September 26 Rock And Roll History

We've got some great rock history facts for you this morning.

On this day in 1964, Roy Orbison's "Oh Pretty Woman" ran on the U.S. singles chart at #1 for three weeks. The song's title was inspired by Orbison's wife Claudette, who interrupted a conversation her husband was having to announce she was going out. Orbison asked if she needed any money for the evening, to which his co-writer Bill Dees responded, "A pretty woman never needs any money.”

Also in 1964, The Kinks released their first US hit, "You Really Got Me." This song peaked at #7 on the Billboard chart a 10-week stint.

In 1965, Roger Daltrey was briefly fired from The Who after knocking out Keith Moon during their European tour. The band had just finished playing two shows in Denmark when a fight broke out between the four of them, but Daltrey was re-hired the day after.

In 1967, Pink Floyd played the first of three nights at the Fillmore in San Francisco, which began the group's first live tour dates in the United States.

In 1969 on this day, The Beatles released Abbey Road in the UK. During their interviews for The Beatles Anthology, the remaining band members expressed that, although no one actually called it the "last album," they all had the feeling that this would probably be the last studio album they made and agreed to set aside their differences and make it a good one. The album cover, which shows the band crossing the street just outside their recording studio, has become one of the most imitated in history. The crosswalk and street have become so renowned that it has its own webcam.

In 1981, Hall and Oates' "Private Eyes" made it onto the Billboard chart. The album went Platinum with the two #1 hits "Private Eyes" and "I Can't Go For That." 

And in 1987, The Grateful Dead had their only Billboard chart hit with "Touch Of Grey," which made it to #9.