List of UK top-ten singles in 1969
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The UK Singles Chart is one of many music charts compiled by the Official Charts Company that calculates the best-selling singles of the week in the United Kingdom.[1] Before 2004, the chart was only based on the sales of physical singles.[2][3] This list shows singles that peaked in the Top 10 of the UK Singles Chart during 1969, as well as singles which peaked in 1968 and 1970 but were in the top 10 in 1969. The entry date is when the single appeared in the top 10 for the first time (week ending, as published by the Official Charts Company, which is six days after the chart is announced).
One-hundred and fifteen singles were in the top ten in 1969. Eight singles from 1968 remained in the top 10 for several weeks at the beginning of the year while "All I Have to Do Is Dream" by Bobbie Gentry and Glen Campbell, "Melting Pot" by Blue Mink, "Suspicious Minds" by Elvis Presley and "Tracy" by The Cuff Links were all released in 1969 but did not reach their peak until 1970. "Albatross" by Fleetwood Mac and "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" by Marmalade were the singles from 1968 to reach their peak in 1969. Thirty artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1969. David Bowie, Glen Campbell, Jethro Tull, Johnny Cash and Marvin Gaye were among the many artists who achieved their first UK charting top 10 single in 1969.
The 1968 Christmas number-one, "Lily the Pink" by The Scaffold, remained in the top 10 for the first weeks of 1969. The first new number-one single of the year was "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" by Marmalade. Overall, eighteen different singles peaked at number-one in 1969, with The Beatles (2) having the joint most singles hit that position.
Background
[edit]Multiple entries
[edit]One-hundred and fifteen singles charted in the top 10 in 1969, with one-hundred and five singles reaching their peak this year.
Thirty-one artists scored multiple entries in the top 10 in 1969. John Lennon secured the record for most top 10 hits in 1969 with four hit singles.
Amen Corner was one of a number of artists with two top-ten entries, including the number-one single "(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice". The Beach Boys, Elvis Presley, Marmalade. Simon & Garfunkel and The Temptations were among the other artists who had multiple top 10 entries in 1969.
Controversial French-language song reaches number-one
[edit]1969 saw a foreign-language song reach number-one in the UK Singles Chart for the first time in the chart's history; "Je t'aime... moi non plus" by Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg. The controversial French-language song was banned in several countries due to its overtly sexual content.
"Je t'aime..." was originally released in the UK by Fontana Records and the Fontana release entered the UK top 10 at number eight on 31 August 1969 (6 September 1969, week ending). However, after it had reached number two, Fontana deleted the single, allegedly because the wife of Fontana's boss was appalled at her husband's company releasing such a song. After this, "Je t'aime..." was picked up by Major Minor Records, who acquired the song's licensing rights and re-released the record. On 28 September 1969 (4 October 1969, week ending), the Major Minor release entered the UK chart at number three, while the Fontana release dropped out of the top 10 completely. The following week, the Major Minor release reached number-one, where it remained for one week.
Chart debuts
[edit]Forty-five artists achieved their first top 10 single in 1969, either as a lead or featured artist. Of these, eight went on to record another hit single that year: Bobbie Gentry, Clodagh Rodgers, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Desmond Dekker & the Aces, Glen Campbell, Jethro Tull, Peter Sarstedt and The Temptations. Marvin Gaye had two other entries in his breakthrough year.
The following table (collapsed on desktop site) does not include acts who had previously charted as part of a group and secured their first top 10 solo single.
- Notes
Robin Gibb was a member of the chart-topping British group Bee Gees, who had their first top 10 entry in 1967. His number two single "Saved by the Bell" was his debut appearance in the chart as a solo artist. Cass Elliot (known professionally as Mama Cass) sang in the band The Mamas & the Papas from 1965 to 1968 until they broke up. "It's Getting Better" was her only solo recording to reach the top 10 on the UK chart.
Songs from films
[edit]Original songs from various films entered the top 10 throughout the year. These included "The Windmills of Your Mind" (from The Thomas Crown Affair) and "Time Is Tight" (UpTight).
Best-selling singles
[edit]Until 1970 there was no universally recognised year-end best-sellers list. However, in 2011 the Official Charts Company released a list of the best-selling single of each year in chart history from 1952 to date. According to the list, "Sugar, Sugar" by The Archies is officially recorded as the biggest-selling single of 1969.
