Music regrets and a gig to forget: From Court Cases to Space Elevators

In this episode of 'Fun Facts and Sidetracks,' hosts Marty and Al explore the controversial world of music plagiarism, discussing famous cases such as George Harrison's 'My Sweet Lord' vs. The Chiffons' 'He's So Fine', Vanilla Ice vs. Queen and David Bowie, and many others. The episode delves into the nuances of creativity, subconscious influences, and some downright weird aspects of music litigation.

The boys then shift to share fascinating facts about the history of flight, from the first hot air balloons to the rapid progression from the Wright brothers' first flight to the moon landing, and even talk about future concepts like Japan's space elevator. As usual Mart has a hilarious stories about a gig he’d rather forget and the  lively English-style pub parties at his home in suburban Brisbane.  

00:00 Welcome to Fun Facts and Sidetracks

00:27 Exploring Famous Plagiarism Cases in Music

01:07 The George Harrison vs. The Chiffons Case

04:09 Vanilla Ice and the Under Pressure Controversy

04:46 John Fogarty Sued for Sounding Like Himself

05:40 Blurred Lines and Marvin Gaye's Legacy

06:58 The Rolling Stones vs. The Verve

07:52 Ghostbusters and Huey Lewis

09:43 The Beatles and Chuck Berry

11:38 A Regrettable Job Experience

17:57 Fun Facts About Flight

19:42 Man Lands on the Moon: A Giant Leap in 66 Years

20:32 The International Space Station: Orbiting Every 90 Minutes

21:28 NASA's Countdown: Inspired by a Silent Movie

22:29 Bert Hinkler Museum: A Tribute to Aviation

26:25 Space Elevator: The Future of Space Travel

30:26 Growing Up as a 10 Pound Pom in Australia

32:26 Building Bars and Boxing Day Parties

37:15 Conclusion 

If you have a fun fact you’d like us to share, send us an email to: [email protected] or leave us a comment online at our social pages on Facebook or Instagram Thanks for listening and never be afraid to get sidetracked.

The boring disclaimer: We do try to double-check all of the facts we talk about. If something isn’t quite correct, we humbly apologise. Credit to our many sources including, A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, Tim from Kicking Harold, Mental Floss, Wikipedia and so many more.

Fun Facts and Sidetracks: The Ones That Got Away, Surprising Celebrity Babysitters and Stolen Inventions

In this episode of 'Fun Facts and Sidetracks,' Al and Marty discuss famous songs that were initially intended for other artists, including tracks by The Supremes, Kylie Minogue, Seal, and Kenny Loggins. They delve into amusing and surprising stories about celebrity babysitters such as Alice Cooper babysitting Keanu Reeves and Cher babysitting Anthony from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Additionally, the episode explores intriguing facts about famous buildings like the Eiffel Tower and the Great Wall of China, and uncovers the true origins of well-known inventions, revealing famous figures like Thomas Edison who capitalized on others' innovations. The hosts wrap up with a discussion on LEGO and other noteworthy inventions.

00:00 Introduction and Greetings

00:55 The Ones That Got Away: Iconic Songs Rejected by Artists

09:12 Celebrity Babysitters: Unexpected Connections

15:56 Hollywood Connections: Keifer Sutherland and Gwyneth Paltrow

16:57 Builder's Journey: From Music to Construction

18:07 Famous Buildings Around the World

22:38 Lego: The Ultimate Building Block

25:32 Famous Inventions and Their True Origins

32:06 Wrapping Up: From Supremes to Eiffel Tower

If you have a fun fact you’d like us to share, send us an email to: [email protected] or leave us a comment online at our social pages on Facebook or Instagram Thanks for listening and never be afraid to get sidetracked.

The boring disclaimer: We do try to double-check all of the facts we talk about. If something isn’t quite correct, we humbly apologise. Credit to our many sources including, A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, Tim from Kicking Harold, Mental Floss, Wikipedia and so many more.

If you have a fun fact you’d like us to share, send us an email to: [email protected] or leave us a comment online at our social pages on Facebook or Instagram Thanks for listening and never be afraid to get sidetracked.

The boring disclaimer: We do try to double-check all of the facts we talk about. If something isn’t quite correct, we humbly apologise. Credit to our many sources including, A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, Tim from Kicking Harold, Mental Floss, Wikipedia and so many more.

If you have a fun fact you’d like us to share, send us an email to: [email protected] or leave us a comment online at our social pages on Facebook or Instagram Thanks for listening and never be afraid to get sidetracked.

