Frankie Smith

Essays

The full run

A running archive on Frankie Smith, Double Dutch, Philadelphia groove, roller-rink culture, and the other side roads that make "Double Dutch Bus" easier to hear.

  1. Early years

    Before the Hook Took Off

  2. The record

    A Philly Record With Bus Fare in Its Pocket

  3. Wider culture

    Double Dutch Was Already a Whole World

  4. The record

    When Double Dutch Hit Wax

  5. Language

    Before the Internet Learned to Say Izzle

  6. Album

    Children of Tomorrow and the Messy Beauty of 1981

  7. Scene

    After Disco, Philly Kept Its Nerve

  8. Charts

    A Local Sound on a National Chart

  9. Business

    The Business Story Behind the Bounce

  10. Nightlife

    The Roller Rink Was a Better A&R Department

  11. Legacy

    Why One-Hit Wonder Misses the Point

  12. Listener memory

    Rinks, Radios, and the Ride Home

  13. Sampling

    The Beat That Other Records Kept Borrowing

  14. Criticism

    The One-Hit-Wonder Bin Hides Too Much Labor

  15. Cover version

    The Disney Detour

  16. Fan archive

    Reddit, Memory, and the Fan Archive

  17. Revival

    When TikTok Heard the Snap Again

  18. Criticism

    Funny Records Get Dismissed Too Fast

  19. Lyrics and setting

    A Commute Song in Funk Clothes

  20. Last word

    Why Frankie Smith Still Feels Present