THE CLASSIC TUNES OF WFAN

On July 1, 1987, WFAN, the country’s first 24-hour all sports radio station, was born.  At the time, the idea that a station completely dedicated to sports could be viable seemed crazy. The critics declared that “The FAN” would fail.  They said that the station wouldn’t last. According to them, listeners weren’t interested enough in sports for a 24-hour sports format to be a success. The station proved all the naysayers wrong, in a big time way. New York sports junkies couldn’t get enough of WFAN.  People would tune in before the game, for the game and after the game.  They’d listen at home, in the car, on the train, in bed and at work.  24 years later, not much has changed. WFAN and its personalities are still immensely popular and still consistently move the needle.  Does everyone like what WFAN does? Of course not. I admit that the station has its share of issues, but I’m a fan of “The FAN” — I always have been and always will be.

Through the years, I’ve turned the dial to 660 a lot, probably too much.  Is it a problem that I consider the station’s veterans like Joe Benigno, Tony Paige, Mike Francesa, John Minko, Bob Heussler, Rich Ackerman, Ed Coleman, Sweeney Murti and Marc Malusis a part of my family?  Is it sad that I know that Heussler always wears his headphones with one ear covered and the other exposed?  Should I be concerned that I’ve laughed, celebrated, disagreed, grieved and bonded more with these guys than I have with my own sister?

WFAN has been and still is the sports soundtrack of my life.  When I think of the Yankees winning the 1996 World Series, I hear Francesa’s pride. When I think of the Jets losing to the Broncos in the AFC Championship, I hear Benigno’s pain.  When I think of Bobby Valentine, I hear Coleman’s inquiries. I can’t think of New York sports without hearing Doris from Rego Park, the 20-20 Flash updates, the Cellino and Barnes commercial, Jerome from Manhattan and those outrageously catchy jingles and songs that WFAN has used since its launch back in 1987. A lot of these sounds are forever seared into my memory and some, like the jingles, are so incredible that I can’t get enough of them.  Is it nuts that I have a playlist on my iPhone dedicated solely to the classic tunes of WFAN?  I suggest giving some of these a listen before making any snap judgements.

Mike and the Mad Dog open

This one minute jingle is jam-packed with greatness.  The lyrics are brilliant and the beat is on-point. It’s a shot of adrenaline and now that the show is no longer, it’s a teaspoon of nostalgia. I used to look forward to 1PM on weekdays, mainly because Francesa and Chris Russo were so good together, but also because of this jingle.

Mike and the Mad Dog bumpers

For years these five short tunes signaled that Mike and the Mad Dog were returning from commercial break.  Each of them is catchy in their own unique way. My favorite is the one that says “beware of the dog” — I heard this for the first time when I was 13 years old. My father and I were driving to the Yankees game and I remember how cool I thought it was.

Generic WFAN show open

This jingle has been a WFAN staple for years. It’s still used today for the overnight and weekend shows. It’s simple, yet majestic.  It’s upbeat, energizing and is capable of flipping frowns upside down.

Generic WFAN station bumpers

Anyone that has ever listened to WFAN is familiar with these puppies. They’re all fantastic and each of them provides a feeling of warmth and joy. WFAN wouldn’t be “The FAN” without these suckers.

Classic Imus in the Morning bumpers

Say what you want to say about Imus, but without him, WFAN might not have survived. He was integral in helping the station get off the ground.  Imus gave WFAN credibility and brought the station his humongous audience.   I remember hearing these jingles during my daily morning commute to high school in 2000.