“Sunday Mornin’ “ (Oliver) #35 12/27/1969

We end 1969 with the last Top 40 effort from Oliver, a remake of the 1968 tune from Spanky and Our Gang. The hits soon dried up, though, and he parted ways with producer Bob Crewe, who achieved fame in the same capacity with the Four Seasons. Oliver and his family were the subject of a People magazine “where are they now” story in 1983. He got divorced the following year.

“Friendship Train” #17 12/27/1969

A socially conscious track from Gladys Knight and the Pips. They were working frequently with Norman Whitfield, who was also producing the Temptations and their social commentaries on record. Gladys said in her autobiography that the Temps, the Supremes and Marvin Gaye were getting all the A-list songs while the other Motown acts got the scraps. She would leave the label in a few years.

“These Eyes” (Jr. Walker) #16 12/27/1969

Junior Walker was known for some seriously raucous tunes like “Shotgun” and “(I’m A) Road Runner.” So when his producer, Johnny Bristol, suggested he do some romantic ballads, it came as a bit of a shock. “What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)” proved Junior could pull it off. He did it again here with a very soulful remake of the Guess Who hit from earlier in the year.

“Holly Holy” #6 12/27/1969

In a BBC interview, Neil Diamond said he was trying to create a song here about a religious experience between a man and a woman, as opposed to between a man and a deity. I think he succeeded. Definitely gospel tinged, and recorded in Memphis. Music from that city has a way of coming off as gospel sounding.

“Someday We’ll Be Together” #1 12/27/1969

Billboard’s final #1 of the 1960’s came from Diana Ross and the Supremes. Well, actually it was just Ms. Ross, as Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong had already checked out and were rehearsing with Jean Terrell. The original idea was for Junior Walker to record the song, but Berry Gordy made the executive decision to give the track to Diana as a way of launching her solo career. Then he changed his mind and billed the single as the last Diana Ross and the Supremes 45. Co-writer Johnny Bristol produced the session, harmonizing in Diana’s headphones while giving her instructions. The engineer accidentally left in his ad-libs; Gordy and Bristol liked it. Dennis Coffey played guitar and Merry Clayton assisted on backing vocals.

“Two Little Boys” #1 UK

As the 60’s drew to a close, a highly unusual song was this week’s UK #1 record. It was from 1902, written by two Yanks about two boys who grew up to become soldiers, ostensibly during the Civil War. It was popularized by an Aussie, Rolf Harris, who had a surprise 1963 US hit with “Tie Me Kangaroo Down, Sport” produced by George Martin. Harris was convicted in 2014 of taking indecent sexual liberties with teenage girls.

Merry Christmas!

“I’m Tired” #74 12/20/1969

Savoy Brown was one of those bands that never quite saw widespread success, even though acts like KISS, Rod Stewart, the Doobie Brothers and Fleetwood Mac actually opened for them in concert. It didn’t help that they had a revolving door of musicians - the band has had over 60 members with guitarist Kim Simmonds as the only constant. This single was one of their handful of US chart appearances.

“A Brand New Me” #24 12/20/1969

One that started out as the B-side of Jerry Butler’s recent hit “What’s The Use Of Breaking Up,” produced by Philly legends Gamble and Huff. They, along with Thom Bell, applied their talents to Dusty Springfield’s version as well. The result was a Top 5 easy listening hit. But it would be Dusty’s last Top 40 appearance until her 1987 collaboration with the Pet Shop Boys. Definitely a personal favorite.

“Fortunate Son” #3 12/20/1969

Creedence Clearwater Revival consistently had terrific two-sided singles. This was a definite Vietnam-era protest song but still very catchy. Although it’s quite anti-privilege, the song was used to sell blue jeans in the early 2000’s as John Fogerty lost his licensing rights. Eventually Wrangler pulled the ads after Fogerty expressed his displeasure. He said the idea came after seeing the White House wedding of Julie Nixon and David Eisenhower, saying David would never be sent to Vietnam like regular people were. A rich man’s war but a poor man’s fight. Another fave of mine!!

“Down On The Corner” #3 12/20/1969

After the success of “Sgt. Pepper” with the Beatles using alter egos, CCR did the same with their “Willy And The Poor Boys” album. They actually appeared on Ed Sullivan posing as a street corner jug band. This two-sided hit was Creedence’s fourth Top 3 single of the calendar year. The album cover photo was taken in front of the Duck Kee Market in Oakland, just down the street from their recording studio. One of the most fun songs of 1969, and absolutely a personal fave.

“Leaving On A Jet Plane” #1 12/20/1969

The tune that put John Denver on the map as a songwriter. The original title in 1966 was “Babe, I Hate To Go” but changed at the request of his producer. Reportedly he wrote the song during an engagement at the Cellar Door in Washington, DC. It was recorded in ‘67 by Peter, Paul and Mary but wasn’t released by them as a single until late 1969. The act split up soon after this reached the top.

“Funk #48” #126 12/13/1969

The first Billboard appearance for the James Gang. Joe Walsh had just joined the band, who had cut back to a trio by now. They would rework this into “Funk #49” and turned that song into a fixture of classic rock radio. Of course, Joe eventually went solo and then would join the Eagles. What a career trajectory.

