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We wanted to give away a copy of Graceland: An Interactive Pop-Up Tour last week, but we didn’t get a winner. So let’s try this again.
This time, we’ll use the contest to help feed The Amazing Fact Generator*.
Here’s how you play:
1) Leave a comment with your most amazing music fact. (Songs, artists, album sales, notable performances, awards, etc.)
2) Include your name (first name or nickname is fine) and location.
3) Our Amazing Fact Checkers will go through the submissions, and we’ll announce the winner next week.
4) Remember what you’re playing for.
All the truly amazing facts will be entered into the generator, credited to you. So really, you’re all winners. Well, except the people who supply faux facts. Or dull ones.
* Beta
Sir Paul McCartney cannot read or write sheet music, but managed to compose countless classics and a symphony.
posted by tathagata76 on 2-7-2008 at 9:49 am
A Finnish band by the name of Lordi was under fire for a supposedly glorifying Satanism because of their June 6th, 2006 Album release. This is somewhat understandable with the paranoid enthusiasm of the “end of days” in accordance with the date 6/6/06. (A date set by the Gregorian calendar and not by the Dark Prince of the Underworld, but I digress.) The most interesting part of this little episode was in what the band had no control of: After being on the Finnish top 100 for six weeks the band’s album, “The Arockalypse,” was sitting pretty at the 6 chart position, the same place it had been the week prior. This left a noticeable 6-6-6 in the column next to the bands title and a fitting amount of irony for the world to contemplate.
posted by Gary on 2-7-2008 at 9:53 am
The Beach Boys had only one member who actually surfed: Denny Wilson. Ironically, he drowned in Marina del Rey while swimming alongside his boat.
posted by Adrienne on 2-7-2008 at 9:59 am
General Worth, of whom Fort Worth, TX is his namesake, is buried in Manhattan, NY.
posted by Lisa on 2-7-2008 at 10:00 am
This fact is lengthy, but quite amazing.
————————-
It is often thought that The King, Elvis Presley, was the most popular artist of all time. However, the king of crooners, Harry Lillis “Bing” Crosby, greatly surpasses him. With an astonishing 383 top 30 hits, 203 top 10 hits, and 41 NUMBER ONE HITS, he climbed to the top spot for a record 173 weeks. 1939 was a kind year for him, he had 27 (yes TWENTY-SEVEN) top 30 hits.
Compare this to Elvis’s 85 top 30 hits, 38 top 10 hits, 18 number one hits, 80 weeks at the top spot, and 10 top 30 hits in one year (1956).
*I’ll give you a second to look back and compare the numbers.*
Digested? Ok…
With his stats, the King towers over everybody else below him, but when it comes to popularity, the thorny crown belongs to the Bing.
Oh, did I mention Bing has the most recorded voice in history?
- Jake Le Master (Athens, GA)
posted by Jake Le Master on 2-7-2008 at 10:00 am
As a Montessori teacher I find it fascinating to learn of how many successful and/or historically significant people were Montessori students as children. Below is a list of a few I know:
Julia Child, Larry Page, Sergey Brin, Jeff Bezos, Anne Frank, Chelsea Clinton, Princes William and Harry…
Famous supporters of Montessori Education:
Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Buckminster Fuller, Hellen Keller…
One source you may use to fact check is:
michaelolaf.net
This information is found in many places. In fact, Page and Brin of Google have publicly stated that they believe that their Montessori educations fostered their abilities to think outside the box and find success. I personally find their motto “Don’t be evil.” to certainly be influenced by Montessori philosophy.
posted by beki on 2-7-2008 at 10:01 am
Arguably the most prolific songwriter in history, Irving Berlin composed over 3,000 songs but couldn’t even read or write music! He would memorize his compositions on the piano and then dictate them to an arranger.
-Jake Le Master (Athens, GA)
posted by Jake Le Master on 2-7-2008 at 10:07 am
Jon Bon Jovi’s little brother used to cruise the Woodbridge Center Mall in Woodbridge, NJ trying to sell sweat socks that his brother had supposedly worn.
In the early 1990’s, the Grateful Dead used Bruce Hornsby as a keyboard player fill in on their tour. He in turn brought his back up/ off stage player-technician with him.
posted by qt314159265 on 2-7-2008 at 10:08 am
Monaco’s national orchestra is bigger than it’s army
posted by Denine on 2-7-2008 at 10:21 am
Quirky fact: No matter how I start the Amazing Fact Generator, the first fact I get is always:
Born Harold Jenkins, Conway Twitty got his stage name from two cities (Conway, Arkansas, and Twitty, Texas) near his home.
posted by Scott on 2-7-2008 at 10:24 am
When Bachman Turner Overdrive recorded “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”, Randy Bachman sang it with a stutter as a joke on his brother George, who was a stutterer. When producer Charlie Fach heard the recording, he knew it was the hit they were looking for. Randy tried to re-record it straight, but it was meh.
posted by Johnny Cat on 2-7-2008 at 10:29 am
Ironic fact about this thread:
As I was reading Johnny Cat’s message “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” was playing on my cubicle mate’s radio. Creepy!
posted by Gary on 2-7-2008 at 10:33 am
Paul McCartney is not the only left handed Beatle. Ringo Starr is also left handed (although has a child he was forced to use his right). Curious how the 2 lefties are the only surviving Beatles at this point.
posted by beth on 2-7-2008 at 10:36 am
Chevy Chase is an absolute pitch and was in a band with Donald Fagen and Walter Becker before they became Steely Dan.
