Sotd

At the end of the first English Civil War, influenced by the Puritans, the British Parliament passes a law banning any celebration of Christmas. This new law is much disliked and will cause riots in the streets. The popular ballad The World Is Turned Upside Down will be inspired this law, and is best known in a version by Maddy Prior And The Carnival Band.

Charlotte Corday is beheaded by the guillotine in Paris, France, Europe, for the murder of Jean-Paul Marat. Her story is told in the 1993 song Charlotte Corday by Al Stewart [co-written with Tori Amos].

The town of Boston, Massachusetts, USA, is incorporated as a city. The City of Boston will inspire the numerous songs including Boston by The Byrds, Boston Tea Party by Alex Harvey, Boston Rag by Steely Dan, Roadrunner by Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers and Boston (Ladies of Cambridge) by Vampire Weekend.

Jack Donahue, a member of a bushranger gang known as The Wild Colonial Boys, is shot dead by a soldier, John Muckleston, following a shootout between bushrangers and troops at Bringelly, New South Wales, Australia, Oceania. Donahue's life, exploits and death will inspire the writing of the folk song The Wild Colonial Boy some years later.

The Charles Dickens' serial Barnaby Rudge begins publication in the magazine Master Humphrey's Clock in London, England, UK. The story includes a character called Dolly Varden who will inspire a style of fashionable ladies' dress from about 1869 to 1875 in Britain and the United States. The fashion style will, in its turn inspire at least two popular songs Dressed In A Dolly Varden by G.W. Moore and Dolly Varden (1872) by Alfred Lee. She will also inspire The Dolly Varden Polka, an entertainment presented at The Theatre Royal in London, during the 1870s, plus The Dolly Varden Quadrille, a dance. In 1993, a rock band in Chicago, Illinois, USA, will adopt the name Dolly Varden.

Charles G. Dawes, the only Vice President of the USA ever to write a popular music hit, is born in in Marietta, Ohio, USA. In 1911 Dawes will write a wordless tune, Melody In A Major, which will become a popular music standard under the name It's All In The Game, when words are added to it by Carl Sigman. The song will be a major hit for Tommy Edwards in 1958, and will also be covered by The Four Tops, Van Morrison, Cliff Richard, Nat "King" Cole, Brook Benton, Elton John and Jason Donovan, to name only a few.

Gunfighter and scout Wild Bill Hickok is buried in Ingelside Cemetery, Deadwood, Black Hills, South Dakota, USA. He had been killed the day before by being shot in the back of the head by Jack McCall while engrossed in game of draw poker in Nuttal And Mann's Saloon No. 10 in Deadwood. The moment is immortalized in the song Burial Of Wild Bill by Captain Jack Crawford, known as The Cowboy Poet.

Outlaw gang leader Jesse James is killed aged 34 in St. Joseph, Missouri, USA, by Robert Ford, a member of the gang living in the James house, hoping to collect the substantial reward on James' head. Numerous songs will tell the story of James' life and death, including Jesse James [1944] by Woody Guthrie; Jesse James [1961] by The Kingston Trio; Frank And Jesse James [1976] by Warren Zevon, and as an analogy in I Feel Like a Bullet [In the Gun of Robert Ford] by Bernie Taupin and Elton John.

Dr. John Pemberton brews the first batch of Coca-Cola in a backyard in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He will go on to found The Pemberton Medicine Company, which will find global success after a name change to The Coca-Cola Company. This universally-available fizzy drink will inspire several songs including Rum And Coca Cola by The Andrews Sisters and and the somewhat more salacious Coca Cola Douche by The Fugs. It's also worth noting that the hit single I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing by The New Seekers, was based on a 1971 Coca Cola advertising jingle - I'd Like To Buy The World A Coke.

Several mines owned by the Fairmount Coal Company in Monagah, West Virginia, USA, explode, killing hundreds of miners. The incident will inspire songs by Blind Alfred Reed (Explosion In The Fairmount Mines), Vernon Dalhart and others.

The Chevrolet Motor Car Company is founded in Detroit, Michigan, USA, and will become a serious competitor to the Ford Model T in the automobile market in the USA. Quickly nicknamed Chevy, the company's vehicles will become much-loved by drivers, and will inspire numerous references in song lyrics, perhaps most notably, "Drove my Chevy to the levee" in Don McLean's 1971 hit American Pie.

While striking miners are enjoying a Christmas Party in The Italian Hall, Calumet, Michigan, USA, a mass panic is caused when someone shouts 'Fire!'. In the ensuing rush for the doors, seventy-three people are trampled to death, fifty-nine of them children. The horrific tragedy, known as The Italian Hall Disaster, will be recorded in Woody Guthrie's 1941 song, 1913 Massacre.

