Theme Time Radio Hour

Theme Time Radio Hour
GenreMusic show
Running time1 hour per episode, weekly
Country of originUnited States
Home stationDeep Tracks
XM 40
Sirius 16
StarringBob Dylan
Ellen Barkin (announcer)
Pierre Mancini (announcer)
Created byBob Dylan
Eddie Gorodetsky
Written byEddie Gorodetsky
Executive producer(s)Eddie Gorodetsky
Original releaseMay 3, 2006 –
April 11, 2015, September 21, 2020
No. of episodes102

Theme Time Radio Hour (TTRH) was a weekly one-hour satellite radio show hosted by Bob Dylan that originally aired from May 2006 to April 2009. Each episode had a freeform mix of music, centered on a theme (such as "Weather", "Money" or "Flowers") rather than genre. Much of the material for the show was culled from producer Eddie Gorodetsky's music collection.[1]

Dylan would read emails from fans, take listener phone calls, play vintage radio promos and jingles, tell jokes, recite poetry, play taped messages from celebrities, and provide commentary on the music. Throughout the show, Dylan would claim that musical genres were constructed "ticky-tacky boxes" not to be taken seriously.[2] The show was not live, taped at various locations and while touring; the "Abernathy Building" studio location mentioned was fictitious. Most of the "listener phone calls" and emails were also fictitious, although at least one email read on the show came from an actual listener.[3]

  1. ^ Dougherty, Steve (December 17, 2010). "The Santa Claus of Christmas Songs". The Wall Street Journal.
  2. ^ John Hay, "Theme Time: Dylan as DJ," New Approaches to Bob Dylan, ed. Anne-Marie Mai (University Press of Southern Denmark, 2020), pp. 189–205.
  3. ^ "Dreamtime – Commentary Inspired By Bob Dylan's Theme Time Radio Hour: Prom Night at Brookland-Cayce High School with The Swinging Medallions". Dreamtimepodcast.com. 2009-05-27. Retrieved 2012-08-20.