1966 - The Beach Boys went into the studio to record "Wouldn't It Be Nice", which would be the opening track on their forthcoming album Pet Sounds. The album and group reached a whole new level in terms of both composition and production, layering tracks upon tracks of vocals and instruments to create a richly symphonic sound. Conventional keyboards and guitars were combined with exotic touches of orchestrated strings, bicycle bells, buzzing organs, harpsichords, flutes, Theremin, Hawaiian-sounding string instruments, Coca-Cola cans, barking dogs, and more. Oh, and great songs too. “If records had a director within a band, I sort of directed Pepper. And my influence was basically the Pet Sounds album.” - Paul McCartney
1966 - Nancy Sinatra entered the top of the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart for the second time with what would be her biggest hit, "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'". Lee Hazlewood, the song's writer, intended to record it himself, saying that "it's not really a girl's song", but Sinatra talked him out of it, saying that "coming from a guy it was harsh and abusive, but was perfect for a little girl to sing". Hazlewood often drew inspiration for his songs from regular people. In a Blender magazine interview, he said he was in a Texas bar when some patrons started razzing an older guy about his younger girlfriend and how she controlled him. The man responded by putting his feet on a barstool and saying, "I know what you think - that she might be the boss. But I am the boss of my house, and these boots will walk all over her the day that I'm not."
1981 - The John Lennon tribute issue of Rolling Stone is published with the famous Annie Leibovitz photo of a naked Lennon embracing a fully-clothed Yoko Ono. Lennon's full interview is not published by the magazine until 2010.
1985 - In his annual list of the Worst-Dressed Women, designer/fashion critic Mr. Blackwell names Cher the Worst of 1984, writing that she "has little or less respect for being a woman." Cyndi Lauper comes in at #4 ("looks like the aftermath of the San Francisco earthquake"), and rounding out the list in a tie for #10 are Dee Snider of Twisted Sister ("a car crash in a whorehouse) and Prince ("a toothpick wrapped in a purple doily").
2012 - Adele broke an American chart record that has stood for years after being set by The Beatles (Sgt. Peppers) and Pink Floyd (The Wall). The singer's second album 21 clocked up 16 weeks at number one on the U.S. chart, matching the success of the Titanic soundtrack. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images)
2017 - German drummer Jaki Liebezeit died of pneumonia at age 78. He was best-known as a founding member of the experimental rock band Can who were hailed as pioneers of the German krautrock scene. He also worked with Jah Wobble, Depeche Mode and Brian Eno. Spoon took their name from a Can song.
Birthdays:
Gospel/soul singer Sam Cooke was born on this day in 1931.
Drummer Vini Lopez (with Bruce Springsteen) is 72.
Steve Perry is 72.
Michael Hutchence, INXS singer, born on this day in 1960.
Steven Adler, drummer for Guns N' Roses, is 56.
DJ Jazzy Jeff is 56.
On This Day In Music History is sourced from This Day in Music, Paul Shaffer's Day in Rock, Song Facts, Allmusic, Paul McCartney.com, and Wikipedia.