The number one album today in 1973 …

… was the number one selling rock box set until 1986.

A short but deep list of birthdays today begins with Neal Doughty of REO Speedwagon:

Geddy Lee of Rush (whose next to last song here should be the theme song of my old high school):

John Sykes of Thin Lizzy:

Today in 1974, Mama Cass Elliott died of a heart attack, not, urban legend has it, by choking on a ham sandwich.

• Music