1969 was 50 years ago...

Absolutely, well said.

 

I was 15 in '69, just the right age to have one's head spinning in so many directions. Pop, Rock, Soul, Psychedelia, Folk, Blues, Prog, they all were there for the taking and that's exactly what we did. I also was old enough to remember where we'd come from in the more "innocent" days of Surf, Motown and Teen Pop which come to think of it, never went away. Loved it all and so grateful I got to experience it.

 

Not really an option for me. I only have one tie-dye shirt, the drugs these days are Carvedilol and Losartin and any sexual debauchery is strictly limited to my wife.

 

Couple more quick thoughts:
- IIRC: Young guys started wearing their hair a lot longer that year, and older guys started growing out their sideburns.
- TV shows got a little better; Dick Cavett had on all the bands and singers who wouldn't have been invited to appear on the Tonight Show; for comedy relief, we used to watch Dragnet, with Jack Webb vs. the hippies.

 

1969 was long before I was born, but I do think that period was a peak of sorts in several ways.

Basically, 1968 to 1970 was the peak of white, guitar-based popular music. We could sit here all day listing classic tracks and LPs from those three consecutive calendar years, but it's not only the volume of good stuff, it's also the "weight" and resonance of a lot of it. Take something like The Band in those years -- those records are still listened to, studied, and considered signposts today (and The Band aren't even an artist I particularly like).

After popular music went a bit too keyboard/mellotron/baroque in 1966-67 (much less to my taste, personally), during 1968-70 the trend seemed to go back to a rough, raw, rural kind of style, which was consistent with the origins of R&B/rock music from the 40s/50s, but by then it also had almost modern-level recording techniques. And of course, well into the mid/late-period of the classic rock artists (Beatles, Stones, Dylan), the music had grown into rich, diverse, sophisticated strands... without going into prog-silliness, which was coming soon enough in the 70s.

Another thing about 1968-1970 that doesn't get mentioned as much, but there seemed to be a bit of a black music/white music hybrid-thing going on, purely on artistic and not on calculated commercial terms (as all such things are nowadays). Leading white rock groups were playing more R&B/soul-influenced guitar music and trying to write in a black gospel style, while several leading black artists were covering contemporary "white" songs and expanding their live audience into traditionally white venues (Aretha at the Fillmore, Curtis Mayfield at The Bitter End, etc.).

 

The tracklist from one of my CD-Rs. If I was doing it now, I probably would have skipped the Lou Christie track, but all the others are still golden to me:



Another thing that's apparent from the list below is how many different record labels there were in 1969, before the corporate consolidations really ramped up in the 1970s and '80s. All that diversity seemed to make for a wider range of musical styles, and since there seemed to be less to lose, more chances were taken. Oh, and no autotune back then, either.


Hope this text file displays alright:

WLS AM
CHICAGO
Top 89 of 1969

1. Sugar Sugar Archies-Calendar
2. Aquarius/Sunshine Fifth Dimension-Soul City
3. Honky Took Woman Rolling Stones-London
4. I Can't Get Next To You Temptations-Gordy
5. Crimson & Clover Tommy James/Shondells-Roulette
6. Everyday People Sly & The Family Stone-Epic
7. Dizzy Tommy Roe-ABC
8. One Three Dog Night-Dunhill
9. Crystal Blue Persuasion Tommy James/Shondells-Roulette
10. Hair Cowsills-MGM
11. Suspicious Minds Elvis Presley-RCA
12. Love Theme/Romeo & Juliet Henry Mancini-RCA
13. In The Year 2525 Zager & Evans-RCA
14. Get Back Beatles-Apple
15. Hot Fun In The Summertime Sly & The Family Stone-Epic
16. Build Me Up Buttercup Foundations-Uni
17. What Does It Take Jr. Walker & The All Stars-Soul
18. Proud Mary Creedence Clearwater Revival-Fantasy
19. Grazing In The Grass Friends of Distinction-RCA
20. It's Your Thing Isley Brothers-T-Neck
21. I'll Never Fall In Love Again Tom Jones-Parrot
22. Jean Oliver-Crewe
23. Easy To Be Hard Three Dog Night-Dunhill
24. Get Together Youngbloods-RCA
25. Bad Moon Rising Creedence Clearwater Revival-Fantasy
26. Too Busy Thinking About My Baby Marvin Gaye-Tamla
27. Sweet Caroline Neil Diamond-Uni
28. Spinning Wheel Blood, Sweat & Tears-Columbia
29. Baby I Love You Andy Kim-Steed
30. Hurt So Bad Lettermen-Capitol
31. My Cherie Amour Stevie Wonder-Tamla
32. The Boxer Simon & Garfunkel-Columbia
33. Good Morning Starshine Oliver-Crewe
34. Touch Me Doors-Elecktra
35. Green River Creedence Clearwater Revival-Fantasy
36. Love Can Make You Happy Mercy-Sundi
37. A Boy Named Sue Johnny Cash-Sun
38. Wedding Bell Blues Fifth Dimension-Soul City
39. Little Woman Bobby Sherman-Metromedia
40. Gitarzan Ray Stevens-Monument
41. In The Ghetto Elvis Presley-RCA
42. Time of the Season Zombies-Date
43. These Eyes Guess Who-RCA
44. Baby It's You Smith-Dunhill
45. Only the Strong Survive Jerry Butler-Mercury
46. You've Made Me So Very Happy Blood, Sweat & Tears-Columbia
47. Put A Little Love In Your Heart Jackie Deshannon-Liberty
48. Sweet Cherry Wine Tommy James/Shondells-Roulette
49. I'd Wait A Million Years Grassroots-Dunhill
50. I've Gotta Be Me Sammy Davis Jr.-Reprise
51. Galveston Glen Campbell-Capitol
52. Birthday Underground Sunshine-Intrepid
53. Traces Classics IV-Imperial
54. Lay Lady Lay Bob Dylan-Columbia
55. Can I Change My Mind Tyrone Davis-Dakar
56. Time Is Tight Booker T & The MG's-Stax
57. I'm Gonna Make You Mine Lou Christie-Buddah
58. No Not Much Vogues-Warner Bros.
59. Ramblin' Gamblin' Man Bob Seger System -Capitol
60. Thing's I'd Like To Say New Colony Six-Mercury
61. This Girl's A Woman Now Gary Puckett/Union Gap-Columbia
62. Come Together/Something Beatles-Apple
63. This Magic Moment Jay & The Americans-United Artists
64. Eli's Comin' Three Dog Night-Dunhill
65. That's The Way Love Is Marvin Gaye-Tamla
66. And When I Die Blood Sweat & Tears-Columbia
67. Runaway Child, Running Wild Temptations-Gordy
68. Everybody's Talkin' Nilsson-RCA-UA
69. Judy Blue Eyes Crosby, Stills & Nash-Atlantic
70. Holly Holy Neil Diamond-Uni
71. Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town Kenny Rogers/1st Edition-Reprise
72. Soul Deep Box Tops-Mala
73. Soulful Strut Young Holt Trio-Brunswick
74. Polk Salad Annie Tony Joe White-Monument
75. Games People Play Joe South-Capitol
76. Color Him Father Winstons-Metromedia
77. Black Pearl Sonny Charles-Checkmates-A&M
78. I'm Gonna Make You Love Me Diana Ross/Supremes-Motown
79. Do Your Thing Watts 103rd Street Band-Warner Bros.
80. Tracy Cuff Links-Decca
81. You Showed Me Turtles-White Whale
82. Mr. Sun, Mr. Moon Paul Revere & The Raiders-Columbia
83. Morning Girl Neon Philharmonic-Warner Bros.
84. This Girl's In Love With You Dionne Warwick-Scepter
85. Chokin' Kind Joe Simon-Monument
86. Indian Giver 1910 Fruitgum Company-Buddah
87. Hooked On A Feeling B. J. Thomas-Scepter
88. Pinball Wizard Who-Decca
89. Gimme Gimme Good Lovin' Crazy Elephant-Bell
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I think I had to wait until the following April to get the damn album, and only had the Come Together 45. But (unlike you) I thought it was a BIG DEAL.

 

You totally get it. Even before your time, you understand what was happening.

 

It was that iconic image too, you saw the album in drug stores, and department stores, Singer Sewing Center, etc. And it holds up today as a monster.
HUGE

 

I bought the album real time, now that is a BIG DEAL.

 

No! Not Lou Christie! That's a great little pop record so no need to change a thing.

 

Another year with nothing to do

 

Puts the seventies singles charts to shame.

 

I wasn't alive then but the music was superb. Beyond the more obvious Abbey Road and Led Zeppelin, I like A Salty Dog by Procol Harum. Probably their best effort.
Another one, more obscure is Electric Storm/White Noise, a work known for it's use of electronics. Fans of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop will know where I am coming from.

 

On man, 1969. What a year! It was the year I graduated from high school, moved away from home for the first time, bought my first car, got drunk for the first time, and had my heart broken for the first time. Whew!

