It’s sodden spring in Auckland, so let’s dive back to May, 1968 and check out the sounds of a revolution…
Songs of the month
“A Beautiful Morning” – Rascals
“Ain’t No Way” – Aretha Franklin
[new] “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing” – Marvin Gaye And Tammi Terrell
“Cowboys To Girls” – Intruders
“Cry Like A Baby” – Box Tops
“Dance To The Music” – Sly And The Family Stone
[new] “Delilah” – Tom Jones
“Do You Know The Way To San Jose” – Dionne Warwick
[new] “Does Your Mama Know About Me” – Bobby Taylor And The Vancouvers
“Forever Came Today” – Diana Ross And The Supremes
“Funky Street” – Arthur Conley
“Honey” – Bobby Goldsboro
[new] “I Could Never Love Another” – Temptations
“I Got The Feelin'” – James Brown
[new] “I Will Always Think About You” – New Colony Six
[new] “If I Were A Carpenter” – Four Tops
“If You Can Want” – Smokey Robinson And The Miracles
“La-La Means I Love You” – Delfonics
“Lady Madonna” – Beatles
[new] “Like To Get To Know You” – Spanky And Our Gang
“Love Is All Around” – Troggs
[new] “Master Jack” – Four Jacks And A Jill
“Mighty Quinn” – Manfred Mann
[new] “Mony Mony” – Tommy James And The Shondells
[new] “Mrs. Robinson” – Simon And Garfunkel
“Playboy” – Gene And Debbie
[new] “She’s Lookin’ Good” – Wilson Pickett
[new] “Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day” – Stevie Wonder
“Since You’ve Been Gone” – Aretha Franklin
[new] “Soul Serenade” – Willie Mitchell
“Summertime Blues” – Blue Cheer
“Sweet Inspiration” – Sweet Inspirations
“Take Time To Know Her” – Percy Sledge
[new] “Tha Happy Song” – Otis Redding
“The Ballad Of Bonnie And Clyde” – Georgie Fame
“The Dock Of The Bay” – Otis Redding
“The Good The Bad And The Ugly” – Hugo Montenegro
[new] “The Happy Song” – Otis Redding
“The Unicorn” – Irish Rovers
[new] “Think” – Aretha Franklin
[new] “This Guy’s In Love With You” – Herb Alpert
“Tighten Up” – Archie Bell And The Drells
[new] “Us Male” – Elvis Presley
“Young Girl” – Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
[new] “Yummy Yummy Yummy” – Ohio Express
[new] = New to the chart this week.
You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.
This month in history
Beginning in May 1968, a period of civil unrest occurred throughout France, lasting seven weeks and punctuated by demonstrations, general strikes, and the occupation of universities and factories. At the height of events, which have since become known as “May 68”, the economy of France came to a halt.
And in lighter news, on the 18th of the month Mattel’s “Hot Wheels” toy cars were introduced, and would become one of the best-selling line of toys in history. Love an excuse for an old ad!
Then on the 20th, financed by a group of wealthy exiles from Haiti, a poorly handled attempt was made to overthrow the dictatorship of François “Papa Doc” Duvalier, starting with an attempt at aerial bombardment of Port-au-Prince. According to one account, a B-25 dropped a single explosive “which blew one more hole in an eroded road”, followed by a package of leaflets “which did not scatter because the invaders had not untied the bundle before dropping it”. An invasion force came ashore and temporarily captured the port city of Cap-Haïtien. One bomb dropped on Port-au-Prince destroyed some private rooms in Duvalier’s residence, and “an undetermined number of people were killed”. The 35-man invasion force would be defeated the next day. Amusingly farcical!
What’d Sadie think?
It’s two weeks each at the top for “Honey” by Bobby Goldsboro and then “Tighten Up” by Archie Bell And The Drells.
Loved ’em
- “Delilah” – Tom Jones
- “Mony Mony” – Tommy James And The Shondells
- “Mrs. Robinson” – Simon And Garfunkel
- “She’s Lookin’ Good” – Wilson Pickett
- “Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day” – Stevie Wonder
- “Think” – Aretha Franklin
Liked ’em
- “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing” – Marvin Gaye And Tammi Terrell
- “Does Your Mama Know About Me” – Bobby Taylor And The Vancouvers
- “I Could Never Love Another” – Temptations
- “I Will Always Think About You” – New Colony Six
- “If I Were A Carpenter” – Four Tops
- “Like To Get To Know You” – Spanky And Our Gang
- “Soul Serenade” – Willie Mitchell
- “The Happy Song” – Otis Redding
- “This Guy’s In Love With You” – Herb Alpert
- “Yummy Yummy Yummy” – Ohio Express
Leave ’em
- “Master Jack” – Four Jacks And A Jill
- “Us Male” – Elvis Presley
Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.