Today in Billboard Chart History - August 19

[Dawn]

Let's go back to the Summer of Love today. These were the top 10 songs on Billboard's Hot 100 singles chart on August 19, 1967.

10. A Girl Like You – Rascals
9. Whiter Side of Pale – Procol Harum
8. Cold Sweat – James Brown
7. Ode to Billie Joe – Bobbie Gentry
6. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy – Buckinghams
5. Baby I Love You – Aretha Franklin
4. I Was Made to Love Her – Stevie Wonder
3. Pleasant Valley Sunday – Monkees
2. Light My Fire – Doors
1. All You Need is Love - Beatles

Any thoughts or memories of these songs?

[H2IZCOOL]

Hey Dawn! Y'know, I really think that '67 is probably my favorite single year in music. Most of the music on this week's chart is super, IMO.

A Girl Like You - Fantastic! The Rascals put together a run of great music between '66 and '68. The ones that get the most airplay and attention now are probably Good Lovin', People Got To Be Free and Groovin'. But there are three songs that I kinda lump together that many would consider second tier, but which I look at as the Rascals at their best. Great sounds, great harmonies, great arrangements. They are: A Girl Like You, I've Been Lonely Too Long, and How Can I Be Sure.

Whiter Shade of Pale - Great song -- whatever they were trying to say.

Cold Sweat - James had an enormous number of songs make the Hot 100. But very few made the top 10. This was likely because for a long time he didn't cross-over very well. Cold Sweat is not a bad song, but I can't for the life of me figure what it had that many of his other songs didn't have. Unlike I Got You (I Feel Good) which was a unique song, and deserved to stand out, Cold Sweat was just another song of many. Can't see how it made Top 10.

Ode To Billy Joe - Along with The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia, the two great Country/Mystery songs. Used to really like this one. Haven't heard it in a while.

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy - Fine song! The Buckinghams are another group who packed a music career into about 18 months. Of their 5 or 6 hits over that time, this is probably the Buckinghams song with the most staying power. I still hear it a lot - both the original, and many instrumental covers.

Baby I Love You - Aretha near her peak!

I Was Made To Love Her - Yeah, yeah, YEAH!

Pleasant Valley Sunday - One of a whole package of very good early Monkee hits.

Light My Fire - Love it! All time top 250.

All You Need Is Love - Appropriately enough, one of the main themes of the Summer of Love. Always liked the "She Loves You" in the fade out.

[lora]

I'm not familiar with all of these songs today, so I'll only cover those I know.

Ode to Billy Joe - H2IZCOOL is right. Along with The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia, this is one of the top two...well, I call them story songs. I really love this song. It's been years since I've heard the Bobbie Gentry version, but toward the end of last year on her album "Big as a Berry", Megan Mullally covered this song. Her version is amazing! Made me love the song even more.

Pleasant Valley Sunday - One of my favorites of the Monkees' tunes.

Light My Fire - Jim Morrison's voice is just so sexy on this song. Love it.

All You Need Is Love - One of the better Beatles' songs, in my opinion.

[SAT-I need more room!!]

Great chart, no surprise though being as it is 1967. I'm with H2, one of the best years in rock.

10. Although I own it, still don't know this one.

9. A classic. Love it.

8. The only time I ever heard this was on SNL, in Eddie Murphy's skit, which was hilarious.

7. Great tune, bought it on single. But not one I would listen to over and over again.

6. My second fave tune by the Bucs.

5. Don't know this one.

4. Ok, not Stevie's best.

3. Love it, one of their best hit singles.

2. Tired of it at this point, but another classic.

1. Same as above.

[Ken]

I arrived four months later:)

10.There is so much energy to this song . One of my top faves from The Rascals. Excellent drumming from Dino as always and killer horns!.


9.A classic - no doubt - love that hammond organ.

8.I was aware of the song but like Adam din't hear it until that very funny SNL skit with Eddie

7.My brother loved this and picked up a copy of the 45 in the 70's around the time the movie came out. I always liked it.

6.A great track from the Buckinghams and I can't believe I don't have the 45!

5.I picked up a reissue 45 of this a few years ago. Great r + b.

4.Woo Hoo!

3.They released one great tune after another. first heard this from the TV Show. Always loved the guitar riff and the psychedelic ending.

2.This was the third Doors song I remember hearing in the 70's didn't hear the full length version until the 80's. classic Doors.

