This Day in Music
Michael Fitzgibbon
Michael Jackson is singing for Pepsi, Jimi is singing to Kathy, and Elvis is singing from Hawaii, on this day in music.
The Wind Cries Mary
1967: “The Wind Cries Mary,” the fourth single from The Jimi Hendrix Experience, is released. Written by Jimi as a reconciliatory love song for his girlfriend, Kathy Etchingham, the song reached No. 6 in the U.K. and was included on the American release of the band's debut album, “Are You Experienced.”
Flaming Pie
1997: Legendary British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Paul McCartney releases his tenth studio solo album, “Flaming Pie.” It was his 18th album overall since leaving The Beatles, when including the seven studio LP’s with Wings, and “Ram,” credited to Paul and Linda McCartney.
His first release in four years, and coming immediately after his work compiling and producing “The Beatles Anthology,” Paul stated in the liner notes that the Anthology project reminded him of the standards The Beatles kept to and inspired his new album.
Receiving generally positive reviews, AllMusic rated it 4.75/5.00 stars, Entertainment Weekly assigned it B-, and Q ranked it 4/5 stars. Fans were impressed with the album, sending it to No. 2 in the U.S., No. 2 in the U.K., and No. 10 in Canada, on its way to Gold certification in all three countries, plus Japan.
Most songs are co-written with Jeff Lynne of ELO, who also co-produced with Paul and George Martin. Many other friends and family of McCartney appear on the album, including Steve Miller on guitar and vocals, Linda McCartney on background vocals, their son James McCartney on guitar, and for the fourth time on a Macca solo record, Ringo Starr on drums and vocals.
Ringo will make a fifth appearance on a Paul McCartney solo album when “The Boys of Dungeon Lane” is released later this month, on May 29th.
Eye-popping Commercial Deal
1986: Michel Jackson signs his second endorsement and tour contract with PepsiCo Inc. for $15 million, which would see him become the first non-Russian to appear in Pepsi's Soviet Union advertising.
Hard Promises
1981: “Hard Promises,” the fourth studio album from Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, is released to favourable critical response. Featuring the No. 1 hit, “The Waiting,” the LP was commercially successful, reaching No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and earning Platinum certification in the U.S. and Canada.
Recorded during the time John Lennon had been murdered, and with his expected appearance in the studio never coming to be, the band honoured the late Beatle with the phrase, “We love you J.L.” etched into the runout track on early U.S. and Canada pressings of the record.
Tour of Europe
1982: Frank Zappa launches his European Tour with a stop in Aarhus, Denmark at the Vejlby-Risskov Hallen. Some of the pieces performed included “Treacherous Cretins,” a guitar solo feature first appearing on the album, “Shut Up and Play Yer Guitar;” “Dancin’ Fool” from “Sheik Yerbouti;” and “Truck Driver Divorce,” which would not appear on an album until 1984’s “Them or Us.”
“Whipping Post,” the great Allman Brothers Band song, which Zappa covered regularly in the early-1980’s, was also performed. Frank’s version of the song first appears on the album “Them or Us,” not counting the impromptu Whipping Floss lyrics as part of “Montana” from “You Can’t Do That On Stage Anymore Vol. 2: The Helsinki Concert,” which was in response to a fan who apparently thought “Whipping Post” was an FZ song, not the ABB, and requested it from the audience.
The Daily Elvis
1973: The album “Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite” by Elvis hits No. 1 in the U.S. It was the first time in nine years that Elvis scored a No. 1 album in America, and it was his final time.
The Jimi Hendrix Experience in 1967, from L to R: Noel Redding (bg), Jimi Hendrix (g; v), and Mitch Mitchell (d).