Top-ten singles
[edit]- Key
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ‡ | Single peaked in 1968 but still in chart in 1969. |
| ♦ | Single released in 1969 but peaked in 1970. |
| (#) | Year-end best-selling single. |
| Entered | The date that the single first appeared in the chart. |
| Peak | Highest position that the single reached in the UK Singles Chart. |
| Entered (week ending) |
Weeks in top 10 |
Single | Artist | Peak | Peak reached (week ending) |
Weeks at peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Singles in 1968 | ||||||
| 26 November 1968 | 9 | "Ain't Got No, I Got Life"/"Do What You Gotta Do" ‡ | Nina Simone | 2 | 24 December 1968 | 1 |
| 3 December 1968 | 10 | "Lily the Pink" ‡ | The Scaffold | 1 | 17 December 1968 | 4 |
| 10 December 1968 | 5 | "1–2–3 O'Leary" ‡ | Des O'Connor | 4 | 17 December 1968 | 3 |
| 17 December 1968 | 8 | "Build Me Up Buttercup" ‡ | The Foundations | 2 | 31 December 1968 | 2 |
| 7 | "I'm the Urban Spaceman" ‡ | Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band | 5 | 24 December 1968 | 3 | |
| 24 December 1968 | 5 | "Sabre Dance" ‡ | Love Sculpture | 5 | 31 December 1968 | 1 |
| 9 | "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" | Marmalade | 1 | 7 January 1969 | 3 | |
| 31 December 1968 | 10 | "Albatross" | Fleetwood Mac | 1 | 4 February 1969 | 1 |
| Singles in 1969 | ||||||
| 7 January 1969 | 2 | "Son of a Preacher Man" | Dusty Springfield | 9 | 7 January 1969 | 2 |
| 5 | "Something's Happening" | Herman's Hermits | 6 | 21 January 1969 | 2 | |
| 14 January 1969 | 7 | "For Once in My Life" | Stevie Wonder | 3 | 28 January 1969 | 3 |
| 21 January 1969 | 3 | "Private Number" | Judy Clay & William Bell | 8 | 28 January 1969 | 2 |
| 28 January 1969 | 6 | "Blackberry Way" | The Move | 1 | 11 February 1969 | 1 |
| 2 | "Fox on the Run" | Manfred Mann | 5 | 4 February 1969 | 1 | |
| 4 February 1969 | 4 | "You Got Soul" | Johnny Nash | 6 | 11 February 1969 | 1 |
| 11 February 1969 | 4 | "Dancing in the Street" | Martha and the Vandellas | 4 | 11 February 1969 | 1 |
| 2 | "To Love Somebody" | Nina Simone | 5 | 11 February 1969 | 1 | |
| 6 | "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" | Diana Ross & the Supremes & The Temptations | 3 | 25 February 1969 | 2 | |
| 7 | "Please Don't Go" | Donald Peers | 3 | 11 March 1969 | 1 | |
| 1 | "Mrs. Robinson (EP)" | Simon & Garfunkel | 9 | 11 February 1969 | 1 | |
| 18 February 1969 | 4 | "(If Paradise Is) Half as Nice" | Amen Corner | 1 | 18 February 1969 | 2 |
| 25 February 1969 | 7 | "Where Do You Go To (My Lovely)?" | Peter Sarstedt | 1 | 4 March 1969 | 4 |
| 5 | "The Way It Used to Be" | Engelbert Humperdinck | 3 | 18 March 1969 | 2 | |
| 4 March 1969 | 4 | "Wichita Lineman" | Glen Campbell | 7 | 11 March 1969 | 1 |
| 1 | "I'll Pick a Rose for My Rose" | Marv Johnson | 10 | 4 March 1969 | 1 | |
| 11 March 1969 | 4 | "Surround Yourself with Sorrow" | Cilla Black | 3 | 1 April 1969 | 1 |
| 9 | "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" | Marvin Gaye | 1 | 1 April 1969 | 3 | |
| 5 | "Monsieur Dupont" | Sandie Shaw | 6 | 8 April 1969 | 1 | |
| 8 | "Gentle on My Mind" | Dean Martin | 2 | 8 April 1969 | 1 | |
| 18 March 1969 | 4 | "First of May" | Bee Gees | 6 | 18 March 1969 | 1 |
