Elvis holds on to the #1 spot for the third week in a row ... "Suspicious Minds" will become one of the biggest hits of his entire career.
Breaking into The Top Ten for the first time (finally!) are The Beatles with their new two-sided hit "Something" / "Come Together" ... and after a major Top Ten shake-up last week, this is the ONLY new record to enter The Top Ten this week.
Check out our buddy Ron Dante sitting pretty at #2 with "Tracy" by his other "ghost group" at the time, The Cuff Links.
Big move for The Flying Machine with their One Hit Wonder "Smile A Little Smile For Me," which climbs from #31 to #17, a move of fourteen places! "Eli's Coming" by Three Dog Night is right behind it, jumping from #30 to #18. Meanwhile, "And When I Die" by Blood, Sweat And Tears climbs eleven spots from #32 to #21.
THIS WEEK IN 1969:
October 22nd – “Led Zeppelin II” is released
Also on this date, Paul McCartney speaks publicly for the first time, denying rumors that he is dead. The story will make the cover of Life Magazine two weeks later. Despite a cavalcade or rumors to the contrary at the time, Paul was still with us … and last year scored a #1 Album with “Egypt Station” at the ripe old age of 76!
Also on this date, The Flying Burrito Brothers (featuring Gram Parsons and Chris Hillman) perform at The Corral in Los Angeles. Their audience includes The Rolling Stones.
And Roy Clark and Dionne Warwick appear on The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour.
October 23rd – Singer Tommy Edwards dies of a brain aneurysm. He is 47 years old.
October 24th – Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young record “Teach Your Children”
October 25th – Kenny Rogers and the First Edition appear on The Andy Williams Show
October 26th – Santana appears on The Ed Sullivan Show, performing “Jingo Jingo” and “Persuasion”
Also on this date Waylon Jennings marries Jessi Colter in Mesa, Arizona (she's not Lisa)
October 27th – Ringo Starr becomes the first Beatle to begin recording a legitimate solo album. (Both John and George had already done “sound effects” albums … and, in George’s case, the “Wonderwall” movie soundtrack … but Ringo was going into the studio to record actual SONGS!!! Who would have ever thought that he would be the first to do so!)
The idea was for Ringo to sing a dozen “standards” … songs that his parents loved … and have each one arranged by a special producer. (George Martin, Paul McCartney and Maurice Gibb of The Bee Gees were among those to get involved.) Titled “Sentimental Journey,” it predated a trend that would grow to ridiculous proportions some 20+ years later when virtually EVERYBODY (even rockers like Rod Stewart!) were cutting LPs with a similar concept. (Even Paul finally did one with “Kisses On The Bottom”!)
Also on this date, “Music Scene” features performances by Janis Joplin, Isaac Hayes, Jerry Lee Lewis and Richie Havens
