1969 'F... comme femme'... TV novelas rule

As 1968 ended with The Beatles' 'Hey Jude' at #1 in the charts, 1969 started with Apple's first single release Mary Hopkins's 'Those were the days' sung by new-face Mary Hopkins at #1.

Adamo's 'F... comme femme' and The Bee Gees' 'I started a joke' started a trend of inserting foreign hits on soap-operas aka novelas shown nightly on TV Tupi. 'Beto Rockfeller' - which ran from 4 November 1968 to 30 November 1969 - was the first drama to over-use this system.

Best-selling foreign-language singles in 1969 in Brazil 

1. Those were the days - Mary Hopkins (Apple-Odeon)

2. F... come femme - Adamo (Odeon) (novela 'Beto Rockfeller')

3. I started a joke - Bee Gees (Polydor) (novela 'Beto Rockfeller')

4. Something - The Beatles (Apple-Odeon)

5. I’ve been hurt - Bill Deal & the Rhondels (Polydor)

6. To sir with love - Lulu (Odeon)

7. Proud Mary - Credence Clearwater Revival (RCA)

8. Aquarius / Let the sunshine in - 5th Dimension (Soul City-RCA)

9. Georgia on my mind - The Uniques (Paula-Continental)
10. Love is all - Malcolm Roberts (Fermata)

11. Get back - The Beatles (Odeon)

12. The ballad of John & Yoko - The Beatles (Apple-Odeon)

13. The boxer - Simon & Garfunkel (CBS)

14. Traces - Classics IV (RCA)

15. Abraham, Martin and John - Moms Mobley (Mercury) (novela 'Beto Rockfeller')

16. Sugar sugar - The Archies (RCA)

17. Goodbye / Sparrow - Mary Hopkins (Apple-Odeon)
18. You've got your troubles - Jack Jones (Kapp-Chantecler) (novela 'Beto Rockfeller') 

19. You’ve made me so very happy - Blood, Sweat & Tears (CBS)

20. Stormy - Classics IV (RCA)

21. Good morning, starshine - Oliver (RCA)

22. Zingara - Bobby Solo (Ricordi-Chantecler)

23. Crimson and clover - Tommy James & the Shondells (Roulette-RGE)

24. Crystal blue persuasion - Tommy James & the Shondells  (Roulette-RGE)

25. Atlantis / To Susan in the West Coast waiting - Donovan (CBS)

26. My cherie, amour - Stevie Wonder (Tamla-Rozenblit-Ebrau)

27. Daydream - Wallace Collection (Odeon) 

28. Dizzy - Tommy Roe (ABC-Fermata)

29. Ti voglio tanto bene - Rossano (Philips)

30. These eyes - Guess Who  (RCA)

31. Sentado à beira do caminho - Erasmo Carlos (RGE) 6 wks at #1

32. Aquele abraço - Gilberto Gil (Philips)

33. País tropical - Wilson Simonal (Odeon) 3 wks at #1

34. Tudo passará - Nelson Ned (Copacabana) 4 wks at #1

35. Sou louca por você - Elizabeth (Caravelle)

36. Um rio que passou em minha vida - Paulinho da Viola (Odeon)

37. O pequeno burguês - Martinho da Vila (RCA)

38. Uma lagrima (Una lacrima) -  Paulo Henrique (RCA)

39. Adeus solidão (Picking up pebbles) - Carmen Silva (RCA)

40. Eu disse adeus - Roberto Carlos (CBS)

 

41. Spinning wheel - Blood, Sweat and Tears (CBS)

42. Soulful Strut - Young-Holt Unlimited (Brunswick-Chantecler) 

43. What does it take? - Junior Walker & the All Stars (Motown-Tapecar)

44. Gimme gimme good lovin' - Crazy Elephant (Bell-Odeon)

45. Build me up buttercup - Foundations (Pye-Musidisc)

46. Just a dream ago - Rita Moss (Dot-RGE)
47. Baby, I love you - Andy Kim (Dot-Steed-Young) 

48. Lay lady lay - Bob Dylan (CBS)

49. Je t’aime (Moi non plus) - Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsburg (Philips)

50. Sweet Caroline - Neil Diamond Chantecler)

51. Mudando de conversa - Doris Monteiro (Odeon)

52. Adeus ingrata - Claudio Fontana (Copacabana)

53. Não há lugar nem céu bonito - Elizabeth (Caravelle)

54. 2001 / Don Quixote - Os Mutantes (Polydor)

55. Charles,  Anjo 45 -  Caetano Veloso & Jorge Ben (Philips)

56. Que pena - Gal Costa & Caetano Veloso (Philips)

57. Só o ôme - Noriel Vilela (Copacabana)

58. Yester-me, yester-you, yesterday - Stevie Wonder (Tamla-Ebrau)

59. Time of the season - The Zombies (Epic)

60. Custe o que custar - Roberto Carlos (CBS)

61. In the ghetto - Elvis Presley (RCA)

62. Suspicious mind - Elvis Presley (RCA)

63. Honky tonky women - Rolling Stones (London)

64. 

65. Jean - Oliver (RCA)

66. Casaco marrom - Evinha (Odeon)

67. 

