As we say goodbye to 2020, lets look back 52 years to see what Chicago’s WLS dubbed “The Top 89 Hits of 1968”.
It was quite a year in Chicago. The Democratic Convention demonstrations gave the city and its long serving mayor, Richard Daily a black eye. Top-40 radio was at the zenith of its popularity across the country and the Windy City had two rockers that were constantly challenging one another for dominance: ABC owned WLS and WCFL, licensed to the Chicago Federation of Labor. Nothing like some hot competition to keep everyone at the top of their game.
And so it was with The WLS Top 89 Hits of 1968. The Beatles had, arguably, their biggest hit record, the double sided Hey Jude & Revolution. Motown was still churning out the hits and R&B had gone mainstream. The Brits were well represented with the Four Lads, the Stones and the Bee Gees leading the charge. And a new genre, “Bubble Gum”, was starting to pop into the pop charts.
Here’s how WLS ranked the most popular tunes of the year as part of their final Hit Parade, published on December 23, 1968. Want to hear the entire playlist? Here’s a YouTube Link.
And as a video bonus, here’s a 16mm film transfer of an advertiser promotion reel for the station from October of ’68. (Video)
1. HEY JUDE/REVOLUTION-The Beatles
2. LOVE IS BLUE-Paul Mauriat
3. HONEY-Bobby Goldsboro
4. HARPER VALLEY PTA-Jeannie C. Riley
5. THIS GUY’S IN LOVE WITH YOU-Herb Alpert
6. YUMMY, YUMMY, YUMMY-Ohio Express
7. THOSE WERE THE DAYS-Mary Hopkin
8. HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE-Marvin Gaye
9. FIRE-Crazy World Of Arthur Brown
10. JUMPIN’ JACK FLASH-Rolling Stones
11. GRAZIN’ IN THE GRASS-Hugh Masakela
12. VALLERI-The Monkees
13. LOVE CHILD-Supremes
14. MONY MONY-Tommy James & The Shondells
15. BEND ME, SHAPE ME-American Breed
16. LADY MADONNA-The Beatles
17. MRS. ROBINSON-Simon & Garfunkel
18. PEOPLE GOT TO BE FREE-Rascals
19. GREEN TAMBOURINE-Lemon Pipers
20. JUDY IN DISGUISE-John Fred & The Playboy Band
21. VALLEY OF THE DOLLS-Dionne Warwick
22. LITTLE GREEN APLES-O.C. Smith
23. WOMAN WOMAN-Gary Puckett & Union Gap
24. HELLO, I LOVE YOU-Doors
25. YOUNG GIRL-Gary Puckett & Union Gap
26. ABRAHAM, MARTIN & JOHN-Dion
27. TURN AROUND, LOOK AT ME-Vogues
28. SLIP AWAY-Clarence Carter
29. TIGHTEN UP-Archie Bell & The Drells
30. THE HORSE-Cliff Nobles & Co.
31. I WILL ALWAYS THINKABOUT YOU-New Colony Six
32. THE DOCK OF THE BAY-Otis Redding
33. 1-2-3 RED LIGHT-1910 Fruitgum Company
34. A BEAUTIFUL MORNING-Rascals
35. BORN TO BE WILD-Steppenwolf
36. THE GOOD, BAD & THE UGLY-Hugh Montenegro
37. SPOOKY-Classics IV
38. DO IT AGAIN-Beach Boys
39. I WONDER WHAT SHE’S DOING TONIGHT-Boyce & Hart
40. STONED SOUL PICNIC-5th Dimension
41. SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE-Aretha Franklin
42. HOLD ME TIGHT-Johnny Nash
43. LIGHT MY FIRE-Doors
44. OVER YOU-Gary Puckett & Union Gap
45. CHEWY CHEWY-Ohio Express
46. SEALED WITH A KISS-Gary Lewis
47. MacARTHUR PARK-Richard Harris
48. PICTURES OF MATCHSTICK MEN-Status Quo
49. I GOTTA GET A MESSAGE TO YOU-Bee Gees
50. CHAIN OF FOOLS-Aretha Franklin
51. LADY WILL POWER-Gary Puckett & Union Gap
52. MIDNIGHT CONFESSIONS-Grass Roots
53. ANGEL OF THE MORNING-Merilee Rush
54. I LOVE YOU-People
55. SIMON SEZ-1910 Fruitgum Company
56. I WISH IT WOULD RAIN-Temptations
57. FOOL ON THE HILL-Sergio Mendez & Brazil 66
58. INDIAN LAKE-Cowsills
59. GOING OUT OF MY HEAD-Lettermen
60. THERE WAS A TIME-James Brown
61. ELEANOR-Turtles
62. I’M GONNA MAKE YOU LOVE ME-Supremes/Temptations
63. WHITE ROOM-Cream
64. FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE-Stevie Wonder
65. DIFFERENT DRUM-Stone Poneys
66. BONNIE & CLYDE-Georgie Fame
67. I’M A GIRL WATCHER-The O’Kaysions
68. LA LA MEANS I LOVE YOU-Delphonics
69. SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE-Cream
70. THERE IS-The Dells
71. REACH OUT OF THE DARKNESS-Friends & Lovers
72. MAGIC CARPET RIDE-Steppenwolf
73. JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE MIND-Amboy Dukes
74. I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER-Aretha Franklin
75. CLASSICAL GAS-Mason Williams
76. CINNAMON-Derek
77. I SECOND THAT EMOTION-Smokey Robinson/Miracles
78. SPECIAL ANGEL-Vogues
79. DANCE TO THE MUSIC-Sly & The Family Stone
80. CRY LIKE A BABY-Box Tops
81. HOW DID WE EVER GET THIS WAY-Andy Kim
82. SUMMERTIME BLUES-Blue Cheer
83. YOU KEEP ME HANGIN’ ON-Vanilla Fudge
84. WHO’S MAKING LOVE-Johnny Taylor
85. JUST DROPPED IN (TO SEE…)-First Edition
86. THE UNICORN-Irish Rovers
87. DOWN AT LULU’S-Ohio Express
88. COWBOYS TO GIRLS-Intruders
89. I NEED LOVE-Third Booth
Thanks for listening!
Scott Westerman
Host and Producer – Rock and Roll Revisited
Author: Motor City Music – Keener 13 and the Soundtrack of Detroit
