Blog
Jun
07

The Summer of Love 1967

This week on Those Were the Days from WRCO and wrco.com, we will drift back to June of 1967.  It was the start of what has been called the 'summer of love'.  The music of the time made for glorious sounds on AM radio.  A year later, music became a bit harder edged.   Saturday night, I hope you will put some flowers in your hair and go back with us for great hits such as: Respect-Aretha Franklin,  Somebody to Love-Jefferson Airplane,  Little Bit O' Soul-Music Explosion,  Light My Fire-Doors,  Don't You Care-Buckinghams,  Mirage-Tommy James and the Shondells,  She'd Rather Be With Me-Turtles,  Groovin-Young Rascals,  On a Carousel-Hollies,  Friday On My Mind-Easybeats, and Him or Me-What's It Gonna Be?-Paul Revere and the Raiders.  That is a great stack of 45 rpm records!

Not only will I be highlighting my favorite year for Top 40 music, but the request line will be open again for you to ask for a tune from the fifties through the early nineties.  Last week my family attended a wedding for some good friends and neighbors.  As a result the show was on Memorex.  I hope you got a chance to hear the tribute to Vilas Craig.  There were good comments about the program.  In case you missed it, we will post it on this website.  Our fun trivia contests return this Saturday night as well.  Please catch part of the show this Saturday night between six and midnight.

Phil

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  65 Hits
May
31

High School Summers & Remembering Vilas

Saturday night I will be going back to a few favorite Summer hits from my formative years.  Those tunes from the warm months in 1978, '79, '80, '81, and '82 bring to mind very good days.  It was hard work on the farm and we took one vacation for 3 days during one of those years.  I would not change a thing about those growing up years.  During Those Were the Days between six and midnight I will be spinning favorites that take me back to swimming in the Willow creek with friends.  Car radio classics that played while I chomped on a Coney Dog at Dog n' Suds, or cruised to a softball game.  

At the start of Those Were the Days (6 pm) we will pay tribute to Richland Center musician Vilas Craig who passed away this week.  He and his band, the Vi Counts, recorded twelve 45 RPM records from the late 50's until the mid '60's.  Many of which we still play on Saturday night.  Since this show started in 1986 Vilas has been one of our most requested artists.  Many met him through the years and others discovered his music on our radio show.  I just took a call this past Saturday night from a long distance listener asking me if I had ever heard of Vilas Craig.  I played them 'Walking Down the Avenue'.  This Saturday night Timouthy Craig (Vilas' son) will join me on the air and we will feature a radio celebration of life.    Vilas was a great friend of Those Were the Days.  The last time I spoke with him was Saturday night May 20th and he requested 'Don't Mess With Bill' by the Marvelettes for his friend Bill. There will be a chance for family, friends and fans to pay tribute to Vilas Monday night June 5th at the Phoenix Center in Richland Center.  I will miss him, but his music will live on during our Those Were the Days Saturday night shows on WRCO FM 100.9 and wrco.com.

We will not be taking your requests this weekend.  That feature will return next Saturday night.  Thanks for reading and listening.

Phil

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  151 Hits
May
24

Traveling Songs for the Holiday Weekend

This weekend we will take time on Monday to salute our veterans.  More Americans than ever will be taking to the highways and Those Were the Days on Saturday night will provide a soundtrack for those traveling or dreaming about moving.  There will be a bunch of songs that inspire you to go faster down the road.  Please be careful and don't get a ticket!  Some of my favorite moving songs include:  Rockin Down the Highway-Doobie Brothers,  Driving My Life Away-Eddie Rabbitt,  Born to Run-Bruce Springsteen,  Ramblin' Man-Allman Brothers,  Drive My Car-Beatles,  Holiday Road-Lindsay Buckingham,  Cars-Gary Numan,  Born to by Wild-Steppenwolf,  Take It Easy-Eagles,  and I Can't Drive 55-Sammy Hagar.  Perhaps you can think of a favorite open road song?  Let me know the tune that you would like to hear Saturday night when I host Those Were the Days on WRCO FM 100.9 and wrco.com.  

Thanks to our friends in the 608 and beyond that listen to our show.  It is so cool to talk with people that enjoy the same music.  This is something that we can all agree on.  We have some cool shows lined up for the future.  This weekend marks the unoffical start of the summer season and I invite you to join us for some cool tunes.

