The Byrds
1965, The Byrds were at No.1 on the singles chart with their version of the Bob Dylan song ‘Mr Tambourine Man’. The first Bob Dylan song to reach No.1.
1967, All four Beatles and their manager Brian Epstein signed a petition printed in The Times newspaper calling for the legalization of marijuana.
1967, The Beatles meet Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, whose lecture on Transcendental Meditation (TM) they had gone to hear at the Hilton Hotel in London. TM involved the silent repetition of a word or sound to produce a state of mind that reduces stress, calms the mind, and energizes both mind and body. The Maharishi invited The Beatles to travel with him to Bangor, in North Wales, to attend more lectures. They accepted his invitation.
1969, Paul McCartney recorded a demo of his new song ‘Come and Get It’ at Abbey Road studios in London. McCartney gave the song to The Iveys, (soon to become known as Badfinger). The song was later used as the theme for the movie The Magic Christian. The Beatles also recorded ‘Sun King/Mean Mr. Mustard’ for their forthcoming Abbey Road album.
1971, Paul Revere and the Raiders went to No.1 on the singles chart with ‘Indian Reservation’.
Marc Bolan of T. Rex
1971, The No. 1 record in the U.K. is T. Rex’s “Get It On.”
1972, Bobby Ramirez drummer with Edger Winters White Trash was killed after becoming involved in a brawl in a Chicago bar. The fight started after comments were made about the length of his hair.
1974, George McCrae was at No.1 on the singles chart with ‘Rock Your Baby’. Written and produced by Harry Wayne Casey and Richard Finch of KC and the Sunshine Band. Regarded by some as the first Disco No.1.
1976, The Beach Boys ’20 Golden Greats’ album started a ten-week run at No.1 on the album chart.
1976, Elton John scored his first number 1 single with ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ a duet with Kiki Dee. It was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin under the pseudonym “Ann Orson” and “Carte Blanche” and was Elton’s first No.1 after 16 Top 40 hits. John had met Dee when she was working as a backing singer. John would later re-record the song with RuPaul for his 1993 ‘Duets’ album.
Born on this day: Steve Goodman (1948)
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