NOV 10-16: Historic events this week from Bob Dylan, The Beatles, Janis Joplin and Rush

• • •

NOVEMBER 11, 1970: TARANTULA: DYLAN’S FIRST BOOK

Depending on whom you ask, Dylan’s Tarantula is either a nonsensical novel, or a collection of experimental prose.

In 2003, SPIN magazine did a list of Top Five Unintelligible Sentences from Books Written by Rock Stars. Dylan topped the list with Tarantula’s line: “Now’s not the time to get silly, so wear your big boots and jump on the garbage clowns.”

NOVEMBER 12, 1976: ALL THIS AND WORLD WAR II SOUNDTRACK

The “musical documentary” featured footage of World War II, with Beatles covers as a soundtrack.

The resulting soundtrack album, later re-released as The Songs Of John Lennon & Paul McCartney Performed By The World’s Greatest Rock Artists, featured Beatles covers from Elton John, The Bee Gees, Rod Stewart, Jeff Lynne, Peter Gabriel, Tina Turner, Bryan Ferry, and many more.

NOVEMBER 15, 1969: PAUL IS DEAD THEORY

Two years after their release, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour returned to the Billboard charts.

With the great Paul Is Dead theory gathering momentum, people were buying the albums to scour the covers and lyrics for clues to “prove” the theory.

NOVEMBER 15, 1969: JANIS JOPLIN IS ARRESTED

A cop uses a bullhorn to tell the audience to remain in their seats.

Janis responds:
“DON’T F*&% WITH THOSE PEOPLE!”

The cop implores Janis to ask the audience to remain in their seats.

Janis replies:
“I’M NOT TELLING THEM S–T!”

She was arrested and charged with using “vulgar, indecent language.”

NOVEMBER 16, 1977: THREE RUSH ALBUMS ARE CERTIFIED GOLD

2112, A Farewell to Kings and the live All the World’s a Stage were all certified Gold on the same day.

2112 has since gone 3x Platinum in the US and 2x Platinum in Canada.