First of all John, I think the Mike Chapman you contacted is a Country Radio consultant. I met him a few times when he consulted at WGTY in Gettysburg in 1991.

Kevin Larkin has one of the best vocal deliveries of any personality I've heard and knows well of what he speaks. To put in perspective...Kevin was less than two years out of broadcast school and working on a Top 40 major market station in 1979.

Kevin....I was working in Baltimore too in '79, but I was on WPOC playing Country music. I never played 'Good Girls Don't' on that station, because the PD I'm sure realized the song would not blend well with Mel Tillis, George Jones and Moe & Joe.

As an aside...that PD, Larry Clark...was a big Top 40 jock in the 70's at WSAI and KQV before coming to Baltimore. Everybody at WPOC knew what was on the Top 40 back then...even if we didn't play it.

Nevertheless, I did hear the song on 104 and other FM's and like Kevin said, they did indeed play the edited version and dayparted it. AM stations like WCBM, WFBR and WCAO were full service top 40 formatted but more to the AC side and I think maybe 'FBR played it but not the other two. Which would make sense given their morning DJ Johnny Walker was the city's first ever 'Shock Jock'.

The Knack's original 'My Sharona' was the big record of the year and in itself pushed the envelope a bit. 'Good Girls' took it a step further. If they didn't edit the song, it is doubtful it would have gotten much airplay.

Which is remarkable, considering that 1979 was 'anything goes' in many respects of Top 40 radio. However, Country music was enjoying quite a wave of popularity then...and one reason was the saturation of disco AND listener fatigue from lyrics like the ones found in 'Good Girls'. Maybe Capitol Records realized this...and in retrospect were wise to do what they did.

Bob

• RE: To: Bob - The Knack - Good Girls Don't - 1997 - John 03/05/2008 13:30:28 EST (2)