sixties and seventies

01
Aug
2024

THURSDAY is hot, hot, hot…

Today is Independence Day in Benin, a public holiday and Benin’s National Day. This day commemorates full independence from France on August 1st 1960.

The region of modern day Benin first came to the attention of the Europeans as a source of slaves with the shores of the region earning the name ‘the Slave Coast’.

Local warlords made agreements with the Portuguese to supply slaves from captured prisoners. One important local kingdom at the time was the Dahomey, known for their military discipline, who grew to be the dominant power in the region.

With the abolition of the slave trade, the control of the Dahomey was weakened, allowing the French to take over the region at the end of the nineteenth century. In 1904, the colony of French Dahomey was incorporated within French West Africa.

In 1946 with the establishment of the Fourth French Republic, Dahomey became an overseas territory of France with its own parliament and representation in the French national assembly.

On December 4th 1958, it became the Republic of Dahomey (République du Dahomey), a self-governing autonomous republic within the French Community. On July 11th 1960 France agreed to Dahomey becoming fully independent. Dahomey gained its full independence on August 1st 1960, with Hubert Maga becoming Dahomey’s first president.

In 1975, the country changed its name to Benin, after the Bight of Benin, a large bay in the Gulf of Guinea.

Benin has one of the youngest populations in the world. With a median age of just 17, Benin has one of the youngest populations in the world. In fact, almost 65% of the country’s population is under 25 years old.

Today is the birthday, in 1951, of Canadian guitarist and vocalist Tim Bachman best known as a member of Bachman–Turner Overdrive (BTO). Bachman was one of the four founding members of BTO, a group that have sold nearly 30 million albums worldwide and also featured his brothers Randy (guitar/vocals) and Robbie (drums). He died on 28 April 2023. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cia_v4vxfE

Posted by Tom in Humor, Music, sixties and seventies
26
Jul
2024

Did you say FRIDAY??!?

Today is Independence Day in Liberia. This is the National Day of Liberia and commemorates Liberia’s Independence from the USA and adoption of the constitution on July 26th 1847.

The Republic of Liberia began as a settlement of the American Colonization Society (ACS), who believed black people would face better chances for freedom in Africa than in the United States.

Between 1822 and 1861, thousands of free blacks were relocated to the settlement at Cape Mesurado on the Pepper Coast of West Africa. In 1824 the colony was named Liberia, and the main settlement was named Monrovia, which remains the present-day capital.

The settlers faced immense hardships in the initial years with atrocious mortality rates due to disease and conflict with the indigenous peoples. Within twenty years, the colony had grown and established economic stability.

On July 26th 1847, the settlers issued a Declaration of Independence and promulgated a constitution. The constitution was heavily based on the United States Constitution and established the independent Republic of Liberia. The United Kingdom was the first country to recognize Liberia’s independence, the United States only recognized Liberia’s independence in 1862 during the American Civil War.

Liberia was the first African republic to proclaim its independence, and is Africa’s first and oldest modern republic, maintaining independence despite the colonial expansion in Africa in the late nineteenth century.

Today is the birthday, in 1943, of Mick Jagger, singer, songwriter with The Rolling Stones, (1969 UK & US No.1 single ‘Honky Tonk Women’, and over 35 UK & US Top 40 singles and albums). Solo (1985 UK No.1 single with David Bowie ‘Dancing In The Street’). 1985 UK No. 6 solo album ‘She’s The Boss.’ In 2003 he was knighted for his services to popular music and in early 2009 he joined the electric supergroup SuperHeavy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef9QnZVpVd8

Posted by Tom in Humor, Music, sixties and seventies
25
Jul
2024

THURSDAYs just keep on comin’

Today is Republic Day, a public holiday in Tunisia. It commemorates the anniversary of the vote to abolish the monarchy and found the republic on July 25th 1957.

Tunisia came under French control in 1881 and became a French protectorate in 1883.

The movement for independence had begun in 1920 with the creation of the political party, Destour. In 1934, the fervor for independence was increased with the formation of a new party called Neo Destour, led by Habib Bourguiba.

In March 1956 Bourguiba led Tunisia to independence, as a constitutional monarchy with Muhammad VIII al-Amin as King and Bourguiba as Prime Minister. The constitutional monarchy was seen as a French decision and many thought the king was pro-France, so the National Assembly moved to change the political structure of the country from a constitutional monarchy to a republic.

On July 25th 1957, the monarchy was abolished, the king abdicated and the Republic of Tunisia was proclaimed with Habib Bourguiba as its first president. President Bourguiba went on to rule Tunisia for 31 years, finally being deposed in a medical coup d’état.

Air Loom

Today is the birthday, in 1942, of Bruce Woodley, from Australian folk-influenced pop quartet The Seekers who scored the 1965 UK No.1 single ‘I’ll Never Find Another You’. They were the first Australian group to achieve major chart and sales success in the UK and the US. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZf41UudAbI

Posted by Tom in Humor, Music, sixties and seventies
24
Jul
2024

WEDNESDAY in the middle

Today is Children’s Day, also called Pikinini Day, in Vanuatu, a public holiday. This is a day to promote the welfare and well-being of children and also to celebrate children and what they contribute to society. The theme of the day changes from year to year, though the topic of fighting child abuse remains a perennial theme of the day.

As a public holiday, it’s a day for families to spend extra time together.

Children’s Day takes place a week before Independence Day and the parades, concerts, public speeches, sports events, and other celebratory activities held to mark Children’s Day are seen as marking the start of Vanuatu’s national Independence week.

Ink…

SIGNZ

On this day in 1965, The Byrds were at No.1 on the UK singles chart with their version of the Bob Dylan song ‘Mr Tambourine Man’. The first Bob Dylan song to reach No.1. The Byrds’ recording of the song was influential in initiating the musical subgenre of folk rock, leading many contemporary bands to mimic its fusion of jangly guitars and intellectual lyrics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnstCrL1_e0

Posted by Tom in Humor, Music, sixties and seventies
18
Jul
2024

THURSDAY all day

Today is Constitution Day in Uruguay, a public holiday. Officially known as ‘Jura de la Constitución de la República Oriental del Uruguay’, it commemorates the adoption of the first constitution in 1830.

Brazil had gained its independence from Portugal in 1822. The region now known as Uruguay lay on the Eastern bank of the River Plate, and had passed through English, Spanish, Portuguese and Brazilian control in a short period at the start of the nineteenth century.

In August 1825, Uruguay declared its independence from Brazil, instigating the Argentina- Brazil War. The conflict lasted until August 1828, when a British negotiated a resolution to the war that led to Brazil recognising Uruguay’s independence.

The constitution for the nation was drawn up by the General Constituent and Legislative Assembly of the State , the predecessor of the Uruguayan Parliament. Influenced by the French and American revolutions, it divided the government among the executive, legislative, and judicial powers. It established a republican unitary state; the official religion was Roman Catholic. It was promulgated on July 18th 1830.

Inspirational…

Today is the birthday, in 1941, of Martha Reeves, American R&B and pop singer and former politician (Detroit City Council), (1964 US No.2 & 1969 UK No.4 single with The Vandellas ‘Dancing In The Street’, plus ten US & six UK other top 40 singles). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68Uv959QuCg

Posted by Tom in Humor, Music, sixties and seventies