"Hang on Sloopy" was my favorite 45 of my parents that I listened to a million times when I was 6 or 7 years old. I wore that record out.

Sloopy, Twist and Shout, Louie Louie, and Wild Thing were some of the first songs I learned on guitar thanks to the easy and familiar chord progression they all do. I could teach a monkey how to play those songs becasue they're so easy, yet they're all still very listenable and great.

I also went through a "Hang on Sloopy" phase on youtube a few years back. There's a few good vids of the McCoys and Rick Derrenger solo playing that song. I watched them all more than any man in his 40s should have.

Ohio State claimed that song as some kind of honorary school anthem. I've always been a little jealous of that. I guess A&M has "You Don't Have to Call Me Darlin'" which is pretty good, also.

RIP Rick.

Of course here is his biggest contribution to pop culture