Tommy’s Coffee Break Calendar for November 17th

Why teachers didn't like The Beatles and a pair of birthdays, one of whom is a Bob Dylan songwriting hero...

11/17/1963 (52 years ago today) - Over in Merry Olde England, the Headmaster of Surrey Grammar School, John Weightman, put into effect a ban on all pupils from having Beatle haircuts saying "this ridiculous style brings out the worst in boys physically. It makes them look like morons." How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?

11/17/1938 - Born on this date, one of the undisputed great songwriters of all-time, Happy Birthday to the truly legendary Gordon Lightfoot, 77 years old today. Gordon has had international success with folk, folk-rock, country music and was one of the primary architects of the 1960's and 1970's "folk-pop" sound. Awesome catalog: "If You Could Read My Mind", "Sundown", "Early Morning Rain", "Carefree Highway" , "Rainy Day People", "The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald"... Bob Dylan famously said when he heard a Gordon Lightfoot song he "wished it would last forever". Well, there you go, then...

11/17/1946 - Born on this date, the fantastically talented and much under-appreciated Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre, 69 years old today. Martin joined the band during the making of their second album "Stand Up" and his exquisite tone and blending of rock and classical styles were, in addition to Ian Anderson's vocals and flute, the most integral component of the Tull sound during their 1970's heyday; hard to imagine the "Aqualung" album without him. Much admired by fellow guitar players, you know....

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"And I will never be set free/As long as I'm a ghost, you can see...", xoxo!