I'm from the south, where the song "Swangin'" by John Anderson was insanely popular. Everybody had Swangin' t-shirts and wore them to the skating rink (or anywhere else, for that matter). To put it in a more specific time context, people wore Swangin' t-shirts at the same time as Panama Jack t-shirts. What I want to know is, was "Swangin'" even heard of elsewhere in the US in the 80s? And what about skating rinks? It seems like the kids don't go to them anymore. I had cool Smurf skates and Garfield skates--my parents were afraid I'd get athlete's foot from the rented skates. Did anyone else frequent skating rinks in the 80s? If so, what are some of your more prominent memories of that experience?

> What I want to know is, was "Swangin'"
> even heard of elsewhere in the US in the 80s? And what about skating
> rinks? It seems like the kids don't go to them anymore. I had cool Smurf
> skates and Garfield skates--my parents were afraid I'd get athlete's foot
> from the rented skates. Did anyone else frequent skating rinks in the 80s?
> If so, what are some of your more prominent memories of that experience?

Yes indeed. I remember hearing John Anderson sing about him and little Charlotte "swangin'" on the porch way up here in the Northeast. I cannot say the same for "Swangin'" T-Shirts however. Their popularity must have been regional. I never saw one. Also, I should mention that I remember hearing "Swangin'" on the country stations . . . I'm not sure that I ever heard it on a Top-40/Pop station. I might have, but I'm not sure. I know I heard it wherever country music was played.

>And what about skating
> rinks? It seems like the kids don't go to them anymore.

That's because they're too busy watching TV shows and playing computer/video games. Skating rinks and other old fashioned (wholesome) pastimes aren't considered good enough for the "sophisticated tastes" of kids today.

I'm also from the south (Texas). "Swangin'" by John Anderson was popular when I was in the 6th grade. I don't remember Swangin' t-shirts or hearing the song at the skating rink (and I went every weekend). I'm not saying they didn't play it, I just don't remember hearing it.

Unlike California, Swangin' got a lot of air play on top 40 stations. I didn't listen to country music until the late 80's (88-89) when top 40 started going down hill.

When I think of music from the skating rink I think of Journey, Foreigner, REO Speedwagon, Styx, Blondie and the Eagles just to name a few.

Swanging by John Anderson was one of the first songs played at my brother in law's wedding reception in Green Bay, WI, in about 1994. The groom requested it, the bride protested out of respect to her grand parents, and there was much tenison in the wedding party. I'd never heard the song before so I couldn't tell what the fuss was about.

Well, he won out. It was one or two songs after the "first dance" song and almost all my in law family under the age of about 55, including my own husband, as well as the bride, danced their hearts out and sang every word loudly, as if it were the national anthem.

That is too funny!! The bride needn't have worried after all. What a great song. It really doesn't have any offensive lyrics. In my conservative little Alabama town, it was accepted by young and old alike. That's probably the ultimate test.