Caffé Latté looks back at…
THE 200
MOST ESSENTIAL
SONGS
OF THE
1960s
No
decade was as turbulent as the 1960s. Politically and socially, there was turmoil.
Musically too, the rules were changing at breakneck speed. This was the decade
of Flower Power, Motown, Woodstock, girl groups, Beatlemania, psychedelia and
The British Invasion. Here are 200 songs that matter most from the period.
These recordings had an impact on music and provided the soundtrack to the 10 years
that made up the Sixties.
#120
MRS. ROBINSON
Simon & Garfunkel
Paul Simon struggled to gain inspiration from Mike Nichols' film 'The Graduate'. He permitted some of the duo's older songs to be inserted and offered one from his notebook to become the only new track used in the watershed film. "Mrs. Robinson" reached #1 in America and peaked at #4 in Britain in 1968. It still stands as a snapshot of the decade.
#119
(YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE)
A NATURAL WOMAN
Aretha Franklin
A throwaway comment by producer Jerry Wexler to songwriters Carole King and Gerry Goffin that he wanted a song for a 'natural woman', led to the creation of this soul staple. Aretha nailed the definitive version in 1967. It has influenced countless aspiring singers ever since.
#118
SWEET CAROLINE
Neil Diamond
Few songs have the power to coax a gathering of people to sing-along the way "Sweet Caroline" does. Neil Diamond displays his skill as a songwriter on this perennial favourite from 1969. It instantaneously puts a smile on people's faces. The single, which made the Top 3 in America, Canada and Australia, played a role in kick-starting the singer / songwriter era that flourished during the early 1970s.
#117
WALK ON BY
Dionne Warwick
Lyricist Hal David poured a strong dose of emotion into the verses set to music composed by his songwriting partner Burt Bacharach. It was left to Dionne Warwick to execute a powerful vocal. Her 1964 rendition is right on target and oozes soul in every groove. In both Britain and the U.S.A., the disc reached the Top 10.
#116
SHAKIN' ALL OVER
Johnny Kidd & The Pirates
In 1960, "Shakin' All Over" topped the UK Chart. Its sound was a shift for British rock 'n roll. Although a wider audience became aware of the hit through remakes by the likes of The Who (in America) and Normie Rowe (Australia), the original- penned by Kidd himself- laid the groundwork for subsequent acts such as the aforementioned The Who, The Kinks, The Clash and The Sex Pistols.
#115
SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL
Rolling Stones
An unforgettable highlight on The Rolling Stones' 1968 'Beggars Banquet' album, "Sympathy For the Devil" sees the legendary British group extend its musical parameters. The subject matter was controversial despite it being issued during the progressive later years of the 1960s. Musically too, the track is adventurous.
#114
DEDICATED FOLLOWER OF FASHION
The Kinks
In 1966, "Dedicated Follower Of Fashion" captured how much London had grown into a hub of pop culture. Ray Davies references locations in the English capital to the rest of the world, elevating British songcraft in the process. It climbed to #4 in the UK.
#113
DANCE TO THE MUSIC
Sly & The Family Stone
In 1968 Sly Stone and his band beckoned us all to the dancefloor with the genre-bending "Dance To the Music". The most obvious ingredients are psychedelic soul, R&B and a generous serve of funk. Record buyers responded by making this Sly & The Family Stone's first Top 10 hit in America.
#112
UNIVERSAL SOLDIER
Donovan
In 1965, Donovan's "Universal Soldier" summed up the anti-war sentiment that raged during the mid-to-late 1960s. The anthem peaked at #5 in Britain.
#111
SPINNING WHEEL
Blood, Sweat & Tears
Building on from previous remake "You've Made Me So Very Happy", Blood, Sweat & Tears' lead singer David Clayton-Thomas continued evolving the jazz fusion sound that would inspire the group Chicago with 1969's "Spinning Wheel". It peaked at #2 Pop and topped the Easy Listening Chart as well as denting the Soul Chart.
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