Past Themes
Cast-length "themes" used to be an integral feature of the "Off the Charts" webcast (now "Gil's World of Music"). This page documents in a sortable table all the primary themes used during the history of webcast while cast-length themes were being used. By "primary" theme, I mean the theme to which the majority of the cast is devoted. Sometimes the cast has a secondary theme, as when we remember a musician who recently passed away. Secondary themes are not shown in this list at this time.This table documents casts from the webcast's inception through October 30, 2017 (Cast #300), by which time the Themes concept had been retired. However, beginning December 7, 2020, some of these casts are being replayed overnight after the regular "live" World of Music cast. Replay dates are noted in the table.
More information about the table appears at the bottom of the page.
Theme | Webcast Date(s) | Theme Category | Comment |
---|---|---|---|
"A" Names | 2014-07-07 | Named People | Songs about people whose name begins with "A". |
"B" Names | 2014-10-20 (male names only); 2014-09-08 (female names only) | Named People | Songs about people whose name begins with "B". |
"C" Names | 2014-12-08 (replayed 2020-12-21) | Named People | Songs about people whose name begins with "C". |
"D" Names | 2015-02-23 | Named People | Songs about people whose name begins with "D". |
"E" Names | 2015-04-13 | Named People | Songs about people whose name begins with "E". |
"F" Names | 2015-05-11 (replayed 2021-05-10) | Named People | Songs about people whose name begins with "F". |
"G" Names | 2015-07-06 (replayed 2021-07-05) | Named People | Songs about people whose name begins with "G". |
"H" Names | 2015-08-31 (replayed 2021-09-06) | Named People | Songs about people whose name begins with "H". |
"I" Names | 2015-12-14 (short cast) (replayed 2020-12-14) | Named People | Songs about people whose name begins with "I". |
"John" Names | 2016-02-15 (replayed 2021-02-15) | Named People | Songs about people named "John", "Johnny", etc. |
1960, Focus on | 2011-10-03 | Music genre | Not archived. |
50 States, The | 2012-06-04 & -11 (2 weeks) | Geography | |
50s, The | 2012-12-30 | Music genre | Not archived. |
70s, The | 2013-09-09 | Music genre | |
Aches, Pains and Itches | 2014-06-30 | Physical condition | The first Monday night cast on Vaughnlive |
Ain'ts and Saints | 2012-03-19 | Songs that said "ain't" or songs about a saint. This was one of the dumbest themes I ever did. | |
Air | 2015-03-09 | Elements* | *-"Elements" meaning one of earth, air, fire, water. |
Alphabet Soup | 2014-11-24 | Songs with spelling, like YMCA or R-E-S-P-E-C-T. | |
Angels | 2014-09-29 | Religion | |
Animal-named groups | 2012-03-05 & -12 (2 weeks) | Musicians | |
Arms, Legs | 2014-06-06 | Anatomy | The actual name was "An Arm and a Leg (or two)" |
Astronomical Objects | 2012-03-26 | Astronomical objects | Not archived. |
Autumn | 2013-09-23; 2012-09-24 ("Falling into Autumn"); 2011-09-26 (not archived) | Seasons | |
Babies | 2013-05-13 | Demographics | For Mother's Day. |
Back to School | 2013-08-12; 2011-08-29 | Seasonal | |
Bad Spellerz | 2014-04-21 | Musicians | "Misspelled" group names like the Byrds or Ratt. |
Beatles | 2017-07-31 | Musicians | The 21 worst Beatles songs. |
Beatles-penned songs | 2013-11-11; 2011-08-22 (not archived) | Songwriters | Beatles songs performed by non-Beatles. |
Beautiful | 2016-05-02 (replayed 2021-05-03) | Went on hiatus after the May 2 2016 cast. | |
Beer, Wine | 2015-04-27 | ||
Beg, Borrow or Steal | 2014-05-12 | Activity | |
Believing | 2015-07-20 (replayed 2021-07-19) | State of mind | |
Black musicians of note | 2012-02-27 | Musicians | Inspired by Black History month. Not archived. |
Black or Friday | 2012-11-26 | Colors; Calendrical | Inspired by Black Friday shopping. |
Blues | 2015-05-18 ("The Blues, featuring BB King") (replayed 2021-05-17); 2014-05-26 ("Blues & Boogie") | Music genre | |
Bob Dylan | 2011-05-23 | Musicians | For his 70th birthday. Not archived. |
Broken | 2016-02-29 (replayed 2021-03-01) | Songs about broken things. IMO, this was one of the better casts based on chat interaction and song selection. | |
Broken or Breakin' Hearts | 2014-02-17 | State of mind | A Valentine's Day theme. |
Brown | 2015-10-12 (replayed 2021-10-18) | Colors | Or variants like beige, bronze, mocha, and tan. |
Canadians | 2013-06-03 | Musicians | Musicians from Canada. |
Cars | 2011-10-17 | Modes of transportation | Not archived. |
Cats | 2014-09-15 | Animals | |
Chilean Mine Rescue | 2010-10-14 | Current events | Not archived. |
Church, The | 2013-03-04 | Religion | |
Clocked | 2016-03-14 (replayed 2021-03-15) | Songs that refer to a clock. | |
Colors | 2012-04-23 | Colors | Songs referencing any color. |
Compass Points: NSEW | 2014-02-03 | Directions | Songs referencing North, South, East or West. |
Countries of North America by name | 2015-02-16 | Political geography | |
Courtroom, In the | 2014-11-17 | Things or people commonly found in a courtroom. | |
Darlings | 2016-04-18 (replayed 2021-04-12) | ||
David Bowie | 2016-01-11 (replayed 2021-01-11) | Musicians | Memorial & tribute to David Bowie. |
Declarations of Independence | 2012-07-02 | State of mind | This theme was for personal declarations of independence. |
Demonstrations & the Desert | 2011-01-31 | Current events | Inspired by the nascent "Arab Spring". Not archived. |
Devil, The | 2014-08-18 | Religion | |
Disco | 2013-03-11 | Music genre | |
Discovery | 2011-11-07 & -14 (2 weeks) | About the "discovery" of new music. | |
Dogs | 2014-09-01 | Animals | |
Doo Wop | 2013-07-08 (shared with Jazz); 2013-01-14 | Music genre | |
Doors | 2014-05-19 | Building features | |
Dreams | 2012-01-16 | Inspired by MLK Day. Not archived. | |
Drumnation | 2015-08-24 (replayed 2021-08-30) | Instrumentation | Music featuring drums or other percussion. |
Duos | 2014-01-27 | Musicians | |
Election, The | 2010-11-01 | Seasonal | Not archived. |
Electricity | 2012-07-09 | Including lightning. | |
Endings & Beginnings | 2012-05-14 | Inspired by graduation days. | |
Extended Family | 2013-12-02 | Demographics | Related to holiday get-togethers. |
Fads | 2012-12-03 | Songs about hula-hoops, the twist, bobby sox, etc. | |
Falsettos | 2013-09-02 | Instrumentation | Songs featuring a falsetto singer. |
Fathers | 2013-06-17; 2011-06-13 (not archived) | Demographics | For Father's Day. |
Feet | 2014-09-22 | Anatomy | |
First Tracks | 2014-03-10 | An artist's first significant recording. | |
Fish & other marine life | 2015-03-30 | Animals | |
