Bobby Rydell on ‘Wildwood Days,’ simpler times and drinking Coke with Sinatra

Bobby Rydell grew up in South Philly, hanging out with Frankie Avalon and Fabian. Those three kids would become the face of rock 'n' roll in the early-'60s pre-Beatles era.

Speaking of the Beatles, they modeled their classic "She Loves You" after Rydell's "Swinging School," one of Bobby's 34 top-40 Billboard hits. Rydell was so popular that the High School in the play "Grease" was named after him!

Bobby's biggest "Jersey" hit has to be "Wildwood Days" which is the quintessential shore song. It depicts a time when the Jersey Shore wasn't about Snooki and fist pumps.

Rydell opened up to me this week about how he came to record the "Official song of Wildwood," as well as the time he met Jersey's own Frank Sinatra as a teenager.

"All I wanted to do was shake his hand," recalls Rydell. "He called me Robert and asked me what I wanted to drink. I said Coke because I was afraid I was going to get slapped."

Hear Rydell's full story in the video above!