Sunday, August 30, 2020

Music History Today: August 31, 2020

August 31, 1987:  Billy Idol released his remake of Tommy James & the Shondells song "Mony Mony."
“Mony Mony” means nothing; literally nothing. But to Billy Idol , “Mony Mony” always meant sex. That’s because when young William was 14, he lost his virginity in a public park via a tumble with a more experienced partner. 
Desktop Wallpaper Billy Idol
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He recalled in his autobiography, Dancing With Myself: “As we went at it, ‘Mony Mony’ by Tommy James and the Shondells was playing on someone’s transistor radio nearby…” 
Read More: Diffuser
August 31, 1963: The Angels become the first white girl group to have a US number one hit when "My Boyfriend's Back" topped the Billboard Hot 100.
“My Boyfriend’s Back” tells the story of a bullying harasser who finally learns that he’s about to get his.  Sung from the point of view of a girl who’s been resisting someone who’s been hitting on and lying about her. She wants this guy to know that her boyfriend is back in the picture, that he’s about to help her get her revenge.
Read more:  Stereogum

August 31, 1968:  Jeannie C. Riley's "Harper Valley P.T.A." set a Rock Era record with the biggest jump of all-time, moving from number 81 to 7.
When Jeannie C. Riley recorded "Harper Valley PTA" in 1968, it threw songwriter Tom T. Hall into the spotlight. The song became a major, international hit and sold more than 6 million copies. 
Read more: The Boot

August 31, 1974: The final Partridge Family episode airs on ABC.
The Partridge Family won over the hearts of viewers around the world during the '70s with their captivating musical numbers, heartfelt family moments and laugh out loud comedy. 
The show was inspired by the Cowsills, a real family band that rose to fame in the 1960s. There were rumors that members of the Cowsills band would star in the show, but Shirley Jones was the cast as the matriarch, Shirley Partridge. 
Read more: Wide Open Country

August 31, 1976: George Harrison is found guilty of "subconscious plagiarism" in his his "My Sweet Lord." 

Harrison became the first Beatle to have a solo Number One on the Billboard charts with his ode to piety "My Sweet Lord." Musically the verses bear a strong resemblance to the Chiffons' 1962 hit "He's So Fine." Bright Tunes Music Corporation, filed a plagiarism suit in February 1971. 
Read more:  Rolling Stone


Mony Mony
Billy Idol


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