Music History Today: June 5, 2022

June 5, 2001: Rufus Wainwright released "Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk" from the album Poses.

“Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk” is a song about walking a tightrope, but it’s more between having a grand time and losing yourself in the gutter.

Rufus Wainwright

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It really did come from an event where I was incredibly hungover.  I remember seeing a bottle of chocolate milk at the store and buying it and gulping it down and immediately feeling sick to my stomach, and grabbing a cigarette and then feeling even worse. 

Read more: Rolling Stone

June 5, 1958: The first-ever greatest hits compilation, Johnny Mathis' Greatest Hits, hit Number 1 in America. 

The original greatest-hits package, Johnny's Greatest Hits stayed on the charts for ten years.

Johnny Mathis

The collection includes "Chances Are," "It's Not for Me to Say," "Wonderful! Wonderful!," and "The Twelfth of Never." It seldom gets more romantic than this. 

Read more: Allmusic

 

June 5, 1971: "Funky Nassau (Part 1)" by The Beginning Of The End entered the American Top 40. It reached Number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and 31 on the UK Singles Chart. The Blues Brothers performed it in the 1998 film Blues Brothers 2000.

June 5, 1976: David Bowie's "TVC15" from his Station to Station LP peaked at Number 64 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Born on the same day, January 8th, David Bowie was a huge fan of Elvis Presley. Presley visited Bowie at The Studios in LA during the recording sessions for Station to Station. There they made a demo together of the Bowie song TVC15. David loved the track, but Elvis wasn't happy with it. 

June 5, 1993: UB40 moved into the American Top 40, from 52 to 37, with "Can't Help Falling in Love." 

Elvis Presley originally recorded "Can't Help Falling in Love" in 1961.

Ali Campbell of UB40

UB40 were asked to record an Elvis tune of their choice for a new film called Honeymoon In Vegas. The band's drummer, James Brown, suggested they record this song because it was one of his favorites. 

Read more: Songfacts

Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk
Rufus Wainwright