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Let’s leap back to May, 1969 and hear what we can hear…

Songs of the month

“25 Miles” – Edwin Starr
“Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In” – 5Th Dimension
“Atlantis” – Donovan
[new] “Bad Moon Rising” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
“Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show” – Neil Diamond
[new] “Cissy Strut” – Meters
[new] “Day Is Done” – “Peter Paul And Mary”
“Dizzy” – Tommy Roe
“Do Your Thing” – Watts 103Rd Street Rhythm Band
“Don’t Give In To Him” – Gary Puckett And The Union Gap
[new] “Everyday With You Girl” – Classics Iv
“Galveston” – Glen Campbell
[new] “Get Back” – Beatles
“Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’” – Crazy Elephant
“Gitarzan” – Ray Stevens
[new] “Goodbye” – Mary Hopkin
[new] “Grazing In The Grass” – Friends Of Distinction
“Hair” – Cowsills
[new] “Happy Heart” – Andy Williams
“Hawaii 5-0” – Ventures
[new] “Heather Honey” – Tommy Roe
“I Can Hear Music” – Beach Boys
[new] “I Can’t See Myself Loving You” – Aretha Franklin
“I Don’t Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing” – James Brown
[new] “In The Ghetto” – Elvis Presley
“It’s Your Thing” – Isley Brothers
[new] “Love Can Make You Happy” – Mercy
[new] “Love Theme From Romeo And Juliet” – Henry Mancini
[new] “Mercy” – Ohio Express
[new] “More Today Than Yesterday” – Spiral Staircase
[new] “Morning Girl” – Neon Philharmonic
“My Way” – Frank Sinatra
[new] “Oh Happy Day” – Edwin Hawkins Singers
[new] “One” – Three Dog Night
“Only The Strong Survive” – Jerry Butler
[new] “Pinball Wizard” – Who
“Rock Me” – Steppenwolf
“Runaway Child Running Wild” – Temptations
[new] “Stand” – Sly And The Family Stone
“Sweet Cherry Wine” – Tommy James And The Shondells
“The Boxer” – Simon And Garfunkel
“The Chokin’ Kind” – Joe Simon
[new] “The Composer” – Diana Ross & Supremes
[new] “These Eyes” – Guess Who
“Time Is Tight” – Booker T & Mg’s
“Time Of The Season” – Zombies
[new] “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby” – Marvin Gaye
[new] “Where’s The Playground Susie” – Glen Campbell
“You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” – “Blood Sweat And Tears”

[new] = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

On the 2nd, the world’s newest ocean liner, Queen Elizabeth 2 of the Cunard Line, set off from Southampton on its maiden voyage with 1,000 passengers and 400 crew. The $72,000,000 ship made the first private use of a satellite Global Positioning System, relying on “four U.S. Navy satellites to pinpoint her position within 100 feet” for navigation.

Then, in other modes of transport news, on the 18th Apollo 10 was launched from Cape Kennedy for what the Associated Press called “a dress rehearsal of a lunar landing mission” with the crew detaching the Apollo Lunar Module from the lunar orbiter and descending (but not actually landing) on the Moon’s surface.

And on the 19th the English rock band “The Who” released the first popular studio album to be promoted as a “rock opera”, Tommy, through Decca Records. Guitarist Pete Townshend created the backstory and composed the songs that furthered the plot. “Pinball Wizard” from the album is in the charts this week.

What’d Sadie think?

Three more weeks at the top for “Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In” by 5Th Dimension before “Get Back” by the Beatles has two at the top.

Loved ’em

• “Bad Moon Rising” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
• “Get Back” – Beatles
• “In The Ghetto” – Elvis Presley
• “One” – Three Dog Night
• “Pinball Wizard” – Who

Liked ’em

• “Cissy Strut” – Meters
• “Day Is Done” – “Peter Paul And Mary”
• “Everyday With You Girl” – Classics Iv
• “Grazing In The Grass” – Friends Of Distinction
• “Happy Heart” – Andy Williams
• “Heather Honey” – Tommy Roe
• “I Can’t See Myself Loving You” – Aretha Franklin
• “Love Theme From Romeo And Juliet” – Henry Mancini
• “Mercy” – Ohio Express
• “More Today Than Yesterday” – Spiral Staircase
• “Morning Girl” – Neon Philharmonic
• “Oh Happy Day” – Edwin Hawkins Singers
• “Stand” – Sly And The Family Stone
• “The Composer” – Diana Ross & Supremes
• “These Eyes” – Guess Who
• “Too Busy Thinking About My Baby” – Marvin Gaye
• “Where’s The Playground Susie” – Glen Campbell

Leave ’em

• “Goodbye” – Mary Hopkin
• “Love Can Make You Happy” – Mercy

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

It’s my actual birthday week in 2025, and precious few years in our journey through the past until my own birth year. Let’s hear what April, 1969 has in store for us!

Songs of the month

“25 Miles” – Edwin Starr
“Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In” – 5Th Dimension
[new] “Atlantis” – Donovan
“Baby Baby Don’t Cry” – Smokey Robinson And The Miracles
[new] “Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show” – Neil Diamond
“Build Me Up Buttercup” – Foundations
“Dizzy” – Tommy Roe
“Do Your Thing” – Watts 103Rd Street Rhythm Band
[new] “Don’t Give In To Him” – Gary Puckett And The Union Gap
“Everyday People” – Sly And The Family Stone
“Galveston” – Glen Campbell
[new] “Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’” – Crazy Elephant
[new] “Gitarzan” – Ray Stevens
[new] “Hair” – Cowsills
[new] “Hawaii 5-0” – Ventures
“Hot Smoke And Sasafrass” – Bubble Puppy
[new] “Hot Smoke And Sassafrass” – Bubble Puppy
[new] “I Can Hear Music” – Beach Boys
[new] “I Don’t Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing” – James Brown
“I’ll Try Something New” – Diana Ross & Supremes & Temptations
“Indian Giver” – 1910 Fruitgum Co.
“It’s Your Thing” – Isley Brothers
“Mendocino” – Sir Douglas Quintet
“Mr. Sun Mr. Moon” – Paul Revere And The Raiders
[new] “My Way” – Frank Sinatra
“My Whole World Ended” – David Ruffin
“Only The Strong Survive” – Jerry Butler
“Proud Mary” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
“Rock Me” – Steppenwolf
“Runaway Child Running Wild” – Temptations
[new] “Sweet Cherry Wine” – Tommy James And The Shondells
[new] “The Boxer” – Simon And Garfunkel
[new] “The Chokin’ Kind” – Joe Simon
[new] “The Letter” – Arbors
“Things I’d Like To Say” – New Colony Six
“This Girl’s In Love With You” – Dionne Warwick
[new] “Time Is Tight” – Booker T & Mg’s
“Time Of The Season” – Zombies
“Traces” – Classics Iv
[new] “Try A Little Tenderness” – Three Dog Night
“You Gave Me A Mountain” – Frankie Laine
“You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” – “Blood Sweat And Tears”

[new] = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

On the 1st of the month at Houston, NASA Engineer Max Faget showed 20 colleagues a small balsa wood and paper model with “straight, stubby wings and a shark-like nose” and told them. “We’re going to build America’s next spacecraft. It’s going to launch like a spacecraft; it’s going to land like a plane.” Faget, the director of engineering and development at the Manned Space Center, was introducing the assembled group to a planned reusable spacecraft, the American Space Shuttle before NASA had even landed on the moon.

And in another early shoots of technology story, UCLA graduate student and computer scientist Steve Crocker wrote and circulated the very first Request for Comments (RFC) publication to be circulated among the Network Working Group that was developing the communication protocols for the upcoming ARPANET, the forerunner of the Internet. The very first RFC summarized the tentative agreements that the group had settled on for the Interface Message Processor (IMP) routers in the network sites, with initial messages being limited to 8,080 bits.

Then on the 11th, the final first run episode of “The Wild Wild West” was broadcast, bringing an end to the western sci-fi hybrid series after four seasons. I’d never heard of this series at all, so it passed me by twice as it were!

Developed at a time when the television Western was losing ground to the spy genre, this show was conceived by its creator as “James Bond on horseback.” Set during the administration of President Ulysses S. Grant (1869–1877), the series followed Secret Service agents James West and Artemus Gordon as they foiled the plans of megalomaniacal villains to take over part or all of the United States, protected the President, and solved crimes. The show featured a number of fantasy elements, such as the technologically advanced devices used by the agents and their adversaries. Leading it to be referenced as an early example of the “steampunk” genre.

Despite high ratings, the series was apparently cancelled near the end of its fourth season as a concession to Congress over television violence.

What’d Sadie think?

Just a week at the top for “Dizzy” by Tommy Roe before “Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In” by 5Th Dimension takes the crown for the remainder of the month.

Loved ’em

• “Atlantis” – Donovan
• “Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show” – Neil Diamond
• “I Can Hear Music” – Beach Boys
• “I Don’t Want Nobody To Give Me Nothing” – James Brown
• “My Way” – Frank Sinatra
• “The Boxer” – Simon And Garfunkel

Liked ’em

• “Don’t Give In To Him” – Gary Puckett And The Union Gap
• “Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’” – Crazy Elephant
• “Hair” – Cowsills
• “Hawaii 5-0” – Ventures
• “Hot Smoke And Sassafrass” – Bubble Puppy
• “Sweet Cherry Wine” – Tommy James And The Shondells
• “The Chokin’ Kind” – Joe Simon
• “The Letter” – Arbors
• “Try A Little Tenderness” – Three Dog Night

Leave ’em

• “Gitarzan” – Ray Stevens

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

It’s nearing February in 2025, but its March, 1969 in our journey back through pop music history…

Songs of the month

[new] “25 Miles” – Edwin Starr
[new] “Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In” – 5Th Dimension
“Baby Baby Don’t Cry” – Smokey Robinson & Miracles
“Build Me Up Buttercup” – Foundations
“But You Know I Love You” – First Edition
“Can I Change My Mind” – Tyrone Davis
“Crimson And Clover” – Tommy James & Shondells
[new] “Crimson And Clover” – Tommy James And The Shondells
“Crossroads” – Cream
“Dizzy” – Tommy Roe
[new] “Do Your Thing” – Watts 103Rd Street Rhythm Band
“Everyday People” – Sly & Family Stone
[new] “Galveston” – Glen Campbell
“Games People Play” – Joe South
“Give It Up Or Turn It Loose” – James Brown
[new] “Good Lovin’ Ain’t Easy To Come By” – Marvin Gaye And Tammi Terrell
“Goodnight My Love” – Paul Anka
“Hang ’em High” – Booker T & Mg’s
[new] “Hot Smoke And Sasafrass” – Bubble Puppy
[new] “I Got A Line On You” – Spirit
“I Heard It Through The Grapevine” – Marvin Gaye
[new] “I’ll Try Something New” – Diana Ross & Supremes & Temptations
“I’m Livin’ In Shame” – Diana Ross & Supremes
[new] “I’ve Got To Be Me” – Sammy Davis Jr.
“I’ve Gotta Be Me” – Sammy Davis Jr.
“Indian Giver” – 1910 Fruitgum Co.
[new] “It’s Your Thing” – Isley Brothers
[new] “Mendocino” – Sir Douglas Quintet
[new] “Mr. Sun Mr. Moon” – Paul Revere And The Raiders
[new] “My Whole World Ended” – David Ruffin
[new] “Only The Strong Survive” – Jerry Butler
“Proud Mary” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
“Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man” – Bob Seger
[new] “Rock Me” – Steppenwolf
[new] “Runaway Child Running Wild” – Temptations
“Sweet Cream Ladies Forward March” – Box Tops
“Take Care Of Your Homework” – Johnnie Taylor
[new] “The Weight” – Aretha Franklin
“There’ll Come A Time” – Betty Everett
[new] “Things I’d Like To Say” – New Colony Six
“This Girl’s In Love With You” – Dionne Warwick
“This Magic Moment” – Jay & Americans
[new] “This Magic Moment” – Jay And The Americans
[new] “Time Of The Season” – Zombies
“Touch Me” – Doors
“Traces” – Classics Iv
[new] “White Room” – Cream
“Worst That Could Happen” – Brooklyn Bridge
[new] “You Gave Me A Mountain” – Frankie Laine
“You Showed Me” – Turtles
[new] “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” – “Blood Sweat And Tears”

[new] = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

One the 1st Jim Morrison, the lead singer for The Doors, performed a controversial rock concert (and other alleged acts) before 12,000 fans at the Dinner Key Auditorium in Miami. Three days later, a Miami court would issue warrants for his arrest on a felony charge of indecent exposure and five misdemeanor charges. It would still be on appeal when he passed away two years later. Here’s some amusing testimony from some young Floridians that weren’t even at the concert… (more on them shortly!)

On the 6th the “Moon suit” (officially the “Extravehicular Mobility Unit”), to be worn by Apollo mission astronauts on the Moon was successfully tested in the vacuum of outer space for the first time. Apollo 9 astronaut Russell L. Schweickart donned the cumbersome pressurized garment (with a greater than previously-required oxygen supply and more powerful radio equipment) and performed a spacewalk for 37 minutes, proving that the suit would be effective for the Apollo 11 astronauts to wear for an extended period on the Moon.

Then on the 20th, eight days after Paul McCartney’s wedding, John Lennon and Yoko Ono were married in Gibraltar, then proceeded to their honeymoon in Amsterdam, where, starting on March 25, they performed what they called a “Bed-in for Peace” for the duration of their stay.

Back to those teens…on the 23rd, in a reaction to the earlier controversy over Jim Morrison’s conduct during the earlier concert by The Doors, a group of 30,000 people gathered at the Orange Bowl Stadium in Miami for a “Rally for Decency” organized by teenagers. Celebrity guests included Jackie Gleason, Anita Bryant and the pop rock group The Lettermen. Love this story about it….

What’d Sadie think?

Two weeks at the top for “Everyday People” by Sly & Family Stone before the charts got “Dizzy” for Tommy Roe.

Loved ’em

• “25 Miles” – Edwin Starr
• “Crimson And Clover” – Tommy James And The Shondells
• “Galveston” – Glen Campbell
• “It’s Your Thing” – Isley Brothers
• “White Room” – Cream

Liked ’em

• “Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In” – 5Th Dimension
• “Do Your Thing” – Watts 103Rd Street Rhythm Band
• “Good Lovin’ Ain’t Easy To Come By” – Marvin Gaye And Tammi Terrell
• “Hot Smoke And Sasafrass” – Bubble Puppy
• “I Got A Line On You” – Spirit
• “I’ll Try Something New” – Diana Ross & Supremes & Temptations
• “I’ve Got To Be Me” – Sammy Davis Jr.
• “Mendocino” – Sir Douglas Quintet
• “My Whole World Ended” – David Ruffin
• “Only The Strong Survive” – Jerry Butler
• “Rock Me” – Steppenwolf
• “Runaway Child Running Wild” – Temptations
• “The Weight” – Aretha Franklin
• “Things I’d Like To Say” – New Colony Six
• “This Magic Moment” – Jay And The Americans
• “Time Of The Season” – Zombies
• “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” – “Blood Sweat And Tears”

Leave ’em

• “Mr. Sun Mr. Moon” – Paul Revere And The Raiders
• “You Gave Me A Mountain” – Frankie Laine

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

It’s 51 years and 6 months before Sadie is born and a mere 8 years before Thomas is… let’s hear the sounds of February, 1969!

Songs of the month

[new] “Baby Baby Don’t Cry” – Smokey Robinson & Miracles
“Build Me Up Buttercup” – Foundations
[new] “But You Know I Love You” – First Edition
“California Soul” – 5Th Dimension
“Can I Change My Mind” – Tyrone Davis
“Cinnamon” – Derek
“Cloud 9” – Temptations
[new] “Coing Up The Country” – Canned Heat
“Crimson And Clover” – Tommy James & Shondells
[new] “Crossroads” – Cream
[new] “Dizzy” – Tommy Roe
“Everyday People” – Sly & Family Stone
[new] “Games People Play” – Joe South
[new] “Give It Up Or Turn It Loose” – James Brown
“Going Up The Country” – Canned Heat
[new] “Goodnight My Love” – Paul Anka
“Hang ’em High” – Booker T & Mg’s
“Hey Jude” – Wilson Pickett
“Hooked On A Feeling” – B.J. Thomas
“I Heard It Through The Grapevine” – Marvin Gaye
“I Started A Joke” – Bee Gees
“I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” – Diana Ross & Supremes & Temptations
[new] “I’m Livin’ In Shame” – Diana Ross & Supremes
[new] “I’ve Gotta Be Me” – Sammy Davis Jr.
“If I Can Dream” – Elvis Presley
[new] “Indian Giver” – 1910 Fruitgum Co.
[new] “Lo Mucho Que Te Quiero” – Rene & Rene
“Lo Mucho Que Te Quiero” – Rene And Rene
“Love Child” – Diana Ross & Supremes
[new] “Proud Mary” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
[new] “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man” – Bob Seger
[new] “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man” – Bob Seger System
“Showdown” – Archie Bell & Drells
“Son Of A Preacher Man” – Dusty Springfield
“Soulful Strut” – Young-Holt Unlimited
“Stand By Your Man” – Tammy Wynette
[new] “Sweet Cream Ladies Forward March” – Box Tops
[new] “Take Care Of Your Homework” – Johnnie Taylor
[new] “There’ll Come A Time” – Betty Everett
[new] “This Girl’s In Love With You” – Dionne Warwick
[new] “This Magic Moment” – Jay & Americans
“Touch Me” – Doors
[new] “Traces” – Classics Iv
“Wichita Lineman” – Glen Campbell
“Worst That Could Happen” – Brooklyn Bridge
[new] “You Showed Me” – Turtles

