On this day in 1983: Motown Records celebrated its 25th anniversary with a concert in Pasadena, featuring; The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Martha Reeves, Jr. Walker, The Commodores, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson and The Jackson 5. Michael Jackson would introduce his “moonwalk” dance at the concert while performing ‘Billie Jean.”
On this day in 1986: Guns N’ Roses signed a world-wide deal with Geffen Records. The band has now sold more than 100 million albums worldwide. Their 1987 debut album, ‘Appetite For Destruction’ has sold in excess of 28 million copies worldwide.
On this day in 1989: Mike & The Mechanics went to #1 on the U.S. singles chart with “The Living Years.” It would spend one week in the top spot.
‘The Living Years’ is a ballad written by B.A. Robertson and Mike Rutherford, and recorded by Rutherford’s British rock band Mike & The Mechanics. It was released in December of 1988 in the United Kingdom and in the United States as the second single from their album ‘Living Years.’ The song was a chart hit around the world, topping the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 on March 25, 1989. It also spent four weeks at #1 on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart. Paul Carrack sings lead vocals on the track.
The song addresses a son’s regret over unresolved conflict with his now-deceased father. It initially gave the impression that the song was about disagreements between Mike Rutherford and his father, who had recently died. In an interview, Rutherford said: “The lyrics were written by BA [Robertson], and the song is about something he went through. He lost his dad, and it’s about the lack of communication between him and his father before he died. There’s also the irony of him having a baby just after losing his father.”
It won the Ivor Novello Award for Best Song Musically & Lyrically in 1989, and was nominated for four Grammy awards in 1990, including Record and Song of the Year, as well as Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals and Best Video.
Here’s a look at the Top 20 on the U.S. singles chart from this day back in 1989:
1 2 THE LIVING YEARS –•– Mike & The Mechanics – 12 (1)
2 6 ETERNAL FLAME –•– The Bangles – 8 (2)
3 4 GIRL YOU KNOW IT’S TRUE –•– Milli Vanilli – 12 (3)
4 8 THE LOOK –•– Roxette – 7 (4)
5 7 MY HEART CAN’T TELL YOU NO –•– Rod Stewart – 16 (5)
6 1 LOST IN YOUR EYES –•– Debbie Gibson – 10 (1)
7 14 SHE DRIVES ME CRAZY –•– Fine Young Cannibals – 9 (7)
8 12 WALK THE DINOSAUR –•– Was Not Was – 9 (8)
9 3 RONI –•– Bobby Brown – 12 (3)
10 11 YOU’RE NOT ALONE –•– Chicago – 10 (10)
11 5 PARADISE CITY –•– Guns N’ Roses – 11 (5)
12 13 DREAMIN’ –•– Vanessa Williams – 12 (12)
13 10 DON’T TELL ME LIES –•– Breathe – 11 (10)
14 19 STAND –•– R.E.M. – 10 (14)
15 16 JUST BECAUSE –•– Anita Baker – 10 (15)
16 20 YOU GOT IT –•– Roy Orbison – 10 (16)
17 22 SUPERWOMAN –•– Karyn White – 9 (17)
18 9 YOU GOT IT (THE RIGHT STUFF) –•– New Kids On The Block – 19 (3)
19 15 I BEG YOUR PARDON –•– Kon Kan – 14 (15)
20 25 YOUR MAMA DON’T DANCE –•– Poison – 6 (20)
