1969! The Year that was.....
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- As President Nixon took office, the American death toll in the Viet Nam war reached 34,000.
- Max Yasgur's farm near Bethel, New York,became the second-largest city in New York when nearly 400,000 converged on the area for the Woodstock Music And Art Fair. Police looked the other way as the counterculture celebrated its largest gathering with peace, music, sex, drugs and rock and roll. Heavy press coverage makes the event seem larger than it was and shows the passing of baby boomers from young children to adult children.
- Charmin Bathroom Tissue went from obscurity to America's best-seller, due to an ad campaign featuring grocer Mr. Whipple, portrayed by character actor Dick Wilson.
- Boeing 747 and Concorde first flight
- In time for perhaps the very last of the boomers, Sesame Street debuts on television.
- But also, Penthouse begins publication... in plenty of time for the boomers.
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- July 21: The U.S. wins the space race convincingly by landing a man on the moon. Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin, and Michael Collins fly on board Apollo 11. "Houston... Tranquility Base, here; the Eagle has landed." Event of the century? Possibly; we all thought so at the time. We met the late president's challenge and conquered outer space. This gave Americans confidence that we could beat the Russians in anything... if put to the test.
- The ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) claims that marijuana is harmless to both the user and society in general.
- The U.S. spends no more money than it takes in. That won't happen again till the boomers hit 50.
- Hurricane Camille hits the Mississippi gulf coast killing 248; damage is set at $1.5 billion.
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- Dr. Laurence Peter introduces the world to his "Peter Principle," which states that workers rise to their level of incompetence.
- As the first of the boomers reach their 20's, the cost of medical care begins to rise sharply.
- "Marcus Welby" and "Monthy Python's Flying Circus" debut on television.
- November 15: 250,000 protestors (mostly students) march against the war in Washington, D.C. It is only fitting that the decade ends with just as much excitement and turmoil as it began.
- December 1: The Selective Service conducts the first draft lottery since 1942, affecting 800,000 males born between 1944 and 1950.
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1969 Grammy Winners
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Record of the Year
Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In; 5th Dimension
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Album of the Year
Blood, Sweat and Tears; Blood, Sweat and Tears
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Song of the Year
Games People Play; Joe South - songwriter
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Best New Artist of 1969
Crosby, Stills and Nash
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Best Contemporary Song
Games People Play; Joe South - songwriter
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Best Contemporary Vocal Performance - Male
Everybody's Talkin'; Harry Nilsson
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Best Contemporary Vocal Performance - Female
Is That All There Is; Peggy Lee
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Best Contemporary Vocal Performance By a Group
Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In; 5th Dimension
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Best Contemporary Performance By a Chorus
Love Theme From Romeo and Juliet; Percy Faith Orchestra and Chorus
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Best Contemporary Instrumental Performance
Variations on a Theme by Eric Satie; Blood, Sweat and Tears
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Best Rhythm and Blues Song
Color Him Father; Richard Spencer - songwriter
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Best Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance - Male
The Chokin' Kind; Joe Simon
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Best Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance - Female
Share Your Love With Me; Aretha Franklin
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Best Rhythm and Blues Vocal Performance By a Group or Duo
It's Your Thing; Isley Brothers
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Best Country Song
A Boy Named Sue; Shel Silverstein - songwriter
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Best Country Vocal Performance - Male
A Boy Named Sue; Johnny Cash
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Best Country Vocal Performance - Female
Stand by Your Man; Tammy Wynette
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Best Country Performance By a Duo or Group
MacArthur Park; Waylon Jennings and the Kimberlys
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Best Instrumental Arrangement
Love Theme From Romeo and Juliet; Henry Mancini - arranger
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Best Instrumental Theme
Midnight Cowboy; John Barry - composer
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Best Score From an Original Cast Show Album
Promises, Promises Burt Bacharach and Hal Davis - composers
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Best Original Score Written for Motion Picture or Television
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid; Burt Bacharach - composer
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Album of the Year - Classical
Switched-On Bach; Walter Carlos
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Best Album Cover
America the Beautiful; Kelbish-painting, Stahlberg-graphics
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1969 Oscar Nominations (winner is underlined)
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Best Picture
Anne of the Thousand Days
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Hello, Dolly!
