Tag: The Beatles

It’s Mid-Week at The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 12/2/2020

School is never out here in The Mermaid Lounge. We are here every day giving you all the news that’s fit to print. Of course, you know we post early for Wednesdays as retail slavery starts early.

Taj Mahal 1968, one of our favorites here in The Mermaid Lounge.

Here’s today’s lesson:

December 2, 1957: Sam Cooke proves third time’s a charm when You Send Me becomes his first hit on the Billboard Pop chart.

December 2, 1962: The Beatles are the opening act for a gentleman named Frank Ifield. However, contrary to his calm crooning style, the Fab Four were pounding out blistering rock n’ roll, prompting some in the crowd to tell them to “turn it down.”

December 2, 1963: Roy Orbison released the single “Pretty Paper.”

Also on this day, the Beatles performed This Boy, All My Loving, and I Want To Hold Your Hand for the UK’s Morecambe & Wise Show.

December 2, 1967: Gladys Knight & The Pips hit #1 on the R & B chart with a remake of Marvin Gaye’s I Heard It Through The Grapevine.

Also on this day, Donovan had one of the hottest songs on the charts with Wear Your Love Like Heaven.

December 2, 1968: The Bee Gees released the song I Started A Joke. They made some fine fucking music before turning disco. After that? Nah.

December 2, 1969: George Harrison joined Delaney & Bonnie on stage at Colston Hall in Bristol, England.

Also on December 2, The Rolling Stones stop by Muscle Shoals Recording Studios in Alabama on their way to their ill-fated Altamont show on December 6. There, they record Wild Horses, You Gotta Move, and Brown Sugar over a three-day session.

December 2, 1971: Taj Mahal plays for death row inmates at North Carolina’s Wilmington State Penetentiary.

December 2, 1972: The Temptations’ version of Papa Was a Rolling Stone gives them their fourth US #1 song.

Steely Dan made The Billboard 200 for the first time with their debut album, Can’t Buy A Thrill. The album’s name is taken from a line in the Bob Dylan song, It Takes A Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry.

And Cat Stevens’ album, Catch Bull At Four, continued at #1 for a third week. This would also be Cat’s most commercially successful album.

Born On This Day

December 2, 1941: Tom McGuinness, bass guitarist with Manfred Mann, was born in Wimbledon, London, England.

December 2, 1942: Ted Bluechel, drummer for The Association, was born in San Pedro, California.

And that’s it for today from The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge!

Meanwhile…Back at The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 12/1/2020

Good Morning from the office of the chief researcher and writer (also the programmer, marketing director, music researcher, and various other tasks). We have a short one in comparison to other days, but still informative.

Jimi Hendrix. Guitar God.

Here’s today’s knowledge from the college:

December 1, 1964: The Who played the first of 22 consecutive nights at the Marquee Club in London.

December 1, 1965: The Rolling Stones played at the Vancouver Auditorium in Canada as part of their North American Tour on this night.

December 1, 1966: Jimi Hendrix signed a management deal with Yameta, a company founded by managers for the Who, Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp.

December 1, 1967: The Who (again) finished their first tour as headliners in the US at the Long Island Arena in Commack, NY. Vanilla Fudge was the opening act.

December 1, 1968: The White Album by The Beatles starts a seven-week run at number one on the UK chart.

Also on this date, Janis Joplin plays her final gig with Big Brother & The Holding Company in San Francisco.

December 1, 1969: Delaney & Bonnie perform with Eric Clapton at Royal Albert Hall. Friends George Harrison and Ringo Starr are in attendance.

December 1, 1971: Yes plays the Palace Theater in Waterbury, Connecticut.

Also on this day, John Lennon releases Happy Xmas (War Is Over) in the US.

December 1, 1975: The Allman Brothers Band played at the Civic Center in Springfield, MA (and I was there!).

December 1, 1979: The Grateful Dead played Stanley Hall in Pittsburgh, PA.

