Aquarius / Let the Sunshine in - wikipedia Aquarius / Let the Sunshine in `` Let the Sunshine In '' redirects here. For other uses, see Let the Sunshine In ( disambiguation ). `` Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In '' Single by The 5th Dimension from the album The Age of Aquarius Released March 1969 Genre Psychedelic soul, sunshine pop Length 4 : 49 Label Soul City Songwriter ( s ) James Rado Gerome Ragni Galt MacDermot Producer ( s ) Bones Howe The 5th Dimension singles chronology `` California Soul '' ( 1969 ) `` Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In '' ( 1969 ) `` Workin ' On a Groovy Thing '' ( 1969 ) `` California Soul '' ( 1969 ) `` Medley : Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In ( The Flesh Failures ) '' ( 1969 ) `` Workin ' On a Groovy Thing '' ( 1969 ) Audio sample `` Medley : Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In ( The Flesh Failures ) '' file help `` Medley : Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In ( The Flesh Failures ) '' ( commonly called `` Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In '', `` The Age of Aquarius '' or `` Let the Sunshine In '' ) is a medley of two songs written for the 1967 musical Hair by James Rado and Gerome Ragni ( lyrics ), and Galt MacDermot ( music ), released as a single by American R&B group The 5th Dimension. The song peaked at number one for six weeks on the US Billboard Hot 100 pop singles chart in the spring of 1969. The single topped the American pop charts and was eventually certified platinum in the US by the RIAA. Instrumental backing was written by Bill Holman and provided by session musicians commonly known as the Wrecking Crew. The actual recording is something of a `` rarity '' ; the song was recorded in two cities, Los Angeles and Las Vegas, then mixed together in the studio, afterwards. The song listed at number 66 on Billboard 's `` Greatest Songs of All Time ''. Contents 1 History 2 Track listing 3 Charts 3.1 Weekly charts 3.2 Year - end charts 4 Cover versions 5 In popular culture 6 See also 7 References History This song was one of the most popular songs of 1969 worldwide, and in the United States it reached the number one position on both the Billboard Hot 100 ( for six weeks in April and May ) and the Billboard Adult Contemporaries Chart. It also reached the top of the sales charts in Canada and elsewhere. Billboard ranked it as the No. 2 record overall for 1969. The recording won both the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Group for the Grammy Awards of 1970, after being published on the album The Age of Aquarius by the 5th Dimension, and also being released as a seven - inch vinyl single record. The lyrics of this song were based on the astrological belief that the world would soon be entering the `` Age of Aquarius '', an age of love, light, and humanity, unlike the current `` Age of Pisces ''. The exact circumstances for the change are `` When the moon is in the seventh house, and Jupiter aligns with Mars. '' This change was presumed to occur at the end of the 20th century ; however, astrologers differ extremely widely as to when. Their proposed dates range from 2062 to 2680. Astrologer Neil Spencer denounced the lyrics as `` astrological gibberish '', noting that Jupiter forms an astrological aspect with Mars several times a year and the moon is in the 7th House for two hours every day. These lines are considered by many to be merely poetic license, though some people take them literally. The American Film Institute 's 100 Years... 