Rockin' In The Cradle Of Liberty: Sounds of Summer & WFIL

During my growing up years in the late 1960's

and the 1970's summer was not summer without 

listening to the Top 40 pop music played over the air waves

from Philadelphia and WFIL-AM radio.

"The Boss" station, also known as the "Famous 56"
 broadcasting from the City of Brotherly Love,

  could be heard all across South Jersey and down the shore,

 south to the city of Wilmington, Delaware and

 as faraway to the north as Staten Island, New York.

My parents like to take us down the shore to Avalon

Although AM-radio was gradually replaced by

higher frequency FM-radio, and WFIL today has a

religious talk show format, the memories of listening

to "The Boss" on the car radio while riding with

my parents going down the shore,  playing on the beach

or at picnics, or on my portable transistor radio in

the backyard while swinging higher and higher on

the swing set with my bare feet pushing 

 against the thick humid air of a sultry June night

are never far from my mind these days now

that summer is here once again.

Some of my favorite song memories

from "The Boss" WFIL-AM:

Daydream Believer
The Monkees

Winchester Cathedral
Petula Clark

Gentle On My Mind
Glen Campbell

Sugar Sugar
The Archies

Sweet Caroline
Neil Diamond

Up Around The Bend

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Octopus' Garden
The Beatles

Age of Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In

The Fifth Dimension

Ride Captain Ride
Blue Image

Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes

Edison Lighthouse

Close to You

The Carpenters

Joy To The World
Three Dog Night

ABC
The Jackson 5

Motorcycle Mama
Sailcat

My Love
Paul McCartney and Wings

Brandy
Looking Glass

Vincent
(Starry Starry Night)
Don McLean

Beach Baby

First Class

The Streak
Ray Stevens

Burning Love
Elvis Presley

Take It Easy
The Eagles

Betcha By Golly Wow
The Stylistics 

Black Water

The Doobie Brothers

Signs
Five Man Electrical Band

Moonlight Feels Right

Starbuck

City Of New Orleans
Arlo Guthrie

Always And Forever
Heatwave

Stayin Alive
The Bee Gees

Summer Nights
John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John