December 1, 2016: The Rolling Stones released Blue & Lonesome, a great 12-song collection of Blues classics. It is their first studio album since 2005’s A Bigger Bang, which peaked at #3 in the US.

Born On This Day

December 1, 1944: John Densmore, drummer for The Doors, was born in Los Angeles.

And that is today’s rather abbreviated lesson from The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge. We shall be back with the Tuesday Bluesday line-up shortly.

Our New “Between Heaven & Hell” Playlist Debuts, We Hear From The Beatles, and Irma Thomas in In The Spotlight, Monday, November 30, 2020

Good Morning, Music Lovers. We’ve got some really good stuff going on today, particularly with our new playlist kicking it all off at noon.

This is what we’re taught. Personally, I think we’re already in hell.

Here’s today’s line-up!

12:00 p.m. Between Heaven & Hell: Various Artists NEW!

We’ve got some real interesting songs in this one. Some stuff I know I’ve never put in a playlist before. Includes songs from Led Zeppelin, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Bob Dylan, The Eagles, The Byrds, Emmylou Harris, Eddie Cochran, Elvis Presley, ZZ Top, Lucinda Williams, Roberta Flack, and others! it’s a good one.

Take this with a grain of salt, but the playlist should be up before the stream begins. Go to the Playlist tab and scroll to the bottom to see if I make good on my attempt.

4:00 p.m. The Beatles: The Early Years

We certainly don’t play enough of our co-House Band here. But all of this stuff I research has made me understand that sometimes we forget just how fucking good they were. But Bob Dylan? He knew:

“We were driving through Colorado, we had the radio on, and eight of the Top 10 songs were Beatles songs…’I Wanna Hold Your Hand,’ all those early ones. They were doing things nobody was doing. Their chords were outrageous, just outrageous, and their harmonies made it all valid… I knew they were pointing the direction of where music had to go.”

8:00 p.m. In The Spotlight: The Music of Irma Thomas

Somehow, there are those great singers who fall through the cracks when they should be much bigger. Irma Thomas is such a singer. She is a contemporary of Aretha Franklin, and she is known as The Soul Queen of New Orleans.

It’s Monday. It’s going to be rainy here with 50-mph winds. I’m turning it up and hunkering down. You should too.

www.tinyurl.com/Ungovernable-Radio

Happy Monday From The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 11/30/2020

It’s another Monday morning in the College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge, and it’s going to be pretty nasty here. Why not tune us in while you’re at it?

Paul McCartney & Wings in their heyday.

Here’s today’s lesson!

November 30, 1960: The Shirelles re-released Dedicated To The One I Love, originally released in 1959. It was re-released after Will You Love Me Tomorrow became a hit.

Also on this day, The Beatles finished up their 56-night run at the Kaiserkeller Club in Hamburg, Germany.

November 30, 1963: The Beach Boys song In My Room cracks Billboard’s Top 40. Although it peaks at #23, it becomes one of the band’s most popular songs.

Meanwhile, back in Beatle Land, She Loves You returns to #1 on the UK charts, while the album With The Beatles sits at #1 on the Album charts.

November 30, 1965: Petula Clark, one of the most influential singers of the British Invasion, releases her hit Downtown.

November 30, 1966: Legendary but quirky guitarist Jeff Beck quits The Yardbirds after a year and a half. He later forms The Jeff Beck Group.

November 30, 1968: Sly & The Family Stone released the single Everyday People.

Also on this day, The Supremes topped the Billboard Top 100 with their eleventh hit, Love Child. The song was introduced on The Ed Sullivan Show.

And Cheap Thrills by Big Brother & The Holding Company (featuring Janis Joplin) takes over the #1 slot on the Album charts.

November 30, 1969: The Rolling Stones wrap up a tour with an appearance at the International Raceway Festival in West Palm Beach, Florida. Also appearing at the event are King Crimson, Iron Butterfly, Ten Years After, The Band, Janis Joplin, Steppenwolf, and The Moody Blues.