| 25 March 1969 | 1 | "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" [D] | The Righteous Brothers | 10 | 25 March 1969 | 1 |
| 1 April 1969 | 4 | "Sorry Suzanne" | The Hollies | 3 | 8 April 1969 | 1 |
| 4 | "Games People Play" | Joe South | 6 | 1 April 1969 | 1 | |
| 6 | "Boom Bang-a-Bang" [E] | Lulu | 2 | 15 April 1969 | 1 | |
| 1 | "Get Ready" | The Temptations | 10 | 1 April 1969 | 1 | |
| 8 April 1969 | 7 | "Israelites" | Desmond Dekker & The Aces | 1 | 22 April 1969 | 1 |
| 4 | "In the Bad Bad Old Days (Before You Loved Me)" | The Foundations | 8 | 15 April 1969 | 2 | |
| 15 April 1969 | 7 | "Goodbye" | Mary Hopkin | 2 | 22 April 1969 | 3 |
| 6 | "Pinball Wizard" | The Who | 4 | 29 April 1969 | 3 | |
| 1 | "I Can Hear Music" | The Beach Boys | 10 | 15 April 1969 | 1 | |
| 22 April 1969 | 3 | "The Windmills of Your Mind" | Noel Harrison | 8 | 6 May 1969 | 1 |
| 29 April 1969 | 9 | "Get Back" | The Beatles with Billy Preston | 1 | 29 April 1969 | 6 |
| 6 | "Come Back and Shake Me" | Clodagh Rodgers | 3 | 13 May 1969 | 1 | |
| 6 May 1969 | 2 | "Cupid" | Johnny Nash | 6 | 6 May 1969 | 1 |
| 1 | "Harlem Shuffle" | Bob & Earl | 7 | 6 May 1969 | 1 | |
| 13 May 1969 | 5 | "My Sentimental Friend" | Herman's Hermits | 2 | 20 May 1969 | 2 |
| 6 | "Man of the World" | Fleetwood Mac | 2 | 3 June 1969 | 1 | |
| 5 | "Behind a Painted Smile" | The Isley Brothers | 5 | 27 May 1969 | 1 | |
| 7 | "My Way" | Frank Sinatra | 5 | 3 June 1969 | 2 | |
| 20 May 1969 | 6 | "The Boxer" | Simon & Garfunkel | 6 | 10 June 1969 | 1 |
| 27 May 1969 | 6 | "Dizzy" | Tommy Roe | 1 | 10 June 1969 | 1 |
| 4 | "Ragamuffin Man" | Manfred Mann | 8 | 3 June 1969 | 1 | |
| 3 June 1969 | 1 | "Love Me Tonight" | Tom Jones | 9 | 3 June 1969 | 1 |
| 10 June 1969 | 6 | "The Ballad of John and Yoko" | The Beatles | 1 | 17 June 1969 | 3 |
| 5 | "Oh Happy Day" | The Edwin Hawkins Singers | 2 | 24 June 1969 | 2 | |
| 17 June 1969 | 5 | "Time Is Tight" | Booker T. & the M.G.'s | 4 | 24 June 1969 | 2 |
| 2 | "The Tracks of My Tears" [F] | Smokey Robinson & The Miracles | 9 | 17 June 1969 | 1 | |
| 24 June 1969 | 4 | "Living in the Past" | Jethro Tull | 3 | 1 July 1969 | 1 |
| 1 | "Big Ship" | Cliff Richard | 8 | 24 June 1969 | 1 | |
| 8 | "In the Ghetto" | Elvis Presley | 2 | 8 July 1969 | 3 | |
| 1 July 1969 | 6 | "Something in the Air" | Thunderclap Newman | 1 | 8 July 1969 | 3 |
| 4 | "Break Away" | The Beach Boys | 6 | 15 July 1969 | 1 | |
| 4 | "Proud Mary" | Creedence Clearwater Revival | 8 | 15 July 1969 | 1 | |
| 8 July 1969 | 4 | "A Way of Life" | The Family Dogg | 6 | 22 July 1969 | 1 |
| 1 | "Frozen Orange Juice" | Peter Sarstedt | 10 | 8 July 1969 | 1 | |
| 15 July 1969 | 4 | "Hello Susie" | Amen Corner | 4 | 15 July 1969 | 1 |
| 11 | "Honky Tonk Women" | The Rolling Stones | 1 | 29 July 1969 | 5 | |
| 22 July 1969 | 6 | "Give Peace a Chance" | Plastic Ono Band | 2 | 29 July 1969 | 3 |
| 4 | "It Miek" | Desmond Dekker & The Aces | 7 | 22 July 1969 | 2 | |
| 4 | "Baby Make It Soon" | Marmalade | 9 | 22 July 1969 | 4 | |
| 29 July 1969 | 8 | "Saved by the Bell" | Robin Gibb | 2 | 16 August 1969 | 2 |
| 5 | "Goodnight Midnight" | Clodagh Rodgers | 4 | 9 August 1969 | 1 | |
