“I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You” #8 9/28/1968

The first of 15 Top 10 singles in America and the second UK #1 for the Bee Gees, about a condemned man trying to contact his wife one last time. Depending on the source, the single was mastered at five different speeds. The tapes were either a hair fast, a hair slow, or juuuust right. Maybe Goldilocks was involved.

“The Fool On The Hill” (Brasil ‘66) #6 9/28/1968

Since their last single (“The Look Of Love”) was a cover version of a recent hit and made the Top 10, Sérgio Mendes and Brasil ‘66 tried the same tack here. It worked again, with a remake of this Beatles tune. The female vocalists were Janis Hansen and Lani Hall. Lani left the group in the early 70’s and married the head of A&M Records (their label), the one and only Herb Alpert.

“Hey Jude” #1 9/28/1968

Billboard’s #1 single of the 1960’s, and a nine-week chart-topper from the Beatles that once again broke all the rules. Nobody had a US #1 single that ran seven-plus minutes. (“MacArthur Park” was a UK #1 but #2 in the States.) Nobody repeated the same phrase for the entire four-minute second half of a record. No prior track had such a long, gradual fade-out. From the White Album sessions, it didn’t appear on an American LP until 1970; the British had to wait until 1973. Paul wrote the song to show empathy towards 5-year-old Julian Lennon while John and Cynthia were getting divorced. There were a few oddities during the recording. George was barely on the track. Ringo stepped out to the loo, but Paul didn’t notice and started the take that was eventually used. Starr tip-toed back into the studio and hit his cue perfectly. Listen closely around the 2:56 mark after the “Oh!” - in the background you may hear the nastiest obscenity of them all after someone mis-hit a chord. BTW “nah” was heard a total of 216 times at the end. As a promotion, Paul went by the recently closed Apple Boutique (google that; the place bled money £££) and wrote “Jude” in the window. Complaints poured in the next day from London’s Jewish community. McCartney really didn’t know that in 1930’s Germany, the Nazis wrote “Jude” on storefronts to identify them as Jewish owned. Yikes.

“(There’s) Always Something There To Remind Me” #65 9/21/1968

A Bacharach/David song that Dionne Warwick didn’t do first. The original was by Lou Johnson, missing the Top 40 in the summer of 1964. A few months later, the barefoot Sandie Shaw had a #1 in the UK with her take that also missed the Top 40 here. Then came Ms. Warwick’s version, released only as a B-side. R.B. Greaves did the song in 1970 (#27) as the followup to “Take A Letter, Maria.” The biggest hit came from Naked Eyes in 1983, taking it to #8.

“Down At Lulu’s” #33 9/21/1968

The followup to “Yummy Yummy Yummy” for the Ohio Express. At least that’s what it said on the label, since the “group” in reality was singer Joey Levine plus assorted NYC studio musicians. There was a touring band that used the name but none of those guys contributed to the records, leading to some odd situations like the road group not knowing the latest single.

Woo Hoo!

Good news! After decades of legal wrangling, Paul McCartney recently reacquired the rights to virtually everything in the Beatles catalog. Finally! So after all these years, their music is officially being uploaded to YouTube. Hooray!

“Tuesday Afternoon” #24 9/21/1968

From the “Days Of Future Passed” concept album by the Moody Blues, another Justin Hayward composition and a staple of album rock radio. He said the song just came to him while sitting in the middle of a field after smoking one of those funny African cigarettes. Amazing what those did for one’s creative juices.

“Revolution” #12 9/21/1968

The B-side of the current Beatles non-album single was its second version. The first, slower take was John’s choice to be the very first 45 released on their new Apple label. (That one became “Revolution #1” on the White Album.) But the others vetoed that idea, so the group did a much more uptempo version. It’s really not a pro-revolution song, however. Lennon’s thoughts were it’s all well and good, but maybe we should see the plan first, OK? Certainly this was one of the loudest, hardest rockin’ songs they ever recorded. Nicky Hopkins did the piano solo. Once again John wrote the lyrics, then bent the song’s timing to make them fit.

“Time Has Come Today” #11 9/21/1968

So many 60’s songs had to be edited way down to a manageable length for a single, like this opus from the Chambers Brothers. The 11:06 version became a favorite bathroom break record for DJ’s at album rock stations. These guys began as a gospel group (!) in Carthage, Mississippi, moved to L.A. and hired a Caucasian drummer as their music morphed into a bit of everything. We need more cowbell!!

“Hush” (Deep Purple) #4 9/21/1968

One of the hardest rockin’ songs on AM radio in the late 60’s was this Joe South tune, first done by Billy Joe Royal and taken to a whole different level by Deep Purple as their first hit. And yes, it’s true the band got their name from the favorite song of their guitarist Ritchie Blackmore’s granny. Blackmore is great here as always, but the organ by Jon Lord is from another planet.

“Harper Valley PTA” #1 9/21/1968

At the time, this single made the biggest one-week jump in Hot 100 history, leaping from #81 to #7 for Jeannie C. Riley. It then just missed being the first record by a female to simultaneously top the country and pop charts. Tom T. Hall said his song was semi-autobiographical, with only the names changed to protect the innocent. It concerned the verbal smackdown a widow gave to her daughter’s school PTA, pointing out hypocrisy in their sanctimonious little Peyton Place. Heady stuff.

“Only Daddy That’ll Walk The Line” #2 Country 9/14/1968

It’s rare that someone can be said to help change the way an entire industry does things. Waylon Jennings, along with Willie Nelson, did just that to the country music biz. Fed up with how Nashville operated in those days, they went back to Texas in the 70’s and did it their own way. This made the country Top 5 this week in 1968 and was Waylon’s biggest hit to date. Ray Stevens was on organ.

“Workin’ On A Groovy Thing” (Patti Drew) #62 9/14/1968

Patti Drew had the first version of a tune co-written by Neil Sedaka, later made into a bigger hit by the 5th Dimension. After three albums, she either pulled the plug on her career - or the plug got pulled for her. Patti apparently got mixed up in the whole susbstance thingy, as a lot of folks did in those days.

“Six Man Band” #47 9/14/1968

A little bit of psychedelia by the Association that became their last single to even sniff the upper half of the Hot 100. They were originally offered Jimmy Webb’s “Macarthur Park” but turned it down. The group had some songwriters themselves, and weren’t inclined to give up a writing credit or two on an album to outsiders.

“The Eyes Of A New York Woman” #28 9/14/1968

After his first few hits in 1966, B.J. Thomas hadn’t had much success. This one got him back into the Top 30. It was written by Mark James, who would compose and originally record “Suspicious Minds” which became so huge for Elvis. Mark also co-wrote “Always On My Mind.” Pretty good track record there.

“Do It Again” #20 9/14/1968

Not to be confused with the similarly titled Steely Dan song. The last Top 20 single for the Beach Boys until their 1976 remake of Chuck Berry’s “Rock And Roll Music.” Around this time Brian Wilson also checked himself into a psychiatric hospital. This was a throwback to their surf sound. I always thought the intro was played on some type of keyboard but it was just some studio trickery - actually, a snare drum filtered through some effects. A personal favorite.

“You’re All I Need To Get By” #7 9/14/1968

The fourth Top 10 duet for Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. Since Tammi was dealing with health issues (recovering from brain surgery), she and Marvin had to record their vocals separately. Sure didn’t sound like it - could’ve fooled me. Written by Ashford and Simpson, who handled the backing vocals.

“1, 2, 3, Red Light” #5 9/14/1968

The second Top 5 record for the 1910 Fruitgum Company. They were once asked to fill in at the last minute for Vanilla Fudge, which was a little curious since those groups couldn’t be more polar opposites. But the Fruitgum guys began their career as the Odyssey, playing all over New Jersey as a hard rockin’ outfit. They went back to their roots, even doing “You Keep Me Hangin’ On,” and pulled off the gig.

“Mama Tried” #1 Country 9/7/1968

A signature song from Merle Haggard was in the middle of a four-week run at #1 on the country charts this week in 1968. It was a semi-autobiographical tune Merle wrote about the anguish he caused his mom by getting in trouble and landing in San Quentin prison for several years. This became Hag’s fifth chart-topper.

“I Can’t Dance To That Music You’re Playin’ “ #42 9/7/1968

The last record by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas to even reach the upper half of the Hot 100. Like many girl groups, there was a certain amount of, uhhh, infighting. Sometimes it spilled over on stage. This was about a woman’s musician boyfriend running off; supposedly Martha hated the song because it hit too close to home. Reeves “wasn’t available” to re-do the chorus, so that was performed by Syreeta Wright (soon to be Stevie Wonder’s girlfriend); the Andantes sang backup.

“I've Never Found A Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)" #40 9/7/1968

The first Top 40 single for Eddie Floyd since “Knock On Wood,” which Eddie co-wrote with Steve Cropper. “Wood” was first destined for Otis Redding; it took an intervention by Atlantic Records’ Jerry Wexler for Floyd to do it himself. Eddie went on to appear in the “Blues Brothers 2000” movie. Yeah, I forgot that, too.

“I Get The Sweetest Feeling” #34 9/7/1968

The final Top 40 single for Jackie Wilson, though it did much better internationally, co-written by Van McCoy (“The Hustle”). Wilson would be semi-immortalized in song a few years later by Van Morrison. Then in 1975, Jackie collapsed onstage from a heart attack and fell into a coma; he died in 1984. There is no overstating his influence on R&B and pop music. Truly a legendary music figure.

“Girls Can’t Do What The Guys Do” #33 9/7/1968

Betty Wright was only 17 when she had a huge hit in 1971 with “Clean Up Woman,” and yet sounded so much older. This was her first Top 40 entry, when she was just 14. The subject matter here wasn’t popular with feminists, though. Betty (born Bessie Regina Norris) had been making records locally in Miami since the age of 12.

“Mr. Businessman” #28 9/7/1968

Ray Stevens made a name for himself with novelty records but this 45 was a total about-face in style. The single was a scathing look at how materialistic America had become. (All he had to do was wait for “Mad Men.”) His next record bombed, so he went back to doing goofy songs with greater success. Hard to believe this was the same guy who also did “The Streak.” Don’t look, Ethel!! Boogity boogity!!

“The House That Jack Built” #6 9/7/1968

I swear I had this one coming up anyway - RIP, Aretha. A two-sided hit from the Queen of Soul. In America this was the bigger hit; in some countries, this was the flip. Like all labels, Atlantic Records would print which side they preferred radio stations to play on promotional copies of a 45. Atlantic called it the “plug side.” Thank you, Captain Obvious.

“And Suddenly” #45 8/31/1968

The Cherry People were one of those acts that finally got a deal after years of scuffling, but their only chart record sounded nothing like they did in person. They came from Northern Virginia and Washington, DC and were once named the English Setters. The group was a hard rockin’ live act, but the producer mostly used session musicians on their one LP. The resulting single sounded a bit like “Walk Away Renée,” a fair comparison as the Left Banke did “And Suddenly” first.

“Please Return Your Love To Me” #26 8/31/1968

The first single released by the Temptations after the firing of David Ruffin was recorded prior to that event. It featured Eddie Kendricks on lead vocals with Ruffin in the background. A live album was soon issued with his replacement, Dennis Edwards; no singles were released from that LP. Their next 45, with Edwards out front, marked a significant change in direction for the group.

“Soul-Limbo” #17 8/31/1968

1968 was a great year for instrumentals. Here’s a calypso-flavored one from Booker T. and the MG’s, once used as theme music for the BBC’s cricket coverage. The marimba solo is by Terry Manning, who has extensive credentials as a recording engineer, producer and photographer. Terry worked with the likes of George Thorogood, ZZ Top and numerous Stax Records performers.

“Love Makes A Woman” #15 8/31/1968

Barbara Acklin only had this hit as a singer, but wrote or co-wrote a number of others, such as “Whispers” for Jackie Wilson and “Have You Seen Her” for the Chi-Lites and their lead singer Eugene Record (who she married). Barbara was the first to record “Am I The Same Girl” but her vocal was scrubbed, replaced by a piano and released as “Soulful Strut.” That story coming later...

“You Keep Me Hangin’ On” (Vanilla Fudge) #6 8/31/1968

From a group that once called themselves the Pigeons. Their label’s head, Ahmet Ertegün, asked them to PLEASE change the name. So they became Vanilla Fudge and carved out a niche by doing extended (some say tortured) versions of recent hits, like this Supremes classic. They had to edit this down quite a bit for a single. The Fudge became members of the Long Island Music Hall Of Fame in 2006, the same year as Billy Joel and Joan Jett. The drummer, Carmine Appice, goes completely off on this video.

“Sunshine Of Your Love” (Reissue) #5 8/31/1968

This barely cracked the Top 40 on its initial release six months earlier. The second time around, it was a Top 5 hit for Cream in addition to becoming an institution of album rock radio. Thousands of drummers learned from the Ginger Baker beat-the-crap-out-of-the-drums school of percussion. Jack Bruce influenced a whole generation of bassists, including me. Then there was Eric Clapton, guitar god...