Best Songs with News in the Title

One of the most popular cable channels recently had its thirtieth birthday. According to an item in the June 1, 2010 issue of the Cincinnati Enquirer, it was on June 1, 1980, that Cable News Network made its debut. The channel was quickly identified as CNN, and it was one of only a few channels available on early cable systems throughout the country.

The station provided news coverage 24 hours a day, breaking from the traditional network national news broadcasts at 6:30 p.m. CNN soon added its Headline News channel and now has several other stations throughout the world.

To commemorate the anniversary of CNN, I have developed a playlist of songs all featuring the word news in the title. Here are my ten favorite news songs.

10. In the News - Kris Kristofferson: On this track from the acoustic album This Old Road, Kristofferson offers a liberal's lament. He criticizes America's abuse of the environment, deplores its war-mongering politics, and claims that "anyone who doesn't play to their tune, they call it treason."

9. Bad News Travels Fast - Bachman-Turner Overdrive: The classic rock band included this number on their Live! Live! Live! album. The gruff vocals and electric guitar combine to put this song on a par with other hits, such as Let It Ride and You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet.

8.Good News - Brad: This indie alternative band had a couple of minor hits in the late 90s, most notably The Day Brings from the Interiors album. This track is from the follow up, and it has the same smooth texture that defined Brad.

7.Here Is the News - Electric Light Orchestra: This Jeff Lynne classic comes from Time, the last is a run of five great albums by his band ELO. While it lacks the rock of some of the tracks on Out of the Blue and Face the Music, this song is indicative of the gift of melody that Lynne mastered after over two decades in the business.

6. That's the News - Merle Haggard: The Okie from Muskogee croons anti-war lyrics on this tune, on which he says "Suddenly the war is over, that's the news, suddenly celebrity is back in style."

5.Headline News - Weird Al Yankovic: The prince of parody here transforms Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm by Crash Test Dummies. Included are '90s news issues such as John Wayne Bobbitt and Tonya Harding.

4. Seven o' Clock News/ Silent Night - Simon and Garfunkel: To get their opposition to the Vietnam War across, Paul and Art sing the Christmas song as a backdrop to a network news report about America's fight in Asia.

3.Six o' Clock News - John Prine: The saddest song on the folk singer's sensational debut album tells the story of fatherless James Lewis's unhappy childhood through the news footage of his suicide jump.

2. I Got the News - Steely Dan: This gem is nestled between other Aja standards such as Deacon Blues, Black Cow, Josie, and Peg. It may not be as well-known as the others, but the news is that its jazzy sound has outlasted them all.

1. Second Hand News - Fleetwood Mac: The band could not have picked a better song to open their greatest album, Rumours. Lindsay Buckingham sings elatedly about heartache and breaking up with infectious guitar work and energetic vocals.