Phil

 

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  156 Hits
May
17

Spring of 1986

This Saturday nights' Those Were the Days radio show will flashback to May of 1986.  It was a great time in my life.  I was working on our small farm and spinning records for spending money.  The money usually went toward buying more records to play at the dances.  Like most of my business ventures, it was break even at best.  I managed my time enough so that I could go courting and somehow I convinced June to go out with me more than once.  Some of the hot songs from this weekend in 1986 include:  Rough Boy-ZZ Top,  Manic Monday-Bangles,  I Wanna Be a Cowboy-Boys Don't Cry,  Addicted To Love-Robert Palmer,  Your Love-Outfield,  Why Can't This Be Love-Van Halen,  No One Is To Blame-Howard Jones,  Rain On the Scarecrow-John Mellencamp,  What You Need-INXS,  and Tuff Enough-Fabulous Thunderbirds.  These were the hot tunes I was playing at the year end high school dances.  When I was playing at Weston High School, the favorite song was West End Girls by the Pet Shop Boys.  The students changed the words and would sing 'Weston Girls'  during the chorus.  It will be fun to share more memories of a wonderful year on Those Were the Days between six and midnight Saturday night on WRCO and WRCO.com.

During the show last week, we were getting calls from outside the 608.  We even had a dedicated listener that called us from England where it was one in the morning!  A first time listener from Beloit checked in and many of our friends that call in on a regular basis reported.  I hope you will join us and request a song or for our trivia games.  Tell your friends about Those Were the Days, my friend.

Phil

 

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  177 Hits
May
10

Out the School Door in 1974

The school year was ending in mid-May of 1974.  Dad was plowing the good earth of  Aubrey Corners.  I was not old enough to drive the spring tillage equipment, however, I loved to help out.  When he was planting corn, I would wait with the pickup truck and help him fill the planter boxes and the fertilizer compartments.  I had the radio on in the truck while I was waiting.  Out in the middle of nowhere and away from power lines, I could get glorious AM radio during the day including the Big 89 WLS.  Some of my favorite tunes from this week in 1974 include:  The Locomotion-Grand Funk, Bennie & the Jets-Elton John,  The Show Must Go On-Three Dog Night,  Band On the Run-Wings,  Come and Get Your Love-Redbone,  Lookin For a Love-Bobby Womack,  Let It Ride-BTO,  Sundown-Gordon Lightfoot,  Star Baby-Guess Who,  LA Grange-ZZ Top, and Rikki, Don't Lose That Number-Steely Dan.  It was a great time to grow up and the music was a soundtrack to a wonderful spring and summer.  That summer I had my first major crush on a young lady that knew how to sing and play guitar.  If there is an era that I would most like to go time traveling it might be 1974.  Since they have not officially invented that device yet (sorry Uncle Ricco),  we will have to use music and radio the 'theater of the mind'.  I hope you will help me with the playlist Saturday night during Those Were the Days on WRCO FM 100.9 and wrco.com between six and midnight.  Join us for trivia and the best music from the fifties through the early '90's and a trip to '74 during the six hour show.

Phil

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  216 Hits
May
03

A Galaxy of Hits From 1964

Here is the plan for this Saturday nights' Those Were the Days radio show on WRCO FM 100.9 and wrco.com.  I will be spotlighting a few of the songs that are featured in the soundtrack for Guardians of the Galaxy 3 which is in theaters this weekend.  The first two Guardians movies brought back a number of classic songs to a new generation.  The 3rd soundtrack features such hits as: Since You Been Gone-Rainbow,  Crazy On You-Heart,  Badlands-Bruce Springsteen,  Reasons-Earth Wind and Fire,  and I'm Always Chasing Rainbows-Alice Cooper.  We will be visiting Mastodon Records in downtown Richland Center for a vinyl copy that we can spin Saturday night during Those Were the Days.

The year of 1964 was a year of transtition in rock n' roll music.  The British Invasion was just getting underway in the spring and for the next couple of years the groups from jolly old England dominated American music.  TWTD favorites from the survey in May of 1964 include:  Can't Buy Me Love-Beatles,  Glad All Over-Dave Clark Five,  Nadine-Chuck Berry,  (Just Like) Romeo and Juliet-Reflections,  The Way You Do the Things You Do-Temptations,  New Girl In School-Jan and Dean,  and Needles and Pins-Searchers.  I will spin of few spring of '64 classics on Saturday night.  Those songs go back to when I was a wee Nee on the banks of the Willow creek.  Luckily I did not float down stream in my bassinet like Moses. There is no guarantee that anyone would have pulled me from the water and saved me.

Join the fun Saturday night between six and midnight during Those Were the Days.  A show that features the best of the fifties through the early 90's.  We have some great treats to give away when we play our trivia games!  Listen for some 'sweet turntable treats' sponsored by Udder Brothers Creamery of Boscobel.

Phil

 

 

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  280 Hits
Apr
26

Top Dog Of '82

I had a teacher that used to sarcastically call our group of ruffians 'the top dogs of dog hollow'.  We seemed to think we ruled the school.  That thinking ended in May of 1982 when we graduated high school and got ready for the real world.  There are several that graduated that spring class that I have not seen since.  When I hear the tunes from that era, I am reminded of those crazy days.  When you were in the first 12 years of school, it seemed that time moved slowly.  Think about how fast the last 12 years have gone and you realize that your school days were just a blink.  They were your formative years though, and that is why the songs you grew up with remain special.

During Those Were the Days radio show this Saturday night, I will be going back to my glory year featuring tunes from groups such as: Joan Jett and the Blackhearts,  Hall & Oates,  J. Geils Band,  Asia, and many more.  I hope you can tune in for radio fun, your requests, and highlights from spring of 1982 from six until midnight Saturday night on Wrco FM 100.9 and wrco.com.

Phil

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  248 Hits
Apr
19

Pat Boone and the Fab Fifties

This Saturday night on Those Were the Days courtesy of WRCO FM 100.9 and wrco.com we will be flying back to the early days of rock n' roll.   I had the extreme honor of talking with Pat Boone recently.  He had one more hit record than Elvis in the fifties.  This is an underated artist that had a great deal to do with bringing rock n' roll to American homes when he recorded songs that were written by the likes of Fats Domino and Little Richard.  This helped them become major stars of the era.  Pat Boone is not in the rock n' roll hall of fame, however,  in my opinion he is more worthy than many that have been honored.  It was cool to be able to tell him that.  Saturday night you can hear segments of the interview.  There are not many artists left that can talk first hand about Elvis and other stars of early rock.  If you would like a preview of the interview and more about the Pat Boone hitlist, you can check out Kent Kotal's website forgottenhits.com.  Kent posted a segment about our interview that appeared on his blog Wednesday.

We will be taking your requests and you can win a prize during our trivia segments this Saturday night.  I hope you will give a listen and have some fun with us during Saturday nights' Those Were the Days radio show.  Between the hours of six and midnight we will be playing the best of the fifties through the early nineties. The first vinyl era.  Saturday April 22nd is Record Store Day 2023.  Please support your local record stores.  If my wife June gives me my allowance, I may have some new vinyl to play for you this weekend.

Phil

 

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  303 Hits
Apr
12

Spirit of '76 on TWTD

During Those Were the Days on Saturday night, WRCO will be turning back the clock to 1976.  The year that the U.S. celebrated a Bicentennial.  There were red, white, and blue fire hydrants and mail boxes. Many tv and radio specials.  There was a new specially minted quarter that I should have been saving, however, I was throwing them down the jukebox slot to play favorite songs including:  Show Me the Way-Peter Frampton,  Bohemian Rhapsody-Queen,  Dream On-Aerosmith,  Let Your Love Flow-Bellamy Brothers,  Love Machine-Miracles,  Take It to the Limit-Eagles,  Lorelei-Styx,  Shout It Out Loud-Kiss,  and Love Really Hurts Without You-Billy Ocean.  I got to play those during trips to Boaz for Friday night fish frys or a stop at the Riverside bar near Sextonville for Sunday brunch.   I was very much into radio and keeping track of the hits in the spring of 1976.  My Panasonic tape recorder was my favorite toy and I made many mix tapes.  Spring hits from the past are very special to me because they take me back to the days of growing up on the farm.  The old place would come back to life.  Dad would be plowing ground to plant oats and later in the month corn.  The oats normally would get covered by snow once in April.  My new Hiawatha 3 speed bike was the envy of all the neighboring farm kids.  I bought it at Gambles in Richland Center and would ride it up and down the road while listening to glorious AM radio.  When I hear Dream Weaver by Gary Wright, I remember trying to tape it off the radio.  That would require listening closely and starting the recording after the d.j. stopped talking.  It was a great time to grow up.

