Phil Nee

The Green Bay Packers will play a third exhibition game of the preseason on Saturday night in Green Bay.  Join WRCO FM 100.9 for the action.  As the result of this network broadcast,  Those Were The Days will not be heard.  I will be organizing my cds and records in preperation for our September shows.  Among the highlights next month will be the appearance of our Walk With Grace guest d.j.s on Saturday night September 26th.  October 12th is the date when we first went on the air with Those Were The Days back in 1986.  That means that the show will turn 29 in October!  It is still a very rewarding program to host thanks to all of you out there in radio land.  Last weeks requests were awesome.  Just about every week we play at least one song that has never been played on the show.  I can't wait to see what you request during our next Those Were The Days radio get together on Saturday night September 5th.

Phil

It was August of 1973.  My parents were smiling as I got on the school bus for the new school year. It was tough to walk while wearing my new school pants. The bus driver nearly had to pull me up the steps because I couldn't bend my legs!  Some great songs were playing on the radio as I went back to school late that Summer.  Some favorites included:  Brother Louie-Stories, Live And Let Die-Wings, Get Down-Gilbert O'Sullivan, We're An American Band-Grand Funk,  Shambala-Three Dog Night, and Diamond Girl-Seals & Crofts.  The bus radio sounded good except when it went by a farm with a Super 98 electric fencer.  You could hear the snap of the fencer on the AM radio while the bus was rolling along.  Once in a while some Junior High girls would bring their portable 45 battery powered turntable and they would try to play some of the top hits of the day.  Everything was fine until the bus hit a pot hole or drove into a bumpy driveway and the record would skip.  Hopefully none of my records skip this Saturday night when I spin the best radio hits ever on WRCO FM 100.9.  I will be in the studio to answer all of your requests during our six hour Those Were The Days radio show.

Phil

THE LIST -PHIL'S FAVE 45S.

(songs that mean a lot to me and I am not tired of after all these years) Many are on my Wurlitzer Jukebox at home.