Favorite albums released that year:
Led Zeppelin, self titled
Neil Young, self titled
Quicksilver Messenger Service: Happy Trails
Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Everybody Knows this is Nowhere
The Who, Tommy
Crosby Stills and Nash, self titled
Steve Miller Band, Brave New World
Captain Beefheart, Trout Mask Replica
The Jeff Beck Group, Beck-ola
Jethro Tull, Stand Up
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Green River
Donovan, Barabajagal
Blind Faith, self titled
Santana, self titled
Rolling Stones, Through the Past Darkly
The Beatles, Abbey Road
Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II
Spirit, Clear
Jefferson Airplane, Volunteers
Steve Miller Band, Your Saving Grace
The Rolling Stones, Let it Bleed


And others from that year I would later discover that became favorites:
Miles Davis: In a Silent Way
Fairport Convention, Unhalfbricking
The Stooges, self titled
Isaac Hayes, Hot Buttered Soul
King Crimson, In the Court of King Crimson
Pentangle, Basket of Light
Tim Buckley, Blue Afternoon
Mott the Hoople, self titled

And those are just the favorites for me. What an insanely great year in music!

 

Now when you put it like that! Mind blowing.

 

I was six/seven years old in 1969. Not a great year for me, musically. There was some stuff I really liked and listened to like The Isley Brothers "It's Our Thing" album, the "Stand" album by Sly & The Family Stone, and the "Everything's Archie" album by...The Archies! I also dug "Age Of Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In" by The 5th Dimension, "Grazing In The Grass by The Friends Of Distinction, "Touch Me" by The Doors, and quite a few other songs.

 

Was 69 the year that number became a code word for a sexual position?

 

Not as good as the previous few years .... but better than most of the years that came afterwards....

Some of my favourites of the year (excluding those such as the Velvet Underground's 3rd LP that I would not hear until the beginning of the 70s) -

Anthems in Eden - Shirley & Dolly Collins
Arthur (or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) - the Kinks
“The Band”
The Gilded Palace of Sin - the Flying Burrito Bros
Green River - Creedence Clearwater Revival
Joy of a Toy - Kevin Ayers
Let It Bleed - the Rolling Stones
Nashville Skyline - Bob Dylan
Songs from a Room - Leonard Cohen
Trout Mask Replica - Captain Beefheart & his Magic Band
Uncle Meat - the Mothers of Invention
What We Did on Our Holidays - Fairport Convention

 

So much good acid in 1969.
I am having flashbacks just thinking about it.
The amount of great albums released in 69.
Seeing Blind Faith, Taste and Delaney and Bonnie at Varsity Stadium In Toronto.
Seeing Hendrix at Maple Leaf Gardens that year as well.
Seeing Led Zeppelin at a small venue.
Seeing the the original Jeff Beck Group with Rod and Ron Wood.
The Beatles were still more popular than Jesus in my house.

 

Great Maths their fella.

 

I was lucky enough to get to the Stones free concert in Hyde Park just after Brian Jones died. But I'd rather have seen the Dead at Fillmore West in Feb/March 69.

 

1969 was a watershed year for me, despite my only being 16 years old. It was an extremely turbulent time for several reasons and this caused a tremendous amount of strain on me. I was forced to become an adult that year, so I never had the pleasure of living and experiencing life as a teenager normally would. I had no choice but to leave home as remaining would have meant me living a life on a downward spiral. And despite my internal strength I'm not sure if I could have survived that. Leaving home therefore was one of the best things I ever did, as I'm still here some 50 years later.

 

I was only 13 in 1969 and was still listening to top 40 AM radio and buying 45's of the top hits to play on my suitcase all in one record player but was becoming aware of Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin and other bands from my cousin who was 16 at the time and had a job to afford records.

Memories of that year

1. Moon landing: I was a big space and NASA nerd so really got into the space stuff. Was given a model of the main craft and LEM which I put together and was a prized possession. I can still smell the Testers glue thinking about it
2. Vietnam War: I grew up with this war as it was on TV every news cast.
3. The NY Yankees stunk: Mickey Mantle's last year and the 1969 Yankees were again mediocre but it was Thurman Munson's first year and 4 years before Steinbrenner bought the team. The miracle Mets won the World Series. The last year I bought baseball cards.
4. Green Bay Packers started 20+ years of futility. It was the first year after Lombardi left. The Jets stunned the Colts in SBIII
5. Woodstock: I remember reading about this hippie gathering and the incredible music played there. It got me interested in some of the bands that played there and started my transition to buying albums.
6. Last appearance of the Rolling Stones on Ed Sullivan