“Big In Vegas” #100 12/13/1969

One that eventually became a Top 5 country hit for Buck Owens. He reworked the song, first done by Terry Stafford as “Big In Dallas,” giving Terry a co-writing credit. Stafford had a huge 1964 hit with his cover of Elvis’s “Suspicion” and later composed “Amarillo By Morning,” a huge hit for George Strait in the early 80’s. Buck did another produced video here, a rarity at the time in country music.

“Groovy Grubworm” #30 12/13/1969

One of the weirdest instrumentals to ever reach the Top 40 came from Harlow Wilcox - the country picker, not the old time radio announcer (i.e., “Fibber McGee and Molly”). Oddly, this did better on the Hot 100 than the country charts (#42). The B-side was called “Moose Trot.” Enough said.

“Heaven Knows” #24 12/13/1969

The Grass Roots just kept plugging along as the 60’s drew to a close. Rob Grill, as always, handled the lead vocals here just fine. Guitarist Warren Entner went on to become manager of several notable rock bands such as Quiet Riot, Rage Against The Machine, Faith No More and others. We were still over a decade away from MTV and these were still called promotional films, but music videos were creeping into the record biz. It’s comedian John Byner in the intro with the band.

“Eleanor Rigby” (Aretha Franklin) #17 12/13/1969

A very unique Top 5 soul take on the Beatles classic, as done by Aretha Franklin. Not only did she sing it in the first person, but Lady Soul took Paul’s melody way out into left field to where it’s almost a completely different song. Of course, Aretha could’ve sung the phone book and made it work. She was just that darn good.

“Backfield In Motion” #10 12/13/1969

Mel Hardin and Tim McPherson were first cousins from Holly Springs, Mississippi who gravitated to Chicago. They were discovered by Mr. Duke of Earl himself, Gene Chandler, who co-produced this ditty using sports metaphors to describe a woman’s infidelity. They also scored (ha, ha) in 1972 with “Starting All Over Again.”

“Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday” #7 12/13/1969

We’ve talked about Motown’s backing vocal groups, the Andantes (female) and the Originals (male). Both helped out on this one from Stevie Wonder. It was first done in 1966 by Chris Clark, one of the first Caucasians to record for that label. Stevie did his take in 1967; he then experienced problems with his voice, forcing Motown to issue older material like this.

“What Is And What Should Never Be”

Led Zeppelin’s second album contained some great production effects. This track highlights that fact. The recording process was becoming more complex by 1969, and Jimmy Page made sure he didn’t miss any tricks. Supposedly Robert Plant addressed lusting after his wife’s sister here. Fantastic Les Paul guitar work!

“Tombstone Shadow”

From the LP “Green River,” this recaps an odd experience John Fogerty had. CCR had a gig in San Bernardino, CA and as a goof John went to a fortune teller across the street from their hotel. According to Fogerty’s Twitter page, this was a note-for-note account of the visit. He made a one-note guitar solo work.

“Get Rhythm” (1969 reissue) #60 12/6/1969

I’m a huge fan of Johnny Cash but I didn’t know the 1956 B-side of “I Walk The Line” had been re-released with fake crowd effects added to simulate a live record. Shelby Singleton bought the Sun Records catalog and frequently repackaged those recordings just to make a quick buck. He was attempting to piggyback on Johnny’s recent success with live prison LP’s on a different label. Cash planned to give the song to fellow Sun artist Elvis Presley back in ‘56 but Sam Phillips vetoed the idea. The clip actually starts about 20 seconds in - sorry.

“Jingo” #56 12/6/1969

The debut single from Santana, on the heels of their legendary Woodstock appearance. Based on an African song, “Jin-go-lo-ba,” Carlos Santana and his bandmates took it to a whole different level here. It’s a pretty good jam record; the group made this a centerpiece of their stage shows for many years.

“Blistered” #50 12/6/1969

A Top 5 country hit from Johnny Cash, who sometimes showed a twisted sense of humor on his records. Composed by Billy Edd Wheeler, who wrote or co-wrote such tunes as “Jackson,” “Coward Of The County,” and the ever-popular “Ode To The Little Brown Shack Out Back.” Having had to use one of those as a child at my grandfather’s place, I can attest to the little brown shack’s usefulness.

“Love Will Find A Way” #40 12/6/1969

The last Top 40 record from Jackie DeShannon. Born Sharon Lee Myers in Hazel, KY, she landed her first contract at 16. She opened for the Beatles on their first full-scale US tour; they picked her brain on writing songs, especially George Harrison. Jackie’s brother Randy helped write this one, plus “Put A Little Love In Your Heart.”

“Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye” #1 12/6/1969

Another B-side throwaway that reached #1. Steam was the brainchild of Paul Leka, producer of other one-hit wonders like the Peppermint Rainbow and the Lemon Pipers. Leka assembled a studio group along with two guys from one of his old Connecticut bands. This one didn’t take much thought, but the record company preferred it as the potential hit. Notice this has no guitar or bass, and contains a drum track on a loop. It became a sports anthem thanks to Nancy Faust, organist at old Comiskey Park. She made this a standard at Chicago White Sox games. Check out the album cover on the clip - one of the skeeviest covers of all time.