Five | 2015-07-27 (replayed 2021-08-02) | Numbers | Songs that explicitly refer to the number 5. |
Fleetwood Mac | 2011-06-20 | Musicians | Not archived. |
Flowers | 2011-05-09 | Plants | Not archived. |
Folk music | 2014-04-14 | Music genre | |
Food | 2013-11-25 | Thanksgiving-inspired. | |
Fools | 2013-04-01 | For April Fools Day. | |
Footwear | 2014-12-01 | Apparel | |
Fowl | 2014-10-13 | Animals | |
Girl Groups | 2011-09-19 | Musicians | |
Glad | 2015-09-28 (replayed 2021-10-04) | State of mind | Gladness? Being glad? You get the idea. |
Go away. Leave. | 2016-02-08 (replayed 2021-02-08) | Did not include "leaving". | |
Goodbyes | 2016-01-18 (replayed 2021-01-18) | Including variations like bye-bye, adios, etc. | |
Gratitude & Prayer | 2012-11-19 | State of mind; Activity | A Thanksgiving theme. |
Green things | 2011-03-14 | For St. Patrick's Day. Not archived. | |
Green | 2014-03-17 | Colors | For St. Patrick's Day. |
Groovy | 2015-11-30 (actual cast title: Gil's Groove Thang). (replayed 2021-12-20, 2020-12-08) | Groove, groovin', groovy, etc. | |
Guitarists | 2015-07-13 (Guitar Greats [and not-so-greats]) (replayed 2021-07-12); 2013-11-18 (Guitar Gods) | Musicians | |
Guns | 2013-05-06 | Inspired by the NRA convention. | |
Guy names | 2012-12-17 | Named People | Songs that refer to a male by name. |
Guys and Gals | 2014-02-10 | Demographics | |
Hair | 2015-11-02 (replayed 2021-11-22) | Anatomy | |
Halloween | 2013-10-28 (shared with Vocalists of the 40s) & -29 (2 casts); 2011-10-31 | Seasonal | |
Happiness | 2013-12-23 (Happy Happiness); 2012-04-30 (Happy) | State of mind | |
Healthcare Workers | 2015-01-25 | Occupations | Doctors, nurses, dentists, etc. |
Healthcare | 2012-04-02 & -09 (2 weeks) | Not archived. | |
Heaven | 2014-07-21 | Religion | |
Hellos | 2016-01-04 (replayed 2021-01-04) | Including other greetings (hi, howdy, bonjour, etc.) | |
Help | 2015-01-19 | Actually, this was called "A Little Help". | |
Heroes | 2015-06-15 (shared with Words) (replayed 2021-06-14) | ||
Highways | 2014-08-25 | Thoroughfares | Including Interstates, routes, freeways, etc. |
Horses | 2014-11-10 | Animals | |
Hot and Cold | 2011-01-10 | It was January and it was cold. Not archived. | |
House and Home | 2012-11-12 | ||
Hurricane Sandy | 2012-10-29 | Weather | |
Independence Day | 2011-07-04 | Seasonal | Not archived. |
Indians | 2013-11-04 | Ethnicity | |
Insanity | 2011-03-21 & -28 (2 weeks) | State of mind | Not archived. |
Instrumentals | 2021-12-27 (mini-theme); 2015-09-14 (replayed 2021-09-20); 2012-09-03 | Music genre | Music without lyrics. |
International | 2012-07-30 | Geography | Songs that refer to an "international" location. |
Jazz Musicians, Top 50 | 2013-03-25 (cross-indexed with Jazz) | Musicians | The top 50 jazz musicians of all time. |
Jazz | 2015-04-20; 2013-12-16; 2013-07-08 (shared with Doo Wop); 2013-03-25 (cross-indexed with Jazz Musicians, Top 50); 2013-01-07; 2011-07-28 | Music genre | Some of these casts featured a particular type of jazz. I elected to lump all the jazz casts together here under the one category. |
Joint Cast with Sassalot | 2011-02-23 (replayed 2012-10-22) | Special show format | |
Kings | 2011-01-17 | Occupations | Inspired by MLK Day. |
Kissing | 2021-08-16; 2013-02-11 | Activity | For Valentine's Day 2013. |
