"The Long and Winding Road" is a ballad written by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon–McCartney) that originally appeared on The Beatles' album Let It Be. It became The Beatles' 20th and last number-one song in the United States on 13 June 1970, and was the last single released by the quartet. "The Long and Winding Road" was listed with "For You Blue" as a double-sided hit when the single hit number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1970.

While the released version of the song was very successful, the post-production modifications to the song by producer Phil Spector angered McCartney to the point that when he made his case in court for breaking up The Beatles as a legal entity, McCartney cited the treatment of "The Long and Winding Road" as one of six reasons for doing so. New versions of the song with simpler instrumentation were subsequently released by both The Beatles and McCartney.

"Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)" is a 1970 single by The Delfonics, produced by Thom Bell and released on the Bell record label. The recording is considered one of the most notable early Philly soul singles to be released and is regarded as a classic, winning a Grammy Award for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group. Typical of the genre, "Didn't I" is a slow love ballad, with layered strings, horns, and chromatic production. Among The Delfonics' signature songs, "Didn't I (Blow Your Mind This Time)" was a #3 hit on the Billboard R&B singles chart, #10 on the Billboard pop chart in 1970, and #22 on the UK Singles Chart in 1971.

The song has been extensively covered since 1970, with versions by Aretha Franklin (from "Young, Gifted and Black" in 1971), brothers David and Jimmy Ruffin, Regina Belle, Jackie Jackson, Millie Jackson, The Trammps, Maxine Nightingale and Patti LaBelle. The song was also featured as a song that actually drives the plot in the motion picture Jackie Brown (Max hears the LP vinyl version for the first time at Jackie's house and they talk about the Delfonics as he gets to know her, then later he buys the cassette version) and was included in its soundtrack.

"Mississippi Queen" is a song by the American rock band Mountain. Considered a rock classic, it was their most successful single, reaching #21 in the Billboard Hot 100 record chart in 1970. "Mississippi Queen" was also a hit for Ozzy Osbourne in 2005 and has appeared in several soundtracks.

"Mississippi Queen" was recorded during the sessions for Mountain's 1970 debut album Climbing!. Drummer Corky Laing recalled that he had developed some of the lyrics and the drum part prior to his joining the band Later, when guitarist Leslie West was looking for lyrics for a guitar part he had written, Laing pulled out "The Queen" and the two worked out the song together. When the group proceeded to record "Mississippi Queen", bassist and producer Felix Pappalardi insisted on numerous takes. Growing weary, Laing started using the cowbell to count off the song. Pappalardi liked it so much he left it in the mix, creating the instantly recognizable intro to the song

Teegarden & Van Winkle were an American musical duo, composed of Skip Knape (electric organ, organ pedal bass, vocals), and David Teegarden (drums, vocals). Formed in Tulsa, they took their folksy rock to Detroit.

Their single "God, Love and Rock & Roll" peaked at #22 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1970. At times they worked with Bob Seger, appearing live at gigs and even producing an album together with Seger and guitarist Michael Bruce (Smokin' O.P.'s, 1972). Smokin' O.P.'s was re-released in 2005. 

In 1972-3, while David toured with Bob Seger, Skip put his own full band together consisting of horns & female vocals. Skip continued to kick bass pedals with his new larger band. Sheila Chambers a/k/a Shea Chambers, Shaun Murphy a/k/a Stoney Reese were vocalists singing together and separately, in Skip's band, as well as a pre-RCA Victor recording artist Dan Schafer on guitar and vocals with Jim Langois on drums, Dave Heater on sax & Jack Muncie on trumpet.

In the early 90s, former Doors guitarist Robbie Krieger formed a trio called the 'Robby Krieger Organization' featuring Skip on electric organ,organ pedal bass and Dale Alexander on drums & backing vocals.  The Teegarden & Van Winkle duo reunited for another album, Radioactive, in 1997.

"Bridge Over Troubled Water" is the title song of Simon & Garfunkel's album of the same name. The single was released on January 26, 1970, though it also appears on the live album Live 1969, released in 2008. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on February 28, 1970, and stayed at the top of the chart for six weeks. "Bridge Over Troubled Water" also topped the adult contemporary chart in the U.S. for six weeks. The single has sold 6 million copies worldwide.