Altamont

December 6, 1969 was the date of the Altamont Speedway Free Festival in northern California. It was moved from the Sears Point road racing course at literally the last minute. This was a free West Coast version of Woodstock where 300,000 heard bands like Crosby, Stills and Nash, Jefferson Airplane and Santana. The Grateful Dead pulled out, citing crowd control issues. The Rolling Stones closed the show, hiring the Hells Angels as security. That became a huge mistake, as a Hells Angel allegedly stabbed a crowd member to death who jumped the stage. A riot ensued which shut down the concert. At the murder trial, the biker was acquitted. A film clip (included in the Stones documentary “Gimme Shelter”) was too out of focus and too grainy to clearly identify the defendant. Regardless, Altamont became a quite disappointing end to the peace, love and rock and roll of 1960’s Woodstock Nation.

“The Ballad Of Paul” #104 11/29/1969

We’ve previously mentioned the cottage industry that sprung up around the “Paul is dead” hoax. It’s been established by now the Beatles created the joke as early as 1966. Regardless, all kinds of morbid songs were based on that. This one by an act calling itself Mystery Tour, which bubbled under, is representative. Reportedly Mystery Tour was actually a Baltimore area band, Bob Brady and the Con Chords.

“Crumbs Off The Table” #59 11/29/1969

There are groups which were, um, not organically formed. In other words, labels handpicked the members. Holland-Dozier-Holland put together the Glass House for their Invictus label. It was fronted by Scherrie Payne, sister of Freda Payne (“Band Of Gold”). Scherrie fronted the post-Diana Ross version of the Supremes for several years in the mid 70’s.

“Make Your Own Kind Of Music” #36 11/29/1969

The incredibly prolific songwriting couple of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil have been married for 58 years. They wrote some of the greatest rock tunes of the 60’s for acts like the Drifters, the Animals, the Righteous Brothers and Paul Revere and the Raiders. Mama Cass Elliot took this tune of theirs into the Top 40.

“I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City” #34 11/29/1969

Harry Nilsson wrote this tune intending it for the “Midnight Cowboy” soundtrack, but the producers preferred his “Everybody’s Talkin’ “ instead. Of course, that song became a huge smash. Nilsson went ahead and released this as the followup. It didn’t do quite as well. He wouldn’t see the Top 40 again until 1971.

“Mind, Body And Soul” #26 11/29/1969

This blue-eyed soul band would eventually change their name to the title of their first hit. The Flaming Ember (having dropped the last s) scuffled for years around their native Detroit before scoring here. When the hits slowed down, they became known as Mind, Body and Soul and played for years on the local bar scene.

“Try A Little Kindness” #23 11/29/1969

A Top 5 country hit from Glen Campbell that did reasonably well on the pop charts, too. His weekly TV show was doing OK in its second season and survived a purge by CBS of rural-themed programming. The network decided due to the wrong demographics they didn’t want shows that appealed mostly to rubes. As a result, “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “Green Acres,” “Mayberry RFD,” etc., were canned.

“Undun” #22 11/29/1969

Here’s yet another case of a B-side getting substantial airplay and turning into a hit months after the A-side, “Laughing.” Randy Bachman of the Guess Who learned some jazzy guitar chords from one of his neighbors, Lenny Breau. Meanwhile, Burton Cummings (who played sax in an earlier band) learned to play the flute, which has similar finger techniques. The end result became a fixture on FM radio.

“Suite: Judy Blue Eyes” #21 11/29/1969

One of the all-time classics of album rock radio as done by Crosby, Stills and Nash. Stephen Stills wrote the song about his impending breakup with Judy Collins and her piercing blue eyes. He made it a true suite in several movements, singing the last uptempo piece in semi-broken Spanish. Stills was a military brat, having spent parts of his youth in Costa Rica and Panama, so he knew a bit of the language.

“Cherry Hill Park” #15 11/29/1969

The final Top 40 pop hit for Billy Joe Royal, though he resurfaced in the 80’s as a very successful country singer. Basically, this one is about the town hussy, Mary Hill. In other words, she wasn’t what you would call terribly innocent. Billy Joe came out of the very prolific Atlanta music scene in the 60’s, which also produced Tommy Roe, Ray Stevens, Joe South, and scads more.

“Baby I’m For Real” #14 11/29/1969

We’ve talked many times about the Andantes, Motown’s often-uncredited female backing singers. The Originals were their male equivalent. They tried for years with no success until Marvin Gaye promised he’d find them a hit song. So he and his wife Anna wrote this #1 soul chart smash, with Marvin as producer. Originals member Freddie Gorman co-wrote “Please Mister Postman” for the Marvelettes; Gaye was the drummer on that legendary track.

“Eli’s Coming” #10 11/29/1969

As promised, another Laura Nyro tune, this time by Three Dog Night with Cory Wells doing lead vocals. Laura did the song first on her LP “Eli And The Thirteenth Confession.” I have no idea what that title means. Hey, whatever works. This uptempo track became a highlight of TDN’s stage shows.

“And When I Die” #2 11/29/1969

The third straight #2 single from Blood, Sweat & Tears was written in 1966 by a then 17-year-old Laura Nyro, who sold the tune to Peter, Paul and Mary. Amazing that someone who was a teenager at the time could write such semi-morbid lyrics. Laura had three songs this week in the Top 10 - this one, a former #1 (“Wedding Bell Blues”) earlier in the month from the 5th Dimension, and the song we’ll feature next.

“Come Together” #1 11/29/1969

When John Lennon met drug guru Timothy Leary, he agreed to work for Leary’s highly unusual run for governor of California against Ronald Reagan. The slogan was “Come together, join the party.” The campaign fizzled out, but John got a song from it. Lennon admitted the words were pure gobbledygook, but this Beatle track still made #1. Several years later, Lennon was taken to court for plagiarism by infamous music mogul/wiseguy Morris Levy, copyright owner of Chuck Berry’s “You Can’t Catch Me.” Much legal wrangling ensued, some of which bordered on ridiculous. Aerosmith had a decent remake from the 1978 “Sgt. Pepper” movie.

“Something” #1 11/29/1969

Frank Sinatra said this was the greatest love song ever written. I can’t argue with that. It certainly proved George Harrison could be the equal of Lennon and McCartney, even if he lifted the first line from a James Taylor track. This is second to “Yesterday” as the most covered Beatles song ever. Harrison wasn’t sure his bandmates would record the tune; he even gave it to Joe Cocker before the “Abbey Road” sessions began. George said at various times it was either about his then-wife Pattie or the Hindu deity Krishna. John and Paul acknowledged its excellence, but once again John took a back seat in recording a Harrison song, only playing piano and no vocals. A Lennon song on the other side of the single also reached #1.

Two-Sided #1’s

In the 1950’s Billboard had three distinct pop music charts based on sales, a survey of radio airplay, and jukebox plays. They did away with jukebox totals in 1957 and combined sales and airplay on August 4, 1958, creating the Hot 100 chart. Each side of a single was then tracked separately, though. That probably hurt the Beatles more than anyone, since their 45’s would’ve done even better in America (imagine that!) if counted as one entry instead of two. Starting this week in 1969 Billboard went back to their old method of treating A- and B-sides as one. So the first act to benefit was...the Beatles. Neither “Something” or “Come Together” reached the top on their own. Together, it became Billboard’s first two-sided #1 single since Elvis did so with “Hard Headed Woman”/“Don’t Ask Me Why” in 1958.

“Because”

Another “Abbey Road” cut, featuring some of the most amazing vocal harmony ever caught on record. Yoko was sitting at a piano playing Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata; John asked her to play the chords in reverse order and based the song on that. John, Paul and George triple-tracked the vocals creating nine-part harmonies. Of course, Queen expanded on that idea with “Bohemian Rhapsody” but I digress. Harrison played the Moog synthesizer; George Martin contributed on harpsichord.

“Ramble On”

Here’s a track from one of the most influential records ever, Led Zeppelin’s second LP. Jimmy Page and Robert Plant based the song on passages from “The Hobbit.” The album was recorded haphazardly while Zep was touring heavily in early 1969, but is still regarded as one of the ultimate rock LP’s ever. I lost a lot of brain cells listening to that album over the years. Trust me.

“Roosevelt And Ira Lee (Night Of The Mossacin)” #44 11/22/1969

Once in a while I run into a dead end while researching this stuff, especially when the artist was a one-hit wonder. Mr. Google has virtually no info on this record, Tony Joe White’s followup to “Polk Salad Annie.” It was on his second LP, had a spoken intro, was very Southern, and just missed the Top 40. That album also contains his “Rainy Night In Georgia,” which became a huge hit for Brook Benton in 1970. BTW Tony Joe deliberately misspelled “moccasin” in the title.

“We Love You, Call Collect” #42 11/22/1969

Art Linkletter came from humble beginnings. He was abandoned at birth in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan; his adoptive parents moved to San Diego when he was 5 and Art got into local radio there. He landed a gig in L.A. hosting “People Are Funny” where contestants won prizes for goofy stunts; it ran for 18 years on radio and TV. Linkletter turned down his friend Walt Disney’s offer to be an original investor in Disneyland, but he did make a ton of money on hula hoop knockoffs - its inventors didn’t secure a patent! His daughter Diane died at 20, jumping from a sixth floor window. Art claimed it was due to LSD, but toxicology said otherwise. He made this spoken word record on strained parent-child relationships before her passing.

“Reuben James” #26 11/22/1969

The 60’s were a time when songs became more daring in their lyrical content. This one from Kenny Rogers and the First Edition is no exception. According to co-writer Alex Harvey, he drew on personal experience from his childhood in west Tennessee. The song concerned a white child raised by a black man - touchy stuff back then. Harvey, who was Caucasian, grew up around many black people and incorporated that idea into a song.

“Smile A Little Smile For Me” #5 11/22/1969

The Flying Machine was a British group who became a one-hit wonder in the States with this Top 5 smash. They were formed from the remnants of Pinkerton’s Assorted Colours. What a name for a band, right? Despite being British, this didn’t chart in the UK. These guys had one other record that barely cracked our Top 100. We found another produced music video for this one.

“Take A Letter Maria” #2 11/22/1969

R.B. Greaves had interesting bloodlines. He was born on a U.S. Air Force base in Guyana and raised on a Seminole reservation, but most importantly he was a nephew of the great Sam Cooke. This Top 5 hit about a wife’s infidelity was a reflection of his musical genes. Recorded in Muscle Shoals, Alabama.

