frutti_

"Crumbs Of Affection" Pitchblende _Gygax!_

"True Affection" The Blow _Paper Television_

Whither Affection? (It's A Valentine's Day Show!)

(image by Seebangnow from here)

Oh gosh I guess I answered the question above. Why is this week's show about affection? Because it's a Valentine's Day show & it has to be about something.

Previous Valentine's Day show topics include Boyfriends, Crushes, Dating, Falling In Love, Famous Lovers, Flirting, Girlfriends, Hate, The Heart, Heartbreak, Jealousy, Love, Love Is..., Love Songs, Lovesick, Make You Mine, Roses, Sweethearts, True Love, & Valentines. Like with my Halloween show, I have a new theme for each Valentine's Day. This year it will be affection.

The world does seem to lack affection these days. Chances are I thought of this theme some time last while listening to Jonathan Richman, whose song "Affection" I'll play tonight. It does seem like a particularly Valentine's Day theme.

That's right, tonight! From midnight to 2am! On 90.7fm & kboo dot fm. & you still have time to plan stuff for Valentine's Day!

Preface To Affection: How Important Is Affection?

(it says copyright Matt Groening dude)

How the hell should I know? I thought I'd look at the answers from the people who answer questions like this at Quora.

Cupid's Queen sez:

Affection is important in a relationship because it helps to create a strong bond between two people. It is a way to show love, care, and respect for one another. Affection can also help to reduce stress, build trust, and strengthen communication. It is an important part of any healthy relationship.

Ahana Ghosh sez:

You can say it is the backbone of a relationship without love or affection a relationship can't work out. Love or affection is something that a girl or a boy wants from his/her lover. That's the only thing that give them the power to fight against each and every evil eyes.

Lyne Bergeron sez:

If u love someone , u have a relationship. If u don't there is NO relationship. Love makes a relationship. That is what keeps us in a couple. Bcz we love each other for a tons of reasons . We trust that person, we share everything , we support each other, we compromise, we are a team . Love grows with time and the amount of time we spend together. We communicate good and understand each other. Etc etc this love and u have a relationship . That's it.

Finally, Melissa Kaye sez:

Love is important for relationships for various reasons, in the theory of evolution love was an aid for reproduction, which of course prepetuated the species. In more modern terms love makes living with another person easier, makes communication better, gives you more empathy for your partner, and it makes sex better and hopefully helps a person feel safe and secure while feeling vulnerable.

Love is a powerful emotion and necessary for not just romantic relationships. It's also important for friendship and family bonds.

To be fair, I don't really understand how Quora works so some of these might have been answers to other questions. But I do know people who really, really love to answer questions like these. They like to be an authority. & I confess I like using other people's thoughts on this blog. Every once in a while I get a weird unsolicited email from someone offering to write articles "for my website." Which doesn't feature articles. But maybe I can get them to answer questions like this for my blog. If I remember the next time I get one of those letters.

Do I think affection is important? Sure. But I think that's why I have pets.