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Sunday, March 16, 2014

A Trip Down Music Memory Lane

Today in Music History: March 16



Are you ready for a trip down memory lane? As you stroll through, there are several of the songs recorded and released by different artists who each won their place on the charts. One great song of '68 was released posthumously, one recording artist gave away his childhood home via MTV, and there is a rare tidbit of music trivia at the end.  See which of the songs of different versions is your favorite!

 The Platters
 1959, Doo-wop group The Platters scored their only UK No.1 hit with 'Smoke Gets In Your Eyes.' Also a US No.1 hit. 
 
 Otis Redding
1968, The posthumously released Otis Redding single 'Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay', started a five week run at No.1 on the US chart, (a No.3 hit the UK). Otis was killed in a plane crash on 10th December 1967 three days after recording the song. 'Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay', became the first posthumous No.1 single in US chart history and sold over four million copies worldwide.
Otis Redding

 The Carpenters
1971, Winners at this years Grammy Awards included, Simon and Garfunkel who won Record of the year, Song of the year and Album of the year for 'Bridge Over Troubled Water', The Carpenters won Best New Artists and Best Vocal Performance.
 Barbra Streisand
1974, Barbra Streisand started a two-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with 'The Way We Were', the singers second US No.1. 
 Paper Lace

 Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods
1977, Paper Lace were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with the anti-war pop song 'Billy Don't Be A Hero', the group's only No.1. Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods scored a US No.1 with their version of the song.

 Jon Bon Jovi
1989, MTV America launched a contest for Jon Bon Jovi's to give away childhood home
 Gareth Gates

Norman Greenbaum

Doctor and the Medics

The Cheaters
2003, Gareth Gates featuring The Kumars started a two-week run at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Spirit In The Sky'. The song had been a UK No.1 for Norman Greenbaum in 1970 and for Doctor and the Medics in 1986. Also, a 1982 UK airplay hit for The Cheaters
Rare Tidbit of Music Trivia

Led Zeppelin
2010, A rare Led Zeppelin recording from the group's 1971 gig at St Matthew's Baths Hall in Ipswich, England was unearthed at a car boot sale. The bootleg copy of the audio from the group's gig on November 16th 1971 was picked up for just "two or three pounds" by music fan Vic Kemp. "I was going through a stand of CDs at the car boot at Portman Road and the guy who was selling them said, 'You might be interested in this,'" Vic Kemp told the Evening Star. "It must have been recorded by someone standing at the front with a microphone. You can hear Robert Plant talking to the audience quite clearly."

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


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