Funny

A 10-second recording of a singer performing the folk song Au Clair de la Lune is made in Paris, France, Europe, by Edouard-Leon Scott de Martinville, on his invention the phonautograph, a machine designed to record sounds visually, in soot on a glass surface, but incapable of playing the sounds back. Playback of this recording will not be effected until 2008 by a group of American audio historians. It is nevertheless, the first documented recording of a human voice.

The Oriental Burlesquers, featuring "Champion Lady Bag Puncher" Belle Gordon, play at Kernan's Theatre, Washington, DC, USA.

Noel Coward records his ironic song Don't Let's Be Beastly To The Germans for HMV Records in London, England, UK, Europe. The song will become a personal favourit of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill who, according to Coward, asked him to play it seven times in one evening. Nevertheless, after listeners who didn't perceive the irony wrote to the BBC complaining that the song was pro-German, it was banned from airplay. (The Germans, however, got the point, and placed Coward on a list of Britons to be assassinated in the event of an invasion). After the War, Coward will explain that he had written the song "as a satire directed against a small minority of excessive humanitarians who, in my opinion, were taking a rather too tolerant view of our enemies".

Entertainment trade magazine Variety reports that movie-goer Earl Shanks was recently jailed for throwing a cowbell at the screen during a showing of the Elvis Presley film Jailhouse Rock in the Brunson Theatre, Baytown, Texas, USA. Shanks is later released on $500 bail but faces charges of malicious destruction of property.

Andre Rico And The Cha Chaleros play in The Jazz Jamboree at The Gaumont State Cinema, Kilburn, London, England, UK, Europe. Rico was, in fact, English jazzman George Davies.

Frank Zappa appears on the Steve Allen tv show in Los Angeles, California, USA, playing two bicycles - much to his host's bemusement. Zappa is introduced onto the show as "a musical bicyclist". Zappa will find worldwide success some years later after forming his group The Mothers Of Invention

The 16-year-old winner of a Mick Jagger impersonation contest at The Town Hall, Greenwich, England, UK, reveals himself to be... Mick's younger brother, Chris.

Elvis Presley's staff – known as the Memphis Mafia – give him a Christmas gift of a specially inscribed bible. The front cover features a "tree of life" illustration with the names of each staff member attached to the branches. Elvis refuses to accept it until the name of his hairdresser (and spiritual advisor) Larry Geller is added.

When Bob Dylan plays at The Queen Elizabeth Theater, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, the poster for the event mis-spells his name as Bob Dylon.

When popular singer Ed Ames (of The Ames Brothers) appears on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in New York City, USA, he is asked by Carson to demonstate his well-known tomahawk throwing abilities. A wooden panel with an outline of a cowboy is brought onto the stage and, when Ames takes his throw, the tomahawk hits the "cowboy" square in the groin with the handle pointing upward. This leads to a prolongued burst of laughter from the audience, which has been called the longest sustained laugh by a live audience in television history.

A round table discussion, moderated by pioneering heart transplant surgeon Dr. Christian Barnard, at Cape Town Medical School, Capetown, South Africa, is recorded and will be released as a 2-LP set by Decca Records in the UK.

Tiny Tim, supported by The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, plays at The Royal Albert Hall, London, England, UK, Europe. John Lennon and Ringo Starr of the Beatles are in the audience.

Groovy Baby by Microbe enters the UK popular singles chart. The record has little to distinguish it, except that vocalist Ian Doody is just three years old. Microbe had originally appeared as a character on BBC radio deejay Dave Cash's show.

Dr. J Jones And The Interns at The Starwood Club, Los Angeles, California, USA. The gig is in fact a secret performance by Aerosmith.

A sensation is caused at Queen's gig in Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA, when a stream of naked females cycle across the stage during Fat Bottomed Girls.

After nine days in a Japanese jail, Paul McCartney returns to London, England, UK, Europe, vowing, "I'll never smoke marijuana again."

Topper Headon, formerly drummer with The Clash, is arrested and charged with the theft of a bus stop.

Queen Elizabeth of England officially opens The Beatles Maze at the International Garden Festival, Liverpool, England, UK, Europe.

When British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher appears on BBC tv childrens' show Saturday Superstore, she reveals that she likes the video for Beautiful Imbalance by Thrashing Doves because it includes "an adorable piglet". At this time, the group is in the ascendant but, after the Thatcher comment, they rise no further. This will give rise to the phrase The Curse Of The Thrashing Doves, which suggests that any musical artist endorsed by a top politician will be doomed to failure.

