Saturday, January 24, 2015

This Date in Rock Music History: January 25

1958:  "Jailhouse Rock" by Elvis Presley became the first single to debut on the U.K. chart at #1.
1960:  Sam Cooke recorded "Chain Gang" at the RCA Recording Studios in New York City.

1960:  Bill Black's Combo made it three weeks at #1 on the R&B chart with the great instrumental "Smokie".
1960:  Bobby Darin had a fast-rising song as "Beyond The Sea" moved from 74 to 34.  
1960:  The great Soundtrack to "The Sound of Music" moved to #1 on the Album chart, the first of 16 weeks at the top.








1963:  Cilla Black made her live debut at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, England, where she started out as the hat check girl.
1963:  Janis Joplin performed in San Francisco, California at the North Beach coffeehouse.
1964:  Bobby Vinton was on top of the Easy Listening chart for a fourth week with "There!  I've Said It Again".
1964:  Dusty Springfield first appeared on the chart as her first single--"I Only Want to Be With You" debuted.







1964:  Bobby Vinton will forever have the distinction of having the last #1 song before the Beatles changed music.  Vinton was on top with "There!  I've Said It Again".  No offense, Bobby, but most fans will be glad that the Beatles changed music from this style.  Now I grant you that there are some that don't like the Beatles and would rather have music like that of Bobby Vinton.  The Kingsmen were still at #2 with "Louie Louie" while the Beatles moved from 45 to 3 in their second week of release with "I Want To Hold Your Hand".  The Trashmen were at #4 with "Surfin' Bird" while the Murmaids fell with "Popsicles And Icicles".  The rest of the Top 10:  "Out Of Limits" from the Marketts, the Rip Chords and "Hey Little Cobra", Bobby Rydell dropped with "Forget Him", Major Lance had a song called "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um, Um" and Jan & Dean were at #10 with "Drag City".






1965:  "King Of the Road", which was written by Roger Miller at the Idanha Hotel in Boise, Idaho, was released as a single.
1967:  The Beatles did a last-minute remix of "Penny Lane" before pressing their double-sided single that also included "Strawberry Fields Forever".
1969:  Cilla Black married manager Bobby Willis.
1969:  The Best of the New Seekers was the #1 album in the U.K.





       
          Music that Matters...from the 'White Album'...

1969:  The Beatles ruled the Album chart for a fifth week with The White Album while TCB by Diana Ross & the Supremes with the Temptations was second.  Glen Campbell moved to 3 with Wichita Lineman, Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 had Fool on the Hill and the Rolling Stones were stuck at 5 with Beggars Banquet.  The rest of the Top 10:  Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations, Iron Butterfly moved from 12-7 with In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, Big Brother & the Holding Company with Cheap Thrills, Judy Collins was at 9 with Wildflowers, in its 56th week of release and Steppenwolf's The Second was #10.
1969:  Marvin Gaye had the #1 song on the R&B chart for a seventh week--"I Heard It Through The Grapevine".





1969:  Marvin Gaye achieved a seventh week at #1 with "I Heard It Through The Grapevine".  It was a great time in music as Tommy James & the Shondells rose to #2 with "Crimson And Clover", challenging Marvin.  Diana Ross & the Supremes combined with the Temptations for "I'm Gonna' Make You Love Me" while the great instrumental "Soulful Strut" from Young-Holt Unlimited was fourth.  The rest of the Top 10:  Sly & the Family Stone took a ride up from 15 to 5 with "Everyday People", B.J. Thomas with "Hooked On A Feeling" (the one that doesn't go "Ooga Chaka, Ooga Chaka"), the Doors were at 7 with "Touch Me", Brooklyn Bridge were at 8 with "Worst That Could Happen", the Bee Gees gained a solid seven with "I Started A Joke" and Dusty Springfield was steady with "Son-of-a Preacher Man".





1971:  The single "Me and Bobby McGee" by Janis Joplin was released posthumously.  It would be the only big hit Joplin ever had.












1971:  Helen Reddy released her first career single "I Don't Know How to Love Him".
1974:  Want to know how big Led Zeppelin was in their heyday?  On this date, they appeared before 17,000 fans at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana.
1975:  Donny & Marie Osmond reached #1 on the Adult chart with "Morning Side Of The Mountain".