“She Even Woke Me Up To Say Goodbye” #2 Country 11/15/1969

This week’s #2 country hit comes from the one and only Killer, the legendary Jerry Lee Lewis. After he torpedoed his rock and roll career by marrying his 13-year-old second cousin, Jerry Lee eventually resurfaced by singing country music. This was his seventh straight Top 10 country record. Pretty impressive comeback.

“Okie From Muskogee” #1 Country 11/15/1969

This week’s #1 country hit, arguably Merle Haggard’s signature song, just missed the pop Top 40 by January 1970. Merle said it started out as a joke of sorts, but became an anthem of the conservative movement. Hag wanted to acknowledge the Vietnam veterans who, instead of getting parades, were being ostracized when they came home. It touched a nerve with middle America, and still does even today.

“Wooden Ships” (Crosby, Stills and Nash)

One that actually shows up on two current albums this week in 1969. Written by David Crosby and Stephen Stills plus Paul Kantner of Jefferson Airplane, it appeared on the debut CS&N album (we’ll feature their version here) and on “Volunteers.” The subject matter is a little disconcerting - survivors of the nuclear apocalypse onboard wooden ships in the ocean. The ships don’t go near shore and have no metal, so they wouldn’t be contaminated by fallout or radiation. Geez.

“Volunteers”

From the album of the same name by Jefferson Airplane. Marty Balin was awakened one morning by a truck from the charitable group Volunteers of America. So a song advocating near-anarchy was co-written by a guy living in a comfortable San Francisco mansion. Ooookay. This also got to #65 in a few weeks.

“Ballad Of Easy Rider”

From the soundtrack of the cult classic “Easy Rider,” there was some Hollywood-type drama around the title song. According to Wikipedia, Peter Fonda wanted Bob Dylan to write the tune but he declined; instead, he scribbled a few lines for Roger McGuinn of the Byrds to expand upon. Roger did so, but Dylan later asked that his co-writer credit be removed because he didn’t like how the song fit into the final scene of the movie. The single did reach #65 in a few weeks.

“Here Comes The Sun”

One of the greatest Beatle songs of them all is only the second-best George Harrison contribution to “Abbey Road.” He wrote it one morning in Eric Clapton’s garden after blowing off another business meeting guaranteed to degenerate into bickering about band finances. Harrison said he just didn’t want to deal with a bunch of dopey accountants yet again. This was recorded over two distinct time frames. John didn’t participate because he was recovering from a car accident during the first group of sessions, and George finished the song pretty much by himself during the second group. He and Paul did all the vocals; Harrison played the Moog parts. I could listen to this on an endless loop.

“I Want You (She’s So Heavy)”

We’ll present some tracks from top albums this week in 1969, starting with “Abbey Road.” Recorded off and on over six months, this starts out mellow but turns into one of the hardest-edged tunes the Beatles ever did. The long, long instrumental riff at the end gets rather intense. Lennon pushed for the abrupt ending, telling the engineer to literally slice the tape in the middle of a passage. Paul’s bass part is outrageous. John contributed white noise from a Moog synthesizer.

“Any Way That You Want Me” #53 11/8/1969

Evie Sands absolutely had a snakebitten career. Her first record was stolen by an unscrupulous promoter who gave it to another artist. Her next release was the original of “I Can’t Let Go” which got lost in the shuffle of legal issues surrounding the previous single. The Hollies would have a huge UK hit with that one. Evie was the first to record “Angel Of The Morning” but her then-label was going broke and couldn’t promote the 45; Merrilee Rush would have the hit version. This would be one of her few Hot 100 appearances. What a run of bad luck. She deserved better.

“Time Machine” #48 11/8/1969

Grand Funk Railroad, from Flint, MI, was one of those bands the critics despised, but the public loved ‘em. Here’s their debut single, a little number about a guy using a time machine to impress girls. Guys will do anything to impress girls! Their name was a play on the Grand Trunk Western Railroad. A good bluesy rockin’ tune, better than the lame cover for their first album.

“So Good Together” #36 11/8/1969

The fourth Top 40 record from Andy Kim. He was born in Montreal, the son of Lebanese immigrants. At 16 he quit school and moved to NYC to break into the music biz, even though at the time he couldn’t play an instrument. Andy connected with songwriter/producer Jeff Barry; they co-wrote the top single of 1969, “Sugar, Sugar.” Those guys also worked on some tunes for the last new Monkees album until 1987. I’m detecting a pattern of bubblegum music here.

“Ball Of Fire” #19 11/8/1969

Occasionally an act will put out a greatest hits album, but sneak in one or two songs that they hope will become hits. That happened with Tommy James and the Shondells and this previously unreleased track. This made the Top 20, so it all worked out. They would have just one more Top 40 effort, though.

“Going In Circles” #15 11/8/1969

The B-side of “Let Yourself Go” wound up doing far better for the Friends of Distinction, making the Top 5 on the soul charts and Top 20 on the pop side. Funny how that works sometimes. This was redone over the years by a number of folks, such as Isaac Hayes, the Gap Band and Luther Vandross.

