Below are the UK singles’ charts from 50 years today.
I reckon over half the records there are absolute belters. Of course there are some dire things amongst them – yes I’m looking at Des O’Connor there but look at some of the other songs!
Now bear in mind it is January and few singles have been released in 1969 at this stage – you can imagine how good the charts are in June that year.
I’m not going to look at this week’s charts but I would wager that the great British public knows maybe one of the songs in there…
I’ve randomly listened to a few of them and they are quite simply appalling. It’s all production, collaborations and tweaks to cover up the fact there isn’t a decent tune amongst them.
This isn’t to say all music is crap right now – it isn’t and there have already been some brilliant albums/songs released in 2019. You just have to dig deep to find it.
That said I think we can safely say that the stuff known generally as pop music today is utter fucking shite.
Then again you can say that about popular TV, clothes and a whole lot more.
I’d say wise-up young people but it’s too late. The suits have beaten you. Rest assured it was all done on purpose and it has left us with this Brexit nonsense here, Trump over there and a whole lot more problems.
Come on kids rise up from all this…
Meanwhile enjoy
UK CHARTS 20 January 1969
SINGLES
1: OB-LA-DI OB-LA-DA
MARMALADE
2: ALBATROSS
FLEETWOOD MAC
3: BUILD ME UP BUTTERCUP
FOUNDATIONS
4: LILY THE PINK
THE SCAFFOLD
5: FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE
STEVIE WONDER
6: SOMETHING’S HAPPENING
HERMAN’S HERMITS
7: I’M THE URBAN SPACEMAN
BONZO DOG DOO-DAH BAND
8: SABRE DANCE
LOVE SCULPTURE
9: AIN’T GOT NO-I GOT LIFE/DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO
NINA SIMONE
10: PRIVATE NUMBER
JUDY CLAY AND WILLIAM BELL
11: SON-OF-A PREACHER MAN
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD
12: FOX ON THE RUN
MANFRED MANN
13: BLACKBERRY WAY
THE MOVE
14: 1-2-3 O’LEARY
DES O’CONNOR
15: THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY
HUGO MONTENEGRO
16: STOP HER ON SIGHT (SOS)/HEADLINE NEWS
EDWIN STARR
17: LOVE CHILD
DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES
18: I’M A TIGER
LULU
19: RACE WITH THE DEVIL
GUN
20: A MINUTE OF YOUR TIME
TOM JONES
21: MAY I HAVE THE NEXT DREAM WITH YOU
MALCOLM ROBERTS
22: HARPER VALLEY P.T.A.
JEANNIE C RILEY
23: YOU GOT SOUL
JOHNNY NASH
24: GOING UP THE COUNTRY
CANNED HEAT
25: PLEASE DON’T GO
DONALD PEERS
26: OB-LA-DI OB-LA-DA
BEDROCKS
27: THIS OLD HEART OF MINE {1968}
THE ISLEY BROTHERS
28: QUICK JOEY SMALL (RUN JOEY RUN)
KASENETZ-KATZ SINGING ORCHESTRAL CIRCUS
29: MRS. ROBINSON (EP)
SIMON AND GARFUNKEL
30: SOUL LIMBO
BOOKER T & THE MG’S
31: HEY JUDE
WILSON PICKETT
32: LOVE STORY
JETHRO TULL
33
YOU’RE ALL I NEED TO GET BY
MARVIN GAYE AND TAMMI TERRELL
34: BLUEBIRDS OVER THE MOUNTAIN
THE BEACH BOYS
35: DANCING IN THE STREET {1969}
MARTHA REEVES AND THE VANDELLAS
36: ON MOTHER KELLY’S DOORSTEP
DANNY LA RUE
37: TOY
CASUALS
38: TO LOVE SOMEBODY
NINA SIMONE
39: DON’T FORGET TO CATCH ME
CLIFF RICHARD AND THE SHADOWS
40: BREAKING DOWN THE WALLS OF HEARTACHE
BANDWAGON
41: ATLANTIS
DONOVAN
42: IF I KNEW THEN WHAT I KNOW NOW
VAL DOONICAN
43: ELENORE
THE TURTLES
44: I PUT A SPELL ON YOU
NINA SIMONE
45: I GUESS I’LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU {1969}
THE ISLEY BROTHERS
46: RING OF FIRE
ERIC BURDON AND THE ANIMALS
47: PEOPLE
TYMES
48: WHITE ROOM
CREAM
49: I’M IN A DIFFERENT WORLD
THE FOUR TOPS
50: THOSE WERE THE DAYS
MARY HOPKIN