100 Songs list, published in 2004, ranked `` Medley : Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In ( The Flesh Failures ) '' as number 33. Track listing Side Title Length A. `` Medley : Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In ( The Flesh Failures ) '' 4 : 50 radio edit 3 : 07 B. `` Don'tcha Hear Me Callin ' To Ya '' 3 : 54 `` Aquarius '' A chorus from the Original Broadway Cast `` The Flesh Failures / Let the Sunshine In '' The last verse of `` The Flesh Failures '' and first chorus of `` Let the Sunshine In '' from the Original Broadway Cast Problems playing these files ? See media help. Charts Weekly charts Chart ( 1969 ) Peak position Australia 3 Austria ( Ö3 Austria Top 40 ) 11 Canada RPM Top Singles 1 Canada RPM Adult Contemporary 1 Dutch Top 40 12 Finland 2 Germany 3 Ireland ( IRMA ) 15 New Zealand ( Listener ) 6 Switzerland 4 UK Singles Chart 11 US Billboard Hot 100 1 US Billboard Adult Contemporary 1 US Billboard Black Singles 6 US Cash Box Top 100 1 Year - end charts Chart ( 1969 ) Rank Canada 3 US Billboard Hot 100 2 US Adult Contemporary ( Billboard ) 13 US Black Singles 50 US Cash Box 3 This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( September 2008 ) Cover versions The crowd at the Woodstock Festival ( August 1969 ) sang the song. The recording is featured on the double album Woodstock Two ( released 1971 ). Donna Summer, then Donna Gaines, was cast in the German version of the musical singing the lead in Wassermann ( Aquarius ), in 1968. Checkmates, Ltd. released a version of the song as part of `` The Hair Anthology Suite '' on their 1969 album, Love Is All We Have to Give. Ray Stevens recorded `` Aquarius '' for his 1969 studio album Have a Little Talk with Myself. Cilla Black recorded the song for her 1969 studio album Surround Yourself with Cilla. Engelbert Humperdinck recorded a cover of the song on his 1969 self - titled album. Andy Williams released a version in 1969 on his album, Get Together with Andy Williams. Mercy released a version of the song on their 1969 album, Love Can Make You Happy. Diana Ross recorded a cover on the Supremes ' 1969 Let the Sunshine In album but, without The Supremes ; it was a solo recording sung on The Dinah Shore Television Special 1969 with background vocalists from the Television Special. The instrumental band the Ventures covered the medley on their 1969 album Hawaii Five - O. `` Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In '' was also covered by the Osmonds on the 1970 album, Hello ! The Osmond Brothers. The Undisputed Truth recorded a version called `` Aquarius '' for their 1971 self - titled LP. Charles Earland, a jazz Hammond organ player, recorded a version of this song in his album Black Talk. George Shearing, a piano player, recorded a version of the song in 1974 on the album The Way We Are. Ren Woods sang the song in the opening scene of the 1979 film adaption of the play. A soundtrack album was subsequently released, which featured her version as the first track on the A side. Pop - gabber Dutch band Party Animals covered `` Aquarius '' on their debut album Good Vibrations in 1996. The single was certified Platinum and peaked at the number one position for three weeks. A cover of the medley was recorded for the Killdozer / Alice Donut split single `` Michael Gerald 's Party Machine ! Presents : '', released in 1996. It was credited to `` Kill Donut '', a one - off band consisting of members of both bands. The lyrics `` Let the Sunshine In '' from the song `` Aquarius / Let the Sun Shine In '' are sampled in `` One More Time ( The Sunshine Song ) '' by Australian Electronic Artist Groove Terminator. The `` Let the Sunshine In '' portion of the medley was covered by Swedish dance group Army of Lovers on their 2000 album Le Grand Docu - Soap. Their version also included most of the original verses ( with some changes ) performed as a pseudo-rap by group member Dominika Peczynski. Lightspeed Champion covered the song on his Domino Records special edition covers EP. The track is listed as `` The Flesh Failures ''. Star Academy Arab World season one finalist students covered the song and made it as their first single, known as Jay Al - Hakyka. Spencer Davis Group single `` Aquarius Der Wasserman '' b / w `` Let the Sunshine In '', was released because Davis studied German in college and found tour audiences there so appreciative, he decided to honor their support with a version of this pop hit in German. The German krautrock / progressive rock band Jeronimo on their 1970 album Cosmic Blues. Brian Auger, Julie Driscoll and the Trinity recorded this song on their album `` Streetnoise '' Brian Auger & The Trinity ( 1969 ). The Austrian singer Marianne Mendt recorded a German - language version of `` Aquarius '' about the City of Vienna in 1970 named `` Der Wasserkopf ( Aquarius ) ''. The Chopsticks ( a Hong Kong female duo, made up of Sandra Lang ( 仙 杜 拉 ) & Amina ( 亞 美 娜 ) ), covered this medley song on their 1971 LP All of a Sudden. Jackie Davis released a cover of `` Aquarius '' under his moniker, `` Chico Arnéz ''. The track, Chico Arnez - `` Aquarius '' features on his album New Sounds of Chico Arnez, released on Contour records in 1972. Hans Zimmer recorded a cover version for the introductory section to the 1990 movie Bird on a Wire, listed on the soundtrack as `` Aquarius ''. The cast of the 2005 film The 40 - Year - Old Virgin covered the song for the ending of the film. The `` Let the Sunshine In '' portion of this medley was covered by Lisa Cool and the South Spirit for the rhythm dance game Pump It Up : The PREX 3. `` Let the Sun Shine '', an Ibiza - inspired re-make of the `` Let the Sunshine In '' portion of this medley was released by the German housemusic duo Milk & Sugar in 2003. In 2009, they released a remix featuring Jamaican vocalist Gary Pine and Bob Sinclar entitled `` Let The Sun Shine 2009. '' Edurne, a Spanish singer, recorded `` Aquarius '' for her album Première ( álbum ) ( es ). Les Poppys, a French musical group of 17 children, recorded ' Laissez entrer le soleil / Let the sun shine in ', a French / English cover of ' Let the sun shine in ', in 1971 for their first album called Poppys. Digital Daggers recorded a cover that was featured on the television show Star - Crossed, and appeared on their album Reimaginations, Vol. 1. The Forest Rangers covered the song and it was played during the last few minutes of Sons of Anarchy S07E05. Mike Doughty interpolated the `` Let the Sunshine In '' portion for his song `` Fort Hood '' off of his album Golden Delicious. Shannon Mier covered the song on his 2003 album On the Failure of Science to Understand My Spirit. Kanye West produced the song `` Sunshine '' for Mos Def 's second album The New Danger ( 2004 ), employing the `` Let the Sunshine In '' portion throughout the song. In popular culture From 1970 -- 77, `` Aquarius '' was used as the theme song to the British arts programme Aquarius. In 1970, `` Let The Sunshine In '' was used in an Ad Council PSA for the National Urban Coalition ; the commercial promoted racial harmony using a large all - star choir including cameos by Ray Charles, Peggy Cass, Johnny Carson, Will Geer and Leonard Nimoy. `` Let the Sunshine In '' has been adopted by soccer fans in Argentina and popularized in Uruguay 's `` Soy Celeste '' to proclaim their support. Peter Lawford sang the song `` Aquarius '' in the Hollywood Palace in November 1969. The song also appeared in episode 3 ( `` Harmony of the Worlds '' ) of Carl Sagan 's Cosmos during a sequence debunking the practice of astrology. In episode 16, season 3 of The Simpsons ( `` Bart the Lover '' ), `` Age of Aquarius '' is played during a yo - yo demonstration at a school