Radio Hits in August 1967: Summer of Love
by Best Classic Bands Staff
In August 1967, a new band, Fleetwood Mac, made their live concert debut at the National Jazz and Blues Festival in England. NASA published the first extensive chart of the dark side of the Moon.
The warm months midway through the year became known as the Summer of Love as the hippie counterculture’s message of peace and love gathered steam across the country. And this week’s radio hits of August 1967, as seen on the survey on New York City’s Top 40 mainstay WABC, reflected that spirit with plenty of all time classic rock greats.
Bubbling under the Top 10 and debuting at #41 was the Mamas and the Papas‘ “Twelve Thirty (Young Girls are Coming to the Canyon.” (The song would stall, however, at #20 nationally.)
Donovan was in the midst of his big singles successes. His “There is a Mountain” debuted at #23.
At #19 was the Beach Boys‘ swell “Heroes and Villains” (though it would peak in the U.S. at just #12).
Taking a huge leap from #27 to #17 was Wilson Pickett‘s “Funky Broadway,” which would become a #1 song on the soul singles chart.
At #15 was Frankie Valli‘s great solo hit “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” It would eventually reach #2.
Related: The song was used so effectively in The Deer Hunter
Some of the biggest acts on the Motown Records roster could also be heard on transistor radios at the beach this week; the Top 10 included hits by Diana Ross & The Supremes, Stevie Wonder and the Temptations.
Ready or not… here come Jay & the Techniques, at #6…
Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode to Billie Joe,” jumped this week from #25 all the way to #4; it would ultimately hold the top spot for three weeks.
Related: Our feature on “Ode to Billie Joe”
“Pleasant Valley Sunday” by The Monkees followed at #3, continuing their run of hits that had started the year before.
At #2 was “Light My Fire” by The Doors – their first chart hit.
Related: Watch The Doors perform “Light My Fire” on American Bandstand
“All You Need Is Love” by The Beatles’ hit #1, its only week at the top of the station’s chart and the perfect song for the Summer of Love.
The radio hits of August 1967:
41. “Twelve Thirty (Young Girls are Coming to the Canyon” – The Mamas & the Papas (ABC/Dunhill)
23. “There is a Mountain” – Donovan (Epic)
19. “Heroes and Villains” – The Beach Boys (Capitol)
17. “Funky Broadway” – Wilson Pickett (Atlantic)
15. “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” – Frankie Valli (Philips)
10. “Don’t Let The Rain Fall Down On Me” – The Critters (Kapp)
9. “You’re My Everything” – The Temptations (Gordy)
8. “I Was Made To Love Her” – Stevie Wonder (Tamla)
7. “Baby, I Love You” – Aretha Franklin (Atlantic)
6. “Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie” – Jay & the Techniques (Smash)
5. “Reflections” – Diana Ross & the Supremes (Motown)
4. “Ode To Billie Joe” – Bobbie Gentry (Capitol)
3. “Pleasant Valley Sunday” – The Monkees (Colgems)
2. “Light My Fire” – The Doors (Elektra)
1. “All You Need Is Love” – The Beatles (Capitol)
Courtesy of www.musicradio77.com
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6 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationAnd this, right here, is exactly why most of us had given up on Top 40 and were listening to FM radio by then.
Ode to Billie Joe held the top spot for a solid month on Billboard Magazine. It made a splash on all five singles charts even going to #8 on the r&b chart. The song would sell 7 million copies in 1967 on 5 covers.(Gentry sold 5 million, counting the single and album). It would also garner a staggering ten grammy nominations. To date, the song has sold over 50 million copies on over 125 covers. Only the Beatles ‘All You Need is Love’ has a more impressive resume of the songs listed in in The Summer Of Love hit singles. Bobbie Gentry would even win the pop female vocal grammy over Aretha Franklins landmark hit, Respect, for the year of 67.
Michelle Phillips. Still in love with her. Sigh.
umfangreich+guter Überblick, danke
Agree with Beachdog67…I’ve always hated novelty songs (Jay & The Techniques & The Monkees) in the top ten while Wilson Pickett is stuck at 17? Seriously? Just got tired of listening to those catchy silly songs over and over again because teenyboppers were enamored of them. It was a shame that REAL music was shunted aside for that crap. Not for nothing…just my opinion, folks! For those of you who love GOOD R&R, Rock on! Peace to all!
JennyB… You can’t really assess an individual chart in a vacuum. While Pickett’s “Funky Broadway” may have been #17 this particular week, it peaked at #8 on the pop chart (and reached #1 R&B).