Category: Music

Proving that there is no accounting for taste, here is the number 17 song today in 1968:

Today in 1971, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were sentenced on drug charges. And, of course, you could replace “1971” with any year and Jagger’ and Richards’ names with practically any rock musician’s name of those days.

Or other people: Today in 2000, Eminem’s mother sued her son for defamation from the line “My mother smokes more dope than I do” from his “My Name Is.”

Birthdays start with LeRoy Anderson, whose first work was the theme music for many afternoon movies, but who is best known for his second work (with which I point out that Christmas is less than six months away, today’s searing heat notwithstanding):

(more…)

Today in 1975, David Bowie found “Fame”:

Today in 1978, the UN named Kansas ambassadors of goodwill:

Two birthdays today are from the same group: Drummer Bobby Harrison was born two years before bassist Dave Knights of Procol Harum:

For some reason,  the Beatles’ “Sie Liebt Dich” got only to number 97 on the German charts:

The English translation did much better, yeah, yeah, yeah:

This would have never happened in Madison, but … in Milwaukee today in 1993, Don Henley dedicated “It’s Not Easy Being Green” to President Bill Clinton … and got booed.

(more…)

My German side should appreciate this: Today in 1870, Richard Wagner premiered “Die Valkyrie”:

Today in 1964, the Beatles released their album “A Hard Day’s Night”:

Today in 1975, Sonny and Cher decided they didn’t got you babe anymore — they divorced:

(Interestingly, at least to me: Sonny and Cher revived their CBS-TV show after their divorce. Also, Cher did a touching eulogy at Sonny Bono’s funeral.)

Today in 1990, eight Kansas and Oklahoma radio stations decided to boycott singer KD Lang because she didn’t have a constant craving for meat, to the point she did an anti-meat ad:

Birthdays start with Billy Davis Jr. of the Fifth Dimension:

Jean Knight, who was dismissive of Mr. Big Stuff:

Rindy Ross, the B-minor-favoring singer of Quarterflash:

There seems to be a blue theme today, starting with the first birthday,  Harold Melvin, who had Blue Notes:

Carly Simon:

(more…)

Proving that there is no accounting for taste, I present the number six song today in 1972:

Twenty years later, Billy Joel got an honorary diploma … from Hicksville High School in New York (where he attended but was one English credit short of graduating due to oversleeping the day of the final):

(more…)

Today in 1956, perhaps the first traffic safety song, “Transfusion,” reached number eight:

Today in 1975 was not a good day for Alice Cooper, who broke six ribs after falling off a stage in Vancouver:

Today in 1979, the Knack released “My Sharona”:

The short list of birthdays starts with Myles Goodwin of April Wine …

… and ends with Joey Allen of Warrant:

Today in 1959, along came Jones to peak at number nine:

Today in 1968, here came the Judge to peak at number 88:

Today in 1985, Glenn Frey may have felt the “Smuggler’s Blues” because it peaked at number 12:

(more…)

Today in 1982, Paul McCartney released “Take It Away”:

Birthdays today start with the great Lalo Schifrin:

(more…)

Birthdays today begin with guitarist Chet Atkins:

Bobby Nunn of the Coasters:

Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys:

Anne Murray:

Alan Longmuir of the Bay City Rollers:

Michael Anthony of Van Halen:

Joseph Cathcart of Nelson: