American Pie:
The day the music died
When the Tigers Broke Free:
“One miserable morning in Black '44…” A real day, when Eric Waters (Roger’s Pa) died)
U2 also sings about ‘New Year’s Day’
In the Sublime song 'April 29th 1992, they sing about ‘April 26th 1992’.
Dan Fogelberg saw his old girlfriend in the store on Christmas Eve in Same Old Lang Syne. And “Christmas Wrapping” is on Christmas Eve in 1981.
Tom Waits, “Town with No Cheer”: “Now it’s boilin’ in a miserable March 21st.”
Fairport Convention, “Tam Lin”: “But tonight is Halloween, and the fairy folk ride.”
“Saturday
In the park
I think it was the fourth of July”
July 13th, 1985 by John Wesley Harding. Yes, it’s about Live Aid, but it’s not exactly a glowing tribute.
St. Bob made me feel like shit
so I got out an envelope, opened it.
Put in a very crisp, 10-pound note;
it was the same one I used earlier to snort my coke.
And that made me feel good inside.
(Sending the money, not snorting the coke.)
4th of July (Asbury Park) - Bruce Springsteen
[ul]
[li]“Night Moves” by Bob Seger has the line, “I started humming a song from 1962…”[/li][li]The prelude to “White Christmas” has the line, “but, it’s December the 24th, and I’m longing to be up north…”[/li][li]Prince’s “1999” mentions, well, 1999. Same for Smashing Pumpkins “1979” and Bryan Adam’s “Summer of '69”.[/li][li]“In the year 2525” mentions a lot of futuristic years.[/li][li]Jackson Browne’s “Running on Empty” has “'65 I was 17…” and “'69 I was 21.”[/li][li]“Calendar Girl” mentions ALL the months! :)[/li][/ul]
ETA: On preview I see Kid A beat me to the punch on “Calendar Girl”.
Johnny Cash: “Well, it was Gatlinburg in mid-July” - A Boy Named Sue
Bowling for Soup – “19, 19, 1985”
C. W. McCall – “It was the dark of the moon, on the 6th of June” (Convoy )
Pat Boone – April Love
Wow, June is an eventful month.
3 - Billie Joe offs himself, Neil bangs that chick
4 - Neil wishes the chick had been more than a one-night stand
6 - Convoy!
U2 also indirectly sings about Sunday, Novemebr 21, 1920 and Sunday, January 30, 1972 . Both, Sunday Bloody Sunday
even more specific than that, April 4, 1968. Bono needs a watch though, because 6:01 p.m. is hardly “early morning.”
The Incredible Moses Leroy did a song called “1983” on the album Electric Pocket Radio. It’s about 1983. Great song; here is a sample.
“September Morn” - Neil Diamond
In Incommunicado, Jimmy Buffet is singing about the day John Wayne died, though he never mentions the date (June 11, 1979):
Now on the day that John Wayne died
I found myself on the continental divide
Tell me where do I go from here
Think I’ll ride into Leadville and have a few beers
I think of “Red River” or “Liberty Valance”
Can’t believe the old man’s gone
And if we’re going to include calendar years,
1982 - Randy Travis
And “Zombie” by The Cranberries mentions 1916.
**Barenaked Ladies ** - “I Live with it Every Day”
On August 1st, 1981…
I cycled to Scott’s house with a BB gun.
**They Might Be Giants ** have numerous examples, but the one I can think of off the top of my head is “James K. Polk”:
In 1844, the Democrats were split…
Wake Me Up When September Ends
Green day
If we allow indirect date mentioning, then Saxon - Dallas 1PM describes the JFK assassination.
Whole years?
I suppose The Smashing Pumpkins mention a date in 1979, even if it’s a whole year.
Battle of New Orleans (1814 in the song, 1814/1815 altogether)
Rush, “Lakeside Park”:
“Everyone would gather on the 24th of May
Sitting in the sand to watch the fireworks display”
Neil Diamond again: the hot August night when he went to Bro. Love’s traveling salvation show.