On this day in 1970, Simon & Garfunkel began a triumphant 10-week run at #1 on the US singles chart with "Bridge Over Troubled Water". Sadly, the duo were no longer around to enjoy the success, having officially broken up earlier in the year. It was not their first break-up, though. The duo had called it quits shortly after the commercial failure of their debut album, Wednesday Morning 3 A.M., in 1965. Months later, "The Sound Of Silence" began getting radio play in Florida, leading the duo's producer to employ Dylan's backing band to add drums and full-band instrumentation to the track in order to make it "contemporary". Weeks later, the new version of the song became a huge national hit, leading the duo to reform. Sadly, the success of "Bridge" could not bring Simon & Garfunkel back together this time.
In 1987, on the strength of the hit single "(You gotta Fight) For Your Right (To Party)", the Beastie Boys' debut album, Licensed To Ill, rocketed to #1. They were the first rap act of all time to hit the top spot on the US Billboard Top 200 Albums chart.
BORN ON THIS DAY
1945, Arthur Lee, Love and Chris White, The Zombies
1945, Peter Wolf, J. Geils Band