His real name is also Cornelius Crane Chase. Seriously though, his wikipedia page - unbelieveable.
posted by zaahit on 2-7-2008 at 10:46 am
Secretariat won the 1973 Belmont Stakes in a still-record time of 2:24, which translates into a speed of 37.5 miles per hour.
Paul (New York)
posted by Paul on 2-7-2008 at 10:47 am
Sadly I knew the other Beatles facts that people shared already… I’m a bit of a Beatles afficinado. But this, was new to me.
As a tribute to sight-impaired musician Stevie Wonder, original pressings of the Paul McCartney & Wings album Red Rose Speedway included the words “We love you, baby” embossed in Braille.
posted by Rosie on 2-7-2008 at 10:47 am
Iconic western actor John Wayne was born Marion Robert Morrison. His parents changed his middle name to Michael when they wanted to name their next son Robert.
He was credited for his first acting roles as “Duke Morrison,” his childhood nickname from his dog, Duke, whom he was rarely seen without.
Studio executives first considered calling him Anthony Wayne, after a Revolutionary War General, but the name was considered too Italian, so they settled on John Wayne. Wayne wasn’t even present for the meeting.
posted by Jenny on 2-7-2008 at 10:50 am
Maybe not amazing..but funny…
When Jim Croce’s plane crashed into a patch of trees (killing all on board) at the airport in Natchitoches, LA, it’s reported that the Mayor greeted his widow with “Well, we cut the tree down…”
Due to his death, intrest sparked previously poor record sales, and he ended up getting 3 Gold records posthumously.
-Cincinnati
posted by emily on 2-7-2008 at 10:51 am
Micky Dolenz signed Jimi Hendrix to tour with the Monkees as the opening act.
posted by Don on 2-7-2008 at 10:57 am
Chicago Transit Authority, (later (Chicago, after litigation) actually played their first professional ‘gig’, not in Chicago, but at the Cinammmon Cinder on N. Main St. in Rockford, IL
posted by Bill Bauer on 2-7-2008 at 10:58 am
Although now irrevocably associated with the Deep South and pompadoured good-ol’ boys, the name “Elvis” most likely comes from Old English or Scandinavian, meaning “Wise” or “Wise One.”
posted by Karl on 2-7-2008 at 11:06 am
OK this is sort of music related
Everyone remember Peter Boyle, who played grumpy Frank Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond? The best man at his wedding was John Lennon.
posted by Sheila on 2-7-2008 at 11:07 am
Mozart wrote Twinkle Twinkle Little Star at the age of 5 years old.
posted by Holly on 2-7-2008 at 11:15 am
Your body tells the story of your life. Archaeologists can use your hair to find out where you have been and what you have been eating and drinking for the last 6 to 8 months of your life, your teeth can tell them what type of area you grew up in, the source of your drinking water until about age 12 and the types of food you have been eating in the last couple of years. Finally your bones give away most of your life with evidence of malnutrition and famine seasons in your long bones which show up as Harris lines, changes in texture and appearance on your skull can illustrate if you were deficient in vitamines and minerals and the wear and tear as a result of certain occupations can be seen in built up muscle insertion points and squating facets on your ankle joints (among many many others). Overall your body can give away most of your life secrets while you were living, once it is reduced to a skeleton in the earth.
posted by Katie on 2-7-2008 at 11:34 am
Milli Vanilli (Rob Pilatus and Fab Morvan) recorded 3 more albums after the infamous lip syncing incident in 1989, including:
• Keep On Running, renamed Moment of Truth (1991). The producer changed the album and groups’ name at the last minute. “The Real Milli Vanilli”, group name is on the album cover, but the graphics designer forgot to change the bands name on the album spine, still showing “Milli Vanilli”.
• Rob & Fab (1993)
• Back and in Attack (1998)
They also released a Greatest Hits album in 2007.
Fab Morvan has also continued as a solo act (after Rob’s death) releasing a couple albums on his own.
Milli Vanilli was also featured on the premire episode of VH1’s “Behind the Music”.
posted by Brian "It's good to be the King" on 2-7-2008 at 11:39 am
Diana Ross, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Ornette Coleman, Bon Jovi, The Doors, Grateful Dead, Jewel, Janis Joplin,
Bob Marley, Charlie Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Nina Simone, Neil Young and Led Zeppelin.
Q: What do all these musicians have in common?
A: They’ve never won a grammy.
posted by Caroline on 2-7-2008 at 11:40 am
David Bowie doesn’t actually have different colored eyes. Instead, one of his eyes (his left eye) was injured and the pupil of this injured eye is permanently dilated.
The injury was caused by a punch to his eye given to him by his friend. They were fighting over a girl.
Prescott, AZ
posted by Tim on 2-7-2008 at 11:43 am
Liam Gallagher of Oasis was voted third in a list of “Most-hated exhibits” at Madame Tussaud’s wax museum in the ’90s. He finished behind Adolf Hitler and Slobodan Milosevic.
posted by Sarah on 2-7-2008 at 11:52 am
Male kangaroos do not have nipples.
