1968

Tip toe, thru the tulips…

I’m now transported to the year 1968 where everybody says to sock it to them. Boy they should be so lucky. One poor sap gets his head blown off on TV in Vietnam in something called the Tet Offensive. LBJ says he’s taking his marbles and going home and a couple nice men get shot. What’s wrong with this planet?

The whole world is watching some show called Laugh-In. I don’t think it’s all that funny. No, I won’t bet my bippy. They have a Mod Squad in California. The LAPD has gotten a bad reputation thanks to some guy named Joe Friday, so now they’re replacing the police with juvenile delinquents. Rosemary had a baby that later will star in the Exorcist. And Dick is tired of not being around to be kicked anymore so he’s running for President. See Dick Run, See Dick Say Sock It To Me, See Chicago burn, See Dick win, Yikes!

So now the United States is being run by a bunch of hard hats who hate hippies. Thank God; what this world needs is a bunch of hard heads. I hope their heads don’t molt like crabs do; I mean what if their brains start oozing out like slime? Yeech! I can’t believe I ate the whole thing. Mother forgot to tell me not to eat the crab mustard.

The music is at its wildest this year. There is so much to choose from. Okay, I guess I like these albums best so here we go…

By the way, Tiny Tim isn’t very tiny.

Event of the year: The Yellow Submarine is sunk off North Korea

Fad: Student Demonstrations

Babe of the Year: Barbarella

Scandal of the Year: Heidi blows a Jets lead against the Raiders

Movie or TV show to barf to: The Lucy Show

What we could have done without: Sirhan Sirhan and James Earl Ray

Pet of the year: Tiny Tim 

Other Tidbits: Dennis Wilson declines offer to join Charles Manson’s band, the Mass Murderers, James Earl Ray shoots Lee Harvey Oswald, Bobby Kennedy joins his brother in Australia, Mayor Daley of Chicago has a fight with a balloon, The whole world is watching Laugh-In, Abbie Hoffman runs for President, Nixon announces they won’t have him to kick around anymore and is elected President, The Big Mac is invented and Ronald McDonald is exposed as a clown, It’s Spring in Prague but winter in Washington, Dolores O’Riordan shoots Andy Warhol, Jackie Kennedy marries Elvis Presley, They’re coming for you, Barbara.

So here we go with psychedelic year number two (or is it three?). We’re also starting to see some hard rock albums in this mix as well. Ready?...

1)  The Beatles- The Beatles (The White Album)

2)  Simon and Garfunkel- Bookends

3)  The Kinks- Village Green Preservation Society

4)  The Zombies- Odessey and Oracle

5)  The Rolling Stones- Beggars Banquet

6)  The United States of America- The United States of America

7)  Johnny Cash- At Folsom Prison

8)  Traffic- Traffic

9)  The Moody Blues- In Search of the Lost Chord

10)  Big Brother and the Holding Company- Cheap Thrills

11)  Silver Apples- Silver Apples

12)  Jimi Hendrix- Electric Ladyland

13)  Mothers of Invention- We’re Only In It For the Money

14)  Fairport Convention- Fairport Convention

15)  Quicksilver Messenger Service- Quicksilver Messenger Service

16)  Bob Dylan- John Wesley Harding

17)  Van Morrison- Astral Weeks

18)  The Impressions- This Is My Country

19)  Jefferson Airplane- Crown of Creation

20)  Family- Music In a Doll’s House

21)  Creedence Clearwater Revival- Creedence Clearwater Revival

22)  Aretha Franklin- Lady Soul

23)  Phil Ochs- Tape From California

24)  Otis Redding- Dock of the Bay

25)  The Fallen Angels- It’s a Long Way Down

Psychedelia still reigns as harder rock sounds begin to take hold. The Beatles for the sixth (and last) year, hold the top spot with their dysfunctional, yet still brilliant, White Album. Simon and Garfunkel get to win the silver this year, followed by another classic album by the Kinks and the Zombies magnum opus, Odessey and Oracle which, until recently, I thought had been released in 1969 (silly me). The Rolling Stones again win comeback of the year with Beggar’s Banquet, the first of their classic period albums. At number six is the well received United States of America followed by my favorite live album, Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison. Cash is by far away my favorite artist in a genre I’m not especially crazy about, country. Other standouts on this list include Traffic, Fairport Convention, The Impressions, Family, and the Fallen Angels who some of you may have never heard of, but were a great psychedelic folk band coming out of Washington DC. Another great psychedelic gem had to settle for honorable mention and that’s the demented St. John Green, produced by the equally demented Kim Fowley.

This is such a great year overall. Maybe one day when I’m done with this project I’ll do a top 50 of  1968.

Biggest Surprise- Silver Apples

 Believe it or not, I finally gave it a listen for the first time last Christmas and it is indeed a brilliant piece of electronica. I can’t rate it quite as high as United States of America, but dang, you wonder why idiots like me spent years overlooking this album despite the reputation.

Biggest Disappointment- The Incredible String Band- The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter.

 Actually these folkies pretty much bore me overall. I mean they’re not terrible, but I like to hear a little more melody in my folk.

Honorable Mention-  Donovan- Hurdy Gurdy Man, St. John Green- St. John Green, Jethro Tull- This Was, The Beach Boys- Friends, The Idle Race- The Birthday Party

Stinker of the Year-  William Shatner- The Transformed Man

Hey, Mr. Tambourine Man. Someone (probably Captain Kirk himself) had the brainstorm that maybe he could act out the popular tunes of the day. Fans of Dr Demento no doubt remember Mr. Tambourine Man but listen to him overact on other classics such as Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds. Shatner made Tiny Tim look like Tony Bennett. By the way, if you love Shatner, take a listen to Leonard Nimoy’s Ballad of Bilbo Baggins. Apparently Star Trek actors doing bad albums was the rage in those days. Too bad Bones McCoy didn’t have an album.

And there goes another year. Only forty-nine more to go (boy, this is exhausting but fun). See you next time as we delve into 1969. Talking Dog! That protest sign isn’t a fire hydrant, Cheez!