a thread to salute the enduring awesomeness of "this beat goes on/switchin' to glide"

I dunno about airplay but this american has loved this song for years. Its on one of those rhino 80s comps i think?

Yeah, the second song of the pair is in one of the Just Can't Get Enough comps. You should check out the entire two-part epic if you haven't yet, Shakes.

Q: Has this song been used in an advertisement for Glide brand dental floss yet, and if not, why not?

Its been a radio staple in Michigan since it was released, but that's pretty much Canada...

Nothing matters but the weekend...
from a Tuesday point of view.

Never knew this was well-liked or even that it got any play outside Canada. Love it obv.

I'm an American (Georgia) and never once heard this on the radio - know it from some ILX recommendation years back. But I remember some high school punks in the late 90s discussing whether The Kings were punk; I thought they were saying The Kinks and they thought I was a non-punk square. So they must have had some kind of visibility somehow.

Cleveland's WNCX has, for years and years now, played this song and Springsteen's "Born to Run" every Friday at 5pm. Competing station WMMS plays the Earth Quake cover of "Friday On My Mind" and Rundgren's "Bang On The Drum."

The rest of The Kings' album is pretty great sorta New Wave, sorta power pop 80s rock, btw. My fave of the deep cuts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZU33au_p04

A pair of Detroit morning jocks did a parody of "Switchin' To Glide", along with a bunch of others that always seemed to be about beer. This was back in the late-70's, when the song was still a radio hit. The singer in this case had the on-air persona of a professional wrestler named Dick the Bruiser. The transition occurs at 2:35.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=207&v=A1B9ZHytLXM

Yup, I remember Run Shoes Running was also my fave when I checked out the album! I should give it another listen.

Did/does it get airplay outside of Canada?

― Police, Academy (cryptosicko), Monday, August 6, 2018 10:04 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

It was played several times a day (or at least, it seemed like it...which was fine, because it rules) on WLS in Chicago in '80-'81. But I can't remember the last time I heard it on the radio either in the midwest or northeast.

rules

you know, i saw them not too long ago in a rare visit of theirs to the states. they ruled!

they also visited wfmu:

https://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/90773