“Oh Happy Day” #4 5/31/1969

Occasionally a spiritual becomes a huge pop hit. Edwin Hawkins was pianist and director of the youth choir at his Oakland church. They’d recorded an album as a fundraiser to attend a conference in Washington, DC. While they were out of town a DJ at underground radio station KSAN played the record, and this cut took off. Edwin’s arrangement of the 18th century hymn took the country by storm. The group later backed Melanie on her 1970 hit “Lay Down (Candles In The Rain).”

“Love (Can Make You Happy)” #2 5/31/1969

Here’s a case where a soundalike version of the hit was released under dubious circumstances. Jack Sigler Jr. and his band, Mercy, first recorded this on the small Tampa-based Sundi label. Jack was of draft age, so as an implied condition of getting national distribution he went along with Warner Brothers using a different group with the Mercy name; WB re-cut the song without him in case he got drafted. He didn’t, and it turned out Sigler never signed the agreement. A lawsuit followed since both versions wound up being issued, and the group never had another hit. The organ is far more prominent on the re-recording.

“Good Morning Starshine” (Strawberry Alarm Clock) #87 5/24/1969

Another song from “Hair,” but not the version by Oliver; that one would reach the Top 5 in a few weeks. This comes from Strawberry Alarm Clock (“Incense And Peppermints”). Definitely some of the most nonsensical lyrics of the 60’s - and that’s saying something. Not a list I’d necessarily want to be on.

“Lodi” #52 5/24/1969

Just about every musician has been in a situation where they played to six people who were too drunk to care about any sort of artist’s craft. John Fogerty nailed that broke, lonely feeling perfectly on the B-side of CCR’s current single. He used Lodi as the place name just because it sounded cool. An absolute personal favorite.

“Nothing But A Heartache” #34 5/24/1969

The Flirtations were a trio from South Carolina who moved to England, where they became an opening act for Tom Jones. This was first issued in late 1968 and did nothing. It was reissued a few months later and reached the US Top 40, and also became a staple of the British Northern Soul scene. Shoulda been a way bigger hit. Clip is an actual, well-produced pre-MTV video.

“Pinball Wizard” #19 5/24/1969

Sometimes a songwriter will despise one of their tunes that becomes a hit. John Lennon disparaged his own efforts all the time. Pete Townshend came to loathe this song, added at the last minute to The Who’s rock opera “Tommy” to curry favor with rock music critic Nik Cohn, an avowed pinball addict. Yet this became a fixture of their concerts and album rock radio due to the iconic intro. The LP begat a play, which begat a movie in 1975 in which Elton John played the Pinball Wizard and Tina Turner was the Acid Queen. Some inspired casting for that flick.

“The Chokin’ Kind” #13 5/24/1969

We’ve said numerous times there isn’t a whole lot of difference between R&B and country music - the presentation was changed a little, that’s all. Case in point: this #1 R&B hit from Joe Simon, written by country songwriter extraordinaire Harlan Howard (“I Fall To Pieces” and “Heartaches By The Number” among many) and first recorded by Waylon Jennings in 1967. Told ya!

“Atlantis” #7 5/24/1969

Another instance where the B-side of a single far outpaced the A-side. This retelling of Plato’s account of the island continent supposedly located just off Gibraltar was the flip of Donovan’s “To Susan On The West Coast Waiting” but radio stations preferred this. Quite a lot of fanciful myth-telling here. Hey, it was the 60’s. You had to be there.

“Don’t Let Me Down” #35 5/24/1969

The B-side of “Get Back” was a Top 40 entry for the Beatles with Billy Preston. It was part of the legendary Apple rooftop show, but like the A-side this was recorded several days earlier. For some reason, Phil Spector omitted this track from what became the “Let It Be” album in about a year. In the film Lennon forgets the words at one point. Just a raw, unfiltered love song from John to Yoko.

“Get Back” #1 5/24/1969

The only Beatles record where the band shared billing. Billy Preston was visiting the Apple offices when George invited him to sit in with the group, as an effort to diffuse tensions in the room during the “Let It Be” album sessions. It succeeded. George briefly quit the band earlier, so John developed the lead guitar part here. This was played during the infamous rooftop concert but was actually recorded a few days earlier. Phil Spector added chatter from before and after the rooftop take for the album (“...and I hope we passed the audition”) but left it off the single. That LP was finally released in May 1970.

