Today’s Yesterday Knockout

ELASTICA Released Catching ‘CONNECTION’ Single 25 Years Ago…

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Knockouts from the past…

8 October 2019

Band: Elastica
Who: London Britpop band led by Justine Frischmann (ex of Suede‘s
frontman Brett Anderson and Blur‘s mastermind Damon Albarn)
Song: ‘Connection‘ / B-side: ‘See That Animal’
Released: 10 October 1994 – 25 years ago
Album: Featured on their self-titled debut LP released a year later
Note 1: The intro synthesizer part (later repeated as a guitar figure)
was lifted from the guitar riff in British post punk band Wire‘s track
‘Three Girl Rhumba‘. A judgment resulted in an out-of-court settlement
Note 2: The single peaked at number 17 on the UK Singles Chart and
was pretty successful overseas where it reached #53 on the US Billboard
Hot 100, #2 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart, and #9 in Canada

Here’s the original recording…

And here their performance on American TV on the ‘David Letterman Show‘ (1995)

ELASTICA: Facebook

Surf Legends THE BEACH BOYS Turned CHUCK BERRY’s ‘SWEET LITTLE SIXTEEN’ Into ‘SURFIN’ USA’… 55 Years Ago

Posted on by JL

Knockouts from the past…

5 October 2019

45 years ago today, on 5 October 1974 Californian surf-pop legends THE BEACH BOYS hit the top spot of the US Albums Chart with their hits packed compilation album ‘Endless Summer‘. One of the standout highlights on the LP was definitely ‘SURFIN’ USA‘, released as a single 10 years before in 1964, 55 years ago. A song with lyrics by mastermind Brian Wilson set to the steamy music of ace hit ‘Sweet Little Sixteen’ by rock hero Chuck Berry.

Here come the surfers…

And here’s the late great Chuck Berry‘s steamroller ‘Sweet Little Sixteen‘…

THE BEACH BOYS: Facebook

32 Years Ago Today M|A|R|R|S Scored A No 1 UK Hit With ‘PUMP UP THE VOLUME’…

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Knockouts from the past…

3 October 2019

Artist: M|A|R|R|S
Song: Pump Up The Volume
Who: M|A|R|R|S was a British recording act
formed by the groups A.R. Kane and Colourbox
Note 1: The song’s title was directly inspired by
a lyrical sample from ‘I Know You Got Soul‘ by
labelmates Eric B. & Rakim
Note 2: It was this project’s one and only recording.
It hit the top spot of the UK Singles Chart 32 years
ago today, on 2 October 1987

Pump/turn up the volume here…

THE KINKS Released ‘STOB YOUR SOBBING’ As A Single 55 Years Ago…

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Knockouts from the past…

2 October 2019

Band: The Kinks
Song: Stob Your Sobbing / B-side: ‘Beautiful Delilah’
Album: Self-Titled Debut LP
Note 1: Legend goes Ray Davies wrote the tune about
a crying girlfriend he broke up with
Note 2: In 1979 amidst the post punk explosion in the
UK Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders covered the song,
turning it into a successful catchy pop hit
Note 3: Ray Davies & Chrissie Hynde had a relationship
and a child after The Pretenders recorded The Kinks‘ song
Note 4 : The Kinks released the song as a single on
2 October 1964, 55 years ago, only in… South-Africa

Here’s The Kinks original…

.
And here comes The Pretenders cover…

The Pretenders single sleeve, 1979…

PRINCE Scored No 1 Hit In The US 35 Years Ago Today With ‘LET’S GO CRAZY’…

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Knockouts from the past…

29 September 2019

Artist: Prince
Song: Let’s Go Crazy
B-side: ‘Take Me With U‘ in the UK and ‘Erotic City‘ in the US
Album: Purple Rain – his sixth album – released 24 June 1984
Note 1: The song is thought to be exhortation to follow Christian
ethics, with the “De-elevator” of the lyrics being a metaphor for the Devil
Note 2: The single hit the top spot of the US Singles Chart (his second
Number One in America) on 29 September 1984, 35 years ago today

Go crazy here…

PRINCE: Facebook – Website

DAVID BOWIE Released His Classic Anthem ‘HEROES’ 42 Years Ago Today…

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Knockouts from the past…

23 September 2019

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Artist: David Bowie
Song: Heroes / B-side: V-2 Schneider
Released: 23 September 1977, 42 years ago
Album: Heroes
Note 1 : Bowie wrote the song after seeing his producer/engineer
Tony Visconti and his girlfriend by the Berlin Wall. The song tells the
story of two lovers, one from East and one from West Berlin
Note 2 : It was co-written with Brian Eno and recorded in July
and August 1977 in the legendary Hansa Tonstudio in Berlin
Note 3: Despite the fact that it wasn’t a big hit (reached only #24
in the UK and didn’t chart in the USA) it became one of Bowie‘s most
famous and most covered songs. An epic diamond, a solid gold and
timeless achievement with the immortal line for all lovers, then and
now: “We can be heroes, just for one day…”

Here’s the masterstroke…

DAVID BOWIE: Website

‘MAKING PLANS FOR NIGEL’ Single By XTC Released 40 Years Ago Today…

Posted on by JL

Knockouts from the past…

19 September 2019

Band: XTC
Song: Making Plans For Nigel
Released: 19 September 1979 / 40 years ago
Note: It was the opening track of third, breakthrough, album Drums And Wires.
It was written by bassist Colin Moulding. The lyrics are told from the point of view
parents who think that their son Nigel is “happy in his work”, affirming that his future in British Steel “is as good as sealed“, and that he “likes to speak and loves to be spoken to”
Score: The single peaked at #17 on the UK singles chart

Sing along here…

XTC: Biography

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL Scored N° 1 Single in The UK With ‘BAD MOON RISING’ 50 Years Ago Today…

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History

19 September 2019

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Band: Creedence Clearwater Revival
Song: Bad Moon Rising
Album: Green River
Note: The lead single, written by John Fogerty , of the aforementioned LP,
hit the top spot of the UK Singles Chart on 19 September 1969 (their only
No 1 hit in Great-Britain), 50 years ago today. In the US it peaked at No 2
after ‘Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet’ by Henry Mancini

Here’s C.C.R.’s big time classic…

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL: Facebook 

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‘I SHOT THE SHERIFF’ By ERIC CLAPTON – Topped The US Singles Chart 45 Years Ago Today…

Posted on by JL

Knockouts from the past…

14 September 2019

Artist: Eric Clapton
Song: I Shot The Sheriff
Album: 461 Ocean Boulevard – released 1 July 1974
Note: The song was written, by Bob Marley in 1973 for his Burnin’ album.
The late great reggae icon explained the song as follows : “I wanted to say
‘I shot the police’ but the government would have made a fuss so I said ‘I shot
the sheriff’ instead… but it’s the same idea: justice.“
Success: Clapton’s cover hit the top spot of the American charts
on 14 September 1974, 45 years ago today

Here’s the album version…

And here a full orchestrated 2015 live version…

ERIC CLAPTON: Facebook

‘THE DRUGS DON’T WORK’ By THE VERVE – No 1 Hit In The UK 24 Years Ago Today

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Knockouts from the past…

13 September 2019

Band: The Verve
Song: The Drugs Don’t Work
Album: Urban Hymns  – released 29 Sept 1997
Note: With this emotional ballad frontman Richard Ashcroft
tackled the hardship of watching his father dying of cancer
when he was only 11 years old. The drugs given to his father
were no longer working
Success: The Single hit the spot of the UK Charts
on 13 September 1997, 22 years ago today

Here’s the bittersweet gem…

RICHARD ASHCROFT: Facebook