Drewsky1211

12/11/2024 88 Shania Twain - That Don’t Impress Me Much 65 Fatboy Slim - Gangster Trippin +1 58 Stereophonics - The Bartender and the Thief 48 Shania Twain - Man! I Feel Like a Woman 41 Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing) 38 Savage Garden - To the Moon and Back 37 2Pac - Changes +1 31 Kula Shaker - Sound of Drums 28 Bran Van 300 - Drinking in L.A. 23 U2 - Sweetest Thing  22 TLC - No Scrubs +2 17 Robbie Williams - Let Me Entertain You -2 17 Catatonia - Mulder and Scully -2 11 Bob Marley Vs Funkstar De Luxe - Sun Is Shining -2

12/11/2024 33 Bastille — Pompeii 19 Adele — Rolling In The Deep -6 10 Rag’n’Bone Man — Human +4

Alma Mahler died on this day 60 years ago, aged 85. - Alma was born as Alma Schindler to the noted Austrian painter Emil Schindler. She would decide to follow her father into the arts by composing piano music: - However, Alma was more well-known for her many relationships (and three marriages) with artists and musicians of her day. She was the girlfriend of the painter Gustav Klimt and the composer Alexander Zemlinsky- but the first one she married was Gustav Mahler in 1902. Mahler disapproved of Alma's aspirations of becoming a composer (possibly not wanting her to become more famous than him). After the death of their young daughter Maria in 1907, Alma would begin having an affair with the architect Walter Gropius, with Gustav seeking counselling from none other than Sigmund Freud. - Gustav Mahler died in 1911, and after Alma had a brief relationship with painter and playwright Oskar Kokoschka, she would remarry to Gropius in 1915. She had a daughter (Manon) with him. But he would be drafted into World War I, and once again she sought a romantic relationship while her husband was off fighting- this time with author Franz Werfel, having an illegitimate son with him. Alma and Walter would divorce in 1920. - Alma would not marry Werfel until 1929, and the two would flee Austria in 1938, leaving for France before fleeing there to the U.S. in 1940. After Franz's death in 1945, Alma would move to New York City, where she remained until her death. Her body would be repatriated to Austria. - After reading her obituary, Tom Lehrer would write a song about her life for his album That Was The Year That Was:

Brenda Lee is 80.

12/10/2024 23 Queen — Bohemian Rhapsody / These Are The Days Of Our Lives +3 21 The Beatles — I Want To Hold Your Hand +1 21 Spice Girls — 2 Become 1 20 Harry Belafonte — Mary’s Boy Child 20 Cliff Richard & The Shadows — I Love You 20 The Beatles — I Feel Fine 20 The Beatles — Day Tripper / We Can Work It Out 20 Queen — Bohemian Rhapsody 20 Wings — Mull Of Kintyre / Girls’ School 20 Boney M. — Mary’s Boy Child 20 Band Aid — Do They Know It’s Christmas? 20 Cliff Richard — Mistletoe & Wine 20 Band Aid II — Do They Know It’s Christmas? 20 Cliff Richard — Saviour’s Day 20 Spice Girls — Too Much 20 Spice Girls — Goodbye 20 Westlife — I Have A Dream / Seasons In The Sun 20 Band Aid 20 — Do They Know It’s Christmas? 20 Shayne Ward — That’s My Goal 20 Leona Lewis — A Moment Like This 20 Leon Jackson — When You Believe 20 Alexandra Burke — Hallelujah 20 Matt Cardle — When We Collide 20 Military Wives With Gareth Malone — Wherever You Are 20 The Justice Collective — He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother 20 Sam Bailey — Skyscraper 20 Ben Haenow — Something I Need 20 Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Choir — A Bridge Over You 20 Ed Sheeran — Perfect 19 LadBaby — We Built This City -1 19 LadBaby — I Love Sausage Rolls -1 19 LadBaby — Don’t Stop Me Eatin’ -1 19 LadBaby ft. Elton John & Ed Sheeran — Sausage Rolls For Everyone -1 19 LadBaby — Food Aid -1 14 Rolf Harris — Two Little Boys (say Rolf, I hear you like 'em little) -6 06 The Beatles — Hello, Goodbye

