3 Forgotten and Lost Songs From 1968 I Bet You Don’t Remember

Remember the year 1968? A ton of excellent tunes dropped that year, from psychedelic rock hits to soothing soul and jazz tracks that have stood the test of time. Sadly, some of those amazing songs from 1968 haven’t stood the test of time in the sense that they have been forgotten by mainstream audiences and radio alike. Let’s refresh your memory, shall we? These three forgotten songs from 1968 deserve so much more love today.

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“Hurdy Gurdy Man” by Donovan

Donovan makes this list with the somewhat forgotten hit from 1968, “Hurdy Gurdy Man”. This release from mid-1968 is a psychedelic rock gem from the Scottish singer and songwriter, and it’s the title track from a similarly impressive album. “Hurdy Gurdy Man” peaked at No. 5 in the US and No. 4 in the UK back in 1968. And yet, I rarely hear it that much nowadays. That’s a shame, because this is a really enlightening piece of work.

Fun fact: George Harrison gifted a tambura to Donovan, which is featured in this song.

“Hey, Western Union Man” by Jerry Butler

How about some good ol’ Philadelphia soul music? “Hey, Western Union Man” by Jerry Butler hit the airwaves in 1968 and became Butler’s second No. 1 hit on the R&B charts. It was also a No. 16 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It’s quite an influential piece of soul music that has been covered numerous times through the years by the likes of Al Kooper, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Grant Green, and even Bruce Springsteen. Still, you just can’t beat the original piece.

“Grazing In The Grass” by Hugh Masekela

Jazz music from the late 1960s doesn’t get as much love as it should in the modern day. “Grazing In The Grass” by Hugh Masekela makes it to our list of forgotten songs from 1968, and it really does not deserve to be forgotten. This instrumental was originally composed by Philemon Hou, and trumpet master Hugh Masekela brought it to life in May 1968. The song was a big success, hitting No. 1 on the Hot 100 and becoming the jazz tune of the year. While the song later made it to the Grammy Hall of Fame, I rarely hear it nowadays. That’s not fair, in my opinion. This tune is a classic.

Photo by Ivan Keeman/Redferns