Attempt at being a beach trendsetter strikes a sour note

,n UHFHnW yHaUs, , havH puW in some time thinking about being a trendsetter. That’s why , dHFidHd WR sWaUW sRPHWhing FaOOHd “Dads 6inging /RudOy Rn WhH BHaFh,” Rn our recent vacation down the shore, and it is my hope that other dads will follow and we’ll have ourselves a little old dad trend started.

((diWRU’s nRWH: According to Mike, only three other dads are needed to start a new trend at WhH bHaFh. 1RPinaWiRns aUH now being accepted.)

,W’s nRW OikH dads havHn’W been trendsetters in the past. They have been responsible for some of the most memorable trends in history, like WhH “Dads CRPbing OvHU WhH BaOd 6pRW” WUHnd — whiFh is generations old — and the “Dads :HaUing Hawaiian 6hiUWs (vHUywhHUH, (vHn WR Church” trend, which may havH bHHn sWaUWHd by -iPPy BuffHW in WhH HaUOy 1970s, aOthough credible information Rn WhaW is diffiFuOW WR vHUify.

6R Rn vaFaWiRn Whis yHaU, , started thinking about what nHw WUHnd , FRuOd sWaUW WhaW would catch on. This is what , dR whHn wH’UH dRwn WhH shRUH bHFausH , aP PaUUiHd WR a bHaFh buPPHWWH. BuW , Fan RnOy siW WhHUH gHWWing sand in my shorts for a few days and WhHn , gHW bRUHd, which leads to trying to think up stupid things to occupy and entertain myself.

0y fiUsW idHa was WUying WR RUganizH a “Dads :iWh :hiWH )HHW :HaUing 6andaOs” WUHnd. By Whis WiPH Rf yHaU, , aP wHOO into my outdoor exercise regimen, and my attire includes shorts and ankle socks. Well, that combination gives me some sun on my legs but not on my feet and sinFH , Wan pUHWWy wHOO, , Hnd up wiWh brown legs and white feet.

By WhH WiPH , gHW down the shore on vacation and want to break out the sandaOs, ,’vH gRW whiter feet than Casper the )UiHndOy GhRsW.

,W’s a pUHWWy sWupid ORRk, even for dads, which by my way of thinking makes it a perfect premise for starting a trend.

8nfRUWunaWHOy, , FRuOdn’W figuUH RuW hRw WR appURaFh any other dads on vacation to talk about feet without tipping off their wives, so , had WR sFUaWFh WhH “Dads With White Feet Wearing 6andaOs” WUHnd idHa.

, knRw, nRW a vHUy fRUwaUdthinking plan on my part.

1Rw RnH Whing , dR Hnjoy while lounging on the beach is listening to music on my transistor radio with my headphones in because there’s a great radio station dRwn WhH shRUH — .OO/ 98.3, 6RuWh -HUsHy’s GUHaWHsW Hits — that plays my kind of ’60s and ’70s PusiF. , Fan dRzH Rff and OisWHn WR FOassiF tunes from my era.

And whiOH dRzing and slightly head-bopping, sRPHWiPHs , sing aORng WR myself. Which is what was happening during a beach excursion last week when WhH sRng “DanFing in WhH 0RRnOighW” (1973) by WhH band .ing HaUvHsW FaPH Rn the radio.

,W was aW WhaW PRPHnW WhaW , dHFidHd WR sWaUW WhH “Dads 6inging /RudOy aW WhH BHaFh” WUHnd. “Dancing in the moonlight, everybody’s feeling warm and bright. ,W’s suFh D finH Dnd nDWuUDl sight, everybody’s dancing in the moonlight.”

6inFH , had Py hHadphRnHs in, , had nR idHa hRw ORudOy , was singing. BuW from the looks of horror and embarrassment from The BORndH AFFRunWanW and WhH rest of my family — not to mention that everyone within 25 yaUds in aOO diUHFWiRns was ORRking aW PH — , was providing our section of the beach with a resounding and truly dad-awful rendition of “DanFing Rf WhH 0RRnOighW.”

BHauWiPRus. And a nHw beach trend was born: “Dads 6inging /RudOy aW WhH BHaFh.”

Hey, there are just some songs that need to be sung badly out loud and in public. Why not just make that a “Whing” WhaW dads dR?

-usW WR PakH suUH WhaW WhH new trend continued to gain sWHaP, WhH nHxW day , pRppHd in my headphones and tuned in WR .OO/ 98.3 RnFH again, waiting for the appropriate song with which to sing aORng. And , didn’W havH WR wait long, courtesy of “Take iW (asy” by WhH (agOHs. “Well, I’m standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona Dnd suFh D finH sLghW Wo sHH. ,W’s D gLUl, my LoUd, Ln D flDWbed Ford slowin’ down to take a look at me. Come on baby, don’t say maybe, I gotta know if your sweet love is going to save me.”

AOas, as FRnfidHnW as , was WhaW “Dads 6inging /RudOy Rn WhH BHaFh” had UHaO pRtential to become a new WUHnd, iW did nRW FaWFh fiUH OikH , had hRpHd. :haW did FaWFh Rn pUHWWy TuiFkOy was WhH “Dads Rn 7hH BHaFh GHWWing 6hushHd by BORndH AFFRunWanWs” WUHnd. , didn’W even have much of a chance to get three other dads invROvHd WR PakH iW an RffiFiaO WUHnd, aOWhRugh , did FaWFh three other dads’ worth of heck for my efforts.

GuHss ,’OO MusW faOO baFk in line with the comb overs and Hawaiian shirts trends. And , sWiOO havH hRpH fRU WhaW white feet and sandals thing.

Mike Morsch is executive editor of Montgomery Media and author of the book, “Dancing in My Underwear: The Soundtrack of My Life.” He can be reached by calling 215-542-0200, ext. 415 or by email at msquared35@ yahoo.com. This column can also be found at www.montgomerynews.com.