This song's recording process exposed many of the underlying tensions that eventually led to the breakup of the duo after the album's completion. Most notably, Paul Simon has repeatedly expressed regret over his insistence that Art Garfunkel sing this song as a solo, as it focused attention on Garfunkel and relegated Simon to a secondary position. Art Garfunkel initially did not want to sing lead vocal, feeling it was not right for him. "He felt I should have done it," Paul Simon revealed to Rolling Stone in 1972.

Garfunkel said that the moment when he performed it at a 1972 Madison Square Garden benefit concert, as part of a one-off reunion with Simon, was "almost biblical."

In performances on the 2003 "Old Friends" tour, Simon and Garfunkel took turns singing alternate verses of the vocal.

Rolling Stone named it number 47 on The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time

Simon & Garfunkel were an American music duo consisting of singer-songwriters Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. They formed the group Tom & Jerry in 1957 and had their first success with the minor hit "Hey, Schoolgirl". As Simon & Garfunkel, the duo rose to fame in 1965, largely on the strength of the hit single "The Sound of Silence". Their music was featured in the landmark film The Graduate (1967), propelling them further into the public consciousness.

"The Wonder of You" is a song written by Baker Knight. In 1959, Ray Peterson released it as a single. The song became a Top 40 hit for him on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #25. That same year it was recorded by Ronnie Hilton in the United Kingdom, his version reaching #22 on the UK Singles Chart. The Ray Peterson record briefly re-entered the Hot 100 in 1964. In the early 1960s, the Platters also recorded this song, which appeared on a 1970s compilation "The Platters--30 Golden Hits". In 1969, The Sandpipers recorded an album of the same name including the song. An album of instrumentals of the same name by Nelson Riddle was also released in 2000.

Elvis Presley released it as a single on April 20, 1970. Its b-side song was "Mama Liked the Roses". In the United States, both songs charted at #9 together in the spring of 1970, though "The Wonder of You" was one of his most successful records in the UK ever, topping the UK Singles Chart for six weeks in the summer of that year. This was the 59th Top 40 hit of his career. "The Wonder of You" was one of about thirty five songs he would play live in concert, never recording it in a studio. Presley's version also reached number 37 on the US Country Singles chart, and number one on the easy listening chart

It was the first of three singles during his lifetime that were recorded live in concert in Las Vegas, Nevada in February 1970.

Peterson himself relates a telling tale: "He [Elvis] asked me if I would mind if he recorded 'The Wonder of You.' I said, 'You don't have to ask permission; you're Elvis Presley.' He said, 'Yes, I do. You're Ray Peterson.'"

My Sweet Lord" is a song by former Beatles lead guitarist George Harrison, recorded and released in 1970 on his multi-platinum triple album All Things Must Pass. Issued as a single, "My Sweet Lord" topped the charts worldwide and was the biggest-selling single of 1971 in Britain.   The song was written in praise of the Hindu god Krishna, while at the same time serving as a call to abandon religious sectarianism, with its deliberate blending of Christian "alleluia"s with chants of "Hare Krishna" and Vedic prayer. "My Sweet Lord" is ranked 460th on Rolling Stone magazine's list of "the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time".  The song was also at the centre of a plagiarism suit due to its similarity to the Ronnie Mack song "He's So Fine", originally recorded by The Chiffons in December 1962.   

Harrison's version of "My Sweet Lord" became an international number 1 hit during the early months of 1971 − the first single by an ex-Beatle to reach the top, and the biggest seller by any of the four throughout the 1970s. While explaining the impact of "My Sweet Lord" in a 40-page Harrison tribute article for Rolling Stone, Mikal Gilmore has credited the song as being "as pervasive on radio and in youth consciousness as anything the Beatles had produced".

The single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on 14 December 1970 for sales of over 1 million copies. It reached number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 on 26 December, remaining on top for four weeks, three of which coincided with All Things Must Pass's seven-week reign atop the Billboard albums chart

In Britain, Harrison's single entered the charts at number 7, before hitting the summit on 30 January and staying there for five weeks. "My Sweet Lord" performed similarly well around the world, particularly in France and Germany, where it held the top spot for nine and ten weeks, respectively.  The song would return to the number 1 position again in the UK when reissued in January 2002, two months after Harrison's death from cancer.

 

"Question" is a 1970 single by the English progressive rock band The Moody Blues. It was written by guitarist Justin Hayward, who provides lead vocals. "Question" was first released as a single in April 1970, and was later featured as the lead track on the 1970 album A Question of Balance.

Originally, the song itself was also to have been named "A Question of Balance," but was shortened to "Question." The lyrics of the chorus, which are "Why do we never get an answer, when we're knocking at the door/ With a thousand million questions about hate and death and war?" represented the feelings and attitude toward the Vietnam War.

At the time, "Question" was a simple recording for the Moody Blues. Their previous album, To Our Children's Children's Children, featured songs which included many different sounds provided by overdubbing and double-tracking. Unfortunately, this made most of the songs on the album very difficult to perform live. For this reason, "Question" was recorded in one take, and did not need any overdubbing or double-tracking, making it easier for the Moody Blues to perform live. It was written in Open-C tuning (CGCGCE) and recorded (and usually performed live) on a 12-string acoustic guitar.

The single also features the song "Candle of Life" on its B-side, which was from the Moody Blues previous album To Our Children's Children's Children

"As the Years Go By" is the first single by rock fusion band Mashmakhan from their self-titled debut album. The single was first recorded in Columbia B Studios and was released as the first single to Mashmakhan's self-titled debut album. The other single "Days When We Are Free" was used as the A-side to the 45rpm. "As the Years Go By" was also fit in to several compilation albums of '70s songs.

The single was very well received by the public and the critics. The single sold over one million copies worldwide and received a gold disc. Allmusic critic Lindsay Planer also praised the single's sales and its lyrics.

In 1970, "As the Years Go By" was originally recorded by Mashmakhan in Columbia B Studios. "As the Years Go By" was released as the debut single of Mashmakhan's upcoming self-titled album. "As the Years Go By" was released in an edited form, with the latter single "Days When We Are Free" as the A-side. Following "As the Years Go By" the previously mentioned single and "Gladwin" were released. The self-titled debut, Mashmakhan was released as an LP album in 1970. Later the single appeared on several rock compilation albums. "As the Years Go By" was first included in Rock Artifacts, Vol. 1 in 1990. On November 9, 1995, "As the Years Go By" along with the whole Mashmakhan album and its follow up album The Family were included in the compilation Mashmakhan/The Family. On April 24, 2001, "As the Years Go By" was also released on the Rock Treasures compilation by the Sony Music Entertainment. And lastly, "As the Years Go By" was used in the Japanese compilation The 70's, Vol. 3 by Universal Music Group of Japan on December 15, 2007

I Want You Back" is a 1969 song; the debut major-label single for The Jackson 5 which became a number-one hit for the band and the Motown label in early 1970. The song, along with a b-side cover of Smokey Robinson & the Miracles' "Who's Lovin' You", was the only single from the first Jackson 5 album, Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5. It went to number one on the soul singles chart for four weeks and held the number-one position on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart for the week ending January 31, 1970. "I Want You Back" in the 121st spot on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time

Originally considered for Gladys Knight & the Pips and later for Diana Ross, as "I Wanna Be Free", "I Want You Back" explores the theme of a lover who decides that he was too hasty in dropping his partner. An unusual aspect about "I Want You Back" was that its main lead vocal was performed by a preteen, Michael Jackson.

The single was a notable first in many respects: it was the first Jackson 5 single to be released on Motown the first of four Jackson 5 number-ones released in a row (the others being "ABC", "The Love You Save", and "I'll Be There"), and the first song written and produced by The Corporation, a team comprising Motown chief Berry Gordy, Freddie Perren, Alphonzo Mizell, and Deke Richards.

"I Want You Back" was also the first Jackson 5 song recorded in Los Angeles, California; the quintet had previously been recording Bobby Taylor-produced covers, including "Who's Lovin' You", the B-side to "I Want You Back", at Hitsville U.S.A. in Detroit, Michigan.

I Want to Take You Higher" is the title of a song by the soul/rock/funk band Sly and the Family Stone, the B-side to their Top 30 hit "Stand!". Unlike most of the other tracks on the Stand! album, "I Want to Take You Higher" is not a message song; instead, it is simply dedicated to music and the feeling one gets from music. Like nearly all of Sly & the Family Stone's songs, Sylvester "Sly Stone" Stewart was credited as the sole songwriter.