Knowing | 2015-03-23 | State of mind | |
Labor Day | 2011-09-04 | Seasonal | |
Lock & Key | 2013-10-14 | ||
Love | 2011-02-14 | State of mind | A Valentine's Day theme. Not archived. |
Luck | 2015-04-06 | ||
Magic | 2014-10-27 | ||
Magicians | 2014-11-03 | Occupations | Including wizards, witches, etc. |
May | 2011-05-16 | Calendrical | This cast accepted any use of the word "May". Not archived. |
Meeting Up, Getting Together | 2013-08-19 | Activity | Inspired by the Maine Meat. |
Memorial Day | 2013-05-27 | Seasonal | |
Memorial | 2014-01-06 & -13 (2 weeks); 2013-01-01 | Musicians | Remembering music people who died the past year. |
Memory | 2015-05-25 (replayed 2021-05-24) | Songs referencing "memory" or "memories". | |
Mind, The | 2012-09-17 | Anatomy | |
Months | 2015-12-07 (replayed 2020-12-07) | Calendrical | |
Moon, The | 2016-02-22 (replayed 2021-04-26); 2012-08-27 (RIP Neil Armstrong) | Astronomical objects | |
Mother | 2012-05-07 (shared with Number 1's); 2011-05-02 | Demographics | For Mother's Day. |
Motown Sound, The | 2012-10-15 | Music genre | |
Murder | 2011-12-12 & -19 (2 weeks) | Activity | A Christmas theme. Not archived. |
Musical Questions | 2013-01-28 | Songs that ask a question in the title. | |
New Year, The | 2011-01-04 (shared with Viewer's Choice) | Seasonal | Anything related to the new year. |
Nighttime | 2010-11-07 | Time | Not archived. |
Nonsense words | 2015-08-03 & -10 (2 weeks) (both replayed 2021-08-16); 2010-12-10 (not archived) | Songs with nonsense words in the title or lyrics. | |
Number 1's | 2013-02-25; 2012-05-07 (shared with Mothers); 2012-02-06 (shared with Super songs) | Songs that were #1 on this date in history. | |
Obscurities | 2012-05-21 | "Obscure" songs, whatever that meant. Not archived. | |
One of something | 2012-01-23 | Numbers | Songs about a single person or thing. Not archived. |
Orange or Yellow | 2015-10-26 (replayed 2021-11-15) | Colors | Plus related shades (amber, rust, etc.) |
Organistan | 2015-01-11; 2013-02-18 | Instrumentation | Music where the organ is a featured instrument. |
OtC "Open House" | 2014-06-27 (Introduction of OtC to VL viewers) | Special show format | |
OtC Retrospective | 2017-02-20 (Rehashing themes and tunes of the past 3 years.); 2015-06-29 (Looking back at one year on Vaughnlive.) (replayed 2021-06-28) | Special show format | |
Party | 2012-02-20 | Activity | Having a party, going to a party, etc. |
Paul Kantner | 2016-02-01 (replayed 2021-02-01) | Musicians | Paul Kantner memorial. |
Piano-ism | 2014-01-20 | Instrumentation | Music where the piano is a featured instrument. |
Pink or Purple | 2015-10-19 (replayed 2021-11-08) | Colors | Plus related shades (magenta, mauve, violet, etc.) |
Please & Thank You | 2013-04-15 | ||
Politics & Campaigns | 2010-10-27 | Current events | Not archived. |
Power | 2013-01-21 | Inspired by Inauguration Day. | |
Pretty Ugly | 2013-08-05 | Either "pretty" or "ugly" references. | |
Promises & Lies | 2012-10-08 | Inspired by the presidental campaign. | |
Psychedelia | 2014-07-28 & -08-04 (2 weeks); 2011-09-12; 2011-07-11 & -18 & -25 (3 weeks) | Music genre | |
Queens | 2014-10-06 | Occupations | "Queens" was taken figuratively. |
Rain | 2011-04-25; 2011-04-04 | Weather | Neither archived.|
