“Skinny Legs And All” #10 12/30/1967

We close out ‘67 with a track that started a mini-trend of comedic routines over funky beats. This was recorded in Memphis, Muscle Shoals and Nashville. Joe Tex said the idea came from an encounter he witnessed at an Alabama store between a thin lady and her man. She was lugging around two heavy bags of groceries; he was arguing with the woman but was carrying nothing. Joe thought, “If he don’t want to be seen in public with you, some other guy will, skinny legs and all.”

“Hello, Goodbye” #1 12/30/1967

The last #1 single of 1967 topped the US charts for three weeks and the UK charts for seven. Paul’s mate Alistair Taylor asked McCartney how he came up with song ideas, so they played some word association. Paul asked Alistair to shout the opposite of whatever he would say. “Yes, no - stop, go - goodbye, hello...” John thought it was only so much pop drivel and really disliked it except for the ending, a late addition to the track. This video was one of three the Beatles filmed for the song, complete with the “Sgt. Pepper” pastel outfits and hula girls.

“I Am The Walrus”

The B-side of their current single was the first track the Beatles worked on after the death of their manager, Brian Epstein. John received a letter from a student at his old high school saying one of his instructors required the class to analyze Beatle lyrics. So John took some LSD (ok, a LOT of LSD) and wrote the most nonsensical words possible in order to confuse everyone, with more than a hint of “Through The Looking Glass” going on. (There’s also a very R-rated reason behind the term “Eggman” involving the Animals’ Eric Burdon.) They even included a BBC radio broadcast of “King Lear.” The final stereo version has a very weird mix for that reason, as everything feeds into a single channel for an extended period. The “Walrus” clip from the “Magical Mystery Tour” film is even stranger. I suppose you needed to ingest certain substances to watch it. The fact this was a B-side and a Paul song was the A-side irked John to no end, saying he got tired of being Paul’s backing band. That resentment lingered to the very bitter end of the group in 1970.

Beatles - I Am The Walrus

“In The Misty Moonlight” #46 12/23/1967

Dean Martin recorded a number of country-flavored songs in the 60’s. Here’s a remake of a Top 20 pop hit for Jerry Wallace in 1964, also done by Jim Reeves on the country side. Dino recorded this at about the same time, but it wasn’t released until late ‘67. This was the fifth and last #1 easy listening hit for the King of Cool.

“She’s My Girl” #14 12/23/1967

The sixth Top 20 hit for the Turtles, written by the same guys who wrote their previous single. After they broke up in 1970, front men Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman were contractually prevented from using the band name (or even their own names) to promote themselves. So they became known professionally as the Phlorescent Leech and Eddie (later just Flo and Eddie) and joined Frank Zappa and the Mothers Of Invention. They were with the Mothers in Montreux, Switzerland when the concert venue burned down, forever immortalized in Deep Purple’s “Smoke On The Water.”

“You Better Sit Down Kids” #9 12/23/1967

The second solo Top 10 hit for Cher, written by her then-hubby Sonny Bono. She sang it without changing the masculine perspective of the tune, which dealt with an impending divorce and its potential effects on the kids. Little did they know that would happen to their marriage in a few years. Definitely a Wrecking Crew effort, and definitely a jazzy ending to this record.

“If Every Day Was Like Christmas”

A Christmas tune written for Elvis by his former buddy, “Memphis Mafia” member Red West. I say “former” because he eventually questioned the King’s heavy pill use, leading to him being fired in 1976 along with two others in the entourage. Red would write a controversial best-selling book, “Elvis: What Happened?” published just before E’s passing in 1977. We’re taking tomorrow off for Christmas. Enjoy your time with families and friends, and God bless y’all.

“Boogaloo Down Broadway” #7 12/23/1967

Johnny Corley, a.k.a. The Fantastic Johnny C, attended the same Norristown, PA church as Cliff Nobles (see 1968’s “The Horse”) and their shared manager, Jesse James. This was far and away Johnny’s biggest hit, but he would do a remake of the Soul Brothers Six tune “(She’s) Some Kind Of Wonderful,” later a Top 5 hit for Grand Funk Railroad in 1975.

“The Fool On The Hill”

Inspiration for a song can come from some odd places. Paul said he was walking his dog Martha one morning when she ran off. He looked for her and claimed to have seen a stranger on a hill. Paul said later he may have imagined the whole thing, but he got an excellent song out of it. Sérgio Mendes would score a hit with a bossa-nova remake in a few months. The video is Paul in concert along with a few clips from the “Magical Mystery Tour” segment containing this song. McCartney traveled to Nice, France without money, an ID or a passport to film those scenes, telling customs agents “You know me” - of course, this was pre-9/11.

“Piece Of My Heart” (Erma Franklin) #62 12/16/1967

In 1968, the hit version was sung - no, screamed! - by Janis Joplin with Big Brother and the Holding Company. Here’s the original, a very soulful R&B Top 10 by Aretha’s older sister, Erma Franklin. The song was co-written by the infamous Bert Berns, who first asked Van Morrison to record it - which Van turned down. Faith Hill did a version that went to #1 on the country charts in 1994. Faith claimed to have never heard the song prior to recording it.

“Beautiful People” (Kenny O’Dell) #38 12/16/1967

The Kenny O’Dell version. Kenny went on to write a bunch of country chart-toppers, such as “Behind Closed Doors” by Charlie Rich, “Lizzie And The Rainman” for Tanya Tucker and “Mama He’s Crazy” for the Judds.

“Beautiful People” (Bobby Vee) #37 12/16/1967

Today we feature a modern era Hot 100 chart rarity! Not only do we have competing versions of a sunshine pop song, but both peaked the same week...at consecutive positions. Bobby Vee’s version got to #37; the song’s composer, Kenny O’Dell, checked in at #38. This one makes you want to run out in the field and pick daisies!

“By The Time I Get To Phoenix” #26 12/16/1967

The first Top 40 record (and the first country Top 5) for Glen Campbell. He heard the original Johnny Rivers version of this Jimmy Webb song and said to himself, “I can do this and do it well.” It’s possible to drive from L.A. to Phoenix to Albuquerque to Oklahoma, but that Phoenix/Albuquerque stretch would be tough late at night. The more direct route is straight through Flagstaff on I-40, but I guess Phoenix works better lyrically. Poetic license. A Wrecking Crew record all the way.

“Keep The Ball Rollin“ #14 12/16/1967

The followup to “Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie” from Jay and the Techniques. Jay Proctor, like so many, started out singing in the black churches of Allentown, PA and turned that into a secular music career. He and fellow vocalist George Lloyd were paired with a bunch of white guys as a backing band, a real rarity in the 60’s.

“I Second That Emotion” #4 12/16/1967

Yesterday we mentioned how the Miracles were the first Motown act to record “I Heard It Through The Grapevine,” yet Berry Gordy wouldn’t release the song as a single. Instead, this one became their biggest hit since “Shop Around” in 1961. Smokey Robinson was shopping and found some pearls as a birthday gift for his wife. Instead of saying “I second that motion,” his buddy Al Cleveland said “I second that emotion” and they wrote a hit based on the misstatement.

“I Heard It Through The Grapevine” (Gladys Knight) #2 12/16/1967

One recorded by a couple of artists, then pretty much hidden by Motown until becoming a hit - twice. Originally the Miracles did the tune in 1966, but Berry Gordy buried the song on an album. The Isley Brothers did a version while at Motown, but that remains unreleased. Marvin Gaye recorded his slower “Grapevine” several months before the one featured here from Gladys Knight and the Pips, but Gordy nixed it as a single. Marvin’s take eventually got so much airplay as an album cut that Gordy’s hand was forced, and Gaye’s version would be #1 for seven weeks in late ‘68/early ‘69.

“Our Day Will Come” #1 3/23/1963

There weren’t many acts that had a #1 their first time out of the chute. Ruby and the Romantics, from Akron, Ohio, did just that in March of 1963. That giant Wurlitzer organ sound kind of harkens back to the roller rink. I can picture the owner on the PA saying “everyone skate” over that solo. Excellent harmonies here.

“Okolona River Bottom Band” #54 12/9/1967

Another swampy-sounding tune from Bobbie Gentry was the followup to “Ode To Billie Joe.” One can tell this had at least a subliminal influence on “Polk Salad Annie” with a great backbeat and a great horn section. Bobbie would concentrate more on TV over the next few years, hosting limited-run shows in Britain and Canada, while putting together a Vegas act. She would have a Top 40 record in 1970 with “Fancy” which became a country Top 10 hit for Reba McEntire in 1991.

“Paper Cup” #34 12/9/1967

Jimmy Webb was one of the finest songwriters of the 60’s, and he was only 21 when he broke through with “Up, Up And Away” for the 5th Dimension. Here he also wrote their followup, and though it didn’t do nearly as well, the group loved working with him. The video is from a Cleveland local “Bandstand”-type show called “Upbeat” which was syndicated nationally for a few years. Dig the fashion sense!

“Neon Rainbow” #24 12/9/1967

The city sure is a different place at night. The followup to “The Letter” for the Box Tops was also written by Wayne Carson Thompson. He wrote “Soul Deep” for that Memphis band plus a slew of country hits, and was a co-writer of “Always On My Mind” notably sung by Elvis, Willie Nelson and many others.

“Massachusetts” #11 12/9/1967

When the Bee Gees wrote this on a visit to New York City, those guys had never been to Massachusetts. They just liked the way the word sounded. The Gibb brothers wanted the Seekers to record the song, as they felt Judith Durham’s voice would be a perfect fit, but couldn’t make contact with the Down Under group. So they did it themselves, racking up a fourth Top 20 in America and a #1 in the UK. Video is from Germany’s “Beat Club” TV show.

“In And Out Of Love” #9 12/9/1967

The last Top 10 record for Diana Ross and the Supremes for almost a year was also their last single with Florence Ballard as a member. However, her vocals (and Mary Wilson’s) were later overdubbed by the Andantes, Motown’s in-house backup singers. The Andantes frequently subbed in the studio for Wilson and Cindy Birdsong until Ross went solo. Holland-Dozier-Holland also recorded over the Funk Brothers’ music tracks by using several Wrecking Crew folks out in L.A.

“I Say A Little Prayer” (Dionne Warwick) #4 12/9/1967

This Bacharach/David tune marked Dionne Warwick’s return to the Top 10 for the first time in almost two years. Hal David’s lyrics were about a woman’s concern for her guy who was off serving in Vietnam. Both sides of the 45 did rather well, as the flip (the theme from “Valley Of The Dolls”) would also chart highly in a couple of months. Aretha Franklin did a fine cover in the fall of ‘68 that also made the Top 10. This is certainly one of the few Hot 100 songs to contain a 7/4 time signature.

“Walk Like A Man” #1 3/2/1963

In the "Jersey Boys" musical and movie, Tommy DeVito of the Four Seasons made a wisecrack about Frankie Valli singing the lyrics in falsetto, "Walk like a man - with THIS voice?" Still, in March 1963 it became their third straight #1 record. Legend has it the group was locked in the studio by their producer Bob Crewe, who was searching for the perfect take, as a fire broke out on the floor directly above. Smoke filled the room and the ceiling started to fall, but Crewe refused to let them out until firefighters broke down the doors with their axes.

“Wild Honey” #31 12/2/1967

From the LP of the same name, Mike Love of the Beach Boys wrote these lyrics with Stevie Wonder in mind. Even though Brian Wilson contributed to almost every song on the album, he took a major step back from his primary leadership role within the band. Their chart performance suffered as Brian fought his inner demons, detailed in the movie “Love And Mercy.”

“Beg, Borrow And Steal” #29 12/2/1967

A single credited to the Ohio Express, but actualły recorded by the Rare Breed. The Ohio Express name was an umbrella for various bands controlled by Kasenetz and Katz (Super K Productions). And that doesn't include the road band doing shows under that moniker. This record was NOT by the musicians fronted by Joey Levine that had the bubblegum hits later on. The Rare Breed had another single that was covered by Every Mother's Son as "Come On Down To My Boat."

