Posted in: Musicouching by C Jordan on January 22, 2009 | 37 Comments
So you thought you knew about music?

and
Ever wonder why Pete Townsend of The Who smashed his guitars up so aggressively in concert?
It could be because The Who has never scored a number 1 hit in either North America or Britain. Their highest hit was just inside the top ten and was “I Can See for Miles” It was number 10 in the UK and 9 in the USA.
Did he use cheap copy guitars to smash an estimated 87 of them to pieces?
No. There were at least 23 Fender Stratocasters, 21 Gibson SGs and12 Gibson Les Pauls Deluxe
Expensive!


Aaliyah, a respected 22 year old R & B singer and actress, died on August 25 2001 in a plane crash.
Her single “More Than a Woman” was knocked off the Number 1 spot in the UK singles charts by George Harrisons “My Sweet Lord” who died of cancer in 2001.
This is the only time in, UK chart history that, posthumously, one artist has taken over the number one spot from another.

Planning a Birthday Bash? Pondering how much to spend? Then think again!
If you’re planning to sing “Happy Birthday to You” you might have to spend more than you anticipated.
The song “Happy Birthday To You” is not a public-domain composition, despite the 1998 Guinness Book of World Records declaring it to be the most recognised song in the English language.
The melody was written, in 1893, by two kindergarten school teachers, sisters, Patty and Mildred Hill from Kentucky for the song “Good Morning to All.”
The Summy Company, who owned the publishing rights of “Good Morning to All”, copyrighted “Happy Birthday to You” in 1935 as a song for hire.
Eventually Time Warner Corporation bought the rights in 1998.
So now a single use in a film or TV programme will cost around $10,000!
The only palindrome hit recorded by a palindrome artist is “SOS” by ABBA

In Britain the BBC banned the 1941 recording by Billie Holiday of the song “Gloomy Sunday”. It was not alone. The song, by various artists over the years has become known as “The Hungarian Suicide Song”
This is one verse from it.
“Sunday is gloomy,
My hours are slumberless
Dearest the shadows
I live with are numberless
Little white flowers
Will never awaken you
Not where the black coaches
Sorrow has taken you
Angels have no thoughts
Of ever returning you
Wouldn’t they be angry
If I thought of joining you?
Gloomy Sunday”
Radio stations from many countries have banned it because of its reputation. People have either quoted it in suicide notes or been found dead with a copy of the music in their hand or the record found on a player in their presence.
The song was composed by Hungarian Rezso Seres, based on a poem by Ladislas Javor, in 1933
Seress said, “I stand in the midst of this deadly success as an accused man. This fatal fame hurts me. I cried all of the disappointments of my heart into this song, and it seems that others with feelings like mine have found their own hurt in it.”
The New York Times, January 14, 1968
“Budapest, January 13. Rezsoe Seres, whose dirge-like song hit, “Gloomy Sunday” was blamed for touching off a wave of suicides during the nineteen-thirties, has ended his own life as a suicide it was learned today.
Authorities disclosed today that Mr. Seres jumped from a window of his small apartment here last Sunday, shortly after his 69th birthday.
Mr. Seres complained that the success of “Gloomy Sunday” actually increased his unhappiness, because he knew he would never be able to write a second hit.”

“We don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.”
“Guitar Groups are out of fashion, Mr Epstein”.
Decca Recording Company rejecting the Beatles in 1962.
Oops!
Dick Rowe was an A&R man at Decca Records from the 1940s to the 1960s and the finger points at him for rejecting signing up the Beatles.
The Beatles signed up to Parlophone part of the EMI group, before eventually starting their own Apple Label.
“Strange Fruit” is a strong, controversial and rare song.
It is rare in that it may have actually changed the world.
Briefly:
Marion, Indiana, 1930. Three black men accused of murder and rape, were taken from custody by a mob. Two were mutilated, murdered and hung from a tree.
A local photographer recorded the scene.
New York 1936. Seeing a copy of the photograph of the lynching, a Jewish schoolteacher penned a three verse poem called “Strange Fruit.”
Turned into a song, in 1939 the poem written under a pseudonym was recorded and published.
The song was taken up as an anthem for civil rights
Read the full horror and achievement in The Incredible Story of Strange Fruit