The earliest known mention of the Hollywood Sign (originally reading Hollywoodland) in Los Angeles, California, USA, appears in the local newspaper Holly Leaves. The article reports that the soon to be built Mulholland Highway will extend "…from the western end of the (Griffith Park) road, under the electric sign of Hollywoodland, around Lake Hollywood and across the dam." The sign will inspire lyrics in numerous songs including Hollywood Sign by Peter Sarstedt, Feelin' Alive by The Jonas Brothers (2010) and Party In The USA by Miley Cyrus (2009).

The Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925 comes into effect in The United Kingdom, making the sale of peerages or other honours illegal. It was brought in after the Liberal Party government of David Lloyd George, was involved in a widespread and long-term sale of honours, for the personal financial gain of the Prime Minister. The scandal will inspire the popular song Lloyd George Knew My Father.

Haile Selassie is crowned Emperor of Ethiopia, Africa. In due course, Selassie will become revered in the Rastafari movement as the returned messiah of the Bible, and numerous songs will be inspired by him, including Selassie Is The Chapel by Bob Marley and Haile Selassie by Bright Eyes. One specific incident in Selassie's life is documented in the 1937 record Selassie Is Held By The Police recorded for Decca Records by The Caresser with Gerald Clark And His Caribbean Serenaders.

Kodak announces the launch of Kodachrome, a new type of film. Paul Simon's 1973 song, Kodachrome, will be inspired by this invention.

A massive hurricane, which will come to be known as The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, hits the Florida Keys killing 423 people, with bodies eventually being recovered as far away as Flamingo and Cape Sable on the southwest tip of the Florida mainland. The 2003 song Storm Of The Century by Chris Foster is inspired by accounts of this cataclysmic natural event.

Popular actress Marie Prevost dies of acute alcoholism in Los Angeles, California, USA, at the age of 38. Her body will not be discovered until January 23, after neighbors complain about her dog's incessant barking. In her room, police will find several empty liquor bottles and a promissory note to Joan Crawford for $110. Nick Lowe will be inspired to chronicle Prevost's life and death in his song Marie Provost in 1978.

Austrian-American psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich is arrested at his home at 2am by the FBI, and taken to Ellis Island, where he will be held for over three weeks, because he is an immigrant with a communist background. Reich's work and beliefs will subsequently lead him into many conflicts with US authorities and he will eventually die in jail in 1957. Kate Bush's 1985 song Cloudbusting tells the story of Reich's arrest and incarceration through the eyes of his son, Peter.

Phil Spector's father, Benjamin, commits suicide by inhaling carbon monoxide fumes in his car, because of insurmountable debt problems. Written on his tombstone will be the words, To Know Him Was To Love Him, prompting Phil to write the song To Know Him Is To Love Him which he will record a decade later with The Teddy Bears, giving him his first hit single.

The Korean War, between South and North Korea, begins and will continue for three years. This horrific conflict will inspire the ultra-patriotic song The Voice Of Free America by country singer Jimmie Osborne.

The West Indies solidly defeat England in the second Test Match at Lords Cricket Ground, London, England, UK, Europe. At the end of the game, calypso singer Lord Kitchener leads a group of delighted West Indians in a victory parade around the field. Kitchener will go on to write an account of the match in his popular song Cricket, Lovely Cricket.

Patti D'Arbanville is born in New York City, USA. She will find success as an actress and will also inspire the Cat Stevens song Lady D'Arbanville.

Caryl Chessman, on death row in San Quentin Prison, San Quentin, California, USA, for rape, kidnapping and robbery, is granted a 60 day stay of execution. Chessman's case had attracted much public attention and sympathy and four days later Ronnie Hawkins will record The Ballad Of Caryl Chessman which will become a minor hit. Country vocalist Johnny Mathis [not the popular crooner] will record a song called Caryl Chessman, and Jimmy Minor will release Death Row.

The Four Freshmen record Their Hearts Were Full Of Spring, written by Bobby Troup, at Capitol Recording Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA. Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys will be so inspired by this song's melody that he will borrow it for his composition A Young Man Is Gone. (1960)

The Shadows play at The Globe, Stockton, England, UK, Europe. To commemorate this night, Hank Marvin of The Shadows will compose a song entitled Stars Fell On Stockton, which will appear as the b-side of the 1962 Shadow's hit Wonderful Land.

Two young men from East Berlin become the first to be killed while trying to cross The Berlin Wall from East to West Germany, Europe. During the history of the Berlin Wall (1961 to 1989), nearly 80 people will be killed trying to escape. The song In Memory Of The Martyrs by Barclay James Harvest is about the sacrifice made by those people.

Julie Christie makes her breakthough as an actress when the film Billy Liar opens in the UK. Christie makes a significant impact in the role of Liz, one of Billy Liar's girlfriends. As well as appearing in many more movies, including Dr. Zhivago, Far From The Madding Crowd and The Go-Between. She will also inspire at least two songwriters, appearing as Julie in The Kinks' song Waterloo Sunset (1967) and taking centre stage in Brian Eno's Julie With... (1977).