November 30, 1970: All Things Must Pass is already released in the US. On this day, George Harrison released it in the UK.

November 30. 1971: Al Green, one of the most pleasantly soulful singers on the damned planet, released Let’s Stay Together.

November 30, 1972: Paul McCartney & Wings released the song Hi, Hi, Hi, which is promptly banned by the BBC because of its “unsuitable lyrics.” In site of that it goes to #5 in the UK. It will peak at #10 in the US.

November 30, 1974: The Eagles Best of My Love is released. It will become one of The Eagles’ five US #1 singles.

November 30, 1977: The Atlanta Rhythm Section released the single, So Into You.

November 30, 1980: Pink Floyd releases their double-album masterpiece, The Wall.

November 30, 2001: In Liverpool, flags are flown at half staff in memory of George Harrison. In London, the Coldstream Guards play a Beatles medley during the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace in his honor.

Born On This Day

November 30, 1944: Rob Grill, singer, songwriter and bassist for the seventies hit machine known as The Grass Roots, was born in Los Angeles.

November 30, 1945: Roger Glover, songwriter, producer and bassist for Deep Purple, was born in Brecon, Wales.

That’s today’s lesson. We’ll be back with the line up as soon as I make some coffee and become human again.

It’s Sunday Morning at The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 11/29/2020

Good Morning, Rock n’ Rollers! There’s never a day off at the College. We’re here as usual with with all the news that matters on this day in music history.

Creedence Clearwater Revival, one of the finest bands ever.

Here’s your message from the College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge, and The Beatles continue to dominate:

November 29, 1963: The Beatles release I Want To Hold Your Hand in England. For the first time in music history, there were one million advance orders. It would spend seven weeks at #1.

November 29, 1966: The Beatles continue working on Strawberry Fields Forever by recording two more “takes” at Abbey Road Studios. They later remade the song, but the first minute from the final take on this day was remixed and used in the final version of the song.

November 29, 1966: Bob Dylan finished work on his John Wesley Harding album. He recruited Pete Drake to play some light pedal steel guitar, as he recorded the final two songs, I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight and Down Along The Cove.

November 29, 1968: John Lennon released his first solo album called Unfinished Music.

Also as of this day, The Beatles sold 1.5 million copies of The White Album in the UK during the first week of its release.

November 29, 1969: The Beatles’ domination of music continues when the the double-sided monster hit Come Together/Something goes to #1. This is the band’s 18th number one hit. It is also a first for George Harrison. It is the first time he is the composer of an A-side hit.

Meanwhile, Creedence Clearwater Revival has a two-sided hit of its own climbing the charts with Down On The Corner/Fortunate Son.

Also on November 29, Abbey Road by the Beatles is on its fifth week at the top of the Album charts.

November 29, 1975: Red Octopus became the first #1 album for the Jefferson Starship — and it is their only worthwhile album thanks to the influence of Marty Balin. The fact that this band even used part of Jefferson Airplane’s name is a travesty. What the fuck was Grace Slick thinking?

November 29, 1980: Stevie Wonder spends a fifth week on top of the R & B charts with Master Blaster (Jammin’), his 13th number one hit on the charts.

Also on this day, Bruce Springsteen’s The River remained at #1 on the Album chart for a fourth week.

November 29, 1986: It was another good day for Bruce. Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Live 1975/1985 hits #1 on the Album charts.

November 29, 2001: George Harrison, the youngest Beatle, a ground-breaking solo artist, and a proud member of the Traveling Wilburys later in his career, left this earth at a friend’s home in Hollywood Hills, California after a long battle with lung cancer. He was just 58 years old. His wife Olivia and son Dhani were at his side. His final words were reported to be “Love one another.” We will celebrate George Harrison’s life in music today.

November 29, 2013: Dick Dodd, lead singer and drummer for The Standells of Dirty Water fame, died in Fountain Valley, California, also at the age of 58.