[new] = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

On the 5th, “Turn-On,” a new sketch comedy show on ABC premiered for its first and only episode. One television station in Cleveland, took the show off the air after the first commercial break and stations in Portland and Seattle refused to air it after learning of the reaction in the earlier time zones. Enough viewers and ABC station owners were offended by the show and its cancellation was announced two days later.

Relevantly, Turn-On’s premise was that it was “the first computerized TV show”, the show had no sets except for a clinical white backdrop, where sketches generated by an artificially intelligent computer would be acted out.

And on the 9th the Boeing 747 “jumbo jet” was flown for the first time, taking off from Boeing’s Paine Field airfield at Everett, Washington. The flight had been scheduled to last two and a half hours, but pilot Jack Waddell reported difficulty with a wing flap 34 minutes after takeoff, and the 335 ton jet, largest commercial airliner in the world, returned for a landing after only an hour.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CtpEK8yX6o

What’d Sadie think?

It’s two weeks for “Crimson And Clover” by Tommy James & Shondells and then two for “Everyday People” by Sly & Family Stone at the top of the charts.

Sadie was a big fan of “I’m gonna make you love me” by Diana Ross this week. At one point specifically commenting, “they must have made lots of money from this song, cos its the greatest song in the world!”. And yes, before streaming Sadie, they probably did make quite a bit from it.

Loved ’em

• “Baby Baby Don’t Cry” – Smokey Robinson & Miracles
• “Dizzy” – Tommy Roe
• “Games People Play” – Joe South
• “Proud Mary” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
• “There’ll Come A Time” – Betty Everett
• “This Girl’s In Love With You” – Dionne Warwick
  

Liked ’em

• “But You Know I Love You” – First Edition
• “Crossroads” – Cream
• “Give It Up Or Turn It Loose” – James Brown
• “Goodnight My Love” – Paul Anka
• “I’m Livin’ In Shame” – Diana Ross & Supremes
• “I’ve Gotta Be Me” – Sammy Davis Jr.
• “Lo Mucho Que Te Quiero” – Rene & Rene
• “Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man” – Bob Seger System
• “Sweet Cream Ladies Forward March” – Box Tops
• “Take Care Of Your Homework” – Johnnie Taylor
• “This Magic Moment” – Jay & Americans
• “Traces” – Classics Iv
• “You Showed Me” – Turtles

Leave ’em

• “Indian Giver” – 1910 Fruitgum Co.

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

And here we are entering the last year of our second full decade in our journey through pop music history. My how time flies…

Songs of the month

[new] “A Ray Of Hope” – Rascals
“Abraham Martin And John” – Dion
[new] “Bella Linda” – Grass Roots
“Both Sides Now” – Judy Collins
“Bring It On Home To Me” – Eddie Floyd
[new] “Build Me Up Buttercup” – Foundations
[new] “California Soul” – 5Th Dimension
[new] “Can I Change My Mind” – Tyrone Davis
“Cinnamon” – Derek
“Cloud Nine” – Temptations
[new] “Crimson And Clover” – Tommy James & Shondells
[new] “Everyday People” – Sly & Family Stone
“For Once In My Life” – Stevie Wonder
“Going Up The Country” – Canned Heat
[new] “Hang ’em High” – Booker T & Mg’s
“Hey Jude” – Beatles
[new] “Hey Jude” – Wilson Pickett
“Hooked On A Feeling” – B.J. Thomas
“I Heard It Through The Grapevine” – Marvin Gaye
“I Love How You Love Me” – Bobby Vinton
[new] “I Started A Joke” – Bee Gees
“I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” – Diana Ross & Supremes & Temptations
“If I Can Dream” – Elvis Presley
“Lo Mucho Que Te Quiero” – Rene And Rene
[new] “Love Child” – Diana Ross & Supremes
“Magic Carpet Ride” – Steppenwolf
“Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag” – Otis Redding
[new] “Scarborough Fair” – Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66
“See Saw” – Aretha Franklin
[new] “Showdown” – Archie Bell & Drells
“Son Of A Preacher Man” – Dusty Springfield
“Soulful Strut” – Young-Holt Unlimited
[new] “Stand By Your Man” – Tammy Wynette
“Stormy” – Classics Iv
[new] “This Is My Country” – Impressions
“Too Weak To Fight” – Clarence Carter
[new] “Touch Me” – Doors
“Who’s Making Love” – Johnnie Taylor
“Wichita Lineman” – Glen Campbell
[new] “Worst That Could Happen” – Brooklyn Bridge