Vermont
posted by Cindy on 2-7-2008 at 12:17 pm
Elvis’s middle name Aaron was originally spelled Aron at the time of his birth, to be closer to the middle name of his stillborn, identical twin brother Jesse Garon Presley. Later in life Elvis wanted to change it to Aaron and found out state records had already listed it as being spelled that way, although birth records clearly indicate the name Aron. After his death Elvis’s father chose to write it as Aaron on his gravestone, knowing the intentions of his son.
*I feel it’s neccesary to cite Elvis.com for this fact since that is where I originally read it. This is still a sweet fact nonetheless.
posted by Steve -- Baltimore on 2-7-2008 at 12:25 pm
Italian cuisine did fine without the tomato for hundreds of years. The tomato did not grow in Europe until Spanish conquerors brought it back from the New World in the mid 1500’s!
Ira
Dayton OH
posted by Ira on 2-7-2008 at 12:37 pm
Oh, MUSIC facts.
Um…
Although he posthumously towers over modern music, Kurt Cobain was a quite average 5 feet 9 inches tall, and due to the impact of scoliosis on his posture he was often reported to be as short as 5′7″.
Ira
Dayton OH
posted by Ira on 2-7-2008 at 12:45 pm
Elvis’s hair tops lists as the most memorable guy hairstyle ever.
posted by Alexandra on 2-7-2008 at 12:47 pm
Mark Deutsch, a scholar of Indian classical music, invented an instrument called the Bazantar - a (and this is an oversimplification) bass version of the sitar. It’s a standard 5-string acoustic bass, but Deutsch managed (after years of trial-and-error and some ingenious engineering) to add 32 more strings.
Check out bazantar.com for sound samples.
Roger
Lexington, KY
posted by Roger on 2-7-2008 at 1:08 pm
Mark “Marky Mark” Wahlberg was close to being the sixth New Kid on the Block.
posted by holly on 2-7-2008 at 1:14 pm
Composer Jean-Baptiste Lully died after a tragic conducting accident. It was common in those days to keep time by banging a staff on the floor. Lully inadvertently brought the staff down on his toe. He developed gangrene and died.
posted by Vikki on 2-7-2008 at 1:36 pm
Unlike many iconic musicians, Bob Marley’s death was not the consequence of hard partying or a wild lifestyle. The Rastafarian reggae pioneer died of aggressive melanoma at the age of 36. Stranger still, the cancer originated at the site of an old soccer injury - his right big toe.
Ira
Dayton OH
posted by Ira on 2-7-2008 at 1:45 pm
The band Rush has the most consecutive Gold albums of any artist in history.
posted by Paul Bergman on 2-7-2008 at 1:49 pm
Elvis Presley is still alive and operating as the drug czar for the FARQ in Colombia. I swear man. I saw him down there when I was buying some face-numbing coke! Viva el Rey!
posted by Tommy on 2-7-2008 at 1:51 pm
In 2004, the Illinois attorney general sued the Dave Matthews Band and one of its drivers for $70,000 claiming that a band tour bus driving on a Chicago bridge dumped “80 to 100 gallons of liquid human waste” on dozens of people taking a river boat tour.
maryland
posted by suzanne on 2-7-2008 at 1:52 pm
Beethoven really enjoyed eating what would become known as Maccaroni and Cheese.
Mozart really DID like Handel- as opposed to the information in ‘Amadeus’.
Carlos Santana and Dave Matthews lifted their duet “love of my life” DIRECTLY from Johannes Brahms’ Symphony No.3, third movement.
posted by Ashley on 2-7-2008 at 2:04 pm
oh, Salt Lake City, UT
posted by ashley on 2-7-2008 at 2:05 pm
Diana Ross, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, Ornette Coleman, Bon Jovi, The Doors, Grateful Dead, Jewel, Janis Joplin,
Bob Marley, Charlie Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Nina Simone, Neil Young and Led Zeppelin.
Q. What do these musicians have in common?
A. They have never won an Emmy
-Oklahoma
posted by Jeremy on 2-7-2008 at 2:16 pm
Fact: Mental_Floss is awesome.
posted by Mej on 2-7-2008 at 2:22 pm
The dictyostelid is one of the most interesting life forms on earth. It blurs the line between animal, single-celled organism, and plant. At their most basic they are single celled amoebae. They group together with other dictyostelid to form slime mold which feed on bacteria. When their food supply runs out, one of the dictyostelids sends out signal instructing all dictyostelids in the vicinity to group and transform into a multi-cellular pseudoplasmodium (or slug). The dictyostelid differentiate themselves to form the various organs. This slug then has the ability to migrate to a new food source. Under the right circumstances the slug changes yet again to form a fruiting body with a stalk supporting one or more balls of spores. These spores are inactive cells that become new amoebae once food is available.
posted by iain010100 on 2-7-2008 at 2:31 pm
Hungarian musician Franz Liszt received so many requests for locks of his hair that he bought a dog and snipped off patches of fur to send to admirers.
