6 of the 60s: 4/23/14 (1969)...

It's 60s flashback humpday, and this time I'll go back to 1969, with a half-dozen more nuggets from the year the first temporary artificial heart was put in by Dr. Cooley in Texas...

Peter, Paul & Mary - "Leaving On A Jet Plane"
from the album Album 1700 (1967)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #1
Songwriter: John Denver

The iconic folksong written by the future 70s pop star took two years after its release to catch on with the American public to become the trio's only single to top the pop chart.

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Edwin Hawkins Singers - "Oh Happy Day"
from the album Let Us Go Into The House Of The Lord (1968)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #4
Songwriter: Traditional (18th century hymn) arranged by Edwin Hawkins

This adaptation from a passage from the Book of Acts of the Apostles brought religion to the top of the pop charts that year.

Desmond Dekker & The Aces - "Israelites"
from the album The Israelites (1969)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #9
Songwriters: Desmond Dekker, Leslie Kong

One of the biggest ever hits of the reggae genre in the US, this classic by the Jamaican native mixes the story of Moses with some good old westerns of Bonnie and Clyde to a swaying beat.

Dusty Springfield - "Son-Of-A-Preacher Man"
from the album Dusty In Memphis (1969)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #10
Songwriters: John Hurley, Ronnie Wilkins

The queen of British blue-eyed soul conquered our hearts with this tale of a different kind of evangelism.

Neil Diamond - "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show"
from the album Sweet Caroline (Aka Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show) (1969)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: 22
Songwriter: Neil Diamond

This single was protested at first even though it was a celebration of American gospel, because, you know, the South.

The Impressions - "This Is My Country"
from the album This Is My Country (1968)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #25
Songwriter: Curtis Mayfield

After today's misguided decision by the Supreme Court on affirmative action, this is a good reminder that "real America" isn't just a Ivory Snow commercial.

Johnnie Taylor - "Testify (I Wonna)"
from the album The Johnnie Taylor Philosophy Continues (1969)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #36
Songwriters: George Clinton, Johnnie Taylor

Taylor revamped the Parliaments hit from a couple years before for his own spiritual moment.