“Is That All There Is?” #11 11/8/1969

Some records come out of nowhere and turn into hits. Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, known for writing far more upbeat tunes (“Hound Dog,” “Jailhouse Rock,” “Stand By Me” and so many others) wrote this very downbeat song. Peggy Lee, a 40’s and 50’s pop star without much success since “Fever” a decade earlier, recorded this after several others passed on it and scored a #1 easy listening hit.

“Wedding Bell Blues” #1 11/8/1969

You know you’ve arrived as a songwriter when a tune of yours becomes part of the cultural lexicon. That happened for Laura Nyro when she wrote the 5th Dimension’s second #1 hit. She composed the song in 1966 at the age of 18, very loosely basing it on a family friend’s mom. Marilyn McCoo does a very classy job on lead vocals.

“Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down” (Ray Stevens) #81 11/1/1969

Kris Kristofferson was a Rhodes scholar, former Army captain and ex-offshore oil rig helicopter pilot who deep down wanted to write songs. So he chucked it all and moved to Nashville where at one point he was a janitor in a recording studio. Kris persuaded Roger Miller to record “Me And Bobby McGee” and got Ray Stevens to record this (BTW Ray turned down “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” to do this), months before Johnny Cash’s definitive version. Kris became one of Music City’s great songwriters and joined Cash, Waylon and Willie as one of the Highwaymen.

“Since I Met You Baby” #65 (#1 Country) 11/1/1969

From 1965-72, Sonny James had an incredible run on the country charts with 25 straight Top 5 singles including 21 #1’s. This remake of Ivory Joe Hunter’s 1956 R&B classic was a recent #1 country smash. Sonny had a big country and pop hit in ‘56 with his version of “Young Love.” He passed away in 2016 at the age of 87.

“Kool And The Gang” #59 11/1/1969

The self-titled first single from Kool and the Gang, a funky little instrumental. They began as a jazz group and gravitated into a whole mix of styles, but it took time before they achieved major fame with danceable tunes like “Hollywood Swinging” and “Jungle Boogie.” Their greatest success was in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

“Something In The Air” #37 11/1/1969

We give you the band Thunderclap Newman, named after their pianist. The drummer was formerly the Who’s chauffeur; Pete Townshend produced this single (a UK #1) and played bass here under an assumed name. The group’s guitarist was teenager Jimmy McCulloch, who was with Paul McCartney and Wings in the mid 70’s (i.e., the lead on “Junior’s Farm” - “Take me down, Jimmy”) before he died at 26 from heart failure. This tune is a standard on album rock radio.

“Jesus Is A Soul Man” #28 11/1/1969

One of those records with strong religious overtones that made the Top 40. Lawrence Reynolds came from St. Stephens, Alabama and had his one hit with a song pointing out Jesus is a “soul” man, as in saving souls and not the Sam and Dave definition. Many country artists (Hank Williams Jr., Conway Twitty and more) recorded this as well.

“Baby, It’s You” (Smith) #5 11/1/1969

A rarity in that Burt Bacharach didn’t write this with Hal David - he wrote it with Hal’s brother Mack David and Luther Dixon (a.k.a. Barney Williams). Originally done by the Shirelles in 1961 and remade by the Beatles for their first album, this version by the group called Smith was a little grittier. Gayle McCormick’s lead vocals are just smokin’. The band was discovered by Del Shannon.

“Suspicious Minds” #1 11/1/1969

The 18th and final Billboard pop #1 for Elvis, his first since 1962’s “Good Luck Charm.” It was written and first done by Mark James and completely bombed. The song was then given to Elvis, who recorded the tune at a January 1969 all-night session. The 45 has a false fade-out that frustrated radio DJ’s. The King’s regular producer, Felton Jarvis, added it after the fact. He felt slighted since Chips Moman was at the controls during the actual recording. Hey, it was Moman’s studio.

“White Bird” #118 10/25/1969

This song from a San Francisco group, It’s A Beautiful Day, got a lot of airplay on album rock stations. It was written while the band was broke and stuck in Seattle during a typical gloomy winter. According to Wikipedia, when rock promoter Bill Graham was negotiating to have the Grateful Dead perform at Woodstock, he also wanted them to take one of two other SF bands. It came down to a coin flip and It’s A Beautiful Day lost out to...Santana. Ponder the ramifications of THAT.

“Mr. Turnkey” #106 10/25/1969

After the massive success of “In The Year 2525,” there was considerable pressure on Zager and Evans to follow that up with a second hit. Didn’t happen. This was their only effort after “2525” to even bubble under on the Billboard charts. Let’s just say the subject matter here was...unsettling. You’ve been forewarned.

“Walk On By” (Isaac Hayes) #30 10/25/1969

The first charting single from Isaac Hayes was an edit of his 12-minute version of the Dionne Warwick hit from 1964. Long before “South Park,” Hayes and his writing partner David Porter composed numerous songs for Stax Records in Memphis. Isaac was part of the Stax house band as well. What a voice and stage presence.

“Make Believe” #28 10/25/1969

From the “before they were famous” file (sort of), Wind was a studio group fronted by Tony Orlando. He had a 1961 hit with “Halfway To Paradise” but by now, Tony was working for Clive Davis at CBS Music. When this fell off the charts, he recorded a track as a favor for a couple of friends. The song was “Candida,” his boss looked the other way when it was billed as being by Dawn, and the rest is history.