Robert Johnson is known as “the King of the Delta Blues Singers” but did he get that title with a Faustian pact, and as legend has it, “sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads”?
Transferred from old African beliefs, the legend in the South became that if a man went down to the crossroads at midnight and sat down and started playing his guitar and wished for the devil, the devil would appear. He would sit down next to the man, take his guitar, tune it and start playing it. He would hand the guitar back to the man and the deal was done. The man could play anything that he wanted and have what he wanted in this life, but in the next his soul belonged to the devil.
Robert Leroy Johnson lived in Robinsonville and blues man Son House moved into the same town.
“As a teenager, Johnson venerated House, especially, and Willie Brown; and badgered them to let him sit in at gigs. House recalls Johnson’s guitar playing as a “racket”, though both of them helped him out with the basics” (Joe Cushley)
For various reasons, in1930 Robert moved back to the town of his birth, Hazlehurst, Mississippi.
In 1932 he went back to Robinsonville, and played again for House and Brown. They were astounded by the quality and originality of his style to such an extent that Son House said “he must have done a deal with the devil to get that good, that quick.”
So the legend was born.
However playing songs entitled “Crossroad Blues” and “Me and the Devil Blues” would not help to dispel the story.
Nor would his “womanising” or the way in which he died.
He died on August 16, 1938 at the age of 27 by drinking whisky poisoned, it is thought, by a club owner with whose wife he was “fooling around”.
On the sleeve notes of the album “Robert Johnson: Old School Blues”, Joe Cushley writes: “his use of diminished chords and his innovative use of the boogie bass… had Keith Richards (of The Rolling Stones) convinced there were two guitars playing when he first heard it.” He also quotes Eric Clapton saying “His remains the most powerful cry you can find in the human voice.”
In the two years that he was away from Robinsonville, honing his skills, did Robert Johnson sell his soul to the devil?
Only Robert Johnson will ever know …….and the devil.
“Elvis has left the building” This well known phrase usually indicates that the show is over. But where does it come from and who said it?
Horace Lee Logan said it.
On October16th 1954 the 19 year old Elvis appeared on the radio show, “Louisiana Hayride” in front of a live audience. The young Elvis at this time had not yet developed his stage presence and the reception by the audience was said to be “polite”. However Logan recognised his potential and signed him up for more appearances.
In the next two years Elvis’s career reached the verge of superstardom. He bought out his contract with “Louisiana Hayride” on the agreement that he would play at one last show. This he did on December 15th 1956.
10,000 screaming fans turned up for the show and continued screaming right through Elvis’s forty-five minute set. When Elvis left the stage the audience headed for the exits, even though there were still acts waiting to play. In desperation Logan grabbed the microphone: “Please, young people . . . Elvis has left the building. He has gotten in his car and driven away. . . . Please take your seats.”
This was the first, but not the last time, that it was used at an Elvis performance.
Other music articles by this author:
The Beatles, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, U2, Muse: my Generation
Also by this author
10 Offbeat, Bizarre and Wacky Facts
Amazing Discovery: Answers to the Secrets of Life Uncovered in Postcards
More High Jinks on the High Seas
Danger Alert: Christmas is Coming, Be Prepared
Four Classic Quotes to Memorize for Halloween or How to Get Thrown Out of the Neighbourhood
Debra. January 22nd, 2009 at 7:22 am
Well done with great detail.
God bless.
Rask Balavoine January 22nd, 2009 at 7:23 am
Another good one. I long for the day when someone includes me in a list of strange facts and publishes it on Triond!
Sharona January 22nd, 2009 at 8:19 am
Great! I have learned a lot from this one.
Patrick Bernauw January 22nd, 2009 at 9:40 am
That was a great little list, Chris!…
I especially liked the Robert Johnson Story! Gonna blog this with a link etc if I may! (And digg it,too!)
C Jordan January 22nd, 2009 at 11:58 am
Thanks, Patrick feel free. Same goes for anybody else, just don’t cut and paste.
Since Patrick didn’t spam me his site is http://murdermysterygame.blogspot.com/
Lost in Arizona January 22nd, 2009 at 12:20 pm
23 stratocastors?! What was that guy smoking..lol?
Glynis Smy January 22nd, 2009 at 1:45 pm
That was interesting!
Bo Jack Russo January 22nd, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Fascinating work,CJ.I was not aware of any of these.
