I totally agree Slam. Always liked the output Booker T and the MGs, especially in the 1960's

But what do I know? I'm so American-centric  . 

Looking at the Country Charts for this week in 1967...Jukebox Charlie by Johnny Paycheck topped out at #15.  I was honestly surprised that it peaked at such a low position because it's become a country music staple having been covered a number of times since.  And Paycheck's recordings for Little Darling Records have increased in stature and influence over the years.  

50 Years Ago Today-Week 5 June 1967

The June wrap up with a brand new #1. Fresh from their appearance at the Monterrey Festival, The Association, a vocal group that tries to straddle the line between being "with it" but still appealing to the "over 30's". Ultimately it's very rare to have it both ways and they accomplished that better than most.In 1966 they had a #1 with "Cherish" and a #7 with "Along Comes Mary"




Here's one of my favorite debut singles of all time. Many others must have agreed since it shot from #80 to #22 in one week. Procol Harum nailed down that baroque rock sound right from the start.Originally named The Paramounts whose members included Gary Brooker (keyboard/lead vocal), Robin Trower (guitar), BJ Wilson (drums) & Chris Copping (bass/organ), they had a UK minor hit with a cover of "Poison Ivy" in 1966. Subsequent releases failed to sell and the group disbanded. In  1967 Brooker assembled a new group without Chris Copping (who would later rejoin in 1969) but eventually with the other members of The Paramounts along with Matthew Fisher (organ) and lyricist Keith Reid.
Their first album will be included as an Essential with the anniversary of it's August U.S. release. 



The Bar-Kays, an American R&B funk group, chiefly crafted horn driven dance instrumentals. Soul Finger was their first single and biggest seller, peaking at #17. They had plenty of other hits on the R&B charts and the group stayed in existence through the 1990's




The quintessential SF band of the 60's, The Jefferson Airplane scored another big hit with this single, peaking at #8. Lord knows how many movies included this song in it's soundtrack




The Buckinghams are back again, this time with a cover of the instrumental originally by Cannonball Adderley. Who wrote these lyrics is a mystery to me. Other vocal variations exist with different lyrics. This one, reaching #5, was the most successful 



Quite a week for new Top 40 singles. 

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit dropped their new album which immediately went to number one on the country charts.  While that might not seem surprising, Isbell gets pretty much zero airplay on country radio.  The album also came in at #4 on the Billboard 200.  Strong showing by Isbell who I firmly consider to be the best current lyricist working.  

I searched all over the interwebs and could not find a site that gave me a month on the release of that album.  Clearly my Google-fu was weak. 

I have a general one released on an unknown to me date in 1968 that I'll post when Ish gets to that year.

Just Walk Away Renée is one of the greatest pop songs ever written, in my book. I have a compliation cd of their stuff. but nothing else by the Left Banke ever came close to it, for me.

Odds And Sods-May 1967

Some singles of interest that languished in the Top 100 but never broke into the Top 40. These most likely got airplay in limited regions of the country. I'm always a month behind posting these in case they break into the Top 40 the following month.

We start with Dee Dee Warwick, sister of Dionne Warwick, niece of Cissy Houston, cousin of Whitney Houston. Dee Dee began recording in 1963. She never quite made the Top 40 but did fairly well on the R&B charts. She ceased recording in the mid-1970's, had one album in the mid 1980's and that was it. Struggled with drug problems and health issues for many years and passed away, age 63, in 2008




Guess you can classify this as an inspirational song from The Pozo Seco Singers.



Gladys Knight and the Pips had this #98 single in their home country but in the UK it reached #13. If that wasn't strange enough, the next Gladys Knight single from 1967 would be tremendously successful in the states but not break into the UK Top 40. 




The McCoys struck it big with the #1 "Hang On Sloopy" in 1965. Same year, a #7 with "Fever".They hung around for the balance of the 60's never duplicating that popularity. After this, they only had one more single to even chart. Rick Derringer (guitar) & Randy Jo Hobbs (bass) were members who later played in bands fronted by Johnny and Edgar Winter. Rick Derringer had a fairly impressive solo career too with 14 albums



Lee Dorsey, known for 1961's "Ya Ya" (John Lennon did a cover) and 1966's "Workin' In A Coal Mine" sings this song which you should not, repeat NOT, play while you are driving




With Bob Dylan recovering all year from his summer of '66 motorbike accident, studio execs fingered they might as well just grab something from that years's Blonde On Blonde album and release it as a single. Curiously, a good internet clip is hard to find and there is an annoying one I refuse to use (an early take of the song which includes sound effects). This is the best I can do




From the Double Trouble movie, this song was released as a single by Elvis Presley. That version kind of sucked (the buying public agreed) but this early version is soooooo much better



The Wildweeds from Connecticut seemed to only get this record spun in that region of the country. A shame, it's a pretty good number.It's leader, Al Anderson later joined NRBQ




That's a wrap for what was (or wasn't) on the radio for June 1967