Every Baby Boomer Alive Remembers These 4 Must-Hear Soft Rock Hits From 1968

Soft rock was in its infancy in 1968, and there weren’t a ton of hits in the genre that year that a baby boomer could remember. But some did exist, paving the way for the genre’s success once the 1970s kicked off a few years later. Let’s take a look at those few songs, shall we?

“I Started A Joke” by Bee Gees from ‘Idea’

You can’t go wrong with some Bee Gees. Before their disco days, this outfit of brothers made some pretty excellent pop and soft rock tunes, particularly in the late 1960s. “I Started A Joke” was one of their more successful releases, as the song peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This song also made it to the Top 10 almost globally. No wonder Faith No More covered it in the late 90s! It’s a killer song.

“One” by Harry Nilsson from ‘Aerial Ballet’

Harry Nilsson dropped quite a few excellent tunes in the 1960s, but this single from Aerial Ballet is easily the most recognizable. I don’t think a baby boomer alive could forget that opening line: “One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do.” Sadly, the original version wasn’t particularly popular. Three Dog Night would cover the song the following year and take it to No. 5 on the Hot 100 chart.

“I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You” by Bee Gees from ‘Idea’

The Bee Gees make it to our list again, this time with another track from Idea. “I’ve Gotta Get A Message To You” is another pop-oriented soft rock tune from that album, and younger listeners might remember it better from the 2021 country-flavored version released by Barry Gibb, sung as a duet with singer Keith Urban. The original song was a success, peaking at No. 8 on the Hot 100 chart.

“Midnight Confessions” by The Grass Roots from ‘Golden Grass’

This blue-eyed soul hit has some soft rock elements that I think make it worthy of mention on our list of baby boomer rock tunes from 1968. “Midnight Confessions” by The Grass Roots sounded very of its time, but it was just teetering on the edge of early 70s soft rock. The song was a success, peaking at No. 5 on the Hot 100 chart.

Photo by Ivan Keeman/Redferns