Tommy’s Coffee Break Calendar for November 3rd

From a little studio, a gigantic classic did come! One of the '60's greatest singles is tops! Props for a James Bond contributor!

11/3/1957 (58 years ago today) - Little ol' Memphis studios Sun Records label releases a doozy: "Great Balls Of Fire" by Jerry Lee Lewis is unleashed upon an unsuspecting public. The single sells one million copies in its first 10 days just here in America; on its way to No. 2 in the U.S. and No. 1 in the U.K., it ends up selling over five million worldwide! In 1950's terms, that's an A-bomb blast that crushed everything in its wake. The song title is a Southern expression referring to the Pentecost's defining moment when the Holy Spirit manifested as "cloven tongues as of fire". Having the record labeled as blasphemous only increased its appeal.

11/3/1962 (53 years ago today) - The Crystals start a two-week run at No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with the ultra-classic/totally fantastic "He's A Rebel". Now, The Crystals got the credit, but in fact the song had actually been recorded by The Blossoms -- written by Gene Pitney, produced by Phil Spector, the track is arguably the definitive example of the Spector-girl-group sound. Coincidence Dept.: while "He's A Rebel" sat at the top spot, the No. 2 song was "Only Love Can Break A Heart" by Gene Pitney(!), giving him (as songwriter or performer) the two top selling singles in America, though as a solo artist himself, Gene never did score a No. 1 on his own.

11/3/1933 - Born on this day, composer-producer-band-leader John Barry -- wrote The James Bond Theme (that's John's score in the first 007 movie "Dr. No", 1962) as well as the music for "The Magnificent Seven",  "Born Free", "Midnight Cowboy", "The Lion In Winter", "Dances With Wolves", "Out Of Africa" and other classic films earning him five Oscars for his work over the years. The maestro of the John Barry Orchestra died of a heart attack at age 77 back on January 31st, 2011. Extremely talented...

Share your thoughts on the Calendar here on our web site and on the WBLM Facebook and Twitter pages with the hashtag #TommysCoffeeBreak.

"My baby's always the one/To try the things they've never done...", xoxo!