The Sixties has a rightful claim as the period in time that produced the most memorable contemporary music in human history.
So many genres came to prominence, including:
· Jazz
· Folk
· R&B
· Soul
· Rock
· Psychedelia
John F Kennedy – elected 1960, assassinated 1963. During those years, a seismic cultural wave across the Anglosphere was brewing. Motown began to assert itself in the USA, while in the UK, the post war blues were being thrown off with a vengeance.
The influence of the Modernists: The fifties in the UK saw the emergence of young working class men who had access to “Modern” jazz and soul records shipped over to (mostly black) GIs in the post war years (see also “Northern Soul”). These records essayed musical styles that had largely not been heard outside of black audiences in the USA. The UK’s “Modernists”, with their love of tailored suits, Italian scooters (Lambrettas and Vespas – accept no substitutes), cafes and most importantly amphetamine pills, began looking for something other than bebop to excite them. Unfortunately many of them eventually morphed into hippies, while their younger brothers ended up becoming the original skinheads out of sheer disgust.
The Beatles, the Stones and the Who came to prominence from 1963 onwards and the rest is history.
Bobbie Zimmerman (Dylan) decided to harness some electrickery for his new black Strat, resulting in a (mythical?) hippie cutting the cord at the Newport Folk Festival, 1965. Dylan would then go on to introduce the Beatles to Mary Jane while seeing many of his finest songs covered by artists that were able to do them justice (see for example, the Birds and others).
Soul – James Brown, Ike and Tina, Marvin, Gladys and the Pips, etc …
The Monterey Festival – the film is highly recommended.
Woodstock – the less said about it the better, although a chemically altered Pete Townshend giving Abbie Hoffman the mighty heave ho during a break in proceedings remains its most legendary incident (along with Jimmy’s Star Spangled Banner).
Altamont 1969, when the sixties died an inglorious death courtesy of a hopelessly inappropriate venue, very bad drugs, very bad choices in bouncers and to paraphrase Keef, “all those fat naked people”. The footage of Jerry Garcia and Phil Lesh fleeing the scene in a helicopter after hearing that the Angels were beating down on musicians remains a defining cultural moment. I’m not sure who borrowed whose image first, Peter Fonda for Cap’n America, or the Lesh at Altamont.
There are so many great songs from that decade I was at a total loss as to which two songs should wrap up the post – after polling some friends this afternoon, the choices are:
Mainstream – Petula Clark 1964: “Downtown”
Chemically crazed – Cap’n Beefheart 1969: “Moonlight on Vermont”
Honourable mentions – Dylan (1965), “Like a rolling stone” and the Stones (1967), “Out of time” (Chris Farley lyric version).
Enjoy and post those favourite classics, people!
Dusty – Son of a Preacher Man
Aretha – Still waters run deep …
Leaving the ‘Stones out of it, the best – and most ’60s – start to an album of the decade is 1967’s first album from the Velvet Underground.
The opening track is a beautiful and quintessentially ’60s pop song. Sunday Morning. The second track is the proto-hard rock classic with subversive lyrics about buying drugs. I’m Waiting For The Man.
The album was a flop at the time but is now recognised as one of the most influential ever.
Er…when was this decided?
You need a better promoter, son.
Be that as it may, The Creation: Making Time
Just in case you were wondering who Jimmy Page ripped off the idea of playing the electric guitar with a violin bow from.
Richard Harris McArthur Park
err, Rog, the audience was polled about three weeks ago, Squire.
Overwhelming, the feedback was. As noted above, how the eff do you choose two favourite songs from that decade in any kind of easy manner?
You don’t, which is what friends are for.
The Doors and Jefferson Airplane.
I’ve no problem with the selection, just that this is the first I’ve heard of it, and I’m no stranger in these parts.
Maybe dover needs to promote it in the sidebar?
Anyway, from the ridiculous to the sublime, when The Monkees TV show hosted Tim Buckley.
Speaking of things sublime, Who Knows Where the Time Goes by Fairport Convention, written c. 1966/67 by a teenage Sandy Denny and released in 1969 with some very tasteful lead guitar work by another teenager, 17 year old Richard Thompson. Amazing talents, both.
Can’t contribute much to this one. We got what we got at home, which ran along the lines of Rolf Harris and Cilla Black. The former is now haram for the obvious reasons and I’m not a fan of the latter. Nor a fan of Peter, Paul and Mary or The Seekers. Which we got. A lot.