Join us for the great songs from the spring of 1976 and all of your favorite classic rock and roll favorites Saturday night during Those Were the Days.  From six and to midnight we will take you back to radios' fun days.  Test your trivia skills and help us program the show Saturday night.

Philip James Nee

 

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  263 Hits
Apr
05

Tunes From 1970 On TWTD

During our six hour rock and roll tribute on WRCOs' Those Were the Days Saturday night, we will go parking in 1970.  Other than the announcement that the Beatles were calling it quits, April of 1970 was a great time for Top Forty music.  Some of my favorite songs that were playing on the barn radio that Spring include:  House of the Rising Sun-Frijid Pink,  ABC-Jackson Five,  Love Or Let Me Be Lonely-Friends of Distinction,  Spirit In the Sky-Norman Greenbaum,  and Let It Be-Beatles.  These tunes gave me a little more pep in my step as I completed my barn chores.   All of the neighboring farms had farmers daughters that were around my age.  Believe it or not, they never showed much interest in me.  They all had cool 45 rpm records that we could dance to.  Once in a while we would ride our bikes to one spot and play some cool tunes together.  I have many memories about spring on the farm and the first time the dirt was turned to plant a new crop.

Those Were the Days on WRCO FM 100.9 and wrco.com will hit the airwaves with hits from six to midnight Saturday night.  If you are having a family gathering this weekend, remember to turn on the radio or join our stream.  Dedicate a song to a family member or friend outside of the area.  It was great to hear from some long distance listeners last weekend.  One of our online friends called after my April Fool joke.  They chewed me out for saying that Those Were the Days was being cancelled and it was our last show.  I am sorry about that.  It is good to know that a lot of people care whether our show is on the air.   I can't wait for Saturday night!

Phil

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  290 Hits
Mar
29

Springtime Fun in '81

Spring had arrived in 1981 and while dad was planting oats, I was feeling mine.  Young love was blooming everywhere and my first steady girl friend was my primary focus.  Attempting to play baseball and socializing by the bleachers in the old Ithaca gymnasium were among my favorite things.  I was the designated hitter for Coach Elroy Pampuch's Varsity baseball team.  As I made the pitching in the Ridge and Valley conference look better, I had lots of songs playing in my head. Even though I was true to her, my girl friend bought me the REO Speedwagon album 'High Infidelity'  as a present.  I still have the album today, but she and I broke up when she went away to college that fall.  It was a good move for her but she didn't get any more cool mix tapes from me.   Back to the music...some of my favorite tunes from the Spring of '81 include:  I Can't Stand It-Eric Clapton,  Just Between You and Me-April Wine,  Too Much Time On My Hands-Styx,  Hearts On Fire-Randy Meisner,  You Better You Bet-The Who,  Turn My Loose-Loverboy, and I Love You-Climax Blues Band.

Go back with me to the Spring of 1981 this Saturday night during Those Were the Days on WRCO FM 100.9 and wrco.com.  I will be spinning all of your favorites from the fifties through the early 1990s (the original vinyl era).  You could win some cool prizes during our trivia games between six and midnight Saturday night.  Saturday will be April Fools day.  I sure hope you don't fall for any tomfoolery.  

Phil-IHS Designated Hitter 1981 Ithaca Bulldogs

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  296 Hits
Mar
22

A Tribute to Our Feathered Friends

During this weekends Those Were the Days, we will pay homage to songs about birds.  There is a long list of tunes with titles that pay tribute to our winged buddies including:  Blackbird-Beatles,  Rockin' Robin-Bobby Day/Michael Jackson,  Fly Robin Fly-Silver Convention,  White Bird-Its A Beautiful Day,  And Your Bird Can Sing-Beatles,  On the Wings of A Nightingale-Everly Brothers,  The Bird-The Time, and  Surfin Bird-The Trashmen.  Now that Spring has successfully arrived, we can  welcome back our rockin' birds to our neighborhoods.  Saturday nights' Those Were the Days program will provide you with the best of the fifties through the eighties Top 40 tunes, audience participation trivia, and a fun party with friends.  It takes a group effort to program a six hour show.  Thanks to everyone who contributed to the sound last week.

