1969 No. 1 Mellow Rock Classic Is Making a Huge Comeback 57 Years Later

Some hit songs are popular for just a little while, but other classics have the sort of timeless sound and message that keep them relevant for generations. Such is the case with the Thunderclap Newman's late '60s classic, "Something in the Air," which is making a much-deserved comeback thanks to a new Netflix series.

The mellow one-hit wonder, which went to #1 in the U.K. during the summer of 1969, was originally titled "Revolution." The band ended up renaming the track to avoid any confusion with the Beatles song of the same name, which came out the year before, but the lyrics still reflect the revolutionary spirit of the era:

"Call out the instigators / Because there's something in the air / We got to get together sooner or later / Because the revolution's here / And you know it's right / And you know that it's right / We have got to get it together / We have got to get it together now"

The mellow, melodic tune's optimistic tone makes it the perfect theme song for "This Is a Gardening Show," the new Netflix documentary series hosted by Zach Galifianakis which features the actor interviewing farmers and kids about how to grow your own fruits and vegetables.

"I think we have to be honest with ourselves and say there might be a huge storm coming...climate-wise," Galifianakis told CBC News. "And I think kids, the more they know, the more they'll be able to adapt."

In other words, like the song says, "We have got to get it together now."

Pete Townshend secretly played on 'Something in the Air'

Named after the group's piano player, Andy "Thunderclap" Newman, Thunderclap Newman was assembled by Pete Townshend of The Who in an attempt to utilize the talents of drummer/singer Speedy Keen, who had written "Armenia City in the Sky" for The Who Sell Out album, according to American Songwriter. On guitar was Jimmy McCulloch (who was just 15 when the band recorded "Something in the Air"), while Townshend himself played under bass under the pseudonym Bijou Drains.

Unfortunately, Thunderclap Newman didn't last very long as a band; in fact, they broke up after their first album. McCulloch went on to join Wings with Paul McCartney, but died tragically young at the age of 26 in 1979.

All these years later, however, "Something in the Air" is still finding new fans...and calling for a revolution.

Related: 1977 Soft Rock Springtime Classic Is Having a Major Moment Nearly 50 Years Later

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This story was originally published May 6, 2026 at 8:31 PM.