We had nothing interesting: not blues, not jazz, not even classical. Not even the Stones. In Music we sang Beatles songs without knowing who they were, which is funny thinking back on it. Country towns take a while to catch up to the rest of civilization.
I gotta do something I suppose. Well ok speaking of the Stones here’s one of theirs.
The Rolling Stones – The Last Time (1965)
Good choice.
Who’da thunk that head case Bill would end up a counter-revolutionary in the terrible 20s?
Speaking of albums that didn’t get their due at the time, LA psychedelic folksters Love: Forever Changes.
Jools Holland presided over a live remake on his TV show back in the early 2000s, strings and all.
Still having trouble. Everything by Pink Floyd before 1970 sucks. Steeleye Span started in 1969 but didn’t release anything until 1970 (their first LP being Hark! The Village Wait, which is excellent). Ah well, I mentioned The Beatles in previous comment, so one of theirs then. But not Hey Jude (reminds me of a step-mother) not Norwegian Wood or Yellow Submarine which we sang at school. Yellow Submarine must’ve been the sixties ear-worm equivalent of Baby Shark, although I’ve never listened to that one unlike everyone else in the world.
The Beatles – A Day In The Life (1967)
There are hundreds of memorable songs from this era, including one or two hit wonders galore. A couple of favourites:
Summer in the City – The Lovin’ Spoonful
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwZdDyH9LLc
She’s Not There – The Zombies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it68QbUWVPM
How about a Beatles knock off?
Lotocoti – Good one! That needs another person of no describable gender to go with it/him/yx.
Johnny Cash- A Boy Named Sue (1969)
Funny that in 2022 progressive lefties wouldn’t understand this song at all…
How could you miss the supergroup cream?
My old man is quite the fan.
? and the Mysterians – 96 tears
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_Ax2N-VmfQ
Some very fine female artists as well. My favourite is Dusty Springfield. Just gorgeous.
Son of a Preacher Man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DjydOI4MEIw
And the great Dionne Warwick – I Say a Little Prayer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dERmrf48qe4
How about some shameless grifting?
Ah at last found something I can recall with relish!
Jethro Tull – “Living in the Past” (1969)
Kicked off several golden years of Tull. I still have TAAB on CD somewhere, used to have it vinyl.
Best singer of all time.
Great Australian group. One of the high points of human civilisation.
Of course the greatest album of all time is Let It Bleed.
Here’s the opening track: Gimme Shelter
Ah the days of my beloved transistor radio. Earliest I can recall is “Wolverton Mountain” because a band from my High School won a district Talent Quest with it. And I spent ages catching “Tar and Cement” on the radio in order to write out the words. Then there was “I Wanna Be Bobby’s Girl” sung to myself as I walked home from the bus stop in Form 2 for a few months – first crush! How about “It’s My Party and I’ll Cry if I Want To”, I could go on but you catch my drift I’m sure. Zillions of teen memories.
Better include a cover band.
Just checking Rabz.
This is the ’60’s thread. Not the Christian Rock 1972-78 thread?
So that means I shouldn’t be linking this?
Oh, bollocks.
Take up thy stethoscope and walk, I tells ya! 😕
Doing two since they fit so well together. The first is for Elon Musk. The second is technically a sixties song too since it came out in 1866…
David Bowie – Space Oddity (1969)
2001 A Space Odyssey – Space Station sequence (1968)
We saw it on the big screen when it came out. Mesmerising movie.
Went to Herb Alpert and Tijuana Brass when they toured Brisbane. Fantastic concert, such a fun audience.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGmQXuySF28
Timbo – that’s enough of that.
Lucifer Sam.
The Doors
Jefferson Airplane
As a complete change of pace I also saw Peter, Paul and Mary, who also gave a very good concert.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z15pxWUXvLY
Pretty sure jazz was big before the sixties.
One of the real breakthrough tracks of the ’60’s, that paved the way for a lot that followed.
Gerry and the Pacemakers – for those Mighty Reds who are on track to win both the Premier League and the Champions League.
Under the mighty stewardship of das Klopp.
One more sixties Floyd and I’ll dump Bowie’s Laughing Gnome.
