The Mysteries of History (October 11 Edition)
Boer War; Springsteen's First Big Hit; Saturday Night Live
1899 — Boer War in South Africa
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On this date in 1899, a war between the British and the Boers (Dutch) broke out in South Africa. “Boer” is both the Dutch and the Afrikaans word for farmer (similar to the German word Bauer).
For a time after the arrival of the British in South Africa, the two groups tolerated each other, but after gold and diamonds were discovered on Boer land, the complexion of their relations towards one another deteriorated.
British forces soon prevailed, but the Boers continued harassing them with guerilla-style warfare. The British systematically hunted down these guerilla groups and placed those captured into concentration camps. By the middle of 1902, the war was over; the British had won. The Boers were forced to recognize Britain as the rulers of South Africa, but were able to secure amnesty for the Boer combatants.
Questions: When you first heard of the Boar War, were you picturing Boars? Or Bears? Have you ever been to South Africa? Have you ever been to any Country in Africa?
1975 — Bruce Springsteen’s Popularity Hits Another Gear
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Bruce Springsteen appeared simultaneously on the cover of Time and Newsweek later in the month, but this was the day (fifty years ago today) that his first big “pop” single (“Born to Run,” from the same-titled album) was released.
The year before, after attending a concert, rock critic Jon Landau (who later became his manager) had said, “I saw rock and roll’s future and its name is Bruce Springsteen.”
Springsteen had already released two well-received albums in 1973 (his first, Greetings From Asbury Park; then The Wild, the Innocent & the E Street Shuffle), but 1975’s Born to Run (the song and the album) is what really put him on the map for the general public before “The Boss” blew the map completely up with the hit-laden Born in the USA in 1984.
Prior to the song Born to Run, which was Bruce’s first Top 40 hit, the casual radio listener may have been more familiar with covers of Springsteen songs, such as “Blinded By The Light” and “Spirit In The Night” by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band.
Two other especially noteworthy songs on the Born to Run album are Thunder Road (my all-time favorite Springsteen song, with about 50 others tied for second-place) and Backstreets.
Questions: Are you a Springsteen fan? If so, since when? If not, why not? Which was the first Springsteen song you heard? If it was a cover, what was the first Springsteen-written song performed by Springsteen that you heard? Which is your favorite Springsteen song? Which is your favorite album of his? Have you read his autobiography, also titled Born to Run? Are you going to see the biopic Deliver Me From Nowhere (being released in a couple of weeks)?
1975 — Saturday Night Live Airs for the First Time
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Saturday Night Live, popularly known as SNL, debuted on the same day and same year (1975) that Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run hit the radio waves. Fifty years later, the off-kilter, boundary-testing, envelope-pushing extravaganza is still being broadcast and is now also on the “streamwaves.”
NOTE: SNL was actually called NBC’s Saturday Night at first, because there already was a Saturday Night Live with Howard Cosell.
SNL featured such comedian performers as Dan Aykroyd, John Belushi, Chevy Chase, Jane Curtin, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, and Gilda Radner (as “Roseanne Roseannadanna”). The first show was hosted by George Carlin.
Similar to what the Ed Sullivan Show was to early rock ‘n’ roll acts such as Elvis Presley —and later the Beatles and The Rolling Stones — SNL provided introductions of many now-famous comedians and actors to the public at large, such as Chris Farley, Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray, Mike Myers, Amy Pohler, Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, David Spade, and others.
An especially memorable skit on SNL aired in the spring of 2000; it featured Will Ferrell and Christopher Walken’s sendup of the studio recording of Blue Oyster Cult’s fabulous song Don’t Fear The Reaper (“More Cowbell!”).
Questions: Were/are you a regular viewer of SNL? What is your favorite skit from the show? Who was your favorite host? How old/young was the youngest host? Who were/are your favorite regulars on the show?