On this day in 1949, RCA released the very first vinyl 45rpm single (31 March)
In 1948 Columbia had released the vinyl 33 1⁄3rpm but prior to that was just the 78rpm shellac records...
Anyway, on 31 March 1949, a song called ‘Texarkana Baby‘ written by Cottonseed Clark and Fred Rose and performed by Eddy Arnold was among the first seven-inch 45 rpm records released by RCA on that day, and being the one with the lowest catalogue number, is given the credit of being the very first 7″ ever…
Here’s a pic of that first ever 45rpm single:
On this day in 1958, Chuck Berry released the single “Johnny B. Goode” (March 31)
It’s a rock and roll origin story that inspired countless millions around the world to pick up a guitar and play; and one of the most recognized, covered, and influential songs in rock history.
Berry acknowledged that the song is partly autobiographical and that the original lyrics referred to Johnny as a "colored boy", but he changed it to "country boy" to ensure radio play.
As well as suggesting that the guitar player is good, the title also gives us a knowing, autobiographical wink, because Berry was actually born at 2520 Goode Avenue, in St. Louis!
Like many iconic and historically revered songs, it didn’t actually get to #1, peaking at #2 on Billboard magazine's Hot R&B Sides chart and #8 on the Hot 100 chart.
The song is ranked #7 on Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time", and when Chuck Berry was inducted during the first Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on January 23, 1986, he performed "Johnny B. Goode" backed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included “Johnny B. Goode” in their list of the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll, and it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, for its influence as a rock and roll single.
Decades later, Michael J. Fox’s character Marty McFly famously performs the song in the “Back to the Future” movies, complete with the Chuck Berry duck walk…
Click on the link below to watch Chuck Berry in action:
This month in 1985, the David Lee Roth single “Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody” debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at #70 (March 23)
The medley of "Just a Gigolo" (from 1928) and "I Ain't Got Nobody" (from 1915) is based on Louis Prima's 1956 medley which combined the two pre-World War II songs.
The medley from the EP “Crazy from the Heat”went on to peak for Diamond Dave at #12 on the US Billboard Hot 100, #6 in New Zealand, #7 in Canada, and #13 in Australia.
Click to watch the absolute classic video with Diamond Dave hamming it up with “Michael Jackson”, “Cyndi Lauper”, “Billy Idol”, “Willie Nelson” and “Boy George”:
On this day in in 1987, Crowded House released the single “Something So Strong” (April 1)
"Something So Strong" was the first song written by Neil Finn specifically for Crowded House, however producer and keyboard player Mitchell Froom helped Finn rework parts of the song while in the studio, and as such, Froom is credited as a co-writer.
The song from their self-titled debut album did better overseas than in Australia, peaking at #3 in New Zealand, #7 in the US, #10 in Canada, and #18 in Australia.
Click on the link below to watch:
Exactly thirty-nine years ago this month, the Saints released the LP “All Fool’s Day” (April 1986)
The album was The Saints' commercial breakthrough in the US, with the videos for "Just Like Fire Would" and "Temple of the Lord" receiving airplay on MTV.
It was the Saints highest charting album in Australia, peaking at #29, and the lead single “Just Like Fire Would” became the band’s highest charting single, also coming in at #29.
Hard to believe, isn’t it, that #29 is the highest that anything the Saints put out ever charted in Australia…
Original Saints drummer Ivor Hay was back behind the kit again for this one, and the late, great Chris Bailey wrote every track.
The album is very different to “Stranded” Saints, but is packed with great songs, like "See You In Paradise", “Celtic Ballad”, and “Just Like Fire Would” which Bruce Springsteen did a cover of on his 2014 album “High Hopes”.
Click on the link below to watch “Just Like Fire Would”:
On this day in 1976, Buzzcocks played their first ever gig (April 1)
Howard Trafford and Peter McNeish were students at the Bolton Institute of Technology.
Trafford put up a notice looking for musicians sharing a liking for The Velvet Underground's song "Sister Ray", and McNeish responded to it.
They formed Buzzcocks in 1976, and on April 1 played their first gig at Bolton Institute of Technology, with Garth Davies on bass, and Mick Singleton on drums.
By then, Trafford had become Howard Devoto, and McNeish became Pete Shelley.
And the rest is punk rock history…
Almost a year later saw the release of the EP “Spiral Scratch” by Buzzcocks (29 January 1977)
It was one of the very first recordings by a UK punk band, preceded only by The Damned’s “New Rose” (October ‘76), “Anarchy in the UK” by the Pistols, and “We Vibrate” and “Pogo Dancing” by the Vibrators (November ‘76).
