Written and produced by the in house team of Holland-Dozier-Holland, the shimmering song was their attempt to re-construct the previous Supremes hit ‘Come See About Me’, but the joyous results were above and beyond those limitations. —Kurt Suchman, The early days of rock music found its many stars and wannabe stars digging through the treasure trove of folk and blues for inspiration. Misery never sounded so good. Apparently the Sinatra gene runs strong. And it helped bring their second guitarist Jimmy Page into the fold. Pop music felt its soul. —Marcus J. Moore, If you were to round up a team of the world’s finest scientists, mathematicians and pollsters to determine the most instantly recognizable guitar riff of all time and came back with anything other than the pure bliss of Keith Richards’ fuzzed-out “Satisfaction” intro, we’d tell you to throw out all your data and go back to the drawing board. There was also a lot of musical styles that emerged in the 60’s. The writing credit might be axeman Jimmy Page’s, but it’s widely accepted that it was “inspired” by folk singer Jake Holmes’s song of the same name, that The Yardbirds – featuring one, um, Jimmy Page – used to play. From the hit machine and conveyor belt of in-house stars produced by Motown to the burgeoning, melon-twisting dawn of psychedelia, it was a decade of exploration and experimentation. All Rights Reserved, 100. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jbdw43yvTY. Singer John Fogerty claims he wrote it the day Richard Nixon won the presidency, and that it was designed to reflect the unease in the air. View (or listen) to the best hits from the '60s here! ‘The Tracks Of My Tears’ is one of their most enduring songs, a chest-bursting ballad that somehow failed to make the US Top 10. Written in honor of Simone’s friend Lorraine Hansberry, author of the play A Raisin in the Sun (which, consequently, takes its name from Langston Hughes’ poem “Harlem”), the song became an anthem of the Civil Rights Movement. —Kurt Suchman, “The Weight” remains The Band’s most well-known song to date, and who can complain with that? Hard to wipe that image of Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and the potter’s wheel in 1990’s Ghost, but ‘Unchained Melody’ was almost a cliché even as far back as 1965, having been subjected to numerous versions already. Such a great cover of the Dylan classic that Bob himself tweaked his own version upon hearing it, Jimi’s guitar epic had a slow and painful gestation period. The extra time, no doubt, added to the songs depth and drama, accentuated by mariachi-inspired horns and a striking string section. A single is a type of music release defined by the British Official Charts Company (OCC) as … Anything that requires a swagger, basically. In Memory of Kitty , some of her favs from the 60s & 70 & a few from the 50s According to legend, Who manager Kit Lambert suggested that Roger Daltrey stuttered in order to sound “like a kid on speed.” Either way, it’s still a clarion call for a youth in revolt. Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You”, 82. But, the Godfather of Soul’s performance on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1966 helped secure this song’s importance simply because of the fancy footwork he showcases here. Penned by Neil Diamond and played by session musicians, ‘I’m A Believer’ was a brilliant slice of 60s boyband pop, claiming its rightful place atop the US Billboard charts for seven glorious weeks. While Otis Redding originally had a hit with this track in ’65, it would take two years, a phenomenal soul voice, some backing “sock it to me”s and a formidable “R-E-S-P-E-C-T” breakdown to really set the track on fire. Dylan’s backing band charmed generations of drifters with this future country-rock classic. Though hailing from Hitsville U.S.A. in Detroit, the song has been covered by everyone from The Beatles to The Carpenters to The Saturdays. There are few songs that pop with the kind of instrumental arrogance “Cissy Strut” carries. With its gentle jangle and angelic harmonies this track set the template for all future alt-country jams. Penned by Jimmy Webb (who also wrote ‘Galveston’), this was another tale of blue-collar blues. Marvin’s is The One, though. Throbbing, pounding, and dripping with latent energy it epitomises the lurid appeal of The Stooges at their very best. It won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year and the Academy Award for Best Original Song. There’s a man with a gun over there, telling me I’ve got to beware. We recommend you to check other playlists or our favorite music charts. There were points during that time when, despite the ire of rock ‘n’ roll hipsters, the so-called pre-fab four outsold their Liverpudlian predecessors, thanks in large part to the bouncing pop of 1966’s single “I’m A Believer.” Ultimately, The Monkees enjoy a kind of iconic pop culture status both because of and in spite of the unusual and even existential way the group came to be. The song, which was dressed up with over-distorted guitars, finger-flying note runs and radio-filtered hooks, brought a new focus to rock music by leaning on jazz and classical influence over the English love of blues music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izzKUoxL11E. —Ron Hart, This song became a big deal even before the 13th state in the union officially decreed it the official state song in 1979. This article is an in-depth perspective of the best rock songs of the 60s and 70s. Turn! —Ross Bonaime, Maybe the best known of all the Man in Black’s songs, “Ring of Fire” perfectly encapsulates the Tex-Mex style of country that would propel Cash to lasting stardom. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkae0-TgrRU. Gothic before “goth” existed. Somehow, I suppose somebody from the press was there and it got picked up. And if you had to distill the entire ten years’ worth of musical endeavour into one album, it would be The Beatles’ ‘Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’. While the charms of this track are obvious upon exposure, its studio legacy is just as important. Smokey Robinson did it first. “There’s something happening here; what it is ain’t exactly clear. Forthright and literate with a flowery orchestration from producer John Simon, Cohen’s definitive version appeared on the troubadour’s classic debut ‘Songs Of Leonard Cohen’. Rather, Like a Rolling Stone”’s intended audience saw themselves as the subject, the “you,” at the same time they were being shaken by their country’s violence in the mid- to late-1960s. Still a teenager, this was another 60s smash written by future 10cc-er Graham Gouldman in his downtime. Though seemingly saccharine thanks to Bobbie Gentry’s sweet soprano and the song’s repetitive structure, the lyrics actually detail a violent scene, as “Billie Joe McAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge.” Even still, the song spent four weeks at No.1 in 1967. King Crimson, “21st Century Schizoid Man”, 80. —Hilary Saunders, King and Queen, consisting of duets between Stax stars Otis Redding and Carla Thomas, was the last album Redding would release in his lifetime. It’s “Born in the U.S.A.” without the irony and misinterpretation. That startling drumshot of an opening: Al Kooper’s beckoning, carnivalesque Hammond B-3 organ part and Michael Bloomfield’s electric-guitar curlicues run around Dylan’s own determined rhythmic playing. Merry Clayton’s wailing vocal solo is positively chilling, but in the end, there’s a glimmer of hope that reminds us that maybe this song and “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” aren’t so different after all: “Love, sister, is just a kiss away.” — Bonnie Stiernberg, This was one of the first pop songs to include “God’ in its name. —Mark Lore, The Jimi Hendrix Experience never sounded better than they do on “Fire,” arguably the liveliest performance the trio ever put to tape. Like an American version of Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot, Nancy and Lee were a sultry pairing who radiated with danger and mysterious sexual allure. —Holly Gleason, Stevie Wonder was just 12 years old when he recorded what would go on to become one of the first live songs to hit number one, making him the youngest person in history to top the Billboard Hot 100. —Logan Lockner, David Ruffin’s smiling vocals, that bass hook and those pentatonic scales all make this feel-good track unforgettable. As they move back for one last verse with Lennon, the transition is made with Lennon drifting off into a vocal daze, druggy and gorgeous, and it all leads to that long final chord, made from three pianos and a harmonium—the perfect, haunting end to the perfect song. The closing track on seminal 1968 LP ‘Odyssey And Oracle’, ‘Time Of The Season’ was perhaps The Zombies finest moment. Their catalog included their infamous, yet, most famous, f-bomb-dropping “Kick Out the Jams”—a hard-rocking tune that’s been covered by the likes of Rage Against the Machine and Pearl Jam. —Matt Fink, Probably the song that Redding is still the most well-known for, “Sitting On A Dock Of The Bay” was co-written by legendary soul man Steve Cropper and recorded mere days before Redding’s death, released posthumously. — Bonnie Stiernberg, “Hello, darkness, my old friend / I’ve come to talk with you again.” Arrested Development jokes aside, this lyric from “The Sound of Silence” is one of the most iconic song openers in music. As for the central metaphor, comparing love to a burning ring of fire was a creative, almost counterintuitive step that successfully brought together both the joy and the pain of falling hard for someone. Again, it may have been insubstantial on its own, but the very English nostalgia is a perfect fit with Lennon’s moody discourse on the dingy present. It wasn’t even ruined by Mick Jagger and David Bowie in 1985. Of course the six minute monster went on to become a worldwide hit and one of the most influential pieces of music of all time. ‘Cinnamon Girl’ was later covered by Smashing Pumpkins and Motörhead. The opening lick over the quick bass/snare drum combo is instantly recognizable. “I turned 21 in prison doing life without parole / No one could steer me right, but mama tried—mama tried” may not have been strictly autobiographical—Haggard never served a life sentence, after all—but he did his share of hard time for offenses beginning in his teenage years. The romantic swoon and playful swing of those earlier singles was replaced with a Sinatra-like cool as he looks to the ocean and wonders what his lover is doing on the other side of that body of water other than “watching the ships that go sailing.” Would that he could split it in half like Moses and reunite with his lady love. And Cooke, whose sweet, smooth voice flows as easily as the river he sings he was born by, embodies each of these former selves at once. ‘The House Of The Rising Sun’ was only The Animals’ second single but it made their name, topping the charts at home and in the US. The greatest exponent of producer Phil Spector’s Wall of Sound technique, this sugar-sweet, heart-busting hit by The Ronettes was a true collaboration between producer and muse (singer Ronnie Bennett and Spector would later marry). 2. Aided by a rudimentary synthesizer and a non-traditional song structure, ‘Oscillations’ appropriately enough, spoke of the beauty of the new, in an effortlessly forward- looking way. Ike & Tina Turner, “River Deep – Mountain High”, 73. Color me raised by a boomer, but this song contains one of the most important pieces of information to come out of the 1960s: Despite all the shit you go through to … Since covered over 1,000 times, it’s the most played song in public places as well as the most played song on British broadcasting ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnDm3qr1Knk. Noel Redding’s bass bobs and weaves around howling guitar leads. But it was Hampshire rockers The Troggs who made a proper go of it, detuning the guitars, throwing in an ocarina solo and attacking it with Reg Presley’s growling bravura – all in the service of grabbing a US No.1 single. You’re at Brian Wilson’s mercy from then on as he tips out tumbling drums and sweet harmonies relentlessly for the next three minutes. Despite the anxiety of the titular question, the melody and chord progression capture the essence of the time: the optimism that accompanied the end of Eisenhower’s presidency and the beginning of Kennedy’s. —Hilary Saunders, Adapted from a French pop tune from the ‘40s, Bobby Darin’s follow up to the one-two commercial punch that was his other late ‘50s hits, “Dream Lover” and “Mack The Knife,” allowed the crooner to show off another shade to his versatile voice. The formal structure of a constant rhythmic ground can overcome any material. One of our favorite performances of this song actually came almost 20 years later, though, after divorce and solo careers. However, whether he liked it or not, “Brown Eyed Girl” has since become his reluctant calling card, the one Van Morrison song everyone seems to know about due to its firm place on classic rock radio, its appearance in such acclaimed films as The Big Chill and Born on the Fourth of July and the fact its a song in regular rotation in the iPods of no less than two American presidents. It’s like listening to a smile, and no matter how many cheesy romantic comedies it soundtracks, that never gets old. The 1960s are often considered the best decade for music in America. “Israelites” was one of native Jamaican Desmond Dekker’s first international hits and offered the world its first taste of this now-beloved genre. Bob Gaudio would write songs at a record pace, including “Sherry,” which was original titled “Jackie Baby,” after first lady Jackie Kennedy. Dave Davies’ lilting guitar chords corralled the tale of “Terry and Julie” (Terence Stamp and Julie Christie) and future histories yet to be written with a waltz-like grace and a timeless charm. The song was introduced in the 1965 movie The Sandpiper with a trumpet solo by Jack Sheldon and later became a minor hit for Tony Bennett (Johnny Mandel arranged and conducted his version as well). Provenance aside, this intense brooder sees Page bowing his guitar as Robert Plant simmers with Black Country lust. Originally done by vocal group The Dells, Jackie Wilson re-recorded the track in Chicago with members of the Motown in house band, The Funk Brothers. — Bonnie Stiernberg, The MC5 group was known for their aggressive, political-fueled live shows that, along with fellow Michiganders the Stooges, set the stage for punk rock acts for years to come. If it was a balm, it failed, but if it was just another gentle song and career highlight for jazz pioneer Louis Armstrong, the tune was still a huge success. —Beca Grimm, One of the leading groups of the early ‘60s, Peter, Paul and Mary took inspiration from old-timey folk groups and reinvigorated it with pop harmonies fitting for the day. But the special thing about this song is that it’s the most direct and rebellious song he’s ever penned. In 2015, the US Library of Congress added “Stand By Me” to the National Recording Registry, declaring that “it was King’s incandescent vocal that made it a classic.” —Danielle Ryan, It’s impossible to get a proper education on the Vietnam War without listening to this iconic and subversive song. Released in 1965, John Coltrane’s A Love Supreme—led by the strength and cohesion of its title track—was certainly celestial. ‘To Love Somebody’ was originally intended for Otis Redding , but he died before he could tackle Barry and Robin Gibb’s latest masterpiece so the Bee Gees recorded it themselves. Tommy James and the Shondells, “Crimson and Clover”, 47. In this performance from 1973—the first time the trio had performed together in years—their harmonies are ragged and the delivery unrehearsed, but regardless, just having these musicians playing together again, and more importantly, obviously enjoying it, was a cause for celebration. And from the opening piano slide onwards introductions don’t come much better. Some insist that punk rock started in the U.K. in the ’70s; the Sonics tell us otherwise. The shock saw him bow out of the music industry for a couple of years, but ‘River Deep Mountain High’ still stands up as a formidable chunk of rock-soul, introducing Tina’s colossal pipes to a mainstream audience and doing tidy business in Europe even if it stalled at home. — Bonnie Stiernberg 28563, Aretha Franklin was originally offered a chance to record “Son of a Preacher Man” but turned it down, leaving it to become British pop diva Dusty Springfield’s trademark song. Reggae originated in the Jamaica in this decade, combining elements of ska, R&B, and Caribbean percussion to give sound to the country’s diaspora and social issues. Since its release in 1966, countless bands have tried to imitate the album’s sound, and every psych-oriented group from The Jesus and Mary Chain to The Black Angels are in some way indebted to The Elevators and their visionary frontman Roky Erickson. The news went everywhere…I was overwhelmed by it.”, This song incorporates so many important elements of R&B in the ‘60s—the call and response of “All you wanna do is ride around Sally” and “Ride, Sally, ride,” the 12-bar blues, and the brass funkiness. Songwriter Rod Argent drives the song on with his electric piano while Colin Blunstone strains for the vocal as the song gives early warning of The Zombies’ accomplished pop skills, later realised on legendary album ‘Odessey And Oracle’. With two dozen people voting for more than 500 songs, we whittled the list down to the top 100 hits of the ‘60s. Covered in 1988 by Red Hot Chili Peppers, who could hardly have resisted. Below you will find a ranking of our favorite love songs from the 1960s that will fill dance floors for years to come. A prosaic and somewhat depressing trip turns irrepressibly chic in their hands, however, and this standout from their eponymous debut would eventually become a signature song. It’s hard to believe that this perfect soul pop nugget was turned down by no less than Aretha herself, but following Dusty’s sultry take on the track she was quick to correct the error of her ways. 60 songs. It’s not a cry for help but a cry for ownership and pride. 100 Greatest Rock Songs of the 60's Criteria: Songs listed are from Rock and Roll and related sub-genres. Musically, the song mimics the narrator’s high, starting off slowly, then picking up speed and building to a frenzied crescendo (highlighted by John Cale’s viola screeches) before coming back down again in the end. It’s hard to believe the (slightly craggy) Peter Pan of country Willie Nelson was around and writing this old standard at the start of the 60s, but there he was and here was Patsy Cline delivering the performance she’d end up remembered for, a raw, honest but understated turn that came just two years before her death in a plane crash. Inspired by the films of Bunuel and quasi- Biblical in its lyrical bent, ‘The Weight’ became an anthem of American counterculture (see its use in Easy Rider and later Girl, Interrupted). Naturally, that was a recommendation flagrantly disregarded. As such, its attitude and subject matter aren’t the song’s most progressive aspect. The English rockers hit No. — Bonnie Stiernberg, Originally titled “Brown Skinned Girl,” this Calypso-kissed AOR staple about an alleged interracial tryst and deemed too hot for pop radio upon its release was without question the biggest hit from Morrison’s ill-fated tenure with groundbreaking producer/songwriter Bert Berns and his Bang Records label. And as we all know, the song went on to be a huge hit, giving this California-based pop group their lone No. “Dazed and Confused,” one of the lead, legendary originals from the band’s self-titled debut, however, helped lay down the groundwork for a storied decade to come. A UK No.1 single in 1968, ‘What A Wonderful World’ found a new, memorable lease of life in the 1987 Robin Williams movie vehicle Good Morning, Vietnam – but it so nearly never