Melinda
Woodridge, IL
posted by Melinda on 2-7-2008 at 2:42 pm
Tchaikovsky suffered from many mental breakdowns and neuroses. He believed that his head would fall off, so when conducting an orchestra he would hold his chin with his left hand.
Melinda
Woodridge, IL
posted by Melinda on 2-7-2008 at 2:43 pm
the guitar’s sales escalated from 228,000 in 1950 to 2.3 million in 1971.
Scott(kansas)
posted by Scott on 2-7-2008 at 2:44 pm
Stephen Stills of Buffalo Springfield/Crosby, Stills and Nash, originally tried out to be a Monkee, but producers thought his hair was getting too thin and that his teeth were too bad.
Melinda
Woodridge, IL
posted by Melinda on 2-7-2008 at 2:45 pm
The song “Happy Birthday To You” is not a public-domain composition. The publishing rights are owned by a subsidiary of Warner Communications, and a performance fee must be paid every time it is used for commercial purposes.
Melinda
Woodridge, IL
posted by Melinda on 2-7-2008 at 2:49 pm
Opera singer Maria Callas had both tapeworms and a long affair with Aristotle Onassis. Perhaps at the same time.
posted by Kris on 2-7-2008 at 2:50 pm
Although George Harrison’s most famous Beatles song is “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” it was his long time rival, Eric Clapton, who recorded the famous guitar solo in the song.
Nick
Chicago
posted by Nick on 2-7-2008 at 2:53 pm
The opera singer Maria Callas had both tapeworms and a long-standing affair with Aristotle Onassis, perhaps at the same time.
Kris
New York City
posted by Kris on 2-7-2008 at 2:53 pm
Patsy Cline’s plane crashed in 1963 on her way back to Nashville, after performing a benefit concert for the widow of disc jockey Jack Call who’d recently died in a car crash. To add to the tradegy, Country star Jack Anglin was killed in a car crash on the way to her funeral.
William
Yuma, AZ
posted by William on 2-7-2008 at 2:55 pm
The late Screamin’ Jay Hawkins has fathered over 50 children. A subsequent, posthumous investigation by his biographer Maral Nigolian, has revealed that this number may be perhaps closer to 75.
Jeremy #43, I think you mean they haven’t won a Grammy. Emmy’s are for television.
Melinda
Woodridge, IL
posted by Melinda on 2-7-2008 at 3:00 pm
Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan was once a calypso musician. Performing as The Charmer, he showed off his technical prowess on the violin on a couple of albums in the early ’50s, until he joined the group he now leads and was asked to put aside his musical career.
Melinda
Woodridge, IL
posted by Melinda on 2-7-2008 at 3:02 pm
Grand Funk Railroad once opened for The Clash and were promptly booed from the stage.
At this point Joe Strummer comes on stage and scolds the audience. A young Steve Buscemi was in the audience.
Also, do to copywright protections Meat Loaf is known as “Mr. Hot Dog Water” in Taiwan…
Okay the Meat Loaf fact is fake.
posted by CrackpotPress on 2-7-2008 at 3:05 pm
Gene Simmons, fire-breathing, blood-vomiting lead singer of Kiss, once studied to be a rabbi.
posted by iain010100 on 2-7-2008 at 3:08 pm
Most toilets flush in E flat.
Melinda
Woodridge, IL
posted by Melinda on 2-7-2008 at 3:10 pm
opps, forgot …
Name: Iain
Location: New York City
posted by Iain010100 on 2-7-2008 at 3:11 pm
In their first year, The Ramones were hugely popular in England.
The Clash and the Sex Pistols wanted to meet them but couldn’t get into their mobbed hotel room.
They yelled up to a window, where the Ramones recognized them and threw down a sheet ladder to climb up. The ladder was to small so the two bands formed a human chain and scaled the wall.
posted by CrackpotPress on 2-7-2008 at 3:18 pm
Eric Clapton was born to an unwed mother and to shield him from the shame, Eric grew up believing that his grandparents were his parents and his mother was his sister.
Melinda
Woodridge, IL
posted by Melinda on 2-7-2008 at 3:19 pm
Before he was convicted of murder, Charles Manson befriended Beach Boys’ drummer Dennis Wilson, who convinced the rest of the band to record a Manson composition called “Cease To Exist”. The title was changed to “Never Learn Not To Love” and was released as the “B” side of the single “Bluebirds Over The Mountain”, which eventually climbed to number 61 in early 1969, giving Manson a hit record on Billboard’s Hot100.
Melinda
Woodridge, IL
posted by Melinda on 2-7-2008 at 3:20 pm
Sorry, this one made me laugh:)
Chuck Berry holds a degree in cosmetology.
Melinda
Woodridge, IL
posted by Melinda on 2-7-2008 at 3:22 pm
Among those who sang the chorus of the Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love” were Marianne Faithful, Graham Nash, Jane Asher, Patti Boyd, Keith Moon and Mick Jagger.
Melinda
Woodridge, IL
posted by Melinda on 2-7-2008 at 3:24 pm
The Bee Gees’ Robin Gibb survived one of England’s worst train wrecks. More than fifty people were killed and over a hundred injured, while Robin escaped unharmed.
Melinda
Woodridge, IL
posted by Melinda on 2-7-2008 at 3:29 pm
Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker once covered all bases by selling both “I Love Elvis” buttons as well as “I Hate Elvis” buttons.