| 2 August 1969 | 5 | "Make Me an Island" | Joe Dolan | 3 | 16 August 1969 | 1 |
| 9 August 1969 | 6 | "My Cherie Amour" | Stevie Wonder | 4 | 23 August 1969 | 3 |
| 3 | "Conversations" | Cilla Black | 7 | 16 August 1969 | 1 | |
| 16 August 1969 | 3 | "Early in the Morning" | Vanity Fare | 8 | 16 August 1969 | 1 |
| 1 | "Bringing on Back the Good Times" | Love Affair | 9 | 16 August 1969 | 1 | |
| 1 | "Wet Dream" | Max Romeo | 10 | 16 August 1969 | 1 | |
| 23 August 1969 | 7 | "In the Year 2525" | Zager and Evans | 1 | 30 August 1969 | 3 |
| 6 | "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" | Marvin Gaye | 5 | 13 September 1969 | 1 | |
| 30 August 1969 | 5 | "Viva Bobby Joe" | The Equals | 6 | 30 August 1969 | 1 |
| 7 | "Bad Moon Rising" | Creedence Clearwater Revival | 1 | 20 September 1969 | 3 | |
| 7 | "Don't Forget to Remember" | Bee Gees | 2 | 20 September 1969 | 1 | |
| 6 September 1969 | 9 | "Je t'aime... moi non plus" [G] | Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg | 1 | 11 October 1969 | 1 |
| 4 | "Natural Born Bugie" | Humble Pie | 4 | 13 September 1969 | 1 | |
| 20 September 1969 | 5 | "Good Morning Starshine" | Oliver | 6 | 4 October 1969 | 2 |
| 8 | "I'll Never Fall in Love Again" | Bobbie Gentry | 1 | 18 October 1969 | 1 | |
| 27 September 1969 | 6 | "A Boy Named Sue" | Johnny Cash | 4 | 4 October 1969 | 3 |
| 4 October 1969 | 2 | "Throw Down a Line" | Cliff Richard & Hank Marvin | 7 | 4 October 1969 | 1 |
| 2 | "It's Getting Better" | Mama Cass | 8 | 4 October 1969 | 1 | |
| 4 | "Lay Lady Lay" | Bob Dylan | 5 | 11 October 1969 | 1 | |
| 11 October 1969 | 7 | "Nobody's Child" | Karen Young | 6 | 18 October 1969 | 2 |
| 18 October 1969 | 5 | "I'm Gonna Make You Mine" | Lou Christie | 2 | 1 November 1969 | 1 |
| 5 | "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" | The Hollies | 3 | 1 November 1969 | 1 | |
| 4 | "Space Oddity" | David Bowie | 5 | 1 November 1969 | 1 | |
| 8 | "Oh Well" | Fleetwood Mac | 2 | 8 November 1969 | 2 | |
| 25 October 1969 | 14 | "Sugar, Sugar" (#1) | The Archies | 1 | 25 October 1969 | 8 |
| 1 November 1969 | 5 | "Return of Django"/"Dollar in the Teeth" | The Upsetters | 5 | 8 November 1969 | 3 |
| 8 November 1969 | 2 | "Love's Been Good to Me" | Frank Sinatra | 8 | 8 November 1969 | 2 |
| 1 | "Delta Lady" | Joe Cocker | 10 | 8 November 1969 | 1 | |
| 15 November 1969 | 6 | "(Call Me) Number One" | The Tremeloes | 2 | 22 November 1969 | 2 |
| 4 | "Something"/"Come Together" | The Beatles | 4 | 22 November 1969 | 1 | |
| 4 | "Wonderful World, Beautiful People" [H] | Jimmy Cliff | 6 | 22 November 1969 | 1 | |
| 22 November 1969 | 3 | "Sweet Dream" | Jethro Tull | 7 | 22 November 1969 | 1 |
| 12 | "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love to Town" | Kenny Rogers and The First Edition | 2 | 13 December 1969 | 6 | |
| 8 | "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday" | Stevie Wonder | 2 | 6 December 1969 | 1 | |
| 29 November 1969 | 2 | "The Liquidator" [I] | Harry J All Stars | 9 | 29 November 1969 | 1 |
| 6 December 1969 | 12 | "Two Little Boys" | Rolf Harris | 1 | 20 December 1969 | 6 |
| 8 | "Melting Pot" ♦ | Blue Mink | 3 | 10 January 1970 | 1 | |
| 9 | "Suspicious Minds" ♦ | Elvis Presley | 2 | 17 January 1970 | 1 | |
