Rant #2,237: Cheap Thrills While Waiting For the Sun and Feliciano

Preface: I thought today was going to be a normal Friday, but little did I know that I would not be going to work today for a number of reasons, one of which has to do with my father, who is still recuperating from his fall, and the other which has to do with some work we are having done at the house.

I am not going to get into detail, but it is just one of those days that we all have had where we really need to be home.

So here I am ... but since I did not know about this "day off" until just a little while ago, I figured a Rant was in order, so I made it a little easy on myself today.

Just go with the flow and I will do better next week. Thanks.

Since I did last week's Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits for the week of October 5, 1968--50 years ago--last week, I figured it was time to look at the top-selling albums of 50 years ago, so for the week of October 12, 1968, there are the Top 10 Billboard Top Selling Albums for that week.

This was really a golden age of music, and this last is as fascinating to look back on as the singles list was a week ago.

Topping this week's list is "Cheap Thrills" by Big Brother and the Holding Company. This was Janis Joplin's really opus recording, where she became known to the world as one of its greatest vocalists. The album rose three places from No. 4 during the previous week, and this was its seventh week on the chart.

Featuring "Ball and Chain," the album was Joplin's last with Big Brother, and she subsequently moved onto to much success with other bands and as a solo artist.

At No. 2 was the Doors' "Waiting For the Sun," which fell from the top perch on the chart during its 10th week. Propelled by "Hello I Love You," the album was the band's first and only No. 1 album.

Blind guitarist Jose Feliciano had the number 3 LP on the chart with "Feliciano," which was at No. 3, its peak position on the chart in its 13th week, the same position that it ranked on the prior week's chart.

This was followed at No. 4 by the Rascals' "Time Peace/The Rascals' Greatest Hits," a compilation of the band's top singles. It fell from No. 2 during its 14th week on the chart, and was a No. 1 album during this year.

One of the most popular entertainers of the late 1960s came in with the No. 5 album of the week, and that was Glen Campbell, with "Gentle On My Mind." In its 33rd week on the chart, this would be its peak position, moving up one place from last week.

One of the most atmospheric LPs of that time period, "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" by Iron Butterfly, followed at No. 6. Featuring its title track in all of its 18-minute glory, the LP reached its peak position this week in its 13th week on the chart, moving up from No. 10 the prior week.

Johnny Rivers' "Realization" captured the seventh spot on the charts this week, its 16th on the chart. It stayed at this level from the prior week, having peaked at No. 5 during its 16 week run.

Another atmospheric offering from this time period was "The Time Has Come," from the Chambers Brothers, which followed in the eighth spot, jumping from No. 13 during the past week. This was its peak position, during its 35th week on the chart.

At No. 9 was "Crown of Creation" by the Jefferson Airplane, which jumped from No. 14 the prior week. This was its sixth week on the chart, and this was its peak chart position.

Finally, at No. 10 was Steppenwolf's debut LP, which dipped down to this spot from the ninth position of the prior week. The album, which peaked at No. 6, enjoyed its 32nd week on the chart during this week.

Some other notes on this week's Top 200 Albums chart: the Jimi Hendrix Experience came in at No. 11 with "Are You Experienced" followed by two Cream albums, "Wheels of Fire" and "Disraeli Gears." The "Wild In the Streets" soundtrack was at No. 14; Glen Campbell and his "By the Time I Get to Phoenix" was at No. 15, followed by another country tinged album, this one Johnny Cash's "At Folsom Prison'; and the four LPs filling at out the last spots in this weeks Top 20 were "The Graduate" soundtrack; Arthur Brown's "The Crazy World of Arthur Brown"; "Idea" by the Bee Gees; and "Bookends" by Simon and Garfunkel.

Just missing that cut was Canned Heat's "Boogie With Canned Heat."

What, no Beatles? The Fab Four actually had two LPs on the chart, "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" at No. 55 and the "Magical Mystery Tour" soundtrack at No. 91.

What, no Monkees? The Pre-Fab Four actually had two LPs on the chart too, "The Birds, the Bees and the Monkees" at No. 80 and "Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd." at No. 192.

And what held up the bottom of this week's chart? At No. 200 was "1,2.3 Red Light" by the 1910 Fruitgum Company.

Whew! That is pretty much it, and to say that this was a really classic week of LPs from the 1960s would be a bit of an understatement!

Speak to you again on Monday, and have a great weekend.