“You, I” #24 10/25/1969

Yet another one-hit wonder, being a very psychedelic entry from the Rugbys out of Louisville, Kentucky. They were signed to one of Shelby Singleton’s labels - Singleton had a hand in all sorts of country, rock, and soul records, most notably producing “Harper Valley PTA.” Shelby passed away in 2009.

“I’m Gonna Make You Mine” #10 10/25/1969

The last of five Top 40 hits from Lou Christie. He was something of a prodigy in high school back in the Pittsburgh area. His choir director wanted him to pursue a career in classical music; Lou wanted to make a rock and roll record and appear on “American Bandstand.” I’d say he made the right career choice. These days he does a lot of gigs on the oldies circuit.

“Tracy” #9 10/25/1969

It must have sucked to have two Top 10 records at the same time and be required to stay anonymous. That happened to Ron Dante, but he apparently wasn’t too bitter about it. He sang lead on “Sugar, Sugar” by the cartoon Archies and on this one by the fictitious Cuff Links. Ron multitracked all 15 or so vocal parts here. His contract with Don Kirshner prevented him from further Cuff Links recordings; he was replaced by a then-unknown Rupert Holmes (“If you like piña coladas...”). Dante went on to co-produce all of Barry Manilow’s hits in the 70’s. Written by the same guys who wrote “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini.”

“I’ll Never Fall In Love Again” (Bobbie Gentry) UK #1

This week’s #1 record in the UK came from Mississippi’s own Bobbie Gentry, but her version was never issued as a single in America. Johnny Mathis actually recorded it first; Dionne Warwick did the song later (a Bacharach/David tune she didn’t record first, surprisingly) and scored a Top 10 US hit in 1970. Bobbie racked up the frequent flier miles, as she had a sizable fan base in Great Britain.

“Octopus’s Garden”

Ringo’s featured spot on “Abbey Road” came from the time he’d quit the band  during the White Album sessions. He and his family relaxed on Peter Sellers’ yacht in the Mediterranean, and the captain told them how an octopus would arrange stones, etc., on the sea floor to create a rock garden of sorts. George contributed a pretty cool intro, and Starr blew bubbles through a straw for effect. A fun kiddie song - Ringo had a knack for writing that sort of thing.

“Oh! Darling”

A remaster from the 50th anniversary reissue of “Abbey Road,” a doo-wop style (but very Louisiana sounding) tune. Since Paul lived right down the street from the studio, he’d go there early to attempt a raspy-sounding vocal but would only try it once each day. John thought he could’ve sung it better, but since McCartney wrote the song, he deferred. Lennon did play the fine piano part, though.

“Sugar On Sunday” (Clique) #22 10/18/1969

The Clique was a sunshine pop band from Beaumont, Texas; they made a name for themselves on the Houston music scene. Their one national hit was this cover of a Tommy James and the Shondells album track. But sunshine pop was falling out of favor with the record buying public and they never saw the Top 40 again.

“That’s The Way Love Is” #7 10/18/1969

After this huge hit, Marvin Gaye’s next few releases, though they still did OK on the soul charts, didn’t do that well on the pop side. He slipped into a bit of a funk as Tammi Terrell’s health worsened. Marvin seriously wanted to try out for the Detroit Lions after befriending star players like Mel Farr and Lem Barney. Berry Gordy nixed that idea, however, saying a possible injury could affect Gaye’s singing voice.

“Hot Fun In The Summertime” #2 10/18/1969

Even though this record peaked in the fall, one of the better summertime songs from the 60’s was by Sly and the Family Stone. It’s very laid back and evokes those lazy summer days of our youth. Behind the scenes, though, there was a lot of drama going on. The band had moved to L.A. and got sidetracked with all the city’s temptations and distractions, which affected their music in the end.

“I Can’t Get Next To You” #1 10/18/1969

The first Hot 100 #1 for the Temptations since “My Girl” in early 1965, but their ninth R&B/soul chart-topper. It starts out with applause and a party atmosphere until Dennis Edwards says “Hold it, everybody! Hold it, hold it, listen...” All five Temps once again traded lead vocals. Just your basic superb Temptations record.

“Don’t It Make You Want To Go Home” #41 10/11/1969

This was credited to Joe South and the Believers, which included Joe’s brother Tommy and sister-in-law Barbara. Joe went on to write one of the biggest pop and country hits of 1971, “Rose Garden” for Lynn Anderson. Later in ‘71 Tommy South committed suicide, which understandably sent Joe into a clinical depression.

“In A Moment” #31 10/11/1969

The Intrigues were a one-hit wonder trio out of Philadelphia, produced by Thom Bell. This has a not-unexpected slick Philly vibe which reflected the sound of that city. Despite changing producers (replacing Bell with Van McCoy) further success eluded them. I understand several members are still out there plugging away.

“Carry Me Back” #26 10/11/1969

The final Top 40 record from the Rascals. Vocalist Eddie Brigati would soon depart the band; guitarist Gene Cornish followed the next year. A long period of competing acts with one or two Rascals apiece then occurred. They reunited for a series of shows in 2013. These guys epitomized the genre of blue-eyed soul.