Our program received one of the highest possible honors this week when we were mentioned in the obituary of Beverly Pittman Burns.  As I said on the air last Saturday, Beverly has been one of our most thoughtful and dedicated listeners for many years.  By request of her family, an aircheck of Those Were the Days on WRCO will play during her visitation this weekend.  I am so honored. She had such a positive attitude and always mentioned how grateful she was and how great her life was. We can all take lessons from her attitude.   If there is a way to live stream in heaven, I am sure Bev will find a way to listen to Saturdays With Simo and Saturday nights' Those Were the Days.  

I hope you will hang out with us on Sautrday night between six and midnight during Those Were the Days radio show (the best of the fifties through the eightis)  on WRCO FM 100.9 and wrco.com.

Phil

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  264 Hits
Mar
17

Spring Arrived in 1975

When Spring arrived on the family farm, it was a new beginning.  The cows, chickens, pigs, and ducks, all would have babies and young Philip would ride his Huffy bike around to visit all of his friends from the animal kingdom.  On his handle bars was an AM radio/bike light so Philip could hear the latest tunes from 1975.  As the 'Black Water' flowed by in the Willow Creek, the Doobie Brothers were enjoying their first number one song.  The farm animals, their babies, and the boy with the high water pants also enjoyed these songs...Lady Marmalade-LaBelle,  Lady-Styx,  Don't Call Us, We'll Call You-Sugarloaf,  Best of My Love-Eagles,  No No Song-Ringo Starr,  Chevy Van-Sammy Johns,  Emma-Hot Chocolate,  Movin On-Bad Company,  Killer Queen-Queen,  and Have You Never Been Mellow-Olivia Newton-John.

I hope that you will listen Saturday night to Those Were the Days on WRCO FM 100.9 and wrco.com.  We will be spinning from this weekends flashback 1975 chart and we will be also playing all of your favorite tunes from the fifties through the early '90's. We will be featuring trivia and having a radio party between six and midnight.  

Philip

P.S. I wish I still had my Huffy bike with the banana seat and sissy bar!

 

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  286 Hits
Mar
08

The Light Shines On ELO

During Saturday nights' Those Were the Days radio show, Electric Light Orchestra will be the guest band.  They have long been one of our most requested groups.  It will be great to visit a playlist that includes 27 songs that made the U.S. charts from 1973 through 1986.  You will be able to hear insight from an interview I did with founding member and drummer Bev Bevan.  ELO was a favorite of mine when I was young.  I bought a Greatest Hits album that came out on Jet records and it included all of their hits through 1978.  This gave me a bunch of songs that I could record on my mix tapes.  Some of my favorites include: Strange Magic,  Livin Thing,  Do Ya, Turn To Stone,  Sweet Talkin Woman,  Mr. Blue Sky,  and Roll Over Beethoven. The Xanadu movie soundtrack featured great tracks including: I'm Alive,  All Over the World, and the title cut. Rock and Roll is King is a very underated song that was released in 1983.   The back window of my '75 Ford Maverick car would really vibrate when I would crank up Evil Woman. The stereo speakers that I cut off  from our old record changer would rattle with the beat as they rested on a piece of green shag carpet which adorned the back window well....'hey ladies'!

In addition to the music of ELO, Those Were the Days will be blasting all kinds of music from the fifties through the eighties from Six until Midnight.  Thanks to all of our loyal listeners.  Hats off to those that checked in last week from the Florida Gulf Coast and Arizona.  Locally the Lone Rock party crowd was jamming,  the 'Blue House' gang called in with two awesome requests, and the 'Wild Woman of Woodman' really enjoyed the tribute to 1969.  Tell your friends that Those Were the Days can be heard world wide.  I hope you will join us for old school radio featuring music, trivia, and fun, Saturday night.

Phil

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  550 Hits
Mar
01

Spring Back to 1969

I believe the line is actually 'spring forward', however, on WRCO Saturday nights we always go back.  This weekend we will land in 1969.  These songs were on the radio when I was a 'wee nee'.  On a beautiful Spring day, young Phil Nee went outside to play in his sandbox that his dad had made out of an old tractor tire.  While pretend farming, young Philip got bold and raised up the ear flaps on his aviator hat.  The sun was bright that day and the warmth of the son burned his protruding ears.  Even though his ears were itching and peeling, Philip was able to hear radio hits in the Spring of 1969 including:  Crimson and Clover-Tommy James,  Build Me Up Buttercup-Foundations,  Touch Me-Doors,  Proud Mary-CCR,  Ramblin Gamblin Man-Bob Seger System,  Traces-Classics IV,  Things I'd Like To Say-New Colony Six,  Time of the Season-Zombies,  I Heard It Through the Grapevine-Marvin Gaye, and I Got A Line On You-Spirit.  This Saturday on WRCOs' Those Were the Days, much older Philip will be spinning a few of these favorites.  It is suppose to be nice Saturday, but I better not lift my ear flaps for fear of burning my ears!  I want to look good on the radio.