1975:  The Carpenters achieved one of the rare feats of the Rock Era, turning the Marvelettes' #1 song "Please Mr. Postman" into a #1 song of their own.  Linda Ronstadt moved from 21-6 with "You're No Good" while the Average White Band from Scotland entered the Top 10 with "Pick Up The Pieces".
1975:  Elton John's Greatest Hits registered a ninth week at #1--one of the biggest albums of the 70's.
1984:  Yoko Ono, widow of John Lennon, donated $375,000 to the Strawberry Fields retirement home in Liverpool.  Strawberry Fields used to be a children's home, and was the inspiration for the song "Strawberry Fields Forever".
1985:  Phil Collins released his third solo album--No Jacket Required.




1986:  A great new female group was introduced to us on this date.  They debuted on the chart with a song written for them by Prince--"Manic Monday".  The Bangles went on to become the top self-contained girl group of the Rock Era.
1986:  Albert Grossman, manager of Bob Dylan, died of a heart attack at the age of 59 while flying to London.







       As usual, words of great wisdom from Mellencamp...

1986:  The Broadway Album from Barbra Streisand was #1, the superstar's sixth #1 album.  The Soundtrack to "Miami Vice" fell to second with Heart's self-titled release #3.  The great Scarecrow from John Cougar Mellencamp was next followed by Sade's breakthrough album Promise.  The rest of the Top 10:  Dire Straits was at #6 after 34 weeks with Brothers In Arms, ZZ Top with Afterburner, Starship made a big comeback with Knee Deep in the Hoopla, Mr. Mister reached the Top 10 with Welcome to the Real World and Bruce Springsteen's album Born in the U.S.A. was still in the Top 10 after 84 weeks.
1986:  Dionne & Friends reached #1 on the R&B chart with "That's What Friends Are For".





                        Klymaxx with their slow jam...

1986:  Dionne Warwick & Friends held on to #1 with "That's What Friends Are For".  Lionel Richie's former #1 spent a second week at #2--"Say You, Say Me".  Survivor was hot with "Burning Heart" (8-3), Stevie Nicks reached #4 with one of her biggest solo hits ("Talk To Me") and Wham!  slammed into the Top 10 (12-5) with "I'm Your Man".  The rest of the Top 10:  Bruce Springsteen made Rock Era history with his seventh Top 10 song from the album Born in the U.S.A. with "My Hometown", Dire Straits were at #7 with "Walk Of Life", Klymaxx and "I Miss You", Eddie Murphy tumbled with "Party All The Time" and Paul McCartney had his 38th solo hit and 22nd Top 10 with "Spies Like Us".  Counting his work with the Beatles, McCartney now had 110 hits with 89 of those going Top 10.


1987:  Neil Diamond sang the national anthem of the United States at Super Bowl XXI at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.









1988:  Aerosmith released the single "Angel".
1989:  Bobby Brown was arrested for an overtly sexually suggestive performance after a show in Columbus, Georgia.  They should have just charged him with an overtly loser life and that would have covered it.  (Note:  some websites say the arrest occurred in Columbus, Ohio, when in fact it was in Columbus, Georgia, according to the newspaper 'The Los Angeles Times'.)
1989:  Madonna began divorce proceedings from Sean Penn and moved into a new house in Hollywood Hills, California.  (Note:  some websites claim the divorce was finalized on January 25, but according to 'The Los Angeles Times', the petition was filed on this date.)
1989:  Alvin Robinson, guitarist on several songs from Dr. John, died in New Orleans at age 51. 
1990:  Paul McCartney was profiled on the CBS-TV show 48 Hours.
1990:  Bill Medley appeared on the popular television show Cheers on NBC.


1992:  Amy Grant was up from 69 to 32 with another song from Hearts In Motion--"Good for Me".
1992:  Color Me Badd's "All 4 Love" broke a seven-week run at #1 for "Black Or White" by Michael Jackson.  Mariah Carey took advantage of the drop and moved to #2 with "Can't Let Go" with the live "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me" from George Michael and Elton John third.  Jackson was fourth followed by Ce Ce Peniston with "Finally" and Prince with "Diamonds And Pearls".  The rest of the Top 10:  Shanice with "I Love Your Smile", Nirvana edged up with "Smells Like Teen Spirit", U2 moved from 15-9 with their great song "Mysterious Ways" and Right Said Fred had #10 with "I'm Too Sexy".   



      
  Mariah isn't shy about having her songs heard in public, unlike Garth...

1992:  Garth Brooks posted a 10th week at #1 for the landmark Ropin the Wind album.  The former #1 Dangerous by Michael Jackson was second with Hammer's Too Legit to Quit third.  Nirvana's former #1 Nevermind followed, with Michael Bolton close behind with Time, Love & Tenderness.  The rest of a solid Top 10:  U2 with Achtung Baby, Metallica and their debut, Boyz II Men with Cooleyhighharmony, Mariah Carey's Emotions at #9 and Garth was so hot that his previous album No Fences re-entered the Top 10 after 71 weeks.





1997:  Spice Fever was alive and well as on this date, the Spice Girls first debuted on the chart with their first single "Wannabe".
1997:  No Doubt made it six weeks at #1 on the Album chart with Tragic Kingdom.  Celine Dion was #3 with Falling Into You while Alanis Morissette was still in the Top 10 after 83 weeks with Jagged Little Pill.







            Sheryl Crow was a bright new force in music.

1997:  Toni Braxton had one of The Top 100 Songs of the Rock Era* as "Un-Break My Heart" spent an eighth week at #1.  En Vogue gave chase with "Don't Let Go (Love)" while R. Kelly remained third with "I Believe I Can Fly".  Sheryl Crow had the only new Top 10--"If It Makes You Happy".
2000:  Third Eye Blind fired Kevin Cadogan shortly after the group's performance at the Sundance Film Festival.
2001:  In today's segment of Dangerous Inmates Run Rap Music, jury selection ended in the trial of Puff Daddy for weapons possession and bribery in Manhattan, New York.
2003:  Billy Joel totaled his Mercedes on a highway in Long Island, New York.
2003:  Clarence Carter and Eddie Floyd were inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame.
2005:  Ray Peterson ("Tell Laura I Love Her") died of cancer at age 65.


 

2006:  Motley Crue received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2008:  Billy Joel donated $500,000 to "Homes for Our Troops", which aided disabled veterans.
2010:  The members of KISS rang the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
2010:  Rolf Harris ("Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport") received an honorary Doctorate of Letters from Hope University in Liverpool, England.  The degree was later taken away when Harris was convicted of 12 charges of having sex with underage women.
2011:  Mary-Lu Zahalan-Kennedy, a former Miss Canada finalist, became the first person in the world to graduate with a Masters degree in the Beatles.  The degree was launched at Liverpool Hope University in England in March of 2009.


Born This Day:
1915:  Ewan MacColl, who wrote "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" for Roberta Flack, was born in Salford, Lancashire, England; died October 22, 1989 in London.

1927:  Antonio Carlos Jobim, famous jazz composer who wrote "The Girl From Ipanema" and "Desfinado" for the landmark album Getz/Gilberto, was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; died December 8, 1994 in New York City from cardiac arrest while recovering from surgery to remove a tumor from his bladder. 







1931:  Stig Anderson, co-songwriter ("Waterloo", "Mamma Mia", "Dancing Queen", "Knowing Me, Knowing You", "S.O.S." and "Fernando"), manager and producer of ABBA, was born in Hova, Sweden; died of a heart attack in Stockholm, Sweden on September 12, 1997.







1938:  Etta James was born in Los Angeles, California; died January 12, 2012 of leukemia in Riverside, California.
1941:  Bobby Wood, keyboardist for Elvis Presley, Garth Brooks, Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson
1950:  Michael Cotten, synthesizer player of the Tubes ("She's A Beauty"), was born in Kansas City, Missouri.
1953:  Mal Green, drummer of Split Enz
1956:  Andy Cox, guitarist of the Fine Young Cannibals, was born in Birmingham, England.
1958:  Gary Tibbs, bassist for Roxy Music and Adam & the Ants, was born in Northwood, Middlesex, England.

1981:  Alicia Keys was born in New York City.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.