fell into Louis Armstrong’s hands. Their turbulent domestic life (Tina accused Ike of being an abusive husband) has overshadowed their legacy, but there’s no denying the electricity the two had on stage. —Shane Ryan, Nearly 50 years after its release, “Respect” is still ubiquitous. Bryan MacLean worked it up for Love’s 1966 debut album, but didn’t get around to completing it for another year or so – and this time he barely appeared on it, finding his vocal wiped in favour of Arthur Lee’s harmony lines. Trading lines with Mayfield is tenor Fred Cash, and there are strings and brass arranged by Chicago soul producer Johnny Pate to create a gorgeous love train that’s leaving today. Soul, blues, jazz, pop—put it in front of her, and she could sing it, breaking your heart on one track by sounding gritty, raw and broken before putting a big, stupid grin on your face on the next song with vocals that were smooth and pristine. 1 single by an all-girl group. And if there’s one, prolonged moment that epitomises the spirit and feeling of the decade, it’s the summer of ’67. This cover of an old Pete Seeger tune was one of the many hits off the trio’s self-titled 1962 debut album. I live in New York, which is cold and sucks, and I’d be warm in LA. “Like a Rolling Stone”’s refrain, “How does it feel / To be on your own? Saying The Monkees were successful during 1966-1969 is a dramatic understatement, though. The Animals, “House of the Rising Sun”, 26. Is it a half-speed electric piano? In this song, Sinatra sings about looking back on his life and his work: “I’ve lived a life that’s full / I traveled each and every highway / And more, much more than this, I did it my way.” While he still had many years to go after he recorded this song in 1969, the majority of his career and most well-known albums were in the rearview at that point, especially since his big band style had given way to the British invasion and rock ‘n roll. —Logan Lockner, Led Zeppelin wasn’t exactly treading new ground when Jimmy Page formed the group in 1968, bringing them together to release their self-titled debut a year later. —Robert Ham, The 1965 single cut of “Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag” became a smash because of James Brown’s introduction of funk elements. Perhaps it doesn’t quite get the props it deserves, but ‘Tin Soldier’ is a blistering shot of rock-soul that sounds meaty now – let alone in 1967. Crosby, Stills & Nash, “Wooden Ships”, 49. In 1965, Bob Dylan was about to pack it in. With the groovy panache of a jazz track, ‘She’s Not There’ gave St Albans rockers The Zombies a No.12 UK (and Top 10 US) hit with their debut single. Other timeless lyrics like, “And the people bowed and prayed / To the neon god they made” makes “The Sound of Silence” forever an important song in music’s history. He probably hasn’t looked back though. Find album reviews, stream songs, credits and award information for 200 Sixties Hits: 200 … The writhing and riff heavy opener to Led Zeppelin’s best album (‘Led Zeppelin II’) never received a UK single release but shifted millions of copies in the US. Big Brother and the Holding Company, “Piece of My Heart”, 29. — Bonnie Stiernberg, SNAP! In fact, even in its much tamer studio version, The Stooges’ feedback-heavy force of a song still out-fought most hard-rockers in ’69, only being outdone by Detroit brothers The MC5. —Robert Ham, Being of a certain age, this song will forever be cemented in my mind as the one that soundtracks Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore getting all sensual with clay in Ghost. Its strings and sentiment, laid on thick with Charles’ cooing and piano plinking, make it irrelevant whether the lyrics are about a state or the sister of the original songwriter Hoagy Carmichael. The fact that you are married only proves you’re my best friend.” Anyone who has ever been friend-zoned can relate to the aching sadness oozing from this track. Released initially against the wishes of Motown man Berry Gordy, its lyrics are an embittered document of an infidelity, but its vocals are pure honeyed, Marvin sweetness. “Walkin’ After Midnight,” Patsy Cline, 78. A cheery bolt of daydream escapism, amongst a background of social upheaval. © 2021 NME is a member of the media division of BandLab Technologies. But once Santiglia goes off on her own melodic trip at about the two-minute mark, “My Boyfriend’s Back” soars. 1 single. It was a call to liberation. But even if this 1963 single should actually just be taken at face value, “I Want To Hold Your Hand” exemplifies the era’s joyful pop rock, noted by kitschy handclaps, a swinging backbeat and perfect Fab Four harmonies. But within the band’s own history, “Crimson and Clover” served as the turning point for more conceptual work. Framed by producer Al DeLory’s wistful orchestration, Campbell’s honey-soaked croon perfectly captured the sadness of a long distance telephone lineman. 2 and No. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN_Aq2W2Yi0. Creedance Clearwater Revival, “Fortunate Son”, 12. They might have done the gritty thing with ‘Ball Of Confusion’ and ‘Papa Was A Rollin’ Stone’ or tried overwrought testifying on ‘Ain’t Too Proud To Beg’, but the Temptations song that gets reeled out most these days is this soppy, doo-wopping poem to a girl who makes everything all right. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ma4dsoviNSQ. Smokey Robinson was the quite the Motown mogul, becoming a VP after encouraging Berry Gordy to set up the label in the first place, then piling on hit after hit as a writer/producer and lead singer of The Miracles. 100 tracks (261:37). Here are the 100 best songs from the ‘60s. An evocative, inventive and timeless masterpiece. Written and produced by Smokey Robinson with Ronald White, it features David Ruffin’s first – silky smooth – lead vocal. Grace Slick perfectly captured the mid-60s hope that narcotics could change perceptions and the world. — Zach Blumenfeld, Jazz has a supernatural presence when crafted correctly. By NME. Although we at Paste had previously compiled the 60 Best Albums of the 1960s, we felt that a number of songs were missing. Heavily inspired by the Texas blues that imbued her first musical endeavors, “Piece of My Heart” is a symbol of the time it was released; the perfect mix of blues and psychedelic hard rock to soundtrack the free-love ideology of the Hippie counterculture. Although the band broke up shortly after this song’s release, the arid R’n’B stylings of this track would live on decades after their demise. The Top 100 Songs of the '60s show list info. If you enjoyed listening to this one, maybe you will like: 1. A maudlin French horn heralds the start before those timeless words “I may not always love you” pin you to the wall. Nina Simone, “To Be Young, Gifted, and Black”, 40. As the orchestral strings and horns assemble and rise, Cooke proffers a timeless mantra in the refrain—part hope, part prayer, part demand—that a change is going to come. Desmond Dekker & The Aces, “Israelites”, 98. “Have Love Will Travel” isn’t as in-your-face as “The Witch” or “Strychnine,” but it’s still a primal slab of garage rock (the skronky sax solo rips, too). —Robert Ham, Just as “Umbrella” was kicked down to Rihanna after being rejected by Britney’s label, so too did a dozen or so other bands refuse to record “Happy Together” before it was offered to The Turtles in 1967. Nancy Sinatra, “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’”, 96. Plus, it helped those boys in Remember The Titans work out their differences. With a chorus that boasts she’s going to grab that hussy “by the hair a your hand / and lift you off of the ground,” this is worthy of the WWF, and Lynn ain’t playing. Since covered by everyone from Megadeth to Jessica Simpson. Still, it’s a remarkable record, reminiscent of free jazz in its loose approach as The Byrds’ West Coast harmonic rock falls apart all around them. Based around the dirtiest of fuzzy riffs and piercing harmonica, ‘Psychotic Reaction’ moves from glam stomp to psych wig-out and was highly regarded enough for rock critic extraordinaire Lester Bangs to name a book after it. Mitch Mitchell’s drums go off like funky firecrackers. Fogerty goes back and forth from point-of-views—from the millionaire’s son to the senator’s son to the folks born to wave the red, white and blue. Top 100 Songs of the '60s. You can now listen to our playlist below on Spotify! Just sayin’. Taking in a timeless sense of youthful disaffection via a countercultural, Mod lens, Pete Townshend’s age-defying ditty distilled what it feels like to be young, energised and in the prime of life into 3:18 minutes of bristling hedonism. — Bonnie Stiernberg, “Walkin’” certainly marks the height of Cline’s crossover success, ranking high on both country and pop charts—peaking at No. With “At Last,” the title track of her 1961 album, she delivers arguably one of the most iconic songs of all time. Turn! —Robert Ham, The key to loving this song is to falling hard for the very end when lead Angel Peggy Santiglia moves past the restraint she’s exhibited for the rest of the song and starts singing for the rafters. 100 best tracks of the ’60s – Spotify playlist, http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1483850446001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAAABumiUU~,CmZu1qzq0NyICxn2Vp-nk3_Z6ll_Smhf&bctid=1585787073001. Otis Redding and Carla Thomas, “Tramp”, 88. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ymr092edNAA. — Bonnie Stiernberg, With the signature kick drum intro that has been emulated and imitated ad nauseum since, Phil Spector outdid himself when he wrote the girl-group classic “Be My Baby.” The only thing that could improve such a simplistically genius song is the impeccable vocal capacity of the remarkable Ronnie Spector and the Ronettes. But quite simply, “God Only Knows” is the group’s best song on its best album. —Hilary Saunders, Girl-group perfection, this song took The Marvelettes to the top of the charts right out of the gate.