Songs = Life

Today in Music History: November 20

Of the most often topics for song lyrics, songs about life would be at the top of the list with love not far behind. Who can't relate to a good love song either in dreams or reality? Love comes from the heart extending deep into the soul. Sometimes the song becomes a love letter saying just what is needed to be said at a special time or it can be at the other end of the spectrum declaring what once was is now gone.

Barbra Streisand: the highest-selling female recording artist of all time who has won awards and acclaim in every medium that she's worked in

The accolades of Barbra Streisand are astounding with dozens of gold- and platinum-selling albums to her credit. She has mastered nearly every entertainment medium available and won honors in all the major award institutions, music and acting. Her beginning goes back to a time when she worked as a cabaret singer after high school instead of attending college. It was her Broadway debut that led to a recording contract followed by a lo-o-ong list of gold records. 

As with so many recording artists, actors and actresses, Streisand's childhood was plagued with adversity...loss of her father at 15 months old, family life on the brink of poverty, an emotionally abusive stepfather, unsupportive mother, and most of all shyness as a child leaving her often feeling rejected by other children because her looks were considered unusual. 

She claims that she learned how to cover her insecurity on stage by studying the flamboyance of the drag queens she met during this time. Still, Streisand is infamous for having avoided live performances for nearly three decades due to a debilitating bout of stage fright. She attributes the phobia to a concert in New York's Central Park in 1967, during which she forgot the lyrics to one of her songs. Source: bio.com

Barbra Streisand Mini-Biography

On this day, a #1 hit recorded as a duet: Barbra Streisand and the Queen of Disco, Donna Summer

1979 Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer were at No.1 on the U.S. singles chart with 'No More Tears, Enough Is Enough', it was also an international hit reaching No.3 in the UK. The single spent two weeks at number one on the U.S. singles chart (making it both singers' fourth chart-topping single in the U.S., as well as Summer's final). On the disco chart, it went to number one for four weeks.

More No.1s on this day...

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  1955 The song that changed popular music history 'Rock Around The Clock' by Bill Haley & His Comets went to No.1 on the UK singles chart. The song was used under the opening credits of the film Blackboard Jungle. The song entered the charts a further six times until 1974.

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  1965 The Supremes had their sixth US No.1 single with the Motown production team, Holland–Dozier–Holland's, 'I Hear A Symphony'.

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  1967 Strawberry Alarm Clock were at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Incense And Peppermints'.

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  1971 Isaac Hayes started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Theme From Shaft', it made No.4 in the UK. Hayes won a Grammy award for Best Original Film Score with 'Theme From Shaft'.

  
  

1955 Bo Diddley appeared on US The Ed Sullivan Show television show. The show had requested that he sang his version of ‘Sixteen Tons’, but, when he appeared on stage, he sang his own song ‘Bo Diddley’ resulting in him being banned from further appearances on the show.

1998 A study comparing noise levels of rock music, found that older people rated rock music much higher on a loudness scale than younger people. The researchers carried out by Ohio University tested people age 18 to 21 and people ranging in age from 51 to 58. The study asked participants to rate the loudness of rock music played at nine intensities, ranging from 10 decibels to 90 decibels. Participants listened to ‘Heartbreaker’ by Led Zeppelin for 10 seconds at different intensities. At each intensity, the older subjects gave the music higher numerical ratings based on loudness than the younger subjects.

2005 Robbie Williams smashed a Guinness World Record by selling more than 1.6 million tickets for his 2006 World Tour in one day. The tickets, snapped up on the first day of sale, were valued at an estimated £80 million.

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