Could Have Played at State in ’82

Back in ’82, I was cruising to my high school graduation (with fingers crossed). Personal highlights included a state ‘A’ in forensics in the category of Story Telling (believe it or not). Lowlights included an early exit from the high school band. Our director, Mr. Putz, realized that by ushering my buddy Marty and me to study hall that hour, the band could get more accomplished. The trouble was, I did not inform my parents that I was not going to perform in the last band concert. The choir went first that night and my proud parents watched their son Philip sing his heart out. When the Senior high band came out, they could not figure out where their young scholar was. It took a few weeks to smooth that situation over at the old homestead. I was the only senior on the baseball team thanks to a key injury and several suspensions. I was very focused on the track season as well. While warming up, I would tell my buddy to throw the ball over my head, and I would let it roll so I could run by the girls track team and say hello. This was a big move on my part because my future wife, June, was a freshman on the team…”afternoon ladies”. Songs that were playing through my head in the Spring of 1982 included I Love Rock and Roll-Joan Jett, We Got the Beat-Go-Go’s, Shake It Up-Cars, Take Off-McKenzie Brothers, Do You Believe in Love-Huey Lewis, Find Another Fool-Quarterflash, Juke Box Hero-Foreigner, Hang Fire-Rolling Stones, and Freeze Frame-J.Geils Band.

It will be a pleasure to spin a few of these during this Saturday night’s Those Were the Days radio show on WRCO, WRCO.com, and through the Civic Media app. We will be spinning songs that were released between 1955 and 1995. Every show that features a year someone calls to say that they don’t know any songs from than. You do not have to request a song from that year. I just spin a few each hour. It is a pleasure to talk to friends from all over Wisconsin and the world each Saturday night between six and midnight. Let’s get into some trouble this weekend. We just don’t want to get sent to study hall.

Phil