Born On This Day

November 29, 1933: John Mayall, the father of British blues, singer, songwrite and multi-instrumentalist for his Bluesbreakers, was born in Macclesfield, England.

November 29, 1940: Denny Doherty of The Mamas & The Papas was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.

November 29, 1944: Felix Cavaliere, keyboardist with The Young Rascals and one of the greatest rock n’ roll singers in one of the best rock n’ roll bands on the planet, was born in Pelham, New York.

And that’s it for today. We will be back soon to tell you about today’s programming.

It’s An Easy Day in The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 11/28/2020

Good Morning, Students! It’s an easy day at the College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge. I use about six different sources for my information and, in comparison to other days, November 28 was relatively quiet!

Elvis Presley in Tupelo, Mississippi Sept 26, 1956 © 1978 Roger Marshutz—MPTV

Pay attention. Here’s today’s lesson:

November 28, 1960: Elvis Presley had his 43rd hit and his 15th #1 hit in just four years with Are You Lonesome Tonight.

November 28, 1962: The Beatles performed at the Cavern Club in Liverpool, and then performed at a dance for the staff of Lewis Department Store at the 527 Club, also in Liverpool.

November 28, 1963: She Loves You by The Beatles returns to #1 in the UK.

November 28, 1964: Willie Nelson made his debut on the stage of The Grand Ole Opry when he opened for Roger Miller.

November 28, 1966: Paul Revere and The Raiders released their great single Good Thing.

November 28, 1968: Deep Purple played the first of four nights at the Fillmore West in San Francisco on their first tour of North America.

November 28, 1970: Bob Dylan owned the #1 album in the UK with New Morning.

Also on November 28, 1970, Dave Edmunds’ I Hear Your Knocking went to #1 in the UK.

Born On This Day

November 28, 1943: The great songwriter, Randy Newman, was born on this day.

And that’s all you need to know about today’s events in music history!

It’s Another Day at The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 11/27/2020

Yes, it’s Black Friday, but not here in The Mermaid Lounge. There isn’t a damned thing we want for here that we have to go out among the teeming, greedy masses to get it.

Shit gets real with The Stones at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Here’s November 27th’s rock n’ roll history:

November 27, 1961: Patsy Cline’s version of Willie Nelson’s Crazy peaks at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100. It would be the biggest of her four records t cross over to the pop charts from the country charts (where it reached #2).

November 27, 1962: The Beatles recorded songs for the BBC in the UK for the first time ever. They sang Love Me Do, Twist and Shout, and P.S. I Love You at the BBC Paris Studio in London for a program called “Talent Spot.”

November 27, 1964: The Beatles appeared on the British television show called “Ready Steady Go.”

November 27, 1965: Marvin Gaye moved into the #1 slot on the R & B charts with Ain’t That Peculiar.

Also on this day, The Lovin’ Spoonful’s You Didn’t Have To Be So Nice entered the US record charts.

November 27, 1967: The Beatles released the album Magical Mystery Tour in the U.S. and Hello Goodbye as a single in the U.S. on the same day. If that isn’t enough, the B-side of Hello Goodbye, I Am The Walrus, will chart and be a hit as well.

Also on this day, Aretha Franklin released my favorite Aretha song, Chain of Fools.

November 27, 1968: Steppenwolf’s self-titled debut album is certified gold on this day.

November 27, 1969: All kinds of milestones will be reached at Madison Square Garden in New York on this day. The Rolling Stones perform a show that is recorded and later released on Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out. The Ike & Tina Revue opened for the Stones that evening, and Janis Joplin joined Tina on stage for a duet. And in the audience celebrating his 27th, and final, birthday was Jimi Hendrix.

November 27, 1970: George Harrison released his triple album entitled All Things Must Pass. The single release, My Sweet Lord, will be the first ex-Beatle solo effort to hit #1 in both the US and UK.

November 27, 1972: Carly Simon released the single, You’re So Vain.

November 27, 1976: Stevie Wonder’s Songs In The Key Of Life, which debuted at #1, remained at #1 for a seventh week.

