“The All-Request Rock ’n’ Roll Jukebox,” hosted by Mike Saffran, on “99 BBF”/WBBF-FM (98.9), Rochester, N.Y. Originally aired 7 p.m.–Midnight Dec. 31, 1999.
Special note: As in past years, this special New Year’s Eve edition of “The Jukebox” ran for an extra hour — until 1 a.m. Jan. 1, 2000 :-)
Callers aired and other show highlights:
00:20 “Special New Year’s Eve edition of the all-request ‘Jukebox’!”
00:45 Brenda (“Burning Love”)
01:16 Debbie/Irondequoit (“My Sweet Lord”)
01:58 Reference to the early-morning New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31, 1999) stabbing of Beatles member George Harrison (Note: Harrison survived the stabbing; more: https://www.nytimes.com/1999/12/31/world/george-harrison-stabbed-in-chest-by-an-intruder.html)
02:22 “Once a Beatle, always a Beatle — George Harrison is still a Beatle!” :-)
03:03 Lorraine (“Lightnin’ Strikes”)
03:41 Dave/Irondequoit (“Hot Rod Lincoln” — dedication to son)
04:49 “Elvis Only” with Jay Gordon, Borg Imaging and Prime Outlets (sponsors) references
05:41 Tony (“Hang On Sloopy”)
06:40 Mike/Walworth (“She’s A Lady”)
07:35 Jodie/Fishers (with husband and mother) (“Pipeline”)
08:59 Butch/Working at Directory Distributing Associates (DDA – Rochester) (“You’re Sixteen”)
09:52 Jim/Palmyra (“I Saw Her Standing There”)
10:14 “No Juice Newton, all the time!” ;-)
11:15 Alyssa/Canandaigua (“Love Her Madly” — dedication to Peter)
11:49 Bill (“Wild Thing,” “Down In The Boondocks” and “Wipe Out”)
12:05 References to the ‘controversy’ surrounding when the new millennium actually starts (2000 or 2001); to how people like round numbers (especially on car odometers and calendars … but not tax returns ;-) and to how Christ’s birth, based on the Julian calendar, was likely off by a few years.
14:44 Reference to fellow 99 BBF DJ Bobby Reed drinking all the coffee that I made! ;-)
15:21 Danny/Crystal Beach (“Me And You And A Dog Named Boo”)
16:16 Mary/Henrietta (“Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band/With A Little Help From My Friends”)
16:56 Susan (with David, Lisa, Jim and daughter Alyssa)/Palmyra (“White Rabbit”)
18:11 “Beatle Brunch” with Joe Johnson and Borg Imaging (sponsor) references
18:59 Wayne/Fairport (“Rainy Day Women #12 and 35”) — dedication to the people at a party on Truesdale Street (Rochester), with references to a New Year’s Eve party a year ago at the same house and the “Y2K” computer bug
20:30 Reference to first baby of the new millennium born in Australia — and how about if we honored the first baby conceived in the next millennium? ;-)
21:09 Mary (with her brother) (“Rescue Me”)
22:02 “Don’t forget that 2000 is a leap year!”
22:16 Wayne/Fairport: “How ’bout last baby conceived in the old millennium … like right now … on the radio?” (But that might jeopardize the show’s ‘G’ rating! ;-)
23:27 “I could find a long song … ‘American Pie,’ or something!” ;-)
24:00 Dave/Manchester (“Gloria”)
24:50 Tammy (visiting her parents)/Hornell (“Old Time Rock & Roll” and “Brandy [You’re A Fine Girl]”)
25:28 “Don’t call me ‘sir’!” ;-)
25:48 Nicole/Shortsville (“Just Dropped In [To See What Condition My Condition Is In]”)
27:28 Dave (and friends)/Irondequoit (“Life Is A Rock”) — dedicated to everyone working tonight
28:18 “We draw the line at visitors” to the station ;-) … but maybe I’ll see you later at Dinosaur Bar-B-Q
28:50 “Somebody said, ‘You’re Mike Saffran — I recognize your voice!’” :-)
29:20 Playing a “DJ’s Choice” (“Shimmy, Shimmy, Ko-Ko-Bop” :-)
29:46 “From the corner of Broad Street and Clinton Avenue, Downtown Rochester!” — with reference to upcoming downtown fireworks show (supposedly, according to fellow 99 BBF DJ Bobby Reed, five times bigger than the city’s Fourth of July fireworks show)
30:10 Katie/Hamlin (“Lil’ Red Riding Hood”)
31:27 Jackie — first of a couple times just calling to wish a Happy New Year!
31:54 Quoting friend and former 99 BBF DJ Tom Noonan: “Where the heck is John Doe #2 when you need him?!” ;-) — in explaining how the Bausch and Lomb Building obstructs the view, from the radio studios in the B. Forman Building, of downtown fireworks. (Note: For those who might no remember, “John Doe #2” initially was an unknown additional suspect in the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City; for a time, he was the subject of intense media coverage, but it was later determined he was not involved in the bombing. Noonan’s quip that was shared likely was made a few years earlier; but by late 1999, most listeners still would’ve understood the reference.)
32:40 Kevin/Henrietta (“Can’t Buy Me Love”)
32:59 The tail end of a sweeper can be heard; undoubtedly, it was the one featuring Ed Sullivan saying, “Ladies and gentlemen, the Beatles!” — from the night, in 1964, when the band first appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show”; the sweeper was commonly used to introduce Beatles songs and/or in the middle of Beatles “twin spins”
33:24 George/Canandaigua (“I Like It Like That”)
34:21 Rick/Exchange at Plymouth (Rochester) (“Turn! Turn! Turn!”)
34:55 “Y2K” bug reference — and Happy New Year! :-)
35:47 Fireworks SFX — to create a little “theater of the mind” :-)
36:02 Bubba (“War”)
36:27 Bobby/Driving a limousine (“Beep Beep”)
38:14 Lenora (“Yellow Submarine”)
39:07 Frank/Driving on I-390 (Dansville) (“California Sun”)
39:58 In a slight variation from the norm, I did my usual farewell just before the final commercial break (typically at around :52 past the hour), instead of closer to (or slightly past) the top of the hour; undoubtedly, it was because by then we were already almost an hour beyond the regular length for a typical all-request show — plus, I’m sure I wanted to get to Dinosaur Bar-B-Q, where I was meeting friends for New Year’s Eve! :-)
All content (radio aircheck, audio podcast – all components, and show notes): © Michael J. Saffran
