When I started working at the college radio station in my freshman year, the first regular shift I held was Monday night’s edition of “Soundstreams.” This was the all request program that 90FM aired (and still airs!) every weeknight from 10:00 p.m. until it was time to conclude our broadcast day at 2:00 a.m. While “all request” was a misnomer (as it is for just about any radio program that uses it, frankly), there were nights when the phone was especially active and huge chunks of my playlist were given over to listener suggestions. It made me dig into music I might not have otherwise, instilling variety into my show, a much needed element when I was pretty sure that anything that didn’t have a big, loud guitar in it was subpar.

Today’s musical diversion in my little corner of the Web is the equivalent of an old “Soundstreams” show.

A couple of weeks ago, I was asked, via my Twitter account, if I take requests. Such a thing hadn’t even occurred to me, but I went ahead and answered in the affirmative. A chorus of tweets followed, listing off a multitude of songs from the early nineties. Many of them I had nearly forgotten about entirely, but every one was a staple of the station at that time. There was one, however, that stirred no recollection: “Sex With You” by Dave Wakeling. I have to admit that the name didn’t register at first, even though Wakeling was a prominent member of both The English Beat and General Public. He put out his solo debut, No Warning, in 1991, and our DJs, always enamored with the naughtier songs on an album, gravitated to the track “Sex With You.”

But that song title calls to mind a completely different song from 1991 for me, a track from the major label debut from King Missile. John S. Hall’s usual spoken word understatement is merged with a crazily wonderful hard rock grind as he lists off ever building list of things he needs like Navin R. Johnson exiting the mansion. As I remember it, this song was huge there.

So, in the spirit of a generous late night DJ, I’ll go ahead and deviate from the number that usually resides in the title of this weekly feature and offer up both songs for this long distance dedication. And don’t forget, request lines are open.

Dave Wakeling, “Sex With You”

King Missile, “Sex With You”

(Disclaimer: Both Dave Wakeling’s No Warning and King Missile’s The Way to Salvation appear to be out of print, although the latter is definitely available for digital purchase. The songs are posted here with the understanding that no one can walk into their friendly neighborhood, independently-owned record store and ask to buy this music in a way that compensates both the store proprietor and the artist. That noted, I of course know that others hold the copyright and therefore the control of these songs. If anyone with due authority to ask for their removal contacts me with such a request, I will gladly and promptly comply.)