"Space Age Whiz Kids" by Joe Walsh

Song#:  1487
Date:  06/11/1983
Debut:  89
Peak:  52
Weeks:  8
Genre:  Rock



Pop Bits:  Walsh grabbed his last Pop Top 40 hit (#1 Rock) in 1981 with "Life of Illusion" from his LP There Goes the Neighborhood. It was his fifth solo album and his fifth to hit the Top 20. Two years later, Walsh issued the follow-up You Bought It - You Name It and this first single led the way. Unfortunately, it didn't get very far. The song stopped halfway up the Pop chart while only getting to #21 at Rock. It would end up being his last song to hit the Pop chart. The lack of interest affected the album becoming his first to miss the Top 20 (#48). Walsh would go on to record several more albums and grab four more Rock Top 10 songs, but nothing would do as well as his earlier releases.

ReduxReview:  Walsh's ode to his pinball generation vs. the new arcade gamers is kind of a fun tune with some studio trickery helping it along. It's not a great song and the lyrics are more comedic than serious commentary, but that's basically what I'd expect from Walsh anyway. I was kind of bummed when his 1991 song "Ordinary Average Guy" didn't crack the chart. I thought it was his best effort since his heyday and a good candidate for the Top 40 (at least it hit #3 at Rock).

ReduxRating:  5/10

Trivia:  Beginning in 1997, Walsh made guest appearances on TV sitcom "The Drew Carey Show." Walsh first appeared on an episode as himself then later became a recurring character named Ed. He appeared in six episodes between 1998 and 2001.

_________________________________________________________________________________