“What’s The Use Of Breaking Up” #20 10/11/1969

The last Top 20 hit for the Iceman, Jerry Butler. He would have success on the soul music charts throughout the 1970’s. Jerry recently stepped down as a Cook County (Chicago) commissioner after 23 years. In 1991, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with the rest of the Impressions, with whom he first found success. Jerry really deserves a solo induction as well.

“When I Die” #18 10/11/1969

The group Motherlode had their one hit in the US, reaching #1 in their native Canada, then broke up and re-formed several times before finally disbanding in 1971. Several of the revolving door of musicians went on to appear in later editions of Lighthouse and April Wine. Carol Kaye of the Wrecking Crew went to Toronto to play bass on this track.

“This Girl Is A Woman Now” #9 10/11/1969

The last Top 40 entry by Gary Puckett and the Union Gap. The group had a falling out with their producer, Jerry Fuller, over the material he chose for them to record. After he departed the band released this track, which sounded suspiciously like the very songs Fuller had presented them before, which became hits. Go figure.

“Everybody’s Talkin’ “ (1969 reissue) #6 10/11/1969

We’ve featured songs lately that were originally flops but became hits upon reissue. Today’s selection from Harry Nilsson falls along those lines. It was first released in late 1968 and bubbled under at #113. He wrote a different song to be considered for the soundtrack of “Midnight Cowboy” but the producers preferred this instead. Nilsson released the other track as his next single, which barely made the Top 40.

“Maxwell’s Silver Hammer”

From “Abbey Road,” Paul tried his best to make this bouncy tune about a homicidal psychopath (yes, that’s right) into a single; the others HATED it with a passion. They spent three solid days recording this track, but George and Ringo said it felt like weeks; John didn’t even participate in what he felt was another of McCartney’s “granny songs.” Paul played a very primitive Moog synthesizer, George played six-string bass plus lead and Ringo struck the anvil, rented from a theatrical supplier.

“Can’t Find The Time” (1969 reissue) #80 10/4/1969

This single was first released in early 1968 and only reached #111. It shows up on numerous “shoulda been a hit” lists. The band Orpheus came from Massachusetts, but had a sound perhaps more reminiscent of the Association or other West Coast groups. Front man Bruce Arnold lives in northern California these days.

“Mah Na Mah Na” #55 10/4/1969

Who would believe a song from a soft-core porn movie would be forever linked to the Muppets? From the 1968 flick “Svezia, inferno e paradiso” (“Sweden: Heaven and Hell”) with music by Piero Umiliani, Red Skelton used it behind a recurring sketch on his show. Not sure why “Sesame Street” producer Joan Ganz Cooney thought it would fit, but she used it during an early appearance by the Muppets. Jim Henson put it behind a skit on Ed Sullivan; later, I believe it was the first song on the first episode of the Muppet Show. Benny Hill also appropriated the tune.

“The Weight” (Supremes/Temptations) #46 10/4/1969

The second album of Diana Ross and the Supremes/Temptations collaborations produced this version of The Band’s rock classic. It still wasn’t enough to propel the record into the Top 40. The Supremes’ next release was a #1 and the last issued with Ross’s name attached, as she went solo. The Temps’ next 45 also hit #1.

“You Got Yours And I’ll Get Mine” #40 10/4/1969

Formed in the mid 60’s, the Delfonics were another in a long line of entertainment and sports figures who came from Overbrook High School in West Philadelphia (born and raised!). They joined Will Smith, Len Barry and the Dovells, the Orlons, Solomon Burke, Wilt Chamberlain, Merrill Reese (play-by-play voice of the NFL’s Eagles) and a plethora of other celebrities. The group’s next single would be huge.

“Little Woman” #3 10/4/1969

The first hit for Bobby Sherman. He was part of the “Shindig!” cast during its run, then had a starring role on “Here Come The Brides.” When his singing career wound down, Bobby landed a gig on “Emergency!” playing a paramedic. That led to him becoming a real-life Los Angeles EMT, a reserve LAPD officer and San Bernardino County reserve deputy. In the late 90’s he returned to performing on a 60’s teen idol concert tour with Peter Noone and Davy Jones.

“Jean” #2 10/4/1969

Oliver followed “Good Morning Starshine” with a #1 easy listening song from the movie “The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie.” He would have one more Top 40 record but when further success eluded him, Oliver got out of the biz and entered real estate, then pharmaceutical management. He died from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2000.

“The Night Time Is The Right Time” (CCR) Album cut

From one of this week’s top albums, “Green River,” we give you CCR’s cover version of a bluesy tune most famously done by Ray Charles in 1959. Early on, Creedence decided they weren’t going to be like other San Francisco bands with stoned-out guitar solos and such. The work ethic and dedication to their music set them apart. It helped that John Fogerty was such a prolific songwriter.

“Tall Dark Stranger” #1 Country 9/27/1969

This week’s #1 country song was the 20th for Buck Owens. He was arguably the most successful male country singer of the 60’s; Owens had just begun co-hosting “Hee Haw.” However, things weren’t quite the same after his guitarist Don Rich died in a motorcycle accident in 1974. Buck struggled a bit until a 1988 duet, “Streets Of Bakersfield” with Dwight Yoakam, took him back to the top again. The video, well-produced for the era, is from a short-lived ABC-TV show called “Music Scene.”