Forgotten Hits

The Biggest Hits of Summer, 1968

For the 1968 List, we would again like to extend our special thanks to Randy Price, who used his Super Charts (a consensus of the Billboard,

Cash Box and Record World Charts), to calculate the national list ...

and to Jack Levin who did the same to calculate our Chicagoland favorites by way of the WLS and WCFL weekly survey charts for June, July and August.

A point system previously established was used to calculate the points earned ONLY during those three summer months in order to establish the OFFICIAL Biggest Hits Of Summer, 1968. You'll find the results below.

So now, without any further delay, here are the

BIGGEST HITS OF SUMMER, 1968

The National Charts:

Here are The Top 50 Songs of Summer, 1968, based on the combined rankings of these songs on the Billboard, Cash Box and Record World charts. Very special thanks to Randy Price for compiling this information EXCLUSIVELY for Forgotten Hits!

1. THIS GUY'S IN LOVE WITH YOU - Herb Alpert (A&M)
2. LADY WILLPOWER - Gary Puckett & The Union Gap (Columbia)
3. JUMPIN' JACK FLASH - The Rolling Stones (London)
4. STONED SOUL PICNIC - The 5th Dimension (Soul City)
5. GRAZING IN THE GRASS - Hugh Masekela (Uni)
6. THE HORSE - Cliff Nobles & Co. (Phil-L.A. Of Soul)
7. ANGEL OF THE MORNING - Merrilee Rush & The Turnabouts (Bell)
8. MacARTHUR PARK - Richard Harris (Dunhill)
9. HELLO, I LOVE YOU - The Doors (Elektra)
10. MRS. ROBINSON - Simon & Garfunkel (Columbia)
11. YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY - The Ohio Express (Buddah)
12. HURDY GURDY MAN - Donovan (Epic)
13. REACH OUT OF THE DARKNESS - Friend & Lover (Verve Forecast)
14. THE LOOK OF LOVE - Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 (A&M)
15. TURN AROUND, LOOK AT ME - The Vogues (Reprise)
16. CLASSICAL GAS - Mason Williams (Warner Bros.-7 Arts)
17. INDIAN LAKE - The Cowsills (MGM)
18. MONY MONY - Tommy James & The Shondells (Roulette)
19. PEOPLE GOT TO BE FREE - The Rascals (Atlantic)
20. SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE - Cream (Atco)
21. BORN TO BE WILD - Steppenwolf (Dunhill)
22. THINK - Aretha Franklin (Atlantic)
23. HERE COMES THE JUDGE - Shorty Long (Soul)
24. DREAM A LITTLE DREAM OF ME - Mama Cass (Dunhill)
25. SKY PILOT (pt. 1) - Eric Burdon & The Animals (MGM)
26. PICTURES OF MATCHSTICK MEN - The Status Quo (Cadet Concept)
27. TIGHTEN UP - Archie Bell & The Drells (Atlantic)
28. I LOVE YOU - People (Capitol)
29. A BEAUTIFUL MORNING - The Rascals (Atlantic)
30. LIGHT MY FIRE - Jose Feliciano (RCA Victor)
31. THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY - Hugo Montenegro (RCA Victor) 32. STAY IN MY CORNER - The Dells (Cadet)
33. SHE'S A HEARTBREAKER - Gene Pitney (Musicor)
34. AUTUMN OF MY LIFE - Bobby Goldsboro (United Artists)
35. LICKING STICK -- LICKING STICK (pt. 1) - James Brown

& The Famous Flames (King)
36. I COULD NEVER LOVE ANOTHER (After Loving You) -

The Temptations (Gordy)
37. NEVER GIVE YOU UP - Jerry Butler (Mercury)
38. D.W. WASHBURN - The Monkees (Colgems)
39. SEALED WITH A KISS - Gary Lewis & The Playboys (Liberty)
40. JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE MIND - The Amboy Dukes

