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Foreign. This is the Music History Today podcast for March 3rd. On today's show, Madonna shockingly, not shockingly, causes controversy with a music video. Before we forget, though, we very humbly ask you to like and subscribe to the channel. If you do find it interesting, I say it helps. With the algorithm, who knows? But if you do, thank you very much. I appreciate it. First up, though, on this date in 1794, composer Joseph Hayden premiered his 101st Symphony in D at the Hanover Square Rooms in London, England. In 1842, composer Felix Mendelssohn conducted the premiere of his Third Symphony, also known as the Scottish Symphony, in Leipzig. In 1875, composer George Bizet premiered his famous opera Carmen. In 1931, President Herbert Hoover signed the act declaring Francis Scott Key's song the Star Spangled Banner to be the United States national anthem. Also in 1931, by the way, Cab Calloway recorded his signature song, Minnie the Moocher for Brunswick Records in New York City. In 1944, composer Samuel Barber's Second Symphony, aka symphony dedicated to the air Forces, premiered with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In 1955, Elvis Presley performed on television for the first time. It was on the TV show Louisiana Hayride on KSLA TV in Shreveport, Louisiana. In 1957, Samuel Cardinal Stritch issued a pastoral letter banning rock and roll and other quote, juvenile music from the Roman Catholic schools in Chicago, Illinois. In 1960, Elvis Presley's United States army plane touched down for a refueling stop at Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire, Scotland. While he was on his way home after serving his military duty in Germany, he signed autographs and spoke with the base personnel. The reason why this was such an important event was that it was the only time that Elvis ever set foot publicly in the United Kingdom. He never performed in the uk, Although it was recently revealed that he was in the United Kingdom in 1958 on a secret tourist visit to see the sights in London with singer Tommy Steele. In 1966, the group Buffalo Springfield was formed. Their original name was the herd. In 1967, the Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart played live for the first time. It was at the Town Hall Astoria in London, England. In 1974, Johnny Cash was a guest star on an episode of Columbo on NBC television. In 1978, Whitesnake played live for the first time. It was at the Lincoln Technical College in Lincoln, England. Technically, that was where I was born. Not the college, but the town of Lincoln, England. In 1978, same day Van Halen went on their first World Tour. They they kicked it off at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago. In 1981, U2 started their first US tour. They kicked off their US tour with two shows at the Bayou in Washington D.C. in 1985, Michael Jackson made an appearance and brought traffic to a stop at Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in London, England to celebrate his wax figure that went on display there. In 1989, Madonna's music video for the song Like a Prayer debuted on mtv. The controversy about the video led to Pepsi pulling the commercial that they had debuted with her just the night before. In case you thought for some reason that Cancel Culture was a new thing been around for decades, in 1991, the tabloid television show Hard Copy ran a story where they showed video of what they said was a ritual killing of someone on a farm in Michigan. It was actually the band Nine Inch Nails filming their video for the song down in it off their album Pretty Hate Machine, which was their debut album. In 1995, Bill Barry of REM had emergency surgery for a brain aneurysm after he collapsed on stage in Switzerland only days earlier. In 2006, Gary Glitter started a three year prison sentence. Let's just say for things that Jeffrey Epstein, you can figure it out. In 2008, producer and engineer for the Beatles, Mr. Hurricane Smith, passed away at the age of 85. In 2012, Ronnie Montrose of the group Montrose and also the group Gamma passed away at the age of 64. In 2017, Nickelback became the first Canadian band to be certified by the Recording Industry association of America to have sold 10 million copies of an album in America. That album was all the right reasons. In 2019, HBO aired part one of the Michael Jackson documentary Leaving Neverland, which led to people canceling him and radio stations taking his music off their airwaves at least for a hot second until the controversy died down. And of course, his music's been on ever since. Sometimes Cancel Culture isn't really Cancel Culture. And to round things out, in 2023, De La Soul's first six albums were released for streaming after label and sampling disputes kept them from streaming services for decades. Basically, in award ceremonies that were held on March 3rd in 1957, the Netherlands won the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1973, the album version of George Harrison's charity concert, the Concert for Bangladesh won the Album of the Year at the Grammy Awards. Roberta Flack won Song and Record of the Year for the first time ever. I Saw youw Face during that same ceremony. And in 1975, Barbra Streisand was among the big winners at the first People's Choice Awards, albums that were released on March 3 include in 1968, when Laura Nero released