| 13 December 1969 | 4 | "Winter World of Love" | Engelbert Humperdinck | 7 | 13 December 1969 | 1 |
| 1 | "The Onion Song" | Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell | 9 | 13 December 1969 | 1 | |
| 20 December 1969 | 6 | "Tracy" ♦ | The Cuff Links | 4 | 10 January 1970 | 1 |
| 7 | "All I Have to Do Is Dream" ♦ | Bobbie Gentry & Glen Campbell | 3 | 17 January 1970 | 1 | |
| 27 December 1969 | 2 | "Without Love (There is Nothing)" | Tom Jones | 10 | 27 December 1969 | 2 |
Entries by artist
[edit]
The following table shows artists who achieved two or more top 10 entries in 1969, including singles that reached their peak in 1968 or 1970. The figures include both main artists and featured artists, while appearances on ensemble charity records are also counted for each artist. The total number of weeks an artist spent in the top ten in 1969 is also shown.
Notes
[edit]- a "All I Have to Do Is Dream" reached its peak of number three on 17 January 1970 (week ending).
- b "Melting Pot" reached its peak of number three on 10 January 1970 (week ending).
- c "Tracy" reached its peak of number four on 10 January 1970 (week ending).
- d "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'" originally peaked at number-one on its initial release in 1965.
- e "Boom Bang-a-Bang" was the United Kingdom's winning entry (tied) at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1969.
- f "The Tracks of My Tears" re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 1 July 1969 (week ending).
- g "Je t'aime... moi non plus" was originally released in the UK by Fontana Records and the Fontana release enjoyed a four-week run in the top 10 from 6 September 1969 (week ending). After Fontana deleted the single during its UK chart ascent, it was picked up by Major Minor Records, who acquired the song's licensing rights and re-released the record. The Major Minor release enjoyed a five-week run in the top 10 from 4 October 1969 (week ending) and reached number-one on 11 October 1969 (week ending).
- h "Wonderful World, Beautiful People" re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 13 December 1969 (week ending).
- i "The Liquidator" re-entered the top 10 at number 10 on 10 January 1970 (week ending).
- j Figure includes single that first charted in 1968 but peaked in 1969.
- k Figure includes three top 10 hits with the group The Beatles.
- l Figure includes two top 10 hits with the group Bee Gees.
- m Figure includes single that peaked in 1970.
- n Figure includes single that peaked in 1968.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]General
- "Six decades of singles charts". The Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 3 March 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2018.
Specific
- ^ "The Official UK Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
- ^ Roberts, David (2005). Guinness World Records: British Hit Singles and Albums (18th edition). Guinness World Records Limited. p. 14. ISBN 1-904994-00-8.
- ^ "New singles formats to save the charts". BBC News. 16 October 2003. Retrieved 21 February 2010.
External links
[edit]- 1969 singles chart archive at the Official Charts Company (click on relevant week)
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