Red | 2015-10-05 (replayed 2021-10-11) | Colors | |
Remember, Forget | 2013-04-22 | ||
Revenge of the Synth | 2012-08-13 | Instrumentation | Music where the synthesizer is featured. |
Roads | 2014-06-16 & -23 (2 weeks) | Thoroughfares | |
Rock & NO Roll | 2015-11-16 (replayed 2021-12-06) | Songs with Rock but not Roll in the title. | |
Rock & Roll (titles) | 2015-11-09 (replayed 2021-11-29) | Songs with Rock and Roll in the title. | |
Roll & NO Rock | 2015-11-23 (replayed 2021-12-13) | Songs with Roll but not Rock in the title. | |
Rooms | 2013-09-30 | Building features | |
Saxophonics | 2013-05-20; 2012-06-18 (not archived); 2011-12-05 | Instrumentation | Music that features the saxophone. |
Selling & Buying | 2013-02-04 | Inspired by Superbowl ads. | |
Sensory Deprivation | 2016-03-07 (replayed 2021-03-08) | Being blind, deaf, numb, etc. | |
Shadows | 2015-02-02 | ||
Siblings | 2011-11-28 | Musicians | Groups that have a set of siblings. Not archived. |
Singing | 2012-12-10 | Activity | Songs referring to the act of singing. |
Sleep | 2016-03-21 (replayed 2021-03-22) | ||
Smiles | 2014-03-03 | ||
Smoke & Mirrors | 2014-08-11 | ||
Songs times 2 | 2012-08-20 | The same song by different artists. Not archived. | |
Streets | 2014-03-31 | Thoroughfares | |
Summer | 2013-06-24; 2012-06-25 (not archived); 2011-08-08 (not archived); 2010-07-30 | Seasons | |
Sunday | 2015-09-20 (replayed 2021-09-27) | Calendrical | No so coincidentally, this was a Sunday night cast. |
Super songs | 2012-02-06 (shared with Number 1's) | Inspired by the Superbowl. | |
Surf music | 2013-03-18 | Music genre | |
Sweethearts | 2015-02-09 | Seasonal | For Valentine's Day. |
Talk | 2012-10-01 | Activity | Songs about talking. |
Thanksgiving | 2011-11-21 | Seasonal | Not archived. |
Time | 2012-09-10 | Time | |
Today | 2013-07-01 | Calendrical | |
Tomorrow | 2013-08-26 | Calendrical | |
Tonight | 2013-07-29 | Calendrical | |
Travel | 2011-05-30 | Not archived. | |
Trees | 2013-10-21 | Plants | Inspired by autumn colors. |
Trouble | 2013-10-07 | ||
Trumpetude | 2012-07-16 | Instrumentation | Music where a brass instrument is featured. |
Unbelievably Small | 2013-09-16 | Current events | Inspired by the John Kerry quote. |
Unusual instrumentation | 2013-07-22 | Instrumentation | Music featuring a non-mainstream instrument (sitar, kazoo, flute, etc.). |
Ups and Downs | 2013-07-15 | Directions | |
Valentine's Day | 2012-02-13 | Seasonal | |
Vices and Resolutions | 2012-01-08 | Activity | For New Year's Day. Not archived. |
Viewers' Choice | 2012-08-08; 2011-01-04 (shared with The New Year) | An attempt to have viewers pick a theme on the fly. Neither of these casts were archived. | |
Viva Mexico | 2014-05-05 | Political geography; Ethnicity | Anything relating to Mexico, for Cinco de Mayo. |
Vocalists of the 40s | 2011-08-16; repeated 2013-10-28 (shared with Halloween) | Music genre | |
Walls & Bridges | 2014-02-24 | Building features; Thoroughfares | |
Wealth | 2012-07-23 | Inspired by Occupy Wall Street. | |
White things | 2013-12-09 | Snow, for example. It was winter. | |
Wild | 2014-07-14 | Actually, this theme was called "Going Wild!". | |
Wind, The | 2015-03-02 | Weather | |
Windows | 2014-06-02 | Building features | |
Winning & Losing | 2011-01-24 | Inspired by the Superbowl. Not archived. | |