The boring disclaimer: We do try to double-check all of the facts we talk about. If something isn’t quite correct, we humbly apologise. Credit to our many sources including, A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, Tim from Kicking Harold, Mental Floss, Wikipedia and so many more.

If you have a fun fact you’d like us to share, send us an email to: [email protected] or leave us a comment online at our social pages on Facebook or Instagram Thanks for listening and never be afraid to get sidetracked.

The boring disclaimer: We do try to double-check all of the facts we talk about. If something isn’t quite correct, we humbly apologise. Credit to our many sources including, A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, Tim from Kicking Harold, Mental Floss, Wikipedia and so many more.

In this episode, Marty and Al dive into the fascinating world of famous songs that were initially turned down by well-known artists, revealing surprising backstories behind hits from Kylie Minogue, John Denver, Aerosmith, and Tina Turner. They explore quirky celebrity pseudonyms, bizarre historical coincidences, and fun facts about the British royal family. The duo also shares a hilarious personal anecdote about a musical bike performance at the 1988 Brisbane Expo. Tune in for a mix of music trivia, royal insights, and laugh-out-loud moments.

00:00 Introduction and Hosts' Banter

01:09 The One That Got Away: Iconic Songs Rejected by Artists

02:36 Unexpected Song Origins and Artist Stories

08:31 Celebrity Hotel Aliases

10:42 Crazy Coincidences in History

15:44 Random Facts and Trivia

16:54 Reflecting on Elvis and Austin Powers

17:32 The Story of the Traveling Wilburys

19:08 Fast Facts About Royalty

22:58 Bicycle Fun Facts and History

26:47 The Mobile Piano Player at Expo 88

33:11 Wrapping Up with Final Thoughts

If you have a fun fact you’d like us to share, send us an email to: [email protected] or leave us a comment online at our social pages on Facebook or Instagram Thanks for listening and never be afraid to get sidetracked.

The boring disclaimer: We do try to double-check all of the facts we talk about. If something isn’t quite correct, we humbly apologise. Credit to our many sources including, A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, Tim from Kicking Harold, Mental Floss, Wikipedia and so many more.

If you have a fun fact you’d like us to share, send us an email to: [email protected] or leave us a comment online at our social pages on Facebook or Instagram Thanks for listening and never be afraid to get sidetracked.

The boring disclaimer: We do try to double-check all of the facts we talk about. If something isn’t quite correct, we humbly apologise. Credit to our many sources including, A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, Tim from Kicking Harold, Mental Floss, Wikipedia and so many more.

Al and Marty chat about all sorts of fun facts and take a few side roads along the way. 

The ones that got away

The boys discuss songs that were passed on by famous artists. We all know who ultimately made these songs a hit but who were they offered to first? Call me, Toxic, Umbrella, Physical, We built this city, Don’t you forget about me and Golden Years.

Ten Pound Poms

A fun discussion about the scheme initiated by the Australian Government in 1945 after the Second World War to increase our population. The Ten Pound Poms were British citizens who migrated with assisted passage to Australia on chartered ships and aircraft. Paying the princely sum of ten pounds for adults and free travel for kids.

As a Ten Pound  Pom himself, Marty recalls his family’s adventure of making the big move from London to Brisbane in the sixties. And we chat through a list of famous Aussies from the fields of sport, music and public life who we’re glad also made the trip to this wide brown land.

Dangerous toys

We discuss dodgy and dangerous toys from our childhood. Especially Click Clacks and the Slip ‘N Slide.  Of course, Marty has a cracking story to share about some highly dangerous fun from when he was knocking around in The Gap as a kid.

Random facts that changed history

These events prove that the truth really is stranger than fiction. You can’t help but wonder how things might have been if they hadn’t happened.

Bill Murray becomes a stand-up comedian.

A key moment in the Titanic disaster.

The man who survived two atomic bomb blasts.

Elanor Rigby’s grave.

Random fun facts

The Night's Watch cloaks

Lemons and limes

A T-Rex with feathers?

Say ‘Prunes’

A crazy Pulp Fiction fact

Apparently Quentin Tarantino’s favourite Bewitched scene. Here’s the link: 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3cFkXSgfjg

If you have a fun fact you’d like us to share, send us an email to: [email protected] or leave us a comment online at our social pages on Facebook or Instagram Thanks for listening and never be afraid to get sidetracked.

The boring disclaimer: We do try to double-check all of the facts we talk about. If something isn’t quite correct, we humbly apologise. Credit to our many sources including, A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, Tim from Kicking Harold, Mental Floss, Wikipedia and so many more.