This Date in Rock Music History: November 29

1959:  Bobby Darin won Best New Artist and Record of the Year for "Mack The Knife" at the Grammy Awards. 

This Date in Rock Music History: November 28

 
1960:  Elvis Presley had his 43rd hit and 15th #1 in four years--"Are You Lonesome Tonight?" 
1962:  The Beatles performed at the Cavern Club in Liverpool and then played at a dance for the staff of Lewis Department Store at the 527 Club, also in Liverpool.

Featured Unknown/Underrated Song*: Bryan Adams with "Cuts Like A Knife"

Canadian Bryan Adams scored a big hit with this one, but it fell short of the Top 10:

"Cuts Like A Knife"

Bryan Adams

Written by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance

Drivin' home this evening
I coulda sworn we had it all worked out
You had this boy believin'
Way beyond the shadow of a doubt

Then I heard it on the street
I heard you mighta found somebody new
Well who is he baby - who is he
And tell me what he means to you

I took it all for granted
But how was I to know
That you'd be letting go

Now it cuts like a knife
But it feels so right
It cuts like a knife
But it feels so right

There's times I've 'bin mistaken
There's times I thought I'd 'bin misunderstood
So wait a minute darlin'
Can't you see we did the best we could

This wouldn't be the first time
Things have gone astray
Now you've thrown it all away

Now it cuts like a knife
But It feels so right
It cuts like a knife
But it feels so right  

This Date in Rock Music History: November 27

1962:  The Beatles recorded for BBC Radio in the U.K. for the first time, performing, "Twist And Shout", "Love Me Do" and "P.S. I Love You" at the BBC Paris Studio in London for BBC's Talent Spot program.

1963:  The Elvis Presley movie Fun In Acapulco opened in theaters.
1964:  The Beatles performed on the British television show Ready Steady Go!
1965:  Marvin Gaye moved to #1 on the R&B chart with "Ain't That Peculiar".
1965:  Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass remained #1 on the Easy Listening chart for the fifth week with "A Taste Of Honey".

This Date in Rock Music History: November 26

1962:  The Beatles recorded "Please Please Me" in 18 takes and "Ask Me Why" for the flip side during a three-hour session at EMI Studios in London.

1966:  The self-titled debut album from the Monkees was #1 for the third straight week.  The former #1 Soundtrack to "Doctor Zhivago" remained second with The Supremes A Go-Go #3 and the self-titled Mamas & Papas album #4.  The remainder of the Top 10:  And Then...Along Comes the Association by the Association, What Now My Love from Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass, Revolver from the Beatles, Somewhere My Love by Ray Conniff & the Singers at #8, The Kinks Greatest Hits! and the Soundtrack from "The Sound of Music" re-entered the Top 10 after 88 weeks.

This Date in Rock Music History: November 25

1957:  The great Sam Cooke took over at #1 on the R&B chart with "You Send Me".
1961:  Don and Phil Everly were both inducted into the United States Marine Corps Reserves, working as artillerymen for the 8th Battalion.   

This Date in Rock Music History: November 24

1958:  The Platters were up 36 notches with their new single "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes".
1958:  Conway Twitty had the new #1 song with "It's Only Make Believe", knocking "Tom Dooley" by the Kingston Trio down a notch.  The Teddy Bears appeared to have a big hit with "To Know Him Is To Love Him", but "Topsy II" by Cozy Cole and "It's All In The Game" both fell.  The rest of the Top 10:  "Beep Beep" by the Playmates, Elvis Presley hopped into the Top 10 with two songs--"One Night", moving 14-7 and "I Got Stung".  Ricky Nelson dropped with "Lonesome Town" and Bobby Darin had #10 with "Queen Of The Hop".
1962:  Brenda Lee made it three weeks at #1 on the Easy Listening chart with "All Alone Am I".

One Direction Top Winner at American Music Awards

One Direction won the American Music award for Artist of the Year for the second consecutive year in the annual ceremony last night.  The group also won Favorite Duo or Group.

Taylor Swift also won Song of the Year for "Blank Space", Favorite Adult Contemporary Artist and Favorite Album for 1989.  Sam Hunt was voted Best New Artist of the Year.  Ed Sheeran won Favorite Male Artist while Ariana Grande won Favorite Female Artist.

This Date in Rock Music History: November 23

1899:  The first jukebox was placed in the Palais Royal Hotel in San Francisco, California.
1959:  After taking a week off, "Mack The Knife" returned to inflict more damage on the chart with a seventh week at #1 for Bobby Darin.