"I Want to Take You Higher" opens with a bluesy guitar riff played by Freddie Stone. The song, one of the most upbeat recordings in the Family Stone canon, is a remake of sorts of "Higher", a song from the band's 1968 Dance to the Music LP. "Higher" itself has its origins in "Advice", a song Sly Stone co-wrote and arranged for Billy Preston's album The Wildest Organ In Town in 1966.

"Higher" made the setlist for the band's performance at Woodstock alongside "Dance to the Music" and "Music Lover"; Sly Stone used the song during a memorable interlude, during which he had the entire Woodstock crowd repeating, at three in the morning, the song's frantic cry of "higher!"

Even though it was a b-side, "I Want to Take You Higher" became a Top 40 hit of its own in 1970. That same year, Ike & Tina Turner released a cover of the song that became a hit as well, peaking 4 spots above the original Family Stone recording on the US pop charts (at #34), and one position below the original on the R&B singles chart.

Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" is a popular song by "one-hit wonder" Edison Lighthouse. The single hit the number one spot on the UK singles chart on the week ending on 31 January 1970, where it remained for a total of five weeks.

"Love Grows (Where My Rosemary Goes)" was written by Tony Macaulay and Barry Mason. Essentially, they were a studio group with prolific session singer Tony Burrows providing the vocals. When the song became a hit, a group needed to be assembled rapidly to feature the song on Top Of The Pops, a popular TV show. Sylvan Whittingham found a group called Greenfields and brought them to the auditions a week before their appearance on Top of the Pops. Once chosen and rehearsed, they appeared on the show as 'Edison Lighthouse' to mime to the fastest climbing number 1 hit record in history. Burrows sang the song on the programme during his third appearance on the same show with three different groups. It reached number 5 on US pop chart, number 3 in Canada, and number 1 on the UK Singles Chart for five weeks in January and February 1970.

In an interview in 2003, Rob Grill of The Grass Roots said that the song had been offered to them, but they turned it down.

Rainy Night in Georgia" is a song written by Tony Joe White in 1962 and popularized by R&B vocalist Brook Benton in 1970.

In 1969, after several years without a major hit, Benton had signed to a new record label, Cotillion Records (a subsidiary of Atlantic Records). Brought to the attention of producer Jerry Wexler, Benton recorded the song in November 1969 with producer Arif Mardin.

Taken from his "come-back" album Brook Benton Today, the melancholy song became an instant hit. In the spring of 1970, the song had topped the Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles chart. It also reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100, and number two on the Adult Contemporary chart.

The RIAA certified the single gold for sales of one million copies. In 2004, it was ranked #498 on the List of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Cecilia" is a song written by US musician Paul Simon. It was first recorded by Simon and Garfunkel for their 1970 album Bridge Over Troubled Water. When released as a single, it reached #4 in the US charts. The single did not chart in the UK, despite being released as the follow-up to Simon and Garfunkel's number one hit "Bridge Over Troubled Water".

The songwriter suggests that the "Cecilia" of the title refers to St. Cecilia, patron saint of music  in the Catholic tradition, and thus the song might refer to the frustration of fleeting inspiration in songwriting, the vagaries of musical fame or in a wider sense the absurdity of pop culture. The song is generally interpreted as a lament over a capricious lover who causes both anguish and jubilation to the singer. St. Cecilia is mentioned in another Paul Simon song, "The Coast" (from his 1990 album The Rhythm of the Saints): "A family of musicians took shelter for the night in the little harbor church of St. Cecilia."

I'll Be There" is a soul song written by Berry Gordy, Bob West, Hal Davis, and Willie Hutch, which resulted in two U.S. #1 hit singles: the original 1970 recording by American vocal quintet The Jackson 5 and a 1992 live version by American R&B singers Mariah Carey and Trey Lorenz.

The Jackson 5 interpretation was recorded for Motown Records, and released as the first single from their Third Album in 1969. Produced by the songwriters, "I'll Be There" was The Jackson 5's fourth #1 hit in a row ("I Want You Back", "ABC", and "The Love You Save"), making them the first black male group to achieve four consecutive #1 pop hits. "I'll Be There" is also notable as the most successful single released by Motown during its "Detroit era" (1959–1972).

After three upbeat "bubblegum soul" #1 singles from the Jackson 5 ("I Want You Back", "ABC", and "The Love You Save"), Motown head Berry Gordy decided to take a risk and craft a ballad for the group. For this song, he brought in songwriters Hal Davis, Willie Hutch, and Bob West, as opposed to working with the rest of The Corporation, who had crafted the first three hits.

