CROCODILE ROCKIN'! Elton John played a concert in my first-grade classroom

It was 1976. I was in first grade at Prosperity Heights Elementary, carrying my "Six-Million Dollar Man" lunch box four blocks to and from school, and listening to Tina tease me about having only 16 crayons when everyone else had 24 (but that's a story for my therapist, and I won't bother you with it.)

Today I'm here to talk about Elton John, and the day he played a concert in my classroom.

OK ... So maybe Ol' Elt didn't exactly show up and play. But he was there in spirit, and no one who was there that day was ever the same. (Or, at least that's how I like to remember it.)

Mrs. Jones, our super nice teacher, had an announcement for us just before the bell was about to ring. Every child, she said, would be allowed to bring in one record to play in class the next day. No LPs, mind you. Just 45s. One song per kid. See you tomorrow.

I went home with one thing on my mind: finding the record that everyone would love.

Now, this was 1976, so the memories of how this record was chosen are fuzzy. In fact, outside of what happened in this story, I don't even remember owning this record. All I know is that, as I walked out the door of my home at 1577 E. Arlington Avenue that day, lunch box in hand, I headed down the street to school with a 45 of  Elton John's "Crocodile Rock" on my person, certain that I was about to knock everyone's socks off.

When it came time for playing records, I don't remember much about who got to go first. I remember "The Farmer in the Dell" playing, and maybe something by John Philip Sousa.

Eventually, though, it was my turn. Mrs. Jones took that black 45 from my little hand, had a gander at the title, gave me a sly smile and carefully placed the record on the player.

And then all hell broke loose.

Do you know the song? Seconds after the staccato sounds of the opening organ riff spread through the room, everyone came alive like zombies. Kids -- most of whom didn't know the song, much less the words -- were dancing, or at least trying to dance. Girls, boys, cools, dorks -- didn't matter. The smooth sounds of Mr. Elton John brought us all together that day like no reading group or recess ever could. Me and  Suzie had so much fun. Holding hands and skimming stones ...

And after three minutes, when the song was over, Mrs. Jones -- God bless her -- played it again.

In a few short minutes, Elton John made school cool. Truly, there was no place else I'd rather be. That I remember. And while, like I said, my memories of 1976 are a little fuzzy, I'm pretty sure a lot of my classmates felt the same.