12/10/2024 84 Shania Twain - That Don’t Impress Me Much 58 Stereophonics - The Bartender and the Thief 56 Fatboy Slim - Gangster Trippin +1 51 Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing) 48 Shania Twain - Man! I Feel Like a Woman 37 Savage Garden - To the Moon and Back 34 2Pac - Changes +1 30 Kula Shaker - Sound of Drums 29 Catatonia - Mulder and Scully 28 Bran Van 300 - Drinking in L.A. 26 TLC - No Scrubs +2 24 Robbie Williams - Let Me Entertain You 22 U2 - Sweetest Thing -1 21 Bob Marley Vs Funkstar De Luxe - Sun Is Shining 00 Bryan Adams ft. Melanie C - When You’re Gone -5

12/10/2024 39 Bastille — Pompeii +2 30 Adele — Rolling In The Deep -6 29 Rag’n’Bone Man — Human +2

Otis Redding died on this day 57 years ago, aged 26. - Redding took an interest in music at a young age, singing gospel music for local places during his childhood. He considered Little Richard to have been his biggest influence. - Redding went professional by being signed to Atlantic Records in 1962, releasing his first song "These Arms of Mine". In 1965, he wrote and sang "Respect"- a song better known by Aretha Franklin's iconic 1967 cover of it: In 1966 he made his signature song, a cover of the 1932 song "Try a Little Tenderness"- he was initially dissuaded by his producers due to their segregationist outlooks: (this video above was from his final performance) - Redding prematurely died when the plane he was in crashed in a Wisconsin lake due to inclement weather. His song "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" was posthumously released and became the first song by a dead singer to top the Billboard Hot 100, and was his only chart-topper:

Joe Burrow is 28.

12/9/2024 85 Isaac Watts — Joy To The World 68 John Williams — O Holy Night +2 65 Mykola Leontovych — Carol Of The Bells 44 David Willcocks — God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen -9 42 Charles Wesley — Hark! The Herald Angels Sing +2 21 The Muppets Ensemble — Bless Us All +2 10 Franz Xaver Gruber — Silent Night

12/9/2024 80 Shania Twain - That Don’t Impress Me Much 55 Fatboy Slim - Gangster Trippin +1 54 Stereophonics - The Bartender and the Thief 54 Shania Twain - Man! I Feel Like a Woman 53 Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing) 36 Savage Garden - To the Moon and Back 32 Kula Shaker - Sound of Drums 32 Bran Van 300 - Drinking in L.A. 31 2Pac - Changes +2 30 TLC - No Scrubs +1 28 Catatonia - Mulder and Scully 23 Robbie Williams - Let Me Entertain You -3 23 Bob Marley Vs Funkstar De Luxe - Sun Is Shining 23 U2 - Sweetest Thing  10 Bryan Adams ft. Melanie C - When You’re Gone -3

12/9/2024 46 Bastille — Pompeii +1 43 Rag’n’Bone Man — Human +3 33 Adele — Rolling In The Deep -6 Score changed accordingly.

