Thursday, June 29, 2017

June 29th

As strong as this week's Top 40 seems to be, it's a pretty mediocre week for hot shot debuts.  There are a few diamonds in the rough however ...

Tommy James and the Shondells have a new record on the charts as "I Like The Way" premiers at #86.  Another all-time personal favorite of mine debuts at #90:  "My World Fell Down" by Sagittarius.  And The Forum premier at #99 with "The River Is Wide". 



"Joy" by Mitch Ryder debuts at #84, "Give Me Time" by Dusty Springfield at #85, "You Were On My Mind" by Crispian St. Peters at #87, "Mr. Pleasant" by The Kinks at #92, "Pictures of Lily" by The Who at #94, "Washed Ashore" by The Platters at #95, "In The Chapel In The Moonlight" by Dean Martin at #97 and "Your Unchanging Love" by Marvin Gaye at #98 … but despite the star-power attached to them, NONE of these records will leave any kind of a lasting impression on the folks buying (and playing) music in 1967. 

Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones are found guilty of drug possession in a British courtroom.  Jagger was sentenced to three months in jail for possession of amphetamines and Richards was sentenced to one year for allowing his home to be used for cannabis use.  After a public outcry (including an essay published in The London Times defending the two), The Rolling Stones appealed the decision and a month later (on July 31st) Keith's conviction will be overturned but Mick's is upheld … and then reduced to a "conditional discharge" (aka probation). 


Mega-Hot Actress Jayne Mansfield (age 34 … her bust size was considerably larger) is killed (along with two others) in an automobile accident in Louisiana.  Contrary to long-published reports that have circulated for the past fifty years, she was NOT decapitated.  

Photos of what appeared to be a blond woman's head were leaked ... but her death notice clearly states that she died of a crushed skull with avulsion of the cranium and brain (see below) ... it is believed that what was photographed was most likely one of Jayne's blonde wigs, perhaps part of head "wig stand" mannequin.  Her three daughters were in the back street, sound asleep, and escaped unharmed.  One of those daughters, Mariska Hargitay, would go on to have her own successful television career, most notably for her role on "Law And Order: SVU", which was just renewed for its 19th season. 





[Probably one of the most famous photographs of Jayne Mansfield ever taken was this "side-eye" shot of Sophia Loren checking out Jayne's best known assets] ...


While touring with The Hollies, Graham Nash writes "Marrakesh Express", a song his own band will later refuse to record.  It is often cited as the deciding factor in Graham leaving the group, moving to The United States and ultimately forming Crosby, Stills and Nash with former Buffalo Springfield member Stephen Stills and former Byrd David Crosby.  "Marrakesh Express" becomes the super group's first hit single two years later. 



Frank Sinatra records "The World We Knew" in New York City.