Love have two recording sessions in Los Angeles, California, USA, starting at four in the afternoon, for their first album. They cut their Elektra Records debut single, My Little Red Book (composed by Burt Bacharach and Hal David), plus You I'll Be Following. Pink Floyd's manager Peter Jenner will hear My Little Red Book while on a visit to California, and will subsequently attempt to sing the guitar riff to Pink Floyd, whose leader Syd Barrett will attempt to copy Jenner's singing. Barrett's interpretation will become the basic riff of the 1967 Pink Floyd track Interstellar Overdrive.

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by The Beatles reaches No1 on the Billboard Albums chart in the USA. This album includes the song Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds, whose title will be misheard by John Fred Gourrier as Lucy In Disguise With Diamonds, which will inspire him him to write the song Judy In Disguise With Glasses - a major hit single later in the year for John Fred And The Playboy Band.

During sessions at Sunset Sound Recorders, Los Angeles, California, USA, for their album Forever Changes, Love record Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark And Hilldale which features a distinctive trumpet solo. Many years later, in 1983, Scottish band Aztec Camera will release a single called Oblivious which includes a guitar solo all but identical to the trumpet solo on Maybe The People.

Tilly Devine, a notorious madam and wealthy crime syndicate member, dies of cancer, aged 70, at the Concord Repatriation Hospital in Sydney, Australia, Oceania. Her infamous doings will inspire the 1990 Icehouse hit single Miss Devine.

Twenty-six unarmed civil-rights protesters and bystanders are shot by soldiers of the British Army during a protest in the Bogside area of Derry, Northern Ireland, UK. The incident will become known as Bloody Sunday and will be recorded in the U2 song Sunday Bloody Sunday. Others who have written songs on this topic include John Lennon, Roy Harper, Christy Moore, The Wolfetones and Cruachan.

The documentary Too Long A Winter is broadcast by ITV in the UK. The film is centred on the life of Hannah Hauxwell, a Yorkshire farmer living without electricity or running water. Hauxwell will become, briefly, something of a celebrity, and her life will inspire the 2020 song Perfectly Formed by Fassine.

Campus policeman Terry Marker at Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA, is injured when he opens a suspicious package addressed to materials engineering professor Buckley Crist. This will prove to be the first of many bombs sent by Ted Kaczynski, later known as The Unabomber. Over the next 17 years, Kaczynski will mail or hand-deliver a series of increasingly sophisticated explosive devices that will kill three people and injure 23 more. Kaczynski's bombings will provide inspiration for songs including I Wanna Be A Unabomber by The Donnas, Unabomber by The Acacia Strain and Killer Kaczynski by Mando Diao.

Jeremy Wade Delle, a student at Richardson High School, 1250 W. Belt Line Road, Dallas, Texas, USA, shoots himself in the head in front of his classmates. His tragic death will become the subject of the 1992 song Jeremy by Pearl Jam.

In Simi Valley, Los Angeles, California, USA, after seven days of jury deliberations, all five officers accused of the brutal battery of speeding suspect Rodney King are aquitted of assault and three of the five are aquitted of using excessive force. This is despite the existence of video footage clearing showing the battering. The jury's decision sparks off several days of rioting in Los Angeles. The attack on King and the subsequent riots will inspire several songs including We Had to Tear This Motherfucka Up by Ice Cube, April 29, 1992 [Miami] by Sublime, L.A.P.D. by The Offspring, The Day Tha Niggaz Took Over by Dr Dre, Livin' On The Edge by Aerosmith, We Shall Be Free by Garth Brooks, Like A King by Ben Harper, Rodney King by The Boo Radleys and Burn by Jughead's Revenge.

A series of four co-ordinated suicide attacks on the USA, usually referred to as The 9/11 Attacks, take place in New York City and Washington, D.C. Terrorists from the Islamist militant group Al-Qaeda hijack four passenger jets and deliberately crash two of them, American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175, into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City. Another plane, American Airlines Flight 77, is crashed into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia. The fourth jet, United Airlines Flight 93, crashes into a field near Shanksville, Pennsylvania after passengers attempt to take control before it can reach its intended target in Washington, D.C. Nearly 3,000 people die in the attacks. Several songs will be written about the attacks including The Rising by Bruce Springsteen, Let's Roll by Neil Youn, Wall Street by Van Dyke Parks and This Ain't No Rag, It's A Flag by Charlie Daniels. The track 9-11-01 by Soulfly consists of one minute of silence. Several songs on Trouble Is Real, the debut LP by Johnathan Rice, are about the attacks, including City On Fire, Put Me In Your Holy War, and Salvation Day.

4-20-02 by Pearl Jam is about the day on which Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam heard about the death of Layne Staley of Alice in Chains.