MacArthur Park - Richard Harris (1968)

The first time I heard this I thought someone was having a joke. But really, living in the sixties there were shock-waves after shock-wave so nothing should have surprised us. 'What?' An old man mouthing some weird and possibly 'square' words about a cake in the rain, in the park? And string arrangement to boot and 7 1/2 minutes long to top it up. And the middle stanza with fast moving brass was just the last straw. What could anyone one make of this? Just ignore it! But they played it again on the radio and so that was that I had to sit down and listen to it properly.  Now of course I think this is a masterpiece of melody, lyric, arrangement and interpretation and Jimmy Webb's best song and probably my all time top ten. Please ignore all other versions including Webb's, this is the real deal - with the possible exception of Waylon Jennings version which runs pretty close to perfect. Read heaps about this song at Songfacts.

The Carnival is over - The Seekers (1968)

The picture of wholesome entertainment The Seekers went a bit risque when they did Georgie Girl. an up tempo pop song with lots of whistling which had hit written all over it as soon as it was played. The Carnival is over is not like that  and I don't know which carnival was over but it's always sad when the fun finishes. I'm a sucker for Judith Durham's singing and I get taken in every-time and would happily sing along to this.

So long, Marianne - Leonard Cohen (1968)

This song lives on and I enjoy it anew every time. Leonard's words still sound fresh, eg. she held on to me like I was a crucifix. I like the way the girls help with that haunting chorus, it was the first thing I looked forward to hearing again. I remember the first time I was shown LC's music. I was staying with some hippy couple back in 1970. in a farm they were renting, They had all LC's albums and I sat up late listening to them while they next door made, ahem... funny noises. It was the sort of thing Cohen wrote about. One day I bought one of his books, forget which, but my gf at the time read it all in one long sleepless night.

Society's child - Spooky tooth (1968)

Highly developed arrangement of this Janis Ian song it raises the temperature with Gary Wright's unique voice,  and a bass line that doesn't take a back seat. Ian's anti-racist story is poignant making this song distinct and memorable.

Magic carpet ride - Steppenwolf (1968)

One of the greatest rock recording of all time this song starts promising something major with distorted guitars threatening to fly through your roof. Though these days it's a tiny tame you can make up for that by turning it right up. Let that base by Rushton Moreve and organ shake and rattle your wall with great vocals by John Kay. Is the song about sex, drugs?  Who cares? Just go with it.

Sitting on the dock of the bay - Ottis Redding (1968)

The sound of the ocean waves together with soft guitar sucked me in to listen to the man's story. He had roamed a zillion miles just to make that Frisco dock his home. (Yet another song about San Francisco, the others 'Taxi' and 'If you're going to...' here on this same list!) Otis captured the mood perfectly.

America - Simon & Garfunkel (1968)

My favourite S&G song in hindsight, it sat me down in awe at the wonderful arrangement, melody and harmony as-well as the imagery ...'and walked off to look for America'...and 'I said be careful his bow-tie is really a camera' (in the days of the cold war) and 'Kathy I'm lost I said though I knew she was sleeping, I'm empty and aching and don't know why' ...and so on. At first I was taken aback seeing that the lyrics looked as if they were written in free form. But the music is anything but free form, it is tight, compact and masterly. I still choke when I listen to this. Looking at Paul Simon's more recent work I despair at his loss of form and all the wasted years for his talent. Listen also to America's recent version of this and wonder at it's timelessness.

Wichita Lineman - Glen Campbell (1968)

I had no idea what GC was singing about when I first heard this but MacArthur Park had already put Jimmy Webb on the map so this had to be good, and it was. Not in the same scope but melodically strong and of course I understood that everybody 'needs a small vacation'.

Eloisa - Barry Ryan (1968)

As I listened to this again I overheard my 17 year old daughter remark 'Oh God..' Well I know how she feels because  I thought the same when I first heard this. But it was a little like MacArthur Park in arrangement, with humour and pathos dished out in equal portions. Ultimately enjoyable and annoying in equal portions, The lyrics border on masochistic worship and Ryan's interpretation is spot on.

Everybody's Talkin' - Harry Nilsson (1968)

If you were young in the sixties and not depressed or melancholy you certainly were that after reading 'Midnight Cowboy'. This song was used for the film of the book and has stayed with me as part of the sixties' tapestry. The guitar riff makes this song but Harry's voice was it's unique stamp. Bob Dylan's Lay Lady Lay was originally commissioned for the film but never used, and that's a bit of trivia. The theme for the movie, Midnight Cowboy Theme which was written by John Barry is even more haunting, if that's possible.