A fun and happy song that disguised a plea for tolerance and freedom in 1968

This song is a happy, blue-eyed soul track that was number one today in 1968.

It held the number one spot for five weeks that year and was insanely popular, a hit in countries including Australia, The United Kingdom, Canada and America.

The clever lyrics addressed themes that were of huge relevance to the times after Martin Luther King Jr and John F Kennedy had both been assassinated that year. Some of the lyrics included:

All the world over, so easy to see! People everywhere, just wanna be free. Listen, please listen! That’s the way it should be. Peace in the valley, people got to be free.

So do you remember singing this hit song? Did you know what it really meant?

Listen to ‘People Got To Be Free’ by The Rascals below!