Midnight Cowboy
Z
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Best Director
Arthur Penn for Alice's Restaurant
Costa-Gavras for Z
George Roy Hill for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
John Schlesinger for Midnight Cowboy
Sydney Pollack for They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
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Best Actor
Dustin Hoffman for Midnight Cowboy
John Wayne for True Grit
Jon Voight for Midnight Cowboy
Peter O'Toole for Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Richard Burton for Anne of the Thousand Days
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Best Actress
Genevieve Bujold for Anne of the Thousand Days
Jane Fonda for They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Jean Simmons for The Happy Ending
Liza Minnelli for The Sterile Cuckoo
Maggie Smith for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
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Best Supporting Actor
Anthony Quayle for Anne of the Thousand Days
Elliott Gould for Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice
Gig Young for They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Jack Nicholson for Easy Rider
Rupert Crosse for The Reivers
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Best Supporting Actress
Catherine Burns for Last Summer
Dyan Cannon for Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice
Goldie Hawn for Cactus Flower
Susannah York for They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Sylvia Miles for Midnight Cowboy
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Top 50 Songs of 1969
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1.
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SUGAR SUGAR
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Archies
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2.
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AQUARIUS c/w LET THE SUNSHINE IN
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Fifth Dimension
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3.
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I CAN'T GET NEXT TO YOU
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Temptations
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4.
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HONKY TONK WOMEN
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Rolling Stones
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5.
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EVERYDAY PEOPLE
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Sly & The Family Stone
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6.
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DIZZY
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Tommy Roe
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7.
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HOT FUN IN THE SUMMERTIME
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Sly & The Family Stone
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8.
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I'LL NEVER FALL IN LOVE AGAIN
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Tom Jones
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9.
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BUILD ME UP BUTTERCUP
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Foundations
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10.
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CRIMSON AND CLOVER
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Tommy James & The Shondells
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11.
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ONE
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Three Dog Night
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12.
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CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION
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Tommy James & The Shondells
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13.
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HAIR
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Cowsills
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14.
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TOO BUSY THINKING ABOUT MY BABY
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Marvin Gaye
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15.
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LOVE THEME FROM "ROMEO AND JULIET"
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Henry Mancini & His Orchestra
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16.
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GET TOGETHER
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Youngbloods
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17.
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GRAZIN' IN THE GRASS
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Friends of Distinction
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18.
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SUSPICIOUS MINDS
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Elvis Presley
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19.
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PROUD MARY
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Creedence Clearwater Revival
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20.
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WHAT DOES IT TAKE (TO WIN YOUR LOVE)
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Jnr. Walker & The All Stars
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21.
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IT'S YOUR THING
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Isley Brothers
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22.
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SWEET CAROLINE
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Neil Diamond
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23.
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JEAN
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Oliver
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24.
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BAD MOON RISING
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Creedence Clearwater Revival
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25.
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GET BACK
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Beatles
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26.
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IN THE YEAR 2525
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Zager & Evans
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27.
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SPINNING WHEEL
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Blood, Sweat & Tears
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28.
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BABY, I LOVE YOU
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Andy Kim
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29.
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GOING IN CIRCLES
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Friends Of Distinction
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30.
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HURT SO BAD
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Lettermen
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31.
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GREEN RIVER
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Creedence Clearwater Revival
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32.
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MY CHERIE AMOUR
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Stevie Wonder
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33.
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EASY TO BE HARD
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Three Dog Night
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34.
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BABY IT'S YOU
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Smith
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35.
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IN THE GHETTO
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Elvis Presley
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36.
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A BOY NAMED SUE
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Johnny Cash
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37.
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BABY, BABY DON'T CRY
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Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
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38.
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ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE
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Jerry Butler
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39.
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TIME OF THE SEASON
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Zombies
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40.
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WEDDING BELL BLUES
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Fifth Dimension
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41.
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LITTLE WOMAN
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Bobby Sherman
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42.
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LOVE (CAN MAKE YOU HAPPY)
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Mercy
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43.
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GOOD MORNING STARSHINE
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Oliver
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44.
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THESE EYES
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Guess Who
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45.
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YOU'VE MADE ME SO VERY HAPPY
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Blood, Sweat & Tears
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46.
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PUT A LITTLE LOVE IN YOUR HEART
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Jackie DeShannon
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47.
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DO YOUR THING
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Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band
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48.
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I'D WAIT A MILLION YEARS
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Grass Roots
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49.
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TOUCH ME
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Doors
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50.
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MORE TODAY THAN YESTERDAY
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Spiral Starecase
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