1. Light My Fire-The Doors

2. Go All The Way-The Raspberries

3. We're an American Band-Grand Funk

4. Day After Day-Badfinger

5. Pleasant Valley Sunday-The Monkees

6. Needles and Pins-The Searchers

7. A Hard Days Night-Beatles

8. Suspicious Minds-Elvis

9. Things I'd Like To Say-New Colony Six

10. Free Ride-Edgar Winter Group

11. Aint Too Proud To Beg-Temptations

12. Star Baby-The Guess Who

13. Rock Around The Clock-Bill Haley & The Comets

14. Walk Away Renee-Four Tops

15. Family Of Man-Three Dog Night

16. The Night Has A Thousand Eyes-Bobby Vee

17. A Ticket To Ride-The Beatles

18. Just What I Needed-The Cars

19. The Break Up Song-Greg Kihn

20. Pretty Flamingo-Manfred Mann

21. I Was Made To Love Her-Stevie Wonder

22. Watching The Wheels-John Lennon

23. Glory Days-Bruce Springsteen

24. I Just Want To Celebrate-Rare Earth

25. Mainstreet-Bob Seger

26. Honky Tonk Woman-Rolling Stones

27. Photograph-Def Leppard

28. I Woke Up In Love This Morning-Partridge Family

29. Maybe Baby-Buddy Holly

30. But Its Alright-J. J. Jackson

31. Hard Luck Woman-Kiss

32. You Got What It Takes-Dave Clark Five

33. Black Pearl-Sonny Charles and the Checkmates

34. Heat Of The Moment-Asia

35. Romeo's Tune-Steve Forbert

36. Big Man In Town-Four Seasons

37. Raspberry Beret-Prince

38. Stay In Time-Off Broadway

39. Its Up To You-Rick Nelson

40. Mama We're All Crazy Now-Slade

41. Rock n Roll Hoochie Koo-Rick Derringer

42. Right Back Where We Started From-Maxine Nightingale

43. My Back Pages-The Byrds

44. Ahh Leah-Donnie Iris

45. Vehicle-Ides Of March

46. Rock and Roll Fantasy-Bad Company

47. Crystal Blue Persuasion-Tommy James & The Shondells

48. Bring It On Home-Sam Cooke

49. Only The Young-Journey

50. Love Is Like Oxygen-The Sweet

51. Stand-R.E.M.

52. Kicks-Paul Revere & The Raiders

53. Forget Him-Bobby Rydell

54. Poor Side Of Town-Johnny Rivers

55. Soul Man-Blues Brothers/Sam & Dave

56. Can't You See Me Cry-The New Colony Six

57. Jam Up And Jelly Tight-Tommy Roe

58. Long Long Way From Home-Foreignor

59. Don't Do Me Like That-Tom Petty

60. Say You Love Me-Fleetwood Mac

61. Venus In Blue Jeans-Jimmy Clanton

62. Arms Of Mary-Chilliwack

63. What Is Life?-George Harrison

64. Lady Willpower- Gary Puckett

65. The Weight-The Band

66. Paperback Writer-The Beatles

67. Rio-Duran Duran

68. Slow Ride-Foghat

69. The New Girl In School-Jan & Dean

70. Incense and Peppermints-Strawberry Alarm Clock

71. The Guitar Man-Bread

72. Til The End Of The Day-The Kinks

73. Here I Go Again-Whitesnake

74. Bad Time-Grand Funk

75. Glory Bound-The Grass Roots

76. Run Run Run-Jo Jo Gunne

77. Crocodile Rock-Elton John

78. You May Be Right-Billy Joel

79. Walk Away-James Gang

80. Let It Rain-Eric Clapton

81. I've Been Loving You To Long-Otis Redding

82. Trying To Get To You-Elvis

83. Love Really Hurts Without You-Billy Ocean

84. Heart Of Gold-Neil Young

85. No More Mr. Nice Guy-Alice Cooper

86. God Only Knows-Beach Boys

87. Make Me Smile-Chicago

88. Hit Me With Your Best Shot-Pat Benatar

89. Already Gone-Eagles

90. Absolutely Right-Five Man Electrical Band

In August 1958, Billboard launched the Hot One Hundred singles chart, which contained sales and airplay stats.  Saturday night on WRCO FM 100.9 we will feature a few highlights from that survey.  Ricky Nelson, Elvis Presley, Bobby Darin, and The Coasters were having large hit records.  One of my favorite 45s, When by the Kalin Twins, was number five on that first chart.  That record was at our house when I was growing up.  It was a jukebox throwaway from my Uncle Ed's supper club and it was probably already worn out when we added it to the family record collection.  The flip side (3 O'clock Thrill) is a good b side slice of fifties life.  I will be in the studio this Saturday night to take your calls and I look forward to chatting with each person that calls our Those Were The Days solid gold line.  You can always drop me a line This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and request a song or make a suggestion for a future show.  I hope you enjoyed my favorite 45's show last Saturday night.  It took a lot of effort to narrow the list to the ones we played!   

Phil

This Saturday night I will stack up all of my favorite 45s and let them drop down and be played during our six hour Those Were The Days radio show.  This is a project I have been working on for a while.  I started with nearly five hundred songs on my list.  We do play a few album cuts on Saturday nights, however, I limited the picks to single releases.  Starting in late 1971 my first 45 was purchased (Chi-Lites- "Have You Seen Her") and this (hobby, passion, sickness) continues today.  The last time I counted down my favorites was over twenty-five years ago.  The list has changed a great deal.  There are songs that I have heard more than others and as a result have burned out on them.  There are a great deal that are on both lists and I will always want to hear them.  My first goal was to rank them, but I quickly realized how difficult that is.  My last stack of the night is the only one that I have numbered.  These are the ones that still stop me in my tracks.  The list of faves includes many genres.  There are many tunes that rock and roll historians would pat me on the back for choosing, there are other songs that they would roll their eyes and slap me for.  Most of them don't appreciate teen idols and pop song harmonies like me.  If you are listening to Those Were The Days this Saturday with a younger person, you may have to explain to them what a 45 is.  I had a youngster ask me if it was a gun!   We will not be taking your requests this Saturday night.  Save those for next weekend.  I really do appreciate it when you call.  

