To keep the whole 50 Year Flashback trend going that ran to glowing reviews last year when we recreated the events of 1967 in a day-by-day calendar fashion, we've decided to take a look back every Saturday at the most popular songs from around the country back in 1968.
Only THIS time we're going to feature a different survey from a completely different state each and every Saturday until the whole country has been represented! (That's right ... during the course of the year, we will feature a different weekly survey from a different state each week for the ENTIRE United States with no repeats!!!)
It's our way of keeping Forgotten Hits fresh and unique ... a one-of-a-kind oldies music publication unlike any other.
Of course, we couldn't have done this without the help of long-time Forgotten Hits Reader and Contributor, Clark Besch ... who, with a little bit of assistance from his crackerjack team ... (or would that be crackpot team?!?!) ... put this whole thing together for us! (Watch for special shout-outs to these guys who helped out along the way!)
That makes this yet another VERY successful CLARK / KENT collaboration ... and a pretty SUPER one at that!!!
(That's right ... these guys did all the heavy lifting while I just get to sit back, publish the results of their efforts every weekend and take all the glory!!! Lol)
Please enjoy our weekly trip back 50 years as we present the year-long Cross Country Edition of The Saturday Survey!!!
(And if you've got a friend who is WAY into the charts and the whole idea of survey collecting, please let them know about our brand new feature and where to find it!) Thanks, All!!! (kk)
Our very first chart comes from WWNR broadcasting out of Beckley, West Virginia, playing the hits "19 Hours A Day" on AM 620.
Sitting at the top of the chart this week is John Fred and His Playboy Band with their #1 Hit "Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)".
The Beatles and The Monkees are next with "Hello Goodbye" and "Daydream Believer" ... and then we find some fine Chicagoland representation with The American Breed at #4 with "Bend Me, Shape Me" and The Buckinghams at #8 with "Susan."
The Pick Hit of the Week belongs to The Uniques and a track called "I'll Do Anything" ... I think WWNR may have missed their mark with this one as this song never officially charted on ANY of the National Charts (and likely disappeared just as quickly in Beckley, West Virginia!) kk
1-6-68 - WWNR - Beckley, West Virginia
We start the 1968 survey journey in a town with a current population of 16,000 today that sits halfway between Charleston and Roanoke.
This chart features a few FH readers / artists as the year gets off to a fast start following the great year that preceded it.
Despite a lack of unknowns here, "I'll Do Anything" was just one of many FANTASTIC Uniques 45s that became regional hits around the country, but often never survived the rigors of the Hot 100.
-- Clark Besch
This chart features a few FH readers / artists as the year gets off to a fast start following the great year that preceded it.
Despite a lack of unknowns here, "I'll Do Anything" was just one of many FANTASTIC Uniques 45s that became regional hits around the country, but often never survived the rigors of the Hot 100.
-- Clark Besch
While this song never officially charted nationally, The Uniques DID hit The National Charts in some fashion eleven times between 1965 and 1970.
Their most popular track, "All These Things," peaked at #44 in 1966. Led by Joe Stampley (who would go on to have a pretty successful solo career as a Country Artist), Frannie ranks this tune among her all-time favorites ... and swears it was a MAJOR hit in Texas when she was growing up back in the '60's.
Safe to say that Joe believed in it, too ... in addition to two separate chart runs with The Uniques, he cut it again as a solo artist, where it topped Billboard's Country Singles Chart in 1976. (Another re-recorded version reached #62 in 1981.)
Joe has had over 60 country chart hits on his own ... including several novelty hits with Moe Bandy (released as Moe and Joe) including one of my favorites, "Where's The Dress" (#8, 1984), that poked fun at Boy George and Culture Club!
THAT WAS THE WEEK THAT WAS ...
FH Reader Harvey Kubernik sent us some 1968 Musical Milestones to share with our readers, which we'll also tie in from time to time as part of our brand new Saturday Surveys Series! (You'll see that we're adding a few of our own tidbits along the way, too!)
Here are some of the events that happened between January 1st and January 6th, 1968 ...
1/1/68: Mono albums are discontinued in U.S.
(It'll be stereo format only from now on)
(It'll be stereo format only from now on)
[Of course mono ... AND vinyl ... have come back in a VERY big way recently ... but I am NOT rebuying all of this music again under ANY circumstances!!! - kk]
1/3/68: Time magazine picks LBJ as Man of the Year again
1/4/68: Chess Records releases the psychedelic soul debut album from Rotary Connection
1/3/68: Time magazine picks LBJ as Man of the Year again
1/4/68: Chess Records releases the psychedelic soul debut album from Rotary Connection
[Now THERE'S an artist that belongs in our Chicago Music Hall Of Fame! -kk]
1/5/68: "Bob Dylan's Greatest Hits" goes gold ... it has since gone five times platinum! (kk)
Also on this date, Jimi Hendrix is jailed for the day on "drunk and disorderly" charges in Stockholm, Sweden after he tore up a hotel room during a fist-fight with his bassist, Noel Redding (kk)
1/6/68: Dick Clark's "Happening '68" program premiers on ABC - it's the follow up series to the very successful "Where The Action Is" and once again features Mark Lindsay and Paul Revere and the Raiders. Guests on the first episode include Harpers Bizarre and Dino, Desi and Billy. (kk)
Earlier that same day, Clark's "American Bandstand" featured Kenny O'Dell and a video of The Turtles performing to their latest hit, "She's My Girl." (kk)
Earlier that same day, Clark's "American Bandstand" featured Kenny O'Dell and a video of The Turtles performing to their latest hit, "She's My Girl." (kk)
And The Gibson Guitar Corporation patents its Flying-V guitar body style, first developed ten years earlier. (kk)
