(SOMETHING INSIDE) SO STRONG IS A SONG WRITTEN AND RECORDED, LABI SIFFRE.
IT WAS RELEASED AS A SINGLE IN 1987 AND WAS THE SONG THAT BROUGHT HIM BACK TO MAINSTREAM POPULARITY IN HIS HOME COUNTRY.
THE SONG WAS INSPIRED BY A TV DOCUMENTARY ON APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA SEEN BY SIFFRE IN 1985 IN WHICH A WHITE SOLDIER WAS FILMED SHOOTING AT BLACK CHILDREN. APPALLED, HE PENNED THE SONG AS AN ANTHEM AGAINST THE WHITE SUPREMACIST REGIME, CALLING ON AFRICANS TO STAND TALL IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY.
THE SONG WAS THE BIGGEST SUCCESS SIFFRE HAD IN HIS CAREER, PEAKING AT NUMBER FOUR IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND BRINGING HIM OUT OF SELF-IMPOSED RETIREMENT AND BACK INTO THE PUBLIC EYE
1969, AMERICAN SOUL SINGER SHORTY LONG DROWNED AGED 29 AFTER HIS BOAT CAPSIZED ON THE DETROIT RIVER IN MICHIGAN. HAD THE 1968 US NO.8 SINGLE ‘HERE COMES THE JUDGE.’ HE ACTED AS AN MC FOR MANY OF THE MOTOWN REVUE SHOWS AND TOURS.
1974, CHARLES AZNAVOUR WAS AT NO.1 ON THE UK SINGLES CHART WITH ‘SHE’, THE FRENCH SINGERS ONLY UK NO.1. AT THE TIME IT MADE AZNAVOUR THE OLDEST LIVING MALE CHART-TOPPER IN THE UK CHARTS (AT FIFTY YEARS OLD).
1975, AMERICAN SINGER SONGWRITER TIM BUCKLEY DIED OF AN OVERDOSE OF HEROIN AND MORPHINE AGED 28. RELEASED NINE ALBUMS INCLUDING THE 1972 RELEASE ‘GREETINGS FROM L.A.’ BUCKLEY IS THE FATHER OF SINGER SONGWRITER JEFF BUCKLEY
1984, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN KICKED OFF THE FIRST LEG OF HIS BORN IN THE USA TOUR WITH A THREE NIGHT RUN AT THE CIVIC CENTER IN ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA. SPRINGSTEEN WOULD PLAY A TOTAL OF 156 SHOWS ENDING ON OCTOBER 2, 1985 IN LOS ANGELES.
1985, DAVID BOWIE AND MICK JAGGER RECORDED A VERSION OF THE MARTHA REEVES AND THE VANDELLAS 1964 HIT ‘DANCING IN THE STREET.” FOR THE FORTHCOMING ‘LIVE AID’ FUNDRAISING EVENT. THE SINGLE WENT ON TO BECOME A NO.1 UK HIT.
1988, THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER REPORTED THAT MANY MUSIC CD’S WOULD FADE AND DISTORT OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS DUE TO MANUFACTURING FAULTS, SENDING SHOCK-WAVES THROUGH THE MUSIC INDUSTRY.
1988, BRENDA RICHIE, THE WIFE OF LIONEL RICHIE WAS ARRESTED IN BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA AFTER ALLEGEDLY HITTING THE SINGER AND A YOUNG WOMAN AFTER SHE FOUND THEM IN BED TOGETHER. SHE WAS RELEASED ON $5,000 BAIL AND CHARGES AGAINST HER WERE EVENTUALLY DROPPED.
2007, LILY ALLEN WAS QUESTIONED BY POLICE OVER AN ALLEGED ASSAULT ON A PHOTOGRAPHER OUTSIDE A NIGHTCLUB IN LONDON. SHE WAS FREED ON POLICE BAIL AFTER SHE WAS QUIZZED ABOUT AN ALLEGED ASSAULT ON A MALE PHOTOGRAPHER IN HIS 40S NEAR THE WARDOUR CLUB IN LONDON’S SOHO IN MARCH.
BORN ON THIS DAY
1953 – COLIN HAY, MEN AT WORK,
1964 – STEDMAN PEARSON, SINGER, 5 STAR
1978 – NICOLE SCHERZINGER, SINGER,
1979 – RICHARD BREEN, VOCALS, FIVE
1943 – ROGER SPEAR, KAZOO, JEW’S HARP, MUSICAL TOYS, BONZO DOG DOO DAH BAND
DIED ON 18TH JANUARY 1990.
1945 – LITTLE EVA, US SINGER. SHE WAS BABYSITTING FOR CAROLE KING AND GERRY GOFFIN WHO ASKED HER TO RECORD A SONG THEY HAD WRITTEN. IT GAVE HER THE 1962 US NO.1 & UK NO.2 SINGLE ‘THE LOCO-MOTION’. SHE DIED ON APRIL 10TH 2003.
1948- IAN PAICE, DRUMMER, DEEP PURPLE
