I can't get enough, I want you tomorrow

Andrew Roy Gibb (5 March 1958 – 10 March 1988)

Everlasting Love will never die

In Memoriam , Kirk Douglas, 1916-2020

Can’t keep a good man down

Maurice Gibb

David Bowie (born David Jones, 8 January 1947 – 10 January 2016)

In Memoriam, Claudine Auger (26 April 1941 – 18 December 2019) R.I.P. Domino

On this day in music history: December 3, 1966 - “Winchester Cathedral” by The New Vaudeville Band hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 3 weeks (non-consecutive). Written and produced by Geoff Stephens, it is the biggest hit for the UK band led by Stephens. The song is composed in the style of a 1930’s Tin Pan Alley pop song, with singer John Carter formerly of The Ivy League singing through a megaphone like singer Rudy Vallée. Stephens, a professional songwriter from London responsible for writing classics such as “The Crying Game” and “There’s A Kind Of Hush”, writes the song as a lark, being a fan of British music hall era songs from the teens and 20’s. The song is a surprise hit on both sides of the Atlantic, first peaking at #4 on the UK singles chart and then breaking big in the US when it is released on Philips’ Fontana Records subsidiary in early October of 1966. Entering the Hot 100 at #66 on October 29, 1966, it zooms to the top of the chart five weeks later. Ironically, “Winchester Cathedral” wins the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary (Rock & Roll) Recording over The Beach Boys “Good Vibrations” in 1967, which temporarily knocks “Cathedral” from the number one spot on December 10, 1966. “Winchester Cathedral” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

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On this day in music history: December 4, 1965 - “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season)” by The Byrds hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 3 weeks. Written by Pete Seeger, it is the second number one single for the Los Angeles, CA based folk/rock band. Legendary folk singer and songwriter Pete Seeger (The Weavers) writes “Turn! Turn! Turn! ” in 1959 and records his own version of it in 1962. The lyrics are adapted verbatim from the Book of Ecclesiastes in The Bible, giving the song the unique distinction of holding the record for being the number one hit with the oldest lyrics. Produced by Terry Melcher (The Rip Chords, the son of actress Doris Day), The Byrds are insistent that the entire band be allowed to play on their own records, after being replaced with members of The Wrecking Crew (except McGuinn and Crosby) on “Mr. Tambourine Man”. Melcher agrees after realizing the band are competent enough to cut their own tracks in the studio. Though the recording process is relatively slow, with their version of “Turn! Turn! Turn!” being recorded over five days in September 1965, and taking seventy eight takes to complete the final master. Released on October 1, 1965, it takes off quickly. Entering the Hot 100 at #80 on October 23, 1965, it climbs to the top of the chart six weeks later. During its time on the charts and after, the song becomes an anthem of the peace and anti-war movements in the US and abroad. The song is later used on television shows like “The Wonder Years”, “The Simpsons” and “Cold Case”, as well as in the films “Forrest Gump”, “Heart Like A Wheel” and “In America”. “Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season)” is inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2001.

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On this day in music history: December 5, 1970 - “The Tears Of A Clown” by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles hits #1 on the Billboard R&B singles chart for 3 weeks, also topping the Hot 100 for 2 weeks on December 12, 1970. Written by Stevie Wonder, Henry Cosby and Smokey Robinson, it is the second R&B and lone pop chart topper for the Detroit based R&B vocal group led by singer, songwriter and producer Smokey Robinson. Stevie Wonder and his then producer Hank Cosby write the music for the song in the Fall of 1966, but are not able to come up with suitable lyrics for it. They play it for Smokey at the annual Motown Christmas party that year and ask if he can write some lyrics for it. Upon hearing the instrumental track, the intros’ calliope like sound reminds Robinson of the circus. He’ll begin to write lyrics about Pagliacci The Clown, the central character in the Ruggero Leoncavallo opera, “Pagliacci”. The man in the song compares himself to the famed clown who brought joy to many, but himself is sad and lonely because he doesn’t have a woman who loves him. The track is recorded at Motown’s Studio A on September 26, 1966, with members of The Funk Brothers providing musical support. The Miracles record their vocals in early 1967 and the song is first released as a track on the album “Make It Happen”, which goes largely unnoticed by the public. It is first released in the UK as a single in early September 1970 after a successful re-release of “The Tracks Of My Tears”. “Clown” hits number one in the UK selling over 900,000 copies, leading to its US release. Before it’s issued in the US, Motown makes new stereo and mono mixes of the song, the latter being used for the US 45, which includes a newly recorded bass line. The stereo remix appears on the album “One Dozen Roses” released in August of 1971. Released in the US on September 24, 1970, “The Tears Of A Clown” sells over a million copies, and its popularity extends Robinsons’ stay in The Miracles, who prior to the songs’ release had planned to leave the group in order to spend more time at home with his wife and family before launching his own solo career. The song is covered numerous times over the years with versions by Petula Clark, The (English) Beat, Nnenna Freelon, Phil Collins, Eumir Deodato, Marc Cohn, and Boyzone. “The Tears Of A Clown” is inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 2002.

