The number one song in the U.S. today in 1961:

Today in 1962, the Beatles recorded “Love Me Do,” taking 17 takes to do it right:

Three years later, the Beatles had the number one single …

… which referred to something The Who could have used, because on the same day the Who’s van was vandalized and $10,000 in musical equipment was stolen from them while they were buying … a guard dog:

Today in 1968, the Rolling Stones’ “Street Fighting Man” was banned in Chicago and other U.S. cities because the powers that be thought listeners were taking the song too literally:

The number one single in the U.S. today in 1971:

The number one single in the U.S. today in 1976:

The number one single today in 1982 on this side …

… and the other side of the Atlantic …

… on day two of the first Us Festival:

Birthdays begin with Merald “Bubba” Knight of Gladys Knight and the Pips:

Gene Parsons of The Byrds:

Guitarist Gary Duncan and drummer Greg Elmore of Quicksilver Messenger Service were born on the same day, so …

Perhaps that made other non-birthday-celebrating band members say:

Martin Chambers played drums for the Pretenders:

Ty Longley, guitarist for Great White, who died with 99  fans in the 2003 nightclub fire in Warwick, R.I.:

• Music