Tommy’s Coffee Break Calendar for August 31st

How much did Elvis concert tickets cost in 1957? What Stones song did stations refuse to play in '69? And how is is that George Harrison was found...guilty?

8/31/1957 (63 years ago today) - It's the last time that Elvis performs outside of the U.S.: The Empire Stadium, Vancouver, Canada -- It was only the third (and it turns out to be the final) time, that Elvis Presley performed a show that was not on U.S. soil! 26,000 fans attend the concert with tickets priced at $1.50, $2.50 and $3.50.

8/31/1969 (51 years ago today) - The Rolling Stones release their most political statement to date, the fierce-and-almost-chaotic sounding classic "Street Fighting Man" --  Mick wrote most of the song after attending a March 1968 anti-war rally at the U.S. embassy in London, highlighted by armed mounted police trying to keep an estimated 25,000 protestors in line. One of the very few Stones singles kept of the Top 40 (it only reached No. 48) because many radio programmers wouldn't let their stations air it on the grounds of its "subversive lyrics".

8/31/1976 (44 years ago today) - It's why he wrote "This Song" years later: George Harrison is found guilty of "subconscious plagiarism" of the Ronnie Mack classic "He's So Fine", a huge 1963 hit for all-girl sweethearts The Chiffons -- Apparently George's "My Sweet Lord" was a little too close sound-alike-wise for Mack's estate who end up receiving royalties from George's hit run -- And from the 'just-plain-weird dept.', in 1975 in an Outer Limits-like definition of serendipity, The Chiffons would record their own version of "My Sweet Lord" (!?!?), while the circumstances and legal b.s. surrounding this entire episode end up leaving the quiet Beatle pissed off for many years to come...Okay, time to compare:

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"Really want to see you, Lord/But it takes so long...",  xoxo!