Joe Dolce "Shaddup You Face"

I saw director John Waters speak back when I was in college, and I remember him remarking that no matter what he did for the rest of his life, the first paragraph of his obituary would talk about his infamous "Pink Flamingos" film.

Sometimes we are remembered for dubious things.

Despite the fact that my folks, especially my Dad, liked Rock N Roll, we were not a Rock N Roll Radio Station listening family when I was little.

While my buddies were listening to WBCN or WAAF at the behest of their older brothers, we always had WBZ AM on the kitchen radio for breakfast.

So Dave Maynard was the first radio personality (beside, perhaps, Red Sox announcer Ned Martin) that I really remember following on a regular basis.

Maynard was a much loved, much honored (he's in the Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall Of Fame) presence for folks in the Boston area for the 80s into the 90s, and when news of his passing came over the transom last month, I'm sure that all over New England, people were remembering funny, chatty, friendly moments in their kitchens and cars spent with "Maynard In The Morning."

In a manner not quite befitting his stature, I had an instant recollection too. To "Shaddup You Face."

Back before WBZ turned to an All-News format, they did play several songs over the course of an hour. And inexplicably, Joe Dolce's novelty hit seemed to be a smash on Maynard's program.

Being, you know, 10-ish years old, I thought it was the greatest song in the world.

But I have very clear recollections of Maynard wearily announcing that he would be playing the song again, for another morning, months on end, as a never end slew of requests for the silly song kept coming, coming, coming.

I couldn't understand why he wouldn't want to play the funniest song ever written, again.

Years later, whenever I come across a song that I have no desire to ever hear again, ever, I think of Maynard.

It's not exactly the kind of thing you want on your epitaph . . .


Hear the song on Youtube.