“My Life (Throw It Away If I Want To)” #1 Country 5/17/1969

The fifth #1 on the country charts for “Whispering” Bill Anderson. The nickname came from his soft singing voice and occasional quiet recitations. He’s generally acknowledged as one of country music’s top songwriters ever with “Once A Day” and “City Lights” to his credit, among others. Bill had quite a diverse career, writing an autobiography and appearing on the TV soap “One Life To Live” for three years.

“Someday Man” #81 5/17/1969

The Monkees were certainly struggling by now. Their two previous singles didn’t do all that well, and neither did this one. Mike Nesmith would soon depart the group, as Peter Tork had already done. Eventually Micky Dolenz and Davy Jones split as well until MTV brought back their TV show in the 80’s, sparking a revival of sorts. Co-written by Paul Williams.

“(We’ve Got) Honey Love” #56 5/17/1969

Done originally by the Velvelettes but not released in their name until 2004, this was picked up back in the day by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas. After the group disbanded in the early 70’s, Ms. Reeves was still under contract but would not move to L.A. when Motown transferred their operations to the Left Coast. She eventually was elected to the Detroit city council, serving from 2005-09.

“Earth Angel” (Vogues) #42 5/17/1969

One of the most enduring doo-wop records of the 50’s was covered here by the Vogues. The original was done by an L.A. group called the Penguins; their name was derived from the mascot for Kool cigarettes. The song was the subject of a bitter, convoluted court case over writing credits. Some things never change.

“The Composer” #27 5/17/1969

Not one of the more memorable efforts from Diana Ross and the Supremes - well, it was actually a solo Diana Ross, with the Andantes singing backup. That was the norm now. This one was written by Smokey Robinson, who also produced the track. He and the Miracles put the song on an album of theirs later in the year.

“Stand!” #22 5/17/1969

Here’s another case of the sides of a 45 being swapped - but in this instance, it didn’t happen for about a year. Sly and the Family Stone had “Stand!” as the original A-side; however, when it was reissued in 1970, this became the B-side. On the first go-round, Sly Stone asked the house DJ at a San Francisco club to play the song but it got a lukewarm reaction, so he added the funky break at the end.

“The Boxer” #7 5/17/1969

Recording artists were expected back in the day to crank out three or four singles per year, plus a couple of albums. This Simon and Garfunkel single was their sole 1969 release of any kind. It took over 100 hours to record; most of the vocals were done in St. Paul’s Chapel at Columbia University in NYC for its acoustics, with some music tracks in Nashville. That thundering snare drum was played by Hal Blaine in front of an open elevator door to get the desired echo from the shaft. Paul Simon said the lines about workmen’s wages and seeking out the poorer quarters came from the Bible. There was a lost verse, deleted for time constraints. Simon occasionally included that verse when he performed the song in concert.

“Hungry Eyes” #1 Country 5/10/1969

Growing up, “The Grapes Of Wrath” was required viewing in our house. Dad made us watch the movie of Depression-era Okies migrating to California EVERY time it appeared on WTTG (Channel 5) in Washington, DC. But then, Merle Haggard lived out that story. Hag’s tribute about what his mother and the other Okies endured was this week’s #1 country hit in 1969.

“Mr. Walker, It’s All Over” #80 (#4 Country) 5/10/1969

It’s always tough when someone else beats you to the punch with a record that eventually becomes huge. That happened to Billie Jo Spears, who actually did “Harper Valley PTA” at the same time as Jeannie C. Riley, but guess who took it to #1? Billie Jo kept plugging, and scored a Top 5 country hit (which crept onto the Hot 100) with this tale of a secretary who quits her job after being sexually harassed.

“Happy Heart” (Petula Clark) #62 5/10/1969

It was once fairly common to see competing versions of a song on the charts at the same time. (A great example is “Unchained Melody” in the 1950’s.) Here’s Petula Clark and her version of this tune. Pet had a Top 5 dance remix of this in the late 90’s. Andy Williams would rate higher with his take in a few weeks.

“Foolish Fool” #57 5/10/1969

As teenagers, sisters Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick sang gospel music alongside their aunt, Cissy Houston (Whitney’s mom). Of course, Dionne had a spectacular career and Cissy sang with the legendary Sweet Inspirations. Dee Dee didn’t quite have that level of success, though. It’s been alleged Dee Dee, who was very openly gay, molested cousin Whitney and her brother Gary Houston when they were quite young. That may explain some stuff that occurred later in Whitney’s troubled life.

“My Way” (Frank Sinatra) #27 5/10/1969

Sometimes performers detest their most recognized material. Ol’ Blue Eyes came to loathe this one, originally sung in French as “Comme d’habitude” and given English lyrics by Paul Anka. Sinatra didn’t care for self-congratulatory songs, yet “My Way” became one of his signature works, which speaks volumes about the sheer quality of Frank’s music. Of course, Elvis made this a show-stopper, too. An absolute classic.

“Hawaii Five-0” #4 5/10/1969

Book ‘em, Danno! The Ventures, perhaps the most successful instrumental group in rock history, had their third and last Top 10 hit with a version of the theme to TV’s long-running original “Hawaii Five-0.” Their original drummer, George Babbitt, had to quit the band because he was too young to play the clubs in their hometown of Tacoma; he later joined the Air Force and became a four-star general. Mel Taylor eventually took over behind the skins. Notice this video clip was done in the middle of the desert. Hardy har har har.

“Hair” #2 5/10/1969

The Broadway musical “Hair” produced a number of popular tunes. The title song as done by the Cowsills was kept from the top spot by the 5th Dimension, who did another tune from the show. Some lyrics with religious overtones (I.e., comparing the hair length of several characters to Jesus) were changed as the group didn’t want to create controversy. This would be the last hit for the Cowsills; they became the real-life basis for “The Partridge Family” 70’s TV show.

“How Great Thou Art” (Elvis) #101 5/3/1969

From a 1967 LP of religious songs by Elvis, I can’t find any evidence this was ever released as a single, yet it still almost cracked the Hot 100. Apparently some rogue radio stations started playing the album track. It proved just how much Elvis loved gospel music, and how conflicted and tormented he must have been.

“Greensleeves” (Mason Williams) #90 5/3/1969

“Scarborough Fair” is but one example of an English Middle Ages song that found new life in the 60’s. In “The Merry Wives Of Windsor,” Shakespeare made reference to “Greensleeves,” done here as an classical guitar instrumental by Mason Williams. But then, ol’ Bill inferred Lady Green Sleeves was a hooker.

“Back In The U.S.S.R.” (Chubby Checker) #82 5/3/1969

Chubby Checker was king of the dance craze records in the early 60’s. However, the Beatles and the rest of the British Invasion did a number on his career, which made this re-do of the White Album’s opening track a rather curious choice. It would be another 20 years until Chubby had any sort of career again.

“Singing My Song” #75 (#1 Country) 5/3/1969

In a few weeks the followup to “Stand By Your Man” became Tammy Wynette’s fifth #1 on the country charts. It’s hard to think of any female country singer from the late 60’s and 70’s who did it any better than her. She ruled those charts in a way very few women ever have. Tammy passed away in 1998.

“Love Is All I Have To Give” #65 5/3/1969

After his 1966 production of “River Deep Mountain High” failed in the US (although it was a Top 5 in the UK), Phil Spector became a recluse for several years. He resurfaced in ‘69 producing this one by Checkmates Ltd., an interracial group from Fort Wayne, Indiana. Vocalist Sonny Charles toured with Steve Miller in the 2000’s.

“Badge” #60 5/3/1969

George Harrison had lousy handwriting. The title of Cream’s final chart single (co-written by Harrison) came from Eric Clapton misreading the song’s bridge as “badge.” The nonsensical lyrics came from conversations George and Eric had with Ringo Starr while drinking. The “swans in the park” line is an example. For contractual reasons, George used the pseudonym L’Angelo Misterioso for the writing credit. Clapton’s guitar is outstanding. One from my swimming pool days.

