The Music Of January-June 1968

January 1968

Songs in this article from The Billboard Top 40 will be unmarked, the Billboard Top 100 will be denoted by (*) and songs that only made the KYA surveys would be denoted by (KYA). Some of the disc jockeys at KYA ,at this time, would include Chris Edwards, Gary Schaffer, Johnny Holliday, Tom Campbell, Tommy Saunders and Russ Syracuse. In the early part of this year KYA would return to it’s Top 60 format (it had been Top 30 for a few years now).

Songs that would hit the charts this month would include “Am I That Easy To Forget” by Engelbert Humperdinck, “Nobody But Me” by The Human Beinz (this was a song originally done by The Isley Brothers), “Spooky” by The Classics IV, “Skip A Rope” by Henson Cargill, “Just As Much As Ever” by Bobby Vinton, “Baby, Now That I Found You” by The Foundations, “Itchycoo Park” by Small Faces, “I Wish It Would Rain” by The Temptations, “Love Is Blue” by Paul Mauriat, “The Lesson” by Vikki Carr, “Best Of Both Worlds” by Lulu, “Expecting To Fly” by Buffalo Springfield (*), “Do Unto Me” by James & Bobby Purify (*), “She’s A Rainbow” by The Rolling Stones, “Tomorrow” by The Strawberry Alarm Clock, “Some Velvet Morning” by Nancy Sinatra & Lee Hazelwood, “Going Out Of My Head”/”Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” (a medley) by The Lettermen, “Carmen” by Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass, “Darlin’ ” by The Beach Boys and “I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight” by Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart.

February 1968

Songs that would debut this month would include “Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay” by Otis Redding, “Simon Says” by The 1910 Fruitgum Company, “Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)” by Kenny Rogers & The First Edition, “There Is” by The Dells, “We Can Fly” by The Cowsills, “You” by Marvin Gaye, “I Can Take Or Leave Your Loving” by Herman’s Hermits, “We’re A Winner” by The Impressions, “La La Means I Love You” by The Delfonics, “Love Is Blue” by Claudine Longet (*, this was the vocal version of this song), “Walk Away Renee” by The Four Tops, “Words” by The Bee Gees,”Everything That Touches You” by The Association, “Sunday Mornin’ ” by Spanky & Our Gang, “Theme From The Valley Of The Dolls” by Dionne Warwick, “Strawberry Shortcake” by Jay & The Techniques, “The End Of Our Road” by Gladys Knight & The Pips, “I Thank You” by Sam & Dave, “Too Much Talk” by Paul Revere & The Raiders and “The Sunshine of Your Love” by Cream.

March 1968

Songs that would debut on the charts this month would include “Cab Driver” by The Mills Brothers (their first hit was “Tiger Rag” in the year 1931), “Love Is All Around” by The Troggs, “The Ballad Of Bonnie & Clyde” by Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, “Playboy” by Gene & Debbe, “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” by Madeline Bell, “If You Can Want” by The Miracles, “Kiss Me Goodbye” by Petula Clark, “Scarborough Fair” by Simon & Garfunkel, “Cry Like A Baby” by The Box Tops, “Sweet Inspiration” by The Sweet Inspirations (this group would become a back up group for Elvis Presley), “Baby, You’re So Right For Me” by Brenda & The Tabulations (*), “L. David Sloane” by Michelle Lee, “May I” by Bill Deal & The Rhondells, “Dance To The Music” by Sly & The Family Stone, “Summertime Blues” by Blue Cheer, “Dear Delilah” by Grapefruit (*), “The Mighty Quinn” by Manfred Mann, “(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You’ve Been Gone” by Aretha Franklin, “Lady Madonna” by The Beatles, “Green Light” by The American Breed, “Question Of Temperature” by The Baloon Farm (KYA), “Here’s To You” by Hamilton Camp (KYA), “In The Midnight Hour” by The Marvelettes (KYA), “Little Green Apples” by Roger Miller, “Valleri” and “Tapioca Tundra” by The Monkees, “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” by The Four Seasons, “Sit With The Guru” by The Strawberry Alarm Clock (*), “You’ve Still Got A Place” by Dean Martin (*) and “Sherry Don’t Go” by The Lettermen (*).

April 1968

Songs that would debut on the charts this month would include “Ame Caline(Soul Coaxing)” by Raymond Lefevre, “The Good, The Bad And The Ugly” by Hugo Montenegro, “The Unicorn” by The Irish Rovers, “Cowboys To Girls” by The Intruders, “Soul Serenade” by Willie Mitchell, “Forever Came Today” by The Supremes, “Take Time To Know Her” by Percy Sledge, “I’m Sorry” by The Delfonics, “The Tighten Up” by Archie Bell & The Drells, “A Beautiful Morning” by The Rascals, “Unwind” by Ray Stevens (*), “Delilah” by Tom Jones, “Greasy Heart” by Jefferson Airplane (*), “Shoo Be Do Be Do Da Day” by Stevie Wonder, “Goodnight Sweet Josephine” by The Yardbirds (KYA), “Goin’ Away” by The Fireballs (*), “Un Mundo” by Buffalo Springfield (KYA), “Wear It On Our Face” by The Dells (*), “Funky Street” by Arthur Conley, “U.S Male” by Elvis Presley, “Ain’t No Way” by Aretha Franklin, “The Singer Sang His Song” by The Bee Gees (KYA), “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” by The Byrds (KYA), “Take Good Care Of My Baby” by Bobby Vinton, “Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing” by Marvin Gaye & Tami Terrell, “Do You Know The Way To San Jose” by Dionne Warwick, “Look To Your Soul” by Johnny Rivers (*), “Friends” by The Beach Boys (*), “I Can Remember” by James & Bobby Purify (*), “If You Don’t Want My Love” by Robert John (*) and “The Letter” by The Arbors.

May 1968

Songs that would debut this month would include “Master Jack” by Four Jacks & A Jill, “I Wanna Live” by Glen Campbell, “Like To Get To Know You” by Spanky & Our Gang, “Mrs. Robinson” by Simon & Garfunkel, “If I Were A Carpenter” by The Four Tops, “Think” by Aretha Franklin, “Love In Every Room” by Paul Mauriat (*), “This Guy’s In Love With You” by Herb Alpert, “My Shy Violet” by The Mills Brothers (*), “Does Your Momma Know About Me” by Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers (Tommy Chong would play guitar for this group and he would later become one half of the team of Cheech & Chong), “Yummy Yummy Yummy” by The Ohio Express, “I’ve Been Hurt” by Bill Deal & The Rhondells, “Mony Mony” by Tommy James & The Shondells, “I Love You” by People, “Jennifer Eccles” by The Hollies, “Call Me Lightning” by The Who, “I Will Always Think About You” by The New Colony Six, “The Happy Song” by Otis Redding, “She’s Looking Good” by Wilson Pickett, “MacArthur Park” by Richard Harris, “My Girl/Hey Girl” by Bobby Vee, “Elevator” by Grapefruit (KYA), “I Could Never Love Another After Loving You” by The Temptations, “Bring A Little Lovin’ ” by Los Bravos (*), “Rock And Soul Music” by Country Joe & The Fish (KYA), “You Don’t Know What You Mean To Me” by Sam & Dave (KYA), “I Wish I Knew” by Solomon Burke (*), “Mechanical World” by Spirit (KYA) and “Hold On” by The Radiants (*).

Pictured below are The Intruders

June 1968

Songs that would debut this month would include “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash, “How’d We Ever Get This Way” by Andy Kim, “Never Give You Up” by Jerry Butler, “Choo Choo Train” by The Box Tops, “Reach Out Of The Darkness” by Friend & Lover, “The Horse” by Cliff Nobles, “A Man Without Love” by Engelbert Humperdinck, “Stoned Soul Picnic” by The Fifth Dimension, “Yester Love” by The Miracles, “Lady Willpower” by Gary Puckett & The Union Gap, “Hurdy Gurdy Man” by Donovan, “Time For Livin’ ” by The Association, “Indian Lake” by The Cowsills, “San Francisco Girls” by Fever Tree (*), “Sky Pilot” by Eric Burdon & The Animals, “The Look Of Love” by Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66, “Jumping Jack Flash” by The Rolling Stones, “Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy” by The Tams (*), “Dino’s Song” by Quicksilver Messenger Service (KYA), “Don’t Lose Control” by The Loading Zone (KYA), “Pictures Of Matchstick Men” by The Status Quo, “Funny Man” by Ray Stevens (KYA), “Competition Ain’t Nothin’ ” by Little Carl Carlton (KYA), “It Should Have Been Me” by Gladys Knight & The Pips (KYA), “The Story Of Rock And Roll” by The Turtles (*), “I Love Lucy” by Albert King (KYA), “Love Is In The Air” by Marty Robbins (KYA), “What A Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong (KYA), “People Sure Act Funny” by Arthur Conley (*), “Turn On Your Lovelight” by The Bill Black Combo (*), “Yes Sir” by The Music Explosion (KYA), “This Wheel’s On Fire” by Julie Driscoll with Brian Auger & Trinity (*), “Tip Toe Through The Tulips” by Tiny Tim (a remake of a 1929 hit by Nick Lucas), “Here Comes The Judge” by Shorty Long, “Grazing In The Grass” by Hugh Masekela, “Can’t You See Me Cry” by The New Colony Six (*) and “Let Yourself Go” and “Your Time Hasn’t Come Yet Baby” by Elvis Presley. 🙂 🙂 🙂

References: “The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Hits, 9th Edition” and “Pop Memories 1890-1954”, both by Joel Whitburn. Also, the Billboard Top 100 and the music surveys of KYA in the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Area in California, U.S.A

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4 Responses to The Music Of January-June 1968

  1. Best view i have ever seen !

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