Monday, November 3, 2008

This Date In Music History-November 3

Birthdays:

Brian Poole of the Tremeloes is 67.

John Barry ("Goldfinger") turns 75.

Blues vocalist Mabel John, the first woman to sign to Berry Gordy's Tamla label, was born in Detroit in 1930.

Scottish singer Lulu, who went to No. 1 with "To Sir With Love," was born in Glasgow in 1948.

Birthday wishes to rock insect Adam Ant (born as Stuart Goddard in London).

History:

In 1957, Sun Records released Jerry Lewis’s "Great Balls of Fire," written by Otis Blackwell (who penned "Don't Be Cruel" and others for Elvis Presley). By the second week in December, the single is ensconced in the Top Ten on the pop, country and R&B charts. It became the best-selling record in Sun's history.

A song called "He's A Rebel" by the Crystals topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1962. In reality, the song was recorded by a trio known as the Blossoms, featuring lead singer Darlene Love. Phil Spector had hastily put the song together while The Crystals were out of town and put their name on the label because they had already had two top twenty hits with "There's No Other" and "Uptown".

"Boss Guitar," Duane Eddy’s 15th Top Forty single in less than five years, entered the charts in 1962. It marks the end of an astounding run of instrumental hits for the king of twang.

In 2002, the king of skiffle, Lonnie Donegan, died at the age of 71, midway through a UK tour. One of the most successful recording artists of the pre-Beatles era, Donegan had three number one hits and numerous top 10 entries on the UK chart. In the US he was best known for the top ten hits, "Rock Island Line" and "Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor On The Bedpost Over Night".

The filming for The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour was completed in 1967, finishing with a sequence at Ringo's country house in Weybridge, Surrey, BBC television bought the rights to broadcast the film twice, the first broadcast, in black-and-white was scheduled for December 26, 1967. The second showing, on the color channel BBC2, was not yet available to all Britons, was set for January 5, 1968.

'Too Tough to Die,' among the best of the Ramones’ later albums, is released in 1984.

The Beatles record "Michelle" in 1965.

In 1957, ABC-Paramount released Danny & the Juniors' first hit, "At the Hop". The song sold 7,000 copies in and around Philadelphia when it was first issued on the small independent Singular label.

British musician Robin Scott, using the pseudonym M, topped the US singles chart in 1979 with a techno-pop, dance tune called "Pop Muzik". The record had reached number two in England the previous May.

Billy Ocean started a two week run at #1 on the Billboard singles chart in 1984 with "Caribbean Queen". The song was originally titled "European Queen".

In 1990, The Righteous Brothers' version of "Unchained Melody" rose to #1 on the UK singles chart 25 years after it had first been released. The track had recently been featured in the film Ghost.

In 1973, "Ramblin' Man," by the Allman Brothers Band, reached #2. It was the highest-charting single of their career.

1982-Devo bring their video-synchronized concert experience to Minneapolis. This involves the band performing in front of a giant screen on which are projected films and lyrics. The robotic band also interacts with the clips.

'You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet' (Bachman-Turner Overdrive) was a hit in 1974.

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