The year 1969 was all about funk and rock, and tons of baby boomers today still remember the words to so many amazing songs that dropped that year. Let’s look at just a few iconic hits from 1969 that are probably still burned into your brain after all these years.
“I Can’t Get Next To You” by The Temptations from ‘Puzzle People’
This Temptations song is a psychedelic soul classic. It’s one that hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart shortly after it dropped. Written by Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield, “I Can’t Get Next To You” by The Temptations became one of the group’s most commercially successful songs of the era. And those lyrics are hard to forget, as is that catchy melody.
Videos by American Songwriter
“Honky Tonk Women” by The Rolling Stones
This single from The Rolling Stones is a hard rock masterpiece among fans of the band. That much was evident in how well it charted. “Honky Tonk Women” peaked at No. 1 in both the US and UK. It was also later inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Those lyrics might not have aged particularly well, but that didn’t stop this song from becoming a certified rock and roll anthem.
“Proud Mary” by Creedence Clearwater Revival from ‘Bayou Country’
When one thinks of Creedence Clearwater Revival, one thinks of long-enduring hits like “Fortunate Son”. One might also think of “Proud Mary”, a smash hit single from the band’s second album, Bayou Country. “Proud Mary” is a roots rock song for the ages and one of the band’s defining tracks. It was also a big hit back in 1969. The track peaked at No. 2 on the Hot 100 and reached the Top 10 globally.
“It’s Your Thing” by The Isley Brothers from ‘It’s Our Thing’
“It’s Your Thing” by The Isley Brothers is another funky hit on our list of songs from 1969 that baby boomers still remember, and it really was quite a hit that year. This song, written by each of the Isley brothers, topped the R&B chart in the US and made it all the way to No. 2 on the Hot 100. All you need to hear is the first few seconds or so before you’re transported back to a very funkadelic time in music history.
(Photo by Archive Photos/Getty Images)