more brave than me
more blond than you
e e cummings
October 6, 1990: "Close to You" by Maxi Priest took over the top spot on Billboard's Hot 100 chart.
Maxi Priest had come up through the London sound-system scene of the ’80s, singing over reggae instrumentals at parties and street fairs and youth clubs.
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| Donna Summer |
January 27, 1990: Tom Petty peaked at Number 7 with his only American Top 10 single as a solo artist, "Free Fallin’."
Tom Petty’s 1989 hit “Free Fallin’” is a simple enough song. It contains just a handful of guitar chords that any beginner could easily handle.
September 1, 1979: With "My Sharona" at the top, "Good Girls Don't" by The Knack entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
"Good Girls Don't" was written by Doug Fieger, lead vocalist for The Knack. Fieger originally wrote it with Johnny Cash's voice in mind.
The Knack
"Because I Got High" by American rapper Afroman describes how cannabis use is degrading the narrator's quality of life.
June 30, 2014: "All About That Bass" by Meghan Trainor is released.
The first time Kevin Kadish and Meghan Trainor wrote a song together, they came up with one of the biggest pop hits of the decade.
Meghan Trainor
“Love You Inside Out,” the Bee Gees’ final #1 single, peaked on the charts a few weeks before the Chicago Disco Demolition Night, the event that at least crystallized the long-brewing disco backlash.
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| Bee Gees 1979 |
June 2, 1973: "Daniel" by Elton John peaked at Number 2, kept from the top spot when My Love by Paul McCartney started a 4-week run in the top spot.
“Daniel” is a track from Elton John, one of the world’s best-selling musical artists, and arguably one of the most well-known. Appearing in John’s 1973 album “Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player”, “Daniel” is the first track from the record, written by both John and his lyricist Bernie Taupin. Taupin explained the meaning of the song:
May 5, 1973: Paul Simon released the album There Goes Rhymin' Simon on Columbia Records.
Retaining the buoyant musical feel of Paul Simon, but employing a more produced sound, There Goes Rhymin' Simon found Paul Simon writing and performing with assurance and venturing into soulful and R&B-oriented music.
April 28, 1979: Blondie's "Heart Of Glass" hit Number 1 in America.
'Heart of Glass' became Blondie's first #1 hit on the strength of Debbie Harry's smooth vocals, relatable lyrics, and a dance beat.
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| Debbie Harry |
March 24, 2001: Crazy Town had the Number 1 song with "Butterfly."
Writing a completely sincere love song is difficult – without the protective layers of irony, metaphor and bravado, laying one’s heart bare is an extraordinarily hard thing to do, rendering oneself emotionally vulnerable.
March 10, 1984: The Eurythmics entered the Top 10 with their second hit, "Here Comes The Rain Again." It will peak at Number 4.
Here Comes the Rain Again peaked at #4 in the Billboard 100 in 1984.
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| The Eurythmics |
February 27, 1980: "What a Fool Believes" by The Doobie Brothers won both Record and Song of the Year honors at the Grammys.
There weren’t a whole lot of #1 singles in 1979 that didn’t at least nod toward disco. The Doobie Brothers’ “What A Fool Believes” stood out.
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| The Doobie Brothers |
November 24, 1991: Freddie Mercury of Queen died of AIDS-related bronchial pneumonia at age 45.
Freddie Mercury, rock's showman incarnate, died last night, 24 hours after he confirmed he was suffering from Aids.
November 15, 1980: "Lady," written by Lionel Richie, becomes Kenny Rogers' only solo Number 1 Hot 100 hit.
On the song “Lady,” Kenny Rogers teamed up with songwriter and producer Lionel Richie, still one of the leaders of the Commodores at the time.
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| Kenny Rogers |
November 3, 1979: British electro musician Robin Scott, aka M, went all the way to the top with "Pop Muzik."
A mechanistic drum pounds out a steady, basic thump. Keyboards make noises — blips, pings, squirts, hums — that sound strange and spartan and alien while still somehow resolving into catchy melodies.
October 13, 1941: Paul Simon was born in Newark, New Jersey.
Paul Simon was born on October 13, 1941, to Jewish-American parents living in New Jersey, and grew up in Forest Hills, New York.
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| Paul Simon |
Musician Gene Simmons first decided he wanted to be in a band while in middle school, after watching girls scream at The Beatles on television.
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| Gene Simmons |
American folk icon Woody Guthrie was born on July 14, 1912. A poet of the people, Guthrie wrote some of America's most important songs, including "This Land Is Your Land."