assembly. The song appeared at the end of the 2001 movie Recess : School 's Out. The song also appeared at the end of the 2005 movie The 40 - Year Old Virgin. A sample of the song as it appears in the film Hair carries the main loop of the Boards of Canada song of the same name, appearing on their debut LP. The beginning of the song is heard during a flashback at the start of episode 2 of American Horror Story Season 1 : Murder House The song is featured in Just Dance 2014. See also List of Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles of 1969 List of recordings of songs Hal Blaine has played on References Jump up ^ AllMusic.com The Age of Aquarius page Accessed : November 8, 2013 Jump up ^ Hartman, Kent ( 2012 ). The Wrecking Crew. St. Martin 's Griffin. pp. 261 -- 263. ISBN 978 - 1 - 250 - 03046 - 7. Jump up ^ Discogs credits for Bill Holman ' Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In ' Jump up ^ `` Hot 100 55th Anniversary : The All - Time Top 100 Songs ''. Billboard. 1980 - 12 - 08. Retrieved 2014 - 05 - 24. Jump up ^ Billboard Year - End Hot 100 singles of 1969 Jump up ^ Neil Spencer, True as the Stars Above, 2000, p. 124. Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1969 - 05 - 19. Retrieved 2018 - 01 - 04. Jump up ^ Top4000.nl Chart week 23, 1969. Accessed : November 26, 2006 Jump up ^ `` The Irish Charts -- Search Results -- Aquarius - Let the Sunshine In ''. Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved July 11, 2017. Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Flavour of New Zealand, June 27, 1969. Accessed : November 27, 2016 Jump up ^ SwissCharts.com Archived September 30, 2007, at the Wayback Machine. `` Aquarius / Let The Sunshine In '' page. Accessed : November 26, 2006 Jump up ^ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, May 3, 1969 Jump up ^ `` Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada ''. Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 02. Jump up ^ `` Top 100 Hits of 1969 / Top 100 Songs of 1969 ''. Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016 - 10 - 02. ^ Jump up to : Top Records on 1969 ( Based on Billboard Charts ) ``, Billboard, December 27, 1969. pp. 16 - 17. Accessed December 7, 2016. Jump up ^ ( 2 ) The CASH BOX Year - End Charts : 1969. Accessed : November 27, 2016 Jump up ^ `` Donna Summer discography '' ( in Italian ). Donnasummer.it. Retrieved 2014 - 05 - 24. Jump up ^ Mercy, Love Can Make You Happy Retrieved May 7, 2015 Jump up ^ NVPI.nl Certification page. Accessed : November 26, 2006 Jump up ^ Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, 500 Nr. 1 Hits uit de Top 40, page 330, ISBN 90 - 230 - 0944 - 4 ( Book in Dutch ) Jump up ^ `` Killdozer & Alice Donut - Michael Gerald 's Party Machine Presents... '' Discogs. Retrieved 2017 - 10 - 23. Jump up ^ `` Lightspeed Champion ''. Archived from the original on 25 December 2008. Retrieved 19 December 2008. Jump up ^ `` Chico Arnez ''. Retrieved 20 January 2012. Jump up ^ `` Prex - 3 - CZ - Let the Sunshine - Youtube ''. Retrieved 28 October 2012. Jump up ^ `` Carl Sagan on the pseudoscience of Astrology ''. YouTube. 2008 - 02 - 16. Retrieved 2014 - 05 - 24. Jump up ^ `` The Simpsons UK Cuts, Season 3 -- Simpsons Crazy ''. www.simpsoncrazy.com. Retrieved 2016 - 08 - 02. Preceded by `` Dizzy '' by Tommy Roe Billboard Hot 100 number - one single April 12, 1969 ( six weeks ) Succeeded by `` Get Back '' by The Beatles Preceded by `` Time of the Season '' by The Zombies RPM Canadian Singles Chart number - one single April 7, 1969 - April 21, 1969 ( three weeks ) Succeeded by `` You 've Made Me So Very Happy '' by Blood, Sweat & Tears Preceded by `` Galveston '' by Glen Campbell Billboard Easy Listening Singles number - one single ( The Fifth Dimension