“It’s Only Love” (B.J. Thomas) #45 5/3/1969

After the success of “Hooked On A Feeling” B.J. Thomas did another Mark James song here. Elvis would record this in 1971 but his take didn’t crack our Top 50. The King’s version was posthumously re-released in 1980 and made the British Top 5. Mark also wrote “Suspicious Minds,” the last US chart-topper for Elvis.

“To Know You Is To Love You” #34 5/3/1969

This generation hasn’t a clue about the joys of cutout records. Those were unsold 45’s with tiny holes drilled through them, discounted in bins at your local retailer months after they were new releases. This was the first cutout I ever bought, done here by Bobby Vinton. It was originally a 1958 #1 hit for the Teddy Bears, who featured a 19-year-old Phil Spector. Their lead singer, Annette Kleinbard, changed her name to Carol Connors and co-wrote “Hey Little Cobra” by the Rip Chords plus “Gonna Fly Now” from the original “Rocky” movie. As for Phil...

“Will You Be Staying After Sunday” #32 5/3/1969

One that lingered a long, LONG time, taking 12 weeks to peak as a one-hit wonder - at #32. The Peppermint Rainbow was from Baltimore and produced by Paul Leka, later the brains behind the studio group Steam (na, na, naaa, na...). Vocalist Bonnie Lamdin (now Bonnie Phipps) became CEO of the St. Agnes Hospital group of medical facilities in the Baltimore area.

“Mercy” #30 5/3/1969

The last Top 40 hit for the Ohio Express was also Joey Levine’s last single with that outfit. Joey left Super K Productions (Kasenetz and Katz) in a dispute over money. Levine’s first production after that was “Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’ “ which we featured yesterday. Super K kept going and even farmed out songs overseas; one was recorded by the members of 10cc, three years before they took on that name. Video is from the German “Beat Club” with whoever these road band guys were.

“Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’ “ #12 5/3/1969

Not only did Joey Levine sing on the Ohio Express records, he went on to co-write and co-produce this bubblegum one-hit wonder. The studio group Crazy Elephant was the subject of one of the nuttiest planted stories ever. Cash Box magazine actually ran an article that the band members were Welsh coal miners by day and played rock and roll at night. Ummm, yeah. Levine left the Ohio Express at about this time. More on that tomorrow...

“Sweet Cherry Wine” #7 5/3/1969

The 60’s were an era of mixed messages. Tommy James said this song came to him after seeing Billy Graham preach the gospel on TV one night. The message hit home and he got serious about his Christian beliefs, stating that “sweet cherry wine” was a metaphor for the blood of Jesus. Tommy did admit he was also high at the time and snuck in some anti-war lyrics, too. Mixed messages, indeed.

“Time Is Tight” #6 5/3/1969

The second straight Top 10 hit for Booker T. and the MG’s. It was supposed to be used in a 1968 James Coburn movie (“Duffy”) but the group walked away from the deal upon discovering they’d have to give up their royalties. The producers of another flick called “Uptight” then offered to use the song and assured the band their monies due. Great instrumental.

“It’s Your Thing” #2 5/3/1969

The first release from the Isley Brothers after leaving Motown became their biggest hit to date. They felt Berry Gordy ignored them while promoting so many others, as the brothers weren’t a homegrown Motown act. He and the Isleys were tied up in lawsuits for many years. Gordy claimed they were still under contract to him when this record was released, but the Isleys prevailed in court and on the charts.

“Bootleg” Album cut

The “Bayou Country” LP by Creedence Clearwater Revival showed that John Fogerty was a real control freak. I suppose his methods worked, as they sold almost 30 million records. Their one democratic effort (‘72’s “Mardi Gras,” where everyone wrote songs and did vocals, except Tom Fogerty who’d quit the band) was also CCR’s final album. An actual pre-MTV, well-produced music video here.

“Season Of The Witch” Album cut

From a US greatest hits collection by Donovan. Now, “greatest hits” would imply the song was on a single. Not so fast, my friend! It showed up on the “Sunshine Superman” LP in the States in 1966, though issued as a 45 in the UK. It’s been claimed this foretold his upcoming drug bust. Jimmy Page played lead guitar here.