November 27, 1979: The Eagles released the single, The Long Run.

November 27 1995: The Beatles set a rock-era record when Anthology 1 sells more than 1.2 million copies in its first week of release.

Born On This Day

November 27, 1934: Al Jackson of Booker T. & The MG’s is born in Memphis, Tennessee.

November 27, 1942: Jimi Hendrix is born Johnny Allen Hendrix in Seattle, Washington.

November 27, 1945: Randy Brecker, trumpeter and flugelhorn player for Blood, Sweat & Tears, is born in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania.

November 27, 1948: Dave Winthrop, sax player and flautist for Supertramp, is born.

And that’s Friday’s lesson from The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge. We are posting a bit early today as I’m on the run this morning, and we will be back with today’s programming shortly.

Happy Thanksgiving From the College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 11/26/2020

Good Morning, Music Lovers, and Happy Thanksgiving from your friends in The Mermaid Lounge! We have our Thanksgiving tradition coming up at 10:00 a.m., so be watching for the back story to Alice’s Restaurant in this blog entry.

Arlo Guthrie and his wife Jackie, on their wedding day. Arlo followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming a great storyteller, as you will see later this morning!

Here’s today’s entry from the College:

November 26, 1955: Bill Haley’s Rock Around The Clock reaches #1 in the UK, and is considered to be the first rock n’ roll song to accomplish that feat.

November 26, 1962: The Beatles record their second single, Please Please Me, in 18 takes at London’s EMI Studios. They also record the B-side, Ask Me Why.

November 26, 1964: The Zombies record Tell Her No.

November 26, 1965: After having Thanksgiving dinner in a church in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, a young Arlo Guthrie and a friend returned to clean up. When they can’t find an open dump, the two dump their trash down a hill. They are arrested, fined $25 each, and are forced to clean up the trash again. When they return to the church, Arlo writes the Alice’s Restaurant Massacree, in which he embellishes some of the events. Nevertheless, it is a moment in musical history that we musicologists will not forget.

November 26, 1966: You Keep Me Hangin’ On by the Supremes took over the #1 slot on the R & B charts.

Also on November 26 of 1966, I’m Losing You by The Temptations enters the R & B charts and will become the band’s fourth straight #1 hit.

November 26, 1967: The promo clip of The Beatles’ Hello Goodbye was aired on The Ed Sullivan Show.

November 26, 1969: John Lennon works on a Beatles song for the final time when he mixes You Know My Name (Look Up The Number) at Abbey Road Studios. It is the B-side of their Let It Be single.

Also on November 26, 1969, The Band receives a Gold Record for their second album, The Band, one of the greatest albums ever recorded from one of the greatest bands on the planet.

November 26, 1977: Linda Ronstadt becomes one of only a handful of singers who manages to have two singles in the Top Ten simultaneously with Blue Bayou and It’s So Easy.

Also on this day in 1977, Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors album held the #1 slot for a then-record 29 weeks.

November 26, 2010: Willie Nelson was arrested for possession of six ounces of weed found on his tour bus travelling from LA to Texas. The prosecutor recommended no jail time because of the small amount, and instead suggested a $100 fine and that Willie sing Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain for the court.

Born On This Day

November 26, 1944: Alan Henderson, bassist with the Northern Irish band, Them, was born in Belfast. For those who do not know the band, Them had the 1965 UK hits Baby, Please Don’t Go and Here Comes The Night with Van Morrison on lead vocals.

November 26, 1945: Another bassist, John McVie, with Fleetwood Mac and John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, is born in London.

And that is it for today’s lesson! We will be back in just a bit with today’s Thanksgiving Day line-up!

Today’s History Lesson From the College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 11/25/2020

Good Morning, Students! Today is a short lesson in comparison to the last couple of day, but still an interesting read.

Commemorating a momentous musical moment in rock history.

