# A Calendar of Dates Mentioned in Popular Music Lyrics **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 29, 2013, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731 "2013-01-29T19:03:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![malden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@malden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/malden)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2013, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/61 "2013-01-31T22:07:32Z")
> [@Richey84](#): > > “When classes start I’ll quit > I’ve got until September 6th” > -Lifter Puller, “Mission Viejo” Came in to post this (I thought that song was pretty obscure!) Instead I will add March 1, from the less-obscure “Casimir Pulaski Day” by Sufjan Stevens: “In the morning, in the winter shade, On the first of March, on the holiday, I thought I saw you breathing” ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2013, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/62 "2013-02-04T18:03:01Z")
re: Stagger Lee > [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Not really a nitpick but to clarify: this is a traditional song, and covered by many. The lyrics are “fluid.” AFAIK, the date is only mentioned in the Dead version. According to [The Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics](http://artsites.ucsc.edu/GDead/agdl/stagger.html) site: [QUOTE=The Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics] There are a number of tunes entitled “Stagger Lee” which have been recorded over the years. They all derive from a series of tales and songs in African- American folklore. [/QUOTE] See the link for many more details. That said, the words to the Dead’s version of the story are credited to Robert Hunter, one of the band’s standard lyricists. (I wonder if other versions feature Stagger Lee getting shot in the balls.) So, not a traditional song and not a cover. One funny thing, to me: I have always thought that the song took place on December 24 and was surprised when \*\*Misnomer \*\*put it under December 25. The opening lyric I hear on every version of the Dead performing this song is: “1940 Xmas eve with a full moon over town.” The published lyrics say otherwise, so… ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2013, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/63 "2013-02-04T19:11:12Z")
> [@Mr.Greenjeans](#): > > I have always thought that the song took place on December 24 and was surprised when \*\*Misnomer \*\*put it under December 25. I put it under December 25 because your post said, “1940 Xmas evening with a full moon over town.” Christmas evening is not the same as Christmas Eve. Now that you’ve clarified, I’ve changed it. 🙂 Here’s the updated list: Jan 01 - “New Year’s Day” - U2 Jan 30 - “Bloody Sunday” - Cruachan Feb 14 - “Valentine’s Day” - Enuff Z’Nuff Mar 01 - “Casimir Pulaski Day” - Sufjan Stevens Mar 04 - “Radar” - Morphine Mar 21 - “Town With No Cheer” - Tom Waits Apr 01 - “April Fools” - Rufus Wainwright Apr 01 - “The Ballad of Thunder Road” - Robert Mitchum Apr 04 - “Pride (In The Name of Love)” - U2 Apr 15 - “One More Summer” - The Rainmakers Apr 26 - “April 29, 1992 (Miami)” - Sublime Apr 41 - “Wet Dreams” - Kip Addotta May 01 - “May 1, 1990” - Adrian Belew May 01 - “First of May” - Bee Gees May 05 - “Isis” - Bob Dylan May 10 - “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down” - The Band May 21 - “Great King Rat” - Queen May 23 - “Schticks of One Kind and Half a Dozen of the Other” - Allan Sherman May 24 - “Bye Bye Pride” - Go-Betweens Jun 03 - “Ode to Billie Joe” - Bobby Gentry Jun 03 - “Desiree” - Neil Diamond Jun 06 - “Convoy” - CW McCall Jun 23 - “Spancil Hill” - Michael Considine Jun 30 - “The Last Day of June, 1934” - Al Stewart Jul 04 - “Saturday In The Park” - Chicago Jul 04 - “Fourth of July” - Dave Alvin Jul 04 - “The Cuckoo” - Donovan/Bob Dylan Jul 04 - “The Subway Song” - Tom Paxton Jul 04 - “4th of July, Sandy” - Bruce Springsteen Jul 04 - “Born on the 4th of July” - Tom Paxton Jul 07 - “The 7th Day of July, 1777” - King Diamond Jul 12 - “The Sash” - Irish Aug 01 - “I Live With It Every Day” - Barenaked Ladies Aug 05 - “Who Killed Marilyn” - The Misfits Aug 07 - “August 7, 4:15” - Jon Bon Jovi Aug 08 - “August 8” - NOFX Sep 03 - “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” - The Temptations Sep 06 - “Mission Viejo” - Lifter Puller Sep 21 - “September” - Earth, Wind and Fire Sep 22 - “Crying” - M2M Sep 23 - “The 23rd of September” - Vulgar Boatmen Oct 01 - “Schticks of One Kind and Half a Dozen of the Other” - Allan Sherman Oct 31 - “The New Style” - Beastie Boys Nov 05 - “Remember” - John Lennon Nov 14 - “Things In My Life” - Men Without Hats Nov 22 - “November 22, 1963” - Broken Arrow Music Nov 23 - “Hijack” - Jefferson Starship Dec 01 - “Sweet Baby James” - James Taylor Dec 07 - “Pearl Harbor” - Final War Dec 24 - “White Christmas” - The Carpenters Dec 24 - “Stagger Lee” - Grateful Dead Dec 25 - “When Jesus Was Born” - Fairfield Four Dec 25 - “Christmas, 1915” - Celtic Thunder Dec 31 - “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve” - Ella Fitzgerald ---
**Author:** ![Art\_Rock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/art_rock/32/525_2.png) [@Art\_Rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Art_Rock)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2013, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/64 "2013-02-04T19:19:14Z")
If you accept multiple entries for dates, I’m sure that there are many for 25 December. For instance that Christmas classic by the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl, Fairytale of New York: "And the boys of the NYPD choir’s still singing Galway Bay - And the bells were ringing out for christmas day. " ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2013, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/65 "2013-02-04T21:32:35Z")
“The 33rd of August” - Micky Newbury. The opening of the the original (Fast Records) ‘Circus Of Death’ by The Human League: This is a song called The Circus Of Death. It tells the true story of a circus we met. The first two verses concern the actual arrival at Heathrow Airport of Commissioner Steve McGarrett. The third emotionally describes a map showing the range of the circus. The fourth and fifth were extracted from an article in the Guardian of **March the 19th, 1962.** The last is a short wave radio message from the last man on Earth. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/66 "2013-02-05T00:08:17Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#): > > We can check off May 24 thanks to the Go-Betweens song “Bye Bye Pride.” A pretty catchy little band, the Go-Betweens. Likewise: “Everyone would gather on the 24th of May Sitting in the sand to watch the fireworks display” – Rush, “Lakeside Park” ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/67 "2013-02-05T00:16:07Z")
“Yesterday…all my troubles seemed so far away…” That’ll fill in all the empty dates, no? ---
**Author:** ![birdbrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dfb087/32.png) [@birdbrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/birdbrain)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/68 "2013-02-05T01:38:19Z")
I’m a pretty big music fan and I thought this would be easier, after 10 minutes of thought this is all I have: Drama Rama, “What Are We Gonna Do” It’s April 21st and everybody knows today is Earth Day Merry Christmas, Happy Birthday to whoever’s being born ---
**Author:** ![JackaRoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@JackaRoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackaRoe)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/69 "2013-02-05T13:51:23Z")
14th of July - Bastille Day by Rush ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/70 "2013-02-05T14:01:14Z")
Jethro Tull’s “Ring Out Solstice Bells” was a UK hit in December 1976. The winter solstice in that year fell on December 21st. That may be stretching the OP’s definition a bit… ---
**Author:** ![StJoan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@StJoan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StJoan)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/71 "2013-02-05T14:39:24Z")
If you are willing to include french music from the jazz era, Edith Piaf’s “[padam, padam, padam](http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMYB0si2x84)” mentions 14th of July (Bastille day). The line goes “Des “je t’aime” de quatorze-juillet”, which means "The “I love you"s on Bastille day” . ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/72 "2013-02-05T18:09:20Z")
March 11 - “Poofter’s Froth Wyoming Plans Ahead,” Frank Zappa & Captain Beefheart ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2013, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/73 "2013-02-05T20:04:02Z")
**March 16** - “Jesus on the Radio” by Guster ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2013, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/74 "2013-02-06T14:18:06Z")
A repeat, but the Grateful Dead’s “Jackstraw” includes “Leaving Texas, Fourth Day of July…” (… and I have a nagging feeling there’s at least one Richard Thompson song with a date in it, but can’t put my finger on it. ) ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/75 "2013-02-07T02:21:34Z")
“16th of June, nine 0 five, doorbell rings Man at the door says if I want to stay alive a bit longer There’s a few things I need you to know” _Breathe_–U2 ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/76 "2013-02-07T03:55:14Z")
Paul kelly - ‘How to Make Gravy’ 21st December [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/SGHMzztraQI/maxresdefault.jpg "Paul Kelly - How To Make Gravy") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGHMzztraQI) ---
**Author:** ![heathen\_earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/13edae/32.png) [@heathen\_earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heathen_earthling)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/77 "2013-02-07T06:31:00Z")
Artist: Scraping Foetus Off The Wheel Song: I’ll Meet You In Poland Baby Lyric: “Today is the first of September” ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 9:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/78 "2013-02-07T09:45:13Z")
[The Song of the Seabees](http://www.navy.mil/navydata/personnel/seabees/cb_song.html) And we promise that we remember The “Seventh of December” ---
**Author:** ![allamericangirl2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@allamericangirl2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/allamericangirl2000)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/79 "2017-09-22T06:31:45Z")
September by Earth, Wind and Fire: Do you remember the 21st night of September? Love was changing the minds of pretenders While chasing the clouds away ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2017, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731/80 "2017-09-22T08:00:43Z")
_Alice’s Restaurant_ specifically mentions Thanksgiving Day. But maybe that doesn’t count since it doesn’t mention the actual date, and it’s different from year to year. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-calendar-of-dates-mentioned-in-popular-music-lyrics/648731.md?page=5)