IMHO, a much stronger year than 1967. Went with Marvin Gaye (even though I’ll likely be voting for him in 1970), and Otis and The Beatles (HJ) were a close second.
Glad somebody gave Riley some love - Harper Valley PTA is one of the all-time bitchy country songs and should get some recognition.
(IMHO, the votes should be public at least so we know who to mock in the future. “Judy in Disguise” voter, I’m looking at you. And it just occurred to me that the song’s title might be a riff on “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”, but I’m probably over-thinking things.)
I was not aware of that. Nonetheless, I think I’ll keep these polls as they are in the future and leave it up to the one person who believes “I Write The Songs” was the best song of 1976 up to themselves whether they want their name commended to posterity or not.
Since I didn’t want to go with what everyone else will be going with (because [“Sittin’ on] The Dock of the Bay” is a DAMN good song, obviously), and because I think it is frightfully underrated, I ultimately voted for “Harper Valley P.T.A.”.
I wonder if this year had the greatest regression in Billboard chart history. “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay,” which consistently appears on lists of the best songs ever, got replaced at #1 by “Honey,” which is consistently considered one of the worst.
. . . which it should be (of should have been). I mean is there any song more iconic (to use that word yet again in these threads) than Hey Jude? Everyone knows, and almost everyone likes, Hey Jude. Can you listen to it without singing along? Without joining in to the refrain that defines its second half?
Grapevine, Mrs. Robinson, and a bunch of others on the list are terrific cuts, outstanding cuts. Absolutely. But, no other song in 1968, and no other song period, epitomizes so perfectly the Beatles and their music; the effect that their music and the group itself had on music, culture, and society in the 1960s, and way beyond.
‘Grapevine’ for me as one. One of the few times a singer has transformed a song into pure pain and anguish.
I’d be tempted by ‘Mrs Robinson’ had not S&G did their normal wimpifying thing with it. It took until the Lemonheads cover to show what the song was really all about: outrage, disbelief and uncertainty.
Some of these songs getting no votes are fantastic… “Love Child” is an amazing recording, imo one of the very best of The Supremes’ astonishing run of 1960s singles (although Diana Ross is the only Supreme singing on it).
“Love Is Blue” with its neo-Elizabethan flavor sounds both timeless and quintessentially late '60s. You can do just about anything with that melody.
And who doesn’t love “Grazin’ in the Grass,” although I suppose this version may get mixed up with the later vocal version by Friends of Distinction (a #3 hit).
I voted for “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay” but “Grazing in the Grass” was in the running along with “Hey Jude”, “Mrs. Robinson”, and “Heard It Through the Grapevine”. Also, I could be mistaken about this but isn’t the Hugh Masekela version of “Grazing in the Grass” the last jazz instrumental to to hit #1?
It’s hard choosing between “Grapevine” and “Dock.” In the end I went with Marvin, just because there’s so much more “there” there. Otis’s song is low-key and delightful for that very reason, but it’s hard for it to compete with the drama of “Grapevine.”
Other thoughts:
• If you hate country music generally, of course you’re gonna hate “Harper Valley P.T.A.,” but it is, in fact, a wonderful song both in concept and execution.
• “Honey” is the only truly awful song on this list. All the others have at least something to recommend them, even if that something is nothing more than a sense of fun (see “Judy” and “Tambourine”). I’ve noticed there are a lot of SD folks who don’t seem to get this at all.
• Yes, “Hey Jude” is iconic, and was so completely different when it first came out that it is deserving of its fame. But 46 years on, can’t we now admit that the novelty has worn off a bit, and that in reality it’s a song that’s good (albeit, in a very simple, non-revolutionary way) for only the first 3 minutes and 10 seconds?
Isn’t it amazing how quickly the world changed? Not a single British act hit number one except the Beatles.
But two instrumentals did. Two. How many times did that ever happen again?
The 70s are roaring down the track at us and it’s almost time to bail. An entire generation grew up with Top 40, followed the bands who were changing one step ahead of everybody, and dumped singles for albums. I did some DJing at my college radio station and we never ever gave a thought to whatever was on the Top 40 even though we worshipped* it throughout high school. It was that abrupt.
Anyway, several classic songs which could easily be the best. “Hey Jude” is far from my favorite Beatles song, but I’m going with it.
Why does my spell check flag worshipped but OKs worshiped?
Quite true. For example, the Stones released “Jumping Jack Flash” in 1968, arguably their second signature song after “Satisfaction”, but surprisingly that only made it to number three. For years I had mistakenly assumed that song hit number one.
The first years of the 70s (especially 1971) aren’t too bad. However, in terms of great number one hits, things take a dip in 1973 and really go south the following year. By the end of the decade, I’ll be pretty much voting for the song I can tolerate the best rather than having to choose among several songs I really love.
I actually do like a lot of the #1’s this year. More than in earlier years, and more than I expected. But Hugh Masekela easily kills all the others with a great groove. Plus, I dare you to want more cowbell.
Well, ok, Archie Bell has just as good of a groove, but those lyrics are silly.
Hell, it’s hard to find people who even remember Gladys’ version of “Grapevine.” But it’s my preferred version too. (I voted for “Hey Jude,” btw.)
The drek is really strong on this list: the Lemon Pipers. Paul Mauriat. Bobby Goldsboro. Herb Alpert as a vocalist. One of the few Rascals songs I can’t stand. Competition like that makes forgettable songs like “Harper Valley PTA” and “Judy in Disguise” look like masterpieces.
I’m surprised that Gary Puckett and the Union Gap didn’t get a #1. If you were listening to top 40 radio in 1968, you heard a shitload of Puckett. (And by the end of the year, you were ready to not hear from him again for the next forever or two.) I would have figured at least one of “Young Girl” and “Lady Willpower” would have gotten to #1.
And it just occurred to me that the song’s title might be a riff on “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds”, but I’m probably over-thinking things.)