Amazing facts!!! A new occasional series

[michael_churchill]

This may make you feel old...
At the half-way point between today and the end of World War II, number one in the charts was "The Reflex" by Duran Duran.

[michael_churchill]

The main riff of 'My Name Is' by Eminem was sampled from Labi Siffre's 1975 song 'I Got The...' and was played by Chas and Dave.

[tubeguru]

The main riff of 'My Name Is' by Eminem was sampled from Labi Siffre's 1975 song 'I Got The...' and was played by Chas and Dave.

Did you also know that various parts of that song have been sampled in over 32 other known songs?

[michael_churchill]

Not many records that have reached number one in the chart were recorded live. So, it's a coincidence that two of them, "My Ding-A-Ling" by Chuck Berry and "Too Much Too Young EP" by the Specials were recorded at the same venue! "My Ding-A-Ling" was recorded during the Lanchester Arts Festival at the Locarno Ballroom in Coventry in 1972. Renamed Tiffany's, side B of the Specials' EP, the Skinhead Symphony medley was recorded there in 1979. The title track was recorded at the Lyceum in London. The venue closed in 1981 and is now the site of the city's central library.

[michael_churchill]

The star and the composer of the score of (the original) "The Italian Job" are exactly the same age. Both Michael Caine and Quincy Jones were born on 14 March 1933.

[michael_churchill]

Swedish songwriter Thomas G:son (Gustafsson) has had his compositions appear in the Eurovision Song Contest 15 times, plus the cancelled 2020 contest: 4 times for Sweden, 3 times for Spain and Georgia, twice for Cyprus and once for Norway, Denmark and Malta. "Tattoo" is his second win, having also co-written Loreen's previous winner, "Euphoria". In 2007, 2012, 2015 and 2016 he had two songs in the contest.

[tubeguru]

Swedish songwriter Thomas G:son (Gustafsson) has had his compositions appear in the Eurovision Song Contest 15 times, plus the cancelled 2020 contest: 4 times for Sweden, 3 times for Spain and Georgia, twice for Cyprus and once for Norway, Denmark and Malta. "Tattoo" is his second win, having also co-written Loreen's previous winner, "Euphoria". In 2007, 2012, 2015 and 2016 he had two songs in the contest.

Another amazing fact - Tattoo is largely plagiarised from a song by Ukrainian singer Mika Newton.

But hey, anything to get the competition back to Sweden for ABBA's 50th anniversary, eh?

[jrparkin]

Titanic and Tomorrow Never Dies were released on the same day, despite the James Bond film officially starting production after Titanic wrapped

[michael_churchill]

Because overseas departments like French Guiana are all considered part of the country of France, the greatest distance between capital cities of countries that share a border is between Paris and Brasilia (approx. 8730km depending on definition). Ignoring similar oddities it would be Moscow to Pyongyang (6410km).

[michael_churchill]

The surfing competitions at the 2024 Olympics will be held at Teajupo'o on Tahiti. Being 15,716km from Paris, it will set a new record for the Olympic venue furthest from the host city.

[michael_churchill]

As a pirate character "Mad Cap'n Tom", Youtuber Tom Scott stood as a candidate in the constituency of Cities of London and Westminster at the 2010 general election and Noel Gallagher has said that his was one of 84 votes he received.

[michael_churchill]

In the competition to find the song that Lulu would sing in the 1969 Eurovision Song Contest, the song that placed sixth and last in the final public voting, "I Can't Go On Living Without You", was an early composition by Elton John & Bernie Taupin.

[michael_churchill]

Founder of Motown Records, Berry Gordy, and former US President, Jimmy Carter, are second cousins. Berry Gordy's grandfather was the son of James Gordy, a white plantation owner in Georgia and one of his slaves. Jimmy Carter's grandfather was one of James Gordy's legitimate children.

[Iain]

The tune for the "I'm a secret lemonade drinker" was written by Elvis Costello's father. A young Elvis sang backing vocals

[michael_churchill]

Hal Blaine was an American session drummer who appeared on 39 singles that reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 (including "I Got You Babe", "Good Vibrations", "Mrs. Robinson" and "(They Long To Be) Close To You"), and played on six consecutive winners of the Grammy for Record of the Year (1966-1971).