It will be great to be back in the studio.  All of the regular features will return to the six hour Those Were the Days radio show.  You might be the winner of a great prize when we feature the great hits from the fifites through the eighties between six and midnight.  Lets have a radio party together!

Phil

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  833 Hits
Feb
22

The Vinyl Vault and Early '73 & '83 Jams

This Saturday night on Those Were the Days, I will be presenting blocks of songs that are played strictly from vinyl.  You may hear a few pops but hopefully no skips.  If that happens, I may need to put a nickle on the tone arm!  I will also spotlight a couple of good years for popular music.  In the early days of 1973  there were many great hits and all kinds of styles from hard rock to singer/songwriter soft rock.  Ten years later, music was vastly different with a nod toward the hit making MTV.  There were lots of British groups that became popular because of the constant video rotation on that music channel.  Both 1973 and 1983 will be highlighted on Those Were the Days throughout this year as we recognize the 50th and 40th anniversaries respectively.  

We will not be taking your requests on the show this Saturday night.  I have many irons in the fire this week and a big family birthday this weekend. Happy birthday to Granddaughter #1 Oaklee June.  I hope you will continue to listen.  There are some big shows coming up in March.  Tune in Saturday night to Those Were the Days on WRCO FM 100.9 and wrco.com. and tell your worldwide friends to join us!  It is amazing to hear from people that hear us all over the globe.

Phil

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  327 Hits
Feb
15

1978 Those Were the Days

I know that when we live in the past we can sometimes forget the times we are living.  Today will someday be the 'good old days'.  That being said, if I could travel in the 'time tunnel', it would be awesome to spend a day back in 1978.  Since the technology of traveling back has not yet been developed, we will have to settle for classic songs taking our mind away to some good times.  This week on Those Were the Days, I will be pulling out a classic radio chart from 1978 and we will be picking favorites.  Many of my favorite groups were having hits including: Foreigner, Styx,  Bee Gees,  and more!  It will like playing an old K-tel record Saturday night.

Between six and midnight on WRCO FM 100.9 and wrco.com we will be playing the hits from the fifties through the eighties.  You can request a song and we will be playing trivia whenever the 'magic cow bell' rings. Each week we make new friends.on the phone and through this site and email.  Tell your friends about us and request a song for them.  All the cool kids will be hanging out with us Saturday night.

Phil

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  346 Hits
Feb
08

Give Me More Rocking Flute

Saturday night on WRCOs' Those Were the Days,  I will feature a topic that has not been featured in our 37 years.  We talk about shredding guitars and cow bells, however, we have never payed tribute to the flute!  Many classic songs have featured the wind instrument, although we don't think of it as a part of a rock and roll band.  Some of my favorite groups to feature the flute include:  Jethro Tull,  Firefall,  Chicago, Marshall Tucker Band, and Men At Work.  Songs with flute solos include:  Undun-Guess Who,  Going Up the Country-Canned Heat,  Mighty Quinn (Quinn the Eskimo)-Manfred Mann,  Ruby Tuesday-Rolling Stones,  Moondance-Van Morrison,  and Hocus Pocus-Focus.  Can you think of some classic songs that have featured the flute?  Let me know by leaving a message on this site or by calling me on Saturday.

The request line will be open for the six hours of the show Saturday night on WRCO FM 100.9 and wrco.com.  I will be spinning all of the requested songs I can find whether they have a flute in the background or not.  We had a blast last week hearing from new friends and some folks that have been listening since we started in 1986.  You could be the winner of a great trivia prize if you can come up with the answer to pop culture questions.   Let's get together on Saturday night.

Phil

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  372 Hits
Feb
01

1965 Shakin All Over

In the deep Winter of 1965, there were many hot hits happening in rock and roll music.  Television was playing a big role with the Ed Sullivan show at its peak featuring top artists, and other shows like Shindig and Hullabaloo.  They brought music to mid America as did many other network variety shows.  Radio was doing its part and many stations would have countdowns strictly dedicated to the British Invasion artists.  This Saturday night on the radio I will try to recreate some of that musical excitement during Those Were the Days on WRCO FM 100.9 and wrco.com.  A few of my favorite tunes from the first weekend of February 1965 include:  This Diamond Ring-Gary Lewis and the Playboys,  Love Potion Number Nine-Searchers,  All Day and All Of the Night-Kinks,  Keep Searchin-Del Shannon,  Heart of Stone-Rolling Stones,  I Feel Fine-Beatles,  Laugh, Laugh-Beau Brummels, Look Of Love-Lesley Gore,  and Can't You Hear My Heartbeat-Hermans Hermits.

Please give me a call and keep me awake.  I will be tired from covering an all day wrestling tournament and would enjoy the company.  I will sip a Ski soda pop, put my feet in the air, and relax the rest of the night while listening to the greatest music from the fifties through the eighties.  You could be the winner of prizes including tickets to a comedy show.  Join us Saturday night between 6 and midnight for Those Were the Days.

Phil

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  398 Hits
Jan
25

The Letter

Saturday night during our classic rock n' roll radio show, Those Were the Days, the topic will be songs about letters, the mail, and the lost art of the written word.  There have been a great deal of songs on the subject.  The Box Tops had a number one tune called 'The Letter' in 1967.  It was famously covered by Joe Cocker a couple of years later.  There are not as many personal letters sent anymore.  In the days before social networking took over,  you either paid long distance phone fees or put a stamp on the envelope and waited a day or so for your loved one to recieve a letter. When my first 'real' girl friend was away at a summer activity we both sent letters every day.  She even wrote a hidden message under the stamp, however, the adhessive from the stamp tore the envelope and I could not read it.  I wonder what the message was?  This 43 year old mystery will probably never be solved. 

Songs about letter writing will be the theme Saturday night during our salute to classic rock n' roll radio.  Some of my favorties include:  Return to Sender-Elvis,  Rock and Roll Love Letter-Bay City Rollers,  Signed Sealed and Delivered-Stevie Wonder,  Please Mr. Postman-Marvelettes/Beatles,  Roll Over Beethoven -Chuck Berry,  Strawberry Letter #23-Brothers Johnson, Take A Letter, Maria-R.B. Greaves, Dear Eloise-Hollies,  and Already Gone-Eagles.  We will be spinning some of these tunes along with all of your requests on Those Were the Days on WRCO FM 100.9 and wrco.com.    Our longest long distance request last week came from Mesa, Arizona.  Tell all of your far out friends that they can hear us everywhere through this website.  

Phil

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  447 Hits

Recent Comments

Guest - Dave Wright January 1983
January 20 2023
'83..I was at the Richland Center campus. Those were the awesome songs that played in the student c...
Guest - dave 1973 From the Nee
January 06 2023
I was 10 when those songs you mentioned were new! It seems like only yesterday. Thanks for jogging...
Guest - Deborah K. Warming Up In 1979
November 22 2022
Last weeks show brought home many memories. I heard many songs that don’t often play. It is good t...
Guest - oldies dave Cool Kids Halloween Party!
October 28 2022
I have always loved Haunted House by 'Jumpin' Gene Simmons (not the Kiss guy). The Halloween songs ...
Guest - Amy d. A Love Note To 1972
September 23 2022
I graduated from high school in 1972. It was a great era to grow up. Thanks for the show.
Guest - Jen S. Dirty Dancing Is 35!
August 20 2022
Dirty Dancing is my all time favorite movie. Yeah!
Guest - Dave B. Party With the Beach Boys
August 05 2022
I love the Beach Boys! I am glad to see you spotlighting them. My favorites are some of the late 6...
Guest - Terri Nee-Holtz Rock n' Rodeo Hits
June 09 2022
Sister Mary said you were discussing the cheese roll. My daughter attended it. Said it was "wild m...
Guest - Debbie Stafslien Let's Try 1982 Again
April 23 2022
1982 was a dynamite year for music. MTV was a driving force. When I watch old clips i can’t believ...
Guest - Shelly 1977 April Hits
April 08 2022
1977 was a great year for albums. ELO-Out Of The Blue and Meatloaf were among my faves.