As the release date for Bill & Ted Face the Music approaches, the nerdiness level at Commonplace Fun Facts Headquarters is rising exponentially. In anticipation of the sequel that has been almost […]
Many people find comfort in music. They find encouragement in the lyrics, or they allow the upbeat tempo of the music to lift their spirits. In one case, there was a message […]
As raids by Somali pirates cause havoc and send fear rippling throughout the shipping industry, mariners have been forced to break out the ultimate weapon: Britney Spears.
In 1969, a musician named Jim Sullivan recorded an album called U.F.O., which featured strange lyrics about leaving his family and being abducted by aliens. Sullivan disappeared six years later without a […]
Due to its portability and ability to be carried during a march to a construction site or a “voluntary” day of hard labor in the fields, the accordion has been a favorite […]
When you look at your paystub and see how much of your earnings ended up being sent to Washington, DC in taxes, you may occasionally wonder how the government uses your money. […]
If you have difficulty remembering the lyrics to complicated songs, then “Duetto buffo di due gatti” (“Humorous Duet for Two Cats”) is for you. The song consists of just one word — […]
If you are the impatient type, who can’t wait for the national anthem to end so your favorite sporting event can begin, then Japan may be the place for you. It holds […]
When British composer Mike Batt included a song aptly titled “A One Minute Silence” in The Planets’ album “Classical Graffiti,” he thought he had hit upon a clever way to separate two […]
Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840) was more than a violin virtuoso; he was one of the best violinists of all time. By the time he was in his 20s, he was known throughout Europe. […]
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) is primarily known as a classical composer of Christian music. It was rare that he strayed from religious themes in his music, but when he did it was […]
Musical instruments can be costly, and any band student who has had to lug a tuba or bell set on a school bus knows they can be unwieldy, too. The Sousaphone or cello […]
Many of the most popular Christmas songs were written by Jewish songwriters:
On December 16, 1965, astronauts Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra were on Gemini 6 when they transmitted the following message: “Gemini VII, this is Gemini VI. We have an object, looks like […]
“White Christmas”, written by Irving Berlin and sung by Bing Crosby, is the best-selling single song of all time. With estimated sales in excess of 50 million for the original version and […]
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