Thanks to our two top bidders in the recent G.R.A.C.E. radio auction.  Their bids totaled nearly 700 dollars for the annual charity event.  They will be playing an hour of their favorites coming up in September.  We will have more details on that later.  

Phil

The date was August first of 1981.  A soon to be Senior in high school was counting down the days until football practice.  He was unloading hay and dreaming about a new cable tv station he had just heard about.  He would not see MTV for another year until he left the farm.  That young pimple faced boy was me (of course).  

This Saturday night on Those Were The Days we will transfer back to the Billboard hot hits from August of 1981.  There were songs on the radio from Hall and Oates, Billy Squier, REO Speedwagon,  Journey,  Pat Benatar, Rick Springfield, and many more. These were the songs that were playing as I patroled Aubrey Corners in my '75 Ford Maverick.  Those Were The Days this Saturday night will again bring back all of your requests from the fifties through the eighties.  I hope you will join me between 6 p and Midnight.

Phil

This Saturday night on WRCO FM 100.9 I will be spinning all of your favorite fifties, sixties, seventies, and eighties classics during our six hour Those Were The Days radio show.  We had another fun night last Saturday night.  After a slow start, the requests came in at a rapid pace.  Here is a requesting tip.  If you request a fast short song, we may have a chance to play it sooner.  People want to have a party on Saturday night and it is tough to play a bunch of slower ballads in a row.  Songs like American Pie which clocks in at over eight minutes, Stairway To Heaven at over seven and a 1/2 minutes, and many album cuts from the seventies take a large chunk of our airtime.  I can play three two to three minute songs in the time it takes me to play one long song.  It is not that I don't like those songs and wont play them, however, it takes longer to work them into a request segment. 

This Saturday night I will spin a few from B.T.O.  I have always felt that Randy Bachman was amazing.  His songs with the Guess Who are among the groups best.  Bachman Turner Overdrive picked up the pace during a time when slow ballads and disco were starting to take over the Top Forty.  B.T.O. II is still one of my favorite all time albums. The big hits Takin'Care Of Business and Let It Ride came from that 1973 release.  I always have enjoyed other tracks such as:  Tramp, Give It Time and I Don't Have To Hide.    Hear a few stories behind the songs with Randy Bachman on WRCO FM 100.9 Saturday night.  I will be collecting your requests and playing trivia on this weeks Those Were The Days.

Philip James Nee

This weekend I will spin a few tunes from the July of 1975 Hot 100 music survey.  Tune in to WRCO FM 100.9 as we all go floating back to fun songs from such artists as:  Paul McCartney And Wings, 10 CC, The Eagles, Bachman Turner Overdrive and more from 1975.  We will also pay tribute to Billy Joel's Glass Houses album which was released July 18th of 1980.  I will be answering the rotary dial phone in the control room at WRCO.  Give me a call and request a song.  You can also drop me a line at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and request a song or leave a suggestion about a theme for a future Those Were The Days radio show.  You will be able to win tickets and stuff from the 'grab bag of goodies' this Saturday night.  The songs will take me back to eating black cherry Popsicles in the hot Summertime and listening to the radio.  Lets have a little fun Saturday night!

Phil

This Saturday night on Those Were The Days, I will be taking a look at the amazing amount of good movies with memorable soundtrack songs from 1985.  What a great year to go the movies!  I was courting my future wife, June, and there wasn't much to do in Richland Center Wisconsin.  We often went to the movies.   The awesome films included:  Back To The Future, Vision Quest, The Breakfast Club, A View To A Kill, St. Elmo's Fire, Rocky IV, The Jewel Of The Nile, The Last Dragon, and The Goonies.  All of these films had at least one hit song from the soundtrack which was played on the radio.  Of the twenty-six number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1985, eight were a part of famous films.  It was a great way to cross promote on the radio and at the theatre.

Join me for Those Were The Days on WRCO FM 100.9 Saturday night for the best of the fifties through the eighties radio hits.  I will be back and propped up in the studio ready to take your requests and play trivia. 

