March 7, 1985 - WE ARE THE WORLD is a 1985 song written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, produced and conducted by Quincy Jones and recorded by a supergroup of popular musicians, & billed as USA for Africa. And this was the day the song was first heard on radio. Vocalists included: Dan Aykroyd, Harry Belafonte, Lindsey Buckingham, Kim Carnes, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan,Sheila E, Bob Geldof, Daryl Hall, James Ingram, Jackie Jackson, LaToya Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Michael Jackson, Randy Jackson, Tito Jackson, Al Jarreau, Waylon Jennings, Billy Joel, Cyndi Lauper, Huey Lewis, Kenny Loggins, Bette Midler, Willie Nelson, John Oates, Jeffrey Osborne, Steve Perry, The Pointer Sisters, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, Paul Simon, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner, Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder.
1966 - BRIAN WILSON released Caroline No the first solo single by a Beach Boy. Caroline, No is a song written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher, recorded during the Pet Sounds sessions. It was released as a solo Brian Wilson single in March 1966 in advance of the album's release. The single was only a modest success, reaching # 32 in the US national chart and #16 in Canada's RPM chart. Later in the year it appeared on The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, although Brian Wilson was the only member of the band to appear on the track. The song may have been inspired by a former girlfriend of lyricist Tony Asher, who had moved to New York and cut her hair. Additionally, though, in high school, Wilson became obsessed with Carol Mountain, a classmate and unrequited love interest. The song was initially written as Carol, I Know. When spoken, however, Brian Wilson heard this as Caroline, No. After the confusion was resolved, the pair decided to keep the new title, feeling that it brought a poignant earnestness to the song's sad melody. This is Wilson performing the song exactly a decade ago.
1966 - TINA TURNER recorded her vocal on the Phil Spector-produced River Deep Mountain High, today. The1966 single by Ike & Tina Turner has since been considered by producer Phil Spector to be his best work. Whilst it reached near the top of charts around the world, the song first flopped on its original release in the United States. Spector claimed to be pleased with the response from the critics and his peers, but he soon withdrew from the music industry for two years, beginning his personal decline. After Eric Burdon covered the song in 1968, it was re-released a year later, and has since become one of Tina Turner's signature songs. In 1999, River Deep, Mountain High was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame. Written by Spector, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich, the song was among the first recordings that Ike & Tina Turner did for Phil Spector's Philles Records. Spector was well aware of Ike Turner's controlling attitude in the studio, and accordingly drew up an unusual contract: the River Deep – Mountain High (album) and single would be credited to Ike & Tina Turner, but Ike was paid $20,000 to stay away from the studio, and only Tina Turner's vocals would be used on the recording. The track was recorded using Spector's Wall of Sound production technique, costing a then-unheard of $22,000, and required 21 session musicians and 21 background vocalists. Due to Spector's perfectionism in the studio, he made Turner sing the song over and over for several hours until he felt was the perfect vocal take for the song. In the magazine Rolling Stone, an article about the song featured this quote from Ms. Turner: "I must have sung that 500,000 times," she said. "I was drenched with sweat. I had to take my shirt off and stand there in my bra to sing."
1967 - THE BEATLES recorded additional overdubs for the song, Lovely Rita, today, including harmony vocals, effects, and the percussive sound of a piece of toilet paper being blown through a haircomb. Have a listen.
1970 - LEE MARVIN was at #1 on some charts around the world with Wand'rin' Star, a song taken from the film Paint Your Wagon. It stayed onm top for three weeks in March 1970. It was originally written by two of music's most prolific songwriters, Alan J. Lerner and Frederick Loewe for the stage musical Paint Your Wagon in 1951. When the film of the musical was made in 1969, Lee Marvin took the role of prospector Ben Rumson. Not a natural singer, Marvin nevertheless sang all of his songs in the film, rejecting the idea of miming to another singer's voice. Despite the film being a box office flop, the soundtrack became a success. Orchestrated and arranged by Nelson Riddle, Marvin's version of the song Wand'rin Star becoming an unlikely #1 single, and in the UK it famously kept the Beatles at #2 two with their single Let It Be. Marvin never released a follow-up single, so is classed as a one-hit wonder. Strange for a multi-hit screen actor. The song was played at Joe Strummer's funeral.
1967 - IS THERE ANY man or woman who did not find Sandra Dee the cutest? Sadly by this date, Bobby Darin didn't find her cute anymore, after having been married to her for severalyears. He asked for a divorce and this was the day it was granted. Sad, like all divorces. Here's an image montage of the couple put together with the Bobby Darin song, Once Upon A Time. Following that, you can see Sandra Dee's final interview, covering her problems with addiction and anorexia…and her time with Bobby Darin.
1994 - THE US SUPREME COURT ruled parodies that poke fun at an original work can be considered "fair use" that does not require permission from the copyright holder. This was a breakthrough decision and was brought in with a case instigated by publishers Acuff Rose Music, Inc., who filed a suit against members of the rap music group 2 Live Crew and their record company, claiming that 2 Live Crew's song, Pretty Woman, infringed Acuff Rose's copyright in Roy Orbison's rock ballad, Oh Pretty Woman. The District Court granted summary judgment for 2 Live Crew, holding that its song was a parody that made fair use of the original song. Here are both versions. What do you think?
2003 - BROADWAY, theatre district in New York, came to a standstill tonight, as musicians went on strike due to a contractual dispute. The walkout lasted four days, during which time 18 musicals on Broadway shut down. The strike won strong support from other theatre workers as well as the general public, and the musicians’ union leadership agreed to a tentative settlement that will further cut jobs, as well as the quality of the performances presented on the New York stage. The settlement was reached under extraordinary pressure from the producers, the city and the media. Estimates were released of losses to New York’s economy amounting to more than $2 million a day, with predictions that a lengthy strike could seriously affect tourism. During the first day of the musicians’ walkout on Friday, stagehands asked pickets to show up at their theatre entrances, saying that they would not cross. The only musical not to be affected was Cabaret.
