Music History Today: February 2, 2023

February 2, 1974: Barbra Streisand scored her first US Number 1 hit when "The Way We Were" took the top spot.

 "The Way We Were" was the title track to the movie of the same name, which starred Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford.

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The song is about a couple who, deeply in love despite being complete opposites, are looking back on fond memories of their time together. The Bergmans also wrote lyrics for "The Windmills Of Your Mind" and "You Don't Bring Me Flowers." 

Read more: Songfacts

February 2, 1959: At the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and The Big Bopper played their last show as part of the "Winter Dance Party" tour.

February 2, 1974: Cher entered the top 40 section of the US music chart on her way to the top with "Dark Lady."

"Dark Lady" by Cher is about a woman who visits a famous fortune teller who tells her to break up with her boyfriend. 

Later, the singer remembers smelling the fortune teller's perfume on her bed after a night with her lover. She returns to the dark lady with a gun and finds her beau making love to the fortune teller. In a split decision, she pulls the trigger and kills the dark lady. 

Read more: Songfacts

 

February 2, 1985: Julian Lennon had a US Top 40 hit when "Too Late for Goodbyes" moved from 52 to 37 on Billboard. The song peaked at Number 5.

Julian Lennon is ex-Beatle John's first son. His mother, Cynthia, got a divorce from John when Julian was just five years old. For the next nine years, Julian rarely saw his dad. When he was 14, father and son reconnected, and he occasionally visited his dad's home in New York City. 

Read more: Wikipedia

February 2, 2002: Staind entered the top 40 section of Billboard's Hot 100, on the way to Number 5, with their hit "It's Been Awhile."

The first single from Staind's Break The Cycle album, "It's Been Awhile," is the biggest hit for Staind and put them on the map. The album went to Number 1 on Billboard. Their sound fit the post-grunge motif of bands like Linkin Park and Papa Roach but was more mellow, giving the lyrics a more visceral feel. 

Read more: Songfacts

The Way We Were
Barbra Streisand