The Music of 1968

A weekly look at America’s top singles in the year of ‘Hey Jude’, ‘Love Is Blue’, ‘Honey’ and the peak of Motown

De: Ken F. Jarrell

Narrado por: Virtual Voice

Amidst the political turmoil in America in 1968, the music you heard on the radio was as eclectic a concoction as anyone could imagine. It’s sappy ballads, bubblegum records, psychedelic hits, instrumental hits, country tunes, hard rock, power pop, soul, Motown classics, protest songs, novelty records and, as always, or at least since 1964 in America, the genius of The Beatles. Even among just the #1 songs of the year, the variety is mind-blowing, from ‘Hey Jude’, ‘Honey’, ‘Green Tambourine’, ‘Love Is Blue’, ‘Grazing In The Grass’ and ‘Harper Valley P.T.A.’ to ‘Love Child’, ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay’, ‘People Got To Be Free’ and ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’.
The most popular single of 1968 is ‘Hey Jude’ which stays at #1 for an incredible 9 weeks. According to Billboard magazine, the Top 10 records of the year are, after ‘Hey Jude’, ‘Love Is Blue (L’amour Est Bleu)’ by Paul Mauriat and His Orchestra, ‘Honey’ by Bobby Goldsboro, ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay’ by Otis Redding, ‘People Got To Be Free’ by The Rascals, ‘Sunshine Of Your Love’ by Cream, ‘This Guy’s In Love With You’ by Herb Alpert, ‘The Good, The Bad And The Ugly’ by Hugo Montenegro, His Orchestra and Chorus, ‘Mrs. Robinson’ by Simon and Garfunkel and ‘Tighten Up’ by Archie Bell and The Drells. The top artists of the year include The Beatles, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Aretha Franklin, Gary Puckett and The Union Gap, Cream, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, The 1910 Fruitgum Co., The Bee Gees, Tommy James and The Shondells, The 5th Dimension and Sergio Mendes and Brasil ’66. In 1968, we see the first Hot 100 appearances from Creedence Clearwater Revival, Deep Purple, The First Edition, Steppenwolf, The Band, Andy Kim and Sly & The Family Stone and the last hits from Herman’s Hermits, Gary Lewis and The Playboys, Nancy Sinatra, The McCoys and The Mamas and The Papas.
The Beatles are the only act to score more than one #1 record in 1968. They start the year at #1 with ‘Hello Goodbye’, a carryover #1 from 1967 and also have ‘Hey Jude’. They spend 11 weeks at #1 in total with the two records, far eclipsing any other act’s duration in the top spot. Three acts tie with 5 weeks at #1; Paul Mauriat and His Orchestra with ‘Love Is Blue (L’amour Est Bleu)’, Bobby Goldsboro with ‘Honey’ and The Rascals with ‘People Got To Be Free’.
1968 was also the year for 'Those Were The Days' by Mary Hopkin, 'MacArthur Park' by Richard Harris, 'Born To Be Wild' by Steppenwolf, 'Love Child' by Diana Ross and The Supremes, 'Mony Mony' by Tommy James and The Shondells , 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine' by both Gladys Knight and The Pips and by Marvin Gaye, ‘Say It Loud-I’m Black And I’m Proud’ by James Brown, 'Yummy Yummy Yummy' by The Ohio Express, ‘In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida’ by Iron Butterfly and 'Tip-Toe Thru' The Tulips With Me' by Tiny Tim. It was a year that Motown stars, including Diana Ross and The Supremes, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, Gladys Knight and The Pips, and Marvin Gaye alone and with Tammi Terrell, filled the Top 10 with regularity. In the final chart of 1968, Motown acts occupied all of the top 3 positions (I Heard It Through The Grapevine, For Once In My Life and Love Child) and five of the Top 10 spots in total.
In ‘The Music of 1968: A weekly look at America’s top singles in the year of ‘Hey Jude’, ‘Love Is Blue’, ‘Honey’ and the peak of Motown’, I examine the Billboard Hot 100 singles for each week of 1968. In each of those weekly chapters, I look at the #1 song, the rest of the Top 10, fast rising chart entries and the chart debuts that week. I examine more closely a selection of the artists, songs and songwriters of that week to reveal interesting stories and connections behind the hits. I hope this book brings back memories of some of your favourite songs from this era of great music.