Not exactly. The words to “Happy Birthday” are under copyright, but the tune is in public domain (the sisters wrote them for an existing song, “Good Morning to You”). You can play the music freely as long as you don’t sing the words.
British classical composer Benjamin Britten nearly quit music because he had fallen in love with my father.
Whoo! I got that record. She was a model, right, previously? I read about the record iin a women’s fashion magazine, and then I saw the record deeply discounted someplace in a while, and I bought it for something like $2.99, way back when.
I enjoy obscure records. Must delve into the vinyl collection again.
< / hijack >
Though I can’t remember where I read or heard this, Radar Love by Golden Earring was writting at a time when no one in the group owned a car. Wiki also says that Golden Earring is the longest current rock band as they were founded in 1961.
Now if they would come back to the states.
I’d love to see Golden Earring, but it probably isn’t going to happen in the US. They haven’t had a hit record here since 1981 (“Twilight Zone”). The two other singles that charted after it rose to no higher than the 70s. They are wildly popular elsewhere in Europe, but over here, they don’t have an audience, and I would even venture to say they don’t likely have a record label, a distribution deal, nor representation. A tour of the US now would be similar to throwing millions of dollars down a hole.
They’re a lot like Status Quo in a way, who have been soldiering on for decades, have millions of fans, but in America, they are known for one, maybe two singles from the '60s.
When Wishbone Ash, a minor 70s rock group, released their first single, “Blind Eye,” the vocal track was erased and it was released as an instrumental. You could hear bits of the vocals faintly if you cranked things up. Their album had the vocal version.
The minor hit “Back When My Hair Was Short,” by Gun Hill Road was first released with a bunch of lyrics about the 60s. A year later, the lyrics were rewritten to set the song in the 50s, and it was a small success.
Jay Unger, best known for his “Ashoken Farewell,” played incessantly on Ken Burn’s The Civil War, started out with Cat Mother and the All-Night Newsboys and penned their great druggie song “Strike a Match and Light Another (Marijuana Cigarette).”
Do Ya Think I’m Sexy? is indeed clearly plagiarized from Taj Mahal by Jorge Ben. You can hear some versions of Taj Mahal here.
Trivia about Jorge Ben: because some of his royalty checks were erroneusly sent to George Benson, he changed his name to Jorge Ben Jor.
Well, OK. But do you ever hear the music without the words? 
Albion Doo-Wah. There’s an album long overdue for CD release.
I have seen them twice, both in Holland. I was able to get back stage both times and they said they would like to come over to play. The last album they made, Millbrook, they recorded in New York, they should have done a tour then. I would say they could get away with a tour here, I’ve seen some european metal bands play the small clubs, while they may not make much they could come out even.
The Beach Boys have employed no fewer than 10 lead vocalists on their officially released records - Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson. Bruce Johnson, Ricky Fataar, Jack Rielly, Jon Stamos and Blondie Chaplin.
mm
There is a similarity, now that I think about it. But I’ll turn this into a trivia piece:
The background music for Donkey Kong was written by the game’s developer, Shigeru Miyamoto.
Freddie Curci, lead singer of the band Sheriff, is in the Guinness Book of World Records for holding the longest final note in a hit song. The song was “When I’m With You,” and the note was held for nearly 30 seconds.
A hand injury sustained by Tony Iommi, guitarist for Black Sabbath, arguably led to theinvention of heavy metal.
In the last chorus of “Paperback Writer”, the backing vocalists (George and John) sing “Frere Jacques”.
Sorry, I should have said the Beatles ’ “Paperback Writer”.
More whacky Beatle trivia - Paul McCartney plays drums on “Dear Prudence”
If you listen very very closley on “Within You, Without You” on Sgt. Pepper, you vcan hear Mal Evans counting off the beats in the instrumental break to cue George’s vocal re-entry
The first song the Beatles released that was longer than three minutes was “Ticket to Ride”
Paul McCartney plays the odd Indian sounding guitar solo at the end of “Good Morning, Good Morning” - not Harrison, as a lot of people assume.
And, non-Beatle realted, but nonetheless my favourite of all - Neil Young’s middle name is Precivall
mm
Trying to recall what I posted last time we had a thread like this …
Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters’ first name is George. Fellow co-founder Syd Barrett’s real first name is Roger, and that is the name he goes by today. (Syd was a nickname.)
The Beatles’ “Sun King” was a pastiche of Fleetwood Mac’s “Albatross.”
Johnette Napolitano of Concrete Blonde was babysat as a child by Bela Lugosi. The name “Concrete Blonde” was thought up by Michael Stipe.
Al Kooper showed up at the session for Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone” hoping to play guitar. When he heard Mike Bloomfield warming up, he realized Bloomfield was far better than him and put his guitar away. He managed to sit himself down at the Hammond organ, an instrument he had hardly touched before. After one take Dylan’s producer told Dylan to ditch the organ part; Dylan told him he wanted it turned up.
“Like a Rolling Stone” was originally written in waltz time.
The Beatles’ song “Get Back” began life as an off-the-cuff satire of racist politicians called “No Pakistanis” (or “Commonwealth”).
Donovan taught John Lennon the fingerpicking style that Lennon went on to use in “Dear Prudence” and “Julia.” Donovan also gave Paul McCartney the line “sky of blue/sea of green” in “Yellow Submarine.”
George Harrison’s song “Wah Wah” was inspired by the argument with Paul McCartney seen in the film Let It Be.
Andy Partridge wrote the chorus melody of “Easter Theater” in 1986; the verses didn’t come until almost 10 years later.
“That’s Not Me” is the only song on Pet Sounds on which the Beach Boys play their own instruments. (Well, Carl and Dennis do at least.)
The spoken voices on Dark Side of the Moon were the recorded responses to questions written by Roger Waters and asked of various personnel at Abbey Road. Paul McCartney was present at Abbey Road that day and answered Waters’ questions, but his reponses were too guarded to be useful.
The Cream song “Badge” was so named because Eric Clapton, working opposite George Harrison and reading his writing upside down, misread the word “bridge” on the lyric sheet.
Paul McCartney has had only one US #1 credited solely to him; his other number ones came with Wings or in collaboration with other artists.
Gary Numan’s “Cars” has been a chart hit in every decade since its 1979 release.
The lead vocals for Aerosmith’s Dream On are actually sung by guitarist Joe Perry. Steven Tyler’s vocals don’t show up until the chorus late in the song, when he picks up the lead for the remainder.
Just remembered this one. Jim Carroll played in a legendary Rucker League basketball game with Earl Manigault, Connie Hawkins and Lew Alcindor, who would later convert to Islam and change his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Wow! I didn’t know that one, labtrash! I have spent about thirty years wondering what Tyler did to his voice that he sounded like that on “Dream On” but nowhere else in their canon. Was there some attempt to hide the fact that it was Joe singing? Or just sort of conspicuously not mention it?