1967 in music.

The Beatles' Revolver won 1966. Let's see who wins 1967. jesus christ this year is insane.

Billboard chart-topping albums of 1967:
The Monkees - The Monkees (cont. from 1966)
The Monkees - More of the Monkees
Herb Alpert - Sounds Like
The Monkees - Headquarters
The Beatles - Sgt. Peppers' Lonely Hearts Club Band
Bobbie Gentry - Ode to Billie Joe
The Supremes - Diana Ross and the Supremes
The Monkees - Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones LTD.

Billboard chart-topping singles of 1967:
The Monkeys - I'm a Believer (cont. from 1966)
The Buckinghams - Kind of a Drag
The Rolling Stones - Ruby Tuesday
The Supremes - Love is Here and Now You're Gone
The Beatles - Penny Lane
The Turtles - Happy Together
Nancy Sinatra - Somethin' Stupid
The Supremes - The Happening
The Young Rascals - Groovin'
Aretha Franklin - Respect
The Association - Windy
The Doors - Light My Fire
The Beatles - All You Need is Love
Bobbie Gentry - Ode to Billie Joe
The Box Tops - The Letter
Lulu - To Sir With Love
Strawberry Alarm Clock - Incense and Peppermints
The Monkees - Daydream Believer
The Beatles - Hello, Goodbye

What are your top three albums for 1967? We will keep a running tally and eventually have some sort of bracket. For me it would be:

1. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Axis: Bold as Love
2. The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Undergound & Nico
3. Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You

What are some of the forgotten gems from the year? What is overrated? What did you discover at a young age and what did you discover later?

YEARS IN MUSIC • forum.chorus.fm

 

top honorable mentions (alphabetical):
the beatles - magical mystery tour
the beatles - sgt. pepper's lonely hearts club band
cream - disraeli gears
gene clark - gene clark with the godsin brothers
the jimi hendrix experience - are you experienced
pink floyd - pipers at the gates of dawn
the rolling stones - their satanic majesty’s request

other cuts:
the beach boys - smiley smile
the beach boys - wild honey
bob dylan - john wesley harding
the box tops - the letter/neon rainbow
the byrds - younger than yesterday
captain beefheart - safe as milk
donovan - a gift from a flower to a garden
the doors - the doors
the doors - strange days
glen campbell - by the time i get to phoenix
the grateful dead - the grateful dead
harry nilsson - pandemonium shadow show
the hollies - evolution
jefferson airplane - surrealistic pillow
the kinks - something else by the kinks
leonard cohen - songs of leonard cohen
the mamas and the papas - deliver
merle haggard - branded man
merle haggard - im a lonesome fugitive
otis redding and carla thomas - king & queen
the rolling stones - between the buttons
strawberry alarm clock - incense and peppermint
the 13th floor elevators - easter everywhere
tim Buckley - goodbye and hello
tim hardin - tim hardin 2
traffic - mr. fantasy
vanilla fudge - vanilla fudge
waylon jennings - love of the common people
the who - sell out
willie nelson - the party’s over and other great willie nelson songs

stuff to check out:
canned heat - canned heat
the electric prunes - the electric prunes
frank zappa - lumpy gravy
gordon lightfoot - the way i feel
john coltrane - expression
loretta lynn - don’t come home a drinkin’ (with lovin’ on your mind)
love - forever changes
miles davis - smiles
miles davis - sorcerer
the mothers of invention - absolutely free
red krayola - the parable of arable land
scott walker - scott
small faces - small faces
stan getz - sweet rain
sun ra - atlantis
Waylon Jennings - Waylon sings ol’ harlan
wilson pickett - the sound of wilson pickett

 

This is the first year that just seems impossible to pick 3

 

Yep and now there’s no looking back

 

I’m gonna spend the most time I’ve ever spent with The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. And also going to use this entire project as my motivation to finally do a great run through of Pink Floyd. A band I have always enjoyed but never done a deep dive into.

currently listening to “interstellar overdrive”, a song I’ve heard Pearl Jam cover live more times than I’ve actually heard the original. So I’m off to a good start.

yay psychedelia !

 

it's probably my third favorite floyd album after dogs and WYWH

 

i really wanted to make it 3 but aretha's album is a force

 

Ok, I’ll jump on board...

1. The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground & Nico
2. The Beatles - Sgt. Peppers’ Lonely Hearts Club Band
3. Bob Dylan - John Wesley Harding

 

1. The Beatles - Sgt. Peppers’ Lonely Hearts Club Band
2. The Doors - The Doors
3. The Kinks - Something Else By The Kinks

 

I know what my number 1 is. Going to have to think about 2-3.

 

1967 In Music

Greatest Albums:
1. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band - The Beatles
2. The Doors
3. Magical Mystery Tour - The Beatles

Greatest Albums (cont.):
Axis: Bold As Love - Jimi Hendrix
Are You Experienced - Jimi Hendrix
Strange Days - The Doors
Smiley Smile - The Beach Boys
Days Of Future Passed - The Moody Blues
Disraeli Gears - Cream
Wild Honey - The Beach Boys
Music To Watch Girls By - The Bob Crewe Generation

Greatest Songs:
1. A Day In The Life - The Beatles
2. Light My Fire - The Doors
3. Strawberry Fields Forever - The Beatles
4. Heroes And Villains - The Beach Boys
5. Music To Watch Girls By - The Bob Crewe Generation

Greatest Songs (cont.):
Break On Through - The Doors
White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane
Somebody To Love - Jefferson Airplane
You Only Live Twice - Nancy Sinatra
Can’t Take My Eyes Off You - Frank Valli
Never My Love - The Association
Incense And Peppermints - Strawberry Alarm Clock
Hello, Goodbye - The Beatles
People Are Strange - The Doors
Bold As Love - Jimi Hendrix
Astronomy Domine - Pink Floyd
Purple Haze - Jimi Hendrix
Somethin’ Stupid - Nancy Sinatra/Frank Sinatra
Happy Together - The Turtles
Respect - Aretha Franklin
Sunshine Of Your Love - Cream
Windy - The Association
All You Need Is Love - The Beatles
San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair) - Scott McKenzie
Cold Sweat - James Brown
What A Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
I Can See For Miles - The Who
(We Ain’t Got) Nothin’ Yet - The Blue Magoos
Nights In White Satin - The Moody Blues
Jackson - Johnny Cash & June Carter
You Keep Me Hangin’ On - Vanilla Fudge
Sugar Town - Nancy Sinatra
Green Tambourine - The Lemon Pipers
Why Did I Get So High - The Peanut Butter Conspiracy
Can’t Get Enough Of You Baby - ? & The Mysterians
Let’s Live For Today - The Grass Roots
No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye
A Whiter Shade Of Pale - Procol Harum

Age of Psychedelic Rock and the Summer Of Love. What a year! If I could go back in time this would probably be the year to go to.

 

1. Nina Simone - Nina Simone Sings the Blues
2. The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
3. Nina Simone - High Priestess of Soul

Excruciating cuts:
Albert King - Born Under a Bad Sign
Antonio Carlos Jobim - Wave
Duke Ellington - Far East Suite

Others I love:
The Beatles - Magical Mystery Tour
Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen
The Supremes - Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland
The Who - The Who Sell Out
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Axis: Bold As Love
Frank Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim - Francis Albert Sinatra and Antonio Carlos Jobim
Richie Havens - Mixed Bag
Love - Forever Changes
The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground and Nico
The Moody Blues - Days of Future Past
Jefferson Airplane - Surrealistic Pillow
The Monkees - Headquarters
Jorge Ben - O Bidu: Silencio no Brooklin
Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You
Buffalo Springfield - Buffalo Springfield Again
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell - United
James Carr - You Got My Mind Messed Up
Cream - Disraeli Gears
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced?
The Monkees - More of the Monkees
The Kinks - Something Else by The Kinks
Four Tops - Reach Out
Scott Walker - Scott
Peter, Paul and Mary - Album 1700
The Rolling Stones - Their Satanic Majesties Request
The Mamas and the Papas - Deliver
Smokey Robinson and The Miracles - Make It Happen
The Beach Boys - Wild Honey
The Birds - Younger Than Yesterday
Bob Dylan - John Wesley Harding

Good ones:
Moby Grape - Moby Grape
Vanilla Fudge - Vanilla Fudge
Miles Davis Quintet - Miles Smiles
Wilson Pickett - The Wicked Pickett
The Left Banke - Walk Away Renee/Pretty Ballerina
Bee Gees - Bee Gees 1st
The Doors - The Doors
Gordon Lightfoot - The Way I Feel
Otis Redding - Live in Europe
Merle Haggard - Branded Man
The Who - A Quick One
Vikki Carr - It Must Be Him
Eddie Floyd - Knock on Wood
The Monkees - Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, and Jones, Ltd.
Stevie Wonder - I Was Made to Love Her
The Marvelettes - The Marvelettes
Wayne Shorter - Adam's Apple
Nina Simone - Silk and Soul
Joe Bataan - Gypsy Woman
The Hassles - The Hassles
Jerry Moore - Life Is a Constant Journey Home
Ed Ames - My Cup Runneth Over
The Five Stairsteps - The Five Stairsteps
James Brown - Cold Sweat
Four Tops - On Broadway

Not a fan:
Bobbie Gentry - Ode to Billie Joe

Targets for listening:
Beau Brummels - Triangle
Tim Buckley- Goodbye and Hello
Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band - Safe As Milk
Country Joe and the Fish - Electric Music for the Mind and Body
Donovan - Sunshine Superman
Electric Prunes - I Had too Much to Dream (Last Night)
Astrud Gilberto - Beach Samba
Merle Haggard - I'm a Lonesome Fugitive
Loretta Lynn - Don't Come Home a-Drinkin' (with Lovin' on Your Mind)
Nico - Chelsea Girl
Pink Floyd - Piper at the Gates of Dawn
Shivkumar Sharma/Brijbushan Kabra/Hariprasad Chaurasia - Call of the Valley
The Young Rascals - Groovin'
Gene Clark - Gene Clark with the Godsin Brothers
Aretha Franklin - Aretha Arrives
Wilson Pickett - The Sound of Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett - I'm in Love
Jimmy Ruffin - Sings Top Ten
The Rolling Stones - Between the Buttons
The Doors - Strange Days
Jefferson Airplane - After Bathing at Baxter's
The Hollies - Butterfly
McCoy Tyner - The Real McCoy
Neil Diamond - Just for You
Phil Ochs - Pleasures of the Harbor
Chambers Brothers - Time Has Come
Duke Ellington - And His Mother Called Him Bill
The Youngbloods - The Youngbloods
William Bell - The Soul of a Bell
Tommy James and The Shondells - I Think We're Alone Now
Gal Costa and Caetano Veloso - Domingo

 

i don’t love the full Box Tops album but The Letter might be one of the best singles of the year. hard to believe it’s a teenaged alex chilton, of big star fame.

 

1. Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved a Man The Way I Love You
2. The Supremes - The Supremes Sing Motown
3. Nina Simone - Sings The Blues

Very unlucky for Sgt Pepper to miss the top three, but it'll do fine without my vote I imagine.

Aretha's album is just an absolute tour-de-force, every single track is perfect, and she really is the most remarkable singer. Even after hearing these songs 1001 times, the power of her voice still absolutely wows me every time.

The Supremes Sing Motown (alternatively known as The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland) is pretty similar in many ways - it feels like a Greatest Hits, such is the strength of the tracks here. Full of songs that you'll know, but they've basically never been sung as well before or since.

I could have picked Nina's High Priestess of Soul just as easily for the third spot, but I think I'm just that little bit more drawn to Nina's bluesier, slower side. It features one of the all time great protest songs (Backlash Blues), plus the definitive version of House of the Rising Sun. Also very good from Nina this year is Silk and Soul, but I'd put it just a bit behind the other two mentioned.

