JANUARY 1ST
Whole Lotta Love by C.C.S. (1970)
from the album C.C.S.
On this date in 1984 Alexis Korner died at the age of fifty-five. Korner was hugely influential in the development of British-based blues which soared into orbit in the mid-1960s. Artists such as the Rolling Stones, Cream, and Jimmy Page all had an association with this respected pioneer. Korner eventually found chart success of his own when his combo, entitled CCS (or the Collective Consciousness Society) released an instrumental cover version of Led Zeppelin's anthemic 'Whole Lotta Love'. It was very ironic that although the mighty Zeppelin flatly refused to ever issue singles in Britain, one of their tunes would become the theme music to the BBC chart's flagship television programme, 'Top Of The Pops'!
{Also on this date, the Euro currency is introduced in 1999}

JANUARY 2ND
Dazed And Confused by Led Zeppelin (1969)
from the album Led Zeppelin
This day marks the anniversary of the birth of Richard Cole in 1946, Led Zeppelin's notorious hell-raiser and tour manager. While most road managers might have sought to curb the excesses of their musicians, Cole chose to encourage them. In the company of John 'Bonzo' Bonham and Jimmy Page, Cole left a trail of destruction in many a five-star hotel suite, while the unholy trinity of Cole, Bonzo, and the ex-wrestler Peter Grant also left one or two individuals with black eyes and worse. It is therefore appropriate that the song for today should be arguably the standout track from Zeppelin's seminal debut album. Jimmy Page's composition, originally titled 'I'm Confused', was a fine example of the blending of blues with (heavy metal) rock.
{Also on this day, 66 soccer fans are killed in the Ibrox disaster of 1971}

JANUARY 3RD
Everybody Hurts by REM (1992)
from the album Automatic For The People
No this book is not about all things Zeppelin, tempting though it is to recall at length the wonder that was the fearsome foursome. Nevertheless, this date represents the birthday of the group's ace bass player John Paul Jones in 1946. After Zeppelin crash landed in September 1980, Jones went into relative obscurity, but returned to the semi-limelight in the early 1990s when he collaborated with the equally formidable REM. One product of their work together was the heart-rending ballad 'Everybody Hurts', from the outstanding 'Automatic For The People' collection. The combination of Jones's string arrangements and Michael Stipe's lyrics have granted this song the status of timeless classic.
{Also on this date, Alaska becomes the 49th state of the United States in 1959}

JANUARY 4TH
World Leader Pretend by REM (1988)
from the album Green
Not REM again? Yes, well it is the birthday of Michael Stipe in 1960. It was probably the excellent 'Green' album that effected the group's transition from cult status to international supergroup. I am particularly keen on the long player's Side Two, including such tracks as 'Hairshirt' (akin to Led Zeppelin's early acoustic numbers) and also 'I Remember.....California'. However, the best item on the album is perhaps on Side One, namely 'World Leader Pretend'. Michael Stipe has always been a serious individual who has something worthwhile to say, and in this number he sings of an individual (himself?) confronting personal demons: "I sit at my table and wage war on myself."
{Also on this day, Phil Lynott, the leader of Thin Lizzy, dies in 1986, aged 36}

JANUARY 5TH
Rapture by Blondie (1980)
from the album Autoamerican
Chris Stein, Debbie Harry's long-time other half and song-writing partner, was born on this day in 1950. In the autumn of 1980, Blondie reached the summit of the British singles charts for the fifth time in less than two years, with their cover of the reggae classic, 'The Tide Is High'. Its follow-up 'Rapture' fared less well in the UK, though it did sneak into the Top Five in early 1981, yet it was a courageous attempt by a white group to bring the new sound of rap music into the mainstream. 'Rapture' hails from the sorely under-rated 'Autoamerican' album which producer Mike Chapman described as Blondie's Sergeant Pepper, though critics begged to differ. If you ever see the colourful video promo of 'Rapture', watch out for the appearance of the goat. Apparently, it proved to be most reluctant at fulfilling its walk-on part.
{Also on this date, Mal Evans, the roadie and friend of the Beatles is shot dead in LA, aged 40}

JANUARY 6TH
Shine On You Crazy Diamond by Pink Floyd (1975)
from the album Wish You Were Here
The late Roger 'Syd Barrett' (born on this date in 1946) only contributed to the first Pink Floyd album and partially to the second one, yet the legend that is Syd hung like a shadow over his former bandmates for many years thereafter. It could be argued that 'The Dark Side Of The Moon' (or parts of it) and 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' (from the 'Wish You Were Here' follow-up) were written with Syd in mind. 'Shine On' is certainly a giant of a song. Split rather pretentiously into nine parts (well, it is the Floyd), 'Shine On' is very much a period piece, typical of early and mid-seventies progressive rock, when lengthy, meandering tracks were in vogue. By a strange quirk of fate, a bald, overweight Syd appeared at the EMI Abbey Road studios during the recording of this song about him. Doing a fine impersonation of a vagrant, the erratic Syd explained to his horrified friends that his weight was due to the large pork chops he had in his fridge. He wasn't known as a crazy diamond for nothing.
{Also on this day, jazz musician, John 'Dizzy' Gillespie dies in 1993, at the age of 75}

JANUARY 7TH
Babylon System by Bob Marley And The Wailers (1978)
from the album Survival
This day marks the birth of Earl 'Wya' Lindo, a keyboardist in Bob Marley's backing group, The Wailers. The song that I have chosen for today emanates from the 'Survival' album. Rather like much of the content from this long player, 'Babylon System' is an uncompromising black consciousness track which denounces the First World (or the west) for its ill treatment of the Third World, of which Marley was a leading spokesman. The musical accompaniment to this superb Marley effort makes for pleasant listening, but fellow Babylonians be under no illusion, the marvellous Marley doesn't sugar coat his lyrics. Steeped in biblical imagery, Robert Nesta states that "we've been taken for granted much too long" and urging the listener to "tell the children the truth."
{Also on this date, the Vietnamese seize Phnom Penh from the Khmer Rouge in 1979}

JANUARY 8TH
Sound And Vision by David Bowie (1977)
from the album Low
By 1976 David Bowie, re-invented as The Thin White Duke, was languishing in Berlin, coping with the after-effects of hard drug use. Well, what do you expect when you play with Iggy and Lou? Nevertheless, although Bowie's creative energy was almost stifled by his extra-curricular habits, he did re-emerge with the help of such tracks as 'Sound And Vision'. This song is a particular favourite of mine. I like the guitar chords, drums, and the synthesizer. It's all fairly repetitive stuff, but when you create a catchy sound, then why go off at a tangent? The single also struck a chord (no pun intended) with the British record buyers who helped Bowie return to the Top Three of the hit parade in early 1977. I like the origin of this item. Bowie, laid low by one or two substances, was literally waiting for the gift of sound and vision to return to his consciousness. Ably assisted by the guitar of Carlos Alomar, this is an under-rated Bowie classic that ought to be played on the anniversary of his birth in 1947.
{Also on this day, the trial of the 7 Watergate 'burglars' begins in 1973}

JANUARY 9TH
The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore by The Walker Brothers (1966)
available on the album The Walker Brothers’ Story
Scott Engel was born on this day in 1943. Along with Gary Lees and John Maus, he lit up the singles charts with one or two classic pop songs. Most noteworthy is 'The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore' which highlighted the excellent vocal harmonies of the Walker Brothers. This pop ballad emulated their previous success with 'Make It Easy On Yourself' by reaching the summit of the British singles chart. Unquestionably one of the great singles of the 1960s, this tear-jerker has been described fittingly as "majestic" by the former Radio One disc jockey Mike Read. The great bespectacled one wasn't too wide of the mark on this occasion. What a pity that Scott and his companions could not build upon the success of this 45. Anyhow, one note of warning ought to be issued: Before indulging yourself in this track, get a couple of tissues out.
{Also on this date, the UN headquarters in New York officially open in 1951}

JANUARY 10TH
The Killing Of Georgie (Part I And II) by Rod Stewart (1976)
from the album A Night On The Town
This track never quite garnered the acclaim it truly deserves. There may be a couple of possible reasons for this. Firstly, it narrowly failed to reach the coveted Number One position. After all, in cricket it is suggested that people remember centuries considerably more than scores of 98 or 99. Secondly, the success of 'Sailing' also served to eclipse what I consider to be the superior song. Furthermore, the consensus of opinion is that once Rod parted company with the Faces and acquainted himself with Uncle Sam, the quality of his recordings declined. I question this theory. Anyhow, 'The Killing Of Georgie (Part I And II)' is a moving story of a gay friend who meets a violent and early death in New York. I regard this beautiful but sad record to be marginally Rod Stewart's best-ever piece. On the anniversary of the old mod's birthday in 1945, you could do worse than play this composition.
{Also on this day, Cuban troops start to withdraw from Angola in 1989}

JANUARY 11TH
Jeepster by T Rex (1971)
from the album Electric Warrior
This single fell just short of the Number One slot in the UK singles chart, but in my humble opinion it is more deserving of this coveted position than the four T Rex tracks that did arrive there. This date is the anniversary in 2003 of the death of Marc Bolan's closest musical collaborator, percussionist Mickey Finn, at the age of 55. 1971 marked a transformation in the fortunes of T Rex, as Bolan and Finn metamorphosed from the cult hippie Tyrannosaurus Rex into the radio-friendly T Rex. While Marc and Mickey basked in the new-found glory of T Recstacy, their former champion John Peel was horrified at their new pop sound. Pop or not, 'Jeepster' (an unusual love song) is one of the great singles from the era of glam rock.
{Also on this date, the state of East Pakistan is re-named as Bangladesh in 1972}

JANUARY 12TH
Tragedy by The Bee Gees (1979)
from the album Spirits Having Flown
January 12th is the anniversary of the death of Maurice Gibb in 2003, aged 53. It is consequently appropriate that the song for today is 'Tragedy' by the Bee Gees. After scoring two chart-toppers in Britain in the late 1960s, Australia's finest singing family had to wait a full decade before returning to the top of the hit parade with the dance-floor classic, 'Night Fever'. For a few years, the brothers Gibb could do no wrong. Their renewed popularity was a result of their association with the 'Saturday Night Fever' soundtrack which effectively re-ignited their flagging fortunes. Cashing in on this success was the single 'Tragedy', taken from the 'Spirits Having Flown' album, which was undoubtedly one of the best Number Ones of 1979.
{Also on this day, Agatha Christie dies in 1976, at the age of eighty-five}

JANUARY 13TH
Night Boat To Cairo by Madness (1979)
from the album One Step Beyond
Originally included on the 'One Step Beyond' album, it was a full six months before 'Night Boat To Cairo' became the fourth hit single from the debut album of Camden Town's finest septet. Today marks the date of birth of their hugely likeable vocalist, Graham 'Suggs' McPherson. In the group's pre-fame days, Suggs was fired from the band when he deemed a football match more important than attendance at group rehearsals. Fortunately for us all, common sense soon prevailed, and Suggs could be found on our screens in the spring of 1980 dressed in British Eighth Army uniform with his six buddies as they clowned their way through the video of this excellent song. This track was the featured cut from the 'Work Rest And Play' EP, although also worth checking out is the tune 'Don't Quote Me On That' which remains one of the great undiscovered pop songs.
{Also on this date, Marshal Tito becomes the President of Yugoslavia in 1953}

JANUARY 14TH
Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana (1991)
from the album Nevermind
Apparently 'Teen Spirit' is/was an American deodorant. Only Kurt Cobain, the nerd-cum-rock star could conceive such a song title. Featuring Kurt's remarkable tongue-in-cheek lyrics, not to mention a light and shade dynamic, reminiscent of Led Zeppelin, Nirvana brew up a storm, which became the staple diet for many a student disco for the ensuing decade. This opening track from the 'Nevermind' album launched grunge rock's best act into the big league of superstardom, for which they were scarcely prepared. On the birthday of Dave Grohl, take a listen and marvel at Dave's drums demolition. This track remains one of the great anthems of the 1990s.
{Also on this day, in 1972 Margrethe II becomes Denmark's first Queen since 1412}

JANUARY 15TH
Without You by Nilsson (1971)
from the album Nilsson Schmilsson
This momentous ballad is steeped in tragedy. Firstly, the lyrics by themselves reveal someone in a state of darkest despair. This was indeed the case for the composer, Pete Ham (a member of the group Badfinger), who would take his own life a few years later. Secondly, the vocalist (Canada's Harry Nilsson) also met a premature end on this day in 1994, aged 52, after years of hard living in the company of Keith Moon, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon. Although something of a bad luck charm, this single was one of the best transatlantic Number One hits of 1972 courtesy of Nilsson's impressive vocal performance.
{Also on this date, Los Angeles plays host to the first Super Bowl in 1967}

JANUARY 16TH
Killer Blow by Sade (1986)
from the Absolute Beginners movie soundtrack
Sade came to prominence in the mid-eighties with a number of excellent hit singles, such as 'Smooth Operator' and 'Your Love Is King'. This particular track is quite obscure, but it makes a welcome appearance on the soundtrack to the heavily-panned 'Absolute Beginners' musical film. Few soundtrack albums can come close to 'Absolute Beginners' for quality, as it yielded efforts from such luminaries as David Bowie, Jerry Dammers, Ray Davies, the Style Council, and this undiscovered gem from Sade. I had the supreme good fortune to pick this superb soundtrack album up for something like 99p in a Bradford record store about fifteen years ago. Irrespective of the patchy film, this was money well spent. For the record, the elegant Sade was born on this day in 1959.
{Also on this day, the Shah of Iran flees Iran and goes into exile in 1979}

JANUARY 17TH
Wonderland by Paul Young (1986)
from the album Between Two Fires
The immensely likeable Paul Young was born on this date in 1956. Luton's greatest soul singer enjoyed huge success with his first two albums 'No Parlez' and 'The Secret Of Association'. Both albums produced a string of hit singles, mainly cover versions of such quality as Jack Lee's 'Come Back And Stay' and Hall And Oates's 'Every Time You Go Away'. Young's third album, 'Between Two Fires', was less commercially successful, which is regrettable considering that it possesses such fine tracks as 'Wasting My Time', the up-tempo 'In The Long Run', and this majestic attempt at Betsy Cook's 'Wonderland'. Released as a single, 'Wonderland' failed to penetrate the Top Twenty, but Young does tremendous justice to a song that includes such lines as: "Are your eyes so tired of searching that they can't see love?/ And is your heart so full of locks and keys, that it can't open up?" Superb stuff.
{Also on this date, the first air strikes of Operation Desert Storm take place in 1991}

JANUARY 18TH
Pride (In The Name Of Love) by U2 (1984)
from the album The Unforgettable Fire
Martin Luther King Day is commemorated in the United States of America each January on the third Monday of the month. The charismatic King became the subject of a number of posthumous pop records, including Marvin Gaye's 'Abraham, Martin, and John' and this stunning classic from Ireland's leading export, U2. 'Pride' was the second Top Ten hit single in Britain for Dublin's fab four, helping to launch them towards two decades of world domination. Bono and his buddies were so struck by the legend that is King that their 'Unforgettable Fire' offering also included another King-inspired track on Side Two, namely 'MLK'. 'Pride' features an awesome intro from guitarist Dave 'The Edge' Evans, ably assisted by the drums of Larry Mullen. Anybody who scoffs at the output of 'eighties popular music needs to listen to this record. 'Pride' is an apt title, because the authors ought to be proud of their end-product.
{Also on this day, Martin Luther King Day is observed in all 50 states in 1993 for the first time}

JANUARY 19TH
Dedicated To The One I Love by The Mamas And The Papas (1967)
from the album The Mamas And The Papas Deliver
One of the two Papas, Denny Doherty, passed away on this day in 2007 at the age of 66. For the uninitiated, the Mamas and the Papas were Abba in a California, 'sixties flower-power setting. Actually, unlike Sweden's finest foursome, they did not write all of their own material, in spite of the best efforts of John Phillips. The repertoire of cover versions included 'My Girl', 'Twist And Shout', and 'Dancing In The Streets'. However, nothing quite compares with their version of 'Dedicated To The One I Love'. Supremely beautiful vocal harmonies contribute to a stunning love song. Rather like Fleetwood Mac and Abba themselves, the west coasts's great singing quartet mixed business with pleasure as they fell in and out of love with one another. Internal disharmony decreed that the Mamas and the Papas, like most of their members, would be a short-lived wonder.
{Also on this date, Miami, Florida, receives its only ever snowfall in 1977}

JANUARY 20TH
Let There Be More Light by Pink Floyd (1968)
from the album A Saucerful Of Secrets
On this day in 1968, the original Floyd performed ensemble for the last time at Hastings in Sussex. The tale goes that on a subsequent outing, the question was posed as to whether they should pick up Syd Barrett for the gig, but there was now no enthusiasm for deploying the services of the group's front-man and wayward genius. Barrett did however receive musical assistance from his former colleagues as he proceeded to release a couple of characteristically quirky albums. Back in early 1968, while Syd became surplus to requirements, Dave Gilmour was recruited to the unenviable task of filling the void of Syd. Before such a changing of the guard took place, Barrett contributed a formidable guitar part to the excellent opening track of the group's second long player, 'A Saucerful Of Secrets'. 'Let There Be More Light' is a magnificent opener, with a semi-sinister and spooky sound which set the tone for some of the Floyd's subsequent space rock, 'progressive' recordings.
{Also on this day,in 1981 Iran releases 52 American hostages}

JANUARY 21ST
Unfinished Sympathy by Massive Attack (1991)
from the album Blue Lines
Robert Del Naja of ace nineties group Massive Attack was born on this day in 1965. Massive Attack provided their own huge assault on the charts with the album 'Blue Lines' from which the single 'Unfinished Sympathy' was drawn. This composition formed part of the soundtrack to the excellent sexual thriller 'Sliver', starring Sharon Stone and Tom Berenger. 'Unfinished Sympathy' represents all that is good about dance music - cool, mysterious, and with an irresistible rhythm. What a pity that the Beatles or the Rolling Stones could never produce anything remotely wondrous as this tune, which is definitely a strong candidate for the best song of the 1990s.
{Also on this date, Elvis's manager, 'Colonel' Tom Parker dies in 1997, aged 87}

JANUARY 22ND
The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle by The Sex Pistols (1979)
from the album The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle
By the time that the film 'The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle' had hit the cinema screens in 1979, Johnny Rotten had long since departed the Pistols in acrimony in January 1978, while scarcely twelve months later his buddy Sid Vicious took his leave of planet earth. The title track to the film and its soundtrack features stand-in vocal performances from amongst others Tenpole Tudor, who enjoyed a cameo role in the movie alongside that other notorious punk rocker, Irene Handl. I like to depart from conventional wisdom (such as it is) by expressing my admiration for 'The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle' album and in particular for this tune which surpasses anything that the Pistols had previously offered. Steve Jones provides an excellent guitar sound and the vocals are reminiscent of Sham 69 in which the group proceed to unseat such dinosaurs as Elton John, Rod Stewart, Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, and Mick Jagger, the "white nigger". Today is the date of birth of Pistols manager and entrepreneur, the inimitable Malcolm McLaren, born in 1946.
{Also on this day, Russian dissident, Andrei Sakharov is arrested in Moscow in 1980}

JANUARY 23RD
King by UB40 (1980)
available on the album The Singles Album
'King' is another tribute to the American civil rights leader, tragically gunned down in the spring of 1968. It was fitting that a multi-racial band should sing his praises. The track 'King' was coupled with 'Food For Thought' as a double A-side for UB40's two-pronged assault on the British charts. Both the background and the outcome of 'King' make for an interesting story. Unlike many other so-called working-class heroes in the music industry, UB40 did not benefit from an art college or grammar school background. The only benefits that they benefited from were unemployment ones. Thus, starting out on the road to possible fame, the UBs had a shoestring budget with which to launch their musical career. Consequently, they were obliged to record their debut single in Bob Lamb's home-made studio, which also doubled up as his bedsit. This home-made reggae classic, along with 'Food For Thought', would become (for the Graduate record label) one of the great success stories of the independent record company scene, peaking at No.4 in the UK singles chart. On this day, bassist Earl Falconer was born in 1957.
{Also on this date, the Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame inducts its first 8 members in 1986}

JANUARY 24TH
America by Neil Diamond (1980)
from the album The Jazz Singer (Soundtrack)
Not to be confused with Simon And Garfunkel's magnificent song of the same name, 'America' is an epic recording from the hugely popular Neil Diamond, which reached the American Top Ten in 1981, having originally featured on the 'Jazz Singer' soundtrack. As well as carving out a successful singing career, courtesy of such gems as 'Sweet Caroline' and 'Forever In Blue Jeans', Neil Diamond also penned British chart-toppers 'Red Red Wine' for UB40 in 1983 and 'I'm A Believer' for The Monkees in 1967. Today marks the date of birth of Neil Diamond in New York, back in 1941.
{Also on this day, the first Apple Mac computer goes on sale in 1984}

JANUARY 25TH
Best Friend by The Beat (1980)
from the album I Just Can’t Stop It
If this book achieves nothing else, then I hope that it brings to the attention of the reader the fact that this effort from The Beat's debut album 'I Just Can't Stop It' is unarguably one of the great jangly guitar classics. Yes reader, if you haven't had the supreme good fortune to hear this song yet, then go and promptly acquaint yourself with it. The trouble for this record was that by the time that it was issued as the third single from The Beat's impressive long player, many record buyers were not inclined to buy a song from an album that they may already have possessed. On this the date of birth of the group's guitarist Andy Cox, this tune showcases his talents which re-surfaced when he and fellow Beat member David Steele formed The Fine Young Cannibals with Roland Gift. Sorry to shatter illusions folks, but this brilliant pop song far surpasses the La’s 'There She Goes'.
{Also on this date, Idi Amin seizes power in Uganda in 1971 from Milton Obote}

JANUARY 26TH
Johnny Too Bad by UB40 (1983)
from the album Labour Of Love
We stay in Birmingham for this album track from UB40's hugely successful 'Labour Of Love' offering in 1983. This song, one of ten reggae cover versions on the long player, featured Norman Lamont Hassan on lead vocals. Rather like Chas Smash of Madness and Neville Staples of The Specials, Hassan was the versatile member who had a variety of musical roles in the eight-piece combo. Stepping forward to the microphone, Norman was helped by a fine keyboards sound evoked by Mickey Virtue. This record was one of a handful of compositions from 'Labour Of Love' which wasn't released as a single but which could easily have been. Nevertheless, this piece remains a key component of a project which revived UB40 after they had floundered for a couple of years. Today marks the anniversary of the birth of Hassan in 1958.
{Also on this day, Egypt and Israel establish diplomatic relations in 1980}

JANUARY 27TH
Fine Time by New Order (1988)
from the album Technique
This 'fine' tune hails from New Order's 'Technique' album. This opening track and the rest of the contents bear the hallmarks of the Ibiza club scene and represent a far cry from the group's previous work in Joy Division with the late Ian Curtis. To their credit, the formidable New Order had the ability to re-invent themselves in the enforced absence of Curtis, as the Mancunians were in the vanguard of the emerging indie dance scene. 'Fine Time' is a 'fine' example of the group's new-found discovery of club techno-rhythms. The song is truly infectious and stands favourably in comparison with any album opener in pop history. It does face a strong challenge for the accolade of the best song from the long player from 'Vanishing Point'. On this the anniversary of the birth of keyboardist Gillian Gilbert, why not check out the merits of these two tracks in particular.
{Also on this date, Germany first observes International Holocaust Remembrance Day in 1996}

JANUARY 28TH
Love Hurts by Jim Capaldi (1975)
from the album Short Cut Draw Blood
Traffic were a group that didn't quite deliver, in spite of the quality of its line-up. Instead of which, Stevie Winwood and Jim Capaldi both chose to forsake collective responsibility in pursuit of a solo career. Capaldi did not go on to scale the heights too often, though this pleasing cover version of an Everly Brothers' recording represented a welcome return to the Top Ten in the singles chart for a man who subsequently succumbed to stomach cancer on this date in 2005 at the age of sixty. The hit single 'Love Hurts' can also be found on Capaldi's album, 'Short Cut Draw Blood'.
{Also on this day, all 7 astronauts are killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986}

JANUARY 29TH
The Last Time by The Rolling Stones (1965)
available on the album Big Hits (High Tide And Green Grass)
Today marks the date of birth of Andrew Loog Oldham in 1944 in London, the young hustler who managed the Rolling Stones during the mid-sixties. The story goes that Oldham was so concerned by the group's reliance on cover versions to provide hit singles, including Lennon and McCartney's 'I Wanna Be Your Man', that he locked Mick and Keith in a room, promising only to release them from captivity when they had written one or two new tunes. Consequently, at the sixth time of asking, the Stones issued a single that was their own composition. Featuring the dual guitar sound of Jones and Richards, and complemented by a decent B-side entitled 'Play With Fire', 'The Last Time' was a landmark recording for the infamous five. Now that Jagger and Richards had dipped their toes into the pursuit of songwriting, this certainly wouldn't be 'the last time' that they would construct new material.
{Also on this date, Willie Dixon, the blues songwriter and musician dies in 1992, aged 76}

JANUARY 30TH
Tomorrow Never Knows by Phil Collins (1981)
from the album Face Value
Not long after the death of John Lennon, two of his songs re-surfaced as notable cover versions: the chart-topping 'Jealous Guy' by Roxy Music and this closing track from the debut solo album of Phil Collins. His long player 'Face Value' was a huge seller and deservedly so, as it is choc full of marvellous compositions. However, nothing quite packs a punch like this courageous cover of one of the holiest of holies from the Beatles' canon - the last item on 'Revolver'. Whereas Lennon's initial effort was trippy and laid back, Collins created a percussion sound which transformed the tune into a much more powerful and even sinister one. On this date of birth of Phil Collins, there are few greater compliments than to suggest that he was one of a handful of artists to enhance the quality of a Beatles song, while on an album that contains 'In The Air Tonight' and 'If Leaving Me Is Easy', to state that this is the highlight is praise indeed.
{Also on this day, British Paratroopers kill 14 civil rights marchers in Londonderry in 1972}

JANUARY 31ST
This Is Not A Love Song by Public Image Limited (1983)
from the album This Is What You Want…This Is What You Get
Today marks the date of birth of that nice, polite John Lydon in 1956. Finsbury Park's finest vocalist scored a huge hit single with this song which reinforced the fact that John's Public Image Limited project was a far cry from the Sex Pistols. Lydon never wanted to be constrained by thrashing through three minute covers of The Who and Monkees' tunes. He had much more to offer than this. This recording is a case in point, as Lydon and his new gang add a horns section to boost this worthy performance. It was indeed one of several tracks which far surpassed anything that the Sex Pistols had created. Devoting more than four minutes to hearing this composition is time well spent.
{Also on this date, the American embassy in Saigon is attacked in 1968}

FEBRUARY 1ST
Graceland by Paul Simon (1986)
from the album Graceland
Paul Simon was clearly a big fan of the Everly Brothers. First of all, he and Art Garfunkel contributed a live performance of Phil and Don's 'Bye Bye Love' for the 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' project. Then, a decade and a half later, the Everlys themselves buried their sibling squandering long enough to join forces with an assortment of South African musicians to assist with the majestic title track of Paul Simon's 'Graceland' long player. Unquestionably one of the highlights of the 1980s, the 'Graceland' song benefits from not only an irresistible rhythm and Paul Simon's quirky lyrics, but from Phil and Don's harmonies decorating the overall sound. On this day in 1937, Don Everly was born. Along with his brother Phil, he entertained record buyers on both sides of the Atlantic with such pop classics as 'Claudette', 'Temptation', 'Walk Right Back', and the masturbatory 'All I Have To Do Is Dream'.
{Also on this day, the Ayatollah Khomeini returns to Iran in 1979 after 14 years in exile}

FEBRUARY 2ND
Fields Of Gold by Eva Cassidy (1996)
available on the album Songbird
This moving rendition of a Sting composition dates from the end of the 1990s, but it was only after the death of Eva Cassidy from melanoma that her recording proved to be a success. The tragic Eva Marie Cassidy only lived to the age of thirty-three. She was born this day in 1963 in Washington DC. Her posthumous compilation 'Songbird' flew to the top of the UK album chart. Sixteen years later on the same date, the considerably less talented Sid Vicious also exited planet earth at the age of 21, courtesy of a drugs overdose.
{Also on this date, the British embassy in Dublin is burnt down in 1972 by protesters}

FEBRUARY 3RD
It Doesn't Matter Anymore by Buddy Holly (1959)
available on the album The Buddy Holly Story
Don McLean in his slice of 'American Pie' refers to this date as "the day the music died", when Richie Valens, the Big Bopper, and Buddy Holly had their lives cut short by an aeroplane crash. Benefiting from a tidal wave of sympathy for his tragic passing, Buddy Holly scored a posthumous British chart-topper with today's featured song. Rock 'n' roll purists may bemoan the fact that Holly's divorce from the Crickets only contributed to syrupy tracks such as 'It Doesn't Matter Anymore' or 'Everyday', but Holly's tale of a love turned cold is an excellent recording. It may be a far cry from 'Oh Boy', 'Not Fade Away', or 'That'll Be The Day', but 'It Doesn't Matter Anymore' matters an awful lot for evermore. Meanwhile, today in 1967 was also "the day the music died" for ace British pop producer Joe Meek who took his own life, aged 37, on the anniversary of the death of his hero, Buddy Holly.
{Also on this day, Yasser Arafat is appointed the leader of the PLO in 1969}

FEBRUARY 4TH
School's Out by Alice Cooper (1972)
from the album School's Out
'School's Out' proved to be an unlikely chart-topper for shock rocker Alice Cooper. Born this day in 1948 as Vincent Furnier, he adopted his alter ego from the name of a seventeenth-century accused witch. Cooper and his group produced their own magic spell with this formidable teenage anthem, which remained a perennial favourite thereafter with under-twenties. Precisely what response the anarchic but tongue-in-cheek lyrics evoked from the education establishment has never been recorded, but Cooper could never re-visit the heights he scaled with this song, despite the subsequent success of his hit singles 'Elected' and 'Poison'. Although 'School's Out' is essential for any glam rock disco, it also remains a timeless classic rocker.
{Also on this date, an earthqauke in Guatemala and Honduras kills 22,000 people in 1976}

FEBRUARY 5TH
I Heard It Through The Grapevine by Marvin Gaye (1968)
from the album In The Groove [later titled I Heard It Through The Grapevine]
Barrett Strong was born this day in 1941. In collaboration with his song-writing partner Norman Whitfield, Strong was responsible for several of the finest hits in pop history. Pride of place must surely go to Marvin Gaye's interpretation of 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine', whose seven weeks at the summit of the Billboard singles chart ensured it was the American Christmas Number One in 1968. The following spring, the song ascended to the top of the British singles list, thereby joining the elite club of transatlantic Number Ones. The track boasted a jaw-dropping intro and ranks as one of the outstanding hit singles of the 1960s. Remarkably, the highly-acclaimed Marvin Gaye never returned to the top of the British chart, but then he could never find something quite as stunning as Strong and Whitfield's moody composition.
{Also on this day, Comic Relief's first Red Nose Day takes place in 1988}

FEBRUARY 6TH
Buffalo Soldier by Bob Marley And The Wailers (1983)
available on the album Confrontation
Assisted by a horns section, this British Top Five hit single was a key component of the albums 'Confrontation' and 'Legend', which were massive posthumous hits for Bob Marley and his Wailers. Buffalo Soldier tells the true story of how black African-Americans were recruited into the ranks of the Union Army in the American Civil War dispute of the 1860s, as outlined in the accompanying promotional video. Today marks the anniversary of the birth of Robert Nesta Marley in 1945 to Cedella Booker and an English white army officer, Captain Marley, at St Ann's in rural Jamaica. Although his recording career was cut short by the diagnosis of cancer in the autumn of 1980, many of Marley's unreleased recordings saw the light of day after his death in May 1981. The best of these tracks is probably the infectious 'Buffalo Soldier'.
{Also on this date, the Munich air disaster ends the life of several 'Busby babes' in 1958}

FEBRUARY 7TH
Smalltown Boy by Bronski Beat (1984)
from the album The Age Of Consent
This dance-floor favourite was the tale of how a young homosexual felt the need to flee from misunderstanding parents and the ostracism of his local community, not unlike the Little Britain character 'the only gay in the village' but without the laughs. It is clearly one of the great pop singles of the 'eighties. It is fitting to play this Top Five smash hit on the birth date of Steve Bronski in 1960. Fronted by diminutive Glaswegian Jimmy Somerville, Bronski Beat enjoyed a handful of hits, but nothing matched the heights of a record which reached out to persecuted souls who suffered in unenlightened times. Irrespective of the song's politics and poignant video, the tune by itself is a shining example of danceable electro-pop.
{Also on this day, the IRA launch a mortar attack on 10 Downing Street in 1991}

FEBRUARY 8TH
Runaway by Del Shannon (1961)
available on the album The Definitive Collection
Today marks the suicide in 1990 at the age of fifty-five of American 'sixties singing sensation, Del Shannon. Shannon's vocals excel themselves in his recording of 'Runaway' which proved to be a big Number One success on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean in 1961. It was thoroughly merited, although the onset of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and other new groups would render the popular appeal of the major solo singers somewhat redundant. Consequently, Del Shannon could not quite build upon the foundations that 'Runaway' had seemingly laid. Nevertheless, 'Runaway' is a worthy candidate for one of the best transatlantic Number Ones of the 'swinging sixties'.
{Also on this date, Enoch Powell dies at the age of eighty-five in 1998}

FEBRUARY 9TH
Beautiful by Carole King (1971)
from the album Tapestry
This three-minute cut from the massive seller 'Tapestry' is 'Beautiful' by name and beautiful by nature. It's an uplifting, inspirational number, with Carole King reminding the listener that "you're as beautiful as you feel" while exhorting us all "to wake up every morning with a smile on your face and show the world all the love in your heart". Easier said than done, you might argue, but this gentle, idealistic piece is arguably the highlight of the monumental 'Tapestry' project. Born on this day in 1942, Carole King enjoyed fame (of sorts) when in unison with Gerry Goffin, she penned a plethora of pop hits in the early 1960s, including 'Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow', a composition which re-surfaced on the 'Tapestry' record. Two noteworthy efforts from Goffin and King are 'Goin' Back' and 'Wasn't Born To Follow', both of which were performed by The Byrds on 'The Notorious Byrd Brothers' album. Like the track 'Beautiful', they are worth checking out.
{Also on this day, 73 million viewers watch the Beatles appear on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964}

FEBRUARY 10TH
Killing Me Softly With His Song by Roberta Flack (1973)
from the album Killing Me Softly
This release became the second of three American chart-toppers in the early 'seventies for Roberta Flack, spending no fewer than five weeks at the top of the Billboard listing. 'Killing Me Softly With His Song' has stood the test of time as one of the great romantic recordings. Unfortunately for Roberta Flack, who was born on this date in 1937 in North Carolina, her once prolific solo singing career did not prove quite as durable as classics such as this would have suggested.
{Also on this date, Garry Kasparov loses a game of chess to the computer 'Deep Blue' in 1996}

FEBRUARY 11TH
Kissing With Confidence by Will Powers (1983)
from the album Dancing For Mental Health
American songbird Carly Simon provided the vocals to this most unusual of hit records. Drawn from a self-help album by 'Will Powers', offering a series of life-skills coaching advice 'songs'. This track (co-written by Steve Winwood) tackled the potentially awkward and embarrassing moment of approaching the man/woman of your dreams. 'Kissing With Confidence' was definitely one of Island Records' more peculiar, yet extremely listenable hit singles. Today represents the date of birth in 1948 of Will Powers' creator, Lynn Goldsmith. Carly Simon of course had previously enjoyed a high profile, courtesy of the smash 'You're So Vain' and the excellent 'Nobody Does It Better'.
{Also on this day, Nelson Mandela walks out of captivity in 1990, after 27 years behind bars}

FEBRUARY 12TH
Falling On A Bruise by Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine (1991)
from the album 30 Something
This is the date of Leslie 'Fruitbat' Carter's second, unofficial birthday. In the company of Jimbob Morrison, Carter was responsible for several of the very best and sorely under-rated recordings by British musicians in the early 1990s. Tracks such as 'Glam Rock Cops', the Top Ten hit 'The Only Living Boy In New Cross', 'Bloodsport For All' and 'The Only Looney Left In Town' are but a handful of songs from a repertoire that demands urgent investigation. Prince among the Carter USM's quirky legacy is the supremely powerful 'Falling On A Bruise' from their '30 Something' long player. The story of a single-parent's struggle for survival, complemented by a sound not far removed from the Pet Shop Boys in their melodramatic pomp, this is one obscure classic that should be unearthed today.....now!
{Also on this date, in 1999 President Clinton is acquitted in his impeachment trial}

FEBRUARY 13TH
Elegia by New Order (1985)
from the album Low-Life
Today is the date of birth in 1956 of the Joy Division and New Order bassist Peter Hook, the ex-husband of comedienne Caroline Aherne (aka Mrs Merton). Today's choice is the opening track from Side Two of the 'Low-Life' album. Benefiting from the guitar of Bernard Sumner and the keyboards of Gillian Gilbert, 'Elegia' is a moody, melancholic piece that deserves to be ranked as one of the ten best instrumentals of all time. It is arguably the best recording on a long player that also includes such superb tunes as 'Love Vigilantes' and 'The Perfect Kiss'.
{Also on this day, France tests its first atomic bomb in 1960}

FEBRUARY 14TH
Justify My Love by Madonna (1990)
from the album The Immaculate Collection
Well, it is Saint Valentine's Day. There are a plethora of romantic songs that could be selected for today, but instead of electing a soft, syrupy tune for lovers, I think that the most inspiring love anthem has to be Madonna's 'Justify My Love'. Ably assisted by a controversial promotional video, our Madge produces a near-orgasmic vocal performance. Without any doubt, this single, included on the 'Immaculate Collection' album, is one of the most immaculate releases of the 'nineties.
{Also on this date, Iran issues a fatwa against Salman Rushdie in 1989}

FEBRUARY 15TH
Breakfast In Bed by UB40 (1988)
from the album UB40
On the anniversary of the birth of UB40 lead vocalist Ali Campbell, today's tune is their Top Ten cover version from the group's self-titled album. In my semi-humble opinion, this cover is at least on a par with any of the recordings from the 'Labour Of Love' project. It is a much better single than the group's previous collaboration with Chrissie Hynde which yielded the chart-topper 'I Got You Babe'. Of course, the singing duet of Campbell and the Pretenders' chanteuse were indeed enjoying breakfast in bed, as they mixed business with pleasure. UB40 also have Chrissie Hynde to thank for the fact that it was The Pretenders who invited the Brummies to be support acts on a nationwide tour almost a decade earlier. While The Pretenders stumbled on with necessary line-up changes, the original eight-piece UB40 outfit still remained intact a decade later. Also worth listening to from the same 1988 album is the less successful chart single 'Where Did I Go Wrong?'
{Also on this day, the funeral of King George VI takes place in 1952}