Overseas in the US, The Ramones preceded all of them, releasing “Blitzkrieg Bop” in February 1976, followed by The Saints in Australia with “(I’m) Stranded” (September’76).
They borrowed money from friends to record the EP (recorded in 3 hours and mixed in 2!), and funded the release themselves, in the process becoming the first English punk band to establish their own independent record label.
It’s was also to be Buzzcocks only release with Howard Devoto.
In 2017, Spiral Scratch was reissued on vinyl by Domino Records to commemorate its 40th anniversary.
On the week of 3 February 2017 the EP entered the top spot on the UK physical singles chart.
Click on the link below for “Boredom” from “Spiral Scratch”:
Bass player and songwriter Ronnie Lane was born in Essex, England, on this day in 1946 (April 1)
Lane was co-founder of legendary English rock bands Small Faces (1965–69) and subsequently Faces (1969–73).
Lane and Steve Marriott wrote hits together for Small Faces including “Itchycoo Park”, while in Faces he shared primary songwriting duties with Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood, composing or co-composing many of their best-loved pieces.
For his work in both Small Faces and Faces, Lane was inducted posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.
For the rest of his career, Ronnie Lane played and recorded as a solo performer, and also in collaborations with the likes of Pete Townsend, and Eric Clapton.
Ronnie Lane was one of the most highly regarded rock musicians of his era.
He passed away from pneumonia, in the final stages of his progressive multiple sclerosis, on 4 June 1997.
Click on the link below to watch a classic clip of the song:
On this day in 1972, the Deep Purple single “Never Before” debuted on the UK Singles Chart at #35 (April 1)
The first single released from the legendary band’s classic LP “Machine Head” has a lot to like about it, and it all starts with that funky Ritchie Blackmore intro…..love it!
Click on the link below to watch a clip with Jon Lord talking about the song in the intro:
On this day in 1972, the Cat Stevens single “Morning Has Broken” debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at #78 (April 1)
“Morning Has Broken" is a Christian hymn first published in 1931, with words by English author Eleanor Farjeon, set to a traditional Scottish Gaelic tune, "Bunessan".
The Cat Stevens' recording, with piano arranged and performed by Rick Wakeman, from his album “Teaser and the Firecat”, became his most successful single on the Hot 100, later tied by his rendition of "Another Saturday Night”.
It also rose to #3 in New Zealand, #4 in Australia, Canada and Norway, #5 in the Netherlands and South Africa, #6 in Ireland, and #9 in the UK.
In 2000, Rick Wakeman gave an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live in which he said he had agreed to perform on the Cat Stevens track for £10 and was "shattered" that he was omitted from the credits, adding that he never received the money either.
On his return to performance as Yusuf Islam, Stevens paid Wakeman and apologized for the original non-payment, which he said arose from confusion and misunderstanding by the record label.
On a documentary aired on British television, Wakeman stated that he felt Stevens's version of "Morning Has Broken" was a very beautiful piece of music that had brought people closer to religious truth, for which he expressed satisfaction in having contributed.
Click on the link below to watch:
On this day in 1978, the Gerry Rafferty single “Baker Street” peaked on the UK Singles Chart at #3 (April 1)
Rafferty was in Stealer’s Wheel (of “Stuck in the Middle” fame), but issues after the break-up meant that for three years, Rafferty was unable to release any material.
After the disputes were resolved in 1978, he recorded his second solo album, “City to City”, which included the epic worldwide smash hit “Baker Street", with the iconic sax riff (played by Raphael Ravenscroft), and cracking guitar solo (played by Hugh Burns).
Songfacts reports that Ravenscroft was reportedly paid only £27 for his sax contribution. The check that he was given bounced, so the musician framed the useless payment and hung it on his solicitor's wall.
And yeah, Baker Street was actually a real place.
Rafferty explained to Martin Chilton at the Daily Telegraph:
“Everybody was suing each other, so I spent a lot of time on the overnight train from Glasgow to London for meetings with lawyers.
I knew a guy who lived in a little flat off Baker Street.
We'd sit and chat or play guitar there through the night."
Ultimately, “Baker Street” was one of the songs that defined the late 70s era, peaking at #1 in Australia, Canada, and South Africa, #2 in the US and Switzerland, #3 in the UK, Ireland and Germany, #4 in New Zealand and Austria, and #9 in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Rafferty commented on how profitable his biggest song had been, stating: "Baker Street still makes me about £80,000 a year. It's been a huge earner for me. I must admit, I could live off that song alone".
For “Baker Street”, Rafferty received the 1978 Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically.
