Rant #1,704: Music Notes

Today, it is just another day for me at the proverbial salt mine.

Get up, go to work, come home, watch TV, go to sleep.

I am like a hamster running in a cage, like a machine churning up for another day of toil.

I have no idea how I am going to segue all of that into what I am going to talk about today, but I guess these two people I am going to talk about worked their tuckises off, too, and reached a level of notoriety due to their toil and trouble.

Tony Hatch is not a name that most people know, but you know the music that he was behind, mainly in the 1960s.

The British singer, songwriter and producer worked with many artists during his most productive period, including one that eventually became his wife, Jackie Trent.

But he is best known as the man behind the success of Petula Clark in America. Numerous hit songs came from his collaboration with Clark. And two, in particular, stand out.

The first, "Downtown," was inspired by Hatch's visit to the U.S., and to New York, specifically, to try to figure out how to break Clark in America. The singer had been a huge star in Europe for seemingly her entire life up to the early 1960s, but she could not break through in the American market. Hatch came to America, saw what the music mood was, and wrote what became Clark's first number one hit in the states, solidifying her with audiences here forever.

Another notable song he wrote for Clark was "I Couldn't Live Without Your Love," which was actually a tune about his love affair with Trent, the woman he eventually married.

Hatch, who was divorced from Trent years ago and today lives in Spain with his third wife, turns 77 years of age today.

Another notable birthday is more of a tragic one, one that solidifies the "sex, drugs and rock and roll" adage, making it more than true.

Florence Ballard was born today in 1943, and she would be 73 years of age today if she had lived.

Ballard was a member of the Supremes, probably the most successful girl group of them all. Featuring Diane--later Diana--Ross and Mary Wilson, the act had numerous No. 1 hits, played in concert around the world, and if pop music in the 1960s had their kings--the Beatles--then the Supremes were pop music's queens.

But behind the scenes, things were not right with the threesome. Ballard may have objected to Ross' ascension as the lead singer and main focus of the group, and she had become difficult to work with.

Amped on by drinking and other bizarre behavior, Ballard was surprisingly axed from the Supremes in favor of Cindy Birdsong, which led to a further spiral into nowhere for Ballard.

Supposedly down and out and immersed in strange behavior, Ballard died in 1976.

It was one of the real tragedies of the rock era, one that is still talked about today--how could such a vibrant, talented person fall into the spiral of hell?

She is another rock and roll tragedy, but her legacy is preserved on the numerous records she participated in, her one solo effort, and all the video there is of her on YouTube.

So there you have it, two pop music icons that kind of fall under the radar are celebrated today for their birthdays. During their times in the spotlight, they helped bring us a lot of joy with their music and talent.

Now, back to the salt mine ... who coined that phrase anyway?