This Day in Music
January 19th
An astonishing offer is declined, a legend reaches the end, and Elvis is grateful, on this day in music.
Releases
1984: American prog-turned-new wave rock band Utopia releases its eighth studio album, “Oblivion.” The record reflects a fuller, more pop-oriented sound compared to the stripped-down aesthetic of their previous work, the eponymously-titled album from 1982.
The LP was largely unnoticed by critics and audiences, peaking at No. 74 on the Billboard 200. However, the single “Crybaby” went to No. 30 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart, which was the highest-placing song of the band’s career on that list.
1966: The single “Homeward Bound” by Simon & Garfunkel, from their album “Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme,” is released. Legend has it that Paul Simon wrote the song in England while waiting for a train at Widnes Station in the northwest of the country. It was a big hit for the duo, reaching the Top-10 in eight countries, including No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 2 in Canada, and No. 1 in New Zealand.
Events
1976: American concert promoter Bill Sargent offers The Beatles $30 million to reunite and perform on July 5, 1976. They could appear at any venue of their choosing and had only to play for 20 minutes. All four members of the band quickly refused, surprising Sargent, who believed $30 million was sufficient enticement. Producer Lorne Michaels would mock the offer on a subsequent episode of Saturday Night Live, offering The Beatles $3,000 to appear on the show, presented as a grand gesture. McCartney, in New York at the time, later remarked that he spoke on the phone with Lennon, and they were briefly tempted to head down to NBC studios.
The Monday Miles
1991: At “The Ski Lodge” on the lot of Warner Bros. Records in Burbank, California, Miles Davis begins recording sessions for what would be his final produced album, but penultimate release, “Doo-Bop.”
The Daily Elvis
1959: Stationed in Germany early in his tour of duty for the U.S. Army, Elvis pens a letter to his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, to release a recording of the King through RCA Records thanking his fans for their loyalty.
Pictured: Lorne Michaels and the $3,000 cheque to The Beatles.
