On this day in 1981: R,E.M. made their first ever-recording sessions at Bombay Studios in Smyrna, Georgia. Tracks included ‘Gardening At Night’, ‘Radio Free Europe’ and ‘(Don’t Go Back To) Rockville.’
On this day in 1983: Winners at the second annual Brit Awards held in London included Paul McCartney, who won Best British Male Solo Artist, Kim Wilde won Best British Female Solo Artist, Dire Straits won Best British Group, British Breakthrough Act went to Yazoo, International Act was Kid Creole & The Coconuts, Best Selling Single was Dexy’s Midnight Runners “Come On Eileen” and the Life Achievement Award went to Pete Townshend.
On this day in 1986: Billy Ocean started a four week run at #1 on the U.K. singles chart with ‘When The Going Gets Tough, The Tough Get Going’, as featured in the film ‘The Jewel Of The Nile.’ The video was banned in the U.K. because it featured non-musician union members.
Here’s a look at the Top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day back in 1986:
1 1 THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR –•– Dionne & Friends (Arista)-14 (4 Weeks at #1) (1)
2 2 BURNING HEART –•– Survivor (Scotti Brothers)-15 (2)
3 3 I’M YOUR MAN –•– Wham! (Columbia)-11 (3)
4 7 WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING –•– Billy Ocean (Jive)-11 (4)
5 11 HOW WILL I KNOW –•– Whitney Houston (Arista)-10 (5)
6 13 KYRIE –•– Mr. Mister (RCA)-8 (6)
7 8 SPIES LIKE US –•– Paul McCartney (Capitol)-12 (7)
8 4 TALK TO ME –•– Stevie Nicks (Modern)-13 (4)
9 15 LIVING IN AMERICA –•– James Brown (Scotti Brothers)-10 (9)
10 12 CONGA –•– Miami Sound Machine (Epic)-17 (10)
11 10 GO HOME –•– Stevie Wonder (Tamla)-12 (10)
12 16 THE SWEETEST TABOO –•– Sade (Portrait)-12 (12)
13 6 MY HOMETOWN –•– Bruce Springsteen (Columbia)-10 (6)
14 5 SAY YOU, SAY ME –•– Lionel Richie (Motown)-14 (1)
15 23 SARA –•– Starship (Grunt)-7 (15)
16 20 LIFE IN A NORTHERN TOWN –•– Dream Academy (Warner Brothers)-11 (16)
17 9 WALK OF LIFE –•– Dire Straits (Warner Brothers)-15 (7)
18 24 SILENT RUNNING (On Dangerous Ground) –•– Mike + The Mechanics (Atlantic)-12 (18)
19 22 A LOVE BIZARRE –•– Sheila E. (Paisley Park)-13 (19)
20 18 SIDEWALK TALK –•– Jellybean featuring Madonna (EMI-America)-13 (18)
