On this day in 1987, Danny Kaye passed away at the age of 74.

If I did half the stuff Danny Kaye did, I would need a joint supplement just to get out of bed in the morning. That man could sing and dance, and move all over the stage. We have musicians and actors today, but sadly to say we lack a lot in the “entertainer” department. Danny Kaye was a true entertainer.

On this day in 1974, Stevie Wonder took home five Grammy Awards for his album, Innervisions, which included the song ‘Superstition’.

On this day in 1929, Paul Whiteman and his orchestra recorded Ol’ Man River with Paul Robeson singing the vocals. This video is from 1936, but it’s the same song.

You can find out more about this day in history at Those Were The Days, and InfoPlease.

On this day in 1970, Simon and Garfunkel received a golf record for “Bridge Over Troubled Water”. I was a huge fan of Simon & Garfunkel back in the day. Of course, that was long before they both needed anti wrinkle eye cream to keep their eyes open. Ha. I am kidding. I have no idea if they use anti-wrinkle creams.

On this day in 1983, Michael Jackson’s album “Thriller” hit #1.

On this day in 1986, “We Are The World” won four Grammy Awards.

Ever since the release of this song, to raise money to help the people of Africa, there seems to be a song for everything. If you’re hungry, homeless, or just plain homely, there’s a song for you. I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a song for the natural cure for hemorrhoids.

On this day in 1973, Roberta Flack hit #1 on the charts with “Killing Me Softly with His Song”.

On this day in 1945, U.S. Marines raised the American flag on Mount Suribachi on the island of Iwo Jima.

One of the first objectives after landing on the beachhead was the taking of Mount Suribachi. At the second raising of a flag on the peak, Joe Rosenthal photographed five Marines: Ira Hayes, Mike Strank, Rene Gagnon, Harlon Block, Franklin Sousley, and U.S. Navy corpsman John Bradley raising the U.S. flag on the fourth day of the battle (February 23). The photograph was extremely popular, being reprinted in thousands of publications. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Photography that same year, and ultimately came to be regarded as one of the most significant and recognizable images of the war, and possibly the most reproduced photograph of all time.

1945, a year when we were worrying about the entire world, and all the dangers within. We were ending World War II, and we had a lot on our plate to worry about. I am not sure if cholesterol treatment was one of those worries, but I imagine doctors have been telling people what not to eat for centuries now.

On this day in 1956, Elvis Presley’s Heartbreak Hotel began it’s climb to number one.

On this day in 1952, The African Queen opened.

In the 1950’s people didn’t need fat burners, because they could simply walk out their door and exercise. Something that’s completely lost on this generation is doing things that are good for you.

Can you imagine being out filming in those costumes like they wore in the movies? I would be dying. Literally. Then again, I tend to lose weight just walking out to check the mail.