Click on the link below to watch:
In 1948 Columbia had released the vinyl 33 1⁄3rpm but prior to that was just the 78rpm shellac records...
Anyway, on 31 March 1949, a song called ‘Texarkana Baby‘ written by Cottonseed Clark and Fred Rose and performed by Eddy Arnold was among the first seven-inch 45 rpm records released by RCA on that day, and being the one with the lowest catalogue number, is given the credit of being the very first 7″ ever…
Here’s a pic of that first ever 45rpm single:
On this day in 1958, Chuck Berry released the single “Johnny B. Goode” (March 31)
It’s a rock and roll origin story that inspired countless millions around the world to pick up a guitar and play; and one of the most recognized, covered, and influential songs in rock history.
Berry acknowledged that the song is partly autobiographical and that the original lyrics referred to Johnny as a "colored boy", but he changed it to "country boy" to ensure radio play.
As well as suggesting that the guitar player is good, the title also gives us a knowing, autobiographical wink, because Berry was actually born at 2520 Goode Avenue, in St. Louis!
Like many iconic and historically revered songs, it didn’t actually get to #1, peaking at #2 on Billboard magazine's Hot R&B Sides chart and #8 on the Hot 100 chart.
The song is ranked #7 on Rolling Stone's list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time", and when Chuck Berry was inducted during the first Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on January 23, 1986, he performed "Johnny B. Goode" backed by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame included “Johnny B. Goode” in their list of the 500 songs that shaped rock and roll, and it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, for its influence as a rock and roll single.
Decades later, Michael J. Fox’s character Marty McFly famously performs the song in the “Back to the Future” movies, complete with the Chuck Berry duck walk…
Click on the link below to watch Chuck Berry in action:
This month in 1985, the David Lee Roth single “Just a Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody” debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at #70 (March 23)
The medley of "Just a Gigolo" (from 1928) and "I Ain't Got Nobody" (from 1915) is based on Louis Prima's 1956 medley which combined the two pre-World War II songs.
The medley from the EP “Crazy from the Heat”went on to peak for Diamond Dave at #12 on the US Billboard Hot 100, #6 in New Zealand, #7 in Canada, and #13 in Australia.
Click to watch the absolute classic video with Diamond Dave hamming it up with “Michael Jackson”, “Cyndi Lauper”, “Billy Idol”, “Willie Nelson” and “Boy George”:
On this day in in 1987, Crowded House released the single “Something So Strong” (April 1)
"Something So Strong" was the first song written by Neil Finn specifically for Crowded House, however producer and keyboard player Mitchell Froom helped Finn rework parts of the song while in the studio, and as such, Froom is credited as a co-writer.
The song from their self-titled debut album did better overseas than in Australia, peaking at #3 in New Zealand, #7 in the US, #10 in Canada, and #18 in Australia.
Click on the link below to watch:
Exactly thirty-nine years ago this month, the Saints released the LP “All Fool’s Day” (April 1986)
The album was The Saints' commercial breakthrough in the US, with the videos for "Just Like Fire Would" and "Temple of the Lord" receiving airplay on MTV.
It was the Saints highest charting album in Australia, peaking at #29, and the lead single “Just Like Fire Would” became the band’s highest charting single, also coming in at #29.
Hard to believe, isn’t it, that #29 is the highest that anything the Saints put out ever charted in Australia…
Original Saints drummer Ivor Hay was back behind the kit again for this one, and the late, great Chris Bailey wrote every track.
The album is very different to “Stranded” Saints, but is packed with great songs, like "See You In Paradise", “Celtic Ballad”, and “Just Like Fire Would” which Bruce Springsteen did a cover of on his 2014 album “High Hopes”.
Click on the link below to watch “Just Like Fire Would”:
On this day in 1976, Buzzcocks played their first ever gig (April 1)
Howard Trafford and Peter McNeish were students at the Bolton Institute of Technology.
Trafford put up a notice looking for musicians sharing a liking for The Velvet Underground's song "Sister Ray", and McNeish responded to it.
They formed Buzzcocks in 1976, and on April 1 played their first gig at Bolton Institute of Technology, with Garth Davies on bass, and Mick Singleton on drums.
By then, Trafford had become Howard Devoto, and McNeish became Pete Shelley.
And the rest is punk rock history…
Almost a year later saw the release of the EP “Spiral Scratch” by Buzzcocks (29 January 1977)
It was one of the very first recordings by a UK punk band, preceded only by The Damned’s “New Rose” (October ‘76), “Anarchy in the UK” by the Pistols, and “We Vibrate” and “Pogo Dancing” by the Vibrators (November ‘76).
