Friday, April 14, 2023

Music History Today: April 15, 2023

April 15, 2016: The Jungle Book opened in the US with a musical score that drew from George Bruns' original.

The Jungle Book 2016 movie poster
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April 15, 1957: Jerry Lee Lewis released his first charting single, "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," for Sam Phillips' Memphis-based Sun label.
Radio stations found all kinds of reasons not to play Jerry Lee Lewis' "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On:" because it was too suggestive, and he sounded black. Most stations didn't play songs by black artists. Still, the song sold well in the southern United States, but it wasn't until Lewis' TV debut on The Steve Allen Show on July 28, 1957, that it became a national hit and sold over 6 million copies. 
Read more: Songfacts

April 15, 1972: Roberta Flack had a break-out hit when "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" started a six-week run at Number 1 on the US singles chart.
Folk singer Ewan MacColl wrote "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" in 1957. It was used in the 1972 Clint Eastwood movie Play Misty For Me, exposing the mostly unknown Flack. The track won the Grammy awards in 1973 for Song of the Year and Record of the Year, beating out Don McLean's "American Pie" in both categories. 
Read more: American Songwriter

April 15, 1983: Spandau Ballet released the title track from their album True.
The single "True" by Spandau Ballet was a massive worldwide hit, going to Number 1 in 21 countries. It's their only big hit in America, but one of many in their native UK and other parts of Europe. 
Read more: Wikipedia

April 15, 2000: 'N Sync topped out at Number 4 in the US with "Bye, Bye, Bye."
"Bye, Bye, Bye" was the first single from the second 'N Sync album, No Strings Attached, which set a record by selling 2.4 million copies the first week it was out.

'N Sync
 'N Sync

By 2000, there was hysteria for the group, which had some modest hits from their first album ("I Want You Back," "God Must Have Spent A Little More Time On You") but nothing crazy. 
Read more: Songfacts

Jungle Book 2016


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