The resulting song was a gentle ballad, in which the narrator asks his lover to make a very special vow ("a pact"), one capable of bringing - as he put it - "salvation back," summarized in the phrase "where there is love, I'll be there," in an allusion to a passage from Matthew 18:20, where it is said (by Jesus): "For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." He promises that he'll always be there "to comfort you," and that even if she "should ever find someone new," he'll still be there for her if her new love treats her wrong. Jackson 5 lead singers Michael Jackson and his older brother Jermaine share the lead vocals on this song. Michael's ad-libbed "just look over your shoulders, honey" is an allusion to "Reach Out I'll Be There", a 1966 #1 hit single recorded by the Four Tops. He was instructed by Gordy to say "just look over your shoulder" (exactly as Levi Stubbs had said it in "Reach Out I'll Be There"), but the slightly flubbed line was allowed to remain in the final mix

Instant Karma! (We All Shine On)" is a song written by John Lennon, released as a single in 1970 on Apple Records, catalogue Apple 1003 in the United Kingdom, Apple 1818 in the United States. It is the third solo single issued by Lennon, and it peaked at number 3 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Cash Box Top 100 singles charts in the US, number 2 on Canada's Singles Chart and number 5 on the UK Singles Chart. The song's first appearance on album was the 1975 compilation Shaved Fish. In the US, the song peaked at number 3 as The Beatles' single "Let It Be" was rising to number 1. While both songs competed for position in the Top 3, The Beatles officially announced their dissolution.

It ranks as one of the fastest-released songs in pop music history, recorded at London's Abbey Road Studios the same day it was written, and arriving in stores only ten days later. Lennon remarked to the press, he "wrote it for breakfast, recorded it for lunch, and we're putting it out for dinner." The record was produced by Phil Spector, the first of many recordings by the Beatles that Spector worked on that year.

Backed by Ono's "Who Has Seen the Wind?", which Lennon produced, the pair appeared on Top of the Pops to perform the song live.

George Harrison would later remark that he was enticed and interested by Lennon's idea of an instant single release, and this partially contributed to Harrison's willingness to participate. Harrison felt that it related in some way to his devotion to the Hindu religion (karma) and he therefore felt Lennon could use the single to promote it.

Solitary Man" is a 1966 hit song written, composed, and originally recorded and released by Neil Diamond. It has since been covered many times by such artists as Jay and the Americans, T. G. Sheppard, Gianni Morandi, The Sidewinders, Chris Isaak, Johnny Cash, Johnny Rivers, HIM, Crooked Fingers, and Ólöf Arnalds.

Initially released on Bang Records in April 1966, "Solitary Man" was Diamond's debut single as a recording artist having already had moderate success as a songwriter for other artists. By July, the track had become a minor hit rising to #55 on the U.S. pop singles chart. It would then be included on Diamond's first album, The Feel of Neil Diamond, released in August 1966.

After Diamond had renewed commercial success with Uni Records at the end of the decade, Bang Records re-released "Solitary Man" as a single and it reached #21 on the U.S. pop charts in summer 1970.

Shilo" is a song written and recorded by Neil Diamond. It was originally recorded in 1967 for Bang Records, but Diamond and Bang founder Bert Berns disagreed over Diamond's career path The singer wanted to move away from his early teen-oriented pop type of recordings that Berns favored, which led to Berns' refusal to release the more introspective "Shilo" as a single,even though Diamond felt it was part of his development as an artist. "Shilo" was instead relegated to an album track on 1967's Just for You. Shortly after what was said to be a "tense" confrontation with Berns, Diamond departed Bang for Uni Records in 1968.

Diamond went into a commercial slump, without hits, but by January 1970, his career had rebounded with "Sweet Caroline" and "Holly Holy" on Uni/MCA Records. Bang Records finally released "Shilo" as a single, albeit with a new backing track recorded to make it sound fresher and more like Diamond's current style. This reached number 24 on the U.S. pop singles chart in spring 1970, inspiring Bang to release a new Neil Diamond compilation album that year titled Shilo.  Following this, Diamond reissued his 1968 debut album with Uni, Velvet Gloves and Spit, in October 1970, to incorporate a completely new recording of "Shilo".   In any case, "Shilo" was not about the American Civil War Battle of Shiloh or the Israeli town Shilo, but was about a childhood imaginary friend 

Rainy Night in Georgia" is a song written by Tony Joe White in 1962 and popularized by R&B vocalist Brook Benton in 1970.

