4 No. 2 Hits from 1968 That Have Stood the Test of Time

It’s never easy to make it all the way to the top of the pop charts. When you’re talking about trying to do it in a year as musically solid as 1968, the task gets even harder. Getting to No. 2 in a year like that is much more than a consolation.

To prove our point, we’re digging back into the charts from that amazing calendar year. We’ve unearthed four gems that had to settle for No. 2 at the time. They’ve all achieved long-lasting relevance since then.

“Cry Like A Baby” by The Box Tops

The Box Tops had already established themselves as a force with their No. 1 debut single “The Letter” in 1967. “Cry Like A Baby” came a bit short of that. But it nonetheless provided some soulful greatness in ’68. When a band boasts a singer like Alex Chilton, the lead vocalist for The Box Tops, they just need solid material to get the job done. This song came from songwriters Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham, a pair that was responsible for many a hit single in that era. Although the band was known more for their R&B grit, a little bit of psychedelia entered the picture via an electric sitar part. But, as was usually the case with this short-lived group, Chilton was the stellar focus.

“MacArthur Park” by Richard Harris

Richard Harris, who’d sung on stage and screen in musicals such as Camelot, decided he had a little bit of pop star in him. When he heard some songs by up-and-coming tunesmith Jimmy Webb, he felt he’d found the ideal font for material. Webb, intuiting that he’d need something dramatic to suit Harris, came up with a song with several different musical movements. He also created a melody that called for excessive range, something that becomes evident as Harris strains to hit the final notes. Nonetheless, the song achieved the desired effect for all involved. Harris couldn’t sustain much momentum after that on the pop charts, going back to his flourishing acting career. Meanwhile, Webb turned into one of the best songwriters of his or any other era.

“Born To Be Wild” by Steppenwolf

Believe it or not, the song that, via its lyrics at least, came to define heavy metal was written as a ballad. Mars Bonfire, who was connected to the Canadian band Steppenwolf through his brother, the band’s drummer, wrote “Born To Be Wild”. The band wisely revved up the pace, turning the song into the ultimate outlaw anthem. As for the heavy metal connection, well, the song honestly more resembles a sturdy blues rocker when you get down to it. Nonetheless, the phrase “heavy metal thunder”, belted out by lead singer John Kay with appropriate grit, helped to coin the term. Give credit to some outstanding guitar work from Michael Monarch to help set this song apart from the pack.

“Those Were The Days’ by Mary Hopkin

Although they didn’t always pay enough attention to their Apple record label, The Beatles did a pretty good job of choosing talent. They plucked the Welsh chanteuse Mary Hopkin from a television talent show. To help ensure that she’d do well right off the bat, Paul McCartney was heavily involved. He produced “Those Were The Days”, a Russian folk song that had been given English lyrics. But for all Macca’s assistance, Hopkin and her crystalline voice deserve the credit for the song’s success. Even though she was still in her teens when she sang the song, she tapped into the world-weary melancholy of the lyrics. The track went to No. 1 in just about every country in the world aside from the US.

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