Ok song but it’s another one we sang in Music (wince…) so Wake Me When It’s Over.
The Kinks (see my 9.04 link above) were the inspiration for this, and all that followed.
Feel free to define “big”, Petros.
Glenn Miller was regarded as a jazz artist despite being in the era of the big bands. Not too many bigger Rabz.
“The Girl from Ipanema” Astrud Gilberto, João Gilberto and Stan Getz
He’s not a mausoleum in India.
Taj Mahal – Leaving Trunk (1968)
The Beatles and the Stones … 🙂
le plus grand hommage … 🙂
Brizzles – we’re not here to argue about the merits (or otherwise) of jazz.
Am I allowed to mention “Louie Louie” ?
Insert one’s own obscene lyrics
A sixties jazz monster sales-wise.
The Jazz Age. The twenties and thirties.
Am I allowed to mention “Louie Louie” ?
Indeed you are, Squire.
Another linky thing fail.
And we should also note on the honour roll The Amboy Dukes ‘Journey to the Centre of Your Mind’ featuring the lead guitar talent of stalwart libertarian right-wing Ted Nugent
(Somewhat disingenuously Ted feigns ignorance as to any drug theme in the song … yeah ok Ted whatever ya reckon)
I Fall To Pieces -Patsy Cline
Fair enough Rabz.
For the surfers. The Beach Boys music were standard at clubs and pubs in the 60s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0yoiBYbT2I&list=PLCMCPGnIUuAsEbatD9wpb20fdF9xluoeW
What’s ya name? Who’s ya daddy?
The Byrds, paraphrasing the third chapter of Ecclesiastes …
And the remarkable Justin.
Since I put up Taj Mahal I’ll do a triple play: Taj again, Aretha Franklin and one better known for Ray Charles’s cover of it.
Taj Mahal – She Caught The Katy (1968)
Aretha Franklin – Think (1968)
The Five Du Tones – Shake A Tail Feather (1963)
Some movie or other might’ve featured all three of these. 😀 (I especially love that marvellously spirited version of Minnie the Moocher done by Cab Calloway, but the song is from 1931.)
My old man passed on a few things, one of them was music. So good to see Captain Beefheart, one of his favourites, which I flogged to death. Which leads to Mother’s of Invention, Burnt Weeny Sandwich was my fave album and the monster track House I used to live – all 19 mins of it.
And involved in all 3, Zappa, a genius, Hot Rats, only Mike Patton has come close.
Special mention to King Crimson. Used to love the album art as much as the music.
Great work Rabz
Mr Tambourine Man
The twelve strings and the harmonies are what Bobbie himself might have imagined when he wasn’t off communing with the pixies.
Eight Miles High – as one would be after inhaling something mysterious … 😕
Ray Charles – I Can’t Stop Loving You ( 1962 )
Wake the neighbours with some acid spiked ice cubes.
California Soul
Wes Montgomery – Here’s That Rainy Day – Live London 1965
Sand and camels from 1962.
I like his son’s stuff a lot also, but the younger Jarre got going in the seventies, so he doesn’t get in.
Haven’t heard Marlena Shaw before, she immediately reminded me of Helen Reddy, which was interesting since I haven’t heard anything of hers for a very long time. She did some fine songs in the early seventies, and one from 1968, so I’ll put it up.
Helen Reddy – One Way Ticket (1968)
And that’s it for me. Thanks Rabz!
Willie Nelson – The Party’s Over (1967)
“North to Alaska” (Johnny Horton) gets my vote.
Star Trek (The Original Series) was first produced by Desilu Productions between 1966 and 1968.
The theme song therefore qualifies for tonight’s milieu.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bfwiy9JQ-PI
The Stooges were another ’60s band ahead of their time. No Fun.
-si
My husband would tell me often that Helen Reddy was no match for her half-sister Toni Lamond. He was a big fan of Toni.
That was played at my younger brother’s funeral. He left a wife and three month old son…
Russel Morris – real thing , wings of an eagle
Maters apprentices – it’s because I love you , turn up your radio
Four bars will only get you so far. So I guess the early adopters will have an advantage.
Example: Robert Helpman – Surfer Doll
Let’s not forget The Monkees with their Album ‘The Monkees’ cos I’m not your steppin stone, I’m not…
I fell in love in the early 60s.
I played this song so many times in those years. It was on a record loaned to me by my future husband.
“When I Fall in Love”
Thanks Rabz for the magical memories of the 60s you have afforded us here tonight.
My favourite version of Sweet Jane is from the album 1969 The Velvet Undergound Live.
Miley Cyrus plays that version and nails it.
Went out for the evening meaning to be back while the party was still on. Will just have to make my own fun.
I rather like the Zoot’s version of Eleanor Rigby, it’s much better than the Beatles original.
Eleanor Rigby
This song fits right in with the 60s vibe Arizona.
60s were boom time for instrumentals, some of them all-time favourites like Classical Gas.
Then there were Green Onions.
The Shadows were huge though perhaps not so much in the US where Ventures ruled and there was a whole genre called the surf music to which belonged that all time classic The Pipeline which probably doesn’t qualify having been released in 1962.
How about some Easybeats – Saturday Night.
Some more Australian hits, Russell Morris with The Real Thing.
I rather like Normie Rowe’s Shaking All Over.
I just love Hank Marvin’s Sacha.
From The Stones I like this one – Paint It Black.
TV themes were also big in the 60s with notables examples such as Hawaii Five O and Bonanza. I like this version of Peter Gunn by Duane Eddy.
Somebody already mentioned Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass whose most famous instrumental was used by John Laws to open his radio show. I used to tune in just to hear it and then turn the dial to some other station.
The Lonely Bull
This could be the best movie theme ever made The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
Almost forgot The Age Of Aquarius.
For Hzhousewife, yes, all good ones. This one just misses out as it was released 1959 by Antony Perkins:
I’ve got a date with the prettiest girl in school
(she said yes in biology)
Some fine selections there, Crossie.
A few more:
Oh, Pretty Woman (1964) – Roy Orbison won a Grammy for this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PLq0_7k1jk
Another stunner from the Big O – he wrote this one as well. In this version of Crying (1962) he does a duet with k d lang, who is a big fan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uNoAp7RNUA
Thanks Rabz and all for the memories of some great music.
Thanks all, some fantastic links above.
Rog – Love: Forever Changes. I’ll have a listen to it today.
Joolz is a fantastic custodian of the archives.
Simon and garfunckel – America mrs Robinson – the optimism and expansion over the horizon
To Rabz
As an update to your football team (Liverspots). my team Tottering Hotspur got a draw at Anfield on the weekend which may have put a dent in your EPL aspirations.
Try this one –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ohx9Ve7-GS0
And as one for the end of the 1960s……………………..The best things to come out of Liverpool apart from the road south to London…………………lol
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCtzkaL2t_Y
And this is from one of the best Groups ever –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0NTI14Pu2U
WTF?
“Normies” were listening to Phil Spectre’s girl groups at the start of the sixties – or are we talking about the morose side of the Vietnam era when angsty white Brits produced sh1te?
Even the Stones early stuff was on the positive side Under The Boardwalk.
We had the single – the flip side being Walking The Dog.
Ditto the Beatles “Hard Day’s Night” and “Beatles for Sale” albums.
Commercial stuff that “normies” like(d).
“If you remember the ’60s…” you were a young’un.
Obviously, post Baby Boomers have no recollection of the early ’60s – chalk and cheese.
The cover of all covers, if Elvis impersonations are still a thriving business:
Tony Hadley and Kylie Auldist – Suspicious Minds – RocKwiz
So What!?
Miles Ahead | Official Trailer HD (2016)
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – Tears Of A Clown (1967)
Egg, thanks for the Suspicious Minds clip – it is awesome. Had never heard of either of the singers, but they are the goods. Kylie has a beautiful voice, as well as great stage presence, and the chap is a pretty damn good performer as well.
Never watched Rockqiz because I am allergic to the ghastly Julia Z, but I will scan youtube for more material sans her.
Dunno if Rabz covered it, but IMHO the largest cultural shift in the 60s was a renewed interest in folk music, as a protest backlash to ‘Nam.
The Mommas and the Poppas et al from Laurel Canyon, our own Seekers were megastars.
‘Hair’ the Musical had a huge global influence.
“HAIR” MEDLEY – Aquarius/The Flesh failures/Let the sunshine
Lead singer of Spandau Ballet, yuge in the 80s New Wave scene.
Spandau Ballet – Gold (HD Remastered)
Apologies for the diversion.