Melinda
Woodridge, IL
posted by Melinda on 2-7-2008 at 3:29 pm
During Beatlemania, the Beatles’ meeting at Elvis’ home started off uncomfortable. The stoned Fab 4 just started staring at the King giggling. Elvis told them “if you’re just going to stare at me I’m leaving.” Eventually they all sat around playing rock tunes including Buddy Holly, Elvis, and Beatles.
Despite the fact that it was a meeting of one of their most inspirational idols, the Beatles hated the experience because it felt forced and staged for the media.
They later learned that Elvis tried to convince Nixon to ban The Beatles from entering the United States.
– Iain (New York City)
posted by iain010100 on 2-7-2008 at 3:30 pm
While playing at Hollywood’s Palladium in 1972, the guitarist in Chuck Berry’s backup band was replaced by another waiting backstage. The new musician played so loudly that Berry stopped in the middle of a song and asked the first guitar player to come back out. Unknown to Berry, the one he kicked off stage was Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones.
Melinda
Woodridge, IL
posted by Melinda on 2-7-2008 at 3:31 pm
In July of 2003 there was an e-bay auction for one of Elvis’s teeth - reportedly pulled out at a dentist’s office. The first bid was for $100,000. Within a few days, bids shot up to $2 million. The most bizarre bid was an anonymous European company that was interested in extracting DNA from the tooth. They re-set the bidding so that all bidders had to be confirmed through a source - I know a few days before the bid ended it was at $100,000.
posted by Patty on 2-7-2008 at 3:32 pm
Tough guy Charleton Heston really cried during the filming of Edward G. Robinson’s euthanasia scene in 1973’s “Soylent Green.” Robinson had terminal cancer and Heston was the only one who knew his condition. Robinson died nine days later.
Missouri
posted by Steve on 2-7-2008 at 3:35 pm
Shock Rocker, Alice Cooper was once elected Homecoming Queen for the University Of Houston.
Melinda
Woodridge, IL
posted by Melinda on 2-7-2008 at 3:35 pm
Not sure what fact posting etiquette is, but pretty much all the facts Melinda is posting are copied word-for-word from another site. I’d post the link but this comment box won’t allow it.
posted by Fact Police on 2-7-2008 at 3:37 pm
Somebody really wants a pop-up book. I think I have seen all of Melinda’s facts on one of those live televised trivia games that they have at sport’s bars like old chicago and the like, NTN.
posted by stu on 2-7-2008 at 3:49 pm
Regarding Melinda’s posts, see: www sentex.net/~ajy/facts/music.html
posted by iain010100 on 2-7-2008 at 3:55 pm
This one is from a Chicago Symphony Orchestra concert, so credit goes to their program annotator Phillip Huscher.
Frederick Delius, a little known composer of classical music, became blind and paralyzed in 1928, at the age of 66. He was able to continue composing music with the help of Eric Fenby, who read about Delius’ condition and offered to become his secretary. Fenby would sit by Delius’ bed, and Delius would sing out a single note, which Fenby would sing back and write down. They had to do this for each instrument, one note at a time, so a day’s work might only result in a few measures of music.
I thought that was really cool.
Will
Wheaton, IL
posted by Will on 2-7-2008 at 4:10 pm
Igor Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring” caused a riot on the day of its first performance. (1913, I believe)
Stravinsky was so mad at an idiotic public ruining his work of art.
the “Rite” is now one of the most popular works from that time period and in all of music history.
Jennifer Krogmeier
Davenport, IA
posted by The Creature on 2-7-2008 at 4:10 pm
The Who’s album Quadraphenia is written is classic sonata form. Classic sonata form involves three seperate parts: The exposition, the development, and the recapitulation. In exposition all the musical themes are played with each one being in a different key. The development then takes these themes and plays around with them moving them into even more keys. The recapitulation then takes all the themes at the very end of the piece and restates them, but will all the themes being in the same key.
In Quadraphenia the themes are “Love Reign Over Me”, “Bellboy”, “Timeless Dancer”, and “The Real Me” with each theme representing a band member. All four themes are presented in the third track of the album “Quadraphenia”. All four themes are played in different keys (the exposition), and are then changed and moved to different keys throughout the rest of the album (the development).
Finally in the the last two tracks all four themes are restated and played in the same key (The recapitulation).
posted by Nathan on 2-7-2008 at 4:14 pm
To Tommy in #39:
I think you’re right about Elvis being alive in Colombia, but I think he goes by “El Vez” down there.
posted by It's good to be the King on 2-7-2008 at 4:17 pm
Another “Who” fact, just cause I like them.
Roger Daltry’s stuttering in “My Generation” was an intentional addition to the song. The group was trying to appeal to the Mods, a youth subculture that was prevelant at the time in London. Mods tended to be heavy amphetimine takers and a side effect was pronounced stuttering.
