1960 - Here is some music magic from the past, something that would have been seen as impossible at the time, let alone unthinkable just four or five years earlier, when rock'n'roll first began. This is the king of the bobby-soxer generation, Frank Sinatra, and king of the rock'n'roll generation, Elvis Presley, appearing on the same TV special and performing each other's hit - 51 years ago today. Elvis sang Witchcraft and Sinatra sang Love Me Tender. This little gem is preceded by Elvis singing a medley of a couple of his hits. You GOTTA check out this video.
1963 - Thank God, I say, for Bobby D. This is the day Bob Dylan walked out of dress rehearsals for The Ed Sullivan Show, when CBS censors told him he could not perform his highly political song, Talkin' John Birch Blues, also known as Talkin' John Birch Society Blues and Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues. The song is a talking blues song written by the singer-songwriter a year earlier; a satirical song, in which a paranoid narrator is convinced that communists, or "reds" as he calls them, are infiltrating his country. He joins the John Birch Society, an anti-communist group, and begins searching for 'reds' everywhere: under his bed, up his chimney, down his toilet and in his glove compartment. After exhausting the possibilities, he begins to investigate himself. The song was at the center of a controversy that brought national attention to Dylan and played a significant part in shaping his second album, Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. On May 11/12, 1963, with the album about to be released, Dylan was scheduled to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show on CBS in USA. The Sunday evening variety program, among the most popular shows on American television, had earlier introduced Elvis Presley to national audiences and in 1964 would do the same for The Beatles. Dylan had auditioned for the show in early 1962, before the release of his first album. He played a few songs from the recording, but the network executives who sat in on the set weren't exactly sure what to make of him. Unhappy with the experience, Dylan thought he wouldn't hear from the network again. More than a year passed when the call came inviting him to make a guest appearance on the show. For his one selection, Dylan chose Talkin' John Birch Society Blues (as it was then titled). When they told him it had to be replaced, he spat the dummy and walked out. Wouldn't you? Dylan ultimately profited from the affair. Could not locate any video of this song, so, instead, we have posted the original 61/62 Dylan when he first arrived in New York City, some of his demos, and his first ever publishing contract.
1965 - This is the day the Rolling Stones released Satisfaction, and for full details and the video, please go to our search engine, and type in the title; see what we have published on the Stones for *MUSICBACKTRACK*, and how this song was written.
1968 - It was May 12, in Canada, 43 years ago, and Jimi Hendrix was arrested for possession of hashish and heroin when he crossed the Canadian border for a concert in Toronto. Customs at Toronto Pearson International Airport nabbed him, and after being released on a $10,000 cash bail and being required to appear in court at a later date, he and his band, the Experience, were able to play their concert at Maple Leaf Gardens. In his trial defense, Hendrix claimed that that the drugs were slipped into his bag by a fan without his knowledge. He was acquitted. Like Bobby D, thank goodness for Jimi. Here's a 1968 compilation video of Jimi in NYC - rare offstage footage coupled with various performance shots.
1971 - This was the day Jerry Lee Lewis was granted a divorce from his 13-year-old cousin, Myra, but whoa, what a mess this marriage caused for Jerry Lee. Following is an interview with he and Myra in London when they were booed, once people heard his wife was only 13 years old, plus a couple of other pertinent interviews with him in subsequent years.
1971 - Mick Jagger and Bianca Perez Morena de Macias were married, exactly 40 years ago today. Following is film of the wedding. It is totally wild 8mm footage, not produced, no sound placed on top, no edits, and as such as bootleg and real as you can get. Following that is the beautiful Bianca who has been a great crusader for the downtrodden, victims of crime, victims of disasters, both natural and not, and a spokesperson for women's rights and women's equality. What a woman, and it's obvious why she left him; he married up, she married down, she wanted out.
1983 - This is the day Meatloaf filed for bankruptcy, after finding out that his management, Dellentash and Sonnenberg were stealing his money, according to him. The two then had all of Meat Loaf's assets frozen and sued him for breach of contract. They also started spreading rumors that Meat Loaf was violent and had threatened people with guns. Meat Loaf ended up declaring bankruptcy. After watching this recent video of Meatloaf exploding on America's celebrity apprentice, I just can't understand how anyone could have accused him of being violent way back then.
2002 - It's nine years to the day since Dionne Warwick was arrested At Miami International Airport, when baggage screeners found 11 marijuana cigarettes inside her lipstick container. The former United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and former United States Ambassador of Health was best known for her musical partnership with Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Warwick ranks as the 20th most popular hit-maker of the entire music era from 1955 to 1999, according to Billboard's Hot 100 Pop Singles Charts. According to Billboard Magazine, Warwick ranks second only to Aretha Franklin as the most popular female vocalist with 56 chart singles on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts from 1962 through 1998. Warwick's cousin is singer Whitney Houston, and her aunt is Gospel-trained vocalist Cissy Houston, Whitney's mother. She is a doll, a superstar, and a bona fide music legend. Here is Burt Bacharach & Dionne Warwick, together with three of their best-known songs.
