Music History Today: March 28, 2023

March 28, 1986: Lady Gaga was born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan, New York City. 

Lady Gaga attended New York University's Tisch School for the Arts but left to find creative expression. Her debut album, The Fame, was a huge success. The single "Poker Face" topped charts in almost every category in virtually every country.

Lady Gaga

She has since earned acclaim for subsequent albums, including a collaboration with Tony Bennett and her acting skills, capturing a Golden Globe for her contributions to American Horror Story, and an Oscar nomination for her co-starring role in A Star Is Born. 

Read more: Biography

March 28, 1958: Nineteen-year-old Eddie Cochran recorded "Summertime Blues."

"Summertime Blues" was a big hit with Eddie Cochran's teenage fans, who could relate to the lyrics about being held back by society (and parents).

Eddie Cochran

Cochran got an image as a rebel with a guitar, and his legend was secured when he died two years later while riding in the back of a taxi. He was often compared to James Dean, who was 24 when he died in a car accident. 

Read more: Songfact

 

March 28, 1967: Van Morrison recorded "Brown Eyed Girl."

"Brown Eyed Girl" was initially titled "Brown Skinned Girl," about an interracial relationship. Morrison changed it to make the song more palatable for radio stations. Some stations banned it for the line, "Making love in the green grass." 

Read more: Songfacts

March 28, 1981: Blondie started a two-week run atop the US singles chart with "Rapture." It's the first Number 1 song in the US to feature rap.

March 28, 1992: Michael Jackson peaked at Number 3 in the US with "Remember the Time."

"Remember the Time" was the second single released from Michael Jackson's highly anticipated album Dangerous, the follow-up to Bad four years earlier. The lavish video, set in ancient Egypt, was directed by John Singleton and starred Eddie Murphy, Magic Johnson, and the Somali fashion model Iman, who married David Bowie in 1992. 

Read more: Songfacts

Shallow (from A Star Is Born) 

Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper