1968: The Year In Music

1968 – Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated. Robert F. Kennedy is also assassinated. British politician Enoch Powell delivers his controversial “Rivers of Blood” speech. Maybe not the best year socially and politically … but at least the music was really good!

I’ll be looking at the popular and highest-rated songs / albums of the year, giving my opinions on their musicality and longevity as well as an overall verdict for the year as a whole.

Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:

Billboard Top 10 (Popular) Singles

Source: Wikipedia

10 – Tighten Up (Archie Bell & the Drells)

“Tighten Up” is one of the funkiest songs we’ve heard so far.

I really like the bouncy bassline and drums, as well as the vibrant guitars and trumpets.

9 – Mrs. Robinson (Simon & Garfunkel)

Simon & Garfunkel made one of the most iconic film soundtracks of all time when they scored “The Graduate”, and “Mrs. Robinson” is a highlight.

The guitar playing and riffs are great, and the vocal hooks are typically catchy.

8 – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Hugo Montenegro)

A bizarre cover of the classic Morricone film score, “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” is a one-to-one recreation of the track with some odd vocal additions I’m not fond of.

7 – This Guy’s in Love with You (Herb Alpart)

The warm electric piano is a strong intro, and the luscious strings and heartfelt vocal delivery make “This Guy’s in Love with You” a lovely track.

6 – Sunshine of Your Love (Cream)

“Sunshine of Your Love” has one of my favourite rock riffs ever, with gritty production that catches your ears.

It’s hard-hitting in all the right ways, and I love the layered vocals on the choruses.

5 – People Got to Be Free (The Rascals)

The woodwind is fun, but “People Got to Be Free” was a little more mundane than I was hoping for.

4 – (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay (Otis Redding)

Otis Redding was a titan of 60’s Soul, and “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay” is his best work.

It’s full of soul (funnily enough), and I absolutely love the whistling section.

3 – Honey (Bobby Goldsboro)

Bobby Goldsboro’s vocals are good, but the rest of “Honey” is a bit boring.

2 – Love is Blue (Paul Mauriat)

Paul Mauriat was a classically trained composer who switched careers into making more pop-centric songs, so his musical background makes “Love is Blue” fascinating before it’s even begun.

You can tell a lot of care went into the orchestration, and I really like the recurring motif.

1 – Hey Jude (The Beatles)

… I mean, it’s “Hey Jude”. Arguably the greatest song of all time, by the greatest band of all time. I don’t need to elaborate.

But if I did elaborate, I’d say how much I adore the anthemic vocal refrain as well as the endearing lyrics across the first half of the track. If you define the greatest “song” as one that makes the whole world sing, then I don’t think this track has any competition.

FAVOURITE – “Hey Jude” (The Beatles)

LEAST FAVOURITE – “Honey” (Bobby Goldsboro)

Top-Rated Songs

Source: http://www.besteveralbums.com

10 – The Weight (The Band)

I always assumed “The Weight” was a classic 70’s song, so it blew my mind to find it among 1968’s list of best tracks.

I love how stripped-back and communal it feels, and the layered refrain that builds up with harmonies always has me singing along.

9 – Blackbird (The Beatles)

According to a popular theory, Paul McCartney had died and been replaced prior to “The White Album” sessions, which means that “Blackbird” must’ve been written by an imposter with about a year of musical practice … Yeah, right.

It’s one of the most well-known acoustic guitar songs for a reason – the guitar playing is masterful, and Paul’s politically-charged lyrics are as poignant as they are nuanced.

8 – Happiness Is A Warm Gun (The Beatles)

“Happiness Is A Warm Gun” is the hipster choice for best track on “The White Album”, and while I prefer some other tracks I always love it when this one comes on.

It’s one of the first through-composed songs I can think of (where no section is repeated twice), a format later perfected on songs like “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Paranoid Android”.

7 – Care Of Cell 44 (The Zombies)

I like the bouncy feel of “Care Of Cell 44”, as well as the surprising key changes.

The best parts of the song have to be the vocal breakdowns as well as the belting choruses.

6 – What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong)

Louis Armstrong’s definitive song, “What A Wonderful World” has beautiful orchestration and a memorable vocal performance.

5 – Sympathy For The Devil (The Rolling Stones)

I was surprised to find a song as awesome as “Sympathy For The Devil” as low as fifth on this list – on some days I consider it to be The Rolling Stones’ best track!

I love the perspective the lyrics take, and the energetic vocals and bassline make the entire song feel electric from start to finish.

4 – Time Of The Season (The Zombies)

The Zombies released some great songs in 1968, but “Time Of The Season” is a cut above the rest.

There’s a sinister yet groovy tone to the verses, and the choruses strip everything back to let the fantastic vocals speak for themselves.

3 – Voodoo Child (Slight Return) (The Jimi Hendrix Experience)

One of the best album closers of the decade, “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)” starts strong with one of Hendrix’s best riffs and only improves from there.

The guitar tone is fantastic, and the song plays out like rock music in its purest, unadulterated form.

2 – While My Guitar Gently Weeps (The Beatles)

Despite all of the chaos surrounding “The White Album” sessions, George Harrison managed to pull through and make the best song on the record.

It’s a cynical look on the band’s falling apart, with one of history’s great guitar solos courtesy of Eric Clapton.

1 – All Along The Watchtower (The Jimi Hendrix Experience)

Though it’s a cover of a Bob Dylan song, even the great man agrees that Hendrix took the track and made it his own.

It combines masterful lyrics with an all-time great performance on guitar and vocals from the main man, and that final chorus hits like crack.

BEST SONG OF 1968 – “Sympathy For The Devil” (The Rolling Stones)

If it makes you Hendrix fans feel any better, “All Along The Watchtower” was basically joint-first.

Top-Rated Albums

Source: http://www.besteveralbums.com

5 – The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society (The Kinks)

The Kinks are quite an underrated 60’s band in the grand scheme of things, and “The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society” is definitely their best album.

It’s cheeky and buoyant, and tracks like the opener and “Picture Book” still sound great after all these years.

4 – Astral Weeks (Van Morrison)

I was wondering when we’d get some Van Morrison on one of these lists!

The title track and “Sweet Thing” are the clear stand-outs, but the rest of the album still boasts Van Morrison’s off-kilter approach to Pop.

3 – Odessey And Oracle (The Zombies)

A couple of tracks from “Odessey And Oracle” made the top ten highest-rated songs, and the rest of the album is great too.

I love the songwriting and production choices that the Zombies made, pioneering a blend of Pop and Psychadelia.

2 – Electric Ladyland (The Jimi Hendrix Experience)

Sadly the last album Hendrix ever recorded, but he went out with arguably his best work.

It has big hits like “Crosstown Traffic”, “All Along The Watchtower” and “Voodoo Child (Slight Return)”, but the rest of the tracks blend musical genres like Blues and Jazz to create a listening experience like no other.

1 – The White Album (The Beatles)

Hot take time – while “The White Album” is commendable for its blend of musical chaos in a way that lets every band member shine, it’s a little too chaotic to be an all-time great.

About fifteen tracks are awesome, about ten are a bit forgettable, and about five make my ears bleed. This would’ve been a fantastic single album, but the needless filler and wasted track premises let the whole experience down.

BEST ALBUM OF 1968 – “Electric Ladyland” (The Jimi Hendrix Experience)

Final Thoughts

1968 had some great songs and albums across the board, but it was missing the “X-Factor” that 1967 had. It’ll still receive a high grade, but in hindsight it wasn’t the definitive stamp on music history I thought it would be.

Overall Grade: B+

Aaaaand that’s my list! You can check out some of my latest blog posts below: