Drewsky1211

PD James died on this day 10 years ago, aged 94. - The 'PD' in her name stood for 'Phyllis Dorothy'. Before she became an author, she would work various jobs to support her family- ranging from an assistant stage director at a local theatre to a member of a hospital board. - In 1962 James published her first novel, Cover Her Face. This was the first of her 'Adam Dalgliesh' series, which lasted for fourteen books up to 2008. She named Dalgliesh after a high school English teacher of hers- whose father was coincidentally also named Adam (which James was unaware of). - James' other well-known detective novel was the Cordelia Gray series, with only two books: 1972's An Unsuitable Job for a Woman, and 1982's The Skull Beneath the Skin. - In 1992 James would write the dystopian sci-fi novel The Children of Men, famously adapted into a movie in 2006. James was reportedly pleased with the film despite some deviations from its source material. - James was named as a life peer in 1991, becoming a baroness. She was a member of the Tory Party and opposed Scottish independence. - James made three appearances on the DeathList, debuting in 2012 and remaining on the list until her death from cancer. She was the ninth hit (of 10) of the 2014 list.

Bill Nye is 69.

11/26/2024 31 Bob The Builder — Can We Fix It? 30 Pink Floyd — Another Brick In The Wall 28 Whitney Houston — I Will Always Love You 28 Pet Shop Boys — Always On My Mind 28 Wham! — Last Christmas +1 (5 DAYS TO WHAMAGEDDON) 27 Tom Jones — Green, Green Grass Of Home 26 Mud — Lonely This Christmas 26 Girls Aloud — Sound Of The Underground 24 Benny Hill — Ernie 23 Rage Against The Machine — Killing In The Name 21 The Flying Pickets — Only You 21 Michael Jackson — Earth Song 21 Danny Williams — Moon River 20 Michael Andrews & Gary Jules — Mad World +1 20 The Human League — Don’t You Want Me +2 20 Al Martino — Here In My Heart 20 Frankie Laine — Answer Me 20 Winifred Atwell — Let’s Have Another Party 20 Johnnie Ray — Just Walkin’ In The Rain 20 Conway Twitty — It’s Only Make Believe 20 Emile Ford & The Checkmates — What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For? 20 Elvis Presley — Return To Sender 20 Dave Edmunds — I Hear You Knocking 20 Shakin’ Stevens — Merry Christmas Everyone 20 Jackie Wilson — Reet Petite 20 Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman — Somethin’ Stupid 18 Slade — Merry Xmas Everybody 17 East 17 — Stay Another Day 14 Clean Bandit ft. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie — Rockabye 00 The Scaffold — Lily The Pink -6

11/26/2024 71 George Ezra — Paradise 44 Mark Ronson ft. Miley Cyrus — Nothing Breaks Like A Heart 43 Dua Lipa — Don’t Start Now 20 Marshmello ft. Bastille — Happier +4 06 Regard — Ride It -6

11/26/2024 74 No Doubt - Just a Girl 52 Faithless - Insomnia 52 The Source ft. Candi Staton - You Got The Love (Now Voyager Mix) 44 Suede - Trash 37 Radiohead - Paranoid Android 27 The Seahorses - Love Is The Law -6 21 Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity +4

Pope Siricius died on this day 1625 years ago, aged 65. - Siricius lived in Rome his entire life, and his father was a certain Tiburtius. He entered the Catholic clergy as a young adult. - Siricius would be unanimously elected pope in 384 after the death of Pope Damasus I. Among his first papal acts was writing the Directa decretal in 385, the oldest surviving papal letter, clarifying his viewpoints to its recipient, a Spanish bishop named Himerius. - Some believe that Siricius was the first pope to call himself as such (rather than "Bishop of Rome"), albeit this is a disputed claim (as the title was used earlier and was more or less an honorific). - Siricius would die after 15 years as pope, and would be succeeded by Pope Anastasius I.

Natasha Bedingfield is 43.

My full list recommendation (subject to change over the next 5 weeks): Keep Jimmy Carter Dick Van Dyke Pete Murray Alan Greenspan Cleo Laine Sandy Gall Noam Chomsky Mel Brooks Dennis Skinner Nigel Starmer-Smith James Whale Stanley Baxter Joanne Woodward Gene Hackman Jean-Marie Le Pen Hans Blix Tom Brokaw Linda Nolan Norman Tebbit Esther Rantzen Roberta Flack Prunella Scales Raul Castro Ted Turner Buzz Aldrin Return Brian Wilson Rex Williams David Attenborough Yoko Ono Douglas Hurd Debut Eva Marie Saint Sidney Cooke Rosemary Harris James Watson Tom Lehrer Len Deighton Joan Plowright Tippi Hedren George Soros Rupert Murdoch Antonia Fraser Quentin Blake Duchess Katharine Shirley MacLaine Frankie Valli Harald V of Norway Julie Goodyear Ken Livingstone David Lynch James Van Der Beek

In other words: Douglas Hurd, David Attenborough and Yoko Ono also need to return next year.

11/25/2024 30 Pink Floyd — Another Brick In The Wall +1 27 Rage Against The Machine — Killing In The Name 25 Wham! — Last Christmas +1 24 Whitney Houston — I Will Always Love You 24 Tom Jones — Green, Green Grass Of Home 24 Bob The Builder — Can We Fix It? 24 Mud — Lonely This Christmas 24 Pet Shop Boys — Always On My Mind 24 East 17 — Stay Another Day 24 Benny Hill — Ernie 23 Girls Aloud — Sound Of The Underground 22 Michael Andrews & Gary Jules — Mad World +1 20 Al Martino — Here In My Heart 20 Frankie Laine — Answer Me 20 Winifred Atwell — Let’s Have Another Party 20 Johnnie Ray — Just Walkin’ In The Rain 20 Conway Twitty — It’s Only Make Believe 20 Emile Ford & The Checkmates — What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For? 20 Danny Williams — Moon River 20 Elvis Presley — Return To Sender 20 Dave Edmunds — I Hear You Knocking 20 The Flying Pickets — Only You 20 Shakin’ Stevens — Merry Christmas Everyone 20 Jackie Wilson — Reet Petite 20 Michael Jackson — Earth Song 20 Robbie Williams & Nicole Kidman — Somethin’ Stupid 19 The Human League — Don’t You Want Me +1 18 Slade — Merry Xmas Everybody 17 Renée & Renato — Save Your Love 15 Clean Bandit ft. Sean Paul & Anne-Marie — Rockabye 13 The Scaffold — Lily The Pink 12 Johnny Mathis — When A Child Is Born 09 Dickie Valentine — Christmas Alphabet -5 06 Jimmy Osmond — Long Haired Lover From Liverpool 00 Mr Blobby — Mr Blobby -1

11/25/2024 70 No Doubt - Just a Girl 58 The Source ft. Candi Staton - You Got The Love (Now Voyager Mix) 48 Faithless - Insomnia 46 Suede - Trash 41 Radiohead - Paranoid Android 25 Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity +4 25 The Seahorses - Love Is The Law -6 18 Backstreet Boys - As Long As You Love Me

11/25/2024 57 George Ezra — Paradise 36 Mark Ronson ft. Miley Cyrus — Nothing Breaks Like A Heart 32 Regard — Ride It 29 Dua Lipa — Don’t Start Now 24 Marshmello ft. Bastille — Happier +4 18 Calvin Harris & Rag’n’Bone Man — Giant 16 Ariana Grande — No Tears Left To Cry 00 Meduza ft. Goodboys — Piece Of Your Heart -6

Malcolm II of Scotland died on this day 990 years ago, aged 80. - Malcolm was a son of king Kenneth II. He became the king of Scotland in 1005 after killing his cousin Kenneth III in battle. - Malcolm's reign was more known for domestic affairs rather than foreign ones (save his slight rivalry with king Cnut of England/Norway/Denmark), and in order to secure alliances with smaller kingdoms such as Moray and Orkney, he would marry his daughters off to their rulers. As Malcolm had no sons (at least alive when he died), he was the last monarch of the Alpin dynasty, with his grandson Duncan I (of the Dunkeld dynasty) succeeding him. Malcolm was also a grandfather to Duncan's successor and cousin, Macbeth. - One rumor about Malcolm's death was that he was reportedly killed, either while being mugged by bandits or that Duncan orchestrated his murder.

Ben Stein is 80.

11/24/2024 70 No Doubt - Just a Girl 70 The Source ft. Candi Staton - You Got The Love (Now Voyager Mix) 53 Radiohead - Paranoid Android 48 Faithless - Insomnia 38 Suede - Trash 25 The Seahorses - Love Is The Law 21 Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity +4 21 Backstreet Boys - As Long As You Love Me 09 Eternal - Don’t You Love Me  -6

11/24/2024 41 George Ezra — Paradise 35 Mark Ronson ft. Miley Cyrus — Nothing Breaks Like A Heart 24 Regard — Ride It 23 Dua Lipa — Don’t Start Now 20 Ariana Grande — No Tears Left To Cry 20 Calvin Harris & Rag’n’Bone Man — Giant 19 Marshmello ft. Bastille — Happier 18 Billie Eilish — Bad Guy +4 17 Ramz — Barking 15 Meduza ft. Goodboys — Piece Of Your Heart 14 Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Rey — Don’t Call Me Angel 00 Aitch — Taste -6

Freddie Mercury died on this day 33 years ago, aged 45. - Before joining Brian May and Roger Taylor's band Smile, Mercury joined a band named Ibex in 1969- which was later renamed to 'Wreckage'. He cited Jimi Hendrix as his biggest influence at the time. - Before adopting the 'Freddie Mercury' stage name, Mercury went by the alias 'Larry Lurex', where he covered The Ronettes' "I Can Hear Music" and Dusty Springfield's "Goin' Back": - Mercury was well known for his love of cats, often having their caretakers hold them up to the phone while calling when he was on tour. His favorite was apparently Delilah, who he wrote a song about on Queen's 1991 album Innuendo: - While Mercury was officially diagnosed with HIV in 1987, he showed symptoms beginning sometime in 1982 with a lesion on his tongue. His gaunt appearance was heavily scrutinized by the tabloid press, with the song "Scandal" being a direct response to that: Mercury died about a day after publicly disclosing his battle with the disease. (Incidentally Magic Johnson announced his HIV diagnosis earlier that month, leading to further awareness of HIV/AIDS.)

Pete Best is 83.

11/23/2024 76 The Source ft. Candi Staton - You Got The Love (Now Voyager Mix) 70 No Doubt - Just a Girl 53 Radiohead - Paranoid Android 48 Faithless - Insomnia 40 Suede - Trash 25 Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity +4 23 The Seahorses - Love Is The Law 19 Backstreet Boys - As Long As You Love Me 15 Eternal - Don’t You Love Me   06 Katrina and the Waves - Love Shine a Light -6

11/23/2024 31 George Ezra — Paradise 29 Billie Eilish — Bad Guy +4 29 Mark Ronson ft. Miley Cyrus — Nothing Breaks Like A Heart 27 Dua Lipa — Don’t Start Now 26 Calvin Harris & Rag’n’Bone Man — Giant 21 Meduza ft. Goodboys — Piece Of Your Heart 20 Ramz — Barking 20 Regard — Ride It 20 Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Rey — Don’t Call Me Angel 19 Marshmello ft. Bastille — Happier 18 Ariana Grande — No Tears Left To Cry 12 Aitch — Taste  06 Little Mix ft. Nicki Minaj — Woman Like Me -6

Elbridge Gerry died on this day 210 years ago, aged 70. - Gerry's unusual first name was the result of his parents naming him after a great-great-grandfather of his, Thomas Elbridge. - Gerry became known for his opposition to the importation of British goods due to high taxation rates, and would be elected to Massachusetts' general assembly in 1772. In 1776, he was one of the colony's representatives sent to sign the Declaration of Independence: (his signature is on the rightmost column between those of Robert Treat Paine and Stephen Hopkins) - Gerry would become unpopular due to his opposition to sign the Constitution. He was the nominee for the Anti-Federalist Party in Massachusetts' 1788 gubernatorial election, losing to John Hancock in an absolute landslide (81-19%). He was, however, elected to the US House, serving until 1793. - In 1797, Gerry was one of the diplomats sent to France in the XYZ Affair, where he would remain for a few months after his colleagues departed. He himself would claim credit for keeping peace between the US and France. - Gerry was elected the governor of Massachusetts in 1810 (after several more failed runs). In 1812, he would sign the document confirming the states' new partisan congressional districts (following the 1810 census), despite his vocal disagreement- this would lead to the term "gerrymandering", as one district resembled some sort of salamander, or any strange creature: - Gerry was nominated as James Madison's VP in the 1812 election (after original nominee, New Hampshire governor John Langdon declined)- but died in office after a year.

Miley Cyrus is 32.

11/22/2024 78 The Source ft. Candi Staton - You Got The Love (Now Voyager Mix) 70 No Doubt - Just a Girl 53 Radiohead - Paranoid Android 48 Faithless - Insomnia 34 Suede - Trash 31 Jamiroquai - Virtual Insanity +4 21 Backstreet Boys - As Long As You Love Me 20 The Seahorses - Love Is The Law 19 Katrina and the Waves - Love Shine a Light 15 Eternal - Don’t You Love Me  -3 06 The Charlatans - One to Another -3

11/22/2024 28 Ariana Grande — No Tears Left To Cry 27 Billie Eilish — Bad Guy +4 23 Mark Ronson ft. Miley Cyrus — Nothing Breaks Like A Heart 22 Dua Lipa — Don’t Start Now 22 Calvin Harris & Rag’n’Bone Man — Giant 21 Meduza ft. Goodboys — Piece Of Your Heart 20 Ramz — Barking 20 Aitch - Taste 20 Ariana Grande, Miley Cyrus & Lana Del Rey - Don’t Call Me Angel 20 Regard — Ride It 19 Marshmallow ft. Bastille — Happier 15 Travis Scott — Highest In The Room 15 Little Mix ft. Nicki Minaj — Woman Like Me 14 George Ezra — Paradise 14 Kygo & Whitney Houston — Higher Love 08 Drake ft. Michael Jackson — Don’t Matter To Me -6

Sterling Holloway died on this day 32 years ago, aged 87. - Holloway's first acting role was in the 1926 silent film The Battling Kangaroo, where he played a carnival worker. During World War II, he would enlist in the army and create a soldier education series called Hey Rookie (probably like a live-action Private Snafu given his comedic roles). - Holloway would work with Disney from almost the beginning of their feature-length animated films, with Walt Disney considering him to voice Sleepy in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (a role that went to veteran voice actor Pinto Colvig). He provided Flower's adult voice in Bambi before voicing the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland, and was also known voicing Kaa in The Jungle Book: In later years, he voiced Winnie the Pooh in the 1977 film The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. - Outside of animation, Holloway would make appearances in shows that included The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, The Andy Griffith Show, The Twilight Zone, and Gilligan's Island. His last role was in a 1986 episode of Moonlighting. Afterwards he was offered to reprise his voice roles in the 1988 animated series The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, but declined due to age causing him to no longer be able to properly voice Pooh- leading to Jim Cummings succeeding him in said role.