Monthly Archives: May 2021

British sink German battleship Bismarck off France with a loss of some 2,100 lives 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 27 1941)

1940s, World War II


Video: '092 - Sink the Bismarck! - The Pride of the Kriegsmarine's Demise - WW2 - May 30 1941' (Operation Rheinübung at 0:43)

(Tuesday, May 27, 1941, 10:39 a.m. Central European Summer Time; during the Last battle of the battleship Bismarck, part of Operation Rheinübung, part of the Battle of the Atlantic, during World War II) — British ships and planes sank the German battleship Bismarck today 400 miles west of the French port of Brest, with a loss of more than 2,100 lives, three days after the Bismarck sank the 42,100-ton battle cruiser HMS Hood with the loss of more than 1,400 lives.
Continue reading British sink German battleship Bismarck off France with a loss of some 2,100 lives 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 27 1941) →

John Lennon tracks ‘How Do You Sleep?’ and ‘Crippled Inside’ with George Harrison 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 26 1971)

1970s, Popular Music 1970s, The Beatles 1970s


Video: 'How do you Sleep John Lennon'

(Wednesday, May 26, 1971) — Former Beatle John Lennon, with former bandmate George Harrison in attendance, tracked 11 takes (5 complete) of “How Do You Sleep?” and recorded 6 takes (2 complete) of “Crippled Inside” today at Ascot Sound Studios, his home recording facility at Tittenhurst Park near Ascot in Berkshire.
Continue reading John Lennon tracks ‘How Do You Sleep?’ and ‘Crippled Inside’ with George Harrison 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 26 1971) →

John Lennon tracks ‘Gimme Some Truth,’ ‘How?’ and ‘Oh Yoko!’ 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 25 1971)

1970s, Popular Music 1970s, The Beatles 1970s


Video: 'Gimme Some Truth (Take 4)'

(Tuesday, May 25, 1971) — Former Beatle John Lennon tracked 5 takes (1 complete) of “Gimme Some Truth,” 42 takes (7 complete) of “How?” and one take of “Oh Yoko!” today at Ascot Sound Studios, his home recording facility at Tittenhurst Park near Ascot in Berkshire.
Continue reading John Lennon tracks ‘Gimme Some Truth,’ ‘How?’ and ‘Oh Yoko!’ 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 25 1971) →

President Kennedy aims to put an American on the Moon ‘before this decade is out’ 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 25 1961)

1960s, space exploration, U.S. Presidents


Video: 'President Kennedy's "Moon Address" to Congress, May 25, 1961'

(Thursday, May 25, 1961, 12:30-1:00 p.m. EDT) — U.S. President John F. Kennedy, addressing a joint session of the Congress today, declared “I believe this nation should commit itself, to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the earth.” Continue reading President Kennedy aims to put an American on the Moon ‘before this decade is out’ 60 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 25 1961) →

John Lennon tracks ‘Jealous Guy’ and ‘I Don’t Wanna Be a Soldier Mama’ 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 24 1971)

1970s, Popular Music 1970s, The Beatles 1970s


Video: 'Jealous Guy (Elements Mix)'

(Monday, May 24, 1971) — Former Beatle John Lennon tracked 28 takes (4 complete) of “Jealous Guy” and 8 takes (3 complete) of a remake of “I Don’t Wanna Be a Soldier Mama” today at Ascot Sound Studios, his home recording facility at Tittenhurst Park near Ascot in Berkshire.
Continue reading John Lennon tracks ‘Jealous Guy’ and ‘I Don’t Wanna Be a Soldier Mama’ 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 24 1971) →

Germans sink British battle cruiser HMS Hood in Battle of the Denmark Strait 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 24 1941)

1940s, World War II


Video: '092 - Sink the Bismarck! - The Pride of the Kriegsmarine's Demise - WW2 - May 30 1941' (Operation Rheinübung at 0:43)

(Saturday, May 24, 1941, at about 6:00 a.m. local time; during the Battle of the Denmark Strait, part of Operation Rheinübung, part of the Battle of the Atlantic, during World War II) — The 42,100-ton battle cruiser Hood, pride of the British Fleet and the world’s biggest fighting vessel, was blown up today by an “unlucky hit” scored on a munitions magazine by the new German battleship Bismarck in an engagement off Greenland. Continue reading Germans sink British battle cruiser HMS Hood in Battle of the Denmark Strait 80 years ago this hour #OnThisDay #OTD (May 24 1941) →

John Lennon records ‘Imagine’ piano demo 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 23 1971)

1970s, Popular Music 1970s, The Beatles 1970s


Video: 'John Lennon - Imagine (original demo)'

(Sunday, May 23, 1971) — Former Beatle John Lennon recorded a piano/vocal demo of “Imagine” today at Ascot Sound Studios, his home recording facility at Tittenhurst Park near Ascot in Berkshire.
Continue reading John Lennon records ‘Imagine’ piano demo 50 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 23 1971) →

‘Watching the Wheels’ by John Lennon peaks at #10 in USA 40 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 23 1981)

1980s, Popular Music 1980s, The Beatles 1970s


Video: 'WATCHING THE WHEELS. (Ultimate Mix, 2020) - John Lennon (official music video HD)'

(Saturday, May 23, 1981) — “Watching the Wheels,” by former Beatle John Lennon peaks at #10 on today’s Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for two weeks.
Continue reading ‘Watching the Wheels’ by John Lennon peaks at #10 in USA 40 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 23 1981) →

‘I Missed Again’ by Phil Collins peaks at #19 in USA 40 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 23 1981)

1980s, Popular Music 1980s

(Saturday, May 23, 1981) — “I Missed Again” by Phil Collins peaked at #19 on today’s Billboard Hot 100 singles chart (his first solo chart record on the Hot 100) for two weeks. Continue reading ‘I Missed Again’ by Phil Collins peaks at #19 in USA 40 years ago #OnThisDay #OTD (May 23 1981) →