the art pop classic album eli and the Thirteenth Confession. In 1972, Stevie Wonder released the first album of his classic period, as they call it, that album, Music of My mind. Also in 1972, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas released their final album Black Magic. In 1977, Bad Company released Burn in Sky. In 1978, Patti Smith released her best selling album Easter, which had the song because the Night written by Bruce Springsteen. Also in 1978, by the way, Frank Zappa released the live double album Zappa in New York. In 1979, Frank Zappa was added again, this time releasing the album Chic your booty. In 1986, Metallica released what is considered by many to be the greatest thrash metal album of all time, the classic Master of puppets. In 1987, boogie down production BDP as they were called back in the day, released Criminal Minded, their classic hip hop album. Here's another classic hip hop album for you. In 1989, De La Soul, the aforementioned De La Soul released Three Feet High and Rising. In 1992, David Byrne released oh, and also on that same day, Chic released Chicism and the Disgrace. Disposable Heroes of Hypocrisy released Hypocrisy Is the greatest luxury. In 1998, Madonna released her big electronica album Ray of Light. In 2008, the Black Crows released their first album in seven years called War Paint. And also on that same exact day, the group Chumbawambas album the Boy Bands have Won broke the record for the longest album title at 160 words. For the record, the official album title is the Boy bands have won and all the copyists and the tribute bands and the TV talent show producers have won. If we allow our culture to be shaped by mimicry, whether from lack of ideas or from exaggerated respect, you should never try to freeze culture. Or what you can do is recycle that culture. Take your older brother's hand me down jacket and restyle it, refashion it to the point where it becomes your own. But don't just regurgitate creative history or hold art and music and literature as fixed, untouchable and kept under glass. The people who try to guard any particular form of music are like the copyists and manufactured bands doing it the worst disservice. Because the only thing that you can do to music that will damage it is not to change it, not make it your own, because then it dies, then it's over, then it's done. And the boy bands have won. You know, for the record, I think the boy bands have Won was probably the best way to go with that title. That's a long one. In 2009, U2 released their album no Line on the Horizon, which some would say was their comeback album at that point again. And in 2023, Morgan Whelan released One Thing at a Time. Singles that were released on March 3 include in 1961, when the Supremes released their first single, I Want a guy. In 1969, the Beach Boys released I Can Hear Music. In 1979, Frank Zappa released Bobby Brown Goes Down. In 1986, Julian Lennon released Stick Around. In 1990, Tom Petty released A Face in the Crowd, in 1992, Soundgarden released Rusty Cage, and in 2000, Madonna released American Pie. Artists who were born on March 3 include singer Camila Cabello, Willie Chambers of the Chambers Brothers, Mike Pender of the Searchers, RE Styles of the Tubes, singer, songwriter Jennifer Warrens singer, songwriter Robin Hitchcock, rapper Tone Loke, singer John Carter Cash, musician Lil Flip, rapper 88 Keys, John Bingham of the group Fishbone, singer Stacy Orico Ra, Ronan Keating of Boyzone, Scott Lerner of Anastasia Screamed, bassist Teru Nakamura, Clark Burrows of the High Lows, blues singer Junior Parker, John Lilly of the Hooters, Dave Amato of REO Speedwagon, bluegrass musician Doc Watson, jazz bassist Jimmy Garrison, singer Buzzy Linhart, Snowy White of Thin Lizzy, folk music singer Paul Clayton, blues singer John Primer, singer Todd Fink, opera soprano Roberta Alexander, opera tenor Robert Nagy, producer Jeremy Zucker, rapper Montana of the group 300, violinist Brett Yang and singer Ryan met artists who unfortunately passed away on March 3. Other than the ones mentioned earlier include violinist Ch Giovanni Viotti, pianist Julius Epstein, pianist Eugene D', Albert, cabaret singer Kuss Speedhoff, songwriter Antonin Artaud, pianist Paul Wittenstein, musicologist Carlo Gatti, flamenco guitarist Carlos Montoya, folk music singer Carol Krill, songwriter Jackson C. Frank, country music songwriter Harlan Howard, guitarist Charlie Hodge of Elvis's Memphis Mafia, opera singer Giuseppe DiStefano, pianist Big Tiny Little Junior of the Lawrence Welk show, composer and also professor at the University of Bologna from 1971 to 1992 Mr. Aldo Clemente, jazz accordionist Frank Morocco, singer Bobby Rogers of the Miracles Sing singer Tommy Page, jazz pianist Misha Mangelberg, jazz ukulele player Lyle Ritz, the man nicknamed the Godfather of surf guitars, songwriter and guitarist Jim Fuller, drummer Patrick Doyle of the group's Veronica Falls and also Boys Forever organist Peter Hereford, jazz singer Eleanor Collins, Britain Turner of the group BlackBerry Smoke, rock artist, photographer Herb Green, musician and poet Gerand German Jeffrey Runnings of Four against and Bob Roop of the group Cracker and the Silos, next on the Music History Today podcast. It is March 4th when, in 1966, John Lennon said his infamous line that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus during an interview with the press.
