Ok... next up we have "Harper Valley P.T.A. by Jeannie C. Riley, #1 from September 21 - September 27, 1968.
Here it is performed live on the Wilburn Brothers Show in 1968, accompanied by Harold Morrison and his smokin slide guitar.
I like this song because it is another example of the times. It was the era of telling it like it is.
This song has it all. Sass, an amazing guitar hook, a sexy siren singing it.... Unplanned pregnancies, extra marital affairs, alcoholism, and exhibitionism. Just 4 years earlier, you'd never dream a song with this subject matter would hit the top of the charts. the times they are a changin.
In general I'm not a fan of Country music and this song is a good example of why. It grates on my nerves, always has and most likely always will. I like the story well enough, the female empowerment and all, just don't care for the package it comes wrapped in. At least it only lasted a week at the top. Interestingly, this is the second #1 in a years time to include a sock it to me reference though in this case, the line is "The day my mama socked it to...". That makes at least 6 top 40 singles with a sock it to me connection between Feb. 1967 and May 1969. Here's the timeline in order of their Hot 100 chart debut: Feb. 4, 1967 - Sock It To Me Baby! - Mitch Ryder & The Detroit Wheels Apr. 29, 1967 - Respect - Aretha Franklin Aug. 24, 1968 - Harper Valley PTA - Jeannie C. Riley Mar. 15, 1969 - It's Your Thing - The Isley Bros. Apr. 3, 1969 - Grazing In The Grass - The Friends Of Distinction May 31, 1969 - I Turned You On - The Isley Bros. The Isleys had consecutive top 40 "Sock it to me" hits! Can you recall any others?
Not only did it hit the top of the charts . . . it was a country song. Like I said, '68 was a very odd year on the charts. We forget now, but there was a time when country arguably outstripped pop/rock when it came to (effective) social commentary and pushing boundaries. See also Tammy Wynette's "D-I-V-O-R-C-E", Loretta Lynn's "The Pill" and much of the output of Dolly Parton and Johnny Cash from the same era. This was also the year Kristofferson wrote "For The Good Times", which would be a smash when covered by Ray Price in '70. One of the finest songs of any era in my opinion, just a classic.
The whole Harper Valley P.T.A. album is a hoot, by the way. Many of the characters mentioned in the title track get their own song, and they're hilarious ("Sippin' Shirley Thompson", "Widow Jones", "Mr. Harper"). There are also many cuts not related to the title track, one of which I think is an unheralded classic ("No Brass Band"). I loved these songs as a kid. I tended to get my musical taste from my rock-listening uncles, but my grandmother and dad listened to country, and fortunately this was probably the best era ever for country music.
Though many think of Kristofferson as an actor, he wrote at least 4 iconic songs in his musical heyday: For The Good Times Me & Bobby McGee Help Me Make It Through The Night Sunday Morning Coming Down I'll also include this early 70s favorite - Lovin' Her Was Easier (Than Anything I'll Ever Do Again). This is some legacy.
I'm 56 and until about 2004 if it wasn't on an oldies station on the radio( not that many oldies stations as I recall) I would not have the opportunity to hear it.
I was of the same mind at first but after reading so many posts where people said they never heard this #1 or that #1 I came to the conclusion that maybe I was expecting everyone to be as fixated on music as I am. Come to think of it, I work with many 50 & 60 year olds who know next to nothing about the very things we discuss here. This forum is a great place to learn about all aspects of music and I'm so glad I found my way here.
I was gonna mention Tom T. Hall and then forgot! Yes, I think this might have been his big break, wasn't it? Anyhow, he became quite a country and TV celebrity in the '70s, with numerous hits to his credit, including a big crossover hit:
We must mention that Jeannie C. Riley became the first woman to hit #1 on BOTH the Hot 100 and the Country chart at the same time.
Did any of you guys follow the charts during the 60's? It must've been interesting to have a new song at #1 every week or every other week, the charts moved quickly then. I've been following the charts for a couple years now and there's always a monster 12+ week number one each year now it seems.
Yet that same year, Ms. Wynette also scored her biggest C&W hit (and perhaps her biggest pop crossover) with "Stand By Your Man." Go figure.
That seemed to be the case a good amount of the time in the 1940-55 period pre-"Rock Around The Clock," as well. Only: a) there was no Internet, let alone streaming, in those days, and b) everyone knew by heart the songs that were coming out "back then."
How many people, over the years, got her confused with Jeannine Riley, an actress who was in the first two seasons of Petticoat Junction, as well as at least part of the 1969-71 CBS run of Hee Haw alongside the actress who replaced her on the earlier show, Gunilla Hutton?
I didn't follow the charts, and I don't study popular music, but I sure heard a lot of music. Threads like this remind me that I missed a lot of what was in the songs I recognize.
She's cute! Of course, boots always add about 2 points to a girl's rating (i.e. a 6 becomes an 8 if she wears boots). Nice jacket, dude! Somewhere a hipster is covetous. Also funny how the audience is silent until she gets to the chorus. They clap and then get silent until the end?
No, as I mentioned I admire the fact that they insisted on their message being released to the public despite record company resistance. I'm talking about the sound of the record. I'm not really into that gospel/church sound, and it sounds a little like that to me. We'll talk about that more when we get to Let It Be...
