Sunday, July 19, 2020

Music History Today: July 20, 2020

July 20, 1979: ELO released "Don't Bring Me Down," the biggest hit of their career. 
"Don't Bring Me Down" is the band's second-highest-charting hit in the UK where it peaked at number 3 and their biggest hit in the United States, peaking at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100.
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 It also charted well in Canada (number 1) and Australia (number 6). This was the first song by ELO not to include a string section.  
Read more: Wikipedia
July 20, 1963: Jan & Dean's "Surf City" became the first surfing record to top the Billboard singles chart. 
High-school classmates Jan Berry and Dean Torrance earned a pair of minor hits while still in their teens, including one — “Baby Talk” (#10 1959)— that Beach Boy Mike Love would later credit as an inspiration for his group’s 1961 debut single, “Surfin.’
Jan and Dean color publicity photo yellow background gray suits and tie
Jan & Dean
” But by 1962, the direction of influence between the two groups had shifted. Jan and Dean’s doo-wop flavored sound was passing out of fashion, and when the duo met the Beach Boys while appearing on the same bill at a Los Angeles record hop, they heard the sound that would reinvigorate their career
Read more: History


July 20, 1963: Lesley Gore released "Judy's Turn To Cry," following her Number 1 hit, "It's My Party."
When "It's My Party" entered the Billboard Hot 100 on May 11, 1963, Gore's label, Mercury Records rushed to record a sequel. 
Lesley Gore 1960s color publicity portrait
Lesley Gore
The sequel, "Judy's Turn to Cry," was recorded on May 14, 1963. In "It's My Party," the singer was in tears because her boyfriend Johnny left with her best friend Judy. In "Judy's Turn to Cry," the singer kisses another boy at another party in order to make Johnny jealous and Johnny hits the other boy and returns to her. 
Read more: Wikipedia


July 20, 1965: The Lovin' Spoonful released their first single, "Do You Believe in Magic," from the album of the same name.
The Lovin’ Spoonful was a wellspring of sunny, feel-good singles. 
The Lovin' Spoonful with John Sebastian color phto of the band
The Lovin' Spoonful with John Sebastian
From the freewheeling “Do You Believe in Magic?” to the harder rocking “Summer in the City," the Lovin’ Spoonful kept fans of poppy, melodic music in good supply. 
Read more:  Rock & Roll Hall of Fame


July 20, 1974: Righteous Brothers peaked at Number 3 on the US Billboard Hot 100 with "Rock & Roll Heaven." It was their 19th hit and sixth Top 10.
"Rock and Roll Heaven" is song written by Alan O'Day and Johnny Stevenson and popularized by The Righteous Brothers. 

Righteous Brothers 1970s black and white publicity photo singing
Righteous Brothers

It is a paean to several deceased singers such as Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Otis Redding, and has been rewritten a number of times to include other singers. The song was first recorded by the band Climax in 1973, but it failed to chart. It was then covered by The Righteous Brothers in 1974 and reached number three on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.  
Read more: Wikipedia


Don't Bring Me Down
Electric Light Orchestra

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