1967 - The Beatles began recording 'A Day In The Life' at Abbey Road studios London, recording four takes of the new song. According to Lennon, the inspiration for the first two verses was the death of Tara Browne, the 21-year-old heir to the Guinness fortune who had crashed his Lotus Elan on 18 December 1966 in Redcliffe Gardens, London.
Included the line...
"He blew his mind out in a car
He didn't notice that the lights had changed"
John left a placeholder in the middle section that is later filled with Paul McCartney's "Woke up, fell out of bed" part, taken from another song he was working on.
1971 - The mass murder trial of Charles Manson was underway. Much to the dismay of The Beatles, Helter Skelter was played in the courtroom. Manson had reportedly scrawled "helter skelter" on a mirror at the scene of the crime. Other tracks from The Beatles The White Album were played as well in the courtroom at the Sharon Tate murder trial to find out if any songs could have influenced Charles Manson and his followers to commit murder. Actress Sharon Tate who was married to film director Roman Polanski, was eight and a half months pregnant when she was murdered in her home, along with four others, by followers of Charles Manson.
1993 - Fleetwood Mac reunited to play "Don't Stop" and other hits at the first inauguration celebration for President Bill Clinton.
The song was written by Christine McVie and originally aimed at her bandmate/husband John McVie while they were going through a divorce. She seems ready to leave the past behind as they move forward as friends and co-workers. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
1994 - Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on this day were The Animals, The Band, Duane Eddy, The Grateful Dead, Elton John, John Lennon (as a solo artist), Bob Marley and Rod Stewart.
1998 - Carl Perkins, a legendary pioneer of rockabilly, died. His influence as the quintessential rockabilly artist has played a big part in the development of every generation of rockers to come down the pike since, from the Beatles' George Harrison to the Stray Cats' Brian Setzer to a myriad of others in the country field as well.
Birthdays:
Australia's "King of Rock & Roll" Johnny O'Keefe ("Real Wild Child" covered by Iggy Pop) was born in 1935.
Phil Everly of The Everly Brothers was born today in 1939.
Dolly Parton is 76. The 4th of 12 children. She has composed thousands of songs, notably "I Will Always Love You" (a two-time U.S. country chart-topper for Parton, as well as an international pop hit for Whitney Houston). She is also one of the few to have received at least one nomination from the Academy Awards, Grammy Awards, Tony Awards, and Emmy Awards. And lest we forget, she donated money to help develop a Coronavirus vaccine
Janis Joplin was born today in 1943. As well as being one of the finest rock singers of the 1960s, Janis Joplin was also a great blues singer, making her material her own with her wailing, raspy, supercharged emotional delivery. Although she wasn't always supplied with the best material or most sympathetic musicians, her best recordings, with both Big Brother and on her own, are some of the most exciting performances of the era. She also did much to redefine the role of women in rock with her assertive, sexually forthright persona and raunchy, electrifying on-stage presence.
Rod Evans, original singer for Deep Purple ("Hush"), is 75.
Robert Palmer was born today in 1949.
Eric Leeds, jazz and funk musician best-known for his work with Prince, is 70.
On this Day In Music History is sourced from Allmusic, This Day in Music, Song Facts and Wikipedia.