Music History Today: February 13, 2023

February 13, 2001: Nelly released "Ride Wit Me" as the third single from his debut studio album, Country Grammar. 

Nelly tells his rags-to-riches story in "Ride Wit Me," recounting his rise from a teenage drug dealer to a rap star.

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A big hook in this song is the "Hey! Must be the money!" group vocal after Nelly asks, "Oh, why do I live this way?" Nelly owes a debt to the football star Deion Sanders, who in 1994 released a song called "Must Be The Money" that helped popularize the phrase. 

Read more: Songfacts

February 13, 1965: Peter, Paul, and Mary entered the US Top 40, moving from Number 45 to 32, with a cover of Gordon Lightfoot's "For Lovin' Me." They peaked one week later at 30.

February 13, 1976: The album "Frampton Comes Alive" was released by Herb Alpert's A&M Records in the UK. 

"Frampton Comes Alive" was the biggest-selling live album of all time, making Peter Frampton a household word, and generated a monster hit single in "Show Me the Way."

Peter Frampton

The Herd/Humble Pie graduate packed one hell of a punch on stage. The live versions of "Show Me the Way," "Do You Feel Like I Do," "Something's Happening," and "Shine On" are much more inspired, confident, and hard-hitting than the studio versions. 

Read more: Allmusic

 

February 13, 1999: "Slide" by the Goo Goo Dolls peaked at Number 8 in the US.

Lead singer and guitarist for the Goo Goo Dolls Johnny Rzeznik wrote "Slide" about a girl who has an abortion. Her boyfriend is very supportive, declaring his love for her and asking her to just "let it slide" and move on with their lives. 

Read more: Songfacts

February 13, 2005: Ray Charles won eight posthumous Grammy awards for his final album "Genius Loves Company."

"Genius Loves Company" by Ray Charles is a duet record of familiar pop classics, from "Fever" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" to "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" and "Crazy Love," featuring the classy newcomers Norah Jones and Diana Krall and old stalwarts like Johnny Mathis and Bonnie Raitt.  

Read more: Allmusic 

 

Ride Wit Me
Nelly