FEBRUARY 16TH
The Great Gig In The Sky by Pink Floyd (1973)
from the album The Dark Side Of The Moon
The closing piece from Side One of 'The Dark Side Of The Moon' is a truly stunning composition from keyboardist Rick Wright. The song's roots are traced back to the Floyd's involvement in a film soundtrack, but this piano-led track with the working title of 'Religion' was put in cold storage and then brought out into the public domain for Pink Floyd's monumental album. The opening piano notes are played against a background of Abbey Road caretaker Gerry O'Driscoll musing about the subject of death: "Why should I be afraid of dying? There's no reason for it. You've got to go some time." However, the song goes into orbit with a remarkable vocal contribution from Clare Torry. Her orgasm impersonation-cum backing vocal was a result of the group giving her carte blanche to stand in front of the microphone and make some kind of singing noise. Torry then sheepishly returned to the studio booth and promptly apologised for her efforts. She need not have worried, for the band (who were by no means easily pleased) were delighted with her vocals, although they were less than happy when she belatedly claimed song-writing royalties for her contribution. Today represents the birthday of another Floyd female collaborator on 'Dark Side', Doris Troy, who like Clare Torry, delivered backing vocals on the seminal album.
{Also on this date, Fidel Castro is officially announced as Cuba's new Premier in 1959}

FEBRUARY 17TH
Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart by Marc Almond and Gene Pitney (1989)
from the album The Stars We Are
Drawn from different sides of the Atlantic Ocean as well as from different eras in popular music, Marc Almond and Gene Pitney must have represented the most unlikely singing duo since none other than David Bowie and Bing Crosby inflicted 'Little Drummer Boy' on the world a decade earlier. Even more peculiar was the fact that Gene Pitney was actually taking the odd step of recording a cover version of his previous hit! This impressive single became Marc Almond's first chart-topper in Britain since Soft Cell's 'Tainted Love' reached the summit in the late summer of 1981. Today is the date of birth of Gene Pitney, born in 1940.
{Also on this day, over 300 people are killed by a storm in Hamburg in 1962}

FEBRUARY 18TH
Let's Stay Together by AL Green (1972)
from the album Let's Stay Together
John Travolta was born on this day in 1954. I cannot quite bring myself to select one of his songs for today, but the tune for this day hails from arguably Travolta's finest film, 'Pulp Fiction'. I must admit to a sense of foreboding as I prepared to watch this Quentin Tarantino flick, which I knew would be peppered with swear words. I resolved to sit in the cinema and count the number of uttered profanities. Suffice to say that I had set myself an arduous task. The final figure was well in excess of two hundred. Nevertheless, the movie was outstanding, courtesy of being cleverly written and including the excellent Harvey Keitel amongst the cast. Above all, 'Pulp Fiction' benefited from a fine soundtrack, with Al Green's 'Let's Stay Together' being the pick of a good bunch. Assisted by a superb horns section, this American Number One smash hit remains one of the greatest soul classics from the early 1970s.
{Also on this date, snow falls for the first and only time in the Sahara Desert in 1979}

FEBRUARY 19TH
The Limits We Set by The Beat (1981)
from the album Wha'ppen?
The Beat only ever recorded three studio albums. Although the first effort, 'I Just Can't Stop It', was the biggest seller and the most highly acclaimed, I have a preference for its successor, 'Wha'ppen?', which also reached the Top Three in the album charts, a year later in 1981. I have a particular liking for Side Two of this album which was a cocktail of calypso and reggae, performed against a backdrop of social comment and sardonic lyrics from a multi-racial group only too acutely aware of the upheaval arising from the Thatcher revolution. On this, the birthday of the likeable vocalist and guitarist Dave Wakeling, why not have a listen to the album's closing track, 'The Limits We Set', a song about the consequences of shoplifting and taking on the system.
{Also on this day, the Mir space station is launched by the Soviet Union in 1986}

FEBRUARY 20TH
Standing Here by The Stone Roses (1989)
available on the album The Complete Stone Roses
Ian Brown, the lead vocalist of iconic Madchester combo The Stone Roses, was born on this day in 1963, the year of Beatlemania. 25 years later, The Stone Roses were re-writing pop history with an assortment of tunes which effectively paved the way for Oasis and the britpop phenomenon of the mid-1990s. Prominent among The Stone Roses' impressive legacy is this five minute B-side of 'She Bangs The Drums'. It opens with what can only be described as John Squire's elephant-like guitar riff before evolving into a delicious love song, decorated with Brown's trademark hushed vocals, culminating in a truly ambient one and a half minute outro. They just don't make them like this anymore.
{Also on this date, a new English football Premier League is formed in 1992}

FEBRUARY 21ST
Take Me To The River by Talking Heads (1978)
from the album More Songs About Buildings And Food
New York's Talking Heads were nothing if not creative. Purveyors of a plethora of quirky songs, the quartet rarely felt the need to draw upon other artists' material. One glorious exception was when they chose to cover Al Green's 'Take Me To The River' for their second album, 'More Songs About Buildings And Food' in 1978. Boasting one of the greatest intros to any recording, here was one of the few occasions when justice was done to an original classic. A live version appears on 'Stop Making Sense', but it would be more sense to concentrate on the studio version recorded in the Bahamas five years earlier. Today marks the date of birth of the foursome's Jerry Harrison in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1949.
{Also on this day, Malcolm X is assassinated in New York City in 1965, aged 39}

FEBRUARY 22ND
Where Did Our Love Go by The Supremes (1964)
from the album Where Did Our Love Go
On this day in 1976, Florence Ballard tragically followed fellow American songbirds Mama Cass and Janis Joplin into an early grave, at the age of thirty-two. She was one of the three original Supremes, but once the trio became re-branded as Diana Ross And The Supremes, Flo Ballard felt marginalised. She subsequently exited the group in acrimony and then slid into oblivion, while the act continued to flourish in the charts. 'Where Did Our Love Go?' was the first of an astonishing haul of twelve chart-toppers in the United States. In the case of Florence Ballard, it might be more apt to ask: where did her talent go?
{Also on this date, a coup is launched against President Marcos in the Philippines in 1986}

FEBRUARY 23RD
Im Nin'Alu by Ofra Haza (1987)
from the album Shaday
Today marks the anniversary of another tragedy when Israeli chanteuse Ofra Haza succumbed to the ravages of AIDS in 2000, aged only forty-two. It is rumoured that the singing sensation contracted the illness from her husband. Twelve years earlier she narrowly failed to reach the Top Ten in the British singles chart with the unusual 'Im Nin'Alu'. First, it was a rarity to find an Israeli in the UK charts and secondly the song itself (championed by Radio One disc jockey Garry Davies) sounded like nothing else on the airwaves. The track also found fame when it was sampled on the chart-topper 'Pump Up The Volume' by MARRS.
{Also on this day, the Spanish parliament is stormed in a failed coup attempt in 1981}

FEBRUARY 24TH
Pretty Flamingo by Manfred Mann (1966)
from the album Mann Made Hits
This British Number One hit was the kind of single that most music critics scoff at. For my part, the second of Manfred Mann's three UK chart-toppers is just an excellent pop song. It represents all that was colourful and good about the 'swinging 'sixties', before the music scene became dominated by artists who drew their considerable inspiration from frequent drug use. On this the birthday of the group's vocalist Paul Jones in 1942, why not dig out one of your 'sixties CD compilations and appreciate this jolly tune which brought its beauty to record buyers back in the spring of 1966.
{Also on this date, in 1981 the engagement of Prince Charles and Lady Diana is announced}

FEBRUARY 25TH
Something by The Beatles (1969)
from the album Abbey Road
Ironically this was the first Beatles single that failed to reach the Top Three in the British singles chart for seven years, yet it is arguably superior to any of its illustrious predecessors. Frank Sinatra rated it as one of the best love songs ever written. It was actually the new Beatles manager Allen Klein who decreed that this outstanding track should be lifted from the 'Abbey Road' album in an attempt to raise extra revenue for the Apple business corporation which was losing money almost as quickly as the Fab Four had accumulated it. Released as a double A-side with John Lennon's 'Come Together', 'Something' was something that John and Paul might have been proud of. Rather like Derek And The Dominoes' majestic 'Layla', this item was penned reportedly for George Harrison's first wife, Pattie. The song's author was born this day in 1943. If George had been in any other group, he would have been hailed as a genius.
{Also on this day, Gamal Abdul Nasser becomes the Premier in Egypt in 1954}

FEBRUARY 26TH
There's Always Something There To Remind Me by Sandie Shaw (1964)
available on the album The Golden Hits Of Sandie Shaw
The extraordinary emergence in 1961 of fourteen-year-old Helen Shapiro almost certainly inspired other young teenage girls to follow in her footsteps towards chart success. First Dusty Springfield, then Cilla Black and Sandie Shaw appeared on 'Top Of The Pops' to provide a challenge to the male-dominated hit parade. One notable triumph for the ladies was this marvellous chart-topper from the autumn of 1964. Born on this day in 1947, Sandie Shaw will be remembered as the bare-footed lass who won the 1967 Eurovision Song Contest with 'Puppet On A String'. However, I rate 'There's Always Something There To Remind Me' ( a Burt Bacharach and Hal David composition) as the best of Sandie Shaw's three British Number One singles.
{Also on this date, a bomb explodes at the World Trade Center in New York in 1993}

FEBRUARY 27TH
Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) by Steve Harley& Cockney Rebel (1975)
from the album The Best Years Of Our Lives
Steve Harley was born on this day in 1951. His biggest claim to fame is undeniably the chart-topper 'Make Me Smile'. Not only was it one of the best singles of 1975, but the song can stake a claim to be one of the best UK Number One hits of the 'seventies. The advent of psychedelia, progressive rock, and then punk may have prompted many musicologists to disdain 'pop music', but here was one rather self-indulgent chart single which merited a modicum of respect. Decorated by a stop-start rhythm, fine guitar picking, female backing vocals, and a fabulous instrumental break, this track is rarely omitted from any nostalgic 1970s radio show. No 'seventies compilation disc is complete without this cockney-inspired slice of joie de vivre.
{Also on this day, in 1991 President announces that "Kuwait is liberated"}

FEBRUARY 28TH
Little Red Rooster by The Rolling Stones (1964)
available on the album Rolled Gold: The Very Best Of The Rolling Stones
In the early days of the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards were in awe of Brian Jones. By the end of the decade, they felt contempt for him. Before Cheltenham's finest blues guitarist descended into self-destruction, he remained sufficiently 'together' to knock out a brilliant display of slide guitar on this, the Stones' second Number One of 1964. Meanwhile, Jagger excels himself on harmonica as the (not so) 'fab five' do justice to this Willie Dixon composition. Led Zeppelin and Cream would also help themselves to Dixon's song catalogue. This chart-topper was knocked off its perch by The Beatles, but thereafter (in recognition of the rise of the Rolling Stones) an unwritten agreement between the two rival groups' record companies ensured that their singles would not be released around the same time - such was their respective pulling power. Today marks the birth of Brian Jones in 1942. Play this tune in loving memory of him.
{Also on this date, Sweden's Prime Minister, Olof Palme is assassinated in 1986}

FEBRUARY 29TH
Gimme Hope Jo'anna by Eddy Grant (1988)
from the album File Under Rock
Gosh it's hard to choose a tune for this day, because there are only a quarter of the opportunities to plunder something from the archives that impacted upon popular music. In the event, I have opted for 'Give Me Hope Jo'anna' because on this date in 1988, the venerable Desmond Tutu, the Archbishop of Cape Town, was arrested during a five-day protest against the injustice of the South African apartheid regime. This hit single represented something of a departure for Guyana's Eddy Grant, who had enjoyed previous chart success with 'Baby Come Back', 'Do You Feel My Love', and 'Electric Avenue'. Although 'Living On The Frontline' is arguably his best song, 'Give Me Hope Jo'anna' is worthy of note as being the latest in a growing list of protest songs against minority rule in South Africa, including 'Nelson Mandela' by The Special AKA and Labi Siffre's 'Something Inside So Strong'. 'Jo'anna' in this song referred to Johannesburg. Eventually hope was realised when apartheid disintegrated a few years later.
{Also on this day, 3,000 people are killed in an earthquake in Morocco in 1960}

MARCH 1ST
I Can See For Miles by The Who (1967)
from the album The Who Sell Out
Roger Daltrey, the frontman for The Who, was born on this day in 1944. The Who, along with Led Zeppelin, were arguably the most highly acclaimed music act to never reach the top of the British singles charts. Whilst Zeppelin willingly absented themselves from the Top Forty, The Who were a bit miffed that they never quite occupied Number One on the hit parade. Song-writer Pete Townshend was especially disappointed that this creation failed to make a bigger impact. For the uninitiated, Daltrey is not boasting of extraordinary eyesight. Instead, the song was very much a product of its year - a tribute to the power of LSD: "there's magic in my eyes". If there was any justice, this rather sinister tune would have spent ten weeks at the peak of the UK singles list. Nevertheless, it remains a strong candidate for the best song of the decade.
{Also on this date, in 1975 Australians enjoy their first colour television broadcasts}

MARCH 2ND
Satellite Of Love by Lou Reed (1972)
from the album Transformer
After Lou Reed divorced himself from the Velvet Underground and embarked on his solo journey, he found a kindred spirit in David Bowie, himself a big admirer of Reed's pioneering band. Before long, Bowie and his guitarist, the late Mick Ronson, would be invited to produce and contribute their own musical input to Reed's new project which evolved into the 'Transformer' album. 'Transformer' is one of those long players that experienced a brief flirtation with the charts but which various critics have raved about thereafter. For me, the album is patchy, but what is good is very good. The highlight is probably 'Satellite Of Love', a piano-led track which benefits from fine backing vocal harmonies from Bowie. Lou Reed, who was born on this day in 1942, continued to create the occasional classic song, though it is questionable whether any of them quite compares to 'Satellite Of Love'.
{Also on this day, the first test flight of Concorde is conducted in 1969 in Toulouse}

MARCH 3RD
Up Where We Belong by Joe Cocker And Jennifer Warnes (1982)
from the album An Officer And A Gentleman, Original Soundtrack
The Richard Gere and Debra Winger movie 'An Officer And A Gentleman' yielded one of the best love songs of the 1980s when Sheffield's Joe Cocker joined forces with Jennifer Warnes for this transatlantic collaboration which went on to top the American Billboard chart. Today is the date of birth of Cocker's temporary singing accomplice Jennifer Warnes, who was born in 1947. Warnes then tasted further commercial success with another American chart-topper when she sang with the ex-Righteous Brother Bill Medley for 'Ive Had The Time Of My Life' which is an equally memorable romantic song.
{Also on this date, the new state of Bosnia is created in 1992}

MARCH 4TH
Warrior by Public Image Limited (1989)
from the album The Greatest Hits So Far
John McGeoch, the Scottish guitarist in John Lydon's Public Image Limited, died on this day in 2004 at the age of 48. McGeoch provided a majestic guitar accompaniment to the seven-minute opus entitled 'Warrior', which I venture to suggest is one of the great undiscovered gems of rock and pop history. Originally included on the '9' long player, the better version is available on the group's 'The Greatest Hits So Far' collection. During this formidable dance record-cum-rock song, loveable Lydon exclaims: "I'm a warrior. I take no prisoner.....I'll never surrender." Some things never change.
{Also on this day, Robert Mugabe is elected to power in Zimbabwe in 1980}

MARCH 5TH
Sport (The Odd Boy) by The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (1969)
from the album Keynsham
Like P.I.L's John McGeoch, Vivian Stanshall (lead vocalist of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band) died before his time, on this date in 1995, aged fifty-one. The Bonzo bunch were a musical equivalent of Monty Python's Flying Circus, as they produced an array of oddball tunes that celebrated the very eccentricity of all things English. Ripe for satire was the education system which inspired the song 'Sport (The Odd Boy)', which mocks the mythical nonsense that associates machismo and manhood with success on the sporting field. It's a tongue-in-cheek track which will strike a chord with any man (or woman) who felt marginalised at school by their lack of sporting prowess: "it's an odd boy who doesn't like sport."
{Also on this date, in 1991 all remaining Gulf War prisoners are freed by Iraq}

MARCH 6TH
Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush (1978)
from the album The Kick Inside
Even the piano introduction would have left the radio listener in little doubt that this song sounded like nothing that had invaded the airwaves before. Decorated by an orchestral accompaniment, high-pitched vocals, and an excellent guitar fade-out, this single took the charts by storm, yielding young Kate Bush with a Number One at the first time of asking. Bush would continue to carve out her own niche thereafter, with a series of unique releases and commendable albums. The long player from which 'Wuthering Heights' was drawn from, 'The Kick Inside', must rank as one of the best debut albums of all time. Credit is also due to Pink Floyd's guitarist David Gilmour who assisted Kate in taking the transition from gifted but unknown schoolgirl to a successful singing artist. Today marks the anniversary of the birth of Gilmour in 1946. 'Wuthering Heights' became a pop classic that does justice to the literary classic from which it draws its inspiration.
{Also on this day, the SAS shoot dead 3 IRA members in Gibraltar in 1988}

MARCH 7TH
Alone Again Or by Love (1967)
from the album Forever Changes
With the help of an exquisite acoustic guitar intro, this track evolves into one of the great album openers in the history of popular music. The rest of the long player, called 'Forever Changes' can best be described as 'far out', or an acquired taste. Held aloft as one of the outstanding records from the psychedelic era, 'Forever Changes' is awash with strings, peculiar lyrics, and brass, the latter of which are much in evidence on 'Alone Again Or'. On this date in 1945, Arthur Lee, the lead singer of Love, was born. His group did not function for very long, but they did leave a widely acclaimed legacy, of which this three-minute gold nugget is an obvious highlight.
{Also on this date, Palestine's first democratically elected parliament is formed in 1996}

MARCH 8TH
Cars by Gary Numan (1979)
from the album The Pleasure Principle
Gary Numan drew his inspiration from David Bowie. He also followed his hero to the top of the hit parade in 1979 when his group, the Tubeway Army reached Number One with 'Are Friends Electric?' Numan then took his leave of his 'Army' and launched his solo career with another chart-topper in the autumn of that year with the majestic 'Cars'. Electro-pop rarely sounded so good as it did on this synthesizer classic. The unsmiling Numan was born on this day in 1958. He could never maintain the impressive start to his pop career as exemplified by 'Cars'.
{Also on this day, in 1971 Joe Frazier defeats Muhammad Ali in New York City}

MARCH 9TH
I'm Waiting For The Man by The Velvet Underground (1967)
available on the album The Best Of Lou Reed & Velvet Underground
Welshman John Cale was born on this date in 1942. Cale provided the viola backing to the Velvet Underground's unique soundtrack. 'I'm Waiting For The Man' is one of a handful of impressive items from the New York band's debut, eponymous album. The long player barely made a dent in the American charts, yet it has been frequently cited that everyone who actually bought the record went on to form their own band. The Velvet Underground were a radical departure from the norms of popular music. Whilst their contemporaries sang of love, peace, and romance, the Velvet Underground preferred to focus on death, drugs, and the bizarre. The up-tempo, almost manic, 'I'm Waiting For The Man' is a case in point. The 'man' in question is a drug dealer. After the Velvet Underground dissolved, Cale continued to make an impact upon popular music, carving out a new role as a producer.
{Also on this date, Stalin's daughter, Svetlana, defects to the United States in 1967}

MARCH 10TH
Circle by Edie Brickell And The New Bohemians (1988)
from the album Shooting Rubberbands At The Stars
Edie Brickell, the future wife of Paul Simon, was born on this date in 1966 at a time when her eventual partner was already making a name for himself in the music world. Edie made her own splash in the charts with a couple of outstanding singles. 'Circle' was a superb composition, almost a girlie equivalent of Paul Simon's 'I Am A Rock', in which Miss Brickell sings about the satisfaction of being single and independent, scorning those who have under-valued her: "I quit, I give up. Nothing's good enough for anybody else, it seems.....And being alone is the best way to be.....When I'm by myself, nobody else can say goodbye."
{Also on this day, in 1969 James Earl Ray pleads guilty to killing Martin Luther King}

MARCH 11TH
Taxman by The Beatles (1966)
from the album Revolver
On this day in 1997, Paul McCartney had a knighthood conferred upon him, thus completing his transition from hippy pop star to a pillar of the establishment. It wasn't always so. On the energetic opener to the 'Revolver' album, McCartney and his fellow 'moptops' went political, firing a broadside at Prime Minister Harold Wilson and the future Premier, Edward Heath. Here was growing evidence that the 'fab four' were offloading their standard formula of love songs and pop music in favour of more thought-provoking material. The formidable interplay between bass and guitars as well as the drums was rarely surpassed in The Beatles' canon, and the lyrics reinforced the belief that the song-writer George Harrison was more than merely an 'economy class' Beatle.
{Also on this date, Mikhail Gorbachev assumes power in the Soviet Union in 1985}

MARCH 12TH
Parklife by Blur (1994)
from the album Parklife
Blur guitarist Graham Coxon was born on this day back in 1969. Coxon, Damon Albarn and their musical accomplices enjoyed a huge impact upon the British singles and albums charts in the mid-1990s. Whilst 'britpop' ruled the airwaves, this London outfit did battle with their Mancunian rivals Oasis for ascendancy. The case for Blur revolves around such classic hits as 'Girls And Boys', 'Stereotypes', and this sing-a-long cockney anthem. With Damon Albarn's buddy, Phil Daniels, providing a spoken narrative, the song was clearly one of the highlights of the 'nineties. Critics could scoff at the group for perhaps simply doing an impersonation of The Kinks and the Small Faces on this record, but it still remains an impressive souvenir of 'britpop'.
{Also on this day, in 1999 the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland join N.A.T.O.}

MARCH 13TH
One Tree Hill by U2 (1987)
from the album The Joshua Tree
My work colleague Dave has pondered over what song has been the greatest album track that has never been released as a single. 'Stairway To Heaven' might be an obvious choice, but I would wish to throw this hat into the ring. Located in the midst of the magnificent Side Two of 'The Joshua Tree', 'One Tree Hill' is marginally superior to 'Exit' and the equally sombre 'Mothers Of The Disappeared'. On an album that boasts such celebrated hits as 'With Or Without You', 'Where The Streets Have No Name', and 'I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For', to suggest that 'One Tree Hill' is the best product is praise indeed. Benefiting from the assistance of ace producers Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno as well as the guitar work of 'The Edge', this song is a worthy candidate for the album track of the 1980s. Today also happens to be the anniversary of the birth in 1960 of U2's bassist Adam Clayton.
{Also on this date, Viet Minh troops attack the French at Dien Bien Phu in 1954}

MARCH 14TH
Surrender by Elvis Presley (1961)
available on the album Elv1s: 30 #1 Hits
The king of rock 'n' roll would have been considerably less regal had it not been for the royal contributions of some of the songwriters whose compositions formed the repertoire of Elvis's greatest hits. Chief among those who penned chart-toppers for Elvis Aaron Presley was the duo of Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. The former died on this day in 1991 aged 65, but he could go to the grave in the knowledge that the king felt his songs were worthy of being recorded. As well as writing such hits as 'Can't Get Used To Losing You ' for Andy Williams (and later The Beat), I consider their 'Surrender' to be one of Elvis's finest moments. It's one of those records that doesn't mess about with a protracted introduction or instrumental break, but which simply gets to the point. Two minutes of this under-rated up-tempo love song should persuade any doubters of the majesty that was Elvis.
{Also on this day, Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams survives an assassination attempt in 1984}

MARCH 15TH
Heroes And Villains by The Beach Boys (1967)
from the album Smiley Smile
One of the great tragedies of popular music was Brian Wilson's decision to pull the plug on the 'Smile' project, having been unnerved by the Beatles' 'Sergeant Pepper'. By mid-1967 the fragile genius of the Beach Boys was beginning to lose his marbles, but he remained sufficiently 'together' to record this glimpse of what might have been. America's most celebrated singing family are on top form here with jaw-dropping harmonies. This hit single represented something of a shift away from cars, girls, and surfing, but the 'boys' failed to sustain any momentum as they became eclipsed by the new West Coast psychedelic movement. Brian's co-author of their original pop formula was his cousin Mike Love. The great bearded one was born on this date in 1941.
{Also on this date, in 1961 South Africa formally withdraws from the Commonwealth}

MARCH 16TH
Everybody's Talkin' by Nilsson (1968)
from the album Aerial Ballet
"Where's that Joe Buck?" "Where's that Joe Buck?" Who can possibly forget that intro to 'Midnight Cowboy' when Jon Voight strides out of smallville in search of a new life of hustling in the Big Apple to the sound of Harry Nilsson's 'Everybody's Talkin'. The song's composer Fred Neil was born on this date in 1936. Although 'Everybody's Talkin' was criminally snubbed by many record buyers on its release, the track has deservedly remained a staple of many a radio disc jockey ever since. Mr.Nilsson might have subsequently acquired a reputation as more of a prolific drinker than a prolific recording artist, but this sober offering will stand the test of time as one of the highlights of the 1960s. The last word should go to Joe Buck. Over to you 'Midnight Cowboy': "If you're not man enough to do it yourself. I'd be happy to oblige. Really I would." This is arguably the best film soundtrack recording ever created.
{Also on this day, Harold Wilson resigns as British Prime Minister in 1976}

MARCH 17TH
Fisherman's Blues by The Waterboys (1988)
from the album Fisherman's Blues
Well, it is Saint Paddy's Day. It seems that the world and his brother uncover their Irish identity on this date. Anyhow, 'Fisherman's Blues' deserves kudos on two levels. Firstly, it merits inclusion on any poll of the greatest-ever Irish pop songs, although 'The Stolen Child' from The Waterboys' same album is equally tremendous. On another level, the tune must rate as one of the best album openers in the history of popular music, with such wondrous lyrics as "crashing headlong into the heartland like a cannon in the rain." If you can possibly sit motionless for the duration of this record, then you don't appreciate good music.
{Also on this date, Golda Meir becomes Israel's Prime Minister in 1969}

MARCH 18TH
Twelve Thirty by The Mamas And The Papas (1967)
from the album The Papas & The Mamas
John Phillips joined Mama Cass at 'the great gig in the sky' on this day in 2001, aged 65. The Mamas And The Papas' fine legacy included the superb 'Twelve Thirty'. If Joe Buck had paid heed to this recording, he might have been persuaded to give New York a miss, and spare himself a lot of grief. The Californian quartet sings of how everything in the Big Apple was "dark and dirty". Putting all west coast versus eastern seaboard prejudices to the side, 'Twelve Thirty' is the ultimate showcase of the supremely listenable harmonising of The Mamas And The Papas. This song remains one of the great American singles from the era of 'flower power', and John Phillips ought to have drawn much satisfaction from this composition.
{Also on this day,in 1967 the tanker, the Torrey Canyon, runs aground off Cornwall}

MARCH 19TH
Friday Night, Saturday Morning by The Specials (1981)
available on the album The Singles Collection
For most people, it would be sacrilegious of me to suggest that 'Ghost Town' is inferior to its B-side, 'Friday Night, Saturday Morning', but then I’m not 'most people'. While 'Ghost Town' surveyed the inner-city, inter-racial tensions of Thatcher's Britain, and the other song on this celebrated 45, 'Why', recounted Lynval Golding's ordeal of a knife attack by a racist thug, 'Friday Night, Saturday Morning' was a non-political track which highlighted the frustrations of 'going out on the pull'. The po-faced Terry Hall bemoans the unforgettable line of "wish I had lipstick on my shirt; instead of piss stains on my shoes." The recording also features marvellous organ-playing from the great Jerry Dammers. What a pity that irreconcilable differences between Dammers and Hall would not permit The Specials to build upon the success of 'Ghost Town' and the quality of its B-side. Lead vocalist Terry Hall was born on this day in 1959.
{Also on this date, a ceasefire curtails the Algerian War of Independence in 1962}

MARCH 20TH
Return Of Django by The Upsetters (1969)
from the album Return Of Django
A new dance craze swept across British working-class youth at the end of the 1960s as more and more white youngsters were turned on to the sounds of Jamaican ska and reggae. Regrettably, most of the performers (such as the Skatalites) proved to be one-hit wonders, whose songs were perceived as novelty records. One such celebrated novelty hit was the instrumental 'Return Of Django' which provided the Upsetters with the opportunity to upset their way into the British Top Five in the autumn of 1969. The Upsetters did enjoy similar success with another fine instrumental, 'Dollar In The Teeth', before they too re-joined their compatriots and contemporaries in relative obscurity. The Upsetters were the house band of renowned Jamaican producer, Lee 'Scratch' Perry, who was born on this day in 1936. Two of his group, bassist Aston 'Family Man' Barrett and the drummer, Carlton 'Carly' Barrett would subsequently form the hugely respected rhythm section for Bob Marley's Wailers.
{Also on this day, in 1993 an IRA bomb explosion in Warrington kills 2 children}

MARCH 21ST
Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield (1973)
from the album Tubular Bells
Vivian Stanshall was born on this date in 1943. The eccentric lead vocalist of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band found brief fame when he made a peculiar contribution to Mike Oldfield's massively-popular 'Tubular Bells'. Oldfield's acclaimed album was devoid of vocals throughout its fifty minutes' existence, with the small exception of when Stanshall acted as a Master of Ceremonies by introducing the vast array of instruments such as Spanish guitar, double-speed guitar, and glockenspiel. 'Tubular Bells' is a monumental recording, and an edited version featuring Stanshall's spoken part is included on the compilation album: 'Milestones - 20 Rock Operas'. It is worth checking out. Curiously enough, Viv Stanshall had previous experience of such a role in the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band's 'Intro And Outro' during which he introduces a bizarre cast of characters such as Val Doonican, Charles De Gaulle on accordion, Adolf Hitler on vibes, and J.Arthur Rank on gong!
{Also on this date, JR Ewing is shot in the broadcast finale of Dallas in 1980}

MARCH 22ND
The Last Farewell by Roger Whittaker (1971)
available on the album The Last Farewell & Other Hits
Bespectacled Roger Whittaker was an unlikely pop star, but he did enjoy considerable success with a couple of hits, including 'Durham Town' and this memorable tune, recorded in 1971. 'The Last Farewell' is a tear-jerker that reportedly sold eleven million copies around the world. Today is the date of birth of Roger Whittaker, who was born in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, on this date back in 1936.
{Also on this day, in 1997 Tara Lipinski becomes world figure skating champion, aged 14}

MARCH 23RD
Drive by The Cars (1984)
from the album Heartbeat City
Rick Ocasek was born this day in 1947. His group's greatest claim to fame is without doubt the smash hit, 'Drive'. The song acted as a fundraising single for famine relief in Ethiopia, and aside from the humanitarian motives of Ocasek and his band, the recording deserved to sell in large quantities purely on the basis of its own considerable merits. 'Drive' is clearly one of the outstanding records of its decade and supplies further proof that the 1980s yielded more than their share of classic tracks.
{Also on this date, Scottish footballer Davie Cooper dies of a brain haemorrhage in 1995, aged 39}

MARCH 24TH
Alison by Elvis Costello (1977)
from the album My Aim Is True
Nick Lowe was born on this date in 1949. Aside from enjoying one or two chart hits of his own, including 'Cruel To Be kind' and 'I Love The Sound Of Breaking Glass', Lowe became a sought-after producer. He brought his talents along to assist the new kid on the block Elvis Costello, when he recorded his debut album in 1977. The long player's title, 'My Aim Is True', was drawn from the lyrics of 'Alison', a tragic love song. The track was probably the highlight of the album that launched the career of the second Elvis in pop history. Costello would follow his previous mentor Nick Lowe into the avenue of producer as he supervised long players by The Specials and The Pogues, as well as collaborating with the likes of Paul McCartney. 'Alison' isn't necessarily his best tune, but the album it belongs to is one that critics have paid homage to, and its producer Nick Lowe should derive much satisfaction from this.
{Also on this day, in 1976 President Isabel Peron is ousted by the Argentine military}

MARCH 25TH
I've Seen That Movie Too by Elton John (1973)
from the album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Mr.Reginald Dwight was born this day back in 1947. Reg who? Yes folks, Elton John (for it is he) has thrilled audiences and record buyers for three decades with a multitude of memorable hits. 'Nikita' and 'Your Song' are sensitive love songs, whilst 'Song For Guy' is a formidable instrumental during which our Reg suggests "life isn't everything". Of course 'Candle In The Wind' and 'Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me' are the tunes which most people appear to enthuse about, but this writer feels that the most criminally overlooked classic in popular music hails from the outstanding 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road' double album. Even surpassing the splendour of the title track is the six-minute masterpiece entitled 'I've Seen That Movie Too'. Featuring arguably the best instrumental break in pop history, this moody melodrama is a Bernie Taupin-induced rebuff of a drama queen. Such was the lyrics on perhaps the greatest-ever double album in music that a misogyny cloud hung over the record. Nevertheless, do yourself a favour and bask in the orchestral arrangement by Del Newman and the wailing guitar of Davey Johnstone, because dear reader, this opus is an epic.
{Also on this date, in 1957 the six-member European Economic Community is formed}

MARCH 26TH
Reach Out And Touch (Somebody's Hand) by Diana Ross (1970)
available on the album Diana Ross' Greatest Hits
Diana Ross, born this day in 1944, took a courageous step in exiting the enormously successful Supremes and plotting her own solo journey. However, arguably Motown Records' greatest-ever star simply went from strength to strength with a string of chart-topping singles on both sides of the Atlantic, including 'Touch Me In The Morning', 'Love Hangover', 'Upside Down', 'Endless Love' (in tandem with Lionel Richie), and 'Chain Reaction'. Another lesser hit worthy of note from Ross's vast repertoire of love songs is 'Reach Out And Touch (Somebody's Hand)'. In this tune, American music's very own Princess Diana urges the listener to "reach out and touch somebody's hand. Help make this world a better place - if you can." Go on and try it. See what happens.
{Also on this day, Noel Coward dies in 1973 at the age of seventy-three}

MARCH 27TH
Inbetweenies by Ian Dury And The Blockheads (1979)
from the album Do It Yourself
Ian Dury once stated in one of his tracks:"All I want for my birthday is another birthday." Unfortunately the diamond geezer lost his battle against cancer on this date in 2000, aged fifty-seven. Starting their musical existence as Kilburn And The High Roads, Ian Dury and his Blockheads carved out their very own niche. Dury sang of cockney characters such as 'Plaistow Patricia' and 'Billericay Dickie', and his music was decorated with tongue-in-cheek humour as witnessed on 'Common As Muck' and 'What A Waste'. I have a particular liking for the five-minute opus, 'Inbetweenies', which showcases composer Chaz Jankel's rather funky rhythm. It's marginally preferable to the excellent 'Sweet Gene Vincent' as the choice of song for today.
{Also on this date, Nikita Khrushchev becomes the new Premier of the Soviet Union in 1958}

MARCH 28TH
Locomotive Breath by Jethro Tull (1971)
from the album Aqualung
John Evan, the keyboardist of Jethro Tull, was born on this date in 1948. Jethro Tull provided a unique brand of rock, revolving around Ian Anderson's flute, ranging from the humour of 'Fat Man' to the radio-friendly 'Living In The Past'. For me, 'Locomotive Breath' is an extraordinary track right from the outset, where a jazzy piano meanders along, almost directionless, and then suddenly "out of the shuffling madness" enters a sinister guitar sound which takes the song off on a different path. The story in 'Locomotive Breath' by itself is interesting. This relatively unknown recording merits greater recognition, along with other such Jethro Tull products as 'Nothing Is Easy' and 'Bungle In The Jungle'. Incidentally, you don't have to be a hippie to appreciate this fine creation.
{Also on this day, Britain's Labour government loses a vote of confidence in parliament in 1979}

MARCH 29TH
Seasons In The Sun by Terry Jacks (1973)
from the album Seasons In The Sun
Don't be fooled by the song title, folks. There is nothing remotely sunny about this Transatlantic Number One. Many sad songs are so depressing as to render the listener suicidal, but 'Seasons In The Sun' is an immensely listenable pop ballad. This track in which the singer contemplates an imminent death while recalling past, happier times can lay claim to being one of the greatest sad songs of all time. On this day in 1944, Canadian Terry Jacks was born. To ignore this fine chart-topper would itself be sad.
{Also on this date, in 1973 the last American combat soldiers evacuate South Vietnam}

MARCH 3OTH
Let It Grow by Eric Clapton (1974)
from the album 461 Ocean Boulevard
I remain perpetually disappointed that so many bandwagon-jumpers immediately cite the repetitive 'Wonderful Tonight' as Eric Clapton's best love song. Even the more worthy candidates, the majestic 'Layla' and 'Bell Bottom Blues' don't quite compare with the song for today. 'Let It Grow' features a simple, unfussy soundtrack, embellished with equally simple but poignant lyrics: "plant your love and let it grow". This magnificent album track from '461 Ocean Boulevard', assisted by fine backing vocals, is then decorated with a sumptuous fade-out when there is beautiful interplay between guitar and keyboards, not dissimilar to the second half of 'Layla', which is outrageously edited out by radio disc jockeys in a silly attempt to maintain the four-minute formula. Eric Clapton, author of these outstanding romantic tunes, was born on this date in 1945.
{Also on this day, President Reagan survives an assassination attempt in 1981}

MARCH 31ST
All The Young Dudes by Mott The Hoople (1972)
from the album All The Young Dudes
Is it possible to take a Bowie composition and improve upon it? Well, Mott The Hoople did just that. Mind you, Ziggy himself helped with the production and backing vocals. Mott The Hoople, like countless other performers, will always be associated with one particular song which stood head and shoulders above the rest of their repertoire. Then again, when you provide such a sensational guitar intro, then nothing else that you record stands any chance of a favourable comparison. After the impressive opening, this rocker goes from strength to strength, culminating in an arms-swaying conclusion with such ad-libbing from vocalist Ian Hunter as "Hey you, with the glasses. I want you, I want you up at the front." Today marks the anniversary of Mick Ralphs's birthday in 1944. This classic track remains a must for any record collection of young dudes, and older ones in denial about their age.
{Also on this date, in 1990, 200,00 people attend a 'Poll Tax' protest in London}

APRIL 1ST
Vietnam by Jimmy Cliff (1969)
from the album Wonderful World, Beautiful People
Top Jamaican reggae singer Jimmy Cliff shares his birthday in 1948 with April Fools' Day, but he was nobody's fool. Star of the movie 'The Harder They Come', Cliff's compositions were covered by the likes of Desmond Dekker, The Pioneers, Madness, and UB40, the latter of which made an admirable attempt at re-interpreting 'Many Rivers To Cross' for their 'Labour Of Love' project. Cliff never quite scaled the heights reached by Bob Marley, but he did have a few hits of his own. One such release, entitled 'Vietnam', had a flirtation with the British singles chart in 1970, when Jamaican music was becoming vogue. More than merely a rant against the folly of the war in Vietnam, this anti-war song brought home the painful truth that many young men go off to war.....and never return.
{Also on this day, the Community Charge, or 'Poll Tax', is introduced in Scotland in 1989}

APRIL 2ND
What's Happening Brother? by Marvin Gaye (1971)
from the album What's Going On
Today marks the anniversary of the birth of marvellous Marvin Gaye in 1939. This troubled soul was one of the giant recording acts from the Motown factory of hits. Of particular note was his seminal long player of 1971 called 'What's Going On', which marked a new chapter in black music. Here was a cycle of songs which addressed the world and the parlous state that it was (and still is) in, hence the album title. At last a black recording star revealed his social conscience, and these black consciousness tracks were a welcome step away from the commercial formula of manufacturing dance records and love songs which ensured maximum airplay and reasonable sales. However, kudos and respect finally filtered through with Gaye's critically acclaimed 1971 project. I especially favour the second item on the album, arguably an extension of the title track, in which the singer, on top form, questions the listener about the development (or lack of it) of the human race. Mankind may have been deteriorating, but Marvin Gaye's quality recording most emphatically was not. This obscure gold nugget is marginally better than another outstanding Gaye album track, 'Just To Keep You Satisfied', from the 'Let's Get It On' recording.
{Also on this date, in 1982 Argentinian forces invade the Falkland Islands}

APRIL 3RD
Secret Love by Doris Day (1953)
from the soundtrack album Calamity Jane
Fifties icon Doris Day was born on this date in 1924. Day enjoyed a dual role as an actress (in the likes of 'Pillow Talk') and as a singer with such hits as 'Whatever Will Be Will Be'. Perhaps only Marilyn Monroe and then the emergence of Connie Francis could rival Doris Day's billing as the most prominent female in American show-business in the 1950s. Although many will argue in favour of 'Que Sera Sera', I suggest that the beautiful 'Secret Love' is the popular lady's finest recording. Taken from the soundtrack of her starring role in 'Calamity Jane', this smash hit occupied eight weeks at the top of the British singles chart at a time when there was still no such thing as rock 'n' roll or 'dance music'.
{Also on this day, the first mobile telephone call takes place in New York City in 1973}

APRIL 4TH
Coz I Luv You by Slade (1971)
available on the album Slade Smashes!
Dave Hill of Wolverhampton's greatest group, Slade, was born on this day in 1946. His band, originally a skinhead combo, re-invented themselves to be in the vanguard of what has come to be known as 'glam rock'. Slade were memorable on a number of levels. Firstly, they were the first performers in Britain to consistently hit the coveted Number One position on the same week that their singles were released. Secondly, they rather irritatingly liked to miss-spell their song titles, a move which probably only enhanced their street credibility with the 'yoof' crowd. 'Coz I Luv You' was the group's first chart-topper. It's not the typical rocker that the outfit were associated with, and yet it has an obvious charm. At a time when many musicians were starting to take themselves a bit too seriously, Slade's sing-along teenage anthems were perhaps a welcome and unpretentious diversion.
{Also on this date, in 1968 Martin Luther King is shot dead in a motel in Memphis}

APRIL 5TH
Negative Creep by Nirvana (1989)
from the album Bleach
On this day in 1994 whilst a rock icon was ending his life at the age of only 27, a cottage industry was born. Kurt Cobain dramatically blew out his brains, bringing to an end a musical career beset by both fame and personal torment. Thereafter, a multitude of magazine and newspaper articles, books, and documentaries attempted to unravel the enigma that was Kurt Cobain. Cobain by his own admission grew up as a nerd who subsequently became the idol of the disenfranchised youth of 'Generation X', for whom the 'American dream' was anathema. Cobain's group Nirvana started their own recording career with an album entitled 'Bleach', whose power chords and raw energy were a throwback to the heady days of punk rock, a dozen years earlier. A case in point was the track 'Negative Creep', which both revealed Cobain's sense of self-loathing and paved the way for the grunge music phenomenon, which was a sound that was the very antithesis of the expression 'easy listening'.
{Also on this day, Winston Churchill resigns as the British Prime Minister in 1955}

APRIL 6TH
Think For A Minute by The Housemartins (1986)
from the album London 0 Hull 4
Stan Cullimore of the Housemartins was born on this day in 1952. His group were architects of a soulful guitar music that flourished all too briefly. Before Paul Heaton sought refuge in the Beautiful South and Norman Cook re-invented himself as Fatboy Slim, Hull's finest band bequeathed an admirable legacy of tunes which can be unearthed on their 'best of' compilation called 'Now That's What I Call Quite Good'. I can still recall the 'Top Of The Pops' appearance for the excellent 'Think For A Minute'. The song boasts a tremendous instrumental break featuring the trumpet and drums, but when it was translated onto the television screen, the lads mockingly left a trumpet sitting atop the piano as a tongue-in-cheek reminder of the miming format of 'Top Of The Pops'. I also still remember that painful occasion when my mummy pointed out to this slow learner that the artists on 'Top Of The Pops' weren't actually playing their instruments at all. It was almost as disappointing as being informed that Santa Claus doesn't exist, apparently. Is that true?
{Also on this date, in 1998 Tammy Wynette dies at the age of fifty-five}

APRIL 7TH
Everlasting Love by The Love Affair (1968)
from the album Everlasting Love Affair
On this date in 1950 Steve Ellis was born. His group, the Love Affair were responsible for two of the best singles to decorate the British pop charts. First and foremost was 'Everlasting Love'. Right from the outset, the drums usher in an infectious song that ought to sweep away any listener on a tidal wave of emotion. If there was such a thing as Academy Awards for popular music, this chart-topper would be short-listed for Best Single of the 1960s, Best Number One of All-Time, and Greatest-Ever Love Song. Also worthy of note is 'Rainbow Valley', which was a commendable follow-up hit. However, against the gargantuan 'Everlasting Love' it pales into insignificance. To any of the younger generation who may not have heard this historic smash hit, I'm afraid that you've had a deprived upbringing.
{Also on this day, motor racing driver, Jim Clark, dies in a motor racing accident in 1968}

APRIL 8TH
Hey Jude by The Beatles (1968)
available on the album Past Masters, Volume Two
At the beginning of Beatlemania in 1963, Julian Lennon was born on this date. The baby was in some respects an encumbrance for his father, who along with his band-mates were wooing females everywhere with their exciting new sound. Consequently, John's marriage and child were hushed up, as the Beatles cultivated the somewhat false image of four eligible pop stars. Nevertheless, the young Julian would provide inspiration for two of the fab four's most notable recordings: 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds' and 'Hey Jude'. John protested that the former was not an LSD tribute song, but rather a result of his little boy's drawing. I'll let the reader decide on the validity of this. Meanwhile, the creative mind of Paul McCartney drew upon his own assurances to the infant who was sad about the imminent break-up of his mum and dad. Before he knew it, Macca had formed yet another memorable chart-topper from his "Hey Jules, don't make it bad." Along sprang a lengthy, arms-swaying classic pop song which enjoyed a mere eight weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100. The flip side, 'Revolution', was perhaps the better track, but 'Hey Jude' was further evidence of Paul's ear for a commercial tune.
{Also on this date, in 1992 the tennis legend, Arthur Ashe, reveals that he has AIDS}

APRIL 9TH
So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright by Simon And Garfunkel (1970)
from the album Bridge Over Troubled Water
Renowned American architect Frank Lloyd Wright died on this day in 1959 at the age of ninety-one. He would remarkably provide the subject material for a Simon And Garfunkel composition a decade later. Following immediately after the equally stunning 'The Only Living Boy In New York', this tune is one of the handful of songs from the 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' project that didn't receive much recognition. Clearly the huge-selling long player featured a few major hits, notably the title track which became a Transatlantic Number One. Nevertheless, the tribute to the departed architect is a superb exposition of the duo's irresistible harmonies - at least until the harmonies evolved into disharmony. Here is a recording that feeds off a combination of a strings arrangement, acoustic guitar, and vocals. As a result, it works like a charm.
{Also on this day, John Major's Conservative Party win the 1992 British general election}

APRIL 10TH
Elephant Stone by The Stone Roses (1988)
available on the album Turns Into Stone
Ace sticksman Alan 'Reni' Wren was born on this date in 1964. He would become the latest in a growing line of Mancunian musical heroes. It's well known that Manchester is depicted as a city of rain, the very embodiment of the 'it's grim oop north' myth. However, the advent of a succession of new wave and indie stars conspired to transform Manchester into the most attractive city in Britain - at least in the eyes of the young generation. At the forefront of the 'Madchester' era of the late 1980s were the Stone Roses. These four young men proceeded to record some of the most jaw-dropping tracks that ever graced popular music. A prime illustration of this is the single 'Elephant Stone' which hurtles along at a frantic pace, thus displaying the new crossover sound of guitar music that you could dance to. It's very hard indeed to sit still to this three-minute piece.
{Also on this date, on Good Friday 1998 the Belfast Agreement is signed}

APRIL 11TH
Guns Of Navarone by The Specials (1980)
available on the album Stereo-Typical
Movies rarely 'move' me. One of the few exceptions is the closing sequence to the 'Guns Of Navarone' when the British ships boom out their appreciation at the collapse of the notorious guns from the cliff top. Ah yes, it almost makes you feel proud to be British. Fast-forwarding half a dozen years, the film's theme music would find itself covered by legendary Jamaican ska outfit, the Skatalites. Their own recording would be re-interpreted a dozen years later when a live version appeared on the Specials' 'Too Much Too Young EP'. Although it was 'Too Much Too Young' that attracted attention, the other four covers on the extended player were a brilliant commercial for the latest dance craze - ska music. Prominent among them is the 'Guns Of Navarone' which featured the Anglo-Jamaican trombonist Rico Rodriguez. Neville Staples, who was born this day in 1956, weighs in with his own unique ad-libbing (or toasting), pre-dating the emergence of rap. A former work colleague called David stated that it was his intention that this moon-stomping song be played at his funeral. Respect to you sir. Now that's what I call going out in style.
{Also on this day, in 1979 Uganda's military dictator, Idi Amin, is overthrown}

APRIL 12TH
He's On The Phone by Saint Etienne (1995)
available on the album Too Young To Die - The Singles
Sarah Cracknell was born on this date in 1967 in Chelmsford. This 'Essex girl' became the latest in a growing list of females to front pop groups, following the likes of Debbie Harry, Pauline Black, Chrissie Hynde, Wendy James, and Patsy Kensit. Though Saint Etienne didn't have a huge impact on the British charts, I am of the opinion that the Top Twenty single, 'He's On the Phone', deserves to be credited as one of the very best pop songs of the 'nineties.
{Also on this date, Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man to travel into outer space in 1961}

APRIL 13TH
Atomic by Blondie
from the album Eat To The Beat
This recording had already surfaced on the outstanding 'Eat To The Beat' album several months before it became the third track plucked from the long player and released as a single. It became a case of third time lucky as this song would be the first chart-topper from the album at the third time of asking, whilst also becoming Blondie's third British Number One. 'Eat To The Beat' lays claim to being the first long player that boasted its own accompanying video cassette. This was an understandable move, given that the lead singer is very easy on the eye, and thus the videos were 'compulsive viewing' for us males. The video to 'Atomic' was memorable because it envisaged the group performing a concert in the aftermath of an atomic bomb. The single certainly didn't bomb in the charts and instead it exploded to the top. Co-writer and group keyboardist Jimmy Destri was born on this day in 1954. He had a knack of co-composing excellent Blondie items such as 'Angels On The Balcony', 'Walk Like Me', 'Do The Dark', and 'Slow Motion'. As for 'Atomic', there simply isn't enough space for me to roll out all the appropriate superlatives. Suffice to say that it is Blondie's best piece of work and I rate it as perhaps my all-time favourite song.
{Also on this day, Tiger Woods wins the US Masters in 1997 at the ripe old age of 21}

APRIL 14TH
Day After Day by The Pretenders (1981)
from the album Pretenders II
At the start of the 1980s, new group the Pretenders had the world at their feet: 'Brass In Pocket' was a UK Number One and their eponymous debut album fared likewise in its respective chart. Within a few years this talented band was in turmoil. First Pete Farndon was sacked for excessive drug use and no sooner had this happened than James Honeyman-Scott was found dead. A year later on this date in 1983, bass player Farndon himself succumbed to an early grave. Farndon and his guitarist buddy only contributed to two albums but they sure did make the most of their brief stay. The second long player, released in 1981, is an admirable follow-up to their chart-topping debut. It contains such hits as 'I Go To Sleep', 'Talk Of The Town', and the excellent 'Message Of Love'. However, a track that has grown on me through the march of time was the minor hit, 'Day After Day', featuring both a heavier guitar sound than usual, as well as a rare outing for the piano. The video footage also makes for interesting viewing as it displays this particular fab four in happier times, relaxing and having fun. However, it was Farndon's commitment to the rock 'n' roll lifestyle that was his undoing at the age of thirty.
{Also on this date, in 1986 the American Air Force bomb Benghazi and Tripoli in Libya}

APRIL 15TH
I Hear You Knocking by Dave Edmunds (1970)
from the album Rockpile
Dave Edmunds was born on this day in 1943 in Cardiff. His love of early rock 'n' roll paid off handsomely in 1970 when his cover of 'I Hear You Knocking' (originally recorded by Smiley Lewis) spent six richly deserved weeks at Number One in Britain. It also earned the coveted accolade of the Christmas chart-topper back in the good old days when the Yuletide season wasn't sabotaged excessively by novelty records. If there was ever an award for the best Yuletide Number One, this tremendous rocker would be an obvious candidate. Such are the slings and arrows of the music industry (and more especially popular taste) that Dave Edmunds's formidable slice of rock 'n' roll was knocked off the top perch by 'Grandad' by that other great rocker, Clive Dunn!
{Also on this day, 96 Liverpool football fans are killed in the Hillsborough disaster in 1989}

APRIL 16TH
Baker Street by Gerry Rafferty (1978)
from the album City To City
Did the 1970s produce a better song than this? Come to think of it, has any decade done so? Scotland's Gerry Rafferty, who was born on this date in 1947 in Paisley, had previously collaborated with would-be pop star Billy Connolly, and then he served his music apprenticeship in Stealers Wheel whereupon the worthy 'Stuck In The Middle With You' found chart success. However, Rafferty became the talk of the town with his solo projects at the end of the decade. His single 'Get It Right The Next Time' should have made a bigger splash, but by then Rafferty was dining out on the acclaim and record sales from the momentous 'Baker Street'. Boasting an unforgettable saxophone contribution and excellent lyrics about a drifter who never manages to settle down, this sad and powerful song culminates in a brilliant guitar solo. They just don't make them like this anymore.
{Also on this date, in 1953 the Royal Yacht Britannia is launched by Queen Elizabeth II}

APRIL 17TH
Johnny Was by Bob Marley And The Wailers (1976)
from the album Rastaman Vibration
1987 was a tragic year for the remaining Wailers as two of them were murdered. On this day, drummer Carlton 'Carly' Barrett followed Bob Marley into an early grave when he was gunned down at the age of 36. Marley himself had narrowly survived a gun attack in December 1976. Earlier in that year, Marley and his band had recorded a marvellous track for their 'Rastaman Vibration' project, entitled 'Johnny Was', which proved an ominous commentary on the violence that afflicted Jamaica. This relatively unknown song was not unlike Jimmy Cliff's 'Vietnam' in which the singer recounts a mother's loss of a son from an act of violence. 'Johnny Was' features a combination of simple but effective lyrics and an equally downbeat sound which contributes to this superb, but obscure classic.
{Also on this day, the ill-fated Bay Of Pigs invasion occurs in Cuba in 1961}

APRIL 18TH
Angel by The Happy Mondays (1992)
from the album Yes Please!
Don't be fooled by this song title, folks. There is nothing angelic about this tune, nor anything remotely angelic about its creators. For the uninitiated, this brilliant indie dance track's subject matter is angel dust. The Happy Mondays in fact have been described as a bunch of drug dealers who decided to form a band. Such was their consumption of illegal substances that even a couple of streetwise members of New York's Talking Heads were appalled by the group's high jinks when they convened on the island of Barbados for an ill-fated sojourn that resulted in the band's dissolution. At the very epicentre of this group of upwardly-mobile members of the underclass was their non-musical contributor Bez, who provided the dance routines and general 'stage presence'. He was born on this date in 1964. The future Celebrity Big Brother hero 'wrote' his own autobiography in the late 1990s. It was akin to Irvine Welsh's 'Trainspotting' - but there was one exception: Bez's antics were for real!
{Also on this date, in 1983 a suicide bomber destroys the American Embassy in Beirut}

APRIL 19TH
The House Of The Rising Sun by The Animals (1964)
available on the album The Best Of The Animals
In the year that Bez was born, the Animals were enjoying their greatest success with the fabulous 'House Of The Rising Sun'. This chart-topper included a fine soulful vocal performance from Eric Burdon, a monotonous, yet irresistible jangling guitar, and the distinctive organ sound of Alan Price. Price, the finest keyboardist that ever hailed from Jarrow, was born on this day in 1942. The Animals never quite scaled this height again, though 'Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood' was another memorable single. After the Animals went their separate ways, Eric Burdon failed to make much of a splash as a solo artist despite the excellent 'When I Was Young'. Meanwhile, Chas Chandler went on to supervise Jimi Hendrix's rise to superstardom, while today's birthday boy, Alan Price (born in 1942), recorded a couple of decent hit singles.
{Also on this day, the actress Grace Kelly marries Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956}

APRIL 20TH
Rene by The Small Faces (1968)
from the album Ogden's Nut Gone Flake
Cockney icon and artful dodger Steve Marriott died on this day in 1991 at the age of forty-three in a house fire. The lead guitarist and vocalist of the Small Faces was a pivotal figure at the time when London was swinging in the second half of the 1960s. Marriott's group joined forces with fellow mods the Kinks, the Who, and the home counties' Rolling Stones to present the south of England's belated response to Beatlemania and the 'Mersey sound'. One of London's greatest-ever bands reached Number One in 1966 with 'All Or Nothing', but it was two years later when the Small Faces peaked artistically and commercially with the splendid 'Ogden's Nut Gone Flake' project. This quaint album included Stanley Unwin pouring forth his own gobbledegook English vocabulary between songs, a couple of which were instrumentals which demonstrated the outfit's musical abilities. For me, the best track is 'Rene', which evolves into a swaggering tune, featuring a superb instrumental fade-out about the dockers' delight.
{Also on this date, in 1968 Enoch Powell delivers his 'rivers of blood' speech}

APRIL 21ST
A Forest by The Cure (1980)
from the album Seventeen Seconds
Robert Smith, the frontman of Goth rockers The Cure, was born on this date in 1959 in Blackpool. Smith's combo provided their own alternative remedy to the ailing music scene with several distinctive singles and albums. The popular 'The Lovecats', complete with its wacky video and humorous lyrics, is clearly a firm favourite of many music lovers and non-Cure fans, but I would argue that the greatest medicine that they ever dished out was 'A Forest', which was a minor hit single in 1980. This stark atmospheric number, boosted by majestic guitar and bass contributions, is a candidate for the best song of the 1980s. The Cure continued to provide their own brand of 'indie' music which found favour with students and teenagers, but none of their efforts (not even 'Jumping On Someone Else's Train') can compare with 'A Forest'.
{Also on this day, the Rastafarian icon, Emperor Haile Selassie, visits Jamaica in 1966}

APRIL 22ND
Angel Eyes by Roxy Music (1979)
from the album Manifesto
Prolific session musician Paul Carrack was born today in 1951 in Sheffield. Carrack is one of the great unsung heroes of popular music. His impressive curriculum vitae boasts such achievements as the wonderful 'How Long' by Ace, 'The Living Years' by Mike And The Mechanics, and Squeeze's 'Labelled With Love'. Carrack has been no stranger to chart success, even if he isn't a household name. His long list of credits includes a brief spell with Roxy Music where he contributed to a handful of smash hits such as 'Angel Eyes'. Although their previous hit 'Dance Away' is almost certainly the superior release, 'Angel Eyes' took both Roxy Music and Paul Carrack back to the Top Five. This short but sweet slice of sophisticated pop is best remembered for the saxophone of Andy Mackay.
{Also on this date, in 1994, ex-American President, Richard Nixon, dies at the age of 81}

APRIL 23RD
Only The Lonely by Roy Orbison (1960)
from the album Lonely And Blue
It was wholly appropriate that the Big O should record such sad songs as 'Crying', 'It's Over', and 'Only The Lonely', because his personal life was afflicted by family tragedies. On a lighter note, one of North America's greatest pop performers was born this day in 1936. 'Only The Lonely' provided Orbison with the first of three Number Ones in the United Kingdom, and I choose to depart from conventional wisdom by declaring that the harmonies in this tune renders it a better recording than 'Oh, Pretty Woman'. Orbison would later part company with his trademark ballads and join ranks with fellow greats Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Jeff Lynne, and Tom Petty to form the Travelling Wilburys. However, the Grim Reaper would rear his ugly head again to curtail their festivities.
{Also on this day, cricket and soccer legend Denis Compton dies in 1997, aged 78}

APRIL 24TH
Happy Talk by Captain Sensible (1982)
from the album Women And Captains First
Ray Burns, a versatile member of the punk outfit The Damned, preferred to function under the moniker of 'Captain Sensible'. After the punk era had run its course, Burns became thoroughly sensible indeed by choosing to cover the tune, 'Happy Talk' from the 'South Pacific' film soundtrack. However not even he could have envisaged this cute, easy listening single would in one week leapfrog from No.33 to Number One in the British singles chart. The Captain was born on this date in 1954 in Balham, south London.
{Also on this date, Winston Churchill is knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1953}

APRIL 25TH
Chiquitita by Abba (1979)
from the album Voulez-Vous
By 1979 Abba could do no wrong, and they ruled the roost of the pop world - at least on the British side of the Big Pond. Their consistent success continued unabated with the formidable piece of melodrama, entitled 'Chiquitita', which narrowly failed to reach the top of the UK singles list. However, all was not running smoothly on planet Abba as the relationships within the quality quartet fell apart. It was a measure of the Swedish superstars' talents that they did not let internal disharmony sabotage their musical harmony. 'Chiquitita' with its superb piano and tragic lyrics is a favourite Abba song of mine. The group actually donated their royalties from its record sales to UNICEF. One of the composition's famed authors, Bjorn Ulvaeus, was born this day in 1945.
{Also on this day, in 1974 a coup effectively ends 40 years of dictatorship in Portugal}

APRIL 26TH
Save A Prayer by Duran Duran (1982)
from the album Rio
Vastly superior to their two subsequent UK chart-toppers, 'Save A Prayer' can lay claim to being one of the best British singles of the 1980s. Its performers, Duran Duran, basked in the glory of the New Romantic era of pop music, as these Brummie musicians appeared in exotic locations to film their musical epics, of which 'Save A Prayer' is the obvious highlight. Their output may be frowned upon by the guitar-obsessed music press, but Duran Duran were responsible for several superb hit singles, including 'Planet Earth', 'Notorious', and 'A View To A Kill'. However, the five-minute opus, 'Save A Prayer' is the colossus of 1982, in a musical landscape that featured the likes of Renee And Renato, the Goombay Dance Band, Bucks Fizz, Tight Fit, and reggae kids Musical Youth. Roger Taylor (not to be confused with Queen's magnificent sticksman) was born on this date in 1960.
{Also on this date, Jill Dando is shot dead on her doorstep in 1999, aged 37}

APRIL 27TH
Shiny Happy People by R.E.M. (1991)
from the album Out Of Time
Kate Pierson of the B-52s was born on this day in 1948 in New Jersey. She and her group found fame with such catchy pop classics as 'Love Shack' and 'Rock Lobster', before she guested on R.E.M.'s 'Out Of Time' project during which the Georgian quartet made use of her services on two or three tracks. Although the enigmatic 'Belong' is my favourite song from this great album, it would be amiss of me if I did not draw attention to Pierson's backing vocals on the popular smash, 'Shiny Happy People'. It was totally unlike R.E.M. to offer such a sing-along tune, but the group would probably counter that they have sometimes felt the need to surprise their listeners and not allow themselves to be pigeon-holed. I can still remember Spitting Image's send-up of this single with their very own 'Smiley Crappy People'. Nevertheless, it is one of several highlights from a long player that contained 'Losing My Religion', the beautiful 'Endgame' instrumental, and the jangling guitar classic, 'Near Wild Heaven'.
[Also on this day, in 1981 Xerox PARC unveil a new gadget, the computer mouse}

APRIL 28TH
She's Electric by Oasis (1995)
from the album (What's The Story) Morning Glory?
On this date in 1996, the latest Mancunian sensations, Oasis, performed the second of two concerts on the hallowed turf of Maine Road, the home venue of their favourite football team, Manchester City. Whilst the soccer club may have under-achieved more often than not, the same could not be said of the Gallagher brothers and their rock band. 'She's Electric' from their '(What's The Story) Morning Glory?' album was further evidence of a group at the peak of their musical powers. Before long, that amiable rogue Noel Gallagher would be exchanging pleasantries with the new Prime Minister, Tony Blair, in Ten Downing Street, thus replicating the well-worn footpath from working-class hero to friend of the Establishment as practised by previous rock 'n' roll 'rebels'. Cool Britannia, or 'same old, same old'?
{Also on this date, Charles de Gaulle resigns as the President of France in 1969}

APRIL 29TH
Moonage Daydream by David Bowie (1972)
from the album The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars
Bowie's 'The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars' was unquestionably one of the landmark recordings of the 'seventies. Here was a concept album in which David created his first alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, the extra-terrestrial rock star who "took it all too far, but boy could he play guitar." Bowie's parody of being a famous pop star has been played for real by many other acts, both before and since. His seminal long player features the apocalyptic 'Five Years', but perhaps Ziggy's thunder was partially stolen by his backing band, the Spiders from Mars. One such 'Spider', ace axeman Mick Ronson, was finally defeated by cancer on this spring day in 1993. Ronson's impressive legacy boasts such wonders as the album's title track, 'The Jean Genie', and the tremendous 'Moonage Daydream', a languid rocker which lifts into orbit at its conclusion, helped on its way by Ronson's plucking.
{Also on this day, in 1968 a new musical entitled 'Hair' opens in Broadway}

APRIL 30TH
Born Slippy.NUXX by Underworld (1996)
available on the album Trainspotting: Music From The Motion Picture
Darren Emerson, the disc jockey contributor to the Underworld music project, was born on this day back in 1971 in Hornchurch. His group's biggest claim to fame is their unforgettable input into the soundtrack of the cult classic 'Trainspotting' movie. The item in question, 'Born Slippy.NUXX' is one of those catchy, infectious recordings that has struck a chord with everyone who has had the supreme good fortune to hear it. This anthem of doomed youth, finding solace in unprescribed 'medication', is one of the leading contenders for the best song of the 'nineties. It's simply one of those dance tracks that only paralysed people could possibly fail to move their body too.
{Also on this date, President Clinton visits Northern Ireland in 1995}

MAY 1ST
You Do by McAlmont And Butler (1995)
from the album The Sound Of McAlmont And Butler
If 'Born Slippy.NUXX' is one of the anthems of the 1990s, then McAlmont and Butler's 'You Do' can lay a credible claim to be the best love song of this decade. Bernard Butler had enjoyed chart success with Suede before stepping away from the comfort zone of a group and chancing his arm in a duet. Butler was born on this date in 1970 in Stamford Hill, east London. In addition to his guitar contribution, Butler also co-produced this modern romantic classic with Mike Hedges. Let it not be said that love songs are the exclusive preserve of 'fifties crooners. This epic composition, the duo's second hit single, suggests otherwise.
{Also on this day, in 1960 Gary Powers is shot down over the Soviet Union}

MAY 2ND
We Do What We're Told(Milgram's 37) by Peter Gabriel (1986)
from the album So
Lurking amongst the nine recordings that comprised Peter Gabriel's highly acclaimed 'So' album, there lay a terrifying vision of life in a totalitarian dictatorship. Appearing two years after 1984, here was a song which was the audio equivalent of George Orwell's frightening peep into the future, with his seminal publication of 1948. This penultimate track is short, but far from sweet, as a mass of voices pledge their commitment to "do what we're told", rather like human robots. This extraordinary piece of music makes for uncomfortable listening and yet it is compelling. It encapsulates the admirable Gabriel's desire to offer thought-provoking music and stretch the listener with new sounds. Contributing to this disturbing item is Gabriel's regular guitarist David Rhodes, who was born this day in 1956. Rhodes weighed in with his six-stringed instrument on such tunes as 'Sledgehammer', 'Red Rain', and the wondrous 'Games Without Frontiers'.
{Also on this date, HMS Conqueror sinks the General Belgrano in 1982}

MAY 3RD
December 1963(Oh,What A Night) by The Four Seasons (1975)
from the album Who Loves You
Oh what a song. Early 1976 was a very special time for me, as I remember: oh what a song. Actually, I have few recollections of the music scene in my infant years, and it would be thirteen years before I acquainted myself with this wonderful dance-floor smash hit. It was the group's only British chart-topper. The Four Seasons had reached the summit of the Billboard charts more than a dozen years earlier, but they could not cope with the burden of providing the American challenge to the Beatles and the ensuing 'British invasion'. Therefore, the toe-tapping treat that is 'December 1963' was a most welcome return to top form. Frankie Valli was born on this day in 1934. He has recently joined fellow performer Steven Van Zandt in 'The Sopranos'. With Al Martino previously guesting on 'The Godfather', one could be forgiven for thinking that the appearance of musicians in these Mafia situations was a case of art imitating life.
{Also on this day, Margaret Thatcher's Conservatives win the 1979 general election}

MAY 4TH
Aint No Mountain High Enough by Diana Ross (1970)
from the album Diana Ross
Any misconception that Diana Ross would fail to flourish in the absence of her Supremes' umbilical cord was truly demolished by this stunning love song. It is more than merely a syrupy helping of romance, but an up-tempo recording which belongs in both disco compilations and in the greatest-ever love songs' category. This piece of pop from the very top drawer comes courtesy of the prolific song-writing duo of Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson. Today is the anniversary of Ashford's birthday in 1942 in South Carolina. This composer was also responsible for co-producing The Supremes' collaboration with the Temptations, entitled 'I'm Gonna Make You Love Me', as well as co-producing this American chart-topper.
{Also on this date, in 1982 HMS Sheffield is crippled by an Argentine Exocet missile}

MAY 5TH
Concrete Jungle by The Specials (1981)
from the album Dance Craze
This urban social commentary originally formed part of the Specials' impressive debut album, but an infinitely superior version surfaced eighteen months later on the 'Dance Craze' soundtrack. It epitomises all that was good about the British ska revival, namely a frantically paced rhythm, alongside lyrics that wailed of injustice, violence, and danger on the inner-city streets of the UK. The Specials were the leading artists of the remarkable Two Tone Records independent label, and they counted amongst their number Roddy Radiation, the lead guitarist. He was born as Roderick James Byers on this day in 1955. Coventry's finest septet scored no fewer than seven out of seven for their releases which made the British Top Ten, including two Number Ones, but with the success of 'Ghost Town', three members exited the combo to form the Funboy Three. Consequently, Radiation and the remaining three were never able to re-capture the magic of this item, one of the greatest live recordings in pop history.
{Also on this day, the SAS storm the Iranian embassy in London in 1980}

MAY 6TH
Great Balls Of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis (1957)
available on the album Golden Hits Of Jerry Lee Lewis
Otis Blackwell who penned hits for the likes of Elvis Presley and Jimmy Jones fell permanently asleep on this date in 2002 at the age of 69. Perhaps his most famous composition was 'Great Balls Of Fire' by the uncompromising, dyed-in-the-wool rock 'n' roller Jerry Lee Lewis. One of the greatest icons of the 1950s, Jerry Lee was no stranger to controversy. Mind you, when you marry your thirteen-year-old cousin, then you are courting infamy. Jerry Lee never enjoyed the sustained chart success that characterised Elvis Presley's career, but in terms of charisma, he had few equals. 'Great Balls Of Fire' is his signature tune and the only British chart-topper he achieved. The song revolves around Jerry Lee's moral dilemma over playing rock 'n' roll (the devil's music) and therefore incurring Hell's balls of fire when his time on Earth is over. Aside from the religious turmoil that afflicted Lewis's soul but which never compromised his lifestyle, this single showcases his trademark 'pumping piano'.
{Also on this date, Roger Bannister runs the mile in under 4 minutes in 1954}

MAY 7TH
What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted by Jimmy Ruffin (1966)
from the album Jimmy Ruffin Sings Top Ten
Jimmy Ruffin was born on this day in 1939 in Mississippi. His three minutes of fame came courtesy of a great soul recording which penetrated the Top Ten on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. This song has such enduring appeal both in the music and the sentiments of the lyrics that it still receives extensive radio airplay four decades after it became the latest Tamla Motown success story. However, what became of Jimmy Ruffin?
{Also on this day, Willy Brandt resigns as West Germany's Chancellor in 1974}

MAY 8TH
Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) by Talking Heads (1980)
from the album Remain In Light
In 1980 the Talking Heads enchanted music listeners with their characteristically bizarre 'Remain In Light' project. These 'far out' New Yorkers could scarcely be accused of delivering songs that all sounded alike. One noteworthy creation was the album's opening track, driven on by an energetic percussion. There is something indescribably appealing about this recording which frankly slips into the monotonous refrain of "Goes on/And the heat goes on." Chart material, it wasn't. Compulsive listening, it was. Other album highlights included 'Houses In Motion' and the hit single 'Once In A Lifetime'. One of the quartet, drummer Chris Frantz, was born on this date in 1951. His group continued to offer the occasional jewel, but perhaps 'Remain In Light' represented their creative peak.
{Also on this date, the SAS kill 8 IRA men in an ambush in Loughgall in 1987}

MAY 9TH
Uptown Girl by Billy Joel (1983)
from the album An Innocent Man
It took Billy Joel's fabulous 'Uptown Girl' to dislodge Culture Club's 'Karma Chameleon' from the Number One spot in Britain, no mean feat given that the latter would wind up as the biggest-selling single of 1983. Joel's only UK chart-topper was a far distance from his effort 'Piano Man', released a full decade earlier. 'Uptown Girl' was assisted by a memorable video during which Joel's eye-catching other half (the model Christie Brinkley) joins Joel and various dancers for an excellent choreography routine. It is no exaggeration to state that this smash was one of the great dance-floor tunes of the 'eighties. The artist responsible, Billy Joel, was born this day in 1949 in the Bronx in New York.
{Also on this day, in 1974 impeachment hearings begin against President Nixon}

MAY 10TH
Desire by U2 (1988)
from the album Rattle And Hum
Mr. Paul Hewson, alternately known as Bono, surfaced on planet earth on this date in 1960 in Dublin. By the mid-eighties, he and his buddies in U2 were well on their way towards world domination. Bono always prided himself on lyrics and songs that were a bit more thought-provoking and soul-searching than the standard rock formula of female conquests and/or feeling the blues from unrequited love. U2, one could counter, were a group that took themselves far too seriously. Mind you, the record-buying public didn't seem too bothered. They simply proceeded to their nearest music retail outlet and purchased the latest U2 offering at the earliest opportunity. One such instance was when 'Desire' provided Ireland's biggest export with their first UK Number One hit single, and helped by a notable harmonica performance it acted as the ideal promotional tool for their latest project, 'Rattle And Hum'.
{Also on this date, Nelson Mandela becomes the President of South Africa in 1994}

MAY 11TH
Castles Made Of Sand by The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967)
from the album Axis Bold As Love
Noel Redding, the bassist for the Jimi Hendrix Experience, along with the drummer Mitch Mitchell, was regarded as lucky to have the privilege of providing the rhythm section for the guitar genius Jimi Hendrix. This may be partially true, but Noel subsequently pointed out that the absence of forthcoming royalties suggested that he was not nearly so fortunate after all. His 'luck' finally ran out on this day in 2003 at the age of fifty-seven. Redding's brief association with the 'Experience' revolved around the power trio's first two albums from 1967. I am firmly in the camp that prefers the first LP, but 'Axis Bold As Love', the follow-up to 'Are You Experienced?' has its moments too. It does for example possess 'Castles Made Of Sand' which reminds the listener that things are not always what they are cracked up to be: "And so castles made of sand slip into the sea...eventually." The life of Bob Marley also slipped away on this date in 1981.
{Also on this day, 4 Israeli agents seize Adolf Eichmann in Buenos Aires in 1960}

MAY 12TH
Itchycoo Park by The Small Faces (1967)
available on the album The Masters
Four days after Victory In Europe was being celebrated, Ian McLagan, future keyboardist of the Small Faces was born in Hounslow. Twenty-two years later, McLagan made his considerable organ contribution to one of the most memorable products from the 'summer of love'. 'Itchycoo Park' was a substantial hit for one of London's great mods' trinity (alongside the Kinks and the Who). It is also a contender for one of the best songs of the 1960s. McLagan continued to provide his keyboards input when the Faces ably supported Rod Stewart along his early steps towards superstardom.
{Also on this date, John Smith, the leader of the British Labour Party, dies, aged 55}

MAY 13TH
Master Blaster (Jammin') by Stevie Wonder (1980)
from the album Hotter Than July
Stevie Wonder originally thrilled radio listeners in the 1960s as 'Little Stevie Wonder', the infant prodigy. Then in the 1970s he matured into an artist of some stature, courtesy of such critically acclaimed projects as 'Innervisions' and 'Songs In The Key Of Life'. Wonder then almost achieved his first British chart-topper in the autumn of 1980 with a terrific dance song which was a tribute to the new black superstar, Bob Marley. It was ironic that whilst 'Master Blaster' was ascending the UK hit parade, Marley collapsed in New York and was subsequently diagnosed with inoperable cancer. Anyhow, today represents the birthday of Stevie Wonder (nee Steveland Hardaway Judkins), an American icon, in 1950 in Michigan.
{Also on this day, Pope John Paul II survives an assassination attempt in 1981}

MAY 14TH
Badge by Cream (1969)
from the album Goodbye
Cream, the original and best power trio, and for me the world's first rock group, were well-named. The amalgamation of Ginger Baker, Eric Clapton, and Jack Bruce (born this day in 1943) represented the cream of talent from the ranks of British blues. However, when the two members of your rhythm section cannot suffer one another, then the group were not destined for longevity. They eventually bowed out in November 1968 with farewell concerts at the Royal Albert Hall, subsequently releasing the appropriately-titled 'Goodbye' album. Drawn from this long-player was one of their best singles, 'Badge'. Cream were renowned for lengthy improvisational solos and jams, yet they could also unleash the occasional three-minute, user-friendly opus. 'Badge' was indeed a comparatively soft rocker which made it accessible to a wider audience than just the band's core fans. I like the story behind the title of this fine release. George Harrison contributed on guitar and his lyric sheet contained the word 'bridge' which was misread as 'badge', hence the title!
{Also on this date, eight communist states sign the Warsaw Pact in 1955}

MAY 15TH
Virginia Plain by Roxy Music (1972)
eventually included on the album Roxy Music
Brian Eno, born on this date in 1948 in Suffolk, has been one of the most respected figures in the evolution of popular music, though he is scarcely a household name. Long before his production expertise proved beneficial to the likes of the Talking Heads and U2, Eno had served a brief stint in the avant garde, art-rock Roxy Music of the early 'seventies. Roxy Music can stake a justifiable claim to possessing one of the very best debut singles in pop history, with the unique 'Virginia Plain'. Eno's synthesizer skills were very much to the fore, supplementing this Top Five smash hit in Britain. Not just the keyboards but the saxophone and the interesting lyrics were instrumental in delivering a song which by itself should remind anyone that not only did music not end on December 31st 1969, but that it continued to flourish in the immediate years thereafter.
{Also on this day, the Soviet Union starts to withdraw from Afghanistan in 1988}

MAY 16TH
Radio Friendly Unit Shifter by Nirvana (1993)
from the album In Utero
'In Utero' would prove to be Nirvana's final studio project. It was at least on a par with its celebrated predecessor 'Nevermind'. The 1990s' most formidable power trio remained as uncompromising as ever in their commitment to ear-splitting, grunge rock. Whilst a recording for the MTV Unplugged series revealed a more subtle, acoustic dimension to the group, there were a dozen tracks from this new album which were anything but 'radio-friendly'. It was so typical of Kurt Cobain's wicked sense of humour that the pulsating rocker lurking in the midst of Side Two should be mockingly titled 'Radio Friendly Unit Shifter'. Played against a thunderous drumbeat and distorted guitar noise, this explosion of sonic mayhem deserves to be labelled as Nirvana's best song. Kurt, already in the grip of despair, wails "what is wrong with me?" Meanwhile, today is the anniversary of the birthday in 1965 of Nirvana's bassist, Krist Novoselic in California.
{Also on this date, in 1967 Jerusalem city is returned to the state of Israel}

MAY 17TH
Storms In Africa by Enya (1988)
from the album Watermark
There are a few critics who might dare to suggest that Enya's breakthrough album, 'Watermark' is not so much 'popular music' as 'easy listening'. Of course this long-player of supreme beauty is indeed easy listening, but it impacted sufficiently on the pop charts to indicate that this 'new music' struck a chord with both young and old. Enya was born on this date in 1961 in county Donegal. A former member of Clannad, she departed from the Brennan family circle and forged a hugely impressive solo career, based on a whole host of breath-taking recordings which comprised her albums. I have spent many a three hour session acquainting myself with her first four long players in succession. With few exceptions, the tracks are ambient, soothing, mournful, poignant, therapeutic, and nothing if not interesting. My favourite is 'Storms In Africa', a minor hit from 'Watermark'. Benefiting from stunning vocals and a majestic rhythm, this is music as God intended it. 'Pax Deorum', 'Marble Halls', 'I Want Tomorrow', and 'Caribbean Blue' are also worth repeated listening.
{Also on this day, Jacques Chirac becomes the President of France in 1995}

MAY 18TH
Atmosphere by Joy Division (1980)
available on the album Substance
On this day in 1980, Ian Curtis, the manic depressive frontman of Joy Division, took his own life, on the eve of the band's tour of the United States. He was only 23. With the death of Curtis, Joy Division expired too. The group's legacy was only two studio albums, but critics have perpetually raved about the quartet's contributions to popular music. For me, a lot of the tracks are far too introspective and inaccessible, but what is good is exceptionally good. An obvious example is 'Atmosphere', which was omitted from the 'Closer' album but which is a welcome inclusion on the posthumous 'Substance' compilation. 'Atmosphere' lived up to its name, decorated by atmospheric keyboards and moody lyrics. Here was one of those songs that was simply too good for the singles chart, where it failed to make a huge dent. Subsequent to Curtis's tragic demise, his colleagues have been at pains to stress that Curtis and the band were an awful lot more humorous than their image appeared to suggest.
{Also on this date, in 1974 India becomes the 6th state to detonate a nuclear weapon}

MAY 19TH
Private Life by Grace Jones (1980)
from the album Warm Leatherette
Has there been a better cover version ever? Grace Jones may be not so fondly remembered for her harmless assault on the late Russell Harty, but she merits recognition for delivering one of the best reggae tracks ever. This hit single was ably assisted by the hugely respected Jamaican rhythm section of Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare. However, centre stage belongs to Grace Jones. She takes this Chrissie Hynde effort from the Pretenders' debut album and transforms it into the most brutal and cold-hearted of put-downs for any drama queen bemoaning their "sex life complications". Hynde's lyrics are something to behold: "You ask my advice. I say use the door. But you're still clinging to somebody you deplore." Funnily enough, neither Hynde, nor Grace Jones (born on this day in 1948 in Jamaica) ever did find employment as a newspaper agony aunt. For me, any 'eighties compilation that omits 'Private Life' deserves itself to be omitted.
{Also on this day, Marilyn Monroe sings 'Happy Birthday' to President Kennedy in 1962}

MAY 20TH
With A Little Help From My Friends by Joe Cocker (1968)
from the album With A Little Help From My Friends
Gravel-voiced Joe Cocker enjoyed fleeting fame back in the autumn of 1968 when his interpretation of the 'Sergeant Pepper' album track 'With A Little Help From My Friends' reached the summit of the British hit parade. Assisted by the guitar of Jimmy Page and the organ of Stevie Winwood, this unlikely chart-topper was arguably the best-ever attempt at a Beatles cover version. Peculiarly, Wet Wet Wet also scored a Number One two decades later with an admirable pop alternative to this Lennon and McCartney composition. Today marks the anniversary of the birth of Joe Cocker in 1944 in Sheffield. Rather like his contemporary Harry Nilsson, Cocker's occasional classic recording was somewhat upstaged by his reputation for hard drinking.
{Also on this date, Romania's first post-communist elections take place in 1990}

MAY 21ST
Grey Day by Madness (1981)
from the album Seven
'Grey Day' was plucked from the 'Seven' album to be the first of three singles released from Madness's third long-player. It was the most successful of the three, and joined previous efforts 'My Girl', 'Baggy Trousers', and 'Embarrassment' in penetrating the Top Five of the British chart. Although Madness, not for the first time, were not offering a jolly song, their wacky video accompaniment ensured that this reggae-sounding slice of depression and despair would still be commercially appealing. Mike Barson, the song's author, subsequently explained that he had Roxy Music's 'Bogus Man' in mind when he penned this track. Barson, the group's most gifted musician and leading songwriter, was born on this date in 1958. It was indeed a grey day for Madness when their pianist exited the septet at the end of 1983 to take up residence in the Netherlands. It was perhaps no coincidence that thereafter, Camden Town's finest struggled to match their previous successes in the UK singles chart.
{Also on this day, in 1991 Rajiv Gandhi is killed by a female suicide bomber in Madras}

MAY 22ND
Panic by The Smiths (1986)
from the album The World Won't Listen
Mr. Steven Patrick Morrissey surfaced from his mother's womb on this day in 1959. When his musical career went into orbit, Steven insisted on being referred to simply as Morrissey. It is best not to argue with him about his name, or indeed about anything, because the Smiths' vocalist has an answer for everything, though it is often not an answer that the interviewer wants to hear. One of the best of many outstanding tunes from the Smiths was the brief but brilliant 'Panic'. Here, Morrissey is in top form, as he mockingly surveys the British pop scene. Urging the listener to "hang the DJ" was both funny and valid, given the quality of certain radio shows. Morrissey was particularly disturbed by how a Radio One news bulletin on the Chernobyl disaster should be immediately followed by the playing of Wham's carefree 'I'm Your Man'. The single boasts memorable lines about panic on the streets of Carlisle and in Humberside. Who else in the world of music could juxtapose the word panic alongside such relatively mundane locations? Is he a genius or what? Meanwhile critics accused our Steven of writing a racist, anti-disco song. However, the man with an answer for everything replied that reggae was the most racist music of all.
{Also on this date, the Great Chilean Earthquake of 1960 claims thousands of lives}

MAY 23RD
The Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde by Georgie Fame (1967)
from the album The Third Face Of Fame
When the excellent 'Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde' was released as a single, it was charged with the unenviable task of attempting to dislodge a Beatles song from the UK Number One position. It was however a measure of this recording's popular appeal that it did indeed bring to a halt 'Hello Goodbye's seven-week residency at the top of the charts. In so doing, Fame himself (born Clive Powell in Lancashire) was now sitting on the coveted spot for the third time. This effort is arguably his best, highlighting his fine piano performance as well as recounting the story of North America's most notorious lovers, who left a trail of havoc back in the 1930s, and who were subsequently re-created for the big screen. The deadly duo met their fatal ambush on this day in 1934.
{Also on this day, in 1998 a referendum in Northern Ireland accepts the Belfast Agreement}

MAY 24TH
Subterranean Homesick Blues by Bob Dylan (1965)
from the album Bringing It All Back Home
Mr. Robert Zimmerman was born this day in 1941 in Minesota. What is Dylan's best song? Of course 'Like A Rolling Stone' is the obvious choice. A whole publication by Greil Marcus was based on the outstanding album opener to 'Highway 61 Revisited'. Countless columns and literature have paid homage to this track, and justifiably so. I also have a liking for the humour of 'Rainy Day Women Nos 12 & 35' and 'Leopard-Skin Pillbox Hat' from the 'Blonde On Blonde' project. However my own Dylan favourite is the short but superb 'Subterranean Homesick Blues'. Is this the world's first ever rap song? I think so. Bob races through the process of growing up, dishing out a welter of necessary advice and warning all young listeners of the perils and pitfalls: "girl by the whirlpool is looking for a new fool"... "don't follow leaders and watch your parking meters"..." orders from the D.A., 'must bust in early May'." If you want to 'get on in life', you could do a lot worse than heed Dylan's tongue-in-cheek instructions.
{Also on this date, Gene Clark from the Byrds dies in 1994, aged forty-six}

MAY 25TH
That's Entertainment by The Jam (1980)
from the album Sound Affects
The Jam achieved four British chart-toppers, but criminally this item was not among them. Not even the presence of 'Start' can challenge 'That's Entertainment' for the accolade of the best recording from the 'Sound Affects' album. Set against an acoustic guitar accompaniment, Paul Weller (the godfather of britpop) offloads a multitude of images which highlight life amongst the disenfranchised working class: "An amateur band rehearse in a nearby yard". This song certainly was entertainment. It's probably the Jam's finest offering, and ultimately it was just too good to thrive in the UK singles chart. Paul Weller was born on this date in 1958.
{Also on this day, in 1982 HMS Coventry is sunk during the Falklands conflict}

MAY 26TH
Gypsy by Fleetwood Mac (1982)
from the album Mirage
The self-styled gypsy Stevie Nicks was born on this day back in 1948. It is remarkable to think that when Mick Fleetwood invited American Lindsey Buckingham to join Fleetwood Mac in the mid-1970s, Stevie Nicks was not part of the deal. We can all be grateful that ace guitarist Buckingham insisted that his recruitment to the Mac was on condition that his musical and romantic partner Nicks would be employed too. Far from being surplus to requirements, Stevie Nicks vindicated Buckingham's stance, even if relations between the two would subsequently cool considerably. Nicks may have acquired a reputation for her enthusiasm for cocaine, but this extra-curricular interest failed to prevent her from enchanting the group's listeners with many notable vocal performances. The semi-autobiographical 'Gypsy' is surely a candidate for one of the best pop songs of all time. It probably even eclipses Stevie's previous contributions on 'Gold Dust Woman' and the brilliant 'Dreams' from the Rumours long-player.
{Also on this date, Manchester United win the Champions League final in 1999}

MAY 27TH
Don't Dream It's Over by Paul Young (1991)
from the album From Time To Time - The Singles Collection
Neil Finn of Crowded House was born on this day in 1958. His group's 'Don't Dream It's Over' was covered with much aplomb by Paul Young as an additional track for his greatest hits compilation of 1991. What can I say except that Paul Young's collaboration with Paul Carrack is a joy for both ears. It is perhaps one of the most under-rated covers from Paul Young's repertoire, but this uplifting and defiant song is too good to be overlooked: "And the papers today tell of war and of waste/But you turn right over to the TV page." Paul Young originally performed this item at the tribute to Nelson Mandela Wembley concert in 1988.
{Also on this day, in 1964 India's Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, dies, aged 74}

MAY 28TH
Fade To Grey by Visage (1980)
from the album Visage
Steve Strange was born on this date back in 1959. His band was responsible for one of the great electro-pop anthems. 'Fade To Grey' deserves inclusion among the ten best British singles of the 1980s, and if you don't agree, then I can only assume that you have never heard it. Regrettably, this synthesizer-powered dance song was precisely the kind of recording that the guitar-obsessed bigots in the music press would almost certainly have sneered at. For me, this marvel of a track has been like a London bus. I hadn't heard it in years and then suddenly I had the pleasure of encountering it twice in succession. The trouble for Steve Strange was that he and his group faded to oblivion soon after the success of this British Top Ten hit.
{Also on this date, the Palestine Liberation Organization is created in 1964}

MAY 29TH
Columbia by Oasis (1994)
from the album Definitely Maybe
Depending on whether or not you happen to like Oasis, Noel Gallagher is either an opinionated loudmouth or an amiable rogue. Born on this day in 1967, he certainly knows how to whack out a good tune on his six strings instrument. The album 'Definitely Maybe' is one of the great long-players of the 'nineties, containing such highlights as 'Live Forever' and 'Rock 'N' Roll Star', but for me the best track is the magnificent 'Columbia'. Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs may have suggested that this was his favourite song because he only had to play three different chords, but here Noel excels himself. Certain folk scoffed that Oasis were merely aping the Beatles, but I am sorry to have to report that the Fab Four never recorded anything quite as glorious as this. 'Columbia' is a candidate for one of the ten best recordings of the decade, and that is a definite, not maybe.
{Also on this day, 39 soccer fans are killed in the Heysel Stadium disaster in 1985}

MAY 30TH
Clash City Rockers by The Clash (1977)
available on the album The Story Of The Clash, Volume 1
In my semi-humble opinion, 'Clash City Rockers' is perhaps the best punk tune ever recorded. However, it garners less attention than a few of the foursome's other songs. Regrettably, commercial radio disc jockeys stick to the commercial 'Rock The Casbah' and the awful 'Should I Stay Or Should I Go?', while anyone who cites one of the Clash's early punk records will almost certainly refer to 'White Riot'. However, 'Clash City Rockers' merits more recognition. It was a minor hit for the group, whose policy of refusing to appear on 'Top Of The Pops' limited any possibility of their singles climbing further up the charts. Anyhow, today is the anniversary of the birth of the band's accomplished drummer, Nicky 'Topper' Headon, born in 1955.
{Also on this date, in 1982 Spain becomes the 16th member of N.A.T.O}

MAY 31ST
Bonzo's Montreux by Led Zeppelin (1982)
from the album Coda
Most critics and musicians have frowned upon the notion of drum solos, yet it is perfectly acceptable to have guitar or piano solos. This shouldn't be so. Perhaps Ginger Baker's elongated and self-indulgent 'Toad' recording gave drum solos a bad image, but I see nothing wrong with the two tracks in which John Bonham showed off his drumming skills. 'Moby Dick' was a fine instrumental, assisted by the guitar of Jimmy Page. Page subsequently laid down his axe and threw in a range of electronic treatments to embellish a tune called 'Bonzo's Montreux', which eventually surfaced in Led Zeppelin's compilation of unreleased items, entitled 'Coda'. Even in the absence of John Paul Jones and Robert Plant, 'Bonzo's Montreux' ranks alongside 'Darlene' and 'Poor Tom' as the best selection from the 'Coda' collection. The sticksman supreme, big bad Bonzo Bonham was born this day in 1948.
{Also on this day, the new Republic of South Africa is established in 1961}

JUNE 1ST
Maggie May by Rod Stewart (1971)
from the album Every Picture Tells A Story
The Beatles had recorded a daft little ditty, called 'Maggie Mae' for their ill-fated 'Let It Be' project, but to coin a phrase that was in vogue in 1971, Rod Stewart's chart-topper was 'something completely different'. Possessing the kind of lyrics that any teenage adolescent male might relate to, as well as featuring a marvellous mandolin-flavoured instrumental break, this was the big breakthrough hit for 'Rod The Mod', an Anglo-Scot who previously entertained footballing ambitions, but his brief flirtation with Brentford Football Club did not prove successful. As well as occupying five weeks at the top perch of the UK singles chart, this song prompted a memorable 'Top Of The Pops' appearance, during which the popular Radio One disc jockey John Peel played on mandolin while Rod dribbled with a football. Guiding Rod on his road to international fame was his backing band, the Faces. Included in their ranks was the amiable guitarist and painter Ron Wood, who came to life on this day in 1947 in Hillingdon, Middlesex. Woody would later go rolling with the Stones for more than thirty years.
{Also on this date, Adolf Eichmann is hanged in Israel in 1962}

JUNE 2ND
In Your Room by The Bangles (1988)
from the album Everything
Although 'Everything' was a less satisfying album than its predecessor, 'Different Light', Side One did provide three excellent tracks. 'Be With You' and 'Eternal Flame' were two of the Bangles' most noteworthy recordings, but they are perhaps surpassed by the outstanding 'In Your Room'. With Susannah Hoffs on lead vocals, this song of seduction made a bigger splash on the American singles chart than in Britain where the record buyers preferred the more romantic and sedate 'Eternal Flame'. Today is the anniversary of the birth in 1955 of the group's bass player, Michael Steele. The flame-haired Steele wrote and sang an album item, called 'Following', for the 'Different Light' venture. It is a composition that is well worth checking out.
{Also on this day, the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II takes place in 1953}


JUNE 3RD
Can The Can by Suzi Quatro (1973)
from the album Suzi Quatro
American rocker Suzi Quatro cashed in on the glam rock craze with a few smash hits of her own, notably 'Can The Can' and the equally admirable 'Devil Gate Drive', which topped the charts in Britain in 1974, a year after 'Can The Can' had been there and done that. The immensely likeable Quatro was born on this date in 1950. She owed some of her success to the songwriting team of Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman who were responsible for successful releases from the likes of the Sweet, including 'Blockbuster', which was another UK Number One in 1973. Quatro (christened Susan Kay Quatrocchio) may not have flourished after glam rock faded, but 'Can The Can' remains one of the great teen anthems of the 1970s. Meanwhile, Mike Chapman later produced acts such as Blondie.
{Also on this date, Indian forces storm the Sikhs' Golden Temple in 1984}

JUNE 4TH
All Or Nothing by The Small Faces (1966)
available on the album From The Beginning
Ronnie Lane, bass guitarist for the Small Faces and then the Faces, finally succumbed to the multiple sclerosis condition on this day in 1991, at the age of fifty-one. Lane's legacy includes chart-toppers with Rod Stewart, such as 'You Wear It Well' as well as one he co-wrote for the Small Faces, 'All Or Nothing', which reached the summit of the British singles chart on that memorable summer of 1966 when London was swinging and England were winning the football World Cup. Ronnie and his band typified the joie de vivre and feel-good factor that permeated the capital during those heady times.
{Also on this day, in 1979 Jerry Rawlings seizes power in Ghana in a coup}

JUNE 5TH
Can I Play With Madness by Iron Maiden (1988)
from the album Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son
Nicko McBrain was born on this date back in 1952. He would later spend his early adult life in the role of drummer for the heavy metal outfit, Iron Maiden. The group that was named after a medieval torture instrument thrilled their own fans with a succession of hard rock albums and songs which revealed a tongue-in-cheek flirtation with the forces of darkness. The notorious combo eventually enjoyed commercial success in the UK singles chart with the Top Three smash, a delightful little ditty called 'Can I Play With Madness'. Yeah, sure, knock yourself out.
{Also on this date, the Israeli air force launch the Six-Day War in 1967}

JUNE 6TH
Get Back by The Beatles (1969)
from the album Let It Be
'Get Back' was the sixteenth Number One success story for the Beatles in the British hit parade. It featured a 'fifth Beatle' when George Harrison drafted in his friend Billy Preston to contribute keyboards. By the beginning of 1969, the 'fab four' were virtually sick of the sight of each other, after a decade together. Consequently, the recruitment of Preston was also an attempt to defuse the gathering tension of the 'Let It Be' recording sessions. The result was this marvellous rocker, in which the Beatles cast off all orchestral arrangements and get back to basics. The disharmony of that January was removed by the group's impromptu gig on top of the Apple building in central London at the end of the month. Traffic came to a standstill and work halted in nearby offices as John Lennon uttered the immortal line at the end of 'Get Back': "I'd like to thank you all on behalf of the group...and I hope we passed the audition." Sadly, Billy Preston's own troubled existence came to an end this day in 2006 at the age of fifty-nine.
{Also on this day, Senator Bobby Kennedy dies from gunshot wounds in 1968, aged 42}

JUNE 7TH
Purple Rain by Prince (1984)
from the album Purple Rain
Which tracks have been the greatest album finales? Obvious candidates would be 'Moonlight Mile' from 'Sticky Fingers', 'Caroline No' from 'Pet Sounds', and 'Many Rivers To Cross' from 'Labour Of Love', but I would be disappointed if 'Purple Rain' was not on the short list for such an accolade. The long player from which it hails was one of the very best musical offerings of the 1980s, containing such delights as 'Darling Nikki', 'The Beautiful Ones', and the smash hit 'When Doves Cry'. However, the superb proceedings are perhaps eclipsed by the concluding song, the title track. 'Purple Rain' is a sensitive recording that seems to go on and on, and yet this listener (and presumably many others besides) fervently hopes each time that the tune will linger a little longer. Rarely has the electric guitar and more conventional stringed instruments complemented each other so wonderfully. The artist (formerly known as) Prince was born this summer's day in 1958 as Prince Rogers Nelson. This tiny little man with the regal name was responsible for several huge hits, of which 'Purple Rain' is perhaps the colossus.
{Also on this date, in 1966 Ronald Reagan becomes the Governor of California}

JUNE 8TH
Too Shy by Kajagoogoo (1983)
from the album White Feathers
Duran Duran's Nick Rhodes was born on this date in 1962. Rhodes took time out from basking in the glory of his group's regular ascendancy in the charts to assist with the emergence of another pop outfit, Kajagoogoo. In the event, Rhodes would co-produce the chart-topping 'Too Shy'. Originally I never warmed to this hit single, but through the mists of time, I have come to appreciate this tune for what it is: a marvellous pop song. Limahl and his band failed to scale such heights again, but it matters not when you have created a ray of such sunshine as 'Too Shy' actually is. Oh stop sniggering. I'm deadly serious.
{Also on this day, Kurt Waldheim is elected as the new Austrian President in 1986}

JUNE 9TH
Jackie Wilson Said by Dexy's Midnight Runners (1982)
from the album Too-Rye-Ay
Not content with treating listeners to a memorable tribute to Geno Washington and his Ram Jam band, Kevin Rowland and his gang were back in reverential mode two years later with another excellent hit. I heard this song on the airwaves last year for the first time in many years and I was consequently reminded of its splendour. Tragically, Jackie Wilson (who is regarded as one of the greatest singers from North America) was still languishing in a coma whilst this track climbed into the British Top Ten. The following year Wilson fell permanently asleep, thereby ending a phenomenal stint of several years unconscious. He was born on this day back in 1934. For the record, Jackie Wilson said: "I'm in Heaven when you smile", according to Mr. Van Morrison who originally recorded it before it was borrowed by Rowland and his nocturnal athletes.
{Also on this date, Israel seizes the Golan Heights from Syria in 1967}

JUNE 10TH
I Can't Stop Loving You by Ray Charles (1962)
from the album Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music
The great Ray Charles breathed his last on this date in 2004, at the age of seventy-three. Aside from his fine cameo performance in 'The Blues Brothers', Ray will be most remembered for one of the great romantic songs in popular music, 'I Can't Stop Loving You' (a Don Gibson composition). This outstanding tune deservedly found favour with record buyers on both sides of the Atlantic pond, thereby enabling it to become a transatlantic Number One. This hit was marginally superior to 'What'd I Say', which was another creditable effort from the pianist-cum-vocalist.
{Also on this day, in 1973 John Paul Getty III is kidnapped in Rome}

JUNE 11TH
Nelson Mandela by The Special AKA (1984)
from the album In The Studio
After the break-up of The Specials in the summer of 1981, the remnants of the group persevered for a few years, enduring a series of personnel changes. Eventually, a new album saw the light of day in early 1984, entitled 'In The Studio'. The long player was well received by critics but sold abysmally. This was a massive injustice, as the record oozes quality music, even if the subject matter tended to be insufficiently light-hearted to attract much commercial interest. Nevertheless, one of the best albums of the 1980s did contain one instantly recognisable track, the up-tempo Top Ten single, 'Nelson Mandela'. This release which was demanding the release of the world's most famous political prisoner was largely responsible for bringing to the attention of a new generation, the plight of Mandela and others in the minority rule of the apartheid regime. Assembling a cast of musicians which included Elvis Costello and Dave Wakeling, composer Jerry Dammers was constructing a prototype 'Band Aid' several months before its big splash was necessitated. Four years later on this date, Wembley Stadium played host to a concert to honour the 70th birthday of Nelson Mandela, organised by Dammers and his Artists Against Apartheid.
{Also on this date, John Wayne dies in 1979, aged seventy-two}

JUNE 12TH
Kid by The Pretenders (1979)
from the album The Pretenders
Today marks the anniversary of the birth in 1952 of Pete Farndon in Hereford, the bass player for the Pretenders, until his appetite for self-destruction rendered him surplus to requirements in 1982. This big kid assisted in the recording of 'Kid' which provided the new group with their second hit single. This song, which must rate as one of the great jangling guitar classics, was subsequently included on the band's debut album, which featured such prime cuts as 'Mystery Achievement', 'Lovers Of Today', and the excellent instrumental 'Space Invaders'.
{Also on this day, in 1991 Russians elect Boris Yeltsin as their new President}

JUNE 13TH
Babylon by David Gray (1999)
from the album White Ladder
David Gray came to life on this date, back in 1968. His own musical career came to life a couple of decades later with the help of such albums as 'White Ladder', released at the end of the Millennium. The standout track was almost certainly 'Babylon'. 'Babylon' found its way into a lofty position on the British singles chart, and to this day it remains the kind of timeless recording that numerous disc jockeys still consider worthy of airplay. The 'Babylon' in question was not ancient Iraq but the nightlife of modern-day London.
{Also on this date, Real Madrid win the first European Cup Final in 1956}

JUNE 14TH
Church Of the Poison Mind by Culture Club (1983)
from the album Colour By Numbers
At the time of this song's issue as a single, Boy George and his three associates were very much the flavour of the month. On the back of a couple of UK Number One hits such as 'Karma Chameleon', the group could seemingly do no wrong. Their second album not only provided the biggest-selling single of 1983, but it possessed such marvels as 'Victims' and 'Church Of The Poison Mind', two very different tracks which narrowly failed to reach the singles summit. While 'Victims' is not surprisingly mournful, 'Church Of The Poison Mind' is one of the most danceable tunes committed to vinyl. Featuring a brilliant harmonica contribution from Jud Lander, the lyrics might have been complete tosh, but the music drew comparisons with Motown in its heyday. If you're seeking out a dance-floor classic, look no further than 'Church Of The Poison Mind'. Today also happens to be the day when lead vocalist Boy George was born in 1961.
{Also on this day, in 1982 the Falklands War ends with an Argentine surrender}

JUNE 15TH
Take Me Bak 'Ome by Slade (1972)
available on the album Sladest
This was the second and arguably best of Slade's six British Number Ones. It is an admirable rock and pop crossover hit before the foursome slipped into sing-along chants that gave 'glam rock' a bad name, such as 'Mama Weer All Crazee Now', 'Skweeze Me Pleeze Me', and the incomparably dreadful 'Merry Xmas Everybody'. The sound of the latter in any retail outlet in December is enough to send me hurtling towards the exit. Anyhow, the band's vocalist and 'seventies icon Noddy Holder was born this day in 1946 in Walsall under the name of Neville John Holder.
{Also on this date, the UEFA soccer organisation is created in Switzerland in 1954}

JUNE 16TH
2000 Miles by The Pretenders (1983)
from the album Learning To Crawl
Further evidence that the music business was/is dangerous to your health was provided on this date in 1982 when the gifted guitarist James Honeyman-Scott died from heart failure arising out of the use of cocaine, aged only 25. This tragedy came literally a few days after Pete Farndon had been sacked from the Pretenders due to his own escalating drug problem. This double whammy could easily have destroyed the group, but remaining members Chrissie Hynde and Martin Chambers recruited new personnel and periodically delivered a tune of excellence. One such example of quality was '2000 Miles' which aside from being a love song deserves to be rated as one of the ten best Christmas pop songs of all time. Footage from the accompanying video also reminded the viewer of the departed Farndon and Honeyman-Scott. What a waste.
{Also on this day, in 1955 Pope Pius XII excommunicates Argentina's Juan Peron}

JUNE 17TH
Mandy by Barry Manilow (1974)
from the album Barry Manilow II
Barry Manilow wasn't everybody's cup of tea, but such are his phenomenal record sales that clearly there are a lot of people who have appreciated his ballads and romantic recordings. One particularly memorable artefact from his repertoire was 'Mandy' which not only yielded the popular singer with an American No.1, but was considered worthy of a cover version by the boy band Westlife, who helped themselves to another Number One. Obviously imitation was a form of flattery. Manilow was born this day in 1943 in Brooklyn, New York.
{Also on this date, O.J. Simpson is arrested in 1994, on suspicion of murder}

JUNE 18TH
Band On The Run by Paul McCartney And Wings (1973)
from the album Band On The Run
The fertile imagination of Paul McCartney hit upon the idea of fleeing to Africa and recording an album there. The subsequent project of his band on the run featured a bizarre assortment of celebrities on the front cover, who were desperately trying to avoid being recognised. It's one of the great paradoxes of human history that wannabees seek fame and then become heartily sick of the attention that they originally craved. Meanwhile back in the real world, Macca, his Missus, and Denny Laine set up camp in Nigeria where they assembled a new long player that even the once scornful John Lennon approved of. The album is not without its filler, such as 'Mrs Vandebilt', but the title track is a joy to behold. Partially inspired by the ‘Papillon’ film and a meeting of minds with the movie's co-star Dustin Hoffman, McCartney's jailbreak song is one of his very best, featuring a delicious acoustic guitar. Here was further proof that Paul was far from past his peak. One of Liverpool's greatest sons, he was born this day in the mid-summer of 1942.
{Also on this day, AIDS is formally recognised by experts in California in 1981}

JUNE 19TH
September by Earth, Wind & Fire (1978)
available on the album The Best Of Earth, Wind & Fire, Volume 1
As a September child myself, I grant my royal seal of approval to this splendid tune which penetrated the British Top Three. Featuring the outstanding vocals of Philip Bailey, this hit single is another outpouring of joy from a decade that has been unfairly labelled as one of doom and gloom. On this date in 2000, the majestic Earth, Wind & Fire arrived in Washington to perform at a White House function for a visiting dignitary. In a land of peculiar Presidents, Bailey and his accomplices would win my vote.
{Also on this date, in 1953 the spy pair, the Rosenbergs, are executed in New York}

JUNE 20TH
Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder) by The Beach Boys (1966)
from the album Pet Sounds
Beach Boys' legend Brian Wilson was born two days after Paul McCartney. Their paths would cross at various times thereafter. Brian shouldered the burden of providing a group that could compete with the Beatles and fly the flag for the United States. As time passed, Wilson and McCartney evolved from rivals into a mutual appreciation society. Macca has claimed that some of the musical input into 'Sergeant Pepper' drew its inspiration from Wilson's breath-taking 'Pet Sounds' project. There simply isn't enough time nor space to pay homage to 'Pet Sounds', and besides Charles L Granata has already devoted an entire volume to dissecting its beauty. One particularly shining exhibit is the track 'Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder)'. Though credited to 'the Beach Boys', this composition is essentially Brian accompanied by strings. Is this the best love song ever recorded? Play this tune to your partner, close each other's eyes and just embrace for the duration. Now try telling me that this wonder doesn't move you.
{Also on this day, Lawrence Payton of the Four Tops dies in 1997, at the age of 59}

JUNE 21ST
End Of The Season by The Kinks (1967)
from the album Something Else
This is not one of the Kinks' most celebrated recordings, yet it is arguably the best. It could easily be re-titled 'End Of The World', such is its sombre subject matter. Nevertheless, the song cruises along at a jaunty rhythm even if the curtain is descending on another summer. I do so love the line about being "down in the scrum on a wet afternoon/ Dreaming of flowers in June". I don't know how many rugby players in a ruck frantically trying to grab hold of the oval ball or a part of an opponent's anatomy are thinking of mother nature. Ray Davies's lyrics are as compelling as ever: "I just can't mix in all those clubs I know/ Now Labour's in, I've got no place to go." Set against the musical backdrop of a bird chirping its last summer melodies, this is one of the great undiscovered souvenirs of the 'swinging sixties'. Its author was born in Fortis Green, London, this day in 1944.
{Also on this date, in 1969 tennis legend Maureen Connolly dies of cancer, aged 34}

JUNE 22ND
True Colors by Cyndi Lauper (1986)
from the album True Colors
She burst onto the pop music scene with the colourful 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun', which was effectively 'girl power' a dozen years before the Spice Girls made it vogue, but eventually Cyndi Lauper demonstrated her true colours with this awesome romantic track. A definite candidate for the best love song of the 1980s, this hit single was drawn from an album which also boasted a courageous attempt at covering Marvin Gaye's classic composition 'What's Going On'. I remain perpetually perplexed as to why the repetitive 'Time After Time' continues to attract more airplay than this track which climbed to the summit of the Billboard Top 100 in 1986. Cyndi Lauper was born on this date in 1953 in New York. She emerged from obscurity around the same time as Madonna, but only enjoyed a fraction of the latter's success. Nevertheless, with tunes like 'True Colors' and 'All Through The Night' (which is arguably the finest ever pop song), Lauper had no need to envy Madonna's riches.
{Also on this day, Canada's parliament abolishes the death penalty in 1976}

JUNE 23RD
Wonderwall by Oasis (1995)
available on the album The Best...Album In The World...Ever!, Volume 2
'Wonderwall' maintained Oasis's bid for supremacy as the kings of britpop, in their continuous contest with Blur. I will remain neutral in assessing this media-fuelled bloodless battle. Oasis, like the true Mancunians that they are, had a deep liking for Manchester City. This latest anthem from the fab five found its way onto the terraces of Maine Road where the assembled faithful chanted "and after all, you're my Alan Ball" in support of their hapless manager. One of the Gallaghers' band, Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs was born on this day in Burnage back in 1965.
{Also on this date, 74 people are killed in an Argentine soccer stadium disaster in 1968}

JUNE 24TH
Sara by Fleetwood Mac (1979)
from the album Tusk
Mick Fleetwood reached a height of six foot and six inches. This likeable drummer could also walk tall on the back of a string of memorable singles and albums, some of which were giants too. Born in 1947 in Cornwall, Fleetwood produced a formidable rhythm to the Stevie Nicks composition, entitled 'Sara'. This magnificent song hailed from the 'Tusk' project, which faced the unenviable task of trying to follow in the hallowed footsteps of the 'Rumours' album. For me, 'Sara' is one of my five favourite pieces of popular music. It may not have made a huge impact upon the singles chart, but the Mac had long since earned enough dollars to finance their consumption of cocaine. Cath Carroll in her study of 'Rumours' expresses little affection for 'Sara'. I beg to differ, preferring instead to drown "in the sea of love where everyone would love to drown". Distant vocals, fine acoustic picking, enigmatic lyrics and Fleetwood's drums each contribute to a magnum opus which I cannot hear enough of.
{Also on this day, South Africa defeat New Zealand in the 1995 Rugby World Cup Final}

JUNE 25TH
Go Now by The Moody Blues (1964)
from the album The Magnificent Moodies
Before the Moody Blues started taking themselves very seriously and releasing artistic statements, they were able to prove that they could hit the spot with a commercial tune. 'Go Now' is a deserved British chart-topper, assisted by tremendous vocal harmonies in tandem with the piano. No 'sixties compilation is complete without this smash hit. One of the band members, Clint Warwick, the bass player, was born in Aston in Birmingham on this day in that strife-torn summer of 1940 when the assembled Germans on the French coast were preparing to 'go now'.
{Also on this date, the broadcast of 'Our World' is televised around the globe in 1967}

JUNE 26TH
Stay Free by The Clash (1978)
from the album Give 'Em Enough Rope
Michael Geoffrey Jones came into this world on this date in 1955. Michael who? Subsequently known as Mick Jones and bearing an uncanny resemblance to a young, heroin-free Keith Richards, Jones formed one half of punk rock's greatest song-writing partnership with the late Joe Strummer. While critics scoffed at how the combo drifted away from their punk origins, the defence counsel pointed out that here was a group of self-taught musicians who dared to embrace different genres such as funk and reggae, the latter of which was hitherto regarded as the exclusive domain of the (Jamaican) black man. Following on from the critical acclaim of their debut album, Jones and the gang were really beginning to hit their stride with 'Stay Free', an adolescent love story. Not just content with singing lead vocals here, Mick delivers an excellent guitar accompaniment. What a pity that this is another of those great recordings that is overlooked by disc jockeys in favour of inferior product.
{Also on this day, John F.Kennedy declares "Ich bin ein Berliner" in 1963 in West Berlin}

JUNE 27TH
Behind Blue Eyes by The Who (1981)
from the album Concerts For The People Of Kampuchea
What has been the greatest-ever live recording? Well folks, here is a frontrunner. Featured on the album 'Concerts For The People Of Kampuchea', 'Behind Blue Eyes' hails from a Who fund-raising appearance that took place on the 28th of December 1979 at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. The group's reputation for thrilling gigs was well-established, but how would the foursome fare in the enforced absence of the recently departed Keith Moon? Well, they passed the audition with flying colours. The song itself is a menacing portrait of a psychopath. The performance does justice to this superb track. On a sadder note, the act's bass guitarist John Entwistle died on this day in 2002 at the age of fifty-seven in Las Vegas.
{Also on this date, President Nixon visits the Soviet Union in 1974}

JUNE 28TH
A Whiter Shade Of Pale by Procol Harum (1967)
from the album Procol Harum
David Knights was born on this date in 1945 in Islington during that bizarre summer when Britain expressed relief at the termination of hostilities in Europe whilst war continued to rage in the Far East. Fast-forwarding twenty-two years, Knights contributed bass guitar to a composition which must surely rival 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine' for the best Number One of the 1960s and 'I Can See For Miles' for the finest song of the decade. Decorated by that memorable organ from Matthew Fisher, this smash hit is one of the British highlights from that 'summer of love', when for the youth generation everything seemed possible.
{Also on this day, in 1950 Seoul is seized by the forces of North Korea}

JUNE 29TH
2,000 Light Years From Home by The Rolling Stones (1967)
from the album Their Satanic Majesties Request
The summer of love was a season that Mick and his merry men would prefer to forget. After a drugs bust at Keef's house in February of that year, the Glimmer Twins found themselves at the mercy of the law. With the British Establishment determined to curb the excesses of the emerging rock aristocracy, Jagger and Richards were ordered to swap their country mansions for a spell of porridge at 'Her Majesty's pleasure'. Jagger's brief incarceration prompted him to pen '2,000 Light Years From Home', which is how life behind bars presented itself to him. Inserted as the penultimate track on the unloved 'Their Satanic Majesties Request', this was an authentic slice of psychedelia that dwarfs most of the dreadful ditties from the hyped 'Sergeant Pepper'. How this tune escapes inclusion on the Stones' fifty best tracks in the 'Rough Guide To The Rolling Stones' is completely beyond my comprehension. It was on this day in 1967 that Mick and Keith were sentenced to prison for drugs possession.
{Also on this date, Isabel Peron becomes Argentina's President in 1974}

JUNE 30TH
Love Is Here And Now You're Gone by The Supremes (1967)
from the album The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland
Florence Glenda Ballard Chapman's short life began on this date in 1943 in Detroit. Better known as Florence 'Blondie' Ballard (or as Flo), she formed one third of the Supremes. By 1967 it was decreed that Diana Ross was just a bit more supreme than her two partners, and Ballard soon departed the trio in less than harmonious circumstances. The group nevertheless went from strength to strength with such hits as 'Love Child' and 'I'm Livin' In Shame'. One of the most supreme of the act's twelve American chart-toppers is the excellent 'Love Is Here And Now You're Gone'. Soon Ballard was gone, and a decade later she was gone from this world too.
{Also on this day, in 1977 Virginia Wade wins the Ladies' Singles at Wimbledon}

JULY 1ST
French Kissin' by Debbie Harry (1986)
from the album Rockbird
Debbie Harry enjoyed several successful years as the lead vocalist of Blondie. When the group went their separate ways, it was commonly assumed that Harry's solo career would be equally prolific. However, this never materialised. In the first instance, Harry had to take time out to nurse her lover Chris Stein back from a serious bout of ill health. Perhaps the omens were not good when the first solo release 'Backfired' did precisely that. Eventually, Deborah Harry was back in the limelight with the marvellous 'French Kissin'. In spite of the success of this fabulous pop song, Harry returned to relative obscurity. Nevertheless, instead of growing old gracefully, the 'blonde' singer once more fronted the Blondie group, and 'Maria' helped the ageing New Yorkers return to the once-familiar territory of a British Number One hit triumph. This icon of New York was born on this day in 1945. Success would come late in life for the lovely Deborah. Perhaps there is hope for us all.
{Also on this date, the Warsaw Pact of defence is officially dissolved in 1991}

JULY 2ND
We Love You by The Rolling Stones (1967)
available on the album More Hot Rocks
This historic track represented the closest that the Beatles and the Stones came to collaborating together, with John and Paul adding harmonies. The song features the rattle of chains and the slamming of a (cell) door, and its sense of theatre is enhanced by the accompanying promotional film, in which the infamous five re-enact the trial and persecution of another cultural icon, Oscar Wilde. There was after all a dark cloud hanging over the recording of this single, as Jagger, Jones, and Richard had all felt the long arm of the law - on account of their illegal drug use. If there was a sense of rough justice about all of this, then the greatest injustice is that 'We Love You' did not match the commercial success of most of the group's other releases, but then it was no ordinary song. In fact, the absence of any riff meant that it was not a typical Stones number, and indeed it sounded a little too disturbing to be of broad appeal. In the promo film, blonde guitarist Brian Jones ominously did not look a picture of good health, and two years later on this date he was found floating in his swimming pool. The coroner subsequently pronounced 'death by misadventure', but recent revelations have suggested that the virtuoso musician may have been murdered. Jones, a member of the '27 Club' contributed mellotron on the extraordinary 'We Love You' hit single.
{Also on this day, 1,400 Muslims die in a stampede at Mecca in 1990}

JULY 3RD
The End by The Doors (1967)
from the album The Doors
Jim Morrison's modern tale of Oedipus was the musical equivalent of a horror movie. A combination of stunningly creepy music that builds the tension towards a devastating climax allied with the Lizard King's imagery has ensured that this nine and a half minute psychopathic offering has attained legendary status. Unlike other acts who may take years to develop, the Doors hit the ground running with their acclaimed debut album. Unfortunately, four years later on this day, Jim Morrison was found dead in mysterious circumstances in Paris, though it is likely that the wayward genius succumbed to a heroin overdose. He too joined the '27 Club'. Aside from the hits 'Light My Fire' and 'Break On Through', as well as the superb 'Whisky Bar Song', the first long-player will be remembered for its end, which was 'The End'. If the Devil could compose music, it would probably sound like this.
{Also on this date, an Israeli hostage rescue mission lands at Entebbe in 1976}

JULY 4TH
Ruby Baby by Donald Fagen (1982)
from the album The Nightfly
On American Independence Day, it's only right that I select an outstanding song from that side of the Big Pond. One of the great (yet regrettably obscure) albums is 'The Nightfly' by Donald Fagen. The ex-Steely Dan vocalist and keyboardist carves out a forty-minute long-player of feel-good music against a jazz-pop fusion. All eight tracks have their merits, but arguably the pick of an excellent bunch is Fagen's marvellous re-creation of the old Leiber and Stoller standard, 'Ruby Baby'. It ought to rate as one of the best cover versions of all time, while it possesses strong credentials for being one of the best dance songs ever recorded. Whether it be the piano, or the vocals, or the brass accompaniment, all concerned are in fabulous form. Now here is a tune that Uncle Sam should derive much satisfaction from.
{Also on this day, in 1997 NASA's Pathfinder lands on the surface of Mars}

JULY 5TH
Jigsaw Puzzle by The Rolling Stones (1968)
from the album Beggars Banquet
It has been frequently suggested that all (or at least most) popular music is derivative. There is much evidence to support this argument. For example, I believe that Elton John's impressive 'Social Disease' (1973) is primarily a karaoke version of the Rolling Stones, while the Stones themselves aped Mr Zimmerman with their Dylan pastiche, 'Jigsaw Puzzle'. Jagger's lyrics (reminiscent of Bob Dylan) are never less than humorous, with a poke at himself and his group thrown in for good measure. Seven months after this track from 'Beggars Banquet' saw the light of day, the Stones were throwing a free concert in Hyde Park. Brian Jones had only died three days earlier, but the band used their gig as an opportunity to pay some semblance of a tribute to the departed Stone. Their last album together before Jones's demise had been 'Beggars Banquet' and although this musical feast is remembered for the items, 'Sympathy For The Devil' and 'Street Fighting Man', what is most puzzling is not the jigsaw, but the fact that this under-rated six-minute item never earned the critical spurs that it merited.
{Also on this date, the news is first televised on the BBC in 1954}

JULY 6TH
Diamonds by Jet Harris And Tony Meehan (1963)
available on the album Remember Jet Harris/Tony Meehan
Jet Harris was born on this date in 1939 in north London. The former Shadow stepped out of 'the shadows' to collaborate with another ex-Shadow, drummer Tony Meehan, as they strove to record their own instrumentals to compete against their former group. I think that the Shadows deserve an awful lot more kudos than they have been recipients of, but even they never quite delivered as stunning an item as this. Almost exclusively a duel between the drums and Harris's bass guitar, complemented by brass musicians and a cameo from Jimmy Page, this single actually knocked 'Dance On' off the top perch of the British singles chart in early 1963 as the Shadows were unseated by their two former members. However, the dominance of the Shadows in the UK hit parade would soon be upstaged by an act from Merseyside called the Beatles.
{Also on this day, in 1967 Nigerian troops invade Biafra}

JULY 7TH
Strawberry Fields Forever by The Beatles (1967)
available on the album 1967-1970
The hugely popular 'economy class' Beatle , Ringo Starr, was born as Richard Starkey in the midst of the war-torn summer of 1940, on this day. This under-rated sticksman occasionally doubled up as a lead vocalist, whilst also penning a couple of tracks of his own. I am especially keen on the percussion sound created on the remarkable single, 'Strawberry Fields Forever'. Incredibly, this strong contender for the foursome's best-ever single, narrowly failed to follow its eleven predecessors by achieving Number One status in the British charts. This blemish aside, John Lennon's museum piece about his Liverpool upbringing had it all: trippy lyrics, superb guitar and drums, and on top of all that, the song featured a wonderful Indian stringed instrument, entitled the swarmandel, played by George Harrison. As if this all isn't enough, this milestone recording had an abrupt change of pace halfway through, as a more frantic second half was spliced on to the laid back first section. The icing on the cake came in the guise of a peculiar fade-out, when the tune returns, but is played backwards. Disorientated by this musical drama, some silly listeners chose to believe that John was saying "I buried Paul" at the song's conclusion, when in reality he utters "cranberry sauce". On Ringo's birthday, please do yourself a big favour and give this historic piece an outing.
{Also on this date, sharia law is imposed in Iran in 1980}

JULY 8TH
Shake The Disease by Depeche Mode (1985)
from the album The Singles (81-85)
Depeche Mode enjoyed a string of hit singles in the early 'eighties, including such fine recordings as 'See You', 'People Are People', and 'Everything Counts', but arguably the finest track from the early years of Basildon's greatest act was the melancholy 'Shake The Disease'. This minor hit was another instance of the outfit lyrically baring their soul to reveal insecurity against a backdrop of atmospheric electro-pop. It may not have been everybody's cup of tea, as various critics in the music press were only too keen to scoff at Depeche Mode. Nevertheless, 'Shake The Disease' merits inclusion on any list of the best singles of the 1980s. It includes words which us clumsy but well-intentioned males can readily identify with: "Here is a plea from my heart to you/ Nobody knows me, as well as you do/ You know how hard it is for me, to shake the disease/ That takes hold of my tongue in situations like these". Not even 'Get The Balance Right' could quite compare. One of the group, Andrew John Fletcher, was born on this day in 1961 in Nottingham at a time when synthesizers were still unheard of.
{Also on this day, the actress Vivien Leigh dies in 1967, aged 53}

JULY 9TH
New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) by Simple Minds (1982)
from the album New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)
Jim Kerr was born on this date back in 1959 in Glasgow. His band's finest hour (or three-quarters of an hour) was surely their project, named 'New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)'. This album possesses several fabulous items such as 'Promised You A Miracle', 'Big Sleep', and the delicious, ambient instrumental 'Somebody Up There Likes You', but one of my all-time favourite twenty tunes is the title track. 'New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84)' is decorated by a majestic rhythm and although Kerr's vocals remain as blurred as ever, the musical soundscape is simply a joy to experience. I do not claim to be an expert on music, but I dare to suggest that this recording oozes quality.
{Also on this date, in 1984 York Minster is struck by a lightning bolt}

JULY 10TH
It Couldn't Happen Here by The Pet Shop Boys (1987)
from the album Actually
Actually' which was actually released in 1987 contains such massive hit 45s as 'It's A Sin', 'Heart', 'Rent' and the wonderful 'What Have I Done To Deserve This?'. However, my two preferences from this album are obscure tracks, namely 'Kings Cross', which brings the curtain down in fine style on the proceedings, and 'It Couldn't Happen Here'. The dynamic duo's recording on the latter is embellished by the employment of stringed instruments, which collectively contribute to a moody, melodramatic piece. This item is another genuine contender for the best album track that was never released as a single, but then again it is simply one of those tunes that is just too good for the charts. Lead vocalist Neil Tennant was born on this day in 1954. Has he ever been responsible for a better song than this? I think not.
{Also on this day, the Greenpeace ship, Rainbow Warrior is sunk in Auckland in 1985}

JULY 11TH
Tom's Diner by DNA featuring Suzanne Vega (1990)
available on the album Tom's Album
Suzanne Vega came to life on this day in 1959, hailing from Santa Monica in sunny California. Her greatest success has to be the superb 'Tom's Diner' remix that DNA brought to the attention of the airwaves. This 'collaboration' came close to landing a Number One smash in the UK. Nevertheless, this outstanding release deserves inclusion amongst the top ten recordings of the 1990s. Tom's Diner is situated in New York, and such has been the volume of covers that Vega felt obliged to release 'Tom's Album' in acknowledgment of this.
{Also on this date, Sir Laurence Olivier dies at the age of 82 in 1989}

JULY 12TH
You Make Loving Fun by Fleetwood Mac (1977)
from the album Rumours
'Rumours', one of the landmark long-players of the 1970s, is notable for occupying a place in the British charts for several years, while also taking up residence at the summit of the American charts for several weeks. This forty-minute soap opera was an expose of the emotional turmoil within Fleetwood Mac during the breakdown of a couple of love affairs. Nevertheless, it wasn't all doom and gloom. 'Dreams' and 'The Chain' are obvious candidates for the best song of the album, but I would suggest that this accolade belongs to the supremely wondrous 'You Make Loving Fun'. Christine McVie's tribute to her new boyfriend (the group's lighting director) benefits from the considerable input of Lindsey Buckingham's guitar. If ever there was an award for the greatest 'soft rock' composition, then this tune would be a front-runner. I am glad to hear that Downtown Radio's Johnny Hero is equally appreciative of this fine item. Now he really is heroic. Anyhow, this is the anniversary of the birth in 1943 in the Lake District of the great Christine McVie (nee Perfect).
{Also on this day, Minnie Riperton died of breast cancer in 1979, aged 31}

JULY 13TH
My Back Pages by The Byrds (1967)
available on the album The Very Best Of The Byrds
'Younger Than Yesterday' was the latest in a series of half-hour albums by the hugely influential Byrds. The title takes its name from the lyrics of one of the stand-out tracks, 'My Back Pages'. This re-working of a Bob Dylan composition must surely lay claim to being one of the best cover versions of all time. Roger McGuinn and the gang are in sparkling form on this item. Today represents the birthday in 1942 in Chicago of Mr Byrd himself, Jim 'Roger' McGuinn. 'My Back Pages' ought to rate as one of the lead vocalist's very best efforts.
{Also on this date, Live Aid concerts are held in 1985 in London and Philadelphia}

JULY 14TH
Knockin' On Heaven's Door by Eric Clapton (1974)
available on the album The Cream Of Eric Clapton
When he was not shooting Sheriff John Brown, ace guitarist Eric Clapton was knocking on heaven's door. Ably assisted by a superb harmonica, this cut rumbles along in a languid style that is a pleasure to listen to. For all his drug habits, Clapton remained more than capable of knocking out a good tune. This single was a cover of a previous effort from Bob Dylan for the Pat Garrett And Billy The Kid movie soundtrack. At the tender age of only 21, Billy The Kid's short but notorious existence ended on this day in 1881 when he was gunned down in New Mexico by Sheriff Pat Garrett.
{Also on this day, golfer Arnold Palmer wins the British Open in 1961}

JULY 15TH
Shadowplay by Joy Division (1979)
from the album Unknown Pleasures
The ill-fated life of Ian Curtis started its peculiar journey on this date in 1956 in Old Trafford. Two decades later, Curtis was one of many impressionable young adults who were inspired by the anyone-can-do-it legacy of the emergence of punk rock. Soon Curtis was fronting his own four-man combo, eventually named Joy Division. When their first album ('Unknown Pleasures') saw the light of day in 1979, it was anything but joyful. Although of limited commercial appeal, the project found favour with many critics in the music press. The long player's best four minutes revolve around the track 'Shadowplay'. The band members even found themselves on Granada Television 'performing' this recording. What would have struck the viewer was Curtis's melancholy demeanour and his trademark manic 'dance' movement of flailing arms. Away from these visuals, 'Shadowplay' features a magnificent rumbling bass intro from Peter Hook and an equally outstanding guitar outro from Bernard Sumner. This opus is unquestionably amongst the creme de la creme of the new wave and punk era.
{Also on this date, in 1974 President Makarios is deposed in a coup in Cyprus}

JULY 16TH
Invisible Sun by The Police (1981)
from the album Ghost In The Machine
This 'controversial' smash hit begins with former schoolteacher Sting (alias Gordon Sumner) reminding us all that he can at least count up to six. Seriously though, this is a delightfully sinister-sounding tune with enough 'political' overtones to concern the Beeb. With references to an Armalite, 'Invisible Sun' evoked images of the protracted 'dispute' in Northern Ireland. It was actually refreshing to find a group confronting reality, rather than plunging into escapism with 'make believe' songs. The guitar work of Andy Summers shines through this far from sunny number. Meanwhile, the trio's drummer Stewart Copeland was born in Virginia on this day in 1952. Copeland made the unprecedented voyage from the son of a CIA agent to becoming the sticksman of a new wave band. I wonder if the CIA approved.
{Also on this day, the Mont Blanc Tunnel, between France and Italy opens in 1965}

JULY 17TH
Third Stone From The Sun by The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1967)
from the album Are You Experienced
Chas Chandler, formerly of the Animals, died on this date in 1996 at the age of fifty-seven. In spite of the not inconsiderable success that he achieved with his group, Chandler's most enduring contribution to the evolution of popular music has to be his 'discovery' of one James Hendrix in New York in the late summer of 1966. Before long, Jimi Hendrix and his newly-assembled Experience were dazzling music lovers with their psychedelic rock as recorded on their debut offering, 'Are You Experienced'. This album is so raw and in your face that it surpasses Hendrix's later projects. The highlight is surely the monumental 'Third Stone From The Sun'. Here Hendrix finds a happy medium between a three minute demonstration of power chords and a lengthy jam. Set against Jimi's guitar virtuosity, here is the ultimate cosmic rock anthem. Hendrix even boldly declares in the midst of this remarkable song "but then you'll never hear surf music again." This wasn't strictly true, but what was clear was that Hendrix and the new sounds that he represented were a firm challenge to the old order of pop and surf music.
{Also on this date, the 1976 Summer Olympics opens in Montreal, Canada}

JULY 18TH
Flowers Of Romance by Public Image Ltd (1981)
from the album The Flowers Of Romance
Keith Levene from Public Image Ltd was born on this date in 1957 (eighteen months after Johnny Rotten). Levene may not have scaled the heights of chart success or even plumbed the depths of notoriety that John Lydon's previous collaborators had encountered, but he was still partially responsible for a number of tremendous Public Image Ltd recordings. Few bettered the short (but far from sweet) 'Flowers Of Romance'. Released as a single in 1981, there was nothing remotely floral or romantic about this peculiar tune. Built around the throbbing rhythm of the percussion, there is something unsettling and disturbing about this track: “Now it’s summer/ I could be happy or in distress.” Quite simply, Johnny is in one of his mischievous moods as he pours scorn on the very concept of a love affair, pointing out that relationships are not always what they are cracked up to be: "I can't depend on these so-called friends." They just don't make them like this anymore.
{Also on this day, German singer Nico dies at the age of forty-nine in 1988}

JULY 19TH
Play The Game by Queen (1980)
from the album The Game
Mr. Brian Harold May was born on this day back in 1947 in Hampton, Middlesex. Three decades later he would be one quarter of the regal rock group, Queen. With his songwriting and his own customised 'May Axe', Brian May had a huge impact upon the Queen success story of the 1970s and beyond. I meanwhile am fascinated by the choice of inspirational tune that football clubs select when their gladiators enter the arena at 2.55 pm on a Saturday afternoon. From Van Halen's 'Jump' to 'The Theme From Z Cars' through to 'Simply The Best', there is an array of predictable material designed to usher in the competitors. Queen in particular are past masters at composing terrace anthems, as exemplified by 'We Will Rock You' and the triumphal 'We Are The Champions'. However, I remain a little disappointed that the band's minor hit 'Play The Game' has never been adapted for the terraces. True, Freddie and company are urging the listener to play the game of love, but I like to think that this worthy sentiment could still find its way into football grounds as the assembled masses engage in a little arms swaying. Such a momentary lapse into harmony might dilute the otherwise simmering hostility. Oh well, one can but dream.
{Also on this date, in 1979 the Sandinista rebels seize power in Nicaragua}

JULY 20TH
Silly Thing by The Sex Pistols (1979)
available on the album Kiss This
Paul Cook emerged from his mother's womb on this date in 1956 in west London. He was described memorably by Malcolm McLaren as "a phenomenal acrobat; always on time, he had to provide the beat." Therein began young Cook's association with the infamous Sex Pistols. At the height of their notoriety in the summer of 1977, Cook was the victim of a knife attack as both he and Johnny Rotten experienced the thuggish backlash from the Pistols' unique tribute to Her Royal Lowness's Jubilee. After Rotten jumped ship in January 1978, Cook stayed on board with his mate Steve Jones and together they knocked out a number of belting tunes for 'The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle'. Prominent among them was 'Silly Thing' which invaded the Top Ten in the UK charts in 1979. The song was originally intended to be called 'Silly C**t', but common sense prevailed over commercial suicide, and Cook could be found singing this tune on the 'Swindle' movie. With the money that he and his fellow rogues managed to 'swindle', Paul Cook was certainly no silly thing.
{Also on this day, King Abdullah of Jordan is shot dead in Jerusalem in 1951}

JULY 21ST
My Love by Paul McCartney & Wings (1973)
from the album Red Rose Speedway
You've got to hand it to Sir Paul McCartney, because he knows how to create a fine love song or two, whether it be 'Here, There And Everywhere' or 'I Will' from his Beatles days, but did anything in his huge assembly line of hits come close to the sheer beauty of 'My Love'? At a time when his sparring partner John Lennon was branching out into radical politics with 'Sometime In New York City', Macca risked losing credibility by confining himself to the same old formula of easy listening ballads, gentle rockers, and love songs, collectively dismissed by a contemptuous Lennon as 'muzak' fit only for shopping arcades. Let us however be thankful that Paul stuck to his guns, because 'My Love' is one of the great romantic tunes from the history of popular music and not merely another of McCartney's 'silly love songs'. Contributing on guitar to this American Number One hit was Ulsterman Henry McCullough (born on this day in 1943) who served a brief stint as a co-pilot on Wings. In an odd twist of fate, Paul was evicted from the Billboard No.1 spot by a certain George Harrison.
{Also on this date, in 1969 Neil Armstrong takes "one giant step for mankind"}

JULY 22ND
The Boys Of Summer by Don Henley (1984)
from the album Building The Perfect Beast
Don Henley proved that he could cut it on his own when the Eagles ceased to fly. Proof of this was delivered in spades by the majestic 'The Boys Of Summer'. The lyrics and the singing are quite good, but it is the delicious guitar input that elevates this single onto a new plateau where only classic recordings are granted residence. Here was another of those tunes that has continued to grace radio airplay many years after it made a splash in the charts. Henley himself was born a boy of summer on this date in 1947 in Texas. Like countless other artists, he perhaps suffers from the fact that all his other solo tracks were dwarfed by the giant in the repertoire, namely 'The Boys Of Summer'.
{Also on this day, the golfer Nick Faldo wins the British Open in 1990}

JULY 23RD
Master And Servant by Depeche Mode (1984)
from the album Some Great Reward
Today is the anniversary of the birth of Martin Gore in 1961. Gore went on to co-star in Depeche Mode who found themselves back amongst the British Top Ten hit parade with the masterful 'Master And Servant'. This single about the art of love-making was a far cry from any standard romantic offering that one cares to mention. Opinion was divided on the merits of Depeche Mode, but I for one emphatically consider 'Master And Servant' to be one of the most memorable and original releases of the 'eighties.
{Also on this date, in 1986 Prince Andrew marries Sarah Ferguson}

JULY 24TH
Telstar by The Tornados (1962)
from the album The Original Telstar: The Sounds Of The Tornadoes
Heinz Burt was born in Germany in the middle of the Second World War on this day in 1942. In the early 1960s he enjoyed a brief invasion of the British singles charts as a solo artist, but his most recognisable contribution to the UK's music scene was his guitar work on the stunning instrumental 'Telstar'. Burt was a protege of the legendary pop producer Joe Meek, and one could almost argue that Meek's composition (the first-ever American chart-topper by a British group) was the first example of space rock. Even Margaret Thatcher was sufficiently impressed to nominate the song as one of her Desert Island Discs. At a time when the likes of Yuri Gagarin were journeying into space, the Tornados found themselves in the stratosphere with this formidable museum artefact of the 1960s.
{Also on this day, the Apollo 11 splashes down safely in the Pacific Ocean in 1969}

JULY 25TH
The Carnival Is Over by The Seekers (1965)
available on the album The Best Of The Seekers
Bruce Woodley from the Australian singing combo The Seekers was born on this date a day after Heinz Burt, in Melbourne. His folk group found themselves occupying the pole position in the UK singles chart no fewer than twice in 1965 with 'I'll Never Find Another You' and the terrific 'The Carnival Is Over'. It took the all-conquering Beatles to de-throne The Seekers from Number One just as this weepy ballad seemed almost set to be the Christmas chart-topper. The carnival wasn't quite over as the quartet achieved more success with 'Georgy Girl', although perhaps 'The Carnival Is Over' represented their finest effort. It remains among the 50 biggest-selling singles in the UK.
{Also on this date, in 1994 Israel and Jordan sign the Washington Declaration}

JULY 26TH
Fool To Cry by The Rolling Stones (1976)
from the album Black And Blue
One of the greatest icons of popular music, Mr Michael Jagger (Dartford's most famous son), was born on this day back in 1943. Jagger and his fellow Rolling Stones confounded most expectations by continuing to perform together long after the likes of the Beatles, Cream, the Doors, or the Animals had gone their separate ways. 'Fool To Cry' demonstrated a welcome retreat from the standard riff-driven formula that the infamous five usually made use of. Jagger is at his untypically sensitive best with this transatlantic Top Ten smash, at a time when he was effectively carrying the Stones whilst his partner in crime Keith Richards descended into a heroin-induced oblivion. A year after the deserved success of 'Fool To Cry', Richards was arrested in Canada for drugs possession. The uncompromising guitarist has recalled how he had to be woken from his stupor to be informed of his arrest. For a while, 'Fool To Cry' threatened to be the Stones' last hit single. In the event, Jagger continued to record and entertain both with and without his group for the next three decades, as these semi-senile delinquents defied the assumption that rock and pop was exclusively a young man's game.
{Also on this day, Eva Peron dies in 1952, aged thirty-three}

JULY 27TH
I'll Never Fall In Love Again by Bobbie Gentry (1969)
from the album Touch 'Em With Love
American singing star Bobbie Gentry was born this day in 1944 in Mississippi under the name of Roberta Lee Streeter. 25 years later she would have cause for celebration when 'I'll Never Fall In Love Again' sat at the summit of the British singles chart in the autumn of 1969. This anti-love song by the ace songwriting combination of Burt Bacharach and Hal David contained such amusing lyrics as: "What do you get when you kiss a guy?/ You get enough germs to catch pneumonia/ And after you do, he'll never 'phone ya." Gentry may have pledged in this recording never to fall for the charms of the opposite sex again, but in real life she did indeed fall in love and got married.
{Also on this date, an armistice is signed, ending the Korean War in 1953}

JULY 28TH
Echoes by Pink Floyd (1971)
from the album Meddle
Rick Wright, the quiet man of Pink Floyd, was born at Hatch End, London on this date in 1943. Despite a musical background in jazz, Wright branched out into psychedelia and progressive rock, as his band sought to break new ground with their artistic, musical statements. One such instance was the Floyd's abandonment of the three-minute opus in favour of tracks that would exceed twenty minutes in length. Having had a bash on 'Atom Heart Mother', Pink Floyd cooked up another treat with a piece of music that occupied the whole of Side Two of the album, 'Meddle'. 'Echoes', probably the epitome of 'prog rock', begins with Wright plucking piano strings to initiate this wondrous, nautical recording. I used to lie in the bath and play this track in its entirety before reluctantly abandoning the bathtub at the song's conclusion. Speaking of which, I feel a sense of bereavement as 'Echoes' fades out. It is almost as if something is disappearing slowly over the horizon, never to return. The very self-indulgent 'Tales From Topographic Oceans' by Yes and Mike Oldfield's superb 'Tubular Bells' must surely derive their inspiration from Pink Floyd's ambient 'Echoes'.
{Also on this day, in 1976 the Tangshan earthquake in China kills 240,000 people}

JULY 29TH
Words Of Love by The Mamas & The Papas (1966)
from the album The Mamas And The Papas
Big Mama Cass Elliot met a tragically premature end on this day in 1974, at the age of only thirty-two when she was found dead in her London hotel room of a suspected heart attack. Back in happier times, Mama Cass helped to deliver lead vocals on the excellent 'Words Of Love' single, whose lyrics by John Phillips pre-dated the girl power of the Spice Girls by thirty years: "Words of love so soft and tender won't win a girl's heart anymore." Regrettably, Cass Elliot became the latest in a growing line of rock 'n' roll fatalities who allowed personal excess and an unhealthy lifestyle to sabotage their artistic potential.
{Also on this date, the US 101st Airborne Division lands in Vietnam in 1965}

JULY 30TH
Wow by Kate Bush (1978)
from the album Lionheart
Kate Bush 'emerged' on this day in 1958 in Kent. Two decades later, she was apparently disappointed that 'Lionheart', her second album, was rushed out a little too quickly, in a frantic attempt to capitalise on her new star billing. Nevertheless, 'Lionheart' has its moments, notably the amusing 'Coffee Homeground' and 'Kashka From Baghdad' ( a tale about a couple of gay lovers). However, I think that the highlight is the appropriately-named 'Wow'. Blessed with a tremendous orchestral accompaniment, the young Bush has a tongue-in-cheek swipe at the world of show-business. Bush continued to grace the airwaves with such treasures as 'Babooshka', 'Army Dreamers', and 'Hounds Of Love', although 'Wow' remains my favourite.
{Also on this day, England defeated West Germany to win the 1966 World Cup}

JULY 31ST
The One I Love by REM (1987)
from the album Document
Sticksman Bill Berry was born on this date in Duluth, Minnesota, one day after Kate Bush. After several years of building their own fan base, his group REM eventually made a breakthrough with the guitar-driven 'The One I Love'. Soon Georgia's finest foursome would be crossing the frontier from respected outfit to internationally acclaimed rock band. Then in 1997, Berry walked away from REM after seventeen years of distinguished service behind the drums.
{Also on this date, in 1964 Jim Reeves dies in an aeroplane crash, aged forty}

AUGUST 1ST
My Sweet Lord by George Harrison (1970)
from the album All Things Must Pass
After the acrimonious break-up of the Beatles, it was George Harrison who made the most impressive start to his solo journey with the chart-topping 'My Sweet Lord'. Not content with unseating Clive Dunn from the top perch, this Hare Krishna hymn spent five weeks at the UK Number One spot. Having dwelt in the shadow of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Harrison was growing in stature, thus cementing his reputation as a dark horse. Always one for a sense of humour, the quiet one indeed went on to name his own record label as Dark Horse. Regrettably, Harrison peaked with this ray of sunshine and the accompanying triple album, 'All Things Must Pass'. However, on this day later in 1971, he organised and performed at a concert in Madison Square Garden in New York for the people of Bangladesh, which also featured the likes of Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton. This historic event was a prototype Live Aid, and it was the first notable occasion when performers from the rock and pop aristocracy assembled to raise funds for others less fortunate.
{Also on this day, MTV broadcasts for the first time in 1981}

AUGUST 2ND
Paper Sun by Traffic (1967)
available on the album Best Of Traffic
Jim Capaldi was born on this date back in the tempestuous summer of 1944, under the name of Nicola James Capaldi. Arguably his finest moments in the music business related to the recording of the fabulous 'Paper Sun' with his partners in Traffic. This Top Ten hit in Britain, which Capaldi co-wrote with Stevie Winwood, was another of those special tunes from the 'summer of love', although I doubt whether any other attempt at psychedelic pop has ever managed to surpass the magic of this single. If you should ever dare to question the quality of 'sixties music, then feast your ears on this jewel.
{Also on this date, in 1990 Iraqi forces invade Kuwait}

AUGUST 3RD
Stranger In Paradise by Tony Bennett (1953)
available on the album Mr. Broadway: Tony Bennett's Greatest Broadway Hits
Celebrated crooner Tony Bennett was born in 1926 on this day in New York. Bennett was one of the giant recording stars of the 1950s who continued to perform and entertain his fans for many years thereafter. His only Number One in the United Kingdom is one of the very best chart-toppers of the 'fifties. 'Stranger In Paradise' was recorded in front of a live audience and it is hard not to join in with the well-earned round of applause at the song's conclusion. If you have yet to discover the majesty of this beautiful tune, then promptly do so.
{Also on this day, the comedian Lenny Bruce died in 1966, aged forty}

AUGUST 4TH
What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong (1967)
from the album What A Wonderful World
Born on this date in 1901, 'Satchmo' became the oldest artist to score a US Number One with 'Hello Dolly' in 1964. Remarkably four years later, Louis Armstrong repeated the feat by becoming the oldest performer of a UK chart-topper when his truly wonderful 'What A Wonderful World' climbed to the singles summit in the spring of 1968. There are many young music aficionados who hold the mistaken belief that music is exclusively a vehicle for offloading their standard themes of angst, boredom, depression, and insecurity, but there ought to be room in pop world for positive songs. Louis Armstrong's fine recording is one such shining example of feel-good music. The single's flipside, entitled 'Cabaret', is another marvellous offering from the elder statesman of popular music.
{Also on this date, 3 civil rights activists are found dead in Mississippi in 1964}

AUGUST 5TH
The Scarecrow by Pink Floyd (1967)
from the album The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn (1967)
Pink Floyd's debut album 'The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn' was released on this day in 1967. There is much to be said for the argument that this recording contained the best music to emerge from EMI's Abbey Road studios in that historic year, better even than the hyped 'Sergeant Pepper'. The late Roger 'Syd' Barrett dominated the proceedings on this long player with his quirky tales of a cat called 'Lucifer Sam' and 'The Gnome', as well as 'Bike' which must surely rate as the world's most bizarre love song. I have a soft spot for the record's penultimate track, 'The Scarecrow'. Long before the creation of the loveable Worzel Gummidge, here was a composition that sympathised with the poor fella "resigned to his fate" in the field while "mice ran around on the ground." This splendidly trippy little tune assisted by a superb guitar contribution represented the magic of 'Syd' while he still possessed all his faculties and before he too would become something of a scarecrow.
{Also on this day, American Bandstand is first televised on ABC in 1957}

AUGUST 6TH
When The Levee Breaks by Led Zeppelin (1971)
from the album Led Zeppelin IV
Memphis Minnie died on this date back in 1973,aged seventy-six. This lady would have remained largely anonymous but for the fact that the great Led Zeppelin decided to cover her recording of 'When The Levee Breaks', which itself dates back to June 1929.Zeppelin's version brings down the curtain, and plenty more besides, on their fourth album. This legendary track is notable for the awesome drum sound of big John Bonham, as he provides a thunderous rhythm that was banged out from the Hampshire country home of Headley Grange. Robert Plant rarely sounded better both on vocals and harmonica, but this item is Bonham's finest legacy. The crashing finale of this monster of a tune is a fitting conclusion to a long player that includes such golden nuggets as 'Black Dog' and 'Stairway To Heaven'. When Andy Fyfe came to compile his homage to 'Led Zeppelin IV', he named his volume 'When The Levee Breaks' after the jaw-dropping final song. I wonder if Memphis Minnie would have approved.
{Also on this date, Pope Paul VI dies in 1978, aged eighty}

AUGUST 7TH
My Brother Jake by Free (1971)
available on the album The Best Of Free: All Right Now
Andy Fraser, the bass guitarist of Free, was born on this date in 1952. Even as a teenager, Fraser and his group were thrilling the world with 'All Right Now' and 'My Brother Jake'. I have a slight preference for the latter hit single. The tragic Paul Kossoff provides a superb guitar input while lead vocalist Paul Rodgers belts out a sensitive song, trying to reach out to Jake. Free subsequently split and then quickly re-formed, but like Cream before them, there was too many 'issues' that would prevent this acclaimed combo from enjoying the longevity achieved by the Rolling Stones and the Who. I always liked Chris Blackwell's story about when he expressed his reservations about the band's name, a defiant Andy Fraser retorted that if he wanted to sign them to Island Records, then their name would stay 'Free'.
{Also on this day, comedian Oliver Hardy dies in 1957, aged 65}

AUGUST 8TH
The Unforgettable Fire by U2 (1984)
available on the album The Best Of 1980-1990
'The Edge', alternatively known as Dave Evans, was born in Barking, east London, on this day in 1961, before his family relocated to the Emerald Isle. In my humble opinion, although 'The Joshua Tree' is the superior album, 'The Unforgettable Fire' possesses an ace up its sleeve in the shape of the title track. Here The Edge excels himself with a song that demonstrated U2's transition from raw, uncomplicated rock songs towards a completely different plateau of poignant tunes that resided on the right side of the thin dividing line between pretentiousness and critically acclaimed art. Although this UK Top Ten hit single continues to live in the shadow of 'Pride In The Name Of Love', I regard it as one of the highlights of the much-maligned 'eighties.
{Also on this date, the 'Great Train Robbery' occurs in 1963 in Buckinghamshire}

AUGUST 9TH
You're My Best Friend by Queen (1975)
from the album A Night At The Opera
Queen had the ability and commercial good sense to compose rock music that was accessible to a wide audience, without being pigeon-holed amongst the 'heavy metal' genre. Building upon the success of such thrilling hits as 'Killer Queen' and 'Seven Seas Of Rhye', the quartet took a giant leap forward with their 'A Night At The Opera' project. Produced by Roy Thomas Baker, the album's contents are dwarfed by the presence of 'Bohemian Rhapsody' which refused to budge from the top of the British singles chart for a staggering nine weeks. The long player possesses other fine material, such as Brian May's rendition of the British national anthem, as well as the jolly 'Seaside Rendezvous' and the beautiful 'Love Of My Life'. However, I am especially keen on the album's other hit single, 'You're My Best Friend'. It exemplifies Queen's rock and pop crossover, and this John Deacon composition is one of those romantic songs that isn't merely syrupy nonsense. The music on this item represents Queen at their very best. On this date in 1986 Queen topped the bill at Knebworth's music festival where their performance in front of about 120,000 people would be their last outing with Freddie Mercury.
{Also on this day, Gerald Ford replaces Richard Nixon as the US President in 1974}

AUGUST 10TH
Living In The Past by Jethro Tull (1969)
available on the album Living In The Past
Jethro Tull made their own unique contribution to the world of popular music with a couple of fascinating hits at the end of the 1960s. 'Sweet Dream' is both amusing and listenable, whilst 'Living In The Past' is simply one of the most under-rated singles in living memory. This Top Three smash was an antidote to all the bad vibes and gathering storm that saw the hippie idealism of 'love' and 'peace' quickly turn sour, as street demonstrations and political violence blighted the end of the decade. I do so love the lines in which Ian Anderson states: "Once I used to join in/ Every girl and boy was my friend/ Now there's revolution/ But they don't know what they're fighting." Ian Anderson, the song's co-writer (with manager Terry Ellis), and frontman extraordinaire, was born on this date in 1947 in Fife, in Scotland.
{Also on this date, in 1961 Britain applies to join the European Economic Community}

AUGUST 11TH
No Quarter by Led Zeppelin (1973)
from the album Houses Of The Holy
British rock's finest foursome made a triumphant return to the stage in Britain when they convened at the Knebworth music festival on this day in 1979, for their first live appearance in their native land for four years. Unfortunately, their two performances would also be their last British outings due to the death of John Bonham thirteen months later. Back in 1973, after four almost flawless albums, cracks started to appear on the band's patchy 'Houses Of The Holy' project. The proceedings are only rescued by two stunning tracks, 'The Rain Song' and 'No Quarter'. The latter is one of the group's finest efforts. It is a slow, menacing number, and the word awesome springs to mind.
{Also on this day, race riots start in the Watts area of Los Angeles in 1965}