version ) May 10, 1969 ( two weeks ) Succeeded by `` Happy Heart '' by Andy Williams The 5th Dimension Marilyn McCoo Billy Davis, Jr. Florence LaRue Lamonte McLemore Ronald Townson Studio albums Up, Up and Away The Magic Garden Stoned Soul Picnic The Age of Aquarius Portrait Love 's Lines, Angles and Rhymes Reflections Individually and Collectively Living Together, Growing Together Soul & Inspiration Earthbound Singles `` Go Where You Wanna Go '' `` Up, Up and Away '' `` Stoned Soul Picnic '' `` Sweet Blindness '' `` California Soul '' `` Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In ( The Flesh Failures ) '' `` Workin ' On a Groovy Thing '' `` Wedding Bell Blues '' `` Blowing Away '' `` A Change Is Gonna Come / People Got to Be Free '' `` The Girls ' Song '' `` Save the Country '' `` On the Beach ( In the Summertime ) '' `` One Less Bell to Answer '' `` Love 's Lines, Angles and Rhymes '' `` Light Sings '' `` Never My Love ( Live ) '' `` Together Let 's Find Love '' `` ( Last Night ) I Did n't Get to Sleep at All '' `` If I Could Reach You '' `` Living Together, Growing Together '' `` Everything 's Been Changed '' `` Ashes to Ashes '' `` No Love in the Room '' `` Love Hangover '' Related topics The Friends of Distinction Marc Gordon Solid Gold Book : The 5th Dimension Hair : The American Tribal Love - Rock Musical Songs `` Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In '' `` Easy to Be Hard '' `` Good Morning Starshine '' `` Hair '' `` Three - Five - Zero - Zero '' Cast recordings Off - Broadway Broadway ( original ) Film adaptation Hair soundtrack Grammy Award for Record of the Year 1959 − 1980 `` Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu ( Volare ) '' by Domenico Modugno ( 1959 ) `` Mack the Knife '' by Bobby Darin ( 1960 ) `` Theme from A Summer Place '' by Percy Faith ( 1961 ) `` Moon River '' by Henry Mancini ( 1962 ) `` I Left My Heart in San Francisco '' by Tony Bennett ( 1963 ) `` Days of Wine and Roses '' by Henry Mancini ( 1964 ) `` The Girl from Ipanema '' by Astrud Gilberto & Stan Getz ( 1965 ) `` A Taste of Honey '' by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass ( 1966 ) `` Strangers in the Night '' by Frank Sinatra ( 1967 ) `` Up, Up and Away '' by The 5th Dimension ( Billy Davis, Jr., Florence LaRue, Marilyn McCoo, Lamont McLemore, Ron Townson ) ( 1968 ) `` Mrs. Robinson '' by Simon & Garfunkel ( Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon ) ( 1969 ) `` Aquarius / Let the Sunshine In '' by The 5th Dimension ( Billy Davis, Jr., Florence LaRue, Marilyn McCoo, Lamont McLemore, Ron Townson ) ( 1970 ) `` Bridge over Troubled Water '' by Simon & Garfunkel ( Art Garfunkel, Paul Simon ) ( 1971 ) `` It 's Too Late '' by Carole King ( 1972 ) `` The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face '' by Roberta Flack ( 1973 ) `` Killing Me Softly with His Song '' by Roberta Flack ( 1974 ) `` I Honestly Love You '' by Olivia Newton - John ( 1975 ) `` Love Will Keep Us Together '' by Captain & Tennille ( Daryl Dragon, Toni Tennille ) ( 1976 ) `` This Masquerade '' by George Benson ( 1977 ) `` Hotel California '' by Eagles ( Don Felder, Glenn Frey, Don Henley, Randy Meisner, Joe Walsh ) ( 1978 ) `` Just the Way You Are '' by Billy Joel ( 1979 ) `` What a Fool Believes '' by The Doobie Brothers ( Jeffrey Baxter, John Hartman, Keith Knudsen, Michael McDonald, Tiran Porter, Patrick Simmons ) ( 1980 ) 1981 − 2000 `` Sailing '' by Christopher Cross ( 1981 ) `` Bette Davis Eyes '' by Kim Carnes ( 1982 ) `` Rosanna '' by Toto ( Bobby Kimball, Steve Lukather, David Paich, Jeff Porcaro, David Hungate, Steve Porcaro ) ( 1983 ) `` Beat It '' by Michael Jackson ( 1984 ) `` What 's Love Got to Do with It '' by Tina Turner ( 1985 ) `` We Are the World '' by USA for