Musician Birthdays: Harry Chapin (singer/songwriter who wrote “Cats in the Cradle”, born in 1942), Tom Waits (singer/songwriter/actor, born in 1942)

– In 1963: The Beatles second album ‘With The Beatles’ started a 21-week run at No.1 on the UK album chart. It replaced their first album ‘Please Please me’ which had been at the top of the charts since it’s release 30 weeks previously. Also today, all four Beatles appeared on BBC TV’s ‘Juke Box Dury’. Some of the songs The Beatles judged were ‘Kiss Me Quick’ by Elvis Presley, ‘The Hippy Hippy Shake’ by the Swinging Blue Jeans. ‘Did You Have a Happy Birthday’ by Paul Anka and ‘Where Have You Been All My Life’ by Gene Vincent.

– In 1964: Beach Boy Brian Wilson married Marilyn Rovell in L.A. The couple divorced in 1979. Marilyn and her sister and cousin were in a group, the Honeys, who were produced by Brian Wilson. Marilyn and Brian had two daughters, Carnie and Wendy, who became members of Wilson Phillips.

– In 1967: Otis Redding went into the studio to record ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay’. The song went on to be his biggest hit. Redding didn’t see its release; he was killed three days later in a plane crash.

– In 1968: The Beatles ‘White Album’ started a seven-week run at No.1 on the UK chart. The double set was the first on the Apple label and featured ‘Back In The USSR’, ‘Dear Prudence’, and the Harrison song ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps.’

– In 1974: Carl Douglas started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Kung Fu Fighting’. The song was recorded in 10 minutes, had started out as a B-side and went on to sell over 10 million.

– In 1979: The Police had their second UK No.1 single with ‘Walking on the Moon’, taken from their second album ‘Reggatta De Blanc’. The video for the song was filmed at Kennedy Space Center interspersed with NASA footage.

– In 1991: George Michael and Elton John were at No.1 in the UK with a live version of ‘Don’t Let The Sun Go down On Me’, (a hit for Elton in 1974). All proceeds from the hit went to aids charities.

– In 1991: Michael Jackson started a 7 week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with ‘Black Or White’, his 12th solo No.1, also a No.1 in the UK.

– In 1991: Two weeks after Freddie Mercury’s death ‘Queen’s Greatest Hits II’ started a four week run at No.1 on the UK album chart.

– In 1991: U2 went to No.1 on the US album charts with ‘Achtung Baby’. Featuring ‘One’, Zoo Station’, ‘The Fly’ and ‘Even Better Than The Real Thing’.

– In 1992: Mariah Carey’s MTV Unplugged EP became the first Sony Minidisc to be released in the US.

– In 1996: Bush went to No. 1 on the US album chart with ‘Razorblade Suitcase’.

– In 2003: Britney Spears was at No.1 on the US album chart with ‘In The Zone’ the singer’s fourth US No.1 album. The singer broke her own record from being the first female artist to have three albums enter the US chart at No.1 to being the first female artist to have 4 albums enter at No.1 consecutively.