AUGUST 12TH
Do You Really Want To Hurt Me? by Culture Club (1982)
from the album Kissing To Be Clever
If at first you don't succeed, then try and try again. This well-known piece of advice is a summation of Culture Club's early attempts to break into the pop charts. Eventually, after a couple of failed efforts, the group struck gold with a song that was originally intended as album filler material. In the event, 'Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?', a reggae tune, stormed to the top of the British hit parade with the help of a video that included a spoof of the black and white minstrel show. This song of persecution struck a chord with record buyers, as Boy George became the UK's favourite homosexual. Until George fell foul of drugs abuse, he and his band could do no wrong for a couple of years. One of the group, Roy Hay (the guitarist), was born this day in 1961 in Southend.
{Also on this date, in 1969 the riotous 'battle of the Bogside' begins in Derry}

AUGUST 13TH
A Good Heart by Feargal Sharkey (1985)
from the album Feargal Sharkey
Derry City's most celebrated male vocalist Feargal Sharkey was born on this date in 1958. He originally found fame with his local punk band, The Undertones, who made forays into the singles chart in Britain with the likes of 'Here Comes The Summer', 'My Perfect Cousin', and the over-rated 'Teenage Kicks'. Several years later, Sharkey scored a surprise UK Number One with an uncharacteristic pop song, 'A Good Heart', in the autumn of 1985. This Maria Mckee composition was a far cry from The Undertones and 'Jimmy Jimmy', but it was a well-deserved chart-topper.
{Also on this day, the border between east and west Berlin is closed in 1961}

AUGUST 14TH
Everybody's Been Burned by The Byrds (1967)
from the album Younger Than Yesterday
Today is the anniversary of the birth in 1941 of David Crosby. Crosby made significant contributions to the Byrds, before a clash of personalities with Jim McGuinn necessitated his departure. Before he joined forces with Stephen Stills, Graham Nash, and Neil Young, Crosby wrote such very different tracks as 'I See You' and 'What's Happening?!?!' from the 'Fifth Dimension' project. He then improved upon these two items with a couple of marvellous offerings for the 'Younger Than Yesterday' long player. 'Mind Gardens' was a quaint-sounding, folk tune with superb lyrics, but there are few album tracks from the 1960s (or indeed any decade) that can compare with the majestic 'Everybody's Been Burned'. This melancholy recording has a jaw-dropping quality that has to be heard to be believed. Do yourselves a favour and experience this outstanding recording.
{Also on this date, the outlaw known as 'Carlos The Jackal' is arrested in 1994}

AUGUST 15TH
Everybody Gets To Go To The Moon by The Three Degrees (1971)
available on the album The Three Degrees Live
Songwriter Jimmy Webb was born on this date in 1953. One of his many compositions surfaced on the magnificent movie, 'The French Connection', when the Three Degrees excelled at 'Everybody Gets To Go To The Moon'. Regrettably, this brilliant cameo performance at the Copacabana night club in New York (whilst Popeye Doyle was spying on a bunch of potential drug dealers) was never released as a single, but before long the fab three would be delighting audiences far and wide with such hits as 'When Will I See You Again'. However, the impressive 'Everybody Gets To Go To The Moon' was a fine foretaste of what was in store. It's an epic song in a truly epic film.
{Also on this day, a bomb in Omagh causes the deaths of 29 people in 1998}

AUGUST 16TH
An American Trilogy by Elvis Presley (1972)
available on the album Hitstory
To borrow from Don MacLean's 'American Pie', this date in 1977 was another day when the music died, when Elvis Aaron Presley, the undisputed king of rock 'n' roll, was found dead on his bathroom floor aged forty-two, after years of excess and a diet of burgers and pills. Many purists like to suggest that Elvis ceased to function after he joined the US army, and that his finest recordings were confined to his stint with Sun Records. I beg to differ. 'An American Trilogy' simply takes the breath away. Comprising three American standards ('Dixieland', 'The Battle Hymn Of The Republic', and 'All My Trials'), this medley has been labelled as a ballad. Again, I dispute this. For me, it is the ultimate soul song. I am perplexed at how those dreadful tunes in which the singer bewails "I'm lonely without you baby" are described as soul songs. Instead, Elvis digs deep and from the depths of his soul, he delivers this heart-rending classic. 'An American Trilogy' is knee-deep in emotion, both sad and uplifting. It is frankly a track that should be amongst everybody's desert island discs.
{Also on this date, in 1960 Cyprus achieves independence from the UK}

AUGUST 17TH
There, There, My Dear by Dexy's Midnight Runners (1980)
from the album Searching For The Young Soul Rebels
Kevin Rowland, the lead vocalist of Dexy's Midnight Runners, was born on this day in 1953. His band made an instant impact with their debut offering, 'Searching For The Young Soul Rebels'. The album was dripping with dance tunes and a brass accompaniment, reminiscent of Stax Records in the late 1960s. 'Geno' was the long player's most famous item, but other fine efforts included the brilliant instrumental, 'The Teams That Meet In Caffs' and 'I'm Only Looking'. However, a suitable finale comes in the guise of another hit single, 'There, There, My Dear'. There can be fewer better dance songs in music history than this three-minute delight. Here is a challenge for you: Can you sit still for the duration of this energetic number?
{Also on this day, Paul Williams of the Temptations dies at the age of 34 in 1973}

AUGUST 18TH
Blackberry Way by The Move (1968)
available on the album The Best Of The Move
Another Midlands' combo, the Move, promptly moved to the summit of the UK singles chart in early 1969 with the admirable 'Blackberry Way'. It is likely that this hit single owes its origin to the likes of 'Blueberry Hill' and 'Strawberry Fields Forever', but nobody could begrudge the Move this deserved chart-topper, eighteen months after 'Flowers In The Rain' had fallen just short of the coveted Number One position. One of the group members, Carl Wayne (the lead vocalist), was born this day back in 1943 in Winson Green, Birmingham.
{Also on this date, Jimi Hendrix performs at the last day of Woodstock in 1969}

AUGUST 19TH
White Room by Cream (1968)
from the album Wheels Of Fire
Cream's third album, 'Wheels Of Fire', yielded one of the ten greatest recordings of the 1960s in the guise of the monumental 'White Room'. Written by the Jack Bruce and Pete Brown songwriting partnership, the tune features Eric Clapton on wah-wah guitar, with Ginger Baker knocking out a peculiar drum rhythm. 'Sunshine Of Your Love' and 'Strange Brew' may have received more plaudits, but in my opinion they are dwarfed by the splendour of the 'White Room'. Sticksman Ginger Baker was born on this day in 1939 in Lewisham, two weeks before the outbreak of hostilities in Europe. Baker and Scottish bassist Jack Bruce had their very own conflict, which tragically prevented this formidable power trio from building upon the quality of the 'White Room'.
{Also on this day, in 1991 a coup attempts to depose Mikhail Gorbachev}

AUGUST 20TH
The Boys Are Back In Town by Thin Lizzy (1976)
from the album Jailbreak
Today is the anniversary of the birth in 1949 of Phil Lynott in West Bromwich. Lynott's Thin Lizzy made their own mark on rock music with 'Whiskey In The Jar' and more particularly, 'The Boys Are Back In Town'. The latter is the ultimate rabble-rousing, lads' anthem. It had enough commercial appeal to ascend the pop charts, assisted by an infectious guitar sound that must surely have found favour with numerous air guitarists within the confines of their bedrooms. No pub jukebox is complete without this rocker.
{Also on this date, a cease-fire halts the 8-year Iran-Iraq War in 1988}

AUGUST 21ST
Know Your Rights by The Clash (1982)
from the album Combat Rock
Whilst their previous project, 'Sandinista', was regarded as a bit of an over-indulgent triple album, the Clash followed it with the outstanding 'Combat Rock'. After touring the stadiums of the United States in support of the Police (now there is an irony), the Clash recorded several new gems. Regrettably, although the long player is remembered for containing 'Should I Stay Or Should I Go?' and 'Rock The Casbah', there are better songs worthy of mention. 'Ghetto Defendant', 'Death Is A Star', and 'Sean Flynn' are marvellous tracks, but perhaps pride of place belongs with the stirring call to arms of the album opener. 'Know Your Rights' is a mighty recording, with the group pulling no punches with their political lyrics: "Murder is a crime/ Unless it's done by a policeman." "You have the right to remain silent/ So long as you're not dumb enough to actually try it." The singing comes courtesy of the late Joe Strummer, who was born on this date back in 1952 in Ankara, Turkey, under the name of John Mellor.
{Also on this day, in 1968 Soviet troops invade Czechoslovakia}

AUGUST 22ND
Sowing The Seeds Of Love by Tears For Fears (1989)
from the album The Seeds Of Love
Today marks the anniversary of the birth in 1961 of Roland Orzabal in Portsmouth. Along with his musical partner, Curt Smith, Orzabal was responsible for several of the best songs to emanate from the under-rated 'eighties. 'Shout' is a superb single while 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' was a huge transatlantic smash. However, at the end of the decade, the duo delivered a piece of magic that eclipsed anything that they had produced before. 'Sowing The Seeds Of Love' was clearly a throwback to Sergeant Pepper, although there are few Pepper items that stand favourable comparison. 'Sowing The Seeds Of Love' at the very least ought to be short-listed for one of the twenty best singles of the 1980s.
{Also on this date, the Devil's Island penal colony is permanently closed in 1952}

AUGUST 23RD
God's Cop by The Happy Mondays (1990)
from the album Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches
'God's Cop' hails from the album 'Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches' and features a majestic guitar input from Mark Day. However, aside from this, it is the epitome of the Happy Mondays' intention to perform indie music that could be danced to. The song itself is based on the controversial Manchester senior police officer, James Anderton, whose outspokenness earned him regular news coverage. Whether or not he really was 'God's cop', we have him to thank for this excellent track which belongs among the ten best recordings of the 1990s. Born on this day in 1963 near Salford was the group's main vocalist, Mr. Shaun Ryder. Ryder, a product of the scandal-ridden summer of 1963, would himself be no stranger to controversy. Ryder's curriculum vitae includes the jobs of postman and 'pharmaceuticals salesman'.
{Also on this day, in 1990 Armenia declares its independence from the USSR}

AUGUST 24TH
Oxygene (Part IV) by Jean Michel Jarre (1976)
from the album Oxygene
Jean Michel Jarre was born on this date back in 1948 in Lyon in France. Although he will go down in music history as something of a one hit wonder, he sure did leave us all with a remarkable hit single. Surely a candidate for one of the best instruments of all time, Oxygene (Part IV) is overflowing with stunning synthesizer sounds. Well, if you're only going to invade the singles chart once, you might as well ensure that it is a memorable splash. Oxygene (Part IV) deservedly took its place beside nineteen other special tracks on the compilation album: 'Milestones: Twenty Rock Operas'. Jarre was named as 'Personality Of The Year' in 1976 by the American 'People' magazine.
{Also on this date, France explodes its first hydrogen bomb in 1968}

AUGUST 25TH
Video Killed The Radio Star by Buggles (1979)
from the album The Age Of Plastic
This British chart-topper was appropriately used to provide the first video shown on the new music television channel, MTV. It is open to question as to whether or not video (or DVD) has killed the radio star, but what is not in doubt is the attraction of this majestic pop song. The band followed up with a lesser hit, 'Living In the Plastic Age', which I always had a liking for as well. Geoff Downes, from the group (and the co-composer) was born this day in 1952 in Stockport. His partner and the song's producer Trevor Horn apparently named the short-lived outfit after his dog. While Downes faded into obscurity, Horn would go on to produce Frankie Goes To Hollywood.
{Also on this day, in 1991 Belarus declares its independence from the USSR}

AUGUST 26TH
Heroin by The Velvet Underground (1967)
from the album The Velvet Underground And Nico
Maureen Tucker of the Velvet Underground was unique in a couple of ways. Born this day in 1944 in New York, she was that rarest of commodities: a female drummer, and secondly she must have been one of the first lesbians in the history of rock and pop. Anyhow, Mo Tucker provided the percussion for the cult group's ground-breaking debut album. One of the standout cuts has to be 'Heroin'. The song is not a favourite of mine by any stretch of the imagination, but it perfectly encapsulates the band's desire to produce a cacophony of sound to complement subject matter that was a far cry from the tiresome pop formula that everyone else seemingly relied upon. With such lyrics as "Heroin, you'll be the death of me", be under no illusion that this composition is an advertisement for this sinister substance.
{Also on this date, Albino Luciani is chosen to be Pope John Paul I in 1978}

AUGUST 27TH
Pretty Vacant by The Sex Pistols (1977)
from the album Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols
Glen Matlock was the chief composer of music for the beloved Sex Pistols, before he was evicted in favour of what Nick Kent has described as "the self-imploding dimwit", Sid Vicious. With Matlock out of the picture, there may have been more camaraderie and high jinx in the combo, but the well of tunes dried up as a consequence. One of Matlock's notable successes was 'Pretty Vacant', which followed 'God Save The Queen' into the British Top Ten in the Jubilee summer of 1977. Matlock is not shy in admitting that he borrowed the riff for this fine song from the unlikeliest of sources: 'SOS' by Abba. Johnny Rotten chipped in with the lyrics for this single, with the feeling of being 'pretty vacant' a recurring theme in the increasingly bored Rotten. Matlock's dud replacement Sid might have struck the perfect rock pose whilst miming on bass to a televised broadcast of 'Pretty Vacant', but this remained the absent Matlock's recording. The de-commissioned Pistol songsmith was born on this date in 1956. He later re-joined the band for reunion gigs in 1996, 2002 and 2007.
{Also on this day, 18 soldiers are killed in the Warrenpoint Massacre in 1979}

AUGUST 28TH
Always The Sun by The Stranglers (1986)
from the album Dreamtime
Johnny Rotten may have scoffed that they were short-haired hippies, whilst their sound was sometimes a bit too reminiscent of the Doors, but the Stranglers contributed many fabulous recordings which still merit attention. Classic punk tunes such as 'Peaches' and 'Get A Grip On Yourself' were followed by the remarkable interpretation of 'Walk On By' and the outstanding 'Golden Brown'. However, my own preference is for 'Always The Sun' which sounds nothing like the new wave wonders that the band are usually associated with. With a message not unlike 'Always Look On The Bright Side Of Life', Hugh Cornwell and the gang remind us that in spite of all the disappointments and negativity in our lives, "there's always the sun." Well, at least in hot countries, there's always the sun. I trust that this brilliant tune is not an endorsement of that awful Sun 'newspaper'. Anyhow, Hugh Cornwell, the group's lead vocalist, was born on this date back in 1949. Cornwell's colourful life has included a B.A in biochemistry from Bristol University and a stint in Pentonville Prison.
{Also on this date, in 1996 Prince Charles and Princess Diana are officially divorced}

AUGUST 29TH
I Can't Help It by Michael Jackson (1979)
from the album Off The Wall
In my semi-humble opinion, 'Off The Wall' is marginally superior to Michael Jackson's next two albums, 'Thriller' and 'Bad'. From this outstanding long player, I am favourably disposed to the tremendous dance song 'Rock With You' as well as the title track, but the gold medal should be awarded to the lesser-known recording, 'I Can't Help It'. Not only is it one of the great, undiscovered love songs, but aside from the singer's helpless infatuation, the music is just sheer beauty. The lyrics include: "like a trip to Heaven", and when you hear the sumptuous strings that decorate this item, you know exactly what the singer means. Not even 'One Day in Your Life' can quite compare. Michael Jackson was born on this day in 1958 in Indiana. He's one of the world's greatest singers, but a fragile and odd human being.
{Also on this day, the actress Ingrid Bergman dies in 1982 on her 67th birthday}

AUGUST 30TH
International Jet Set by The Specials (1980)
from the album More Specials
Detractors might point out that the Specials' second album was a retreat from their frenetic ska sound towards a more pseudo-sophisticated 'muzak' that belonged in supermarkets. This is missing the point that 'More Specials' possessed thrilling dance songs like 'Sock It To Em JB' (their James Bond tribute) and the instrumental 'Holiday Fortnight'. However, for me, a leading contender for the single of the decade comes from the extraordinary, penultimate track, 'International Jet Set'. Probably drawing upon their experience of transatlantic flights earlier in the year, the group deliver a superb musical soundtrack to a celebrity (played by Terry Hall) bemoaning his jet set lifestyle. This remarkable offering formed one half of a Double A-side with the admirable 'Stereotype', and it found its way into the UK Top Ten in the autumn of 1980. One word of warning should be issued: If you have a fear of flying, then you won't want to hear the end of this song. Bass guitarist and author of 'Ska'd For Life', Horace Panter was born on this date in 1953 in Croydon, south London.
{Also on this date, in 1984 the Space Shuttle Discovery begins its first voyage}

AUGUST 31ST
Ballerina by Van Morrison (1968)
from the album Astral Weeks
Van Morrison's album 'Astral Weeks' is an acquired taste. It is one of those records that didn't shift many copies, yet it has won many admirers among various music critics ever since. I have belatedly warmed to its eight tracks. 'The Way Young Lovers Do' is a marvellous up-tempo number, but it is probably overshadowed by the lovely 'Ballerina'. With a truly beautiful musical accompaniment, Van sounds so vulnerable with his line: "If somebody, not just anybody, should wish to get close to you...for instance me babe." Van has continued to accumulate considerable acclaim for his subsequent projects, but 'Astral Weeks' is arguably his finest effort. Today also happens to be the anniversary of the birth in 1945 of 'Van The Man', alternatively known as George Ivan Morrison.
{Also on this day, Princess Diana dies in a car crash in Paris in 1997, aged 36}

SEPTEMBER 1ST
Beat Surrender by The Jam (1982)
available on the album Snap!
'Beat Surrender' was the Jam's swansong. The formidable three had announced their break-up and then subsequently chose to release this item as their final single. Far from being a tearful goodbye, the lads bow out with an energetic tune, assisted by the presence of a horns section. Such is the British record buyer's taste in music that the group's fourth chart-topper was evicted from the chart summit by Renee And Renato's vastly different 'Save Your Love'. The band's bass player, Bruce Foxton, was born on this date in 1955 in the Home Counties locality of Woking. Unlike Paul Weller, Foxton's flirtation with fame terminated with the end of the Jam.
{Also on this date, in 1969 Colonel Gaddafi leads a successful coup in Libya}

SEPTEMBER 2ND
Can't You Hear Me Knocking by The Rolling Stones (1971)
from the album Sticky Fingers
A number of candidates have been suggested as who was the fifth Beatle. One theory is that Billy Preston's presence at the 'Let It Be' recording sessions transformed the fab four into a briefly multi-cultural quintet. Preston, famed for his contribution to the 'Get Back' single then gave service as a session musician to the Rolling Stones. Their collaboration on the brilliant 'Sticky Fingers' album culminated in the superb 'Can't You Hear Me Knocking'. Mocked by a few people as a bit over-indulgent, this track evolves into a protracted jam in which the organ of Billy Preston and the saxophone of Bobby Keys are very much to the fore of the instrumental second half of this composition. This song is at least on a par with the other great cuts from this excellent long player, which includes such treats as 'Brown Sugar', 'I Got The Blues', and 'Moonlight Mile'. Billy Preston was born on this day in 1946. He went on to deliver a huge smash with a duet alongside Syreeta called 'With You I'm Born Again' as well as the hit single, 'That's The Way God Planned It.'
{Also on this day, the British entertainer Roy Castle dies in 1994, aged 62}

SEPTEMBER 3RD
Something Else by The Sex Pistols (1979)
available on the album Flogging A Dead Horse
In the absence of the departed Johnny Rotten, budding star Sid Vicious stepped up to the microphone and offered a few admirable cover versions. One such Sid karaoke classic was his rendition of the late Eddie Cochran's 'Somethin' Else'. This storming rocker benefits from the guitar work of that nice, polite Steve Jones. Jones, a former cat burglar, was born on this date back in 1955 in Shepherd's Bush, west London. Having previously helped himself apparently to some of the contents of the Keith Richards and David Bowie households, Jones would star beside Sid Vicious in the Malcolm McLaren-dominated movie, 'The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle'. 'Something Else' forms part of the film's soundtrack, and it deservedly found itself subsequently occupying a lofty position in the UK Top Ten in the immediate aftermath of the death of Sid. Jones's other great claim to infamy was his rather amusing, foul-mouthed outburst at Bill Grundy on television which sparked nationwide fury against the 'offensive' Sex Pistols in early December 1976.
{Also on this date, the eBay internet site is created in 1995 in California}

SEPTEMBER 4TH
Middle Of The Road by The Pretenders (1984)
available on the album The Singles
This marvellous tune proved that there was life after Jimmy and Pete. In spite of the obvious need for changes in personnel, the Pretenders managed to soldier on with the occasional gem. One particular highlight is the single, 'Middle Of The Road', which contained in its accompanying video a portrayal of the group appearing on television, whereupon their performance is curtailed by a spoof demonstration. Today is the anniversary of the birth in 1951 in Hereford of the drummer, Martin Chambers. Chambers later left the Pretenders, having not been able to acclimatise in the absence of the deceased Farndon and Honeyman-Scott. He eventually resumed his position several years later at the drums to revive his association with Chrissie Hynde.
{Also on this day, Mark Spitz wins his 7th gold at the 1972 Munich Olympics}

SEPTEMBER 5TH
Who Wants To Live Forever by Queen (1986)
from the album A Kind Of Magic
Showman par excellence Freddie Mercury was born this day in 1946 in Zanzibar. Although his band Queen enjoyed the bulk of their success on the back of their 'seventies projects, the fabulous foursome made a welcome return to form with the 'A Kind Of Magic' album. Following fast behind their triumphant appearance at Live Aid, the group offered such new delights as 'Friends Will Be Friends', 'One Year Of Love', and the marvellous title track. However, I would argue that the long player's best song and most poignant moments arise from the item, 'Who Wants To Live Forever'. Mercury would only survive this particular recording by five years, and its lyrics could almost serve as a fitting epitaph. This giant of a tune is one of the highlights of the 1980s, alongside their previous hits 'Radio Ga Ga' and 'I Want To Break Free'.
{Also on this date, Palestinian gunmen seize 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics}

SEPTEMBER 6TH
Another Brick In The Wall, Part II by Pink Floyd (1979)
from the album The Wall
Pink Floyd's bass guitarist, chief composer, and unofficial leader, Roger Waters, was born on this particular date back in 1943 in Surrey. A few months later, his father, Eric Fletcher Waters, would lose his life during the ill-fated Anzio landings, south of Rome, in early 1944. The death of his father from this military folly would impact upon Waters many years later, as this bitter experience was at the core of his songwriting. Waters's last major project with 'his' band before acrimony replaced any semblance of harmony was 'The Wall'. Essentially a Roger Waters solo album, with contributions from his colleagues, 'The Wall' was an ambitious concept which proved another huge seller in the album charts on both sides of the Atlantic. What was not envisaged by its creator was that the long player would not only yield the group their first foray into the British singles chart in twelve years, but that the issue of 'Another Brick In The Wall, Part II' would spend five weeks at Number One, becoming the 1979 UK Christmas chart-topper in the process. The quartet has the brilliant guitar input of David Gilmour to thank for this, as well as the peculiar cameo of Islington Green schoolchildren singing "we don't need no education."
{Also on this day, in 1997 the funeral of Princess Diana takes place}

SEPTEMBER 7TH
Join Together by The Who (1972)
available on the album Join Together
Several hours after celebrating the anniversary of the birth of Buddy Holly in the company of the likes of Paul and Linda McCartney, Keith Moon was found dead on this day in 1978. The Who's infamous sticksman was both an acclaimed drummer and the scourge of hotel owners, with his legendary fondness for causing mayhem. Before becoming the latest victim of alcohol and drugs excess, Moon had featured in the wondrous 'Join Together' recording. Featuring a cameo by the Jew's harp, this track is arguably the Who's best effort from the 1970s. 'Moon the loon' was only thirty-two years of age when he fell permanently asleep.
{Also on this date, the Google internet service is created in 1998 in California}

SEPTEMBER 8TH
Tears Of A Clown by The Beat (1979)
available on the album What Is Beat? The Best Of The Beat
Along with Madness, Birmingham's the Beat released their first single on the Two Tone Records label, just before the Christmas of 1979. This was a decent attempt at a cover of the 1970 chart-topper for Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, and it provided the Beat with a Top Ten hit at the first time of asking. The group's bass guitarist, David Steele (also known as 'Shuffle', on account of his footwork on stage) was born this day in 1960, on the Isle Of Wight. Steele once recalled how after the group had invited him all the way from the Isle Of Wight to Birmingham, they felt so guilty about putting him to so much trouble, that they felt morally obliged to hire his services. Steele would later depart with guitarist Andy Cox to form the Fine Young Cannibals with Roland Gift.
{Also on this day, in 1986 the Oprah Winfrey Show is first televised}

SEPTEMBER 9TH
King Creole by Elvis Presley (1958)
from the album King Creole
Today is the anniversary of Elvis Presley's appearance on the hugely popular American 'Ed Sullivan Show' in 1956. Generation gaps were well and truly created as adults were dismayed by the sight of this young rock 'n' roller, while teenagers were in awe of their new hero. From the 1950s, I would venture that Elvis's best recording was 'King Creole', surpassing even 'Heartbreak Hotel' and 'One Night'. The composers of this tune were Leiber and Stoller, who had written other Elvis items such as 'Hound Dog', 'Jailhouse Rock', and 'Don't'.
{Also on this date, a riot begins at the prison in Attica, New York in 1971}

SEPTEMBER 10TH
Stay by Shakespears Sister (1992)
from the album Hormonally Yours
In the same year that 'King Creole' hit the cinema screens, Siobhan Fahey was born on this particular day in Dublin. She had originally found fame as one-third of Bananarama, enjoying a succession of hit singles in the 'eighties. Fahey, who married Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics, would go on to new territory with her new project, Shakespears Sister, when she found herself at the summit of the UK singles chart at the beginning of 1992, when the quirky love song 'Stay' remarkably stayed at Number One for a stay of eight weeks. Along with her musical partner Marcella Detroit, Fahey cultivated a vampish image. She then later suffered from mental problems, as years of recording and performing began to take their toll.
{Also on this day, in 1977 the Guillotine claims its last victim in France}

SEPTEMBER 11TH
Bitter Sweet Symphony by The Verve (1997)
from the album Urban Hymns
Richard Ashcroft, the lead vocalist of the Verve, was born this day back in 1971 in Lancashire. His group may have hailed from rugby league playing country in Wigan, but the Verve swerved the oval ball in favour of the recording studio. This was a good decision, as their magnificent single, 'Bitter Sweet Symphony', is a strong candidate for the best song of the 1990s, featuring a bizarre video in which the peculiar Ashcroft walks straight through 'passers-by' on the pavement. The success of this hit was also bitter sweet, as the band were forced to cede songwriting royalties to the impoverished duo of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards for alleged sampling of 'The Last Time'.
{Also on this date, General Pinochet seizes power in Chile in 1973}

SEPTEMBER 12TH
Biko by Peter Gabriel (1980)
from the album Peter Gabriel (his third untitled LP)
On this date in 1977, South African civil rights campaigner Stephen Biko died whilst in police custody. The international community are in little doubt concerning the nature of his untimely death. Three years later, the great Peter Gabriel provided his own musical version of that tragic event. Assisted by a host of African singers and an ominous drumbeat, Gabriel delivers one of the finest songs in the history of popular music. Gabriel announces in mid-song: "You can blow out a candle/ But you can't blow out a fire/ Once the flame begins to catch/The wind will blow it higher." This is a truly powerful tune, with defiant lyrics, and atmospheric music to boot. Phil Collins also assisted on this track, which included the sound of bagpipes. Biko was only thirty years of age.
{Also on this day, in 1974 Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia is ousted in a coup}

SEPTEMBER 13TH
If You Leave Me Now by Chicago (1976)
from the album Chicago X
Peter Cetera was born on this day in 1944. His band Chicago, from where Cetera originates, climbed to the top of the British singles chart in the autumn of 1976 with the tearjerker, 'If You Leave Me Now'. This desperate plea to a lover to keep the faith featured a beautiful strings arrangement, which made its own contribution to this fine ballad. Penned by Cetera himself, this tune is almost certainly one of the best UK Number Ones of the 'seventies. The song also reached the top of the American and Australian hit parades.
{Also on this date, Albania resigns from the Warsaw Pact in 1968}

SEPTEMBER 14TH
Take On Me by A-ha (1985)
from the album Hunting High And Low
Today represents the anniversary of the birth in 1959 of Morten Harket. His Norwegian pop group, A-ha, made a massive splash on the British singles chart when 'Take On Me' fell narrowly short of the top position in the autumn of 1985. This catchy tune was clearly one of the best pop songs of the 'eighties, and it featured a video 'promo' where the visuals shift from real people to animation and back again. Ironically, although A-ha reached the UK pop summit soon after with 'The Sun Always Shines On T.V.', Harket and his outfit will be best remembered for 'Take On Me'.
{Also on this day, Grace Kelly dies at the age of 52 in 1982, after a car crash}

SEPTEMBER 15TH
Baby, I Love You by The Ramones (1980)
from the album End Of the Century
'Johnny Ramone', alternatively known as John William Cummings, died on this date in 2004, at the age of fifty-five. His New York combo was a unique institution, not least because they were a long-haired punk band. The Ramones made a name for themselves for their formula of thrashing out short, fast-paced anthems that compensated with energy for what they lacked in subtlety. The 'brothers' then made a rare appearance in the pop charts with a sweet cover of 'Baby, I Love You', when they surprisingly attempted their own re-interpretation of the Ronettes' classic single. The tune was a far cry from their usual repertoire, but I guess that they had bills to pay.
{Also on this date, in 1959 Nikita Khrushchev begins a visit to the United States}

SEPTEMBER 16TH
Life's A Gas by T Rex (1971)
available on the album Born To Boogie - The Collection
'Life's A Gas' is a little known album track from the 'Electric Warrior' long player, produced by Tony Visconti, and released in the autumn of 1971 at a time when T Recstacy was gathering momentum amongst the young generation in Britain. Not only is it another decent T Rex song, but it contains the ironic lyrics: "Life's a gas/ I hope it's gonna last." Six years later on this fateful day, the song's author Marc Bolan was killed in a car accident, when the Mini he was travelling in crashed into a tree in south-west London. Bolan was a passenger in his partner Gloria Jones's car. She eventually recovered, and her own song 'Tainted Love' became a huge chart-topping single for Soft Cell in 1981. Bolan died just two weeks short of his thirtieth birthday. In all probability, he was unlikely to re-discover his past greatness, but nevertheless the new punk generation regarded him as a founding father.
{Also on this day, Argentine President, Juan Peron, is deposed in 1955 in a coup}

SEPTEMBER 17TH
White Punks On Dope by The Tubes (1975)
from the album The Tubes
This extraordinary song was selected for inclusion on the 'Best Punk Album In The World...Ever, Volume 1'. The trouble is that the Tubes were not exactly a punk rock band. They simply carved out their own exclusive niche. Nevertheless, 'WPOD' is a formidable and eccentric track, with all manner of splendid contributions from guitar, piano, backing vocals, and an excellent fade-out and return. This recording about poor little rich kids in desperate search for street credibility actually merits inclusion on any 'best album in the world...ever.' It is indeed one of my favourite twenty tunes. Born on this day in 1948 was the group's singer and songwriter, John 'Fee' Waybill. I particularly love the lines that state: "Sounds real classy living in a chateau/So lonely, all the other kids will never know."
{Also on this date, in 1978 Egypt and Israel sign the Camp David Accords}

SEPTEMBER 18TH
All Along The Watchtower by The Jimi Hendrix Experience (1968)
from the album Electric Ladyland
On this day in 1970 ended the life of the gifted guitarist, Jimi Hendrix. His time in the limelight may have only lasted three and a half years, but Hendrix's inspiration has endured for three and a half decades. I am in little doubt that his tremendous re-working of Bob Dylan's 'All Along The Watchtower' is not only Jimi's greatest song, but is arguably the best cover version of all time, as well as a strong challenger for the top single of the 1960s. Featuring Hendrix's use of the wah-wah pedal and a jaw-dropping intro, this track from the patchy 'Electric Ladyland' album is simply stunning. I have no hesitation in listing it amongst my three favourite songs of all time. Jimi was only 28 years old when he became the latest rock fatality.
{Also on this day, the former hostage Patty Hearst is arrested in 1975}

SEPTEMBER 19TH
Dream A Little Dream Of Me by Mama Cass With The Mamas & Papas (1968)
available on the album 20 Golden Greats
Big fat Mama Cass Elliot was born on this date in 1941 in Baltimore, Maryland. Although she made a name for herself with her great vocal performances for the Mamas and the Papas, she also scored a major hit with the supremely beautiful single, 'Dream A Little Dream Of Me'. Unless you have a heart of stone, you cannot fail to be moved by this emotional recording. The song's introduction says everything: "And now, here to sing this lovely ballad/ Here is Mama Cass." Astonishingly, the tune narrowly failed to reach either the UK or the US Top Ten.
{Also on this date, the first Glastonbury music festival takes place in 1970}

SEPTEMBER 20TH
Blank Generation by Richard Hell And The Voidoids (1977)
from the album Blank Generation
If ever there was an anthem for doomed youth, it is this one. Richard Hell wrote and performed this punk classic, as well as co-producing it with Richard Gottehrer. With such gems as "I was saying get me out of here, before I was even born", it was the kind of lyrical nihilism that Kurt Cobain would later specialise at. Kicking off with a splendid guitar intro, this is perhaps the finest punk recording to emerge from the New York punk scene. Anyhow, this is a special day in the punk calendar, because on this date back in 1976 the 100 Club in London played host to the first-ever international punk festival. Woodstock, it wasn't.
{Also on this day, in 1977 the new state of Vietnam joins the United Nations}

SEPTEMBER 21ST
The Last Resort by The Eagles (1976)
from the album Hotel California
The autumn equinox is also the anniversary of the birth of Don Felder in 1947, the guitarist in the Eagles. Their most critically acclaimed project is undoubtedly 'Hotel California'. Though the long player boasts such well-known hit singles as the title track, the excellent 'New Kid In Town', and 'Life In The Fast Lane', I prefer the lesser known album items. 'Wasted Time', 'Pretty Maids All In A Row', and 'Try And Love Again' are amongst the best songs that poured forth from any American recording studio in the 'seventies. However, the colossus of this record has to be the closing cut, 'The Last Resort'. Here the group takes a savage swipe at the white man's conquest of North America in the name of God, against an orchestral background of strings that should leave the listener in doubt that this is a grand piece of work, both thought-provoking and deserving of repeated listening. Did a better tune from any other American artist exist in the 1970s?
{Also on this date, President Yeltsin suspends the Russian parliament in 1993}

SEPTEMBER 22ND
I Love Rock 'N' Roll by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts (1982)
from the album I Love Rock 'N' Roll
Joan Jett was born on this date in 1958 in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. Christened as Joan Marie Larkin, her four minutes of fame came courtesy of the priceless smash hit 'I Love Rock 'N' Roll'. With the assistance of the Blackhearts, Joan Jett treats us to one of popular music's great sing-along anthems that even Queen would have been proud of. This is the kind of tune that you play from behind the closed door of your bedroom, and whereupon you promptly go wild, armed with the mirror on the wall and the obligatory air guitar.
{Also on this day, Iraq invades Iran in 1980 without any formal warning}

SEPTEMBER 23RD
Begin The Beguine by Julio Iglesias (1981)
from the album De Nina A Mujer
Julio Iglesias, born on this day in 1943 in Madrid, was forced to abandon a promising career of playing football, due to a car accident, and so he turned his attention towards performing on a different stage. The Spanish superstar's change of career path would pay off handsomely when the impressive Europop of 'Begin The Beguine' reached the summit of the British hit parade towards the end of 1981. Iglesias had succeeded where the Spanish Armada had failed almost exactly four centuries earlier. He had achieved a successful invasion and conquest of Britain. If only Philip of Spain had possessed such a tune.
{Also on this date, President Marcos imposes martial law in the Philippines in 1972}

SEPTEMBER 24TH
How Do You Do It? by Gerry And The Pacemakers (1963)
from the album How Do You Like It?
Before the 2 Liverpool football clubs proceeded to dominate English and European football, the city's bragging rights revolved around the remarkable year of 1963, when the various artists of the 'Mersey Sound' took the British charts by storm. Whilst London and the home counties were coping with the trauma of political scandal and a change of Prime Minister, many uneducated lads from Merseyside were cheering the nation up with their new 'beat'. At the forefront were the Beatles, the Merseybeats, and not least Gerry and the Pacemakers. The latter were well-named because before the Lennon and McCartney songwriting axis revolutionised the world of popular music, Gerry Marsden and his merry men did indeed set the pace. I am not a big fan of the 'Mersey Sound', but I do concede that the likes of 'I Like It' and the superb 'How Do You Do It?' deserved to reach Number One. Gerry Marsden was born on this day in 1942 in Toxteth.
{Also on this day, Ben Johnson 'wins' the 100 metres at the 1988 Seoul Olympics}

SEPTEMBER 25TH
Moby Dick by Led Zeppelin (1969)
from the album Led Zeppelin II
This instrumental was the penultimate track from Led Zeppelin's seminal second album and it showcased the talent of John Bonham at the drums. This piece was used for the BBC programme 'Top Gear' many years ago. Today however is a sad anniversary in the story of arguably the world's best-ever rock band, because on this date back in 1980, big Bonzo Bonham literally drank himself into an early grave. After Ian Curtis's suicide in May, this was the second time in the year that a ground-breaking act were obliged to stand down, after the death of a band member, on the eve of a tour of the United States. John Bonham was found dead at the age of only thirty-two, after a phenomenal vodka drinking binge at the home of Jimmy Page, whose own guitar work had also made a massive contribution to the 'Moby Dick' recording.
{Also on this date, 38 Irish republicans escape from the Maze prison in 1983}

SEPTEMBER 26TH
Avalon by Roxy Music (1982)
from the album Avalon
Born this day in 1945, former art college student (and pottery teacher) Bryan Ferry is that most unique of specimens: a sophisticated Geordie. Seriously though, Ferry has pursued a twin track approach to his musical career. On the one hand, with Roxy Music, he has been at the heart of a pioneering art-rock group. On the other, as a solo artist, he has had a knack of selecting classic records and then courageously re-interpreting them, with mixed results. In conjunction with his band Roxy Music, Ferry has sang his way through several special tunes, notably 'More Than This', 'Oh Yeah', and 'Street Life'. However, I have a strong liking for the ambient 'Avalon', which was the perfect antidote to endless chart songs that were performed at an unrelenting pace. 'Avalon' embodies Ferry and his outfit. It's cool, laid back, sophisticated, and too good to ignore. It ought to rank among the ten best British singles of the 'eighties.
{Also on this day, Canada's Ben Johnson is stripped of his gold medal in 1988}

