Fun facts about music

Some of these are taken from sources that I have long-since lost

1. None of The Beatles could read or write music.

2. The song with the longest title has 29 words. It is Hoagy Carmichael’s 1943 “I’m a Cranky Old Yank in a Clanky Old Tank on the Streets of Yokohama with my Honolulu Mama Doin’ Those Beat-o, Beat-o Flat-On-My-Seat-o, Hirohito Blues.”

3. The Simpsons song, “Do the Bartman” was written by Michael Jackson

4. Barry Manilow didn’t write “I Write the Songs.”

5. Metallica is the first and only band to have played on all 7 continents.

6. The oldest known musical instrument is 50,000 years old (ask Ash to show you)

7. The world's longest musical performance is taking place right now. John Cage "ORGAN2/ASLSP" in Halberstadt, Germany since 2001. They expect to finish the eight-page score in 2640 — 639 years after the first chord was played.  Eight-page performance taking this long? John Cage left instructions to play the piece as slowly as possible

8. In 2015, Chris Hadfield, a Canadian astronaut, released an album of songs all recorded in space The album — Space Sessions: Songs from a Tin Can — comprises original songs and a cover of David Bowie's "Space Oddity."

9. Prince played 27 instruments on his debut album.

10. In 2016, Mozart sold more CDs than Beyonce. 

11. Singing in a group boosts your mood.

12. Plants can grow faster if music is playing.

13. Loud music causes you to drink more in less time.

14. Music is physically good for your heart. As I said, I have lost the original source for this and for all the ‘facts’, but this one is a great one to remember

    

Pre-gig saxophones