1978: Britain's BBC announces a ban on The Sex Pistols' latest single "No One Is Innocent", which features vocals performed by Ronnie Biggs, a British criminal notorious for his part in the Great Train Robbery of 1963. At the time of the recording, Biggs was living in Brazil, still wanted by the British authorities but immune from extradition. Despite the lack of radio play, the song would still reach number seven on the UK chart. As for Biggs, he voluntarily returned to the United Kingdom in 2001 and spent several years in prison before being released on compassionate grounds in 2009.
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1980: Billy Joel had the best selling single in America with "It's Still Rock And Roll To Me", a number he wrote in the back of a car on the way to a recording session. The lyrics are sung from the prospective of a manager and an artist, arguing about remaining hip for the younger crowd vs. staying the course and letting the music speak for itself. The song would go on to be certified Platinum by the RIAA.
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1969: David Bowie's single, "Space Oddity" is released to coincide with the first lunar landing by Apollo 11 on July 20th. The song would rise to #5 in the UK but would not become a hit in the US until it was re-released in 1973 when it would reach #15.
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1965: The Rolling Stones classic rocker "Satisfaction" was number one in the US on both the Cashbox and Billboard charts. In 2004 Rolling Stone magazine placed "Satisfaction" in the number two spot on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and in 2006 it was added to the Library of Congress National Recording Registry, despite its sexually suggestive lyrics.
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1983: The Police started an eight week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "Every Breath You Take", also a chart topper in the UK.
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