SEPTEMBER 27TH
You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet by Bachman-Turner Overdrive (1974)
from the album Not Fragile
Today marks the anniversary of the birth in 1943 of Mr. Randy Bachman in Winnipeg. His Canadian combo narrowly failed to achieve a UK Number One with the ultimate, timeless rock anthem, 'You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet'. The favourite song of spoof disc jockeys Smashy and Nicey contains amusing lyrics (written by Bachman himself) and features the kind of guitar chords that render it a must-have for any self-respecting music collector. There weren't many better tunes than this American chart-topper in the rocking 'seventies.
{Also on this date, in 1996 the Taliban seize control of Kabul in Afghanistan}

SEPTEMBER 28TH
Stand By Me by Ben E. King (1961)
available on the album Ben E. King's Greatest Hits
Peculiarly, 'Stand By Me' beat off the challenge of Percy Sledge's 'When A Man Loves A Woman' to climb to the top of the UK singles summit in 1987, as British record buyers suddenly went very retro. 'Stand By Me' not only benefits from a marvellous vocal performance, but opens up with a memorable bass intro. John Lennon (among others) was sufficiently keen on this record that he opted to include a cover of it on his album of new renditions of previous classics, entitled 'Rock 'N' Roll'. Lennon has a good stab at re-interpreting King's song, but the original remains best. Ben E. King, one of Atlantic Records' finest soul singers, was born this day in 1938 in North Carolina as Benjamin Nelson. He was co-composer with Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller of this museum piece from the early 'sixties.
{Also on this day, Pope John Paul I dies after only 33 days in office in 1978}

SEPTEMBER 29TH
Don't Fight It, Feel It by Primal Scream (1991)
from the album Screamadelica
Glaswegian Alan McGee, the supremo of Creation Records, was born on this day in 1960. McGee was associated with such 'nineties giants as Oasis and Primal Scream. The latter were responsible for possibly the best album of the decade, when they released 'Screamadelica' in 1991. This hour-long box of delights was really a commercial for hallucinogenic substances. Nevertheless, 'Screamadelica' appealed because of its fusion of rock and acid house music. It was effectively the great psychedelic offering that the Beatles, the Floyd, and the Stones never quite managed to deliver. Among its many highlights were such pieces as the gospel-tinged 'Come Together', the inspirational 'Movin' On Up', the bluesy 'Damaged', and the trippy 'Inner Flight'. Arguably the fairest of them all was the dance-oriented 'Don't Fight It, Feel It'. After this landmark recording, Primal Scream had the world at their feet, only for the creative rug to be pulled from under their feet by another of Creation Records' creations, the mighty Oasis.
{Also on this date, in 1979 Pope John Paul II visits the Republic of Ireland}

SEPTEMBER 30TH
Metal Guru by T Rex (1972)
from the album The Slider
Today is the anniversary of the birth of the Prince of glam rock, Marc Bolan, in 1947 in Hackney. Bolan, like his friend David Bowie, had a talent for re-inventing himself, as this chameleon progressed (or deteriorated) from mod via hippie to glam rock star and punk forefather. In 1971 and 1972, Bolan was at his commercial peak, when T Rex occupied the coveted Number One position in the UK no fewer than four times. 'Get It On' and 'Hot Love' may be hugely popular, but I prefer T Rex's fourth and final chart-topper, 'Metal Guru'. This smash hit smashes onto the eardrums from the first second, and it swerves any notion of a gentle build-up. The song is to be played loud, and it is of a sufficiently brief duration to enable the listener to jump around, without fear of exhaustion. It is clearly one of the best glam rock anthems and a deserved No.1 for Marc and his gang.
{Also on this day, James Dean dies in a car crash in 1955, aged 24}

OCTOBER 1ST
Shaking The Tree by Peter Gabriel (1989)
from the album Shaking The Tree
If there was ever a prize for the greatest-ever 'best of' compilation, Peter Gabriel's 'Shaking The Tree' album from 1990 would be a deserving winner. Boasting the likes of 'Games Without Frontiers', 'San Jacinto', and the stunning 'Zaar' instrumental, the record is an awesome chronicle of Gabriel's output. The title track itself is worthy of extra mention. Along with Kate Bush's 'Room For The Life' and the Eurythmics' 'Sisters Are Doin' It For Themselves', this is one of the great, monumental women's liberation tunes. Recognising the special role that women have in all our lives, here is a call to arms, encouraging them to continue 'shaking the tree'. This epic composition features Youssou N'Dour assisting with vocals. Today represents the anniversary of his birth in Dakar, Senegal in 1959. 'Shaking The Tree' had been previously recorded on Youssou N'Dour's 1989 long player, entitled 'The Lion'.
{Also on this date, Muhammad Ali defeats Joe Frazier in Manila in 1975}

OCTOBER 2ND
Vincent by Don McLean (1971)
from the album American Pie
On this day in 1945, American singer Don McLean was born in New York. His two biggest hits from the early 'seventies were both related to departed icons. 'American Pie' referred to the loss of 'fifties rock 'n' roller Buddy Holly on "the day the music died". However, I prefer McLean's tribute to the tragic Dutch artist, Vincent Van Gogh. 'Vincent' is one of the best British Number Ones of 1972. It is a truly beautiful recording, and it ends with the poignant lines: "But I could have told you Vincent/ This world was never meant for one as beautiful as you."
{Also on this day, in 1985 Rock Hudson dies of an AIDS-related illness, aged 59}

OCTOBER 3RD
Big Love by Fleetwood Mac (1987)
from the album Tango In The Night
Lindsey Buckingham, born on this date back in 1949, has to be one of the most under-rated guitarists in the history of popular music. He is among other things responsible for the formidable guitar and bass duel with John McVie on 'The Chain', from the 'Rumours' album, a glorious piece that re-surfaced on the BBC One Formula 1 motor racing theme tune. Buckingham also contributed lead vocals on such hits as 'Don't Stop' and a decade later 'Big Love', from the 'Tango In The Night' LP. 'Big Love' (written by Buckingham) was something of a swansong for Lindsey, before he bowed out of the quintet for a decade. Along with 'Little Lies', it was one of the prime cuts from 'Tango In The Night'.
{Also on this date, East and West Germany are re-unified in 1990}

OCTOBER 4TH
Left To My Own Devices by The Pet Shop Boys (1988)
from the album Introspective
Today is the anniversary of the birth in 1959 of Chris Lowe, the musical half of the Pet Shop Boys. This superb duo enjoyed a succession of smash hits in the 1980s, and for me the pick of a very good bunch is the single, 'Left To My Own Devices'. It is typical of the atmospheric pop sound that Lowe and Tennant did better than anyone else, even surpassing 'Love Comes Quickly', 'Suburbia', and 'Domino Dancing'. The Pet Shop Boys typified all that was good about British popular music in the latter half of the decade. Their commercial success was merited.
{Also on this day, in 1970 Janis Joplin dies of a drugs overdose, at the age of 27}

OCTOBER 5TH
Rat Trap by The Boomtown Rats (1978)
from the album A Tonic For The Troops
Several years before his conscience was pricked by news footage of famine-stricken Ethiopians, Bob Geldof was making a name for himself as the frontman of the Boomtown Rats. Bob and his rodents earned the accolade of achieving the first chart-topper in Britain by a 'new wave' act, when the group released 'Rat Trap'. This fabulous composition features memorable cameos from the bass, piano, and a marvellous saxophone contribution. Many people rate 'I Don't Like Mondays' as the highlight of the band's career, but for me, 'Rat Trap' is arguably one of the ten best UK Number Ones of the 1970s. Lead vocalist Bob Geldof was born this day in 1951 in the port of Dun Laoghaire, near Dublin.
{Also on this date, two pubs in Guildford are bombed by the IRA in 1974}

OCTOBER 6TH
Sail On by The Commodores (1979)
from the album Midnight Magic
American group The Commodores provided a welcome presence in the pop charts in the late 'seventies with such fine hits as 'Easy' and the song for today, 'Sail On'. Today is the date of birth in 1949 in Florida of the outfit's lead guitarist, Thomas McClary. One of their number, Lionel Richie (the composer of 'Sail On') would go on to eclipse the band's achievements with his subsequent solo journey, with the help of his 'Endless Love' collaboration with Diana Ross, the excellent dance song 'All Night Long', and the British Number One smash, 'Hello'.
{Also on this day, President Sadat of Egypt is assassinated in 1981, aged 62}

OCTOBER 7TH
Creep by Radiohead (1992)
from the album Pablo Honey
The 1993 album 'Pablo Honey' yielded one of the greatest recordings of the 1990s in the shape of the self-loathing of 'Creep'. In spite of the apparent negativity of this song's subject matter, it seemed to strike a chord with the 'yoof' generation. Radiohead's singer Thom Yorke was born on this day, back in the autumn of the turbulent year of 1968. Yorke would later bemoan the fact that the hit single 'Creep' would be a track that his band was constantly reminded of, at the expense of their other repertoire. Nevertheless, the projects 'OK Computer' and 'The Bends' received much critical acclaim too, in addition to their majestic millstone, Creep'.
{Also on this date, in 1952 the music show American Bandstand is first televised}

OCTOBER 8TH
When Will I See You Again by The Three Degrees (1974)
available on the album Best Of The Three Degrees: When Will I See You Again
Today's birthday feature is Sheila Ferguson, born in 1947. Sheila would be one-thirds responsible for one of the best pop songs of the 'seventies with the wonder that was 'When Will I See You Again', performed by the Three Degrees. These female ambassadors of the sound of Philadelphia were assisted by a fine strings accompaniment as they proceeded to unleash a love song that ought to be short-listed for one of the best UK Number One of the 1970s. If you don't appreciate this tune, then you don't appreciate music.
{Also on this day, the Solidarity trade union is banned in Poland in 1982}

OCTOBER 9TH
#9 Dream by John Lennon (1974)
from the album Walls And Bridges
When marital relations between John and Yoko Lennon took a turn for the worse, the ex-Beatle fled the nest to re-create his teenage, irresponsible past. During John's infamous 'lost weekend' of debauchery in Los Angeles, which lasted considerably longer than a couple of days, he still managed to hold it sufficiently together in the recording studio to construct some impressive new material. The shining example is the magnificent '# 9 Dream', which stands favourable comparison with any other song recorded in the 1970s, and which I believe far surpasses the hyped 'Imagine'. This extraction from the 'Walls And Bridges' album was based on the fact that the number 9 kept surfacing in John's life - not least on this day in 1940 when in the midst of a Luftwaffe air raid on Liverpool, Lennon was born. The miracle of his safe delivery prompted his mother Julia to name him John Winston, much to his later consternation.
{Also on this date, in 1967 Che Guevara is executed in Bolivia at the age of 39}

OCTOBER 10TH
Vienna by Ultravox (1980)
from the album Vienna
There have been regrettably numerous occasions when the great British record buying public have badly let themselves down. One obvious example is when public taste was such in early 1981 that Joe Dolce's novelty single 'Shaddap Your Face' was able to hold off the challenge of the superb 'Vienna' by Ultravox to sit at Number One in the UK chart. Dear oh dear. With the benefit of a memorable black and white video, as well as a fine piano input, this slice of melodrama can lay claim to being the greatest Number Two hit of all-time. British record buyers: how could you take leave of your senses? Anyhow, Ultravox's Midge Ure was born this day in 1953, under the name of James Ure, not in Vienna, but in the less grand surroundings of Lanarkshire. Ure had tasted success previously when Slik scored a Number 1 with 'Forever And Ever' in 1976, but his greatest claim to fame would arise from a couple of projects in 1984 and 1985.
{Also on this day, the actors Yul Brynner and Orson Welles both die in 1985}

OCTOBER 11TH
Bad Card by Bob Marley And The Wailers (1980)
from the album Uprising
American guitarist Al Anderson was born this day back in 1949. Anderson became one of several backing musicians who were recruited to the Wailers to support Bob Marley as he progressed through the 1970s from Jamaican superstar to international superstar. One notable recording from Marley and his Wailers was the album track 'Bad Card', from the 'Uprising' project. This composition was based on a bad experience that Marley had at the hands of his American manager Don Taylor. The latter apparently helped himself to more of the Marley finances than he was entitled to. Marley is rumoured to have given the cheat a bit of a hiding, as well as sacking him for dealing his 'bad card'. Meanwhile, Marley, Anderson and the rest of the Wailers finished their summer 1980 European 'Uprising tour' in England and Ireland, only for a potential conquest of North America to be cut short by Marley's deteriorating health a few months later.
{Also on this date, the Mary Rose ship is raised from the sea in 1982}

OCTOBER 12TH
Down Down by Status Quo (1974)
from the album On The Level
Status Quo never really accumulated the critical acclaim that they perhaps warranted, in spite of several tremendous singles, including 'Pictures Of Matchstick Men', 'Caroline', and 'In The Army Now', which between them spanned three decades. The Quo were probably at their peak in the rocking 'seventies, and they actually became one of the few rock acts to reach Number One in the singles chart in Britain when the excellent 'Down Down' climbed to the UK pop summit in January 1975. The combo's rhythm guitarist, Rick Parfitt, was born on this date in 1948, in Woking, the same town that spawned the Jam.
{Also on this day, in 1984 an IRA bomb explodes at Brighton's Grand Hotel}

OCTOBER 13TH
America by Simon And Garfunkel (1968)
from the album Bookends
Today represents the anniversary of the birth of Paul Simon in New Jersey in 1941. The eastern seaboard state of New Jersey earns a mention in the Simon and Garfunkel mini-epic, entitled 'America'. This 'state of the nation' composition was less commercially successful than many of the duo's other singles, but it is a marvellous song that deserves as much kudos as the pair's three American chart-toppers. Written and performed at an anxious time in American history, the tune includes the lines: "She said the man in the Gaberdine suit was a spy/ I said be careful, his bow tie is really a camera."
{Also on this date, American television's Ed Sullivan dies in 1974, aged 73}

OCTOBER 14TH
Nights In White Satin by The Moody Blues (1967)
from the album Days Of Future Passed
Justin Hayward from the Moody Blues was born on this day in Swindon, back in 1946. After the chart-topping success of 'Go Now', the Moody Blues progressed towards delivering albums that confirmed them more as artists than entertainers. Their greatest single artistic statement is undoubtedly 'Nights In White Satin' (written by Hayward), which is one of the few songs that has probably been universally acknowledged as a classic. This memorable piece from the 'sixties was a beneficiary of assistance from the London Festival Orchestra.
{Also on this day, Leonid Brezhnev becomes the leader of the USSR IN 1964}

OCTOBER 15TH
Since I've Been Loving You by Led Zeppelin (1970)
from the album Led Zeppelin III
On this day in 1928 the new airship, the Graf Zeppelin, completed its first transatlantic flight, landing at Lakehurst in New Jersey. Forty years later, on the same date, Led Zeppelin (arguably the world's greatest rock band) performed for the first time ensemble on native soil when Surrey University played host to an act still billed as the New Yardbirds. Two years later, Robert Plant and his accomplices surprised many rock aficionados with their folksy, acoustic guitar-dominated third album, which was a radical departure from much of the content of their first two projects. The misunderstood but outstanding third long player featured the wondrous blues track 'Since I've Been Loving You'. This seven and a half minute opus is undoubtedly among the very best of the group's entire canon.
{Also on this date, the 'great storm' of 1987 hits England and France}

OCTOBER 16TH
Sunday Morning by The Velvet Underground And Nico (1967)
available on the album The Very Best Of The Velvet Underground
German chanteuse Nico was born on this date back in 1938, at a time when her fellow-countrymen were preparing to carve up Czechoslovakia, en route to world domination. Three decades later, the Velvet Underground had the blonde beauty foisted upon them by Andy Warhol for the recording of their pioneering first long player. Lou Reed may not have entirely welcomed her presence, but Nico makes notable vocal contributions to the 'banana album' with 'I'll Be Your Mirror', 'Femme Fatale', and the marvellous album opener, 'Sunday Morning'. It may not be of a lengthy duration, but this fine track packs a mean punch about not being in charge of one's faculties on a Sunday morning, something which many Saturday night alcohol and drugs enthusiasts could readily relate to.
{Also on this day, in 1978 Karol Wojtyla is appointed as Pope John Paul II}

OCTOBER 17TH
Easter Island by Rico Rodriguez (1982)
from the album Jama Rico
Ace Jamaican trombonist Rico Rodriguez was born on this day in 1934. After moving to England, Rico was employed by the likes of the Specials and Paul Young on such monster hits as 'Ghost Town' and 'Love Of The Common People'. He also was granted license by the Two Tone Records label to record a couple of albums of his own. Regrettably, these offerings are well-kept secrets, in so far as they received less exposure and recognition than they ought to have. Among the many treasures from Rico's assembly line are 'Jungle Music', 'Destroy Them', and the hugely danceable rhythm of 'That Man Is Forward'. However, best of all, is an item called 'Easter Island'. Produced by his musical buddies Dick Cuthell and Jerry Dammers for the 'Jama Rico' project, here is a contender for any short list for the best instrumental in the history of popular music. If you haven't heard it yet, then you have missed out. Rico was awarded an MBE in 2007.
{Also on this date, Mother Teresa is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979}

OCTOBER 18TH
Lovefool by The Cardigans (1996)
from the album First Band On The Moon
Today is the date of birth of Peter Svensson in 1974. His Swedish group, the Cardigans, may have merely imitated the well-worn formula of a pop outfit fronted by a pretty young woman, but they still released a couple of noteworthy singles. 'My Favourite Game' remains a very listenable song, but it is perhaps overshadowed by the smash hit, 'Lovefool'. The latter is clearly one of the best recordings of the 'nineties, and it certainly benefited from its inclusion in the soundtrack to the 'Romeo + Juliet' movie.
{Also on this day, in 1968 Bob Beamon sets a new long jump world record}

OCTOBER 19TH
Why Must I Cry by Peter Tosh (1976)
from the album Legalize It
Born this day in 1944, big Peter Tosh typified the Jamaican rude boy image. Formerly one third of the original Wailers alongside the celebrated Bob Marley and Bunny Livingstone, Tosh was not someone to be trifled with. He did after all have sufficient street credibility to be courted by the Glimmer Twins (Mick and Keef). Differences of opinion with Island Records' boss Chris Blackwell obliged Tosh to plot his own solo path away from the Wailers, and one fine result was the composition 'Why Must I Cry'. The song may not have scratched the charts but it was a reminder of the talented individual who had composed the likes of '400 Years' and 'Stop That Train' for the 'Catch A Fire' album. Tosh was then gunned down in his own home a decade later. It was initially suggested that he had been murdered by an intruder whom he had disturbed, but there was never any evidence that a robbery had been attempted. It was a brutal end to the life of one of Jamaica's most famous sons.
{Also on this date, the cellist Jacqueline du Pre dies in 1987, aged forty-two}

OCTOBER 2OTH
Something About You by Level 42 (1985)
from the album World Machine
Mark King, the bass guitarist and lead vocalist of Level 42, was born on this date back in 1958 on the Isle of Wight. His group were responsible for several hit singles in the 'eighties revolving around their funk and pop fusion, including the likes of 'Lessons In Love' and 'Living It Up'. However I consider their Top Ten smash, 'Something About You', to be not only their finest release, but also a candidate for one of the best pop songs of the 1980s. This breezy delight made a welcome appearance in the charts in the autumn of 1985.
{Also on this day, in 1968 Jacqueline Kennedy marries Aristotle Onassis}

OCTOBER 21ST
Mighty Quinn by Manfred Mann (1968)
from the album Mighty Garvey!
Mr. Manfred Mann emerged from his mother's womb this day in 1940, in Johannesburg. The pop group that was named after him achieved three UK Number Ones in the 'sixties. Whilst 'Pretty Flamingo' was an improvement on their first chart-topper ('Do Wah Diddy Diddy'), the band's final summit-climber, 'Mighty Quinn', was perhaps better than the other two put together. Here was another in the growing catalogue of Bob Dylan compositions which were to prove fruitful for other artists. 'Quinn The Eskimo' didn't just inspire one of the best singles of the 1960s, but this Dylan creation is another contender for the best cover version of all time.
{Also on this date, 116 children die in the Aberfan coal landslide in 1966}

OCTOBER 22ND
Oh Carolina by Shaggy (1993)
from the album Pure Pleasure
Today marks the anniversary of the birth in 1968 in Kingston of the Jamaican singing star, Shaggy. His marvellous interpretation of 'Oh Carolina' was able to successfully occupy pole position in the British singles chart in early 1993, the first of four UK Number Ones for the man named after the 'Scooby Doo' character, on account of his hairstyle. Prior to becoming an international celebrity, Shaggy had previously served in the United States Marines during the Operation Desert Storm tussle with Iraq in 1991.
{Also on this day, in 1962 the existence of missiles in Cuba is announced}

OCTOBER 23RD
River Deep - Mountain High by Ike And Tina Turner (1966)
from the album River Deep - Mountain High
Prolific songwriter Ellie Greenwich was born back in 1940 in Brooklyn on this date. Her catalogue of hits included composing credits on such giants as 'Chapel Of Love' by the Dixie Cups and 'Be My Baby' by the Ronettes. Greenwich, her husband Jeff Barry and their writing partner Phil Spector then created one of the masterpieces of popular music with 'River Deep - Mountain High'. Spector famously applied his celebrated 'wall of sound' to this monumental recording, only to be supremely devastated by the single's failure to impact upon the American chart. Ike and Tina Turner's effort fared better across the Atlantic where the British correctly acknowledged that Tina Turner's performance was 'simply the best', and the issued tune consequently reached the Top Three.
{Also on this date, a cease-fire ends the Yom Kippur conflict of 1973}

OCTOBER 24TH
Casino Boogie by The Rolling Stones (1972)
from the album Exile On Main St.
I am of the opinion that the acclaimed 'Exile On Main St.' is inferior to its famed predecessor, 'Sticky Fingers'. However, this double album still has considerable merits. The hit single from the long player, 'Tumbling Dice', made a deserved appearance in the British Top Ten, though it is probably eclipsed by a delightful composition entitled 'Casino Boogie'. Here one finds another of those tunes that simply oblige body movements, such is its infectious feel. I do so love the Jagger line about "the judge and jury walked out hand in hand". 'Casino Boogie' ought to be recognised as one of the great album tracks of the 1970s, better even than 'Ventilator Blues' or 'I Just Want To See His Face'. Meanwhile, Bill Wyman (the oldest of the Rolling Stones) was born as Bill Perks on this day in Penge in Kent in 1937.
{Also on this day, Zambia gains its independence from the UK in 1964}

OCTOBER 25TH
The Narrow Way by Pink Floyd (1969)
from the album Ummagumma
On this date in 1969 the Floyd released a double album called 'Ummagumma'. Not only was the title peculiar, but the quartet opted for a bizarre format of each having to provide a new song for the long player to complement the live recordings that also featured. Recent recruit Dave Gilmour was uneasy about the prospect of composing a new tune, but he need not have worried. His product, 'The Narrow Way', must rank as one of the group's best recordings. Gilmour's guitar playing is quite superb, and armed with the confidence that this song ought to have produced, the axeman was able to take a greater role in collaborating with the foursome's main songwriter, Roger Waters, on subsequent projects.
{Also on this date, in 1983 United States forces invade Grenada}

OCTOBER 26TH
A Day In The Life by The Beatles (1967)
from the album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
In the landscape that is popular music, this seminal track is a skyscraper. There is no doubt that Sergeant Pepper's status as a special album owes much to this extraordinary composition. John Lennon counts the song in with the words "sugarplum fairy, sugarplum fairy", and then he proceeds to recall a couple of news stories he had encountered in the newspapers. The first related to the fatal car crash of the Guinness heir, Tara Browne. John also mentions the premiere of his new movie, 'How I Won The War'. However, Paul McCartney then weighs in with a remarkable contribution that culminates with the lines: "Found my way upstairs/ And had a smoke/ And somebody spoke/ And I went into a dream." This apparent drugs reference was sufficient to attract the unwanted attention of the censor. The tune then concludes with an eccentric blow-out from the orchestra musicians. On this day in 1965, the 'moptops' were puffing marijuana in Buckingham Palace on receiving their MBEs from the Queen. The Establishment may have chosen to honour them, but the naughty four had other ideas.
{Also on this day, Rocky Marciano defeats Joe Louis in 1951}

OCTOBER 27TH
All She Wants Is by Duran Duran (1988)
from the album Big Thing
Simon Le Bon, the lead vocalist of the Birmingham pop group Duran Duran, was born this day back in 1958 in Hertfordshire. His outfit enjoyed their fair share of commercial success in the 'eighties, though by the end of the decade, the fickle record-buying public were regarding them as 'old hat', a museum piece from a time when Depeche Mode, the Human League, and Spandau Ballet dominated the hit parade as well as featuring on numerous teenage bedroom posters. Ironically, Duran Duran still delivered arguably better singles at the end of the 1980s. 'Notorious' is a decent effort, whilst 'All She Wants Is' was a suggestive song that left little to the imagination. It is however more worthy of a lofty chart position than some of the group's items from earlier in the decade.
{Also on this date, in 1995 Latvia applies to join the European Union}

OCTOBER 28TH
Bizarre Love Triangle by New Order (1986)
from the album Brotherhood
Stephen Morris, the drummer for both Joy Division and then New Order, was born on this date in Macclesfield, a year before Simon Le Bon. One of the great New Order recordings that Morris was associated with was 'Bizarre Love Triangle'. Its seven minute version on the 'Substance' compilation album is a joy to listen to, and I have no hesitation in placing it among my top twenty all-time favourite songs. Morris went on to get hitched with band-mate, Gillian Gilbert, the group's keyboardist.
{Also on this day, Britain's Poet Laureate Ted Hughes dies in 1998, aged 68}

OCTOBER 29TH
Albatross by Fleetwood Mac (1969)
available on the album Greatest Hits
One of the great British blues bands of the 'sixties may have been named after its rhythm section, but the group's dominating force was undoubtedly Peter Green. The unofficial leader of Fleetwood Mac was heavily responsible for the guitar treat that was 'Albatross', assisted in no small way by his young guitar sidekick, Danny Kirwan. Both Green and Kirwan, along with fellow axeman Jeremy Spencer, would go off the rails in one way or another in the early 1970s, but thankfully not before they had created this soothing instrumental masterpiece. Born Peter Greenbaum on this day in 1946 in Bethnal Green, Peter Green has acquired legendary status among many blues followers. This British No.1 represented the commercial peak of a career that soon took a nosedive for the unstable Jewish guitarist.
[Also on this date, in 1967 the Kray twins murder Jack McVitie in London}

OCTOBER 30TH
Papa Was A Rollin' Stone by The Temptations (1972)
from the album All Directions
Today is the anniversary of the birth in 1941 of Otis Williams of the Temptations. This celebrated Motown outfit enjoyed their finest success with the tremendous 'Papa Was A Rollin' Stone' which deservedly reached the summit of the American billboard chart. It is the emotional tale of an irresponsible father, sung from the son's point of view. Unquestionably one of the best American chart-toppers of the 'seventies, this hit is marginally superior to the group's collaboration with the Supremes which resulted in 'I'm Gonna Make You Love Me'.
{Also on this day, Muhammad Ali defeats George Foreman in 1974 in Zaire}

OCTOBER 31ST
Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me by The Smiths (1987)
from the album Strangeways, Here We Come
It may be Hallowe'en but there is nothing too scary about this magnificent single from the Smiths. The apparently unlovable (some would say unlikeable) Morrissey recalls a night vision of true love which regrettably was confined to the sub-conscious. Actually, the Smiths and their leader's melancholy tracks were a welcome diversion from the standard rock formula of tales about female conquests and regarding women as meat to be consumed. On this day in 1963 in Manchester was born the quartet's ace guitarist and composer Johnny Marr (nee Maher). Marr himself was suitably impressed by this tune, one of the highlights of the band's career, which tragically ended when Morrissey and Marr experienced an irretrievable breakdown in relations.
{Also on this date, in 1984 India's Prime Minister Indira Ghandi is shot dead}

NOVEMBER 1ST
Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad by Meat Loaf (1977)
from the album Bat Out Of Hell
'Bat Out Of Hell' is one of the biggest-selling albums from the 1970s. Its rock music was not too inaccessible to appeal to a large audience, and Meat Loaf's greatest success is due in no small way to the songwriting of Jim Steinman, who was born this day in 1947 in New York. Steinman and Meat Loaf were able to create several songs which related to the well-worn teenage themes of falling in and out of love. One of the songs that was key to the commercial appeal of this project was the track, 'Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad'. This two-thirds of a love song remains one of the most popular rock tunes to ever be recorded. Steinman also penned Bonnie Tyler's hit, 'Total Eclipse Of The Heart'.
{Also on this day, the Algerian War of Independence begins in 1954}

NOVEMBER 2ND
Wonderful Land by The Shadows (1962)
available on the album Greatest Hits
Cliff Richard's backing band emerged from out of the shadows to amass a plethora of instrumental hit records of their own. It galls me somewhat that Hank and the gang have not received anything approaching the respect and critical acclaim that their efforts merited. I can only assume that since this relatively clean-cut group did not consume copious amounts of alcohol and drugs, or sing anthems of teenage rebellion, then their place in history has been shunted off towards 'the shadows' whence they came. This is an injustice, so take a listen to the marvel that is 'Wonderful Land' and bask in the sunlight of a beautiful piece of music. There is room in popular music for beauty as well as anger, and so we should all be grateful for the authors of 'Apache', 'Kon-Tiki', 'Dance On', and the 'Theme From The Deer Hunter'. One such shadowy figure, Bruce Welch, was born this day in 1941 in Bognor Regis. Welch was awarded an OBE in 2004 for his services to music.
{Also on this date, in 1982 Channel Four begins broadcasting in the UK}

NOVEMBER 3RD
Stand And Deliver by Adam And The Ants (1981)
from the album Prince Charming
Originally a punk band, it took a few years for Adam And The Ants to find their feet, but when they did they certainly made a phenomenal splash. The tribal drumbeat and eye-catching videos that were constructed provided a double whammy which ensured that in 1981 especially Adam And The Ants were the most prolific act in the British singles chart. The group's first chart-topper was the unforgettable tale of a highwayman, entitled 'Stand And Deliver', a single that benefited from humorous lyrics. The leading member of the ant colony, Prince Charming himself, was Adam Ant (born as Stuart Leslie Goddard), who was born on this date in 1954 in London. Regrettably, Goddard's post-fame days have been afflicted by the onset of depression, though there was nothing depressing about 'Stand And Deliver'.
{Also on this day, the USSR launches Sputnik II into orbit in 1957}

NOVEMBER 4TH
(If Paradise Is) Half As Nice by Amen Corner (1969)
available on the album Greatest Hits
Featuring the distinctive vocals of Andy Fairweather-Low, '(If Paradise Is) Half As Nice' is not only one of the best UK Number Ones of 1969, but it ought to rate as among the greatest pop songs of the 'swinging sixties', and it certainly is an improvement on their other big hit, 'Bend Me, Shape Me'. Today is the anniversary of the birth in 1947 in Neath, south Wales of the group's saxophone player, Mike Smith. Later in the year the Welsh septet dissolved after having posted six singles on the British hit parade.
{Also on this date, in 1995 Israel's Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin is shot dead}

NOVEMBER 5TH
I Only Have Eyes For You by Art Garfunkel (1975)
from the album Breakaway
After the duo's musical divorce at the beginning of the decade, doubts were raised as to how Art Garfunkel's career would cope in the absence of his songwriting partner, Paul Simon. However, blessed with a supremely beautiful voice, Garfunkel was able to prove that there was indeed life after Simon with 'I Only Have Eyes For You', which climbed to the peak of the UK singles chart in the autumn of 1975. Garfunkel followed this superb love song with another chart-topper in 1979 when 'Bright Eyes' sat at Number One for no fewer than six weeks. Born on this day in 1941 in Queens, New York, Arthur Ira Garfunkel is one of the greatest vocalists in popular music.
{Also on this day, the media tycoon Robert Maxwell dies in 1991, aged 68}

NOVEMBER 6TH
Take It To The Limit by The Eagles (1975)
from the album One Of These Nights
One of the Eagles was hatched on this date in 1948 when Glenn Frey appeared for the first time in the nest in Detroit. His group, the Eagles, enjoyed greater success in their native homeland than across the Atlantic Ocean. One such release of theirs, the outstanding 'Take It To The Limit' was only a minor hit in Britain. This is clearly an error of judgment on the part of record buyers in the United Kingdom as 'Take It To The Limit' is surely one of the best singles of the 1970s. Frey co-wrote this American Top 5 hit, though he did not sing on it.
{Also on this date, in 1999 an Australian referendum votes to keep the monarchy}

NOVEMBER 7TH
Summer Son by Texas (1998)
from the album The Hush
'Summer Son' is further evidence of the fine legacy of music from the 1990s. The artists responsible for this ray of sunshine were Texas, though they did not hail from the 'deep south'. The vocalist of this Scottish outfit was Sharleen Spiteri, who was born on this date back in the year of 1967 in Glasgow. Acknowledged as a lesbian icon, even though she is a heterosexual, Spiteri and her group made a number of welcome appearances in the charts, but this fabulous Top Five hit single is arguably their best, son.
{Also on this day, Steve McQueen dies of cancer in 1980, at fifty years of age}

NOVEMBER 8TH
Lovin' You by Minnie Riperton (1974)
from the album Perfect Angel
Loving this is easy 'cos it's beautiful. What is the best love song in the history of popular music? Detractors may regard it as a bit twee (what with the bird constantly chirping merrily in the background), but perhaps Minnie Riperton's simple but effective tune should be short-listed. The recording certainly found favour with Uncle Sam, whereupon the single reached the top of the Billboard chart. Featuring a remarkable high-pitched vocal performance from the artist, the composition proved to be something of a swansong as Minnie Riperton died of cancer in July 1979, at the tender age of 31. Today however marks the date of birth of Minnie in Chicago in 1947.
{Also on this date, 11 people die in a bomb on Armistice Sunday in Enniskillen in 1987}

NOVEMBER 9TH
Bad Moon Rising by Creedence Clearwater Revival (1969)
from the album Green River
Building upon the success of the single, 'Proud Mary', Creedence Clearwater Revival then issued the majestic rocker, 'Bad Moon Rising'. The song climbed to the top of the British hit parade in the autumn of 1969, having narrowly failed to do so in the United States. The track was later famously used along with the Marcels' marvellous 'Blue Moon' as the credits rolled at the end of the memorable movie, 'An American Werewolf In London'. One of the revivalists, guitarist Tom Fogerty, was born on this date in 1941 in California. 'Bad Moon Rising' is also notable for containing one of the most misunderstood lyrics in pop history, as many listeners misheard the line "there's a bad moon on the rise" as the ludicrous "there's a bathroom on the right." Fogerty (the elder brother of John) later died in September 1990 at the age of 48.
{Also on this day, the Rolling Stone magazine's first issue is published in 1967}

NOVEMBER 10TH
Protection by Massive Attack And Tracey Thorn (1994)
from the album Protection
Massive Attack may not have been frequent visitors to the UK singles chart, but when they did put in an appearance, they delivered a couple of gold nuggets, 'Unfinished Sympathy' and 'Protection', their collaboration with Tracey Thorn. Thorn had formerly occupied a lofty Top Three position when Everything But The Girl successfully covered the previous Rod Stewart chart-topper, 'I Don't Want To Talk About It'. Andrew Vowles from Massive Attack (who shares co-writing credits on this tune with Tracey Thorn) was born on this date in Bristol, three days after Sharleen Spiteri. For all you insecure people out there, why not seek Massive Attack's 'Protection'.
{Also on this date, in 1971 Khmer Rouge forces attack Phnom Penh in Cambodia}

NOVEMBER 11TH
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes by The Platters (1958)
available on the album The Platters: All-Time Greatest Hits
The composer Jerome Kern passed away on this date in 1945 at the age of sixty. One of his efforts would re-surface more than a dozen years later when the American singing group, the Platters, produced an exceptional rendition of 'Smoke Gets In Your Eyes'. Whether or not you feel that the 'fifties was dominated by the great ballad singers or was the decade of rock 'n' roll, can you name a better 1950s' song than this transatlantic Number One? Bryan Ferry subsequently had a bash at re-interpreting this Kern and Harbach composition, but the Platters' version, reinforced by a fine orchestral arrangement, is simply out of this world. It is one of popular music's finest three minutes.
{Also on this day, the Church of England votes to accept women priests in 1992}

NOVEMBER 12TH
Only Love Can Break Your Heart by Neil Young (1970)
from the album After The Goldrush
Today marks the anniversary of the birth of one of Canada's greatest musical exports, when Neil Young 'emerged' one day after the death of Jerome Kern. Young belongs in the bracket of artists who enjoyed considerable critical acclaim for their albums, but who were strangers to the singles charts. Taking time out from his association with David Crosby, Stephen Stills, and Graham Nash, Young proceeded to construct a new project which saw the light of day as the 'After The Goldrush' album. Building upon the kudos accumulated by his 'Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere' offering, Young reveals ten new songs and a cover version which cement his reputation as a force to be reckoned with. The pick of a good bunch is perhaps 'Only Love Can Break Your Heart'. With the assistance of a piano and drums accompaniment, as well as backing vocals, Young tugs at the heart strings with the kind of tune that's just too good for the hit parade.
{Also on this date, in 1982 Yuri Andropov becomes the leader of the USSR}

NOVEMBER 13TH
Moody Blue by Elvis Presley (1976)
available on the album The Essential Elvis Presley
On this day in 1956 Ginger Alden was born in Memphis at a time when her future lover, Elvis Presley, was already making a name for himself as the 'king of rock 'n' roll'. It was a twenty-year-old Alden who discovered Elvis lying unconscious on that fateful day in August 1977. While the king pushed up the daisies, his 'queen' cultivated a career as an actress and model. 'Moody Blue' (written by Mark James) was Elvis's last notable recording before his notorious rock 'n' roll lifestyle knocked him off his throne. Fans of Elvis fall into three categories: those like me who believe that the likes of 'Moody Blue' are evidence of a singer still on top form; secondly there are many who believe that Elvis 'died' about fifteen years earlier when the king swapped rock 'n' roll for ballads and re-invented himself as an actor. Thirdly there are those who believe he is currently stacking shelves in a supermarket in Cleethorpes. Gosh, how the mighty have fallen.
{Also on this day, the people of Sweden vote in 1994 to join the European Union}

NOVEMBER 14TH
You Were Made For Me by Freddie And The Dreamers (1963)
from the album You Were Made For Me
Mr. Freddie Garrity was born on this date back in 1936 in Manchester, just a few weeks before his native land was plunged into turmoil by the abdication crisis. Fast-forward to 1963 and whilst the British Establishment was coming to terms with a new scandal, Freddie and his Dreamers did their best to relieve the heavy vibes with such poptastic tunes as 'I'm Telling You Now' and another Top Three smash, 'You Were Made For Me'. The latter is a decent little pop song, nothing more, nothing less, and it benefited from a BBC appearance by the group during which Freddie and his fellow-entertainers dance themselves silly to this hit single. Garrity later died in May 2006 in Wales.
{Also on this date, in 1973 Princess Anne marries Captain Mark Phillips}