1.Just listened to this the other day - Have always loved it. Hey it's the Beatles:)

[Railyn]

I thought I was fairly familiar with this time, but there are a few that I don't recognize.

10) No clue. I keep thinking of the spooky song, but this isn't it.
9) Love it.
8) Not familiar.
7) Have the 45. Not bad.
6) Not familiar.
5) Not familiar.
4) This is a good song.
3) LOVE IT! This one is on my very favorite album of theirs.
2) Great song - must have the long version.
1) One of the best!

[55dodger]

Hi Dawn - I'm back from the Upper Peninsula and playing catch up.
Great late summer chart from the summer of love, 1967. I echo H2 & Sat's comments about 1967 being such a great year for music.

10. A Girl Like You - Another winner from the Rascals

9. Whiter Shade of Pale - Really wished Procol Harum had done more hits, because the three they put on the charts are great, including this one.

8. Cold Sweat - Wasn't crazy about James Brown's later hits.

7. Ode to Billy Joe - Very good country crossover hit.

6. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy - Third straight top 10 for the Buckinghams, good song.

5. Baby I Love You - Queen of Soul strikes again. Great song.

4. I Was Made to Love Her - Not one of my favorites from Stevie, but a good song.

3. Pleasant Valley Sunday - Probably my favorite song by the Monkees

2. Light My Fire - A rock classic. In my all-time top 10.

1. All You Need is Love - Another #1 for the Beatles. Good Song.

[Dawn]

H2IZCOOL said:

Hey Dawn! Y'know, I really think that '67 is probably my favorite single year in music. Most of the music on this week's chart is super, IMO.

A Girl Like You - Fantastic! The Rascals put together a run of great music between '66 and '68. The ones that get the most airplay and attention now are probably Good Lovin', People Got To Be Free and Groovin'. But there are three songs that I kinda lump together that many would consider second tier, but which I look at as the Rascals at their best. Great sounds, great harmonies, great arrangements. They are: A Girl Like You, I've Been Lonely Too Long, and How Can I Be Sure.

Whiter Shade of Pale - Great song -- whatever they were trying to say.

Cold Sweat - James had an enormous number of songs make the Hot 100. But very few made the top 10. This was likely because for a long time he didn't cross-over very well. Cold Sweat is not a bad song, but I can't for the life of me figure what it had that many of his other songs didn't have. Unlike I Got You (I Feel Good) which was a unique song, and deserved to stand out, Cold Sweat was just another song of many. Can't see how it made Top 10.

Ode To Billy Joe - Along with The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia, the two great Country/Mystery songs. Used to really like this one. Haven't heard it in a while.

Mercy, Mercy, Mercy - Fine song! The Buckinghams are another group who packed a music career into about 18 months. Of their 5 or 6 hits over that time, this is probably the Buckinghams song with the most staying power. I still hear it a lot - both the original, and many instrumental covers.

Baby I Love You - Aretha near her peak!

I Was Made To Love Her - Yeah, yeah, YEAH!

Pleasant Valley Sunday - One of a whole package of very good early Monkee hits.

Light My Fire - Love it! All time top 250.

All You Need Is Love - Appropriately enough, one of the main themes of the Summer of Love. Always liked the "She Loves You" in the fade out.

Hey H2!

I'm with you about those three Rascals songs - along with 'Groovin', they're my favorites of theirs. They made some great music back then, I agree.

That's a good point about James Brown. Like you, I can't see why 'Cold Sweat' hit the top 10 and others didn't.

'Ode to Billie Joe' is a really interesting song. I can remember seeing that movie on TV back in 1977 or so and being so upset when I found out he died!

[Dawn]

Lora-Bette's said:

I'm not familiar with all of these songs today, so I'll only cover those I know.

Ode to Billy Joe - H2IZCOOL is right. Along with The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia, this is one of the top two...well, I call them story songs. I really love this song. It's been years since I've heard the Bobbie Gentry version, but toward the end of last year on her album "Big as a Berry", Megan Mullally covered this song. Her version is amazing! Made me love the song even more.

Pleasant Valley Sunday - One of my favorites of the Monkees' tunes.

Light My Fire - Jim Morrison's voice is just so sexy on this song. Love it.

All You Need Is Love - One of the better Beatles' songs, in my opinion.

I agree with you and H2 - those two songs are great, and tell an interesting story. There's so many unanswered questions with 'Billie Joe' - why did he jump off the bridge, for example? Very intriguing lyrics.

[Dawn]

SAT-The said:

Great chart, no surprise though being as it is 1967. I'm with H2, one of the best years in rock.

