Radio
Chuck Brodsky Lyrics
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The people there will tell you - ask any passerby
About the kid who speaks in gibberish - folks'll tell you, "Shoot...
Wasn't nothing but a little love and attention gave voice to a mute"
Who stood with his transistor - pressed against his ear
Picking up certain frequencies that only he could hear
There was this little man inside it - perhaps his only friend
Coach Jones barked, "Come here, boy!" to this kid up in the stands
Who was mimicking him loudly - making gestures with his hands
The players on the football team exchanged uneasy glances
You jumped when Coach said to jump - but oh, how slow the boy was advancing
Coach Jones was pulling on the drawstrings on his hood
The kid, he spoke in gibberish -Coach, he understood
Lamb imitating lion - it sure looked like easy prey
But this is not what happened - no, it went the other way
This kid they nicknamed Radio was 18 going on 6
The team needed a water boy - and so the job was his
Coach convinced the principal to bend a couple rules
He'd pick up Radio every day - on his way to school
Everywhere that Coach Jones went his lamb was sure to go
They tried him out in Special Ed but his marks were too low
The kid's now in his 50's - his hair is sprinkled white
For 30 years he's come to school - he cannot read or write
Come Football Fridays - they let Radio be the star
He falls in with the marching band and then with the color guard
He jumps when the cheerleaders jump - with pom poms on his hands
He cusses like the coaches do & he high fives with the fans
They give Radio report cards & they give him varsity letters
They let him wander freely in his TL Hanna sweater
He visits all the classrooms - and whenever there's a test
He whips out his box of crayons - he tries his very best
Everyone knows Radio - the townspeople adore him
The students pat his head just like their parents did before them
Anderson, South Carolina... folks'll tell you, "Shoot...
It wasn't nothing but a little love and attention - gave voice to a mute
Chuck Brodsky's song "Radio" is a touching tribute to a man nicknamed "Radio" who was once a mute and is now a beloved and well-known figure in Anderson, South Carolina. The song is told from the perspective of someone who is recounting Radio's story to others. Radio was a young man who spoke in gibberish, and the townspeople credit his transformation to a little love and attention that he received from those around him. Radio's only friend was the little man inside his transistor radio, and Coach Jones saw potential in him when others didn't. Despite being slow and unable to read or write, Coach Jones gave him the opportunity to become the water boy for the school football team. Over time, Radio gained more independence and now wears his TL Hanna sweater with pride. He is well-loved by everyone in town, and on Friday nights, he is the star of the football games. He falls in with the marching band, the cheerleaders, and the fans, cusses like the coaches, and high fives with everyone. Radio's story is a testament to the power of love, compassion, and inclusion.
Chuck Brodsky's song was inspired by the real-life story of James Robert Kennedy, who became known as "Radio" after befriending a high school football coach in Anderson, South Carolina. The nickname was given to him because he carried a transistor radio everywhere he went.
The story of James "Radio" Kennedy was also adapted into a movie called "Radio" in 2003, starring Cuba Gooding Jr. as Radio and Ed Harris as Coach Jones.
The real-life Radio is still a beloved figure in Anderson, South Carolina's community, and he still attends TL Hanna High School football games.
In 2007, TL Hanna High School retired the number "10" in honor of Radio.
Chuck Brodsky's song has been covered by many other artists, including David Wilcox and Darrell Scott.
Brodsky has stated in interviews that he was inspired to write the song after receiving a letter from a woman in Anderson, South Carolina who wrote about Radio's story and how he had impacted the community.
The song "Radio" has been described as a "heartwarming tribute" and a "touching story of a man's transformation."
Chuck Brodsky is known for writing songs that reflect real-life stories and characters and has been compared to artists such as Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan.
Although the song "Radio" is often associated with Anderson, South Carolina, it has been performed at venues all over the world.
The chords for Chuck Brodsky's song "Radio" are not available since he has never released guitar tabs for his songs to the public.
Line by Line Meaning
Anderson, South Carolina - TL Hanna High
The location where the story took place, TL Hanna High.
The people there will tell you - ask any passerby
The people in Anderson, South Carolina know the story of Radio and will share it with anyone who asks.
About the kid who speaks in gibberish - folks'll tell you, Shoot... Wasn't nothing but a little love and attention gave voice to a mute
Radio was a kid who used to speak in gibberish until he received love and attention, enabling him to speak.
Who stood with his transistor - pressed against his ear Picking up certain frequencies that only he could hear There was this little man inside it - perhaps his only friend The only one who'd talk to him - the only one back then
Radio listened to his transistor radio and imagined a little man inside it as his friend, the only one who would 'talk' to him.
Coach Jones barked, Come here, boy! to this kid up in the stands Who was mimicking him loudly - making gestures with his hands The players on the football team exchanged uneasy glances You jumped when Coach said to jump - but oh, how slow the boy was advancing
Radio was mimicking Coach Jones and the football team felt uneasy about him, but he was slow in his movements.
Coach Jones was pulling on the drawstrings on his hood The kid, he spoke in gibberish - Coach, he understood Lamb imitating lion - it sure looked like easy prey But this is not what happened - no, it went the other way
Coach Jones understood Radio's gibberish and saw him as a lamb imitating a lion, but the opposite happened.
This kid they nicknamed Radio was 18 going on 6 The team needed a water boy - and so the job was his Coach convinced the principal to bend a couple rules He'd pick up Radio every day - on his way to school
Radio was nicknamed so because he was 18 years old, but resembled a 6-year-old. The football team employed him as their water boy and Coach Jones convinced the principal to let him pick up Radio for school.
Everywhere that Coach Jones went his lamb was sure to go They tried him out in Special Ed but his marks were too low The kid's now in his 50's - his hair is sprinkled white For 30 years he's come to school - he cannot read or write
Radio remained close to Coach Jones and was part of the Special Education program, but his grades were too low. Radio, who is now in his 50s, continued to attend school for 30 years, but never learned to read or write.
Come Football Fridays - they let Radio be the star He falls in with the marching band and then with the color guard He jumps when the cheerleaders jump - with pom poms on his hands He cusses like the coaches do & he high fives with the fans
On football Fridays, Radio was allowed to be the center of attention. He joined the marching band and color guard, and even imitated the coaches' curses and gave high fives to the fans.
They give Radio report cards & they give him varsity letters They let him wander freely in his TL Hanna sweater He visits all the classrooms - and whenever there's a test He whips out his box of crayons - he tries his very best
Radio receives report cards and varsity letters despite not being academically inclined. He is allowed to wander around in his TL Hanna sweater and visits classrooms, where he tries his best during tests, often using his box of crayons.
Everyone knows Radio - the townspeople adore him The students pat his head just like their parents did before them Anderson, South Carolina... folks'll tell you, Shoot... It wasn't nothing but a little love and attention - gave voice to a mute
Everyone in Anderson, South Carolina knows Radio and loves him. He's adored by the townspeople, and the students even pat his head. The citizens know that their love and attention gave voice to someone who once couldn't speak.
Contributed by Violet F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.