LEXINGTON STATIONS LIVE:

If you are subscriber to any of the major streaming music services - Spotify, Apple Music, etc. - then every song, basically, in this history of the world can be accessed on your phone in just a few taps.

From Beethoven to Britney Spears.

It's all there.

And that's amazing.

But, for people of a certain age (like me), there's still something special about hearing one of your favorite songs on an actual radio station.

You know the feeling.

It takes you back to a different time.

And - if you are in your car - it just makes you want to roll down the windows, crank up the volume and sing (even if the people next to you at the red light look at you like you are crazy).

I've had that experience quite a few times recently.

Listening to Classic Rock 92.1 F.M. (WBVX - Lexington) the past few months has completely renewed my faith in the spirit of radio.

Live, local DJs who play requests and who aren't afraid to venture outside the safe and (oh-so) boring corporate playlists has been a revelation.

Radio isn't dead.

No way.

It's alive and well.

Here's just a few of the amazing tunes I've heard on 92.1 recently that have made me pound on my steering wheel, play air guitar in my car and scream along (horribly out of tune, of course) with the lyrics.

UNCLE TOM'S CABIN - WARRANT

"Just for the record ... let's set the story straight ..."

Warrant will (unfortunately) always be remembered as the "Cherry Pie" band.

"Uncle Tom's Cabin" was supposed to the be the title - and title track - of the band's second album. But, the record label (Columbia) encouraged the group to produce a more poppy single.

And in one night, lead singer Jani Lane delivered the, simple, sinful and sex-soaked "Cherry Pie."

"Uncle Tom's Cabin," though, should really be Warrant's legacy.

The banjo and acoustic guitar intro really makes you feel like you are actually there in that Louisiana swamp watching "Sheriff John Brady and Deputy Hedge haulin' two limp bodies down to the water's edge."

FEELS SO GOOD - VAN HALEN

The debate will rage forever.

Team Dave or Team Sammy.

If I had to choose, I'll take David Lee Roth, but it's a tough choice (sorry, Gary Cherone), but the Sammy Hagar era of Van Halen produced a lot of hits and a lot of very memorable tunes.

Honestly, I had not heard "Feels So Good" in years until it came on the radio recently.

Instantly, I remembered it.

A hidden gem of the 1988's "OU812" album, Eddie's playful keyboard playing leads into Sammy soulful lyrics.

"Yesterday I saw my love light shine. Straight ahead in front of me. You never really know, when love will come or go, but yesterday I was alone. Suddenly I walked you home. I never really knew what love could make me do."

I'LL NEVER LET YOU GO (ANGEL EYES) - STEELHEART

This power ballad by the short-lived glam metal band Steelheart peaked at No. 23 on the Billboard Hot 100, but more than three decades later it still lives on.

And that resonance is mostly because of the epic performance by Miljenko Matijevic.

His vocals on this track could break a whole cabinet full of wine glasses, while driving every dog in your neighborhood to the point of insanity.

It's epic.

Try to sing along.

You can't. But, it's always fun to try

"And I'll never let you .... GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO"

RADIO GA GA - QUEEN

Prior to the release of the 2018 bio-pic "Bohemian Rhapsody," lots of people in American weren't very familiar with the entirety of the amazing Queen catalogue.

And with good reason.

The band didn't tour in North America after 1982 and their final few studio albums - "The Works," "A Kind of Magic," "The Miracle" and "Innuendo" - were not really properly promoted on this side of the pond (even though they were massively successfully almost everywhere else around the globe).

They featured massive hits, though - Including 1984's "Radio GaGa."

The song went to No. 1 in Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden and hit No. 2 in the UK, but only peaked at 14th on the Billboard Hot 100 in America.

The song's iconic clapping sequence during the chorus, which originated in the music video, was quickly embraced by fans and became a highlight of their performances - and was one of the signature moments of the 1985's "Live Aid" concert.

"Radio ... some one still loves you."

LAY IT DOWN - RATT

Ratt sold more than 8 million albums during the 1980/90s and released dozens of videos which seemed to be in constant rotation on MTV.

However, radio executives have deemed that, in 2024, only one song is worthy of being including on FM playlist at rock stations.

"Round and Round."

And that's a shame, shame, shame.

"Lay It Down," from 1985's "Invasion of Your Privacy," album is snapshot of the sleaze rockers at their most sleazy.

Ratt N' Roll!

"Under the sheets, you will find me. I know that nothing's for free. You take what's good for your pleasin'. I'll take what's good for this crazy evening."

SYNCHRONICITY II - THE POLICE

One of the trademarks of a great song is its ability to connect with people - of all races, creeds, religions and backgrounds - across many generations.

And 40 years later, "Synchronicity II" does just that.

Sting's words are just as meaningful and hauntingly powerful now as they were then.

"Another working day has ended. Only the rush hour hell to face. Packed like lemmings into shiny metal boxes. Contestants in a suicidal race."

And there's this ...

"Every single meeting with his so-called superior, is a humiliating kick in the crotch."

And we are still waiting for something to crawl from the slime at the bottom of a dark Scottish loch.

"Many miles away ..."

WHAT YOU GIVE - TELSA