So, Roger stutters in the song, the Mods love it cause they identify with it, and the album takes off.
posted by Nathan on 2-7-2008 at 4:18 pm
urine is sterile
posted by miles on 2-7-2008 at 4:22 pm
The Black Crowes, a bit unknown at the time and trying to promote their Shake Your Money Maker Album, was the opening act in the ZZ Top reunion tour back in 1990/91 (sponsored by Miller Beer); Until, that is, they were fired for griping about the commercialism…
I was at the Detroit show, it was awesome!
posted by Brian "It's good to be the King" on 2-7-2008 at 4:42 pm
Oops, I think it was a comeback tour, not a reunion tour.
posted by Brian "It's good to be the King" on 2-7-2008 at 4:43 pm
The original title of Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” was actually “Brown Skinned Girl”
posted by Kacie on 2-7-2008 at 4:51 pm
In the Flamingos Doo-Wop Classic I Only Have Eyes for You. . . what are the Doo-Wop singers in the back ground saying?
(too much in love. . .) sounds like shu-bop shu-bop
:)
posted by Sheri on 2-7-2008 at 5:17 pm
Patsy Cline’s plane crashed in 1963 on her way back to Nashville, after performing a benefit concert for the widow of disc jockey Jack Call who’d recently died in a car crash. To add to the tragedy, Country star Jack Anglin was killed in a car crash on the way to her funeral.
posted by Amy on 2-7-2008 at 5:45 pm
The Looney Tunes song is actually called “The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down.”
posted by Amy on 2-7-2008 at 5:48 pm
The bagpipe was originally made from the whole skin of a dead sheep.
posted by Amy on 2-7-2008 at 5:49 pm
Pete Townshend has smashed at least 87 guitars since his early days with The Who. Most were not cheap guitars either: at least 23 Fender Stratocasters, 12 Gibson Les Pauls, and 21 Gibson SGs have been destroyed at his shows.
posted by Amy on 2-7-2008 at 5:57 pm
Stephen Stills of Buffalo Springfield/Crosby, Stills and Nash, originally tried out to be a Monkee, but producers thought his hair was getting too thin and that his teeth were too bad.
posted by Amy on 2-7-2008 at 6:00 pm
The singing voice of Lauren Bacall, in her screen debut, ‘To Have And Not Have’ was dubbed by Andy Williams .. when he was a teenager
posted by Amy on 2-7-2008 at 6:05 pm
On the 1977 Emerson, Lake and Palmer tour… It was also rumored they had a “carpet roadie,” whose job was to transport and sweep the Persian rug Lake stood on during the concerts.
posted by Amy on 2-7-2008 at 6:07 pm
John Lennon sang into a condom-covered microphone to protect himself from electric shocks while trying to achieve an underwater sound for The Beatles hit “Yellow Submarine,” but they never used the zany recording
posted by Amy on 2-7-2008 at 6:09 pm
Elvis Presley once entered an Elvis look-a-like contest in a US burger bar and only came in 3rd!!
posted by Amy on 2-7-2008 at 6:12 pm
In 1958 Fan’s of rock and roll music were warned that tuning into music on the car radio could cost you more money. Researchers from the Esso gas company said the rhythm of rock and roll can cause the driver to be foot heavy on the pedal, making them waste fuel.
posted by Amy on 2-7-2008 at 6:13 pm
Oops! #91 should be ‘To Have and HAVE NOT’ (that’s the the trouble w/ importing quotes from elsewhere! ;-))
posted by Amy on 2-7-2008 at 6:15 pm
the Dave Matthews Band is the highest grossing tour ticket seller. second only to The Rolling Stones.
go Dave!!
posted by the creature on 2-7-2008 at 6:24 pm
ooops.
Jennifer
Davenport, IA
posted by the creature on 2-7-2008 at 6:25 pm
Manda, Oregon
I got this from the cover art of my Classic ’60s album.
John Sebastian from the Lovin’ Spoonful took his younger brother’s prep-school F-grade poem and turned it into the song “Summer in the City” and a hit by adding some city sounds. The band auditioned pneumatic hammers to find the perfect tone. Within weeks of its release, the song reached #1.
posted by Manda on 2-7-2008 at 6:26 pm
The highest paid and most popular French performer of the late 1800s was Le Pétomane, whose claim to fame was farting music at the Moulin Rouge.
AbbyJoy
Michigan
posted by AbbyJoy on 2-7-2008 at 6:44 pm
Chino from Deftones recored vocals for the white album in a bathtub of a “haunted” house. Supposedly, one of the old inhabitants killed himself in the bathtub.
heather/minneapolis
posted by heather on 2-7-2008 at 8:35 pm
freddy mercury had a 72 hour drunken tripping orgy for his 30th birthday
posted by andy on 2-7-2008 at 10:09 pm
From “Slash” by Slash and Anthony Bozza:
While mixing “Rocket Queen” off Guns N’ Roses debut album, “Appetite for Destruction,” Axl thought the bridge needed a little something extra. He suggested that he and Adrianna Smith (his current girlfirend) get intimate in the live room and that they record her vocals and layer them over the breakdown. Take a listen - it made the final mix.
Boston, MA
posted by Linda on 2-7-2008 at 10:17 pm
Whitney Houston’s signature song, “I Will Always Love You,” was also a country chart-topper for its composer Dolly Parton a recordbreaking THREE times in three decades. Elvis wanted to record the ballad, but Dolly refused to split songwriting royalties as his standard contract required. Most amazing, though, is who used the song in his 2002 re-election campaign … Iraq’s Saddam Hussein.
posted by MJ on 2-7-2008 at 10:32 pm
The most covered song in popular music is believed to be Gershin’s aria “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess. An international collector’s group has cataloged more than 15,000 recordings.