“Lazy Day” #14 12/2/1967

More sunshine pop about balloons and picking daisies and all that frothy stuff. It became the second Top 20 hit for Spanky and Our Gang. Lead singer Elaine "Spanky" McFarlane was in an 80's incarnation of the Mamas and the Papas, performing the Cass Elliot parts. That group had a pretty rough go of it.

“An Open Letter To My Teenage Son” #10 12/2/1967

One of those 45's that came out of nowhere, then disappeared just as quickly. This spoken-word track was from Victor Lundberg, a radio newsman in Grand Rapids, MI, and was certainly one of the oddest records to ever make the Top 10. It was about as conservative as anything from the Sixties. The narrator makes nice but at the end tells his teenage son in no uncertain terms that if he burns his draft card, the kid should burn his birth certificate as well, disowning him. Pretty strident stuff.

“The Rain, The Park And Other Things” #2 12/2/1967

Some sunshine pop by the real-life inspiration for "The Partridge Family" TV show. The Cowsills started out as four brothers (Bill, Bob, Barry and John) in a rock band from Newport, RI. Their mom was talked into singing harmonies on their first album. After the success of this single, brother Paul and baby sister Susan joined the family group. The original four brothers are the ones seen in today's video. Co-written by Arnie Kornfeld, soon to be a promoter of the Woodstock festival. Barry Cowsill was a drowning victim in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

“Daydream Believer” #1 12/2/1967

The third and last #1 for the Monkees was written by former Kingston Trio member John Stewart, who had a Top 5 record himself in 1979 with "Gold." The group was asked by their label to change one word in Stewart's lyrics, from "Now you know how funky I can be" to "Now you know how happy I can be." This video from their TV series shows the band clowning around and not taking themselves too seriously.

“Hey Paula” #1 2/9/1963

We return to #1 tunes from early 1963 with one from February by Ray Hildebrand and Jill Jackson, better known as Paul and Paula. They were college students in central Texas when this record caught on. Paul (well, Ray, who wrote the song) couldn't handle the sudden fame and bailed out for a few weeks in the middle of a tour. He was easily replaced since they were lip-syncing on stage, anyway. The record was featured prominently in "Animal House." Produced by Major Bill Smith, who later had ties to the Don and Mike local radio show in Washington, DC.

“Let The Heartaches Begin” #1 UK

This week's British #1 from Long John Baldry (he was 6'7") that only got to #88 in America. Supposedly, he sounded good on the record by consuming most of a bottle of Courvoisier cognac before and during the session. His ex-pianist, Reg Dwight, took his future stage name from Elton Dean of Baldry’s group and from Baldry himself. Depending on the account, Long John talked EJ either out of marrying a woman for the wrong reasons, or out of a suicide attempt. Elton John would later co-write "Someone Saved My Life Tonight" with Bernie Taupin as a thank you.

“Glad To Be Unhappy” #26 11/25/1967

The Mamas and the Papas recorded several songs with Tin Pan Alley roots. This very short tune (1:41) was composed by Rodgers and Hart for a 1936 musical called "On Your Toes" and had been done numerous times over the years by singers ranging from Lena Horne and Billie Holliday to Frank Sinatra. These were trying times for the group, and they soon pretty much fell apart.

“Pata Pata” #12 11/25/1967

The only US hit for South African songstress and civil rights activist Miriam Makeba. It was mostly sung in the Xhosa language of her native land. In the mid 60's Miriam was married to her countryman, trumpeter Hugh Masakela. She divorced him and married activist Stokely Carmichael, a leader of the Black Panther Party. That move cost her a sizable chunk of her American audience.

“Magical Mystery Tour”

After the death of their manager, Brian Epstein, the Beatles more or less lacked any real sense of direction. Paul proposed making a short movie of the group on an improvised tour of the British countryside. So they rented a bus, took along some actors, friends and assorted hangers-on, and began filming whatever randomly happened without using a real script. The album based on that concept (plus singles issued in the States that year, to fill out the US LP) was released in America on this date in 1967. That album was quite good, but the English critics slammed the film to where it wasn't formally shown over here for quite some time, calling it unfocused and self-indulgent. Clip is Paul performing the title track at a 1993 concert in Charlotte, NC.

“I Can See For Miles” #9 11/25/1967

Because "I can see for kilometers" doesn't have that same ring to it. The only Top 10 single in America for the Who, from an album called "The Who Sell Out" complete with fake ads in between the tracks on side one. Supposedly this song inspired Paul McCartney to write "Helter Skelter" which inspired Charlie Manson...but I digress. Keith Moon's drumming is from a different planet.

“Incense And Peppermints” #1 11/25/1967

Perhaps the ultimate psychedelic 45 of the decade, and it was an intended B-side! Strawberry Alarm Clock once recorded as Thee Sixpence with zero success. The new band name combined a Beatles song title and the keyboard player's clock. Incense covers up the smell of pot in a room, and peppermints allegedly do the same for one's breath. Legend has it the lead singer ran late for the session and the group didn't like his lyrics anyway, so they had a run-through with new words sung by a 16-year-old friend of the band, Greg Mumford. Luckily the producer was rolling tape, and that rehearsal became the single. Mumford never joined SAC. Keyboardist Mark Weltz and lead guitarist Ed King actually wrote the music but were hosed out of the royalties. SAC did some shows in Florida where an unheralded local band opened for them. When the hits dried up, King moved to Jacksonville and hooked up with those local guys, who eventually became Lynyrd Skynyrd. That's Ed playing the iconic intro to "Sweet Home Alabama" plus the guitar solo on that and here on "Incense,” both absolute faves of mine.

“You Don’t Know Me” (Elvis) #44 11/18/1967

The B-side of "Big Boss Man" from the King, originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1956 and done many times since. Jerry Vale had a Top 20 pop hit with the song at that time but Ray Charles did the definitive version in 1962. Elvis decided by now to record songs he truly liked instead of the constant drivel he was given for those movies. He’d had enough, and did a pretty serviceable job here. This song was added to the “Clambake” soundtrack.

