The Top Ten Oldies of 1969

The world in 1969 was about as different from the world that had birthed rock and roll as could be imagined, and that led to a lot of glorious-sounding but emotionally conflicted music in the Top 40 -- songs that were sad yet happy, frightening yet bouncy, ethereal yet gritty, and doubtful inside their joy. This list, the latest in a year-by-year series spotlighting the best and most popular songs from 1955-1975, lays it all out, complete with chart stats, release info, where to find these songs on CD, and more.