The Music News

01/01/2026

Also on January 1: On this day in 1970, Band of Gypsys continued their stint at the Fillmore East.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ff_pH9UgDvE

Documentation of which came on the self-named album.

01/01/2026

On this day in 1972, the T. Rex single "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at #87 (January 1)

The song written by Marc Bolan from their “Electric Warrior” LP was actually called “Get It On”, but was retitled "Bang a Gong (Get It On)" in the United States to avoid confusion with a song of the same name by the group Chase.

It eventually peaked at #10 on the US Billboard Hot 100, but went all the way to #1 in the UK, and stayed there for four weeks.

“Get It On” was a hit around the world, getting to #3 in Germany and Switzerland, #6 in Norway, #12 in Canada, #14 in Australia, and #16 in the Netherlands.

Rick Wakeman played piano and Hammond organ on the track, saxophones were played by Ian McDonald of King Crimson, and Mark Volman and Howard Kaylan (formerly The Turtles) provided back up vocals.

The iconic song also became a hit again in the mid-80s for all-star band The Power Station.

Click on the link below to watch the original:

https://youtu.be/wZkTh_T75QY

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

01/01/2026

On this day in 1972, the Melanie single “Brand New Key” debuted on the UK Singles Chart at #34 (January 1)

Known also as "The Rollerskate Song" due to its chorus, it was Melanie Safka’s greatest commercial success, with Billboard ranking it as the #9 song of the whole of 1972.

It went to #1 in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, and #4 on the UK Singles Chart.

The track from the “Gather Me” LP is an iconic song of the era, and here’s how it happened…

Melanie had been on a 27-day fast, eating nothing, and drinking just water.
Heading to a flea market in New Jersey, she was passing a McDonalds when, as she says, “the aroma hit me”.

Melanie had been a vegetarian, but pulled in to the McDonalds and put in her order. In her words:

“ I got the whole works... the burger, the shake, and the fries… and no sooner after I finished that last bite of my burger… that song was in my head.

The aroma brought back memories of roller skating and learning to ride a bike and the vision of my dad holding the back fender of the tire. And me saying to my dad... 'You’re holding, you’re holding, you’re holding, right?'
Then I’d look back and he wasn’t holding and I’d fall.
So that whole thing came back to me and came out in this song."

Not sure if more girls got roller skates for Christmas that year, but the song sure became a classic.

Click on the link below to watch:

https://youtu.be/RCTMTflcuug

, , , , , , , , ,

01/01/2026

Burt Bacharach Documentary. His Life and his Music.

01/01/2026

Happy Birthday Arthur Prysock-Born: January 1, 1929, Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States-Arthur Prysock Jr. was an American jazz and R&B singer best known for his live shows and his deep baritone, influenced by Billy Eckstine. According to his obituary in The New York Times, "his heavy, deep voice projected a calm, reassuring virility."
Died: June 21, 1997 (age 68 years), Hamilton, Bermuda

01/01/2026

Also on January 1: On this day in 1997, Townes Van Zandt died.

(Seen here with the late great John Prine)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVuiCfIFKT0&feature=fvst

He was a singer/songwriter typically classified as a "country" artist, though his artistry transcended any genre classifications. Much of his work enhanced his reputation through covers done by others, ranging from Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan to Robert Plant and Norah Jones.

Bipolar and a substance abuser, Van Zandt died at 52.

01/01/2026

On this day in 2013, the Ultravox single “Vienna” topped a poll by BBC Radio 2 and the Official Charts Company to find the greatest track to miss out on the #1 spot on the UK Singles Chart (January 1)

“Fairytale of New York” by The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl was voted into second place.

Other songs to feature included The Beatles’ “Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever”, The Who's “My Generation” and Don McLean's “American Pie”.

“We are extremely pleased and very humbled to have been given this honorary #1, especially knowing the outstanding records which were also in the running - 'Strawberry Fields Forever', 'Hound Dog' and 'Wonderwall' to name just a few," said Midge Ure.

The song that kept it off the #1 spot in the UK was "Shaddap You Face" by Joe Dolce!

In 2017, Ure was allegedly offered the chance to meet Dolce, but declined, saying: "I've had 40 years of people talking about Joe 'Bloody' Dolce and I don't want to spend what I've got left talking about when I met him."