I hope you enjoyed our Fourth of July special this past Saturday night.  It was fun putting together so many songs about America and playing Summertime hits.  There were many good comments about the show that were sent to me.  Thank you so much.  If you would like to talk to me you can leave a message here on the blog or email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

While visiting Grand Rapids Michigan over the fourth, I had the chance to visit Vertigo Records.  What an amazing store!  I have been collecting records for nearly 45 years and have been in many music stores all over the country.  It takes a lot to 'wow' me.  This place had my head spinning the moment I walked in the door.  They have over 20,000 new vinyl records and a good collection of used.  They have a lot of reasonably priced cds and dvds.  If you are a music lover I highly suggest stopping there.  If you are not ever in Grand Rapids, you can still order from them on line.  The owner is a great guy and he even gave me a free t-shirt which I will be wearing this Saturday night on the radio.  I could have spent the entire day at Vertigo Records, however, since June was with me I only bought one record.  I will be waiting all week for Saturday night to play it for you.

Phil

This Saturday night I will be playing only American artists as we celebrate the fourth of July and Summertime with hot hits from the fifties throuh the eighties.  That means no Beatles, Rolling Stones, Elton John, Guess Who, Fleetwood Mac, and many others. For one night only the playlist will exclude any artist or group that was born outside of the United States.  Those Were The Days on Saturday night will be the soundtrack for your July fourth celebration and a great American Summer weekend.  Hear some awesome tunes from the Eagles, Bob Seger, Beach Boys,  Elvis, James Brown, Eddie Cochran and many more!  We will take a trip all over this Country with some of our favorite hits made in America.  We will not be taking your requests this week.  Write those down with your crayon and save them for next Saturday night.  Happy fourth!

Philip Nee

Help me assemble an awesome playlist this Saturday night for Those Were The Days on WRCO FM 100.9.  The best of the fifties through the eighties will live again in the dairy air of Southwest Wisconsin.  Last week you really gave me some great tunes to look for.  It is even more fun when songs are requested that we seldom hear.  One of the special features this week will be an in studio interview recorded recently with Bert Koelbl who was a member of Underground Sunshine.  They were a group from the Montello Wisconsin area which made it all the way to American Bandstand in 1969.  Their version of the Beatles 'Birthday' was played on many stations and it went number one in a lot of cities. I always like the followup single (which was written by David Gates) called Don't Shut Me Out.  Check out youtube for video of the groups Bandstand appearance.  Hear some inside tidbits from Bert.  He stopped by WRCO radio promoting his new solo cd called Silly Reasons.  It is a very good mix of folk, rock, and country songs.  You can find out more at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Play trivia with us and have a great time listening to the radio.  We bring the old days back every Saturday night during WRCOs' Those Were The Days.

Phil

This Saturday night we will say happy birthday to Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys on WRCOs' Those Were The Days.  Hear some of the best Beach Boys tunes on FM 100.9 along with anything you request from the pop charts of the 1950s through the 1980s.  I recently saw the movie 'Love And Mercy' which is a bio-pic about Brian Wilson and his genius and personal demons.  I have read mixed reviews about it.  I really liked the movie especially the 60's Brian Wilson when he was creating classics in the studio for the Beach Boys.  Films about the era that have all of the visuals always appeal to me.  There may be some Hollywood tweaks to the story, but the music is incredible!  Overall I give it a thumbs up. You should go see it if you get the chance.

I hope you will join the family of Those Were The Days radio listeners during this Saturday nights program between 6 and Midnight. 

Phil

This Saturday night on WRCO FM 100.9 we will stop and park for a time in the year of 1972.  We will hear such songs as: Sylvia's Mother-Dr. Hook, Nice To Be With You-Gallery, Oh Girl-Chi-Lites, Rocket Man-Elton John, and one hit wonders like How Do You Do by Mouth and MacNeal.  All the kids were singing along with Alice Cooper.  Schools Out was a brand new 45 in '72. As these songs played in my head, dad was getting out the haying equipment.  The rest of the Summer featured some hard work.  My parents paid me 25 cents per wagon of hay I helped unload.  If I finished 14 to 16 loads, I was ready to go to Richland Center and blow my earnings on a new album.  I helped pay the Osmond families' dentist by buying their records. 

