A true landmark recording... -- A weird "coincidence" on the singles chart... -- A birthday for a genuine British icon...

(Courtesy of Decca Records)
(Courtesy of Decca Records)
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8/21/1961 (56 years ago today) - Patsy Cline recorded the classic Willie Nelson song "Crazy", while on crutches!!! Two months earlier, she was involved in a head- on collision and went hurtling straight through the car windshield. Unsurprisingly, during the first couple of takes, Patsy had a little difficulty hitting the high notes because of her broken ribs! Yeah, these kids today, with their auto-tuning, c'mon now...

8/21/1968 (49 years ago today) - Tommy James & The Shondells hit No. 1 on the U.K. singles chart for the second time with "Mony Mony" -- Insert peculiar twist here: Years later, in 1987, Billy Idol's version of "Mony Mony" would replace a different Tommy James classic on Billboard's Hot 100, when Tiffany's cover of "I Think We're Alone Now" was in the No. 1 spot. Cats and dogs...falling from the sky...

8/21/1952 - John Graham Mellor was born on this date: singer-songwriter-guitarist (and occasional actor) Joe Strummer that is, and The Clash just couldn't have existed without him as the Lennon to Mick Jones' McCartney (well, sort of, mmm, you get the idea). Joe's spontaneous ad-libs on Clash records are hilarious and legendary ("Vacuum cleaner sucks up budgie!") and the band was easily voted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in January 2003. One of the premier influences of the Brit punk movement no doubt, and in his memory, family and friends established The Joe Strummer Foundation which helps promote new artists. Plus there's the fact that your entire personal music collection is a null-and-void joke if you don't own a copy of "London Calling", it's just the way it is (though we're big fans of "Sandanista!", too). Joe unexpectedly passed away December 22, 2002; he was just 50 years old.

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"The ice age is coming/The sun is zooming in...", xoxo!

 

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