Here’s today’s musical lesson:

November 25, 1966: The Jimi Hendrix Experience make their live performance debut at the Bag O’ Nails Club in London.

November 25, 1967: Incense And Peppermints by Strawberry Alarm Clock goes to #1 in the U.S. The song was co-written by the band’s guitarist, Ed King, who would later become a member of Lynyrd Skynyrd. (This is a fucking great psychedelic-era song. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.)

November 25, 1968: The Beatles (better known as The White Album) was released in the US, spending 101 weeks on the chart and peaking at #1. It has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide and is listed as No. 10 on Billboard’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Also on this day in 1968, more than 10,000 fans see Cream play their final two concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in London.

November 25, 1971: Carly Simon releases Anticipation.

November 25, 1976: The Band, another one of those bands whose greatness can never be denied, goes out with a bang with The Last Waltz. They celebrate an unbelievable career with friends Van Morrison, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Neil Young, The Staple Singers, Ronnie Hawkins, and Dr. John. Thank you, Robbie Robertson, Rick Danko, Levon Helm, Richard Manuel, and Garth Hudson.

November 25, 1997: The original members of The Zombies reunite on stage for the first time in 30 years at London’s Jazz Cafe to promote a new box set called Zombie Heaven.

November 25, 2000: The Beatles’ album, which is very simply titled ‘1’ — a collection of the ir US and UK chart toppers — goes to #1 in Great Britain. It would do the same in America the following week. It will also become the best-selling album in 28 countries worldwide.

Born On This Day

November 25, 1940: R & B singer Percy Sledge (When A Man Loves A Woman) is born in Leighton, Alabama.

November 25, 1944: Bev Bevan of The Electric Light Orchestra is born in Sparkhill, Birmingham, England.

And as quick as this, we’re done for today. Oh, yeah, shit happened to Madonna, Beyonce, JayZ, but you aren’t hearing about that here. Wrong channel.

Tuesday in The College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge: 11/24/2020

It’s Tuesday Bluesday in the College of Rock n’ Roll Knowledge, and we press on with some great events in our musical history.

The Kingston Trio made musical history in 1958

Here’s today’s classic rock lesson:

November 24, 1958: The Kingston Trio became the first group to have a #1 album. Only solo artists had achieved that prior to them.

November 24, 1961: Howlin’ Wolf arrived in London for his first European tour.

November 24, 1965: The Young Rascals begin recording Good Lovin’ which will hit #1 early the next year.

November 24, 1966: The Beatles begin recording sessions for Sargeant Pepper’s Lonely Heart’s Club Band by laying down tracks for Strawberry Fields Forever. In the end, the song doesn’t make the album, but it will appear on Magical Mystery Tour the following year.

November 24, 1972: ABC-TV’s In Concert debuts with Alice Cooper, Chuck Berry, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Poco, and The Allman Brothers Band. Don Kirschner is the producer, and he also produces The Monkees.

November 24, 1979: The Eagles spend a fourth week on top of the album charts with The Long Run.

November 24, 1980: Steely Dan releases the single Hey Nineteen, one of my all-time favorite songs.

November 24, 1985: Blues pioneer Big Joe Turner died of kidney failure at the age of 74. Turner was one of the first artists to ever play rock n’ roll when he wrote and recorded Shake, Rattle and Roll in 1954.

November 24, 1991: Freddie Mercury dies of bronchopneumonia, a complication from AIDS, at his home in London at the age of 45. He had just publicly acknowledged having the disease the day before. His friend (and nothing more), Dave Clark, of The Dave Clark Five, was with him when he died.

Born on This Day

November 24, 1939: Jim Yester, keyboardist for The Association, was born in Birmingham, Alabama.

November 24, 1941: Pete Best, drummer for The Beatles in the very early years, was born in Madras, India.

November 24, 1941: Donald “Duck” Dunn, bass guitarist for the Mar-Keys, and Booker T. & The MG’s, was born in Memphis, Tennessee.

We’ll be back in a little bit with today’s music programming!