[new] = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

On the 2nd of January, Australian media baron Rupert Murdoch purchased the largest-selling British Sunday newspaper, The News of the World as shareholders of the News voted to accept his bid over that of British book publisher Robert Maxwell. Murdoch would purchase newspapers in the U.S. in the 1970s, notably the New York Post, and enter television in the 1980s with the founding of the Fox Network.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRSjBVqT0NY

On the 18th the U.S. Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against International Business Machines Corporation (IBM), charging the company with monopolizing the digital computer industry, programming hindering competitors and limiting the development of computer programming by its policy of selling its hardware, software and technical support as an inseparable package. The suit would continue until 1982, when it would be dropped because of changes in the industry (IBM having failed to parley their mainframe monopoly into a microcomputer one).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLI50ZbXeuQ

Then on the 20th The Beatles gave their last ever public performance in what is now called “the rooftop concert”, setting up their instruments on the roof of the London building that served as the corporate headquarters for their recording company, Apple Corps. Lasting for 42 minutes, the impromptu concert atop the five-story building at 3 Saville Row was filmed for their 1970 film Let It Be. The group opened with a few runthroughs of their soon-to-be-released single “Get Back” and its B-side, “Don’t Let Me Down”. After three more songs (and complaints from people in nearby buildings), London police arrived and allowed John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr to perform one final song. The group closed with the song that opened the concert, their last sung phrase being “Get back to where you once belonged.” Their parting words to the assembled crowd were from John Lennon: “I’d like to say thank you on behalf of the group and ourselves. I hope we passed the audition.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foigd26-Ync

What’d Sadie think?

A four full weeks for Marvin Gaye with “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” at number one, which after 3 weeks in December, makes for 7 weeks atop the charts so far.

Sadie was particularly liking, “Abraham, Martin And John” by Dion this week. I was this many years old myself when I discovered the song is referring to assassinated American political figures…duh! And “Build Me Up Buttercup” by Foundations was another Sadie favourite and a real family ear worm.

Loved ’em

• “A Ray Of Hope” – Rascals
• “Build Me Up Buttercup” – Foundations
• “Can I Change My Mind” – Tyrone Davis
• “Everyday People” – Sly & Family Stone
• “I Started A Joke” – Bee Gees
• “Love Child” – Diana Ross & Supremes
• “Touch Me” – Doors
  

Liked ’em

• “Bella Linda” – Grass Roots
• “California Soul” – 5Th Dimension
• “Crimson And Clover” – Tommy James & Shondells
• “Hang ’em High” – Booker T & Mg’s
• “Hey Jude” – Wilson Pickett
• “Stand By Your Man” – Tammy Wynette
• “The Worst That Could Happen” – Brooklyn Bridge
• “This Is My Country” – Impressions

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

It’s 2025 here in the present-day, so we are entering our 6th calendar year of this journey as we finish off our 18th sped-up year in musical history.