10. Although I own it, still don't know this one.

9. A classic. Love it.

8. The only time I ever heard this was on SNL, in Eddie Murphy's skit, which was hilarious.

7. Great tune, bought it on single. But not one I would listen to over and over again.

6. My second fave tune by the Bucs.

5. Don't know this one.

4. Ok, not Stevie's best.

3. Love it, one of their best hit singles.

2. Tired of it at this point, but another classic.

1. Same as above.

I would have to agree with you and H2 about this being one of the best years in music. When I think about my favorite songs from the 60's, a large percentage of them are from 1967.

'A Girl Like You' is great, one of their best! It's not heard too often on the oldies stations for some reason, though.

[Dawn]

KenFrank said:

I arrived four months later:)

10.There is so much energy to this song . One of my top faves from The Rascals. Excellent drumming from Dino as always and killer horns!.


9.A classic - no doubt - love that hammond organ.

8.I was aware of the song but like Adam din't hear it until that very funny SNL skit with Eddie

7.My brother loved this and picked up a copy of the 45 in the 70's around the time the movie came out. I always liked it.

6.A great track from the Buckinghams and I can't believe I don't have the 45!

5.I picked up a reissue 45 of this a few years ago. Great r + b.

4.Woo Hoo!

3.They released one great tune after another. first heard this from the TV Show. Always loved the guitar riff and the psychedelic ending.

2.This was the third Doors song I remember hearing in the 70's didn't hear the full length version until the 80's. classic Doors.

1.Just listened to this the other day - Have always loved it. Hey it's the Beatles:)

That organ in 'A Whiter Shade of Pale' is great, isn't it? It adds just the right touch to the song.

I think the movie was one of the first times I remember hearing 'Billie Joe'. As I mentioned to H2, that movie upset me quite a bit at the time, but it's actually very well done.

[Dawn]

Railyn said:

I thought I was fairly familiar with this time, but there are a few that I don't recognize.

10) No clue. I keep thinking of the spooky song, but this isn't it.
9) Love it.
8) Not familiar.
7) Have the 45. Not bad.
6) Not familiar.
5) Not familiar.
4) This is a good song.
3) LOVE IT! This one is on my very favorite album of theirs.
2) Great song - must have the long version.
1) One of the best!

'Pleasant Valley Sunday' is a really good one from them, I agree. And Headquarters is my favorite album as well!

The long version of 'Light My Fire' is definitely a must. I love the instrumental break in it.

[Dawn]

55dodger said:

Hi Dawn - I'm back from the Upper Peninsula and playing catch up.
Great late summer chart from the summer of love, 1967. I echo H2 & Sat's comments about 1967 being such a great year for music.

10. A Girl Like You - Another winner from the Rascals

9. Whiter Shade of Pale - Really wished Procol Harum had done more hits, because the three they put on the charts are great, including this one.

8. Cold Sweat - Wasn't crazy about James Brown's later hits.

7. Ode to Billy Joe - Very good country crossover hit.

6. Mercy, Mercy, Mercy - Third straight top 10 for the Buckinghams, good song.

5. Baby I Love You - Queen of Soul strikes again. Great song.

4. I Was Made to Love Her - Not one of my favorites from Stevie, but a good song.

3. Pleasant Valley Sunday - Probably my favorite song by the Monkees

2. Light My Fire - A rock classic. In my all-time top 10.

1. All You Need is Love - Another #1 for the Beatles. Good Song.

Hi dodger! Good to see you back! I'm doing a little catching up also - somehow, I missed responding to the replies to this post!

I'm with you about Procol Harum. 'Conquistador' is my favorite of theirs, but I also like this one and 'Whiskey Train'. They really had a great sound, very sophisticated.

I love Aretha's vocals on 'Baby I Love You'. She is a tremendously gifted singer.

[SAT-I need more room!!]

Dawn said:

'Pleasant Valley Sunday' is a really good one from them, I agree. And Headquarters is my favorite album as well!

The long version of 'Light My Fire' is definitely a must. I love the instrumental break in it.

Gotta jump in here-Pleasant Valley was actually on Piesces, Acquarius....etc.

[Dawn]

SAT-The said:

Gotta jump in here-Pleasant Valley was actually on Piesces, Acquarius....etc.

Oops, you're right. It's been a while since I've listened to those albums, and I'm always getting the songs mixed up. Headquarters is my favorite album, but Pisces... is a pretty close second.