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On this day in music history: December 5, 1973 - “Band On The Run”, the third album by Paul McCartney & Wings is released. Produced by Paul McCartney, it is recorded at EMI Studios in Lagos, Nigeria, ARC Studios in Ikeja, Nigeria, and AIR Studios in London from August - September 1973. McCartney wanting to change locales to record his next album, chooses the EMI recording studio in Lagos, Nigeria. Prior to and during the trip to Africa, they suffer a series of setbacks, which include band members Denny Seiwell and Henry McCullough quitting on the eve of the trip, barely adequate recording facilities, inclement weather, being held up at knife point, and McCartney having a minor health scare. In spite of this, recording goes very well with the basic tracks being completed in Lagos. Vocals, overdubs and final mixing are completed in London in the following weeks. The albums’ iconic cover photo (taken by photographer Clive Arrowsmith) features a shot of Paul, Linda and Denny Laine caught in a prison searchlight with television host Michael Parkinson, actor James Coburn, boxer John Conteh, actor Christopher Lee, singer and actor Kenny Lynch, and columnist and British Parliament member Clement Freud. The album receives great critical praise and commercial success from critics and fans alike, spinning off three singles including “Jet” (#7 Pop) and the title track (#1 Pop). The US version of the album adds the previously released single “Helen Wheels” (#10 Pop), at the suggestion of then Capitol Records executive Al Coury. It is widely regarded as Paul McCartney’s best post-Beatles album. “Band” also wins a Grammy Award for Best Pop Vocal Performance By A Duo, Group Or Chorus in 1975. The album is remastered and reissued in 2010, winning a Grammy Award for Best Historical Album for the Deluxe Edition release in 2012. In and out of print on vinyl since the late 80’s, it is most recently reissued as a limited edition pressing on white vinyl, and standard black vinyl in 2017. “Band On The Run” spends four weeks (non-consecutive) at number one on the Billboard Top 200, and is certified 3x Platinum in the US by the RIAA.

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On this day in music history: November 13, 1965 - “The Sound Of Music - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack” hits #1 on the Billboard Top 200 for 2 weeks. Produced by Neely Plumb, it is recorded at RCA Victor Studios in Hollywood, CA in Late 1964. Recorded over just a few days in the Fall of 1964, the soundtrack album is produced by RCA Records A&R man Neely Plumb (father of actress Eve Plumb). The score to the film adaptation of the Tony Award winning musical is written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, and features vocal performances by the films’ cast including Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. Along with the film, the soundtrack album is a runaway success in both the US and is an even larger success in the UK where it spends seventy weeks (non-consecutive) the top of the chart over a three year period. The original vinyl LP comes packaged with a booklet featuring liner notes on the cast and composers, and still photos taken during filming on location in Austria. Reissue pressings of the LP are released in gatefold sleeves (originals feature a single pocket jacket), with the booklet contained inside. The front of the sleeve also features an Academy Award statuette printed on the front, also indicating the awards won by the film. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s music wins the Academy Award for Best Adapted Score in 1966. “The Sound Of Music - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack” is certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA, and is inducted into the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 1998.

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On this day in music history: November 13, 1968 - “Love Child”, the fifteenth studio album by Diana Ross & The Supremes is released. Produced by Berry Gordy, Jr., Frank Wilson, R. Dean Taylor, Deke Richards, Henry Cosby, Smokey Robinson, Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson, Marv Johnson, George Gordy, Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol, it is recorded at Motown Studio A & B in Detroit, MI from February 17 - October 2, 1968. It is the first Supremes album not written or produced by Holland/Dozier/Holland, who depart from Motown over a year before over a royalty dispute with Motown, resulting in the Supremes not having a major hit for over a year. The album contains the chart topping title track, as well as songs written by Ashford & Simpson, Deke Richards, R. Dean Taylor and Johnny Bristol. Out of print since the early 90’s, the album is remastered and reissued on CD by Universal Japan in 2013, also having been reissued in a limited edition by specialty label Culture Factory the same year. “Love Child” peaks at number three on the Billboard R&B album chart, and number fourteen on the Top 200.

