6-26-68 - WPDQ - Jacksonville, Florida
Amazingly, this city is the most populous city in the state today with nearly a million people over the consolidated city limits along the Atlantic Ocean near to the Florida / Georgia border.
WPDQ had a great chart this week in 1968 and the most obvious obscure 45 is the top 10 Spirit 45, "Mechanical World!" Culled from their first acclaimed LP, they would gain more widespread fame a year later with "I Got a Line on You."
Steed Records was Jeff Barry's great tool for presenting his new songs and talent in 1968, just having his first hit with Any Kim's "How'd We Ever Get This Way." #59, "Mary on the Beach" by Hank Shifter, seems like a natural song for a beach city station to air. Exile would cover the song a year later.
There are many cool odd items, but one of my fave Brit Invasion tunes is the Love Affair's "Rainbow Valley" at #34. I question if any local weekly chart ever had more songs by duos than this chart too! I count SEVEN duets on this top 60! There musta been something in the water that week in the nearby ocean!
-- Clark Besch
I like the Chicago action on this Sunshine State Chart ... The Buckinghams (#39 with "Back In Love Again"), The New Colony Six ("Can't You See Me Cry," premiering at #48) and The American Breed (brand new on the chart with "Any Way That You Want Me," a song that got some airplay but failed to chart here at home) bring up the hind-quarters. Another tune I've always liked is Nancy Wilson's "Face It Girl, It's Over." It premiers at #42.
A couple of major movers this week ...
Donovan climbs 22 places from #31 to #9 with "Hurdy Gurdy Man" while Wilson Picket takes a leap of 23 spots with "Midnight Mover." Topping the chart (for at least the second week in a row) is The Union Gap with "Lady Willpower." (kk)
THIS WEEK IN '68:
6/24/68 - The Beach Boys
release their Friends LP.
6/27/68 – Elvis begins
filming his “comeback” television special for NBC.
6/28/68 – Aretha Franklin
appears on the cover of Time Magazine
Also on this date, The
Rascals receive a gold record (their third) for “A Beautiful Morning.”