Africa ( 1986 ) `` Higher Love '' by Steve Winwood ( 1987 ) `` Graceland '' by Paul Simon ( 1988 ) `` Do n't Worry, Be Happy '' by Bobby McFerrin ( 1989 ) `` Wind Beneath My Wings '' by Bette Midler ( 1990 ) `` Another Day in Paradise '' by Phil Collins ( 1991 ) `` Unforgettable '' by Natalie Cole with Nat King Cole ( 1992 ) `` Tears in Heaven '' by Eric Clapton ( 1993 ) `` I Will Always Love You '' by Whitney Houston ( 1994 ) `` All I Wanna Do '' by Sheryl Crow ( 1995 ) `` Kiss from a Rose '' by Seal ( 1996 ) `` Change the World '' by Eric Clapton ( 1997 ) `` Sunny Came Home '' by Shawn Colvin ( 1998 ) `` My Heart Will Go On '' by Celine Dion ( 1999 ) `` Smooth '' by Santana ( Rodney Holmes, Tony Lindsay, Karl Perazzo, Raul Rekow, Benny Rietveld, Carlos Santana, Chester Thompson ) featuring Rob Thomas ( 2000 ) 2001 − present `` Beautiful Day '' by U2 ( Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr. ) ( 2001 ) `` Walk On '' by U2 ( Bono, Adam Clayton, The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr. ) ( 2002 ) `` Do n't Know Why '' by Norah Jones ( 2003 ) `` Clocks '' by Coldplay ( Guy Berryman, Jon Buckland, Will Champion, Phil Harvey, Chris Martin ) ( 2004 ) `` Here We Go Again '' by Ray Charles and Norah Jones ( 2005 ) `` Boulevard of Broken Dreams '' by Green Day ( Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Frank Edwin Wright III ) ( 2006 ) `` Not Ready to Make Nice '' by Dixie Chicks ( Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines, Emily Robison ) ( 2007 ) `` Rehab '' by Amy Winehouse ( 2008 ) `` Please Read the Letter '' by Alison Krauss and Robert Plant ( 2009 ) `` Use Somebody '' by Kings of Leon ( Caleb Followill, Jared Followill, Matthew Followill, Nathan Followill ) ( 2010 ) `` Need You Now '' by Lady Antebellum ( Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley, Dave Haywood ) ( 2011 ) `` Rolling in the Deep '' by Adele ( 2012 ) `` Somebody That I Used to Know '' by Gotye featuring Kimbra ( 2013 ) `` Get Lucky '' by Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams & Nile Rodgers ( 2014 ) `` Stay with Me '' ( Darkchild version ) by Sam Smith ( 2015 ) `` Uptown Funk '' by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars ( 2016 ) `` Hello '' by Adele ( 2017 ) `` 24K Magic '' by Bruno Mars ( 2018 ) Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Aquarius/Let_the_Sunshine_In&oldid=828564111 '' Categories : 1967 songs 1969 singles The 5th Dimension songs Cilla Black songs Andy Williams songs Mercy ( band ) songs Checkmates, Ltd. songs Song recordings produced by Bones Howe Billboard Hot 100 number - one singles Billboard Adult Contemporary number - one singles Dutch Top 40 number - one singles Grammy Award for Record of the Year Songs from Hair ( musical ) Music medleys Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links CS1 Italian - language sources ( it ) Articles with hAudio microformats Audio sample to be checked All articles with specifically marked weasel - worded phrases Articles with specifically marked weasel - worded phrases from September 2016 Singlechart usages for Ireland2 Singlechart called without artist Articles needing additional references from September 2008 All articles needing additional references All articles with unsourced statements Articles with unsourced statements from January 2018 All articles lacking reliable references Articles lacking reliable references from October 2017 Interlanguage link template link number Talk Article Talk More Contents About Wikipedia Català Deutsch Français Italiano עברית Polski Português Edit links This page was last edited on 3 March 2018, at 10 : 12. 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Question: who wrote the song the age of aquarius
Answer: Galt MacDermot (music)