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Today in rock history: On this date in 1981, in an unprecedented move, both Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr joined former Beatles bandmate George Harrison for the recording of “All Those Years Ago,” a song Harrison wrote as a tribute to John Lennon, who’d been senselessly murdered near the end of 1980. McCartney and Starr’s presence made the sentiment and the message of the song even more poignant. The single appeared on Harrison’s 1981 solo album, Somewhere in England, and went all the way to no. 2 on American singles charts, making it one of the highest charting singles of Harrison’s solo career. With Starr on drums and McCartney (along with some of his Wings bandmates) lending backing vocal talents, “All Those Years Ago” was the first time the three musicians collaborated in a studio since the final Beatles recording session in 1970.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 1965, soul-pop duo The Righteous Brothers sailed into Billboard’s no. 1 spot on its singles chart thanks to their massive hit, “You’ve Lost that Loving Feeling.” Co-written and produced by revolutionary producer Phil Spector, the single was an instant hit; it is often regarded as one of the greatest pop singles of all time and the best representation of Spector’s unique “Wall of Sound” production style. The song was also a hit in 1980 for another successful pop duo: Daryl Hall and John Oates.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 1998, the youngest of the Beach Boys’ Wilson brothers, Carl, passed away at the age of 51 after battling lung cancer. Known as one of the group’s founders alongside brothers Brian and Dennis, Carl served as the group’s guitarist and took charge of the band’s direction in the 1970s while acting as its musical director. Credited as the lead vocalist on some of the group’s best-known singles (“Good Vibrations,” “God Only Knows”), Carl also enjoyed some success as a solo artist outside of his work with the Beach Boys.
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Today in rock history: On this date in 1988, British, blue-eyed soul singer Dusty Springfield — who enjoyed her greatest success in the U.S. during the 1960s thanks to her 1968 album Dusty in Memphis and its single “Son of a Preacher Man” — returned to the Top 10 on American singles charts. It happened after longtime fans and devotees, synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys, wrote and recorded “What Have I Done to Deserve This?,” turning the tune into a vehicle for Springfield to reclaim her place as a strong, sultry, soulful vocalist. The single — whose picture sleeve was printed with a gorgeous, vintage photo of the singer emblazoned on its cover — wound up becoming Springfield’s biggest chart hit in America where it peaked at no. 2 and renewed interest in her as a performer.
This article appears in Jan 31 – Feb 7, 2019.