Billboard Hot 100 | Top 5 – Week of September 23, 1967
The Billboard Hot 100 for September 23, 1967 brought a new No. 1 song to the top as The Box Tops reached the summit with “The Letter.” After climbing from No. 4, the record replaced Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode To Billie Joe” and gave the chart one of the shortest, sharpest, and most urgent hits of the year. Its gritty vocal and compact arrangement made it sound unlike the smoother pop records around it.
Bobbie Gentry slipped to No. 2 after her remarkable run at No. 1, but “Ode To Billie Joe” remained one of the most talked-about songs of 1967. Bobby Vee And The Strangers held at No. 3 with “Come Back When You Grow Up,” while Diana Ross & The Supremes moved to No. 4 with “Reflections.”
The Association made one of the week’s biggest moves as “Never My Love” jumped from No. 15 to No. 5. After already reaching No. 1 earlier in the summer with “Windy,” the group showed it still had major chart strength with a softer and more romantic harmony-pop record.
The rest of the Top 10 leaned strongly into soul and late-1960s pop. Jackie Wilson, The Temptations, Wilson Pickett, Jay And The Techniques, and Peter, Paul & Mary all helped create a chart that blended raw soul, Motown polish, folk-pop commentary, and youthful pop energy.
Top 5 Songs
1. The Letter – The Box Tops
“The Letter” climbed from No. 4 to No. 1 this week, giving The Box Tops their breakthrough moment on the Billboard Hot 100. The record was short, direct, and unforgettable, with a raw vocal performance that immediately stood apart from the polished pop and soul records surrounding it.
The song’s urgency was its greatest strength. In less than two minutes, it told a complete story of longing and travel, with a sound that felt lean, gritty, and emotionally immediate. That compact power made it perfect for radio.
As a multi-week No. 1, “The Letter” would become one of the defining records of the fall of 1967. It showed that a song did not need to be long or elaborate to make a major impact. It only needed the right voice, the right hook, and the right feeling.
2. Ode To Billie Joe – Bobbie Gentry
“Ode To Billie Joe” slipped from No. 1 to No. 2 after its powerful run at the top. Bobbie Gentry’s mysterious Southern story song remained one of the most distinctive records of the year.
The song’s quiet arrangement and unresolved story kept listeners fascinated. It drew people into a world of ordinary conversation, hidden grief, and unanswered questions, creating a mood that stayed with them long after the record ended.
Even after leaving No. 1, “Ode To Billie Joe” remained a major cultural moment. Its continued strength showed how deeply its mystery had connected with the public.
3. Come Back When You Grow Up – Bobby Vee And The Strangers
“Come Back When You Grow Up” held at No. 3, continuing Bobby Vee And The Strangers’ strong late-summer run. The song gave the Top 5 a clean, traditional pop-rock sound during a week filled with soul, Motown, and sharper new records.
Bobby Vee had been a familiar chart name earlier in the decade, and this record showed his ability to remain relevant in 1967. Its direct melody and radio-friendly structure helped it stand apart from the more experimental sounds of the year.
Holding at No. 3 confirmed the song as one of Vee’s strongest later hits. It added another layer of variety to a chart already filled with contrasting styles.
4. Reflections – Diana Ross & The Supremes
“Reflections” slipped from No. 2 to No. 4, but Diana Ross & The Supremes remained one of the strongest acts on the chart. The record marked a newer, more modern phase for the group, both in sound and identity.
The song’s production gave it a dramatic, contemporary edge while still keeping the elegance and polish that made The Supremes so successful. Diana Ross’ vocal tied the record to the group’s classic Motown sound while pointing forward.
Its continued Top 5 presence showed that Motown’s leading female group was still adapting to the changes of 1967. Even in a crowded field, The Supremes remained central to American pop.
5. Never My Love – The Association
“Never My Love” made a major jump from No. 15 to No. 5, giving The Association another Top 5 hit in a year already defined partly by their success. After “Windy,” this record showed a softer and more romantic side of the group.
The song’s gentle melody and rich harmonies made it one of the most graceful records on the chart. It did not rely on urgency or volume. Its appeal came from warmth, restraint, and emotional sincerity.
Its climb into the Top 5 showed that harmony-pop still had major strength as 1967 moved into fall. The Association remained one of the year’s most important vocal groups.
▶ Watch and experience this song →
More Weeks at #1 for “The Letter”
This song spent multiple weeks at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Explore each chart week below:
🎂 What Was the #1 Song on Your Birthday?
If you were born during the week ending September 23, 1967, this was your birthday song:
🎵 The Letter by The Box Tops
▶ Watch and experience this song →
🎂 Born in the 60s? Try your own birthday:
Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 This Week
- The Letter – The Box Tops
- Ode To Billie Joe – Bobbie Gentry
- Come Back When You Grow Up – Bobby Vee And The Strangers
- Reflections – Diana Ross & The Supremes
- Never My Love – The Association
- Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie – Jay And The Techniques
- (Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher And Higher – Jackie Wilson
- You’re My Everything – The Temptations
- I Dig Rock And Roll Music – Peter, Paul & Mary
- Funky Broadway – Wilson Pickett
Chart Movers This Week
Why This Chart Week Mattered
The Billboard Hot 100 for September 23, 1967 mattered because “The Letter” brought a raw, compact soul-rock sound to No. 1. After the quiet mystery of “Ode To Billie Joe,” The Box Tops gave the chart a new kind of urgency that helped define the early fall.
This week also showed the continued strength of harmony-pop and soul. The Association surged into the Top 5 with “Never My Love,” while Jackie Wilson, The Temptations, and Wilson Pickett kept R&B energy moving through the Top 10.
By late September, 1967 was still shifting shape. Story songs, Motown, soul, folk-pop, and tight Southern-flavored rock all shared the chart, proving again how wide and unpredictable the Billboard Hot 100 had become.