1966 - BRIAN WILSON released Caroline No the first solo single by a Beach Boy. Caroline, No is a song written by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher, recorded during the Pet Sounds sessions. It was released as a solo Brian Wilson single in March 1966 in advance of the album's release. The single was only a modest success, reaching # 32 in the US national chart and #16 in Canada's RPM chart. Later in the year it appeared on The Beach Boys' Pet Sounds, although Brian Wilson was the only member of the band to appear on the track. The song may have been inspired by a former girlfriend of lyricist Tony Asher, who had moved to New York and cut her hair. Additionally, though, in high school, Wilson became obsessed with Carol Mountain, a classmate and unrequited love interest. The song was initially written as Carol, I Know. When spoken, however, Brian Wilson heard this as Caroline, No. After the confusion was resolved, the pair decided to keep the new title, feeling that it brought a poignant earnestness to the song's sad melody. This is Wilson performing the song exactly a decade ago.
1966 - TINA TURNER recorded her vocal on the Phil Spector-produced River Deep Mountain High, today. The1966 single by Ike & Tina Turner has since been considered by producer Phil Spector to be his best work. Whilst it reached near the top of charts around the world, the song first flopped on its original release in the United States. Spector claimed to be pleased with the response from the critics and his peers, but he soon withdrew from the music industry for two years, beginning his personal decline. After Eric Burdon covered the song in 1968, it was re-released a year later, and has since become one of Tina Turner's signature songs. In 1999, River Deep, Mountain High was inducted in the Grammy Hall of Fame. Written by Spector, Jeff Barry, and Ellie Greenwich, the song was among the first recordings that Ike & Tina Turner did for Phil Spector's Philles Records. Spector was well aware of Ike Turner's controlling attitude in the studio, and accordingly drew up an unusual contract: the River Deep – Mountain High (album) and single would be credited to Ike & Tina Turner, but Ike was paid $20,000 to stay away from the studio, and only Tina Turner's vocals would be used on the recording. The track was recorded using Spector's Wall of Sound production technique, costing a then-unheard of $22,000, and required 21 session musicians and 21 background vocalists. Due to Spector's perfectionism in the studio, he made Turner sing the song over and over for several hours until he felt was the perfect vocal take for the song. In the magazine Rolling Stone, an article about the song featured this quote from Ms. Turner: "I must have sung that 500,000 times," she said. "I was drenched with sweat. I had to take my shirt off and stand there in my bra to sing."
1967 - THE BEATLES recorded additional overdubs for the song, Lovely Rita, today, including harmony vocals, effects, and the percussive sound of a piece of toilet paper being blown through a haircomb. Have a listen.
1970 - LEE MARVIN was at #1 on some charts around the world with Wand'rin' Star, a song taken from the film Paint Your Wagon. It stayed onm top for three weeks in March 1970. It was originally written by two of music's most prolific songwriters, Alan J. Lerner and Frederick Loewe for the stage musical Paint Your Wagon in 1951. When the film of the musical was made in 1969, Lee Marvin took the role of prospector Ben Rumson. Not a natural singer, Marvin nevertheless sang all of his songs in the film, rejecting the idea of miming to another singer's voice. Despite the film being a box office flop, the soundtrack became a success. Orchestrated and arranged by Nelson Riddle, Marvin's version of the song Wand'rin Star becoming an unlikely #1 single, and in the UK it famously kept the Beatles at #2 two with their single Let It Be. Marvin never released a follow-up single, so is classed as a one-hit wonder. Strange for a multi-hit screen actor. The song was played at Joe Strummer's funeral.
1967 - IS THERE ANY man or woman who did not find Sandra Dee the cutest? Sadly by this date, Bobby Darin didn't find her cute anymore, after having been married to her for severalyears. He asked for a divorce and this was the day it was granted. Sad, like all divorces. Here's an image montage of the couple put together with the Bobby Darin song, Once Upon A Time. Following that, you can see Sandra Dee's final interview, covering her problems with addiction and anorexia…and her time with Bobby Darin.
1994 - THE US SUPREME COURT ruled parodies that poke fun at an original work can be considered "fair use" that does not require permission from the copyright holder. This was a breakthrough decision and was brought in with a case instigated by publishers Acuff Rose Music, Inc., who filed a suit against members of the rap music group 2 Live Crew and their record company, claiming that 2 Live Crew's song, Pretty Woman, infringed Acuff Rose's copyright in Roy Orbison's rock ballad, Oh Pretty Woman. The District Court granted summary judgment for 2 Live Crew, holding that its song was a parody that made fair use of the original song. Here are both versions. What do you think?
2003 - BROADWAY, theatre district in New York, came to a standstill tonight, as musicians went on strike due to a contractual dispute. The walkout lasted four days, during which time 18 musicals on Broadway shut down. The strike won strong support from other theatre workers as well as the general public, and the musicians’ union leadership agreed to a tentative settlement that will further cut jobs, as well as the quality of the performances presented on the New York stage. The settlement was reached under extraordinary pressure from the producers, the city and the media. Estimates were released of losses to New York’s economy amounting to more than $2 million a day, with predictions that a lengthy strike could seriously affect tourism. During the first day of the musicians’ walkout on Friday, stagehands asked pickets to show up at their theatre entrances, saying that they would not cross. The only musical not to be affected was Cabaret.
