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3 Catchy Songs From 1968 That Everyone Knew but Nobody Talks About Anymore
The article revisits three catchy songs from 1968 that were once hugely popular but have since faded from public memory, part of a recurring nostalgia series celebrating overlooked hits. It highlights tracks spanning instrumental jazz, surf-influenced pop and anti-war rock, noting each one's chart success at the time despite receiving little recognition today.
The featured songs are "Grazing in the Grass" by Hugh Masekela, an instrumental jazz hit that reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100; "Do It Again" by The Beach Boys, written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, which peaked at No. 20 in the US but topped the UK charts; and "Sky Pilot" by Eric Burdon & The Animals, an anti-war anthem that reached No. 14 on the Hot 100 and No. 7 in Canada.
– "Grazing in the Grass" by Hugh Masekela hit No. 1 on the Hot 100 in 1968.– "Do It Again" by The Beach Boys topped the UK chart but only reached No. 20 in the US.– "Sky Pilot" by Eric Burdon & The Animals was a No. 14 US anti-war rock hit.
Explained simply
In 1968, popular music ranged from instrumental jazz and surf-influenced pop to rock songs addressing the Vietnam War. The Billboard Hot 100 ranked songs in the United States, while the UK had its own singles chart, so a track’s success could vary between countries.
Hugh Masekela was a South African trumpeter whose instrumental “Grazing in the Grass” reached the top of the US chart. The Beach Boys, an American band, had a UK chart-topper with “Do It Again”, written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love, though it reached number 20 in the US.
Eric Burdon & The Animals recorded “Sky Pilot”, a rock song about war and military chaplains, which reached number 14 in the US and number seven in Canada. The songs reflect the range of styles and subjects that found audiences during a year of major change in popular music.