Today in 1965, Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues” was released. Other than the run-on nature of the lyrics, the song was one of the first to have an accompanying “promo film,” now known as a “music video”:

Today in 1971, Radio Hanoi played the Star Spangled Banner, presumably not as a compliment:

Today in 1973, Paul McCartney was fined £100 for growing marijuana at his farm in Campbelltown, Scotland.

McCartney’s excuse was that he didn’t know the seeds he claimed to have been given would actually grow.

The number one single today in 1975:

Today in  2003, Mark Knopfler, formerly of Dire Straits, discovered that in a conflict between his Honda motorcycle and a Fiat Punto, the bike loses — or, more accurately, the bike and its rider lose.

Birthdays begin with Ralph Ellis of the Swinging Blue Jeans:

Andrew Semple of the Fortunes:

Michael “Mickey” Dolenz of the Monkees:

Songwriter Carole Bayer Sager:

Randy Meisner played guitar for the Eagles:

Mike Allsup played guitar for Three Dog Night:

Mel Galley played guitar for Whitesnake:

Clive Burr played drums for Iron Maiden:

Gary Numan:

Richard Darbyshire of Living in a Box:

Peter Gill played drums for Frankie Goes to Hollywood:

Tom Chaplin of Keane:

Today in 1973, Ron “Pigpen” McKernen, keyboard player for the Grateful Dead, really was dead.

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