In this inaugural edition of Golden Nuggets, a feature in which I spot light and critique the number one song the Billboard chart from fifty years ago, I will be taking a look at this glimpse into the future by the group Zager & Evans.
To be perfectly honest, I had never heard of this group or song before, and its presence on the Billboard chart at number one for six (!) weeks during the summer of 1969 was actually the whole reason I had the idea to start this new series. What was this song? Who are Zager & Evans? How was this song top of the charts for over a month and yet I've never heard anything about it? I intend to answer some of those questions here, as well as add my critique to the song. So first, let's take a listen to the song to acquaint ourselves.
So, in my research, I have been able to ascertain that Zager & Evans were a duo from Lincoln, Nebraska who hold the distinction of being a one hit wonder who managed to have their hit become #1 in both the US and the UK without ever having another chart success. They released a few albums in their run between 1969 and 1971. So, onto their hit single. 'In the Year 2525' is a bit of warning about humanity's reliance on technology. As the verses pile up, time advances in 1010 year increments, describing the downfall of humanity leading to its eventual extinction. Some of the references are quite prophetic (test tube babies and the like), and it gave me some Harlan Ellison/ Aldous Huxley vibes, as well as the last portion of Wall-E (except played dead serious).
It's hard to put myself into the shoes of a pop listener during the 1960s, but with this and other apocalyptic ditties such as 'Eve of Destruction', it's conceivable that people thought the world could end during their lifetime, with mutually assured nuclear holocaust ever looming (It's good to know we don't have to worry about anything of that magnitude in 2019, right? Just kidding). It's interesting that while this tale about the evils of technology and its potential to rob humanity of thought, the body's utility and eventually its existence was dominating the chart for 6 weeks, the Moon landing was taking place, with steps advancing towards the song's narrative (also fun facts: Woodstock and the Manson murders also occurred while this was on the charts. This song was essentially the song of the summer during one of the most turbulent times in American history).
Overall, I thought the song was interesting. The music was a little drab, with some overblown strings and not a incredibly memorable melody, but I think it was more the message and the story that got people to listen. It was kind of that science fiction that started to blur the line between fiction and inevitability. With people addicted to pills, thought policed by mainstream media, glued to their screen (which I am looking at as I write and which you are looking at as you read), and using genomics to select for certain traits for their test tube babies, it's interesting to see what the duo got right (and those poor bastards, they thought it would take thousands of years. Try 50).
So, where are they now? Denny Zager owns a custom guitar company, and Rick Evans, after retreating from the public eye, unfortunately passed away last year. Sorry if my first post of Golden Nuggets came off like a One Hit Wonderland episode minus the production value, humor and thorough research (seriously you should give that a watch), but Zager & Evans are kind of a perfect group to cover for that show ( get on it, Todd). I don't think I'll have that problem for my next post, as I cover one of the most successful groups of all time, the Rolling Stones.
So, what did you think of 'In the Year 2525'? Had you ever heard of the song, or of Zager & Evans? What did you think of their vision of the future to come? Let's get a conversation going. Or, we can take a break from the screens and use our bodies while they still work. Your choice.
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