ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC

December 13th

1962 - Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Return To Sender', written by Winfield Scott and Otis Blackwell, his 13th UK No.1. Elvis performed 'Return To Sender' in the film Girls! Girls! Girls!. The opening bars and backing on baritone saxophone was performed by Bobby Keys who later went on to work with The Rolling Stones, The Who, Harry Nilsson, George Harrison and  Eric Clapton. I can recall this single very clearly and that sound but the lyrics were lost on me. I didn't understand what 'return to sender' meant and thought sender must be a place (sic) I guess I was a bit young to be sending mail and only later did I realise what the song was actually about. I was nine!

1966 - Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix made his TV debut on ITV's 'Ready Steady Go!' (Marc Bolan was also on the show). The Jimi Hendrix Experience also recorded 'Foxy Lady' on this day. The United States version of Are You Experienced listed the song with a spelling mistake as 'Foxey Lady' and this is how it is still known among many North American fans.

1969 - Diana Ross

Diana Ross took the Latino Casino in Philadelphia to court for $27,500 after her two pet dogs died after eating cyanide tablets left by an exterminator in her dressing room.

1970 - Dave Edmunds

Dave Edmunds was at No.1 on the UK singles chart with his version of the 1955 Smiley Lewis hit 'I Hear You Knocking.' The Welsh singer, songwriter and producers only No.1 hit.

1975 - Patti Smith

Patti Smith released her debut studio album Horses. Produced by John Cale, Horses has since been viewed by critics as one of the greatest and most influential albums in the history of the American punk rock movement, as well as one of the greatest albums of all time. Horses has also been cited as a key influence on a number of acts, including Siouxsie and the Banshees, R.E.M. and PJ Harvey. Bought when it came out this album had a profound affect upon me and is still in my top ten albums of all time. 


1986 - Bruce Hornsby

Bruce Hornsby & The Range went to No.1 on the US singles chart, with 'The Way It Is', a No.15 hit in the UK. Written by Bruce Hornsby and his brother John Hornsby, it made explicit reference to the American Civil Rights Movement. The song was heavily sampled by Tupac Shakur in his song, 'Changes' from 1998.


1999 - SMASH HITS Reader's Poll

Winners in the Smash Hits readers poll included, Backstreet Boys who won Best band, best album & best single, Britney Spears won best female singer, Robbie Williams best male singer, S Club 7 won best new band and worst group went to the Spice Girls.


1999 - Shaun Ryder

Happy Mondays singer Shaun Ryder was ordered to pay £160,000 to his ex management team over a dispute in his contract. Ryder said he was so high after a 'joint' he didn't bother to read the small print; the court was told the contract had 'done his nut in'.

Kreacher - the house elf

2000 - Melody Maker

It was announced that after 74 years the UK rock weekly Melody Maker was to close down. The Christmas edition would be the last one then it would merge with the NME creating a more sizeable broad-based magazine.

2000 - Paul McCartney

Sir Paul McCartney held his first-ever London book signing at Waterstone's in Piccadilly. Sir Paul was in the store to sign copies of his new book, Paul McCartney Paintings.

2002 - Zal Yanovsky

Canadian guitarist and singer Zal Yanovsky of The Lovin Spoonful died of a heart attack. Zal was a member of The Mugwumps with Denny Doherty and Cass Elliot (of The Mamas and Papas) Formed The Lovin' Spoonful with John Sebastian in 1964, they scored the 1966 US No.1 & UK No.8 single 'Summer In The City'. An early revolutionary guitar player and I always recall buying an album which featured him on 'Yakety Throw Up' guitar! Eric Clapton cited Zal as an early influence. Yanovosky was busted for pot and went down in history as having narked on his dealers as the police put him in an almost impossible position but it affected him for the rest of his life 




2003 - Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill launched a blistering attack on the Catholic church, urging religious figures to "repent" whilst speaking on a stage regularly used by the Pope. The former Fugees singer was playing at a Christmas show in Vatican City and took the opportunity to speak her mind about allegations of sexual abuse in America, before an audience that included top Vatican cardinals, bishops and the cream of Italian society.

2005 - John Lennon

A cheque signed by John Lennon made out to the Inland Revenue sold for £2,000 at a UK auction. It was sold by former madam Lindi St Clair, (formerly known as Miss Whiplash), after she decided she had no use for it. Clair who now runs a duck farm in Herefordshire had bought the cheque for £4,000 in 1988. It was signed by Lennon on 23rd January 1968 on a District Bank Limited form and made out for £6,946.

2008 - Dizzee Rascal

Dizzee Rascal was arrested in south-east London following an incident involving a baseball bat. The rapper allegedly approached another motorist with a baseball bat after a road rage incident. Rascal whose real name is Dylan Mills, was held on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon in Sevenoaks Way, Orpington.

2012 - The Rolling Stones

A collection of love letters written by Mick Jagger to American singer Marsha Hunt sold at auction for £187,250. The letters were penned in the summer of 1969 while The Rolling Stones frontman was in Australia. They are believed to be the inspiration for the band's hit single 'Brown Sugar'.

I mean well . . . . . phew!

BIRTHDAYS

1989 - Taylor Swift

American singer-songwriter, Taylor Swift. Her third single, 'Our Song', made her the youngest person to single-handedly write and perform a No.1 song on the US country chart. She has sold over 40 million albums and 130 million digital single downloads worldwide. She is also the recipient of ten Grammy Awards, five Guinness World Records, one Emmy Award, 23 Billboard Music Awards, 11 Country Music Association Awards, eight Academy of Country Music Awards, and one Brit Award. I am never entirely sure about swift but then I am not here focus group . She can sing for sure but it all seems a biot too indtrustry manufactured to these ears

1981 - Amy Lee

Amy Lynn Lee, singer with American rock band Evanescence who had the 2003 UK No.1 & US No.5 single ‘Bring Me To Life’, and the 2003 UK No.1 & US No.3 album Fallen.

1974 - Nick McCarthy

Nick McCarthy, guitarist, with Scottish indie rock band Franz Ferdinand, who were the winners of the 2004 Mercury Music Prize for their self-titled debut album.

1950 - Davy O'List

English rock guitarist Davy O'List, from English progressive rock band The Nice, who had the 1968 UK hit single an instrumental rearrangement of Leonard Bernstein's 'America'. He has also worked with Roxy Music, Jethro Tull and Pink Floyd.

1945 - Robert Martinez

Robert Martinez, ? & The Mysterians, (1966 US No. 1 & UK No.37 single '96 Tears'). '96 Tears' was a UK No.17 hit for The Stranglers in 1990.

1940 - Tony Gomez

Tony Gomez, from British soul band The Foundations who scored the 1967 UK No.1 single 'Baby Now That I've Found You' and the 1969 US No.3 single 'Build Me Up A Buttercup'. The group was the first multi-racial group to have a No.1 hit in the UK in the 1960s.