Also excellent this year is; Born Under a Bad Sign by Albert King, for some brilliant electric blues.
Dylan's John Wesley Harding, which features one of my all time favourite Dylan songs, I'll Be Your Baby Tonight.
Desmond Dekker's 007 Shanty Town, which is some great reggae/rocksteady.
The Four Tops Reach Out for these huge pop songs.
Etta James' Call My Name, which sees her move into more classic soul direction, which we'll see again next year.
Richie Haven's Mixed Bag is this really wonderful folksy-soulful record.

 

I haven't heard any of these. This year was an absolute explosion of great, creative albums.

200% would have assumed you had this. I think you'll like it a lot.

Love so much about this post. FUCK yeah in agreement on Sings the Blues. We've definitely talked before about how great that Supremes album is. And love the shoutouts for Mixed Bag (just criminally obscure at this point) and Born Under a Bad Sign

 

listen to pink floyd chris!!!!!!

it’s shocking every time i remember lol

 

I know my list is long, so I thought I'd highlight a couple I don't think people on here might have heard already?

Antonio Carlos Jobim - Wave
The most perfect summertime album ever released. Pour some lemonade and put your feet up in the sun.

Duke Ellington - Far East Suite
@George I know you're a sucker for a late career masterpiece. Somehow, some way, America's Mozart dug deep for a massive, sweeping masterwork at 68. It was last with his writing partner Billy Strayhorn before his death.

Richie Havens - Mixed Bag
I mean...that voice. Undiluted. Pure, uncut stuff.

James Carr - You Got My Mind Messed Up
The best soul album you might not have heard before. A bunch of ap.net guys used to rep this all the time and with good reason. Just gutbucket genius.

Peter, Paul and Mary - Album 1700
If you liked their pure folk, this is them branching out a bit. They expand the instrumentation a bit and it does wonders. It has at least 3 songs I’d say even the most casual PPM fan needs to hear

 

richie havens rules

 

1. Nina Simone - Nina Simone Sings the Blues
2. The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
3. The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground & Nico

I haven't been familiar with the Nina album for that long (@cshadows2887 had me listen to it for #MWE this year), but goddamn, it's number one with a bullet for this year. Sad, sexy, entrancing, and so musically bulletproof. It was one of those "I can't believe how good this is!" first listens. Here are my tweets from #MWE about it:

Sgt. Pepper was a daunting album for me for a long time, and definitely not the first Beatles album that really clicked for me. For years, it had the baggage of topping the Rolling Stone 500, which made me feel like I wasn't appreciating it enough. Eventually, that fell away and I came to love it for what it is, which is a super audacious, often game-changing pop album that nonetheless might not crack my top five Beatles!

The Velvet Underground & Nico is just a thrilling listen. It makes me feel like I'm in a movie.

EDIT: I'd almost forgotten the time that @DaydreamNation and I wrote about The Velvet Underground & Nico for the "My Back Pages" feature on AbsolutePunk. Those features were fun. Will have to re-read this tonight to see if either of us had any cringey takes.

Closer to the Truth and Further From the Sky: My Back Pages, Vol. 10: The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico

 

Started off my new listens with Piper at the Gates of Dawn by Pink Floyd, which is a really great album title, if nothing else.

Pink Floyd have never really clicked for me - I’ve listened to them fairly sporadically over the past 15 years or so, giving them another try every now and then and nothing really works. I can’t really describe why not, but whenever I finish an album, I never have any desire or motivation to go back for more.

This was similar from a first go through, I can definitely “respect” it more than I specifically enjoyed it, they’re doing a lot of interesting things with production and sound design and things like that, but I didn’t necessarily enjoy it. The more straightforward poppier stuff like Lucifer Sam I found more enjoyable than the more out there proggy stuff like Interstellar Overdrive.


Perhaps they’re just not for me - but I’m sure I’ll give them another go in 6 months time.

 

broke my brain as a 15 year old and it’s been continuing to do so since

 

also listen to the aretha franklin album, it’s her best, which naturally makes it one of the best ever

 

I’d take Spirit in the Dark or This Girl’s in Love with You but that’s more a testament to how great she is

 

Last night I listened to Aretha Franklin: I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You, Nina Simone Sings the Blues, and The Supremes Sing Holland-Dozier-Holland, all in a row for the first time and it was honestly magical

 

sounds like a good night