Many a baby boomer out there got to enjoy some absolutely otherworldly hit pop songs in 1968. It was a solid year for mainstream music, and they really don’t make ‘em like they used to. Let’s take a look at just a few fan favorites that are still unforgettable after all these years.
“Honey (I Miss You)” by Bobby Goldsboro from ‘Honey’
This country pop song from Bobby Goldsboro was one of the biggest hit songs of 1968. “Honey (I Miss You)” was originally recorded with Kingston Trio’s former member Bob Shane, but it was Goldsboro who turned the song into a smash. “Honey” peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and did similarly well in Canada, the UK, and other countries.
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“Hey Jude” by The Beatles
We couldn’t skip The Beatles on our list of classic pop jams from 1968 that baby boomers still love. Naturally, I went with the song “Hey Jude”. This standalone single was tenderly written by Paul McCartney as a ballad for John Lennon’s young son Julian, who was struggling in the wake of his parents’ divorce. It’s such a positive and uplifting song that still speaks to people today. It’s no surprise that “Hey Jude” peaked at No. 1 across the board globally.
“Mrs. Robinson” by Simon & Garfunkel from ‘Bookends’
This catchy folk rock tune by famed duo Simon & Garfunkel is easily one of their most memorable songs, if not the catchiest of their career together. Written by Paul Simon, “Mrs. Robinson” has gone on to be an anthem of sorts for the late 1960s, and it makes an appearance in plenty of films from and about the time. After all, it became famous for its inclusion on the soundtrack for the 1967 film The Graduate. “Mrs. Robinson” peaked at No. 1 in the US and reached the Top 10 just about everywhere else.
“(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay” by Otis Redding from ‘The Dock Of The Bay’
Another ultra-catchy pop hit from 1968 makes it to our list of songs baby boomers still love. And I bet you know all the words to its chorus. “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay” is bittersweet in the sense that it was recorded just three days before Otis Redding’s tragic death in 1967, and it was released posthumously. Historically, it’s the first posthumous No. 1 hit single in US Billboard chart history.
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