Music History Today: January 31, 2022

January 31, 2004: No Doubt reached Number 10 on Billboard's singles chart with "It's My Life."

"It's My Life" was originally by the English new wave band Talk Talk.

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 The American ska band No Doubt recorded a cover version of the song to promote their first greatest hits album The Singles 1992–2003. Because the band was on hiatus while lead singer Gwen Stefani recorded her solo debut album, they decided to record a cover to avoid having to write a new song. 

Read more: Wikipedia

January 31, 1970: "The Thrill is Gone" by B.B. King moved from 45 to 32  into the American Top 40 chart.

B.B. King released more than two hundred singles and fifty albums in a six-decade recording career.

B.B. King

He is a towering figure in popular music. Yet, many casual fans can identify only one B.B. King song, The Thrill Is Gone, a 1969 release that reached #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. 

Read more: Louder Sound

January 31, 1976: Creedence Clearwater Revival's version of  "I Heard it Trough the Grapevine" began it's trip up Billboard's Hot 100 chart.

"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" was originally written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for Motown Records in 1966, and made famous by Marvin Gaye in a single released in October 1968. 

John Fogerty heard Marvin Gaye's version when it was winding down in its radio run. Fogerty thought all the lush arrangements of Gaye's record had kind of masked what was really going on. Fogerty was turned on about coming up with a more rock and roll approach. 

Read more: Electric Bayou

January 31, 1981: "Every Woman in the World" by Air Supply peaked at Number 5 on the US music chart. 

"Every Woman in the World" by the British/Australian soft rock duo Air Supply was most popular in the US, where it peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1981 and number two on the Adult Contemporary chart. Outside the US, it also reached number seven in New Zealand and number eight in Australia. 

Read more: Wikipedia

January 31, 1987: Genesis peaked at Number 4 in the US with "Land of Confusion."

Genesis's "Land Of Confusion" benefited from a video directed by puppeteers Fluck And Law of Britain's Spitting Image TV series, who created life-sized puppets of the members of Genesis and an assortment of other celebrities and political figures. It won the Grammy Award for best concept video in March 1988. 

Read more: Last FM

It's My Life
No Doubt