I will be taking your requests and dedications this weekend during Those Were The Days.  Give me a call and lets have some fun!  In a town where you can still go roller skating.  You can still see an outdoor movie and you can still call the radio dj and talk with them about playing a song.  Join me for Those Were The Days this Saturday night between 6 p and Midnight.

Phil

608 647-4155

Saturday night on WRCO FM you will hear a few of the best 'Rockabilly' tunes of all time.  This is a genre of music that never seems to go away.  Our faves include:  Ooby Dooby by Roy Orbison,  Be Bop A Lula-Gene Vincent,  Baby Lets Play House-Elvis, Hello Mary Lou-Rick Nelson, and several tracks from Wanda Jackson.  Rock Around The Clock by Bill Haley and the Comets is often requested on the show.  It came out originally in 1954 which makes it one of the oldest songs we get requests for during Those Were The Days. Hear coments from author Sheree Homer.  She will talk about her 3rd book 'Dig That Beat' which features interviews with thirty-nine artists.  

I look forward to hearing from you on Saturday night when we open the phone line for requests (608) 647-4155.  Last week we set the record for number of requests during Those Were The Days and I stopped taking them during the last hour of the program.  Get ready for the trivia games as well during this Saturday nights Those Were The Days radio show.

Phil

Join WRCO FM 100.9 for Pop Radios' greatest hits from the fifties through the eighties this Saturday night.  On Those Were The Days this weekend I will again be going back to the 'Phil Nee Era'.  We will go parking in 1982 with big radio hits including:  867-5309 (Jenny)-Tommy Tutone, Heat Of The Moment-Asia,  Don't Talk To Strangers-Rick Springfield, and more.  It was the year that they let me graduate from high school.  What a great time to be young!  It was a sad time at I.H.S. but not for our teachers (they seemed very happy).  I would spend the Summer preparing for Trans American School Of Broadcasting by playing Pac Man, Donkey Kong, Dig Dug, and Frogger.  It was the first time that I saw MTV and I wanted to be a VJ someday.  I bought a second pair of headphones so my girl friend and me could both listen to my cassette Walkman at the same time.  It was fun to mobile dj with my high school buddy, Marty, with 2 turntables, and a cassette player.

I hope you will tune in for more memories and music this Saturday night.  The request line will be available and you can take the trivia challenge on this weeks Those Were The Days.

Philip Nee

Class Of 1982

p.s.  Have a neat Summer.  Maybe we can party sometime.  It has been fun having classes with you.  Stay Cool.

As the school year ended in 1978, I was set to put on my blue denim suit  mom bought me at Murley's Mens Wear in Boscobel.  Eighth grade graduation was that night and there were young ladies to impress!  I could sing the John Travolta part in the song 'You're The One That I Want' (it had been released a few weeks before the movie Grease).  Finding a soon to be Freshmen girl that could sing the Olivia part was a challenge.  My problems were always the same in the seventies and eighties.  I was worrying about girls and how to raise enough money to buy the latest albums or forty-fives.  There was plenty of good music that Spring.  Songs from such groups as Atlanta Rhythm Section, Abba,  The Sweet,  Steely Dan and Electric Light Orchestra were catching my ear. Solo artists having hits included:  Billy Joel, Andy Gibb, Gerry Rafferty,  Warren Zevon, and Patti Smith.  I was singing these songs over the whine of the Farmall Super C tractor while I cultivated corn.  Dad would put me on the tractor seat from the end of May until July fourth (corn was knee high by the fourth of July) so I could knock down weeds.  The little white ear plug patched into my transistor radio could not overcome the tractor noise.  The tractor made the AM full of static.  As a result I had to sing all of my faves for entertainment.  Join me for more memories this weekend on WRCO FM 100.9.  I promise that I wont sing (very much).  It will be fun to spin a few of those tunes from 1978.  You can call and request a song from any era of the fifties through the eighties during Those Were The Days this Saturday night between 6p and Midnight (608) 647-4155.

