AQUARIUS/LET THE SUNSHINE IN

"'Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In'", sometimes incorrectly known as "'The Age of Aquarius'", is a medley of the songs "Aquarius" and "The Flesh Failures (Let The Sunshine In)" from the musical ''Hair'', originally released by The Fifth Dimension as a single which held the number one position on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 for six weeks in 1969 and was certified Platinum.^[1]

Contents

History

Track listing

Chart positions

Cover versions and samplings

Trivia

References

See also

History

The recording won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Best Contemporary Vocal Performance by a Group at the Grammy Awards of 1970, after it was released on the album ''The Age of Aquarius''. The song was written by James Rado, Gerome Ragni and Galt MacDermot.
The song was based on the astrological belief that the world would be entering the Age of Aquarius, an age of love, light and humanity, unlike the then current Age of Pisces. This change was presumed to occur at the end of the 20th century, though astronomically the Age of Aquarius will not begin until 2654. [1]
"Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" was ranked thirty-third on the 2004 AFI's 100 Years... 100 Songs.

Track listing

Side	Title	Length
A.	"Medley: Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In"	4:50
B.	"Stoned Soul Picnic"	3:26

Chart positions

Year	Chart	Position
1969	Billboard Black Singles	6
1969	Billboard Pop Singles	1 (6 weeks)
1969	Billboard Adult Contemporary	1
1969	Swiss charts	4 [2]
1969	Dutch Top 40	12 [3]

Cover versions and samplings

★ "Pop-gabber Dutch band, the Party Animals covered "Aquarius" on their debut album ''Good Vibrations'' in 1996. The single was certified Platinum ^[4] and peaked at the number one position for three weeks.^[5].

★ "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" is performed with dancing at the conclusion of the 2005 movie ''The 40-Year-Old Virgin'' after the lead character's first sexual encounter.

★ British comedian Vic Reeves also sang it.

★ "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" is also used in commercials for the Kia Rondo.

★ The "Aquarius" song is used in commercials for the Aquarius sports drink.

★ William Shatner sang a version of "Aquarius" in a commercial for Priceline.com.

★ Societe BiC also uses the song in the 2007 advertising campaign for the debut of their Soleil triple blade razors in America.

★ This song is sampled in the Mos Def song "Sunshine" on the album ''The New Danger''.

★ The "Let the Sunshine In" portion of the medley was covered by the band Army of Lovers on their 2000 album "Le Grand Docu-Soap."

★ Bob Rivers recorded a parody entitled "I Think It's Time to Clean My Aquarium".

Trivia

★ In ''Little Britain'' the narrator refers the song as "The Age Of Aquarium" in a sketch taking place in one.

★ In the (2001) Disney Movie "Recess Schools Out", Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In plays during the end of the movie moving into the credits with the chorus let the sunshine in.

★ Aquarius/Let the Sunshine is played at the end of ''The 40 Year-Old Virgin''
"Let the Sunshine In" is feature in the Kia Rondo "Rondoism" 2007 commercial.

References

1. AllMusic.com ''The Age of Aquarius'' page Accessed: November 26, 2006
2. SwissCharts.com "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In" page. Accessed: November 26, 2006
3. Top4000.nl Chart week 23, 1969. Accessed: November 26, 2006
4. NVPI.nl Certification page. Accessed: November 26, 2006
5. Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, ''500 Nr. 1 Hits uit de Top 40'', page 330, ISBN 9023009444 (Book in Dutch)

See also

★ Hot 100 No. 1 Hits of 1969 (USA)