Tommy’s Coffee Break Calendar for June 17th

The Fab Four finish up work on an all-time classic single; a 1970's landmark LP begins 15 weeks at Number One; Elton plays for booze...

6/17/1965 (50 years ago today) - Its working title was "Scambled Eggs" (no, really!): At Abbey Road in London, The Beatles finish up a new McCartney song titled "Yesterday", unofficially, the first "solo" track by Paul as none of the other Beatles are featured on the song anywhere; the musical backing was provided solely by a string quartet. During this same session, the boys also recorded "Act Naturally" featuring Ringo on lead vocal, and "Wait" (in just four takes!) which is saved for the "Rubber Soul" album. Nice days work.

6/17/1971 (44 years ago today) - Carole King goes to No. 1 on the U.S. album chart with her landmark album "Tapestry"; thanks to such classic compositions like "You've Got A Friend", "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow", "I Feel The Earth Move", "It's Too Late", "Where You Lead" and "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman", the LP stays at the top for a fantastic 15 weeks in a row! It goes on to win four Grammys, places #36 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums Of All-Time, and sells more than 10 million copies. That's some solid stuff!

6/17/1977 (38 years ago today) - ...so he didn't have any plans, then?: Over in England at Shoreditch College, an artist by the name of Jimmy Helms pulls out of a scheduled performance at the last minute. What to do? Well, the members of the college's social committee decide they've got nuthin' to lose by asking a famous local, Elton John, to see if he would perform instead. Elton agrees to do the gig; his fee is two bottles of wine! True story!

What do you think about the Calendar? No, really, go for it here on our web site and on the WBLM Facebook and Twitter pages with the hashtag #TommysCoffeeBreak.

"Is this a lasting treasure/Or just a moment's pleasure...", xoxo!