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A genre-spanning 2CD mix of hit singles, slow burners and lost gems, including the first-ever official release of the preview pressing of Kick Out The Jams by the MC5. The 45s that defined 1968 and crystallised author Jon Savage's memories of the year. 1968 began with business as usual in the pop charts, but the year would see convulsive political and social changes. This turmoil would be replicated in the music industry, where the effects of 1967 were seen in a proliferation of musical styles and social attitudes. The old days of a unified, central Top 40 were gone, and in its place came a new energy that transformed pop into rock, ska into rocksteady and early reggae, and soul into funk. Jon's selections for this year oscillate between soul, funk, Americana, pop-psych and hard-edged rock. With the loss of pirate radio after March, he heard of many of these either by scouring the record bins in central London or picking up tips from the music and the underground press. Some are later discoveries but the aim is to construct an ideal playlist that simulates a top radio show, without all the populist choices and extraneous filler a more radical and faster-moving soundtrack for an inflammatory year.
Tracklist
Disc: 1
1 Honey Chile - Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
2 Sunshine Help Me - Spooky Tooth
3 How Does It Feel? - The Creation
4 Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) - The First Edition
5 Dear Delilah - Grapefruit
6 Carpet Man - The 5th Dimension
7 Big Bird - Eddie Floyd
8 Tighten Up - Archie Bell & The Drells
9 Changes (TYGSTL) - The Ceyleib People
10 Everydays - Buffalo Springfield
11 Talkin' About the Good Times - The Pretty Things
12 Just for You - Dave Mason
13 Danse a La Musique - The French Fries
14 Israelites - Desmond Dekker & The Aces
15 Why Does It Feel So Right (Doing Wrong) - The Shades of Jade
16 Wonderboy - The Kinks
17 Gotta See Jane - R. Dean Taylor
18 Do You Know the Way to San Jose - Dionne Warwick
19 Classical Gas - Mason Williams
20 Your Mind and We Belong Together - Love
21 Dino's Song - Quicksilver Messenger Service
22 World in a Jug - Canned Heat
23 Lift Me - The Beau Brummels
24 The Snake - Al Wilson
Disc: 2
1 Fire - The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
2 Hard to Handle - Otis Redding
3 Eastern Organ - Brother Dan All Stars
4 People Got to Be Free - The Rascals
5 I Say a Little Prayer - Aretha Franklin
6 Piece of My Heart - Big Brother and the Holding Company
7 Lord of the Manor - The Everly Brothers
8 Lincoln County - Dave Davies
9 Omnibus - The Move
10 I'm in a Different World - The Four Tops
11 Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud (Part 1) - James Brown
12 Rain - Kak
13 A Song for Jeffrey - Jethro Tull
14 Magic Carpet Ride - Steppenwolf
15 Freedom Train - James Carr
16 Smell of Incense - The West Coast Pop Art Experimental Band
17 Cloud Nine - The Temptations
18 Train to Nowhere - Savoy Brown
19 Everyday People - Sly & The Family Stone
20 I Got a Line On You - Spirit
21 Throwaway Street Puzzle - Fairport Convention
22 Crimson and Clover - Tommy James & The Shondells
23 Machines - Lothar & the Hand People