Photo: Soul City Records. / Public domain via Creative Commons
Our Top 10 Fifth Dimension Songs list looks at one of the most popular singing groups of the 1960s. The Fifth Dimension was a group that was famous for their excellent cover version of popular songs written by a wide variety of artists and songwriters. Many of the group’s hits were written by the fabulous Laura Nyro. In 1965, five brilliant singers named Billy Davis Jr., Florence La Rue, Marilyn McCoo, Lamonte McLemore, and Ronald Townson formed a vocal group called The Versatiles. Eventually, the group would change their name to the Fifth Dimension. A young songwriter named Jimmy Webb, who would become one of the most legendary songwriters of all time, would compose the Fifth Dimension’s first big hit called “Up Up and Away.”
The band’s first big hit, “Up Up and Away,” was released on the band’s debut album of the same name. The Fifth Dimension’s debut album was released in 1965. The band would release twelve more studio albums from 1967 to 1978. A thirteenth record was released in 1995 entitled In The House. Many people associated with the Fifth Dimension would continue to enjoy musical careers into the 80s and 90s. As mentioned previously, Jimmy Webb would become one of the most legendary songwriters in classic rock history. Other songwriters associated with The 5th Dimension would also have successful careers, including the duo of Ashford and Simpson, who wrote many of The Fifth Dimension’s hits. Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. would leave the group early and have a string of hits on their own, including the smash hit single “You Don’t Have To Be A Star.”
Many artists in music history define the times, and some are a product of the times. And, of course, some fuel the times. The Fifth Dimension was somewhere in between. They were essentially a vocal cover group, but the sound they produced would become deeply ingrained in the cultures of the 1960s and 1970s, defining them as a significant part of pop culture. Like many other musical acts of the 1960s, such as The Association, The Monkees, and many others, the Fifth Dimension utilized the famous studio band “The Wrecking Crew” on all their recordings. Our top 10 Fifth Dimension Songs list looks at those classic songs that became a part of our daily lives during those great years of the 20th century.
# 10 – Go Where You Wanna Go
We open up our top 10 5th Dimension songs list with the very first single the group ever released entitled “Go Where You Wanna Go.” The song was written by John Philips in 1965 and initially released by The Mamas & the Papas. However, The Mamas & the Papas did not have much success with the song. It was The Fifth Dimension who had the hit with “Go Where You Wanna Go.” The 5th Dimension had an excellent feel for taking terrific songs and turning them into super big hits that the original artists could not do.
# 9 – Carpet Man
“Carpet Man” was a tremendous original Jimmy Webb song covered by many artists. The song was released in 1967 on the band’s second album entitled The Magic Garden. The song was not a huge hit for The 5th Dimension, but it still became a top 40 hit in the United States, peaking at number thirty-nine. However, it was much bigger in Canada, peaking at number three on the Canadian music charts.
# 8 – Never My Love
The song “Never My Love” was written by Don and Dick Addrisi. It was one of the most popular songs of the 1960s. It was also one of the most covered. The Association had the most success with the song. Nonetheless, The Fifth Dimension’s recording of the song also did very well. The song peaked at number twelve on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. However, it hit number one of the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts in 1967.
# 7 – Sweet Blindness
“Sweet Blindness” is the first of a select group of Laura Nyro songs to appear on this top ten 5th Dimension songs list. The song was released on the 5th Dimension album Stoned Soul Picnic.
# 6 – Stoned Soul Picnic
The classic Laura Nyro song “Stone Soul Picnic” was the first single released from the 5th Dimensions album, also entitled Stone Soul Picnic. The song was a major success for The 5th Dimension. It reached the number three position on the Billboard Top 100 in 1968. Remember, The 5th Dimension was competing against The Rolling Stones, The Beatles, The Kinks, and hundreds of other classic rock bands, yet they were still able to achieve such incredible chart success.
# 5 – Last Night I Didn’t Get to Sleep at All
The great Fifth Dimension song “Last Night I Didn’t Get to Sleep at All” was one of the group’s biggest 1970s hits. Tony Macaulay wrote the song. The Fifth Dimension gave Tony Macaulay a top 10 hit as the song reached the number eight position on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1972. The song was released on the Fifth Dimension album Individually & Collectively
# 4 – One Less Bell To Answer
There’s nothing like a great Burt Bacharach song. 5th Dimension covered this classic Burt Bacharach song in 1972 and had a giant monster hit. This is one of Marilyn McCoo’s greatest vocal performances ever. The song was released on the 5th Dimension album entitled Portrait. The album was released in 1970. The song “One Less Bell To Answer” reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100. That’s a big-time hit.
# 3 – Wedding Bell Blues
Continuing with our top 10 5th Dimension songs list, we turn once again to another great Laura Nyro song entitled “Wedding Bell Blues.” The song was released in 1969 on the legendary album The Age of Aquarius. It would become the band’s second number-one hit as it reached the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in that extraordinary year of 1969.
# 2 – Up, Up and Away
As we close in on the top spot on our top 10 Fifth Dimension songs list we turn once again to the great Jimmy Webb. As written in the article’s introduction, the song “Up Up and Away” was the band’s first big hit. It also became the band’s first top 10 hit, peaking at number seven on the Billboard Hot 100. Additionally it became the band’s first number one hit worldwide as it reached the number one spot in Australia.
# 1 – Age Of Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In
If we had to choose one song representing the spirit of the 1960s counterculture, it would be this wonderful recording that the 5th Dimension released entitled “Age of Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In.” The two-song medley was initially written for the 1967 Broadway musical Hair. The medley that the 5th Dimension put together earned them their first number-one single of their career. The medley hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1969. What a summer that was.
