Music History - December 16

In 1907, Eugene Farrar became the first singer to broadcast on radio when he sang "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?" from the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York. Lee De Forest transmitted her voice during the departure of Admiral Robley Dunglison Evans on a cruise with the fleet.  Culture Club would take a different song with the same title to #1 in 1982. .

In 1940, Bing Crosby, backed by brother Bob Crosby & His Orchestra, recorded "New San Antonio Rose," which became a Top 10 hit in the early spring of 1941.

In 1954, Bill Hayes recorded "The Ballad Of Davy Crockett," one of three versions to appear on the Billboard pop chart in 1955 owing to the popularity of Davy Crockett stories airing on TV's "Disneyland" series. Fess Parker, who played Crockett on TV, reached #6 on the record chart with his version of the song. Tennessee Ernie Ford's rendition peaked at #5. Bill Hayes' version went all the way to #1, where it stayed for five weeks.

In 1957, Gene Vincent and His Blue Caps were the guest performers on ABC-TV's "American Bandstand."

In 1964, "Shindig!" on ABC-TV featured performances by the Dave Clark Five, the Isley Brothers, the Newbeats, Adam Faith, and Kelly Garrett.

In 1965, Peter & Gordon recorded "Woman," written by Paul McCartney under the pseudonym Bernard Webb.

In 1965, released as a double A side the Beatles "Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out," became their ninth UK #1 and their third Christmas chart topper in a row. The single was a US #1 in January 1966.

In 1965, ABC-TV's "Shindig!" featured the Yardbirds, Jackie Lee, the Pretty Things, Unit 4 + 2, Lulu and the Luvvers, Georgie Fame, and Gloria Jones.

On December 16, 1966,  the UK, Jimi Hendrix released his first single, "Hey Joe." Hendrix's version became a hit in the UK, entering the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart in January 1967 and peaking at #6. The single was released in the US on May 1, 1967 but failed to chart. It is listed as #198 on Rolling Stone magazine's The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. 

In 1967, the Rolling Stones announced that singer Marianne Faithfull was the first artist signed to their Mother Earth record label.


On December 16 1967, the Lemon Pipers released the single "Green Tambourine." The song has often been credited as being the first bubblegum pop chart-topper. It peaked at #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 for one week at the start of February, 1968 and earned the group a gold record for over a million copies sold. The record remained on the chart for three months. It was also the first US #1 hit for the Buddah label. The song is the story of a street musician pleading for someone to give him money. In exchange, he would play his "green" tambourine, "green" referencing the color of US currency. The song's instrumentation contains the title tambourine as well as an electric sitar, a frequent signature of the so-called "psychedelic sound." Another hook is the heavy, psychedelic tape echo applied to the word "play" in each chorus and at the end, fading into a drumroll ("Listen while I play play play play play play/my green tambourine"). The echo is noticeably different in the mono and stereo mixes.  

On December 16, 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono commissioned the placement of stark black-and-white billboards in eleven international cities proclaiming "WAR IS OVER!" and then, in smaller type, "If You Want It. Happy Christmas From John And Yoko." It was part of their new campaign against the war in Vietnam.

In 1970, five singles and five albums by Creedence Clearwater Revival were certified Gold. The singles were: "Down on the Corner,""Lookin' out My Back Door,""Travelin' Band,""Bad Moon Rising" and "Up around the Bend." The LPs were 'Cosmo's Factory,''Willy and the Poor Boys,''Green River,''Bayou Country' and 'Creedence Clearwater Revival.'

In 1971, 200 Motels, the Frank Zappa film, opened in London.  The musical surrealist film was co-written and directed by Frank Zappa and Tony Palmer and starring The Mothers of Invention, Theodore Bikel and Ringo Starr. The film covers a loose storyline about The Mothers of Invention going crazy in the small town Centerville.  A soundtrack album was released in the same year.

In 1972, Billy Paul started a three week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "Me and Mrs Jones," a #12 hit in the UK. The song which describes an extramarital affair between a man and his lover, was later recorded by Michael Buble.

In 1974, saying he felt that now was the time to move on and do something new, guitarist Mick Taylor announced he was leaving the Rolling Stones.

In 1974, John Lennon released the single "#9 Dream" in North America, six weeks before it was issued in the UK. The backing vocal on the song was provided by May Pang, Lennon's partner at the time. First issued on his 1974 album Walls and Bridges. It was released as the second single from that album months later on Apple Records. It peaked at #9 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #23 on the British singles chart.

Mott the Hoople broke up in 1974.

In 1975, the Bay City Rollers earned a Gold record for their first US single, "Saturday Night." They will go on to have five more Billboard Top 40 hits.

In 1977, the Bee Gees were awarded a Gold record for "How Deep is Your Love," the fourth of their nine Billboard number one singles. The song would become the subject of a copyright infringement suit five years later when an amateur songwriter named Ronald Selle claimed the brothers Gibb lifted the melody from a composition he'd written called "Let It End." The case was decided in Selle's favor, but the verdict was overturned a few months later.

On this day in 1981, "Physical" by Olivia Newton-John was the #1 song.

The Who officially disbanded in 1983. Their best known line-up consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist Pete Townshend, bassist John Entwistle and drummer Keith Moon. For much of their career they have been regarded as one of the three most important British rock acts along with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones

In 1988, soul and disco singer Sylvester James died of complications from AIDS in San Francisco aged 41. Scored the 1978 US #36 & UK #8 single "You Make Me Feel, Mighty Real." He sang back-up vocals for Aretha Franklin on her 1985 'Who's Zoomin' Who’ Album.

In 1989, Billy Joel went to #1 on the US album chart with his 11th studio release 'Storm Front'. The album featured one of Joel's three #1 hits, "We Didn't Start the Fire," a fast-paced song, mentioning some of the major historical events that took place in his time, and "Leningrad," Joel's take on the end of the Cold War.

In 1991, Chubby Checker filed a lawsuit against McDonald's Restaurants of Canada seeking $14 million in damages because they allegedly used an imitation of his voice. The song "The Twist" had been used in a French fry commercial.

In 1993, KEZK in St. Louis became the first U.S. radio station to ban Michael Jackson records following recent allegations of Jackson's child sexual abuse.

In 1995, the Beatles'"Free As A Bird" peaks at #2 on the UK charts and #6 in the US. Written by John Lennon and performed by him on piano as a rough demo shortly before he was murdered, the track was completed by the remaining Beatles at Paul McCartney's home studio.

In 1997, pop singer Nicolette Larson, best known for her hit version of Neil Young's "Lotta Love" in 1978, passed away at the age of 45. She had been admitted to St. Joseph's Hospital in Burbank with massive liver failure and was then transferred to UCLA Medical Center, where she died from an abnormal accumulation of fluid in the brain. 

In 1999, a 28 year-old man died after falling more than 80ft at Earls Court, London, while dismantling the set at a Spice Girls concert.

In 2001, Stuart Adamson, lead singer of Big Country was found dead in Hawaii a month after disappearing from his home in the US. The 43-year old Scottish musician had fought a long battle against alcoholism. His body was found in a hotel room.

In 2001, Robbie Williams and Nicole Kidman started a three-week run at #1 on the UK singles chart with their version of the Frank and Nancy Sinatra 1967 #1 hit "Somethin' Stupid."

In 2003, Michael Jackson was out on police bail of $3m after being arrested following allegations of child abuse. The 45-year-old singer strenuously denied the allegations, calling them a big lie. Following the allegations of child abuse a special information web site was set up by the District Attorney's office because of the level of media interest in the case. Mr Jackson, who was arrested, cited and released after surrendering to police on November 20, was due to appear in court on January 9th.

In 2003, country music singer/songwriter Gary Stewart, despondent over the recent death of his wife, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the age of 59.

In 2004, singer (Arthur Godfrey and His Friends) Haleloke died at age 82.

In 2004, a Detroit studio where Eminem recorded ‘My Name Is’ went up for auction on the website eBay. Studio 8, in the Detroit suburb of Ferndale was to be listed in eBay's commercial property section for 30 days, with a minimum bid is $215,000.

In 2004, gold and silver Black Sabbath discs were stolen from the Kent home of Ozzy Osbourne's former manager Patrick Meehan. Police recovered the discs a week later after they were offered for sale on the internet auction site eBay.

In 2004, the iTunes Music Store reached 200 million songs sold.

In 2004, record producer/arranger/songwriter Freddie Perren died of complications from a massive stroke he suffered 11 years earlier. He was 61.

In 2005, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and the estates of John Lennon and George Harrison sued EMI for royalties estimated at £30m ($45 million).

In 2006, Paul McCartney left EMI, his record label for 45 years, saying it had become "boring" and he "dreaded going to see" its executives. McCartney told The London Times that the company's handling of his music had become "symbolic of the treadmill." He later signed with Hear Music, the Starbucks label.

In 2007, 56 year old singer / songwriter Dan Fogelberg, whose hits "Longer,""Leader of the Band" and "Same Old Lang Syne," helped define the Soft Rock era of the '70s and '80s, died after a three year battle with prostate cancer. 

In 2010, Paul McCartney paid tribute to his Beatles band mate John Lennon during an appearance on Saturday Night Live where he performed "A Day in the Life" and then thrilled viewers with a cover version of his late friend's anti-war anthem "Give Peace a Chance".

Also in 2010, a spokesman for the British Recorded Music Industry said that over 7.7 million people illegally downloaded 1.2 billion tracks this year. Calling for swift action to be taken, he went on to say "It is a parasite that threatens to deprive a generation of talented young people of their chance to make a career in music, and is holding back investment in the burgeoning digital entertainment sector."

In 2011, an ultra-rare 'Beatles VI' in-store promotional poster sold at an eBay auction for $6,300. Seventeen bids were placed before the 20 - 28 inch rarity sold. Beatles VI Is Here! was printed in block letters across the top of the black-and-white photo of the Fab Four, with album art of the first five records printed along the bottom edge.

birthdays today include (among others): Christopher Thorn (Blind Melon) (45), Tony Hicks (Hollies) (68), Benny Andersson (ABBA) (67) and Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top) (64)