Fifty years ago was the (in)famous "Summer of Love" when the Hippie movement took off in San Francisco. Looking back at the Billboard top 100 hit list for the year shows an incredible diversity of good music, some inspired by the SOL, but lots of different musical currents -- pop, blues, psychedelic/flower child rock, soul, even country and jazz -- coming together in a way we just don't seem to see with music today. Here are a few favorites from that year, with their Billboard rank. Hard to believe some of these are half a century old:
1 "To Sir With Love" Lulu
2 "The Letter" The Box Tops
3 "Ode to Billie Joe" Bobbie Gentry
4 "Windy" The Association
5 "I'm a Believer" The Monkees
6 "Light My Fire" The Doors
8 "Happy Together" The Turtles
9 "Groovin'" The Young Rascals
10 "Can't Take My Eyes off You" Frankie Valli
11 "Little Bit O' Soul" The Music Explosion
12 "I Think We're Alone Now" Tommy James and the Shondells
13 "Respect" Aretha Franklin
14 "I Was Made to Love Her" Stevie Wonder
16 "Kind of a Drag" The Buckinghams
19 "Soul Man" Sam & Dave
20 "Never My Love" The Association
24 "Ruby Tuesday" The Rolling Stones
27 "For What It's Worth" Buffalo Springfield
30 "All You Need Is Love" The Beatles
33 "Somebody to Love" Jefferson Airplane
35 "Brown Eyed Girl" Van Morrison
38 "A Whiter Shade of Pale" Procol Harum
45 "Silence Is Golden" The Tremeloes
46 "My Cup Runneth Over" Ed Ames
47 "Up, Up and Away" The 5th Dimension
48 "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" Scott McKenzie
49 "The Rain, The Park & Other Things" The Cowsills
50 "There's a Kind of Hush" Herman's Hermits
53 "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" Jackie Wilson
55 "Penny Lane" The Beatles
60 "A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You" The Monkees
68 "Gimme Some Lovin'" The Spencer Davis Group
72 "Groovin'" Booker T & the M.G.'s
76 "Tell It Like It Is" Aaron Neville
81 "White Rabbit" Jefferson Airplane
86 "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon" Neil Diamond
87 "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
91 "I Dig Rock and Roll Music" Peter, Paul and Mary
93 "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" The Electric Prunes
94 "Daydream Believer" The Monkees
95 "Baby I Need Your Lovin'" Johnny Rivers
98 "I Can See for Miles" The Who
1 "To Sir With Love" Lulu
2 "The Letter" The Box Tops
3 "Ode to Billie Joe" Bobbie Gentry
4 "Windy" The Association
5 "I'm a Believer" The Monkees
6 "Light My Fire" The Doors
8 "Happy Together" The Turtles
9 "Groovin'" The Young Rascals
10 "Can't Take My Eyes off You" Frankie Valli
11 "Little Bit O' Soul" The Music Explosion
12 "I Think We're Alone Now" Tommy James and the Shondells
13 "Respect" Aretha Franklin
14 "I Was Made to Love Her" Stevie Wonder
16 "Kind of a Drag" The Buckinghams
19 "Soul Man" Sam & Dave
20 "Never My Love" The Association
24 "Ruby Tuesday" The Rolling Stones
27 "For What It's Worth" Buffalo Springfield
30 "All You Need Is Love" The Beatles
33 "Somebody to Love" Jefferson Airplane
35 "Brown Eyed Girl" Van Morrison
38 "A Whiter Shade of Pale" Procol Harum
45 "Silence Is Golden" The Tremeloes
46 "My Cup Runneth Over" Ed Ames
47 "Up, Up and Away" The 5th Dimension
48 "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)" Scott McKenzie
49 "The Rain, The Park & Other Things" The Cowsills
50 "There's a Kind of Hush" Herman's Hermits
53 "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher" Jackie Wilson
55 "Penny Lane" The Beatles
60 "A Little Bit Me, a Little Bit You" The Monkees
68 "Gimme Some Lovin'" The Spencer Davis Group
72 "Groovin'" Booker T & the M.G.'s
76 "Tell It Like It Is" Aaron Neville
81 "White Rabbit" Jefferson Airplane
86 "Girl, You'll Be a Woman Soon" Neil Diamond
87 "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
91 "I Dig Rock and Roll Music" Peter, Paul and Mary
93 "I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night)" The Electric Prunes
94 "Daydream Believer" The Monkees
95 "Baby I Need Your Lovin'" Johnny Rivers
98 "I Can See for Miles" The Who
