The WLS Top 89 Hits of 1968
As we say goodbye to 2020, lets look back 52 years to see what Chicago's WLS dubbed "The Top 89 Hits of 1968".It was quite a year in Chicago. The Democratic Convention demonstrations gave the city and its long serving mayor, Richard Daily a black eye. Top-40 radio was at the zenith of its popularity across the country and the Windy City had two rockers that were constantly challenging one another for dominance: ABC owned WLS and WCFL, licensed to the Chicago Federation of Labor. Nothing like some hot competition to keep everyone at the top of their game.And so it was with The WLS Top 89 Hits of 1968. The Beatles had, arguably, their biggest hit record, the double sided Hey Jude & Revolution. Motown was still churning out the hits and R&B had gone mainstream. The Brits were well represented with the Four Lads, the Stones and the Bee Gees leading the charge. And a new genre, "Bubble Gum", was starting to pop into the pop charts.Here's how WLS ranked the most popular tunes of the year as part of their final Hit Parade, published on December 23, 1968. Want to hear the entire playlist? Here's a YouTube Link.And as a video bonus, here's a 16mm film transfer of an advertiser promotion reel for the station from October of '68. (Video)1. HEY JUDE/REVOLUTION-The Beatles2. LOVE IS BLUE-Paul Mauriat3. HONEY-Bobby Goldsboro4. HARPER VALLEY PTA-Jeannie C. Riley5. THIS GUY'S IN LOVE WITH YOU-Herb Alpert6. YUMMY, YUMMY, YUMMY-Ohio Express7. THOSE WERE THE DAYS-Mary Hopkin8. HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE-Marvin Gaye9. FIRE-Crazy World Of Arthur Brown10. JUMPIN' JACK FLASH-Rolling Stones11. GRAZIN' IN THE GRASS-Hugh Masakela12. VALLERI-The Monkees13. LOVE CHILD-Supremes14. MONY MONY-Tommy James & The Shondells15. BEND ME, SHAPE ME-American Breed16. LADY MADONNA-The Beatles17. MRS. ROBINSON-Simon & Garfunkel18. PEOPLE GOT TO BE FREE-Rascals19. GREEN TAMBOURINE-Lemon Pipers20. JUDY IN DISGUISE-John Fred & The Playboy Band21. VALLEY OF THE DOLLS-Dionne Warwick22. LITTLE GREEN APLES-O.C. Smith23. WOMAN WOMAN-Gary Puckett & Union Gap24. HELLO, I LOVE YOU-Doors25. YOUNG GIRL-Gary Puckett & Union Gap26. ABRAHAM, MARTIN & JOHN-Dion27. TURN AROUND, LOOK AT ME-Vogues28. SLIP AWAY-Clarence Carter29. TIGHTEN UP-Archie Bell & The Drells30. THE HORSE-Cliff Nobles & Co.31. I WILL ALWAYS THINKABOUT YOU-New Colony Six32. THE DOCK OF THE BAY-Otis Redding33. 1-2-3 RED LIGHT-1910 Fruitgum Company34. A BEAUTIFUL MORNING-Rascals35. BORN TO BE WILD-Steppenwolf36. THE GOOD, BAD & THE UGLY-Hugh Montenegro37. SPOOKY-Classics IV38. DO IT AGAIN-Beach Boys39. I WONDER WHAT SHE'S DOING TONIGHT-Boyce & Hart40. STONED SOUL PICNIC-5th Dimension41. SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE-Aretha Franklin42. HOLD ME TIGHT-Johnny Nash43. LIGHT MY FIRE-Doors44. OVER YOU-Gary Puckett & Union Gap45. CHEWY CHEWY-Ohio Express46. SEALED WITH A KISS-Gary Lewis47. MacARTHUR PARK-Richard Harris48. PICTURES OF MATCHSTICK MEN-Status Quo49. I GOTTA GET A MESSAGE TO YOU-Bee Gees50. CHAIN OF FOOLS-Aretha Franklin51. LADY WILL POWER-Gary Puckett & Union Gap52. MIDNIGHT CONFESSIONS-Grass Roots53. ANGEL OF THE MORNING-Merilee Rush54. I LOVE YOU-People55. SIMON SEZ-1910 Fruitgum Company56. I WISH IT WOULD RAIN-Temptations57. FOOL ON THE HILL-Sergio Mendez & Brazil 6658. INDIAN LAKE-Cowsills59. GOING OUT OF MY HEAD-Lettermen60. THERE WAS A TIME-James Brown61. ELEANOR-Turtles62. I'M GONNA MAKE YOU LOVE ME-Supremes/Temptations63. WHITE ROOM-Cream64. FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE-Stevie Wonder65. DIFFERENT DRUM-Stone Poneys66. BONNIE & CLYDE-Georgie Fame67. I'M A GIRL WATCHER-The O'Kaysions68. LA LA MEANS I LOVE YOU-Delphonics69. SUNSHINE OF YOUR LOVE-Cream70. THERE IS-The Dells71. REACH OUT OF THE DARKNESS-Friends & Lovers72. MAGIC CARPET RIDE-Steppenwolf73. JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE MIND-Amboy Dukes74. I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER-Aretha Franklin75. CLASSICAL GAS-Mason Williams76. CINNAMON-Derek77. I SECOND THAT EMOTION-Smokey Robinson/Miracles78. SPECIAL ANGEL-Vogues79. DANCE TO THE MUSIC-Sly & The Family Stone80. CRY LIKE A BABY-Box Tops81. HOW DID WE EVER GET THIS WAY-Andy Kim82. SUMMERTIME BLUES-Blue Cheer83. YOU KEEP ME HANGIN' ON-Vanilla Fudge84. WHO'S MAKING LOVE-Johnny Taylor85. JUST DROPPED IN (TO SEE...)-First Edition86. THE UNICORN-Irish Rovers87. DOWN AT LULU'S-Ohio Express88. COWBOYS TO GIRLS-Intruders89. I NEED LOVE-Third BoothThanks for listening! Scott WestermanHost and Producer - Rock and Roll RevisitedAuthor: Motor City Music - Keener 13 and the Soundtrack of Detroit