Paul Simon died on this day 21 years ago, aged 75. (not to be confused with Paul Simon of Simon and Garfunkel) - Simon started off as a newspaper editor before being elected to the Illinois House of Representatives, and then the state's Senate in 1963. He was elected the lieutenant governor of Illinois in the 1968 election- pairing him with Republican governor Richard Ogilvie, and the only instance in the state's history where the governor and lieutenant governor were from opposing parties. Despite the partisan divide, he would work with Ogilvie to draft Illinois' most recently-adopted state constitution. - Simon ran for governor of Illinois in 1972 but lost, and decided to take his political ambitions to a national scale and won a seat in the US House in 1974. After serving five terms he ran for the US Senate, and flipped the seat from incumbent Chuck Percy by 90,000 votes. - In 1987, Simon would launch a campaign for president as a dark horse candidate- largely irrelevant to most of the nation, but he soon became first in the polls for the Iowa caucuses. He would come in a narrow second place behind Dick Gephardt, and after more and more disastrous primary results, he would withdraw from the race after the Wisconsin primary- though he did win his home state of Illinois. To promote his campaign, he would also make an appearance on Saturday Night Live: (him with future senator Al Franken, who portrayed him on the show) - Simon retired in 1996, and died seven years later due to complications from heart surgery.

Judi Dench is 90.

12/8/2024 69 Isaac Watts — Joy To The World 63 John Williams — O Holy Night +2 55 Charles Wesley — Hark! The Herald Angels Sing +2 53 Mykola Leontovych — Carol Of The Bells 47 David Willcocks — God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen 40 The Muppets Ensemble — Bless Us All +2 22 Edward Caswall — See Amid The Winter's Snow -9 21 The Muppets Ensemble — It Feels Like Christmas 19 Franz Xaver Gruber — Silent Night

12/8/2024 76 Shania Twain - That Don’t Impress Me Much 54 Stereophonics - The Bartender and the Thief 54 Fatboy Slim - Gangster Trippin +1 51 Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing) 48 Shania Twain - Man! I Feel Like a Woman 36 Bran Van 300 - Drinking in L.A. 35 Savage Garden - To the Moon and Back 35 TLC - No Scrubs +1 32 Kula Shaker - Sound of Drums 27 2Pac - Changes +2 27 Catatonia - Mulder and Scully 25 Robbie Williams - Let Me Entertain You 23 Bob Marley Vs Funkstar De Luxe - Sun Is Shining 23 U2 - Sweetest Thing  14 A1 - Everytime/Ready or Not 12 Bryan Adams ft. Melanie C - When You’re Gone -4 08 The Corrs - What Can I Do (Tin Tin Out Remix) 00 ATB - Stop! -2

12/8/2024 52 Rag’n’Bone Man — Human +2 50 Bastille — Pompeii +2 28 Adele — Rolling In The Deep -5 20 Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera — Moves Like Jagger 00 Katy Perry — Teenage Dream -1

Caroll Spinney died on this day 5 years ago, aged 85. - Spinney developed in interest in puppetry at a young age, and would make money by performing locally. In the 1950s, he would appear on Boston-area TV shows that included The Judy and Goggle Show (puppeteering the titular Goggle) and Bozo's Big Top. - Spinney met Jim Henson in 1962, and seven years later began to star in Sesame Street as the puppeteer and voice for Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch: As Big Bird, he had the leading role in 1985's Follow That Bird: He would also reprise said role on other TV shows such as Mister Rogers' Neigborhood, The Electric Company, and Between the Lions. One of the few roles he had outside of Sesame Street that weren't the characters he portrayed on it was voicing a dog in the 1993 film Homeward Bound. - Spinney was diagnosed with dystonia in 2015, and would retire from performing in 2018. The last episodes to feature his voice aired posthumously (in 2020).

Teri Hatcher is 60.

12/7/2024 60 Isaac Watts — Joy To The World 55 John Williams - O Holy Night +2 54 Charles Wesley — Hark! The Herald Angels Sing +2 50 David Willcocks — God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen 45 Mykola Leontovych — Carol Of The Bells 43 Edward Caswall — See Amid The Winter's Snow 32 The Muppets Ensemble — Bless Us All +2 31 The Muppets Ensemble — It Feels Like Christmas  30 James Chadwick — Angels We Have Heard On High  24 Cecil Frances Alexander — Once In Royal David’s City -6 16 Franz Xaver Gruber — Silent Night 06 Thomas Oliphant — Deck The Halls  00 James Montgomery — (Fallen) Angels From The Realms Of Glory -3

