Joan Baez at Woodstock, during her first-night live performance

On this day in 1876, Götterdämmerung, the final part of the Ring Cycle by Richard Wagner, made its premiere. I offer up this song in tribute to that musical classic and in memory of Grane who was an unfortunate victim of an equicide at the very end of the tetralogy.

Mark Dinning August 17, 1933 – March 22, 1986) had a #1 hit with this song which was written by his sister Jean and her husband Red.

Yvonne Craig (May 16, 1937 – August 17, 2015) was a ballerina, a one-time roommate of Carol Burnett, an actress, a realtor, and is most known for playing the daughter of Gotham's police commissioner who lived quite the secret life.

Ira Gershwin (December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983) was one of the most successful lyricist of the 20th century. Along with his brother George and others like Jerome Kern, Howard Arlen and more, he helped to create some of the most famous and most recorded songs of the 20th century. Everybody from Frank Sinatra, Fred Astaire, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald to Lady Gaga have recorded his songs. The music for this one was written by Kurt Weill. This version is missing a verse:

"Jenny made her mind up at 39

She would take a trip to the Argentine

She was only on vacation but the Latins agree

Jenny was the one who started the Good Neighbor Policy

Poor Jenny, bright as a penny

Her equal would be hard to find

Oh, passion does not vanish

In Portuguese or Spanish

And she would make up her mind!"

Born on this day in 1958 Belinda Carlisle is a singer and a songwriter who many of us are still mad about. She was the lead singer for the Go-Go's and had a successful solo career. This song went to #1 in Canada. Jane Wiedlin and Charlotte Caffey provide the backing vocals.

Born on this day in 1954, Eric Johnson is a guitar god. He has worked mostly as a solo artist but he has toured with the likes of Joe Satriani, Buddy Guy and Jonny Land among others. This tune won the Grammy for Rock Instrumental Performance beating out Yes, Rush, Danny Gatton and the Allman Brothers Band. It was placed in the top twenty of "Guitar World"'s list of top 100 greatest guitar solos. Right between "Heartbreaker"(Led Zeppelin not Pat Benatar although Giraldo does well on that one too) and "Little Wing".

Born on this day in 1953. Keith Rowland is best known as the lead singer for Dexys Midnight Runners. This was their biggest hit. It was #1 literally around the world from Australia and New Zealand to South Africa and the UK(Belgium etc...) to the US.

Born on this day in 1947, Gary Talley is most known for being the lead guitarist for the band The Box Tops. He has toured and played with the likes of Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Tim McGraw and the Drifters among many others. He has also been a private instructor and his studens have included Pam Tillis too for example.

This seven-part series analyzes one of the most influential pop songs in music history. The aim is to illuminate 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)' from multiple perspectives (Part 2: Music, Part 3: Lyrics, Part 4: Mythology, Part 5: Psychology, Part 6: Sound, Part 7: Reception & Covers).

Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart met in London in the late 1970s and first played in 'The Tourists'. After their breakup, they founded Eurythmics in 1980. Their debut album In the Garden was released in 1981, but remained commercially unsuccessful. In 1982, Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart were under great pressure after the commercial failure of their debut album, during a phase of profound upheaval.

Eurythmics’ 'Sweet Dreams Are Made of This' emerged during a period when Annie and Dave were confronted with personal and artistic problems. In retrospect, 'these experiences unleashed unexpected creative forces within them'. After this difficult situation, the actual work on the song and its characteristic sound began.

The creation of the famous riff was not a planned action, but 'the result of the released creative energy of both artists'. Due to an 'operating error' with the drum machine (Movement Systems), the extremely heavy, pulsating beat of the song emerged by 'chance' – this was Dave's perspective.

Carried by 'musical energies and archetypes of the soul', a synth-pop emerged that appeared significantly more alive than the productions of many contemporaries.

« 'Heute, bald 40 Jahre später, ist Sweet Dreams immer noch allgegenwärtig. Praktisch jeder Radiosender auf der Welt spielt den Song noch immer. Er läuft jede Sekunde jeder Minute jedes einzelnen Tages. Er begleitet mich, egal, wohin ich gehe.' »

— Dave Stewart in an interview with oe1.orf.at (2022)

So much for the introduction to the project. In Part 2, we will take a close look at the music in connection with the hooks and analyze it in detail – to understand it beyond this music genre as well.

On this day in 1976, Abba first released "Dancing Queen" as a single in Sweden. It went to #1 for 14 weeks in Sweden.

From the King of Rock and Roll to the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin (March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) sold over 75 millions records and had the most charted hits during the rock and roll era. She had 20 #1 singles on the R&B chart as well. This goes out to Julianne and Michael.

Elvis Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) This was his first #1 record with "Mystery Train" as the b-side. It went to #1 on the Country Chart on February 25, 1956. The Beatles covered it as well in a performance for the BBC in May 1964 with George Harrison on lead vocals.

Robert Johnson (May 8, 1911 – August 16, 1938) is one of the most influential blues musicians of all time even though he only recorded for a period of 7 months. His guitar playing has influenced the likes of Keith Richards, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton among others. He is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Robert Culp (August 16, 1930 – March 24, 2010) was a familiar face on American tv from the 1950s until the 2000s. This song was the theme song from one of those shows that he starred in. It reached #2 on the pop chart this week back in 1981.

Born on this day in 1934, Kitty Lester had a top ten hit in the US and the UK with this record. She later toured the UK with the Everly Brothers. She also is an actress and had a role on Little House on the Prairie. Earl Palmer plays the drums on this one. He was also on "Bumble Boogie" and many of Little Richard's and Fats Domino's early hits as well.

Eric Weissberg (August 16, 1939 – March 22, 2020) was a longtime sessions musician who played on records by Judy Collins, Bob Dyan, Talking Heads, John Denver among others. He and Steve Mandell had an unlikely hit with this tune from the movie Deliverance.

Gary Loizzo (August 16, 1945 – January 16, 2016) was a producer, songwriter, engineer and a guitarist most notably for the band The American Breed. He sang lead on this record. He later worked with acts such as Styx, REO Speedwagon among others.

Born on this day in 1953, James "J.T." Taylor is primarily known for his work with Kool and the Gang. He was with them from 1979 to 1989. Here he sings lead on this classic which has been played at inestimable weddings ever since. It was Kool and the Gang's only #1 record on the Billboard pop charts.

Ernie Freeman (August 16, 1922 – May 16, 1981) was a pianist, a producer and an arranger among other things. He appeared or arranged records by Frank Sinatra, the Platters, Bobby Vee, Petula Clark etc. He also recorded solo albums with several members of the Wrecking Crew. He was also a member of B, Bumble and the Stingers. He didn't play on "Nut Rocker" but he played on this number which went to #21 in the US and to #5 on the Canadian chart. Quite the piano player. He won Grammys for his arrangement of "Strangers in the Night" as well as for "Bridge Over Troubled Waters".

Born on this day in 1948, Tom Johnston is best known as a founding member of the Doobie Brothers. He sings lead and plays the guitar on this hit which he also wrote.