Mr. Kotter, a Brooklyn-born teacher, returns to the inner-city high school from which he had graduated 10 years earlier to teach a remedial academics group. Gabe's "sweathogs" were the outcasts of the academic system, streetwise but unable or unwilling to make it in normal classes. They were the toughest, and also the funniest, kids in school. Gabe was just as hip as they were, with fine disregard for rules and a sense of humor he set out to help them pick up a little bit of practical, if not academic knowledge, during their years at James Buchanan High.

I can recall crushing on both Freddie "Boom-Boom" Washington (Lawrence Hilton Jacobs) and Vinny Barbarino (John Travolta). Bar-Bar-Bar Bar-Bar-barino....anyone remember that? Who knew that John Travola would grow to become such a huge star?! Everyone would do the "Hi, I'm Arnold Horshack" nasal thing in school. Being called a Sweathog wasn't a problem either. Oh, and the jokes....memories. [Note to self: Put Welcome Back, Kotter DVD on Christmas list, if available.]


The theme song "Welcome Back" was composed and performed by John Sebastian. Here are the lyrics:

Welcome back,
Your dreams were your ticket out.
Welcome back,
To that same old place that you laughed about.
Well the names have all changed since you hung around,
But those dreams have remained and they're turned around.
Who'd have thought they'd lead ya (Who'd have thought they'd lead ya)
Here where we need ya (Here where we need ya)
Yeah we tease him a lot cause we've hot him on the spot, welcome back,
Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.