Loaded with Music Trivia

Today in Music History: October 12

Music trivia challenges our knowledge of the decades and the genres of music with which we are the most familiar. What you know or remember is part of your music memory. If you love music trivia, today in music history is loaded!

1950s Car Radio Trivia is filled with interesting tidbits of trivia. To fully understand, one must establish a mindset of time in the past before Satellite Radio and the iPod. In fact, step back to the automobile withOUT the radio, then be amazed at the very first car 'record player'.

1955 The Chrysler Corporation launched high fidelity record players for their 1956 line-up of cars. The unit measured about four inches high and less than a foot wide and mounted under the instrument panel. The seven inch discs spun at 16 2/3 rpm and required almost three times the number of grooves per inch as an LP. The players were discontinued in 1961.

A-wop-bop-a-loo-bop-a-lop-bam-boom! is a phrase coined by Little Richard. This was in 1955 and hard to believe just two years later a drastic event almost ended the musical career of an American icon.

1957 During an Australian tour, Little Richard publicly renounced rock 'n' roll and embraced God, telling a story of dreaming of his own damnation after praying to God when one of the engines on a plane he was on caught fire. The singer threw four diamond rings, valued at $8,000, into Sydney's Hunter River and soon after launched a Gospel career. Five years later, he would switch back to Rock.

Musicians are always covering other musicians' songs. Some actually go on to a higher level on the charts that the original recording artist. This act is usually taken as a compliment from one artist to another. On the other hand, lifting lyrics from a song and recording on a 'new' different song is another story.

1965 Working on their next album Rubber Soul at Abbey Road Studio’s London, The Beatles recorded ‘Run For Your Life’ in its entirety, in five takes. (Lennon later admits to lifting two lines from Elvis Presley's 1955 hit ‘Baby Let's Play House’). And another new Lennon song ‘This Bird Has Flown’, later known as ‘Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)’. The track included George Harrison's double-tracked sitar part, the first appearance of that Indian instrument on a pop record.

 

Through the years the curiosity of film and music audiences has been aroused with indications of hidden sublimity. Hidden images, subtle words and phrases, songs played backwards, all carry their own hidden secrets.

1969 A DJ on Detroit's WKNR radio station received a phone call telling him that if you play The Beatles 'Strawberry Fields Forever' backwards, you hear John Lennon say the words "I buried Paul." This started a worldwide rumor that Paul McCartney was dead.

Accidents will happen. Of course, there is no planning, no idea one is about to occur. For Pete's sake, it is an accident! One just does not bet on that accident occurring while being entertained.

1994 Pink Floyd (one of many Stories Behind the Music) played the first of a 15-night run at Earls Court, London, England. Less than a minute after the band had started playing 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond', a scaffolding stand holding 1200 fans, collapsed, throwing hundreds of people 20 feet to the ground. It took over an hour to free everyone from the twisted wreckage, ninety-six people were injured, with 36 needing hospital treatment. Six were detained overnight with back, neck and rib injuries. Pink Floyd sent a free T-shirt and a note of apology to all the fans who had been seated in the stand that collapsed. The show was immediately cancelled and re-scheduled.

An entertainer is only as good as his/her fan base. A concert projecting attendance of 1,000 that results in ticket sales of 100 is definitely a loser. On the other hand, 7,000 attendees would seemingly produce a winner. Not exactly...

1997 The Backstreet Boys had to cancel a show in Madrid after over 7,000 fans arrived for the 5,000 capacity show. More than 300 young girls were treated after fainting in the heat.

It is common knowledge playing with fire is dangerous. Fire has no conscience. This is a lesson learned as a toddler. So, beware when trying new 'tricks' as an adult...you are not immune!

2005 Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee suffered minor burns at a concert in Casper, Wyoming during a pyrotechnics explosion. Lee was treated at a local hospital for injuries to his arm & face, which occurred while he was suspended from a wire 30 feet above the stage. Check out 'the 360'...

And the music goes on beating to the rhythm of the changing times...