Every Entry Into The Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart- 1969- Part 132. The three singles today are the top debuting singles for the week of August 16, 1969- “I Can’t Get Next To You’- The Temptations, “Jean”- Oliver and “Everybody’s Talkin'”- Nilsson.
422. “I Can’t Get Next To You”- The Temptations. Gordy. Soul. Written by Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield. B-side:”Running Away [Ain’t Gonna Help You} Peaked at #1 and spent 17 weeks on the chart. The second #1 by The Temptations -they would have four during their career- “My Girl”, “I Can’t Get Next To You”, ‘Just My Imagination” and “Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone.” This was the 5th of 6 Hot 100 singles in 1969 for The Temptations. Grade: A+.
423. “Jean”- Oliver. Crewe. Pop. Written by Rod McKuen. B-side:”The Arrangement.” Peaked at #2 and spent 14 weeks on the chart. 1969 was the year for Oliver- earlier he had a #3 hit with “Good Morning Starshine”- after “Jean” he would have only a couple more Hot 100 hits and fade into oblivion. Grade: B
424. “Everybody’s Talkin'”-Nilsson. RCA. Written by Fred Neil. B-side:”Rainmaker” Peaked at #6 and spent 12 weeks on the chart. The theme song from the movie “Midnight Cowboy” one -if not the top movie of the year. Nilsson would have 10 Hot 100 singles in his career with 8 making the Top 40. Harry Nilsson was a great songwriter but ironically his two biggest hits were written by someone else- “Without You” #1 in 1971 was originally by Badfinger and this one was written by Fred Neil. Grade: A+
What a good week for new music. It’s odd that I don’t ever remember hearing ‘Can’t Get Next to You’ back then. The first time I remember hearing it was in the movie Hope Floats.
There are those songs that sometimes seem to slip through- and you discover them years later..must have been one of them!
Love ‘Everybody’s talkin’. Been in my head for a long time. great lyrics that bring up some cool images. Loved the film.
Great film- Great song! You can’t think of one without thinking of the other!
Another trifecta of great songs. Love all 3 of them.