Songs of the month

[new] “Abraham Martin And John” – Dion
“All Along The Watchtower” – Jimi Hendrix Experience
[new] “Always Together” – Dells
[new] “Bang Shang-A-Lang” – Archies
[new] “Both Sides Now” – Judy Collins
[new] “Bring It On Home To Me” – Eddie Floyd
[new] “Chewy Chewy” – Ohio Express
[new] “Cloud Nine” – Temptations
“Court Of Love” – Unifics
[new] “Cycles” – Frank Sinatra
“Elenore” – Turtles
“Fire” – Crazy World Of Arthur Brown
“Fool For You” – Impressions
[new] “For Once In My Life” – Stevie Wonder
“Girl Watcher” – O’kaysions
“Harper Valley P.T.A.” – Jeannie C. Riley
“Hey Jude” – Beatles
“Hey Western Union Man” – Jerry Butler
[new] “Hi-Heel Sneakers” – Jose Feliciano
“Hold Me Tight” – Johnny Nash
[new] “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” – Marvin Gaye
[new] “I Love How You Love Me” – Bobby Vinton
“I’ve Got To Get A Message To You” – Bee Gees
[new] “In-A-Gadda-La-Vida” – Iron Butterfly
[new] “Keep On Lovin’ Me Honey” – Marvin Gaye And Tammi Terrell
[new] “Little Arrows” – Leapy Lee
“Little Green Apples” – O.C. Smith
“Love Child” – Diana Ross And The Supremes
“Magic Carpet Ride” – Steppenwolf
“Midnight Confessions” – Grass Roots
“My Special Angel” – Vogues
“Over You” – Gary Puckett And The Union Gap
“Piece Of My Heart” – Big Brother And The Holding Company
[new] “Promises Promises” – Dionne Warwick
[new] “Quick Joey Small” – Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus
“Revolution” – Beatles
“Say It Loud I’m Black And I’m Proud” – James Brown
[new] “See Saw” – Aretha Franklin
[new] “Shame Shame” – Magic Lanterns
“Shape Of Things To Come” – Max Frost And The Troopers
[new] “Stormy” – Classics Iv
“Suzie Q” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
“Sweet Blindness” – 5Th Dimension
“Those Were The Days” – Mary Hopkin
“Time Has Come Today” – Chambers Brothers
“White Room” – Cream
[new] “Who’s Making Love” – Johnnie Taylor
[new] “Wichita Lineman” – Glen Campbell

[new] = New to the chart this week.

You can listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.

This month in history

On the 14th, Yale University announced that it would admit women students for the first time in its 267 year history, beginning with the 1969–70 academic year. The Yale Corporation (the university’s board of trustees) had approved the proposal, made by university president Kingman Brewster, Jr., on November 9 and referred it to faculty for ratification. In the Thursday faculty meeting, the vote was 200 in favor, 1 against. Yale’s sister institution, the formerly all-women Vassar College, began admitting male students for the same year. But apparently all anyone remembers about Yale that year was a men’s football match, naturally!

On the 22nd the supposed first-ever interracial kiss on national television in the U.S. was shown on an episode of Star Trek, with white actor William Shatner (Captain Kirk) kissing black actress Nichelle Nichols (Lieutenant Uhura) in “Plato’s Stepchildren”. The kiss attracted no notice in the media at the time. Which may have been because, despite this being a pop-culture trope, there had been numerous interracial kisses on TV during the 1960s.

Then on the 28th, Enid Blyton, 71, popular British children’s author who authored more than 300 books, including “The Famous Five” series of 21 adventure and mystery novels, died at a nursing home three months after having a heart attack. Her works had been translated into 63 other languages. At the time of her death, she had sold 30 million copies of books.

What’d Sadie think?

After all four weeks at number one last month, it’s another four this week for “Hey Jude” before “Love Child” by Diana Ross And The Supremes knocks it off its 9-week run!

Loved ’em

• “Bang Shang-A-Lang” – Archies
• “Both Sides Now” – Judy Collins
• “Cloud Nine” – Temptations
• “For Once In My Life” – Stevie Wonder
• “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” – Marvin Gaye
• “Say It Loud – I’m Black And I’m Proud” – James Brown
• “Wichita Lineman” – Glen Campbell

Liked ’em

• “Abraham Martin And John” – Dion

• “Always Together” – Dells
• “Bring It On Home To Me” – Eddie Floyd
• “Cycles” – Frank Sinatra
• “Hi Heel Sneakers” – Jose Feliciano
• “I Love How You Love Me” – Bobby Vinton
• “Keep On Lovin’ Me Honey” – Marvin Gaye And Tammi Terrell
• “Promises Promises” – Dionne Warwick
• “Quick Joey Small” – Kasenetz-Katz Singing Orchestral Circus
• “See Saw” – Aretha Franklin
• “Shame Shame” – Magic Lanterns
• “Stormy” – Classics Iv
• “Who’s Making Love” – Johnnie Taylor

Leave ’em

• “Chewy Chewy” – Ohio Express
• “Little Arrows” – Leapy Lee

Now go listen to the full playlist on Youtube via this link.