For only the second time, after “Jailhouse Rock” I’m giving the win to an EP.

 

The track list:

Mrs Robinson

April Come She Will

Scarborough Fair / Canticle

The Sound Of Silence

 

The last track would be a 10 if it has featured on its own, “Mrs Robinson” has already received a 9 and the other two are lovely too so it’s very deserved.

 

Nina’s “I Put A Spell On You”, which originally missed the Top 40 and was re-released alongside “To Love Somebody”, is also brilliant. And it’s a very strong bronze for the Supremes and Temptations.

 

9 Simon And Garfunkel Mrs Robinson EP A marvellous EP - love "Scarborough Fair / Canticle" and it means "The Sound Of Silence" did at least chart here in some form

9 Nina Simone I Put A Spell On You {1969} A Screamin' Jay Hawkins song but hers is probably considered the definitive version and she squeezes every bit of feeling out

8 Diana Ross And The Supremes And The Temptations I'm Gonna Make You Love Me A bit of a supergroup coming together but it's effectively being done as a duet: great song and they really give it some welly

8 Cream White Room A great song with lyrics by poet Pete Brown and quite a musically intricate somg with changes of tempo, but a very strong hook

7 Jethro Tull Love Story Debut hit for this Lancashire band: I love their folk rock style and slightly medieval sound, and all the elements of that are here

7 Marv Johnson I'll Pick A Rose For My Rose His 2nd biggest hit after the awful "You Got What It Takes"; he redeems himself with this lovely, sweet and very catchy tune

6 Canned Heat Going Up The Country Apparently this is considered a hippie anthem and I enjoy it; the style has some of those elements that I like about Jethro Tull

6 Johnny Nash You Got Soul This doesn't have the brilliant quirkiness of "Hold Me Tight" but it's still a lovely piece of reggae-pop with a real warmth to it

5 Amen Corner (If Paradise Is) Half As Nice 266th #1: an Italian record turned into something very commercial with an arresting melody, but I don't find it all that soulful

5 Nina Simone To Love Somebody Interesting that she had 2 hits together and this was by far the bigger: this Bee Gees cover is sung well but not really essential

4 Eric Burdon And The Animals Ring Of Fire Another where it's difficult to see past the best known version, in this case by Johnny Cash: I don't think this flows well enough

4 The Isley Brothers I Guess I'll Always Love You {1969} Following the success of "This Old Heart Of Mine" they re-released this which had missed: quite nice but doesn't really grab me

3 Marvin Gaye And Tammi Terrell You Ain't Livin' Till You're Lovin' Another hit for them as a duo and another one that rather passes me by overall despite the strong and intimate performance

3 The Tymes People They'll be back and more successful in a few years: this one is perfectly well sung and produced but doesn't do much for me

2 Wilson Pickett Hey Jude An attempt to turn this into a soul song with a free rhythmic style: as well as not thinking it works I find it fairly dreary somehow

 

 

 

 

1969 Group 2:

 

#3249 01/02/1969 Sam And Dave Soul Sister Brown Sugar 15 42-20-23-17-18-{15}-23-33->8

#3250 01/02/1969 Long John Baldry It's Too Late Now 21 45-38-24-35-{21}-43-29-49->8

#3251 01/02/1969 Glen Campbell Wichita Lineman 7 47-24-26-11-9-{7}-8-8-14-18-26-39-47->13

#3252 01/02/1969 Harmony Grass Move In A Little Closer, Baby 24 50-25-27-{24}-32-35-49->7

#3253 08/02/1969 Peter Sarstedt Where Do You Go To (My Lovely) 1 18-12-2-{1}-1-1-1-2-7-14-22-30-33-48-42-44->16

#3254 08/02/1969 Engelbert Humperdinck The Way It Used To Be 3 39-15-9-5-9-{3}-3-13-16-21-30-40-49-48->14

#3255 08/02/1969 Dean Martin Gentle On My Mind 2 40-37-25-17-10-5-4-5-{2}-4-5-5-12-13-16-23-25-22-39-33-45-47-48-49R(7)->24

#3256 08/02/1969 The Bandwagon You 34 46-{34}-42-43->4

#3257 08/02/1969 Neil MacArthur She's Not There 34 47-35-{34}-41-44->5

#3258 15/02/1969 Sandie Shaw Monsieur DuPont 6 31-23-20-8-7-7-8-{6}-11-13-23-30-31-47-43->15

15/02/1969 The Righteous Brothers You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' {1969} 10 31-30-15-13-12-{10}-17-20-23-32-36->11

#3259 15/02/1969 Consortium All The Love In The World 22 38-40-34-{22}-34-27-36-41-41->9

#3260 15/02/1969 Marvin Gaye I Heard It Through The Grapevine 1 39-30-19-5-2-2-{1}-1-1-3-6-9-21-26-49->15

#3261 15/02/1969 Cilla Black Surround Yourself With Sorrow 3 41-18-11-4-4-6-{3}-11-12-17-41-42->12

15/02/1969 Ike And Tina Turner River Deep, Mountain High {1969} 33 45-39-{33}-44-45-45-48->7

#3262 22/02/1969 Bee Gees First Of May 6 33-26-11-{6}-9-7-10-17-28-33-47->11

#3263 22/02/1969 Inez And Charlie Foxx Mockingbird 33 36-45-43R(3)-{33}-41->5

Edited January 24, 20241 yr by JulianT

I know 'Going Up The Country' from it appearing in an early BJSC, it's quite a fun whimsical bluesy tune, 6/10 is probably a fair score though.

 

Love 'I Put A Spell On You' (there are a few good versions of it but agreed Nina's is the best one) and ofc the 2 songs I know from the Simon & Gafunkel EP, hooray that it turns out 'The Sound Of Silence' was actually kind of a hit in some way.

Sounds Of Silence should have been a hit in the first place, it was already known as a Simon & Garfunkel song by 1969 even if it wasnt a hit, ditto Scarborough Fair, both of which I liked but not as much as Mrs Robinson. I think I still do, though SOS is a classic of course.