In 1969, after several years without a major hit, Benton had signed to a new record label, Cotillion Records (a subsidiary of Atlantic Records). Brought to the attention of producer Jerry Wexler, Benton recorded the song in November 1969 with producer Arif Mardin.

Taken from his "come-back" album Brook Benton Today, the melancholy song became an instant hit. In the spring of 1970, the song had topped the Billboard Best Selling Soul Singles chart. It also reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100, and number two on the Adult Contemporary chart.

The RIAA certified the single gold for sales of one million copies. In 2004, it was ranked #498 on the List of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Brook Benton (September 19, 1931 – April 9, 1988) was an American singer and songwriter who was popular with rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and pop music audiences during the late 1950s and early 1960s, when he scored hits such as "It's Just A Matter Of Time" and "Endlessly", many of which he co-wrote.

Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time all of the band's 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America were consecutive, three of which reached Number One. As of 2012, they are still recording and making live appearances.   In 1967, Three Dog Night was founded by Danny Hutton, Cory Wells, Chuck Negron, Joe Schermie, Floyd Sneed, Jimmy Greenspoon, and Michael Allsup. The group was a successful live act in Los Angeles and gathered considerable attention by several record labels. After a show at the Troubadour, the group was signed to the Dunhill ABC label, and the band started work on their first studio album. 

Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time all of the band's 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America were consecutive, three of which reached Number One. As of 2012, they are still recording and making live appearances.   In 1967, Three Dog Night was founded by Danny Hutton, Cory Wells, Chuck Negron, Joe Schermie, Floyd Sneed, Jimmy Greenspoon, and Michael Allsup. The group was a successful live act in Los Angeles and gathered considerable attention by several record labels. After a show at the Troubadour, the group was signed to the Dunhill ABC label, and the band started work on their first studio album. 

Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time all of the band's 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America were consecutive, three of which reached Number One. As of 2012, they are still recording and making live appearances.   In 1967, Three Dog Night was founded by Danny Hutton, Cory Wells, Chuck Negron, Joe Schermie, Floyd Sneed, Jimmy Greenspoon, and Michael Allsup. The group was a successful live act in Los Angeles and gathered considerable attention by several record labels. After a show at the Troubadour, the group was signed to the Dunhill ABC label, and the band started work on their first studio album. 

Tommy James and the Shondells are an American rock and roll group whose period of greatest success came in the late 1960s. They had two No. 1 singles in the U.S. — "Hanky Panky" (1966) and "Crimson and Clover" (1969) — and also charted twelve other Top 40 hits, including five in the top ten: "I Think We're Alone Now", "Mirage", "Mony Mony", "Sweet Cherry Wine", and "Crystal Blue Persuasion". All of the above records went to #1 on WLS, except "Sweet Cherry Wine", which peaked at #4.

With a touring group to promote the single, James went to New York City, where he sold the master of "Hanky Panky" to Roulette Records, at which time he changed his last name to James. With national promotion, the single became a No. 1 hit in July 1966. The Shondells played straightforward shambolic rock and roll, but soon became involved in the budding bubblegum music movement. Songwriter Ritchie Cordell gave them the No. 4 hit "I Think We're Alone Now" and the No. 10 hit "Mirage" in 1967. In 1968, James had a No. 3 hit with "Mony Mony". Co-written by James, Cordell, Cordell's writing partner Bo Gentry, and Bobby Bloom, "Mony Mony" reached No. 3 in the US and was a British No. 1 in 1968. From 1968, the group began writing their own songs, with James and Lucia penning the psychedelic classic "Crimson and Clover". The song was recorded and mixed by Bruce Staple, with James tackling vocal duties and playing all instruments, and featured the then unusual use of electronic gadgetry such as vocoders and phasers. Later in 1968, the group toured with Vice President Hubert Humphrey during his presidential campaign. Humphrey showed his appreciation by writing the liner notes for the Crimson and Clover album.  Further hits included "Sweet Cherry Wine", "Crystal Blue Persuasion", and "Ball of Fire", all from 1969. They also produced "Sugar on Sunday", later covered by The Clique. As the band embraced the sounds of psychedelia, they were invited to perform at the Woodstock concert but declined