(Mainstream)
41. AIN'T NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING -

Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell (Tamla)
42. HOW'D WE EVER GET THIS WAY - Andy Kim (Steed)
43. YOU KEEP ME HANGIN' ON - Vanilla Fudge (Atco)
44. I CAN'T STOP DANCING - Archie Bell & The Drells (Atlantic)
45. SOUL-LIMBO - Booker T. & The MG's (Stax)
46. HALFWAY TO PARADISE - Bobby Vinton (Epic)
47. MASTER JACK - Four Jacks And A Jill (RCA Victor)
48. A MAN WITHOUT LOVE (Quando M'Innamora) -

Engelbert Humperdinck (Parrot)
49. DON'T TAKE IT SO HARD - Paul Revere & The Raiders (Columbia)
50. LOVE MAKES A WOMAN - Barbara Acklin (Brunswick)

Now let's see how this list compares to our local Chicagoland Charts.

The Chicago Charts
(compiled by Jack Levin, using the weekly surveys issued by WLS and WCFL, are two Top 40 Radio Giants) Thanks, Jack!

1 - Jumpin' Jack Flash - The Rolling Stones
2 - This Guy's In Love With You - Herb Alpert
3 - Turn Around Look At Me - The Vogues
4 - Born To Be Wild - Steppenwolf
5 - Pictures Of Matchstick Men - Status Quo
6 - Stoned Soul Picnic - The 5th Dimension
7 - Hello I Love You - The Doors
8 - I Love You - People
9 - I Need Love - Third Booth
10 - Angel Of the Morning - Merilee Rush
11 - Lady Willpower - Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
12 - Grazing In The Grass - Hugh Masekela
13 - Classical Gas - Mason Williams
14 - People Got To Be Free - The Rascals
15 - Sealed With a Kiss - Gary Lewis & the Playboys
16 - Mrs. Robinson - Simon & Garfunkel
17 - Yummy Yummy Yummy - The Ohio Express
18 - Hurdy Gurdy Man - Donovan
19 - How'd We Ever Get This Way - Andy Kim
20 - The Horse - Cliff Nobles & Company
21 - Light My Fire - Jose Feliciano
22 - 1-2-3 Red Light - 1910 Fruitgum Company
23 - Indian Lake - The Cowsills
24 - She's A Heartbreaker - Gene Pitney
25 - Reach Out In The Darkness - Friend & Lover
26 - Journey To the Center Of the Mind - The Amboy Dukes
27 - Alice Long - Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart
28 - Don't Take It So Hard - Paul Revere & The Raiders
29 - The Look Of Love - Sergio Mendes & the Brasil 66
30 - Stay In My Corner - The Dells
31 - MacArthur Park - Richard Harris
32 - Autumn Of My Life - Bobby Goldsboro
33 - Can't You See Me Cry - The New Colony Six
34 - Think - Aretha Franklin
35 - If I Were A Carpenter - The Four Tops
36 - Sunshine Of Your Love - Cream
37 - Like To Get To Know You - Spanky And Our Gang
38 - Slip Away - Clarence Carter
39 - Dream A Little Dream - Mama Cass Elliott
40 - Do It Again - The Beach Boys
41 - Master Jack - Four Jacks & A Jill
42 - Face It Girl, It's Over - Nancy Wilson
43 - Here Comes The Judge - Shorty Long
44 - Young Birds Fly - The Cryan' Shames
45 - Sky Pilot - Eric Burdon & The Animals
46 - You Keep Me Hangin' On - Vanilla Fudge
47 - Soul Limbo - Booker T. & the MGs
48 - I'm A Midnight Mover - Wilson Pickett
49 - Lickin' Stick - Part One - James Brown
50 - Halfway To Paradise - Bobby Vinton

Thanks again to Randy Price and Jack Levin for their research in compiling these lists ... another timeless Forgotten Hits classic!

kk@forgottenhits.com