4 Top 40 Hits From 1968 That Every Baby Boomer Can Still Sing by Heart

The Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 was at its most prolific and diverse in the late 1960s, and 1968 specifically is no exception. American music lovers—and, indeed, even global fans—were still floating on the lingering ripples of the Summer of Love. Funk, soul, and R&B were continuing to hit new strides of creativity and musical mastery. In short, it was a great time for mainstream music, which is something to which most baby boomers will attest.

Just play one of these Top 40 hits from 1968 and try to find a baby boomer who can’t still sing them by heart.

“Hey Jude” by The Beatles

The Beatles released what would become one of their biggest singles of all time in August 1968 with “Hey Jude” as the A-side and “Revolution” as the B-side. Both songs were incredibly popular, but “Hey Jude” has an especially infectious quality that makes it almost impossible not to sing along. Most baby boomers can still sing this Top 40 hit by heart. Even if they’re shaky on the early verses, they’ll likely find their footing by the rousing outro.

“I Say A Little Prayer” by Aretha Franklin

Aretha Franklin released her version of “I Say A Little Prayer” in 1968, one year after Dionne Warwick first recorded the Burt Bacharach and Hal David number. Both versions are excellent, but Franklin’s helped establish her as a major artist overseas. Amazingly, Franklin didn’t even intend to record the song for her album Aretha Now. She and her backup vocalists were messing around with the song during downtime in the studio when its potential was realized.

“(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay” by Otis Redding

The tragic death of Otis Redding undoubtedly bolstered the popularity of his 1968 posthumous No. 1 hit, “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay”. But the song’s straightforward simplicity and easygoing groove likely would have made this a memorable track either way. In any case, almost every baby boomer can still sing this 1968 Top 40 hit by heart—the chorus, at the very least. Interestingly, the whistle section at the end of the song was never meant to be on the album version. Redding died before he could record the final verse. 

“Jumpin’ Jack Flash” by The Rolling Stones

The Rolling Stones released “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” as a single in 1968 with “Child Of The Moon” as the B-side. This was at the height of The Stones’ and The Beatles’ friendly rivalry, and the track did well for the former. “Jumpin’ Jack Flash” topped the charts in the band’s native United Kingdom and peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Years later, every baby boomer can still sing, “But it’s aaaaall riiiight now, in fact, it’s a gas!”  

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images