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On this day in music history: November 13, 1976 - “Tonight’s The Night (Gonna Be Alright)” by Rod Stewart hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 8 weeks. Written by Rod Stewart, it is the second US chart topper for the British rock vocalist. The inspiration for the song comes from America’s “Today’s The Day” (included on their sixth album “Hideaway”). Stewart is over at the home studio of America band member Dan Peek when he hears their song. Rod then tells Peek that it has given him an idea for song of his own. Produced by Tom Dowd (Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, The Allman Brothers), the single is recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Muscle Shoals, AL and Criteria Studios in Miami, FL. The track also features a vocal cameo by his then girlfriend, actress Britt Ekland speaking in French. “Tonight’s The Night” is the first single released from Stewart’s seventh studio album, “A Night On The Town” in September of 1976. Some radio programmers initially ban the record from airplay when the lyric “spread your wings and let me come inside” is deemed too sexually explicit, but listener demand forces it on to the airwaves. Entering the Hot 100 at #81 on October 2, 1976, it rockets to the top of the chart six weeks later. The song is ranked the top single of 1976 by Billboard Magazine. “Tonight’s The Night” is covered by numerous artists over the years, including versions by Linda Clifford, Betty Wright, and Janet Jackson. “Tonight’s The Night (Gonna Be Alright)” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

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On this day in music history: November 4, 1972 - “I Can See Clearly Now” by Johnny Nash hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 4 weeks, also topping the Adult Contemporary chart for 4 weeks on the same date. Written and produced by Johnny Nash, it is the biggest hit for the Houston, TX based R&B and pop singer. Following his success with the top five hit “Hold Me Tight” recorded with musicians in Jamaica in 1968, Nash moves to London in 1971 where he signs with CBS Records. While in London, Nash meets a young Jamaican singer/songwriter named Bob Marley. Johnny Nash records Marley’s songs “Stir It Up” and “Guava Jelly”, earning Marley the income necessary to start his own record label Tuff Gong Records in Jamaica. Nash records “I Can See Clearly Now” in Jamaica with members of Bob Marley’s band The Wailers in 1972. Entering the Hot 100 at #84 on September 9, 1972, it climbs to the top the chart eight weeks later. “I Can See Clearly Now” is covered numerous times over the years, most notably by reggae star Jimmy Cliff who records a version of it for the 1993 film “Cool Runnings”, whose version peaks at #18 on the Hot 100. “I Can See Clearly Now” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

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On this day in music history: November 4, 1977 - “Foot Loose And Fancy Free”, the eighth album by Rod Stewart is released. Produced by Tom Dowd, it is recorded at Manta Sound Studios in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Wally Heider Studios and Cherokee Studios in Hollywood, CA from Late 1976 - Mid 1977. Issued as the follow up to the multi-platinum selling “A Night On The Town”, “Foot Loose” proves to be equally successful. His third album to be helmed by veteran engineer and producer Tom Dowd, it is the first to feature musicians such as former Vanilla Fudge drummer Carmine Appice, bassist Phil Chen, and guitarists Jim Cregan and Gary Grangier, all of whom become mainstays of Stewart’s studio and touring band for the next several years. It spins off three hit singles including “You’re In My Heart (The Final Acclaim)” (#4 Pop) and “Hot Legs” (#28 Pop). Originally released on CD in 1988, it is remastered and reissued in 2000. The album is also issued as an SHM-CD by Warner Japan in 2009, packaged in a mini-LP cardboard sleeve replicating the original vinyl LP artwork. “Foot Loose And Fancy Free” peaks at number two on the Billboard Top 200, and is certified 7x Platinum in the US by the RIAA.

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On this day in music history: November 4, 1982 - Wham! make their first appearance on the UK music show Top Of The Pops. Newly signed to CBS distributed Innervison Records in the UK, Wham! release their debut single “Wham Rap (Enjoy What You Do) in June of 1982. Unfortunately, the record lands with a resounding thud, peaking outside of the UK pop singles chart at #105. The duo follow it in October of 1982 with "Young Guns (Go For It)”. The songs’ narrative is about two teenage friends, with one (George) worrying that his mate (Andrew) is rushing too quickly into marriage with his girlfriend, instead of staying free and enjoying his youth. The breakdown features the girlfriend (performed on record by singer Lynda Haynes) admonishing her boyfriend, when she feels his friend will come between them. The would be bridegroom jumps to his friend’s defense, telling his girl “hey shut up chick, that’s a friend of mine, just watch your mouth babe, you’re out of line!!”. The funky and danceable track gets off to a promising start, entering the UK singles chart at #73, then leaping to #48 the following week. Then it stalls, dropping to #52 the week after that. Initially it looks like Wham! will have two failed singles in a row, when something unexpected happens. The duo get a call from the producers of the popular music series Top Of The Pops. Though their record is outside the UK top forty, they are asked to perform on the show, when another scheduled act has to drop out at the last minute. Seizing the lucky opportunity, George and Andrew, along with background singer and dancers Shirlie Holliman and Diane “Dee C. Lee” Sealy, quickly work up a routine for their appearance. Introduced by new co-host Mike Smith, Wham! take the TOTP stage with a vengeance. In less than three and a half minutes, they put on an electrifying, show stopping performance, that becomes the talk of the town the next day. That single television appearance reverses the fortunes of “Young Guns (Go For It)”, with Innervision immediately receiving orders for over 30,000 copies of the single. It jumps from #52 to #24, eventually peaking at #3 on the singles chart in December, helping launch Wham! into major pop stardom. The success of “Young Guns” leads to their first single “Wham Rap”, re-entering the chart and peaking at #8.  Both singles are picked up for release in the US by Columbia Records in early 1983. Though neither make the Hot 100, they become dance floor faves in US clubs, leading the way to the massive success Wham! enjoy in the US and around the world during the 80′s.