Episode: Madonna Causes Controversy, Elvis Hits the UK For His Only Time
Host: Music History Today Podcast Network
Theme:
A dynamic look at pivotal events, notable releases, and artist milestones that happened on March 3rd throughout music history, with a focus on how controversy, fame, and cultural shifts intersect with landmark tracks and moments.
This episode delves into remarkable moments in music history that occurred on March 3rd, crossing genres and eras—from the classical premieres of Haydn and Mendelssohn to the pop sensation of Madonna's controversial "Like a Prayer" video, rock milestones with Elvis touching down in the UK, and landmark album releases. The host offers both concise reporting and wry commentary, tying moments of musical innovation to broader cultural trends like controversy and “cancel culture.”
Madonna’s "Like a Prayer" Video Debut (00:51, 10:17)
“In case you thought for some reason that Cancel Culture was a new thing—been around for decades.” (10:44)
“Cancel Culture” Reference Points
“Sometimes Cancel Culture isn't really Cancel Culture.” (11:40)
Historic Premieres and Performances
Landmark TV and Live Performances
Artist Birthdays (20:04)
Passings
Album Releases
“You know, for the record, I think ‘the boy bands have won’ was probably the best way to go with that title. That’s a long one.” (18:27)
Singles Released
Nine Inch Nails Video Controversy (11:16)
2019 Michael Jackson Leaving Neverland Documentary (11:33)
De La Soul's Catalog Finally Streaming (12:34)
On Madonna's Controversy:
"Madonna shockingly, not shockingly, causes controversy with a music video." (00:09)
On Cancel Culture:
"In case you thought for some reason that Cancel Culture was a new thing—been around for decades." (10:44)
"Sometimes Cancel Culture isn't really Cancel Culture." (11:40)
Reflecting on History:
“He [Elvis] never performed in the UK, although it was recently revealed that he was in the United Kingdom in 1958 on a secret tourist visit to see the sights in London with singer Tommy Steele.” (02:47)
Longest Album Title:
“...the official album title is ‘the Boy bands have won and all the copyists and the tribute bands and the TV talent show producers have won…’” (18:10)
“For the record, I think ‘the boy bands have won’ was probably the best way to go with that title. That’s a long one.” (18:27)
| Timestamp | Segment Description | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------| | 00:09 | Opening & theme intro: Madonna controversy preview | | 01:15 | Haydn’s 101st Symphony premiere | | 02:02 | Elvis’s first television performance | | 02:34 | Elvis’s only public visit to the UK | | 10:17 | Details of Madonna's "Like a Prayer" video & controversy | | 11:16 | Nine Inch Nails’ video scandal | | 11:33 | Michael Jackson "Leaving Neverland" documentary fallout | | 12:34 | De La Soul’s catalog finally released for streaming | | 14:48 | Award ceremony highlights | | 16:47 | Metallica’s "Master of Puppets" release | | 17:12 | Madonna’s "Ray of Light" album release | | 17:55 | De La Soul’s "Three Feet High and Rising" | | 18:10 | Chumbawamba’s record-length album title | | 19:10 | U2’s "No Line on the Horizon" release | | 19:43 | Madonna’s "American Pie" single release | | 20:04 | March 3rd artist birthdays |
The host’s delivery blends informational clarity with dry humor and occasional personal anecdotes, like being born in Lincoln, England—the birthplace of Whitesnake’s first live performance (04:10). The narrative zooms out from daily “on this day” historical facts to broader observations about pop culture, music evolution, and the cyclical nature of controversy in music.
Preview for Next Episode:
“Next on the Music History Today podcast… In 1966, John Lennon said his infamous line that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus during an interview.” (Final seconds)
This episode is a brisk, anecdote-rich ride through music's landmarks on March 3rd, anchoring the day's historic highlights to broader themes of fame, controversy, and cultural change.