MJ, Arizona
posted by MJ on 2-7-2008 at 10:40 pm
I forgot to mention I’m from the Portland metro area, which I’ve stated in previous post comments. It’s the best here, as Higgins would attest. PDX rules.
Weird coincidence about the BTO song!
posted by Johnny Cat on 2-7-2008 at 10:52 pm
The happy, peppy song “Mack the Knife”, performed years ago by Bobby Darin, was written in 1929 for a German play called “The Threepenny Opera. “Mack” is Macheath, the title character, who is blamed for all manners of crime, including murder - a crime the song’s lyrics emphasize.
The song was added to the musical comedy when the actor who plays Macheath refused to go on stage unless he was given an introductory song. He got his wish, and that song - translated into English - became “Mack the Knife.”
Dick Clark advised Darin not to record the song because he didnt think it would appeal to the “rock and roll” audience of the day since it was based on an opera. Imagine his chagrin when Darin ended up winning a Grammy for Record of the year!
posted by LNolen on 2-7-2008 at 11:19 pm
I liked that tidbit about John Sebastian , though I think it would’ve been cooler if the ‘F-grade poem’ had been Welcome Back (Kotter)…
would’ve made perfect sense w/ those true brains, the Sweathogs!
posted by Amy on 2-7-2008 at 11:26 pm
One day while riding in a cab to John Lennon’s house, Paul McCartney decided to strike up a chat with the driver. Upon asking him how he’s doing, the driver said, “I’m working eight days a week”. Paul McCartney knew immediately he had a masterpiece and went to John’s house where they promptly completed the writing of “Eight Days A Week”
posted by Dan on 2-7-2008 at 11:39 pm
On impulse, Eric Clapton bought a white, left-handed Stratocaster to give to his friend Jimi Hendrix. Clapton took the guitar with him that night to a Sly and the Family Stone concert that Hendrix was supposed to be at, but he never showed. The following day, he learned that Hendrix had died and that is why he was a no-show.
cmk
Michigan
posted by cmk on 2-8-2008 at 1:34 am
The first pop-up book was created in the 1770’s to help young artists understand the concept of perspective.
posted by Doug K on 2-8-2008 at 8:10 am
Honestly, I could care less if I win anything. They asked for interesting music facts, and some of what I posted I read in books, and yes, some came from other websites. Nowhere does it state that I can’t post prior knowledge or facts that I find interesting. I didn’t realize that the people visiting this site would be opposed to finding out any interesting facts regardless of where they come from. I’m sure everything you have learned has come from somewhere else originally. You weren’t born just knowing everything.
posted by Melinda on 2-8-2008 at 9:22 am
Lowell George used to play with Frank Zappa’s backup band, The Mothers of Invention until he was fired by Frank himself. There are two opposing beliefs for why he was fired.
A) Lowell George’s drug use. Frank Zappa claims to have never taken drugs which is hard to believe if you have listened to his music. I guess that he was intolerant of it in his band too.
B) Frank believed that Lowell was too good of a musician to be just a backup player. He kicked him out of the nest forcing him to fly. Lowell left and formed Little Feat.
posted by Phrank Loyed on 2-8-2008 at 9:25 am
Paul McCartney woke up in the middle of the night with a melody in his head. He promptly got out of bed and over to his piano and recorded it into a tape recorder. He was convinced that he’d heard that melody before, so for months he played it for many people, fellow Beatles, George Martin, friends, music business people, to find out what it was and if it was indeed original. No one heard it before so became pretty sure it was his.
Coming up with a lyrical direction for the song was difficult because the words “scrambled eggs” was stuck in his head. It took him a long time to find the right words that fit the rhythm, and eventually he tried “Yesterday.”
It was the first Beatles song written, sang, and played by only one Beatle. John Lennon didn’t want it released as a single because he didn’t feel it had enough Beatle identity, so in England it would remain only as a track on the upcoming “Help” album. But in the United States, where the Beatles had less say over the record company, it was released as a single.
To this day it’s the single most recorded song in history.
posted by iain010100 on 2-8-2008 at 9:37 am
One of the “Greatest party records of all time” is “Mr. Spocks Music From Outer Space”. The tracks include the themes from both “Star Trek” and “Mission Impossible” and “Music to Watch Space Girls By”; “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Earth” and the popular “A Visit to a Sad Planet” Also notable of this album is that it is considered to have one of the worst covers ever!
You can have your very own: I found one available for $139.
Go figure.
posted by Owen on 2-8-2008 at 9:39 am
Oh, I’m in New York. Orange County. 3 miles from Orange County Choppers. Hows that for a location?
posted by Owen on 2-8-2008 at 9:47 am
The Rolling Stones would probably not have become who they are today without direct influence from the Beatles.
As Beatles were just becoming super stars, Dick Rowe of Decca Records was a laughing stock for turning the them down when they were looking for their first record deal. One day Dick Rowe and George Harrison happened to be placed next to each other as judges in one of Britain’s television talent shows. Dick asked George if he knew of any hot undiscovered bands. Harrison thought for a moment and said “yes, the Rolling Stones.” Eager not to let another golden opportunity pass by, Dick got up and left the show to find the band and ultimately sign them.
