Author Archives: dcaligari

May 31, 1819 –The genius of the United States is not best or most in its executives or legislatures, nor in its ambassadors or authors or colleges, or churches, or parlors, nor even in its newspapers or inventors, but always most in the common people. A great New Yorker and even greater poet, Walt WhitmanContinue reading “Walt Whitman”

May 31, 1992 –The last episode of the original series, Night Court: The 1992 Boat Show aired on NBC-TV, on this date. This episode was actually aired out of order. The two parter, Opportunity Knocks, which aired before this episode, was the finale of the series. This episode never aired on its original air dateContinue reading “Night Court ended (for the first time)”

May 31, 1999 –The VH1 documentary series Behind the Music began airing nightly with their premiere episode The Red Hot Chili Peppers: Behind the Music. Anthony Kiedis and Flea (bass guitar) first met when they were both 15 and attending high school together. (20 years after the program, the band is still going strong.)

May 31, 1976 –Tom Waits begins a two-week stint performing at Ronnie Scott’s Club in Soho, London, England, run by Pete King, on this date. The experience inspired Waits to write The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me)(An Evening with Pete King). Waits recorded this song, along with the rest of the album, Small Change,Continue reading “The piano has been drinking, my necktie is asleep …”

May 31, 1976 –Ten years after it appeared on The Beatles’ Revolver album, Capitol Records issues Got To Get You Into My Life as a single on this date. A British rock group called Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers released this song as a single around the same time it appeared on The BeatlesContinue reading “It took awhile but …”

May 30, 1964 –The Beatles first single, of their own material, Love Me Do, (the B side was P.S., I Love You,) released in England in 1962, hit # 1 on the Billboard 100 in the US on this date. The Beatles recorded versions of this song with three different drummers. At their first ParlophoneContinue reading “Love Me Do was released”

May 30, 1980 –Peter Gabriel released his third solo studio album, which is self-titled, on this date. It features the songs, Games Without Frontiers, Biko, and I Don’t Remember. The album is sometimes referred to as Melt, owing to its cover photograph by Hipgnosis. Some music streaming services refer to it as Peter Gabriel 3:Continue reading “Maybe he could be bothered to come up with a title”

You would be forgiven if you were slightly confused – The Kentucky Derby would seem like a perfectly fine day to honor this drink. Perhaps gamblers finally sobered up after their losses that day and decided to celebrate the beverage. The American word ‘julep‘ can be traced to French julep, which comes from the ArabicContinue reading “For some reason it’s National Mint Julep Day”

May 30, 1956 – RKO Radio Pictures released Fritz Lang’s late period film-noir classic, While The City Sleeps, starring Dana Andrews, Vincent Price and Ida Lupino (with whom you don’t fuck with) opened on this date. According to Film Noir historian Eddie Mueller in the commentary for Where the Sidewalk Ends, Dana Andrews was drunkContinue reading “While The City Sleeps premiered”

May 30, 1939 –John Ford’s bio pix of President Abraham Lincoln, Young Mr. Lincoln starring Henry Fonda, Alice Brady, Marjorie Weaver, and Arleen Whelan, opened in Springfield, Illinois on this date. Henry Fonda originally turned down the role of Lincoln, saying he didn’t think he could play such a great man. He changed his mindContinue reading “Young Mr. Lincoln premiered”