12/7/2024 72 Shania Twain - That Don’t Impress Me Much 54 Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing) 54 Stereophonics - The Bartender and the Thief 53 Fatboy Slim - Gangster Trippin +1 45 Shania Twain - Man! I Feel Like a Woman 39 TLC - No Scrubs +1 34 Bran Van 300 - Drinking in L.A. 32 Savage Garden - To the Moon and Back 30 Kula Shaker - Sound of Drums 30 2Pac - Changes +2 25 U2 - Sweetest Thing  24 Robbie Williams - Let Me Entertain You 22 Catatonia - Mulder and Scully 19 Bob Marley Vs Funkstar De Luxe - Sun Is Shining 15 Bryan Adams ft. Melanie C - When You’re Gone 14 A1 - Everytime/Ready or Not 14 ATB - Don’t Stop! 14 The Corrs - What Can I Do (Tin Tin Out Remix) 06 Tatyana Ali ft. Will Smith - Boy You Knock Me Out -4 06 Britney Spears - Sometimes -2 02 The Chemical Brothers - Hey Boy Hey Girl

12/7/2024 56 Rag’n’Bone Man — Human +2 47 Bastille — Pompeii +2 33 Katy Perry — Teenage Dream 20 Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera — Moves Like Jagger 16 Adele — Rolling In The Deep -3 08 George Ezra — Paradise -3

Chuck Yeager died on this day 4 years ago, aged 97. - Yeager enlisted in the US Air Force just three months before Pearl Harbor (the anniversary of which is incidentally today), and during the war would be stationed in England to assist the RAF. He would be shot down once in March of 1944 and would be returned with the help of the French resistance movement, and would shoot down 5 enemy planes on October 12 of that year (making him a flying ace). - After the end of the war, Yeager would remain with the Air Force as a test pilot for high-speed planes. On October 14, 1947, Yeager would become the first person to ever reach a supersonic speed while piloting a Bell X-1 rocket-powered plane, with the news not being broken by the military for eight months (likely due to not wanting Russia to know because of the Cold War). Said plane is now in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. - Yeager would continue to try beating his record, and developed a rivalry with pilot Albert Scott Crossfield (the first person to reach Mach 2 speed). He would achieve a speed of Mach 2.44 (1872 mph / 3013 km/h) shortly before Crossfield was to be celebrated as the fastest man alive at a celebration of the Wright Brother's 50th flight anniversary. He stopped trying to break his own records after a 1963 accident where a faulty ejection caused his emergency oxygen tank to catch fire and burn his face. Yeager retired from the Air Force in 1975, as a one-star general. - Yeager would often attend ceremonial air shows where he would recreate his feat, most notably flying in 2012 (65th anniversary of his flight) at the age of 89. He was also known for lending his name to EA's series of flight simulator games between 1987 and 1991:

Larry Bird is 68.

12/6/2024 51 David Willcocks — God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen  50 John Williams- O Holy Night +1 47 Charles Wesley — Hark! The Herald Angels Sing +1 46 Isaac Watts — Joy To The World 43 Mykola Leontovych — Carol Of The Bells 37 Edward Caswall — See Amid The Winter's Snow 30 James Chadwick — Angels We Have Heard On High  30 Cecil Frances Alexander — Once In Royal David’s City  29 The Muppets Ensemble — Bless Us All +1 24 The Muppets Ensemble — It Feels Like Christmas  21 Thomas Oliphant-Deck The Halls 16 Franz Xaver Gruber — Silent Night  16 Lewis Redner — O Little Town Of Bethlehem +2 16 James Montgomery — Angels From The Realms Of Glory 10 Jehan Tabourot — Ding Dong! Merrily On High -4 07 Vince Guaraldi — Christmas Time Is Here +1 06 John Mason Neale — Good King Wenceslas -5