Music History Today: February 8, 2023

February 8, 2004: Pink won her first solo Grammy Award when her single "Trouble" was named Best Female Rock Vocal Performance. 

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February 8, 1969: The Bee Gees peaked at Number 6 on Billboard's Hot 100 with "I Started a Joke."

"I Started a Joke" is a great example of lyrical songwriting and love-it-or-hate music.  With the opening line, "I started a joke, which started the whole world crying," followed with, "I started to cry, which set the whole world laughing," the song can be heard as achingly poignant or overly sentimental, depending on your mindset. 

Read more: Songfacts

February 8, 1975: Bob Dylan had his second Number 1 on the US album chart with Blood On The Tracks.

Blood On The Tracks is the closest Bob Dylan came to wearing his emotions on his sleeve. It's an explicitly confessional record since many songs are riddles or allegories, but the warmth of the music makes it feel that way. The original version of the album was even quieter.

Read more: Allmusic

January 31, 1981: Justin Timberlake was born in Memphis, Tennessee.

Justin Timberlake rose to fame as the most prominent member of the group 'N Sync.

Justin Timberlake

 

 When the group broke up in 2002, he started a solo career that became very successful, but it took a while before journalists stopped asking questions about getting back together with 'N Sync. Timberlake says it wasn't until his song "SexyBack" that he was widely accepted as a solo artist. 

Read more: Songfacts

February 8, 1992: The UK act Right Said Fred started a three-week run atop the US singles chart with "I'm Too Sexy."

Right Said Fred were brothers Richard and Fred Fairbrass. The siblings managed a London dance, where they came across lots of narcissism and posing. A loop playing on the computer, and Rich took his shirt off and started singing, "I'm too sexy for my shirt." The guys thought it was hilarious and worked up the song around the phrase. 

Read more: Songfacts

Trouble
Pink