#atozchallenge Top Ten: WPAR (1450 AM, Parkersburg WV), 3/8/68

A to Z Challenge 2 Minutes

Believe it or not, there is a place called Parkersburg, West Virginia, and I’ve even been there. WPAR was Parkersburg’s oldest radio station and played Top 40 through 1983, after which they changed hands and call letters several times, finally becoming WVAN on August 31 of last year, playing an oldies format. Their Top Ten from March 8, 1968 contains some of the best popular music from that year. In fact, I was sorely tempted to do all 21 songs from that day because it was all good.

#10 – The Human Beinz, "Nobody But Me": Title track from The Human Beinz’s first album, and a cover of The Isley Brothers’ song. This song reached #8 on the Hot 100 and was their only hit. Music critic Dave Marsh called this "The most negative song ever," referring to the fact that the word "no" is repeated over a hundred times in just over 2 minutes.

#9 – Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart, "I Wonder What She’s Doing Tonight": The songwriting duo of Boyce & Hart had three hit singles of their own and wrote several hits for other musical acts, most notably The Monkees. This was their only Top Ten hit, reaching #8.

#8 – The Foundations, "Baby Now That I’ve Found You": The Foundations were a British soul band in the late ’60’s. This song was written by Tony Macaulay and John Macleod. It topped the charts in the UK and reached #11 on the Hot 100 in late 1967 and early 1968.

#7 – Gene & Debbe, "Playboy": A short-lived husband-and-wife act, "Playboy" reached #17 on the Hot 100 and eventually earned a Gold record, just about the time the act (and the marriage) broke up.

#6 – The Association, "Everything That Touches You": A song written by The Association’s Terry Kirkman that reached #10 on the Hot 100 and #6 in Canada.

#5 – Dionne Warwick, "(Theme From) Valley Of The Dolls": Theme song of the 1967 movie starring Barbara Parkins, Patty Duke and Sharon Tate. Dionne Warwick sang the theme for the movie (although Dory Previn sings it on the soundtrack album). It spent four weeks at #2 on the Hot 100, behind the next two songs….

#4 – Paul Mauriat, "Love Is Blue": The song was Luxembourg’s entry into the 1967 Eurovision Song Contest, where it placed fourth. Mauriat’s instrumental version topped the Hot 100 for four weeks, and it earned a Gold record.

#3 – Otis Redding, "(Sittin’ On The) Dock Of The Bay": Written by Otis Redding and guitarist Steve Cropper and released after Redding’s death in late 1967, it reached #1 on the Hot 100 and the R&B chart in the US, #7 in Canada, and #3 in the UK.

#2 – 1910 Fruitgum Company, "Simon Says": Released in December 1967 and reached #4 in the US, #1 in Canada, and #2 in the UK.

#1 – The First Edition, "Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In)": From their eponymous 1967 debut album, a psychedelic pop song that reached #5 on the Hot 100 and was totally different than anything they had done before or since.

Back with Q tomorrow, and look for me on the Challenge blog!

Published by John Holton

Internet disc jockey, lover of old TV (especially the commercials), inveterate wise guy.

Published

34 thoughts on “#atozchallenge Top Ten: WPAR (1450 AM, Parkersburg WV), 3/8/68”

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  3. Wow, what a survey. So many songs here I haven’t heard in a long time plus some I just love – Everything That Touches You and Sitting on the Dock of the Bay, especially. Thank you!

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  5. This was an easy one. Otis Redding #3. Two reasons, I like the song and it was the only one on the list I knew, lol.

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  6. Hmm. Valley of the Dolls. I needed to either reread the book or rewatch the movie. Maybe this time I’m old enough to understand.

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      1. My mom never knew. I’m pretty sure she we’ve been upset with me. I read my sister’s copy many years after it was first published.

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  10. I too have been to Parkersburg or passing through a number of times. It’s not too far from the hometowns of my parents.

    That’s a great song list. I especially like the Association song. They did some outstanding songs that are still nice to listen to over 50 years later.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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    1. It’s right over the Ohio from Marietta, Ohio. We drove over there and had a drink. The airport is on top of a mountain, and when they land they have to hit the bricks to avoid going off the mountain…

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  13. Critic Marsh’s comment about the inordinate number of no’s in the song made me laugh. It’s certainly not something I’d want to play for a two-year-old to take encouragement from.

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  14. These were excellent but never did hear#7 or #6 which is ok for me:). I believe Boyce and Hart appeared on Bewitched when Serena wanted them for her Cotillion. They didn’t sing this song though. This was a great year for music and can hear the psychedelic movement come in.

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    1. Did you have “this song won’t play in your country” issues with #6 and 7? I found a website where I can check that out and thought those tested all right, unless you’ve moved to Kuwait or Cuba…

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        1. There was nothing blocking it on YouTube. The region checker said it was available in Canada on one and the other had no restrictions. Very strange…

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  18. Believe it or not, Pburg is my home town and my late mother at one time worked (in the office) at WPAR.

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