1963 - Thank God, I say, for Bobby D. This is the day Bob Dylan walked out of dress rehearsals for The Ed Sullivan Show, when CBS censors told him he could not perform his highly political song, Talkin' John Birch Blues, also known as Talkin' John Birch Society Blues and Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues. The song is a talking blues song written by the singer-songwriter a year earlier; a satirical song, in which a paranoid narrator is convinced that communists, or "reds" as he calls them, are infiltrating his country. He joins the John Birch Society, an anti-communist group, and begins searching for 'reds' everywhere: under his bed, up his chimney, down his toilet and in his glove compartment. After exhausting the possibilities, he begins to investigate himself. The song was at the center of a controversy that brought national attention to Dylan and played a significant part in shaping his second album, Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. On May 11/12, 1963, with the album about to be released, Dylan was scheduled to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show on CBS in USA. The Sunday evening variety program, among the most popular shows on American television, had earlier introduced Elvis Presley to national audiences and in 1964 would do the same for The Beatles. Dylan had auditioned for the show in early 1962, before the release of his first album. He played a few songs from the recording, but the network executives who sat in on the set weren't exactly sure what to make of him. Unhappy with the experience, Dylan thought he wouldn't hear from the network again. More than a year passed when the call came inviting him to make a guest appearance on the show. For his one selection, Dylan chose Talkin' John Birch Society Blues (as it was then titled). When they told him it had to be replaced, he spat the dummy and walked out. Wouldn't you? Dylan ultimately profited from the affair. Could not locate any video of this song, so, instead, we have posted the original 61/62 Dylan when he first arrived in New York City, some of his demos, and his first ever publishing contract.
1965 - This is the day the Rolling Stones released Satisfaction, and for full details and the video, please go to our search engine, and type in the title; see what we have published on the Stones for *MUSICBACKTRACK*, and how this song was written.
1968 - It was May 12, in Canada, 43 years ago, and Jimi Hendrix was arrested for possession of hashish and heroin when he crossed the Canadian border for a concert in Toronto. Customs at Toronto Pearson International Airport nabbed him, and after being released on a $10,000 cash bail and being required to appear in court at a later date, he and his band, the Experience, were able to play their concert at Maple Leaf Gardens. In his trial defense, Hendrix claimed that that the drugs were slipped into his bag by a fan without his knowledge. He was acquitted. Like Bobby D, thank goodness for Jimi. Here's a 1968 compilation video of Jimi in NYC - rare offstage footage coupled with various performance shots.
1971 - This was the day Jerry Lee Lewis was granted a divorce from his 13-year-old cousin, Myra, but whoa, what a mess this marriage caused for Jerry Lee. Following is an interview with he and Myra in London when they were booed, once people heard his wife was only 13 years old, plus a couple of other pertinent interviews with him in subsequent years.
1971 - Mick Jagger and Bianca Perez Morena de Macias were married, exactly 40 years ago today. Following is film of the wedding. It is totally wild 8mm footage, not produced, no sound placed on top, no edits, and as such as bootleg and real as you can get. Following that is the beautiful Bianca who has been a great crusader for the downtrodden, victims of crime, victims of disasters, both natural and not, and a spokesperson for women's rights and women's equality. What a woman, and it's obvious why she left him; he married up, she married down, she wanted out.
1983 - This is the day Meatloaf filed for bankruptcy, after finding out that his management, Dellentash and Sonnenberg were stealing his money, according to him. The two then had all of Meat Loaf's assets frozen and sued him for breach of contract. They also started spreading rumors that Meat Loaf was violent and had threatened people with guns. Meat Loaf ended up declaring bankruptcy. After watching this recent video of Meatloaf exploding on America's celebrity apprentice, I just can't understand how anyone could have accused him of being violent way back then.
2002 - It's nine years to the day since Dionne Warwick was arrested At Miami International Airport, when baggage screeners found 11 marijuana cigarettes inside her lipstick container. The former United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization, and former United States Ambassador of Health was best known for her musical partnership with Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Warwick ranks as the 20th most popular hit-maker of the entire music era from 1955 to 1999, according to Billboard's Hot 100 Pop Singles Charts. According to Billboard Magazine, Warwick ranks second only to Aretha Franklin as the most popular female vocalist with 56 chart singles on the Billboard Hot 100 Charts from 1962 through 1998. Warwick's cousin is singer Whitney Houston, and her aunt is Gospel-trained vocalist Cissy Houston, Whitney's mother. She is a doll, a superstar, and a bona fide music legend. Here is Burt Bacharach & Dionne Warwick, together with three of their best-known songs.
