Desert Island Singles: “Eagle Rock” by Daddy Cool (1971)

Image from Wikipedia

At age 16 I tumbled on to this song on a Warner-Reprise sampler LP called “The Whole Burbank Catalog.” To say it rocked my world would be an understatement. The opening guitar riff grabbed onto my brain and wouldn’t let go.

Later, I found out that Daddy Cool was the hottest band in Australia in the early 70s, and that “Eagle Rock” had the longest stay at #1 on the Aussie music charts as any song till then.

Later still, it became a mainstay of my college radio shows. It still is, on my radio show. And much later, it was voted the #2 Aussie song of all time. (First was “Friday On My Mind” by the Easybeats.)

About thirty years later, I sat with my preschool nephews and watched a video of The Wiggles. Much to my surprise, the guys launched into a version of  “Eagle Rock”! Much to the nephews’ surprise, their old uncle knew every word of the song and sang along! (Apparently Ross Wilson, lead singer and songwriter, had taken up with The Wiggles as the voice of “King Mondo.” It only required a slight lyrics change…)

Gotta admit: if you were an Aussie parent or grandparent of a certain age, taking the kiddos or the grandkiddos to a Wiggles show, it must have been a rush to suddenly find the crowd rockin’ out to the “Eagle Rock.”