This Day in Music
January 9th
LA rockers hit the big time, SF rockers hit the big time, FZ arranges for orchestra, and EP records two legendary 45s, on this day in music.
Releases
1984: Los Angeles rockers Van Halen release their sixth studio album, "MCMLXXXIV," otherwise known as "1984."
It would be the last studio LP with frontman David Lee Roth for 28 years, when he returned for 2012's "A Different Kind of Truth." It's also the last studio work to feature all four original members, as Eddie’s son, Wolfgang Van Halen, replaced Michael Anthony on bass for “…Truth.”
"1984" was a huge success for Van Halen, spinning out three Top-10 singles. “Jump” became a Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 Gold record, and a fourth single that didn't break the Top-10 but was a huge hit for its MTV video, "Hot for Teacher,” which includes the legendary drum intro by Alex Van Halen, reached No. 23. The remaining singles were “Panama” and “I’ll Wait,” both peaking at No. 13.
Though well-regarded by critics and adored by fans, some Van Halen purists criticized it harshly for the inclusion of synthesizers, particularly on the song "Jump."
The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, but made it to No. 1 in Canada, where it went 5x Platinum. It sold over 10 million copies in the US, reaching Diamond certification, and over a million more copies worldwide.
1969: Credence Clearwater Revival releases what might be their most popular single, though far from their best, "Proud Mary,” from the album “Bayou Country,” which is close to their best.
Though the band is actually from the San Francisco Bay area in El Cerrito, California, they could easily be mistaken for Louisiana bayou boys based on John Fogerty's music and lyrics, and the band's playing style.
"Proud Mary" was a monster hit, reaching the Top-10 on charts around the globe, including No. 1 on the US Record World chart, and No. 1 in Austria, South Africa, and Yugoslavia (since reverted to its pre-1918 constituent states).
More than its success for the band, the song has become a Rock and Roll staple and influenced generations that followed. Many cover versions have been made, the most successful being Ike & Tina Turner's in 1971, which performed almost as well in the charts as CCR's. The record sold over 2 million copies for CCR, and just under 2 million copies for Ike & Tina.
Events
1944: Happy 81st Birthday to Jimmy Page, the legendary guitarist, co-founder, and co-principal songwriter of Led Zeppelin.
The Daily Elvis
1969: Elvis arrives at American Sound Studio in Memphis for recording sessions that would produce his classic hits, “In the Ghetto” and “Suspicious Minds.”
The Friday Frank
1984: Pierre Boulez conducts his Ensemble InterContemporain performing the Frank Zappa pieces “The Perfect Stranger,” “Naval Aviation in Art?,” and “Dupree’s Paradise” at Institut de recherche et coordination acoustique/musique (IRCAM) in Paris. The performances would appear on Zappa’s August 23, 1984 release, “The Perfect Stranger.”
Pictured: Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1969, most likely playing “Down on the Corner.”