 

I Put A Spell On You is still the best version, but a good shout out to Sonique's too. My fave of the batch at the time was I'm Gonna Make You Love Me, a great song and Madeleine Bell's original should have been a bigger hit in 1968, always fab and will pop up before years-end as co-lead singer in Roger Cook's Blue Mink for a few years of hits, all of them under-rated bar the first one. Still love Diana Ross & co's version though.

 

White Room I don't recall from 1969, but have liked it since, but never big on it. Love Story ditto really. I'll Pick A Rose was a goodie I approved of at the time, and it still sounds good. I caught Marv on a Motown Artists 80's hits package, it might even have been with The Temptations (see Diana Ross). Going Up The Country I never liked much, still not fussed, but Johnny Nash is still lovely reggae soul.

 

To Love Somebody was the one that got all the airplay, a great song, a decent version but the Bee Gees original is still the definitive for me, that's a classic. Amen Corner was my other top record here, Half As Nice a huge number 1 pop stomper that I got all nostalgic for again in early 1976 when it was a hit again and I bought the reissue. I saw Andy Fairweather-Low, in the 00's I think.

 

Ring Of Fire, Johnny Cash only for me, never heard a version I was overly impressed with. The Isleys oldie is a goodie, though not a monster like the next charting oldie or the previous one, as they gear up for a massive update in style and career. Marvin & Tammi always pleasant, People, it's all about Barbara Streisand on the Funny Girl EP my dad bought in 1970, and The Tymes had much better to come. Wilson Pickett, meh, as per usual.

 

 

No doubt about today’s winner but I had no idea it was a cover. :o

 

9 Marvin Gaye I Heard It Through The Grapevine 268th #1: a Gladys Knight cover I now know; such a dramatic song with piercing bitter vocals underpinned by a hypnotic riff

8 Glen Campbell Wichita Lineman Debut for this US country singer: a very enchanting song with unusual lyrics about a lineman speaking into a telephone pole

7 Peter Sarstedt Where Do You Go To (My Lovely) 267th #1: an acoustic ballad with accordian and John Peel's worst record ever, but I fine it beautifully sincere and simple

7 Inez And Charlie Foxx Mockingbird Only joint hit for this brother and sister soul duo and a really fun and quirky one: I love the way they bounce off each other

6 Consortium All The Love In The World Only hit for this UK psychedelic group: it's quite heavy on the falsetto but a very good song with lovely harmonies and strings

6 Harmony Grass Move In A Little Closer, Baby Only hit for this British sunshine pop group and covered by Cass Elliot, it's a nice song with a big production singalong chorus

5 The Bandwagon You The follow up to "Breaking Down The Walls Of Heartache" and a similar style number with high energy and plenty of soul

5 Sandie Shaw Monsieur DuPont This narrowly manages to avoid being irritating with the "la la la" in the chorus, but it's a fun and cheeky tune and very catchy

4 Bee Gees First Of May An interesting one that I'm not totally sure I like: the vocal line is quite laboured but the big production is quite captivating

4 Dean Martin Gentle On My Mind Gentle it certainly is, with Dean's unflappable easygoing charm, and it's a nice tune but very much not challenging listening

4 Neil MacArthur She's Not There The lead singer of the Zombies here with his solo version of their signature song: still sounds good but seems slightly pointless

3 Sam And Dave Soul Sister Brown Sugar Last Top 40 for this duo and their biggest hit: it's very well sung and played but without much of a melody I can't really enjoy it

3 Long John Baldry It's Too Late Now His last Top 40 and a slow ballad: he puts a lot of feeling in and the singalong chorus is quite sweet but it's all a little drippy

2 Cilla Black Surround Yourself With Sorrow Much bouncier than most of her hits but I nonetheless don't enjoy it: the chorus is very in your face in a slightly grim way

2 Engelbert Humperdinck The Way It Used To Be His 7th straight Top 5 translated from Italian: this is indeed the way music used to be 20 years ago but it's thankfully moved on

 

 

1969 Group 3:

 

#3264 22/02/1969 Barry Ryan Love Is Love 25 37-{25}-32-30->4

#3265 22/02/1969 Don Partridge Breakfast On Pluto 26 41-39-{26}-38-28-37-46->7

#3266 22/02/1969 Love Affair One Road 16 48-40-21-18-{16}-19-24-25-34->9

#3267 22/02/1969 Max Bygraves You're My Everything 34 50-46R(2)-{34}-43-50->5

#3268 01/03/1969 Elvis Presley If I Can Dream 11 30-17-13-{11}-11-15-19-26-31-40->10

#3269 01/03/1969 Cliff Richard Good Times (Better Times) 12 36-16-15-13-{12}-12-18-19-25-31-34->11

#3270 01/03/1969 Noel Harrison The Windmills Of Your Mind 8 36-34-19-21-16-14-15-10-9-{8}-19-17-33-36->14

#3271 01/03/1969 Dick Emery If You Love Her 32 38-40-{32}-49->4

#3272 01/03/1969 The Beach Boys I Can Hear Music 10 47-26-27-20-18-18-{10}-11-12-18-26-33-45->13

#3273 08/03/1969 Joe South Games People Play 6 30-20-14-{6}-8-7-9-15-19-24-29->11

#3274 08/03/1969 The Hollies Sorry Suzanne 3 33-14-12-4-{3}-5-7-18-27-27-32-47->12

#3275 08/03/1969 The Temptations Get Ready 10 39-21-17-{10}-13-13-20-26-36->9

#3276 08/03/1969 Gene Pitney Maria Elena 25 41-36-{25}-30-30-36->6

#3277 08/03/1969 Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick And Tich Don Juan 23 49-31-{23}-26-28-29-35-43-45->9

#3278 15/03/1969 Lulu Boom Bang-A-Bang 2 22-22-9-4-{2}-4-7-10-22-18-25-38-41->13

Edited January 31, 20241 yr by JulianT

Ah some absolute greats here. Love 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine' such a soul classic and the Simon and Garfunkel tracks both are fab too even if MR has already been covered lol.

Grapevine is the original version :cheer: Gladys' was the cover - Berry Gordy refused to release it as a single in 1967 saying it wasnt commercial enough so he got the Pips to do a funked up version which was a huge US smash, then Marvin's came out in late 1968 due to demand for the then-album track. It's a jaw-dropping anthem, and Marvin had to fight for control over his output, Gordy still wanted hit singles, not so keen on stuff like, ooh one of the greatest albums of the 70's the awesome What's Going On. Both that and Grapevine are some of the greatest recordings of all-time.

 

Wichita Lineman is also a major jaw-dropping classic as songwriter Jimmy Webb (a major early Glen fan before both hit it big, Glen being a studio musician on many a hit record and a part-time Beach Boy on tours) hit his purple patch. Our family were mad on Glen, about to star in movie True Grit, and have his own TV specials, and this record is timeless. I may be slightly biased as the first album I got for Christmas was ... This Is Glen Campbell, Singapore 1970, with this and Galveston on it. Brilliant.

 

Peter Sarstedt, another big French-flavoured fave with great lyrics, and Peel is wrong, bless him, he was one of the "Monkees are manufactured dross" brigade at the time as he was out promoting hippie endless drivel up it's own arse - as he freely admitted when it became clear during punk that actually the hippie dross was influencing no-one and the Monkees were in fact inspirations and their records have stood the test of time. My niece and hubbie danced to this last year on her 40th disco, it's "their" tune and it's still sweet.

 

Mockingbird is fun, though it's the carly Simon & james taylor husband-wife version I knew first in 1974. Move In A Little Closer Baby is fab bubblegum harmony pop, but Cass' version is even better. Consortium is OK, ditto You, and Monsieur Dupont was a lot of French quirky fun, but Sandie was never a fan of it and that was the end of her chart career until Morrissey came along. I can see her point, though.

 

First Of May is my top forgotten Bee Gees song, it's subtle and touching and just fabulous. It SO needs a revival. Dean's version of Gentle on My Mind has his usual half-drunk style and is cheerful enough, but Glen Campbell's original version should have been the hit, no-one has done it better. She's Not There is an unusual choice for Colin Blunstone, covering himself, as was his pseudonym for this hit but he'd be back with a fab Denny Laine song under his real name.

 

Soul Sister Brown Sugar, OK but not a fave, Long John Baldry tapering out, Engelbert's is OK I quite liked it at the time, and Cilla's was a fave of course - it had a beefed-up chorus that made her sound a bit more groovy, as we used to say, than the ballad pop rut she'd fallen into - it's not a classic by any means but I'm fond of it. TV variety show "Cilla" was her future though so hits no longer essential as she became a national treasure by virtue of her down-to-earth personality.

 

 

Wichita Lineman and Blackberry Way are my favourites from the last few batches. Not long now to the 1970s.

It makes this whole project seem worthwhile when you discover a track that you find totally transfixing like “Windmills Of Your Mind”. He was primarily an actor and I think it does show as the vocals Brent polished, but I think they’re delivered incredibly powerfully.

 

9 Noel Harrison The Windmills Of Your Mind Oscar winning sole hit for this UK actor used in the film "The Thomas Crown Affair": I find it unique and utterly spellbinding

8 The Beach Boys I Can Hear Music A Ronettes cover but a beautiful song that works brilliantly with the Beach Boys sound: my favourite of theirs for a few years

7 Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick And Tich Don Juan Similar in style to "The Legend Of Xanadu" and also great with Spanish flavours and lovely storytelling but underperformed

7 The Temptations Get Ready This has the polish of a slickly produced Motown record, but it's a very strong track with great vocals and band contributions

6 Barry Ryan Love Is Love His 2nd solo hit and like Eloise it's a bit of an epic with big production: vocals a bit shouty towards the end but otherwise great

6 Love Affair One Road Their only hit to miss the Top 10 but another very nice one with sweet lyrics and a mournful tune that brings out the emotion

5 Don Partridge Breakfast On Pluto His 3rd and final hit and I've liked them all than I feel I normally would this kind of music: a charming and catchy little tune here

5 Gene Pitney Maria Elena Another Spanish flavoured song with Gene's usual high drama and vocal multi-tracking - some nice irregular rhythms here too

4 The Hollies Sorry Suzanne Yet another big hit for them: there's nothing wrong with it but I find it quite safe and just a typical 60s group harmony song

4 Lulu Boom Bang-A-Bang The 2nd UK Eurovision winner and a #2 hit, I can see why it did well and it has its charm but not something I'd seek out to hear

3 Elvis Presley If I Can Dream Inspired by the famous speech, a rousing song and passionate performance from Elvis; I just can't get on with the raspy vocals

3 Joe South Games People Play Only hit for this US singer songwriter, and it seems to have been a well received hit at the time but I find it incredibly repetitive

2 Cliff Richard Good Times (Better Times) "Ding dong ding let the church bells ring": one of his more upbeat records butthe lyrics are banal and the tune slightly irritating

2 Dick Emery If You Love Her Only Top 40 for this UK comedian already in his 50s; think this is an original which is remarkable considering how old it sounds

1 Max Bygraves You're My Everything Max is back after an 8 year gap, but that's not to say he's moved forward as this is a 1931 ballad: an extremely dull 3 minutes

 

 

#3279 15/03/1969 The Foundations In The Bad Bad Old Days 8 26-18-15-9-{8}-8-10-14-33-43->10

15/03/1969 Sarah Vaughan And Billy Eckstine Passing Strangers {1969} 20 37-30-24-27-30-23-22-21-{20}-20-21-21-34-48-47->15

#3280 15/03/1969 Vikki Carr With Pen In Hand 39 43-{39}R(2)-50-40R(4)-43->5

#3281 15/03/1969 Bob And Earl Harlem Shuffle 7 47-26-23-21-19-16-11-{7}-11-13-16-28-39->13

#3282 22/03/1969 Sly And The Family Stone Everyday People 36 {36}-37R(3)-41-46-50->5

#3283 22/03/1969 Small Faces Afterglow Of Your Love 36 {36}->1

#3284 22/03/1969 The Tremeloes Hello World 14 38-22-22-16-{14}-19-22-35->8

#3285 22/03/1969 The Who Pinball Wizard 4 38-25-17-9-6-{4}-4-4-10-11-27-32-47->13

#3286 22/03/1969 Desmond Dekker And The Aces Israelites 1 40-21-5-3-{1}-2-3-6-8-17-25-37-38-45-45R(2)->15

#3287 22/03/1969 Troubadours Du Roi Baudouin Sanctus (From Missa Luba) 28 42-31-34-{28}-37-39-37R(2)-40-47-40-40->11

#3288 22/03/1969 Stevie Wonder I Don't Know Why (I Love You) 14 47-29-26-22-18-{14}-17-16-24-29-43R(7)->11

#3289 29/03/1969 The Sandpipers Kumbaya 38 {38}-49R(2)->2

#3290 29/03/1969 Clodagh Rodgers Come Back And Shake Me 3 44-35-27-15-8-5-{3}-4-7-10-19-22-37-46->14

#3291 29/03/1969 The Marbles The Walls Fell Down 28 47-39-33-29-{28}-38->6

#3292 05/04/1969 Mary Hopkin Goodbye 2 25-6-{2}-3-2-2-5-8-12-20-26-30-35-38->14

#3293 05/04/1969 Johnny Nash Cupid 6 28-32-12-13-{6}-10-14-19-24-33-49-50R(2)->12

Edited February 19, 20241 yr by JulianT

“Israelites” s great as it has real passion and struggle behind it but more importantly manages to be a unique record. Credit to The Who as well for producing such a stonker so deep into their career.

 

9 Desmond Dekker And The Aces Israelites 269th #1: about Rastafarians but really more to do with Jamaican poverty in general and in Patois, a wonderful moving hit

9 The Who Pinball Wizard One of their best remembered and streamed hits, it's quite poppy by their standards but a wonderfully written joyous song

8 Mary Hopkin Goodbye Written by Paul and held off the top by The Beatles, a lovely song that really suits her: should have used this for Eurovision

7 Bob And Earl Harlem Shuffle Only hit for this US duo originally released in 1963, and a very compelling soulful R&B duet about popular dances of the time

7 Sly And The Family Stone Everyday People A US #1 and something of a soul classic promoting racial equality: despite the message the record has a real feeling of joy to it

6 Stevie Wonder I Don't Know Why (I Love You) Stevie has definitely found his style now: a strong follow up to "For Once In My Life" here and he really delivers the emotion

6 Clodagh Rodgers Come Back And Shake Me First and biggest hit for this Irish singer; a very catchy number with a big multi-voiced chorus and softer intimately sung verses

6 The Foundations In The Bad Bad Old Days Already their last Top 40, and a really grown up and classy slice of soulful pop; just missing the wow factor of "Build Me Up…"

5 Small Faces Afterglow Of Your Love Last hit for them actually released without the band's permission after they broke up; it's a nice warm psychedelic pop song

5 Johnny Nash Cupid Not sure this cover adds very much to Sam's so not giving it a very high score, but another lovely performance from Johnny

5 The Marbles The Walls Fell Down Their 2nd and final hit also Bee Gees penned; it's good and has a similar feel to the other with the slow tempo and high drama

4 The Tremeloes Hello World Written with Eurovision in mind but not chosen and it's pleasant enough but quite poppy and lightweight; not that memorable

4 Troubadours Du Roi Baudouin Sanctus (From Missa Luba) A Congolese style version of the Latin Mass and the "Sanctus" appeared in a film: out of context it's fine but a slightly odd hit

3 Vikki Carr With Pen In Hand Her 2nd and final Top 40 appearance and a Bobby Goldsboro cover: she performs it very well but not the most exciting song

2 The Sandpipers Kumbaya A version of this African American spiritual; nothing wrong with it but reminds me rather too much of going on school camps

 

 

 

1969 Group 5 (epic run alert):

 

#3294 05/04/1969 The Equals Michael And The Slipper Tree 24 33-31-25-{24}-26-32-45->7

#3295 05/04/1969 Junior Walker And The All Stars Road Runner 12 44-35-26-16-13-{12}-12-12-17-28-35-49->12

#3296 05/04/1969 Jackie Trent I'll Be There 38 48-{38}-41-49->4

#3297 05/04/1969 Frank Sinatra My Way 5 50-43-23-17-16-9-6-6-{5}-5-7-7-21-20-27-28-31-43-26-41-50-33-40-33-38-39-35-45-38-31-42-44-48-49-49-48-46-49-42-42-37-50-49R(2)-49R(4)-30-32-30-40-43R(2)-40-38-33-44-43-42-45-41-42R(3)-41-43-45-48-35-45-37-44-49-49-42-44-36-30-40-30-28-28-34-35-33R(2)-25-24-26-26-18-31-21-23-24-29-29-31-32-31-28-37R(2)-22-25-26-23-33-38-31-45-44-39-41-35-36-36-39-40-38-45-49R(5)-46-42-43-39-39-42-50-50R(10)->122

#3298 12/04/1969 Cream Badge 18 43-36-20-28-{18}-25-20-22-31-37->10

#3299 12/04/1969 Jefferson The Colour Of My Love 22 45-40-34-23-28-{22}-30-31->8

#3300 19/04/1969 Fleetwood Mac Man Of The World 2 21-21-11-7-3-3-{2}-3-4-11-22-23-49-47->14

#3301 19/04/1969 The Kinks Plastic Man 31 {31}-37-32-43->4

#3302 19/04/1969 Jimi Hendrix Experience Crosstown Traffic 37 {37}-37-46->3

#3303 19/04/1969 Rolf Harris Bluer Than Blue 30 44-45-33-{30}-34-36-40-45->8

#3304 19/04/1969 The Isley Brothers Behind A Painted Smile 5 45-29-20-8-7-{5}-6-8-20-26-34-43->12

#3305 19/04/1969 Tommy Roe Dizzy 1 47-44-24-17-11-4-3-{1}-2-3-6-13-19-22-26-32-34-38-49->19

#3306 26/04/1969 The Fifth Dimension Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In 11 35-35-25-22-13-{11}-16-16-31-33-46->11

#3307 26/04/1969 The Beatles With Billy Preston Get Back 1 {1}-1-1-1-1-1-2-5-6-18-21-26-27-33-36-47-45->17

#3308 26/04/1969 Herman's Hermits My Sentimental Friend 2 27-15-5-{2}-2-4-7-18-27-31-39-47->12

Edited February 19, 20241 yr by JulianT

Noel Harrison (son of Doctor Doolittle Rex Harrison) was well-known at the time as the co-star of The Girl From UNCLE (aka Stephanie Powers) TV show, and I was mad on Windmills Of Your Mind, a fab Michel Legrand tune with an almost-spoken lyric from Noel - I saw The Thomas Crown Affair at the cinema too. Dusty Springfield had a great version (though she wasnt keen on it), and actress Hannah Gordon had a skit on Morecambe & Wise with a windmill blowing at her singing it until it reached gale force. Still love Noel's version best.

 

I Can Hear Music is a great cover, suits The Beach Boys style, Don Juan was one that didnt get a lot of exposure and underperformed, but its quite good, Get Ready was finally a hit for the Temptations in 1969, a frantic Motown classic, and Love Is Love was another goodie that didnt get a lot of exposure and consequently one I discovered when I bought his Greatest Hits cd in the 80's, it's no Eloise, but then what is...

 

One Road is good, Breakfast On Pluto I dont recall ever hearing at the time, ditto Maria Elena (but it's Gene so it's good), and Sorry Suzanne was a huge fave of mine at the time, tuneful Hollies though it doesn't have that timeless appeal of one coming later in the year.

 

If I Can Dream was a huge Elvis reputational comeback following his TV special, and mum, dad and my brother and me all loved it. It's my brother's all-time fave record and we played it mum's funeral so I can't listen to it anymore or any Elvis tbh, mum passed away listening to Elvis while I held her hand. You carry on, but traumas come back to you regularly I find. It was a defiant comeback from years of dross for Elvis at the time though.

 

Boom Bang A Bang was fun, catchy and did the job, but her next single was much better and very different. Games People Play was a great record, Joe South had a sort of country/soul mix on this very Glen Campbell-flavoured song. Good Times one I liked a lot at the time (like Lulu's) and it was nicely upbeat, but hasnt stood the test of time. Dick and Max meant nothing to me at the time and still don't.

 

 

Israelites was a huge fave at the time, it was unlike anything that came before, and its still great. Loved Desmond. The song was a hit all over again in 1975 for desmond (minus his Aces) in a newly-recorded version that sounded much the same. That one topped my charts, just missing my top spot in 1969. Pinball Wizard was a great Who track, quickly covered by New Seekers in 1972 and the film version in 1976 by Elton John which is even better than the original. And it's still not the best record to come out of Tommy, the Townsend rock musical. That'll be in 1973.

 

Goodbye was my fave record at that time, mad on Mary and Paul's tune was so joyously catchy it's still the most nostalgic evocative of the time for me, topped my charts for a month or so with Clodagh Rogers stuck at 2, I was also mad on Come back And Shake Me. neither of them have weathered the years as classics, but I still love 'em.

 

Harlem Shuffle is fabulous, still exciting, not least that intro which was nicked and made more famous on Jump Around. Harlem Shuffle is the better though. See The Rolling Stones cover to compare how good the original is. Everyday People wasnt a radio hit at the time, but I grew to like it decades later after the Arrested Development version and my Sly & The Family Stone hits CD. Have I mentioned the road-crash worst concert I ever went to? Thought so! Sly high, hours late and no working microphones...

 

I Don't Know Why is class Stevie but the B side is the famous side (it'll be back shortly), Bad Bad Old days was another Foundations goodie I bought on my EP hits 12inch vinyl copy in 1977, Afterglow Of Your Love is a blank to me. I know I heard it in 2019, but I don't recall it! Hello World is fun Trems, Sanctus is a bizarre hit I heard in the mid 70's (and liked) when i bought a Hits of 1969 album, and around the time I saw a late-night violent posh public-school movie called If with Malcolm McDowell starring. The film made the song a minor hit.

 

Cupid is my original version heard, so Johnny takes top version ahead of Sam Cooke's original, and way ahead of Detroit Spinners hit cover. The Walls Fell Down got no airplay, so I never got to hear it, it's Bee Gees so that's a shame! Vikki Carr, prefer the Bobby Goldsboro original, Kumbaya became a parody of itself very quickly and I don't see how any version will ever convince me otherwise. Much better was Kara Kara, a New World Chinn-Chapman folkpop effort that twisted the title into Kimbayeh and used it in 1971.

 

'Everyday People' is one of my favourites so far in 1969, along with 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine' and EP track 'The Sounds Of Silence'.

'Pinball Wizard' is a good'un!

It has to be “My Way” at the top even if it isn’t something I’d go to often. “Behind A Painted Smile” is a great discovery that comes close though.

 

8 Frank Sinatra My Way Obviously it isn't musically pioneering but it's an anthem for the ages with brilliant uplifting lyrics, and he executes it perfectly

8 The Isley Brothers Behind A Painted Smile This might be their best moment: a serene intro erupts into a stonking record that hits hard, and the pain comes over strongly

8 The Beatles With Billy Preston Get Back 270th #1 and their only debut at the top and featured artist: I do love the instrumentals and how straightforwardly rocky it is

7 Tommy Roe Dizzy 271st #1: it's a great pop song and it delivers the sense of being caught in a whirlpool, with the key changes adding to the pain

7 Jefferson The Colour Of My Love Written by Paul Ryan and the only hit for this English singer who had been in The Rockin' Berries: a really great tune here

6 Fleetwood Mac Man Of The World After "Albatross" they've gone back to a slow vocal ballad: this is very nice with a sultry mood but not absolutely knock-out

6 Cream Badge Already the last Top 40 for this band: the guitar work on this is great and it's a very nice song; just peters out a bit too soon

5 The Equals Michael And The Slipper Tree I wasn't convinced by "Laurel And Harry" but here they've made a light hearted number work: it's very catchy with fun lyrics

5 The Kinks Plastic Man They were having a very poor commercial run at this point and this didn't improve their fortunes: a fun listen though a bit silly

4 The Fifth Dimension Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In A Stateside #1 for this soul group and a medley of 2 songs from "Hair"; both parts are lovely individually but not together

4 Jimi Hendrix Experience Crosstown Traffic To me this falls a little flat after the brilliance of "…Watchtower": it's not bad but all in all not attention grabbing enough

3 Junior Walker And The All Stars Road Runner Highest peaking hit for them and it has nice saxophone moments and strong vocals but the song itself rather passes me by

3 Herman's Hermits My Sentimental Friend Their 2nd highest peaking hit bafflingly: musically it's nothing special and I find the repetition of "sentimental" rather naff

2 Rolf Harris Bluer Than Blue It's a very hummable tune but this ballad feels more than 10 years out of date and the whistling makes it even more twee

2 Jackie Trent I'll Be There Last appearance for Jackie and she sings it nicely but it doesn't do a lot for me at all: a very straight laced and plodding ballad

 

 

1969 Group 6:

 

#3309 26/04/1969 Diana Ross And The Supremes I'm Living In Shame 14 32-29-{14}-21-15-16-21-28-48-50R(2)->10

#3310 03/05/1969 Simon And Garfunkel The Boxer 6 25-15-9-9-7-{6}-8-10-23-22-42-42-49-49->14

#3311 03/05/1969 Manfred Mann Ragamuffin Man 8 36-23-15-10-{8}-10-10-15-26-33-45->11

#3312 03/05/1969 Roy Orbison My Friend 35 43-{35}-36-40->4

#3313 03/05/1969 Blood, Sweat And Tears You've Made Me So Very Happy 35 43-43-36-{35}-45-43->6

#3314 10/05/1969 Glen Campbell Galveston 14 29-27-18-18-{14}-17-16-25-26-38->10

#3315 10/05/1969 Smokey Robinson And The Miracles The Tracks Of My Tears 9 37-30-22-19-13-{9}-12-10-16-24-38-46-46->13

#3316 10/05/1969 Chicken Shack I'd Rather Go Blind 14 39-44-26-28-17-19-{14}-17-18-22-35-41-47->13

#3317 10/05/1969 Booker T And The MG's Time Is Tight 4 39-30-27-15-11-6-{4}-4-6-10-17-19-20-24-36-36-41-48->18

#3318 10/05/1969 Des O'Connor Dick-A-Dum-Dum (King's Road) 14 46-28-24-{14}-18-14-23-30-41-41->10

#3319 10/05/1969 Andy Williams Happy Heart 19 47-33R(2)-34-35-25-34-{19}-25-37-36->10

#3320 17/05/1969 Tom Jones Love Me Tonight 9 19-14-{9}-11-12-19-29-28-34-37-48-44->12

#3321 17/05/1969 Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick And Tich Snake In The Grass 23 35-28-{23}-24-32-39-41-36->8

#3322 17/05/1969 Microbe Groovy Baby 29 38-38-30-{29}-30-40-41->7

#3323 17/05/1969 Jackie Wilson (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher 11 39-32-20-15-{11}-13-13-17-28-45-50->11

Edited February 19, 20241 yr by JulianT

I was a fan of My Way at the time, but it was in the charts for years and it has become a karaoke staple so I really am sick of it these days. The godawful Elvis posthumous cover didnt help. I'll take Something Stupid or Strangers In The Night anyday :)

 

Behind A Painted Smile OTOH has grown with the decades into a major classic for me, histrionic, that intro, passionate vocals, just genius and the bpm are amazing. I liked it a lot at the time, but I love it to bits now. Get Back was all fresh and gutsy at the time, a change from their singles since Paperback Writer really, but it never did top my personal charts on any of its handful of UK chart appearances. I bought it in 1974 and remember the rooftop video on Top Of The Pops in 1969 and the buzz over it entering at 1.

 

Dizzy, the greatest bubblegum record, a track I was insanely mad on, a friend bought the record and I wanted it, so when we moved to Singapore in September me and my brother were given 10 shillings by great grandma and great grandad before we flew there, a fortune at the time - soon as we came across a record stall on an evening market in Changi, I spotted and bought Dizzy, my first ever record purchase, and I bought In The Ghetto for mum (and me). My first CD album purchase was Tommy Roe's Greatest Hits in 1988. Thrilled when the rhythm was borrowed by William Orbit for Bass-o-matic's brilliant Fascinating Rhythm. And then Vic Reeves & The Wonder Stuff covered it.

 

Jefferson not one I knew, not bad though, Man Of The World was low-key pleasant, Cream I never really got, The Equals' was a fun record, catchy and upbeat, Plastic Man meh, but Aquarius OTOH is genius. Love the 5th Dimension harmony gospel vocal style and a second fave from Hair. I love the mash-up, bought the single in a back catalogue section in the record department of a Californian big store on a student adventure in 1979. Still love it.

 

Road Runner is OK, but Junior Walker would make some fab singles after this one. My Sentimental Friend was a nice tune, and had the old timee vibes to it that I guess appealed to older folk as well as kiddies like me. It was all about the melody, but it's not up there with Herman/Peter Noone's top tracks. I've become addicted to a 1973 flop from Peter that I never knew existed of late, Peter sounding vocally a bit like Cast's John Power and a melody to die for - I Think I'm Over Getting Over You. Should have been a hit.

 

Bluer Than Blue was a tune I liked at the time, and of course everyone loved Rolf and his paintings and records. Jackie Trent passed me by then and now. Or Now And Then as The Beatles might put it.

A couple of soul classics here but it’s “The Boxer” that gets the first perfect score of the year. There’s something about that huge drum beat after the first “lie-la-lie” that gets me every time: it’s uniquely brilliant and powerful. “The Tracks Of My Tears” is a very worthy runner up though and there are some more great ones after that too.

 

10 Simon And Garfunkel The Boxer "The Sound Of Silence" never had a 10 as it wasn't a stand alone hit but this rivals it for me: a stunning and captivating record

9 Smokey Robinson And The Miracles The Tracks Of My Tears Their 1st Top 10 and surely one of the greatest soul songs ever: there's so much pain in the lyrics of the chorus and the vocals

8 Jackie Wilson (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher His first hit here for ages and another soul classic: this one uplifting rather than heartbreaking and will come back in the 80s

8 Booker T And The MG's Time Is Tight The biggest hit for them: a fabulous instrumental and I love it all but especially the slow intro which creates a feeling of awe

7 Manfred Mann Ragamuffin Man Their last hit as Manfred Mann and it's really lovely: such a catchy tune and very charming with an interesting lyrical story

7 Chicken Shack I'd Rather Go Blind 1st of only 2 hits for this UK blues group and Christine from Fleetwood Mac was the vocalist on this beautiful heartfelt ballad

6 Glen Campbell Galveston Another place name themed hit for him and a lovely bit of easy listening, but without the arresting magic of "Wichita Lineman"

5 Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick And Tich Snake In The Grass Their last Top 40 sadly; not a big hit and not one of their best but still fun and catchy with the stompy beat and quirky lyrics

4 Diana Ross And The Supremes I'm Living In Shame I do enjoy the lyric "Mum passed away while making homemade jam": this is quite a nice listen but thematically rather strange

4 Tom Jones Love Me Tonight Another one re-worked from an Italian song: it's a good tune and a nice upbeat number; I just feel there's no light and shade in it

3 Blood, Sweat And Tears You've Made Me So Very Happy Only hit here for this New York jazz group who are still going: I'm sure they do have good stuff but this cover passes me by

3 Microbe Groovy Baby Only hit for this DJ called Dave Cash and a novelty record but with quite an infectious tune; the baby noises do ruin it a little

2 Andy Williams Happy Heart This starts off quite nicely but once it goes into the big singalong melody it loses all interest for me and becomes quite repetitive

2 Roy Orbison My Friend My least favourite of all Roy's hits: he sings it well but the snarling passive aggressive nature of the song is really not for me

1 Des O'Connor Dick-A-Dum-Dum (King's Road) One of those songs with an irritating slightly smug chirpiness about it, plus the lyrics are nonsense and the tune is grimly sticky

 

 

 

 

1969 Group 7:

 

#3324 17/05/1969 Jethro Tull Living In The Past 3 41-36-35-22-15-5-{3}-4-5-12-23-33-42-42->14

#3325 17/05/1969 Bob Dylan I Threw It All Away 30 50-31-36-{30}-33-40->6

#3326 24/05/1969 The Edwin Hawkins Singers Oh Happy Day 2 39-13-9-3-{2}-2-5-11-20-24-27-41-43R(2)->13

#3327 24/05/1969 Crazy Elephant Gimme Gimme Good Lovin' 12 40-32-27-21-22-14-{12}-14-16-17-26-29-39->13

#3328 31/05/1969 Cliff Richard Big Ship 8 32-25-13-{8}-11-11-15-33-32-39->10

#3329 31/05/1969 Creedence Clearwater Revival Proud Mary 8 39-35-22-20-9-9-{8}-10-13-23-38-34-39->13

#3330 31/05/1969 The Four Tops What Is A Man 16 43-38-27-29-{16}-24-17-32-21-45-43->11

#3331 31/05/1969 The Bandwagon Let's Hang On 36 44-48-41-46-{36}-49->6

#3332 31/05/1969 Max Romeo Wet Dream 10 46-41-45-32-32-34-33-21-36-15-30-{10}-13-18-20-18-26-26-33-30-32-35-34-43-50R(3)->25

#3333 31/05/1969 Family Dogg Way Of Life 6 49-43-34-18-15-8-7-{6}-10-14-20-24-31-36->14

#3334 07/06/1969 The Beatles The Ballad Of John And Yoko 1 4-{1}-1-1-3-3-11-15-22-27-37-38-47-50->14

#3335 07/06/1969 The Flamingos Boogaloo Party 26 {26}-44-42-43-48->5

#3336 07/06/1969 Marvin Gaye And Tammi Terrell Good Lovin' Ain't Easy To Come By 26 47-50-36-39-29-35-{26}-48R(2)->8

#3337 07/06/1969 Bee Gees Tomorrow Tomorrow 23 50-31-38-24-31-{23}-46-42->8

#3338 07/06/1969 Peter Sarstedt Frozen Orange Juice 10 50-24-24-12-{10}-12-14-28-30->9

Edited February 19, 20241 yr by JulianT

Classic Simon and Garfunkel and also love the Jackie Wilson track too!

The Boxer is a masterpiece. I know every word and love every second, and it was a fave of the time and within a year as part of the Bridge Over Troubled Water album masterpiece it would dominate easylistening popular music for 2 or 3 years. Dad borrowed the album from our Singapore next door neighbours, The Overton's, and recorded it onto our newly-bought reel to reel tape recorder, so I got to hear it a lot in 1970. And in 1976 when I bought a second-hand copy and played it to death. A near-perfect album.

 

The Tracks Of My Tears is soul poetry, one that has grown in stature with the years - not one I could identify with at 11, though I liked it, but one that remains ever-relevant on the journey through life. Higher And Higher had flopped first-time round but Northern Soul was about to boom and this was a fore-runner, still exciting, and Jackie was still alive and well. Shortly after it charted again in 1975 he had a heart attack on stage and ended up in a coma for 9 years before dying. So sad he never got to enjoy the 1986/7 UK revival of his greatest hits.

 

Time Is Tight is fab, and it was the backdrop to the new 70's chart rundowns as they were announced by Johnnie Walker on Radio 1 every Tuesday lunchtime through to 1976 (singles) and the album chart. In those days the full radio rundown was Sunday and Top Of The Pops Thursday evening but the key moment was Tuesday lunchtime - my portable transistor radio in hand, tucked away on the sports field or a local park, or vacant classroom, with paper and pen frantically writing them down outside school and away from the bullies...(they only played the number one, the rest were just announced).

 

Ragamuffin Man was a fave, and still sweet and tuneful. Earthband were great too, but the charm of MM wasn't there anymore, more progrock pop gems. Chicken Shack was one I liked, great to see Christine come back huge in the 70's, seen her a few times in the Mac. Galveston, on my first album, Jimmy Webb still bringing in the quality, a huge fave of mine then and always.

 

Snake In The Grass was catchy but not in the same league as recent DDBM&T stuff. I'm Livin' In Shame didnt really make an impact on me at the time, but it's decent enough. Love Me Tonight is upbeat pop, not classic but pleasant enough. Blood, Sweat & Tears were one of my pet peeves, dreary and self-important. This was their best moment, and that's not saying much.

 

Groovy Baby I loved at the time, being 11 and all, and Dave Cash had his own kids hour late afternoon early 70's pop show with filmed segments of pop stars singing latest hits and some less big stuff too. All scrubbed and lost no doubt, though I think a few of the filmed segments are on Youtube. Happy Heart was fun and singalong, and Andy was about to become iconic on TV in the UK and Singapore (and USA obv) with his variety show. The Cookie Bear was the highlight. You had to be there...!

 

My Friend got no airplay at the time that I recall (and speaking as a Roy fan I would have remembered) so it's not really made an impression, but he lost his way after the deaths of his wife in 1966 and 2 eldest sons in a house fire in 1968, I think. Dick A Dum Dum I liked then, but it's not got the charm of 1,2,3 O Leary or I Pretend and doesn't bear choosing to hear it again! Des didnt care, 70's variety show staple and comedy foil to Morecambe & Wise immortality lay ahead. Des was great.

 

 

Obviously”Proud Mary” has evolved into a staple over time but this original has an assuming charm.

 

9 Creedence Clearwater Revival Proud Mary Debut hit for this US band and a fabulous much covered gospel influenced classic, but I like the slightly folky feel to this original

8 Jethro Tull Living In The Past This critique of hippie culture was their highest peaking hit and it's brilliant with a hypnotic and unusual syncopated rhythm

8 Family Dogg Way Of Life Only hit for this UK folk rock group; there's a delightful simplicity and sincerity about this and the harmonies build beautifully

7 Crazy Elephant Gimme Gimme Good Lovin' Another one hit wonder bringing US sunshine pop; great tune and instruments but also love the "huh-uh-huh" interjections

7 The Edwin Hawkins Singers Oh Happy Day A gospel arrangement of an 18th century hymn, and the only hit for this US musician and his band: a great example of its genre

7 Bob Dylan I Threw It All Away His first hit for 3 years amazingly: a simple understated acoustic ballad but lovely with a huge amount of very sincere emotion

6 The Four Tops What Is A Man Doesn't quite have the killer melody of some of theirs but fab vocals as usual here and a very nice slightly mysterious quality

6 Bee Gees Tomorrow Tomorrow Robin had left by this point and it's another one with a slow and grandiose chorus, but the changes of tempo make it interesting

5 The Beatles The Ballad Of John And Yoko 272nd #1 and their last for 54 years: a good song about John and Yoko's public perception, but feels more like his solo venture

5 Max Romeo Wet Dream Only hit for this Jamaican singer: the lyrics are delightfully and unashamedly smutty and it's a fairly sedate but enjoyable listen

4 Marvin Gaye And Tammi Terrell Good Lovin' Ain't Easy To Come By Another duet from the pair and another that's very pleasant and well sung but the song rather washes over as background noise

3 The Flamingos Boogaloo Party Only hit here for this US group best known for "I Only Have Eyes For You": a catchy tune but I don't think it develops enough

3 The Bandwagon Let's Hang On A cover of a Four Seasons song and a minor hit: the original is excellent and this doesn't have the dynamism and feels ordinary

2 Cliff Richard Big Ship "Woo bee doo dah" - this does have a nice tune but has that complacent light hearted not going to move you in any way quality

2 Peter Sarstedt Frozen Orange Juice "Where Do You Go To" just manages to avoid being twee whereas I think this fails; feels like the juice is melting and dripping

 

 

1969 Group 8:

 

#3339 14/06/1969 The Beach Boys Break Away 6 29-21-8-7-{6}-8-11-17-22-27-34->11

#3340 14/06/1969 Elvis Presley In The Ghetto 2 36-9-5-{2}-2-2-4-4-5-11-16-20-21-28-42-43-50R(3)->17

#3341 14/06/1969 The Marmalade Baby Make It Soon 9 40-28-27-19-18-{9}-9-9-9-18-22-28-41->13

#3342 14/06/1969 Thunderclap Newman Something In The Air 1 42-17-7-{1}-1-1-3-5-12-21-28-39->12

#3343 14/06/1969 Steppenwolf Born To Be Wild 30 43-35-37-{30}-40-31-35-50R(2)-50->9

#3344 14/06/1969 Scott Walker Lights Of Cincinatti 13 46-25-20-14-{13}-13-14-24-35-44->10

#3345 21/06/1969 Herb Alpert And The Tijuana Brass Without Her 36 43-40-40-{36}-39->5

#3346 28/06/1969 Amen Corner Hello Suzie 4 28-15-{4}-5-6-10-18-23-30-40->10

#3347 28/06/1969 Joe Dolan Make Me An Island 3 38-32-29-19-16-7-7-{3}-5-5-11-12-13-24-24-38-39-50-48R(2)->19

#3348 28/06/1969 Desmond Dekker And The Aces It Miek 7 44-27-16-{7}-7-8-10-22-25-32-37->11

#3349 28/06/1969 The Isley Brothers It's Your Thing 30 48-35-39-{30}-39->5

#3350 28/06/1969 Jim Reeves When Two Worlds Collide 17 49-37-30-34-27-18-23-{17}-29-23-29-31-40-47-36-50-45->17

#3351 05/07/1969 Billy Preston That's The Way God Planned It 11 42-20-15-12-{11}-11-16-37-48-44->10

#3352 12/07/1969 The Rolling Stones Honky Tonk Women 1 9-3-{1}-1-1-1-1-2-3-9-10-18-30-28-40-46-40->17

#3353 12/07/1969 The Plastic Ono Band Give Peace A Chance 2 21-4-{2}-2-2-4-6-15-16-22-43-42-49->13

Edited February 19, 20241 yr by JulianT

My favourites since I last commented are:

 

- 'Hey Jude' (I understand why people lose patience for the coda haha but I'm surprisingly not bored of the song at all including that part)

- 'Those Were The Days' (she has such a beautiful voice and this song suits it really well)

- 'The Good, The Bad And The Ugly' (I do love me some Ennio Morricone but I enjoy this version too, quite a few great #1s in a row)

- 'Ain't Got No; I Got Life' (what a voice and this song puts a smile on my face without fail)

- 'Albatross' (this is my go-to chill-out song, incredibly soothing <333 perhaps strange #1 representation for them but I will defend it to the death x)

- 'Blackberry Way' (love how haunting this is)

- 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine' (what a classic <3)