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On this day in music history: November 5, 1966 - “Last Train To Clarksville” by The Monkees hits #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 1 week. Written and produced by Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, is the first number one single for “The Pre-Fab Four”. Working as staff writers for music supervisor Don Kirshner’s publishing company, Boyce and Hart use The Beatles then recent hit “Paperback Writer” as the initial inspiration for “Clarksville”. Bobby Hart mistakenly believes that The Beatles were singing about a “last train”. When he realizes that isn’t correct, he still likes the imagery enough to begin writing a song around it. The track is recorded at RCA Victor Studio B in Hollywood, CA on July 25, 1966. With The Monkees themselves spending as much as twelve hours a day filming the series, the music tracks are cut with studio musicians (though band members Mike Nesmith and Peter Tork are both accomplished musicians) in order to make the recordings as quickly as possible. The group would then be brought into the studio to record their vocals. The single is released on August 16, 1966, one month before their top rated TV series debuts on NBC on September 12, 1966. Entering the Hot 100 at #67 on September 10, 1966, it climbs to the top of the chart nine weeks later. “Clarksville” is the first of three chart topping singles, and six top ten singles for The Monkees. “Last Train To Clarksville” is certified Gold in the US by the RIAA.

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On this day in music history: October 30, 1978 - “2 Hot!”, the fourth album by Peaches & Herb is released. Produced by Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris, it is recorded at The Mom & Pop’s Company Store, Studio City, CA from Late 1977 - Mid 1978. Hit makers in the late 60’s with classics like “Close Your Eyes” and “Let’s Fall In Love”, Peaches & Herb’s time in the spotlight is brief. In 1969, Francine Barker, the original “Peaches”, leaves the duo to focus on being a wife and mother. Herb Fame (nee Feemster), replaces Barker with Marlene Mack, when he too tires of the road. Fame then becomes a policeman in his hometown of Washington, D.C.. In 1976, Herb has the urge to reform Peaches & Herb, going in search of a new female vocalist to fill the role. With the assistance of producer Van McCoy, they find Linda Greene. Also a D.C. native, Greene attends the The Sewell Music Conservatory before pursuing a singing career. Although not great friends off stage, Fame and Greene have an undeniable chemistry when they sing together. The reformed duo record their self-titled debut album in 1977. Released by MCA Records, the album fails to generate any hits. Peaches & Herb then meet former Motown staff songwriter and producers Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris, signing with their production company MVP Productions. In the studio, they’re backed by an ace crew of musicians that include James Gadson (drums), Scott Edwards, Eddie Watkins, Jr. (bass, both uncredited), Wah Wah Watson, David T. Walker, Bob “Boogie” Bowles (guitars), Paulinho da Costa (percussion) and Wade Marcus (horn and string arrangements). Aptly titled “2 Hot!”, the album catches fire immediately with “Shake Your Groove Thing” (#4 R&B, #5 Pop). The infectious slice of disco flavored R&B quickly crosses over, and turns Gold. While it’s still climbing the charts, DJ’s and fans discover another gem on the album. The ballad “Reunited” (#1 R&B, #1 Pop, #4 AC), begins receiving airplay as an album cut. Once released in edited form in March of 1979, it explodes instantly, racing to the top of the R&B and pop charts. Peaches & Herb become a hot property, making numerous TV appearances to promote the album. It spins off a third and final single with “We Got Love” (#25 R&B, #44 Pop, #43 AC). Initial pressings of “2 Hot!” feature the original mix of “Shake Your Groove Thing”, beginning with a slow intro. Shortly after its release, it is replaced by an edit of the 12" Disco Mix, becoming the widely available version. Out of print for many years, the album makes its CD debut in 2004, in a limited edition pressing by Hip-O Select Records. It is reissued again by Universal Japan in 2015. “2 Hot!” spends eight weeks (non-consecutive) at number one on the Billboard R&B album chart, peaking at number two on the Top 200, and is certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA.

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