Oldies but Goodies & Then Some

Today in Music History: April 21

Music of today, as well as tomorrow, reaches deep into the heart and soul of all yesterdays. Events of the past beget memories that set the stage for the tomorrows to come. Life void of those memories leaves nothing but emptiness, thereby a world without music. There is always a story behind the music. Harmony in life is wielded through various genres of music from rap to contemporary to classic to rock to gospel and everything in between, before and after.

Embrace the Past...
 

1951, "How High the Moon" by Les Paul & Mary Ford topped the charts and stayed there for 9 weeks. Les Paul made some of the most innovative records of the 20th Century, but he had to invent multitrack tape recording first. 
Read MORE...

Elvis making his first appearances on

the Milton Berle Show, April 3, 1956,
on the deck of the USS Hancock in San Diego.
Cheered from an audience of sailors.

1956, "Heartbreak Hotel" by Elvis Presley topped the charts and stayed there for 8 weeks.

Songfacts: The lyrics were written by a steel guitar player from Nashville named Tommy Durden, who was once a dishwasher repairman. He was inspired by a newspaper story about a man who killed himself and left behind a note saying only, "I walk a lonely street." Another Nashville songwriter named Mae Boren Axton wrote the music, and Elvis' manager Tom Parker arranged for Elvis to receive a songwriting credit in exchange for singing it. This meant that royalties were split between Durden, Axton, and Elvis. In a 1982 interview, Durden said this song "has paid the rent for more than 20 years."

1958, "Twilight Time" by Platters topped the charts and stayed there for a week.

Songfacts: This song was mainly a hit the first time for its timing; in the thick of World War II, it became an anthem for soldiers returning home and starting the American Baby Boom. The Platters' version pushed on to even greater fame.

 
1962, "Good Luck Charm" by Elvis Presley topped the charts and stayed there for 2 weeks. This was his fifth US No. 1 of the 60s. It was also a UK No. 1 hit staying in that position for 4 weeks.

Wikifacts:"Good Luck Charm" is a song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Gladys Music, Elvis Presley's publishing company. The song was written by Aaron Schroeder and Wally Gold and recorded by Elvis in 1961. Good Luck Charm was covered by Travis & Shook on Cape Cod Covers, Vol. 1 "The King". Alvin and the Chipmunks covered the song for "Luck O' The Chipmunks", a 1988 episode of Alvin and the Chipmunks.

1973, "Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round The Ole Oak Tree" by Tony Orlando and Dawn hits #1 and becomes a cultural phenomenon.

Songfacts: The yellow ribbon became a National symbol in 1980 when Americans put them on trees to remember the hostages being held in Iran. Ten years later, a group called Visual AIDS convinced people attending the Tony Awards to wear small red ribbons as a symbol of AIDS awareness. Soon, many causes produced ribbons with different colors to raise money and awareness. In 2004, the trend extended to rubber bracelets when cyclist and cancer survivor Lance Armstrong worked with Nike to promote yellow bracelets labeled "Livestrong" that raised money for cancer research.

 

1976, "All By Myself" by Eric Carmen enters the charts.

Songfacts: "The song started with the solo. It started 4 bars at a time. Eventually, over a period of 2 months, that entire interlude had been written. Then my quest was to put this in the middle of an actual song. Then it was a matter of trying to figure out what kind of song and how could I do it. I was listening to Rachmaninoff's 2nd piano concerto (written in 1901) and I heard the melody which I used for the verse. Then I needed a chorus. I went back and listened to a song that I had written in 1973 called 'Let's Pretend' for the Raspberries. I just took those notes and took it from there. I thought, ''Let's Pretend' was a nice melody.' The song didn't go quite as far as I thought it should have. I'll go back and steal from myself for this." 

 

1979, "Knock on Wood" by Amii Stewart topped the charts and stayed there for a week.

Wikifacts: "Knock on Wood" is a 1966 hit song written by Eddie Floyd and Steve Cropper and originally performed by Eddie Floyd. Amii Stewart recorded a disco version of the song, serving as her debut single which reached number one in the U.S. charts in April 1979, as well as charting on the soul singles and disco charts, becoming the best-known version of the song. Source: en.wikipedia.org

1984, "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" by Phil Collins topped the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks.

Songfacts: Director Taylor Hackford asked Collins to write a song for the film Against All Odds, so Collins went back to a song that didn't make it onto his Face Value album called "How Can You Sit There" and adapted it to fit the movie.

 

1990, "Nothing Compares 2U" by Sinead O'Connor topped the charts and stayed there for 4 weeks.

Wikifacts: "Nothing Compares 2 U" is a song originally written and composed by Prince for one of his side projects, The Family. This version, which O'Connor co-produced with Nellee Hooper, became a worldwide hit in 1990. A music video, which has been described as iconic, was shot and received heavy rotation on MTV. Its lyrics explore feelings of longing from an abandoned lover's point of view.

 

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