“Homburg” #34 11/18/1967

The followup to "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" for Procol Harum didn't do nearly as well, barely cracking the Top 40 in the States. It has that "Pale" vibe but lacked the punchiness. In hindsight, the band said "Conquistador" should've been the followup single. A live version of that song would be their next US hit...but not until 1972. Video is from German TV’s “Beat Club.”

“She Is Still A Mystery” #27 11/18/1967

The last Top 40 record for the Lovin' Spoonful. Their zany image and good-time music brought them considerable success for a few years, with their first seven singles all reaching the Top 10. John Sebastian made several solo albums and had a #1 on his own in '76 with the theme to TV's "Welcome Back, Kotter."

“Kentucky Woman” (Neil Diamond) #22 11/18/1967

This Neil Diamond single would cause yet another rift between him and the head of BANG Records, the notorious Bert Berns. Neil was a little burned out on writing simple pop songs, and thought this should be a B-side to the more ambitious "Shilo." Berns disagreed, and promoted "Kentucky Woman" as the A-side. Diamond would soon jump to another label. Deep Purple would release a very hard rockin' cover version in about a year. "Shilo" was re-released in 1970 to moderate success.

“Everlasting Love” (Robert Knight) #13 11/18/1967

An absolute chart rarity in that this song made the Top 40 in the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's. Here's the original from Robert Knight. Those other versions were respectively from Carl Carlton, a duet by Rex Smith and Rachel Sweet, and Gloria Estefan. Not to be confused with totally different tunes from Andy Gibb and Howard Jones having the same title. And don't get me started on the Natalie Cole song...

“Let It Out (Let It All Hang Out)” #12 11/18/1967

“A preachment, dear friends, you are about to receive on John Barleycorn, nicotine, and the temptations OF Eve." Pffffft! What an oddball intro to the one hit by the Hombres. It was a country-fried stream of consciousness, reminiscent of Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues." Keyboardist/lead singer B.B. Cunningham was the brother of Bill Cunningham of the Box Tops, also based in Memphis.

“Please Love Me Forever” #6 11/18/1967

Bobby Vinton returned to the Top 10 for the first time in three years with a remake of the B-side of Tommy Edwards' "It's All In The Game" from 1958. Bobby's version has a definite mid 60's country feel. Produced by Billy Sherrill, who was at the controls for all those hits by Tammy Wynette and many other country acts.

“Walk Right In” #1 1/26/1963

The music charts were a strange place in 1963. Eclectic doesn't begin to describe it. How else do you explain a hootenanny record getting to #1? The Rooftop Singers were one of those "two acoustic guitar, one solo female, everybody sings" kind of groups - and a one-hit wonder. Some great 12-string guitar, though.

“Go Away Little Girl” #1 1/12/1963

Gerry Goffin and Carole King racked up another chart topper, proving themselves once again as terrific songwriters with the first #1 of 1963. However, they and Steve Lawrence got a lot of blowback for this record. Some felt the song was about an older guy hitting on underage girls. Go figure. They originally wrote it for Bobby Vee, but Lawrence’s producer, Don Kirshner, gave the tune to Steve instead. In ‘71 Donny Osmond also took it to the top - the first time two different artists recorded the same song and both versions reached #1 in the modern Hot 100 era.

“For Once In My Life” (Tony Bennett) #91 11/11/1967

This song will forever and always be associated with Stevie Wonder, who would shortly turn it into a major hit. However, the tune floated around Motown for several years with no success, as a number of folks struck out. Enter Tony Bennett, whose ultra-slow version became a Top 10 easy listening hit. He recorded the song although his heart wasn't in it, as Tony really didn't care for contemporary music of the 60's. Perhaps he left his heart in San Francisco...

“This Town” #53 11/11/1967

Not one of the best-remembered Sinatra songs. The hits began winding down for Hoboken's gift to the world. Frank still had one of the most unparalleled careers in show business history. Written by Lee Hazlewood, it appeared in 2007’s "Ocean's Thirteen," a sequel to the first "Ocean's 11" from 1960 starring Ol' Blue Eyes.

“Holiday” #16 11/11/1967

Another one of those records that did well in America for a British act (their third straight Top 20 entry) but wasn't even released as a single at home. It still became a staple of the Bee Gees' live shows worldwide for decades. The video has subtitles for some reason; I love the ones that appear on the screen after each chorus!

“(Loneliness Made Me Realize) It’s You That I Need” #14 11/11/1967

Here's one from the Temptations that was originally written in 1963, with at least two versions by other artists which sat unreleased in Motown's vaults. One was by Jimmy Ruffin, brother of the Temps' David Ruffin; the other was by Eddie Holland of Holland-Dozier-Holland fame, who co-wrote the tune.

“Love Is Strange” (Peaches & Herb) #13 11/11/1967

The fifth and last Top 40 record for over a decade from Peaches and Herb. It was a remake of a Bo Diddley-written song that was a huge hit in 1957 by another duo, Mickey and Sylvia. There were many cover versions over the years but this was the most successful. Peaches and Herb wouldn't chart this highly again until "Shake Your Groove Thing" in 1978. Sylvia Robinson had a solo hit in 1973 with "Pillow Talk."

“Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger” #4 Country 11/4/1967

Charley Pride of Sledge, Miss., the first African-American country music superstar, had his third Top 10 hit this week in 1967. Charley was a pitcher in the Negro League and the lower levels of the minor leagues until his arm gave out. He once lived in Montana, playing for a semi-pro baseball club while working at a lead smelter. His team's manager knew he could sing, so Charley would perform a few tunes before the game to boost attendance. That experience helped him land a record deal. For a time, he was second only to Elvis as the biggest selling artist on the RCA label.

“Karate-Boo-Ga-Loo” #51 11/4/1967

Another one of those oddball 45's that was more notable for the backing musicians and singers. Jerry Murray recorded under the name Jerry-O for the Shout label, owned by the notorious Bert Berns. The moonlighting Funk Brothers of Motown fame made the music. The female singers were the Debonaires (Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent) who later hooked up with Tony Orlando and became known as Dawn, with a string of huge hits in the 70's. Trivia: Telma Hopkins famously shouted out "Shut your mouth!" on Isaac Hayes' theme from "Shaft."