Overseas in the US, The Ramones preceded all of them, releasing “Blitzkrieg Bop” in February 1976, followed by The Saints in Australia with “(I’m) Stranded” (September’76).
They borrowed money from friends to record the EP (recorded in 3 hours and mixed in 2!), and funded the release themselves, in the process becoming the first English punk band to establish their own independent record label.
It’s was also to be Buzzcocks only release with Howard Devoto.
In 2017, Spiral Scratch was reissued on vinyl by Domino Records to commemorate its 40th anniversary.
On the week of 3 February 2017 the EP entered the top spot on the UK physical singles chart.
Click on the link below for “Boredom” from “Spiral Scratch”:
Bass player and songwriter Ronnie Lane was born in Essex, England, on this day in 1946 (April 1)
Lane was co-founder of legendary English rock bands Small Faces (1965–69) and subsequently Faces (1969–73).
Lane and Steve Marriott wrote hits together for Small Faces including “Itchycoo Park”, while in Faces he shared primary songwriting duties with Rod Stewart and Ronnie Wood, composing or co-composing many of their best-loved pieces.
For his work in both Small Faces and Faces, Lane was inducted posthumously into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012.
For the rest of his career, Ronnie Lane played and recorded as a solo performer, and also in collaborations with the likes of Pete Townsend, and Eric Clapton.
Ronnie Lane was one of the most highly regarded rock musicians of his era.
He passed away from pneumonia, in the final stages of his progressive multiple sclerosis, on 4 June 1997.
Click on the link below to watch a classic clip of the song:
On this day in 1972, the Deep Purple single “Never Before” debuted on the UK Singles Chart at #35 (April 1)
The first single released from the legendary band’s classic LP “Machine Head” has a lot to like about it, and it all starts with that funky Ritchie Blackmore intro…..love it!
Click on the link below to watch a clip with Jon Lord talking about the song in the intro:
On this day in 1972, the Cat Stevens single “Morning Has Broken” debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at #78 (April 1)
“Morning Has Broken" is a Christian hymn first published in 1931, with words by English author Eleanor Farjeon, set to a traditional Scottish Gaelic tune, "Bunessan".
The Cat Stevens' recording, with piano arranged and performed by Rick Wakeman, from his album “Teaser and the Firecat”, became his most successful single on the Hot 100, later tied by his rendition of "Another Saturday Night”.
It also rose to #3 in New Zealand, #4 in Australia, Canada and Norway, #5 in the Netherlands and South Africa, #6 in Ireland, and #9 in the UK.
In 2000, Rick Wakeman gave an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live in which he said he had agreed to perform on the Cat Stevens track for £10 and was "shattered" that he was omitted from the credits, adding that he never received the money either.
On his return to performance as Yusuf Islam, Stevens paid Wakeman and apologized for the original non-payment, which he said arose from confusion and misunderstanding by the record label.
On a documentary aired on British television, Wakeman stated that he felt Stevens's version of "Morning Has Broken" was a very beautiful piece of music that had brought people closer to religious truth, for which he expressed satisfaction in having contributed.
Click on the link below to watch:
On this day in 1978, the Gerry Rafferty single “Baker Street” peaked on the UK Singles Chart at #3 (April 1)
Rafferty was in Stealer’s Wheel (of “Stuck in the Middle” fame), but issues after the break-up meant that for three years, Rafferty was unable to release any material.
After the disputes were resolved in 1978, he recorded his second solo album, “City to City”, which included the epic worldwide smash hit “Baker Street", with the iconic sax riff (played by Raphael Ravenscroft), and cracking guitar solo (played by Hugh Burns).
Songfacts reports that Ravenscroft was reportedly paid only £27 for his sax contribution. The check that he was given bounced, so the musician framed the useless payment and hung it on his solicitor's wall.
And yeah, Baker Street was actually a real place.
Rafferty explained to Martin Chilton at the Daily Telegraph:
“Everybody was suing each other, so I spent a lot of time on the overnight train from Glasgow to London for meetings with lawyers.
I knew a guy who lived in a little flat off Baker Street.
We'd sit and chat or play guitar there through the night."
Ultimately, “Baker Street” was one of the songs that defined the late 70s era, peaking at #1 in Australia, Canada, and South Africa, #2 in the US and Switzerland, #3 in the UK, Ireland and Germany, #4 in New Zealand and Austria, and #9 in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Rafferty commented on how profitable his biggest song had been, stating: "Baker Street still makes me about £80,000 a year. It's been a huge earner for me. I must admit, I could live off that song alone".
For “Baker Street”, Rafferty received the 1978 Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically and Lyrically.
Click on the link below to watch:
