This time we're near the end of one of the most tumultuous years of the 20th Century. Four days before the date of this chart, an eventful (to say the least) American presidential election campaign ended with Richard Nixon finally attaining the office he had nearly won eight years earlier. Meanwhile, this was the music the country's radio listeners and record-buyers voted for.
40 - "Little Arrows," Leapy Lee
Born Graham Pulleybank, this English country-pop singer had his only American hit with this cute little novelty about getting hit by Cupid's weaponry and falling in love. Catchy, but disposable.
39 - "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida," Iron Butterfly
This San Diego band are considered one of the forebears of heavy metal, thanks in large part to this song, whose title reportedly was lead singer Doug Ingle's substance-assistant mangling of the phrase "In the Garden of Eden." The original version ran over 17 minutes, in order to make room for long drum, guitar, and organ solos, the latter of which caused the First Church of Springfield's organist to collapse in exhaustion. It was shorted to 3 minutes for the single, and although it only reached #30, it became a rock standard. I'm sure Marge and Homer Simpson aren't the only couple that used to make out to this hymn.
38 - "Take Me for a Little While," Vanilla Fudge
This four-piece band from Long Island had broken through the year before with a hard rock cover of The Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On." Their albums sold well throughout the rest of the 60s, but they only managed one more Top 40 hit, this power-ballad plea for temporary comfort. It just didn't do much for me.
37 - "Always Together," The Dells
This Illinois vocal group formed in 1952, had their first national R&B hit in 1956, and were an intermittent presence on the soul charts up until 1992 Tis, their third of eight pop Top 40s, is a passionate ballad of long-term commitment. Very, very good
36 - "Chewy Chewy," The Ohio Express
The most prolific group produced by the bubblegum machine known as Super K Productions, these guys mainly consisted of producers Jerry Kasanetz and Jeffrey Katz and singer Joey Levine. Their second-biggest hit was also the most similar to their biggest, "Yummy Yummy Yummy," in that it compared a girl to sugary-sweet confections. It's well-crafted pop, but overindulgence might affect your mental health the way too much candy can affect your dental health. But it does gain the Express this week's Uneasy Rider.
35 - "For Once in My Life," Stevie Wonder
Still not out of his teens, Stevie scored his seventh Top Ten with this one of the rare hits he didn't write. But that doesn't affect his passion on lines like "For once I can say, this is mine, you can't take it." A triumphant cry of joy at finding love at last, and one of Stevie's best performances.
34 - "Quick Joey Small (Run Joey Run)," The Kasanetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus
More from Super K, this time in the form of a an amalgamation of some of their groups, including the Ohio Express, The Music Explosion, and The 1910 Fruitgum Company. This combo's only hit was a respectably gritty garage-rocker about the title character's escape from prison to reunite with his "sweet Mary Jane." Fun singalong stuff, and much less depressing than that David Geddes song.
33 - "Lalena," Donovan
One of the Scottish folkie's last American hits was this flowery ballad that's apparently some kind of statement about the plight of women, but just comes off melodramatic and cheesy to these ears. And for that, Mr. Leitch, I can blame ya.
32 - "Chained," Marvin Gaye
Another hit for Marvin. Powerhouse soul about being extremely attached to a woman's love. Not much more to say. Just greatness.
31 - "My Special Angel," The Vogues
These singers from Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania broke through in 1965 with "Five O' Clock World," a cool little pop song about getting through the work day. But by the time they scored their third and last Top Ten with this crushingly cubic cover of Bobby Helms' hit 1957 ballad, they had descended to near-Association-level depths of uncoolness. Ugh.
30 - "Time Has Come Today," The Chambers Brothers
Mississippi siblings Lester, Joe, Willie, and George Chambers moved to Los Angeles in the 50s, where they began performing as a gospel band. In the mid--60s, they added drummer Brian Keegan and began playing around the L.A. folk scene. Then they began to take on a more rock sound, and this would result in their biggest hit, this hard-driving number with lyrics about changing rules and souls becoming "pyschedelicized." Not sure what it all means, but those "tick-tocking" drums help to make it an enduring classic, and one that it often used in media to epitomize the late 1960s.
29 - "All Along the Watchtower," The Jimi Hendrix Experience
Another song often employed as "late 60s" shorthand is this, the only Top 40 hit for James Marshall Hendrix, a Seattle native who, after stints backing up Little Richard and The Isley Brothers, formed a trio in England with Brits Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell and began on the road to becoming one of the icons of rock guitar. The group's biggest pop success was this cover of a Bob Dylan song from the previous year with lyrics about jokers, thieves, and wine-drinking businessmen. This has become the definitive version of the song, even to Dylan. A breathtaking combination of two geniuses.
28 - "I've Gotta Get a Message to You," The Bee Gees
We've heard plenty from the Brothers Gibb here at BGC, particularly in their 70s incarnations as pop balladeers and disco kings. But here's our first look at their folkish 60s origins, in the form of their first U.S. Top Ten. this song is about a man about to be executed for the murder of his wife's lover begging the prison chaplain to pass along some final words to her. Barry conveys the man's desperation quite well in the choruses, but for some reason, I find it fun to sing along with him. Strange.
27 - "Bang-Shang-a-Lang," The Archies
The adventures of Riverdale, USA teens Archie Andrews, "Jughead" Jones, Reggie Mantle, Betty Cooper, Veronica Lodge, and their friends had been documented in comic books for over a quarter-century when they were given a new outlet as a Saturday morning cartoon. In the show, the gang formed a garage band that performed songs performed by studio musicians, and some of them ended up gaining radio play. The first of these was this catchy bit of okay pop-rock onomatopoeia. The "band" would score three more Top 40s, most notably the #1 "Sugar Sugar."
26 - "Hi-Heel Sneakers," Jose Feliciano
From Puerto Rico, Feliciano, in spite of being blind from birth, taught himself to play the acoustic guitar, and earlier in the year he had broken through with a Top Five cover of The Doors' "Light My Fire." His follow-up single was another remake, this time of a 1963 Tommy Tucker hit that requests that a woman don a red dress, a "wig hat," and the unusual title footwear. Feliciano's version is loose and fun, with a cool harmonica solo. He continues to record and perform to this day, but his only other hit would come in 1970 with the holiday perennial "Feliz Navidad."
25 - "Court of Love," The Unifics
This Washington soul group scored two pop Top 40s, the first being this ballad on which a man details the heartbreaking crimes of his ex to a judge and jury. Ther female foreman announces at the end that the defendant has been found guilty. Does this indicate a happy ending beyond mere justice? I'd like to think so.
24 - "Keep On Lovin' Me Honey," Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
Marvin and Tammi's penultimate Top 40 was this passionate plea for continued affection. What can I say except that these two were magic together?
23 - "Fool for You," The Impressions
These Chicago soulsters, fronted by the legendary Curtis Mayfield, were a frequent presence on the pop and soul charts throughout the decade. This record was a horn-driven declaration of Mayfield's dedication to a woman who's no good for him. The man was one of the genre's kings, no doubt about it, and here's proof.
22 - "Shape of Things to Come," Max Frost and The Troopers
The second fictional band we've come across this time around was created for the movie Wild in the Streets, in which rock singer Max Frost and his band inspire a movement to lower the voting age to 14, which eventually results in Frost becoming president and making everyone over 35 take LSD. Ah, the 60s. This film was also one of Richard Pryor's first movie roles. As for the song, it's an okay tune about change and revolution and stuff. The singer sounds kind of like Eric Burdon. I imagine the movie is much more interesting than the song.
21 - "Who's Making Love," Johnnie Taylor
The first major hit for Memphis soul man Taylor was this funky warning to men that while they're stepping out on their ladies, the women are frequently occupied as well. Listening back, I found the bassline on this remarkably similar to the one John Deacon played on Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust." Maybe it wasn't Chic he was ripping off after all.
In Part Two: pride, mourning, and flying floormats.