68. Não identificado - Gal Costa (Philips)

69. Férias na India - Nilton Cesar (RCA)

70. Aqui - Martinha (Copacabana)

71. Zucchero - Rita Pavone (Ricordi-Chantecler)

72. Love me tonight - Tom Jones (London-Odeon) 

73. Minha madrinha - Paulo Sérgio (Caravelle)

74. Eu vou sair para buscar você - Agnaldo Timóteo (Odeon) 

75. Atras do trio elétrico - Caetano Veloso (Philips)

76. Eu amo e não sou correspondida - Elizabeth (Caravelle)

77. Stella - Fabio (RCA)

78. Cantiga por Luciana - Evinha (Odeon)

79. Sinal fechado - Paulinho da Viola (Odeon)

80. Se você pensa - Roberto Carlos (CBS)

81. A time for us (Theme from “Romeo & Juliet”) - Henry Mancini (RCA)

82. A time for us (from “Romeo & Juliet”) - Astrud Gilberto (Verve-Philips)

83. Paixão de um homem - Waldik Soriano (Continental)

84. Tomorrow, tomorrow - Bee Gees (Polydor)

85. Hair - The Cowsills (MGM-Philips)

86. Cadê Teresa?  - Originais do Samba e Jorge Ben (RCA)

87. Zazueira - Jorge Ben (Philips)

88. Comunicação - Vanusa (RCA)

89. This magic moment - Jay & the Americans (UA-Copacabana)

90. P’ra que dinheiro? - Martinho da Vila (RCA)

91. First of May - Bee Gees (Polydor)

92. Mendocino - Sir Douglas Quintet (Mercury-Philips)

93. Meu benzinho (Mendocino) - Waldirene (RCA)

94. Indian giver - 1910 Fruitgum Co. (Buddah)

95. Socorro, nosso amor está morrendo - Wanderley Cardoso (Copacabana)

1969 was the 2nd year in which two Sao Paulo radio stations had been broadcasting Anglo-American hits exclusively. Radio Excelsior had a Cash Box's 25 best-selling-singles count-down programme beamed every Sunday afternoon. 

Being Number One in the USA didn't necessarily mean the single would be a hit in Brazil. For an Anglo-American tune to be a hit here it had to be a melodic tune. Lyrics and subject-matters did not matter at all due to Brazilians not bein able to understand English.  

From the 17 records that reached Number One in the USA in 1969 - according to Billboard magazine - only 6 of those had some degree of air-play in Brazil. Not even one of those USA #1 got to be #1 in Brazil. 

Some like 'Everyday people' by Sly & the Family Stone, 'In the year 2525' by Zager & Evans, 'Wedding bell blues' by the 5th Dimension and 'Someday we'll be together' by The Supremes did not get any air-play at all. Times were different then. 

The best-selling-single of 1969, in the USA: Marvin Gaye's 'I heard through the grapevine' never got played on Brazilian radios. I only heard the song a year later, in 1970, when Creedence Clearwater Revival covered it for their album 'Cosmo's Factory'. 

As you see, Brazilians kept on listening to Black music through white act's covers. It felt like we lived on hand-me-downs... 

Billboard's Number Ones in the U.S.A. in 1969 - 
only the ones in yellow-bold-type had some air-play in Brazil 

1. I heard it through the grapevine - Marvin Gaye (Tamla) 7 wks

2. Crimson and clover - Tommy James & the Shondells (Roulette) 2 wks 

3. Everyday people - Sly & the Family Stone ((Epic) 4 wks

4. Dizzy - Tommy Roe (ABC) 4 wks

5. Aquarius / Let the sunshine in - The 5th Dimension (Soul City) 6 wks

6. Get back - The Beatles (Apple) 5 wks

7. Love theme from 'Romeo & Juliet' - Henry Mancini (RCA) 2 wks

8. In the year 2525 - Zager & Evans (RCA) 6 wks

9. Honky tonky women - The Rolling Stones (London) 4 wks

10. Sugar sugar - The Archies (Calendar) 4 wks

11. I can't get next to you - The Temptations (Gordy) 2 wks 

12. Suspicious minds - Elvis Presley (RCA) 1 wk

13. Wedding bell blues - The Fifth Dimension (Soul City) 3 wks

14. Come together / Something - The Beatles (Apple) 1 wk

15. Na na hey hey kiss him goodbye - Steam (Fontana) 2 wks

16. Leaving on a jet plane - Peter, Paul & Mary (Warner) 1 wk
17. Someday we'll be together - Diana Ross & the Supremes (Motown) 1 wk  

'Baby, I love you' covered by Andy Kim had quite a bit of air-play; Oliver's 'Jean' played a bit too. 

Sir Douglas Quintet's 'Mendocino' was covered by Waldirene as 'Meu benzinho'; The Zombies' 'Time of the season' played only at Radios Difusora and Excelsior. 

The Youngbloods' 'Get together' reached #4 in the US on 2nd August 1969.

Soap-operas aka novelas on TV Tupi in 1969

'Beto Rockfeller' - from 4 November 1968 to 30 November 1969  (8:00 PM)

'O retrato de Laura' - from 14 January to 8 March 1969 (6:30 PM)

'Um gosto amargo de festa' - from 19 February to 18 May 1969 (6:30 PM)

'Nino, o italianinho' - from 1st May 1969 to 5 July 1970 (7:00 PM)

'Enquanto houver estrelas' - from 26 June 1969 to 17 January 1970 (6:30)

'Nenhum homem é Deus' - from 7 August to 5 December 1969 (9:00PM)

September 1969  Malcoln Roberts's 'Love is all'. 

Black music kept on being ignored in Brazil 

Sam & Dave extended-play had 'Can't you find another way?' and 'You don't know what you mean to me' on side-A plus 'Soul man' and 'I thank you' on side-B. 

Sly & the Family Stone's 'Everyday people' hits #1 at the Billboard charts on 15 February 1969 and stays Number One for 4 weeks - but it hardly gets any air-play in Brazilian cities like Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

sometimes I'm right and I can be wrong...