This Date in Rock Music History: February 12

1956:  Dean Martin had the #1 song in the U.K. with "Memories Are Made Of This".

This Date in Rock Music History: February 11

1956:  Elvis Presley performed "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Blue Suede Shoes" on the television program The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show.

1956:  The Platters notched a sixth week at #1 on the R&B chart with "The Great Pretender".

Featured Unknown/Underrated Song: "New York Mining Disaster 1941" by the Bee Gees

Sometimes, an artist's debut single makes it big, but far more often than not, it doesn't.  What distinguishes this song is that music directors at the time were so unable to tell that this group would go on to become one of the top acts of all-time!

In hindsight, it's difficult to fathom how this great song could stall at #14, but that it did:

"New York Mining Disaster 1941"

Bee Gees

In the event of something happening to me
there is something I would like you all to see
It's just a photograph of someone that I knew

Have you seen my wife, Mr. Jones?
Do you know what it's like on the outside?
Don't go talking too loud, you'll cause a landslide, Mr. Jones

I keep straining my ears to hear a sound
Maybe someone is digging underground
or have they given up and all gone home to bed
thinking those who once existed must be dead

Have you seen my wife, Mr. Jones?
Do you know what it's like on the outside?
Don't go talking too loud, you'll cause a landslide, Mr. Jones

In the event of something happening to me
there is something I would like you all to see
It's just a photograph of someone that I knew

Have you seen my wife, Mr. Jones?
Do you know what it's like on the outside?
Don't go talking too loud, you'll cause a landslide, Mr. Jones