Louie Jerome January 22nd, 2009 at 2:10 pm
An interesting read. These were all new to me. I know lots of strange people but none of those mentioned above!
Liane Schmidt January 22nd, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Wow… thanks for sharing this unique article.
Blessings.
Sincerely,
-Liane Schmidt.
s hayes January 22nd, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Top article, interesting, entertaining, well researched and put together !
nutuba January 22nd, 2009 at 4:08 pm
This is interesting and informative! I enjoyed reading this — nicely done.
RJ Chamberlain January 22nd, 2009 at 4:36 pm
These are some excellent facts. I knew of none of them. Well doen C Jordan. RJ
Clay Hurtubise January 22nd, 2009 at 4:49 pm
The ’suicide song’ is very interesting, thanks for the research and sharing.
Clay
MJPatrick January 22nd, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Very informative!
papaleng January 22nd, 2009 at 7:02 pm
wow! this is fun, learn lots of things friend.. Nice article.
James DeVere January 22nd, 2009 at 7:29 pm
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Compelling read – is there something
wrong with the images? Always get a
great laugh out of you CJ – Thanks . j
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rutherfranc January 22nd, 2009 at 7:39 pm
you were right, never knew this things.. thanks for the share
Betty Carew January 22nd, 2009 at 8:31 pm
Lots of things here I didn’t know Great informative article
Jade Brooks January 23rd, 2009 at 12:42 am
Wow…alot of interesting facts…The Happy Birthday really stuck in my head 10,000. I like this piece.
Inna Tysoe January 23rd, 2009 at 2:11 am
That was interesting.
Thanks for that!
Inna
Poetic Enigma January 23rd, 2009 at 7:47 pm
Great article
Very interesting information,
Definately didnt know,
well put together
PR Mace January 23rd, 2009 at 10:49 pm
Very interesting. I knew about Happy Birthday and I enjoyed the facts about Elvis. I learned a few new things tonight, thanks.
Bick Parker January 23rd, 2009 at 11:32 pm
My knowledge of music is very limited, or it used to be till I read this article. Nice work, easy on the eye to read.
Lancashire, eh? I’m just next door! Eeh bah gum!
AC Hamilton III January 24th, 2009 at 11:14 pm
Really nice work, full of lots of interesting gems of fact. The last one is very sad about the three young men taken by a mob.
AC
Melody Arcamo Lagrimas January 25th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
Very intriguing and interesting stuff, thanks, Chris.
Shari86 January 27th, 2009 at 10:33 am
I actually didn’t know any of those facts, except for the Beatles one, much more interesting than your typical ‘Top 10′ or ‘10 Most’ articles that you would find here.
eddiego65 January 28th, 2009 at 4:19 am
Interesting trivia. Great article.
Ruby Hawk January 28th, 2009 at 7:33 pm
Very intgeresting and some of it I didn’t know.Black Sunday for one. I knew about Happy Birthday but how are they going chase all of us dodwn who sing Happy Birthday? Interesting facts.
nobert soloria bermosa January 31st, 2009 at 4:04 pm
very interesting-i particularly like the trivia about the ‘happy birthday’ song,thanks
Bozsi Rose February 2nd, 2009 at 3:09 pm
#5 is my favorite. Oh ABBA!
spiritwalker February 2nd, 2009 at 9:35 pm
Really good. You got your facts straight. I was born and raised in Mississippi and those were some of the stories I would hear when I was little. Although there is a rumor that a lot of vehicular accidents occur at the crossroads. I have been there and it is eerie. I love Elvis. Thanks for the info on guitars. I never knew the smashed ones were so expensive.
Fegger February 12th, 2009 at 3:41 pm
Interesting collection; and especially how you sort of structured them within the same space…great mix for broad appeal (Big “Who” fan, btw)
Rod Ferrandino March 26th, 2009 at 10:43 am
This is what “ten” lists should be be like; I like your slightly warped view. Of course, it could be everything else that’s warped.
chris73 April 28th, 2009 at 4:07 am
About The Who. I ve heard (i can not remember where but maybe even in a bands interview) that once, accidentaly Pete Townsend broke a guitar as he turned his body on a small stage. Fans found it exciting and thats why the continued that kind of show!
Who Fan June 8th, 2009 at 4:37 am
I would check you facts on the Who. My Generation was at Number 2! Substitue Number 5! The list goes on!
C Jordan June 8th, 2009 at 7:23 am
I also like the Who. I was lucky enough to see them in concert while Keith Moon was alive. Of course the Who didn’t smash their equipment up because they did not get to number one! That comment is just a bit of fun. As for what exact number they got to depends on which chart you are looking at. As you confirm, the point is, surprisingly, they never had a number one.