1939 - This is the day 24-year-old Frank Sinatra made his recording debut with the Harry James band with the songs Melancholy Mood, and From the Bottom of My Heart. there is no footage I could find of this event, but thanks to youtuber crooner2007, here's a rare - not available on CD - piece of audio with a photo montage. The Harry James instrumental numbers have been edited out to highlight Frank's vocals on the slow tunes. This is one of the very first outside music broadcasts in radio history, originally broadcast by the BBC to the British isles and it was their first exposure to the future superstar. The outside broadcast (OB) was from Roselands ballroom in New York, New York. Not the best quality, but hey, it's live, and its 72 years old.
1959 - The Shirelles released Dedicated To The One I Love today, but you may well be more familiar with the Mamas and Papas version of this song. their version was released eight years later, in 1967. the song was written by guitar player for the 5 Royales, Lowman Pauling and Ralph Bass. A re-released version by The Shirelles was a minor hit for them in 1961, and then The "5" Royales, who had the original version, saw a re-release of their own version chart at #81 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1961. Later that year, The Shirelles re-released their version and watched it rocket up the chart to #3. A subsequent and more famous remake by The Mamas & the Papas was released 1967 and it shot to #2 in USA and to the top of the charts all over the world. Lead singer on the Mamas & the Papas' version was Michelle Phillips, and it was the first time she was given the lead over Mama Cass Elliott in any of the group's songs. But we started with the Shirelles, and in 1961, they recorded and released Will You Love Me Tomorrow, song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. It has been recorded by many different artists, but the Shirelles' version hit the top of the charts and was the first song to reach #1 in the USA by a girl group. It was ranked among Rolling Stone 's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time at #125. Interestingly, The Shirelles released the song in 1960, with Boys on the B-side - later recorded by The Beatles. The single's first pressing was labelled simply Tomorrow then lengthened later. In 1961, the song went to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Some radio stations had banned the record because they had felt the lyrics were too sexually charged, viz, "Is this a moment's pleasure". Funny how times change, eh?
1968 - Steppenwolf released their iconic song, Born To Be Wild, 43 years ago today, and it was the first song reference to so-called 'heavy metal'. Born to Be Wild was written by Mars Bonfire and made famous by the Canadian-American rock band. Some say it was the first heavy metal song, and the second verse lyric "heavy metal thunder," marks the first use of this term in rock music. This live version of the song is from a live television programme in Germany, entitled Beat Club, which was a German music programme that ran from September 1965 to December 1972. It is notable for being the first German show to be based around popular music, and featured artists like Frank Zappa, The Rolling Stones, Gene Pitney, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Ike & Tina Turner, The Who, Black Sabbath, The Bee Gees, The Beach Boys, The Doors and Kraftwerk during its seven-year run. The host who intros the band is Brit, Dave Dee.
1964 - The Supremes made the studio recording of Come See About Me, today, and recorded it for the Motown label. It became the third of five consecutively released Supremes songs to top the Billboard pop singles chart in the United States. Strangely, it topped the chart twice, and non-consecutively, toppled by, and later replacing The Beatles' song, I Feel Fine.
1974 - This is the day guitar god Eric Clapton went totally mainstream on music charts when he released this version of the Bob Marley song, I Shot The Sheriff. This is an extremely good version of the great classic, but not quite as good as the original for me. Having said that, this is the version that became the original hit, and this video is live from the famous British TV show, The Old Grey Whistle Test. The song was first released on The Wailers' album Burnin' album in 1973, and Clapton recorded his cover version, including it on his album, 461 Ocean Boulevard. It is the most successful version of the song, peaking at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. For anyone interested, Markey's version follows.
1985 - The great fund-raising concert that made Bob Geldof famous, was held today, simultaneously in Philadelphia, USA, and London, England. And this performance from Queen is one of those moments in time that froze a music legend and turned him into an icon, thus demonstrating the everlasting power of Love-Aid. Following that another iconic performance when George Michael sang Elton John's song, Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me.