“Just One Look” (Hollies) #44 11/4/1967

Originally a Top 10 record in 1963 from one-hit wonder Doris Troy, this was re-made in early '64 by the Hollies into a UK Top 5. However, it got lost in the shuffle during the first wave of the British Invasion and barely made our Top 100 (#98). The Hollies version was reissued in 1967 by their former US label and did marginally better.

“You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” (Brenda Holloway) #39 11/4/1967

Yet another record that would become much bigger in 1969 than in 1967, although in this case someone else had the hit. Blood, Sweat & Tears covered the original version here by Brenda Holloway, one of Motown's forgotten acts. She never quite fit in with the label, and really didn't get the promotional effort other acts received.

“Big Boss Man” #38 11/4/1967

This song could almost be considered a prototype for "Take This Job And Shove It." First recorded by blues singer Jimmy Reed, Elvis kind of snarls his way through his version. Jerry Reed played guitar on the session, but had issues when pressured to sign over publishing rights to Col. Parker for a tune he'd written for the King. That caused many problems over the years between songwriters and the Colonel.

“Even The Bad Times Are Good” #36 11/4/1967

Like our selection from yesterday, this was a far bigger hit in the UK than the States, where it barely made the Top 40. The Tremeloes had success at home for several more years, but this was pretty much it for them in America. They would always be known as the band Decca Records signed in 1962 instead of the Beatles.

“The Last Waltz” #25 11/4/1967

One of those records that was a huge hit in the UK, spending five weeks at #1, but was only a middling chart entry in America for Englebert Humperdinck. There weren't a lot of waltzes that had much impact on the rock charts over here. Petula Clark released a version in French that was quite successful on the Continent.

“The Look Of Love” (Dusty Springfield) #22 11/4/1967

If you looked up the term "most sensual song of the 60's" you'd most likeły find the Dusty Springfield version of this Bacharach/David tune. Oh. Em. Gee. Does this ever exude sensuality or what? From the soundtrack of the Bond spoof "Casino Royale,” Dusty's breathy vocals are outstanding, though she later felt she hit more than a few flat notes. Ask if we cared. Go ahead. Ask.

“I’m Wondering” #12 11/4/1967

One of Stevie Wonder's earliest songs where he sang harmony with himself. In a few years, he would record whole albums doing most all the instrumentation plus the vocals. Stevie co-wrote the song with Henry Cosby and Sylvia Moy. Henry and Sylvia contributed mightily to Stevie's success in the late 60's.

“(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” #8 11/4/1967

According to legend, Atlantic Records co-owner Jerry Wexler was in his limo one night when he saw Carole King on the sidewalk (some say it was her then-husband/writing partner Gerry Goffin). Jerry rolled down the window shouting, "Hey, write a song called 'Natural Woman' for me!" So they did, and Wexler passed it on to Aretha Franklin, becoming a signature song of hers. Carole and Gerry gave Wexler a writing credit. The royalty checks kept coming until Wexler died in 2008 at age 91. 

“Your Precious Love” #5 11/4/1967

The biggest pop hit for the duo of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, although they would have two subsequent #1 R&B hits. Written by Ashford and Simpson and produced by Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol, who both provided backing vocals. Fuqua was a founding member of the Moonglows who originally did "Sincerely" in 1954, which became a huge hit for the McGuire Sisters. He was once married to Berry Gordy's sister and parlayed all that into an executive position at Motown.

“Expressway To Your Heart” #4 11/4/1967

The first major hit produced and written by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff, done by the Soul Survivors, a Caucasian rock band from NYC who recorded in Philadelphia. Gamble based his lyrics on getting stuck in traffic on the Schuylkill Expressway in Philly while trying to get to a young lady's house. Kenny and Leon went on to considerable fame in the 70's as purveyors of smooth Philly soul.

“It Must Be Him” #3 11/4/1967

A few days ago we featured "He's A Rebel," a #1 for the Crystals from 1962. That song was first done by Mexican-American singer Florencia Bisenta de Casillas-Martinez Cardona a.k.a. Vikki Carr, born in El Paso. Phil Spector heard about Vikki's version of "Rebel" and rush-released the version credited to the Crystals (actually recorded by the Blossoms), knocking her career for a loop. After this easy listening chart-topper, she had two minor Top 40 records, then went on to far greater success in the Latino music world with numerous hits en Español. The song is about a girl wondering if the ex is ringing her up - no caller ID back then.

“Soul Man” #2 11/4/1967

Play it, Steve! A #1 R&B hit from Sam and Dave with that world-famous shout-out to guitarist Steve Cropper. He and bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn of Booker T. and the MG's appeared both on this record and the cover version by the Blues Brothers which stayed very true to the original. There's a line in the song, co-written by Isaac Hayes and David Porter, that I (and many others) always believed went "I was educated from good stock." But according to the Songfacts website, Porter said it's actually "I was educated at Woodstock" meaning at a school in the forest built from felled timbers, not the rock festival which didn't happen until almost two years later.

“Telstar” #1 12/22/1962

One of my all-time favorite instrumentals! The last #1 single of 1962 was likely the only record ever honoring a communications satellite. Telstar was launched several months before this tune by the Tornados, the first British group to top the American charts, 13 months before the Beatles. It was very spacey (pun intended) with lots of bizarre studio effects, including the sound of a rocket booster which was a tape of a toilet flush played backwards. Produced by Joe Meek, a tragic figure in rock music history. Joe was flamboyantly gay when that was still illegal in the UK. He was accused of plagiarizing this from another song and the court case dragged on for years, but was resolved in his favor just after he died. A very interesting read.

“Big Girls Don’t Cry” #1 11/17/1962

The followup to "Sherry" proved the old adage that if you had a hit, make sure the next record sounds really close to the previous hit. Bob Gaudio of the Four Seasons wrote it with assistance from their producer Bob Crewe. The bass vocals of Nick Massi provided a counterpoint to Frankie Valli's trademark falsetto. This became the group's second #1 in late 1962.

“He’s A Rebel” #1 11/3/1962

We go back to 1962 and a #1 from November written by Gene Pitney and credited to the Crystals, except it was actually done by the Blossoms with Darlene Love on lead vocals. Producer Phil Spector was hot to trot with the song, but the Crystals weren't available as they were on tour in NYC. He knew Vikki Carr was ready with a competing version, so Phil had the Blossoms record the single. The Crystals were SO surprised to hear this on the radio with their name attached. And Spector pulled the same stunt with the group's next release! The Wrecking Crew did the music, with Al De Lory on the piano intro and Steve Douglas with the great sax solo.

“Hush” (Billy Joe Royal) #52 10/28/1967

This would be a much bigger hit in '68 for Deep Purple. Here's the original from Billy Joe Royal, written by Joe South who also wrote "Down In The Boondocks" and "I Knew You When" for Mr. Royal. Yeah, the Deep Purple version rocks a lot more, but Billy Joe's take has its own qualities nonetheless.

“King Midas In Reverse” #51 10/28/1967

The much less successful followup to "Carrie-Anne," and written by Graham Nash. He pushed hard for the Hollies to record the song but the others were ambivalent, and the single’s lack of success led to Nash's departure from the band. He hooked up with David Crosby and Stephen Stills to form one of the first rock supergroups.

“Child Of Clay” #31 10/28/1967

A quirky song from the "other" Jimmie Rodgers - not the country music legend, but this Jimmie had hits like "Honeycomb" and "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" in the 50's. This song about a neglected young man who turned to crime and drugs was sort of a prototype for "In The Ghetto." Co-written by Ernie Maresca, who wrote many doo-wop hits for Dion and the Belmonts, together and separately. Jimmie later claimed to have been assaulted by an off-duty L.A. cop, suffering significant head injuries. A lawsuit and countersuit followed; those were settled out-of-court.

“People Are Strange” #12 10/28/1967

The follow up to "Light My Fire" was written after Doors guitarist Robby Krieger and Jim Morrison hiked to the top of Laurel Canyon and looked down upon Los Angeles. Morrison was somewhat depressed and concluded that when you're strange, then people are strange. Quite the enlightening observation. A pretty cool muffled barroom piano from Ray Manzarek highlights the song.

“I Don’t Wanna Play House” #1 Country 10/21/1967

The top country record this week in 1967 came from Tammy Wynette, born Virginia Wynette Pugh in Tremont, Mississippi, near Tupelo. She was an all-star basketball player in high school. Tammy got D-I-V-O-R-C-E-D, moved to Birmingham, Ala. and eventually Nashville with her three kids to pursue singing, but kept a cosmetology license which she renewed each year even after 20 #1 hits. Tammy said it was just in case the music career faltered and she needed a real job. That hair, though...

“I’ll Never Fall In Love Again” #49 10/21/1967

Like the Youngbloods' "Get Together," this became a far bigger hit when it was re-released in 1969. Tom Jones had much more success the second time around with this in the States, but it was a UK Top 5 upon its original issue in '67. Because he has such a naturally powerful voice, Tom requires lots of studio gadgets to keep from blowing out the equipment. Country star Reba McEntire has the same issue. Co-written and first done by Lonnie Donegan, king of the 50’s UK skiffle craze.

“Lightning’s Girl” #24 10/21/1967

Another tune from the biker movie "The Wild Angels." There's a fair amount of fuzz guitar on this Nancy Sinatra song, much like her dad's then-recent single "The World We Knew." Nancy did a lot of work in recent years for the Rolling Thunder motorcycle get-together in Washington, DC, performing for them several times.

“Let Love Come Between Us” #23 10/21/1967

The last real hit for James and Bobby Purify was done first by an Alabama-based group called the Rubber Band. Really original, I know, right? That group was fronted by Johnny Townsend, later part of the Sanford-Townsend Band who had a Top 10 with "Smoke From A Distant Fire" in 1977.

“Get On Up” #11 10/21/1967

The Esquires were another of those acts that spent 10 years becoming an overnight success. They started out in their home town of Milwaukee and after many lineup changes, moved to Chicago in search of a record deal. Curtis Mayfield turned them down, so they eventually signed with a smaller label in the Windy City. This R&B Top 5 record was their biggest hit.

“How Can I Be Sure” #4 10/22/1967

The fourth Top 10 for the Young Rascals was their biggest hit with Eddie Brigati doing the lead vocals instead of Felix Cavaliere. It was a rare rock record to showcase a concertina, giving a French café feel to the song. There's a prominent upright bass part alongside the electric bass. Not your everyday rock tune.

“To Sir With Love” #1 10/21/1967

From the movie of the same name, the titłe song became Lulu's only #1 in America, yet was relegated to the B-side of "Let's Pretend" in the UK. She made her acting debut in the movie alongside Sidney Poitier, and parlayed that into a successful TV career over there. Lulu was also a mentor for one season on "American Idol" and acquitted herself quite well on the show.

“Purple Haze” #65 10/14/1967

Good thing Jimi Hendrix didn't depend on singles for a career. He came from Seattle but made his name in England. Jimi was re-introduced to America at the Monterey Pop Festival, where he lit his guitar on fire for a finale. His first 45, "Hey Joe," did nothing in the US, but was a Top 10 in the UK. This didn't crack the Top 50 in the States but made the British Top 5. Albums, however - that's where Hendrix became a guitar god. The intro to "Purple Haze" may have the most discordant opening notes ever, and yet it worked. Video is the Jimi Hendrix Experience live at a London club. Not a lot of guitar effects but you get the idea he made it look so damn easy.

“Get Together” (Youngbloods - 1967) #62 10/14/1967

Originally a Kingston Trio song from '64, many acts recorded this, including We Five, Jefferson Airplane, and the Dave Clark Five. It became a much bigger hit when the Youngbloods re-released their version in 1969 - here, not so much for them in 1967. Written by Chet Powers, who sold the song rights to raise money defending himself against a conviction on pot charges. Those netted him some time at Folsom Prison.

"You Keep Running Away" #19 10/14/1967

One of the last records the Four Tops did with Holland-Dozier-Holland at the helm. Like so many other Motown acts (Diana Ross and the Supremes, Martha and the Vandellas, Marvin Gaye, etc.) they depended heavily on H-D-H for a stream of hit tunes. All of them had to change their musical direction when Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland left the label in a contract dispute.

"Dandelion" #14 10/14/1967

Another intended B-side that became the A-side (at least in the US), this from the Rolling Stones. Flip the 45 over and you got "We Love You" which was perhaps a little too weird for American tastes, as that only reached #50. Both songs have uncredited backing vocals by some guys named Lennon and McCartney. Mick Jagger had done the same on "Baby You're A Rich Man" so John and Paul returned the favor.

"Hey Baby (They're Playing Our Song)" #12 10/14/1967

The fourth Top 20 smash for the Buckinghams. Their guitarist Carl Giammarese admitted the band was formed back in the day so they could meet girls. Nothing like a little honesty. Carl and bassist Nick Fortuna along with newer members of the group are still out there doing shows, mainly around the Chicago area.

"Gimme Little Sign" #9 10/14/1967

A hit song can truly change one's life. This took Brenton Wood from working in a steel mill to a whirlwind experience being on a Dick Clark package tour, out on the road with six guys and a U-Haul full of equipment. He wound up with one more minor Top 40 entry, and that was pretty much it. The Farfisa organ solo was played by bluesman Mighty Mo Rodgers. Brenton recorded a gospel album in 2009.

"Little Ole Man (Uptight Everything's Alright)" #4 10/14/1967

Long before all the weirdness surrounded Bill Cosby, he was a very successful stand-up comedian and actor ("I Spy") and had this Top 5 record. The music was a reworking of the Stevie Wonder hit from early '66. Cosby inserted his own words but purposely didn't claim credit, leaving the original composers as the writers.

"A Day In The Life"

Today, we give you Uncle Larry's Most Favorite, Most Excellent Album Track Ever Of All Time. Ever.

To me, "A Day In The Life" is an absolute masterpiece, worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as the works of Beethoven, Mozart, Bach or any classical composer. John read about the death of socialite Tara Browne, heir to the Guinness fortune, and also how there were an estimated 4,000 holes in the streets of Blackburn, Lancashire, near Liverpool. So he had a beginning and end to a song, but no middle. Paul had a song with a middle, but no beginning or end. It was pure genius to combine the two. Ringo's drum part is outrageous. I've previously discussed the process with the orchestra and also that crashing final chord - see this blog's posts from February 2017 as to how and when those were recorded. A fitting end to "Sgt. Pepper." (I'm not counting the gibberish as the record grooves run out at the end.) 50 years later, that Beatle album is still the most influential rock record ever made.

"Turn The World Around" #1 Country 10/7/1967

The next to last of 26 #1's for Eddy Arnold topped the country charts this week in 1967. By now, his music was the definition of uptown country - no stinkin' fiddles or steel guitars here. He had amazing longevity, with a career spanning six decades in a business defined by here today, gone later today. Not many acts could say that.

"Monster Mash" #1 10/20/1962

Arguably the most popular novelty song ever, Bobby "Boris" Pickett charted three separate times with this over the years, reaching #1 in the fall of '62. Bobby was in a band where he'd drop in a Boris Karloff imitation when they played the Diamonds' "Little Darlin' " and the crowds loved it. He landed a record deal with Gary S. Paxton, who was responsible for "Alley Oop," another novelty chart-topper. The song parodied the Mashed Potato dance craze. Guaranteed to get your Halloween party rockin'.

"Sherry" #1 9/15/1962

The breakthrough hit for the Four Seasons from the fall of 1962. As documented in the "Jersey Boys" musical and movie, it only took them 10 years to achieve overnight success. The song was first titled "Jackie Baby" as a nod to then-First Lady Jackie Kennedy, but was changed to mimic the first name of NYC DJ Jack Spector's daughter, Cheri. Up until then on a rock record, you'd hear a falsetto mainly in the harmony parts; these guys put Frankie Valli's falsetto very prominently out front. This sent the Four Seasons on the way to selling over 100 million records.

"I Make A Fool Of Myself" #18 10/7/1967

Even though this Frankie Valli record reached the Top 20, I only vaguely remember it. His "solo" records were basically Four Seasons songs minus the falsetto for the most part. Frankie would have one more Top 40 solo hit and the group would have two more, then they hit a dry spell until 1975.

"(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher" #6 10/7/1967

One of the last hits for the great Jackie Wilson, with help from the moonlighting Funk Brothers and the Andantes, respectively the house band and female backing vocal group at Motown. He would have one more Top 40 record plus another Top 10 R&B tune, then collapsed on stage from a heart attack during a 1975 Dick Clark oldies tour and slipped into a coma. The crowd first thought it was part of the act, then sat in stunned silence. He recovered slightly then regressed; Jackie never regained consciousness and died in 1984. Truly a legendary music figure. Video is very well synched to a dance routine featuring Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth.

"Never My Love" #2 10/7/1967

How many couples walked down the aisle to this? According to BMI, this one by the Association was the second–most played song of the 20th century on radio and TV, only outdone by "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'." It was written by Don and Dick Addrisi, and the band was assisted mightily by the Wrecking Crew. Produced by Bones Howe, who was also at the controls for the 5th Dimension's remake in 1971. The Addrisi Brothers had a few hits themselves recording in the 70's.

"Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (Reprise)

When the Beatles still did live shows, they would always thank the audience prior to their last song. Their assistant Neil Aspinall suggested doing something similar to lead into the last track on "Sgt. Pepper." So they did a much shorter, faster arrangement of the title track where they acknowledged the fake crowd, then segued into the final song. Just one more instance of the Fab Four thinking way, way outside the box. This even faster mono version was pressed onto red vinyl for Japanese record buyers.

"Judy" #78 9/30/1967

The B-side of the current Elvis single. But it wasn't really current, as both this and the A-side "There's Always Me" were originally released in 1961 on his album "Something For Everybody." Hard to believe, but in '67 Elvis was on the verge of being irrelevant. His movies were just not very good and his soundtracks weren't, either. It took a career epiphany (coming soon) to get the King back to the top. The great Floyd Cramer played piano on this track.