The pioneering synth-driven new wave hit from the LP of the same name remains Ultravox's signature song, and their most commercially successful release.

According to Midge Ure's autobiography, the title came about by a mishearing of the Fleetwood Mac song "Rhiannon"!

The lyrics were allegedly written quite quickly by Ure, and Billy Currie (keyboards) recalled to Mojo how a key lyric in the song came about:

“We were all being very arty, discussing the composer Max Reger, and Midge walked up and said in his Glaswegian accent, 'This means nothing to me,' and turned away.”

Producer Conny Plank suggested: “Well, sing that then.”
So he did!

According to the Ultravox Discography, drummer Warren Cann said:
“The song came together very quickly.
I had a drum machine/synth pad (CR-78 & 'Synare' pads) pattern in mind that I'd wanted to do something with and played that... to paraphrase myself, I said something like, "What about this, then?" and began the 'Vienna' rhythm.

We started playing something to it and then had the thought of using a chorus idea that we had laying around which we'd previously worked on but had no verse for.

It all clicked in a few hours and we ironed out the rough spots the next day.
Except for finessing the middle 'solo' section of the song once we were in the studio, that was basically it…

A hit a day keeps the dole away!

We knew it was the musical high point of the album and made it the title track.
It was the song that best represented what we were trying to do.

We were determined that it would be our third single and fought with Chrysalis over it; naturally, they thought it was far too long at six minutes, too weird for a Top 30 chart hit, and too depressing and too slow.

Other than that, they liked it!”

It worked…

The single went all the way to #1 in Belgium, Ireland and the Netherlands, #2 in the UK for four weeks, #7 in Sweden, #8 in South Africa and Austria, #11 in Australia, and #14 in Germany.

Click on the link below to watch “Vienna”:

https://youtu.be/2HBfdCxXPF0

, , , , , , ,

01/01/2026

It's January 1, 1970 and the troupe known as Pan's People are Dancing to CCR’s ‘Green River’ on 'Top of the Pops' —> https://bestclassicbands.com/top-of-the-pops-green-river-ccr-1-1-16/

01/01/2026

73 years ago today, on New Year's Day in 1953, country music star Hank Williams died at the age of 29.

Hank was being driven to a show in Canton, Ohio, at the time of his death. He passed away in the back seat of the car somewhere around Oak Hill, West Virginia.

Fans waiting for Hank in Canton initially didn't believe the announcement about his death, taking it as a joke. But after reality set in, they joined Hawkshaw Hawkins in singing "I Saw the Light" in tribute to Hank. 🖤 🎵

01/01/2026

On this day in 1972, the Cat Stevens single “Morning Has Broken” debuted on the UK Singles Chart at #36 (January 1)

“Morning Has Broken" is a Christian hymn first published in 1931, with words by English author Eleanor Farjeon, set to a traditional Scottish Gaelic tune, "Bunessan".

Cat explained how the song came about on The Chris Isaak Hour:

“I accidentally fell upon the song when I was going through a slightly dry period and I needed another song or two for Teaser And The Firecat.

I came across this hymn book, found this one song, and thought, this is good.
I put the chords to it and then it started becoming associated with me."

The Cat Stevens' recording, with piano arranged and performed by session musician Rick Wakeman (who would go on to considerable fame with Yes), became his most successful single in the US, later tied by his rendition of "Another Saturday Night”.

It rose to #3 in New Zealand, #4 in Australia, Canada and Norway, #5 in the Netherlands and South Africa, #6 in the US and Ireland, and #9 in the UK.

In 2000, Rick Wakeman gave an interview on BBC Radio 5 Live in which he said he had agreed to perform on the Cat Stevens track for £10 and was "shattered" that he was omitted from the credits, adding that he never received the money either.

On his return to performance as Yusuf Islam, Stevens paid Wakeman and apologized for the original non-payment, which he said arose from confusion and misunderstanding by the record label.

Wakeman gave the money to one of the schools Cat Stevens founded.

On a documentary aired on British television, Wakeman said he believed that Stevens's version of "Morning Has Broken" was a very beautiful piece of music that had brought people closer to religious truth, for which he was happy to have contributed.

In March 2020, the pair performed the song at the Music for the Marsden charity concert at the O2 Arena in London…

Click on the link below to watch:

https://youtu.be/rXcIwQ-_XEc

, , , , , ,

01/01/2026

01/01/2026