Shortly after Rick Vito and Billy Burnette join the band, Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac invites both to her home in Los Angeles, California, USA. This date is chosen because it is part of The Harmonic Convergence - the world's first globally synchronized meditation, and Nicks hopes that a meeting on this day will bring them good fortune in their new endeavour.

A Motley Crue tour of the UK, due to start today at the Playhouse, Edinburgh, Scotland, is cancelled after it is made public that the musician touring with them under the name of Nikki Sixx is not actually the real Nikki Sixx.

When Prince’s Lovesexy tour arrives at McNicolls Arena, Denver, Colorado, USA, the Denver Post reviewer is surprised when Prince comes over all holy and reveals to the audience that he is in love "not with a girl or boy, but with the heavens above" and goes on to explain that "God is alive inside us. He just wants to come out and play."

Asked, in a Newsweek interview published today, if The Rolling Stones tour only for the money, vocalist Mick Jagger quips, 'No, that's The Who'.

During a press conference in Los Angeles, California, USA, Paul McCartney suggests that the surviving three members of The Beatles should re-unite, but he is quickly rebuffed by George Harrison who states that, "there won’t be a Beatles reunion as long as John Lennon remains dead."

A range of ties designed by guitarist Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead goes on sale at Bloomingdales, New York City, USA, selling at $28.50 each. Garcia cheerfully announces that he won't be wearing any of them.

The band appearing under the name Faithless And The Wonderboys at the Royal Berkshire Social Club, Reading, England, UK, Europe, is actually Radiohead playing a 'secret' gig for a birthday party.

In the first episode of series 2 of UK tv sitcom Phoenix Nights, the characters Max and Paddy sing Tony Christie's 70s hit single, [Is This The Way To] Amarillo, while driving a group of elderly Asian gentlemen to the mosque. The broadcast prompts public and media interest in the song which is, eventually, re-released and goes to No1.

It is announced that a recently discovered species of trapdoor spider has been named Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi, in honour of singer-songwriter and guitarist Neil Young, by Dr. Jason E. Bond, associate professor of biology in Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.

It is announced that poem about a dead dog, written by Bob Dylan in 1957 for a summer camp newspaper, is to be sold at auction by Christie's of London, England, UK, and is expected to raise $15,000 (£9,660).

Plans to make a lifesize replica of Michael Jackson out of butter for the annual Iowa State Fair are scrapped, when the results of a poll reveal that 65% of local people are opposed to the idea.

Buckingham Palace is included in a list of the most significant locations in the history of British jazz. The palace qualifies because it hosted the first jazz performance before a head of state - a show by the Original Dixieland Jazz Band during their British visit after the first world war. Also on the list are Ronnie Scott's Club, Hammersmith Palais and Club Eleven.

Paul Heaton comes to the end of a 16-date UK tour by bicycle, under the banner of the Pedals And Beer Pumps Tour, at The Southern, Chorlton, Greater Manchester, England, UK, Europe.

It is revealed that Interim surveys by Chiltern District Council of a barn owned by Ozzy Osbourne at Stone Dean Farm near Chalfont St Giles, UK, have revealed considerable evidence of the presence of soprano pipistrelles and "possibly brown long-eared" bats. As these creatures are protected species under British Nature conservation laws, Osbourne is instructed to protect their habitat, which he had been planning to convert into a two-bedroomed house. Osbourne, according to rock legend, once bit the head off a bat during a live show, so suggestions that the bats are finally exacting their revenge soon begin to circulate.

Music created by musicians with red hair is celebrated at the first MOGO Awards at The Printworks in Manchester, UK. (MOGO stands for Music Of Ginger Origin).

During Katy Perry's half-time performance in The Super Bowl XLIX, at the University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona, USA, she is upstaged by one her backing dancers who, dressed as a shark, dances so badly that he gets his own Twitter account, #leftshark, before the song has ended.

Demi Lovato celebrates the release of her new single, Cool For The Summer, by performing and jumping in a pool at KIIS FM's Summer Pool Party in Los Angeles, California, USA.

Ed Sheeran launches his own brand of Heinz Tomato Ketchup under the name Tomato Edchup. A long-term fan of the condiment, Sheeran sports a tattoo of the company's logo on his arm. Each of the special edition bottles features a unique logo showing Sheeran’s face reimagined as a smiling, leaf-haired tomato.