"The Cat In The Window" #26 9/30/1967

I honestly don't recall this single from Petula Clark, the followup to "Don't Sleep In The Subway." It's not one of her more memorable records, and totally flopped in her native UK. An unusual song written by Gary Bonner and Alan Gordon, who also wrote "You Know What I Mean" for the Turtles. Pet was once offered two songs written by the then-unknown Walter Becker and Donald Fagen. She turned them down. Becker and Fagen, of course, went on to form Steely Dan in the 70's. RIP, Walter.

"Gettin' Together" #18 9/30/1967

Tommy James and the Shondells knew how to make good pop records at a time when the industry was heading in a little different direction. The public still wanted that brand of upbeat rock and roll. However, their next two singles started to get away from what was working, as neither made the Top 40.

"You Know What I Mean" #12 9/30/1967

This marked a bit of a shift in the Turtles' music. Most songs are written in some form of verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus structure, or A-B-A-B-C-B. Genesis even titled an album after a variation on that ("Abacab"). But this one from Gary Bonner and Alan Gordon kinda wanders all over the place musically, as the group became a tad more experimental. Hey, experimental was where it was at in the 60's.

"Brown Eyed Girl" #10 9/30/1967

One of the most played (overplayed?) records in the history of classic rock and oldies radio. According to music publishing rights firm BMI, this is still one of the ten most played songs ever in their huge catalog. But Van Morrison claims he's never seen a penny of royalties from it! He left the group Them ("Gloria") to go solo and signed a bad contract with the infamous Bert Berns. Van said it took plenty of lawsuits to extricate himself from that deal. We're all glad he got to a better place in his career. The original title was "Brown Skinned Girl" but upon further review was changed.

"Funky Broadway" #8 9/30/1967

Originally done by Dyke and the Blazers, the Broadway referenced in this #1 R&B hit from Wilson Pickett isn't the one in NYC, but in Buffalo where Arlester "Dyke" Christian was from. It's also said to be about Broadway Road in Phoenix, where Mr. Christian and his band were broke and stranded once upon a time. This was recorded in Muscle Shoals and was Wilson's last Top 10 pop hit.

"It Could Be We're In Love" #85 9/23/1967

This just barely charted nationally (gaining traction at different times in different areas of the country has that effect) but in their hometown of Chicago, the Cryan' Shames reached #1 on both WLS and WCFL, the two local powerhouse AM Top 40 stations. It's a curious little record but the harmonies are really quite good. Maybe it was just a tad too quirky or something. Soon, the band kind of fell apart. Several members eventually re-formed and are still doing gigs around Chicagoland.

"Blues' Theme" #37 9/23/1967

The opening theme to a low-budget biker movie called "The Wild Angels." It starred a pre-"Easy Rider" Peter Fonda with Nancy Sinatra, Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd. You may have seen it at the drive-in back in the day...or maybe not, if you had something else going on at the drive-in ;) Davie Allan and the Arrows played on a bunch of those type of soundtracks. Davie had a badass sound with lots of distortion and other effects. Eddie Van Halen said this record was one of his first influences, and he learned to play guitar as a result. That kinda worked out well for Eddie, dontcha think?

"Groovin' " (Booker T. & the MG's) #21 9/23/1967

An instrumental remake of the Young Rascals' #1 from earlier in the year became a Top 10 R&B tune for Booker T. and the MG's. They were basically the house band at Stax Records in Memphis, playing on virtually all the label's hits. These guys were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 - and deservedly so.

"I Had A Dream" #17 9/23/1967

Paul Revere and the Raiders and Terry Melcher would part ways shortly after this single. Terry produced all of their early hits but as a staff producer at Columbia Records, he was spending a lot more time working with other acts and less with the Raiders. A guy would soon audition for Melcher by the name of Charlie Manson. After he was turned down and not signed...well, the Manson "family" invaded Melcher's old house in 1969 looking to kill him (Terry had already moved), and they wound up murdering Sharon Tate and the others. Wrong place, wrong time.

"I Dig Rock And Roll Music" #9 9/23/1967

The fifth Top 10 from Peter, Paul and Mary. The trio was one of the leading folk music acts of the early 60's but hadn't had a real hit in a few years. Here, they parodied the styles of the Mamas and the Papas, Donovan, and the Beatles. They broke up in 1970 after Peter Yarrow was convicted of making moves on a 14-year-old girl. P, P & M reunited in 1978 and toured off and on until Mary Travers died of leukemia in 2009.

"Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie" #6 9/23/1967

The initial hit for Allentown, PA's Jay and the Techniques, one of the first integrated rock bands of the 60's. Lead singer Jay Proctor was the only member appearing on the record, though, as producer Jerry Ross chose to have Philadelphia studio musicians perform instead. The song had been offered to Bobby Hebb as a followup to "Sunny" but he turned it down.

"The Letter" #1 9/23/1967

Gimme a tiggit for an arrowplane! One of the shortest #1's ever (1:58) and Billboard's rock single of the year for 1967 was the first hit from the Box Tops, featuring 16-year-old Alex Chilton on lead vocals. It was a shock when people found out this wasn't sung by some middle-aged black dude, but by a white teenager from Memphis. Written by Wayne Carson Thompson, who went on to compose a boatload of rock and country hits until he passed away in 2015. Chilton died in 2010 of a heart attack. The band just looks completely buzzed in this video, however...

"Sheila" #1 9/1/1962

From September 1962, the first of two career #1's for Tommy Roe was a pretty clear knockoff of Buddy Holly's "Peggy Sue." Tommy originally named the song "Frita" after a high school classmate, but was asked to change the title. It just so happened his Aunt Sheila came by to visit, and a hit was born. Fellow Georgian Jerry Reed played guitar on the session.

"There's Always Me" #56 9/16/1967

Another case of a years-old Elvis song being dredged from the vaults to be issued as a 45. This came from a 1961 album called "Something For Everybody." Col. Parker's strategy of Elvis only recording songs for his movies just wasn't working any more. The soundtracks were so weak nothing on them could be put out as singles, and releasing older material for that purpose only showed how dated those songs sounded, compared to what the Beatles and others were doing by now.