Phil Nee

It has been about twenty years since I had the chance to interview Rock And Roll Hall Of Famer Ben E. King.   Sadly Ben passed away on April 30th. This week I dug back in the archives and found that old interview.  You can hear portions of my talk with Ben E. King and a few of his solo hits and songs from when he led the Drifters during this weeks Those Were The Days Saturday night between 6 p and Midnight.  Thanks for all of the great requests this past Saturday night.  It was great to be back in the studio for a live show.  Some of our avid listeners in the Lone Rock area even had a 'welcome back Phil' party.  They grilled food and listened to Those Were The Days.  It is the season for campfires, camping out, and hopefully 100.9 WRCO FM on the radio.  I will be in the studio this week to take your requests and we will be playing our hourly trivia game during the best of fifties through the eighties rock and roll hits.

Phil

Hey Rock n' Rollers!  I look forward to being back live in the studio this Saturday night for Those Were The Days.  On this weekends WRCO FM 100.9 show, we will feed you with some fun food songs.  You could have a 'Cheeseburger In Paradise', 'Jambalaya', 'Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie', and other delicious song treats!  I hope you are 'Hungry', for 'Bread And Butter'.  It will be 'Yummy, Yummy, Yummy'. The request line will be open for those of you who want to contribute a song choice.  Maybe you will be the one that wins the trivia challenge and a prize from our grab bag of goodies. 

Last weekends It Really Should Have Been A Top Ten Hit was great fun to put together.  Here is a list of the Top Ten in case you missed them....

10.  Things I'd Like To Say-The New Colony Six   1969

 9.   Born To Run-Bruce Springsteen    1975

 8.   Mr. Dieingly Sad-The Critters  1966

 7.   Morning Girl-The Neon Philharmonic  1969

 6.   Pretty Ballerina-The Left Banke  1967

 5.   God Only Knows-The Beach Boys  1966

 4.   Shame Shame-The Magic Lanterns  1968

 3.   Will You Be Staying After Sunday?-The Peppermint Rainbow  1969

 2.   Nothing But A Heartache-The Flirtations  1969

 1.   Can't Find The Time-Orpheus    1968

I will be ready to rock and roll with you again this Saturday night.

Phil

Another tax filing deadline has passed.  It hurt me this year when April 15th rolled around, however, helping in my recovery is the great music we play on Saturday nights during Those Were The Days.  Once again this year we will teaming with our oldies friend Rich Appel from Rewound Radio for the 'It Really Should Have Been A Top 10 Hit' countdown.  Join me for the Top Forty-Five 45's that should have been bigger.  There was a record number of music lovers that filed an I.R.S. vote in 2015.   We have been featuring the countdown each year since 2009 and I feel that this years list of songs may be the strongest yet!  You will hear songs from such artists as ABBA, The New Colony Six, Neil Diamond, Three Dog Night, The Raspberries, The Grass Roots, The Beach Boys, and Bruce Springsteen.  One hit wonders will include:  Spiral Staircase, Diesel, Gunhill Road, Easybeats, Sniff 'N The Tears, Flirtations,  Christie, and Neon Philharmonic.  I know that you will enjoy this years countdown.  We will not be taking your requests this week.  There are five Saturday nights in the month of May.  I will be opening the request line for four of the five Saturday evenings.  It would make me very happy to have someone request one of the 'It Really Should Have Been' songs during a future Those Were The Days on WRCO FM 100.9. 

Phil

The pop duo known as England Dan and John Ford Coley,  from Austin Texas,  had four top ten hits from 1976 through 1979 and two other top twenty-five hits.  Hear insight about them from John Ford Coley this Saturday night on Those Were The Days.   Their big hit 'Love Is The Answer', which came out in the Spring of 1979, was the prom theme at Ithaca High School that year.  I didn't have a date (of course), however, I did get my nerve up to ask someone to dance!  I am sure that she doesn't remember.   Join me for radio memories from the fifties through the eighties on WRCO FM 100.9 this Saturday night.  I will be in the studio ready to answer the phone and talk with you about the greatest music of all time.  We are one of the few stations left that still take phone calls not only during the day light hours but weekend nights.  Beau mans the phone on Sunday nights for the station.  I hope to hear from you Saturday night during Those Were The Days.

Phil