"Oh Wally" by Steve Dahl - (the 'demo' version) - classic parody song

http://www.Dahl.com/podcasts
http://www.Dahl.com/iTunes

Here is the one of the early 'demo' versions of Steve Dahl's "Oh Wally" with some different lyrics from the final version. It was about WGN radio personality and morning competition Wally Phillips that Steve spent a fair amount of time ripping on. The song is a parody of the Barry Manilow (or as Steve would call him "Barely A-Manilow") song "Mandy" a soft rock hit from 1974.
There was obviously a Steve Dahl and Wally Phillips rivalry as Steve represented the new 'young' talk radio in Chicago while Wally was a staple of Chicago radio but more representative of an older generation of listeners, as was Wally's station WGN during that era (it still is somewhat despite now having Garry Meier!) Wally was also the guy to beat in the ratings as he had a long-time entrenched fan base in the morning, so it was an easy rivalry to have occur. (Steve and Wally mended fences many years later at Wally's retirement party but there was an on-going feud for many years before that.) The voice in the song was Steve's character "The Lady From Tinley Park" who was a generalizaion of the 'old ladies' that listened to Wally and WGN ("Wally, I need directions to O'Hare..." "Wally, there's too many Negroes downtown..." )

Find the original 'studio' release in the store on Steve Dahl's website (or on iTunes):

http://www.Dahl.com/store

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[DrinkThunderbird]

Steve, please come back soon. Garry's voice and delivery has been so annoying since his surgery. Roe is informed, but usually boring. I know you don't need the money, but do it for us. I first heard you when my dad was laughing one morning listening to you guy's (probably early '80s) Dad's gone now, but one of my favorite memories. I love you man!

[TheOriginalShockJock]

@DrinkThunderbird

Steve is on everyday, 5 days a week. This channel is just an unofficial tribute to the original free-form comedy radio master!

Visit Steve's website for more, go to Dahl . c o m / podcasts or Dahl . c o m / itunes for the daily show. You can listen to the show streaming via Dahl . c o m anytime, shows are usually available in the mid-afternoon.

There is also classic Steve Dahl material available in the store @ Dahl . c o m / store

Check it out, thanks for listening!

[WytZox1]

I saw Steve doing this song on his TV special wearing a housedress and a wig, looking like a middle-aged housewife from Tinley Park, IL. LOL

[TheOriginalShockJock]

@WytZox1 Hell yeah! The Lady from Tinley Park rocks! Garry Meier even mentioned, on the day after Disco Demolition, that there was an older gray-haired lady walking around Comsikey with a shirt that said "I'm the Lady from Tinley Park" on it! Hilarious. What's really amazing, or at least what a difference 30 years makes, is that Garry Meier is now filling Wally's former spot on WGN! (Though obviously the station is nothing like what it was then.)

'Oh Wally' is another early classic Dahl parody!

[baaddwrench]

I remember hearing this on the radio in the morning, as well as Steve & Gary doing bongs! Awesome thank you for posting!

Haven't found "RTA" yet... :(

[TheOriginalShockJock]

@baaddwrench I do have RTA in the archives, stay tunes and I'll find it! I actually looked to see if it was available for sale at the Dahl*com / store but the only place I see it is as a clip in a music montage from the "20 Years in the Can" compilation CD.

Thanks for checking in, party hard!

[BenAliGtor]

As I recall reading it, Steve and Wally were dining in the same restaurant one night when he sent Wally a bottle of the finest wine they had with a note, essentialy admitting Wally had bested him, and to "get drunk on this fine wine so I have a shot at being better than you." Wally was gracious in an on-air reply, thanking Dahl and burying the hatchet.

But to those of us who grew up having to listen to Wally with our parents, Dahl's arrival in Chi-town was a breath of fresh air.

[BenAliGtor]

The irony is that, by the time Wally Phillips died, he and Dahl had become friendly.Dahl wrote a really sincere and moving tribute to him.

[Captlafl69]

Nice to hear this early version

[wjv4me]

LOL! Still timeless and funny! This guy made us watch the news/politics and also

got us to laugh....thanks Steve!

I didn't know who Wally Phillips was - until Steve Dahl sang this song-still laughing!

[TheOriginalShockJock]

@SHYSHILLY I don't recall a video for the song, that is beyond the many concert versions that were done by "The Lady from Tinley Park" that I seem to remember. If anyone out there has a video version I'd love to see it!

Thanks for stopping by!

[SHYSHILLY]

no one has posted a vid of him actually doin the song singing it this is ok but i want to see steve do it....