These are the Top 6 songs of 1967 according to Billboard's year-end list. Which one is your favourite? : r/ToddintheShadow Skip to main content

Get the Reddit app

Scan this QR code to download the app now
Or check it out in the app stores
r/ToddintheShadow icon
r/ToddintheShadow icon
Go to ToddintheShadow
r/ToddintheShadow
A banner for the subreddit

Todd in the Shadow's dedicated subreddit! Watch Todd's One Hit Wonderland, where he takes a look at the full careers of bands and artists known for only one song, or watch Todd's Pop Song Reviews, where he takes one current smash hit song and take it apart, break it down line by line, see what parts work and what doesn't, and analyze where it fits within both current trends and the artists' body of work.


Members Online

These are the Top 6 songs of 1967 according to Billboard's year-end list. Which one is your favourite?

General Todd Discussion

It was a race between The Four Tops and The Monkees, but in the end, The Monkees finished first with "Last Train to Clarksville", winning the 1966 poll. A great song. Well-deserved victory.

1967 is often considered one of the greatest years in popular music, and the year that psychedelia really became mainstream. It's also the year where the British Invasion has pretty much ended. It's also where the counterculture movement really became present in music. It's a year where rock is starting to become harder. Also, 1967 also saw a great explosion in popularity for soul music, which would continue all the way into the 1970s.

******

  1. “To Sir With Love” (Lulu) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOVQ4vAmM7Y

In the year of psychedelia, British singer Lulu's pop ballad from the Sidney Poitier-led film "To Sir, With Love" became the No. 1 song of 1967, making her the second British female artist to do so in the rock era, following Petula Clark in 1965. She also became the first of two Scottish female solo artists to achieve this, with Sheena Easton being the second in 1981. It was not until 2011, when Calvin Harris, featuring Rihanna, topped the Hot 100 with "We Found Love" that another Scottish artist topped the Hot 100.

I really enjoy this song. Lulu's performance is sincere, warm, and bubbly. I’m a little surprised that it was the number one song of the year, but it's definitely a great track.

2) “The Letter” (The Box Tops) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyq3PUTnpd0

"The Letter," a blue-eyed soul track by The Box Tops, topped the US charts with 16-year-old Alex Chilton as the lead vocalist. It was written by country musician Wayne Carson. Chilton later co-founded the highly influential cult power pop band Big Star. While The Box Tops never reached the top spot again, they achieved several more Top 40 hits, including the 1968 hit "Cry Like a Baby," which peaked at number two in the US. “The Letter” is also the last song to top the Hot 100 that is under 2 minutes.

I do enjoy this song, but it’s not long enough for me to truly connect with it. I always found it fascinating that Chilton sounds older and gruffer on this song at 16 than at age 23 when the first Big Star album came out.

3) “Ode to Billie Joe” (Bobbie Gentry) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJZ_ViDADOE

A US No. 1, Bobbie Gentry's gothic country song, performed with a simple acoustic guitar and subtle string background, captures the haunting tale of Billie Joe McAllister's suicide in rural Mississippi. Narrated by a young woman with a secret connection to Billie Joe, the song explores her family's indifferent reaction to the tragedy. The mysterious element of what was thrown off the Tallahatchie Bridge has intrigued listeners for decades. Gentry has repeatedly emphasised that the focus of the song is on the family's emotional detachment, describing it as "a study in unconscious cruelty," and stated that the object thrown off the bridge was irrelevant to the song's deeper message.

Fantastic song. Haunting. Very well written and performed by Gentry, who is an underappreciated artist nowadays. You can hear the influence this song had on the singer-songwriter movement of the early 70s. Check out her catalogue - she has several great songs and albums. She also scored a UK No. 1 in 1969 with her cover of “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again”.

4) “Windy” (The Association) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUv9OK4KUv8

The 2nd and final US No. 1 by the sunshine pop group The Association, this song was written by Ruthann Friedman. She initially claimed that she had written the song about a man that she had a crush on (the gender of the song was changed in The Association version), but she later revealed that she had written the song about herself during her mid-20s. She wrote "Windy" in waltz time, but the group’s producer Bones Howe changed it to the more common 4/4 to ensure the song's commercial appeal. The lead vocals were sung primarily by guitarist and new band member Larry Ramos along with vocalist Russ Giguere. Ramos, who was of Filipino descent, was a rare Asian-American lead singer to have a number one hit single.

I dunno about you, but I absolutely love this song. It’s honestly one of my all-time favourites (alongside their US Hot 100 No. 2 masterpiece “Never My Love”). It’s perfect pop. So catchy, and quite danceable. I remember first hearing it when it was used in “Breaking Bad” (how ‘bout a windy, Wendy?).

5) “I’m a Believer” (The Monkees) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PQAqprjOuA

I’m sure everyone knows this song, whether by The Monkees or the Smash Mouth cover. It was written by Neil Diamond and sung by Monkees’ lead singer Mickey Dolenz. Accounting for strictly sales of singles, this was the biggest-selling single of 1967, excluding radio play. It reached No. 1 in numerous countries all over the world.

Who doesn’t love this song? It may be overplayed, but it’s a classic.

6) “Light My Fire” (The Doors) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLiq8j29Lww

"Light My Fire," the first of two chart-toppers for American psychedelic rock band The Doors, was credited to the whole band but was largely written by guitarist Robby Krieger. The song, known for its erotic lyrics and distinctive structure, epitomises the '60s psychedelic and sexual revolutions. The album version stretches over 7 minutes, while the radio-friendly single cuts down to just under 3 minutes. Krieger drew inspiration from the melody of "Hey Joe" and the lyrics of the Rolling Stones' "Play with Fire." When he brought his initial draft to the band, drummer John Densmore proposed a Latin rhythm, lead vocalist Jim Morrison contributed to the second verse and part of the chorus, and Ray Manzarek introduced a Bach-inspired organ motif. The song famously starts with a single snare drum beat, a suggestion from Densmore.

Wow, I’m shocked The Doors scored a US No. 1, let alone two (their other chart-topper was “Hello, I Love You”). That’s awesome. Great song. Not my favourite song by the band, but still, it’s a classic. I put the single version as the link.

***

Rounding out the Top 10 is “Somethin’ Stupid” (Nancy and Frank Sinatra) (No. 7), “Happy Together” (The Turtles) (No. 8), “Groovin’” (The Rascals) (No. 9), “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” (Frankie Vali) (No. 10). An extremely strong Top 10. Even the worst song in the Top 10 - that Frank/Nancy song - isn’t that bad (it's more weird since it's a duet between father/daughter).

***

Be sure to listen to all songs before voting.

Open total votes
"To Sir With Love" (Lulu)"The Letter" (The Box Tops)"Ode to Billie Joe" (Bobbie Gentry)"Windy" (The Association)"I'm a Believer" (The Monkees)"Light My Fire" (The Doors)
Closes
Share
Sort by:
Best
Open comment sort options

Voting “I’m a Believer” over “Light My Fire”. If it had been the album version of “Light My Fire,” I’d have gone with that.

u/Rosmucman avatar

The B-side to "Ode to Billie Joe", "Mississipi Delta" is a banger! Here

The Letter, but Joe Cocker's version

I hate not being able to vote for “The Letter” or “Ode to Billie Joe,” but no way am I passing on a chance to support The Monkees.

Bobbie Gentry also recorded the original (and much better) version of “Fancy,” best known as a Reba McIntyre song.