NOVEMBER 15TH
Waterloo by Abba (1974)
from the album Waterloo
Abba were living proof that the Eurovision Song Contest can provide the continent and beyond with a quality act. 'Waterloo' remains one of the very best Eurovision winners, though some people might argue that this is scarcely an achievement. 'Waterloo' was not only the making of the Duke of Wellington, but it did the musical career of Abba no harm either. After a few false starts, Sweden's very own 'fab four' took the charts by storm in the second half of the 'seventies with a series of well-crafted pop songs. One of the quartet, Anni-Frid, was born on this date in 1945, three days after Neil Young. She may have played second fiddle to the eye-catching Agnetha Faltskog, but Anni-Frid was a key contributor to the tremendous harmonies of Abba. Napoleon Bonaparte may have cursed the place name of Waterloo, but the rest of us can be grateful that this battle should be the inspiration for launching Abba on the road to fame.
{Also on this day, the Anglo-Irish Agreement is signed in 1985}

NOVEMBER 16TH
I Am The Resurrection by The Stone Roses (1989)
from the album The Stone Roses
By a strange twist of fate, I find myself writing about this item on Easter Sunday. Some folk might say that the lyrics are blasphemous or irreverent, or at least tongue-in-cheek, but whatever the argument, there is no question whatsoever about the sheer quality of the final track from the Stone Roses' seminal self-titled album. Curiously enough, their eponymous long player was not initially received with much enthusiasm, but soon thereafter the band's project has been hailed as an indie masterpiece. Instrumental in the attraction of the album was the performance of the outfit's guitarist John Squire, whose contribution to 'I Am The Resurrection' is immense, as the item evolves into a psychedelic jam of huge proportions. The group's bassist, Gary 'Mani' Mounfield, was born this day in 1962.
{Also on this date, Clark Gable dies in 1960, aged fifty-nine}

NOVEMBER 17TH
Eight Miles High by The Byrds (1966)
from the album Fifth Dimension
'Eight Miles High' is widely acknowledged as one of the highlights of the 'sixties. Was it a song about drugs or a tune merely related to a 'trip' on an aeroplane, as the performers have unconvincingly suggested? Whatever the answer, this hit single for the pioneering west coast band, the Byrds, was probably the standout track from their album, 'Fifth Dimension', which included such cuts as 'I See You', 'Mr. Spaceman', and an excellent instrumental, 'Captain Soul'. One of the co-authors of this classic composition, Gene Clark, was born on this date in 1944 in Missouri under the name of Harold Eugene Clark. In spite of the success of 'Eight Miles High', Clark exited the group soon afterwards.
{Also on this day, Czechoslovakia's 'Velvet Revolution' begins in 1989}

NOVEMBER 18TH
The Needle And The Damage Done by Neil Young (1972)
from the album Harvest
Neil Young built upon the foundations laid by 'After The Goldrush' and promptly came forth with an even better project entitled 'Harvest'. Featuring the hit single 'Heart Of Gold' and impressive nuggets such as 'Old Man', 'A Man Needs A Maid', and 'Out On The Weekend', 'Harvest' was one of the greatest albums of the 1970s. It also possessed a notable two minute track called 'The Needle And the Damage Done', in which Young wails about the loss of his guitarist Danny Whitten to heroin. In this brief but poignant recording, Young states that "I sing this song because I love the man." The tragic Crazy Horse axeman died this day in 1972 at the age of 29 in Los Angeles.
{Also on this date, 31 people die in a fire at King's Cross underground in 1987}

NOVEMBER 19TH
Turn!Turn!Turn! by The Byrds (1965)
from the album Turn! Turn! Turn!
We stay in North America for today's superb hit single. This Billboard Number One smash drew its inspiration from an unlikely source: the lyrics were based on verses from the Old Testament Book of Ecclesiastes. The poignant words to this tune certainly struck a chord with many record-buyers, although the Byrds' trademark jangling guitar onslaught and harmonies may have contributed substantially too. The producer of this wondrous recording was Terry Melcher (son of the singer and actress Doris Day) who died this day in 2004, aged sixty-two.
{Also on this day, in 1994 the first British National Lottery draw takes place}

NOVEMBER 20TH
Desperado by The Eagles (1973)
from the album Desperado
'Desperado' was one of the Eagles' best efforts from the early phase of their career. One such 'desperado' was born on this day in 1947 when Joseph Fidler Walsh emerged in Kansas. The album from which this track originated was also called 'Desperado' and it proved to be an accurate signpost of the high standards that the American combo attained. Walsh later joined the group in 1976, taking his place in an outfit that were lauded as the premier act that surfaced from North America in the 1970s. Their 'Greatest Hits' compilation has been one of the biggest-selling records in American history, boosted by the presence of Henley and Frey's sad but powerful 'Desperado'.
{Also on this date, a fire rages for fifteen hours at Windsor Castle in 1992}

NOVEMBER 21ST
Country House by Blur (1995)
from the album The Great Escape
Today marks the anniversary of the birth in 1968 in Bournemouth of Mr. Steven Alexander James, better known subsequently as Alex James, the bass guitarist for Blur. Blur fought it out tooth and nail both in the newspapers and in the charts with their apparent northern nemesis, Oasis. One particular success for the mockney cockneys was their typically catchy chart-topper, 'Country House'. This satirical put-down of the nouveau riche, possibly a dig at fellow celebrities or even themselves, contains amusing lyrics and ought to rate highly on any list of the best British-made singles of the 'nineties.
{Also on this day, 21 people die from 2 IRA pub bombs in Birmingham in 1974}

NOVEMBER 22ND
And She Was by Talking Heads (1985)
from the album Little Creatures
Tina Weymouth, the 'blonde bombshell' of the Talking Heads was born this day back in 1950 in California. Weymouth and her band associate (and husband) Chris Frantz took time out of Talking Heads to cultivate the Tom Tom Club, resulting in the memorable 'Wordy Rappinghood' and the admirable 'Genius Of Love'. However, Weymouth's finest musical legacy heralds from her service to Talking Heads. One particular gem is 'And She Was'. It is a fairly uncomplicated and monotonous tune, but this catchy song still merits repeated listening.
{Also on this date, in 1963 President Kennedy is shot dead in Dallas, aged 46}

NOVEMBER 23RD
Valleri by The Monkees (1968)
from the album The Birds, The Bees & The Monkees
'Valleri' was another Top Three Billboard smash hit for the new American sensations, the Monkees. Critics may scoff at the group's lack of musical talent or creativity, but they did issue several noteworthy pop songs. One of these was 'Valleri', which was co-written by the songwriter Tommy Boyce (with the assistance of Bobby Hart). Boyce was responsible (or 'guilty') of composing a number of the American fab four's repertoire. He later passed away on this day in 1994 at the age of fifty-five. 'Valleri' is arguably the pick from his Monkees catalogue. It is one of the best singles that hailed from North America in the 1960s.
{Also on this day, Doctor Who is first broadcast in 1963 on the BBC}

NOVEMBER 24TH
Waterfall by The Stone Roses (1989)
available on the album The Very Best Of The Stone Roses
John Squire, described by the writer John Robb as the world's first non-macho guitar hero, was born on this date in 1962 in Altrincham. Squire's group, the Stone Roses, made a huge impact upon popular music, even though they recorded only a couple of studio albums. One supreme delight from the band's best long player was the five-minute thrill that was 'Waterfall'. This love song showcases Squires' mastery of the six-stringed instrument, with the one and a half minute outro an absolute joy to the ears, as the guitarist and the drummer Reni elevate a fine recording into the stratosphere of true greatness.
{Also on this date, in 1963 Lee Harvey Oswald is shot dead by Jack Ruby}

NOVEMBER 25TH
Xanadu by Olivia Newton-John And The Electric Light Orchestra (1980)
from the album Xanadu
Two years after taking the UK singles chart by storm with her Grease collaborations with John Travolta, Australia's Olivia Newton-John was back at the top of the British hit parade with her best-ever 45, 'Xanadu'. The summit-climber was also the only Number One achieved by the Electric Light Orchestra. Their drummer, Bev Bevan (previously a member of the Move), was born this day in 1946 in Birmingham. He and his group ought to be credited with creating arguably the best chart-topper of the 'eighties, with this special effort that was blessed by the vocals of Olivia Newton-John. Few subsequent Number Ones can compare with this outstanding pop song.
{Also on this day, Band Aid record 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' in 1984}

NOVEMBER 26TH
Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac (1975)
from the album Fleetwood Mac
By the mid-1970s the former British blues band Fleetwood Mac had metamorphosed into an Anglo-American outfit. Their first album was a huge success in North America, boosted by the presence of the Stevie Nicks' composition, the charming 'Rhiannon'. Here, the contributions of the new couple are very much to the fore. Nicks provides an enchanting lead vocal while Lindsey Buckingham's guitar sound enabled the Mac to be a radio-friendly rock group. If 'Rhiannon' was a just cause for encouragement, more treasures were in store for the future. The group's bassist, John McVie, was born this day in 1945 in Ealing, west London. The Mac in the group's title comes from his surname.
{Also on this date, in 1983 the Brinks Mat robbery occurs at Heathrow Airport}

NOVEMBER 27TH
Belfast Child by Simple Minds (1989)
from the album Street Fighting Years
Charlie Burchill, the guitarist from Glasgow's Simple Minds, emerged onto planet earth on this date in 1958, on the 16th birthday of Jimi Hendrix. Burchill and his group proved that their minds were not too simple as they proceeded to record the British chart-topper 'Belfast Child'. The track is a lengthy one and its non-commercial subject matter scarcely suggested a smash hit, which only renders the band's Number 1 all the more surprising. It was a welcome distraction in a charts landscape saturated by Stock/Aitken/Waterman products.
{Also on this day, John Major replaces Mrs Thatcher as the UK Prime Minister in 1990}

NOVEMBER 28TH
Whatever Gets You Thru The Night by John Lennon (1974)
available on the album Shaved Fish
John Lennon demonstrated that he was more than merely a rock 'n' roll artist who dabbled in love and peace anthems by branching out into dance music with the highly infectious 'Whatever Gets You Thru The Night'. On this historic day in 1974, the ex-Beatle legend joined his new buddy Elton John on stage at Madison Square Garden, New York, to perform a rendition of this single. John had previously conceded to Elton that if by some miracle this new release would reach the summit of the Billboard chart, then he would do it live in concert. Remarkably, the issued song did promptly land on the peak of the American singles list, and Lennon was then true to his word. The two Johns (Elton and Lennon) delighted the assembled concert-goers with 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds', 'I Saw Her Standing There', and this US Number One. It would be the last time that one of the icons of popular music would sing live. As for this smash hit from the 'Walls And Bridges' album, I regard it as one of the ultimate disco classics, albeit from an unlikely source.
{Also on this date, in 1994 voters in Norway reject European Union membership}

NOVEMBER 29TH
While My Guitar Gently Weeps by The Beatles (1968)
from the album The Beatles
The quiet Beatle with an under-estimated sense of humour, George Harrison, died on this date in 2001 in Los Angeles, at the age of 58. It is ironic that whilst George and one or two of the others were becoming disillusioned with their stay on planet Beatles, they still contrived to unearth their greatest recordings. As the 'sixties drew to a close, Harrison's songwriting came of age with several wonders of the pop world, such as 'Savoy Truffle' and 'Here Comes The Sun'. Prominent amongst the feast that is George's legacy is the track from the 'White Album' called 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps'. This delicious guitar-based tune stands favourably when compared with all the other material from arguably the Beatles' best long player. Eric Clapton, George's new friend, also weighed in with his not inconsiderable guitar assistance.
{Also on this day, the racing driver Graham Hill died in 1975, aged forty-six}

NOVEMBER 30TH
Smoke On The Water by Deep Purple (1972)
from the album Machine Head
Today marks the anniversary of the birth in Brecon in Wales of Roger Glover, four days after John McVie. Glover's group Deep Purple are amongst the very best purveyors of the heavy metal sound. This pioneering outfit created their own place in music history with arguably the greatest rock song of them all: 'Smoke On The Water'. This extraordinary number recounts the tale of a fire at the casino in Montreux where the group and Frank Zappa were performing "on the Lake Geneva shoreline". The song also possesses one of the best guitar intros and later follows up with perhaps the finest instrumental break in popular music. Not just one of the most remarkable tunes of the 1970s, I have no hesitation in including it among my all-time Top Twenty.
{Also on this date, in 1982 Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' album is released}

DECEMBER 1ST
Riders On The Storm by The Doors (1971)
from the album L.A. Woman
'L.A. Woman' was the last project that Jim Morrison and his Doors completed before the lizard king's mysterious death in Paris several months later. The album has many items that deserve attention. The title track is clearly a highlight of the group's entire catalogue, while the blues of 'Been Down So Long' is equally impressive. However, the show is stolen by the final two items: 'The WASP (Texas Radio And The Big Beat)' and the marvel that is 'Riders On The Storm'. The latter includes the lashing of rainfall as a sound effect along with thunder to complement the awesome music. It was entirely fitting that the final piece on the last product of the brief but eventful career of Jim Morrison should be 'Riders On The Storm'. One witness and willing accomplice in the storm that was Morrison was an LA man, John Densmore, who drummed for one of the west coast's greatest acts. Densmore was born this day back in 1944.
{Also on this day, the people of Ukraine vote for independence from the USSR in 1991}

DECEMBER 2ND
Night Fever by The Bee Gees (1977)
from the album Saturday Night Fever: The Original Movie Soundtrack
I have just been privileged enough to hear this song on the radio a few hours prior to writing this. The Gibb brothers emerged from a relatively barren spell with the hits, 'How Deep Is Your Love' and 'Jive Talkin', and it was their presence on the 'Saturday Night Fever' soundtrack that catapulted them to new heights. 'Night Fever' is one of the outstanding dance-floor tunes of pop history. Reinforced by an excellent orchestral accompaniment, this single occupied the highest perch on the Billboard chart for a mere eight weeks. British record buyers were no less impressed and helped the group return to Number One for the first time in ten years. It is the kind of item that ought to be played alone behind closed doors, whereupon the listener takes to the living room floor and moves their body accordingly. On this day in 1976, the Bee Gees played a gig at Madison Square Garden and then donated the proceeds to a fund for New York police officers.
{Also on this date, in 1988 Benazir Bhutto takes office as Pakistan's Prime Minister}

DECEMBER 3RD
Running Away by Bob Marley And The Wailers (1978)
from the album Kaya
On this date in 1976, gunmen entered the home of Bob Marley at 56 Hope Road, Kingston, in Jamaica and attempted to assassinate the reggae superstar. The singer's apparent allegiance to one of the two rival political parties may have resulted in representatives from the other warring faction trying to silence him. Rumours persisted thereafter about the identity of the culprits and their motives, but Marley escaped with minor injuries and soon appeared defiantly at the Smile Jamaica concert. Nevertheless, Marley was obliged to flee into temporary exile in London and Miami until the 'heat' of the Jamaican political climate had cooled down. Whilst abroad, the legend recorded the popular 'Exodus' and 'Kaya' albums. The latter yielded the track 'Running Away' in which the composer mocks himself for abandoning his native land. The words of this song remain powerful for any listener who is running away instead of confronting personal demons. Marley eventually returned in April 1978 in triumph, when he united Jamaica's two rival political leaders at the One Love peace concert.
{Also on this day, war erupts as India invades East Pakistan in 1971}

DECEMBER 4TH
Please Let Me Wonder by The Beach Boys (1965)
from the album The Beach Boys Today
Born this day in 1944, Dennis Wilson was the only genuine 'beach boy' in that he was the only member of America's most famous singing family who actually negotiated the waves as a surfer. 20 years later and the group were starting to slowly withdraw from their surfing sound in favour of more moody and sensitive pop songs. One example is the superb 'Please Let Me Wonder', which could have sat very comfortably amongst the assembled brilliance that was the 'Pet Sounds' album of the following year. The oldest of the Wilson brothers was Brian. He was socially gauche but musically gifted, the polar opposite of Dennis. The gift that was Brian's voice is a major blessing on this obscure gem.
{Also on this date, in 1991 the US hostage Terry Anderson is freed after 7 years in Beirut}

DECEMBER 5TH
Seven O' Clock News/Silent Night by Simon And Garfunkel (1966)
from the album Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme
Few recordings in popular music can attain jaw-dropping status, but this powerful piece does precisely that. Whilst the duo plough through a semi-silent version of 'Silent Night', a news announcer reveals the bad happenings that afflicted that particular day (believed to be August 3rd 1966). Mention is made of the death of the comedian Lenny Bruce from an overdose of narcotics, whilst the listener's attention is drawn to the running sore of the Vietnam War, with the yet to be disgraced Richard Nixon reportedly claiming that opposition to the conflict was the greatest single weapon working against the United States. The standout news item refers to the indictment of the serial nurse killer, Richard Speck in Chicago. Whilst Simon and Garfunkel sing "sleep in heavenly peace", the contrast with the turbulent news bulletin is very noticeable. On this day in 1991, the notorious Speck died, one day shy of his fiftieth birthday.
[Also on this day, the Argentinian military junta is dissolved in 1983}

DECEMBER 6TH
It's Over by Roy Orbison (1964)
from the album More Of Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits
Today's tune is highly appropriate, given that the life of the Big O, Roy Orbison, ended on this date in 1988 in Tennessee after a massive heart attack. 'It's Over' was the second and arguably the best of Orbison's three British Number Ones of the 'sixties. The song's theme of the end of a love affair was characteristic of Orbison's subject matter from other such sad tunes as 'Crying' and 'Only The Lonely'. Orbison had been previously engaged in the Traveling Wilburys supergroup, but now at the age of fifty-two, it was indeed over for this particular Wilbury.
{Also on this date, the Altamont music festival descends into chaos in 1969]

DECEMBER 7TH
Time by Tom Waits (1985)
from the album Raindogs
The singer and songwriter Tom Waits is very much an acquired taste. Take for instance one of his major albums, 'Raindogs'. The items are an exercise in gritty realism, based on low-life characters for whom there is no happy ending. Such was the lack of sunshine in his output that he would never be regarded as 'easy listening'. For a man whose commercial appeal appeared to rest between nil and zero, Waits reaped the royalties when Rod Stewart converted 'Downtown Train' into a smash hit. A particular favourite of mine from the aforementioned long player is 'Time'. I recently chanced upon another cover of a Waits tune when the blonde chanteuse Xanda Howe completed a decent attempt at 'Time'. This day in 1949 was the 'time' when young Thomas Alan Waits appeared on planet earth for the first time, in California.
{Also on this day, in 1997 the Scottish footballer Billy Bremner dies, aged 54}

DECEMBER 8TH
Love by John Lennon (1970)
from the album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
If December 7th is a date of infamy in American history, then December 8th 1980 has a notoriety of its own. Late on that winter's evening when John and Yoko Lennon returned to the Dakota building in New York from the recording studio, Mark Chapman stepped forth and shot dead his hero from whom he had obtained an autograph earlier in the day. Although Lennon was no saint by any stretch of the imagination, it was incredibly ironic that the author of such anthems as 'All You Need Is Love' and 'Give Peace A Chance' should be violently gunned down. A decade earlier, John's solo debut album with his Plastic Ono Band contained memorable pieces, such as 'Working Class Hero', 'Mother', and 'God'. It is the project in which the ex-Beatle, under the influence of primal therapy, bares his soul to the world. The long player also yielded the supremely beautiful 'Love'. Armed merely with a piano and simple but effective lyrics, Lennon touches the soul. Sometimes the best songs are simple ones. Ten years later and one of the greatest icons of the 20th century was dead at the age of forty.
{Also on this date, Greek voters in 1974 choose to abolish their monarchy}

DECEMBER 9TH
I'm The Urban Spaceman by The Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band (1968)
from the album Tadpoles
Their oddball repertoire and explorations of English eccentricity meant that it was always going to be an uphill struggle to take the Bonzos too seriously, but the outfit did have the last laugh when the Paul McCartney-produced 'I'm The Urban Spaceman' landed in the Top Five towards the end of the 'sixties. One such urban spaceman, Neil Innes, was born on this date in 1944 in Essex. Innes went on to deliver musical contributions for his buddies in Monty Python's Flying Circus, culminating in the establishment of a mock Beatles group, called the Rutles, in which Innes and Eric Idle offered their own take on Beatlemania (with George Harrison's blessing), producing such spoof efforts as 'All You Need Is Cash'. Cash was temporarily plentiful after the success of the 'urban spaceman' one-hit wonder.
{Also on this day, in 1990 Lech Walesa won the Polish Presidential election}

DECEMBER 10TH
(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay by Otis Redding (1968)
from the album The Dock Of The Bay
Here is another dark day in which 'the music died', this time for the premier soul artist, Otis Redding. Redding followed the likes of Buddy Holly, Patsy Cline, and Jim Reeves in having his life terminated by an aeroplane catastrophe, when he crashed into Lake Monona in Wisconsin, aged only 26. For those who subscribe to the theory that death can be a very good career move, evidence is apparent from this tale, as Redding's posthumous single, '(Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay' sat on the summit of the American hit parade for four weeks, a feat that Redding could not achieve whilst alive, in spite of many admirable recordings.
{Also on this date, Raul Alfonsin becomes Argentina's President in 1983}

DECEMBER 11TH
Wonderful World by Sam Cooke (1960)
available on the album The Best Of Sam Cooke
Sam Cooke was yet another rock 'n' roll fatality, when he was shot dead on this day in 1964, at the age of thirty-three, in Los Angeles. Cooke's violent death is a grim reminder of the shadowy undercurrent that lurks beyond the silky songs and glitter of the music business. Whatever the soul singer's private life amounted to, he at least bequeathed music listeners with the simple love song, 'Wonderful World', which was later covered by Otis Redding on 'Otis Blue'. Cooke's version made a belated appearance in the British Top Three in early 1986.
{Also on this day, in 1994 Boris Yeltsin orders Russian troops into Chechnya}

DECEMBER 12TH
Nutbush City Limits by Ike & Tina Turner (1973)
from the album Nutbush City Limits
On this day in 2007 it was Ike Turner's 'turn' to breathe his last, at the ripe old age of seventy-six. Ike was himself no stranger to controversy, and it would be a diplomatic understatement to record that Ike and Tina Turner had a tempestuous and turbulent love affair. However, there were a couple of notable occasions when their chemistry in the recording studio produced musical fireworks. Firstly in the mid-'sixties, the couple recorded 'River Deep - Mountain High' which its producer Phil Spector regarded as his ultimate 'wall of sound' effort. From the spectre of Spector, the Turners bounced back in 1973 with the majestic rocker, 'Nutbush City Limits', written by Tina about her home town. It is clearly one of the highlights of the 1970s and if you don't et own a copy, it's time that you did.
{Also on this date, Rhodesia is to be re-named as Zimbabwe in 1979}

DECEMBER 13TH
Marquee Moon by Television (1977)
from the album Marquee Moon
We remain on the other side of the 'big pond' for the fourth successive day and pay homage to one of the great punk (or 'new wave') classics, 'Marquee Moon'. Assisted by a fine introduction, this track appears rather repetitive, but when you have a good riff, then why wander off on another direction? The composer of this work of art was Tom Verlaine, who was born on this date back in 1949 in the state of New Jersey. Originally called Thomas Miller, the guitarist and singer re-named himself in honour of the French poet, Paul Verlaine.
{Also on this day, in 1981 General Jaruzelski declares martial law in Poland}

DECEMBER 14TH
Je T'Aime...Moi Non Plus by Jane Birkin And Serge Gainsbourg (1969)
from the album Jane Birkin/Serge Gainsbourg
1969 had its fair share of novelty records, with the success of 'Sugar Sugar' by the Archies (a non-existent group), 'In The Year 2525' by Zager And Evans, 'Two Little Boys' by that ultimate rock 'n' roller Rolf Harris which was the Christmas chart-topper, and not forgetting the brilliant one-hit wonder, 'Something In The Air' by Thunderclap Newman. However, surpassing all of these offerings was the autumnal smash, 'Je T'Aime...Moi Non Plus', written by Serge Gainsbourg. For the liberated 'yoof', this song with its heavy breathing (which left little to the imagination) was an amusing giggle, whilst to the older generation (and particularly the broadcasting censors) this tune was an outrage, incurring the wrath of the Vatican! Few recordings appeared to create such a generation gap as this hugely listenable declaration of love. One of the two love birds (or culprits) Jane Birkin (an actress by profession) was born this day in 1946 in London.
{Also on this date, 12 states, including fascist Spain, join the United Nations in 1955}

DECEMBER 15TH
Guns Of Brixton by The Clash (1979)
from the album London Calling
Johnny Rotten may have scorned the Clash for attempting reggae tunes, but many others admired arguably the greatest punk and new wave band for demonstrating that reggae was something which not only could be appreciated by whites, but which could be performed by young white men. The rebellious Clash after all empathised with the Jamaican 'rude boys' who were defying the system, and the feeling was mutual. One such Clash composition was bass player Paul Simonon's 'Guns Of Brixton' from the highly regarded 'London Calling' double album. Simonon himself a gun (or should I say son) of Brixton was born on this date in 1955. It is Simonon's on-stage histrionics which are captured on photograph for the famous front cover of 'London Calling'.
{Also on this day, in 1961 Adolf Eichmann is sentenced to death in Jerusalem}

DECEMBER 16TH
I Have A Dream by Abba (1979)
available on the album The Singles: The First Ten Years
Abba could scarcely be further removed from the outlaws of the Clash, yet Sweden's greatest quartet achieved some semblance of street credibility when they invited their apparent polar opposites Led Zeppelin to record their new album, 'In Through The Out Door', at their Polar Studios in Scandinavia in 1978. Abba meanwhile could do no wrong in the British charts even if a few of their releases in 1979 stalled just short of the coveted top position. One of these was 'I Have A Dream' which brought the curtain down on the 1970s. This Christmas hit is a beautiful composition from the 'Voulez-Vous' album, and one of its authors, the bearded pianist Benny Andersson, was born on this day in 1946 in Stockholm. In tandem with Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny was a master at creating a commercial tune without compromising on quality. Perhaps the word genius should spring to mind.
{Also on this date, British and American air forces bomb Iraq in 1998}

DECEMBER 17TH
Cruel Summer by Bananarama (1983)
from the album Bananarama
The eye-catching trio of Sara Dallin, Siobhan Fahey, and Keren Woodward first made a name for themselves with their collaborations with the Funboy Three which yielded hit singles, based on cover versions scarcely worthy of mention. They then deteriorated by joining the Stock/Aitken/Waterman assembly line of hits which guaranteed regular forays into the charts with even more fairly forgettable releases. However, there was one absolute treasure item in their time together, namely 'Cruel Summer', which appeared in 'The Karate Kid' movie. Blessed with a delicious jangling guitar, half-decent lyrics, and a magnificent rhythm, I would be bold enough to state here and now that 'Cruel Summer' ought to be short-listed for the accolade of the best pop song of all time, narrowly ahead of Cyndi Lauper's 'All Through The Night'. One of the banana ladies, Sara Dallin, came to life in Bristol on this date in 1961.
{Also on this day, in 1989 the first episode of The Simpsons is broadcast}

DECEMBER 18TH
Gimme Shelter by The Rolling Stones (1969)
from the album Let It Bleed
The opening track of 'Let It Bleed' is a truly stunning piece of work. 'Gimme Shelter' emerges with a menacing guitar intro from Keith Richards that can lay claim to be the greatest intro in popular music. Keef's opening contribution sets the tone for this brooding composition, during which Jagger sings that "rape is just a kiss away." The rest of 'Let It Bleed' is largely dark too, as the bad boys of pop unveil a sense of cynicism and negativity that demonstrates their disillusionment with the love and peace ideals of 'flower power'. Richards, who was born this day in 1943 in Dartford, was certainly not full of the joys of spring, having learned of his best friend's sexual conquest of his lover, Anita Pallenberg. Richards and Jagger recovered from this, as well as absorbing such blows as the death of Brian Jones, the near-fatal overdose of Marianne Faithfull, and the disastrous Altamont concert to confront the 'seventies with their defiant swagger. 'Let It Bleed' may not have many happy memories for the group, but with the likes of 'Gimme Shelter', it was a landmark album.
{Also on this date, the UK parliament votes in 1969 to permanently ban the death penalty}

DECEMBER 19TH
Draft Morning by The Byrds (1968)
from the album The Notorious Byrd Brothers
'The Notorious Byrd Brothers' is one of the very best long players of the 1960s. Its thirty-minute duration contains a box of delights, such as 'Tribal Gathering', 'Dolphin Smile', and 'Get To You'. Another fairly obscure track from the album is 'Draft Morning', which ought to be regarded as arguably the greatest anti-war song in pop history. Against the sound effects of machine gunfire, the Byrds sing of a reluctant soldier who is obliged to leave his "bed to kill instead/ Why should it happen?" The composition is simple but effective. You will not find it on the playlist of any recruiting officer. Before you naively fall for dreams of pretty uniforms and seeing the world, take a listen to this slice of brutal honesty. One of the Byrds, the drummer Michael Clarke, died of liver failure in Florida on this date in 1993, at the age of forty-seven.
{Also on this day, in 1983 the soccer Jules Rimet Trophy is stolen in Rio de Janeiro}

DECEMBER 20TH
Mack The Knife by Bobby Darin (1959)
available on the album Darin: 1936-1973
'Mack The Knife' was one of two British Number Ones for the American cabaret singer, Bobby Darin. This fabulous recording also received its just desserts from Uncle Sam, who appointed it to the top of the United States chart for a staggering nine weeks. It is easy to hear why, as this murderous tale is unquestionably one of the finest tunes from the 1950s. Bobby Darin (whose other UK chart-topper was the admirable 'Dream Lover') died at the age of only 37, on this day in 1973 in Los Angeles, after health problems arising out of a bad heart condition. Darin had no funeral as his body was donated to medical research.
{Also on this date, Spain's Prime Minister, Luis Carrero Blanco, is murdered by ETA in 1973}

DECEMBER 21ST
I Can Hear Music by The Beach Boys (1969)
from the album 20/20
Today is the anniversary of the birth in 1946 of the late Carl Dean Wilson. Carl was the youngest and almost certainly the most sensible of the three Wilson brothers, who were the very heartbeat of the Beach Boys. Carl (like oldest brother Brian) possessed the gift of a beautiful voice. He was after all entrusted with the lead vocal on the unforgettable 'God Only Knows' hit single from the 'Pet Sounds' album. As the wayward genius Brian became more erratic, Carl was required to fill this considerable void. One such impressive result was Carl's vocals on the Beach Boys' version of 'I Can Hear Music'. Needless to say but Carl and the rest of the 'boys' do tremendous justice to this Phil Spector pop song, which had been previously recorded by the Ronettes and later covered by a young Freddie Mercury.
{Also on this day, in 1988 a bomb on board a Pan Am flight explodes over Lockerbie}

DECEMBER 22ND
Bankrobber by The Clash (1980)
from the album Sandinista
'Bankrobber' was another reggae effort from the Clash. This hit single was one of the highlights of the group's triple album, 'Sandinista'. Joe Strummer and the gang were no lovers of what they perceived as a capitalist-dominated legal system, so it came as little surprise that the band should sing "Daddy was a bankrobber who never hurt nobody." After the Clash called time on their rebel rock, Strummer went on to have an association with the Pogues. However, this is a black day in the history of rock and pop, because Joe Strummer, the likeable rogue, died at the age of fifty, on this date in 2002, in Somerset, as a consequence of heart complications. Strummer's partner in crime, Mick Jones, once appropriately described Joe as the "salt of the earth."
{Also on this date, Berlin's Brandenburg Gate re-opens in 1989}

DECEMBER 23RD
Bring Your Daughter...To The Slaughter by Iron Maiden (1990)
from the album No Prayer For The Dying
The notorious heavy metal outfit Iron Maiden proved unlikely chart-toppers when their charming piece, 'Bring Your Daughter...To The Slaughter' hit Number One in the British chart in early 1991. It can hardly be regarded as the world's most commercial pop song, but these senior citizens of hard rock richly deserved their success after a plethora of recordings that spanned more than a decade. One of the combo, Dave Murray (the guitarist and songwriter), was born on this day back in 1958 in Edmonton, north-east London.
{Also on this day, the first human kidney transplant is performed in 1954 in the USA}

DECEMBER 24TH
Fairytale Of New York by The Pogues (featuring Kirsty MacColl) (1987)
from the album If I Should Fall From Grace With God
On this special day in the calendar, it is hard to ignore the memorable Christmas tune that opens with the line: "It was Christmas Eve, babe, in the drunk tank." The vocalist Shane MacGowan was no stranger to drunk tanks. Whilst his merry men offer their customary musical excellence, MacGowan stays sufficiently sober to swap lines with Kirsty MacColl, as the two take on the role of young lovers hoping for "a better time when all our dreams come true." Regrettably, the song had no fairytale ending, as Kirsty MacColl was killed in a boating accident thirteen years later, at the age of only forty-one.
{Also on this date, in 1951 Libya achieves its independence from Italy}

DECEMBER 25TH
Do They Know It's Christmas? by Band Aid (1984)
available on the album The Best Christmas Album In The World...Ever!
Until the death of Princess Diana in August 1997, this colossus of a single was the United Kingdom's biggest-ever selling 45. I have to raise my hat to the celtic composers, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure. The song actually sounds quite festive, yet the lyrics are arguably the most thought-provoking words to be translated into music. Assembling a cast of current pop favourites, including Bono, Boy George, Duran Duran, Sting, Wham, and Paul Young was also a masterstroke. Forget all the forgettable stuff about Santa Claus is coming to town. Here is the ultimate Christmas track in which the world of pop reminds the listener of a less fortunate world where Santa Claus was most certainly not coming. There is a legion of legends, myths, and true stories about the excesses and downright shameful behaviour of the agents of rock and pop, but 'Do They Know It's Christmas?' was one glorious occasion when the artists of pop world did themselves proud. For Christians, today is the Saviour's Day. Not even the Messiah, Jesus Christ, could fail to be impressed by Band Aid's well-intentioned response to the famine catastrophe in east Africa.
{Also on this day, the Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu is executed in 1989}

DECEMBER 26TH
The Fool On The Hill by The Beatles (1967)
available on the album The Beatles' Ballads
On this day in 1967 a new Beatles hour-long film was screened for the first time on television. Entitled 'Magical Mystery Tour', the movie was certainly something of a mystery, even if the music remained magical. The reception to this premiere was so critical that Paul McCartney appeared on the box the following day to defend this apparent flop. One item that was totally devoid of criticism was McCartney's composition, ' The Fool On The Hill'. Has Macca ever penned anything better than this highlight from the 'Magical Mystery Tour EP'? Well, possibly 'The Long And Winding Road' is a close second. Ironically, Sir Paul loathed the fact that the famed American producer Phil Spector gave this acoustic number a wall of sound makeover, featuring an orchestra and a 'heavenly choir'. Paul may have resented the end product, but the rest of us beg to differ. Today also happens to be the date of birth of Spector in 1939 in New York.
{Also on this date, in 1999 soul singer Curtis Mayfield dies, aged fifty-seven}

DECEMBER 27TH
I Want To Know What Love Is by Foreigner (1984)
from the album Agent Provocateur
Today is the anniversary of the birth of Foreigner's frontman Mick Jones in 1944 in Surrey. Not to be confused with the guitarist from the Clash, Jones and his group had made some ripples with the singles, 'Cold As Ice' and 'Waiting For A Girl Like You', but their biggest splash came courtesy of the marvellous ballad, 'I Want To Know What Love Is'. Undoubtedly one of the greatest sad songs in pop history, this 45 deservedly occupied No.1 in the British hit parade in early 1985.
{Also on this day, the Ulster loyalist Billy Wright is killed by the INLA in 1997}

DECEMBER 28TH
Surf's Up by The Beach Boys (1971)
from the album Surf's Up
'Surf's Up' was originally recorded for inclusion on the ill-fated 'Smile' project, but it was one of the few items that was salvaged from the wreckage of that aborted venture and placed in the public domain several years later. Back in the fall of 1966 when Brian Wilson seemingly had the world at his feet, he performed a solo version of this opus for American television, with sand from the beach at his feet. The eventual release possesses a stunning outro of harmonies that brings the curtain down on this Van Dyke Parks collaboration with Brian. The end result is a clear candidate for the best album track in popular music. Meanwhile on this day in 1983, the group's wayward drummer, Dennis Wilson, dived off his boat at the Marina del Rey in California. He never surfaced again. He was only 39.
{Also on this date, in 1950 the Peak District is named as Britain's first National Park}

DECEMBER 29TH
Dance With The Devil by Cozy Powell (1973)
available on the album The Best Of Cozy Powell
Colin Flooks was born on this date back in 1947 in Gloucestershire. Colin who? Alternatively known as Cozy Powell, Mr.Flooks scored a most unlikely smash with the instrumental, 'Dance With The Devil'. Featuring a typically virtuoso drums performance from Powell, this Mickie Most- produced single contains a riff that sounds remarkably similar to Jimi Hendrix's 'Third Stone From The Sun'. Nevertheless, Cozy Powell gave service to a whole host of rock acts such as Rainbow, which confirmed that this Top Three single was no 'fluke' for Mr. Flooks.
{Also on this day, Vaclav Havel is elected as President of Czechoslovakia in 1989}

DECEMBER 30TH
Mr.Blue Sky by Electric Light Orchestra (1977)
from the album Out Of The Blue
The hugely talented Jeff Lynne was born in Birmingham a day after Cozy Powell. Lynne was the main songwriter for the Electric Light Orchestra. The group's greatest song, even surpassing 'Telephone Line', is almost certainly 'Mr.Blue Sky', a Jeff Lynne composition. This is one of those rare tunes that can prompt the listener to stop in their tracks and drink in this wondrous recording. It is quite remarkable that the mundane subject of the weather could form the background to this grandiose effort. I cannot help but feel that this item would have sat comfortably in the midst of the 'Sergeant Pepper' album, given this impressive fusion of rock group and orchestra. Lynne went on to 'travel' a decade later with the Wilburys: Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty. He was also hired to act as a producer when the three remaining Beatles re-convened in the mid-1990s. Having cultivated one of the finest pieces from the 1970s, Jeff Lynne was very much in demand. 'Mr.Blue Sky' was the integral part of a suite entitled, 'Concerto For A Rainy Day'.
{Also on this date, in 1965 Ferdinand Marcos becomes the President of the Philippines}

DECEMBER 31ST
I Feel Love by Donna Summer (1977)
from the album I Remember Yesterday
Of all the romantic songs and syrupy tunes that have populated pop world, the greatest love anthem is perhaps Donna Summer's chart-topper from the summer of 1977. Ably assisted by the Euro-disco dance rhythms generated by Giorgio Moroder's rumbling synthesizer sound, Summer (born on New Year's Eve in 1948) produces a near-orgasmic vocal performance. Without any doubt, this single represents not only one of the best disco tracks of all time, but it is one of the great British Number Ones of the much-maligned 'seventies.
{Also on this day, Boris Yeltsin resigns as the President of Russia in 1999}

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 01.07.2009

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