Music Trivia

  • Did you know that the Beatles` song `Yesterday` has been recorded by more than 100 artists since its release in 1965? It is also one of the most frequently played songs by Oldies Stations.
     
  • The song `Rosanna` was recorded by the group `Toto`. An interesting factoid about this song is that it was written for the actress, Rosanna Arquette.
     
  • In late 1963, the song `Dominique` reached the # 1 position on the Billboard Charts. This is a rarely heard song - and it was sung entirely in French, and performed by Sister Sourire (Janine Deckers), who was a Belgian Nun. She was known as `The Singing Nun`, and her fame was very brief. Attempts to record a follow-up hit were unsuccessful, and soon, `The Singing Nun` was a memory.
     
  • 'Dead Man's Curve' - a song made famous by Jan & Dean - was not about Jan's serious car crash. Jan's crash occurred AFTER the record was released. The song was inspired by an accident which involved Mel Blanc - the voice of the Looney Tunes characters.
     
  • Did you know that Neal Sedaka`s 1959 classic 'Oh Carol', was a dedication and poem to his heartthrob, Carole King? Both of them lived in the same borough of NYC in the late 50`s. Although romance never bloomed, both of these songwriters/singers went on to legendary careers. Sidebar- note the title of the song and the spelling of his friend's name - Carol and Carole!!!
     
  • In 1961, a Boston, MA. Radio DJ, Arnie Ginsburg, received a copy of a comedy song called `Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor On The Bedpost Overnight`? It was recorded by an Englishman named Lonnie Donegan (and his Skiffle Band). Arnie decided to play the song on his evening show, and immediately received a number of requests to re-play this record. Within a week, his radio station (WMEX) was deluged with calls. Other stations introduced the song, and it was on its way. The rest is history. The song later went on to Top 20 status on the Billboard Charts, and was a solid hit in the USA (two years after being released in the UK).
     
  • David Seville made the `Chipmunks` famous in the late 50`s. Of course the `Chipmunks` were not real - Seville had used electronic trickery by speeding up the recording tape of his voice to achieve the high pitched effect. As for their names - The `Chipmunks` were named after Liberty Record Company executives, Alvin Bennett, Theodore Keep, and Simon Waronker!

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  • Rod Stewart once worked as a gravedigger. He also played the harmonica on Millie Small's 1964 hit `My Boy Lollipop`. A few years later, he was on his way with the release of `Maggie May`.
     
  • In 1965, an absolutely outrageous song reached the top 5 of the Billboard Charts. It was called `They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha- Haaa!` A lot of people thought that the lyrics were insulting to the mentally ill. However, if you listen closely to the end of the song, you will realize that is about a pet! (You Mangy Mutt is quoted)