It's My Life

In 1965 the British band The Animals were riding high with a series of solid hit records.  "It's My Life" was a top ten hit around the world, going to #2 in Canada and #7 in England.  Part of the wave of social consciousness songs of the era, the song is a tremendous cry for individual independence, but today it's largely ignored... another forgotten oldie.
watch a great clip here

The Miraculous Hump Returns From the Moon

The San Francisco based band Sopwith Camel had several interesting factoids.  They were the first San Francisco band to score a top 40 hit, "Hello Hello" in 1967.  Their producer also handled the Lovin' Spoonful, so there's a noticeable sound similarity.  Finally, they had the best album title ever... The Miraculous Hump Returns From The Moon.  Today, they are pretty much a one-hit wonder that's mostly forgotten...
Reunion version

I Started A Joke

In  1968 the Bee Gees established themselves as more than one-hit-wonders when their second single to break into the top ten went gold.  "I Started A Joke" was another Bee Gee song that people said had special meaning in the lyrics, but the band said the words just went well together when they wrote it.  None-the-less, it's kind of a cool song, mostly forgotten today.
watch here

Lighthouse

Lighthouse was a 13 piece Canadian band in 1971 when they climbed to #24 on the Hot 100 with "One Fine Morning".  Similar to Blood Sweat and Tears, Chicago and Tower of Power, the band was half rock and half jazz and extremely popular, going gold with three albums before fading into obscurity.  "One Fine Morning" is a great song, today forgotten.
watch and listen here

Liar

At a time when they dominated the radio airwaves, Three Dog Night had another of a long list of hits in 1971 with the song "Liar".  Reaching #7 on the Hot 100, the song showed fans a darker side of the band and varied greatly from their normal music. It's actually the song that prompted me to buy my first 3-dog album, my favorite of all their songs, and today another forgotten oldie.
watch a rare cut here

Alone Again Naturally

When Irish singer Gilbert O'Sullivan hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and stayed #1 for six weeks, I never thought the song would be a forgotten oldie.  It was the #2 song for the entire year in 1972, and #3 in Great Britain.  Today, it's just one more forgotten oldie...
listen here

Yardbirds

I love the Yardbirds.  Their music was edgy, experimental, and always good.  They served as a springboard for three of the era's greatest guitarists, Clapton, Beck and Page... all wore the Yardbirds' mantle.  They were for a time, the kings of the London music scene and in some ways were more influential than anyone else.  They broke up 48 years ago today, on July 7, 1968 but their breakup created another great band - Led Zeppelin.  Here's a tribute to honor a great band, and a forgotten oldie from the Yadbirds... "Over Under Sideways Down" which went to #13 on the hot 100 in May of 1966.
listen here

Gene Pitney

In the early 60's, during the height of the British Invasion, one American solo act churned out hit after hit.  Gene Pitney scored 16 top 40 hits in the USA, four in the top ten.  He was also huge in England and Europe and even hung out with the Rolling Stones.  And even better, he wrote many of his songs.  In July of 1964, he went all the way to #6 with "It Hurts To Be In Love".  Remember, this at a time when Americans were mostly ignored by record buyers.  This song as well as most of Pitney's songs, are mostly forgotten today.
listen here