Music History Today: April 9, 2023

April 9, 2005: Green Day entered Billboard's Hot 100 with "Holiday."

"Holiday" by Green Day is about the American government and society during the Iraq War. It begins by commenting on how the thousands of dead Americans and Iraqis are nameless to the average American citizen.

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The track then shines a spotlight on the corporate greed and corruption involved in the "rebuilding" effort and shows how the average protester realizes that the pro-war money men have more power than they can ever have. It also points out the irony of the Christian right-wing feeling religiously justified in this war. 

Read more: Songfacts

April 9, 1961: The Marcels topped the US singles chart with "Blue Moon."     

"Blue Moon" for the 1933 movie musical Hollywood Party was cut from the film. It was used in the movies Malaya (1949); East Side, West Side (1950); and With A Song In My Heart (1952) before Elvis Presley recorded it for Sun Records in 1954. The Marcels recorded this in two takes. A promotion man asked and got a copy, which found its way to legendary DJ Murray The K. 

Read more: Songfacts

April 9, 1977: David Bowie's "Sound and Vision" single from his album Low entered Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart.

"Sound and Vision" was David Bowie's response to retreating from America to escape his drug addiction. Mary Hopkin provides the backing vocals on this track.

An unusual song to be released as a single, it was recorded at first as an instrumental with Mary Hopkin's backing vocals before Bowie recorded his vocals. He then trimmed some of them, leaving the opening instrumental section longer than the central vocal part. 

Read more: Songfacts

April 9, 1983: Daryl Hall & John Oates peaked at Number 7 on Billboard with "One On One."

Many Hall & Oates songs were collaborations between Daryl Hall and John Oates, sometimes with input from Janna Allen and Sara Allen, but "One on One" was all Daryl Hall. It uses a one-on-one basketball game as a metaphor for romance. Because of the basketball references, this was used in NBA promos in the mid-1980s. 

Read more: Songfacts

April 9, 1988: "The Flame" by Cheap Trick debuted on the US music chart.

"The Flame" was written for the British singer Elkie Brooks, but she wouldn't record it. It found its way to Epic Records, which gave it to Cheap Trick. The song is a tender ballad where the singer tells a girl he will always be there for her. It was not typical of Cheap Trick's sound. It became the band's only Number 1 hit. 

Read more: Songfacts

Holiday
Green Day