Tommy’s Coffee Break Calendar for February 13th

Didn't know that many artists covered "Lay, Lady, Lay", really... -- Heavy metal starts...here? -- B'day for Prog-Rocker-Turned-World-Artist...

2/13/1969 (51 years ago today) - Zimmy's got the most famous version, after all, he was the composer: At Columbia Recording Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, Bob Dylan records a few versions of "Lay, Lady, Lay", including the one that ends up on his classic "Nashville Skyline" LP -- Did you know: it was originally written for "Midnight Cowboy", but wasn't submitted in time to be included in the finished film. Quite a (moderately bizarre) list of artists who have covered it since: obvious picks like The Byrds, The Everly Brothers, Neil Diamond and Melanie, but the song's also been done by The Dandy Warhols, Isaac Hayes, Duran Duran and Ministry...

2/13/1970 (50 years ago today) - ...and this date was actually a Friday the 13th, so...: Black Sabbath release their self-titled debut album in the U.K., an absolutely essential landmark record in the development of what will become known as heavy metal -- In proto-typical nonchalance fashion, Ozzy says they just wanted to make something that would scare people ("They like horror movies, don't they?") -- Shrugged off and poo-poohed by music critics upon its arrival, time has (as usual) proven them wrong: just seven songs clocking in at a total of 38:12, "Black Sabbath" remains one of the most lethally convincing debuts in all of rock.

2/13/1950 - If you ever get the chance, ya gotta go: One of the best live performers you will ever see and hear, he does an absolutely astounding show -- Happy Birthday to Peter Gabriel, 70 years old today. Not enough room to get into it here, but the "Secret World" Tour performance at the Worcester Centrum may have been the best night out we ever had!!! Then there's that boatload of excellent albums, too...

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

"Don't be afraid to cry at what you see...", xoxo!