One day, either The Rolling Stones or their manager Andrew Loog Oldham - there are discrepancies - ran into Lennon and McCartney on the street. They asked if they had any songs they could put on their album. The duo said yes, but it wasn’t finished. So Lennon and McCartney went to a Stones rehearsal, sat in a corner and finished “I Wanna Be Your Man” with the other band in the room. The Stones were so impressed that it convinced them that they could write their own songs.
For Lennon and McCartney it was a throwaway song. They didn’t want to give this other band something great. But the song ended up as a chart topping single for the Stones, and later a “With the Beatles” album cut for the Beatles, sung by Ringo.
– Iain (New York City)
posted by iain010100 on 2-8-2008 at 10:06 am
Please ignore #24 - I am apparently an idiot!
posted by Katie on 2-8-2008 at 10:21 am
The verse and chorus for “Starwberry Fields Forever” were recorded in different sessions, detached from one another. John Lennon told George Martin to join them together somehow. But, the verses were too fast and in the wrong key, so Martin and Geoff Emerick slowed the tape of the verse down bringing it from the key of B to a fitting A, and making a better match in tempo. It also had the effect of slowing down Lennon’s voice giving a more mysterious sound.
– Iain (New York City)
posted by iain010100 on 2-8-2008 at 10:30 am
“Hey Jude” by the Beatles was one of the first songs to include “cussing”, if not the first. Back before CDs and digital, they let bloopers in because no one would ever hear it on vinyl. But now with modern technology those bloopers become audible. Listen to the song at approximately the 2:56 mark in the song, right after they sing “remember to let her under your skin”, and John Lennon yells “played the wrong CHORD (pause) f**king hell”
posted by Sheila on 2-8-2008 at 11:54 am
@Sheila:
If you listen to “Beatles Live at the BBC,” John Lennon introduces a song as “You Really Got a Hold on Me… mother f******”. CD 1, track 22. It was cut off after “mother” on the CD release, but went out live over the airwaves.
- Iain (New York City)
posted by iain010100 on 2-8-2008 at 12:35 pm
“Chain of Fools” contains only one chord.
posted by Mary on 2-8-2008 at 3:15 pm
The first issue of the Kiss comic books included blood from the band members in its ink.
posted by Samantha on 2-8-2008 at 3:52 pm
“Tomorrow Never Knows” contains only one chord.
posted by Iain010100 on 2-8-2008 at 4:23 pm
Back in the 80’s Nick had a show called “You Can’t Do That On T.V.”. There was a little girl who played guitar, she was (and is) Alannis Morisette.
posted by gus on 2-8-2008 at 9:35 pm
This is really obscure. In 1966, there was a club for under 21s in Long Beach, CA called the Cinnamon Cinder. I hung out there and of course, entered free on Ladies Night. One evening, I was standing outside waiting for the doors to open. A young man came up to me and asked me if I was a regular. I said I was and recognized him immediately. He asked about the band and I told him it was great. He replied that his drummer had been drafted and he was looking for someone to replace him. I said I would introduce him to the band members. We went inside when the door opened and sat at a table waiting for the band to take their first break. Others recognized him too but stayed away from the table. He bought us Cokes and when the band took a break, we went over. He started talking to the drummer who politely declined. They shook hands and we walked back to the table. He wrote down the name of his agent and the agent’s phone number in case I met another drummer at another club who might be interested. Then he thanked me and left.
Several women came to the table and I had to admit that yes, that was Don Grady from “My Three Sons” and he had a band. In 1967, he had a hit with “Yellow Balloon” that went to #25 on the Billboard Pop Charts. Ironically, he was the singer and drummer when they recorded the song.
Two other things I remember: he was shorter than I was (5′7″, I believe, which was a disappointment); and before he became an actor, he was a Mouseketeer. He was also the brother of Lani O’Grady (”Eight Is Enough”). She died of a drug overdose in 2001.
posted by Adrienne on 2-8-2008 at 10:43 pm
Sorry: San Francisco, CA
posted by Adrienne on 2-8-2008 at 10:44 pm
I think #109 may not be true… I’m pretty sure Eight Days a Week was inspired by something Ringo said. He had a habit of saying odd phrases, like “hard day’s night”. Could be wrong though.
Here’s my fact. In 1986, so-called “goth rock” group The Cure were closing their U.S. tour with a show in Los Angeles. Just before the band was to go onstage, a fan stabbed himself to death in the crowd. According to Robert Smith (lead singer) and Perry Bamonte(keys/guitar), the fan was “just using the event… he didn’t want to just have himself in the bathroom like a real Cure fan would do.” Gotta love The Cure.
Taken from a book whose name I can’t remember, as well as an interview from some magazine I don’t recall, and wikipedia. Bam.
Baltimore, MD
posted by Molly W. on 2-9-2008 at 2:08 am
@Molly W. re #109. Ringo provided the phrase “a hard day’s night,” but it was Paul’s driver who came up with “eight days a week.”
posted by iain010100 on 2-11-2008 at 8:41 am