Wisdom | 2013-04-08 | The flip side of the April Fools Day theme. Not archived. | |
Wonder | 2015-06-22 (replayed 2021-06-21) | State of mind | |
Wonderful | 2015-06-01 (replayed 2021-05-31) | This was called Gil's "Wonderful" Cast. | |
Woodstock | 2015-08-17 (replayed 2021-08-23) | Musicians; Music genre | Woodstock performers and the songs they were playing in 1968-1969. |
Words | 2015-06-15 (shared with Heroes) (replayed 2021-06-14); 2015-06-08 (replayed 2021-06-07) | Example: "Words" by the Bee Gees. | |
Work | 2015-09-07 | Theme tied in to Labor Day. | |
Worry | 2015-05-04 | State of mind | |
Wrong! | 2014-04-28 | ||
Years | 2013-12-30 | Calendrical | Inspired by New Year's Eve. |
Yesterday | 2013-06-10 | Calendrical | |
Youth, excluding babies | 2013-04-29 | Demographics | |
Musical Journey | 2017-06-26 (not archived); 2017-03-13 (replayed 2021-04-19); 2017-02-26 (not archived); 2016-09-05 | MJ casts feature a set pre-ordered playlist with few or no requests taken. | |
(no theme) | 2017-10-30; 2017-09-18 (not archived); 2017-09-04 (not archived); 2017-08-28 (not archived); 2017-02-13 (not archived); 2017-01-16 (not archived); 2017-01-01 (not archived); 2016-11-14 (not archived); 2016-10-17; 2016-09-12; 2016-06-30 (not archived); 2016-04-25 (not archived); 2016-04-11 (replayed 2021-04-05); 2016-04-04 (not archived); 2016-03-28 (replayed 2021-03-29); 2016-01-25 (replayed 2021-01-25); 2015-12-28 (guest co-host: Bill) (replayed 2020-12-28); 2012-04-16; 2011-10-24; 2011-03-07; 2011-02-28; 2011-02-21; 2010-12-27; 2010-12-20; 2010-11-29; 2010-11-22; 2010-11-10; 2010-11-08; 2010-11-03; 2010-10-31; 2010-10-25; 2010-10-18; 2010-09-04; 2009-08-02 | Themes became a consistent feature of the webcast after March 7, 2011 (cast #38). Themed casts were phased out beginning December 28, 2015 (cast #265). Tracking of "no theme" casts ended after October 30, 2017, and so are not listed here. |
Most columns are self-explanatory. The Webcast Date column shows every date that the referenced theme was used, with the most recent date shown first (which is useful if you want to sort on this column). Some themes spread over 2 or 3 consecutive casts and are so designated. A few casts had two primary themes. These are marked as being "shared" on the applicable date.
Sometimes the Theme column is a generalization, and the actual show theme title is shown in parenthesis after the date. For example, for all practical purposes both the "Guitar Gods" cast of 11-18-2013 and the "Guitar Greats (and not-so-greats)" cast of 07-13-2015 had the same theme, just labeled slightly differently. You'll find both casts listed under the theme of "Guitarists".
Many themes have a Theme Category, and a few belong to more than one category. The Theme Category is simply an organizational aid. You can use it to find all themes of the same type, e.g., all themes dealing with "Animals".
Some themes are hard to accurately or usefully categorize, so I don't attempt it.
This page most-recently updated on December 28, 2021. (These older casts were being replayed throughout most of 2021. Starting 12/27/2021, newer shows are being replayed -- non-themed shows that were never tracked here on this page. This page will continue to be updated if/when a themed cast is replayed in the future.)